Sitemaps . I created these sites a couple of weeks ago : Evan 's blog Twins ' blog Aberdeen FC mailing list Evan 's google pages But as of today only the first one is showing up on google . So , this morning I ' ve added sitemaps . Just created basic text files with lists of urls for the googlepages sites . Neither is at all complicated . Had a bit of a blank trying to do the same for the blogs since it doesn't look like you can upload files . A quick search on google found this useful article . Turns out it takes RSS feeds so I just submitted the atom . xml files . Let 's hope it works . 
Aberdeen mailing list web pages moved . I can't easily edit the pages in their old site so I ' ve moved them to Google Pages . The new address of the Aberdeen Football Club mailing list is http : // aberdeenlist . googlepages . com / . The look is different but the content is pretty much unchanged apart from removing a few broken links . I ' ll try and find some time to bring it up to date . Btw I also briefly looked at Google Groups in case it would make sense to move the list itself . First impressions are it wouldn't be a suitable replacement but I ' ll give it a closer look some time . I would of course poll the list for opinions before embarking on such a move . 
Aberdeen Mailing List . Adding a link here to the Aberdeen Mailing List web pages because I noticed they don't show up on Google . This surprised me because they ' ve been around a long time but actually maybe that 's probably the problem . They haven't been updated for about 5 years ! Google probably thinks they 're stale and has removed them from the index . I ' ll see if I can remember how to update them when I get a chance . 
New Universal Remote . Got my new universal remote yesterday . It 's the Harmony 885 ( right ) and it replaces my old Kameleon One For All 6 ( far right ) . First of all it has a charging station so I no longer need to get the screwdriver out to change the batteries a couple of times a week . Secondly it 's really easy to use . The Activities based functions are very straightforward and useful . Just select Watch PVR and it switches on the TV ( on the right input ) , the Sky + box and the amp and switches off everything else . The feel is much nicer too . It 's nice to press real buttons again . Thirdly it controls all my kit , which is currently : Toshiba 32 WLT 66 ; D - Link DSM - 320 RD ; Sky + ; Dreambox 7000 - S ; Play Station 2 ; Sony STR - DE 495 P . Sky HD is due the week after next . Customization is a breeze compared to the Kameleon . I think I still have some more to do to get it to do exactly what I want but that 's half the fun , isn't it ? If you 're in the market for one then I highly recommend it . I got mine from Komplett for 129 . Read more about it at AV Forums . 
All change . This blog started out about the twins but I ' ve decided to move that stuff to http : // ice 00 evan . blogspot . com / because that name better reflects the fact that Janeice will want to contribute . Instead these pages will be home to any other random stuff that I want to write about . What that might be , time will tell ... 
Tony wept . We phoned Tony today to tell him about the twins . Since he has identical twins himself he found it hilarious . I think he 's probably still crying with laughter . We had been planning to turn the office into a nursery . But it may not be big enough , we might have to convert the spare room instead . 
Big news . Took Janeice to St Thomas ' for a scan yesterday . Found out she is definitely carrying twins . Identical twins ! See exhibits A and B . We had an inkling from the last scan two weeks ago so we have had some time to get used to the idea but now that it 's reality it still comes as a shock - a really good shock . Janeice 's Uncle Michael and Aunt Margaret had also told her it would be twins ( gypsy blood ) and last year a palm reader told her the same thing . I guess I ' m always the last to know ! 
Star Trek XI : Teaser poster released . STARTREK . COM : Article I know it 's probably not that big a deal for you guys , but this is the sort of announcement that makes fanboys like myself crap our collective pants . To the untrained eye , the poster looks quite innocuous , but to the staunch Trekkie it tells us a lot .1 . The insignia and colour - coding puts it in the mid 23 rd century , around the time of the Original Series .2 . The insignia is specific to the USS Enterprise , Command Division , which implies that it will be , at least partially , set aboard the Enterprise ( assuming they 're not planning on retconning the established heraldry practices of Starfleet in the 23 rd century , which isn't impossible ) . Conclusions : We 're looking at a movie about Kirk and Spock aboard the Enterprise , and that they will be played by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon respectively . Okay , I made that last part up . 
Bush stands in the way of freedom ... once again . Live Science . com - Bush Vetoes Stem Cell Bill As Promised I have mixed feelings on the subject of " freedom " . To be honest , I think real freedom is a myth , a convenient fiction that we use to tell ourselves that we really are in control of our lives , rather than being subject to the mechanics of our brains . But of course freedom comes in many guises . The American state was built around the concept of " freedom " , specifically a kind of freedom sometimes called " civil liberty " - the right to do whatever you damn - well please as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else . Personally I think that 's a bad idea ... only a small percentage of the human species can be trusted with that kind of liberty , the rest will undoubtedly abuse it . The freedom I ' m talking about in the title of this post is the freedom to decide how long you will live . Up till now , our life - spans have been dictated by , for the most part , natural factors : predators , disease , misfortune and old age . Predators haven't been a problem for some time , but the others remain . That 's about to change . Medical science is reaching a point where it will be so efficient that we will no longer be subject to those factors . New research is bringing us ever closer to curing life - threatening diseases . On a regular basis , our understanding of cancer is improving , and we 're not far off from knowing exactly how to stop it . I anticipate that within 20 years we ' ll start having some sort of " cancer vaccine " ( along with vaccines for nasty viri like HIV , SARS and Ebola ) . It 's just a matter of time . Medical science is even getting closer to porviding solutions to old age and misfortune ... we 're only decades away from being able to replace damaged or faulty body parts with new ones grown from our own DNA . There is one field of research that is central to these impending discoveries : stem cell research . Why does it not surprise me in the least that the " Leader of the Free World ( TM ) " has vetoed a bill that would send that research forward in leaps and bounds . Even though Congress passed the bill with just shy of the two thirds majority they would need to override Dubya 's veto , that goddam right - wing warmonger won't let the will of the people get in the way of him forcing his own conservative , religious fundamentalist , anti - science agenda down everybody 's throats . Fuck you , George W . Bush . Fuck you very much . 
Hypoallergenic cats . That 's right ... Hypoallergenic cats . A California - based company called Allerca has a patent pending for a technique that allows them to produce these genetically modified cats . People who are allergic to cats are actually allergic to a particular protein which is excreted through their skin and salivary glands . The ALLERCA GD cat has been engineered not to produce that protein , thus rendering them harmless to the allergy sufferer . The first batch of ALLERGA GD kittens will be shipped in October . At just shy of $ 4000 ( US ) per kitten , it 's a real bargain ! 
The Goddam IT Nazis . I know how it happens . You re the IT director of a fairly large division of a fairly large corporation . You have a few hundred users coming through your backend using email and the web . You have all the basics : email attachment size limits ( set at 10 mb a generous but reasonable size ) , random spot - checks on surfing habits ( just to make sure no - one is downloading full - length movies or gigabytes of porn ) , an adequate and inexpensive enterprise anti - virus system . Life is good . Then some idiot in upper management wants to know where your budget is going . Of course , if you tell him how you ve spent it on a server for porn , movies , games and music , LCD screens and PDAs for the IT support staff , you d be in trouble . So you have to justify all that expense by actually doing something . You set in motion an easy 5 - Step Plan . Step 1 : Increase resource utilisation ( English translation : Make your staff do some work ) . Action a task - team to prioritise a network security plan ( Translation : Get your overpaid and underworked IT ninjas to spend 6 months coming up with a list of ways of annoying the users by restricting their usage in - between their daily gaming and porn - viewing times . ) Step 2 : Implement network utilisation strategy ( Trans : Prevent users from sending email attachments larger than 3 MB regardless of file type or user . This rightfully prevents PAs and bored accounts ladies from sending cutesy Power Point slideshows , but simultaneously prevents systems engineers from sharing vital documentation like functional specifications and database table - dumps . Then buy 3 new email servers to increase storage space , and simultaneously decrease the allotted mailbox size of all users by 75 % . ) Step 3 : Upgrade network security ( Trans : Replace inexpensive , unobtrusive and adequate Anti - Virus software with ridiculously overpriced , useless Anti - Virus software that is so resource - intensive it instantly renders every machine on the domain useless . Block any and all ports that don t have any immediately apparent purpose , and blatantly refuse to re - open them , even if they are needed for operations . ) Step 4 : Upgrade network infrastructure ( Trans : Upgrade all WAN connections from ADSL and Diginet to MPLS so that everyone can fail to do their jobs with better bandwidth , and so that the useless Anti - Virus can update itself even more prolifically . ) Step 5 : Implement web restriction policy ( Trans : Prevent users from gaining access to the few websites that relieve the tedium of their work - days because those sites look too much like porn , music , violence , free - thinking , entertainment or news which might result in reducing a user s productivity thus forcing users to spend their time playing solitaire or producing cutesy Power Point slideshows just small enough to email . Also , prevent systems engineers from communicating with their counterparts in remote areas and various international support desks via IM or Vo IP networks , forcing them to use the company s phones instead , at far greater cost ) So , at the end of this process , you have not only justified the expense , you have also doubled the organisation s IT budgetary requirements , and created jobs by increasing the amount of personnel ( and hardware ) required to do the simplest tasks . Good job ! You can go home to your family knowing that you have made a difference ... right after calling the AA to rescue you after finding your car tyres slashed , obscenities spraypainted on every body panel and a small pile of what appears to be human feces on the driver 's seat . 
Why No One Want Make Hulk 2 ? | The Onion - America 's Finest News Source . Why No One Want Make Hulk 2 ? The Onion - America 's Finest News Source I couldn't agree more . I thouroughly enjoyed the Hulk movie . It wasn't perfect , but it was daring in its presentation , and treated the Hulk character with the sensitivity he needs . I really hope we ' ll get a sequel ... basing it on the look and feel of the first film , but fixing the dodgy plot elements , a second movie with a real super - villian in it could be really awesome . While I ' m on the subject , see Superman Returns . It was awesome too . I ' m hoping that it represents a rebirth of the franchise , and we ' ll see a few more of those in the coming years . What I ' d like to see there is Superman coming up against some of the super - powered adversaries he 's faced in the comics ... Lex Luther will always be his nemesis , but the " Hey Superman , I ' ve got some Kryptonite " thing gets old . What about Metallo , or the Parasite , or Braniac ? Hell , even Doomsday could make an awesome first installment of a ' Reign of the Supermen ' trilogy ... they ' ve already got a character lined up to take the Superboy spot ( imagine what they could do with Steel and the Cyborg Superman with CGI ) . I think that 's a recurring issue with most comic - based movies . In translating the character to a new medium , Hollywood producers tend to abandon the awesome story - lines in the comics in favour of bastardised , cliche - infested , regurgitated nonsense . The most notable exception to that is of course The Hulk , but the Spider - man movies have done a pretty good job of keeping it real . I think the X - men movies could have been much better if they had stayed closer to the comic stories ... there are so many brilliant story - lines in the comics that would make excellent movies ... why change them ? Can you imagine how cool it could ' ve been to have the proper Phoenix Saga in a movie , instead of the watered - down version we saw in " Last Stand " ? Not that X 3 wasn't cool , but it could ' ve been so much cooler . And another thing ... how did Ghost Rider get his own movie before Iron Man ? Don't get me wrong , the Ghost Rider movie looks like it 's going to be brilliant , but surely Iron Man is a far more popular character ? The Iron Man movie practically writes itself ! 
Battle . Last Thursday Hide s colleagues invited us out to drinks in honour of her birthday . Cool . Afterwards , in the parking lot , I had reversed out of my parking bay , and was turning my wheels so as to begin pulling off when we felt a sharp jolt . Some idiot woman had reversed into me . ( Battle Begins : 01 : 100 Health Points , 100 Attack Points Idiot Woman : 100 HP , 100 AP ) ( Idiot Woman : Drunken Cellphone Reverse Attack ! - 10 AP ) I leapt out and quickly inspected the damage . I didn t see any at first until a bouncer , who had seen it happen , pointed out that my bumper was hanging loose on the other side . There was also a little dent in the body panel under the left tail - light cluster . There was a tiny dent on her rear fender not as bad as mine . ( Idiot Woman : - 10 HP ; 01 : - 25 HP ) The idiot woman was profuse in her apologies ( 01 : + 5 AP ) . We exchanged details , I photographed the scene ( 01 : + 1 AP ) , and collected details from the bouncer ( 01 : + 5 AP ) and , after securing the loose bumper with a shoelace , we went on our way . On Friday I took my car in for a quote from the panel beater , which turned out considerably higher than I expected ( 01 : - 25 HP ) . I weighed up my options and eventually decided to go ahead and claim from my insurance . I made an appointment for a damage assessment . I went to the assessment today . I decided not to mention that she was drunk and using her cellphone when it happened , because I hadn t seen those things myself although I did have witnesses to those facts , should the need arise . They contacted her to obtain her insurance details they would need them in order to recoup my excess . ( 01 : Insurance Consultant Enquiry Attack ! - 5 AP ) She refused to give her details . She claimed that she was not at fault , and that she wanted to contact me to discuss it . ( Idiot Woman : Denial Defense ! ) The consultant assured me that their legal department would handle it and reimburse me my excess eventually , but I can see this is going to be a difficult one . I have a full arsenal of weapons up my sleeve : the + 20 Witness of Drunkenness and Cellphone Usage , my five + 20 Witnesses of Me Not Drinking a Drop and my + 5 Photos of Accident Scene not to mention my secret weapon : my + 200 Most Amazing Girlfriend in the Universe Who is an Attorney and a Witness . I m quite confident that I ll win this one , I just wish it didn t have to be a battle . I just want my car to be fixed it s bad enough I m going to have to go without it for however long it ll take to fix , but I don t want to have to pay for it as well . 
David Icke Interview : Aliens among us . David Icke Interview : Aliens among us Oi ... another idiot who doesn't know how to translate Hebrew . I love his talk about " bloodlines " ... what appears not to have taken into account is that everyone , everywhere has royal ancestry ... does that mean we 're all aliens ? Dumbass . 
Lake Shaver . This is a post I ment to publish before i left but i forgot to finish it . I am coming to you from my cell phone in my tent . And wuite frankly , i am surviving . Surviving off of forbidden objects like mt cell phone and my stash of oreos . So . Here is what i had down before i left ... ------------------ Shaver lake is the place which the camp I am going to is located . Its in central california , and it is an eight - hour drive ( great , huh ! ) . I will be there until Saturday the 29 th and it is my largest feat as the troop 's newly - elected leader - woo hoo ! Ill be hearding cats ! so . Talk to you on july 29 th ! -- KMRN VNWRKM . 
Bodies and Titanic . I went and saw the Bodies exhibit and the Titanic exhibit at the Tropicana today . There is so much to say about them ... The Titanic was realllly cool . It was like a timeline , so there was no aimless wandering among boring artifacts . The artifacts were tied to the moment or theme of the room . The reconstructions were by far the best part . Would I recommend it to a friend ? Hell yes ! Bodies was different . heh . It was wierd . I still loved it , but it is still very wierd looking at complete dead bodies that have been preserved . And when I say complete , I mean COMPLETE . There was no editing , so to speak . They even had an entire room devoted to sexual development ( very uncomfortable to have the layers of the penis and real ovaries in from of your face ) . And every model there , need I remind you , were from a real human ' d body . Man , it was fascinating . A little uncomfortable at times , but fascinating . Recommend it ? Hell yes ! And the Tropicana itself ( the resort these exhibits were featured at ) ? Ooof . That place is weird . Old and tired aside , its just weird . So , a nice day to prelude my day of hellish packing for camp . And thats another thing . I will be gone to camp from Sunday the 23 rd until Saturday the 29 th . So , don't miss me too much . But I will remind you again tomorrow so that I can leave on a corny away message . Ha ! But just in case I don't post tomorrow , see you next sunday ! 
CCSD . I have had you all suspended on my school decision for about 5 days now . Well , I have made my decision and action has been taken . So . Where will you find me next year ? Well , the answer is simple . A - Tech . But I cannot explain why I did it . No way in Hell I can ' splain . Its like that guy who gets caught cheating and says " I can explain ! " And ususually he can bullshit for a while , but I just cannot explain . Its hard to explain gut feelings . And you know what ? I don't feel like I made a mistake . For a while when I was being innundated by people telling me that leaving Meadows was a mistake , I just felt like making a mistake would be refreshing becuase I always have to be the golden child , right ! Well , not really , but ya know , after a while of trying REALLY hard to be great , doing something wrong breaks up the consistency ( sp ? ) very well . But that is not it , becuase no mistake was made . I am very sure of this . The only thing that I can say to this decision is that my compass pointed towards the school that I will be happy at . Of course , my compassed bounced back and forth like crazy , but it spent most of its time on A - Tech . So , today , I watched as my withdrawl went through the telephone line that was in my hand . It was like the Matrix when Neo gets covered by the mirror fluid and is freed into his real - life body . And ya know whats funny ? We got my schedule for Meadows today . I did not get Forensics as I had planned . In fact , I got Computer Skills which is a class that I could go and test out of tomorrow if I wanted to . I also have fewer classes than at A - Tech . Wierd , huh ... And I have this juxtaposed ( I can never use my piano teacher 's words correctly ) version of a Fiona Apple song . Its called Window , and I have this version called Meadows . To get my version , just remove the phrase " brake the window " with " leave the meadows " and it works PERFECTLY . Example : " So I had to leave the Meadows . It just had to be - it was IN my way !! Better that I leave the meadows thanforget what I had to say , or miss what I should see ... " So , naturally , my TOD is Window by Fiona Apple , the original John Brion session . Much much better than the official release . A - Tech colors , wa - hoo ! 
Why , and How . Before I get into my important post about my school decision ( that will come tomorrow ) , I want to cover something else that is important . Why I delete ( and deleted ) so much of my old stuff . There was this idea when I first started my blogging back in December . I thought that I could say ANYTHING that was on my mind so that I could get it off my mind and focus on better things . So I said ANTHING . And this is rather unfortunate , because people started reading my blog . And it is weird when unknown people start reading and formulating ideas about me when they are only reading the dregs of my thought ( ie the un - necessary - for - a - teen opinions about religion ) and such . So anyways , people start readin ' . And they begin to leave comments , so I know that people are reading . Whether I told them to , or they found it on their own , they just started coming . And soon I realized that people I know were reading ( which could have been disasterous ) and people I don't know are getting bad ideas about me . So , I made an attempt to go back and delete the really extreme posts . And soon , I realized two things ...1 . Seemingly EVERY post was somehow laced with something out - of - line 2 . I couldn't edit 210 posts . So I crapped them all . And started fresh . I have formed around some of the comments ( like Liz 's suggestion to not curse so much , which still is ALWAYS in my thoughts as I type ) . I also decided to restrict the themes to maintain a sense of decency . And because of all this , I have also stopped posting so obsessively ( meaning no more 3 - a - days ) . I also picked up on a monotonous atmosphere . That is why I have embedded track of the day and that is also why I now try to include pictures in posts . Not only does this make for fun reading , but it is also fun for me because it makes me get out and capture some great shots with my ( rather low - grade ) cell phone camera . Like all the shots in the banner at the top of this page were taken on my cell phone camer ( and edited later , of course ) . So . Anyways . I just want to appologize again to anybody who I may have offended or caused their jaw to drop . I will continue to maintain decency and I will also contiue to weed out posts that I was stpuid to create in the first place ( like " Tanta Mierda " which is Spanish for " enough shit " . It was a very weird curse - ridden blast of anger . Yeah , I got rid of it . ) And thanks again to all who comment and read . You make this really worth it ( and fun at that matter ) ! -- KMRN VNWRKM . 
Stupid Survey . I just wasted my time on this ... ( To see the words better , drag the mouse over them ) 10 % is the lowest score and 90 % is the highest . Advanced Global Personality Test Results Extraversion |||| 13 % Stability |||||||||||| 46 % Orderliness |||||||||||||||||| 80 % Accommodation |||||||||||||| 56 % Interdependence |||||||||||| 43 % Intellectual |||||||||||||||||| 76 % Mystical |||||||||| 36 % Artistic |||||| 23 % Religious || 10 % Hedonism || 10 % Materialism |||||||||| 36 % Narcissism |||||||||||||||| 70 % Adventurousness |||||||||| 36 % Work ethic |||||||||||| 43 % Self absorbed |||||| 30 % Conflict seeking |||||| 23 % Need to dominate |||||| 23 % Romantic |||||| 23 % Avoidant |||||||||||||||||| 76 % Anti - authority |||||||||||||||||||| 83 % Wealth |||||||||||||||||||| 90 % Dependency |||||| 30 % Change averse |||||||||||| 43 % Cautiousness |||||||||||||||||| 76 % Individuality |||||||||||||||| 70 % Sexuality |||||||||||||| 56 % Peter pan complex |||||||||||| 50 % Physical security |||||||||||||||||||| 90 % Physical Fitness |||||||||||| 50 % Histrionic |||||| 30 % Paranoia |||||||||||||| 56 % Vanity |||||||||||||| 56 % Hypersensitivity |||||||||||||| 56 % Female cliche || 10 % Take Free Advanced Global Personality Testpersonality tests by similarminds . com. 
Two Issues , No Tissues ( oh , look at me rhyme ! ) . ( grinning ) My appologies for the title . It probably made you wince . But two light issues before I post my school decision tomorrow ( yes , I have decided ) .1 . I was in the bathroom tonight and I was trimming my nails . So I was looking down and prettty focused on my hands . And then , when I finish , I look up into the mirror and my glasses had fogged up from my sweat in the steamy bathroom . ... ... ... Well , I thought it was funny .2 . There is this horrible rumor . And it had been around for a while . Its the gay rumor , and apparently , it hits ANYBODY who ever failed at football . Well , when I was 12 , I tried football and was not good . However , I stuck to my committment and finished the season . And since I was at this small private school , this became part of my identity , especially for the grade above me . And since I was at the private school , I have never escaped these people . So , now here I am , about to go into the high school where the kids have " grown years " and everything had " changed for the better " and here i am confronted with this OLD and stupid false rumor AGAIN . Thankfully , I have people who defend me and know me MUCH better than they ever will . And given , the fact that I am a sympathizer ( sp ? ) does not help and the fact that I am not a sports fan doesn't help that either . And even here , I don't innundate you with sex ( in fact I never mention it at all for the sake of decency ) . But , the hell with them ; they can blow it out there butt ! 
Mr , Hughes , the Aviator the people are so selfish ( among other things ) . They drive too many Hummers , so I have dubbed ( sp ? ) the neighborhood Hummerlin ( instead of Summerlin ) . But it is really refreshing to watch the planes go by . I think that a carreer in aviation would be really cool . But god knows what the future holds for me . And quite fortunately , I don't believe in god , so the door is WIDE open . Haha , I love saying that ! TOD : I decided not to post one , because all I can think of right now is Fiona Apple , and I appologize for this never - ending obsession - like focus on Fiona . I am really trying to move on so I don't wear her music out , cuz its been like 4 months now , and I am really afraid that I could wear it out . 
Miss Mouse , not a mouse ! This is Miss . Miss - short for Miss Mouse . She is a cat , not a mouse . And a pretty cat at that . So , where does she come from ? Well , this is wierd , but hang on ... She is the cat of my sister 's boyfriend 's sister . We are this close group of friends ( even though they are 7 - 17 years older than me ) . I don't see them often ( with the exception of my sister ; she lives at home ) . But anyways , here 's miss : She 's SO pretty ! Oh , and when I told her that she would be published online , she said " meh - mow ! " But this is her response to any talk . She 's funny . 
A Feast , A Storm , and A School . I am sorry that I haven't been around lately , but I have been burdened by my school decision . I can go to the " rubber - band " school ( I choose not to tell the name because it is so small ) , or I could go to A - Tech . Technically , tuition was due for the rubber - band school ( because it is a private school ) this monday , but they know not to pressure people for the money . Only once have they ever , and it really pissed my mom off . Its just that some people have to wait until a certain day for their bank account to have enough money , and that 's life . So they can go to Hell if they start pestering us . When I was talking to my parents about it , they described the rubber - band school as a " feast " that is hosted by wonderful people with " open arms " . The image kinds creeped me out ( teachers cooking up an enormous feast for one kid to sit down to ) , but ... it is true ! And that is what makes this decision so hard . I can go to the rubber - band school where there is PLENTY offered for me and I can return to this environment where teachers know who I am . Or I could go to the promising new school and accept the lower - scale academics and enjoy the new environment . My mom 's friend described one of her life stories about how she could have written her ticket into her carreer because of her family 's reputation , but she left for another city ( and enjoyed it ! ) . She said that she cannot explain that decision to this day ; she just felt ready for a change and it worked out great for her . Its that type of situation that I am in . And I just want to decide so that I will stop second - guessing myself . " I don't know what I ' m doing , don't know - should I change my mind ? I can't decide ; there 's too many variations to consider . // Nothing I do , don't do , no thing but bring me more to do . It 's true I do ambue my blue unto myself ; I make it bitter . " -- Fiona Apple in On The Bound . Yes , you saw it right - this is TWO LINES of music . Only 2 ! Its so awesomely written - she is a musical genius , I swear it . TOD : ( as above ) On The Bound - Fiona Apple . It has been a recent theme of mine . Oh , and about the storm . It stormed all night here and it just stopped . Lots of lightning , a little rain , and it was really windy . The airport was ( ans still is ) very backed up - Las Vegans don't know how to handle rain . Not even at the airport . 
Delightful ! My computer is ridden with a wonderful little friend that I affectionately call Backdoor . Trojan Wonderful , huh ! It is in ALL my system files , and it has installed a delightful program called " outer Info " which surprises me with wonderful pop - up advertisements . And I also get this cool bonus which doesn't allow my to access Command Prompt or Task Manager ( both tools are crucial to its removal ) . So , guess what I will be doing tomorrow ! Wo - hoo , I ' ll be re - installing Windows !! ( language warning ) Fuckn pain in the ass... Microsoft can go to hell , Im gettin a mac . 
John Nice : As Advertised . OK . Remember this post ? I was a bit uncharitable to some of the people within John Nice 's " Most Important People on the Internet . " Got this little missive yesterday ( someone 's got a Technorati tag ... ) : Hi guys , Just a quick note to say thanks ever so much for your comments about my website ! You brought tears to my eyes . It was like chewing an onion . But seriously , it 's great to get a reaction , good or bad , or hilarious in fact . I really did enjoy reading it ! Thanks again and best wishes , Euro - Sleaze John Nice So hey , give it some consideration . You , too , could be one of the most famous jerks ... dammit ... people on the internet . And you could be mocked by me on a particularly mean - spirited day ! In all seriousness , I appreciate John 's good - natured reaction and understanding that anything said here should be taken with a grain of salt and a dose of good humor . Check out John 's site here and the e Bay listing here . 
Message in a Human Bottle . Just in case heaven can't wait , this seller is offering to deliver a message to the afterlife ( although he seems uncertain as to whether it will be heavenly or hot and brimstone - y ) . " Dying person will take and deliver message to other side . I have been a good person I think I will go to heaven , but maybe not . I will take your message with me and try to deliver it for you . " Love these auctions that cannot have a return policy since their very substance cannot be verified . Clever sellers . Here 's another from many weeks ago . UPDATE : Sorry . Looks like the link has gone inactive . Listing must have been removed . 
Bearded Man Will Be Your Beard . " Remember on the Brady Bunch when Jan tried to fool everyone by having a pretend boyfriend she made up herself ? It was difficult for her having the operator call the house and pretending it was her boyfriend or writing her own love letters . Let me do that for you and more ! " 10 K . Seems a little steep for this dude who offers himself up like so : " Career Women / Lesbians I will Be Your Pretend Boyfriend . " In addition to that crazy beard ( which may or may not be present upon delivery ) , he offers the following : " 1 ) One 8 X 10 framed photo of myself ( Not Nude ) with " I Love You " inscription for your home or office . If you want me in a suit , polo shirt , T - Shirt it is up to you . I might not have a beard at the end of the auction so be aware of this . 2 ) Several 3 X 5 candid photos ( Not Nude ) of myself to carry in your purse . 3 ) One dozen romantic ( Respectful ) poems written by me to you annually . 4 ) Five messages a month left on your answering machine . 5 ) Twelve e - mails sent to your computer each month . 6 ) Five calls to your job / home asking to speak to you . 7 ) Flowers / Candy gift sent to your job for the holidays of Valentine 's Day , Christmas , birthday and anniversary . 8 ) Birthday gift . 9 ) Anniversary gift . 10 ) Intimidating phone call to a guy who is trying to ask you out or bothering you . 11 ) Option to renew at the end of one year for a fee . " The more I look at that beard , the more it wigs me out . It looks like it has nothing to do with his face and might have a life of its own . No intention initially of using ' beard ' in more than one fashion , nor using the word ' wig ' within the same sentence . 
Not Your Mother 's Barbie ( or if it was , I don't wanna know about it ) . I hardly know what to say about this . In fact , I don't know what to say about this . Have to wonder what Mattel would say about the photo above and this one as well : . 
The Real Biel . The most fantastic auction in recent weeks took place outside of e Bay . On Tuesday " Mollypalooza " auctioned off a date with Jessica Biel . Mmmmmm .... Jessica Biel .... Excuse me . Final price : $ 30,000 . If there 's two , I want the other for my birthday . Thank you . ( And yes , the picture is total cheesecake . It 's Birthday Week . Cut me some slack . ) . 
Travelin ' Fool . That would be me . That would be me if I had the loot . I got the fool part covered , but ... And just think ! e Bay offers complete travel packages to such locations as Scotland , Amsterdam , Prague , Greece and Jamaica . In regards to Jamaica , don't you find it sad that Specialist Zero has only been on one island : the island of Manhattan ? OK . He 's been to Long Island and Rhode Island , too , but those don't really count . No deals offered on trips to Machu Pichu which is moderately disappointing . 
Birthday Claus and the Value of Real Estate . Blogger B - Day Week Continues ! Remember in " The Charlie Brown Christmas Special " when Lucy complains that Santa never brings her what she wants ? And our favorite Blockhead asks what that is and she replies " real estate . " That always cracks me up . One present that is bound to increase in value is NY Real Estate . Take a gander at this lovely 5 th Avenue 1 Bedroom Condominium . Wouldn't it be even more attractive we me in residence ? Surprisingly , a very limited number of NYC apartments listed on e Bay . I expected more listings from clever real estate agents . Anyhoo ... 
Absolut Kandor . This week we will be focusing on all of the wonderful gifts that you could purchase on e Bay for your favorite blogger ( provided said blogger is Specialist Zero ) . The birthday of the aforementioned Specialist Zero falls on Saturday . First up , a scale replica of The Bottle City of Kandor . Because every aspiring super - villain needs something to shoot for . Death Rays and brain - swapping devices are one thing , but it takes more than run - of - the - mill villainy to kidnap an entire city and store it in a bottle of unbreakable glass . Some facts about Kandor from Supermanica : Originally the capital city of Krypton before Kryptonopolis . Kandor survived the destruction of its native planet as the result of having been stolen sometime prior to the cataclysm by the space villain Brainiac , who reduced the city to microscopic size and preserved it , people and buildings intact , inside a glass bottle aboard his spacecraft . It remained there for many years until July of 1958 when Brainiac came to Earth and attempted to add Metropolis to his bottle - city collection . Superman foiled Brainiac , recovered Kandor , and placed it inside his Fortress of Solitude for safekeeping . Inside the bottle city , life goes on much as it did prior to the destruction of Krypton . Although restoration to their normal size remains the heartfelt wish of all Kandorians , Superman has not yet succeeded , despite years of effort , in finding a way to enlarge the city safely . He has , however , on occasion managed to reduce himself in size temporarily for the purpose of visiting the bottle city and undertaking adventures there . Nestled securely on a niche inside the Fortress of Solitude , the bottle city of Kandor is " the most amazing exhibit in Superman 's Fortress " and " the prize of his collection " of curiosities and artifacts from throughout the universe . 
Buttons , buttons . Who 's got the Buttons ? It 's Deceased Week here at Absolute Zero . Comedian Red Buttons passed away on Thursday . And , unsurprisingly , there has been a large spike in related Entertainment Memorabilia . There 's also a mess of items that appear to actually be red buttons , but that is neither here nor there . Interestingly , I learned from Wikipedia that Red 's straight man was Alan Alda 's father . Well ... it 's interesting to me . 
The Dutch do it again ... wait , last time it was the Danes ? Whatever . Those wacky Europeans and their print media . Today 's row is in regards to a new Dutch advertisement for the Sony Playstation Portable . The advertisement to the right bears the subtitle , " Playstation Portable White is Coming . " Because it 's a slow news day , we get to hear the furor from organizations like the NAACP . Additionally , California Assemblyman Leland Yee issued this statement : I am deeply disappointed in Sony 's senseless decision to publish this racially - charged advertisement ... I can't begin to determine Sony 's motivation but I believe this marketing strategy is unnecessary and is clearly offensive to many in our community . My buddy Leroy Jarlson ( a black guy from Holland ) , had this to say , " Opneuken , stomme kutmongool ! This teringlijder from California wants to tell us how to live our lives ? Look , our country wasn't founded by Puritans . We can take a joke . Why this reetkever Asian from liberal - ass California should be commenting on advertisements in other countries is beyond me . Your position as Assemblyman in the US doesn't afford you any influence here . In closing : Je moeder is zo lelijk Dat de buren bij je inbreken om de gordijnen dicht te doen . " ( I urge you to look up some of these Dutch curse words as they are quite amusing . Horrifying and offensive , but amusing . Just be warned . ) This whole hoo - hah is just like the bit with the Dutch cartoon . Or the Danish cartoon . Hell , everybody knows that Denmark and Holland are , like , totally the same place . I mean , they may be separated by geography , language , politics and culture , but really . The only distinction everyone makes is that the Dutch make wooden shoes and windmills and the Danish make ... um ... fruit - filled pastries . Oh , and you can find lots o ' PSPs on e Bay . I want to make that perfectly clear . ( See how I hamhandedly tied that in ? ) . 
Careful with that Axe , Eugene . Pink Floyd co - founder Syd Barrett passed away recently . In a ghoulish turn that he might well appreciate , it is now time to stock up on Barrett collectibles ( 137 presently available on e Bay ) . The AP story about his passing can be read here . Floyd was a very important part of my musical diet during high school ( as it was for many ) . So , I will leave you with a brilliant little snippet from Barrett 's song " Bike " on " Piper at the Gates of Dawn " : " I ' ve got a bike , you can ride it if you like . It 's got a basket , a bell that rings And things to make it look good . I ' d give it to you if I could , but I borrowed it ... I know a mouse , and he hasn't got a house . I don't know why I call him Gerald . He 's getting rather old , but he 's a good mouse . " Shine on , you crazy diamond . 
For Sale : 24 Small Children . Ah , 1999 . When selling children on e Bay was still acceptable . The description from this classic e Bay listing : FOR SALE : 24 Small Children that come with their original warrenty papers , clothing etc.. 8 of them have over - sized heads , and were supposed to be called back , but never were . All are ages 2 - 5 , and have had as many years experience in the Japanese language . All of the children above age 3 have already had training in factories owned by Disney , making Donald Duck velcro wallets . I am asking $ 14 dollars a head for this bunch , or take them all for $ 6,000 ! Also available - GRAB BAG ! Recieve in your grab bag : 3 random children and a fun , free mystery prize . Shipping costs vary depending on order size and how large my friend Jerry and I have to make the wooden box . Boxes range from $ 35 to $ 65 dollars , food , water and airholes cost extra . The seller went on to add : The child in the first row , 3 rd in from the right has a head the size of a fairly shapped mellon . He is worth $ 10 mill . by himself , so buy NOW ! ( we will send him in a special bubble - wrap protected wooden crate . ) Sure wish that I had the original photo . I can sympathize with the melon - headed . Everyone should also visit Baby Cage . net - Infant Confinement Specialists since 2001 . 
A Polite Phone Call from Amish Steve . 10 minutes with Amish Steve ? ! ? Motherf # % $ ing awesome . The winner of the auctin gets a " polite , genteel and courteous " personal phone call from Amish Steve . Here 's what else you can expect : We ' ll talk about what YOU want to talk about ( excluding vulgarity and profanity ) ! I will not interrupt , belittle or talk over you . If I disagree with you , I will not dismiss you or excuse your position . Rather , I will give you my full attention and consider your position , while making the case for mine in a polite and gentle manner . If funny , I will laugh at your jokes , and may tell you some myself ! You may personalize the call by sending me in advance the topic ( s ) you wish to discuss and whether you wish me to become rude and surly after the 10 minutes is up and hang up on you , or gracefully end the conversation . I love the option to ask Amish Steve to become surly . It 's like Old Country Choose Your Own Adventure . 
The Most Famous Jerks on the Internet . This listing " Want FAME ? Get FAME . Surprise your girlfriend or wife ? ! " ( which is marked by an odd amount of incredulity ) never explains exactly what is being ordered . By following the link within , though , I determined that this cat is selling positions in the pyramid of " The Most Famous People on the Internet . " Famous or no , I wouldn't want any of these people to end up at my house : Not Euro - Sleaze John Nice , nor Shiny Head Chee Lo , Neither Grinny Mc Tooth Nate Webb nor Mike Ditka lookalike David Guidry , and definitely not Dick Cheney 's fat , bald cousin Shane Haase . Don't they look like a buncha jerk - asses ? Any one of them could have been my most hated junior high school teacher . Oh , and beware imitations . ' Cause a lot of folks are going to vie for position with a more famous pyramid of jerks . By being a shallow , judgmental jerk - ass myself , I may have earned a position on a competing pyramid of jerks . I am comfortable with that . 
Buffett - Style . When I first glanced at the headline , I wondered what drunken redneck had a spare $ 600 K to have lunch with Jimmy Buffet . From Bloomberg . com : Chance to Dine With Buffett Sells for $ 620,100 in EBay Bidding June 30 ( Bloomberg ) -- A chance to dine with billionaire investor Warren Buffett sold for $ 620,100 in an online auction run by EBay Inc. The previous record for the seven - year - old fundraiser was $ 351,100 . Yongping Duan , 45 , a California investor and former owner of a consumer electronics company , won the weeklong auction under the screen name " fastisslow . " Rocky Liang , a Taipei businessman with the screen name " magicyourlife , " unsuccessfully tried to outbid Duan , driving up the price by $ 70,000 in the three minutes before the auction closed 10 p.m. New York time yesterday . Duan gets to bring seven friends to a New York steakhouse to query Buffett , the world 's second - richest man , about his business strategy and investment philosophy . The 75 - year - old chairman and chief executive officer of Omaha , Nebraska - based Berkshire Hathaway Inc. transformed a failing textile manufacturer into a $ 142 billion holding company by acquiring out - of - favor securities and businesses in dozens of industries . " We didn't pay for the lunch , we paid for the fundraising , " Duan said . The Enlight Foundation , which his family founded and runs , will provide the donation , he said . " Warren Buffett chose the pocket for me to donate to . " The auction , which attracted just five bidders , raised money for the Glide Foundation , a San Francisco charity . Glide serves 700,000 free meals a year and provides dozens of other social services on a $ 12 million budget , according to Cecil Williams , the foundation 's chief executive officer and minister of the associated church . Charity Work Susan Buffett , the billionaire 's late wife , volunteered at Glide . Buffett said June 25 that he would give away 85 percent of his personal wealth , or Berkshire stock valued at about $ 37 billion , to five charities , including the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation . EBay in 2003 took over the bidding for the lunch , originally part of a live auction in San Francisco . That year , Greenlight Capital LLC founder David Einhorn paid $ 250,100 , according to Glide . The 2004 winner , Jason Choo of Singapore , won with a bid of $ 202,100 and then added a check for $ 47,900 to make the total $ 250,000 . Duan was a " proxy " bidder , meaning EBay automatically topped the highest offer by $ 100 on his behalf . The world 's largest online auctioneer was authorized to do so as long as the offer didn't exceed his limit of $ 650,000 . Mohnish Pabrai , who manages $ 300 million at Pabrai Investment Funds in Irvine , California , including about $ 30 million in Berkshire shares , stopped bidding at $ 502,300 . " My wife will treat me to a good dinner , and we will come back next year , " he said of losing , in an interview before the auction ended . Buffett 's Books Duan said he read one of Buffett 's books after he stopped running a consumer - electronics company in China , moved with his family to the San Francisco Bay Area and became an independent investor five years ago . " I mostly want to thank him " for the advice , he said . He also planned to ask what an investor without good investment targets should do with extra money and whether Buffett ever considered it wise to use debt for acquisitions . " No topics are off limits except for what Berkshire Hathaway is buying or selling , " Buffett 's assistant , Debbie Bosanek , said before the auction began . At $ 620,100 , lunch with Buffett ranks as the second - highest sale price for a charity item auctioned off by San Jose , California - based EBay . A Harley - Davidson motorcycle autographed by celebrity guests of Jay Leno 's late night talk show fetched $ 800,100 , England said . Proceeds went to the Red Cross International Disaster Relief Fund for tsunami victims . The priciest item sold on the site was a $ 4.6 million business jet , EBay spokeswoman Catherine England said . 
Fast Cars and Fast Women ? Well ... one of each . From Reuters : " Jun 29 , 7:33 AM ( ET ) BERLIN ( Reuters ) - A woman living in Germany is auctioning off her red Ferrari Enzo sports car and including a little extra in the package -- herself . The 26 - year - old has invited bids on Internet auction site ebay starting at 1.25 million euros ( $ 1.6 million ) . She said she was rich herself , liked her car and was looking for a man who could foot the bill for such a luxury . " Only a millionaire could afford such a car , " said the woman , who gave her name as Leila and said she once worked as a singer in Syria . " I want a man who doesn't like me just for my money . " Leila said she would meet with interested bidders but would need to see the bidder 's passport and proof of capital . No bids have been made yet in the auction which ends in a week . " Sadly , unable to locate the auction on e Bay Germany which makes me wonder if it was removed after gaining international press . If anyone can locate it , please let me know ! 
John Cypher . " Ulterior Motive " A pad of blue paper awaits me . The morning has barely begun but I ' ve slept longer than I usually do . I am not comfortable here . I yawn , stretch my arms , lift my legs up . My lazy eyes widen . A detatched sheet of paper reads as follows : Tell us where you come from , who you are . Be candid or as candind as you want . We ask you to do this so we can better understand and help you and so that we can assist your needs . - The staff . My stepfather was a barbarian ; he would have shot me if he could . I wasn't tought to walk , I was told he ' d chop my legs off if I didn't . My mother was a slave , only I ' m not sure she knew how bad she really had it . She numbed her sadness with Gin , with crack cocaine , with television soap operas . somewhere in my mind . Slowly but surely I won't remember who I am . I hear about religion , about destiny , the nurses even talk about Buddha , about karma and of these things I know only by sense and interpretation . My doctor talks about these things and I ' m told they can help , that they can help numb the pain I feel so intensily in my brain and in my feet , ache after ache , step after step , rigour after rigour . or rid me of demonic and irrational thought . My behaviour is what I worry about . I have hardly any control over it . A man trapped inside a hospital room , one moremotion away from padded walls or metal bars ; that is who I am . That is what the world sees , that is what my eyes see . I know what I know and I hold onto that . I have no clue how . I have no clue how and when the forgetfullness begins . Blessings in disguise ; it was eating me up . Somewhere , it was ( To be completed , touched up ) 2006 Brian Moore TM John Cypher . 
One of many lasts . I ' m so happy with my new haircut . The new guy cuts it differently . Weird . Different ways to cut hair is interesting ( to me ) . Anyways I look good . Like seriously , a good haircut changes things . Ok enough about that . Vancouver soon . Scared a bit . I ' ll be fine . We ' ll work as a team , get stuff done , do a little dance ... lol . 
doctor 's office . Something hurts and my stomach growls . A few days pass by and my heart begins to palpitate . I don't why the world messes with me but my feet are about to give out and I ' ll either fall slat on my face or drown in the pain . ... 
we 're all blood anyways . let yourself breathe . let others breathe . don't blow fire down their necks just because they don't understand the dynamics of your brain and how it works and how too fucking overloaded it is . they don't get how analytical you are or how develloped your six senses are ( when you use them ) . they 're no better than you ; they judge you too , hate you too , piss you off too , annoy you too , but as distant and detatched as you become , you are always there for them . or at least you ' d like to imagine you are . forgive . forgiveforgiveforgivealso forgive yourself for not going with the flow and for not appreciating the beautiful things as often as you should . 
Vegas + other travels . Kev has been to the southern United States several times . Did some sound engineering thing in California and interned for Trent R . in N ' Orleans in like 2002 Spent alot of time in the southern United States SO , anyways he wants to visit New Orleans , Phoenix again ( spent some time there but I have a bad memory ) and a bunch of places in the south . We 're commiting to Vegas . Jan or Feb Disneyland also in talks but I ' m thinking I ' m fine with Playland in Van for now . We 're going there the w - end I get there . If La Ronde is better , I ' ll laugh ( as long as PL has functionable rollercoasters I ' m good ) Soon he wants to drive to Cali . We ' ve talked about this a few times . He 's big on long drives and I don't mind road trips . We bonded so much just driving from Mtl to Qc city that I ' m sure we ' ll be married by the time we only enter California . Or maybe we 're already married . God forbid I love my baby but eeek at marriage FYI : we ' d be going by plane to these places . The driving to Cali is eventual . Just wanted to make myself clear : ) . 
heavy head . i stayed up monday night unable to sleep because my brain was fully loaded . i thought about alot of things . i then decided i need sleeping meds . opted for nyquil the next night . you laugh but i was knocked out . i know . positive thoughts . i need reminding and to keep telling myself my brain needs vacations . many . vancouver is a coming . rapidly . how do you say goodbye to a mother who needs you . how do you tell her you ' ll be back . how do you detach . detatch . detatch . im good at being cold . im good at physical distance . the emotional kind is a bummer tho . always a momma 's boy and i ' ll never know why : psychic bond . emotional bond . i need u only in my heart . when youre happy . 
in the making . i must confess something : i ' ve never been much of a boyfriendi didn't have the greatest examples growing upi shouldn't excuse it . but everything has a start and sometimes we 're not given the best instructionsi want love . love love . want someone . have someoneit is fate and lots and lots of dating experience that have allowed me to get to kev . thank you experience . thank you fate . thank u karma . thank you myself for the oh so dark dark dark lessons . i would do it all again . to evolve . i would do it all againim a conscious boyfriend now . conscious of his emotions and feelings too . not just my ownthis is the closest i ' ll ever be to being a good bf because this is the closest i believe i ' ll ever care for someone or give two shits wether they stay or don ' temotional . deep . sensitive . but a tough cookie . i found another cookie too . he meets me 3 / 4 of the way and waits til i catch upgratitude i guess . i think u need to have itgratitude for love lost and love found . 2 years almost . kevin . kevin . for all the nights i forgot to say i love u or didn't know how to : i love u . 
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Avail Finance Through Personal Loans . Personal loans are used for numerous purposes like for home improvement , higher education , debt consolidation , buying a car , holidays , etc. Personal loans are designed for fulfilling your personal requirements . Borrowers also face the risk of repossession of their property in case of defaults in repayment . In case of secured personal loans , lenders offer a large amount of money . The loan amount depends largely upon the value of the property plus the equity . But borrowers get large sum as compared to unsecured loans . Apart from the personal requirements as mentioned above , personal loans can also be used for business purposes . There are two main basic categories of personal loans which are secured and unsecured personal loans . The basic differences between these two are collateral . Secured personal loans require collateral as security , unlike unsecured personal loans where no security is required . In case of unsecured personal loans , though lenders do not require collateral but they offer loans at comparatively high rate of interest . Unsecured loans do not have any risk of repossession . All borrowers look for loans having lower interest rate . Lenders offer secured personal loans at low rate of interest and with a longer repayment period . Taking loans larger than the required may cause problems like debt burden , bad credit , etc. Borrowers with bad credit record can also apply for personal loans . Personal loans offer a large sum but it is preferable to calculate the amount you require . Gratify all your needs and demands with personal loans . 
Success With Secured Personal Loans . Secured personal loans can give you the right monetary support and help you achieve your targets in life . It is said that money is not everything in life . But today s world tells you a different story . You need to have enough funds to grow with the world or you may left far behind . Secured personal loans are offered at low interest rates which help you control your pocket while making the repayment in form of monthly installments . These loans let you to borrow larger amounts of money ranging between 50000 to 750000 and even more in certain cases . The amount largely depends on the value of the security offered by you . While your past credit record affects the interest rate to some extent . You can take the help of credit rating agencies to find out your credit score . These agencies maintain your financial records and update them time to time . You can always ask for the copy of your report from these agencies to know your status . The installments are spread over a longer period as compared to unsecured loans . The reason behind these easy terms and condition is that these loans are secured by the home or any other property of the borrower . The lender doesn t worry much about the money he is offering . However that doesn t mean that the possession of the collateral is transferred to the lender after taking the loan . Only the title of the property is transferred . In case you make any defaults in making payment of the loan or a part of the loan , it can cost you your property . Make sure to do proper research before applying for any such loan . The loan lenders in the market are increasing in numbers , and with them the difficulty of getting the right lender is also increasing . As more the choices , more you have to research . But don t worry , there are lot of websites which enable you to compare different loan quotes which they provide free of cost . Secured personal loans come in various flavors offering you the best deals in form of : Home improvement Debt consolidation Wedding loans Business loans Education purpose loans Buying new car , boat or any other property You have to fill certain details like your name , address and phone numbers , the loan amount you are looking for and the value of the property you are offering . The online lender will themselves contact you after getting satisfied from the information you have given to them . Secured personal loans can be the loans that can help you get money from your property without giving its possession to anybody . 
Difference Between An Unsecured Personal Loan And A Secured Personal Loan ? This is a common question that many consumers have . Many people do not realize that there are even different types of personal loans . Each type of personal loan , secured and unsecured , have different requirements . The most common forms of collateral used to secure loans are personal property such as your home , land or automobile . When your home is used as collateral , you will often hear the loan referred to as a home equity loan or a second mortgage loan . Personal loans can also be secured with stocks , bonds , certificates of deposit , a savings account , etc. We will look at the requirements for a secured personal loan first . The name secured loan pretty much sums it up , to obtain a secured loan the borrower is required to provide some kind of collateral to secure the loan . Lenders tend to be more flexible when granting secured loans . Usually the borrower is given a lower interest rate and longer terms to repay the loan compared to an unsecured loan . The downside to a secured personal loan is if you default on the loan and fail to repay it , the collateral used to secure the loan can be seized by the lender . The requirements for an unsecured personal loan rely on the borrower s credit history . Since there is no collateral securing the loan , the lender has to base creditworthiness of the borrower on his or her past credit activities . If you do not have any collateral to put up for security , then you would not be able to qualify for a secured loan . On the other hand , and unsecured loan does not require any collateral . That is why unsecured loans are a great option for non - homeowners . The higher a credit score the borrower has the more likely for approval they will be . A good credit score can also guarantee a higher loan amount and a lower interest rate . If you have poor credit , you could still qualify for an unsecured loan but expect to pay a much higher interest rate . 
Payday Loan . Are you stuck with an emergency , you need money urgently and you are waiting for your next paycheck ? Have you tried hard to find a solution to your financial trouble , but all your attempts have gone futile ? Now , you even need not depend on your family or friends for any kind of loan since an overnight cash advance facility can take care of your needs . If you require payday quick loan , you can instantly be paid the cash irrespective of how bad your credit is or how much payday loans you need on a particular day . In today s uncertain times , payday quick loan paves a way to getting loans quickly , thereby offering you a sense of security . Payday loans are small , short - term cash advances that allow you to borrow money against your paycheck . Because of this , cash advance payday loans are sometimes referred to as deferred deposit services . With the phenomenal growth of cash advance payday loans in recent years , it is no surprise that you can apply for a cash advance payday loan through the Internet these days . When getting a cash advance payday loan , you have the option of comparing interest rates to get low cost payday loans from several lenders over the Internet . Cheap payday advances are available from numerous online sources . The length of a payday advance can be two weeks to up to 30 days . Bad credit is not an issue in applying for and receiving a payday advance . Online payday advance companies do not perform a credit check . You personal information is verified , sometimes in as little as an hour , and the cash you need will be deposited directly into your checking or savings account . Fees can range from as little as $ 10 dollars per hundred borrowed to up to $ 30 per hundred borrowed . Compare the rates charged by payday advance companies . Cheap rates are available to you even with bad credit . Finding a cheap payday advance company is easy due to the many online lenders who are eager for your business . Find the cheapest rate possible , apply for your payday advance , and the cash you need will be in your hands in a short period of time . You will have up to 30 days to repay your loan and your temporary financial needs will be solved . Online payday advance companies may not require any faxing of documents such as your check stub and / or last bank statement while other require you to fax the documents in order to approve your loan . Shop for the best payday advance company with the cheapest rates . Online lenders are ready to assist you immediately . 
Personal Loan Online . A secured personal loan is a loan which is usually secured on your house or property that may include your shares and other valuables . The collateral serves as a security to the creditor and acts like an assurance of the repayments . Availing Secured Personal Loans can be a good option , if you are not in a position to spend heavily on the monthly installments to meet some of your urgent needs .. The usually longer repayment terms and no obligation quotation make secured loans a more popular loan option if you want to buy a new car , or have some home improvement plans , or to consolidate your debts , or even for taking a holiday trip you have always dreamt off . You can include bridal shopping or medical expenditures in this list too ! Secured personal loans are a good option if you want to raise a large sum of money at a comparatively lower interest rate with a flexible repayment option . Based on the needs , Secured Personal Loans may be availed as : Secured Personal Car Loans for purchasing a new car . Secured Personal Home Improvement Loans to renovate or remodel the house . Secured Personal Bad Credit Loans if you have suffered from CCJ , Default , Payment Arrear , and Bankruptcy or if you have a self - employed status . Before you make up your mind to apply for any of the aforementioned loan , you must also remember that your property is at the risk if there is any default in the repayment . Secured Personal Loans may prove themselves a great financial minister to cater to your monetary needs if you become particular about the repayment duration and repay religiously on time . 
Get Trouble - Free Secured Personal Loan . Secured personal loan needs collateral that could be in the form of your home , land , etc. Collateral as security is important for availing secured personal loan . The ownership papers for your property as collateral will be in the possession of the lender . When the loan amount is repaid on time , lender will return the documents back to you . The loan amount is determined on the basis of the valuation of your home and the equity associated with it . Secured personal loan can be used for many purposes . Secured personal loan has the potential to fulfil all the financial demands of the borrowers . For obtaining secured personal loan , you will need to pledge your collateral as security . There are so many benefits of secured personal loan , these are mentioned below : For obtaining big amount , secured personal loan is one of the best loans and also when you find difficulty in obtaining unsecured loan . Secured personal loan is easily available on easy terms and the borrowers obtain such loans at low interest rate . Easy monthly repayments and longer repayment periods are additional benefits . Lenders , in case of secured personal loan are more flexible , allows the borrowers to get loans without any hassle . Lenders feel secured against the collateral . Secured personal loan is a multipurpose loan that can be used for home improvement , debt consolidation , purchasing a car , purchasing exotic holiday package , etc. Secured personal loan helps you in obtaining equity for raising funds . Get secured personal loan and gratify all your needs and demands . 
Getting Online Personal Loan . Many people have benefited from the invention of the internet . Now it s the time for the borrowers to enjoy some of its benefits as well . The thing that is being talked about is that we better know as the personal loans . With the technological advancements made it is now available on the net and are now known as the online personal loans . People with traditional thinking always wonder as to the need for such fuss when there is an easy way of face to face interaction between the borrower and the creditor . A look at the benefits that accompany the online features will surely change your perspective on the issue of the online personal loans . Online personal loans are a similar version of the personal loans the only difference is that for the online personal loans the loans are applied to a creditor who trades on line and all the trade is done online . The process begins by first borrower estimates his requirement and then searches for an online creditor which suits his loan requirements . After all this is done the loan terms are discussed and all the other things are considered . And if all the things match the loan decision is made in a few days time . Online Personal Loans provide many benefits to the borrowers among those are : While applying for the online personal loans the borrowers get more options , than we get from the local creditors . There is more chance of negotiating a deal more suitable for us . The financial information of a client also remains safe when we apply through this channel . While on the net we can get useful information regarding different aspects of the loans and that can help us in utilizing the loan better . Along with these there are many trivial benefits that are available to the borrowers while in search of the online personal loan . Combined with the other features that have always been associated with the personal loans , features like : The option of choosing between secured and unsecured personal loans . The option of using the loan for any purpose we want to use . The availability for people with bad credit history to take the loan . These features along with the new features make the online personal loans a very attractive proposition for the borrowers of every profile . Day by day the customers are getting more and more from their creditors in terms of loans . Not only in benefits , but also in the ease with which they are available . So before the U turn comes it is advisable to apply for the online personal loans . 
High Risk Personal Loan and High Risk Loans . High risk personal loans are for people who have a troubled credit history , but need money to pay current debts or unexpected expenses . There can be advantages to taking out a high risk personal loan , including the various options they offer , depending on the borrower 's financial situation . If you are interested in finding a loan to meet your financing needs , there are various places and types of lenders that may be willing to offer you a high risk personal loan . When someone has bad credit , or no collateral that person is considered a risk for the lender . Therefore , the lender , while agreeing to finance a high risk personal loan for them , may offer the loan rates and terms at higher interest rates and with stricter terms than they would offer a loan to someone with better credit . People may have bad credit for a number of reasons . Most lenders will take into consideration the individual situation of the borrower , before offering the terms for any high risk personal loans . High risk personal loans can offer some advantages to the person with bad credit . First , that person can us the high risk personal loan to redeem or better their credit by making their payments on time and paying the loan in full . If they handle their high risk personal loan obligations wisely , they will insure better loan rates in the future . After all , there are consequences to poor financial management . But , if one pays their dues now , they eventually can find a financially free future if that is their desire . Another advantage to high risk personal loans is that they can be gotten quite easily . Even if someone does not own a home , they can qualify for an unsecured high risk personal loan . If they do own their home or have other sufficient collateral , they also may qualify for secured high risk personal loans or lines of credit to meet their financing needs . While lenders of high risk personal loans will cost more than other loans , they can help a person with questionable credit who is in need of cash quickly . If you are interested in finding out whether you qualify for a high risk personal loan , you can find information from lenders at credit unions , banks and other financial institutions . There are even lenders online that will be willing to lend you high risk personal loans . However , before you sign on the dotted line , make sure you read the fine print for any loan . Remember , if it sounds too good to be true , it probably is . 
" He smells of the ocean , of seaweed and brine . " . Yesterday 's mention of sea changes reminds me of something else . I ' d not realised until recently that the world being someone 's oyster is another one of Shakespeare 's coinages . ( I ' d be surprised if he didn't have a claim to " how strange the change from major to minor " or " I ' ve got a brand new combine harvester " , too . Or " daddy or chips ? " ) Oysters are pretty , shiny things and I ' d always assumed the phrase meant that for whichever opportunistic soul as was the subject , the whole planet seemed like a pretty bauble for the taking . If only you ' d bother to try ... You know , the heartening sort of thing they tell you in your career advice as a teenager ( along with how it 's absolutely impossible to make a living as a writer ) . But there 's more to it than that . The bloke who says it does so because he can't get any money out of his mate . " Well , " he says in Act 2 , Scene 2 of the Merry Wives , " then the world 's mine oyster . Which I with sword will open . " So people to whom the world is an oyster are less cheery doers with a bit of pluck and get - up , as violent , cut - throat thieves . Just to make the point , the bloke who says it is called Pistol . I assume that 's a nickname . It does make him sound like one of the lesser , hairyer , squawkier - laughing CB - tastic truckers in a Burt Reynolds movie . 
Production code . It was only announced last week that the guv nor is leaving his job , but I ve of course known a bit longer than that . Making me the Gary Russell of Benny was part of his exit strategy . I used to be a project manager and the skills acquired back in my youth have been dusted off , darned - where - needed and clambered into once more . But producing is , I have learnt in the last fortnight , quite a lot more work than I d expected . The Big Finish announcement says that Gary will still be on - hand to ensure an ' orderly transition ' , and that 's true . He 's already had several panicked calls beginning , Help ! What do I do ? ! ? He also picked up something calamitous that I d entirely missed . Bookings have been dealt with and double - bookings sorted out ( and a system agreed so that it won t happen again ) . Schedules have swapped round to accommodate a last - minute change ( did I mention that Dr Darlington is a hero ? ) . Someone else absolutely essential to all we do is going to be on holiday , but we ve got the perfect stand - in who s been fully briefed . An undelivered script has been traced , picked up and hand - delivered ( on foot on a baking - hot yesterday ) , lunches are sorted , trains agreed , monies and contracts all sorted , pronunciations discussed and now I m off to collect something vital , before collapsing into a heap for the night . Have also done a wealth of interviewing recently , with a wealth of more to come . And writing . And editing . And an agreed conjoinment of two persons to make one that is better than both ( a bit like those Transformers that could team up and become one , bigger robot ) . And now there s another 12,000 word commission for the end of August . And a five - day - a - week , ongoing freelancing gig in the midst of it . So you may not see me here much for a bit . 
100 things . M ' colleagues have set up a new blog about our very much forthcoming Dr Who anthology , " The Centenarian " . I have a written a long , rambly post that doesn't reveal a great deal . Hope m ' colleagues will do the same sometime soon , or else I ' ll look a right old swot . Some other anagrams of Edward Grainger : Dad grew a ringer Rearward edging Rwanda egg drier Green Wing RADAR . 
Good news and bad news . Good news first . Having blogged yesterday I popped to the shops for a copy of the Times - and was a bit surprised to find that the brother 's jaunt occupies all of page 3 . And he gets a credit for his precious photos . He 's on page 9 of today 's Metro and all ( I ' m told - haven't seen a copy and it 's not up on the site ) . Further media interest is due to follow ... As well as a paper , I also bought my first batch of Dr Who stickers , having been a bit late in the game . And I now have my first swapsies . The lucky numbers are : K ; L ; M ; 65 ; and 184 . Suspect these might not be easy to get rid of as they 're the ones free with Radio Times . Have spent a day running about not buying a chair and trying to sort other things out . Full of adrenaline and sugar as things come together , so am a bit worried that it ' ll all fall to bits the moment the pressure 's off , like the newly regenerated fifth Doctor delegating saving - everyone to K 9 , though the tin dog had left 10 episodes before ... I. has just texted to say that Syd Barrett has died , which makes me think of working into the evening on some meagre attempt at art , in a disused squash court with a wobbly tape of Relics playing over and over . And fellow ( and more talented ) artists squabbling about what they could put on instead that would be less weird , less funny and less unsettling . Went to look at the obituary and what Bowie had to say , and see there 's been more people blown up , and we 're destined for more unclear power . Hmm . Freudian typo there . I ' ll leave it . 
Quite right too . K . 's 39 th birthday ( you can trust me on this ) went smashingly on Saturday , in a lovely little pub by Euston with a DJ and dancing and lots of talking rubbish . K . had also organised big - screen Doomsday , punters assembled before a projector screen as if it were a new kind of England game . The sound popped and pixellated every now and again , but otherwise we were dumbstruck . Cor , that was a bit bloody good wasn't it ? See right for one quarter of the verdict from the Time Team . Some things do trouble me . Couldn't some Cybermen have held on to something ? And anyway , Tracy - Ann Cyberman hadn't jumped between dimensions , so wouldn't be all sticky with void stuff . ( I suppose , though , that she was built from spare parts that had been ) . Like Charlie Brooker 's not - a - review , this is not to criticise but borne out of love . Perhaps it 's just the freelance hack in me looking for ways to cash in with merchandise , but I thought , " Ooh , there 's another story there ... " I ' d also come up with a completely different reason for how the Daleks came back : we see in Bad Wolf that their teleport - wossname leaves behind dust ( so that Dr Who thinks Rose got disintegrated ) . And when Captain Jack wakes up again in Parting of the Ways , all that 's left of his executors is the same sort of suspicious white powder ... But anyway , can't wait for Christmas . Speaking of things in newspapers , the brother 's wild adventure has made it into today 's Times . 
Low expectations and a quick look at the UAB schedule . In light of UAB being picked to finish fifth in the East in C - USA , I thought I ' d run down the schedule and see what sort of shot I think we have . Sept. 2 at Oklahoma Sept. 9 East Carolina * # Sept. 16 at Georgia Sept. 23 Miss . St. Sept. 30 Troy Oct . 7 Memphis * # Oct . 14 at Rice * Oct . 21 Marshall * # Oct . 31 at SMU * Nov . 10 UTEP * Nov . 18 at Southern Miss * # Nov . 25 at UCF * # * conference game # division game Games we will win : East Carolina , Mississippi State , Troy , Rice , SMUGames we should win : Memphis , Marshall Games we have a shot at winning , but probably won't : UTEP , UCFGames that there is no way in hell we will win : Oklahoma ( duh ) , UGA ( again , duh ) , Southern Miss ( what can I say , they own us ) At worst , we win five games and stay at home in December . At best , we win 9 and get a decent bowl bid . What 's likely ? Six wins and we stay home for the Birmingham Bowl . As far as conference strandings shake out , we probably will lose to Southern Miss and / or UCF and miss out on the conference championship game . 
Blazer Names to Know : # 46 David Miller . Listed just behind Mc Elveen on the depth chart , but still certain to see playing time in all twelve games , is # 46 David Miller . The senior out of Cullman , AL has split time throughout his career with Mc Elveen , providing solid depth at the end position . In 2005 Miller played in all 12 contests , starting nine , and recorded 28 tackles with five going for a loss and two sacks . He also played in all twelve games the previous two years and redshirted his freshman year . He 's aa philosophy major , which really doesn't mean anything as far as his football career goes , but is of note since yours truly holds a degree in philosophy from UAB . If the major is still filled with the disgusting variety of conformist " non - conformists " it was riddled with when I was there then I could just imagine how they 're treating a jock . 
In part seven of the ten part " Celebrity Ass I ' m Reasonably Certain I Could Kick " series is Elvin Bishop . Pretty much everyone likes Fooled Around and Fell in Love well enough ( fun fact , that isn't him singing ) , but I lost all respect for him after hearing his awful , amaturish , blues for dummies guitar solo on Drunken Hearted Boy from the Allman Brothers box set . Seriously Elvin , if you step on a stage with Duane Allman with a guitar in your hand , you better come with it . He ain't good looking but he sure can play ... unless Duane is nearby . 
While UAB and Troy aren't necessarily rivals on par with Bama and Auburn ( or even UAB and Memphis ) , it 's still an in state rivalry that looks to heat up as both teams are scheduled to meet each year for the foreseeable future . The teams have met five times since 1993 , with Troy holding a 3 - 2 advantage over the Blazers . However , UAB holds a 2 - 1 lead over Troy since both have moved into D - 1 A ( UAB in ' 96 and Troy in ' 02 ) and looks to expand it to a 3 - 1 record on September 30 th . Considering making fun of your rivals and / or generally thinking the worst about them is one of the great thrills of college football , I have to point you in the direction of EDSBS , who has a caption contest going involving what appears to be the Trojan O - Line , a corpse , and what I hope is soapy water . 
Blazer Names to Know : # 98 Jermaine Mc Elveen . On the other end of the defensive line is # 98 Jermaine Mc Elveen . Mc Elveen has plenty of experience , starting right away in 2003 and earning a spot on the Rivals . com Freshman All America team and the C - USA All - Freshman team . Starting in 2004 he began splitting time with # 46 David Miller , racking up 29 tackles including 18 stops , 5 tackles for loss , and 3 sacks while playing in all twelve games . In 2005 he again split starting duties with Miller , playing in ten games and starting the final two contests . He concluded the season with 26 tackles with 4 for loss and two sacks . He also blocked a punt on special teams in the win over Rice and recorded an interception in the win over UTEP . While those aren't necessarily Mc Swain numbers , he 's been a solid contributor to the defense 's depth at the end position and is currently listed as the starter on the 2006 depth chart . 
Blazer Names to Know : # 44 Larry Mc Swain . A quick look at the other side of the ball ... Mc Swain is currently on the preseason watch lists for the Nagurski ( best defensive player of the year ) , Lott ( defensive impact player of the year ) , and Hendricks ( defensive end of the year ) awards and is the current C - USA preseason Defensive Player of the Year . His breakout season was in 2004 when he recorded 56 tackles ( 29 solo , 18 for loss ) including 13 sacks ( 1 st in C - USA , 4 th nationally ) and was named a 1 st team all conference selection . His production dropped slightly in 2005 as offenses paid more attention to him and Wayne Bolt ( the fattest of ALL Bolts ) only rushed four and had his linebackers dropping into covereage more often than not , allowing the opposing O - Line to better pick up the pass rush . In 10 games as a starter he recorded 53 tackles , but only five for loss and four sacks . He also returned an interception 23 yards against Troy . 
I know it 's really just a poor man 's Apprentice , but Design Star has single handedly restored my faith in HGTV after the abominations that are What 's With That House ? and The Junk Brothers made me seriously consider switching to the Food Network for all my late night " gotta have something to fall asleep to " needs permanently . Early favorite : Temple . Who doesn't love a cello playing former Miss Utah ? 
One more pet peeve about NCAA 2007 ( and the whole series , really ) . Why , under the rivalry games mode , do they still have " The Magic City Classic " played at either State or A & M 's fields ? It 's The Magic City Classic because it 's played in The Magic City ( that 's B ' ham , in case you didn't know ) at Legion Field . Can we please get this straight for ' 08 ? 
I went and picked up my copy last night at Target . The Girl was in Chicago last weekend and we hadn't gotten to see each other much the week before so we went out Tuesday instead of me sitting on my butt in front of the TV . I was quite surprised when I was able to hold out til the weekend to rush for a copy , but she needed to go to Target after we went to dinner last night and so I took advantage of the opportunity . I played a half against Auburn when we got back to my place and fought them to a 0 - 0 standstill . The defensive controls are roughly the same , though the R stick now calls defensive audibles and I kept having my DTs dropping into coverage by mistake . The offensive controls seemed weird , though they are basically the same . I gave up in frustration ( and because she was yelling at me to watch my language from the other room ) and then started back this morning with some practices . The new " scrimmage " feature was helpful , and so I started on my Bama dynasty with a 45 - 10 beat down on Hawaii . A Few Initial Thoughts : - The kicking game is annoying as all hell now . The power / accuracy meter seems lame , and returning kicks is way more difficult . Maybe if it was a first person perspective it wouldn't be as bad , but not being able to see what 's in front of your return man is idiotic . - Are defenses faster this time around , or is Bama 's O - Line just represented a little more accurately ? - Also , does it seem like the ball flies through the air a little slower to anyone else ? - All the extra graphics that flash on the screen make this look like a Fox Sports production . The " impact camera " is cool the first two or three times , but then it 's just annoying . Keep the game going already . - I ' m liking ' 06 better right now . 
Blazer Names to Know : # 34 Dan Burks . In at # 2 on the depth chart is RB Dan Burks . After an excellent performance in 2004 ( gaining 880 yards with a 5.4 ypc average , including a 69 yard TD run against Baylor while splitting time with Corey White ) Burks was hampered by injuries in ' 05 , decreasing his rushing attempts to 67 in eight games . He did manage a decent 4.8 yds per carry ( 321 yds total ) including a 115 yd performance in the loss to Marshall and 78 yards on 12 attempts in the win against Rice . If Burks can remain healthy and get back to his ' 04 form , he and White can look to dominate C - USA as the Blazers run the ball more . 
Maybe there 's something we can learn from soccer ... With all the hullabaloo over the World Cup over for four more years , there won't be a lot of talk on the various CFB blogs about how we could learn a thing or two from the soccer fans of the world about fandom / passion / whatever . I tend to disagree , since the only thing I think I could learn is how to literally live and die by my team 's performance instead of just metaphorically . And you thought burning couches to support your team was hardcore ... So the other night I was thinking about the NFL pre - season and how it would be nice if college football had something similar ; Obviously it wouldn't be feasible to play a five game pre - season schedule , but that 's where soccer comes in . Why not allow college teams to schedule a " friendly " before the start of the season ? Instead of playing an NCAA mandated 12 th game , they could schedule a friendly the week before their season opener and play a scrimmage against the cupcake they usually open with ( or in the case of the cupcake , get their lumps in from a BCS team before starting their reign of terror in the Sun Belt ) . This way banning the scheduling of D 1 - AA opponents would have even more weight ( seriously Auburn , you already played Western Kentucky once this year ) , and rules about BCS teams scheduling other BCS opponents would be an easier sell . The money 's the same for the teams involved , the only change is that it doesn't count on the regular season record . Just a thought . 
Five more days ' til Carnavas and I can't believe how excited I am . Fox Confessor is probably the only other album I ' ve looked forward to this much since The Rising , but I ' m on pins and needles wishing this damn album would drop already . Anyway , here 's the video ( quicktime format ) for " Well Thought Out Twinkles . " . 
Blazer Names to Know : Corey White . To start things off , we ' ll look at the one of the few positions that isn't a huge question mark . White is currently listed at the top of the depth chart at RB after taking over starting duties from the injured Dan Burks at the end of last season . He 's a power runner that resembles a fullback more than the running back position he plays , but he has shown good , if not great , break away speed . His 30 yard scamper in the waning seconds of the 4 th quarter against Memphis in 2004 sealed a UAB victory . Last season he amassed a respectable 632 yards on 130 attempts ( averaging 4.9 ypc ) and 7 TDs while splitting time with Burks , and also caught 10 passes for 79 yards . With Hackney 's cannon arm lost to graduation and UAB looking to move back into a power run / option offense , look for White to play a significant role . 
In an effort to give some sort of focus to this blog ( and as a coping mechanism as we near the last month before the start of the season ) , I ' ll be running down the UAB Blazers schedule and offering up my take on it and some of the players and coaches . Believe it or not I ' m pretty excited about the coming season for the Blazers . Ostensibly Watson is on the hot seat after going 5 - 6 in what should have been a breakout season for UAB ( and Darrell Hackney ) with boneheaded and baffling breakdowns in the defense and special teams . Firing DC Wayne Bolt ( the fattest of ALL Bolts ) is a step in the right direction , and some other coaching moves have me encouraged , but when the rubber meets the road on game day there 's just no telling which UAB Blazers are going to show up . Hopefully he can get us above .500 again and to a postseason appearance , but we ' ll just have to see . 
Getting There : Escentric 01 by Escentric Molecules . In May I wrote about Molecule 01 , which consists entirely of a molecule called Iso E Super . I wasn't in love with it : no development , just a sandalwood - like note which , while undeniably appealing , is too uninteresting for the price . The companion scent , Escentric 01 , is decidedly better , I ' m pleased to discover . It 's still primarily that one scent molecule , but it 's been added to ; constructed , like an actual scent . When I put my nose to my skin , my first reaction was , " Lemon pepper ! " Pretty close ; it 's actually lime and pepper , and it adds a fresh zing that the scent desperately needs . The top note also contains that soapiness that I thought I detected in Molecule 01 , so I ' m guessing it 's really there and not just my imagination or the smell of just - showered me . The sandalwood note doesn't take long to emerge , but here it 's joined by a thick orris - root note that adds complexity and nuance to the otherwise simplistic Iso E Super . ( There 's supposedly a balsamic incense note , as well , but I don't get it at all ; maybe my nose isn't sufficiently finely tuned , or maybe it 's drowned out by the other notes . ) After that , it doesn't develop or change any more ; it just stays on your skin , and stays and stays . There 's something to be said , of course , for an attractive scent that lasts a long time , but there 's a lot more to be said for an attractive scent that seems to have some real thought put into it . If a scent is a painting , then Molecule 01 is a bucket of paint -- in a lovely colour , mind you -- thrown at a canvas , and Escentric 01 is that same splashed canvas with a few complementary colours dabbed on afterwards . I like Escentric 01 , but I don't love it , and I can't see how it 's worth what 's they 're charging ; nothing about it , not even that vibrant bottle , makes me feel as if I need it , and that 's a fatal flaw for a non - essential consumer good . Nevertheless , I ' m looking forward to whatever else the company cooks up ; they ' ve apparently given us their first couple of experiments , and I want to see what they produce when they get really good at it . 
The Full Twelve Rounds : Everlast Original 1910 . It was briefly tempting to use a whole whack of boxing metaphors when talking about Everlast Original 1910 , but I managed to resist the urge . I can't even talk about the fragrance proper anyway , because I haven't tried it . I was ordering a bunch of things from Sephora and I decided on a whim to get the shower gel , mostly because I was captivated by the packaging ; instead of a big tube or bottle , the 200 m L of shower gel is divided into 10 20 - m L bottles in a clear plastic case , and the little bottles seemed like the perfect thing to toss into a gym bag . Unfortunately , the tops snap off and the bottles aren't resealable , so there goes the gym - bag idea . Still : great packaging ! ( As you can see from the above photo , the bottles nest together in the box ; each has a deep indentation in the bottom into which the top of the bottle below it fits . ) I ' m a sucker for an attractive or inventive bottle . * As we ' d expect from a shower gel , what we mostly get are top notes ; there 's no time for subtlety , because most of it 's getting washed down the drain in a matter of minutes if not seconds . The first thing that hits your skin as the product foams up -- and it 's very low - foam , no heaps of lather here -- is an explosion ( not too strong a word ) of lemon and an exceedingly herbal lavender . Officially , there are other citrus notes in there ( mandarin and grapefruit ) , but this is a very lemony scent . If you leave it on long enough , which I did just to see if it would develop , a mildly spicy note is added to the mix , which according to the official list of notes contains nutmeg and cinnamon . As I ' ve noted before , more expensive brands of shower gel leave more scent on your skin , and this one certainly does , enough that I don't feel the need to apply any kind of scent . Half an hour later I can smell a halo of that original herbal freshness plus a small but distinct woody patchouli note , which surprised me ; it really does seem as if the entire fragrance has been duplicated , right down to the base notes . I love that , and now I ' m curious about the scent itself , which I suppose I ' ll have to hunt down . * The award for cleverest high - end shower - gel packaging ever , though , goes to Givenchy 's Pi . II haven't seen it in a long time , but when the scent first came out , the line included a dehydrated shower gel in three foil pouches : you added warm water and sloshed it around to reactivate it . It was of a piece with the brand 's original astronaut advertising and it was completely brilliant . Of course I bought it ! 
Beyond the Sea : CSP Aqua Motu . A week and a half ago I got a sample of Comptoir Sud Pacifique 's Aqua Motu . I hadn't ever tried it before and I wasn't particularly interested in the sample , because I knew what it was going to smell like : fresh , ozonic , aquatic , done - before , boring . This morning I was poking around in my cabinet looking for something I hadn't worn before and there it was , so I put on a couple of spritzes , and I am the first to admit when I ' ve been wrong ; it 's gorgeous . The first things that came to mind when I smelled it were Dior 's Dune and Dune pour Homme , because they 're all meant to evoke the same things : not water , but the beach itself . Neither of the Dior scents really works on me , though I love them both , or more accurately have a love / hate relationship with them both : Dune pour Homme is too sharp and cologney despite its felicities , and Dune has a sweetness that I find aggressive and out of place among the dry licheny sand . Aqua Motu , though : that works on me , in spades . It 's as if someone had taken the Dior scents and stripped them of everything extraneous , reduced them to the pure abstract idea of the seaside . It smells marine , but not that fraudulent ozonic - oceany smell that perfumers can't seem to get enough of nowadays ; it smells instead of salt water and seaweed and the grasses and stunted little shrubs that grow above the waterline . There is a warmth to it -- one of the notes listed is " warm sand " -- and a bare suggestion of sweetness , but nothing cloying . It isn't a beach strewn with sun worshippers bathed in tanning oil : it 's a brave , barren little Atlantic seacoast populated by mussels and seabirds . It suggests my childhood in Newfoundland , and now , dammit , I have to go and buy myself a bottle . 
Summer Cold : L ' Eau D ' Issey Pour Homme . Fresh , wet scents don't usually work for me , but when I first smelled L ' Eau D ' Issey on a trip to Toronto in 1992 , I was so amazed by it that I just bought it . It was almost purely floral , containing lotus , freesia , cyclamen , carnation , peony , and lily of the valley , but I couldn't resist its remarkable transparency and otherworldliness , and its startlingly minimal bottle , like the Platonic ideal of a lighthouse . Exactly the same thing happened a couple of years later ; on first smelling L ' Eau D ' Issey Pour Homme , entranced by the scent and the bottle , a wedge - shaped monolith of frosted glass and brushed metal , I just bought the stuff . Miyake is said to hate fragrance and to have asked the perfumers in both cases to make him something that smelled like water . Obviously , neither scent does ; but they both achieve a fresh , watery effect without resorting to the ozonic fresh note that was already becoming overplayed in the 1990 s and is now ubiquitous and worn out . L ' Eau D ' Issey Pour Homme gets its freshness from , at first , a barrage of citrus notes ( bergamot , tangerine , and lemon , plus the Japanese fruit called yuzu ) and very lightly played herbal notes such as lemon verbena , tarragon , and coriander . It 's an explosively fresh smell ; it sparkles , like summer sunlight on water . The coolness gradually warms up as it 's supplanted by spice notes -- nutmeg and cinnamon , mostly -- plus the floral notes of geranium and water lily , but the sharp edge remains from the top ; it never really becomes a warm scent . Even the base , a soft , clingy haze of woods and ambergris , manages to retain a hint of sharpness from vetivert . It 's not at all what I normally wear , but it 's so intoxicating and so perfectly conceived that it wins me over every time . It 's just like the first time I smelled it ; I don't stand a chance . 
Down the Gardenia Path . Yves Rocher likes to give away free stuff when you order by mail , which is why I have a bottle of tiar shower gel in my arsenal of soaps and gels . ( Tiar is a member of the gardenia family of white flowers , strongly and exotically perfumed . ) High - end shower gels , the ones that are part of a fragrance line , tend to leave a scent on your skin ; the less expensive ones as a rule are all throw and no follow - through , and Yves Rocher 's shower gels are no exception . The aroma when you pour it out of the bottle and later it up is dramatic ; a hot white floral that conjures up memories of seventies suntan lotion , which all seemed to smell like tiar and coconut in those days . No coconut in the Yves Rocher gel ; it 's just flowers and more flowers , hot and beachy . I couldn't imagine using this at the gym ; it 's not only too floral , it 's too strong . But I used it at home this morning , with pleasure . The scent goes down the drain almost at the same time as the lather : it leaves the faintest trace of tropical warmth on your skin which is gone in half an hour , and you have to pretty much jam your nose against your skin to detect it . Mono is a skin and hair oil made in Polynesia from tiar blossoms macerated in oil , and the Canadian company Fruits searching for a coconut - scented shower gel after his favourite brand was discontinued , he was convinced by a saleswoman that the Mono shower cream was what he was looking for . It wasn't ; the coconut smell is there , but it 's joined in equal measure by the tiar , which is not to his taste , something he didn't discover until he tried to use it . But I hate to let something that smells so nice go to waste . I ' m not a fan , at all , of Fruits & Passion 's fragrances : every single one of them , men 's and women 's alike , seems to have the same base , along the same lines as the famed Guerlinade , only horrible . I hardly ever go into the store : sometimes I don't even want to walk by it because that underlying scent is so pervasive and unpleasant . Some of their shower creams , though , are pretty good , and this is one of them . Same deal as with the Yves Rocher : I wouldn't use it at the gym , but at home it 's a nice change of pace . 
Tender Kiss : Le Baiser du Dragon by Cartier . As I ' ve said before , a great many oriental scents are unisex without even trying . Unless they 're heavily floral , they contain notes that have never been assigned a gender in the Western world . Cartier 's Le Baiser du Dragon -- " The Dragon 's Kiss " -- is the perfect example ; it has floral notes , but they 're so unimportant in the grand scheme of things that anyone could wear the scent . The advertising copywriter , clearly aware of this , used such terms as " daring femininity " , but don't be fooled . There 's nothing daring or feminine about it . You ' d think a scent called The Dragon 's Kiss would be intimidating , fiercely sexual , but you ' d be wrong . The first thing out of the bottle is the warm sweet scent of almonds , as appealing and comforting as any smell I know , like a glass of amaretto by the fireside . A soft , unobtrusive floral glow soon accompanies this ; it 's mostly gardenia , which can be overwhelming ( as it is in Marc Jacobs , Elizabeth Taylor Gardenia , or most any scent which uses it as the starting point ) but here is just another thread in the tapestry . As the scent warms up even further , the glow is supplemented by a very soft iris note accompanied by warm woods , mostly cedar ; this slowly fades as the vanillic ambergris - patchouli base note takes over -- and as you might guess , it lasts a very long time , glowing the whole while . The whole thing is remarkable for what it isn't ; aggressive , fierce , or sexual . Instead , it 's sensual and welcoming . As noted by a couple of the reviewers here , Le Baiser du Dragon is in fact fairly masculine ( one even compares it to Omnia in this regard , a comparison that 's also come to my mind more than once ) . The floral notes don't make it any less so : the heat of it , the warm woods in the middle and the patchouli and ambergris in the base , make it of a piece with men 's oriental perfumery , or rather with oriental scents in general . How easy it would be for Cartier to market this to men ; tweak it slightly , maybe tone down the gardenia and add a splash of sandalwood and tobacco - leaf , so nobody accuses them of putting the same thing in a different bottle , and you 're off to the races . ( They ' d probably need to square off the bottle , too . It 's gorgeous , a big rounded mass that resembles the bottle for Panth re stripped down and ready for action , with a solid cap inspired by Chinese writing and a black dagger piercing the heart of the fragrance . But conventional wisdom has it that round bottles are for women and square bottles are for men , despite such obvious contradictions as the classic Chanel bottle and the spherical Hugo Boss bottles . ) . 
Shopping , Part 2 : CSP Amour de Cacao . There 's a Canadian chain of drugstores called Shoppers Drug Mart ( I ' ve talked about it before on this blog and on my other one ) which is has really upgraded its image in the last few years ; one of the new store designs puts a little self - contained fragrance department at the very front of the store , and it 's like a really high - end boutique . I walked into such a store this morning and just inside the door was , to my astonishment , a display of Comptoir Sud Pacifique scents . I was completely flabbergasted , because it 's just not a line you associate with drugstores . The lovely saleswoman said they ' d had them for about a week , about a dozen or fifteen of the line 's scents , including many of the newest ones , ones I hadn't even had a chance to try before : Bois de Filao , Vanille Peach , Vanille Pineapple , and Vanille Extreme , along with such standbys as Aqua Motu , Mora Bella ( the new name for the old , wonderful Fruits Sauvages ) , and of course Amour de Cacao . I tried Bois de Filao and Vanille Pineapple -- though not on my skin -- and was delighted with both of them , and though I couldn't get samples of them , I did snag samples of Vanille Coco -- I already had a tiny vial of it , but this is a nice big spray and I never turn down a sample -- and Aqua Motu . I don't even want to think about the fact that I am going to be buying a whole bunch of these fragrances in the next six months . As it happened , I ' d put on Amour de Cacao after the gym this morning . Even though it 's a hot summer day and Ad C is a warm sweet scent , I felt secure that it wouldn't be too strong or too cloying , because , amazingly , it never is . Officially , the notes in Amour de Cacao are orange peel , vanilla , and chocolate , which makes it sound like a Terry 's Chocolate Orange , but the orange note escapes me altogether . ( The new , updated version of Ad C supposedly has a starfruit note as well ; I haven't tried it , so I couldn't say . ) All I smell when I first spray it on is vanilla - infused chocolate , though not a pure chocolate - bar scent nor the dust - dry cocoa powder of Cocoon but a mixture of the two , a lush chocolate combined with a very salty , slightly dusty note of cocoa powder . The salt note is amazingly strong at first . I know ; salt oughtn't to have a smell at all . But I ' ve worked around large quantities of the stuff , thousands of pounds at a time , and trust me ; it has a smell , and that smell is in Amour de Cacao . Over the next few hours , whatever development there is in this scent consists of the chocolate / cocoa receding and the vanilla coming to the fore , and that 's it . But it 's the most wonderful simplicity ; it smells like someone 's making chocolate - chip cookies somewhere in the vicinity , and that 's such a cherished , almost universal childhood memory that Amour de Cacao can't help but bring a smile to your face . It 's a sleek aluminum can full of lovingly hand - made bakery bliss . Shopping , Part 1 is here . 
The Elements of Surprise : Very Irresistible for Men by Givenchy . As I was walking home from work tonight , a couple passed maybe ten feet in front of me ; I live downtown and a great many people were headed to the bars and restaurants on this warm summer 's night . The man , I think it 's safe to say , was wearing too much cologne : he must have applied it not fifteen minutes before , because the top notes were still evident , and it was entirely apparent at that distance . ( If someone can smell you at more than an arm 's length away , you 're probably wearing too much of whatever it is , and if they can distinctly smell the top notes , you ' ve probably left the house too soon after applying it . ) But the smell was so dazzling that I instantly forgave him . My first response was , " I know what that is ! " , but it took a few seconds longer to put a name to the delicious fresh - mocha smell ; it was Very Irresistible for Men by Givenchy . It starts with a zingy green note of mint and grapefruit , with , it seems to me , another fruit note that resembles pear . The top notes are surprisingly persistent ; they maintain their fresh edge even as the warm edible middle notes come to the fore . If you ' ve ever eaten those Sesame Snaps or , I don't know , a big handful of sesame seeds , you ' ll recognize the dry scent of sesame in the middle notes , which help to keep the other main mid - note accord from becoming too sweet . The mocha scent is irresistible indeed ; it 's not the sweet milky coffee of Comptoir Sud Pacifique 's Vanille Caf but something more grown - up , for lack of a better word , something drier and richer ; the chocolate is laid on with a light hand to keep it from being merely a confection . Some people complain that the mocha note is too fleeting , but it must be a matter of chemistry ; it lasts for hours on me . The base notes , in comparison , don't seem particularly strong or tenacious on my skin ; the hazelnut - wood note gradually moves to the fore -- I don't detect any cedar at all -- and then the whole thing just evaporates . But even without base notes , what there is of it is plenty . Everything about it is a surprise . The spectacular bottle led me to believe I ' d be getting something fresh and green ; the gourmand oriental that followed those green notes was a welcome turning of the tables , and that sense of the unexpected is what makes it one of Givenchy 's greatest men 's scents . 
Balancing Act : Allure Homme by Chanel . The publicity material for Chanel 's Allure , the women 's version , made much of the fact that it didn't develop as a classic scent does but instead showed six equal facets , like a jewel . Big deal , I thought ; they ' ve reinvented the linear scent . It turns out that what they meant wasn't that it was six accords equally balanced throughout the scent 's life , but that there were six accords that came and went in equal measure . It 's still more or less a linear scent , but a very complex one . Their men 's version , Allure Homme , is structured somewhat more classically ; and yet despite this , the composition , like the women 's , isn't just the usual top - middle - base , and is altogether more interesting because of it . One of the first things I smell in Allure Homme , after the usual fleeting shiver of citrus notes , is leather . It 's not even listed in the fragrance 's notes , and it certainly isn't as intense as the leatheriness of Chanel 's Antaeus , but it 's there : not the warm sugary leather of Stetson , but something much drier . It 's a sexy , manly smell , probably an inevitable component of anything that would dare to call itself Allure . That leathery dryness doesn't last , though . A spicy note of pepper , powerfully warm but not harsh or aggressive , soon barrels up through the top notes , taking with it a hint of vanillic sweetness which increases in intensity as the scent develops . The middle note never really settles down : the base notes just keep getting warmer and sweeter , with their quantities of woods ( mostly sandalwood ) and balsams ( labdanum and the vanilla - laced tonka bean ) sharpened a little with earthy patchouli and vetivert . It never has a chance to get cloying , despite the balsamic warmth , because there 's so much else going on in the base notes . As I wrote about before , sometimes it 's amusing when individual notes jump out at you before fading away again , and Allure Homme has this in spades : a little swirl of patchouli came out of nowhere at me this afternoon , when I ' d almost forgotten I was wearing the stuff , and then a bit later a sudden jolt of pencil - sharpener cedar . It 's the perpetual element of surprise that makes Allure Homme a winner . 
Orange , Blossoming : Boss in Motion . Yesterday morning I was showering with what 's left of my bottle of Yves Rocher 's 2005 limited - edition Christmas shower gel , Orange Vanill , which smells more of spices than vanilla ; in fact , it smells very much like one of those clove - studded oranges an aunt or a grandmother might hang in her closet . I was breathing in the luscious orange scent and knew I wanted to wear an orange - based scent that day , and I knew just the one , too . When Clinique 's Happy for Men came out in 1999 , I was instantly smitten by it . The top note is a breathless charge of citrus notes , most prominently mandarin orange , and it 's so cheerful and bright that I couldn't resist being seduced . But after wearing it for a while I noticed that , on my skin , at least , the aftermath wasn't so delightful ; laced with vanilla and creamy - sweet guaiac wood , it dried down into a thick , cloying , sherbet - like scent that was so intense as to be nearly nauseating . I think I had been ignoring this , having been so charmed by the hesperides , but after a while I couldn't ignore it any more , so I gave away my bottle and that was that . Then in 2002 , Hugo Boss launched Boss in Motion , in that smart Death Star bottle with its cleverly invisible spraying mechanism ; you form a letter C with your hand , hold the bottle with your thumb on the bottom , and press upwards . And what is the scent but a near - copy of Happy for Men without the choking sweetness ? Oh , it 's still sweet and orangey ; it still has vanilla in it , it still suggests orange sherbet , but it 's been toned down , tempered by soft spicy notes , woods , and musk notes more evident than those in Happy for Men . You want real happy ? Boss in Motion is happy . 
today 's ' fuck you ' to big business ... aah citibank ... my employer has a sweetheart deal with citi for all of us worker - proles : free checking . completely free and they wave their little penalties and such . it 's lovely . but it expires yearly and i have to remember to go in ( i could swear i put it in my outlook last year ... ? ) and renew it . but no . so yesterday , i go in there and talk to the nice lady who not only put the waiver on , but put on a permanent waiver so it won't need to be renewed , and refunded the two months of fees and penalties . can you imagine ? and she was nice about it , too . almost $ 25 ! fabu ... so , citi , i have to say , you ' ve done very well . and not paying you a cent has curbed my desires to find a more local bank to patronize . hell , i ' m all for taking advantage of big business ... 
i must live on the cleanest block in the city ... because the fucking street cleaner careens by , about 200 mph , every god damned morning . and don't get me started on the garbage trucks ... three times a week , with the squeaky breaks and the surly ( and burly ... yum ) workers . it moves fast moves fast moves fast SCREECHES ON BREAKS , they scream to / at each other , cat call those of the fairer sex , throwing crap in the truck , recyclables and non - alike ... i swear ... like something out of the simpsons . -- so in completely unrelated news ... sometimes big daddy here takes a pill to make the sheep counting that much easier . usually melatonin , it 's natural and i usually have good luck with it . ambien is a joke . and sometimes something meant for cough / achy / stuffy head / so you can rest better , like last night . but lately , in my valley of the dolls bliss , i get these rather violent sort of seizure - esque things and my heart pounds . happens more or less at the point where i go from awake to sheep counting , it jars me up , then i lay awake until i am just about asleep then it happens again , repeatedly until , i gather , the initial flow of the drug into my blood stream is , more or less , metabolized . hmm . what do you suppose THAT is about ? 
really , nysc needs to stop . so i sent them a nastygram about the locker room situation and got into an email war with sarahthewondercustomerserviceagent . ' let me start off by saying that i think nysc is great , the trainers are knowledgeable , the facility clean [ NOT ] , and i can always get a machine . while i ' m thrilled that the locker rooms are being overhauled , it 's most inconvenient that i can't use the locker room every day , and , therefore , can't workout three days a week some weeks . i ' d be most appreciative if you ' d discount my monthly rate , for going to another club isn't an option on my lunch hour . i understand that cutting my rate would be contingent upon not using another club . ' ' thanks for your email . there is nothing we can do during the renovation to your rate , and there is no way to enforce not using another club , but thanks for your patience during the renovation . ' ' if i had a regular membership , i could only use [ my club location ] . you could code the account as ' regular ' and not ' passport gold . ' ' yes , we can downgrade your options but that would have to be done at the club level and there is a fee to change statuses . ' ' no , that 's not what i mean . i mean if you can enforce non - ' passport gold ' members from using clubs , you can code my membership accordingly and give me a break on my dues for a membership i cannot use . ' ' yes , regular members only use the home club whenever they want , and other clubs during the off - peak hours of ... ' really , smartness , you 're riding my last . fucking . nerve . either you 're brilliant and parlaying this conversation into an area that is so absurd you know i ' ll back off , or you 're really that fucking stupid . ( going with the latter , no confidence in humanity as of late . ) BLAH fuck you , nysc . per my usual passive - aggressive style , i ' m going to email the fucking president of the company tomorrow . worked when cvs lost a roll of film from slovenia , worked when the cuntlet at shanghai tang wouldn't take something back , worked when the ramada was one step above hourly rates and giving me crabs , really , i could go on and on . hell , i ' m a writer : what i lack in person , i ' d like to think i can articulate in word . oh , and i ' m an angry bitch : there is that fuel , too . -- so my useless ' boss ' has been taking these lovely , extravagant lunch hours this week , and is leaving early , as our department director is away on training . ( which , i ' m sure , is code for ' rehab , ' but i digress . ) she 's not in next week ( PRAISE ALLAH ) and i think , per her usual pattern of behavior when big bossman is away , she ' ll call in tomorrow . she always calls in at least once when he 's not around , it 's wonderful : her indolence makes me look like a japanese car assembly plant worker . i love how her spotty attendance and , therefore , spotty negative vibes , are not as in - my - face as usual . i ' m so sure she ' ll not be in i ' ve got a bet - pool going on with my coworkers , i really do . the bet - pool is actually the surface manifestation of something bigger ... see , ' boss ' lady sent the three of us in her ' group ' an email that says , to the effect of , ' your day starts at 930 , ends at 530 , and if your lunch is longer than one hour , i expect to be notified . ' fine , she 's cracking the whip on our most opportunistic asses , ' i learned it by watching you ! ' [ i loved that commercial . ] i ' ll play her game , as long as craigslist is still unbanned and i can read worldwide newspapers . fine . but , as i ' m a passive - aggressive bitch , like i said , i ' m noting every deviation SHE ' S making from her own little nastygram . and i have to say , it 's not pretty .5 july , sick 6 july , sick 7 july , sick , not reported on absence chart 11 july , in at 10 , out at 512 july , out at 445 ... similar shit on and on until today ...20 july , out at ~12 , didn't notify anyonei really don't know how to say this any other way ... don't . fuck . with . me . the only question is when to bring it to auntie mame 's attention . 
77 . Nico - Chelsea Girl ( 1967 ) Track Listing 1 . Fairest Of The Seasons 2 . These Days 3 . Little Sister 4 . Winter Song 5 . It Was A Pleasure Then 6 . Chelsea Girl 7 . I ' ll Keep It With Mine 8 . Somewhere There 's A Feather 9 . Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams ( And Dream Your Troubles Away ) 10 . Eulogy To Lenny Bruce Review You either love or hate Nico , I love her and my girlfriend hates her , so big arguments have been had around this album in the last few days . Not as big as the ones on Frank Zappa though . Well , saying that I love Nico might be an overstatement , but I do love the albums she put out mainly because she was smart enought to associate ( and sometimes fuck ) the right people at the right time . This album is a perfect example of that , she takes Lou Reed , John Cale and Sterling Morrison ( a . k . a . Velvet Underground ) and makes one of the loveliest and pretiest albums ever . If you can tolerate Nico singing that is . I admit that her voice is not easy to get into , as my girfriend says she sounds like an albatross , but a lovely albatross . The way she brings bleakness and depressiveness to the very beautiful songs in this album is something to be admired . In fact I found this album to be quite in the same vein as Nick Drake 's Five Leaves Left with its beautiful but simple strings and great guitar playing . Strangely there is something of the Devendra Barnhart here as well , particularly in the first track . Even if you can't take Nico 's particular voice make an effort and repeated listenings to this will definitel improve you relationship to her . I really can't reccomend this album enough . It 's Velvet Underground and Nico doing Folk , how much better can it be ? There is one track here in the middle which goes much more to the experimental side , and that is It Was a Pleasure Then , but weirdly enough it works , it starts almost like a Sigur Ros soundscape and goes on to a feedback fest all the while making Nico shine as the most melodic tone in the song , which creates a perfect contrast to all other tracks where Nico is the perfect imperfection on the beautiful arrangements . Stream it from Napster or Buy it from Amazon UK or US . Track Highlights 1 . The Fairest of the Seasons 2 . Chelsea Girls 3 . It Was a Pleasure Then 4 . These Days 5 . I ' ll Keep it With Mine I couldn't have just four . Final Grade 10 / 10 Trivia She really can't sing ... but still there 's something there . Must be heroin . From Wiki : Musically , Chelsea Girl is best described as a cross between chamber folk and Sixties pop . The musical backing is relatively simple , consisting of one or two guitars or , alternatively , a keyboard instrument , played by either Browne or ( a combination of ) her Velvet Underground colleagues . There are no drums or bass instruments . Adding to the chamber folk feel of the music is the strings and flute arrangement superimposed over the initial recordings by producer Tom Wilson and arranger Larry Fallon without involving or consulting Nico . Nico was dissatisfied with the finished product . She had wanted more guitars plus bass and drums , but it was vetoed by the production team . Of the superimposed arrangements , she said she could live with the strings , but the flutes rendered the album unlistenable to her . Because of the Velvet Underground band members involvement and the similarities with the softer The Velvet Underground and Nico tracks , Chelsea Girl is sometimes seen by fans as a companion record to that band 's discography . Polydor ( the record label that oversees The Velvet Underground 's Universal Music Group back catalogue ) tends to agree , adding Chelsea Girl tracks to Peel Slowly and See , the 2002 Deluxe edition of The Velvet Underground and Nico and the 2005 Velvet Underground compilation album Gold . 
76 . Astrud Gilberto - Beach Samba ( 1967 ) Track Listing 1 . Stay 2 . Misty Roses 3 . Face I Love 4 . Banda ( Parade ) 5 . Oba , Oba 6 . Canoeiro 7 . I Had the Craziest Dream 8 . Bossa Na Praia ( Beach Samba ) 9 . My Foolish Heart 10 . Dia das Rosas ( I Think of You ) 11 . You Didn't Have to Be So Nice 12 . N o Bate O Cora o Review Well , is this a crappy album . And I really love Brazilian music , there will be some good albums in the future and there have been some in the past . I am pretty sure the guys in the book just added this to the list because of two reasons , because they don't understand anything about Brazilian music and because they didn't even understood this album . The guy in the 1001 Albums book says that this is a great album and pays special attention to what he calls the " wordless " Canoeiro , which would be impressive if it was wordless . The sad reality is that it isn't ! It 's in Brazilian Portuguese and just because the asshole didn't get that he thought she was just scatting through the track . What a dipstick . She does scat throughout the album however , but scatting as in shitting all over it . A good example is The Parade ( A Banda ) which murders a perfectly good song . Then she decides that it is an excellent idea to make a duet with your little child . Yeah , that always fucking works . There are two not - bad songs here , the first and last one . And that 's it . The rest is frankly bad for Bossa Nova standards . And that 's another thing that pisses me off , the album is called Beach Samba and there 's not a single Samba IN THE WHOLE FUCKING ALBUM . There 's lame attempts at bossa nova murdered by Disney film arrangements try to sell a respectable and lovely music style to the frankly braindead american easy listening / lounge music market . Astrud did some good things in her life , this wasn't one of them . Don't buy it at Amazon UK or US . And don't stream it from Napster . Track Highlights 1 . Stay 2 . N o Bate O Cora o And that 's it . Final Grade 3 / 10 Trivia BLERGH ! And what the fuck is Verve doing putting this crap out ? They are a good company ... 
75 . Nina Simone - Wild Is The Wind ( 1966 ) Track Listing 1 . I Love Your Lovin ' Ways 2 . Four Women 3 . What More Can I Say 4 . Lilac Wine 5 . That 's All I Ask 6 . Break Down And Let It All Out 7 . Why Keep On Breaking My Heart 8 . Wild Is The Wind 9 . Black Is The Colour Of My True Love 's Hair 10 . If I Should Lose You 11 . Either Way I Lose Review Nina Simone has one of the best and most expressive voices in the history of the 20 th century . Not only that but she is also an amazing pianist and at times a very gifted lyricist . She has always had a problem however , she has always been too inconsistent . Simone moved from Jazz to Soul to Pop to angry intreventionism in the space of one album , this one is a good example of that . There are some truly amazing songs here , the 4 tracks that I selected for Track Highlights below are essential hearing for anyone in the world . The problem is the album consists of 11 songs . In this album Nina doesn't really come across as anything , not a thoughtful and profound singer or a poppy performer , because she changes register so fast that one song invalidates the previous one . You really come out of this album without knowing what she wants exactly . One of the reasons for this dispersion might be the fact that this is little more than a compilation of several studio and live performances artificially made into an album . But on the other hand all her studio albums of this period are equally scatter - brained . That said , when she hits her stride she is amazing but is unfortunately one of those artists for which it is better to buy a Best Of than an Album , or even better make your own Nina Simone mixed tape . On this album she is particularly good on the plaintive and sad tracks , the too happy tracks don't work as well here because it is a primarily morose album and they cut the feeling of it , they just seem out of place . Of course Nina produced great chirpy tracks outside this album ( Sinnerman , Love Me or Leave Me , My Baby Just Cares For Me ) but this is just not the album for them . If you consider an album to be something more than a compilation of songs , this one fails . I am sorry to have to say this as it is the only Nina Smone album on the list and I really love her . You can stream this from Napster or buy it at Amazon UK or US . Track Highlights 1 . Wild Is The Wind 2 . Four Women 3 . Lilac Wine 4 . Black Is The Colour of My True Love 's Hair Final Grade 6 / 10 Trivia She was an extremely gifted pianist , and you should at least get Wild is The Wind and Four Women from this album . From Wiki : At seventeen , Simone moved to Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , where she taught piano and accompanied singers . She was able to begin studying piano at New York City 's prestigious Juilliard School of Music but lack of funds meant that she was unable to fulfill her dream of becoming America 's first African - American concert pianist . She later had an interview to study piano at the Curtis Institute , but was rejected . Simone believed it was because she was black . 
74 . The Yardbirds - The Yardbirds ( a . k . a . Roger The Engineer ) ( 1966 ) Track Listing 1 . Lost Woman 2 . Over , Under , Sideways , Down 3 . The Nazz Are Blue 4 . I Can't Make Your Way 5 . Rack My Mind 6 . Farewell 7 . Hot House Of Omagarashid 8 . Jeff 's Boogie 9 . He 's Always There 10 . Turn Into Earth 11 . What Do You Want 12 . Ever Since The World Began 13 . Psycho Dasies Review Ok , excuse me if I don't make much sense , but I ' ve just came back from a Saturday night out and I am a bit tipsy . That disclaimer done , on with the show ! Crappy fuck Eric Clapton ( who actually plays some mean guitar ) left the Yardbirds before this album . And they replaced him just with Jeff Beck , so ... not a bad trade . Seeing as he 's great ! And this album lives off his guitar talent like crazy . This actually a pretty cool album , it is definitely rocky , but it has a lot of blues elements , Clapton actually left because he needed a more tradional Blues band as we saw in yesterday 's review . Their experimentality plays off really well here and I don't know if I am crazy but I can recognise elements here of what would later be post - punk ! You know , it 's weird post - punk a decade before punk ? But there are definitely some tracks here , particularly towards the end of the album which have a definite gothy / Joy Division type feel . If you want to check that out get Turn Into Earth or Ever Since The World Began ... or even the beggining to What Do You Want , which then moves into 60 's rock . There 's something weird here , either these guys are very ahead of their time or I ' m just crazy . My girlfriend confirms their post - punkyness however , it 's like Manchester in the early 80 's and I ' m scared . Props to The Yardbirds though ! Still , I have a problem with the album , it loses it 's greatness towards the middle , it starts and ends really well , but it isn't cohesive enough for a 10 or a 9 . Definitely buy it however at Amazon UK or US . You can also stream it from Napster . Track Highlights 1 . Turn Into Earth 2 . Eve Since The World Began 3 . Lost Woman 4 . Over , Under , Sideways Down . Final Grade 8 / 10 Trivia I hate it when albums are uneven . From Wiki : The Yardbirds ( US - and France - title : Over Under Sideways Down ) is an album by The Yardbirds , released in 1966 . It was the only Yardbirds album with all originally - written material . Although the record was officially titled The Yardbirds , it has since been referred to , first coloquially , then semi - officially , as Roger The Engineer , a title stemming from the drawing on its front cover , a cartoon of the record 's audio engineer Roger Cameron by band member Chris Dreja . Due to the influence of Jeff Beck 's experimentation with guitar distortion , the album is considered a precursor to heavy metal . 
5 . Apuleius - The Golden Ass ( 2 nd century ) . Buy It At Amazon UK or USReview Francisco : A pretty great read , The Golden Ass is at the same time funny , rude , sexy and also quite deep and meaningful . Although the deep bit is a bit tacked on at the end it still contextualises the story of Lucius from just a funny story and propells it into a deeper level . This deeper level of the novel has all to do with Isis ' mistery religion , it is actually a very interesting document from a religious studies point of view . Still , this is not the strong point of the book . The strong point is the simple fact that it is so entertaining and the main carachter is an ass , in more than one way . The story follows Lucius who is transformed into an ass and his quest to regain normality , which he eventually achieves . One criticism of the story is that it could have done with some editing , but clearly the art of novel writing wasn't fully perfected . There is for example a big interlude with the story of Cupid and Psyche , which although very good and interesting diverts the story from Lucius into a completely different field . You are reading Cupid and Psyche , but you really want to go back to Lucius . Honestly this is a compliment to the main character more than a criticism . Essential Reading . Vanda : I really , really liked this book , and it was bloody refreshing after all the tragedies that came before . It 's rather funny , enjoyable read , and pretty darn racy at times - bestiality ( the main character , Lucius , gets transformed into a donkey pretty early - hence the title - and this seems to be pretty irresistible to both catamites and society ladies alike ) and anal sex galore , including a husband who buggers his wife 's lover all through a night as a punishment . Hum. There are also plenty of different tales intermingled with the main plot , of magic and deceit , and although they seem tacked on a bit , they still make very good reading . The poor ass gets mistreated quite a lot , but this is never portrayed a big tragedy , since Lucius pretty much keeps his spirits high , due mainly to his rather curious nature ( who led to the transformation in the first place ) . The only letdown in this book is the ending , where he obtains redemption through the Goddess ( mainly portrayed as Isis ) , which leads to his transformation back into a human being , but also to a lot of gushing about divine powers and how he was so special he was initiated three times and so forth . It 's a bit of a dissapointment , but you should read the book anyway . As Mafalda put it , they were very modern , these ancients . Final Grade Francisco : 8 / 10 Vanda : 8 / 10 Trivia This title always reminds me of a Brazilian nudist beach . From Wiki : In 1517 , Niccol Machiavelli wrote his own version of the story , as a terza rima poem . In the 20 th Century , T . E . Lawrence carried a small copy of the " Golden Ass " in his saddlebags all through the Arab Revolt . It was Lawrence who first introduced the book to his friend Robert Graves , who later translated the work . In April 1999 , the Canadian Opera Company produced an operatic version of the " Golden Ass " , the libretto for which was written by celebrated Canadian author Robertson Davies . In 2002 , Shakespeare 's Globe theatre for the first time rehearsed the drama The Golden Ass or the Curious Man ( starring Mark Rylance as Lucius ) written by Peter Oswald after Apuleius ' novel , while performing A Midsummer Night 's Dream during the same season , thus showing connections , and how Shakespeare used ancient literature as a source for his comedy ( Bottom accidentally being transformed into an ass ) . 
3 . Chariton - Callirhoe ( 1 st century BCE to 1 st century CE ) . Buy it At Amazon UK or US . Review Francisco : Firstly as a disclaimer , I am calling it Callirhoe and not Chaireas and Kallirhoe because the introduction to my version makes quite a convinving case for why that should be its title ... read it if you want to know more . Well , this was an interesting read , mostly because of how modern it reads and how easy a read it is when compared to Ovid for example . In fact this was a very popular light read of the ancient world . The kind of stuff they ' d sell at the Triremeport bookstores . " I ' ll have a tzatziki sandwich and a Callirhoe to spend some time between Ithaca and Corfu " , I hear echoing down the ages . Actually It is a quite short novel as well as a light one . Callirhoe is a very funny book , but in a very unintentional way . It is basically a melodrama , but one which takes things to such a level of pathos that you can't help but snigger all the way through the book . The suicide attempts and near death experiences of Chaireas are particularly funny , as he is always very disappointed wit the fact that he survives . Also extremely funny is the notion that Callirhoe is a woman who has a very sad life by the fact that every one who looks at her falls in love with her , making for some overly dramatic moments where she bemoans her good looks . The pacing of the novel itself is very fast , and this is helped by the great amounts of direct dialogue in the novel , making the plot flow along nicely . It was an easy read then and so it is now , and I think the merit of this goes to the translation which managed to put a 2000 year old book in a register somewhat similar to the one that the literate greek would get from it . Definitely worth a read . Vanda : Well , that was interesting ! It 's not everyday that I ' m rooting for the hero of a book to die , already ! , you and your revoltingly annoying little oh - poor - me - I ' m - so - beautiful twit of a wife . I ' m sure the Other Half has already given you some plot details ( remember , we 're not discussing the books until after the reviews are written ) , so I ' ll save you having to read them twice . Let me put it this way - if you enjoy pulpy , overly dramatic stories , you ' ll love this one . If you have no patience for teeth - gnashingly absurdly over the top chest beating , hair tearing , and suicide attempting then steer well clear of this book . Yes , I ' m aware I can't be post - modern and judge this work by contemporary standards , but I ' m also aware that I genuinely didn't like it . What made Cisco laugh ( probably ) made me roll my eyes in annoyance . There wasn't one character that I liked , or even warmed to throughout the book . The plot isn't really that interesting although it advances quickly when Callirhoe isn't screaming the shopping list of abuse that befell her ( really , she keeps doing this ) , and since the book is mostly dialog , and is also mercifully quite short , so you can easily read through it in a couple of days . This could probably be turned into a successful shoujo manga . Final Grade Francisco 7 / 10 Vanda 3 / 10 Trivia The fun bit ! : The novel exists in only one ( unreliable ) manuscript from the 13 th century , and was not published until the 18 th century . Editions by J . P . D ' Orville ( 1783 ) , G . A . Hirschig ( 1856 ) and R . Hercher ( 1859 ) ; there is an ( anonymous ) English translation ( 1764 ) ; see also E . Rohde , Der griechische Roman ( 1900 ) . There is now a recent ( 1995 ) translation in the Loeb series , and a translation by B . P . Reardon in his anthology Collected Ancient Greek Novels ( 1989 ) ISBN 0 - 520 - 04306 - 5 . The main characters are soooooooooooooooooo annoying ! 
2 . Ovid - Metamophoses ( composed year 2 - 8 ce ) . Buy it Amazon : US or UKReview Francisco : Okay , this should probably have been read in Latin , and mine is a bit rusty . Well too rusty for epic poetry anyway , I can probably read shopping lists ... Ovid writes an encyclopedia of mythology in this book , connecting some 250 stories chronologically into one single story . It starts with the creation of the world and ends with the apoteosis of Julius Caesar . Ovid was an interesting guy , and in his writing there is no squemishness , the fight scenes are like a gore film . When Actaeon gets shred to pieces by his dogs after seeing the naked Artemis bathing for example . Or in several hunt scenes or battle involving Perseus where he basically kills everyone by turning them to stone in a completely disproportionate display of power . Power , along with metamorphosis , is the theme of the book itself . Power , and more important misuse of power . If I took anything away from this book it was than whenever any one or any god got a bit of power they completely fucked up . Even the supposedly heroic stories come across are barbaric acts of abuse . Even so , it reads as a very proper epic poem . It works within its formal constraints etc.. and Ovid himself comes off as a cynical narrator , as he never condems what are clearly random acts of violence , rape , vengance and so on . He does it in dead - pan style . The reader is the one that winces . This is , until you reach the last book , where Pythagoras has a monologue , which seems to state the author 's point of view . But you ' ve already endured 9 / 10 ths of the book by then . Actually this is really what I found more interesting in the book , much more than the metamorphosing quality of all the tales . Which seem to demonstrate obvious moral points more than anything . Vanda : First of all , I ' m sorry this review took so long - it was entirely my fault . There were times where I loved this book , and other times when I was so tired of it I didn't pick it up for days . It 's one of those experiences where if you actually start something , you enjoy it . It 's the starting again that is problematic . I loved this book because I love mythology , and the Roman Gods in particular were my passion as a child - it made , in my mind , more sense in terms of worldview that the gods were flawed , and cruel , and liked tricking or helping mortals according to their mood . Now , this might have had a heavy influence on the reviewing of Metamorphoses : I knew most of the stories , I already loved most of the " characters " , and so I did love the book . It is , however , bloody long . If you think you can manage to multitask , keep it by your bedside , and read it intermitently with other books . You ' ll laugh , you ' ll cry , you ' ll be surprised at the graphic descriptions of violence in battles and brawls , and you ' ll start looking at birds differently ( well , trees and other animals too , but especially birds ) . If you are a Neo - Pagan , pay attention - you ' ll enjoy this and will wonder why the hell you haven't read this book before . If you 're vegetarian , you ' ll be able to start sentences with " Yes , well , but as Ovid puts it in the last book of the Metamorphoses ... " which will undoubtedly earn you some points in cafe converstaions . I promise I ' ll try to get through the next books a lot quicker - and get Cisco off my back for 5 minutes .. Final Grade Francisco : 7 / 10 Vanda : 7 / 10 Trivia GORE GORE GORE ! Yay ! Romans made perversion like no one else ... From Wikipedia : Augustus banished Ovid in AD 8 to Tomis on the Black Sea for reasons that remain mysterious . Ovid himself wrote that it was because of carmen et error " a poem and a mistake " ( Tr. 2.207 ) . The error itself is uncertain . Ovid may have had an affair with a female relative of Augustus , or withheld knowledge of such an affair . The carmen , however , is probably his Ars Amatoria , a didactic poem offering amatory advice to Roman men and women , which had been in circulation for several years . 
1 . Aesop - Aesop 's Fables ( first edition 4 BCE ) . Buy it At Amazon UK or US Review Francisco : Fun little booky . Strangely enough I knew about 90 % of the very short tales contained in this book . You 're brought up on them , at least in Portugal . But disregarding that and looking at the book with non - 5 year old eyes I have to say it is an interesting bit of storytelling . Firstly , the tales are not all written by the same person . This happens with all these ancient collections but it is completely obvious in the Fables . There are stories which are all about freedom from oppression and bringing down the system , while others are all about upholding the Status Quo ( not the band , which is probably contemporary to Aesop ) . Of course , lefty as I am I find the " stick it to the man stories " much more interesting . In terms of form , it 's the kind of book you read in one sitting , each story is usually less than a page long and there 's about 203 of them . All stories end with a little moral teaching , either explicit in italics or implicit , some of them however just look they were written by a shroom - head . And it 's not all about talking animals either . There 's stories about people and even some about inanimate speaking objects . All in all , an easy read that is readily available everywhere ( kind of copyright free ) and that won't make you lose to much time reading it . Vanda : We all grew up with these stories , in one version or another , so it was no big surprise that I already knew most of them . I had never read them in the " original " format ( no such thing , I ' m aware , but indulge me ) , however , and what DID surprise me was how condensed they originally are . There are no embellishments , or any kind of back story - the tales are simply presented in a way that they get as quickly as possible to the moral lesson it was meant to convey . Some of them made me go " ah , yes , how true " , some of them are quite pedestrian in their obviousness , and some of them make me believe that mushrooms were in plentiful supply when of the penning of some of the tales . Some have contradictory morals , and a fairly big percentage are only concerned with perpetuating the status quo , in the " stick to your place in life , stop being uppity " sense . The best ones , however , and the most probable to have actually been written by Aesop ( if there are indeed any ) are the ones which concern personal freedom , and the sillyness and cruelty of authority figures . It has to be read , I think . It gains a new dimension with age a better understanding of human nature that comes with it . Final Grade 6 / 10 Francisco 6 / 10 Vanda ( how original ) Trivia The number of the tales is uncertain it goes form 55 in some versions to 359 in the biggest available one . I read the Penguin one , which contains 203 . For the heck of it , a William Caxton published tale ( first version in English ) here you go : Men ought not to leue that thynge whiche is sure & certayne / for hope to haue the vncertayn / as to vs reherceth this fable of a fyssher whiche with his lyne toke a lytyll fysshe whiche sayd to hym / My frend I pray the / doo to me none euylle / ne putte me not to dethe / For now I am nought / for to be eten / but whanne I shalle be grete / yf thow come ageyne hyther / of me shalt thow mowe haue grete auaylle / For thenne I shalle goo with the a good whyle / And the Fyssher sayd to the fysshe Syn I hold the now / thou shalt not scape fro me / For grete foly hit were to me for to seke the here another tyme . Wasn't that fun ? Can you tell that we ' d talked about the book before we reviewed it ? We have just now made the decision that we will not discuss the book before the next review . But hey ! Great minds .... 
Intro . I bought a book called 1001 Books You Must Read Before you Die : You too can buy it at Amazon US or UKWell in the now long established tradition of 1001 albums and 1001 flicks I ' ll do the same for books ! yay ! Should be finished in 80 years ! But this one will be different . It will actually be in two voices . Both me and my girlfriend will read the books and give two reviews for each . So under Francisco are my reviews and under Vanda are her 's ... get it ? You will . 
Jiao : Compound Defense and Attack . Eureka ! That move I said was confounding me ? I ' ve figured out a place for it in my map of the 13 cuts ! The final two deadly techniques will be considered compound actions in my theory of Tai Chi . That is , they are not a single move , but they are a couple moves strung together that may be so common in use that they are considered core techniques in Tai Chi . Hopefully my explanations will support the theory . There 's a creative pleasure that comes from deciphering martial arts. It might be similar to what sleuths feel when they 're closing in on the perpetrator of a crime or what a scientist feels like when they are unravelling a technical conundrum . Is it a mental analog for hunting ? For me it feels like when you get a case of the giggles when you 're in the library ; you 're trying to keep your composure , but the idea is bubbling up from inside you and you are fighting the impulse to overflow into the quiet civility around you . The first of the two moves is Jiao , or wrapping . Earlier , I talked about Dian and Pi as long - ranged attacks . I propose that when you 're using the long ranged attacks , a very desirable target is your opposite 's sword hand . It 's probably the part of their body that 's closest to you , and if you deliver a good hit to their hand , you ' ll probably seriously impair their ability to fight . So you 're minding your own business and your opposite goes for your hand . First , get your hand out of the way . Move your hand six inches to the right or left so their blade just misses . As you move your hand , set up your counterattack by dropping your blade tip down to the level of your opposite 's wrist . Now , with a small turn and arc of the hand , draw the tip of your blade across the hand or wrist of your opposite . The motion you trace in the air with your hand for the whole move might look like a letter D on it 's flat side if you cut by going over their hand . If you went under , it would be a D on it 's round side like a bowl . 
Jie : Way of the Intercepting Sword . I tend to be very reductionist in my learning . I try to figure out that the smallest reasonable unit of knowledge is for a subject I ' m studying and then try to group things into small , conceptual sets . For example , of the 13 cuts of Tai Chi Sword , I ' ve broken them down into eight attacks , three parries , and two add - on or miscellaneous techniques . Yet of the eight attacks , I tend to think of five of them as useful core techniques . Of those five , two are first - choice long range techniques , and three are middle range techniques . See if you can sort them out based on what you ' ve read about them . When I get beyond the core ideas , I tend to ask myself why bother expanding ? Every additional idea should add value to the whole , and we should resist adding things indiscriminately . Now we 're getting into the reeds a bit with the next three attacks . I left these out when I was describing the other attacks because they 're a little more special purpose and they 're also a little harder to use . You might call them advanced attacks . One of them , which I will describe last of these three , is particularly weird and I ' m still not sure how it fits into the pantheon of moves we 're learning . So you have some attacks and some defenses . You can move on your feet and you 're developing a good feel for position , distance and timing . Time to pull out the gutsy moves that get you bonus points during the battle . Next time your opposite winds up for a swing , either because they 're slower than you or they 're wasting energy on a big windup , hit them with Jie . Jie means to " intercept . " Imagine if you will a baseball player ready to take a swing at a fastball . Now imagine that the fastball is you and your organs are the strike zone . Now imagine that the bat is sharp . As the player takes his swing , what if you could just put out your sword so that as he moves his wrist crashes into the front edge of your blade ? You wouldn't have to do very much work and the player would probably be handless , putting him at a distinct disadvantage against your next move . This move may exemplify the saying " the kung fu man does not strike first , but hits first . " . 
You missed me ya , ya , ya ! Alright . Bad joke . Here we are at the third and final block of Tai Chi Sword . This might feel weird to you who know martial arts or fencing . In Wing Chun , there 's probably six core blocks and then a dozen additional ones . In foil fencing there are nine parries . How can Tai Chi get away with just three ? I think other systems are more mechanistic about they way they define their defenses . In fencing , you have high inside parry with palm up ( Parry 4 ) , high inside parry with palm down ( Parry 3 ) , high ourside parry with palm up ( Parry 6 ) , etc. In Tai Chi , I ' ve approached each of the techniques in a more generalized sense . Instead of high block left , high block right , high block with drooping wrist , high block with point toward the sky , etc. , we have one energy concept : carry their attack high enough to miss . Let me remind you that I ' m aiming to get to a place where I can use the gim and the general methods of the Tai Chi Sword . My interpretations may be totally non - cannonical or just plain wrong . However , if it helps us get some useful perspective on the weapon and fighting style for our own training , I think that 's valuable . My thinking on Dai ( Carrying ) is that it represents a preference for the energy of the parry while disregarding the actual move used . This might be appropriate for a style that focuses on sensitivity and harmonization . The different shapes and positions you might get yourself into during an engagment might be so numerous that it 's impractical to try to name them all . Therefore , think of the idea of guiding your opposite 's blade into a harmless empty space , or carrying it to where you want it to go with a smooth , gentle contact not a harsh block or bounce between blades . Ya is the opposite of Dai . Ya means to press . It exploits the low bridge the same way the Dai exploits the high bridge to make your opposite 's blade too short to hit you . When executing the basic Ya , rotate your sword so that the front edge is facing away from you and the back edge ( thumb side ) is facing toward you an the blade is parallel to the floow as if you were going to put it on a table . Then simply press down . I prefer not to press beyond the level of my belt . If the attack is particularly low , I will bend at my knees to lower my blade and maintain balance rather than bending over . Execute to your preference . 
The Geometry of Bridging . Back when I took Wing Chun with Stanley Jue and Jerome Majeed , Stanley brought his wife to the school because he was instructing her on Wing Chun at home . Amy was a fiesty fighter , and I discovered one day while sparring against her that while I was more than a foot taller than her , she was definitely landing more hits on me than I expected . What 's more , I found that I was having a really hard time blocking her attacks ! What turns out to have been my disadvantage was geometry . While Amy could punch straight across at my stomach , I actually had to reach down to block her , causing my arms to be shorter and throwing off my timing against her . Let 's put it another way . You 're standing opposite someone of equal height and reach to you . If you reach out and just touch them with the tip of your fingers on the collar bone and they reach out for your belt , because of the angle they must cross , they will actually not be able to touch you . This is the bridging geometry principle we will use to our advantage with the high bridge parry called Dai . Dai means " carry " and we 're going to use it to carry high bridge attacks up and away from us . If your opposite thrusts for your face , they are probably attacking over your sword and raising their attack to form a high bridge . Let the tip of your sword drop and lift your hand so that the handle moves up and the blade of the sword kind of drags behind lazily . Meet your opposite 's blade with the flat of your blade and carry it into a higher bridge just over the top of your head . Adjust the angle so you don't just slip past them and still get stabbed in the face . I like about 45 degrees . You might also rock back a little as you do this . The shortening caused by the rising angle and you slight rock back will cause them to fall short ! When you become more practiced , try lifting their blade into the space next to your head and above your shoulders . You are now able to protect yourself from high bridge attacks with Dai ! 
Ge : The First Parry of Tai Chi Sword . In Chinese martial arts there 's this concept called Bridging . It 's a model for thinking about the options available when you are attempting to connect an attack or deal with an attack during a fight . When your opposite touches you , the connection between your bodies is called a bridge . You might think of bridging as having three flavors . If your opposite reaches out and touches you and their arm is parallel to the floor , that 's a level , or middle , bridge . If they reach out and touch you and their arm is rising as might be the case if they were shorter than you or touching the top of your head , that 's called a high bridge . If they reach out and their arm is descending like if they were reaching for your belt or if they were much taller than you , that 's called a low bridge . When thinking of defense , a rule of thumb is to draw a line from your shoulder to their elbow , and then follow that line for your block . Therefore , if someone is attacking you with a high bridge , an invisible line would probably go from your shoulder to the underside of their arm . You would therefore attempt some kind of block against the underside of their arm . For middle bridge you ' d block to the sides , and for low bridges you ' d block down . Simple , right ? The thinking behind bridging is that is gives you a reliable starting point to think of your attack and defense . The actual move you use and the energy you apply is up to you . With bridging in mind , we will learn the first of three parries in Tai Chi sword : Ge . Ge means " to block . " In my interpretation of Tai Chi sword , it is a mid - level block , used to deflect attacks aimed roughly between your collar bones and your belt . Here 's how the great sword choreographer Anthony De Longis explains it : Imagine that you are in a doorway . Take a step backwards so that the frame is just in front of you . Now , as attacks come at you , gently sweep each attack with the flat of your blade just enough to the side so that the attack hits the door frame . Cool , huh ? Anthony De Longis can be seen fencing against Jet Li and his gim in the opening of Fearless . 
The Will to Live . There 's this movie you should see if you want to understand the practical underpinnings of Chinese martial arts : its called To Live . Plot summary is this : rich landowners lose everything and then some during the communist revolution in China , and in the end they 're grateful . They 're not grateful for all the terrible things that happen to them , but they are grateful that they 're still alive . I like to think of Chinese martial arts like that . In Japanese martial arts , you can see from the way many of them practice their techniques that in their martial art , it 's okay to get killed as long as you slay your opponent . Honor and victory are revered above personal safety . In Chinese life though , you have disease , raiders , invaders , natural disaster , manmade disaster , your own government , incompetence and bad luck trying to kill you on a daily basis . Therefore , the primary goal isn't to demonstrate one 's skill or to uphold the honor of a lord who feels no loyalty to you , but to make it home to your family alive and in one piece . Therefore , you should be strong and disciplined , but also open to all conceivable possibilities that may lead you to survival during a fight . Some might call certain options cheating . I tend to think of it a good sense . The connection to the 13 techniques of Tai Chi and the concept of Duifang is that you should throw out your dogma and rigid techniques , and move with the informed fluidity of wisdom , discipline , and intent to win . ( A taoist might say skip the intent to win part . Up to you . ) . 
Duifang ! You burst into the hallway , hot on the heals of the six - fingered man . Blocking your path , you see a swarthy swordsman dressed all in black leathers with a scar across one cheek and a fierce - looking sword at the ready . He raises his sword and beckons . Do you : Rush him and run him through , counting on your superior speed and training to win the match ? ( Turn to page 9 ) Wait for him to attack and defly finish him with a well - placed counter attack ? ( Turn to page 13 ) Find a new way to follow the six - fingered man ? ( Turn to page 22 ) Test your opponent , taking a moment to understand him even though the six - fingered man is putting distance between you ? ( Turn to page 49 ) I ' m going to take a brief break from describing my thoughts on deadly techniques to go on a tangent on fighting philosophy . With five blade techniques in hand , next I ' m going to teach the three basic defenses before continuing with the final five advanced techniques . First , we 're going to learn a new word : Duifang . Scott Rodell writes about this word in his Tai Chi Sword book , and he describes the word as meaning opposite . In a duel , you might have an opponent , but in Tai Chi ( which subscribes to a possibly more developed sense of energy ) insead of an opponent you have an opposite . The intent , motion , and energy of your opposite must be met with the perfectly matched response . I ' m not going to say harmony because then everyone would try to be soft and squishy when duelling . The fact is , sometimes speed and power are the appropriate ways to win the day . Sometimes they 're not . Hard , soft , fast , slow , bold or deceptive , use the technique that best matches the moves of your opponent and that will end the fight in your favor in the shortest amount of time with the least injury to yourself . In my opinion , that is the best use of Duifang . 
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Am I better off on my own ??? " Pieces " I tried to be perfect But nothing was worth it I don t believe it makes me real I thought it d be easy But no one believes me I meant all the things I said If you believe it s in my soul I d say all the words that I know Just to see if it would show That I m trying to let you know That I m better off on my own This place is so empty My thoughts are so tempting I don t know how it got so bad Sometimes it s so crazy That nothing can save me But it s the only thing that I have If you believe it s in my soul I d say all the words that I know Just to see if it would show That I m trying to let you know That I m better off on my own On my own I tried to be perfect It just wasn t worth it Nothing could ever be so wrong It s hard to believe me It never gets easy I guess I knew that all along If you believe it s in my soul I d say all the words that I know Just to see if it would show That I m trying to let you know That I m better off on my own Sum 41 . 
Spam . Si vous voyez des commentaires sur mon blog dans le genre : Greets to the webmaster of this wonderful site ! Keep up the good work . Thanks . C ' est de la marde . Du spam . a dirige vers un Casino virtuel . Je vais tenter de tout effac pcq a m ' nerve ... 
Gear plan for Saturday . No word back from the Georges Island people on possible use of their power so I ' m going to proceed with the QRP plans , at least for now . Even though the QRP stuff is smaller than the 100 watt outfit , there will still be a significant amount of stuff I ' ll need to wrestle on to the island . Here 's a rundown as I ' m considering it now : Shelter -- This is a pop - up screened in area that will keep the sun off of me during my stay . Just as I did in June , I ' ll pop this thing over a picnic table and make that my operating position . The shelter weighs about 10 pounds and collapses into a roughly three foot diameter flat bundle that hangs nicely in a nylon mesh carrying sack . Rig -- I ' ll bring the Pelican 1510 case outfitted with the Elecraft K 2 . This weighs in under 25 pounds , I think . Big Buddipole -- The Big Buddipole system discussed earlier weighs in at 12 pounds and can be slung over my shoulder . It has the tripod , 16 foot mast , and now has the triple ratio balun tucked into it so it won't be left behind like last time . Backpack -- This will hold my solar panel , charge controller , coax , enough water to last the day , a clipboard and paper for logging , compass , GPS , sunglasses , reading glasses , and any other personal comfort items I think I might need for that day in the sun . ( I should think about packing a lunch , too . ) Total weight here is probably about 10 pounds , counting the water . Freeplay Freecharge Weza -- This is the portable power device I mentioned a few days ago . This puts my weight about ( 10 + 25 + 12 + 10 + 20 = ) 77 pounds for the trip , well within my goal of 100 pounds or less . I might bring the second Buddipole and set it up for a second band ( like 15 m ) which would add just under 10 more pounds with coax . The problem on this trip won't be weight ; it will be managing the bulk and clutter ! Luckily , I just need to get it to the boat , on the boat , and then off the boat again on the other end . There is pavement for me to drag the wheeled Pelican case for nearly all of the trip . This is a pretty reasonable selection of gear for a day trip of this type . The Buddipole gives me a way of erecting an antenna in an area with no trees or buildings . The battery in the K 2 and the Weza gives me enough juice to operate for the day . And , I ' ve not forgotten the safety stuff like plenty of water , sunscreen , and shade to stave off heat and sun stroke . If I can wrangle everything there , it should be a good time ! 
Georges Island IOTA contest QTH . I just got a call from a ranger associated with Georges Island asking me about my request to operate from the island and use a little power off their generator . ( I discussed some of this in a previous blog entry ) . No promises were made but he seemed interested in helping . One of the questions he had for me was , " did I belong to a club ? " I replied , " Yes , I belong to the Yankee Clipper Contest Club , along with several other organizations including the service club in Westford called PART . " The other question he had regarded my antenna . My intention is to use my Buddipole systems on the island . ( No word yet on the Force - 12 Sigma - 5 . ) When I described the system you could sense the relief in his voice . The Buddipole is compact , reasonably small , and easy to describe : there is a tripod , a 16 - foot mast , and the antenna fits on top of the mast either horizontal or , perhaps , vertical , depending on how I set it up . I made it clear I was coming this weekend no matter what and that I ' d operated from there before with battery power . I also dropped a few details that the RSGB has on their IOTA pages and the fact that fewer than 25 % of the members have Georges Island in their logs . I ' d be sought after ( I hope ) . I don't know what will happen . Perhaps the answer will come back as " sorry " . No matter what happens , I ' m very pleased that somebody followed up on my request and took the time to talk with me . Cross your fingers ! 
Business cards and more . I solved the business card / eyeball - QSL problem . Sunday afternoon I took a few minutes and created a nice business card in Photoshop using my logo . I dropped off the artwork to a printer Monday morning and picked up the results this afternoon . The low resolution version below doesn't do it justice . I ' ll have them in my pocket at Boxboro so if you want one , ask . In other news I got a really great note from Dave ( KB 1 LKE , a fellow who started following the blog after it was featured on the ARRL Surfin ' page . Dave pitched in with lots of observations and links that were very helpful ! In case my mission here gets lost , let me repeat it : I believe anybody who is interested in traveling with the radio should try it . If you find information here that helps your first adventure be successful , I ' d be very pleased indeed . I ' ll share my experiences , good and bad , and my victories and goof - ups . Feel free to share your insights , too . Hopefully , anyone reading this will benefit from all of it . Thanks again , Dave ! 
A boat ! I had left my business cards with a couple of folks on Saturday while in Miami in hopes that somebody would help me locate a boat that would be willing to take me and a few other brave souls to Cay Sal Bank . When I arrived a work today ( Monday ) I had a voice mail from Lindsay Davis at the Florida Yacht Charters & Sales office saying she had something for me . That sounded tantalizing ! I just got a chance to call her back about 5 PM and she said that she had located a boat with somebody willing to take a group to Cay Sal . The boat is an 85 - foot Hatteras that had just gone through a $ 700 K refit . A boat that might be similar appears below ( or not similar , I know nothing about boats ) : The boat would be $ 3000 per day . Plus , I ' m sure , some gratuity for the captain of about 15 % more . So , figure 8 days and the budget will need about $ 28 K for the boat . Wow . That 's a lot . For a six person crew that would be $ 5 K a head . For a four person crew ( my original idea ) that would be $ 7 K a head ! The last group had a 55 foot troller and ( though I can't find it in my notes ) put up about $ 12 K for the trip . That was when diesel was about half the cost it is now , of course . That has to be factored in , but doesn't explain the differential . I am thinking as I type and I have a couple of observations . The first one is I don't need a boat that makes me feel like Onassis when I ' m getting to this island . Linsay was talking about plasma TVs , state rooms , circular couches that seat 20 , etc. That 's not what we 're looking for here . The second one is even more simple : this boat is almost twice the size of the one the other fellows chartered so I ' m almost certainly looking at too much boat ! All that said , I ' m extremely encouraged that in only a half day 's worth of digging I was able to find somebody interested in making the trip . Also , the good folks at Florida Yacht have done a very good thing by treating me politely during my visit then quickly locating what I asked for . I didn't set a price range as part of my criteria so they contacted me with the first thing that fit the facts as they had them . I should now think though how much I think is reasonable to spend on this part of the exercise and follow up with Florida Yacht . I might make another call to Joe ( W 8 GEX ) first , though . 
Miami trip wrap - up . Yesterday 's hunt for a boat went a little better than I had expected . I checked out of the hotel and drove to the Miami Marina about 11 AM . From there I just started looking for anybody who charters . The first place I saw was Reward Party & Fishing . Behind the window was Captain Wayne Conn. I explained I was looking for a charter to Cay Sal Bank and did he know of anybody who might be able to help me ? He nodded and said of course he knew where that was and that he has known of people taking fishing expeditions down there . But , his firm didn't have anything appropriate for such a trip . I gave him my business card and wrote " crazy ham radio operator " on the back . He gave me his card and said he ' d check around . I ' ll follow up with him in a week or so . It occurred to me that I should probably have business cards made up with the " 100 pound DXpedition " logo , my home address , email , phone , call sign , etc. on it . I ' ll likely make one up later today . I walked a few paces and found Florida Yacht Charters & Sales and the General manager Bob Everhard . Bob said that he remembered another group a few years ago making the same kind of inquiries about Cay Sal Bank . He seemed pretty positive about being able to find somebody to help but thought it might be more of a 10 day to 2 - week trip , not the 7 days I had mentioned . ( I reflected on this after the meeting and I believe he has a point . ) Again , we exchange cards and I write " crazy ham radio operator " on the back of mine . After the second successful meeting ( IMHO ) I took a walk around the marina and looked at all the boats . There were certainly some beauties there ! Which of them might be appropriate for this trip , I wondered ? On the end of the public pier I see the price of diesel fuel advertised on the pump . Of course it has gone up considerably since the last group made its run at Cay Sal . How much will this increase the cost of the trip ? At this point I ' m getting a little warm so I go look for some air conditioning . I find Hopkins & Carter Marine . As I step inside the store I see a display case full of marine radios . I ' ve been wondering how to do the island - to - boat communication and this probably makes the most sense . I should learn more about this when I return to Boston ( yet another to do item ) . Once I ' d cooled off a bit and found a cool bottle of water to down , I began walking towards the ocean . This morning 's conversations gave me a great deal to think about . Should I try something more modest in that area before making the Cay Sal Bank trip ? Perhaps I should try a place like Dry Tortugas 70 miles west of Key West . Would I do this run with the same team going to Cay Sal ? Should these trips be in two separate years ? The quick walk to the water was refreshing but the sun was beating down hard . I had a few hours before I had to make my flight -- time enough to walk along the surf but no time for swimming . After walking along the water 's edge and taking some pictures I noticed a storm front on the horizon moving towards me . Time to go ! I hustled back to the marina and reached it just as the sky opened up . Good time for lunch , I thought , and settled into a seat at Monty 's Raw Bar for some fish & chips . ( MMM good ! ) When I was finished with lunch I headed off for the airport for that 2 1 / 2 hour flight back to Boston . We ' ll see what becomes of my inquiries . 
Doing my search the " old fashioned way " . Well , I came up empty again . In last night 's post I ' d indicated that I ' d waited until the last minute to " do my homework " and locate potential candidate boat chartering companies . In actual fact , I had spent many hours over the last few weeks googling around looking for matches for things like " florida boat charter " and " hollywood florida yacht charter " and every other combination you might think would work . All I would come up with is one day fishing adventures , cocktails and shrimp cruises for my business clients , and small - boat scuba diving tours . I am such a hopeless nerd and I am so used to finding anything and everything on the web that it didn't occur to me that I might have to get out there and beat the pavement to find what I ' m looking for , but it appears that will be the case . So , I ' m going to finish packing , check out , stalk the wild breakfast , and then head to the docks and just start asking around . Of course , something else just occurred to me just now : I wonder how long it will take the DEA to hear about my inquiries and make the ( obviously false ) assumption that I ' m trying to get this boat for some nefarious reason . [ sigh ] I guess I ' ll cross that bridge when I get to it . 
Doing my homework the night before . As the meeting here in Florida was winding up the group began the usual chatter of " when does your flight leave ? " and , if leaving tomorrow , " what 's on tap for tonight ? " I tried to recruit folks to join me tonight at the Florida Marlins game but could get no takers . Tonight 's game was excellent . I also chatted to the stragglers left in the meeting ( those that were not sprinting out the door for the airport ) about tomorrow 's task of learning about the boat charter situation for my Cay Sal Bank adventure . There were no other hams in the group ( the only lapsed ham was one of those doing the airport sprint ) so I got a lot of blank stares and " you must be nuts " looks . I probably am . [ grin ] I ' m up late on Friday night surfing for candidates for tomorrow 's trip up the coast . I ' ve not really done enough research and I ' ll be scrambling tonight and early tomorrow morning to find possible charter companies to talk to -- but I have no regrets going to the ball games . I ' ll post the list that I come up with . 
I Don't Like You and Here is Why . $ 1 Beers ? You evil bastards ! Why didn't you make it $ 2 beers ? Then no one would have shown up and I would haver to stare at veloci - floosies all night !!! The title to this blog has a link to a funny article . Ciao . 
1:55 AM . Once again I return from the Ottobar fully unsatisfied . The music was shit while the company was good . Oh well . I feel like bitching tonight . I got a job offer today for a company down in Chevy Chase , MD . While I think it would be hilarious to work in a place that shares a name with a crap actor , I would like the money . All $ 30,000 of it , thank you very much . But I am holding back and going to school . Isn't that what Democrats wants us to do ? In order to fulfill the American Dream ? The American Dream is dead . It used to be get a job , work hard and get promoted , marry a nice girl and buy a house . Now all the girls are overeducated and the cost of housing is through the roof . I am not saying Republicanism is going to save us . Definitely not . i was at artscape this weekend and saw the ole T - shirt saying " stop bitching and start a revolution . " So true . We all have the right to bitch but we all have the right to do something about it and yet we don't . Politicians aren't going to do it so it is either you or me . Some people think these guys known as the Minutemen are crazy but I give them props . Sure they have left whatever it is that they do ( and I wonder ) to go guard our border with guns in order to keep out illegal immigrants . It is only a matter of time before some wacko ( percieved wacko ) comes along and does soemthing drastic and it will catch on and soon , America will crumble . I love my country because that is why we were founded . A bunch of radical dudes got together and took their lives into their own hands and stopped relying on England . I you want to make a change , just look at yourself and make that ---- change ! MJI am going to pass out now ..... 
Another Blog . I found yet another blog about architecture and architects . There are some great definityions on the banner side of the page that defines things quite well . I would be a designer / cad monkey . 
Artscape and Crabs . Yes , it was a quiet one out here in the burbs . I ventured inland to the Artscape Festival . I have not been to Artscape in some time but I was suprised to see how commercialized it became . What was once a hippy dippy gathering of the bohemian element of Baltimore has now grown into a sort of city fair with ferris wheels , corporate sponsors and live rock acts . I am not trying to be one of these " it was cool back in the day " people . It still is cool . I bought a photo of the Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh so I guess I have supported the local arts scene . But $ 6 for a beer is extortion . At least I saw a Saturn Sky . This one was white . So far I have one in red , white , silver and black . So far I like black the best . Oh I ate crabs two nights in a row . Hence the title . Ciao . 
The Libertine . I saw the Johhny Depp movie last night so my post will be ye Olde English Upon waking this humid and oppressive morn , I went yonder to a cafe to wake my soul from slumber . After procuring my beverage of coffee and not ale , I sees me a carraige of some retort known as a Porsche Cayman S . I find it to be a good ride but it filled me with grief that man finds more joy in the engine that speaks nothing than the loins of a whore . A thousand Caymans could not replace the true desire for flesh . So I spat upon yon Cayman and left that wanker and poof behind . 
The Signal . My Public radio has this show called " The Signal . " I have only listened to it once and it wasn't very good . The subject of the shows are always about some wanker . This week is about rap battles . I saw 8 Mile , thank you . The show annoys me in that oozy soft NPR sort of way . Don't get me wrong . I am not going to flip on Rush or anything , but I would rather listen to news . In other news , Tiger Woods dominates again !!!! 
The American Dream . http : // www . npr . org / templates / story / story . php ? story Id = 5569913 Kevin Smith has made a sequel to his him cult film that captures a day in the life of two " slackers . " In this interview on NPR , he makes a good point about the American dream and what each person wants and needs . Check it out . 
July 27 , 1906 ( Friday ) . COULD THIS PUNISHMENT HAVE BEEN MORE CRUEL AND UNUSUAL ? As mentioned yesterday , William Lee , a 17 - year - old black boy also known as George Scott , was hung until he died Thursday morning on a marshy shore of Smith Island in Somerset County at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay . ( Smith Island is southeast of Solomon 's Lump Light ( right ) . ) The Washington Post called the hanging " a spectacle unique in the execution of the death penalty . " Lee , who was convicted in Baltimore of assaulting two white women in Somerset County , was returned to Somerset County by steamer so the death sentence could be carried out near the scene of the crime . Because officials were worried that a mob would grab Lee and burn him , they decided to bring a gallows on the boat and hang the boy secretly in that county . The ship anchored in Kedges Strait about a quarter mile off shore . Then , Lee had to watch workers row the scaffold to the shore and build it there . When it was built , they brought Lee ashore . Then they discovered that someone had left some straps on the ship . So Lee had to sit in the shadow of his own gallows as someone rowed back to the steamer for the straps . Furthermore , the ship 's iron ladder -- which was brought ashore -- was not tall enough to reach the platform of the gallows . So , deputies had to pull him up by his handcuffed wrists so he could reach the platform . They dropped his body at 8:25 a.m. He was declared dead 18 minutes later . A COURTROOM SCENE TO REMEMBER : During a wife - beating trial in East St. Louis yesterday , Magistrate Mc Kane grew annoyed by a conversation being held by two spectators . They were evidently speaking about music because the judge noticed quite a bit of humming . The judge then called the hummers -- Silas Chapin and Alexander Flannigan -- before him . He demanded an explanation . Flannigan told the judge that the two men were recalling some of their favorite tunes from their church - choir days . The judge ordered them to PROVE TO THE COURT that they could actually SING church hymns , or else he would charge them with contempt of court . The duo then turned and sang " Shall We Gather at the River " the " In the Sweet Bye and Bye " and a doxology . The article in The Atlanta Constitution ends with this statement : " The court being satisfied of their musical abilities purged them of contempt and told them to sing outside of the court room . " Evidently nobody raised any of those nettlesome church / state issues . SISTER VISITS CHESTER GILLETTE : Chester Gillette , who 's accused of killing Grace Brown in Big Moose Lake , was visited yesterday by his younger sister , Hazel . She heard about the case on Tuesday while visiting in Connecticut and came to Herkimer , N . Y . , as soon as possible . She is on her way to Chicago and might go to Colorado to visit their mother . She is finishing her final year in high school . Chester reportedly told her , " Go back to school . Don't worry on account of me . Don't tell mother anything about the case . " The illustration of Chester shown here is pieced together from a couple of torn pages . The sketch is by Victor Lambdin . CHECK , MATE : Get a load of this suit . The ad in today 's Post - Standard is a bit ambiguous , but this one might cost $ 9.50 . That 's anywhere from $ 3 to $ 6 off the regular price . These suits are available worsteds , cheviots , serges and other cool summer fabrics . It might be good for vacation wear , the ad says . Or not . In any case , if you get a bit bored , at least you can take the jacket off , spread it on the floor and play a game of checkers . The store also has 21 dozen straw hats on hand . They cost 48 cents each . 
July 26 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . THEY ' LL HANG HIM LEGALLY -- TO PREVENT HIM FROM FALLING INTO THE HANDS OF THE LYNCH MOB , WHICH WANTS TO KILL HIM ILLEGALLY : William Lee was taken from jail in Baltimore yesterday and put on board the steamer Governor R . M. Mc Lane ( named for Robert Milligan Mc Lane ) of Maryland 's " oyster navy . " Lee , who is black , faces a death sentence because he assaulted two white women in Somerset County . He was taken to the safely of Baltimore after his arrest because a crowd threatened to lynch him . He was convicted in Baltimore and sentenced to die . But he is supposed to be executed in Somerset County . Authorities fear that a mob will prevent that from happening . Many people in Somerset County want to kill him in their own special way . So , police have put an entire gallows , a coffin and other material needed for a hanging on board the ship . As soon as it crosses into the waters of Montgomery County , the captain will look for a secluded spot on shore for the hanging . That will probably be early tomorrow morning . THEY THINK THEY HAVE FOUND GOSLIN IN PARIS : Alfred R . Goslin , noted scam artist , might have turned up in Paris . It turns out a Wall Street investigator who was sent to Paris to try and find Goslin traveled on the same steamer as a stenographer whom authorities have long suspected knew more about Goslin 's whereabouts than she let on . And who was waiting on the wharf at Le Havre to meet the steamer ? Goslin ! She and Goslin are living with his mother . Evidently the mother and son have reconciled since his first gambit -- when he chloroformed her and stole her jewelry many years ago . Goslin 's tale was told at length on April 8 in the Times . It seems that the authorities are trying to keep this new development somewhat secret . One interesting part of today 's front - page story in the Times lies in this sentence : He will hardly be aware that his hiding place is known until it is too late for him to execute one of his famous disappearances for which he has been famous in the police traditions of half a dozen cities on this side of the water . So , we wouldn't want something printed in The New York Times that would tip him off , now , would we ? HIGH - FLYING DOCTORS : About 5,000 people showed up yesterday to watch two physicians , Samuel Ottinger and T . Chalmers Fulton , go up in the balloon Orient so they could monitor how each other 's heart , lungs and blood operated at various altitudes . They said they reached a height of 20,000 feet , which is apparently quite a feat . The doctors said , it was the greatest height ever attained in the skies above American soil . It 's about as high as Mt . Mc Kinley ( Denali ) . 
July 25 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . MYSTERY OF THE MISSING BABY LIONS : The two baby lions have been accounted for -- about two weeks after they disappeared mysteriously from an exhibit at Paragon Park ( above ) , which is on Nantasket Beach -- shown here in the photograph at right of an area at the mouth of Boston Harbor . It turns out that a 12 - year - old boy smuggled the two animals out of what 's called an " animal kindergarten " exhibit and tried to keep them in a shed at the summer colony at Point Allerton ( which is at the elbow at the upper end of the peninsula ) . The boy says he tucked them under his shirt and walked out . His parents found out about this when one of the lions died . The boy confesses . The parents have come forward and returned the living lion . The father also offered to pay any damages -- to avoid persecution ( and , presumably , having his son 's name published in the paper ) . The lions ' owners settled on $ 175 . Among the other animals in the exhibit are a monkey , two dachshunds and two rabbits . That has all the makings of a nice all - you - can - eat buffet for the returning lion ( after he or she grows up a bit ) . YOU MIGHT BE BETTER OFF AT THE BATES MOTEL : Anna Nolan , a worker at the Lauderdale Springs Hotel , which is 40 miles north of Meridian , Miss . , has been arrested . Police say she tried to poison the hotel 's proprietor , some guests and fellow workers . Allegedly , she added something called Rough On Rats to the coffee that was served on the evening of July 23 . The poison didn't do as much damage as she thought it might . Only two guests became ill . Those two unfortunates must have been the only rats in the group . QUOTE OF THE DAY : " Dol gone it , why don't you fellows look out ! You ' ll hurt somebody some day ! " -- That 's what farmer James Garth , 70 , of Webster Groves , Mo . , reportedly yelled at a train crew after he was hit by an engine and tumbled 15 feet down an embankment . The crew had stopped the train and offered to help him . He declined their offer . After the train took off , Garth continued his walk -- right down the middle of the train track . 
July 24 , 1906 ( Tuesday ) . WOMAN RECALLS KINDNESS OF ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON : About 15 years ago , Henry Ide was U.S. commissioner in Samoa . At the time , author Robert Louis Stevenson ( right ) lived there . One day Ide 's daughter , Annie , complained to the author about that fact that she was born on Christmas Day and wished she had another day for a birthday . The author promptly wrote up a legal - sounding document whereby he transfered to Annie his rights to his own birthday , which was on November 13 . The document was recently quoted in The Philadelphia North American -- and reprinted in at least one newspaper today -- because Annie Ide will shortly become the wife of Congresman Bourke Cockran of New York . The document written up by Stevenson is one one Ide 's treasured possessions . I don't have room to quote it all , but it 's really quite humorous . At one point , Stevenson says , " And considering that I , the said Robert Louis Stevenson , have attained an age when we never mention it , and that I have now no further use for a birthday of any description ... " It 's worth reading in its entirety . Before you start thinking that Stevenson was really , really old when he did this , he was only 40 years old at the time . His letter is dated June 19 , 1891 . He died in late 1894 . ROOTING FOR THEM DOWN THE HOME STRETCH : The Italian steamer Alberta Treves limped into the lower bay of New York harbor yesterday and shut down its engines and waited for the tugs America and Ferguson to push it into a berth . The ship left Almeria , Spain , on July 4 . It turns out that the trip across the Atlantic was so long and difficult that the ship ran out of coal for fuel . After burning all the wood and lumber on board ( including deck chairs ) for fuel , the captain had to search the cargo for something that could produce enough power -- any power -- to get the ship to NYC . The crew broke into the cargo and pulled out 10 large bales of licorice root ( right ) . That 's what got them as far as the lower harbor . HALT ! THIS IS THE POLICE ! PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR ! STEP ... SLOWLY ... AWAY ... FROM THE DICTIONARY ! About 790 candidates recently took an examination for a spot on the Chicago police force . The test asked the candidates to define certain words that might come up during a police officer 's career . Here are some of the definitions : HOMICIDE : Leaving wife or children under 10 without a home . ALIBI : An additional name to a person . GAMING : Killing game without a license . PERJURY : Unjustly defaming the character of another . Needless to say , The New York Times was happy to put this on its front page . A KING ' S GOTTA DO WHAT A KING ' S GOTTA DO : The recently married King Alfonso XIII of Spain has evidently lost none of his boyish inclinations . A report with a Berlin dateline indicates that the king recently rode a horse up the stairs of the palace in Madrid and clop - clopped into his mother 's drawing room . She was reportedly so surprised that she fainted . 
July 23 , 1906 ( Monday ) . FINANCIER DIES : Russell Sage ( right ) , a fabulously rich financier and former Congressman died yesterday at his summer home on Long Island . He 's the one whom Henry P . Norcross tried to assassinate in 1891 . An article in today 's paper said Norcross walked into Sage 's office in New York City and demanded $ 1.2 million . Sage refused . Norcross then dropped a bomb on the floor . It " blew Norcross to atoms " and badly injured Sage . Sage was one of those men who began their careers at the bottom ( in his case , it was as a grocery clerk ) and rose to the top of the money - making pile . People estimate that his estate is worth $ 80 million or more . Many wonder what will happen to his money -- whether it will be used for good causes or not . GORKY SPEAKS OUT : Appleton 's magazine receently included some words from Russian Maxim Gorky . An excerpt appears in today 's Post - Standard . It 's noticable in light of the news of Sage 's death . Here 's a portion of what Gorky had to say : America , you who astound the world with your millionaires , look first to the children on the East Side [ of Manhattan ] , and consider the menace they hold out to you ! The boast of riches when there is an East Side is a stupid boast . 
July 22 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . LOOKING UP IN NYC : Today 's New York Times ' picture section includes this series of drawings that show plans for some remarkable buildings in New York City . Clockwise from the left , the images show the proposed Singer Building , something called the West Street Building , The Trinity and United States Realty Buildings , Building Number 1 Wall Street and two pictures ( inside and outside ) of the City Investing Co. Building . The little feature includes some interesting facts . For example the rent on EACH FLOOR of the 1 Wall Street building is expected to be $ 5,000 PER YEAR ! The 23 - story West Street Building could cost $ 2 million to build . SPREADING THE NEWS FAST IN ARGENTINA : I ' m not sure any of those buildings will be as stunning as the building that houses La Prensa , ( left ) one of the great papers in Buenos Aires , Argentina . Today 's Times has a little story about the tower on that building , which is crowned by a statue of a woman representing the Spirit of the Press . Evidently the tower has a 5,000 horse power steam - operated siren . Whenever there 's a huge disaster or death of a head of state , the siren blasts . The sound can be heard throughout the city . In addition to running the siren , the operator drapes the young woman 's torch with red velvet in the case of a catastrophe and with black cloth in the event of a death . The article says , " All this causes the most extraordinary sensation . " As soon as someone is ordered to run the siren and drape the torch , another employee is given the equivalent of $ 200 and rushes off to the courts . That happens because the government levies a fine for such a blast -- $ 100 a minute , with a minimum charge of $ 200 . WIRELESS COMMUNICATION : Civil War veteran Levi Fox has long been a character in Syracuse . Before the war , he was a crewman on one of the last slave ships to come to the United States . After the war , he was on duty in the Dry Tortugas where he helped guard some of the people who helped John Wilkes Booth assassinate President Lincoln . He 's in his 70 s . A couple of weeks ago he left town without telling his family exactly where he was going . From New York , he sent a post card to his family telling them he was heading for Brazil . Shortly thereafter , a friend in town received a parrot in the mail . It opened its mouth and said " Fox is in Brazil .. " The next message , sent to Fox 's wife , also came in the form of a parrot . When she opened the package , it said , " Fox is coming soon . " ( This is how a cartoonist in The Post - Standard in Syracuse envisioned it in today 's paper . ) He has since arrived . The family is with him in Boston . 
July 21 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . DRAMA AT THE EAST 22 ND STREET PIER : As the steamship Bridgeport ( right ) approached a pier in New York City yesterday morning , a carpenter named Bernard Bailey of Fairfield , Conn. , fell from the pier . The odds were high that he would either drown ( he couldn't swim ) or be crushed by the ship as it hove into the pier . That [ 's when two longshoremen stepped in . Martin Buckley wrapped his legs around an iron hawser bit and , holding Jeremiah Mc Carthy by the legs lowered him so he could grab the drowning carpenter . The carpenter , seeing that the steamer was only 15 feet away and closing in , didn't wait to be grabbed and hauled up . Instead he used the longshoremen as a ladder and scrambled up the length of their bodies . A patrolman showed up , reached over the side and grabbed Bailey 's collar and hauled him up to safety . Just after all three men scrambled to the top of the pier , the bow of the Bridgeport smacked into the side of the pier where Bailey had clung for his life moments earlier . The Washington Post adds , " The passengers on the Bridgeport cheered the rescue . " HE ' LL TAKE A DO - IT - YOURSELF APPROACH TO PRISON : Louis A . Gourdain is back in the news . He 's the one who was convicted of mail fraud but refuses to be incarcerated in the Cook County Jail . The warden at the penitentiary in Joliet refused to take him in . So , Gourdain tried to convince Supreme Court Justice Edward D . White ( right ) to help him out . That was fruitless . He 's in New York . He says he will approach the Supremes one more time . If that fails , he says he will return to Illinois and build his own prison , next to the Joliet facility . He will have his own warden , assistant warden and six guards . LONG ISLAND JUDGE TAKES A STAND : Magistrate Connorton got upset in Long Island City Police Court yesterday after officers of the Sanitary Squad arraigned three train engineers on a charge of using soft coal for fuel . Connorton wants the big , big , big bosses of the Long Island Railroad Company and similar enterprises to face the charges , not just the lowly engineers . Here 's what he 's reported to have said : Go and arrest half a dozen of the directors and bring them here . Stop arresting engineers and employees and get at those who are really responsible if the law is being violated .... Why not go over to Manhattan and arrest August Belmont ( left ) ? Take the millionaires into custody , not the workingmen , and bring them here and let the law deal with them . PEACE IN CENTRAL AMERICA : Representatives from Salvador , Guatemala and Honduras met on board the U.S. S . Marblehead and signed an agreement that ends their war in Central America . Mexico , represented by Senor Gambon , was helpful in pulling this one off . 
July 20 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . UP , UP , AND AWAY : The high - flying Alberto Santos - Dumont ( right ) began experiments yesterday in Paris with a new flying machine . This one is large . It 's 300 feet long and weighs about 320 pounds and is powered by a 24 - horsepower motor . It 's called the 14 - bis , and it 's similar to a box kite . Yesterday , he made flights with it as it was suspended from a balloon -- perhaps looking like the photo above . At a time approved by the Aero Club , he will try and fly his heavier - than - air machine without the aid of a balloon . As it happens , he is the perfect size for a flyer . I think he stands about 5 feet tall and weighs about 90 pounds . HE ' S SUFFERING FROM THIRD - DEGREE EMBARRASSMENT , TOO : William Stirling is probably quicker with the saw than he is with his brain . He is recovering at Philadelphia 's Samaritan Hospital with bruises on the head , shoulders and legs . He fell from a tree . But there 's more to it than that . Here 's how the front - page story in The Washington Post describes it : He forgot on which end of the limb of a tree to sit while sawing it off . Instead of taking his place next to the trunk he sat on the far side of the amputation . SHE HOPES THERE ' S SOME TRUTH TO THE " MAN - EATING " LABEL : A Miss Killner is hoping there 's some truth in the fact that the lions in the Bostock 's exhibit at Dreamland ( above ) are " man - eaters " -- and that , only . While responding to an advertisement for lion tamers , she told someone , " I guess it would be safe for me to take a job as a trainer . I ' m a woman , you see . " She was one of about 50 women who showed up to see if they could stomach the training task . The Times article said , " A trial of snapping the whip narrowed the competition down until only Miss Killner was left . She will be employed in a new act . " . 
July 19 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . LADY CURZON DIES : Lady Curzon , who was born as Mary Victoria Leiter ( daughter of a Chicago merchant ) , died yesterday after sudden worsening of her health . I think she was about 36 years old . She died at her home , Kedleston Hall . Lady Curzon , who suffered a serious illness two years ago , was the wife of the former Viceroy of India . As vicerine , she was second on the social ladder to the Queen of England . In the picture at the right , taken in India , she 's with her husband and a formerly living beast . To some , she 's known for a soup recipe and her fashion sense . The New York Times described her standing in this manner : of all the American women who have married members of the British aristocracy , it fell to the lot of Lady Curzon to fill the position of greatest prominence and real power . THE LADY IN GREEN : Some are worried about the verdigris that has appeared on the surface of the Statue of Liberty ( shown , at right , from the top ) in New York Harbor . plan to get rid of the green hue . One would think there 's not much one can do to improve the statue . Congress has appropriated about $ 60,000 for the inside - and - out paint job . The Times notes that some artists are aghast , saying that such " patina " has always been a chief attraction of bronze statues . Authorities also plan to increase the number of lights in the torch from five to 10 . NEW YORKER RESISTS THE " SPANISH SWINDLE " : Businessman Charles H . Keys received letters recently -- one from a " Luis Ramos " and another from a " Antonio Garcia . " Luis spoke of his beautiful and needy daughter named Mari . Antonio spoke of Elizabeth . Both had served in Cuba and deserted leaving $ 185,000 in banks -- Luis ' money was in London ; Antonio 's was in New York . Each one was in prison at Fort Barcelona in Spain . Each one promised Keys a quarter of the amount if he would send a few hundred dollars so their beautiful daughters could redeem some baggage , get ahold of the certificate of deposit , withdraw the money , free their father from prison and make everybody happy ever after . Keys -- wondering why he would be considered a " mark " by two people at the same time -- didn't bite on the bait . He turned the letters over to the State Department in Washington . Wonder if someone will ever try this kind of thing from a place like , say , Nigeria . 
July 18 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . SOMETIMES IT ' S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A WEAPON IN A CLASSROOM : Dean J . F . Downey had a little " show and tell " session yesterday at the State University Summer School in Minneapolis . While he was lecturing a class of young women on pedagogy , a mad dog burst into the room through an open door . Fortunately , Dean Downey had a " large pistol " in his classroom desk . He pulled it out and shot the dog dead with the first bullet . Maybe it was also his way of telling the students not to be late for class . A STORM PUTS THE " WILD " IN A WILD WEST SHOW : A thunderstorm struck Bayonne , N . J . , yesterday and threw Pawnee Bill 's Wild West Show into turmoil . As the main tent shuddered and eventually came down , Pawnee Bill ( left ) himself valiantly tried to keep the main tent 's main pole erect , but he dislocated his shoulder . About 10 tents came down , sending horses scurrying throughout the city . The New York Times says , " For half an hour thereafter the town was treated to a genuine wild west exhibition . Yelling cowboys raced through the streets until the last of the horses had been captured . " FIRST - PLACE CUBS THROTTLE GIANTS : The anticipated pitching matchup between Christy Mathewson ( left ) and " Three - fingered " Brown ( right ) never materialized yesterday in Chicago as the red - hot Cubs whipped the world champion New York Giants , 6 - 2 . Both pitchers were off their game a bit , with each giving up five walks . Brown " steadied when hits meant runs while Mathewson was hit hardest with men on base . " Historians might someday note that Evers and Chance made a double play for Chicago . Not sure where Tinker was on that one . Most agree that the play of those three infielders can be described as poetry in motion . PENSION OFFICE FINDS YOUNGEST CIVIL WAR VETERAN : Evidently a former Illinois soldier has surfaced as the youngest living veteran of the War Betwixt the States . Lyston ( or Liston ) D . Howe enlisted ( or enlysted ) in 1961 at the age of 10 years , 9 months . He was a drummer boy . He lasted for four months until he was discharged because of his age . ( Hmmm , it took them four months to discover he was 10 , and by then he was 11 . ) He fibbed about his age and signed up again about four months later . He served throughout the war . Recently , his request for an increased pension was granted . I hope he will be remembered . 
July 17 , 1906 ( Tuesday ) . BREAKING IN IS HARD TO DO : Someone named Louis Gourdain is making quite a stir by trying to " break into " the penitentiary at Joliet , Ill. ( left ) . He was convicted of " lottery operations " according to an article in The New York Times . He was sentenced to four years and was supposed to be in the Cook County jail . He complained that the jail is too noisy for him and insists on being incarcerated in the state prison . He arrived at Joliet yesterday and demanded that the warden let him in . The warden told him it was impossible to let him in . Here 's Gourdain 's response : Nothing is impossible . It is my right as an American citizen -- a convicted American citizen , a former prisoner , who is being wrongfully kept outside the penitentiary . Stand aside . Let me pass . I am your prisoner . That unique lesson in civics was lost on Warden Murphy . He ordered Gourdain to leave . One report says he is on his way to Washington , D . C . , to meet with the Supreme Court to insist that his sentencing be enforced . The article in the Times included this description of his baggage : The baggage included a waste - paper basket filled with newspaper clippings and documents relating to the twenty - year fight between the Federal authorities and the lottery operator . Sticking from the sides of the basket were two small American flags . ARMISTICE IS LIKELY : The outlook for peace in Central America is growing brighter . Leaders from Guatemala and Salvador are expected to gather aboard the USS Marblehead for peace negotiations . Honduras and Nicaragua are also involved in the fighting in the fighting . The Marblehead has arrived at a Guatemalan port . There is confusion about the fate of Salvador 'sGen. Tomas Regalado ( right ) . Some reports say he was killed during some intense fighting . Another report says he was gunned down by his own men , who were hired by Guatemala to kill their leader . 
July 16 , 1906 ( Monday ) . A GOOD REASON WHY RUSSIAN GENERALS SHOULD WEAR NAMETAGS WITH THEIR MEDALS : News from St. Petersburg via London indicates that a General Kozlov was shot to death while he was in the park at Peterhof ( above ) on July 14 . According to the Fort Wayne Sentinel , the shooting was at 9:30 p.m. " in the presence of several thousand people who were listening to the music in the English park before the grand chateau , adjoining the park of Alexander palace , where the imperial family and General Trepoff [ sic ] ( right ) reside . " The shooter has been arrested . It 's noted that he was " well dressed . " Authorities are puzzled , however , because Kozlov was not connected with any political wranglings . Witnesses say the accused killer was staring at a photograph before shooting the general . It was a photo of Gen. Dmitri Trepov , who became -- in practice if not in title -- the dictator of Russia after the 1905 uprising in St. Petersburg . THAT ' S HIS STORY AND HE ' S STICKIN ' TO IT : Chester Gillette ( right ) , who 's accused in the killing of Grace Brown on Big Moose Lake , is in the Herkimer jail . He reiterated to the Under Sheriff that the boat in which he and Grace were rowing was accidentally capsized . The officer asked him why he didn't report the incident at all , Gillette said he was too scared to talk with anyone . One article ends with this observation : The autopsy Saturday revealed , it was stated to - day , that Miss Brown had been struck in the eye and mouth and pounded on the top of the head before she went into the water . That doesn't really sound like an accident or a suicide . The tragedy has grabbed the attention of many people and will likely be long remembered . OLD CANOE FOUND , AND DISCARDED , IN MANHATTAN : Workers from the New York Edison Co. were digging in an area about eight feet deep at the corner of Cherry and Oliver street yesterday when they came across what they thought was a log . Further examination revealed it might be an old Indian canoe . So what did they do ? They chopped away at it and removed half of it and put it on a pile of dirt beneath the Franklin Square elevated station . The canoe was probably lying in the mud 100 years or more , since the time when the river front was filled in to make more land area . The New York Times reports that the canoe was likely hewn from a single log that was 14 feet long . It says the workmen " didn't take much interest in anything pertaining to the American Indian . " . 
July 15 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . ACCUSED KILLER IS CAPTURED : Chester Gillette of Cortland , N . Y . , has been arrested and charged in the death of Grace Brown , whose body was pulled from Big Moose Lake in the Adirondacks the other day . The arrest is big news in Upstate New York . The Syracuse Sunday paper includes this map that shows the before - the - killing and after - the - killing movements of Chester and , for a while at least , Grace . Authorities think he might have beat her over the head with an oar . He has told police that the boat they were rowing capsized and the best he could do was to save himself . He had no real good reason for not mentioning it to anyone for a couple of days , though . There ' ll likely be more on this one . REMEMBERING REMBRANDT IN CHICAGO : In honor of the 300 th birthday of Rembrandt -- which will be celebrated in museums around the world today -- a portrait of the painter by himself was unveiled today at the Art Institute in Chicago . It 's the property of a Frank G . Logan and has not been exhibited in public before . According to The New York Times , it 's called " Rembrandt in a steel gorget , with a cock 's feather in his cap . " It might end up not being a Rembrandt but if it is , it will be one of three in Chicago . One of them is known simply as " Portrait of a Girl " ( right ) . It was donated to the Art Institute in 1894 . BAVARIA IS ON OTTO - MATIC PILOT : There 's talk in Bavaria that officials are fed up with having King Otto ( left ) as the ruler of the state . He 's quite mad . He has been king for about 20 years and , according to an article in The New York Times , he has " resembled a wild animal " for more than a year -- subsisting on bread crumbs and dried fruit . He 's the one who replaced King Ludwig , who committed suicide . 
July 14 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . THEY THINK THERE WAS A CRIME AT BIG MOOSE LAKE : The body of Grace Brown ( right ) was pulled from Big Moose Lake in New York 's Adirondacks yesterday and taken to Frankfort by the coroner . The coroner , who has the amazing last name of Coffin , had Frank Brown of South Otselic identify the body as that of his daughter . Mr. Brown said she was with a man named Chester Gillette , but nobody is certain that he was the man who was with her when she went out for a row . A straw hat belonging to the companion has been found but the lining has been ripped out -- likely to remove any identifying markings . We ' ll have to watch this develop . It could turn into a tragedy that 's quite American . TURMOIL IN PARIS : Yesterday a law was enacted in Paris that restored Alfred Dreyfus ( right ) to the Army of France . That move was followed by a duel in which Under Secretary of State Sarraut was wounded by M. Pugliesi - Conti . Sarraut and his seconds supported the restoration of Dreyfus . Pugliesi - Conti and his seconds bitterly opposed it . Sarraut 's wound is considered serious , with penetration of the lung , but not fatal . 
July 13 , 1906 ( Friday ) . THESE WHEELS OF JUSTICE DID GRIND SLOWLY : Capt . Alfred Dreyfus was arrested in October 1894 and charged with treason . He was convicted and sent to Devil 's Island , where he remained until 1899 . Finally , his case has been reviewed and yesterday he was exonerated and restored to the French army . The New York Times offers this quote from Dreyfus : The ordeal has been long and severe -- it has above all been long . The last stage , that of the inquiry in the Criminal Chamber , seemed to me interminable , but work was for me a calming influence .... I am now at the end of my suffering . My honor is restored . NO SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL : The National Billposters ' Association decided yesterday to stop using images of Satan -- in all its forms -- in advertisements . The association will no longer distribute material with any representation of the devil -- whether with hoofs , horns and tails or more subtle kinds . The New York Times ' report , which carries a Chicago dateline , adds that , " The members did not specify their objection to pictorial representations of the evil one , but will not post bills on which he figures . " Not sure what they ' ll do when a production of " Faust " needs some publicity . AUTOMOBILISTS BEGIN TREK : The second endurance tour sponsored by the American Automobile Association and Charles J . Glidden began yesterday in Buffalo . About 60 autos will make a somewhat circuitous 1,100 mile trip to Bretton Woods ( right ) in the White Mountains . The winner receives the Glidden Trophy . It 's not based on speed . Rather it 's based on the driver 's ability to follow the tour on a certain timetable . Guess how the drivers will find their way : Two autos go ahead and spread confetti on the road to guide the competitors . That 's probably more efficient than making the drivers figure out how to fold , unfold and refold a road map . SOME CLASSIC BASEBALL WRITING : It 's probably best to just let the first part of the game story speak for itself . It 's from today 's Washington Post . The Washington Nationals lost the game to the Cleveland Naps . Here you go : The home squad 's fielding stunts were off edge again yesterday , and Cleveland 's troupe of pennant aspirants had the opener thrust upon them , making six unearned runs , while the natives quit before the championship form of " Soldier Boy " Hess ( left ) . The contest was drowsy and uninteresting , as the outcome was never in doubt after the opening round . Hess ' nickname honors his service with the Army in the Philippines . 
July 12 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . ISMAY LIKES LIFE IN THE FAST ( SHIPPING ) LANE : Bruce Ismay ( right ) , head of the International Mercantile Marine Co. , arrived in New York on the White Star ship Oceanic yesterday and talked about his plans for a set of fast ships . The New York Times reports that Ismay 's company will build a fleet of six new transatlantic liners . The article says the ships are expected to be " as fast as any vessel afloat when they take their place in the transatlantic trade . " The report says that Ismay declined to say the ships would be faster than the newest Cunarders . One can only imagine what historic events lie ahead for any one of those ships . Or , of course , for Ismay , which sort - of rhymes with " dismay . " PITCHER ' S CAREER IS A REAL SINKER : The once - remarkable career of baseball pitcher Ted Breitenstein ( right ) appears to be unwinding . In a recent game in Memphis , Breitenstein temporarily left his spot on the New Orleans roster to help umpire the game . He got into an argument with a first baseman named Scoops Carey ( left ) over a call . Breitenstein was arrested by Memphis ' chief of police and faces charges of assault and using obscene language . To reiterate -- Breitenstein was the umpire . UNION DISPUTE LEADS TO MID - AIR MURDER AT PLAZA HOTEL SITE : About 30 iron workers attacked three watchman on the eighth floor of the under - construction Plaza Hotel yesterday -- leaving one of the men dead and the other two injured . The three watchmen were at the site to protect some non - union workers who were building a stairway . The union workers cut off all escape by the watchmen by removing the ladders leading up to the eighth floor . The man who was killed ( Michael Butler ) was pelted with iron bolts , beaten and dropped onto the sixth floor . The other two were beaten but not dropped to a floor below . The New York Times says , " After all this the ironworkers resumed work as unconcernedly as if it had never been interrupted . " It looks like the attackers face murder charges . 
July 11 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . HE DOESN ' T WANT HIS MUG ON A MUG -- OR A BOTTLE : The famous Adirondack hotel man Paul Smith ( who was born as Apollos A . Smith ) is suing a Baltimore whisky maker . Smith , who 's behind one of the first wilderness resorts in the Adirondacks , the 255 - room Paul Smith 's Hotel in Brighton ( shown at right in the early 1890 s ) wants the man to stop putting his portrait and name on his bottles of Paul Smith Maryland Rye . A news item said " Mr. Smith resents being used for a whisky advertisement . " He 's suing for $ 1,000 . I ' ll drink to that . THE BRITS HAVE THEIR OWN FOOD PROBLEMS TO WORRY ABOUT : Recent complaints from the British about the quality meat coming from packing plants in America are beginning to look pretty hypocritical . The annual report of inspector of factories and workshops paints a dismal picture of how the Brits are making their own food products . For example , here 's part of a report on a jam factory . The boiling room lay between the yard and the stable and the horses reached the latter through the boiling room . The sanitary accommodation was hardly separated from the room where the fresh fruit and uncovered jam were kept and the floors were dirty and undrained . Before you pick up your English muffin , here 's more from an article out of London : Inspectors of bakeries found that it was customary to bathe children in the bakeries after the workday ended on Saturdays . And , the report says sausage factories often are " small , dilapidated , badly lit and often infested by rats . " By the way , would you like a sausage patty on that muffin ? A COMPLIMENT EVEN A DIVA WOULD LOVE : The New York World printed an item ( picked up in some of today 's papers ) about a comment actress Sarah Bernhardt ( right , as Theodora ) enjoys passing on to her admirers in Paris . It deals with something that a dry goods clerk told her in a town in the Western United States : " Madame , I learned French only to hear you ; and it was worth it . " . 
July 10 , 1906 ( Tuesday ) . CAN YOU SAY " REACH FOR THE SKY , PARDNER " FIVE TIMES ? You might not have heard that five stage coaches near the entrance at Yosemite National Park in California were held up on Saturday , one after another . ( Above is a picture of a typical stage from about 1900 . ) Evidently the robber had enough time to rob each stage as it passed around a corner near Ahwahnee . He stopped the stage by pointing a gun at the driver . He demanded that passengers toss their money and jewels out on the roadway . When they did that , he ordered the driver to move on and waited for the next stage to roll by . He did this five times and then dashed into the woods . Well , now the sheriff thinks that one person committed all the robberies : " Jack " Sweet . He owns a small tract of land in the Sierras . Word that he 's been arrested is based on information from " a man named Graham from Ahwahnee . " Sweet is evidently from a place called of Grub Gulch . Really . THE MEAT ' S GOT TO BE REAL BAD IF THESE LADS DON ' T WANT IT : The British navy is turning up its well - traveled nose at canned meat from America -- inspired by the recent controversies regarding the products of Chicago 's Packingtown . Instead , the British will eat meat from Australia and Argentina . The bureaucrats evidently see no need to look any further than countries beginning with the letter A . Noted carnivore Winston Spencer Churchill -- undersecretary for the colonies -- assures the politicians that , for example , the government in New South Wales makes sure that " only absolutely healthy hooves are slaughtered for food and that every precaution is taken at freezing and canning work to insure a cleanly method . " There 's no comment from librettist W . S . Gilbert , of Gilbert and Sullivan fame on this new naval development . ( Sullivan , as you know , died about six years ago . ) . 
July 9 , 1906 ( Monday ) . MORE DISCUSSION IN BASEBALL CIRCLES ABOUT SAM CRAWFORD ' S INCREDIBLE TWO - BASE HIT : A ruling by umpire Tim Hurst in Saturday 's baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Detroit Tigers has drawn quite a bit of criticism , rightly so . During the game , Detroit 's Sam " Wahoo " Crawford ( left ) hit a high popup that went virtually straight up in the air . It hit the ground about six inches inside the first base line , near home plate . After it hit the ground , it bounced back into foul territory and rolled toward the stands -- something that normally results in a ball being ruled foul . But Umpire Hurst called the ball fair . According to Nationals manager Stahl , Hurst said he ruled it fair because it was hit SO HIGH IN THE AIR . The baseball rule says a ball that " settles on foul territory between first and home plate " is called foul . However , Hurst evidently believes that the HEIGHT of the popup meant that the ball " settled " in fair territory regardless of the fact that it bounced backward . The game is under protest by the Nationals , whose manager is absolutely stunned by the ruling . Now , it 's up to American League President Ban Johnson to decide whether or not the game should be played over . The Washington Post says , " It depends entirely on the interpretation of the word ' settles ' by President Johnson . " A HEADLINE THAT MIGHT SEND A READER SCAMPERING TO A DICTIONARY : Today 's Washington Post has an article with this headline : " Women Hobsonize Skipper . " The subhead provides a clue : " Capt . Penco , of Italian Liner , Kissed by Misses He Rescued . " It turns out that Capt . Penco of the liner Dinnamare was the one who recently towed the Fabre liner America to safety in Bermuda . Now he 's in New York City with his ship -- and its 32,000 cases of lemons . He told reporters that when he came up alongside the disabled America in mid - ocean , many of the people on board wanted to kiss him . He said , " Two of the women , one an old lady and the other a very presentable miss , did succeed in planting a smack on my port cheek , but they were the only ones . " There you have it . The two women kissed their rescuer . In other words , they " hobsonized " him . So , what 's up with that word ? It turns out that the word 's definition is based on the reactions to the exploits of Naval officer Richmond Hobson ( left ) during the Spanish - American War . To use it in a sentence : " The Washington Nationals will NOT hobsonize Umpire Tim Hurst . " . 
July 8 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . A CARTOONIST ' S VIEW OF PARIS : Today 's New York Times includes a full page of Hy . Meyer 's drawings based on a visit to Paris . I particularly liked this one that shows a tourist asking for directions : " Oo - aye La Roo de Champs Elizah ? " over the heading of " French , after all , is an easy language . " THERE ' S TALK IN THE ' WEST ' OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT : Rumors swirled yesterday that someone tried to shoot President Roosevelt while he was on vacation at Oyster Bay , N . Y . One headline in The Syracuse Herald says " Wild Story in the West : Some Papers Heard of Attempt on President 's Life . " Meanwhile Roosevelt was evidently sitting in his library reading . A gentleman named Moore , who owns the grocery at South and Main streets in Oyster Bay -- his store is under the executive offices that Roosevelt uses when he visits -- had this to say : " Toledo and Michigan papers say the President was shot by a man wearing automobile goggles and a linen duster . Its funny how papers in the West get hit by hot weather . " Here 's how one story ends : " And in the midst of the rapid fire of chronicle and comment Sagamore Hill was quiet with the somnolence induced by a warm July sun and the drone of bees . " SHAW SNARLS AT CRITICS : Here 's a bit more from George Bernard Shaw , who was happy with the ruling of a New York City judge who found that Shaw 's play " Mrs. Warren 's Profession " did not violate any of the city 's codes . ( It deals with prostitution . ) In an article with a London dateline , Shaw had this to say yesterday : The entire blame for the agitation against ' Mrs. Warren 's Profession ' lies in the heads of the New York critics . Their stupidity , inhumanity and scurrilous and obscene language in dealing with the play drove the poor , wretched little police commissioner to steps which he was reluctant to take . No words of mine are adequate to describe my feelings towards these critics . They should all be gathered in a dust pan and thrown into a dust heap . Had they any sense of decency they would make a barefooted pilgrimage somewhere or shoot themselves , but I don't suppose they will . 
July 7 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . MR. SHAW ' S TRIUMPH : The Justices of the Court of Special Sessions in New York City ruled yesterday that the production of " Mrs. Warren 's Profession " by George Bernard Shaw ( right , in 1908 ) did not violate the city 's penal code . Police commissioners ordered the play discontinued last season and charged Arnold Daly and Samuel Gumpertz with the violation . They have , in this ruling , been acquitted . When the play -- which deals with organized prostitution -- opened in the fall of 1905 , the New York Herald complained about the " superabundance of foulness . " The judges had a hard time seeing any . The news article in The Washington Post says , " The court rules that there is nothing in the words themselves or in any particular phrase or expression in the play which can be said to be indecent . " DIAMOND GIRL : On a Saturday in late May , Mae Thomas swallowed a $ 350 diamond in an Omaha jewelry story . While looking at a tray of diamonds in the store , she popped one in her mouth . When she was searched , she swallowed the gem at the Coombs jewelry store . An X - ray located it lodged an inch above her appendix and encased in a membrane clinging to her intestines . News reports in June said a police judge told the jeweler : " The diamond is yours . Take it , but If you resort to a surgical operation against the prisoner 's will and she dies , you can be held for murder . " Thomas refused to allow a surgeon to operate on her and recover the gem for the shop owner . She was sentenced to five years in jail yesterday . I suspect there will be plenty of inmates who will volunteer to clean the chamberpots or toilets once Thomas arrives at the penitentiary . 
July 6 , 1906 ( Friday ) . NO , NOT THAT WINSTON CHURCHILL : The news out of New Hampshire is that Winston Churchill ( right ) is a likely candidate for governor of the state . This is not the British Winston Churchill ; rather it 's the popular novelist from the States . He makes it clear that he 's sick of the influence at least one railroad has in the state . He is quoted in The New York Times today as saying that " the broad issue and general platform should be the non - interference of the Boston & Maine Railroad or of any other corporation in the politics and government of the State . " That certainly flows with the point he made in his most recent novel . SCAM ARTISTS SCORE IN CANADA , BRIEFLY : Canadian wire tappers pulled a fast one on the some bettors yesterday . Evidently a gang intercepted and CHANGED the results of the second race at the Windsor , Ontario , track . Bettors were in on the scam in Cincinnati , Chicago , Louisville and other cities throughout the U.S. They won lots of money by betting on the horses that the wire service listed as winners . A sharp wire operator at the track noticed something was amiss and prevented the third race from being corrupted . LITTLE WOMAN MAKES BIG SHIP WAIT .... AND WAIT : This headline in today 's Syracuse paper demanded a closer look : " Tiny Fan Stops 10,000 - Ton Ship . " It 's true -- sort of . But it has nothing to do with mechanical engineering . Yesterday , the " demure and petit " Lucille Farnois was on board the Lorraine , a French liner , which was ready to leave the dock in New York City . Just as the ship was about to leave , she dropped her four - ounce hand fan over the edge . It fluttered to a spot between the planks of the pier , at the shore end of the gangplank . As the ship whistled for its departure , Mlle . Farnois spent some precious time fishing for the fan . The liner held fast to the pier , whistling a bit impatiently . Once she got it , she crossed the gangplank , which was hustled out of the way and the ship -- under the thrust of some of its 15,000 horsepower engines -- immediately backed away from its berth and headed for Europe . 
July 5 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . NATURALIST FACES AN UNNATURAL DEATH : Professor Henry Augustus Ward stepped in front of a car yesterday in Buffalo and was run down and killed . Ward ( shown with a buckskin - clad Buffalo Bill ) was one of the country 's best - known naturalists . He once worked with Louis Agassiz at Harvard and owns the largest private collections of meteorites in the world . The Washington Post says that Ward " built up what was said to be the greatest natural history establishment in the world " in Rochester , the city where he was born . His body will be sent to Rochester tomorrow . He was 72 . He was walking to the railroad station after dining with a friend . He was planning to catch a train to Wyoming , N . Y . , where he has a summer home . The driver of the car , Alex Gunnell , a real estate broker , claims Ward stepped in front of his vehicle . He is scheduled to be in Police Court tomorrow to face a manslaughter charge . PRESIDENT IGNORES THE RAIN : President Roosevelt was undeterred by the rain when he gave a 45 - minute talk at Oyster Bay yesterday in honor of the Fourth of July . By the time Roosevelt ( shown with his family at right ) got to the grandstand to speak , there was a puddle around his feet . The New York Times notes , " The President never noticed that his feet were getting wet . " A downpour came as he began to speak , and , the Times said , " the Oyster Bay umbrellas went up like a field of mushrooms . " But Roosevelt , uncovered , went on . And on . And on . The rain " pattered on his head , washed his hair over his forehead , sent streams down his back , and the louder he talked , the more rain came down . He interrupted himself a couple of times . At one point , he was distracted by a conversation at the edge of the crowd . The Washington Post reported the exchange in this way : " Will you please stop talking over there , " he interrupted himself to say , pointing as he did so to the offenders . " Is he deaf ? " queried the President with his peculiar cluck of humor in his voice . " Please make him dumb also . " An excerpt , courtesy of the Post : Distrust as a demagogue the man who talks only of the wrong done by the men of wealth . Distrust as a demagogue the man who measures iniquity by the purse . Measure iniquity by the heart , whether a man 's purse be full or empty , partly full or partly empty . WALKER GETS CLOSER TO MANHATTAN : ? Long - distance walker Eddie Adams is nearing the end of his " Minneapolis - to - New York " walk . He hopes to earn $ 3,000 for the effort $ 2,500 to complete the walk and $ 500 if he breaks the world s record . He s averaging nearly 50 miles a day , meaning he s sure to set a record . He is expected to arrive in Syracuse today . On this tramp , he is accompanied by four dogs . He says the St. Bernard is the best walker . If he wins the $ 3,000 , he will have earned about $ 1.58 per mile -- enough to buy the dogs plenty of meat . AMERICA IS SAFE : Many are relieved to learn that the immigrant steamer America -- and her 110 passengers -- is safe . A wireless report from Bermuda indicates that the ship was towed to that island by another steamer after its machinery had become crippled . The America was expected in New York about two weeks ago . Many feared the worst . But it was towed to Bermuda by another steamer , the Dinnamare . 
July 4 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . READY FOR THE FOURTH : In New York City , 24 anti - toxin inspectors are ready to work their magic today , in anticipation of the usual damage caused by fireworks and other explosives in the hands of foolhardy celebrants . Fireworks manufacturers say that demand for Fourth of July materials is 25 percent greater than it was in 1905 . The anti - toxins are designed to prevent lockjaw . ( The magazine cover at right is from last year . ) That news reminds me of something that was printed recently in the Brooklyn Eagle and reprinted over the weekend in various other papers : To those who are to die by fire and bullet on Wednesday -- and there will be scores of them -- we bid farewell , and wish that they might perish in a worthier cause than that of perpetuating the present way of celebrating the Fourth of July . WHERE IS ' AMERICA ' HEADED ? People on both sides of the Atlantic are worried right now about the fate of the immigrant steamer America , which is run by the Fabre Line . It left Marseilles on June 3 with about 150 on board . It left the Azores on June 11 and should have arrived in New York about June 20 . The Germania and the Madonna have each arrived in New York since that time , covering the same route . Neither reported seeing the America . Worries increased yesterday because the Hydroraphic Bureau reported there was a derelict ship adrift in the ocean about 400 miles west of the Azores . It 's the dismasted schooner Lizzie Chadwick and it is considered a hazard to navigation . Could the America have collided with the schooner ? The head of the Fabre Line implores people not to worry . THE DANGERS OF SPEED : Speaking of ocean - going safety , an editorial in Syracuse 's Post - Standard weighs in on the ongoing Europe - to - America speed race between the liners Deutschland and Provence . The editorialist says such recklessness about safety will eventually catch up with the steamship lines . The closing lines : It the effort to make new speed records is pursued without restraint , another and more sinister record will be made sooner or later in an unprecedented ocean calamity . I guess we can only wait to read about some deep - sea disaster that lurks in the future . 
July 3 , 1906 ( Tuesday ) . LONGTIME AUTOMOBILIST WORRIES ABOUT LIFE IN THE FAST LANE : The man who claims to have owned the third American - built automobile is in Syracuse . C . R . Wooden , one of the country 's most avid automobilists , recalls he drove a Winton touring car through the city back in 1897 -- " to the great wonderment of crowds that collected to see the machine . " Here 's what he told a reporter yesterday : I don't think that Syracuse people knew what an automobile was at that time , for hundreds surrounded our machine all the time we were here . I found the car unsatisfactory for climbing hills , and as I live in a very hilly ocuntry in Pennsylvania , I ordered a new machine of Mr. Winton the following year . I received the seventeenth car they turned out . ( Later , Alexander Winton had a famous race against Henry Ford . The photo above is from the 1901 race . Ford , on the left , is gaining ground on Winton . Ford went on the win the race . ) He adds that SPEED is taking away some of the fun and appeal of driving an automobile . " I can imagine no greater enjoyment that going through the country at a rate of fifteen or twenty miles an hour . " ' HUMAN ENIGMA ' WAS AMONG VICTIMS OF SALISBURY TRAIN WRECK : Today 's New York Times has a small article on one of the people killed in the train wreck over the weekend in Salisbury , England : Julius Keller . He 's also known as " The Human Enigma . " News of his death has caused plenty of mourning among youngsters on and around Morgan Avenue in the Williamsburg section of the city . Keller , who was 38 , had some remarkable mobility even though his LEGS WERE PARALYZED . He used his hands and arms to get around . He walked and climbed stairs on his hands . He liked to race firemen up their pole in the fire house of Engine Company No. 137 . Kids loved to race him ; they ' d run on their legs , he ' d " run " on his hands . ( They usually gave him a half - block head start . ) He had gone off to England for a vaudeville performance . HOW TO STEAL A BAG FILLED WITH $ 500,000 WORTH OF JEWELS : A Paris jeweler named Goldschmidt lost $ 500,000 worth of jewels in London . Here 's what happened : He and a customer were having lunch yesterday in the Cafe Monaco . Mr. Goldschmidt left the table at one point to go to the lavatory to wash up . He took his bag of jewels with him . He placed the bag in front of him as he washed up . When he had his hands immersed in water , a man knocked into him . Another man grabbed the bag . Goldschmidt chased them out of the room . But he failed to catch the crooks because a third man fell in front of him , blocking his way . What was in the bag ? About a dozen pearl necklaces and more than 1,000 loose stones . 
July 2 , 1906 ( Monday ) . HUGE TRAIN WRECK IN ENGLAND : A train ferrying passengers from the steamer New York from Plymouth to London left the rails and smashed smashed into a milk train , leaving a couple of dozen dead . Many are from the United States . After picking up passengers from New York , ( this was a so - called " boat train " ) , the train started on the 230 - mile run to London and was soon going at least a mile a minute . The train went too fast into the curve in the track at Salisbury , which some consider one of the most dangerous curves in the world . At least 23 Americans were killed in the wreck . New York City Mayor George B . Mc Clellan narrowly escaped death . He had planned to leave the steamer and take the train to London but his wife , with the help of a steward , convinced him to travel with her to Cherbourg ( she was on her way to Paris ) and then head to London . They assured him he would still keep a certain appointment he had . So , he was not on the train . MARK TWAIN EXPLAINS HOWELLS ' STRENGTHS AS A WRITERMark Twain praises the writing of W . D . Howells in the current issue of Harper 's . Here 's how he describes the way in which Howells stands out from other writers : There is plenty of acceptable literature which deals largely in approximations , but it may be likened to a fine landscape seen through the rain . The right word would dismiss the rain , and then you would see it better . It doesn't rain when Howells is at work . 
July 1 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . PEOPLE SEEM SYMPATHETIC TO THAW : Articles about the killing of Stanford White continues to fill columns of newspapers . These circular images stretch across the width of a page of today 's Syracuse ( N . Y . ) Herald . Accompanying these is this caption : " Episodes in the life of Evelyn Nesbit , the little Pittsburg ( sic ) girl whose great misfortune it was to be beautiful . " The disc at the right shows a straw - hatted Thaw shooting architect Stanford White , whom many believe contributed greatly to the moral demise of many young women . The headline for the story says " The Street Car Juries have Already Acquitted Thaw . " To illustrate the impulsiveness ( and wealth ) of Thaw , the story repeats the tale that he once wanted a certain kind of cigarette so badly that he did something that was utterly absurd . Here 's the story : " He is perhaps the only man who ever raced to Europe for a box of cigarettes . This is what Harry Thaw did in 1889 , while a student in Wooster , O . Thaw had been sent by his mother to that school , and he did not like the brand of cigarette in the Ohio town . He left , saying he had gone to Europe to look up a brand of cigarettes which he had smoked there a year before . Thaw was gone three weeks , and came back with several trunks full of cigarettes and tobacco . " ONE MORE THING ABOUT THIS THAW - WHITE CASE : It just keeps coming and coming . A story in the Washington Post deals with tales that " girls " are telling about how they are treated by " wealthy and influential men " in New York City . These tales , which have been whispered since the shooting , now have the backing of sworn testimony . Young women are telling authorities that Stanford White was a major promoter of orgy - like gatherings . Here 's a glimpse of a trick that one of the men would often play with the young women : He would pack $ 10 and $ 20 gold pieces in ice until they were as cold as the ice itself . Then two other men would hold a girl fast while the first man dropped the chilled coins down the back or front of her frock . Her struggles and screams as the icy metal touched her flesh were supposed to be almost as good fun as the sight the victim afforded the company when she proceeded to disrobe to find the money . CONGRESS GOES OUT ON A HIGH NOTE : As the 59 th Congress drew to a close yesterday , the politicians broke into song , and not a few Rebel Yells . At one point , after some renditions of " The Battle Hymn of the Republic , " Republican whip Jim Watson of Indiana led " Dixie . " Southern Democrats punctuated that with " the wildest chorus of " rebel yells " ever heard in the National Capital . " Mississippi 's John Sharp Williams took the tune of " Everybody Works But Father " and rewrote the lyrics to poke some gentle fun at speaker Cannon : Everybody works but Cannon , He sits around all day Talking in his office , In his fascinating way ; He 's supposed to be our Speaker , But Hinds really makes things go . Everybody works in Congress But good old " Uncle Joe . " . 
June 30 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . MAN CLAIMS TO HAVE MARIE ANTOINETTE ' S HARP : The owner of a music store in Syracuse , N . Y . , has put on display a harp that was supposedly strummed and plucked by Marie Antoinette ( right ) , the wife of France s ill - fated King Louis XVI. After the revolt in 1789 , the harp was lost . Then it ended up in the hands of the queen s former music teacher . From there it evidently passed to a family with the last name of Kendallbeck , who settled in Ithaca , N . Y . Architect William H . Miller bought it at an estate sale in that city . He did not know the harp 's value . If it did belong to MA , it could be worth $ 12,000 -- unless , of course , he 's stringing everyone along HOW A YOUNG REPORTER CAN GO OUT IN BLAZES : The Washington Post , on its editorial page , offers a humorous look at what might be the first story turned in by an inexperienced reporter . It 's called " Work of the Cub Reporter : What the City Editor Got in a Fire Report . " It 's way too long ( perhaps the first problem a reader might notice ) to reproduce here . But it 's quite literary . Here 's the first paragraph : The angels of night had spread their ebony wings over the vast city , and a stillness as deep and profound as that which envelope the starlit , trackless prairie was brooding over the red - tiled cottages of Kimberly Crescent , wherein the weary workers worn out by their herculean labors , were snatching an all too brief interval of repose on the lotus - scented bread of Morpheus , when from out the void of silence there rang forth , with paralyzing suddenness , a stentorian shout of " Fire ! " And so in goes , and goes and goes . The news is , as they say , buried . A more typical beginning is not offered , but it might go something like : " A firefighter climbed to the second floor of a burning cottage and carried a woman to safety in Kimberly Crescent Friday night . " CONGRESSMAN DRAWS A KNIFE : Rep. George Southwick of New York and Charles Bartlett of Georgia had an argument that got serious in the House . It ended up that Bartlett brandished a pen knife when he thought Southwick was coming at him . The men were separated and no further damage was done . The Washington Post notes that " no arrests were made , nor was it necessary to take from its perch the silver mace , ( right ) which is the emblem of the majesty and the power of the House of Representatives . " . 
June 29 , 1906 ( Friday ) . STORIES ABOUT THAW CASE BRING A CHILL : The leader of New York City 's Society for the Suppression of Vice ( Mr. Anthony Comstock , left ) plans to meet with accused killer Harry K . Thaw tomorrow morning . About 18 months ago , Thaw had a number of interviews with Comstock regarding the deeds of Stanford White , the architect Thaw shot on Monday night . Comstock and others investigated White . Yesterday , Comstock -- who 's known for his hyperventilating -- unloaded on White . Here 's a sample of what Comstock said : During our many interviews Mr. Thaw told me of many young girls and women who had been ruined by the moral perverts who , clothed in respectability , were protected by an armor which was almost impossible to pierce .... Family influence barred our investigation .... Since I have been interested in this work I have found that the blackest mud is to be found behind the trees on which the sun shines brightest . In that shadow the slime lies thick . Comstock says this case should lead to an investigation that " will cause one of the greatest scandals that New York has known in a generation . " As you probably remember , Comstock was severely criticized by George Bernard Shaw , who called Comstock 's urge to censor " Comstockery . " THEY WERE SURELY FLOORED BY CONVICT ' S ESCAPE : On June 15 , the guards in the penitentiary in Richmond , Va. , wondered what had become of a prisoner named Walter Stiars . They were sure he was still in the building and looked all over for him . They never found him . He had accumulated enough provisions and hid under the floor of one of the shoe factories in the penitentiary . Eventually , the guards gave up . The prisoner broke through a wall and escaped last night -- after about 12 days in his own kind of solitary . THE RACE IS ON : The French steamer La Provence and the steamship Deutschland each left Europe yesterday . That means a race . Those knowledgeable of maritime matters say that this trip will be the supreme test of these " ocean greyhounds . " On the last trip , the Deutschland averaged about 22.63 knots ; La Provence averaged about 21.46 . 
June 28 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . RUMOR CHURNS THINGS UP IN NYC : Eighteen New York City schools were closed yesterday thanks to some East Siders who feared for their children 's safety . A rumor spread among parents that someone was systematically cutting the throats of children in the schools . Thousands of angry and panicky parents showed up at the schools , fought their way inside and demanded that their children be brought to them . Here 's how the rumor got started : It appears that many children in the schools were suffering from adenoids , " a fungus growth which affects the hearing , speech and sight . " The Board of Health decided that physicians ( with the approval of children and parents ) should operate . Yesterday , many children were treated . Here 's the key paragraph in the story : It is supposed that the children told their parents that they had had their throats cut , and that some ignorant person started the rumor among the parents to the effect that the children 's throats were being cut in the schools . Add to that some possible translation problems and the fact that many of the residents -- living in an area bounded my Mulberrry Bend and Astor Place -- were already familiar with the tendency of a government to commit such atrocities . Evidently , many felt there was a plan to massacre all the Jews in New York , " on the Russian plan . " ( To the right is a picture from last year of some killings in , I think , Ekaterinoslav . ) Those who stormed the schools thought that the governmental authorities had decided to simplify that plan and focus the efforts on killing the children in the schools . A CHINESE JUDGE COMES UP WITH A VARIATION ON THE DEATH PENALTY : In news out of Tientsin , viceroy Yuan Shin Kai put an interesting spin on a death - penalty sentence that five men faced . He thought about the extreme drought gripping the land and decided the men should pray for rain . He told them they would be set free if their prayers were answered -- by rainfall within three days . If it stayed dry , they were to die . Well , there was a small rainfall . Because of that success , five other men have received a similar chance . I guess the legal term would be that they faced an a - rain - ment . HOW TO PROLONG YOUR LIFE , TIP No. 247 -- NEVER SHOOT A BULLET AT A SHACK FULL OF EXPLOSIVES : An Explosion at the mouth of the Detroit River blew Theodore Perry and Harry Rogers out of their sailboat . The blast turned the boat into kindling . Perry 's clothes were stripped off his body ; Rogers lost some of his clothing . The blast was felt as far as Amherstburg . So what happened ? The two men were sailing along , shooting at objects along the shore of Fox Island . They did not know that the shack one of them targeted was filled with explosives used in dredging and blasting . WHAT ' S UP WITH HARRY K . THAW ? Authorities are gathering evidence in the Sanford White killing . Harry K . Thaw is in custody . Plenty of stories are circulating about his life as people try to figure out why he shot the architect and try to discover the nature of the relationship between Mrs. Thaw ( the actress Evelyn Nesbit ) and the dead man . One article describes an ocean trip Thaw took in April and May -- to England -- without his wife . He evidently told his sister ( the Countess of Yarmouth ) , who made the trip with him to England , that he had left his wife " for good . " Evidently , he drank constantly on the way over , and gamblers fleeced him of $ 14,000 . He came back on the steamer Kaiserin Auguste Victoria ( right ) on its maiden voyage , landing in New York on May 19 . 
June 27 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . I CAME , I THAW , I CONQUERED : If you think the shooting of architect Stanford White didn't amount to much news , here are the front pages from yesterday ( left ) and today 's ( right ) Oakland Tribune newspaper . This is clearly something that will grip most newspaper readers during these days and weeks . An item from the article in today 's Oakland paper mentions that yesterday morning 's mail brought 17 letters to Thaw , who by then was in jail . " Most of them were from women , " the article says . Some are wondering how to get word to Thaw 's mother , who is on her way to England on the Minneapolis . The ship was about a third of the way to England at the time of the shooting and was probably out of range of the wireless at Sable Island yesterday . Authorities are trying to get word to her via cable to London and then by wireless transmission from he White Star Liner Majestic , which leaves Liverpool at 5 p.m. today . That ship should be within wireless distance from the Minneapolis on Friday . Wouldn't really want to be the steward delivering that message to her . For those who want more information about this case , there 's plenty on hand . A STORY OF HOW A PENNILESS AMERICAN TRIED TO DAZZLE SOME EUROPEANS : Some papers have reprinted an item from Ladies ' Home Journal under the headline " A Clever American . " I won't quote it all , but it describes what happened when a Frenchman , a German , and Englishman and an American got carried away bragging about their respective countries . To make a point , the Frenchman rolled up a dollar bill , held it to the coals of a fire and lit his cigar . That impressed the others , each of whom sought to outdo the Frenchman . The German lit his cigar with a $ 10 bill . The Englishman , despite thinking that the whole exercise was foolish , knew he couldn't afford to have the others think England wasn't the richest company in the world . So , he took a deep breath , rolled up a $ 100 bill and lit his cigar . Then they all looked at the American . The trouble was , he had NO MONEY in his pocket . How could he outwit them ? His solution : He quietly drew forth a check book , wrote a check for $ 10,000 on a prominent New York bank , duly signed it , rolled it up , touched it to the coals and lighted his cigar with it , while his confreres watched him curiously and intently . 
June 26 , 1906 ( Tuesday ) . A SHOCKER IN NEW YORK : Today 's front pages drip with news of a stunning killing in New York City . Noted architect Stanford White ( right ) was shot on the roof garden of the Madison Square Garden last night . The shooter was Harry Thaw , ( left ) a Pittsburgh clubman . The killing took place during a performance of " Mamzelle Champagne . " Many in the crowd thought the shooting was part of the performance . It wasn't . Thaw was arrested . This is likely to generate LOTS of interest throughout the country . Thaw shocked " society " about 14 months ago when he married actress Evelyn Nesbit ( above ) . Thaw said White deserved to die because of the way he treated Nesbit . Witnesses aren't clear about exactly what Thaw told the policeman who arrested him . It was either " He ruined my LIFE and then deserted the girl " or " He ruined my WIFE and deserted the girl . " Thaw also evidently handed the arresting police officer a $ 10 bill and asked him to let Andrew Carnegie know about the shooting . Thaw 's father , a railroad magnate , left an estate of $ 40 million . Looks like Thaw could spare the $ 10 . There 's likely to be more news about this one . Wish I had space to tell you more . Something tells me this crime will interest people for a long time . Maybe a book . Maybe a film . WHY PEOPLE GET A KICK OUT OF FOOTBALL : One paper reprinted an editorial in The Reader that points out why Americans like the game of football -- and why it will survive : " Destructive as football has been to life , limb and scholarship , it remains one of the chief baits of the colleges . " People need something to yell for , the editorial says . It closes this way : And the real reason that the public hangs on to football the way it does , in spite of the fearful tragedies associated with it , is because for the moment , every mother 's son , on the grandstand or bleachers , feels the heart of youth leaping in him as he watches , breathless , the hotly contested game . 
June 25 , 1906 ( Monday ) . A NOVEL LOOK AT WRITING : There was a delightful item in yesterday 's New York Times that I didn't have time to get to . That 's why I ' m mentioning it today . It 's a very funny " expose " of the production of Dime Novels in New York . The writer , whose byline here is " The Author of ' Slick Parker ' , " compares the styles of a novice writer with a veteran . It 's worth a look : The Novice Dime - Novel Writer : " We were pursued by Broncho Bill , " Red Dave suddenly gasped . " Broncho Bill ! " hissed Shang Martin . " I ' ll get squar ' with that man yet . " Still fleeing for their lives , they suddenly came upon a strange hut , through the door of which they unceremoniously burst . Inside a strange sight awaited them . The Veteran Dime - Novel Writer : " Curse ! " gasped Red Dave suddenly . " What is it ? " Shang Martin asked quickly . " We are pursued . " " What ! Pursued ? " " Yes , curse the luck . " " Who is it ? " " I know him . " " You do ? " " Yes. Broncho Bill ! " " Broncho Bill ! " Shang Martin almost shrieked . His face turned pale , even beneath the tanned skin . " Ay , curse him ! " hissed Red Dave ( note : actually , I think the writer meant " Shang Martin " ) , with mighty oath . " But I ' ll squar ' him yet . " Suddenly there burst upon their view a low log cabin , built in an open glade , under a cliff covered with furze brush and pines . " What is that ? " Shang asked quickly . " A hut , " answered Red Dave . " Whose is it ? " " I do not know , but there is no time to lose . " " What shall we do ? " " We must go in . Broncho Bill is closing in on us . We must make a stand in yon hut and fight till the last drop . " Without stopping to inquire if any one lived in the hut Red Dave and his companion burst open the door with the stocks of their rifles . Red Dave stepped inside . Suddenly he started back with a hoarse cry of horror . " What is it ? " asked Shang Martin . Inside the hut a horrible sight awaited their gaze . A NEW METHOD FOR CATCHING SPEEDERS : Here 's a headline that will stun you : " Police Using Autos to Catch Speeders . " Why not ? Bicycles have done the trick so far , but this might do the trick . The four - wheeled police officers nabbed 16 on the city 's West Side . In most cases , the chauffeurs thought the police were simply fellow speeders . And , in a total disruption to High Society , a New Rochelle judge kept some speeders waiting so long that they had to miss their high class dinners . The article says , " The Judge was out for a spin on the police motor cycle , and the fact that several of the offenders were wealthy did not hurry him a bit . ' One of those detained with the implausibly named Witherbee Black of Black , Starr & Frost , jewelers on Fifth Avenue ( see the firm 's silver mark ) . Another , E . M. Willer of the New York Yacht Club was so upset that his chauffeur had been detained that he said he would spend $ 10,000 to contest the arrest . When Judge Van Auken returned at about 7 p.m. , he heard the prisoner grumbling about the delay and the loss of their dinners . He said : " What did you expect me to do to get back -- violate the speed laws ? " . 
June 24 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . ' ROCKET ' LANDS IN NEW YORK : James Whistler 's famous nocturne ( right ) in green and gold ( familiarly known as " The Falling Rocket " ) is now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art . It was bought recently by Harric C . Fahnestock , a museum trustee . It was hung yesterday in Gallery 12 by Bryson Burroughs , assistant curator of paintings . The article says the painting " depicts dancers and spectators in Cremorne Gardens appearing against the dark tones of a sombre London sky on a summer night . " The article does not include what critic John Ruskin said about the painting years ago : I have seen , and heard , much of Cockney impudence before now ; but never expected to hear a coxcomb ask two hundred guineas for flinging a pot of paint in the public 's face . That led to a famous libel trial . Whistler won the trial but was awarded a mere farthing . A NEW WEAPON FOR WAR : Here 's an automobile with a distinctive feature . The Mc Clean Arms Co. of Cleveland had developed an automobile battery that 's capable of moving an automobile forward about 50 mph AND firing 100 shots a minute through a gun . The shells are 1.5 inches in diameter . A chauffeur operates the battery from a position where he 's safe -- in the rear of the car . An article in The New York Times says , the " device is expected to make the automobile a popular engine of war . " Of course , the popularity depends on which end of the gun barrel you find yourself . CHECKING THINGS OUT IN THE LIBRARY : Puzzled about word that Russian secret service agents are watching New York City libraries for signs of people who are interested in topics such as anarchy , a New York Times reporter headed yesterday to the Astor Library . The reporter found books on explosives , biographies of dead anarchists and histories of revolts and displayed them openly on a table . But , this happened " without bringing forth any one who might be suspected of being a spy . " Nor did it attract a spy watcher . He asked the librarian about any such spying within the library . " As a matter of fact , " the librarian said , " all the big libraries of the world are watched and probably there are spies about , but I never get acquainted with them . " SOCIETY WOMEN TAKE UP THEIR PENS : There 's a new society weekly being published in London . The name is spectacular : It 's called the Throne . It 's " for society women by society women . " Evidently , two editors are assigned to each page . Portraits of 27 of them appear in the first edition . Among them are a couple of princesses and a duchess . Others from lower levels are countesses and a few other worthies and a smattering of madams . One news article sniffs , " It cannot be said that the quality of the matter is as high as that of the editresses and contributors . " . 
June 23 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . MAKING HIS BONES : The future of the late , great race horse Sysonby might lie in science . Owner James R . Keene seems interested in having the body exhumed and the skeleton saved and articulated , so the bony frame could be presented to the Museum of Natural History . this would not be unusual . The great English horse Ormonde is at the British Museum . And Lexington and American Eclipse are at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington , D . C . THE RUSSIAN SECRET SERVICE BECOMES A LITLE LESS SECRET : Individuals in the Russian Secret Service are at work on these shores in some curious places . Among them : the libraries of New York City . There , they are looking for Russians who are interested in books dealing with anarchy . The Washington Post says , " The chief Russian agent in each large library has at command a corps of skilled spies , one of whom follows a suspected person as soon as hi is indicated by a nod from the chief . In this manner the home , habits and occupations of suspected Anarchists are learned , and if the suspicons are verified , a report is made to the Chief fo the Russian Secret Service . This came up after Henry Melnek , 19 , was arrested and charged with stealing books from the famous Astor Library . Melnek has expressed interest in books that deal somewhat with anarchy , including Perez ' " Schriften , " which deals with travels in Siberia . He also had a German translation of Jules Verne 's " Around the Wrold in 80 Days . " Russian agents also try to find out who buys books related to anarchy . 
June 22 , 1906 ( Friday ) . HOW SOME LABORERS USED THEIR HEADS TO FIND MRS . WHITNEY ' S DIAMOND RING : For a week , Tiffany and John Deverett , Thomas Griffing , and John Griffin , all of whom are gardeners . After they heard that Mrs. Whitney ( who was born as Gertrude Vanderbilt ) recalled having the ring on her finger while walking across the lawn of her own estate last Saturday , they decided where to focus . They made a pact that they would share the reward if either man found the ring . The four men borrowed a diamond ring last night and dropped it on the Whitney lawn . While shining a lantern light at the ring , they discovered that it threw its rays about 10 feet . The men then started walking systematically across the lawn , each about 10 feet apart . In a half hour , Deverett saw something shining in the grass . It was the missing ring . The story is on the front page of today 's New York Times . Let 's just call these men the " Lords of the Ring . " SENATOR FINDS A STRANGE TIME TO CLAP : Recently U.S. Sen . Anselm Mc Laurin ( Dem . of Mississippi ) spoke on the Senate floor about a measure that would set aside money for the expenses of the president . He said , " If we pass it now it will be the law when in 1909 our next President enters on his term of office , and William Jennings Bryan .... " At that point everyone heard a loud clapping that filled the hall . Everyone turned to see the source and find out who had the courage to applaud the name of Bryant , or " the peerless , " on the Senate floor . They saw the monstrous Sen . James Henderson Berry ( Dem . of Arkansas ) ( left ) . It turns out he was walking out of the chamber at the time and realized he had forgotten something . To get the attention of a page , he started clapping -- just when Mc Laurin mentioned Bryant 's name . LOCKED IN ON PANAMA : The Senate passed a bill that calls for a series of locks to be used on the Panama Canal , ending a protracted debate . The sea - level alternative -- which was the recommendation of the Interoceanic Canals Commission -- lost by five votes . President Roosevelt is pleased . The Washington Post described the type of order that Roosevelt is likely to give in the next day or so : " Cut loose now , and build the canal . " This is a look at what the Culebra Cut looked like in 1904 . 
June 21 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . WILD RUMOR FROM MICHIGAN : Paul Jones , the Western Reserve University coach , has returned from a visit to Ann Arbor , Mich. , with word that the University of Michigan is considering the unthinkable -- releasing coach Fielding H . Yost . Jones says the university 's board of control wants to put a graduate coach in charge this fall , even though Yost has another year on his contract . Yost has said that the board dealt one of the worst blows ever to the Michigan football team by abolishing the training table . Even so , the board better slow down before they do something drastic with the coach known as " Hurry Up " and the man behind the distinctive pronunciation of the school 's name -- MEE - shu - gun . THE HUMAN SKYSCRAPER COMES TO D . C . : Yost , or any football coach for that matter , would likely be quite interested in checking out Feodor Alexiovitch Machnow ( right ) , who met President Roosevelt yesterday at the White House . The Russian is a giant -- reportedly standing 9 feet 3 inches tall , but that seems highly unlikely . He and his wife took the train from New York to Washington , with a number of companions . When Machnow got to the White House and was shown a picture of Roosevelt , he doubted he was about to meet the man . His reason ? He had not seen soldiers in pretty uniforms and had " observed a lack of ceremony . " Everything was in great contrast to his visits with the emperor of Germany and king of England . He was surprised when he saw Roosevelt . The article says , " He had looked for a man in splendid uniform but had met a man in summer white . " Roosevelt said when he met him , " He is the biggest man I ever saw . " Evidently , Bat Masterson helped arrange the meeting . 
June 20 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . JUSTICE AT HIGH SPEED : Yesterday 's report included an item about the arrest of Joseph Kean for the abduction of little Freddie Muth of Philadelphia . Kean has already been sentenced for 20 years . Here 's a timeline , as presented by The Washington Post : June 12 ( afternoon ) : Kean lures Muth from his school . June 12 ( night ) : A baker notices Kean and a strange boy sitting in an oyster bar . June 15 : Kean sends a letter and threatens to harm the boy . June 18 : Kean is captured and the boy is rescued and returned to his parents . June 19 ( 10 a.m. ) : Kean is measured by the system developed by Alphonse Bertillon ( right ) . --- ( 10:20 a.m. ) Kean is committed to court without bail . --- ( 11 a.m. ) : Kean is indicted by a grand jury . --- ( 11:20 a.m. ) : Kean is arraigned before a judge . --- ( 12:05 p.m. ) Kean is sentenced to prison for 20 years . --- ( 1:30 p.m. ) Kean is behind prison doors in a penitentiary in Cherry Hill , the famous Eastern State Penitentiary , which made such a big impression on Charles Dickens about 60 years ago . A TALE OF TWO THIEVES : Two men went to court in New York City yesterday . One , Henry Birschman , confessed to a financial swindle that amounted to grand larceny to the tune of $ 100,000 . His creditors praised his attempts to pay the money back . He promised to make reparation and was released . The other many , John Clark , is on his way to jail for six years . His crime ? Well , first , it 's good to know that he 's 45 and he has already served two sentences in Sing Sing . Back to his crime , the way it 's described in the news article : Clark was walking up the Bowery a week ago when he saw a barber standing in front of his shop flipping a quarter in the air . Clark seized the coin and started for the nearest saloon . To sum it up : Steal $ 100,000 , and you get set free ; steal 25 cents and get six years . Wonder how long the jail term would have been if Clark had stolen a dime . THE BALL WASN ' T JUICED , EXACTLY : The center fielder for the Southern League 's Montgomery Senators , a former Georgetown University player named Apperious , thought something looked a little funny when the ball left the bat of a New Orleans player . He caught the fly ball for the last out in the game on Sunday . As he left the field , he played his own " hidden ball trick " and snuck off the field with the sphere . He showed it to his manager , Mullaney . When the team got to Shreveport , Mullaney opened up the ball in front of the Shreveport manager . They discovered the ball was made almost entirely of rubber and plastic , with plastic wrapping in place of regulation twine . Mullaney and the Montgomery team plan to lay this out for Judge Kavanaugh , president of the league . 
June 19 , 1906 ( Tuesday ) . PHILADELPHIANS CAN BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF : Freddie Muth , the son of a wealthy jeweler , has been returned to his family , seven days after he was lured from the safety of the Muhlenburg Public School . It turns out a baker at 60 th and Haverford avenue recognized the picture of the 7 - year - old boy that the police had distributed . He recalled seeing a man with the boy at an oyster bar at 1613 Haverford Avenue sometime after midnight last Wednesday . That helped the police in their search . They tracked the kidnapper and boy down to in the city . The accused man , John Joseph Kean , is " a member of a respectable New York family , one - time bookkeeper of the Harlem Bank , a stock broker and more recently a real estate agent . " Evidently he needed the money . Police were able to identify him by comparing handwriting on the ransom notes with some material presented by Keene 's former boss , who claims the man had embezzled $ 400 from him . Word spread quickly about the arrest . About a thousand Philadelphians were at the Muth residence by the time Freddie was returned to his family . He still had his school book under his arm . PRINCESS CHECKS IN WITH FORMER LOVER : Princess Chimay , formerly known as Clara Ward , has put gypsy violinist Rigo , in a difficult position . Rigo , who is leading a Hungarian Band at the Harlem Casino , has in his hands a $ 100 check from the woman , whom he has abandoned . ( The couple , shown at right , eloped a couple of years ago . ) She has continued to declare her love for the musician . He , evidently , demurs . The article ends with this statement : " Rigo had not decided tonight just what he would do with the $ 100 check . " Maybe he thinks that cashing it reveals a token of his affection for the woman . ONE WAY TO PROTEST AN UMPIRE ' S CALL : center fielder Charlie Jones ( left ) of the Washington Senators is in trouble . He got upset after he was called out in the ninth inning yesterday on a " doubtful third strike . " So , Jones threw a glass at the grandstand at the St. Louis stadium . It so happens that the glass landed near a box occupied by the wife of the secretary of the St. Louis Browns . The husband , named Rickert , has sent a strong letter to league president Ban Johnson asking for punishment of the player . If Jones had hit the woman , maybe the Senators would consider making him a pitcher . 
June 18 , 1906 ( Monday ) . GREAT HORSE LOSES RACE WITH DEATH : Sysonby , whom some consider to be the greatest race horse ever , died yesterday . Rumors had swirled for months that the horse was sick . But people held out hope for the horse , which won about $ 178,000 in stakes during the past two years . Evidently , it died of blood poisoning . The horse was beautiful . It makes you wish you had some kind of vision that would allow you to peek inside . Eventually the horse will be buried at Castleton -- beside Domino , the other favorite of owner James R . Keene . THEY TIMED THEM WITH A CALENDAR : Speaking of racing , two of the oldest citizens of South Waterloo , N . Y . , had an exciting foot race on June 16 along South Washington Street . The competitors were former Judge Rufus B . Cole , 88 , and Jacob Pontius , 90 . The route went from the Virginia Street bridge to the Lux Hotel -- about an eighth of a mile . Plenty of village residents were on hand for the race . Mr. Pontius set the pace at the beginning and led for about 100 yards . Then he had to stop for a moment and catch his breath . The judge overtook him . Mr. Pontius started up again . When the dust had settled , the judge was the winner by six feet . The article says they ran " with the zest and eagerness of two school boys . " Both survived the race in good order . As it turns out , Judge Cole had been rejected for service in the Army in 1861 . He tried to enlist in Grand Rapids , Mich. Officers told him that the Army " did not want any cemetery men , " presumably meaning someone who was likely to die . As all of us know , the Army ended up being filled with plenty of " cemetery men . " HE ' LL BE OUT OF JAIL IN THE YEAR 2905 : A black man named Snow Williams was sentenced to 999 years in a Texas penitentiary this week , according to a notice in today 's Washington Post . The dateline is Fort Worth , Texas . The scene of the crime was Belton , Texas . What did he do ? Evidently , he entered a woman 's room a few nights ago and grabbed her by the foot . She screamed , and people came to her rescue . Oh yes . She is a white woman . A grand jury happened to be sitting at the time . Justice moved quickly . One wonders what the sentence would have been had he grabbed both her feet ? 
June 17 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . WOUNDED KNEE SURVIVOR : A reminder of Wounded Knee surfaces today with news out of Beatrice , Neb . Yesterday , the Sioux chief Little Cloud and others came to the residence of Gen. L . W . Colby . They were looking for Lost Bird ( right ) . Defying the odds , she survived the massacre in 1890 . Colby raised her as his own . But now the chief , who says he is Lost Bird 's father wants to see her . Evidently , she 's in Washington , D . C . , with Gen. Colby 's ex - wife . Colby was conveniently not at his Nebraska home yesterday , when Little Cloud visited . Lost Bird is about 20 . Her saga must be an incredible story . There 's got to be a way to find out more about her . OUTSTANDING ( hopefully ) IN THEIR FIELD : Things are getting desperate in Kansas . The wheat harvest begins tomorrow and the state 's farmers are looking for 25,000 men to help in the fields . Fewer than 5,000 have come from the East . So , farmers are getting a bit desperate , evidently . In Salina , farmer John Freeman was searching for four men . He had no luck . Then he thought of the city jail . He found out that two prisoners were still in jail because they lacked the $ 5 fine for being drunk . Freeman paid their fines and " took them home with him to help save the wheat , " an article said . The farmer probably reminded the formerly inebriated souls that wheat has at least one very interesting byproduct . AN EAGLE MIGHT BE FEELING A LITTLE PAIN , BUT MANY IN OKLAHOMA ARE HAPPY : Yesterday , President Roosevelt signed the bill that clears the way for statehood for the combined Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory . The measure also allows for Arizona and New Mexico to be admitted as the State of Arizona . ( Of course , the people in those two states still have to vote on it . ) That 's why Roosevelt used two pens . He wrote his first name with a gold pen , presented by people from Arizona . He scribed his family name with a quill , snatched from an eagle in Oklahoma . 
June 16 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . SUFFRAGISTS CREATE A ROW : A group of suffragists tried to break up a meeting in Northampton , England , yesterday that featured a speech by Herbert Asquith , chancellor of the exchequer . Just wen he began to speak , three women , Misses Kenny and Billington and Mrs. Rawood , stood and started screaming . When stewards rushed to quiet them , Miss Billington pulled a short whip from under her cloak and swung it wildly at a man 's head and shoulders . ( a Washington Post headline said she was " fighting like a tigress . " The trio waved flags with the inscription " Votes for Women " ( right ) . After the three were taken out of the hall someone referred to only as " Mrs. Pankhurst , " presumably Emmeline , " came to the front of the women 's gallery and started making demands . " She was drowned out by shouts of " Throw her out . " Asquith made his speech , but the news report neglects to say what he said . GANS AND LEWIS EXCHANGE BLOWS : Maybe the suffragists could have used some help from someone like Joe Gans ( left ) . But the boxing star was busy in Philadelphia yesterday , in a match with Harry Lewis . The two fought at the National Athletic Club . The news report says , " There was lots of action in every round , with both men exhibiting far more cleverness in getting away from blows than in delivering them . " The six - rounder ended in a draw . The article added , " Although Gans put up a fast fight , he was a little bit slower than he usually is . " Hope he 's not getting ill or something . SCHOOL vs . CIRCUS : Remember the dispute between the mayor and school board in Haverhill , Mass. ? Well , Massachusetts Supreme Court Judge Hammond suggested on June 14 that Haverhill close its schools as the mayor wants . The mayor figured he had the authority . And , heck , the circus is in town . The school board didn't listen . The schools were open on June 15 . And guess what ? They were empty . Where were the kids ? At the circus , or nearly 3,000 of them , anyway . Not surprisingly , " occasionally small groups of them were heard cheering the Mayor . " . 
June 15 , 1906 ( Friday ) . EVERYTHING ' S NOT QUITE OK WITH OKLAHOMA STATEHOOD BILL : The Statehood bill passed the House yesterday , but the debate got heated . The New York Times called the session " the bitterest fight that Congress has known in many a day . " The bill , which would make a state of Oklahoma ( combining the Oklahoma and Indian territories , right ) and , pending some voting , would lay the groundwork for Arizona and New Mexico to enter the union as one state , prompted the delegate from Arizona to imply that House Speaker Joe Cannon had handled the proceedings in such a way that he would have been thrown in jail in Arizona . He implied that Cannon had made a deal that would link Arizona to New Mexico . The Arizonan hinted at a $ 5 million bribe and vowed that Arizona and New Mexico would never enter the union as one , unified state . JUST DON " T ASK US OVER TO EAT AT YOUR HOUSE : A committee from the National Association of Manufacturers has filed its own report about the cleanliness of the packinghouses in Chicago . Not surprisingly , the group finds very little wrong in the conditions in the big Chicago plants . A news story quotes from the group 's statement , a portion of which says that the conditions , " were far better than the average hotel kitchen or even the kitchens of a large percentage of private residences . " One newspaper calls this the " Whitewashing Committee . " WAITRESSES HAVE A TIP FOR RESTAURANT OWNERS : Waitresses are fed up in Chicago -- not with the meat packing plants , rather with rudeness . They seem to be getting it from their bosses . The Waitresses Union put a sheet with typewritten demands on the desk of the manager of every restaurant in the downtown area on Wednesday . It read : " Employers shall ot use profane language to waitresses . Waitresses shall not be reprimanded in the presence of guests . " . 
June 14 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . BRYANT TAKES A TUMBLE , BUT WHAT DID HE REALLY SAY : William Jennings Bryant , who 's looking to run for president as a Democrat in 1908 , continues his world tour . He is in St. Petersburg , Russia , where he will remain until tomorrow . He will give a Fourth of July speech in London . Meanwhile , his son has discontinued his travels with his dad and arrived yesterday in New York , aboard the steamer Kaiser Wilhelm II. Junior told fellow passengers some stories about his father , including a tale of the elder Bryant 's encounter with a donkey in Manila . Evidently , Bryant fell off the beast . Passengers emerged with three versions of what the golden - tongued Bryant said after he smacked the ground -- and bear in mind that the donkey is emblematic of the Democratic party , and that he has already lost two strong bids for the presidency : Version 1 : " This is the third time I ' ve been thrown by a donkey . " Version 2 : " I hope this is not prophetic . " Version 3 : " I think I won't ride the donkey again until I have clothes of a different color . " HE IS WHAT HE EATS : The sideshow act of the " Human Ostrich " has caught up with him . A performer who 's also known as E . Wallace was operated on at City Hospital in Minneapolis -- to find some relief for a stomach ailment . Surgeons removed 57 nails , three or four pieces of glass and five pieces of wire . Wallace has said that he 's been doing his I ' ll - eat - anything ostrich act for years and never felt any ill effects until recently . He 's expected to recover , and there 's no report that he asked a surgeon to leave the scalpel inside the stomach . The news item raises questions about the habits of ostriches ( right ) . I also wish I knew more about how these glass - chewers do it . THIS CIRCUS HAS A DISTINCTIVE SIDESHOW : Speaking of circuses , the mayor of Haverhill , Mass. , has curried favor from school kids in his community by saying the schools should be closed tomorrow -- because the CIRCUS is COMING TO TOWN . The city 's school board has asked the state 's Supreme Court to prevent Mayor Wood from making such a move . 
June 13 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . CIVIL WAR VETERAN MYSTERY No. 1 : The Civil War keeps surfacing in the news . When the New York State Battlefields Commission visited the site of the Antietam battlefield recently , members got ahold of a badge that was dug up about four years ago . ( That 's the Antietam cemetery at right . ) The badge is inscribed " S . Zielle , Company F , Forty - fourth New York Volunteers . " State officials are hoping to locate Zielle or his heirs . They do know that Zielle was wounded at Fredericksburg about three months after Antietam . CIVIL WAR VETERAN MYSTERY No. 2 : While it might be tough to track down Zielle , authorities had little trouble finding R . D . Thomas of Rensselaer County in New York . He was drafted during the Civil War and hired a substitute . A couple of years ago , he found out that his substitute had died and that his own name was still on the rolls of the army . So , being a good patriot , he obtained a pension . He 's been found out and he pleaded guilty to fraud in federal court yesterday . FAMOUS DETECTIVE DIES : Canada has lost one of its great crime fighters , John W . Murray , chief detective for Ontario . He died suddenly yesterday . He wrote a very interesting memoir . The most noteworthy crime he dealt with was the killing of Benwell a young Englishman . Reginald Birchall was hanged for the crime . He also helped solve the Luke Dillon case . He dynamited the Welland Canal . TRAFFIC STOP LEADS TO NEWS ABOUT WHEREABOUTS OF COMPOSER : Chauffeur August Pin was stopped by a police officer for speeding on New York City 's Riverside Drive on the evening of June 11 . The arraignment has revealed that he was driving Mrs. Reginald de Koven and others to a sanitarium in Yonkers to see composer Reginald de Koven ( left ) , who 's widely known for his light operas such as " Robin Hood , " " Rob Roy " and " Happyland . " Patrolman Goldman caught the speeders -- while riding his bicycle . He said they were going 20 mph . The chauffeur contended he never drives faster than 18 . The judge , however , said he recalled a previous appearance by Mr. Pin in his courtroom for a similar charge . The judge held Pin for $ 500 . 
June 12 , 1906 ( Tuesday ) . DID THEY ' DRINK LIKE A FISH ' ? More than 18,000 gallons of whisky leaked Sunday from a distillery near Frankfort , Ky . Much of it ended up in Benson Creek . Soon , farmers living at the creek noticed many fish floating lazily on the surface or leaping playfully on the surface , according to The Washington Post . The farmers harvested bushels of the fish and were puzzled about what they ' d seen . Then they learned what had happened upstream at the distillery . They concluded the fish were drunk . It happened on a Sunday , but presumably no liquor ban was violated . I wonder what a drunken fish might taste like . UP , UP AND AWAY , ALMOST : Aeronaut Walter Wellman expects to lead his expedition from Paris on Thursday or Friday . The group will go to Spitzbergen for final preparation for the dash to the North Pole . Test firings of the balloon s engine went well on Saturday . The balloon , however , has not yet been inflated . This is one trip to keep an eye on , but don't hold your breath . It 's getting late in the season for such an expedition . TRY , TRY AGAIN : Despite efforts to convince Gov . Curtis Guild ( right ) to intervene , the state of Massachusetts successfully electrocuted Charles Louis Tucker at 12:12 a.m. today . Well , that 's when they shot the first current through him . Prison doctors pronounced the convicted murderer dead at 12:19 . One article says , " Three applications of the current were made . " Here 's a more detailed description : After the first application of the electricity , Dr. Joseph Mc Laughlin , the prison surgeon , made an examination and announced that the pulse was still beating . After a current had been applied a second time , the surgeon detected a movement of the heart , but when the current was applied a third time Tucker was prounounced dead . Tucker was convicted in the murder of Mabel Page in her home in Weston on March 31 , 1904 . 
July 11 , 1906 ( Monday ) . NOTE : There was so much news in yesterday s papers that I feel compelled to offer some spillover news . KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL AND THE MALLET : Robert J . Collier ( of the Collier s Weekly publishing family ) was hurt badly in a June 9 polo game at New York s Meadow Brook Field . During the match , Harry Payne Whitney ( left ) swung his mallet at the ball . He missed . But in his follow through , the head of the mallet smashed into Collier s face . According to The New York Times , Collier s eye was torn from its socket and he was stunned by the blow . He was treated at Nassau Hospital in Mineola . Evidently , being born with a silver spoon in your mouth can t protect you from getting a polo mallet in the head . SOMEONE SHOULD BUY EACH JUROR A NICE , TALL COLD ONE : The Rev. A . H . Seechel s plan to expose a Sunday beer - selling scandal in Appleton , Wisc . , has fallen flat . Evidently , he set aside some time on a recent Sunday and went to a saloon and bought some beer . He did this to provide evidence against a salon keeper , who had thereby violated a Sunday - closing law . Well , on June 9 , jurors found the clergyman guilty of violating the Sunday labor law . They decided that the purchase of beer is , indeed , a form of work . This will be appealed . PACHYDERM MAKES EM SCATTER AT G . O . P . CONVENTION : Somebody had some fun over the weekend with attendees of the Republican County Convention in Fairfield , Ia . , on Saturday . Some jokesters hired an elephant from a local circus , draped a G . O . P . banner over it and led it to the door of the convention hall , which at the time was full of delegates . The trainer then coaxed the animal to trumpet . The elephant then marched through the door . The delegates reportedly hastily left via the windows . Many were bruised . One man suffered a broken arm . Once the hoax was revealed and delegates discovered that the animal was under a trainer s control the whole time , they returned . Some laughed about it . For the purposes of the exercise , the elephant was named Teddy Roosevelt . The lesson : The Republican party is afraid of him . 
Jan . 10 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . EUROPE READY TO TAN OUR HIDE : The scandal regarding Chicago 's meat - packing industry is confirming some of the worst fears some Europeans have of Americans and the way business is done in the U.S. An article by the New York Sun 's London correspondent has some interesting observations : It is frequently said here that American memories are short and American public the most tolerant of abuses of any in the world , but the manufacturers of American food products will not find either of those characteristics among European consumers . and The old world has come to believe in general terms that American business methods are rotten . It is a sad thing to write of the reputation of one 's counry , but it is the simple truth and the truth better be told without disguise . It will take more than paper reorganization of the great life insurance companies and a cleaning of the Augean stables at Chicago to restore European belief in American honesty and fair dealings . It will be a long time before public opinion on this side of the Atlantic will have any confidence in American corporate reform . SPEAKING OF BRITISH SENSIBILITIES : Reports from New York to London seem to indicate that British readers think women in this country are dressing in " Godiva - like simplicity . " Here 's more , from those wild and crazy New York Sun correspondents : These lurid reports of " peekaboo " blouses have caused anxious eyes to be cast at the costumes of British girls . The result is a report that what used to be known as the " pneumonia blouse " is practically extinct . High collars with less and less transparency below seem to be the order of the day . Well , if they 're upset by those " peekaboo " blouses and if the " pneumonia blouse " is giving them a fever , I hope they don't see how we are advertising our " undermuslins " ( below ) . 
June 9 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . EXCUSE ME , COULD YOU PLEASE PASS ME THE BALL ? Amos Alonzo Stagg ( right , when he was a student at Yale in the 1880 s ) , football coach of the University of Chicago , has come up with a plan that he thinks will help take some of the vicious edge off the game of college football . Some are calling it " new football . " The rules will basically stay the same . He 's looking to change attitudes . One thing he 's working on is to have a dinner the night before the Minnesota - Chicago football game . At the banquet , players from opposing positions will sit next to each other . And there 's supposed to be no talk of " conflicts in financial matters and eligibility questions , " according to an article in the Washington Post . Wonder how the game will turn out this fall . SECRET SERVICE HELPS " FURST " FAMILY : As the Roosevelt children headed from Washington to Oyster bay yesterday , some fur began to fly over the travel arrangements for the family 's gray and white kitten named Posey . At the Baltimore and Ohio Station , the Pullman conductor refused to allow the kitten to be taken on board the special car . He told the children that the cat had to travel with the baggage . Quentin , who 's 6 ( right , in 1904 , with his dad ) was holding the kitten . He told the conductor that the trip would have to be postponed indefinitely until the arrangements were made so Posey could travel with dignity . Sensing trouble , a Secret Service guard named Connell stepped in and figured out how to avoid the situation that threatened " to upset the juvenile ship of state . " He got ahold of a small pasteboard box , cut a hole in it , and put the kitten inside . At that point , the conductor stepped aside and the Roosevelts stayed on schedule . I liked reading about Quentin 's spunk . Makes me wonder what will become of such a man when he grows up . THANKS , CAP ' N : Passengers of the steamer Chicora ( right ) of the Niagara River Line had a rough passage on a trip from Toronto to Lewiston , N . Y . A storm struck in the middle of Lake Ontario and heavy seas repeatedly swept the ship 's decks . Eventually , Capt . Smith steered the ship into the river and safety . The grateful passengers passed a hat and presented the captain with $ 200 . A BRUTAL KILLING IN A BRONX MANSION : Evidently , 40 - year - old widow Alice Kinnan was sitting in her house with her mother , Mrs. Louis M. Stanton , when she heard a knock on the front door . She went to the door , exchanged words with someone . Then her mother , nearly 90 , heard a sound like a body hitting the floor . It turns out it was Alice 's body . The police are stumped . Here 's how the last paragraph in the Washington Post story goes : The house where the murder was committed is known as the Stanton mansion , and is one of the oldest in the Bronx . According to the neighbors , Mrs. Stanton is quite wealthy . It is said the she was a great friend of the late Commodore Vanderbilt , and that he aided her at one time when her home and fortune were in danger of being swept away many years ago . Might want to keep an eye on this one . 
June 8 , 1906 ( Friday ) . A SHIP WITH A FUTURE : The 790 - foot - long Lusitania was launched at Glasgow yesterday . The launching at Clyde Bank was witnessed by thousands . It 's the largest liner in the world . The picture at right shows the business end of the ship . Don't know why I think it 's important , but I thought a view from below the waterline would be of interest . It 's expected that the Lusitania will be able to scoot along at about 24 or 25 knots . The crew will number about 800 . There 's room for 550 in first class , 500 in second class and 1,300 in third class . This probably won't be the last we hear of this great ship . Cunard expects to launch her sister ship , Mauritania , in a month or so . DON ' T READ THIS BEFORE YOU EAT THAT HAMBURGER : Labor Commissioner Neill faced some rough treatment at the hands of Congressmen yesterday during hearings about the quality ( or lack thereof ) of meant - packing . Some representatives questions Neill 's ability to evaluate what he saw . According to The Washington Post , Neill said , " I claim that any man can tell dirt and filth when he sees it . " He was forced to back up his claim that he saw men with tuberculosis spin on the floor of the packing houses . A BIBLICAL REFERENCE IN A BASEBALL STORY : Syracuse Stars pitcher Willie Mains ran into trouble in the ninth inning yesterday . He lost a 5 - 2 lead and gave up some hits in the process . The article put it this way , In the ninth they fell upon him and smote him hip and thigh . Wonder if the hitters were swinging a " jawbone of an ass. " ROOSEVELT ' S LASTING IMPRESSION : A sculptor ( The Washington Post says it 's " K . E . Frazer , " but I think it 's probably J . E . Fraser ) is working on a bust of President Roosevelt , reportedly in the East Room at he White House . It 's open to the public for a couple of hours each day , and plenty of people are watching the artist at work . It 's supposed to be a likeness of TR when he was VP ; I think it 's supposed to be placed with other vice presidents in the Capitol . Here 's what I think it 's going to look like when it 's finished . 
June 7 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . June 7 HOW THEY CAUGHT ' OLD JACK ' CANNON : New York police finally nabbed " Old Jack " Cannon . The widely known burglar was spotted by someone when he was taking money from a room in the Astor House in New York City . He admitted early yesterday that he is , indeed , Cannon , whom an article called " one of the cleverest ' underworld ' workers in this country . " To back that up , the article in the Washington Post says Inspector Byrnes ( meaning Thomas Byrnes , pictured at right , a NYC inspector who was fired by Teddy Roosevelt in 1895 -- Jacob Riis mentioned him in Chapter 13 of his book . ) included him in his book on criminals . One of Cannon 's early crimes was about 30 years back , when he shot detective Patrick O ' Neil in Detroit 's Cadillac Hotel . In the 1860 s , he robbed a jewelry story of $ 50,000 in diamonds ; he later stole $ 90,000 worth of jewels from a store in Mobile , Ala . He 's pretty old now , but it apparently it took three men to subdue him . A TICKLE IN THE THROAT LEADS TO A ' MIRACLE ' IN CHICAGO : Louis Mendelson , who 's 38 , walked into his family 's wholesale liquor store on Halstead Street in Chicago two days ago , and said , " Hello . Is this hot enough for you ? " The comment stunned his brother Samuel so much that he failed to answer the question . Instead , he called two other brothers into the room so they could hear Louis repeat the question . They were stunned . That 's because Lewis had not said a word for more than 20 years -- since he was 17 . At that time he had contracted a fever . Somehow his vocal chords were paralyzed . Doctors couldn't explain it . It all changed on Tuesday . Samuel is quoted as saying , " I never expected to hear him utter a word again . If miracles are possible in these days I guess this must be one of them . " An article in The Lincoln ( Neb . ) Evening News says , " He told his brothers he had felt a sudden tickling in his vocal chords and the impulse to attempt speech had grown so strong that he could not resist it . " He left the business to take a walk and came back talking . And the topic , not surprisingly , was the weather , about which " everybody " talks . A DEAL IN D . C . : Here 's a semi - detached house ( right ) that 's for sale in the Washington Heights area of Washington , D . C . Each has a servants ' stairway and other distinctive interior features . A group is being sold , and each one costs $ 8,000 . This is a good deal , the ad in today 's Post says . " They cannot be duplicated for less than $ 10,000 . " . 
June 6 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . ANCHORS AWAY , AWAY , AWAY : The Senate passed the Navy bill , which allows for the construction of a large battleship . Senator Bacon worried how expensive it would become if we kept trying to keep pace with Great Britain . Senator Tillman said the Navy has been so careless or unlucky with its operations that he thought it unwise to make the ships too expensive . He took a deep breath and drew from a fable of Aesop ( right ) to express his worries : We are getting bigger and bigger like the frog that tried to emulate the ox and if we don't look out we ' ll pop . It would be nice to get my hands on Townsend 's translation of the fable . One version of the moral : Not all creatures can become as great as they think . ONE PERSON ' S MEAT : All this talk about bad meat coming from Chicago packing houses is having an effect on restaurants . One article says , with a New York dateline , " Pork products have been taken off the bills of fare at even the cheapest restaurant . " The beneficiaries are the " physical culture and vegetarian restaurants . " One manager of a vegetarian eatery told a reporter , " The recent revelations about the conditions in Chicago has been the entering wedge for people who were inclined to a vegetarian diet but who were ashamed to forsake meat for fear that they would be dubbed odd . " TAKE A JOKE AT BEDTIME ; CALL ME IN THE MORNING : Here 's a little joke printed in today 's Washington Post , which got it from Puck : Medical student : What did you operate on that man for ? Eminent surgeon : Five hundred dollars . Medical student : I mean , what did he have ? Eminent surgeon : Five hundred dollars . 
June 5 , 1906 ( Tuesday ) . WHEN YOUNG WAS YOUNG : There 's a fascinating tale in today 's Post - Standard about the very beginning of the pitching career of Cy Young ( right ) -- back in 1890 when he was trying to get a chance to play with Canton ( Ohio ) of the Tri - State League . The writer of the little story , George Geer , was manager of the rival Mansfield team . One day , Mansfield visited Canton and an untried Young -- who was signed as a catcher -- was languishing on the Canton bench . Geer recalls : During preliminary practice Young was seated on the bench wearing a very funny makeup in the way of a baseball uniform . The outfit was much too small for his big frame and as his spirits were at a low ebb the expression on his face tallied with his uniform . Altogether he was a forlorn looking individual . Then the Mansfield catcher , named Fitzsimmons , stepped in . Geer recalls , " He was a good fellow who was always willing to do anyone a good turn . " Fitzsimmons tried to cheer up the opposing team 's player , but he didn't get far . Young told him he wanted a good tryout but was awfully homesick and was ready to retire before he even began his career . The next day , the Mansfield team showed up at the ballpark and noticed Young throwing to a catcher near the grandstand . They were amazed at his speed . When Canton 's Manager Morton arrived , the Mansfield catcher ( Fitzsimmons ) took it upon himself to encourage Morton to give Young a tryout as a pitcher . A couple of days later , word came over the wires that Young had shut out the Wheeling team -- limiting them to one hit . This marked the beginning of a remarkable career as a baseball pitcher . The writer says that catcher , Fitzsimmons , deserves credit for getting Young 's career started . Here 's how Geer ends the article : Manager Morton assured the writer that he had fully determined to send Young home , and Young has said numerous times that had he been released by the Canton Club he would have in all probability remained on the farm for the rest of his life . That 's a chilling thought to baseball fans everywhere . I ' m not sure if this story is commonly known about Young 's beginnings . If true , it 's pretty neat . ROOSEVELT REVEALS REVOLTING REPORT : President Roosevelt has sent to Congress the report of Charles P . Neill and James B . Reynolds that describes some of the horrid conditions at Chicago 's stock yards . " Conditions are revolting , " Roosevelt wrote . He points out that U.S. laws protect meat destined for other countries much better than they protect meat that 's eaten domestically . This brings the meat - packing controversy to a new level . To help make the point , The Washington Post recently published a little poem that was reprinted in today 's Post - Standard : Mary had a little lamb , And when she saw it sicken She shipped it off to Packingtown , And now it 's labeled chicken . THE CASE OF THE DUNNING DOCTOR : A Newark , N . J . , doctor is in trouble . He was fined $ 50 yesterday in U.S. District Court for using the mails to send a threatening postal card . What was the threat ? It turns out he sent a notice to a patient who owed money for treatment and threatened legal proceedings unless the account was settled . What 's someone supposed to send to a debtor , flowers ? 
June 4 , 1906 ( Monday ) . TIGHT SECURITY IN MADRID : On Sunday , King Alfonso and Queen Victoria headed to the opera . That meant security would be tight -- in light of the recent assassination attempt on the couple . Authorities kept careful track of each ticket , making sure they knew who got one . At one point , they discovered that one of the tickets was missing . An article said , " This had a suggestive meaning . " The king 's protectors did not want the ticket to end up in the hands of a bomb thrower . So , a whole new set of tickets was printed up for the opera -- using a different color . All went well at the opera . But I must say that the production was a strange choice for newlyweds . They saw " Lucia di Lammermor " ( right ) . In it , the bride kills her groom . PROTECTING THE BORDERS : In light of recent anarchist attacks , the U.S. is stepping up its vigilance on its borders -- or so says Joseph Murray , assistant commissioner of immigration . He states , " The immigration laws provide that any anarchist can be deported solely because he is an anarchist . " That 's enough to make anyone feel safe . So , how does he know they 're an anarchist ? They don't all walk off the boat with a lit bomb in their right hand , do they ? MORGAN ' S NEW MASTERPIECES : Word from Paris yesterday indicates that J . P . Morgan has paid $ 5.5 million for a stunning art collection that used to belong to Rodolphe Kane . His latest haul includes paintings by Rembrandt , Van Dyck and Rubens as well as 18 th - century furniture and some tapestries and sculpture . It also includes the " Rest on the Flight to Egypt " ( right ) . I wonder where that one will be 100 years from now and how it got there . 
June 3 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . AN ADE TO DIGESTION : Today 's Washington Post has a delightful tale by the very funny George Ade ( right ) He is among one of the great humorists of the age . This piece is typical . The title is " In and Around Luxor , with a Sidelight on Rameses the Great . " He has the right tone from the first sentence : Until we arrived at Luxor we did not know the total meaning of the word old . The ruins , which are the stock in trade of this ancient City of Thebes , date so far back into the dimness of Nowhere that all the other antiquities of earth seem as fresh and recent as a morning newspaper . Above , I ' ve included one of the illustrations , which goes to the heart of his essay . He writes , In old Egypt every king was his own press agent . These rulers could have written some dandy ' personal recollections ' for the magazines , because they remembered all the incidents that brought them to the center of the stage with the calcium turned on , and wisely forgot all details calculated to injure their standing with posterity . To show that Ramses had a sense for his place in history , Ade " found " a parchment in a " mummy . " He provides an inter - linear translation . If you can't read it in the image above , here it is in type : Rameses Second is a Smooth Citizen . His Foxy Scheme is to bunko Posterity . His Soldiers go out and put up hard Scrap and do up the enemy and he hires a Stonecutter to give an Account of it on a Granite Rock and hand all the Bouquets to Ramses . He is building many Temples . The Architects draw the Plans . The Laborers do the Work . The Public foots the Bill . Ramses and the local Deities are the only ones who butt into the Inscriptions . He has the future doped out as follows -- Three thousand years from now when Cook 's Tourists see my Pictures all over the Shops , they will conclude that I must have been the real Works and they will call me Rameses the Great . BACK TO ' NORMAL ' IN MADRID : Many newspapers in this country put on their front pages today a story about King Alfonso and Queen Victoria 's trip to a bullfight in Madrid on Saturday . About 60,000 people were in the ring . ( The picture at right shows the results of one fight in Madrid in 1905 , I think . ) The Washington Post noted the queen 's reaction ( or lack of reaction ) in a headline : " Young Queen Unmoved When Horse Was Torn to Pieces . " The article said it this way : The bull fight itself was a disappointment to the Spaniards , as some of its usual blood - curdling features were omitted probably as a concession to the Queen . She viewed the gory spectacle without the least outward evidence of emotion . One maddened bull literally tore a horse to pieces under the railing of the royal box from which Victoria looked down without shrinking . Another headline , referring to the assassination attempt on May 31 , said " National Sport Takes People 's Thoughts from Tragedy . " Wonder how any of the horses or bulls ( of whom eight were killed at the event ) would have worded that headline ? 
June 2 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . BERTHA HAS A BEAU : Bertha Krupp , the owner of the Krupp works in Essen and supposedly the richest woman in the world is engaged to Gustav Bon Gohlen Und Halbach . Her income from the Krupp iron works last year was about $ 3,000,000 . The only picture I could find is a rendering of what the couple might look like in , say , 21 years or so ( right ) . Gustav will likely resign from his diplomatic post at the Vatican and take over the operations of the Krupp plant . Bertha 's famous . I wonder exactly how she will be remembered . LEAGUE PRESIDENT DEPLORES BASEBALL ROWDYISM : Jake Wells , the president of the Virginia League , is upset about ongoing rowdiness in recent baseball games . He says , " The next player who assaults an umpire or even lays his hands on one of them in any manner will be suspended . " I don't know if he 's trying to make the umpires feel better , but he wrote a letter to them and said in his 15 years as a player he never saw an umpire killed . Yes , killed . Among the umpires he praises is Bob Emslie who has had to deal with some interesting situations in the past . SWIFT JUSTICE : It took a jury only 16 minutes to acquit Josephine Terranova , the teen - age girl who was on trial for the killing of her aunt . She still has to face a charge related to the killing of her uncle . Here 's how a newspaper article described the scene at The Tombs , when she returned : Outside the Tombs cheers were raised by a throng of hundreds of Italians , to whom the news of the acquittal was made known by the prisoner waving her handkerchief as she crossed the " Bridge of Sighs " leading to the Tombs . I ' m certainly no legal scholar , but it 's likely that this case will be remembered for a long time , based on her stories of abuse at the hands of her uncle and aunt and the involvement of the alienists who tried to test whether or not she was sane -- using Inquisition - like methods . 
June 1 , 1906 ( Friday ) . THE DUST SETTLES IN MADRID : More is known about yesterday 's bombing in Madrid . The king and queen ( Alfonso and Ena ) are safe . But about 16 people were killed in the attack . Evidently , somebody tossed a bouquet of flowers at the king 's carriage . The bouquet hid a bomb . That 's what some witnesses say . They also say that the bomb , hurled from a balcony , might have hit an electric wire . The royal carriage was damaged by flying splinters . The crowd was outraged by the attack . One article says , " Some French detectives were almost lynched merely because they had a foreign appearance . " At least one man has been arrested . FAMOUS FACE : Industrialist John D . Rockefeller sailed for Europe yesterday on the Deutschland , which is known for its speed and is the current holder of the Blue Riband as the fastest ship in the Atlantic . ( It 's also known for its excellent cafe , right . ) A " battalion of photographers encountered him at the gangway , and Rockefeller actually chatted with them . He suggested to them that they take a photo of a bystander . The cameraman said he wasn't famous . To this Rockefeller said , " Make him prominent by putting him in the newspapers . Then everybody will get to know him and point at him and say , ' That 's Smith , he 's a tough customer . ' " Rockefeller then chuckled and winked at his secretary , " whose face was as serious as a sprinter doing the last few yards of a dash . Reports last week indicated that Rockefeller would have modest accommodations . But now , the word is that he paid $ 1,150 for the " chamber de lux . " TAMING A TIGER : A headline in The Washington Post uses one of the more colorful phrases in the crime - fighting world : Raided " Blind Tiger " . It 's talking about a sensational raid on a bar near Danville , Va. A police officer had to climb a telephone pole to break into the place -- through a second - floor window . Lots of beer and whiskey was confiscated . A mixed crowd -- blacks and whites -- had to appear in court . A " blind tiger " is a place where liquor is sold illegally . Wish I knew the origin of the phrase . UPDATE : An alert reader ( thanks , Molly ) asked for the results of the Cornell / Harvard crew race , which was held on Friday May 25 . ( A preview was in the posting for May 23 , 1906 . ) As it turned out , Cornell beat Harvard by three lengths . The race conditions were less than ideal on the Charles River . The wind was running against the tide and there were some bad swells caused by " pleasure boats which the police had failed to cleaar from the course . " Cornell 's Coach Courtney was upset by the presence of the other boats . The coach " declared that the conditions had afforded no satisfactory test of what either crew could do because of the interference by the pleasure craft . " . 
May 31 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . WHO IS SANE ? The murder trial of teenager Josephine Terranova is taking a wild turn . Here 's an artist 's rendering of some of the tests that " experts " conducted on the girl to find out if she 's sane enough to stand trial for killing an oppressive uncle and aunt in New York City . The experts shot electricity through her body , jabbed needles into her cheeks , hit her ankles with steel and drop stones on her toes . She begged , " Let me go back to the Tombs . I am not crazy and I am not afraid . " Needless to say , some people are horrified by this . It makes you wonder if the experts would like to prove to their colleagues that they are , in fact , sane . SHIP TO SHORE : The British battleship Montagu hit some rocks yesterday off Lundy Island ( left ) . The Duncan class ship cost $ 5,000,000 to build , and now her hull is pierced with rocks . It 's not likely that the Navy is going to salvage it . If people can ever figure out how to stay underwater for a while , that might be the only way to visit the Montagu from now on . MADNESS IN MADRID : Today 's afternoon newspapers have a stunning bulletin : A bomb was thrown in Madrid at King Alfonso and his bride Ena ( right , during their engagement ) shortly after their wedding . Several people were killed in the attack and lots of details need to be rounded up by the news agencies . The couple did reportedly make it safely to the palace . 
May 30 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . THE BRITISH MIGHT HAVE A BEEF , TOO : Members of the House of Commons are prepared to take up the matter of the quality of meat imported from the United States . This morning 's London papers praised President Roosevelt for his intentions to investigate the meat - packing industry . I would think that the Lords of Packingtown won't be too inclined to worry about the British . Remember , Great Britain includes some people whose idea of a good meat dish is a pie ( right ) containing four and twenty blackbirds . A HUNDRED BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE ( Climbing ) WALL ... : A report out of Germany attempts to pinpoint one reason that the Germans didn't do well in the recent Olympic games in Athens . The focus is on BEER . An article blames " the beer drinking habit , which is greatly sapping the national vigor . " It looks as though the Germans should consider testing athletes for beer . Hmmm , if that happened , maybe an enterprising trainer would have to come up with something that could trick the testers . Why not call it , say , beeroids . ANOTHER REASON TO COVER YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU SNEEZE : The authorities in the Muhlhausen in Prussian Saxony are pursuing gross misdemeanor charges against Johann Furtman , acording to a report in at least one newspaper today ( The Gleaner in Kingston , Jamaica ) . The gentleman got the attention of town officials because he SNEEZED TOO LOUDLY on a city street . Not sure why a loud public sneeze is sneered on in Muhlhausen ; maybe it 's because of the town 's place in musical history . A policeman arrested him on charges of creating a disturbance . To line up witnesses , the police officer stopped a street car and got names of people who heard the " ahhhh - choo . " In the first trial , the street sneezer was acquitted . But authorities have launched an appeal . Wonder if anyone who said " Gesundheit " would be charged as an accomplice . PERHAPS THE MOST BRAZEN LYNCHING YET IN THE SOUTH : About midnight on Monday night , a group of about 25 men , got ahold of a special train in Monroe , La . , and headed to Tallulah in Madison parish . There , they broke R . T . Rogers ( a white man ) out of jail and hung him from a telegraph pole about a half mile from the courthouse . Rogers had been convicted of the murder of Jesse Brown , but courts declared him free last week because of a double - jeopardy situation . Brown was killed in February 1904 . An article in today 's Oakland Tribune calls this " one of the boldest lynchings in the history of lynch law . " It seems to me that Tallulah had another spectacular lynching some time ago . President Mc Kinley even mentioned that one in his state of the union address in December 1899 . 
May 29 , 1906 . A MEATY TOPIC : Upton Sinclair is at it again . Sinclair , who exposed problems with the meat - packing industry with the February publication of " The Jungle , " warns that the killing of diseased meat is still going on . He wants stronger measures in place than the Beveridge amendment . He wants the Neil / Reynolds report to be made public by the White House . He said yesterday , " There must be publicity , so that people of every community where cattle are killed will be made acquainted with the facts and will themselves apply the remedy . " Sinclair said an employee of the Armours in Chicago had offered to sell him -- for $ 2,500 -- some documents and letters dealing with the conditions of Chicago 's Packingtown . However , Sinclair said , somebody intervened and offered the man $ 11,000 for the same documents . LAND OF 10,000 FAKES : Minnesota is evidently trying to take the lid off the patent medicine racket . The State Dairy and Food Department announced yesterday that department employees are gathering samples of all kinds of cure - alls and potions . The department will analyze the contents and publish the results in a weekly report . The effort is particularly geared toward alcohol and opiates . The testing might be done better in a saloon than a laboratory . Come to think of it , I wonder if they ' ll test Coca - Cola . FATE OF LYNCHERS HANGS IN THE BALANCE : The federal government is evidently trying to figure out a way to punish the people who lynched Ed Johnson near Chattanooga , Tenn . , in March . You might remember a headline about the lynching from March 20 of this year . One that I saw said , " Man Reprieved Then Lynched . " Evidently , Johnson was lynched hours after the U.S. Supreme Court granted an appeal . About 75 men ( " of mature years " ) were so upset about the decision that they quietly went to the jail , which had only one guard , plucked Johnson from his cell and hung him from a bridge . One more thing : The rope broke , so they riddled him with bullets . He was to have been hanged the next day . Anyway , federal officials want to punish the lynchers , who were fully aware of the Supreme Court 's action that day . People in Chattanooga are pretty surprised . After all , a local grand jury had failed to find any reason to indict anyone in connection with the lynching . PHONES GIVE FAST NEWS : The Bell Telephone Company in Syracuse begins today a new service for baseball fans . If someone wants to know the score of any baseball game played by the local Empire State League team ( the Syracuse Stars , which is sometimes referred to in headlines as the " Twinklers " ) all they have to do is call " information " and the operator will provide an inning - by - inning score . This is perfect for those who can't wait for the next day 's paper .... or the invention of radio or television . 
May 28 , 1906 ( Monday ) . A LAST - MINUTE PARDON : The future queen of Spain , Ena of Battenberg , has made a huge impression on Spaniards . She 's in Spain now , in preparation for the marriage . She received a petition from some citizens and convinced the king ( Alfonso ) to pardon a man who was on his way to the gallows . A telegram from the king reached the prison at Badajoz a half hour before the execution . The article says , " The march to the gallows was about to begin when a messenger brought word of the pardon . " The lucky man is Fernando Levera . AN AMERICAN HERO OF THE BOER WAR : An editorial in today 's Post - Standard devotes quite a bit of space to an American named George Labram . His name comes up because of a reference to him in Arthur Conan Doyle 's " The Great Boer War . " He played a key role in the resistance of the siege of Kimberley . I ' m not sure what prompted the editorial . It seems as though the writer felt that it 's taken a long time for people to realize the key role Labram played . Labram 's heroism was legitimate , the writer said , " and it ought not to have taken the world seven years to find it out . " But he was known in England , I think . 
May 27 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . WONDER WHAT OPUS DEI THOUGHT OF THIS DOCUMENT : Here s an interesting notice that s from the Orient correspondent of Berlin . " Supposedly , it s a letter from someone in Pontius Pilate s court . The document was reportedly discovered recently in the library of the Lazarist Fathers in Rome . If this is authentic , it will be the most imporant historical document ever discovered that deals with the personality of Jesus , a news article says . According to that article , the text runs about 15 paragraphs . One section deals with Jesus ' physical looks , saying his shoulder - length hair was the color of ripe walnuts . The most intriguing passage : His mother is the best looking woman in these parts . SUMMER VISIONS : With warm weather coming , some Sunday papers are running a feature called The Beauty Ideals of the Summer Girl . Here s the subhead in one paper : She Bathes in the sea to develop the chest , Goes wading to become graceful , Goes loafing to improve her complexion And sleeps on the roof to cure Rheumatism . The picture on the right must be an example of the woman who bathes in the sea . Another suggestion , illustrated on the left : " The girl with weak lungs can go hunting . " Get enough women out there hunting and , who knows , men might even grant them the right to vote . OFF THE ISLAND : Eddie Guerin might have turned up in London . If the story is to be believed , he escaped from Devil 's Island , where he was serving a life sentence for dynamiting a strong room of the American Express in Paris . He and a couple of other escapees covered 200 miles of ocean in a raft or dug - out canoe to make their getaway ( as depicted at right in a French publication of a week ago ) . The French are trying to extradite the man who might be Guerin . He was in a London police court last Monday . 
May 26 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . A HIGHLY TRAINED ACTRESS : The special train carrying Sarah Bernhardt ( left ) ran into a snag . Near Mankato , Kansas , the train carrying her and her company had an accident on the way to a performance in St. Joseph s , Mo . The accident sent the actress into a bit of a tizzy . The news report says she seemed much excited and ran back and forth between her car and the locomotive . Even after workers had put her engine back on track , she demanded a new locomotive for her train . She said the old one was hoodooed . It had run along on railroad ties for about a half mile before leaving the tracks altogether . The delay blocked the Chicago , Rock Island they are a living protest against the prevailing moral staleness . 
May 25 , 1906 ( Friday ) . May 25 IT WAS NECK - AND - NECK , OR BOW - AND - BOW : The race is nearly over , and the winner is .... Private Enterprise , by an anchor length . People with nothing better to do have been keeping a spyglass on the building of two battleships , the Connecticut ( above , upper ) and the Louisiana ( above , lower ) . The Louisiana , built by the Newport News Shipbuilding Co. , was delivered to the government on Tuesday in Norfolk . It 's finished . This ends a three - and - a - half year race with the Brooklyn Navy Yard , which has been building the Connecticut . Apparently , a private yard can do a faster , and less expensive , job building one of these big ships than the government can . The Louisiana 's keel was laid on Feb. 7 , 1903 , about a month before the Connecticut . It looks like the Connecticut is still some months away from completion . The cost is revealing , if news articles are to be believed . The Louisiana cost $ 3.992 million . The Connecticut has cost $ 4.212 million and the builders want an additional $ 380,000 . Not sure what the U.S. would even need to do with a bunch of battleships . THE MAN WHO USED HIS CHILDREN TO PULL HIS PLOW : A farmer living about five miles southwest of Neenah , Wisc . , has attracted the attention of the authorities , including Dr. Wilkie of the Fox River Valley Humane Society . After receiving a tip , Wilkie confirmed a story that the man has been plowing his 10 - acre plot of land with the help of four of his seven children . He harnessed them to a heavy plow and guided it along its way as they pulled it . Of his seven children , most are girls and none is older than 14 . Five are school age -- but don't go . They can't read . Officials are making him send those five to school . Not sure what he ' ll do with the other two . Guess he ' ll have to buy a smaller plow . CONGRESSMAN WAXES ELOQUENT AND MAKES A CLASSICAL ALLUSION : A news report in the Atlanta paper says Congressman Charles A . Towne of New York was " in splendid voice " in yesterday 's session in Washington . How splendid ? Well , he flayed President Roosevelt over , among other things , his position on the railway rate measure . Towne drew from some history of ancient Rome : This vauntedly nonpartisan rate legislation became a partisan Republican bill as far as they could make it one , and the president of the United States , shorn of his barbaric , oriental powers , like another Caratacus , manacled and humbled , followed the chariot of the duke of Rhode Island . " ( Who writes his stuff ? ) I wish I knew more about Caratacus ( right ) . The " duke of Rhode Island , " by the way , must be Sen . Aldrich . 
May 24 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . NORWAY LOSES A LITERARY GIANT : Today 's morning papers say Norway 's greatest dramatist , Henrik Ibsen ( right ) , , has died . It happened peacefully yesterday afternoon . He was 78 . His wife , his son , Sigurd , and his daughter in law were with him . All theaters were closed in Christiana last night . The slorthing ( or parliamentary body ) " formally recorded the national grief at the loss of this foremost figure in the literary life of the nation . THERE WAS A FINE SHOW OUTSIDE THE THEATER : Some guests at the White House used the President 's carriage and coachman to go to a performance at the Belasco Theater in Washington , D . C . , last night . During the performance , the manager of the company playing in the theater , Clarence T . Boykin , asked the coachman to move the carriage because the sound of the hoof beats on the street was disturbing the performance . The driver ( obviously having learned something about stubbornness from the president ) refused to budge . Boykin dragged the coachman from the seat and began to fight with him . Police intervened . YOU ' LL NOTICE THEY DON ' T CALL IT CANCERNO : Here 's a big four - column ad for Scrapno chewing tobacco . It 's kind of clever . " Scrapno " means " no scrap " in the wad of tobacco . Just good , old , healthy tobacco . I particularly like the claim on the lower right of the package : " No Scraps , Waste or Sweepings . " What a thing to brag about -- no " sweepings . " At least that distinguishes it from anything that comes out of the meat - packing plants in Chicago . 
May 23 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . ARTIST ' S LAST STAND : The body of John Mulvaney , the painter of this 1881 painting called Custer 's Last Rally ( above ) , was pulled out of New York 's East River on May 21 and identified yesterday . His picture was exhibited in almost every major city in the country . His sister said the painter had been missing since the first of the month . The painting drew plenty of favorable comments . SPORTING GESTURE FROM HARVARD : The Cornell crew ( above , upper ) is on its way to Cambridge for a meet with Harvard ( above , lower ) . Cornell is at a bit of a disadvantage . That team 's stroke , E . T . Foote , is not with the team due to illness in his family . ( There was a front - page story in the Middletown , N . Y . , paper on the 18 th saying that Foote -- stroke for Cornell for two years -- had to go home to Bridgeport , Conn. , because his mother was ill . ) The manager of the Harvard crew , Emerson , telegraphed Cornell and offered to postpone the race until Foote was ready to row . Cornell sent a three - word telegram back to Cambridge : " Unnecessary to postpone . " The Cornell crew passed through Syracuse at 11:10 on the way to Cambridge . They were in two sleepers on Train No. 36 . The Cornell - Harvard meets have become significant since Cornell 's spectacular upset of Harvard and Yale in 1897 . BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE : Three inmates of the Orleans County , Vermont , jail found a noteworthy method of busting through the wall for a taste of freedom yesterday . John Jenkins , Joseph Mc Donald and William Irving , who were awaiting trial for robbing the post office at Nortons Mills , sang and shouted boisterously as they broke through the wall . The sounds they made with their mouths covered up the noise they were making breaking through the wall . The four prisoners weren't noticeded until they were seen strolling down the street in Newport . After they were spotted , they ran and melted into the surrounding woods . 
May 22 , 1906 ( Tuesday ) . THE CYCLE OF LIFE ROLLS INTO THE GLOBE OF DEATH : The Globe of Death has rolled into Syracuse . It 's kind of hard to understand exactly what 's going on without seeing it , but here 's how it 's described in the paper : A globe or sphere of latticed ironwork sixteen feet in diameter ( right ) is fastened securely to the stage , with a door in front just large enough to allow Dr. Clarke and his daughter to enter with their bicycles . Once inside the sphere they ride around at a rapid rate of speed , circling this way and that and avoiding a collision in a skillful manner . The climax of the act comes when , after Miss Clarke and the bicycles have been removed , a motor cycle is introduced . Mounted on this , Dr. Clarke starts on a circular tour of the sphere , pedaling slowly at first . Then the gasoline motive power is applied and the audience catches its breath as the rider , gaining sufficient momentum , suddenly swoops to the bottom of the globe and loops the loop time after time in a vertical circle . Dr. Clarke clearly has a dash of daring in him . I wonder what his future holds . IF YOU ' RE GOING TO HAVE NINE LIVES , YOU ' VE GOT TO START WITH ONE : A fire in a commercial district of Hartford City , Ind . , threatened a mother cat and her four kittens -- who had made their home in the back of a store . As the room filled with smoke , she carried two kittens over counters and shelves to reach a window sill . There , she let them down . Then she went back for the other two . By that time she was soaked with water . She could only manage to bring one of them to the safety of the window . Firefighters , who were watching the feline rescue , took note . They rescued the fourth kitten . IMPORTANT , IF TRUE : This might be true . Then again , it might not . But word out of St. Petersburg is that a tribunal investigating some of the unfortunate events surrounding the Russo - Japanese War has decided that Baron Anatoli Stoessel ( left ) , the general who surrendered Port Arthur to the Japanese in the beginning of 1905 has been sentenced to death . The article begins this way : " It is rumored that .... " So , we ' ll just have to wait and see . The same report says that Rear Admiral Nebogatoff ( right ) is also sentenced to die -- for surrendering part of the fleet . I ' m pretty sure that none of the men sitting in judgment were among the soldiers or sailors whose lives were spared because the commanders had the good sense to quit while they could . Here 's how the fall of Port Arthur was described in an Australian paper in January 1905 : The escapers who reached Chi - fu describe the state of Port Arthur as terrible . " A living hell , " they call it . Many of the hospitals were destroyed in the bombardment , and when the surrender took place there were 15,000 sick and wounded men , many of whom were sheltered only from the bitter cold of the winter among the debris of ruined buildings in the streets . Some of the wounded soldiers , delirious with fever , staggered back from their lairs to the front , and getting into the fighting line madly hurled stones and shouted defiances at the enemy until they themselves were either captured or killed . General Stoessel , it is stated , had only 5000 able - bodied and convalescent soldiers to man the whole of the forts when he capitulated . 
May 21 , 1906 . ANOTHER REASON TO THINK TWICE ABOUT TAKING THOSE BALLROOM - DANCING LESSONS : Shocking news arrives from Vienna . It turns out the famous dancer Rosario Guerrero is in an asylum . The alleged cause of her insanity ? " Excessive dancing . " People here might remember her American debut at the Lyric Theater in New York in November 1903 . She gave a pantomine titled " The Rose and the Dagger . " Evidently it was always a pretty good idea not to follow her too closely . When she moved from Paris to Vienna , three young noblemen followed her . One committed suicide . The other two died in a duel . The report says , " She even rises in the middle of the night to dance until she falls exhausted on the floor . " A NICE GAME OF SUNDAY BASEBRAWL : Teams from the Ohio towns of Mansfield and Sharon squared off yesterday , which was Sunday . About 2,000 people watched . So did Constable Buck and Deptuy Harris . Once the game began , they strolled onto the field with warrants , intending to arrest the players for playing on a Sunday . The fans stormed the field , grabbed the officers and " beat and cuffed and jeered them . " Then , " The officers escaped under police protection . " ( Huh ? ) The crowd then turned its attention on the judge who had issued the warrants . The judge , evidently without police protection , was surrounded as he sat in his buggy . The crowd removed the wheels from the carriage . That meant the judge got an intentional walk . 
May 20 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . SIZE MATTERS ; The largest passenger ship in the world , Kaiserin Auguste Victoria of the Hamburg - America line , landed yesterday in NY . It was her maiden voyage . The ship is about 700 feet long . She was not built for speed . , Comfort , rather , was the point . That 's why it had a dining room inspired by the Ritz Carlton ( right ) . The maiden voyage had a probloem . Just before it sailed from Hamburg , a huge fight broke out among the crew . One was killed . Nine were hurt badly . The tussle was related to lingering disputes over a strike . OF MICE AND SUBMARINE MEN : Some of today 's editions included an item about the valuable service white mice play on British submarines . Each boat has the animals on board because even the slightest gas leak will cause them some discomfort and they will squeak -- serving the purpose of being an alarm to the crew , who will head for some fresh air . The sensitivity to gas means the mice would be horribly squawky in Parliament . BEDDE SYDE MANORS : There 's a big change afoot in the royal household in Britain , evidently . Whereas Queen Victoria ( right ) was a stickler for maitaining tradition , King Edward might be loosening things up a bit . There 's a report in the papers today , by " special cable " from London that the old rules for royal bed - making may be on the way out . Here 's a section of the instructions that used to be posted as a guideline for making the sovereign 's bed . ( I ' m picking it up in the middle of the instructions , so DON ' T TRY THIS AT HOME ) : .... Then shall squyers of ye bodye laye handes thereon and laye it streight upon ye bedde without any wrinkles and ye sheets in samewise . Then take bothe sheetes and fustian by ye bordure and put them in under ye fether bedde at both ye sydes and at ye feete also . Then laye on ye over sheetes and go to ye bedde 's head and shake down ye bedde ..... You don't even want to know what they do with the holy water ! Rewards await , the bed makers , however , because " all that were at ye making of ye bedde muste have bred and ale and wyn . " It might just be me , but do you get the feeling that American newspaper readers are being snookered ? 
May 19 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . CARRYING NO STICK BUT SPEAKING UN - SOFTLY : Sen . Isidor Rayner is the latest politician to take a big stick to President Teddy Roosevelt . Rayner , from Maryland , says TR flip - flops on his positions on the railroad - rate bill ( which I don't understand , either ) . Rayner 's comments impressed the Atlanta Constitution so much that the editors put this drawing ( left ) on today 's front page . He looks like he 's either trying to give the bunt sign to a batter or doing a bad job trying to do a flash - in - the - pan dance of the future . Anyway , last month 's eruption of Vesuvius and earthquake in San Francisco provide some backdrop for Rayner 's comments on the president . Let 's call this our Quote of the Day : This is a great era for natural disturbances , and the president seems jealous of the earthquakes and volcanoes . He goes tearing through space oblivious of where he came from and with no conception of where he is going . DEATH OF A MARKSMAN WHO WAS WAY OFF THE MARK : Former Confederate soldier Peter E . Miller died of tuberculosis today at his home near Findlay , Ohio . He was 66 . He was one of those Southern sharpshooters who were REAL GOOD at a REAL BAD time . They were the ones who shot General Stonewall Jackson ( right ) at about 9 p.m. one May night in 1863 . They thought he was part of a federal detachment . One news account says Miller thought it was his bullet that killed Jackson . That might be a bit of a stretch . But his was evidently one of three bullets that hit the general . HAPPY 275 th : The Chelsea Ferry Company celebrated 275 years of service yesterday . The company , formed in 1631 , is believed to be the oldest business in the country . It runs three ferries between Chelsea and Boston . To mark the day , receipts from the ferries yesterday were presented to the Rufus S . Frost Hospital . Frost was in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1875 - 76 from the 8 th district of Massachusetts , a fairly famous district . 
May 18 , 1906 ( Friday ) . PREACHERS AND THE PRESS : Speaking at the evening session of the general council of the Reformed Episcopal Church in Philadelphia , Bishop Samuel Fallows ( left ) said sermon - writers could learn something from news writers . The bishop said ( and this is a paraphrase ) that " the press in some respects had superseded the pulpit and now exercises many of the functions which the pulpit has lost . " No , he wasn't caught up with the fire - and - brimstone coverage of the San Francisco earthquake of April . He seemed to be talking yesterday about the manner in which information is communicated . Here 's how he was quoted in an article this morning : The preacher of today can learn many valuable lessons from the modern newspaper . He should emulate it and catch its style . The ideal newspaper articles are sharp , short , pungent and to the point . The sermon should have all of these characteristics . MRS . DAVIS RALLIES : The first lady of the Confederacy , Varina ( Mrs. Jefferson ) Davis ( left ) , is fighting for her life in Manhattan at the Hotel Girard , a far cry from the Davis ' Beauvoir home . She turned 80 recently . After being given some oxygen yesterday morning , she improved . Her daughter and grandchildren , one of whom -- Jefferson Hayes Davis is a student at Princeton -- are at her side almost constantly . VALET PARKING WITH A TWIST : Automobile manufacturer J . H . Clarke , pulled over his car on Broadway , near 42 nd street early today . He stepped into a nearby restaurant . While he was inside , somebody jumped into his automobile and started it up . Clarke heard the puffing and raced outside , only to see the car drive off . This is a problem . For one thing the auto is worth an incredible $ 10,000 . To make matters worse , Clarke had left $ 2.4 million in bonds , scrip and valuable papers in the car , too . Somebody should invent a way to get food from a restaurant without having to get out of your automobile . Now , that 's a $ 2.4 million idea waiting to happen . ANOTHER LYNCHING : Last night , a mob got into the jail at Inverness in Citrus County , Florida , got ahold of the keys from the jailer and pulled Frank Jordan from his cell . Jordan , a negro , was in jail facing charges of robbing and killing a white peddler two weeks ago . The mob hung Jordan from a tree . One news article ends with a curious sentence : The body was not mutilated in any way . Hmmm . And that 's supposed to reflect well on the lynchers ? 
May 17 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . SENATOR KNOCKS PAPERS : The Atlanta Constitution goes right to the point with its front - page presentation of a conflict that 's brewing in Congress . Sen . Joseph W . Bailey ( left ) of Texas has essentially called President Roosevelt a liar . He is furious about a couple of articles that have appeared in newspapers in Chicago and New York that , he says , misrepresent his efforts regarding the railroad rate bill . He said the correspondents writing the articles are simply doing Roosevelt 's bidding . He said , I state that the two chief cuckoos of this administration are the correspondents of The New York Tribune and The Chicago Tribune . And therefore it seems to me conclusive that this slander proceeds from the White House . I hope for the honor of my country that it does not proceed from the President himself . He has challenged Roosevelt . He better have a fairly clean closet . Wonder how his career will turn out . NOTHING TO DREAD BUT DREAD ITSELF : The huge Navy appropriations bill includes money for a new battleship . Politicians want it to be the biggest one in the world , wanting to trump Britain 's Dreadnought , ( above ) which was launched in February . The House Minority Leader , whom I think is John Sharp Williams ( right ) , light - heartedly proposed an amendment to name it " Skeerd o ' Nothing . " I think he 's from Mississippi . FERRY GOOD JOB , CAPTAIN : I hope the new battleship will float better than the ferry Baltimore . It sank last night at the slip at the Desbrosses Street docks in Manhattan . The captain is to be praised . The double - decker ferry collided with a ship in the middle of the North River . The captain ordered full speed ahead and zipped into the slip . By the time all 150 passengers and horses had gotten off , the ship sank at the dock . 
May 16 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . IT TAKES A LOT TO REPEL A BUSINESSMAN : Here 's a great illustration that goes with an advertisement for something called Cascaret . The ad appeared in today 's Atlanta Constitution . Cascaret is something to take " When You have a Bad Breath . " ( That heading implies that bad breath is singular , but it usually surfaces in a series of breaths . ) The afflicted man in the middle repels the titans of business , who are doing a little gag - and - flee routine . I like the subtlety . That 's the hindquarters of a little dog that 's heading off the frame in the lower left of the drawing . Even a dog can't stand this man 's breath . Cascarets was made by the Sterling Remedy Company . That 's the outfit that , I think , made No - To - Bac , designed to cure someone of a craving for cigarettes . An artist named Maxfield Parrish made a drawing for that product in the 1890 s . That would be a neat item to buy . FALLOUT FROM ' FRISCO : Actuaries usually traffic in numbers . Miles M. Dawson , of the New York Legislative Insurance Investigating Committee , made an impression yesterday with his words . While testifying regarding the status of insurance vis - a - vis the San Franciso earthquake and fire , he said , There is not a fire insurance company in this country that knows whether it will be solvent or not when it pays its San Francisco losses . This " somewhat startled " the members of the House Committee on the Judiciary . He then explained what happened to U.S. insurance companies after the great Chicago fire . It wasn't pretty . TUMULT IN ATLANTA : The Atlanta paper roils with news about the hunt for , and death of , James H . Clark . He was a " love - crazed , whisky - maddened telegraph operator " from Chamblee , Ga . A posse of 200 tracked him down until Clark shot himself . This was after he killed one man and wounded five others . The first sentence of the article , by Gordon Noel Hurtel , sums it up : Foiled in his lovemaking with a 14 - year - old girl , with his brain weakened by recent illness and with his imagination fired by whisky , James H . Clark , night operator at Chamblee , shot and killed one man and wounded five other persons Monday night and early yesterday morning . That 's right -- a 14 - year - old girl . The paper names her ( Nellie Gay ) and prints a picture of her , among classmates . There 's also a group picture of many of the helpful men who tracked down Clark . YOU PROVIDE THE ENDING TO THIS JOKE : The Birmingham Post recently printed this little item , which was then reprinted in the Syracuse paper today : One day a husband returned from a short business trip and found his recent bride crying . " Oh , George , " she blubbered , " such a dreadful thing has happened . I made you a beautiful pie all by myself , and Fido went and ate it . " " Well , never mind , my dear , " he said cheerfully . " We can easily buy another dog . " OK , now . What 's a good next line ????? 
May 15 1906 ( Tuesday ) . A RIDDLE FOR BRITAIN TO PONDER : One of India 's great princes , Maharaja Gaekwar of Baroda is in New York City . He had an interesting exchange with journalists . Here 's how it was captured in a news article : In reply to a question as to whether Great Britain ever interfered with him , he said , " It is simply a case of a brass vessel and an earthen pot and affairs must be so regulated that they don't break . " What does the earthen pot represent ? inquired one of the newspaper men . " Why the weaker power , " the Prince quickly replied . And then he broke into a heavy laugh . One headline writer was attracted by that exchange . The result : " compares England and India to Earthen and Brass Pots , but Refuses to Say Which Is Which . " THEY WON ' T NEED INTRODUCTIONS IN THIS COURT CASE : I hope I can get this straight .... There 's a court case coming up in Gainesville , Ga . It seems that the superintendent of schools , Professor Garner , has been charged with assaulting a 10 - year - old , Harvey Brittain Craig . Forty school children have been subpoenaed for this . Now , the prosecutor is W . H . Craig , who happens to be the FATHER of the assaulted boy . Craig is also the editor and manager of The Gainesville Eagle newspaper . The judge is secretary and treasurer of the city school board . The prosecuting attorney is a member of the school board and Professor Garner 's lawyer is Col . H . H . Dean , who is president of the Eagle Publishing Co. , which owns the paper that W . H . Craig edits and manages . Maybe this should just go to the 1906 equivalent of Judge Judy . A FOND FAREWELL : We ' ve known for a couple of days that journalist and politician Carl Schurz was ill . Well he died at about 4:30 a.m. yesterday . He was a well - known publicist and Cabinet member ( Dept. of Interior under Rutherford Hayes ) . He died in his New York home due to " a complication of diseases following an attack of stomach trouble . " His son , Carl L , and daughters Marianne and Agatha were present with him . So , too was his business partner , Edward Pretorius . I hope he 's remembered for his interest in the outdoors . 
May 14 , 1906 ( Monday ) . GAPON MYSTERY SOLVED : Word out of St. Petersburg and Finland indicates that the fate of Father Georgi Gapon ( right ) has been determined . His corpse was found hanging from a nail in the upper chamber of a villa in Finland . Some man had rented the villa on April 8 but the landlord hadn't seen that person since April 11 . So , she told the authorities , who entered the building recently and found the corpse . Authorities are certain that Gapon was killed before he was hung on the nail . The face had decomposed but other evidence indicates they found the body of the missing labor leader , who was linked with last year 's Bloody Sunday . Revolutionists have suspected that Gapon has been spying for the government . That 's the current thinking , anyway . ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE TALE THAT CAN GIVE YOU A SHUDDER : Sad tales continue to trickle in from San Francisco , nearly a month after the earthquake struck . E . T . Johnson , part owner of a restaurant that was destroyed has finally found what he thinks are the bones of his partner , Theodore Hansen . Here 's how Johnson tells what happened : On the morning of the earthquake , I was just getting up . My partner was lighting the fire in the front part of the restaurant . When the shock came the front part of the building collapsed . I was able to escape the back way . I at once sought to rescue Hansen . I called for him , but there was no answer . I madly tore away the debris hoping that I would find him and be able to drag him to a place of safety . The fire came so rapidly that I was driven away and was compelled to leave poor Hansen under the collapsed building . He had returned to the site every day , looking for any sign of Hansen . He found the bones yesterday . I hope that he was killed outright and did not have to suffer the torture of being burned to death , Johnson said . A CHAMP WITHOUT A CHOMPER : Boxing champ Tommy Ryan ( left ) visited briefly with friends in his former hometown of Syracuse . He was riding the Lake Shore Limited from his farm in Michigan to New York City . As he talked with friends yesterday as the train paused at the station , he kept his hand over his mouth , explaining he had lost his false teeth . It didn't happen in the boxing ring . It happened yesterday morning in the bathroom on the train . He said , When I was making my toilet in my state room this morning I laid my teeth on the wash stand . It was one of those bowls that fold up , and when I finished washing , I punched the button and modern mechanism did the rest . When he lowered the bowl , the teeth were missing . He 's still a champion , I think . He 's gotta be about 36 . He spoke of a possible match with " Philadelphia Jack " O ' Brien . Someone asked where he got his tan . He reminded them that he was farming , near St. Joseph , Mich. He also spoke of his fondness for Syracuse as the train pulled out and he waved to people on the street and at hotel windows . I tell you , Syracuse is all right . You can't get away from it . Nearly every time that I have come home from the Pacific coast I have met a person or two from Syracuse on the Overland . Wherever you go you meet a Syracuse person or hear something about the town . If I wasn't farming I guess I would live here . SCHOOL FIGHT TURNS DEADLY : Seven - year - old William Songrin died at his home in Schenectady yesterday , about two weeks after getting into a fight " with several little boys " on their way home from school . Doctors say the cause of death is peritonitis . Despite his bruises , his parents thought the injuries weren't all that bad . A physician was called to the school May 10 . ( The fight was May 2 . ) By that time the boy was beyond saving . The coroner might make an arrest . 
May 13 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . THE FOUR TOPS : Get a load of these women . No , this is not a look at a new singing group . Instead , it 's the lineup of ladies who are showing off the " exquisite lingerie waists " that are on sale at the J . M. High store in Atlanta . They fill a large section of the front page of today 's issues of The Atlanta Constitution ; not surprisingly , they are " above the fold , " which might help single - copy sales . The store has about 1,000 waists , which normally cover the neck - to - waist areas . Styles available include " sheer Batiste , French Lawns and Persian Lawns . " Waists that normally cost $ 2 and $ 3 are going for $ 1.75 ; waists worth up to $ 3.50 and $ 5 are selling for $ 2.75 . Don't know if this includes the shoulder pads , which must account for the upper dimensions on these wasp - waisted women . Come to think of it , if they were a singing group , they could be called The Four Wasps . OUT , OUT DAMNED SPOTS ! Some fashionable women in London are having trouble trying to keep up with the speckled beauty of Queen Alexandra ( left ) . Evidently , she returned from a vacation a couple of years ago with some freckles on her cheeks . That prompted numerous keep - up - with - the - Joneses types to have some artificial freckles added to their faces . A report printed in the Atlanta paper ( via " special cable " from London ) says that women are trying now to get rid of the freckles . It 's not all that easy ; the article says : Many painful operations have been submitted to without the desired result . Princess Victoria claims to have a recipe that might do the trick on the spotted cheeks . The concoction comes from an " obscure woman in Sandringham . " Probably someone who 's at home in the beginning of " Macbeth . " . 
May 12 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . ABOUT THAT ' FLAG ' COMMENT : Bishop H . M. Turner , the first man of color named a chaplain in the U.S. military , is in Syracuse for some medical treatment . Turner , who lives in Atlanta , spoke at length about his recent comments about the U.S. flag . He had been criticized for saying , in February , that the flag was a " dirty rag . " He told a reporter , " I never said the flag was a dirty rag . What I did say was that since the government could not protect the negro and give him his rights the flag to him was nothing but a ' dirty flag ' . " He pointed out that - in the past 13 years -- about 2,700 colored men " have been put to death without judge or jury by miserable drunken , lawless mobs . " A PRESSING TIME FOR SCHURZ : Carl Schurz , one of the remarkable German - Americans of our time , is near death , according to reports out of New York City . I ' ve got to get to work , so I don't have time to describe all his accomplishments , which are numerous . One quote attributed to him is " My Country ! When right keep it right ; when wrong , set it right ! " I think that 's a little off . Here 's what I think he said , in the Senate in 1872 : The Senator from Wisconsin cannot frighten me by exclaiming , My country , right or wrong . In one sense I say so too . My country ; and my country is the great American Republic . My country , right or wrong ; if right , to be kept right ; and if wrong , to be set right . BIG PROBLEMS UNDER THE BIG TOP : It was a tough night for circuses last evening . In New Rochelle , a lamp exploded and shot flames into the top of a tent that covered about 2,000 people . Circus workers hustled to cut open the walls of the tent so people could flee . A large number of people were injured but nobody was killed . Another circus had a problem in Columbia , Mo . , where university students and circus employees got into a brawl . The students even went to far as to grease the rails of a train track , forcing one of the circus cars to jump the track . The problem started when students refused to leave the tent after a show . STRANGE TIMETABLE FOR TRAIN TRIAL : I don't know much about it , but what sounds like a really interesting trial ended yesterday in Albany . The decision in favor of Edward Johnson , a colored man , comes two years AFTER HIS DEATH . He had sued New York Central Railroad , saying that he was kicked off a passenger train in 1900 and lost his arm in the process . Yesterday , a jury awarded his attorney about $ 4,000 . This ends the sixth trial . Charges of jury tampering dogged this one . The articles says , " The case is one of the most remarkable in the history of civil actions in this country . " That 's right . It says " country , " not " county . " Wish I knew more . 
May 11 , 1906 ( Friday ) . NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY CALL IT ' THE DIP OF DEATH ' : Miss Isabelle Butler is drawing some attention for her driving . She is driving a car through the " Dip Of Death , " which is part of the Barnum & Bailey 's circus . It 's really hard to describe what she does . But seeing a poster ( above ) can help . It 's traveling around the country and arrives in Syracuse at the end of the month . At its highest point , this structure is 60 feet high . The gap is 40 feet . The trick takes a little less than four seconds . A helpful , thickly - brained journalist calculates that Butler earns a little less than $ 100 a second ( which might approach JP Morgan territory ) . Butler 's act is also called " L ' Auto Bolide . " One thing is for certain : It 's easier to do this with a car than a horse . Isn't progress great ? By the way , another show in the circus is called " The Twirls of Terror . " I wish I had the space to show you more of an early 20 th century circus . FINALLY THE TITLE MEANS SOMETHING : I spotted an ad for " The White House Cook Book . " The compilers are Hugo Ziemann and Mrs. F . L . Gillette . The F . L . stands for Fanny Lemira . I don't know much else about Mrs. Gillette , but I think she was the lead author and first came out with this about 20 years ago . She used the White House name in the title , but it gained some legitimacy when Ziemann got involved . He used to be the steward at the White House . I think he was the mastermind behind President Grant 's birthday celebration , which featured 1,000 guests . The book has got more than 500 recipes and it 's selling now for 51 percent off the regular price . That makes it 69 cents . The book could stand to be modernized a bit . Can't tell if it has President Mc Kinley 's last meal or not . A HOUSE OF ILL REPUTE : Massachusetts legislators look to be in a bit of trouble . Speaker Cole wants all members to cooperate with a grand jury as part of an investigation into ( gasp ! ) corruption . Numerous esteemed members of the House avoided the corridors of power because they didn't ' want to be on the receiving end of a summons . Some representatives can be easily seen by the bailiffs , but they are protected by a line over which only politicians and some officials are permitted to step . Evidently the boundary is called the " dead line , " which must make the journalists feel quite at home . BETTING ON LIVE BIRTHS : The American Birth Insurance Company of Boston has been charged with mismanagement of funds . Evidently , promoters of American Birth Insurance say , and this is quoted from the news story , the laws governing birth were as stable as those governing mortality , upon which life insurance is based , and statistics were carefully compiled . The company was conducted on mutual lines and by its means the policy holders who paid a small sum monthly received , upon birth of a living child , a cash benefit of from $ 50 to $ 500 depending upon the class of policy and the number of payments before the time of birth . Clearly the operative word is " living . " Certainly don't want one of those insurance salesmen wandering loose around someplace like the old Boston Lying - In Hospital or the Boston Hospital for Women or some such place . 
May 10 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . PRICELESS WORDS : The word is that eskimos have lots of words for snow -- because they are surrounded by it and because there are lots of subtle distinctions . I like the many words we might have for " embezzlement . " One little article today talks about a brokerage - firm clerk named Edwin S . Greenfield who absconded with $ 175,000 . The article -- with a Philadelphia dateline -- uses these two synonyms : defalcation and peculation . The article notes that Greenfield lost the money by " investing " in bucket shops . WHO ' S MINDING THE ASYLUM ? A congressional panel got an earful yesterday during testimony about the treatment of patients at the government 's asylum for the insane . Could it be talking about the place that Civil War soldiers called St. Elizabeths ? I think so . One person who testified , a tailor named Joseph A . Kensey , had been an inmate in the institution twice . He said he was told that , in the words of the reporter , " choking was the surest remedy for insanity . " . 
May 9 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . HARRIMAN ' S RECORD RUN : Railroad magnate E . H . Harriman ( right ) has set a record in his cross - country train trip ( from San Francisco to New York ) . He arrived in Manhattan on the Empire State Express of the New York Central & Hudson Rail Road at 10 p.m. yesterday . That ended a trip that took 71 hours and 27 minutes . One of the fastest sections was covered in Nebraska , between North Platte and Grand Island . His train covered the 138 miles in 114 minutes . When his train paused for three minutes in Syracuse , two reporters jumped on board and chatted with him . He was reading a novel in a drawing room car . To illustrate the extent of the damage done by the earthquake in San Francisco , he said , " If you can imagine that part of New York city from Fourteenth Street to the City Hall all torn down and charred , then you have a picture of San Francisco . " A LYNCHING FOR A HORSE : A report from Mississippi states that a mob lynched a negro named Sam Sims six miles from that state 's capital . Evidently the man was resisting arrest and killed a horse that , at the time , was being ridden by Constable Lamar Hendricks . That enraged friends of the constable . They tied the constable to a tree , so he wouldn't interfere . Then they lynched Sims . To avenge a horse . THAT WOULD BUY AN AWFUL LOT OF CLARINETS : Former conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra , Arthur Nikisch , ( left ) has a suggestion that might help the BSO land a first - class conductor . His idea : Bring him back to the podium . Nikisch , who was with the BSO from 1889 to 1893 , is willing -- if he gets paid $ 50,000 and has a $ 125,000 life insurance policy while he 's in this country . 
May 8 1906 ( Tuesday ) . OLD BOYS NETWORK HONORS " UNCLE JOE " : " Uncle Joe " Cannon ( left , in 1904 ) , speaker of the House of Representatives , was the honored guest at a reception yesterday marking his 70 th birthday . The party was at Washington 's Arlington Hotel . Most of the influential leaders in Washington were there , including all Cabinet members who were in town , most members of the House and Senate and the members of the Supreme Court . The party lasted from 9 p.m. to midnight . President Roosevelt showed up at 10 and stayed about an hour . The final tally indicates that 1,200 were there . One news article adds this incredible observation in its last sentence : " There were no ladies present . " TIL INDICTMENT DO US PART : The Rev. J . B . Dosier of Ashburn , Ga . , is a little embarrassed . Evidently he read a notice in a matrimonial paper that Miss Lucile Patterson of Lewiston , Pa. , was looking for a loving husband . So , he wrote to her . They exchanged numerous letters . He proposed marriage to her . She accepted , on one condition . Could he please send here $ 30 for train fare from Lewiston to Ashburn . He sent her the money . That was the last he heard of her . He told postal authorities in Washington about the situation . The article says that an investigation has led to the arrest of Patterson and her " pretty niece , " Edna Kirk . They are charged with fraudulent use of the mails . Evidently , " a large number of other victims to the tune of from $ 20 to $ 35 each have complained to the postal authorities of Mrs. Patterson 's matrimonial negotiations . " . 
May 7 , 1906 ( Monday ) . GAWKING IN ' FRISCO : It had to happen . Tourists are beginning to show up in the streets of San Francisco . The streets were crowded yesterday with rubber - neckers . A report from San Francisco says , " Every train from nearby towns and every ferryboat was packed with people eager to get a glimpse of the city 's devastation . " Also , one out of three carried a camera . The atmosphere seemed nearly carnival - like . Street vendors made lots of money selling refreshments . Also , the coroner now reports that 134 bodies have been identified ( out of 319 bodies found to date ) . FRAUD IN OREGON : More than 20 people have been indicted in Oregon in a land - fraud investigation . Federal authorities say there was a conspiracy afoot to acquire 200,000 acres in Crook , Lake and Klamath counties in that state . Yes , appropriately , that 's " Crook County . " Even better -- one of the accused is D . F . Steffa , the editor of the appropriately named " Crook County Journal " in Prineville , Ore . I don't know many details , but I liked the headline that appeared in one paper : " Men Range from Saloonkeepers to Editors . " Some might wonder just how big such a range might be . UPSTATE FARMER WOULD REALLY PREFER TO GO WIRELESS : David Follett , who runs a farm near Weedsport , N . Y . , was upset that the Independent Telephone Company was erecting poles and stringing wires along his property line yesterday . He wanted $ 10 per pole for damage to his property . The company offered $ 3 . He tried to drive the linemen away by firing shotgun blasts in the air . That didn't work . So Follett and some of his own hired men started cutting down poles as fast as they were being put up . One fell on a horse . Another fell to the ground -- with a man on top of the pole . ( He wasn't injured because he fell into a tree . ) The phone company manager -- at gunpoint -- forced Follett to turn over his saws and axes . He did . Those tools ended up in the Seneca River . The article says . " The men were then enabled to erect enough poles on which to string their wires although some were little over seven feet tall , having been sawed off two or three times . 
May 6 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . DERAILING TRAINS : Officials in Nordhausen in Prussian Saxony now prohibit women from allowing the trains of their dresses to drag on the street . The fine is $ 7.50 . This is a more stringent measure than the law currently on the books . Until now the ban applied only to the sidewalks of the Friederich Wilhelm Platz and streets adjoining to it . Now the entire city is in the banned - train zone . Can a mini - skirt be far behind ? STUBBORN STENOGRAPHER : Miss Horas , a stenographer in the office of Corporation Counsel of Chicago is sticking to her post . She has been discharged and workers have removed her desk . Still she refuses to leave the office and remains in her chair in the center of the room during the work day . She reads a book and claims that her job is protected by the Civil Service Commission . LIBEL IN VERMONT : Percival W . Clement , a former candidate for governor of Vermont has been found guilty of libel in U.S. Court . Jurors awarded Samuel D . Wilson $ 1,000 . The suit stems from the fact that Clement publicly called Wilson a murderer . Yes , Wilson had killed someone . When he was acting as a detective on behalf of Prohibition interests , he shot and killed Edward Goeben in White River Junction . Wilson was indicted on a manslaughter charge but was eventually acquitted , on a self - defense defense . As for Clement , my hunch is that he will someday be governor , but not for , oh , say , another 13 years or so . 
May 5 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . NEITHER RAIN NOR SLEET ... A New York city mail carrier made postal history the other night when he delivered a letter to someone who was sitting in the audience of an opera . The show was Victor Herbert 's " Mlle . Modiste , " which opened at the Knickerbocker last Christmas night . The recipient was a visitor to New York who had contacted some friends prior to coming to the city but had neglected to say where he was staying . He did , however , tell them he had a ticket to the opera , and happened to mention his seat and row numbers . The news item says , The New York postal authorities say the instance is the first on record where a special delivery letter has been addressed to a patron of a performance with a theater seat ( as ) the address . SAUSAGE MAKING : Now I know why Bismarck said what he did about the relationship between law - making and sausage - making . The Constitution in Atlanta mentions that Germany 's sausage makers used 97,000 horses last year . So , horses should worry about more than the glue factory . MAY TRIUMPHS IN ' MAYFAIR ' : Actress Edna May ( at center in the picture ) has wowed them again in London . She is performing in " The Belle of Mayfair " and sent a clipping from the London Daily Express to her parents in Syracuse . Here 's what part of the news story says : On the first night of " The Belle of Mayfair " the scene in this alley was most remarkable . A huge crowd waited for Miss May , and received her with as great enthusiasm as that with which they greeted her when she smiled upon them through the window of the Chaldicott mansion in the closing picture of the play . The crowd waited and compelled Miss May to make a speech to them before she left the theater . It was an unusual demonstration and a fine testimonial to the actress . 
May 4 , 1906 ( Friday ) . 10 YEARS , COUNT ' EM : Michael Angelo Mc Ginnis is heading in the right direction if he wants to write another popular mathematics text book -- to prison . In Kansas City yesterday , he was sentenced to 10 years for forging a deed to a city lot . Maybe he ' ll do what he did the last time he was in jail . A couple of years ago , he was jailed for misusing the mails ( while publishing a newspaper in Newton County , Kansas ) . Instead of scratching marks on the cell wall to count the days , he wrote " Algebra , the Universal Solution for Numeral and Lateral Equations . " The book was popular among mathematicians around the world . Wonder what he ' ll come up with now . Mc Ginnis , we 're told , is a direct descendant of Scotland 's John Napier , ( right ) the inventor of logarithms . QUIETLY CONNECTED : Miss Nannie Langhorne Shaw ( right ) of Virginia married Waldorf Astor , the oldest son of William Waldorf Astor , in a quiet ceremony at All Souls Church in London . They wanted a quiet ceremony because some members of the clergy in London had threatened to disrupt the ceremony . They object to the marriage of people who are divorced . DON ' T ASK : A director of the Bronx Zoological Garden in New York has come down with a case of tonsilitis . The word is that he caught it from a monkey , which has a sore throat . 
May 3 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . HOW LITTLE JAKEL GOT INTO THIS COUNTRY : A mother from Austria outwitted officials on the steamship Pannonia ( right ) by smuggling an 18 - month - old baby named Jakel Slotervyk into the country . Her husband , who lives in Patterson , N . J . , sent only enough money for his wife 's passage . He thought the child could sail for free . She found out different and tucked Jakel in a covered wicker basket . She kept him under cover throughout the trip , which ended yesterday . Nobody suspected anything until she got off the ship and met her husband . When he rushed up to hug her , he jostled the basket . That 's when Jakel yelped . That got the attention of an immigration inspector . The parents pleaded their case , and here 's what the inspector said to the interpreter , according to the article from The New York Sun : All we have to do is see that no undesirable aliens pass us , and Jakel looks desirable enough , I think . Tell them we ' ll have to take the little one back to the registry room and have his name recorded , but that after that they can have him back . Call it the Day of the Jakel . A WARNING TO JOURNALISTS : Here 's a comment from a daily newspaper worker " whose hair has whitened in long service " to the field of journalism : I have tried to keep in touch with life -- and I have never written a line that anybody will remember after I am forgotten . Yet I love my work . It is the breath of my nostrils . I could not abandon it if I would . It has kept me poor ; it will leave my family poor . " This anonymous comment was printed in today 's issue of The Post - Standard in Syracuse , N . Y . Rest assured , it won't be posted in the entranceway of any journalism school anytime soon . But it sounds honest enough . Still , that comment sits in contrast to a notice lower in the page , that The Evening Georgian , which is Atlanta 's newest paper , has insured the life of its editor for $ 75,000 . TRUST US ON THIS LEAD PAINT THING : Looks like pure white lead is coming into its own in the world of house paints . This ad ( right ) touts the combination of Pure White Lead with Pure Linseed Oil . If you 're looking for a brand , why not try Brooklyn ? It is , after all , " made by the Old Dutch Process . " The Dutch certainly must know paint , after all . And this stuff apparently lasts about three years longer on the house . It certainly will have a legacy . 
May 2 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . GO , CANADA ! A Canadian runner , William Sherring , won the marathon race at the Athens Olympics yesterday . Evidently he had some strength left at the end . One news article says he " joked and laughed with his Greek attendant and returned the salutes of the cheering crowd . When he entered the stadium , Prince Constantine ran alongside him . Sherring , from Hamilton , Ont. , is 27 , stands about 5 feet 7 inches and weighs 115 or 120 pounds . IS PARIS BURNING ? Paris teetered on the edge of revolt yesterday during May Day or Labor Day or whatever they 're calling it . The main focus of the demonstrations seems to be an eight - hour workday . The hardest workers in Paris yesterday might have been the dragoons , though . They drew their sabres . That helped keep order -- or at least confine the rioting to certain neighborhoods . About 1,000 people were arrested . Here 's how one report described what happened : At no time did the demonstration reach the magnitude of a revolt , but was rather a leaderless tumult to which the serious labor element , struggling for a principle , was hopelessly confused with violent agitators , anarchists , revolutionists , roughs and a large number of the curious . POWDER BLUES : The Liscum family near Ogdensburg , N . Y . , had a close call with death shortly after moving into a new town . The mom , planning to make some pancakes , ran out of baking powder . She found another can , labeled " baking powder , " and completed the cooking . It was , indeed , a white powder . But it turned out to be arsenic -- something they kept in an old baking powder can in the stable in their former house . The parents , their son and a family friend immediately became ill . The family is out of danger now , thanks to " strong emetics freely administered . " . 
April 29 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . SHAKEN , NOT STIRRED : To honor the spirit of the people of San Francisco , who have had to deal with the devastating earthquake , the Syracuse Herald printed a large rendering of the poem " Unconquerable " by William Ernest Henley . It seems appropriate in light of the emphasis on self - reliance . The last lines are , " I am the master of my fate , I am the captain of my soul . " Henley died a couple of years ago , but this poem is likely to remain a favorite , and will likely show up in some very strange contexts . THE ARSENIC - MINDED PROFESSOR : Police in Cambridge are on the lookout for Erich Muenter , who teaches German at Harvard . His wife died about a week ago . Before the body was cremated in Chicago , an alert medical examiner sent Leona 's stomach to Harvard professor Whitney . On the 27 th , the professor announced that he had found traces of arsenic in the stomach . Muenter has disappeared . Maybe he will remain hidden . Who knows ? He might pop up again and again . 
April 28 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . A BURNING TRIAL IN ATLANTA : Jurors in Atlanta found Mrs. M. L . Standifer not guilty . She had been charged in the shooting death of her sister who was having an affair with Mr. Standifer . The front page of The Atlanta Constitution included a drawing of Mrs. Standifer in the courtroom . She 's shown with her little boy . The paper also included a facsimile of the last page of her statement . One article says she went into the witness box with the babe in her arms , which is sure to make an impression on a juror . The verdict ends what the Constitution calls " one of the most pathetic tragedies that ever occurred in Atlanta . " LOCKED IN A DISPUTE : A London lawsuit pits Charles M. Schwab against an art dealer named Rothschild over the selling price of John Constable 's " Dedham Lock " ( right ) Evidently the owner 's asking price was about $ 4,250 and the dealer offered it to Schwab for $ 25,000 . They agreed on $ 15,000 . When another dealer offered it to Schwab for $ 10,000 , Schwab canceled the sale . Hence , the court date . JUBILEE FOR ACTRESS : Actress Ellen Terry passed a milestone yesterday in London . She celebrated her 50 th year on stage . She 's 58 . Here , she 's pictured as Lady Macbeth . The celebration was memorable . A men dressed as Falstaff recited an ode that congratulated the actress . Then a dove fluttered down to her , carrying a scroll . A " dainty fairy " plucked the scroll from the dove and presented it to Terry , who read the words . Then the Playgoers Club presented her with a silver casket . The production for the evening was " The Merry Wives of Windsor . " She portrayed Mistress Page . She played most of her important female Shakespeare roles with Sir Henry Irving . 
April 27 , 1906 ( Friday ) . SENT BACK HOME : Yesterday , the Hamburg - American steamer Moltke ( right ) headed back to Europe with more than 200 Italians and Poles who have been deported . Immigration officials say this is a record number of rejections for one ship . Reasons are scanty . Here 's what one news article says : " One Pole was excluded because he was unfit for manual labor . He asked in vain that his wife might stay here and work to bring him and five children back from Russia . Some of those excluded were without underwear or clothes . One of them had but two cents upon arrival . This was part of a dime which he borrowed from one of the stewards of the Moltke . " Wonder what they ' ll be thinking as they go back past the Statue of Liberty , with that wonderful poem . I don't remember much of it . The last part , however , is hard to forget : " Give me your tired , your poor , Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free , The wretched refuse of your teeming shore . Send these , the homeless , tempest - tost to me , I lift my lamp beside the golden door ! " OLYMPIC CONTROVERSY : A Greek man named Demetrios Tofalos won a weight - lifting event , beating an " Austrian giant " named Josef Steinbach yesterday . The crowd was angry at the Austrian because of talk that he is a professional . When he got ready to lift , the crowd hooted him mercilessly . So , he left the platform , leaving Tofalos with the first prize . Here 's what happened next , according to a news report : " The Greek flag had been raised amid tremendous cheering when Steinbach calmly re - entered the arena and picked up the weight which Tofalos had raised with difficulty and raised it above his head several times with the greatest ease . Then he left the stadium with a sarcastic bow to the wondering audience . " Another dispute arose yesterday regarding the Irish athletes . The program lists them as coming from England , and the organizers plan to count any of their victories toward Great Britain 's total . Peter O ' Connor , a jumper , has protested . He has brought a large green streamer with a golden harp on it , which he plans to wave at the top of the Stadium when an Irish athlete scores . It 's in the hands of the International Committee . CHECK THIS OUT : I ' m looking at an ad for The Rambler Automobile , which includes a picture of one ( right ) . The prices range from $ 1,250 to $ 2,500 . That 's a lot of money when you consider you can buy a nice suit for $ 8 to $ 15 . But , heck , it 's got four cylinders . You can't help but get a feeling that this kind of vehicle will be around for a long , long time . 
April 26 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . YOU ' RE ON YOUR OWN IN VIRGINIA : The Massachusetts Senate yesterday rejected an appeal by colored men who have been lobbying for a special provision regarding the upcoming Jamestown Exposition that 's planned for 1907 to celebrate the 300 th anniversary of the founding of the British colony in Virginia . The men wanted a state grant of $ 50,000 that was to support the event to be " contingent on the governor receiving assurances that colored citizens of Massachusetts will not be discriminated against in case they visit or participate in the exposition . " The odds are , this won't be the last we ' ll read of the controversies regarding the exposition and its relationship with " colored citizens of Massachusetts " and other states . CLOSE CALL IN THE ALPS : The Washington Post has a remarkable tale of a man and woman and two guides who survived an avalanche on Pointe d ' Orny ( right ) in the Pennine Alps . On their descent , they accidentally started an avalanche , which swept the four of them along . The guides yelled to the Americans to keep their feet and not sit down . Here 's how one of the survivors , an American named Kenrick , described it : I thought every moment that we would be dashed to pieces , as I know the big precipices on the flank of the mountain . I was in front , then came a guide , then my wife , and then the other guide . Suddenly I brought up with a jerk which shook the breath out of me . We had stopped on a ledge three yards from the brink of a fathomless depth into which the avalanche rolled with a roar . I turned and saw my wife lying motionless . A guide was rubbing her face with snow . We owe our lives to Guide Dupras , who had dexterously clasped a projection of rock and clung to it , thereby bringing us up with a tremendous jerk on the rope which , fortunately , did not break . When the avalanche had passed and my wife had recovered , we clambered to safety , but he was pleased when my wife kissed him gratefully . 
April 25 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . NEW BERTH FOR OLD ADMIRAL : In an impressive ceremony at Annapolis , the remains of John Paul Jones ( left ) were placed in a crypt beneath the marble stairway of Bancroft Hall at the Naval Academy . They will stay there until they 're moved to the chapel , which is under construction . At the ceremony , there were about 1,500 sailors , 200 of whom are from France , the most recent resting place of the naval hero . Theodore Roosevelt , not surprisingly , talked at great length to mark the occasion . About 10,000 people were in the Armory to hear him . He spoke quite a bit about the War of 1812 and tilted it heavily toward military readiness . He reminded listeners that the British took Washington during that war . Then he said , I am sorry to say that those of our countrymen who now speak of these deeds usually confine themselves to denouncing the British for having burned certain buildings in Washington . They had better spare their breath . The sin of the invaders in burning the buildings is trivial compared with the sin of our own people in failing to make ready an adequate force to defeat the attempt . Sorry I don't have time to give you the whole speech . Interestingly , and appropriately , Roosevelt was introduced by the secretary of the navy , whose last name is -- no kidding -- Bonaparte ( right ) . I think he 's the grandson of Napoleon 's brother , making him Napoleon 's great nephew . REPORTS OF FATALITIES ARE SCALED BACK , FOR NOW : Now the latest figure for the people killed in the earthquake in San Francisco stands at 277 . But I ' ll say about 277 . The same day that figure is announced , there 's another article out of San Francisco that says that stray packs of dogs are running loose and are gnawing at corpses that lie half burned in ruins . Sailors not lucky enough to be an Annapolis for the JP Jones ceremony had the distasteful duty of finding the dogs and shooting them . An article says , " It was not believed that there were so many dead in the ruins of Telegraph and Russian hills until the dogs were found there digging for the bodies . " . 
April 24 , 1906 ( Tuesday ) . TEEN FASHION : Here 's a look at the type of suits that are being sold for spring . This one is " cut after the latest Spring 1906 models . " It 's designed for young men , which means between the ages of 14 and 18 . That 's high - school age , or course . This illustration is " an exact copy of our suits , " according to an ad for a clothing store published in today 's editions of The Post - Standard in Syracuse . There , customers will see suits with " every detail of fashion . " That means " snug fitting collars , broad lapels , deep vents , pear shape trousers . " That last element sounds like a fashion statement that 's here to stay . The prices range from $ 6 to $ 8 . Not sure how much more it will cost to get the total package as shown in the drawing -- adding the cane , hat or handkerchief . OVER - THE - TOP JOURNALISM : Walter Wellman , former journalist , has evidently found an outlet for his energies and his hot air . He is attempting to discover the North Pole with an airship . The New York Motor Club gave him a farewell reception yesterday at the Waldorf - Astoria . He leaves for Europe tomorrow on the Kaiser Wilhelm II. There will be five men in the airship . Among them : Major Henry Hershy ( or Hershey ? ) of the weather bureau and the American Geological Society , and William Smith , who will oversee the wireless device on the ship . They expect to set out from Norway on June 20 in a steamer . They will launch the airship -- called America -- from North Spitzbergen . FAST - AGING PROCESS : An article with a dateline of Pueblo , Colo . , puts a bit of a twist on how the San Francisco earthquake affected someone . In this case , it was B . K . Coffman , a traveling salesman from Fort Worth . He talked with a reporter after he arrived in Pueblo on the 22 nd . Here 's how the short item ended : " ... when he looked out over the city and saw the falling buildings and the flames shooting into the sky , he fell upon his hands and knees and buried his face in the sand , believing that the end of the world had come . As a result of the strain to which he was subjected , Mr. Coffman 's hair is now almost perfectly white . " . 
April 23 , 1906 ( Monday ) . HANGING IN THERE : There 's a new painting in the American Gallery at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan . It 's Theodore Robinson 's painting of a girl and a cow . I think it 's this one on the right . A brief article in the New York Times says it 's " an unusually good example of this artist 's work . " It was a gift from William T . Evans . Several hundred visitors saw the painting yesterday . MEATY ARGUMENT : Upton Sinclair surfaces in a recent copy of Everybody 's magazine . According to a news report , the issue includes a reply Sinclair has made to meat packer Ogden Armour ( right ) . Sinclair , of course , wrote " The Jungle , " which exposed wrongdoings in the meat - packing industry . In this issue , he replies to Armour 's contention that government inspectors ensure that meat is pure . " Mr. Sinclair 's evidence as to the truth of this statement is pretty clear , pretty specific and considerably unpleasant to persons who are not vegetarians . " COOL CASH IS THE BEST CASH : Alfred Castle , a former Chicago banker , has wired some advice to San Francisco Mayor Schmitz . He warns that the officials in the quake - ravaged city should let the bank vaults cool off before opening the doors . If the air is still hot when the oxygen rushes in from the outside , everything could combust spontaneously -- and the money could burn . Castle says that 's what happened after the Chicago fire of about 35 years ago . 
April 22 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . BRAINS OR BRAWN ? Here 's an interesting pitch in The New York Times . Coyne Trade School is trying to convince graduates of Yale , Harvard , Princeton and Columbia that riches lie in a job like plastering . Too many graduates are earning $ 1 or $ 2 a day . Greater things await the smart person who knows a trade : " $ 5.00 per day in your hand is worth forty libraries in your head . " LET THE GAMES BEGIN : The Olympic Games in Athens begins today . Most all events will be in the Panathenic Stadium ( right ) , which is made of " snow - white marble , " according the The New York Times . It 's a very different looking arena than the one used in 1896 . This seats 70,000 people . The Times is fairly confident of a certain result : " Among the athletes of other countries , there appeared occasionally a performance of especial merit in an individual event , but the Anglo - Saxons show a general proficiency that is astounding to the Athenians . " Wonder how many medals those U.S. and English athletes will win . TIP O ' THE HAT : The summer games might be one sign of warm weather coming . There 's another one , closer to home , according to The New York Times . The FIRST STRAW HAT of the SEASON turned up yesterday at Times Square . Here 's the description : " It was worn by a serious - looking young man , who was attired in blue serge and a neglige shirt , in harmony with his headgear . " When someone chided the man for being a bit ahead of things , the straw man replied , " To - day is as warm as many days in June will be . You outght to be wearing the same thing . The diffference between you and me is that I have the ocurage to assert my convictions on comfort and you haven't . " . 
April 21 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . UNDERGROUND : The earthquake and flames have exposed an underside of San Francisco 's Chinatown ( right ) that baffles some observers . The disaster has exposed a warren of tunnels under the area . " Men , white men , never knew the depth of Chinatown 's underground city , " said W . W . Overton , an earthquake survivor who was interviewed in Los Angeles . He continued : " Now that Chinatown has been unmasked , for the destroyed buildings were only a mask , men from hillsides have looked on where its inner secrets lay . In places they can see passages 100 feet deep .... They show depths which the police never knew . " MEDIA CRITICISM : One witty paragraphist has a little dig at some of the news coverage of the San Francisco earthquake : " By filling up all the upper half of the page with large headlines some ingenious contemporaries have avoided the necessity of printing any great amount of San Francisco news . " A BOLD PREDICTION : The Hartford Courant isn't too worried about the possibility that people will be elected to the United States Senate by a popular vote . The paper says " it will never be adopted because it depends upon a constitutional amendment which must pass the Senate itself . That body will never destroy its own distinctive feature . " The writer sounds so sure of himself ( or herself ) . Wish there were a way to see if that kind of change will ever happen . COSTLY CAMPAIGNS : Speaking of politics , New York Congressman Sulzer has presented to the House a report that lists the amount of money spent on each of the presidential elections since 1860 . Money , he says , is clearly playing too big a role in the election . An article in The Washington Post sums up Sulzer 's position by saying " as Napoleon remarked about Providence being on the side that had the heaviest cannon , fortune smiled upon that party which had the biggest fund . " ( Wish the writer had given a quote for Napoleon 's comment ? ) Sulzer wants the Mc Call bill passed , which requires detailed reports on the costs of presidential or congressional campaigns . The Republicans spent $ 4.5 million in the 1904 campaign ; Democrats spent $ 1.25 million . It 's enough to take your breath away . When will it stop ? 
April 20 , 1906 ( Friday ) . EXIT STAGE LEFT : Some are wondering what happened to several members of the Metropolitan Opera Company of New York . Some of them were in the St. Francis Hotel , which was damaged in the earthquake in San Francisco . According to early reports , the artists lost virtually everything . As of this morning , their whereabouts are unknown . Among the missing is Enrico Caruso ( right ) . The company has lost costumes , scenery and equipment . Director Nathan Franko thinks the stars have found refuge with friends . THANKS FOR THE NEWS : An editorial in The Post - Standard in Syracuse praises The Associated Press for its reporting on the disaster in San Francisco . Here 's how it begins : " The miracle of our American efficiency in news - gathering and news - giving has never been more signally illustrated than in the speed and accuracy and fullness with which , all over this land , news concerning the San Francisco horror has been published . " Despite broken telegraph wires the news somehow kept coming from San Francisco , mostly via Oakland . Some papers have actually listed the names of the usually anonymous members of the Associated Press workforce in San Francisco . One headline accompanying the names reads : " Men who Risk Lives to Gather and Send News . " MAXIM ( um ) DEFENSE : Maxim Gorky 's ( right ) interesting visit to the United States continues . His friend Leroy Scott has gone to some lengths to minimize the outrage some feel here about Gorky 's arrival in the U.S. with a woman who is not his wife . Scott points out that Mrs. Gorky No. 1 is living reasonably happily in Russia and is , herself , with a man . The Times says she is now a " Mrs. Somebody - or - other - ending - in - vitch . " The Times also says that Gorky is a bit hypocritical when he appears to be sensitive to the scolding he has received here : " Gorky has done a good deal of scolding himself , and he should not be seriously disturbed by that . " . 
April 19 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . QUAKE NEWS : The news out of San Francisco is absolutely stunning . According to early reports , an earthquake has left more than 500 dead and left nearly half the city in ruins . Fire is the big problem now . The water supply has failed . Dynamite is being used to interrupt the progress of the fire . The New York Times has produced an incredible issue , devoting numerous pages to yesterday 's quake . One image on the front page was interesting ( above ) . It shows how the shock waves appeared on a seismograph machine in Albany , about 3,000 miles from the quake . It took 10 minutes for the vibrations to travel across the continent . One article ( " New York Stunned by Disaster News " ) describes how people in Manhattan , especially those from California or with relatives in San Francisco flocked to newspaper offices for any word of the tragedy . One particular bit of news brought relief , or , as the article says , " served to allay the fears of many who were anxious about relatives or friends in San Francisco . " Here 's the notice that had a calming effect : " Nearly all the those killed or injured were men and women who lived in the cheap lodging houses of the city . " Will it be this way for all major disasters ? THE REPORTER ' S TASK : The Associated Press had difficulty getting the word out about the damage . Here 's a neat excerpt from an article that 's on the front page of today 's Times : " The Associated Press established a temporary station in The Bulletin editorial room . Then the latter place was closed , and this dispatch is written on a doorstep near Chinatown , the illumination of the burning buildings furnishing light for the writer . " MOVED BY QUAKE NEWS : One more thing on the earthquake . Today 's Times has an ad that actually plays off the news from the earthquake ( right ) . How quick is that . It 's a little one - column add on column five of page 13 . The heading is " Death by Milk Or by Earthquake ? " The text is provocative enough : " Jacob Riis says , " You can kill a man with a tenement as well as with an axe . " So babies can be killed by bad milk as well as by earthquake or volcano . Thousands died last summer in New York because of inadequate inspection of milk . " The ad was placed by the New York Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor . Regardless of how good the milk tastes , I think this was in pretty poor taste -- using the earthquake as a springboard for the ad . But that 's just me . 
April 18 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . SHAKEN : The morning papers missed it , but the San Francisco earthquake , which struck about 5 a.m. California time today , filled the pages of afternoon newspapers across the country . Here are examples from Syracuse , N . Y . , and Oakland , Calif. Some telegraph workers are risking their lives to get word to the outside world . A report that was filed at 10:15 a.m. Pacific time ( about five hours after the quake ) , praised the men trying to move information , saying , " The Postal Telegraph operators who are at their posts are taking their lives in their hands as the building is collapsing and the fire within half a block . " BIRTHDAY FOR BEN : They 're celebrating the 200 th anniversary of the birth of Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia . The four - day celebration opened last night in Witherspoon Hall . In honor of the occasion , Andrew Carnegie conferred yesterday an honorary doctor of laws degree on Miss Agnes Irwin , the dean of Radcliffe College . She is a great great granddaughter of Franklin . Carnegie made the presentation on behalf of Scotland 's University of St. Andrew 's . He noted that this is only the fourth time in the 500 years of St. Andrew 's history that the school has granted the degree to a woman . IMMIGRANTS ON HOLD : Ellis Island has become a bit of a choke point for immigration . The place is equipped to handle about 5,000 immigrants a day . Because of the recent influx , there are about 16,000 waiting in steerage of various ships moored in New York harbor . RUMORS IN RUSSIA : The Washington Post notes that rumors were flying around St. Petersburg on the 16 th -- that someone in the royal family might have died . The rumor began because police went through the city taking down flags that people had put up outside their homes for the holidays . Many thought that this was being done because of a tragedy and that the government was withholding a formal announcement until after the holidays . That isn't the case . Evidently , the prefect of police had given people permission to put up decorations for the holidays but neglected to list FLAGS as one of the decorations he permitted . The police , therefore , went about their work , according to one article , " on the old theory that WHAT WAS NOT PERMITTED WAS PROHIBITED . " They told homeowners to take the flags down . REMEMBER BOOTH : The Players Club in New York City has raised $ 6,000 to build a monument to the actor Edwin Booth . The group wants to set up a committee of 100 to pull this off . No decision has been made regarding the appearance of the memorial . Will any decision ever be made ? I mean , a committee of 100 ? That 's absurd . Can this possibly work ? Wonder if it such a statue will ever be built . 
April 17 , 1906 ( Tuesday ) . MAXIM ( um ) EXPOSURE : Some in Russia are a little irked over the incredible reception that Maxim Gorky has received in this country . An unnamed high official made this statement : He is certainly a writer of talent , perhaps even a genius , and much that he says regarding the conditions in Russia doubtless is true ; but it should be made clear that his object is not reform but revolution . The official also wanted people to know that his traveling companion , Mme . Andreeva , ( she 's on the left in the photo here ) is not his wife . ( Some papers spell it Andreleva . ) Evidently , he s been living with her since he separated from his wife three years ago . On the passenger list on the ship she was listed as Mme . Pleshkoff or Pleshkov , the author s real last name . The manager of the Hotel Belleclaire in New York City was alarmed at reading that the two were not husband and wife . He asked them to leave the hotel . They are now staying in apartments at 12 Fifth Avenue . Forget about the distinction between revolutionary or reformer . Most people in America seem likely be more worked up about the distinction between husband or boyfriend . RELICS IN SPRINGFIELD : Reaction to the lynchings in Springfield is widespread , even if it does nothing to save the lives of the three men who died over the weekend at the hands of an out - of - control mob . One editorial is called A Missouri Disgrace . It points out that the reaction is too late . This sentence , if true , paints a chilling scene : " In this case [ the reaction ] did not set in until time had been given for the Sunday school children of Springfield to carry away specimens of the charred wood which had burned the flesh of the negroes . Reportedly , four of the weekend lynchers are in jail . 
April 16 , 1905 ( Monday ) . RECORD DAY FOR IMMIGRANTS : Nine ships arrived yesterday at New York and another eight are expected today . Yesterday s ships brought in about 11,870 , which would be a new one - day record . The picture above shows graphically where some of the people came from during a day in March in which more than 11,000 immigrants arrived . AGAIN , IN SPRINGFIELD : Evidently a third negro was lynched in Springfield , some hours after the other two . Very early on the 15 th , members of the same mob that lynched Horace Duncan and Jim Copeland went back to the jail and grabbed Will Allen , who faced murder charges . The crowd forced him to climb a tower and put a rope around his neck . The rope broke as he dropped . So he ended up falling into the pyre that contained the charred remains of the other two men . He was pulled out and brought back to the top of the tower . Another rope was tied around his neck . Then he was hung again and riddled with bullets . Gov . Folk of Missouri says he wants to bring the lynchers to justice . It 's the " show - me " state , so we ' ll wait for proof of that . UP FROM A TOMB : Easter got a bit cheerier under the gray shroud of Vesuvius . In Ottajano , two elderly women were pulled from the rubble after six days of entombment . Rescuers had given up hope of finding anyone . Evidently , they were protected by the rafters of the house in which they were trapped . Somehow , they managed to survive on morsels of food . 
April 15 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . STUNNING JUSTICE IN MISSOURI : I ve got to get out of the way and let the first paragraph of this story simply speak for itself . The dateline is Springfield , Mo . The dateline is April 14 . Here goes : " A mob of 3,000 men to - night took Horace Duncan and Jim Copeland , negroes , from the county jail , hanged them to the Goddess of Liberty on the Court House and built a fire under them and roasted them to death . The men were charged with assaulting Mabel Edwards , but it is said they were probably innocent . " MEMORABLE WORDS : Finally , President Roosevelt gave his Man with the Muck Rake speech . He spoke at the laying of the cornerstone of the new building for the House of Representatives ( right ) . I have no time nor space to quote it all here , but I do think it s worth reading . Here s an excerpt : " I hail as a benefactor every writer or speaker , every man who , on the platform , or in book , magazine , or newspaper , with merciless severity makes such attack , provided always that he in his turn remembers that the attack is of use only if it is absolutely truthful . The liar is no whit better than the thief , and if his mendacity takes the form of slander , he may be worse than most thieves . It puts a premium upon knavery untruthfully to attack an honest man , or even with hysterical exaggeration to assail a bad man with untruth . An epidemic of indiscriminate assault upon character does not good , but very great harm . The soul of every scoundrel is gladdened whenever an honest man is assailed , or even when a scoundrel is untruthfully assailed . " BOY SPARKS PANIC : About 400 people were gathered in a Roman Catholic church in Chicago yesterday , when a boy opened the church door and yelled FIRE . The crowd tried to rush out . Some jumped through windows . Most everyone rushed to the center aisle . Some of the floor joists cracked , and that added to the panic . Four people were killed . There was no fire . The boy who cried Fire will likely never be found . How could someone do that ? Boy , there s a lesson in there somewhere . I guess the only thing you can do when someone cries fire in a theater is to stand up and yell water louder . 
April 14 , 1906 ( Saturday ) . UP AND AWAY : Four men will try and set some records today when they take off in the biggest balloon in America from Pittsfield , Mass. The balloon holds about 53,000 cubic feet and can easily hoist a car that can carry four people . They hope to set a height record and make it to Boston or some other spot on the Atlantic coast . Ballooinst Dr. Julien F . Thomas will keep an eye on the effort . Earlier this week , he and his wife made a trip from Pittsfield in Count de la Vaux 's balloon called " L ' Orient . " Thomas claims he will outdo whatever todays travelers accomplish . He and his wife are the current holders of the record for height . Thomas said , " If they go high , I will go higher ; if they go far , I will go further . " We will have to wait and see if this is just so much hot air . DEFENSE RESEARCH TAKES A DEADLY TURN : Prof. Frantz Wurtenberger might have made progress in his attempts to find a better explosive than dynamite . He has spent a lot of time in his laboratory in some salt meadows two miles from East Chester , N . Y . , because the U.S. government has offered $ 1 million if he succeeds in making something that is 20 times more powerful than dynamite and which can be ignited by an electric spark ( as opposed to a fuse ) . Well , yesterday , there was a terrific explosion in his lab , and now the professor is in horrible condition in Mount Vernon Hospital . The article in The New York Times ends with this paragraph : " Prof. Wurtenberger , his friends say , realized that the first test of the electric spark might result in his death , but rather than give up his life work , he decided to go ahead . These friends declared that he had an idea his explosive would revolutionize the warfare of the world . " To me , the only way to truly revolutionize warfare would be to end it . TROUBLED BREWING IN PITTSBURGH : Officials at Carnegie Institute of Technology are furious with a brewer in Pittsburgh . He is marketing something he calls Tech Beer . They are upset because they think it reflects badly on Carnegie TECH . He doesn't seem to care . The billboards remain . 
April 13 , 1906 ( Friday ) . PLAY BALL : The National League opened its baseball season yesterday . The average duration of the four games was a snappy 1 hour 49 minutes , and that included a 12 - inning game . Attendance ranged from 3,500 to 17,000 . Before the Philadelphia Quakers and world champion New York Giants squared off in Philadelphia , a band led the players across the field . All joined in and raised the U.S. flag to the top of the pole . ( That 's Roger Breshahan of the New York Giants on the left , in 1905 . ) The ceremonial " first pitch " went like this : Philadelphia Mayor Weaver tossed a ball onto the field from the upper pavilion of the stands . An umpire caught it . Papers pointed out that the teams from the " West " played each other . The " West " matchups pitted Chicago v. Cincinnati and St. Louis v. Pittsburgh . Evidently , nobody in baseball has looked at a map of the country . Granted , it 's as far West as the teams go , but did anyone hear of Oregon ? ASHES TO ASHES : More word drifts in from Vesuvius . It looks like about 5,000 homes have been destroyed . Lots of people have headed to Italy to help out . Among them is the Princess of Schleswig - Holstein . She set off in an automobile to visit people in hospitals in desolated towns . Her auto got stuck in the ashes . She had to walk 12 MILES in ash that was about 3 - feet deep . Here 's how one news writer describes the scene in today 's Post - Standard : " Above , the heavens are gray like the earth beneath , and seem as hard and immovable . In all this lonely waste there is no sign of life or vegetation and no sound is heard except the low mutterings of the volcano . One seems almost impelled to scream aloud to break the horrible stillness of a land seemingly forgotten both by God and man . " Sure wish there was a way to see more pictures of the blast . SECOND THOUGHTS : Everything was pretty normal yesterday when Judge Mc Mahon of General Sessions court in New York City got ready to step off a Broadway trolley at its rear door . Briefly , a couple of men blocked his way . He instinctively checked for his watch . It was still in his pocket . Then he reached for his hip pocket . His wallet was gone . He spotted the thief and watched as he dropped the wallet on the ground . A newsboy picked it up and returned it to the judge . It turns out that the thief was the same pickpocket that the judge had shown mercy on a couple of days ago by giving him a suspended sentence . The judge believes that the thief realized who owned the wallet and decided to show some mercy of his own . The money was intact . 
April 12 , 1906 ( Thursday ) . THE DRUNKARD ' S CURE : J . W . Haines of Cincinnati is still at it . Here 's part of an advertisement that was in today 's editions of The Post - Standard in Syracuse . He 's pitching a concoction called Golden Specific . If you send in your address , he will mail to you a sample -- in a plain wrapper . Evidently you can add some of this to milk , tea , soup etc. and after a couple of days " he will be cured in a few days and cured so he will never drink again . " He might want a fifth of Golden Specific , though . I hear it 's got plenty of alcohol in it . I wish I knew more about Haines , but I can't help with that . He says , in the ad that , " The drunkard can't save himself , you women have to do it for him . " It doesn't say what to do if the woman is the one who likes to drink . VESUVIUS COOKED THINGS ' EL DANTE ' : There seem to have been plenty of writers in the Naples area when Vesuvius exploded . Nearly every day there seems to be an eloquent description of what happened in one of the papers . In today 's Washington Post , there 's an item by Robert Underwood Johnson , associate editor of the Century Magazine . Here 's an excerpt : " On arriving at Torre del Greco , the heavens seemed to open and we were soon half buried in ashes and hot cinders . The train drew up in total darkness , relieved only by lightning flashes . Thus we waited events . Soon the darkness took purple and yellow tinges , the detonations became louder than the loudest thunder clap , and the ashes burned our eyes . It was a perfect picture of Dante 's Inferno . The train could not proceed so thick were the ashes on the track , and just at this point the train broke in half , and the poor women fugitives , thinking they were about to lose their lives , began to chant litanies for the dead , giving a last weird touch to the infernal scene . " At one point , Johnson walked a couple of miles in ashes that were 2 to 3 feet deep . 
April 11 , 1906 ( Wednesday ) . MAXIM ( um ) SECURITY : Russian writer Maxim Gorky ( right , in 1900 ) arrived in New York yesterday ( Hoboken , actually ) . The Times has quite a long story about his arrival . I liked the description of how he gazed at the Statue of Liberty as his ship , Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse , slid by on its way to the pier : " Gorky paid renewed homage to America when the Kaiser came abeam of the Statue of Liberty . He had just fled from a swarm of interviewers and sought the seclusion of his cabin when the band on deck struck up Sousa 's march , ' Hands Across the Sea , ' by way of greeting the goddess ... For fully two minutes ( Gorky and his wife ) stood there with the delegation waiting at the door and looking on . Gorky seemed fascinated by the giant figure that held the torch of liberty over everything within sight . " He was greeted by thousands at the Hoboken pier . He had a hard time making it through the crowd , until " a flying wedge of customs officials , Hoboken police , and pier hands sallied into the crowd Cossack fashion , and pushed it bodily back sufficiently to make a passage for Gorky and his party to the elevator . " THE MUCK RAKE ' S PROGRESS : Norman Hapgood , editor of Collier 's Weekly since 1903 , yesterday stole the march a bit on President Roosevelt . In anticipation of Roosevelt 's criticism of investigative journalism in " The Man with the Muck Rake " speech scheduled for Saturday , Hapgood defended his work during a speech before the Phillips Exeter Alumni at the Hotel Manhattan . Here 's how the New York Times quotes him : " To my mind , this temporary reaction against disclosures of public corruption is entirely without significance . It only points out slight and necesssary exaggerations which are necessary when any good work like this goes on . " Among the good works was a story in Collier 's a year ago , by Upton Sinclair about the Chicago meat packing industry and one by Samuel Hopkins Adams , who exposed patent medicines with " The Great American Fraud . " Without these exposes , Congress probably wouldn't be looking into a food and durgs act or a meat inspection act . EARTHSHAKING PREDICTION : I ' ve been ignoring the eruption of Vesuvius , which really got going in the first week of the month . The eruption has been devastating . Maybe 500 are dead . The Times printed a cable from the author F . Marion Crawford . Here 's a passage : " I saw men , women and children and infants , whose mothers carried them at the breast or in their aprons , fleeing in an endless procession . Dogs , too , and cats were on the carts , and sometimes even chickens , tied together by the legs , and piles of mattresses and pillows and shapeless bundles of clothes . All were white with dust . Under the lurid glare I saw one old woman lying on her back across a cart , ghastly white and , if not dead already of fear and heat and suffocation , certainly almost gone . We ourselves could hardly breathe . " I forgot to mention that Sunday 's New York Times ( April 8 ) had a long article titled " Earthquake May Ingulf all Europe , Says German Scientist . " ( Yes , it was spelled " Ingulf . " ) He says the eruption at Vesuvius and the explosion in March of the mine in Courrieres in Northern France indicate that earthquake - related disaster lies ahead in the Eastern Hemisphere . If he 's right , it 's a good idea to get as far away from Europe as possible , like maybe to San Francisco . 
April 10 , 1906 ( Tuesday ) . THE DOME OF THE ROCK ( efeller ) : The reporters and photographers in New York City were kept busy yesterday . Here 's the news : Billionaire John D . Rockefeller emerged from his Lakewood , N . J . , estate . It was front page news in The New York Times and hit Page 3 of The Washignton Post . He has been hunkered down in Lakewood trying to avoid process servers from Missouri , which is investigating Standard Oil . Here 's how the Times described the stakeout of " the swarm of photographers " at his 54 th Street residence : " They surrounded the ... homes , with lenses adjusted , and braved out a shower of sleet and rain all day in the hope that ... Mr. Rockefeller would suddenly appear disguised to the taste of a dime novelist and make a mysterious trip from house to house . " Speaking of disguises , both the Post and Times mentioned the gray wig that Rockefeller began wearing last September . Remember how that really caused a stir ? The magazine cover shown here was printed shortly before he began the wig - wearing , I ' m pretty sure . I think it came out last July . He was evidently tired of the way that cartoonists and others polished up their humor on his bald head . I ' m sure this kind of celebrity - hunting journalism that focuses on businessmen will fade in time . MUCKING ALONG : People seem to be looking forward to President Roosevelt 's speech on Saturday . The title is " The Man with the Muck Rake . " He ' ll make the address to mark the laying of the cornerstone of the new building of the House of Representatives . The title comes from Pilgrim 's Progress . Congressman Nicholas Longworth , the son - in - law of the president , got a jump on it yesterday with a speech to the Hamilton Club in Chicago . He agrees that there 's too much criticism of government in the press . Here 's a sentence : " It seems to me that the fashion of assailing public men is amounting almost to hysteria . " HEALTH WARNING FROM THE DEEP SOUTH : The Times reports that a professor of medicine at the University of Alabama in Mobile -- Seale Harris -- says consumption is ravaging blacks in the south . The article says , " He said it was the opinion of medical men generally in the South that the negro race was likely to become extinct in this country through the ravages of disease , especially consumption . " There 's no mention in this article of any cure needed for some ongoing man - made ravages , such as lynching . A QUESTION OF ROYAL STATURE : The Washington Post prints a notice that was spun by the Boston Globe that points out many of the kings in Europe come up short when compared with their queens . Alexandra is taller than Edward ( England ) ; the Czarina looks down on the Czar ( Russia ) ; the Kaiserina is taller than the Kaiser ( Germany ) ; and the shoulder of Queen Helena is the ending place for the top of the head of her king ( Italy ) . The Globe points out that the Kaiser won't be photographed with her unless she sits and he stands . And no amount of medals can make him any taller . In fact , the baubles might pull him down a couple of centimeters . 
April 9 , 1906 ( Monday ) . IMMIGRATION MATTERS : An editorial in the Atlanta Constitution got me going a bit . It 's titled " Immigration as a Problem . " To set the stage , the writer quotes from the London Daily Mail , which calls the population movement from Europe to the U.S. a " human Niagara . " In 1904 , the inflow averaged more than 2,000 a DAY . The main point of the editorial , I gather , is that the writer deplores the fact that immigrants remain in colonies within the large cities . My thinking has changed about the immigration problem . I have read a collection of the stories told by regular people , some of whom were immigrants . The pieces were originally published in The Independent newspaper , I think . Now , Hamilton Holt has gathered them in a book that has either just been published or is coming out sometime in 1906 . I just can't for the life of me remember the title of the book ; it 's kind of long . But I do remember something from one story about a Lithuanian who ended up working in the Chicago stock yards . I ' ll never forget what he said : " My brother 's eyes were always dull and sleepy . Men like him stay in Lithuania . " Since then , I ' ve looked for the sparkle in the eyes of some immigrants . It 's there . And it 's good . I hope that lamp remains lit -- both the one in the hand of the Statue of Liberty and the one in the eyes of the people on board the ships . A TRUE SIGN OF SPRING ( COUGH , HACK , GAG , SPEW ) : Smokers in Atlanta are looking forward to a big event this week . Sometime soon , the Georgia Railway and electric company is about to reinstate the " smoking privilege " in its trolley cars . That means smokers won't have to stand on the rear platform of the car , smoking away as the trolley moved . The company 's General Manager T . K . Glenn says he expects that this week -- thanks to the warm weather -- the company will post the notices that permit people to light up in the cars . The move is linked to the onset of warm weather . At the same time , the company will open the windows and doors of the cars , and there are plenty of windows . FEW ARE CALLED , NONE ARE CHOSEN : A black man in Alabama , whose name has not been released , found out his name had been drawn for service in a grand jury in Montgomery County . He found out that he had not been summoned to duty , but he wanted to serve . He spotted his name in the paper on April 6 , as being part of the jury , so he hustled to get to Monroeville . It wasn't that easy . He had to swim across a river to get there . He was not chosen and was told the judge would release him from his responsibility if he so desired . The man declined and said he wanted to serve . Someone , evidently , took him outside and whipped him . The Atlanta Constitution says he was " whitecapped . " He showed up the next day and showed his bruises to Judge Lackland and told him what happened . He immediately called a grand jury and instructed them to indict the people responsible for the beating . Some praise the judge for taking a stand . But here 's the last paragraph of the article : " However , the feeling is high , and in some parts of the county , the negroes have been ordered to move out and not allow night to catch them there . " . 
April 8 , 1906 ( Sunday ) . NEW YORK TIMES FINDS A RAT : Finally , I got a chance to get my hands on a copy of The New York Times . It 's perfect for a Sunday . Today 's paper has a fantastic tale about the swindler Alfred R . Goslin . The story fills more than one page ( right ) of the magazine section . I had never heard of him . But The Times says that the authorities who have tracked the man say " he is the worst thief and most absolutely wicked man in all his relations that New York has ever had to reckon with as a public menace . " That 's pretty extreme . I can't get into all that he did , but he swindled people out of hundreds of thousands of dollars . One of my favorite sections of the article , written by " H . A . B . , " is this description of Goslin : " Goslin is about 5 feet 2 inches in height , and weighs perhaps a hundred and forty pounds . His under jaw recedes so that his upper teeth stick out like those of a rat , and the fuzzy beard that he has worn most of the time for the last few years fails entirely to destroy the resemblance . His watery eyes bulge out in a way that makes more noticeable his low forehead , and altogether he is a loathsome looking person . But he has never minded this , for it has served to make people turn their glances on some one else when he has been around . " For a closer look , here 's the profile that the Times printed on that page ( below ) . WIRED FOR ' FAUST ' : The National Opera Company performed " Faust " yesterday in Cheyenne , Wyo . , much to the enjoyment of participants at a convention of electricians . That group of listeners was in Salt Lake , Utah -- about 600 miles away . It wasn't a deal with the Devil that did the trick . Rather , it was some long - distance telephone wizardry did the trick . The Rocky Mountain Telephone Company rigged three transmitters on the stage in Cheyenne and set up three intensifiers in the hall in Salt Lake . According to The New York Times , " The orchestra , the voices , and even the applause could be distinctly heard . " Now , who 's going to get the bill ? THROUGH THE AIR TO EIRE : It 's funny . The Times put the opera - transmission item on the front page and put on an inside page a story with this headline : " Oversea Wireless Is a Fact , Says De Forest . " Evidently , the De Forest Wireless Telegraph Company sent word that it has achieved a wireless transmission sent from Manhattan Beach to Cork , Ireland . It shouldn't alarm anyone that the claim came from Ireland by CABLE . Evidently the equipment in Ireland is set up to receive only , not to send . In any case , congratulations to Lee De Forest . Evidently the soon - to - be - built Hotel Belmont at 42 nd and Park will be equipped with wireless telegraphy . The building will be well over 300 feet tall . The staff on top will be 150 feet tall . It will be the first hotel to offer the service to guests . I guess that 's one more way to order room service . CHOIR BOYS GO ON STRIKE : Things are touch and go at the Tremont Methodist Episcopal Church in Manhattan today . Evidently the 40 choir boys might not show up . On Thursday , they reported to the concertmaster , Frank White , as usual . Then they walked out before rehearsal was to begin . They have refused to return to the church . Evidently they are upset because one of the girls in the choir was receiving " too much praise . " The concertmaster should be happy for at least one thing : At least the boys are singing the same tune . 
April 7 1906 ( Saturday ) . A PAPER TRAIL TO RICHES : For years , Benjamin F . Ellis of Peoria , Ill. , put his return address ( 400 North Avenue ) on envelopes before sending a letter in the mail . That simple act has helped authorities settle the estate of Miss Susan Ellis Murdock of Carver , Mass. Miss Murdock died at 90 without a will . A search of her belongings turned up an old envelope with Ellis ' name in the return address . That 's how authorities tracked him down . It turns out that he is a first cousin of the dead woman . The estate was in dispute in the courts for more than three years , and about 100 distant relatives had come forth as claimants . Ellis and another first cousin have been recently declared by the Supreme Court of Massachusetts the lawful heirs to Miss Murdock 's estate . They will split $ 600,000 . That 's an incredible amount of money . A PREDICTION WORTH BALKING AT : American League president Ban Johnson ( right ) is putting a good spin on the upcoming season . In a story with a New York dateline , he claims the league has never been so well balanced . Furthermore , he says he makes the claim without " any desire to introduce a little press agent tonic into winter baseball gossip . " He says " I believe the eight clubs in the league are so near together from a championship standpoint that the race among them will be one of the best contested in the history of baseball . " That sounds impressive , but when it comes to the American League , the word " history " barely applies . Its first season was 1900 . Anyway , Johnson qualifies his prediction a bit : " And yet , you can never tell . " Wouldn't it be great to know the final standings for 1906 now , so we could see if it was as close as he thought ? Or maybe we could tell if someone had spiked his " press agent tonic . " BY DAWN ' S EARLY LIGHT , THE ANTHEM ' S STILL THERE : The Washington Post comes down hard on " The Star Spangled Banner , " saying it is " perhaps the most lugubrious , dismal , and unlovely tune that was ever wrung from the quivering bowels of a horn . " Audiences try to look enthusiastic when singing it , The Post declares . Singers can't hide their true feelings , the paper says , adding , " the fact that they were bored has always been the one dominant and unmistakable feature of the occasion . " The Post offers no suggestion . Surprisingly , the paper doesn't mention John P . Sousa 's The Washington Post march ( above ) . 
April 6 , 1906 ( Friday ) . VESUVIUS RUMBLES : People living near Mt . Vesuvius are a little nervous . Explosions have been heard from 20 miles away . And villagers are leaving their homes near the mountain . Five streams of lava are rolling down the mountain . Experts aren't too worried . Prof. Matteucci , director of the observatory on the mountain , thinks the ashes will stop falling in another day . Some ashes and smoke have reached Naples . The Washington Post says , " The Neapolitans are not alarmed -- in fact they are rather glad , saying that the new eruption of Vesuvius is in preparation for the arrival of King Edward , who left Marseilles April 2 on the royal yacht Victoria and Albert , accompanied by Queen Alexandria , and who is expected here soon . " Something tells me he ' d prefer to be greeted by an eruption of trumpets . A HORROR NEAR AMITYVILLE : More is coming to the surface in the investigation of the death of French balloonist Paul Nocquet . His body was found on the muddy shore the south side of Long Island , between Amityville and Jones Beach . Nocquet , a well known sculptor and aeronaut , had evidently taken off from the Bronx earlier in the day , intending to ride his balloon to Philadelphia . Instead , he was whisked in another direction and lost his anchor . He managed to land his balloon safely on shore , but it was after dark and he was trapped by marshland . He struggled to get by foot through the marshland and knee - deep mud to Amityville , which he could see in the distance , but he evidently collapsed and died from exhaustion . Searchers found his will in his pocket . A SIGN OF SPRING : Seasonal advertisements are surfacing . How about the pitch for Dr. Greene 's Nervura . It 's called " the True King of Medicines . " And , why stop there ? Take a look at the illustration in the advertisement , which brings to mind Germany 's Kaiser Wilhelm , and you ' ll see why another pitch is , " More Powerful Than the Most Absolute Monarch , for it Creates Health and Strength . " And , " the Greatest Cure Known to Man. " It 's called a " spring medicine . " There 's a reason why this " spring medicine " has a kick . Sources tell me that it 's about 17.5 percent ALCOHOL . IRONMASTER AT TUSKEGEE : Andrew Carnegie is spending today in Atlanta . The paper certainly thinks it 's big news , withy a front - page package that includes a three - column illustration . The Ironmaster will be the main girder at a reception at 4 p.m. He told a reporter he is particularly looking forward to meeting " Brer Rabbit Remus , " by which he means author Joel Chandler Harris . The two will meet about 2 p.m. Carnegie was at the Tuskegee Institute yesterday and gave a long speech , which was recapped at length by The Washington Post . Carnegie said , " I say to my colored friends , ' Seek ye first education and all right will soon be added to you in this country ' . " Yes , that 's right . He used the word " soon . " . 
April 4 1906 ( Wednesday ) . ANOTHER SARAH , PLAIN AND TALL : The great Sarah Bernhardt has been on tour . A description of her recent performance in Convention Hall in Kansas City ( written by Ed . H . Smith ) has been picked up in numerous papers . Mr. Smith originally wrote it for the Chula News in Missouri . It 's the Show - Me state , and Sarah surely showed Smith something . Here 's some of what he wrote : " Making love and dying are Sarah 's two long suits . She may be better at dying than she is at making love , but if she ever wants to give me a private demonstration of her art I shall not ask her to die . That 's sure as God made little apples . " NO , HE ' S NOT THE TEA GUY : Earl Grey , the governor - general of Canada , and his wife , the countess , visited the White House yesterday . They came from New York , where he had made an eloquent speech dealing with the close relationship between the U.S. and Canada . Evidently nobody ruined the mood by reminding him that we in the south have tried to invade Canada quite a few times -- in the Revolutionary War , in the War of 1812 , in the Patriot and Aroostook wars in the late 1830 s and in 1866 . FATAL SHOOTING IN ATLANTA : This paragraph from today 's front page of The Atlanta Constitution says it all : " The story of the shooting , the fight , the death and the love of the dead man for the woman he attempted to kill is one of the most dramatic that has been brought to light in Atlanta for a long time . " It 's talking about the death of L . Ben Wilmouth , who was stabbed to death by Walter Hightower , who was enraged at the injury to his sister Carrie Bryant , who was shot in the hip at the boarding house of her mother Mrs. Joe Johns , who had offered room and board to L . Ben Wilmouth , who was stabbed to death by ..... Well , you get the idea . It was dramatic . Wilmouth , 30 , was a night watchman for the Southern railway . He had loved Carrie when she was little . After she married W . L . Bryant , Wilmouth ran off to join the Army . He returned about three years ago and was an occasional boarder at the home of Carrie 's mother . Recently , Mrs. Johns had fallen ill and Carrie had been helping out at the house . That was OK , because Carrie was estranged from her husband . ( It 's amazing what the " Constitution man " -- e . g . , reporter -- discover while sitting at Carrie 's bedside after the shooting . ) Sensing a romantic opportunity , Wilmouth -- especially when drunk -- would warn Carrie not to return to her husband ; otherwise , he ' d have to kill her . ( OK , that 's NOT the best pick - up line , but it 's a start . ) Well , according to police , he tried to do just that -- kill the woman he loved . Yesterday evening , as Carrie Bryant and her brother Walter Hightower and another boarde were sitting in a room reading the afternoon paper ( evidently , they were reading about the strike of Atlantta painters ) , Wilmouth walked in . He nodded at Carrie , aimed a pistol and shot at her . The article says " THE SHOT STRUCK AN ORGAN . " Fortunately for Carrie it was an organ of the musical kind . Carrie ducked behind a chair . The ailing Mrs. Johns rushed in ; the shooter pushed her aside and fired again . This shot hit Carrie in the hip . Walter Hightower , enraged , then chased Wilmouth from the house . Wilmouth fired at him . In turn , Hightower emptied both barrels of his derringer at Wilmouth . No bullets hit their targets . Hightower caught him about 100 yards from the house . Put simply : " When Hightower had wore himself out in stabbing and cutting Wilmouth he rose . The man was dead . " Hightower surrendered to Deputy Chastain and is now behind bars in the Tower . Coroner Thompson will hold an inquest today . 
April 3 1906 ( a Tuesday ) . ENOUGH IS ENUF : The Carnegie Simplified Spelling Board has published a couple of circulars , one of which contains a list of suggested spellings . The Post - Standard ( Syracuse ) provides some examples : confest , tho , thoro , cutlas , discust , fantom , thoroly , thru , thruout , altho and kist . It 's suggested by Andrew Carnegie ( shown here ) , or as one wag puts it , ANDROO KARNAYGEE . Xtra letrs won't be mist . It mite work . BIG HEIST IN MINNEAPOLIS : One of the nation 's slickest thieves has evidently been apprehended , police say . For now , he is known as Thomas J . Wainwright . The victim was Dr. Nicholas Pinault of Minneapolis . It turns out that the doctor hired Wainwright to take care of his mansion while he ( the doctor ) went south to Pass Christian , Miss . , during the winter . He said Wainwright 's credentials were impeccable and that he told him he was a lawyer who was out of practice . Once the doctor headed south , Wainwright went to work . He emptied the mansion of diamonds , silverware , rubies , antiques , laces , pearls , paintings and a gold watch that was evidently once owned by Cardinal Richelieu . That 's the cardinal in the picture . It certainly could be his watch . A careful look at the wrists reveals NO WATCH . That means it could have been stolen from him BEFORE he posed for the painting . Or , maybe that is a watch peeking out from under the sleeve on his left hand . Hmmm . Investigators will have to look into it . Police have been looking for Wainwright for about four weeks . They found him in New York , heavily armed . 
April 2 1906 ( Monday ) . THAT ' S ONE SMART DOG : The Washington Post begins a story with this sentence : " Apropos of nothing in particular , Alexandria wishes to arise and announce to the world that a resident of this ancient and honorable municipality owns the smartest dog in the world . " The proof ? Well , it turns out the dog , belonging to Mr. A . Powell Brookes of Alexandria , Va. , became sick about two months ago . Someone ( the paper notes it was " a negro " ) took him to Creighton 's drug store . After an examination , he was given some capsules and was carried home . Two weeks after that , the same dog showed up at the drug store -- alone . He sat by the door and slipped in when a customer opened it . He sat near a counter and wagged his tail . Finally , Mr. Creighton took a look at him and found the dog was ill once again . He gave " Sank " the same medicine , and the dog walked home . This happened one more time . Critics might say that the dog returned because the medicine was tasty . The people of Alexandria , however , are certain that this is not the case and that the dog is , indeed , the smartest dog in the world . If the dog really wasn't sick , he was still smart .... smart enough to fool those Alexandrians . GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT : The soldier who took the family Bible from a home in Fredericksburg , Va. , during the Civil War has returned it -- about 40 years later . Or maybe it was a relative or friend of the Union soldier . The Washington Post says that someone named R . R . Riddell of Albany , N . Y . , contacted the clerk of Fredericksburg , saying they wanted to return to Bible to the family that owned it . The clerk did some research . Now , the Bible is on its way to Miss Fannie Nash of Carters Wharf in Richmond County , Va. She 's the granddaughter of William O . Belderson , who owned the Bible at the time of the war . Evidently the plundering soldier -- or R . R . Riddell -- is a slow reader . It sure took the thief a long time to get to Exodus and the " thou shalt not steal " part of the book . A LOOK AT LANGUAGE : One of the headlines in The Post - Standard ( Syracuse , N . Y . ) uses an intriguing word for a story of a fatal drunken fracas among miners in Charleroi , Pa. The phrase goes , " End of Orgy in Woods . " It 's not what someone might think . There were not females , or sexual activity , mentioned in the story . The definintion of " orgy " is simply " a frantic revel ; a drunken revelry . " One wonders : When did the word get sexy ? 
April 1 1906 ( Sunday ) . NOT JUST A PASSING FAD : It might be April Fool 's Day , but this is no joke : The American Intercollegiate Football Rules Committee announced yesterday that it has come up with some new rules for the 1906 season . ( That 's the 1882 Rutgers team in the picture , by the way . ) The biggest change is that a FORWARD PASS will be allowed . Also , the offense must gain 10 YARDS for a FIRST DOWN , not just five yards . The Daily Nevada State Journal ( Reno ) put the story on the front page . The Syracuse ( NY ) Herald has a pretty complete story . Some of the rules are geared to player safety , which shouldn't surprise those of you who recall the death of Harold R . Moore of Ogdensburg , a halfback for Union College . He died Nov . 25 , 1905 in a game against New York University . Here 's one way a player can get disqualified : " striking a runner carrying the ball in the face with the heel of the hand on defense . " That 's probably illegal in boxing , too . Player behavior is part of the focus . The rules now say a player will be suspended who uses " abusive or insulting language to opponents or officers . " No mention of any concern about endzone celebrations . BE NICE TO YOUR BILL COLLECTOR : Here 's a shocker out of Lowell , Mass. A man shot and killed the man who ran his boarding house . He also shot and injured the dead man 's brother - in - law . Why ' d he do that ? Arthur Lafond " told police that he had become exasperated over the continual nagging " of the two men because of his outstanding board bill . The total came to $ 11 . He didn't want to pay for the food he ' d eaten . He did , however have enough money to buy a revolver shortly before the shooting . IS IT A MARRIAGE BOND OR A MARRIAGE NOOSE ? Mr. and Mrs. J . W . Mc Ewen are back together after a separation of almost 20 years , according to a report out of Savannah , Ga . , and printed in today 's Washington Post . They were married in 1887 . Their parents intervened at the time and forced them apart . At the time , the bride was , er , 14 ( remember , that 's in Georgia Years ) and the groom was 18 . The couple lost track of each other . They 're back together now . She has been married two more times since then . She outlived husband No. 2 and , presumably , outran No. 3 a couple of months ago after learning that husband No. 1 was , in fact , still alive . Now , they 're back to Square One . They ' ve evidently learned something . The article says , " They will live together now without the formality of another marriage . " . 
Nothing Like A Cute Waitress . So we go to our favorite Italian restaurant , and not only is our new waitress a real cutie , she has the nicest ass that I have seen in a long time . I was never any good at flirting with women , but being married for 12 years in August , I like interacting with women when I am with my wife . I know it sounds strange , but it 's like I ' m saying , " if I wasn't married .... but I am happily married , so no thanks " For some strange reason my wife doesn't mind . As a matter of fact she seems to enjoy it . So I ' m in rare form with our cute waitress with the sweet ass , when she proceeds to tell us about a jazz bar that we should check out , my wife says " only if you come with us " . Holy crap !!!! After I got past how corny her line was , and the initial shock , I found myself extremely excited . Our cute waitress with the sweet ass politely declines , and then proceeds to give us the best service from a waitress that we have ever had ( which is not that hard to do because most of the time service in restaurants sucks . For the record , we are very good tippers . We usually leave at least 20 % , most of the time more than that . We leave our cute waitress with the sweet ass a ten dollar tip on a $ 30 bill . Believe it or not , the large tip was for being a really good waitress , not for being cute and having a sweet ass. But , there 's nothing like a cute waitress . 
Losing Weight . The pounds are definitely coming off . It has been 1 week and I have dropped 4 pounds . So far it has been a lot easier than I thought it would be . The midnight snacks were killing me , let alone adding pounds . My biggest problem was sweets , chocolate cake , cookies , you get the idea . I have rediscovered fruit , and it has made all the difference in the world in my diet . Dark plums and strawberries are my new found treasures . Strawberries with whipped cream are as good as it gets . I can't believe it took me all this time to find that out . My exercise program consist of a stationary bike and weight lifting which I have been doing at least 5 days per week . If I can give any advice , I would say that if you want to lose weight , make sure you tell someone , that adds extra incentive to do what you said you would do . It is amazing how hard it can be if you let society pressure you into eating more than you should . With the convenience stores , the fast food joints on every corner , you can't get gas without be tempted to get a snickers bar that happens to be right in front of the cash register . Being that I work at home , it does make it easier to eat right . 
Always say Thank you . I have been ordering Chinese food for as long as I can remember . Mainly from the same place over the years . Recently a new take out restaurant opens up , and as usual , we get a menu stuck between our front door . I decide to give them a try . I place the order and the delivery guy shows up promptly , I pay him for the food along with a $ 3 tip on a $ 15 order . The guy make an about face , gets in his car and drives away . I have to say , when it come to being polite I am a little uptight , it drives me crazy when people don't say thank you when they should . So when the delivery guy didn't say thank you , I definitely noticed . The side note of the story is , the food was great . The second time we call for delivery , we get the same guy , I give him the same tip and the same thing happens . Nothing . Now I realize that this is this guys way of operating . But again , the food is great . The third time we call , I ' m ready for him , I tell my wife that he not getting a tip at all . The bill is 16 and change , I hand him a 20 and wait for my change . With a very dumbfounded look on his face , he actually says " No tip ???? " . I say " no tip " , I have to give him credit because he says " why not ?? " . This was the opportunity that I had been waiting for all my life , I say " I ' ll tell you why no tip , you never say thank you , that 's why no tip " . He looks me right in the eye and says " thank you ? " So I tell him no tip this time , maybe next time . As he is walking down my walk way , he looks back as if to say mother ..... . Needless to say we didn't order from there for a while . A few weeks pass , and now it 's time to give my boy another chance . That egg foo young is calling me . Here he comes " hi , how are you " I reply " great " . 16 and change , I give him a 20 , " thank you , ......... thank you " . He has been saying thank you ever since . 
Bird of Prey . Every now and then you come across something that you don't see everyday . I wander into Target to pick up some golf balls , I am headed towards the sports department , when I happen to notice a crowd of people gathered around something . I make my way thru the crowd only to come across a full grown bald eagle . There was a animal handler standing with him but he wasn't in a cage , even though he did have a chain around his neck to keep it from flying thru the store looking for lunch . I can't express how impressed I was . I have been seeing eagles on TV and pictures all my life , but I have never been within 5 feet of a full grown American Bald Eagle . The thing that I was impressed with the most was how big it was , this one , Frank , had to be at least four feet tall . That doesn't seem like much , but I can assure you , when you see a bird that large , it 's impressive . Come to find out , Eagles need donations to help protect their existence . Frank had a broken leg and was being nursed back to health , which explained his gig at the local Target . They had a rope around him so you couldn't get too close , but from where I was standing he looked like all business . I can clearly see how he got picked to be our countries symbol of freedom . 
Goal : Lose 37 Pounds . Alright , so I let myself go a little . It 's time to get off the fat train . I have been putting it off for months , and now I am at the heaviest I have ever been . The electronic scale that I have needed a battery , which for some reason took me a few weeks to replace , today I finally replace the battery , only to find out that I gained 5 pounds from that last time I stepped on it . Talk about a rude awakening . My biggest problem , just like millions of others , is that I really like food . I have the terrible habit of eating everything on my plate , no matter how much food is on it . All you can eat buffet ??? Let the feast begin !! Well those days are stopping right now . This goal is attainable and definitely within reach . The big problem now is food peer pressure . Going out for dinner with the mrs . , a few beers and some wings with the boys . NO MORE . I read once that discipline is just a matter of remembering what you want . I just have to remember . 
My latest venture . I would have to call myself an opportunity seeker . That being said , I have tried more money making programs then I would like to admit . My latest venture seems at the very beginning , to be one of the best programs that I have seen in a while .1 . An exclusive product that is delivered instantly without physical inventory 2 . A video that does the " selling " for you .3 MLM 4 Solid company 5 Free to join 6 VERY minimal investment monthly . ( $ 10 ) 7 . Upline support 8 . Great earning potential .9 . Income for life I could make the list longer , but you get the point . I signed up today , and have been telling anyone that would listen to get in NOW ! INCOME FOR LIFE . 
Why 10:20 PM ?? I don't know how or why , but I have a digital clock that is within eye site of my lay z boy chair , at least 3 times per week I happen to look at the clock and it says 10:20 . I find it incredible every time it happens . 
Three Dollar Reviews ! A new section ' ll be coming to 10 - 4 GB soon , and not just the new films available on the site . I ' ve been purchasing a lot of $ 2 - $ 3 DVDs at record stores , yard sales , video rental places , etc. , and the ones that I purchase at one place usually end up being the same price pretty much everywhere I go . Which also means that where ever you are , the same movies will be available to you for about the same price . Tbat 's why I ' m starting the Three Dollar Review section ( catchy , huh ? Wanna know where I got the name from ? ) . I ' ll review these films as I get them , then place ' em in the sidebar . If you see one while browsing through a DVD store , you ' ll already know whether it 's worth buying or not , or if it 's so completely not worth buying that it actually becomes worth buying . It also gives me a chance to finally write the From Justin to Kelly review . 
Blog of the Day ! A few days ago I uploaded a good deal of video to the site ( it ' ll be in the sidebar soon ) , then proceeded to cover my tracks by switching all the new video with older posts . I called it " The Best of 10 - 4 GB , " which is code for " couldn't write enough new posts to fill the big space I created . " One of the posts I put up was from about this time last year in Romania , and my unnerving experience at a waterpark in Oradea . Well , some browsing bloglord happened across it and was intrigued enough to name 10 - 4 GB Blog of the Day ! This only goes to prove my theory that my genius will never be appreciated in its time , but needs time to distill before it sees its full flowering . I figured it would be posthumous , but it 's apparently about 12 months . A year from now you 're gonna be in stitches about this . 
I Hope One Story Explains Everything . A longtime friend and I went out to visit a mutual friend out at her lake house this weekend . I don't want to slag the weekend , I had by and large , a pretty good time . But I think this story is a fairly accurate cross - section of what my weekend was like . The girl that we went to visit had snagged a couple of the burned CDs from my car to listen to on the trip out . She still had them in her 6 - disc changer while we were out there , and as it was flipping through , one of them came on . As Sufjan Stevens started playing " Chicago , " she suddenly noticed it . " Oh , I forgot to tell you , " she said , turning to me . " I listened to your CDs on the way out , and there 's ... I dunno , one or two good songs on them , but mostly it was all just pretty lame . " She hit the " Disc Change " button , and the Dixie Chicks ' Fly came on and " Goodbye Earl " started up . " Oh my God , I know every word to this song ! " she squealed , pounding me on the arm . " Hey , is this the Dixie Chicks ? " asked my friend excitedly from the backseat , leaning forward between the seats . " This is amazing ! " They both begin singing loudly and bopping their heads along to the rhythm , raising their hands to the ceiling . " She held Wanda 's hand As they worked out a plan And it didn't take long to decide That Earl had to die ! " " Woo ! " screams my friend , grabbing my arm as the song reached the bridge . " Why aren't you singing ? Don't you know the words ? " . 
Makeover ! I ' ve done some remodling , as you can clearly see . 10 - 4 GB has finally gotten a makeover . The new site was almost completely designed , but it became troublesome to work the blog into the site , and so the compromise was to work the movies into the blog . All of my movies will be in the sidebar and on the site quite soon . Because of all the additional video , I ' ve run a " Best of Wyman " through the month in order to cover the tracks of adding all these videos onto the site . I tried to find posts that people might find interesting a second time through , though a few of them are very topical . The last five or six , posts , though , are all brand new , and worth a gander . I put a lot of effort into those . Enjoy the new look ! I ' ll be working out the kinks for a week or so , so stick with it . 
George Lucas In Love . It also occurred to me that some people out there still might not have seen George Lucas In Love , probably the finest short student film ever made . God bless you , USC film nerds . God bless you , You Tube . 
This Week 's Sign that the Apocalypse Is On Us . This piece of news is so incredible that I ' ll need to lead up to it with a bit of history . During the filming of 1959 's Plan 9 From Outer Space , director Ed Wood - generally considered ( okay , unanimously considered ) to be the worst director in the history of film - lost his main actor , Bela Lugosi early on in shooting due to his untimely death . Not to be dissuaded , Wood wrote a script around the footage he had already shot and finished the film with his wife 's chiropracter , Tom Mason , in the role , a man considerably taller than Lugosi . Mason acted the entire film with a cape over his face . This is generally considered the low point in film history . We may have to reconsider . During the filming of 2007 's Postal , director Uwe Boll - generally considered ( okay , unanimously considered ) to be the worst director alive today - announced recently that he 's decided to fight the harsh criticism that his films have quite appropriately received . * Well , he 's not actually going to fight the criticism . He 's going to fight the critics . He 's invited his five worst critics to fly out to the location of where he 's shooting his latest atrocity , Postal , ** where he has volunteered to put them up in a hotel for a night , and then they are welcome to climb into a boxing ring with him and actually box him . I guess he 's finally answered his critics . * His latest , Bloodrayne , was so mind - blowingly bombastically terrible that Imdb 's only user comment simply says : " Man , this movie blows . " ** Starring - get this - Gary Coleman . 
Friends Don't Let Friends Buy Cameras From Friends . A friend of mine sold me a complete dud of a digital camera . It 's a Canon Powershot A 70 which I purchased from him for about $ 45 , which is fifteen bucks more expensive than Ebay . But he was offering it , and I wanted a digital camera . Let 's pretend , for a moment , that you were the one who bought the camera . You 're anxious to try it out , but when you turn it on , the screen is completely black . You might think that this is just the screen malfunctioning , but when you take a picture in this mode , you discover that your image looks like this : * Now , just as your seller ( who will never be invited to your wedding or the bar mitzvahs of your children ) explained to you , you hit your camera on the side . The screen gives you a couple different views of purple lines across a black screen , like so : As you continue to pound the camera , you get your very own private and extremely frustrating performance of " Fantasia 2000 . " After seven or eight pounds , the camera turns off . You turn it back on and give it another try . A few pounds later , the screen shuts off off again . Anywhere from seven to ten minutes later , a vague , purple - ish image appears on your screen . You excitedly snap a picture . Not so good . You keep pounding . The screen switches back to black , to purple lines again , then back to the purple - lined image . Then it switches off again . You think you 're back to square one , but you soon learn that - you 're not ! You 're actually even further away ! The camera begins to shut off every three or four pounds at this point . Suddenly , though , the screen snaps into focus . A few short seconds later , you ' ve taken your first real photograph . ** Naturally , of course , whatever big event you were prepping the camera for documenting has long since past . So you 're left to take pictures of whoever happens to be around , which is usually no one , because nobody hangs out with a guy pounding a camera for more than five minutes . Therefore I ' m launching a photo gallery called Pictures In And Around The Room . I ' ll post some up tomorrow sometime . It 's a whole different school of photography : the ease of use of digital cameras with the set - up time of a 1920 's film camera , except without hand - loading flash powder . Though I ' m not opposed to it . * Ah , a visual aid for those of us who can't imagine what a perfectly black rectangle looks like ! Let it never be said that I don't have faith in my readers . ** Those two photos are at least 15 minutes apart . I can't tell the difference either . 
There 's Hope Left On Those Airwaves . I heard Finger Eleven 's " so - last - year " hit " One Thing " on the radio the other day , and it occurred to me that , while it 's not a bad song at all , it says a lot about the state of radio today . Because everyone who hears that song knows ten songs just like it , in a very similar style , by all kinds of artists , which are much better than " One Thing . " To make things worth , this was followed up immediately by the latest Paris Hilton single ( from a debut album subtly title Paris ) . Take me now , Lord . My cup overfloweth . Most people who know me have heard me rant about radio , Clear Channel , the Telecommunications Act of 1996 , and the vibe - killing actions of The Man. But it 's summer , it 's time to drive around with the windows down , blaring your AM / FM radio ( and cassette player ) and blowing out your factory speakers . So here 's good news about the radio to brighten your summer : 1 . Those of you who caught my bit on John Mayer and Keane last week should know that both artists have singles out on the radio , and both seem to be at least marginally following my advice . All the guitar I ' ve heard so far on Keane 's recently - released Under The Iron Sea album is positively incidiary , and while Mayer 's announced his new album is " a little John Mayer Trio - ish , " that first song , " Waiting on the World to Change , " is just brilliant .2 . Thanks to Shakira , " Hollaback Girl " is no longer the most played single in American radio history . Thank you , Shakira . As a sign of our gratitude , you can have Texas .3 . And while Sufjan has yet to hit mainstream radio , a song about Sufjan has arrived , as Snow Patrol 's newest single , Hands Open , talks about driving around and playing " Chicago , " which isn't a bad idea .4 . While we 're at it - the radio 's playing new Snow Patrol , which is another thing to look forward to . They 're also playing O . A . R . , which I never expected to happen .5 . Chad Kroeger was arrested for drunk driving in Canada , which might , maybe , just maybe , decrease Nickelback 's air time on national radio . As a sign of our gratitude , Canada can have Texas if Shakira doesn't want it .6 . Bow Wow has decided to retire from the rap game ( when did he start ? ) . I ' m assuming , offhand , that he 's doing this in order to focus on his acting , which just go a huge boost in " Fast and The Furious : Tokyo Drift . " At least , I ' ll assume it did . I ' d rather not see it just to check .7 . In a response to having an American Idol hit the top 20 with a karaoke cover of " Wanted Dead or Alive , " John Bon Jovi has released yet another single into Top 40 radio . I haven't heard it yet , but I ' m going to bet it 's gonna sound a good deal like " Wanted Dead or Alive , " only with a female vocalist accompaniment . Any takers ? Didn't think so . Sure , the list 's a little thin , but hold on as best you can . The Fray and Panic ! At the Disco are climbing the charts . Guster has a new album out . There 's hope left . And whenever that runs out , there 's always Sirius . 
Indie Cred . Want to prove your indie credentials ( or lack of them ) to your snobby friends ? You 're probably not indie if you do tests like this . But onward ! I am a mix taper ! You 're really enthusiastic about the music that you like . You attempt to discover your new favourite band every week . You continually try to get your friends into the music you like , which annoys the # % $ out of them , but you don't know it . Hey , at least you 're not arrogant about it . 
Top Ten Dorkiest Things that I do . I thought that everyone might enjoy this . I compiled this list in a couple of minutes , which probably means I ' ll have to make an addendum later , as more dorky things that I do occur to me . Also - and I ' m playing with fire here - if anyone has any dorky thing that I do to add to the list , I ' m more than willing to hear it . 10 . I get really riled when friends diss an artistic movie by comparing it to a less - than - artistic movie . A sampling : Friend : " Oh , yeah , I couldn't stand Eternal Sunshine . It was terrible . Really disappointing for a Jim Carrey movie . Now - Ace Ventura - now , that 's just a classic . " Me : Are you kidd - I mean , that was brill - ( sputter ) how can you even say that Ace Ventruruaa - Ventrurur ( sputter ) - Venn - shurr - ah is even in the same - whaaaa ? Whaaa ? 9 . I have seen every episode of Family Guy multiple times , and when someone quotes it , I can tell which episode the quote is from .8 . I talk to all animals as if they understand exactly what I ' m saying . Then I really expect them to go check and see who 's at the door when I ask them to ( " All right , all right , I ' ll do it myself . Sheesh . " ) .7 . When surrounded by uber - dorks , I will attempt to fake dorkiness , and feign knowledge of anime , or Tron , or RPG games , so that they ' ll think that I ' m cool .6 . I wear leather , in order to look tough .5 . I wear pleather , in order to look tough .4 . When singing along to a song , I ' ll pretend I ' m holding a microphone in my hand and close my eyes and see myself singing in a huge auditorium , like the Paladium . I often do this while driving .3 . I have thought out every detail of what life would be like if someone performed surgery so that I had the metal skeleton and retractable claws of Wolverine .2 . Whenever I have a knife , I will toss it end over end to see if I ' ve suddenly got the hang of catching it by its handle .1 . If I ' m standing across the room , and there 's something on the other side that I need , I ' ll sometimes reach out and check , one more time , to see if I ' ve got the Force . 
Thongs on Parade . I was told once that if you go to a European waterpark , everyone - men and women - arrive wearing only a thong . I heard this a long time ago , while still in the throngs of puberty , when such news made Europe sound like a little piece of paradise . Since I was probably only thirteen or fourteen , the story unsurprisingly stuck with me . Maybe you heard such rumors yourself at a young age . If so , I want to take this moment to relieve you of whatever Bacchanalial images you might have . Fact : a European waterpark is a terrifying thing . I warn you : do not try to picture this . There are sixty - year - old women in string bikinis . There are seventy - year - old women sunbathing topless . And every single male , from the toddlers to the centurians , are wearing Speedos . Usually thong - style Speedos . Now , if I were to be parading around often in a Speedo , I would likely pay closer attention to things like my weight , my muscle tone , and the evenness of my tan . While it is to their credit that the Romanians don't hassle themselves with matters like this , it is still the most petrifying sight I have ever witnessed . I have never been so happy to take off my glasses in my life . 
Dates and Superpowers . Your Results ... Your dating skills are AVERAGE ! You scored a 69 out of a possible 100 points . You re pretty good with the ladies , but you can be intimidated by a woman who is exceptionally attractive . There are some women out there that you consider to be out of your league . Sometimes when you see a woman you d like to approach you become immobilized with fear , and by the time you figure out what to say , she 's gone Your Superpower Is : Super - Strength Hercules . He - man . You . That 's right , welcome to the pantheon of unbelievably strong folks . The good news is there 's nothing you can't lift / break / crush / mangle / throw / generally destroy . The bad news is that you ' ll immediately be the first one people will call to move any single thing around their house . Hey , I ' ve heard that before ... 
Hola ! This is one of the latest Spamusement posts - I thought it might amuse . Spamusement , remember is a website dedicated to taking the subject lines of spam , and drawing a cartoon to fit the scenario . This one is " Hola ! " In addition , I also enjoyed this post from Exploding Tim ( just like Exploding Dog , but not as depressing ) . It 's called " This Is A Lot of Pressure . " . 
I ' d see it . I suppose after two weeks away , I should update about important things : how the films are coming , how life is out here , funny anecdotes . Instead , here 's this : a trailer for Kubrick 's " The Shining " like you ' ve never seen it before . * I ' ve watched it three times , and each time I can't stop laughing hysterically when Peter Gabriel starts playing . * Keep in mind , it 's actually only funny if you have seen it before . 
Promises , Promises . I ' ve decided that if I make enough promises on this blog , someone will hold me to them , and I ' ll finally get some more content up on this blog . With that said , here 's the list : 1 . I promise to write a great deal more faithfully on this blog over the course of the summer , at least up until the point where I leave for Romania 2 . I promise that I will faithfully review From Justin to Kelly , Kingdom of Heaven , The Hitchhiker 's Guide to the Galaxy , Breakfast at Tiffany 's , The Aviator , and so on . I said I would do more reviews and I mean it . 3 . I promise to do a really complete piece on the Asbury Film Festival , including my thoughts on winning , whether or not I really deserved it , and a review of every piece in the festival , and an update on the soon - to - be - rescored Leaves . 4 . I promise to correspond more with other blogs , especially the exceptional Random Neural Firings . I haven't been there in a coon 's age .5 . I promise to actually finish lists when I start them . 
Friends and Fun . I have a number of new links in the sidebar , mostly to various friends who also have their own e - worlds . You 're more than welcome to check out all of the sites , but a couple of them haven't posted in a while and so their sites are a little dated . I ' m adding them onto the site to encourage them to get their e - lives back on track . You can give their sites some traffic and maybe encourage them to keep their sites up - to - date . Otherwise , I ' m kicking them off the sidebar . Which is about as bad a threat as I can muster . By the way , one of the links is my brother 's site , Wyman Family History , which is going to be stories about our family . He hasn't actually made any stories yet , so I ' d advise you to pay him a visit and maybe get him to start posting , or maybe post a story of your own . The site has zilch content so far , so anything you can do would be an improvement . 
Romaniafest . We had a crew of Romanians over here a few nights ago to complement the set that we already have , and it further convinced me that I am going to be a complete wreck when I get over to Romania . I cannot speak Romanian whatsoever , and what 's more , show no natural ability to learn the language . I mean , six years of Spanish already taught me that my natural linguistic talents are ... well ... lacking - oh , why bother to be polite about it ! I can't speak Spanish ! I never could ! And I ' m even worse now , and I ' m trying to pick up some rudiments of Romanian based off of my understanding of the Spanish language . So you see what kind of downfall I ' m looking at here . I ' m destined to be that hapless traveller who spends three hours at each border , attempting to communicate through a lot through arm - waving and shouting very slowly in English . And I ' m already that effortless linguist who finds what he wants to say in the phrase book , is incapable of understandably pronouncing the Romanian , even though it is written phonetically in the phrase book , and must resort to pointing to the entry in the phrase book so they can read it themselves . The world is my oyster . While we 're on the subject , I ' ve also decided that my spare time in Romania will , to a large extent , be spent writing several short screenplays . That way , I ' m able to spend a good deal of time working on each script , so that I can strengthen each one , spend some time away from them , and then come back and edit them with fresh eyes later . That 's a luxury I ' ve never had when shooting during the school year , and I think that the effort should do me some good . Even if I only get one finished - that 's a huge head start once I get to Los Angeles . By the way , I got a job - I ' ll be working for a banqueting company . More details as time goes by . 
Heathens and Heretics . A few of you noticed the ad in my last post , which is nothing if not heretical , but rather funny , proving the point that : If you 're gonna piss the church off , at least have a good laugh doing it . It 's part of larger website who 's chief purpose seems to be to offend every Christian ever , which I wouldn't applaud if they weren't so good at it . One of my professors continually rails against the " trinketizing " of the Gospel , putting God into little packages that can be sold for profit . I ' m not opposed to Christian T - Shirts or bumper stickers , in general - after all , if your life isn't going to reflect Christ , at least your car will ( I know , you 're offended already . Stick with me ) . It 's reached a point in Christian circles in which people simply don't have contact with the outside world , and everyone has their sanctified version of society : you can listen to your Christian music , hang out with your youth group , and never really leave your Christian box . And here 's the thing : everyone knows someone like that , but nobody is like that . Nobody wants to be part of the problem . Well , I ' m part of the problem . I go to a Christian school , in which virtually everyone I have contact with is a Christian . I work for the campus Christian radio station . I don't spend a lot of time off campus doing mission work , instead I spend my time on campus , spending time with other Christians . It 's almost like a monastery , except there 's girls . I ' m not saying there 's not justification for the time I spend here : I ' m here for a reason , I ' m learning how to do the work I want to do , and I believe that God can do amazing things through the media , and I ' m excited to be a part of that . But I ' m not there yet . I ' m still here , and while I ' m here , I ' m part of the problem - A Christian absorbed in his Christian world , completely separate from that " secular " world that 's out there . Somewhere . I don't have the time , energy , experience , or wisdom to follow this argument to its logical conclusion about faith , works , the need for Christians to live their faith in the " real world , " Christianity 's lack of relevance in our current culture , and the way the Church has watered down its message in order to try to be relevant in our current culture . I don't want to come across as being too cynical : I truly believe that a generation of world - changers is flooding the job market , and revival is coming . So , instead , I ' ll leave you to visit the site , learn why Jesus cut his hair so he wouldn't look like a homo , and maybe buy yourself a " What Would Jesus Do ? " thong . You ' ve earned it . 
Pentecostal Fireworks . This post is left over from Memorial Day . I thought you might still like to read it . " Last night , I watched the Memorial Day fireworks from right under the bridge they were launched from . The rockets would climb into the night sky and explode straight above us , so that you d get a crick in your neck from staring straight up . Then the flaming trails would drift down to the pavement , and sometimes the crowd would shuffle out of the way to dodge them as they landed in our midst . The ashes would float down , stinging our eyes and powdering our faces . Sometimes a larger piece would float down , and a dozen hands would rise into the air to receive it . It would drift around wildly in the night air before finally nestling in someone s hands , a charred present from heaven . Sometimes the smoke would be so thick we couldn t see the fireworks beyond , just the flashes of light through the cloud - like an old Charleton Heston movie , where God is veiled , with only flashes of lightning to hint at His power . My older brother , who apparently has no soul , complained that it was dangerous . I thought it magnificent . And so - and I know this is ridiculous , but - I ve decided that fireworks are the only generally accepted religious event in America . People gather together and gaze at the sky , waiting for a display of power , and when it finishes , they all forget about it and go on with their lives . In Sunday School , we always ridiculed the Israelites for lacking faith while struggling through in the wilderness , even though God appeared and demonstrated his power time and again . But you can't keep faith in God just because miraculous events keep happening . When you 're still stuck eating bugs in the desert , it seems a million years ago that God blew from Heaven and divided the waters . Expecting them to keep faith for it is like expecting my life in December to be still be impacted by July 4 th . No matter how breathtaking the display , it seems you still always go home the same that night . " . 
He 's Alive and In Perfect Hibernation . Let 's try again . I want one of these , life - size , for my room . I saw Revenge of the Sith again tonight . I finally understand the movie now . A review should be coming shortly . 
Logo . So I was editing my logo , and when I saved the file , it told me that I might lose some color quality . Well , not a big deal , right ? Back to the drawing board . I should have this crazy thing up here by tonight . 
My Own Personal L . A . Weekly . I actually sat down and finished two screenplays last night , and so I think I deserve a little hard - earned respect , huh ? Thank you . I re - wrote the coffeeshop piece , now tenuously titled " Hating the Player and the Game . " Since I was struggling creatively , I thought it would be better if I found a new location and maybe then sat down to work . After all , I finished my eight - minute script while sitting in the noonday sun in the middle of a travelling carnival that had set up right outside my building . Water loss + bright colors + loud music = creativity , but it 's the sort of creativity that doesn't read that well when you look it over that night ( " Why did I write in so many dream sequences ? Why did I decide that so many of the characters should speak Portuguese ? " ) . I figured a change would do me good . I tried to get up on the roof , but the door was alarmed ( in answer to your question , no , it wasn't trial - and - error . I read the sign . I have some sense ) . So , instead , I wrote the next draft in my bathtub . I heartily recommend it as a writing strategy . Lots of people have written great works in their bathtubs , like that sick guy who was murdered after the French Revolution . Marat . Everyone remembers him . So it 's a great approach . I also re - wrote " Stage Three , " which was later re - titled " Wednesday night , " and is currently called " Apology . " I ' ll be posting that one soon enough . It 's pretty rough right now , but I ' m very excited about it as a visual story . It 's got some real potential . If you ' d care to take a look at the new screenplay and give me your comments , here it is . Let me know what you think . 
Sandtroopers of the 104 th Moisture Farm Patrol - Roster . TD 1009 - Luke Harris - Evans " Rogue " TD 4120 - Matt Moews - ' Fin Zissou / 4120 ' TD 0600 - Paul Seward " 0600 " TD 2187 - Ward Jones - ' Terek Deckard ' TD 1255 - Lee Wilcox - ' Engedi Etz ' TD 6829 - John Mayes - ' Topolev Mayevkin ' TD 8733 - James " Ross " Rosster - ' Folson Danz ' TD 0582 - Chris Loving - ' Ardan Drone / Blade ' TD 1344 - Allen Slonaker TK 1265 - ( TD Status Pending ) - Eric Meadows TD 3195 - Owen Morgan - ' Ddraig ' . 
Home Briefly . We delivered our load to Ontario on time and I was able to get home for about 3 1 / 2 hours . Just enough time to wash a load of clothes , take a shower , eat lunch , and update my blog . Unfortunately Karen was at work so we didn't get to see one another . We have a new load to pick up this afternoon in Vernon and then we are off once again to Atlanta Ga . We should be in Atlanta late Thursday night or early Friday morning . I ' m sure we will hit a lot of traffic trying to get out of Los Angeles County . It was nice to be in California for a few hours as it is the first time in a week my wrist watch has been correct . : - ) More later . 
At it again . We 're back at it again . We picked up a new load at the Swift terminal outside of Atlanta and are now west bound at just over a snail 's pace . Actually I just finished my ten hour shift of driving and am headed to bed shortly . I have to say it 's pretty exciting trying to sleep in the sleeper while the truck is moving . We are swapping ten hour driving shifts and should be in Ontario on Tuesday morning . As I type this entry we are about 150 miles east of El Paso , Tx . We hope to pick up a new load Tuesday and head back to Atlanta again . I hope to get a couple of days off after our next return from Atlanta . I am becoming much more comfortable behind the wheel and I ' m not grinding as many gears as before . My Cingular wireless card for my lap top is working real well . We are out in the desert and still picking up a signal . More later . 
Laying over . I am sitting in a hotel room in the outskirts of Atlanta Ga . Michael and I delivered our load on time earlier this morning . The location where we dropped our trailer was deserted so I got to do a couple of practice backings . It 's a real job backing a 53 ' long trailer into a skinny space . I got it in both times , but it was a battle . I have caught myself driving down the freeway just thinking how cool it is " it doesn't get any better than this " to be driving a big rig down the road looking at the countryside . I praise God often for giving me this opportunity . I am also thankful to my family , especially my loving wife , for allowing me a chance to follow my dream . We now have to do what is called a 34 hour reset . We cannot drive or work in any way for 34 hours straight to reset our 70 hour maximum work week clock . We are scheduled to pick our next load tomorrow after 10:00 a.m. and head back to California . Yesterday I drove across the Mississippi River , on a bridge of course , and into Vicksburg Ms. It was pretty impressive . I do like bridges , and this one was an older steel one . It 's nice to cross a bridge and see water under it , not something seen often in So . Cal. The scenery got a lot greener once we got into east Texas and on into the South . We saw a few deer along the road just before dark . I haven't had a chance to take any photos yet but will include them as time goes on . It 's hot and muggy hear in Atlanta and there is a threat of thunder storms . That would be pretty cool . We don't get to see many thunder storms in So . Cal. I ' m trying to find a baseball game on the TV . I am a big baseball fan and follow the trials and tribulations of the Minnesota Twins , California Angeles , and Los Angeles Dodgers . I ' ll probably have to watch the Atlanta Braves , but baseball is baseball . That 's about it for now . Thanks for tuning in !! 
East Bound out of Texas . We are cruising through East Texas and what a difference . There are green rolling hills and lots of trees . It is a bright sunny day , with just a few patchy clouds . It is a bit warm and muggy . I am sitting in the front seat writing this before it is my turn to drive . We should be traveling through the rest of Texas and then through Louisiana , Mississippi , Alabama , and then into Atlanta . I ' ve been having a good time and learning a lot . My trainer , Michael , is a good guy and we get alone very well . He has been driving for about five years . I am learning to sleep with the engine running and the vibration of the cab . More later . 
I hooked up with my new trainer on Tuesday and we were off to San Diego to pick up a load . We are now on our way to Atlanta Ga . We are stopped for the night in Demming NM . I drove for about four hours today and it was pretty cool . We came across a really neat lightning storm outside Tucson , Az and got a little bit of rain . I am off to bed . More later . 
Blogging . Hello to all . I have decided to start a blog to post my trucking adventures . Those of you interested in my adventures can be updated at your leisure as to my progress in my new chosen field . I started my new career by completing a four - week truck drivers school and getting my commercial drivers license . I went through two days of orientation with Swift Transportation and was assigned to a trainer . I met my trainer and we took a trip to Phoenix and back . We didn't get along too well , so I have requested another trainer . My trip from Phoenix to Riverside was pretty cool . I ' ll continue to post as my adventures occur . 
Account Still Suspended ... After a few rounds of clarifications , e Bay seems to temporary accepted my appeal regarding my dropshipping supplier ( after submitted the emails for purchase and activation of my online store ) . Now they need my evidence of registration ( name and address ) . Sigh ... got to wait for more days before my account reinstated . What a lousy e Bay experience so far ... By the way , my dropship supplier has partnered with another up and coming auction site . Looks promising . Will sign up for it soon . In the meantime , looking for ways to promote my online store . It seems like linking to the shopping malls will be the way to go ... Dat 's all for today . Till next time ... Cheers ... 
My Account Suspended by e Bay ! Alas , e Bay suspended my account indefinitely . the reason being I have listed 5 new items at one go and they are suspecting whether I owned the items in the first place . EBay is asking for proof of ownership . This is a big headache to me as I don't own these items at all because I use dropshipping service . Hopefully my supplier is able to provide some documentation to prove it to e Bay that I ' m real for my business ... sigh ... Don't worry , I ' m not going to give up so easily ... will press on and get creative to get my business online again . In the meantime , will press hard to promote my web store www .108 - unimall . com Till next time ... 
My Own Shopping Mall ... At last , I have my own personal store carrying more than 35,000 highly demand mechandise . My store also come with e Bay wizard which help me to list the items for auction within few minutes at my finger tips ... Yesterday , I put up a total of items for auction at e Bay ( 2 Xbox systems and 3 watches ) . Looking forward to see the results . I ' m planning to put up more for auction soon . Currently , I ' m holding a Great Summer Sales at my store with up to 45 % discounts storewide . Here is my store address : www .108 - unimall . com By the way , the name of my store is 108 Uni MALL . That 's all for today 's update . Will post more soon .. so come back to check out my progress ... Cheers ... 
Searching for e Bay Mentor ... After my virgin sale last week , this has rocket boosted my confidence in ebay business . My days to quit my full time job is not very far away anymore . Now I ' m determined to make ebay as my main stream of online income ... but first , I ' ll need to look for a ebay mentor to coach me so as to shorten my learning curve . After searching high and low for the past few days , managed to locate a few good one ... Derek Gehl 's ebay Millionaire System ( $ 197 ) and Dustin Cannon 's no BS 7 - weeks ebay Success University ( $ 197 ) . Both offer money back guarantee within 90 Days . Derek Gehl system will be delivered in CD - Roms while Dustin Cannon will be delivered in soft . Both look good ... still don't know which to decide . Will take a few more days to roam around for more choices and start comparing again . That 's all ... till we meet again . 
I made my VIRGIN sale today ! I couldn't believe my eyes ... I made my first sale in ebay today ! I thought my last digital item was closed without any sale but it was a mistake . It was my virgin sale with only 2 items listed . I made it . Wow ... this is going to be a big motivation for me . Cheers ... Here I come , ebay !!! 
No bid for my 2 digital products ... After 3 days of fever , I ' m back to action again . Quickly log in to my ebay ... no taker for my digital products . What a disappointment . As someone who is persistent , this small setback will not stop me from trying again . By the way , I have managed to locate a drop - shipper in US . Will be signing as a member and start selling in US using this service . I think this will provide me with much better product option . Until next time ... 
Another Product For Auction ... Today , I added another digital product for auction ... the Adsense Revenue . Just to have more products to test the market . Still getting myself familiar with the ebay system ... seems like can't change the currency to be used within 12 months . Think will spend some time to dig out my junks and start taking pictures of them . Want to try real physical products auction in my next auction . Dat 's all for today activities in ebay . Cya ! 
NBA Live 07 Cover is Wrong . Oh my goodness . Mc Grady is a terrible player to have on the cover of NBA Live 07 , the NBA is headed into a new direction and Mc Grady is not part of that movement in any way . They had it right last year with D - wade on the cover but Mc Grady is two steps back . I know its a cover and not a big deal but lets get serious and put some solid NBA talent on the cover of the NBA game that will be on most all next - gen consoles . Better choices would have been : Le Bron ( Surely EA of all people could afford him ) , Steve Nash , Elton Brand , Kobe , and Dwight Howard . They may as well have put Steve Francis or Kevin Garnett on the cover again . Not a knock against KG but again , Old NBA vs . New NBA . 
SOUL PATROL SOUL PATROL SOUL PATROL ! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!!! Ladies and Gentlemen ! For the first time in my LIFE . The American Idol contestant that had been my favorite since I saw them audition ACTUALLY WON . Let 's recap my heartbreaks : Season 2 - Clay Aiken Season 3 - Jon Peter Lewis Season 4 - Anthony Fedorov And now FINALLY my favorite , Taylor Hicks , has WON the competition . I am very excited for him . I ' m hoping he gets to sing songs that don't eat it hard . The " Do I Make You Proud " song is a steaming pile dude . Like really . Anyway props to Taylor ! SOUL PATROL ! 
I ' VE HAD IT . Get your copy of the player here For those of you wondering , this is footage from the upcoming classic to be " Snakes on a Plane . " I believe the unofficial tagline for this movie is " I ' ve had it with these motherfuckin ' snakes on this motherfuckin ' plane !! " I may not know who you are or what your background is but I think you can feel fairly certain that you can't write a movie with a better premise than snakes being on a plane and Samuel L . Jackson apparently trying to stop them . I like plot twists . Maybe in the end Samuel L . Jackson IS a motherfuckin ' snake on that motherfuckin ' plane . WHO KNOWS ! My point is this movie is going to kick ass all up and down the street it 's not even funny . I mean did you watch that footage ? They couldn't even cut a real trailer it 's so awesome ! It wasn't even a teaser either ! It was just shots ! Clearly Mr. David R . Ellis knows that snakes being on a plane is something we all legitimately fear and if you are too terrified of the snakes we might miss the story . So they eased back a little on the snake effects . Such a good move . Basically , if anyone pans this movie before or after it 's release they are unamerican AND in my eyes are committing several acts of treason against their fellow man . I wish I had thought of this movie . Next summer myself and Matthew Kennedy will be making a spinoff sequel entitled either Pelicans on a Yacht or Bears on a Bus . Sweet . 
I mean I ' m not bragging but ... Educated Group You scored 100 smartness ! You are what the average American should be ! I suggest you get out of this country before it collapses and spread your smartness to others ! My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender : You scored higher than 79 % on smartness Link : The R U Smarter than Avg . American Test written by yoninah on Ok Cupid , home of the 32 - Type Dating Test . 
You see to the heart of me . Hephaestus Gods ! You scored 45 ! You are most like Hephaestus , the god of fire and craft ! Hephaestus was a patron of blacksmiths . Hardworking , incredibly clever , though a bit of a loner . Known for forging incredible gifts and clever traps . Achilles ' armour at the battle Troy is attributed to him , as is Pandora 's Box . Unfortunately , while he was off toiling , his beautiful wife Aphrodite was cheating on him with Ares . So while you 're into making things and are a straightforward genuine person , don't forget to pay attention to your loved ones from time to time ! My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender : You scored higher than 58 % on Godliness Link : The What Greek God Are You Test written by mellyelf on Ok Cupid Free Online Dating , home of the 32 - Type Dating Test . 
Where do you go ... AFTER DARK ??? Well today begins the start of production for " After Dark . " Oooh let 's do a cool imdb style cast and crew list . Greg Maheu ... Ben Travers Holly Hansen ... Angela Mark Brewin ... Kenny Sean Hennen ... Writer Bryan Kernodle ... Producer / DPScott Eikenberg ... Cameraman / Lead Editor Butner Brimberry ... Director Cool Daddio ! So yeah we start filming tonight and even though it never does , I hope things go smoothly . Ok Rock Lobsters , go dangle those flippers . - Jeremiah Paddywack . 
Geriactrics is that you ? Wow . Today was a woozer . First off Scott Eikenberg and myself are work machines . The filming of " After Dark " begins Monday so this will be a manic week for us . I watched Arrested Development last night and if you are one of the many who have never seen this show . Do yourself a favor , no wait , do ME a favor and go rent , no , go BUY the first season on DVD . You will laugh , you will cry , and you will want to become a magician . What a hooty hoo . Hooty hoo . Hooty .... you know the rest . - Love Butner . 
Weekend at Jac Beach . I made it home alive from my first vacation in Costa Rica . One of the greatest things about Costa Rica is that within 6 hours you can be anywhere in the country seeing one of the thousands of amazing places here , and you only have to pay less than 5 bucks to get there ! I am really glad that public transportation has kept its prices really low . I suppose that 's why Costa Rica is really popular among backpackers . Great prices on transportation , food , and hostels . So when you get robbed it balances right out , I guess . The bus ride out to Jaco Beach offers some amazing views of the countryside . Actually , I have a feeling that the views were nothing compared to what I am about to see when I go on the famous Canopy Tours in the rainforest . I snapped the picture below while riding on the bus . It offers a nice view of the countryside with a nifty fence in the foreground . For some reason I really like the idea of making a fence out of a row of trees and stringing wire between them . It ' ll be a long time until that fence falls down ! Life in the tropics sure is beautiful , but it comes with a few costs . For example , there is always the fear of being bitten by a mosquito that is carrying dengue , malaria , or some other type of scary disease . I believe the risk is relatively small , but it is a scary thing to think about . Also , they don't call ' em rainforests for nothing ! The rain in San Jose forces everyone to learn the habit of carrying an umbrella with them wherever they go . It seems to me to be intelligent rain . Not only is it very punctual , never missing an afternoon , but it also waits right until you walk out the door and have to be somewhere really soon to start pouring rain ! I have to admit , it is kind of exciting , though . Along with the rain come huge cracks of thunder that shake the ground . I wish there was a way to take a picture of the experience . Ok , now for the pictures of the beach ... Jaco is a little surfing town pretty much directly west of San Jose . Even though it is looks really close to San Jose on the map , it is a 2 1 / 2 hour bus ride , but its beauty and relative proximity to the city make it a touristic hot - spot . Don't be fooled by the picture above , it is usually full of surfers and sun - bathers . I took this picture this morning right before I had breakfast at a cafe just to the right of the tree in this picture . Sitting right on the beach every day is a group of kids around my age who will rent you a surf board for 10 bucks a day . I declined the offer of a lesson for an additional 35 , but after all the bruises from getting beat up by the waves I ' m thinking maybe I should have accepted . Yep , that is really me surfing in Costa Rica ! I really couldn't believe it myself ! When I was heading out into the water for the first time I couldn't stop laughing ! I just couldn't believe where I was ! Back in San Jose at the bus station I saw one of the most original musical instruments in the world . A super smiley Caribbean guy provided us with some awesome Bob Marley music while we waited for the bus . He played a wooden box , attached to a string , tied to a stick . I think this picture is priceless . I think I ' ll call it the Poor Man 's Bass . Until next time ... Pura Vida ! 
An outdated blog ... 21 July , 2006 I wrote this the other night and couldn't post it until today ... Here you go ... The travel books warned me that electricity was " erratic " and to be prepared with a flashlight . Well , this morning I found out theat the power was out at the hostel when I couldn't get hot water in my shower . I had a good laugh when I learned the reason for which we had no power ... someone had stolen the power line running to the hostel ! Hahaha ! Appearantly the power lines are made f bronze , and so people steal them just for the metal . Crazy , huh ? So it 's now night and there is still no electricity here . It makes for a pretty cool atmosphere with candles set up in every room . It 's really peaceful , too , ' cause there are fewer people here and everyone went to bed early with nothing to do . So I decided this morning to stay in the city one more night because I wasn't going to be done with stuff at the school until late . I just barely decided that I am going to hit a beach on the Pacific side tomorrow morning and stay in a town called Jac . I ' ll have to be back Sunday night for more stuff at the school on Monday morning , so it will just be a nice weekend vacation . I can't wait to see outside of the city ! The climate here is really fascinating . The mornings are really hot and sunny , and then each afternoon clouds roll in , thunder strikes , and San Jose gets soaked in rain . That 's how it happened today ... I got off the bus heading towards the school , there was no rain ... then there was a loud crack of thunder , and before I knew it I was completely soaked ! That lasted for just about 15 minutes and all went calm again . Well , I got my shower today after all . 
Another day ... I think my biggest compliment today was from the taxi driver ... he actually believed I was from the " Mother Country " , from Spain . A couple of other drivers had tried to rip me off by asking for 1,500 colones ( $ 3.00 ) up front when the trip should have only cost 350 ' cause it was so close , so I had to find another taxi . I didn't want the driver to think I was just another gullible American , so I made a quick lie . Hehehe . The taxi system is pretty good here . It 's really quite affordable . They are all regulated by the government , and that keeps the prices reasonable and the customers relatively safe . Any travelers are advised to make sure that the taxi is a registered taxi so that if anything happens they can make a complaint to the city . I don't really know what that would do . This afternoon all the taxis were actually on strike . It was really quite funny to see . They had blocked up a huge part of the main street causing all kinds of chaos . They were all mad because the city was being too easy on the " pirates " , or unlicensed illegal taxis ( the ones known to rob tourists , etc ) . I wonder what will come of it . It 's a pretty cool feeling right now to not know where I will end up sleeping tomorrow night . I went to a dive shop today to ask for some suggestions of where to head off to , and so now I have some ideas . It 's really interesting that even though Costa Rica is such a small country there is so much to see ! I don't even know where to start ! There is a sign here in the hostel that quotes Saint Augstine of Hippo that says , " The world is a book , and those who do not travel read only a page . " I think it would be more accurate to compare the world to an extensive library . It really is impossible to read it all ! That 's a frustrating feeling to deal with . Everything I ' ve seen so far has been so exciting that I want to make sure not to miss a thing . Yet I know that even if I were to spend my entire life traveling I would only be able to scratch the surface . 
Life in San Jose begins . Today was the first orientation meeting for International students at the University of Costa Rica . After a couple hours of sitting and listening in the auditorium to all the technical aspects of the registration process , etc. we finally broke for lunch after which we met again for a bus tour of the city of San Jose . Any guide book will tell you that when visiting Costa Rica not more than 2 days should be dedicated to seeing San Jose - there 's just not much here worth seeing compared to the rainforests , beaches , etc. But , it is my new city of residence , and so a bus tour was a nice experience . After the tour I spent some time talking to the guy who guided it . Turns out he is from an organization called " Sur " . I am a bit unclear of the details , but they are a group of diverse scientists who do " Environmental Consulting " with projects concerning anywhere from reforestation , environmentall impact , organic farming , or , apparently , giving international students tours of the city ! At any rate , the tour guide asked me what I studied , and when I replied that I am studying GIS and have worked as a cartographer he told me that he might be interested in me working for him and gave me his card for me to contact him ! Yeah ... so it 's extremely difficult to keep from getting my hopes up too high . In fact , I better quit talking about this because I get more excited the more I do ! Standing next to us when we had that conversation was a member of the Universityfacultyy who works with study abroad . I mentioned that I was interested in helping out with a volunteer program started by international students here that is involved in all types of projects serving in the community . She was really excited about my interested and invited me to help out with a national science fair for elementary school kids . I am really excited to find out more about that ! On my way home I had a huge smile on my face and stopped by a " soda " or cafeteria for dinner . I really can't say enough about how much I like the food here . For about 4 bucks I had a huge plate of beans , rice , amazinglytastyy cabbage salad , friedbananass , and fried cheese . All that , and super nice service . Actually , I think it would be impossible for a Tico to provide anything but super nice service . They are all so friendly ! Well , I better get back to enjoying chillin ' with all the other travelers here at the hostel . See y ' all later ! 
Chillin ' with the hostel 's cat . I am sitting here in the San Jose Backpackers hostel chillin ' on the couch in the computer lobby . Though I am inside , directly in front of me is the pool . There is no wall or door - the air is naturally air conditioned by the sea . The sea also brings with it plenty of rain , feeding a plethora of plants all around the city . Back behind the pool is a path leading to a cafe that is part of the hostel . There is a projector in there where you can watch movies , or just sit and play a guitar they have sitting around in there . I am amazed at the diversity of people in this hostel . It is such a cool environment and everyone is so nice . Last night I ended up chatting for a couple hours with a Canadian hippie who has been funding her travels by making and selling rather impressive jewelry and selling it on the streets . Also at the table were two French Guys , a guy from Germany who will be studying at the University with me , a guy from Israel , and another guy from Russia . Tonight I met two guys from Spain , near Barcelona . Oh , and I ' ve met plenty of other gringos like myself . Today I met up with someone I had met on Myspace who also goes to the University of Costa Rica . Like all " Ticos " she was very willing to show me around and gave me a nice tour of my new school . I was slacking on my camera shooting during the tour , but I get a nice shot of the inside of the Arts building , designed to resemble Greek culture . After the tour we went for a bite to eat . I was amazed at how inexpensively I was able to get a nice meal ! For a little over a dollar I was able to get a plate of beans and rice with a fried egg , which I enjoyed inside by the window ... Or rather by the wall that wasn't really there . It started pouring rain by the time we finished eating , so I got to walk back to the hostel under my newly purchased umbrella . I coulda taken a cab , or a bus ... but I wanted to take the chance to get to see the city a bit . An interesting thing about the city of San Jose is that they have a very logical numbering system for their blocks . For example ... the hostel is at Avenida 6 , Calle 21 - 23 ... Avenidas run east - west and are even numbers south of the central Avenida , and Calles run north - south and are odd numbers east of the central Calle . So my hostel is 3 blocks south of the center , and on the block between 21 and 23 . The funny thing is , the streets are not marked and no one ever knows any of the names ! I guess I felt somewhat justified in getting lost when I went into a produce shop asking where I was and one persona said I was at calle 31 while the other said I was most definitely on 26 ! On my way back I was able to find my favorite Spanish delicacy , jamon serrano - cured ham - at a supermarket I ran into . I hadn't had jamon serrano in about 3 years , and so I was ecstatic when I was able to make a bocadilla espanola with jamon , cured cheese and tomatoes . I ' ve been pleasantly surprised at how nice the people are here . Everywhere I go I am able to talk to the people and they are always so friendly and willing to answer any questions . A simple question can easily turn into a nice little conversation and a pleasant friendship . The same hospitality goes for this hostel where the employees treat you like guests in their own home and are more than willing to lend you a towel if you forgot one , or let you borrow a knife from the cafe 's kitchen if you need to cut the cheese . So I am really loving life in Costa Rica so far , and I haven't even left the city yet to see all of nature 's marvels that fill up this entire country . Just wait until I make it to the beaches or the rainforests ! 
Arriving in San Jose . ( Posted on myspace blog on July 17 th at 11:20 pm ) Just a couple of hours ago I stepped off a plane and set a record for the farthest south I ' ve ever been . The sun had gone down long before so after breezing through customs and catching a taxi into town I was only able to see by the light of the city . The cabbie was a nice guy . I prepaid at the airport 15 bucks to get into town , and the driver took me to one place that turned out to be too expensive . When I didn't want to stay there he took me to another place , which turned out to be a nice hostel . I paid 9 bucks for a shared room with a locker . ... But there is a lounge with cable TV , a computer room with free internet access , a game room , and tons of people from all over the globe ! I ' ve really never stayed in a place like this ! I suppose I should post this and go get to bed , or perhaps go meet some of the other people here . I ' ll sure have a lot more to post tomorrow ! 
the challenge ... Goal : convert a $ 10 poker bankroll into a $ 1000 poker bankroll .. Thoughts : this blog will serve as an online portal for me to share my embarrassing experience of trying to turn $ 10 into $ 1000 by playing poker .. i ' ve been playing poker on and off for about a year now so i ' d still consider myself to be a bit of a fish online .. i ' m hoping over the course of this challenge and blog i can take my game to a new level and play comfortably and profitably at the medium limits with a half decent bankroll .. although my monetary goal is to take the $ 10 and turn it into $ 1000 my overall goal is to transform myself into a decent poker player .. at the moment , i ' m probably naive as to how difficult this is actually going to be but it 's only $ 10 and i ' m certainly going to give it a good go .. Games : my initial bankroll is a free $ 10 at pitbullpoker . com.. the terms are that i must earch 200 ' competition points ' in order to withdraw the cash and move on to another site .. i ' m hoping this doesn't take long as the software look absolutely dreadful and i ' m not looking forward to using it .... those articles i read on bankroll management can't help me now ... 
The Trouble with Lying . When you tell one lie , it leads to another So you tell two lies to cover each other Then you tell three lies and , oh brother You re in trouble up to your ears ! So you tell four lies to try to protect you Then you tell five lies so folks won t suspect you Then you tell six lies and you ll collect A life filled with worries and fears Cause you can t remember how many lies you ve told And half the things you say aren t true And sometime you ll slip up , you ll trip up and then Whatever will become of you ? So you lie and lie without even trying And each lie you tell will keep multiplying Till the whole wide world will know you re lying Then you ll be Suspected Detected Rejected Neglected Disliked And you should ! When you lie , you re closing the door On everything good I remember this song , mostly becasue it had always applied to me . The Church of Latter DAt Saints meant it as a PSA to keep kids from lying . I always was kind of fond of the little jingle . I guess the message was lost on me . Here I am now , 31 years old , and I still lie to pretty much everyone around me , and fucking effortlessly too . I will admit , its more to strangers and people I have just met than to my family and friends ..... but still ... I guess Im just a liar at heart . Thats why I am such shit , and hate myself . Im going to try to be more truthful .... which means hurting some people .... probably to the point in which they will never speak to me again . Tarnishing my reputation and making me an asshole in the eyes of many internet friends . Sad thing is , some of these people are better than my real life friends ... what have I done ? 
Neil Gaiman knocks on my door ..... Have you ever been in love ? Horrible isn't it ? It makes you so vulnerable . It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up . You build up all these defenses , you build up a whole suit of armor , so that nothing can hurt you , then one stupid person , no different from any other stupid person , wanders into your stupid life ... You give them a piece of you . They didn't ask for it . They did something dumb one day , like kiss you or smile at you , and then your life isn't your own anymore . Love takes hostages . It gets inside you . It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness , so simple a phrase like ' maybe we should be just friends ' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart . It hurts . Not just in the imagination . Not just in the mind . It 's a soul - hurt , a real gets - inside - you - and - rips - you - apart pain . I hate love . Neil Gaiman I had to put this up .... its such truth , its like a fucking prime number . Its the skeleton of love in words .... thanks Neil ... you fucked me up a little with this one . 
Redemption . " It 's never too late to be who you might have been . " George Eliot English novelist ( 1819 - 1880 ) For a long imte , I ' ve been feeling like I ' m in a rut , like I ' ll never be able to amount to more than I am now . That thought it kind of depressing , becuase it means there is no where for me to go but down . I cant handle the thought of being less than what I am now , because currently I ' m underpaid , tired , unhappy and pretty much convinced I am a total waste . Yes , I can provide for my family what we need , but Im not a fucking chinese dirt farmer ( No offense to chinese dirt farmers ) , I should be able to provide what we WANT as well . A lot of this stems from the fact that my dumbass brother , whom I love dearly , seems to be able to buy whatever fucking toy catches his interest of the moment , while I subsist on what I got . OK , so dont cry for me , Im certainly not living in poverty , but why dont I get to have a giant screen projector TV , and a boat , and all the other assorted crap that this kid gets to buy . Couple that with the fact that none of it is cared for , and when it breaks ( and it always does ) , he just buys some more shit to fill his place with . Oh and thats the best part .... he has a " mortgage " with my mother . Which means he pays her when he feels like it , and if he misses a few months , no big deal . While I had to get a mortgage from a bank , and if I miss a few payments , well , the bank comes and takes my house away . Sweet . Still , I cant complain , because I was given my house for waaaaaay below market value . I should be grateful . Right ? Even though Im the one trying to raise a family , and stays out of trouble . Im the one that does the right thing time and time again . Whats my reward .... self satisfaction ? Fuck that . I want the door prizes . I want to be able to fuck up and steal money , get arrested , get in fights , and still have everything handed to me . But thats not me . I hate taking from my family . I fucking hate it . Therein lies my problem . I want it all , and I dont . But I digress .... I saw the above quote , and it gave me a glimmer of hope .... maybe its not too late for me to be what I might have been . Maybe I ' m not wasted potential like I always have thought . Perhaps there is a chance for redemption after all , and I can reap the rewards of being a basically good person . Or maybe nice guys do finish last , and Im wasting my time not murdering people . 
Taking Time off from Obsessions . I have a problem . I get obsessed with things very easily , and I devote all my time to one thing , until I find something else to be obsessed about . Its like every few weeks , Im doing something new . Heres a brief rundown of my latest obsessions . Nicaragua Halo 2 MLGSpriting MSN Chat Zombies Freerunning Game Design Comic Writing Music Creation Kite Surfing Okay , thats in the last 6 months .... I jump around to each . I trained my ass off for the MLG Tourney in Halo 2 , only to not go . I started writing again , hoping to work with a published artist , only to drop the ball and never complete my script . The I spent the better part of a few weeks cruising the game design circuit . Then on to spriting for MUGEN for a few months . Then searching for Freerunning stuff , then comic collecting , then back to spriting , and on and on and on . Do I have ADD or something ? Its fucking up my work , because I ' d rather be chatting all day than to be doing my work . Its a miracle I havent been fired yet . I think I need to stop this shit , and get my head straight before I can even think about getting back to any of it . No more MSN , no more spriting , no more finding new shit to obsess over . My wife hates it . No surprise there . She hates almost everything I do . Yet she does nothing ? Unless you count reading and Su Doku . Props to her for raising the kid though . My new obsession should be shutting the fuck up , and finding out who I am , being honest with myself and those around me . Hey , at least Im sticking to the blog this time around ..... right ? 
The Big Cosmic Joke ... but not funny when its on you . So , this guy I know knows this girl .... and she is super cool and perfect and blah blah blah . So one day he 's talking to her via internet message service x and she is drunk as shit , and on her webcam , and telling him how hot and horny she is and making herself and him crazy . Playing with her tits , talking dirty , telling him how she wants to fuck the shit out him and that she has never wanted to fuck a guy so bad in her life . He 's losing it , knowing this is a girl he can never physically touch or have a relationship with becasue of location and other mitigating factors . So he cries and bitches about it to me and I dont care , because I have my own problems . I cant help this guy out , I dont know what to tell him .... fuck it , just stop talking to her , its a waste of time and energy ... or go for it , keep tortuing yourself because eventually it will pay off .... I know Im lying if I tell him thats the way to go . Maybe its all just a joke ... a big fucking joke on him , and he ' ll never get it . Does anyone ever get it ? Isnt that what life is , a big joke ? A joke , and you never find the punchline . 
You can say anything you want when you talk to yourself ... How many blogs are there in the world ? How many people sit in front of a computer and type away about crap either no one cares about , or that no one reads . I feel like my blog falls into the latter catagory . No one reads this . I can type whatever I want here , free of reprocussions . Here watch . I frequently masturbate to beheading videos and fantasize about raping nuns . Sometimes I pick up hitch hikers ..... I wont disclose what part of the woods I drop them off in . I like to swindle the elderly and use the money on hookers . Sometimes I give tabs of acid inside a grilled cheese sandwich to homeless people . I enjoy peeping on my neighbors when they have sex , or when he beats his wife . Either way I smile . Kidnapping is more fun than murder , mostly because it involves brainwashing and isnt as messy . Okay , so none of that shit is true ( or is it ? ) , but the fact that I can just put it up on the internet and someone may read it is kinda cool , but with all the other blogs full of crap out there ... well , the chances are slim that anyone will actually find this stuff . If you do , please leave a comment . Especially if you want to be kidnapped . 
Coldplay + Depression = Madness . See my math up there ? I cant stop listening to Coldplay ..... but in my current state of unrest , It makes me want to jump in front of a train . Songs of love are only good if your heart isnt broken , not that mine is or anything , but it makes you feel like it is . I still love it . No end in sight . 
Crushed . You ever wonder why they call it a crush ? You know , that giddy little feeling of being smitten with someone else . You like them soooooo much you want to write their name in a spiral notebook a thousand times .... The dictionary defines this kind of thing like this : Crush - Informal - A usually temporary infatuation . More times than not , it actually ends up feeling like this : Crush - To break , pound , or grind into small fragments or powder . Thats how you feel when someone you crush on ends up with someone else . Even if youre just friends and there is no possiblity of romance , you still get fucked all to hell emotionally . Even when you actually are kinda happy for them , for finding someone .... you still wish them bad mojo . A crush is a selfish thing . It serves no purpose other than to torture us most of the time . The worst part is , you usually know whats going to happen , but you fool yourself into thinking otherwise , and are actually surprised when it doesnt work out . I dont thing a crush has anything to do with love either . A crush is not in the love family of emotions . I actually think its closer to obsession , in the greed family . Its about possession , not unity . There is no beauty in a crush . Lesson learned , only not for the first time , and certainly not for the last . 
Unhealthy Stress Management . I ' m not good with dealing with my problems . I dont like to talk about them , and I dont enjoy having people know that I am feeling anything other than happiness . I bury my problems . Waaaaaaay down deep . Once buried , I can go about my life like nothing is wrong , like everything is good and well and fucking wonderful . There is only one problem with this method .... I am running out of room . My deep dark pit of hatred and anger is all filled up , and I ' m finding it increasingly difficult to keep my cool . Anyone who knows me , knows I am a pretty even tempered guy . Those unfortunate to know about my rage have dubbed it " Hulking Out " . This is where I release all my anger and frustration at once , lose myself in a blind fit of fury , and basically destroy all control over my rational mind . I cant turn it off , and I cant control it . I wish I could get all my pain off of my chest . Talk it out and let the people in my life know how I feel . Unfortunately , I know i will never do that . I ' m feeling hopeless lately , like my life will just drift along at this pace and I will have not lived any of it , just existed through it . Time is against me . I know this , and yet I waste it every chance I get . I am not happy , and there is no one thing that makes me feel this way . Just an ever expanding list of complications , and situations that I have no idea how to deal with .... I feel like Im coming apart at the seams . I worry about losing my job , my family , my friends .... and at the same time , I just want to leave my whole life behind and start new . You get one shot at life , its short and then its over . When you make mistakes , it doesnt just effect you , you effects all of those around you . People are interdependant , everyone lives intermingle , cause and effect on personal levels . So we are forced to live with those mistakes , like it or not . Starting over is hardly ever an option without damaging the social environment that surrounds you . Maybe thats why I am always feeling like shit . I know I cant do anything to fix my situation , and Im a prisoner of my own life . 
The Eye of the Beholder . Do you recognize what this symbol represents ? I read somewhere that the human mind ( in cooperation with our eyes ) is trained to recognize and remember patterns . Everyday around us we see things that allow our memory to associate or connect an image to a certain idea . Click on the Swoosh logo above and download the excel file so you can test how many of these symbols you recognize . NOTE : It 's not as easy as you think . Have fun ! Just as a bonus , here 's the ship song from Trumpets ' puppet musical Mr. Noah 's Big Boat : . 
Fujitsu 's 10 th . Just a few pics from our event last Wednesday July 12 ( I took these pics using Maits Nikon D 50 - a very good and reliable camera ) : Front view of the set Audie Gemora singing with Maits Teacher Lionel serenading Maria ( West Side Story ) Ponce doing the Pose . 
Knick knacks . On Missing Persons Last week my dad and I brought my mom to the airport where she left to go visit our sister who now lives in Canada . We had barely left the airport when he said to me " I miss her already . " I know what he means ... On Mixed Emotions Last night we dropped by the wake of Robbie Guevara 's mom at Santuario de San Jose and he was relating to us the moment of her death . He told us that he was at her side for the past few days and he would constantly watch the monitor and see her heart rate going down steadily until eventually it flat - lined . This brought on tears of course and as they were crying and the resident was called in to pronounce the official time the monitor started recording a pulse again . The resident then was caught in a dilemna on whether to pronounce or not . Robbie said that although they were in tears , this curious situation actually put a smile on their faces . On Wholeness I ' ve had a chance to chat with Crisel several times recently and we ' ve been talking about past and ended relationships . We came to the agreement that coming into a relationship when you are lacking inside puts an immediate handicap on things . It 's actually best to be whole and secure by yourself first so that when you do walk into a commitment , you are not focused on what your partner can give to you but on how you can give and take care of him / her . On Doctors . 
Likes 71 - 80 . 71 . HBO The main reason that I have cable is HBO . From back in the day when they aired the Larry Sanders show I have been a fan of their original programming . Without a doubt when it comes to quality TV , HBO is the leader . 72 . Artie Lange He is more then likely the reason I started listening to Howard Stern . Hearing Artie s Vegas exploits and his love of all things food and booze are hilarious . My favorite was when he ate two loves of his Mom s Sausage bread at four in the morning in a drunken eating binge . 73 . Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Jewel As I have often stated I am an Oatmeal Raisin guy . In the Jewel bakery they have these cookies which are like crack . I could eat the entire package of them in one sitting if I wanted to . Trust me , if you are a fan of the genre at all , pick these up . 74 . Fantasy Baseball OK , I am a baseball nerd . And as such there is no better outlet then playing fantasy baseball . It keeps me interested in every game and each morning when I grab the paper I head right to the box scores to check on my players . It is a harmless hobby that gives me a ton of joy and allows me to trash talk with my friends . 75 . The Chicago Pedway Once I found the pedway I was a new man . Now when it is cold or raining I can just hit the pedway to escape from the weather outside . I usually enter at the corner of Dearborn and Madison which is one short block from my building . I then can get all the way to the State of Illinois building which has a food court and suddenly I can enjoy a nice lunch . 76 . Rolling Stone Records Located right by the Harlem and Irving Park mall this record store should just give me my own wing , I ve spent so much money there . It was on the brink of closing earlier this year and then miracles of miracles it got saved . Trust me this is a good thing as there are very few independent record stores left and this has always been one of the best . 77 . Bag s No , not fun bags . I am not sure of the official name of the game but everyone knows what I am talking about . It is the game with the beanbags and you toss them into the wooden object with a hole in the middle . I first found this game at the Old Barn s beer garden and have been playing ever since . A great backyard activity that I seem to get better at the more I drink . 78 . Craigslist If there is a better site to buy and sell shit I haven t found it . The best thing about the site is that it is free to post there . Meaning if you want to sell that old exercise bike that you never use just put an ad on craigslist and you are done . A great site and I hope that it can survive without charging . 79 . Conon O Brien I remember watching those first shows and thinking that guy has a lot of work to do . Well , he has done it and now hosts the best late night talk show of them all . A naturally funny guy who has a great writing team and has against some pretty big odds found his own voice and his own niche . 80 . Ben and Jerry s Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch It is so good that it should be illegal . I never buy it because it won t last more then ten minutes in my freezer . I can not describe just how good this ice cream is . I am glad it is out there yet , for the good of my gut I wish that they didn t make it . 
Likes 61 - 70 . 61 . Urbandictionary . com Where else could I learn what a Hot Karl and a Cincinnati Bow Tie are ? At what other site could I find the definition for a Rusty Trombone and Jack Burn ? I can guarantee that you won t find what a Louisville Plugger and a Dirty Sanchez are anywhere else . 62 . Peterson s Salted Nut Roll No that is not an act of perversion but a tasty treat . Basically it is peanuts with nugget in the middle . Not being much of a chocolate guy I got into the nut roll for a treat and have never looked back . If you have never had one , give it a whirl you might like them . 63 . Neil Diamond OK , bring it on all you haters . Liking Neil is so un - hip that it has become hip to like him . A great performer and song writer , his songs are filled with sing along lyrics and catchy hooks . Is he a musical god or musician s musician , no . What he is , is a balls to the walls performer who knows how to write a good pop song . 64 . Baking Soda Here is a product I am convinced will cure cancer , because it does everything else . You can cook with it . You can use it as an antacid . You can use it as a deodorant . You can brush your teeth with it . You can use it to keep your refrigerator smelling fresh . There is nothing that this product can not do . 65 . Stadium Movie Seating How or why did we ever watch movies without stadium seating ? No longer do you have to worry about someone sitting in front of you at a movie . I admit going to the movies can be a pain in the ass but this one invention has made the experience a lot more enjoyable . 66 . Curb Your Enthusiasm After watching this show you now know who the brains behind Seinfeld was . This show , which is completely unscripted , is consistently funny . Can Larry David be annoying or irritating , yes . But isn t that the point ? I find his antics to be hilarious and can t wait for the new season . 67 . Sprint Wireless PC Card One of the cool things about my new job was they sprung for a wireless card for my laptop . With it I can get internet access wherever I am in the world . I know I sound like a geek , but it is pretty sweet . Now , when I am on the train I can fire up the laptop and surf the bestiality pages while riding home . 68 . Potbelly s I have become a fan of this sub place . I used to always be a Jimmy Johns guy but , at some point I turned into a Potbelly s man . My favorite being either the Wreck or the Italian sub. Also , the PB & J is a nice treat . All their sandwiches are good and heated and quite tasty . 69 . 500 Rummy I have been playing this game since I was in the womb . It is one of my favorite card games . It takes skill to be a good player and you also need a little luck . It is a game that rewards having balls . It also happens to be one of the card games that I am best at . In college my roommate and I would just keep playing an on - going game . I think we were up to like 15,000 by the end of the semester . 70 . Miniature Golf Back in the 80 s if you wanted to date Nick , more then likely you were going miniature golfing . Why , I still don t know but it became like a ritual of mine to hit Haunted Trails and play some putt - putt . Why I thought the place was like Spanish fly I don t know . I think because it involved doing something together with my date and if the conversation hit a lull I could always discuss the next hole or show my companion how to hold my club . 
Likes 51 - 60 . For those bored of my likes , I am over half way home . 51 . The Police The band not the law enforcement agency . I would give almost anything to see these three reunite and tour again . Sting , however has become a dick and wants no part of a reunion tour . Which is too bad because for my money nobody was doing it better in the late 70 s and early 80 s then the Police . They didn t release one bad record . Which is quite an accomplishment . 52 . The Plush Horse Located in Palos Heights this place makes the best homemade ice cream . They have a ton of flavors with my favorites being the apple pie and the mint chocolate chip . A great place to spend a summer night . 53 . TQ 3 Navigant Have I mentioned just how much I like my new job . It is such a night and day difference in attitude and culture from the bank . I don t mind getting up for work . I like my boss and I like my co - workers . I am a new man and am so thankful that I landed on my feet here . 54 . Savage Love I am a Savage love junkie . It is a weekly must read for me . I have never been much of an advice column guy . However , reading about other people s off the wall sexual questions and experiences and then Dan s responses are a guilty pleasure of mine . 55 . Wrigley Field I know I am biased here but there really is no better place to watch a baseball game . No where else that I have been , ( and I have been to my fair share of ballparks ) comes close to the experience of watching a game in the friendly confines . It is the last stadium left without a jumbo - tron and an applause meter . I know Sox fans hate it but that is all just jealousy . 56 . The Soprano s Has the show lost some of its luster , yes . With that said it is still one of the best programs on television . The first three seasons were just incredible , with out a bad episode in the bunch . While I have some criticisms over the last two seasons , the quality is still there and it is must see veiwing for me . 57 . Super Pretzel s Microwave Pretzels I am a fan of the baked pretzel and Super Pretzel makes a good one that is available in most of your grocer s freezer . In 40 seconds you will have yourself a good and filling treat . Don t add any salt and it isn t that bad for you either . 58 . Paul Giamanti Another actor who is always good . I first noticed him in Private Parts of all things , as he stole every scene he was in . From that point on I have followed his career . It is comforting to me that a man with his looks and his stature can be a leading man . That gives me some hope for modern cinema . 59 . Rolaids If you eat like I eat and have a stomach like I have then Rolaids are a necessity . Almost instant relief from most digestion issues that I get . I am a fan of the cherry flavor but any will do the trick . 60 . Firedustybaker . com A therapeutic website . I have been calling for Baker s head since he blew the NLCS in 2003 . I am so sick of the Baker lovers out there who continue to make excuses for him . I found this website and it has become therapy for me as I read the rantings of another like minded individual who watched Dusty continually get out - managed and continues to retard the progress of young players . 
Like 's Continued . I continue 31 . Water When I gave up drinking pop a few years ago I thought it was going to be tough . I must say that now , I really don t miss it . The reason for this is that I really enjoy drinking water . It is refreshing and it doesn t fill you like a soda will . Plus it is really good for you and you should drink as much of it as you can . 32 . Ankle Socks I ve been rocking the ankle socks now for over twenty years , even in the winter . If I could I would wear them with dress shoes . They are comfortable and my feet don t get hot in them . I hate long or tube socks because the elastic eventually fades and you are left with a droopy sock . With ankle socks you don t have that problem . 33 . Primo s The best soft serve ice cream on the planet . I ve tried a number of soft serve places and no one can hold a candle to Primo s . I am a fan of the soft serve and as my Uncle Dan says they have chocolate , vanilla , and chocolate and vanilla . That is all that they need . 34 . Law and Order I am a sucker for a good courtroom drama . This is why I have been a fan of this show for so long . Sure , I realize that a real courtroom is nothing like the one on L & O but so what . It makes for good drama and I like guessing along with the show . Some day I will write a blog on my favorite Law Order cast . 35 . Rob Neyer Probably , my favorite baseball writer currently working . Neyer is a new school thinking man who analyzes the stats to back up his arguments . He has written a number of books on baseball and his column on ESPN . com is a must read for a baseball geek like me . 36 . Billy Bob Thornton A completely underrated actor . I ve seen him in bad movies but I have never seen him be bad . He has range , and can do almost anything . His performance in a Simple Plan is to me the most unappreciated acting jobs I have ever seen . Maybe he is weird in real life , I don t care . This man can just plain act . 37 . Step Down Golf Tee s One of the biggest problems I have had with my golf game is consistency in my drives . Part of that was due to my placing the tee at different heights at each hole . However , ever since I went to step - down tees I no longer have that problem . Each tee allows me to place the ball at the exact same height which makes my swing a lot more consistent . 38 . The Who I ve wavered over the years between the Who and the Beatles on which was the best rock and roll bank ever . I think I have finally settled on the Who . Quite simply they never put out a bed record . Townsend , the musical God , who was a brilliant writer and musician . Entwitstle is quite possibly the best R & R bass player ever . Keith Moon , and his frantic , out of control drumming and of course Rodger Dalutry . Quite possibly the best vocalist for any band of that era . 39 . Golden Grahams A nice big bowl with ice cold milk , there is nothing better . With my digestive issues with milk , I don t eat as much of it as I used to , still there is always a box of it at home . I have always been a fan of cereal and this is my favorite . 40 . IMDB . com I am a movie junkie and as so , IMDB has become a daily visit . So many questions have been answered thanks to this site . Movie Quotes , ratings , and reviews this site has it all for a film geek like me . 
Like This . Here are the like s of Nick continued . 21 . Mozilla Firefox Firefox is so much better of a browser then Internet Explorer it is not even a competition . With a built in pop - up blocker and a better way of saving history , Firefox blows away IE . If you are not using it start , it is free to download and is very user friendly . 22 . Kevin Smith What can I say , the guy makes me laugh . His movies for the most part are low budget and have a lot off sophomoric humor . Laughter is just that , it can t be faked . I like crude humor , sue me . With that said , there is always a heart to any View Askew film . Kevin Smith is a down to earth guy living the American dream . He took a huge gamble by making a movie , using credit cards and it paid off . I say good for him and I can t wait to see Clerks II on July 21 st . 23 . Levi s The most comfortable pants on God s green earth . Without Levi s I would walk around naked . I love my Levi s jeans and could give two shits how they look . They are comfortable as hell , and they last forever . 24 . Seinfeld Reruns - I ve seen them all at least ten times and yet , I still watch . I could watch each episode another hundred times and it would not matter . Too me this may be the best non - animated show in television history . Sure other shows were smarter but , there is something about the chemistry of those four characters that Seinfeld and David created that was amazing . 25 . Dean s Popsicles Man do I love popsicles . Joyce has gotten me to start buying Dean s with real fruit juice in them and they are just as good , if not better . A nice summer treat , and while they do contain a lot of sugar they are still only 40 calories per serving so they aren t going to kill you . 26 . Tenacious D For sheer musical enjoyment , there is nothing that gets me in a better mood then the D . From the first time I put it into my cd player I was hooked . The songs are surprisingly catchy and the music is fun . I can not put a number on the amount of smiles that Jack and Kyle have given me . 27 . Whiffle Ball If there is a better game for backyard fun I have not found it . If there was a pro league , I would have been in it . I can still make a whiffle ball dance and stymie a hitter . You must use the original skinny yellow bat and only the official ball can be used . The game is great because kids and adults both can play and you can make the rules up depending upon where you are playing . Also , you need a good lawn chair as the proper strike zone . 28 . Lindy s Chili The best chili I have ever had . Spicy but not to spicy this stuff is like crack . They offer it with beans or no beans . ( I prefer the no beans . ) You can also get onions , cheese or macaroni with it . No matter how you get it , it s damn tasty . Just put some oyster crackers in there and you have yourself a meal . 29 . Las Vegas How could a non - believer like me not like a place called sin city . Gambling , hookers , one pound hot dogs , and Wayne Newton , Vegas has it all . It so is so trashy and so elegant all at the same time . When you are in Vegas , time means nothing . I can stay up all night playing blackjack , sleep for an hour and be at my make your own omelet breakfast in the morning . So much to do and best of all there are not a lot of kids running around . It may be the last place on earth for adults to go to have adult fun . 30 . Ace Hardware The local hardware store is about as rare as a good Ben Affleck movie , but there are still a few left . If you want to have a question answered by someone who knows what they are talking about go to Ace Hardware . While Menards might be cheaper and Home Depot might have more selection , Ace has a much more knowledgeable and helpful staff . I try to go there as often as I can for my hardware needs . 
Goal 36 ( In Progress ) - Have Multiple Streams of Income . So this one is not happening - yet , but I am in the process of getting it started . It is high on my list of things to do and at this point , I am on my way . I read the book One Minute Millionaire and it talked about how there are more ways to earn income then through your job and real estate . When I thought about multiple streams on income , I always figure that I had to get into real estate and begin investing . I talked to a few realtors and looked at 8 or 10 houses here in a college town , but I never felt totally comfortable . I think that one day I will explore it more fully , but now is not the time . Which leads me to what I have been working on the last couple weeks . I have thought a lot about what I could do to earn multiple streams of income . I have thought about it from my own industry ( financial ) and also from outside industries . First for ways in my own industry : Most financial advisors ( myself included ) have been taught that the way to make money is through the sell of products to consumers . I am learning that there are many more ways to earn money in the financial industry then just through the sell of products . I am currently working on creating multiple ways of gaining clients , which converts to additional sources of income . One of the ways is through my goals numbered 16 ( Money Makeover ) and 40 ( Online workshops ) . There are more that I am going to add to my list to be sure , but as the list currently stands , those are a couple that I have . From my last post , I talked about what I am currently doing with the Money Makeover . I am still a few months away from the online workshop ideas , but am working to get there . I need to get a few processes in place before I start the workshops . Now for outside my industry : I listened to a podcast that I subscribe to by Scott Patton called Internet Marketing Unleashed and his guest was Dave Watson of www . websitearticlewizard . com. It was interesting and they talked about the importance of creating a product or ebook that you would have to create once , but could sell over and over again . I though about that most of the day and it hit me that there are a lot of people in my profession that need certain things that are not being offered . Our business has created an excel document that tracks commission , clients , source , company and many more things . I think that there could be a market for selling this type of product and have begun thinking about how to go about it . I submitted a couple proposals to www . elance . com and www . rentacoder . com. I have gotten a few bids in and am excited to see what happens over the next few days . I am going to get it built and begin selling it and see what happens . So while they are not yet completed , I thought that I would at least post about what I have been thinking about the last couple days . There are a few other things I am thinking about , but nothing as exciting as these concepts . 
Goal 16 - Get " Money Makeover " Series Started . Even though I am still compiling my list of 111 Things to do Before I die , I am activley working on a few of the goals and think that it is time to become accountable for my progress . Goal Defined : Have a Money Makeover article in a local newspaper by January 2007 . I have a few that I am working on for my business in the last few months and one of them is an idea that I had about a year ago that I is called the " Money Makeover " . The idea came last summer when I was reading an online newspaper that was talking about how they do a regular feature called the " Money Makeover " . I read the article and found it very intriguing . The premis is that there is a groupd of financial professionals that alternate giving free advice for clients in exchange for a feature in the paper . It plays off of the whole reality show / makeover type shows and has some appeal with consumers . I have talked to a bunch of different people , consumers of all sorts and they all think that it sounds like a great idea . There is no one here in Northern Colorado that is doing this type of a feature . This is good if I can get it rolling . I talked to a few newspapers around town and have met with a few that seem mildly interested . I talked with one of the reporters at a local paper and we decided to go forward with it . She interviewed me and got the initial story in the paper and we created a way that readers could call and request to be featured . The story ran and we had three people call and request information , leading to the selection of one candidate . I met with the client and photographer / journalist and had a couple meetings that went pretty well . Then the paper decided to stop returning phone calls and I could not get in touch with them for anything else . I had a hard time getting the finishing touches on the story . The client changed jobs and everything kind of fell apart . Not to worry because I am persistant . I tried to get in touch with another one and had a meeting with a reporter there and she seemed excited , but said that it was the editor 's call and that he would give the final stamp of approval . Well , he didn't and we had to move on . I was beginning to see that I should stay away from the main newspaper in town . I needed to find a smaller niche paper that was more liberal and willing to take a little risk . I recently had a meeting with just such a paper and they loved the idea . I told them about the idea and how we would need to get a few other planners in the area involved to be able to provide a different perspective in each edition . We were going to have 8 - 10 guys ready to meet and hash out the details . I got a call from the editor yesterday saying that they were a little concerned about tsome of the details and how it was going to work and that we needed to re - think the overall strategy . They felt ( and I concurred with them ) that coming right out of the shoot and advertising the program might not be the best way to go about getting good , qualified people interested in participating . What we decided to do was to get one of my current clients ( or veru near future clients ) and feature them in the January / February issue of the paper . This way they can get a good story out and have people experience what it will be about before they decide to participate or not . I think it makes great sense . I know that you were thinking at the top in the goal definition that having it run by January seemed like a long time off , but this is why , we are just waiting for the new year and we are waiting to get the space in the issue that they told me I would get , which is 2 full pages worth ( roughly $ 3200 of free advertising ) so I am not complaining at all . I will update progress as time goes on . 
Making a new page . I am a little unsure how to best accomplish this and am hoping for some comments or suggestions . How can I make a new page on this blog to host THE LIST of 111 ? Is there a way to make a new page ? Do I have to make it in a new post that is linked to on the sidebar somehow ? I have created a new blog to hold nothing but the list . I am not sure if this is the best way to do it so I am asking for suggestions . Please let me know . 
The Principles of Success . I have many people that I turn to for inspiration and advice . The most successful people have coach 's , mentor 's and just people that they turn to for advice . The source that I draw much of the advice and guidance is through books . One that I read on a regular basis , I have 3 or so that I read over and over again in addition to new ones that I read is Jack Canfield 's " The Success Principles " . The 7 th Principle is called Unleashing the Power of Goal - Setting " and it talks about having clarity and definition to your goals . In other words , saying that I want to lose 10 pounds is a good idea , but writing down and saying on a regular basis I will weigh 150 pounds by October 1 , 2006 is a clearly defined goal . In the next few posts I will define some of my goals and objectives and begin to build my list . I have 45 - 50 written down so far and will continue to build upon it as time goes on . Here 's to your success ! 
First Post . I read a book called " 100 Things To Do Before You Die " by Dave Freeman and Neil Teplica and found it exciting . Therefore I have decided to chronicle my adventures as I set out to fulfill my list of 111 Things I want to do before I die . This blog is devoted to keeping a journal about what those things are and experiences of accomplishing them . Will I succeed ? I hope so . Will I learn something about myself and others ? Most certainly . Check back often and see what I am up to . What I want to know is , what are some funny , outrageous , silly things that you want to do before you die . 
Ferris and Shooting Soundtrack . Here is an example of your current blog task ... but I have used next week 's subject matter : A shooting script is a version of a script from which a movie is actually shot ; it includes scene numbers , camera angles and certain directors ' notes -- and it is generally fiercely marked up by the script supervisor and other production workers , while the writer 's draft is simply the skeleton around which the production is built . If you haven't seen the film , basically it is about one high school student 's attempts to remain sane through his high school experience . I found a student re - production of the film that is fairly faithful here : here . I ' m sure that they would have used the shooting script for the film found at this address ( look at number 9 ) . 
Some terminology . Here are some camera movement terms : Dolly Movement of the camera towards or away from the subject ; and the support on which the camera is mounted . Pan To move the camera left to right or right to left on a horizontal plane . Tilt To move the camera up or down on a verticle plane Track To move the camera parallel to the moving subject Angle The line along which the camera looks at the subject POVPoint of view . Shows what the actor / audience would see . 
Casablanca and Master and Commander . Today we got through most of Casablanca - while we skipped many chapters , it was not the story that I wanted you to consider , but rather , the film 's techniques . Casablanca is not only a classic Hollywood film , it is also a great example of Hollywood 's dedication to the seamlessness of its story telling . The only thing that the viewer notices is the plot and the actors and this is due to a combination of film techniques that include : . close ups . sound . reverse shots . angles . eye line connections The next few lessons we will be looking at Master and Commander : the far side of the world . This will be our primary focus for assessment . So rather than getting lost in the plot , you need to identify possible connections to the Classical Hollywood genre and its seamlessness . 
Choice of homework task . Gentlemen , you have been given a list of Hollywood related items ... I will be interested to read what you have found out about your choice . Have this done by Monday please . 
First lesson navigated . I am happy with the progress within our initial lesson together . We were able to successfully set up over half of your blogs . Your blogs should now contain at least a rudimentary first post . I will be reading them regularly ... try to make them interesting . These Blogs now should also have the comment facility removed in order to protect you from any unwanted spam or possible abuse . Please remember that a blog is a public document and thus , there should be no identifiable disclosures - such as names etc. At all times you are to show due respect as dictated by the school rules . We will be recapping your lessons from last term ( the Hollywood studio system ) and then we will look at Hollywood as a genre and style . I will notify you of your assessment requirements by - most likely - the end of the week . 
Halo freakness . Did I tell you , beloved readers , that I am A Halo freak . Yeah , it 's the sad truth . Questionably the best FPS game on the planet , Halo ROCKS . Halo , Halo 2 , and Halo 3 , ( Halo 3 will be out in 2007 ) , all rock . ^^ . 
Wish me luck . Why ? Simple . I ' m going to spend the day at my friends house . So what you say ? Well it so happens they have six children , and only two are my age . Scary . Oh , did I mention they live in a mobile home ? Yeah . Scary . 
Blimey ! Did I mention London ? Let 's see , I ' l sum it up in one word . BIG . B - I - G , Big , 1 ) , Large in size , 2 ) Bulky , Fat . Yeah . Never da less , twas ' fun . But twas ' not the night before xmas . Ha ha ha , whatev . 
Housness ? Yeah .. Turns out we moved to Hippie - ville , aka Rosswood . Scary . We have a three storie house . But , there is one minor complication . It 's half finished . Okay , more than half finished now . You can see the house blog @ http : // www . anotherbuckinthewall . com. So I beg you beloved readers , SAVE ME FROM ETERNAL HIPPIEDOM !!!! ^^ . 
Wootness . Okay I guess I ' m better now . Yeah , I ' ve pretty been better for about a month . I just haven't been updating my blog . I write this at my uncle and auntie 's house , ' cause were in town . ( MAD ) And , were going to London . And Kelowna . w 00 t . 
Mother nature has a kooky sense of humor . Okay , so first , we get 3 , mabey 4 days of non - stop SUN ! Pure bliss . Then , IT DUMPS SNOW . And its cold as heck . Yeah , weird . The north has been known for weird weather , but this is kinda extreme . Okay .... I ' m done now .... BYE ! - Ben . 
Am I getting better ? What ? No ! Noooo ... ! No. No ? Yes ! Yes I am . I think . Yeaaaa .... Whatev . Anyway Im ' a all like " Mama mia , I think I ' m getting better ! " and Moms all a like " Yeah you already said the twice today ! " and Im ' a all like " h ' Okay whatever eh . " > _ ( NEG ) and drink tea , ( whatev ) and taking baths . ( AAAAA SCALDING ! ) Soooo ... Yeah . ( . 
Well I don't approve much of this .... What ? Would YOU approve of yourself being sick ? Yeah , didn't think so . So , all I ' m doing pretty much is coughing .... But it still sucks . Will I live ? Most likley . I mean jeez , it 's not like i have bubonic plauge or anything . ( although it feels like it ) And did I mention coughing ? Oh right . I did . Whatever . OK ..... So ... BYE ! - Ben . 
What a great idea ..... I wonder who thought up the idea for music ? Probably some cave man who thought banging a rock on his head sounded good . Then singing . That was probably some other cave man who thought a few grunts and a bonk on the head for emphasis sounded good . Put it together , and Voila ! : Grunt bonk bonk grunt clunk grunt bonk bonk . Radio guy : " And that was the ' Bonkers ' and their new hit single , " Grunt Bonk " ! And now , for some more grunting action , here is ' Bonker Grunt ' and their No.7 # hit , ' Bonker Clonk ' ! Scary ... 
The English Show Thomas Smith , Alex Agnew and Nigel Williams are big in Belgium . Usually these Brits perform in Dutch , but for JUST TWO NIGHTS they return to their roots and perform in English . They re joined by Australian Damian Clark and Englishman Marc Blake . Don t miss this unique show . 
Good news for people who like bad news . Well , first the bad news . My company ( which has heretofor been unnamed ) has decided to significantly reduce the size of its Vancouver operation and relocate all displaced staff to Washington , DC . Although the announcement was made internally last week , I ' ve been pretty choked about the whole thing up until now . Now the good news . I ' m one of the fortunate few who will not be losing his job in Vancouver . There are about two dozen of us who get to stay , but we ' ve all been given the option of moving to DC . I ' m starting to take the very generous offer seriously , which scares me . I ' d be leaving Lotusland for the violent crime capital of the United States in cities of 500 000 residents or more , DC places third for most dangerous city in the USA after Detroit and Baltimore . And if I were given an offer to move to Detroit , I ' d have to think a lot harder about it . So I get a free trip to DC out of all of this sometime within the next few weeks to scope it out ... I guess I ' ll learn more then - ish . 
The Syrah Experience . I had an absolutely amazing meal this evening at Syrah in Santa Rosa , CA . I started with the watermelon gazpacho , then the grilled thick pork rack chop with crispy polenta , green beans , and cherries , and wrapped up with the peach the daily specials aren't decided on the whim of an executive chef who loved the flowers in the window box so much she picked them to add a bit of sunshine to my salad . Instead , dishes are decided by teams of chefs in test kitchens based on marketing department robo - directions . The love of the craft is completely removed from the dining experience . Instead , you 're just left with the act and , just like bad teenage sex , it 's not that good and it 's over too quickly . And you bet it 's over quickly . There 's definitely a rush to get you in and out as fast as possible so that the restaurant can turn the next customer around . Sure , it just seems like you 're getting attentive service , but there 's always the implicit understanding that if they bring you your food quickly , you ' ll vacate their table quickly . They don't want you there but for your wallet . It 's really sad that the state of dining in a lot of towns has been reduced to this level . Whenever I ' m in a small town or suburb , and ask about local restaurants , I inevitably get the same list : " We ' ve got Applebee 's , Carlos O ' Kelly 's , TGI Friday 's , Ruby Tuesday , Chili 's ... anything you could want . " What if that 's not what I want ? What if I ' m looking for the Syrah experience ? I walked into the very busy restaurant this evening with no reservation , and asked to be seated at the bar . The " bar " wasn't really a bar , but a counter behind which the chefs prepared the meals . I felt like the most important person in the restaurant , which was very full . And I got to speak with the head chef / owner while he cooked for the rest of his guests , and devour with my eyes every dish to go by . Believe me , I wished it hadn't just been my eyes . Alltogether , my meal was a two hour affair . And it was wonderful . I can't wait for the next one , but having previously been to Dallas and Stephenville , TX , I doubt I ' ll find it there . 
A nice relaxing Vancouver day . It 's really nice to have a relaxing day at home every now and again . Yesterday , a buddy and I hit up the beach at English Bay and generally had a great , relaxing afternoon of brunch , window shopping , beaching , patio - relaxing , and dinner . 
Man , what a trip . First of all , let me say that this blogging thing is harder than it seems at first . Not hard because I have nothing to write about ... hard because I ' ve just spent the last 6 days on the free - alcohol bender of my life . Chicago was wonderful . I ' ve always said that it 's one of my favourite cities in the US . Chicagoans have this wonderful attitude , beautiful architecture , and amazing shopping . Oh , and the FOOD ! This trip introduced me to the Portillo 's Italian Beef sandwich , which I am still craving . And I ' m extra - glad that I got to go back to my favourite Chicagoland restaurant , Irazu , for their crazy - delicious oatmeal shake and burritos . Mr. Pibb and Red Vines has nothing on this . 
You have the right to remain ... You have the right to remain ... Originally uploaded by jon 1204 pdt . Jesse ( my co - worker partner in crime ) and I hit up Chicago 's Magnificent Mile for some shop - o - rific deals . Nordstrom was having their Anniversary sale , and my wallet came out all the worse for wear from it . Jesse and I hit up the men 's furnishing departments and tried on ridiculous glasses and hats for the afternoon . 
Bowling Shoes . Bowling Shoes Originally uploaded by jon 1204 pdt . Those are my feet on the left , Jenn 's ( a customer ! ) in the middle , and Jesse 's on the far right . We took Friday night off and hit up Lucky Strike Lanes next to our hotel for some drinks , Bit - O - Honey , and a round of the Noble Game . 
Policemen in Heaven . St Peter is standing at heaven 's gate when a man walks up . " Welcome to heaven my son . What did you do with your life ? " " I was a policeman , " he responded . " What kind of policeman ? " St Peter asked . " I was a vice officer . I kept dangerous narcotics out of the hands of kids . " " Wonderful my son , welcome to heaven . Pass through the gates . " A few moments later a second man walks up . " Welcome to heaven my son . What did you do with your life ? " " I was a policeman , " he responded . " What kind of policeman ? " St Peter asked . " I was a traffic officer . I kept the roads and highways safe for travelers . " " Well done . Pass through the gates into paradise . " A few moments later a third man walks up . " Welcome to heaven my son . What did you do with your life ? " " I was a policeman , " he responded . " What kind of policeman ? " St Peter asked . " I was a Military Policeman , Sir . " " Excellent my son , I have to leave for a bit , watch the gate will you ? " . 
The Big Boss . When the body was first made , all the parts wanted to be Boss . The brain said , " I should be boss because I control the whole body 's responses and functions . " The feet said , " We should be Boss as we carry the brain about and get him to where he wants to go . " The hands said , " We should be the boss because we do all the work and earn all the money . " And so it went on and on with the heart , the lungs , and the eyes until finally the asshole spoke up . All the parts laughed at the idea of the asshole being the Boss . So the asshole went on strike , blocked itself up and refused to work . Within a short time the eyes became crossed , the hands clenched , the feet twitched , the heart and lungs began to panic and the brain fevered . Eventually they all decided that the asshole should be the boss , so the motion was passed . All the other parts did all the work while the boss just sat and passed out the shit ! Moral of the story : You don't need brains to be a boss - any asshole will do . 
The Proxy Father . The Smiths had no children and decided to use a proxy father to start their family . On the day the proxy father was to arrive , Mr. Smith kissed his wife and said , ' ' I ' m off . The man should be here soon . " Half an hour later , just by chance , a door - to - door baby photographer rang the doorbell , hoping to make a sale . ' ' Good morning , madam . You don't know me but I ' ve come to .... ' ' ' ' Oh , no need to explain . I ' ve been expecting you , " Mrs. Smith cut in . ' ' Really ? " the photographer asked . ' ' Well , good ! I ' ve made a specialty of babies . ' ' ' ' That 's what my husband and I had hoped . Please come in and have a seat . Just where do we start ? " asked Mrs. Smith , blushing . ' ' Leave everything to me . I usually try two in the bathtub , one on the couch and perhaps a couple on the bed . Sometimes the living room floor is fun too ; you can really spread out . ' ' ' ' Bathtub , living room floor ? No wonder it didn't work for Harry and me . ' ' ' ' Well , madam , none of us can guarantee a good one every time . But if we try several different positions and I shoot from six or seven angles , I ' m sure you ' ll be pleased with the results . ' ' ' ' I hope we can get this over with quickly , " gasped Mrs. Smith . ' ' Madam , in my line of work , a man must take his time . I ' d love to be in and out in five minutes , but you ' d be disappointed with that , I ' m sure . ' ' ' ' Don't I know ! " Mrs. Smith exclaimed . The photographer opened his briefcase and pulled out a portfolio of his baby pictures . ' ' This was done on the top of a bus in downtown London . ' ' ' ' Oh my god !! ' ' , Mrs. Smith exclaimed , tugging at her handkerchief . ' ' And these twins turned out exceptionally well when you consider their mother was so difficult to work with . " The photographer handed Mrs. Smith the picture . ' ' She was difficult ? " asked Mrs. Smith . ' ' Yes , I ' m afraid so . I finally had to take her to Hyde Park to get the job done right . People were crowding around four and five deep , pushing to get a good look . ' ' ' ' Four and five deep ? " asked Mrs. Smith , eyes widened in amazement . ' ' Yes , " the photographer said . ' ' And for more than three hours too . The mother was constantly squealing and yelling . I could hardly concentrate . Then darkness approached and I began to rush my shots . Finally , when the squirrels began nibbling on my equipment , I just packed it all in . " Mrs. Smith leaned forward . ' ' You mean they actually chewed on your , eh ...... equipment ? ' ' ' ' That 's right . Well madam , if you 're ready , I ' ll set up my tripod so that we can get to work . ' ' ' ' Tripod ?? ' ' , Mrs. Smith looked extremely worried now . ' ' Oh yes , I have to use a tripod to rest my Canon on . It 's much too big for me to hold while I ' m getting ready for action . Madam ? Madam ? ..... Good Lord , she 's fainted ! ' ' . 
From the Word Perfect Help Desk . This is a true story from the Word Perfect helpline . Needless to say , the help desk employee was fired ; however , he / she is currently suing the Word Perfect organization for " Termination without Cause . " Actual dialogue of a former Word Perfect Customer Support employee with a caller : " Ridge Hall computer assistant ; may I help you ? " " Yes , well , I ' m having trouble with Word Perfect . " " What sort of trouble ? " " Well , I was just typing along , and all of a sudden the words went away . " " Went away ? " " They disappeared . " " Hmm . So what does your screen look like now ? " " Nothing . " " Nothing ? " " It 's blank ; it won't accept anything when I type . " " Are you still in Word Perfect , or did you get out ? " " How do I tell ? " " Can you see the C : prompt on the screen ? " " What 's a sea - prompt ? " " Never mind . Can you move the cursor around on the screen ? " " There isn't any cursor , I told you , it won't accept anything I type . " " Does your monitor have a power indicator ? " " What 's a monitor ? " " It 's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV . Does it have a little light that tells you when it 's on ? " " I don't know . " " Well , then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it . Can you see that ? " " Yes , I think so . " " Great . Follow the cord to the plug , and tell me if it 's plugged into the wall . " " ....... Yes , it is . " " When you were behind the monitor , did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it , not just one ? " " No. " " Well , there are . I need you to look back there again and find the other cable . " " ....... Okay , here it is . " " Follow it for me , and tell me if it 's plugged securely into the back of your computer . " " I can't reach . " " Uh huh . Well , can you see if it is ? " " No. " " Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over ? " " Oh , it 's not because I don't have the right angle - it 's because it 's dark . " " Dark ? " " Yes - the office light is off , and the only light I have is coming in from the window . " " Well , turn on the office light then . " " I can't . " " No ? Why not ? " " Because there 's a power outage . " " A power ... A power outage ? Ah , Okay , we ' ve got it licked now . Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer came in ? " " Well , yes , I keep them in the closet . " " Good . Go get them , and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it . Then take it back to the store you bought it from . " " Really ? Is it that bad ? " " Yes , I ' m afraid it is . " " Well , all right then , I suppose . What do I tell them ? " " Tell them you 're too stupid to own a computer . " . 
Computer Diagnosis . One day Bill complained to his friend that his elbow really hurt . His friend suggested that he go to a computer at the drug store that can diagnose anything quicker and cheaper than a doctor . ' ' Simply put in a sample of your urine and the computer will diagnose your problem and tell you what you can do about it . It only costs $ 10 . " Bill figured he had nothing to lose , so he filled a jar with a urine sample and went to the drug store . Finding the computer , he poured in the sample and deposited the $ 10 . The computer started making some noise and various lights started flashing . After a brief pause out popped a small slip of paper on which was printed : " You have tennis elbow . Soak your arm in warm water . Avoid heavy lifting . It will be better in two weeks . " Later that evening while thinking how amazing this new technology was and how it would change medical science forever , he began to wonder if this machine could be fooled . He mixed together some tap water , a stool sample from his dog and urine samples from his wife and daughter . To top it off , he masturbated into the concoction . He went back to the drug store , located the machine , poured in the sample and deposited the $ 10 . The computer again made the usual noise and printed out the following message : " Your tap water is too hard . Get a water softener . Your dog has worms . Get him vitamins . Your daughter is using cocaine . Put her in a rehabilitation clinic . Your wife is pregnant with twin girls . They aren't yours . Get a lawyer . And if you don't stop jerking off , your tennis elbow will never get better . " . 
Mighty Mouse Three mice are sitting at a bar in a pretty rough neighborhood late at night trying to impress each other about how tough they are . The first mouse orders a scotch , gulps it down and slams the glass on the bar . He turns to the second mouse and says , " When I see a mousetrap , I lie on my back and set it off with my foot . When the bar comes down , I catch it in my teeth , bench press it 20 times to work up an appetite , and then make off with the cheese . " The second mouse orders two shots of bourbon , slams them down and nearly breaks the glasses on the bar . He turns to the first mouse and replies , " Yeah , well , when I see rat poison , I collect as much as I can , take it home , grind it into a powder , and add it to my coffee each morning so I can get a good buzz going for the rest of the day . " The first mouse and the second mouse then turn to the third mouse . The third mouse lets out a long sigh and says to the first two , " I don't have time for this bullshit . I gotta go home and screw the cat . " . 
Primer . Yesterday and today I primed the scooter using a paint gun and air compressor . I applied an epoxy primer , making sure to wear the correct safety equipment . As a point of comparison , painting with this nasty stuff feels like working in a cloud of atomized nail polish . I suspended the frame from the rafters of my ersatz painting booth ( the soon to be demolished shed ) in order for the paint to reach all of the curves . Once I had applied the primer , I let it dry and then wet sanded with 600 grit sandpaper . It 's difficult to get all of it on the first pass , so I applied two thin coats . The weather is turning humid , so my drying time has unfortunately lengthened ... 
Paint stripping . This is a short post since about all I did was drop off work - I had the frame expertly sandblasted by Tom at TPC Painting in Bloomingburg , NY . The holes were welded by Straub Welding in Chester , NY . Very smooth - next , metal prep and sanding in prepartion for priming . 
Splitting the cases . Once the piston is successfully out of the engine , splitting the cases is the next order of business . In order to split the cases , you need to remove : on one side , the flywheel ( wedge a screwdriver between the fins to keep it from rotating while you undo the castellated nut . Below this is the stator plate and its backing plate ; on the other side is the rear hub - removing this hub will reveal the clutch side case . Once open , you will see ( flywheel side ) ( clutch side ) My goal is to completely disassemble in order to replace the seals and clean the cases . I ' m having some trouble getting the crank and gears off , so I ' m going to remove the primary gear next . 
A few words about painting . After a frustrating day of disassembly , culminating in my using an acetylene torch and brute force to remove the steering cone and dust cover from the fork , I thought it might be interesting to review everyone 's favorite topic in Vespa renewals , painting . I ' ve decided to go with a 2 - pack process of PPG primer , color coat and clear coat . The full process is to : sandblast the frame , headset , engine door and front fender to remove the old paint ; bodywork , including spot welding of drill holes . Any imperfections will show once it 's painted ; wet sanding and metal prep to prepare the metal for a primer coat ; application of primer ; color coat ; clear coat , wet sanding ... All of this seems a bit overwhelming , so I decided to take care of something a little easier . The exhaust on my scooter at some point had been thoughtfully upgraded to the ET 3 - style Sito pipe . However , years of neglect had allowed it to develop a lovely rusted patina . To fix this , I sanded the paint and rust off using a wire brush attached to a drill and applied several coats of high temperature black spray paint . I ' m not sure this will prevent the rust from returning , but superficially it 's a big improvement . Of course , until I can add the Polini pipe ... Now , back to painting the scooter ... A search through Gervic Paint 's color cards uncovered the perfect shade of kelly green , from Porsche 's 1992 selection - " signal green " . Research is saying 2 quarts should be sufficient . More on this once the frame is prepared . 
Taking it all apart ( engine removal ) . I haven't been able to post lately , but work has continued ... The engine of a smallframe Vespa is usually accessible by a small door on the right cowl . Unlike other models , the cowl itself is not removable , which means that there is very little room to get your hands on the engine . To do any major work , you need to remove the engine itself . The first step is to remove the carburetor . It 's attached only by a single clip , but to get to it , you need to remove the small bucket under the bench . Detach the choke and throttle cables , and you 're done . In brief , you next detach all of the cables ( brake , gear , clutch ) on the engine , the wiring at the junction box near the engine , the exhaust , the rear wheel and the long retaining bolt . 
Taking it all apart ( trimmings ) . Over the last few weeks , I ' ve been continuously taking the Vespa apart . In order to strip the existing paint , I ' m going to need the frame , headset , and front fender ( as well as the engine and glovebox doors ) free of all attachments . I began by drilling out the floor rail rivets , then removed the center mat , trim and badges . I also pulled off the legshield trim with WD 40 and pliers ( as in the photo ) . The process was a little annoying because it 's actually crimped to the legshield around a small lip . I ' m replacing it , so at least I didn't need to pull it off intact . Once this was done , I began the removal of the headset and handlebars . To do this , you must first disengage all the cables ( inner and outer ) . Vespa smallframes have a few - there is one throttle , two gear selectors , a clutch , a choke , a front brake , a rear brake , a speedometer and the wiring harness for the lights , horn , etc. At least most are accessible from behind the headlight . Once the headset free of connecting cables , I detached one bolt from the rear of the steering column and pulled upwards ... Vespa decapitation ! I always imagined it was attached more securely As an extra step , I dismantled both the gear selector and throttle units of the handlebars . While even the Haynes manual suggests that it s rarely necessary to so , I d like to attempt to replace the gear selector and tube . As shown in the below photo , someone drilled three holes to attach an indicator switch box . It would be possible to weld them , but I d rather not add to the already sizeable workload for the body shop . 
A good plan is hard to find ... but deceptively simple .1 ) Complete disassembly ; 2 ) Body : - Paint removal ; - All bodywork , including welding of those holes ; - Priming and painting 3 ) Engine , carburetor and front suspension rebuild ; 4 ) Parts replacement ( all cables and probably the rear shock , exhaust , and taillight as well ) ; 5 ) New badges , floor rails and steering column lock ; 6 ) Reassembly and engine tuning . Did I miss anything ? 
" Before " . Some more information on the condition ... Above is a closer illustration of the body condition . Note : - Two holes just above the hexagonal Piaggio badge ; - Three holes under the Vespa badge ; - Rust visible near the legshield trim ; - Dent beginning near the three holes . With a little effort , it kicked over and started . Along with a very patient friend , I decided to take a tour of nearby Red Hook . Riding around an area with little traffic was a smart choice . To start , the Primavera proved difficult to shift . Neutral was next to impossible to find , so I held the clutch in first gear at any stop . It was emitting whitish smoke from the rusty exhaust ( a Sito , upon closer inspection ) and responded sluggishly to the throttle . I hit a large pothole which launched me airborne . My landing rattled the spark plug cable loose - unfortunately I assumed I had run out of fuel and walked it for 30 minutes to the nearest gas station . I continued to use the Primavera over the following days . After a Wednesday NY Scooter Club gathering at Abilene , I even ambitiously offered a ride home . Small mistake . With a passenger , the already pokey scooter slowed to a moped - like crawl and nearly couldn't climb the hill between Fourth and Fifth Avenues in Park Slope . To which I say - real men don't have to prove anything . At least I have a starting point to which I can later measure my progress . Next , a plan . 
Worship Style : other than traditional , contemporary , or blended . Last week I was asked if our church was " Traditional , contemporary , or blended " ( meaning our style of worship ) . I didn't honestly know how to answer them ... because I don't think we 're any ; or maybe we 're all of the above . I assume " traditional " means singing hymns . Well , there are old hymns and new hymns ; you can sing hymns slow or how they 're supposed to be played ( which is sometimes slow ) ; there are a variety of different kinds of hymns ; you can play hymns with just an organ , a piano , a guitar , or a full band . So ... I don't know what " traditional " means . As for " contemporary " ... that 's even worse . Does contemporary mean you sing praise choruses from Bill Gaither ? From the seventies ? Does it mean you have a band ? Does it mean you sing Hillsong , Maranatha , or whatever other names their are ? Ultimately , is it THE lastest , or does it just mean ' later than the old hymnal we used to have ' ? And if the first two weren't confusing enough , try blending them . What in the heck does this mean anyway ? I knew what it used to mean , but the worship wars seem so far removed . When I came to the little country church I am presently at , it had an organ and a piano . They used a hymnal and a chorus book . I planned to eventually have a band - maybe in like 3 years . But within a year we had drums , guitars , and a keyboard ... and the organ was shipped out . I didn't intend for that to happen , it just sorta did . Now we 're probably heavy on the Chris Tomlin stuff , with a Rich Mullins feel . But we do lots of hymns and stuff from worshipleader / songdiscovery too . This fall we will most likely lose our drummer , bass player , and electric guitarist . While I am sad ( mostly because these guys are incredible musicians , and one is my son ) , it will also be an opportunity for us to maybe change directions . Some people think I need to go out and find " replacements " for them . Just plug new people into the band . In most churches , this is probably what would happen . In fact , many already have more than one band just for this reason . But our church isn't really about that . We have become " a group . " Shoot , we don't even practice anymore . And there is no way I am going to replace these three guys . I don't WANT to replace them . They are special . I can still play guitar ; my wife plays the keyboard very well ; we do have another guy that can play the drums . But what I would like to do is find someone else to lead worship - someone who plays the guitar or piano , or both - and who would just lead us himself . Sure , we could have another singer ; maybe some hand drums ; even the kit , and bass , and other stuff . But I would like to kind of scale back . I think we need to . People get so uptight when we don't have the full band , and that 's not good . My question is ... how do I advertise for a worship leader like this ? How do I classify our worship style ? I can't say , traditional , contemporary or blended ... right ? So what do I say ? I was thinking I could maybe find someone at Taylor - Ft . Wayne U . or Huntington U . , or maybe one of the bigger churches around . But I don't want just anybody , you know what I mean ? I would seriously appreciate any input anyone can offer . Sure , my wife or I could handle it , and we have singers ... but I ' m thinking it would be better for the church for Jane and I to step out of this area . So ... I ' M LOOKIN ' FOR A WORSHIP LEADER WILLING TO WORK FOR LITTLE OR NO PAY , BUT WITH GREAT BENEFITS ! : ) Peace . Revolution ( ate ) . 
50 Most Influencial Churches . Thechurchreport has listed the 50 Most Influential Churches ( apparently in the U.S. ) , and ... once again they overlooked MY church . I don't know how they keep doing this . At any rate , I think it 's interesting that there is 1 woman pastor . And I don't know if it 's interesting because there is " only " 1 , or because there even " is " 1 . But I like the name of her church : " Without Walls Church " . I don't suppose anyone is ever mean enough to substitute a " B " for the second " W " . That would not be nice at all , but for some reason it popped into my head . Sorry . I know it 's not true . Maybe it 's things like this that keep them from listing Fairview Church of God in their top 50 . Hmm . On a more serious note ... I have only attended two of these churches : Willowcreek ( many times ) and Ginghamsburg ( several times ) . I have heard several of these pastors speak in person : Hybels , Ed Young , T . D . Jakes , Erwin Mc Manus , Michael Slaughter , Tony Evans , John Ortberg , and Kirbyjon Caldwell . I have listened to or read many of the rest . I used to like listening to other preachers . I don't know why I don't so much anymore . ( another hmm ) . Peace friends . Revolution . 
The average american blogger . USA Today has an article on the average American blogger : " Today 's blog : More creative , less political " . So how average are you ( even if you 're not american ) ? I like the snippet they start with from Scottish artist Momus , who said in 1991 , " In the future , everyone will be famous for 15 people . " Hmm ... 15 might be a tad high , but ... 
Random Thoughts ... This post is going to have some teeth in it . SNARLING DOG / NEEDY PEOPLELast night I was trying to brush our dog . He didn't feel good and his hair was all messed up - which is so unlike him . Anyway , Bogie was aactually snarling at me while I brushed him , so I thought he must not like it . But if I would stop , he would come over and sit right in front of me again . So I would brush him again , and he would start snarling again . Like , he couldn't decide if he liked it or didn't like it . It ' hurt so good , ' apparently . So it got me to wonderin ' ... is that how people are ? I ' ve been a pastor for seven years ( this week is my anniversary ) , and if there 's one thing I ' ve learned ... it 's that pastors need to have thick skin . Because I really think people want someone to tell them things they don't want to hear sometimes - to call them to live better ; make better choices ; do what they know they should be doing - but they also want to gripe about it . Now , this can certainly be abused , but I think to back away from it you are not really ministering to people . They want to be brushed but they want to be able to complain . This isn't the case with everybody , but it is with some . And I need to grow much thicker skin . SO LONG IE ; HELLO MFI made the switch today to Firefox . I haven't figured it out very well yet , but my oh my , how it made a difference in some of the blogs I read . Several of them have the sidebar at the bottom in IE , but they are fine in firefox . Seems to drive pretty good so far . DENTISTMore teeth . I had to go to the dentist yesterday . Actually , it 's more like - I had to go to the dental assistant yesterday ( saw the dentist for 2 min . ) . Got my teeth cleaned - and NO CAVITIES !!! I don't know why I hate going to the dentist so much . Especially since I have the sweetest little dental assistant . Sarah is always so calm , and polite . While laying there with her hands in my mouth , I wondered ... is this what church is like ? You know , as soon as they get your mouth open and they start working on you , they start asking you questions . How are you supposed to answer ? Do people in church feel like that ... like , we 're asking people questions , but they 're not really able to answer ? The worship leader does all the talking and leading ; maybe someone else stands and gives announcements or reads something or prays ; the preacher preaches AT the people ... and if you have a question , or something to say ... what are you supposed to do ? I realize some people have addressed this in their worship services . I need to do a better job in mine . Sometimes I do give people the opportunity , and they don't respond ... but is it still because they feel like they 're strapped down in a dental chair and way uncomfortable ? I dunno . GIFTSYesterday I ordered Scot Mc Knight 's book " The Jesus Creed " . Paraclete Press is running a special right now where if you order 1 copy , you get 2 more for $ 1 . I told the two pastors that I meet with on Wednesday mornings that they could each have one . Of course they both had a smart remark ready for me . : ) I think that I don't give enough gifts though . I know I don't give my wife and kids enough gifts . I wonder why ? I think probably because it takes time and effort to think about others in a conscious way . I need to do that more . And I need to find friends that give more gifts too ! : ) ONE LAST THINGJust for the record ... I have the BEST kids in the world . My daughter made me cry yesterday with an email containing more kind , and wise , words than I have read in a long time . And it was largely due to something my son had written . Anyway , I am glad their mother rubbed off on them so well . I love you two ( and you too dear ) ! Peace , friends . Revolution ( ate ) - any way you can . 
Vacation ( holiday ) . " Vacation is what you take when you can't take what you ' ve been taking any longer . " ~ Cowardly Lion ( Wizard of Oz ) Can you tell where my mind is ? : ) I found that quote on Wikipedia ( so I ' m sure it 's legit ) . Also , listed under " VACATION " they have the Minimum vacation times around the world . It 's quite interesting . Many places require 3 , 4 , 5 weeks or more of vacation per year . South Africa 's is 21 CONSECUTIVE days , even . I ' m no economist or sociologist , but I wonder if the length of vacation time is in any way associated with capitalism or not ? Just wonderin ' . At any rate , I won't be leaving until Monday , and I ' ll be back the following Monday . So maybe I ' ll think of something else to write about before then . : ) Peace , peeps . Revolution ( ate ) . 
Soul - Deep Preaching . Yesterday was not a good day for me . I am still somewhat overwhelmed from seeing my post about the EC linked all over . Plus I am having some frustrations at my church - too much to do and not enough time , energy , or desire at the moment . And ... I could really use a VACATION ( which I will be on next week , thankfully ) . I was pretty stressed from the start yesterday . Then I had a few comments made ; a few snubs ; had a couple kids come and get cookies and then leave ; a nursery worker " snuck out " and went home instead of coming into the sanctuary since we didn't need an extra . And I kinda blew it during the service . Not in a " big " way , but bad enough . As usual , I messed up a song ; I made the usual fool of myself at different times ; but what I regret is that I preached from my frustration rather than any sort of passion . I don't know , maybe they 're linked . But it didn't feel like it . It felt bad . There was a serious weight over the place yesterday . There was a serious weight on ME yesterday . I guess the good thing is that it was one of the lowest attended Sunday mornings we have had . So ... this morning I rearranged my reading order and began reading " Simply Christian " by N . T . Wright . I think I ' ve been worrying about too many things that I shouldn't be worrying about lately . And , for those of you that are preachers yourself , I read a great article by Gordon Mc Donald ( see it here ) entitled " Soul - Deep : Part 1 " . Gordon says he heard this message from heaven : " Don't preach ; just talk out of your heart to them about what you ' ve been hearing me say . You 're prepared ; you 're ready ; just talk to them . " It is a good article ( if you 're a preacher anyway ) . That 's what I want to do - just talk about what I hear God saying . My fear is ... do I hear God saying anything ? Maybe I need to quit worrying about what " I ' m " going to say , and start concentrating more on LISTENING . okay . peace . revol ... 
Love Minus Zero ... Can you complete the song title ? Yessir , that 's my ticket to go see Bob Dylan in September . I hope the night 's not as blurry as this pic of my tic . : ) Me , Jane , Carrie & Isaac are all going . I don't anticipate it being a very good show - that way if it IS good , it will be a real treat . Isaac saw him with Willie Nelson a couple of years ago in one of these small baseball stadium shows . He said it was pretty bad . But , you know , you don't go see Dylan to see if he does a good show or not . He 's Dylan ! With no conditions , there is no limit to what love can do . : ) Peace , my friends . There 's a revolution at hand . 
Note to self ... A couple of things I want to remember .1 ) From Brother Maynard at subversive influence : " Live your faith ... share your life . " I like that .2 ) From Tom Ponchak , off of alan creech 's blog : The first three steps of Emerging Churchers Anonymous : - Admit that you 're tired of always emerging . - Accept that there 's ' nothing new under the sun ' so don't take yourself too seriously . - Understand that the church won't destroy itself if you take a week off . Very nice as well . Peace , friends . Revolution ( ate ) . 
Oh no ... Sometimes I need to just learn to keep my mouth shut , you know . Now I see I made Scot Mc Knight 's blog for ' lobbing bombs ' at the emerging church . Man... I don't want to be known as the guy who doesn't like the ec ( can I emerge from this ? ) . For those of you who know me , you already know it has more to do with me just bein ' a complainer . So I repent . I ' m going to start looking at things more positive ( from the ground up ) . I need a change of perspective ( and I ' m trying , but first I gotta get my head outta my ... ) . Last night Jane and I were at Friday Nite Live at Jefferson Pointe in Fort Wayne . Chris Dodds and Mike Conley were doing an acoustic show . During their version of Simon take notice of more . I took a picture of the moment - maybe I ' ll post it later . Anyway , I ' m going to try to quit making excuses ; stop whining & complaining . I say I want a revolution . And it needs to start here . Peace , friends . 
Phone pic . I ' m being lazy today . Still sittin ' around in my pj 's ( it IS my day off , and I ' ve already cleaned the house ) . Thought I would try to post a pic from my phone . God knows I don't use it to talk to people ( not that I ' m complaining ) . : ) This is son Isaac ( on left ) and Graham playing at Isaac 's girlfriends surprise birthday party . Yes , that is Danica Patrick staring over their shoulder . Drummer couldn't be there so it was an acoustic show . Very nice at any rate . 
Maybe I still am emergent , but just ... My fifteen minutes of ( blog ) fame came about with the post " Why I Am No Longer Emergent " ... and you know what ... maybe I was wrong . There 's a chance I might still be emergent ( if they would have me back ) . I mean , I even SAID I was yesterday : a denominational exec . called and asked me to do a survey . He wanted to know how I would describe our church : traditional , contemporary , or blended ? Hmm ... how do you answer a question like that when 1 ) I don't think those are valid descriptions of " church " , and 2 ) I don't think those are valid terms anymore ( at least not in my church ) . So ... I said we would probably be considered more along the lines of " emerging . " Sorry , it slipped out . I know I probably look like a big weasel and all , but now I know that emergent isn't a movement , but it 's more of a value . Besides , I didn't know what else to say . ( What would you have said ? ) Okay , so , I say all that to bring up something that Alan Creech brought up in his post entitled emerging church burnout . Maybe I ' m not near as fed up with the emerging church , as I am just BURNED OUT . And I don't know if I ' m burned out " on it " or " with it . " Alan listed some very good signs and causes , and I ' m wondering if another isn't simply the " keepin ' up with the Jones 's " ( nothing against Andrew my apologies if you 're burned out ; my apologies if you don't want me back among the emerging . What I really want to do is just emerge from this " funk " and find the " joy of the Lord . " I think I see it up ahead ... I think ... if I can just ... Peace , friends . Revolution ( ate ) . 
Praying With The Church ( 11 ) . I finished Scot Mc Knight 's book " Praying With the Church " this morning . Good book . I liked how it made me feel when I read it . Kind of like when I read " The Sacred Way " by Tony Jones . A good summation is found on p .158 - Scot is talking about finding a " place of silence " ... " not in the sense of the absence of noise but in the sense of attentiveness to God . " Then he tells this story : Ruth Haley Barton uses a potent image in describing what this place of silence is like . Her spiritual director , when she realized how disjointed Ruth 's life really was , said this to her : ' Ruth , you are like a jar of river water all shaken up . What you need is to sit still long enough that the sediment can settle and the water become clear . ' And that is what a sacred space of silence is : It is simply a place where the distractive sediments of our own life can settle long enough for us to see who we are so we can come to God in utter honesty . Isn't that good ? Sometimes I loathe spending most of my time alone - studying , praying , reading , writing . But what a privelege it is . Thank you , Lord , for allowing me the silence to find you ... and to find me . Perhaps the best contribution I make to this world is the time I spend each morning praying for the people in my church ( plus a few others ) ? I currently have a prayer list of roughly 170 people , and some " issues " and desires as well . I ' m not bragging , and there is probably much more I should be doing , but I feel like that not only helps my friends and family , but it helps me -- praying for someone pretty much makes it impossible to be angry or hold grudges ; it keeps me in tune with these people 's lives ; it helps me stay focused on my place before them and with God . At any rate , that 's not really what " Praying With the Church " is about . It is more about learning the sacred prayer rhythms ; using prayer books ; the importance of corporate prayer ; etc. I have to admit , my prayers usually become pretty dry and mundane after awhile . And using the Psalms and other traditional prayers can add so much richness to ones prayer life . Plus , one of my favorite lines in the book is , " Prayer , like love , seeks intimacy through variety in constancy . " ( p .161 ) Yeah ... ' intimacy through variety in constancy . ' I like that . Great book , Scot . I give it my hearty recommendation . It 's not a thriller , but it should help you find a place of sacred silence . And we all need some of that ! I will now be purchasing Phyllis Tickle 's " The Divine Hours " to use as my prayer book ( or one of them ) . Peace , friends . Revolution ( ate ) . 
Emerging As A Value ... I want to thank all of the fine ' emerging ' folks who offered wisdom , encouragement and insights to me lately . I just checked out Will Samson 's article Emerging As A Value , and I have to say ... very well put . Here is a blurb : As I consider the word emerging , I am much more comfortable with it as a value than I am with it as a movement . Now I know how these things get named . Truth is that unlike the Reformation the name emerging didn t come about in quite the same organic manner . Someone somewhere came up with it as a branding exercise . But I happen to think that they got this one very right . The article is a couple of years old , but still very true . Thanks , Will . Yes , I like the idea of emerging as a value more than a movement ( but that 's just my op. ) . Also , a note to my good friends at the emergingcggc blog ... My post on the emerging church has nothing to do with that blog . I think we are having some of the finest discussions we have ever had right now . I just don't feel there is anything I can add to it . So ... keep it up ! Peace . Revolution ( ate ) . 
The Power of Words . I have to say , I ' m a little reluctant to post today . I... I ' m not used to having the traffic I ' ve had recently . I ' m pretty humbled right now , and that 's probably a good thing . I didn't expect more than a handful of people to read my thoughts from yesterday . But ... if any of you are back ... I ' m glad you 're here ! Sometimes I ' m not aware of the power my words can have . Not just the ones that are here on Al Gore 's internet , but every word I say . I usually start writing my sermons on Tuesdays , and I ' m having quite the time getting going today , because I ' ve just come to realize that sometimes people do listen . What bothers me are all those times I FAILED to realize the power my words had . Yes , there have been times I ' ve said things from the pulpit as a way to " get back at someone . " I feel terrible about that . There have been a few meetings where I kind of lost my cool . It 's hard to take those things back . Even in my dealings with my wife and kids ... ouch . Those are maybe the worst . One little comment can slip out and it gets imbedded for good in someone 's mind . It 's really good that God can CHOOSE to forget . How about you ? Are there things people have said to you that you ' ve been holding onto for far too long ? Have you TRIED to forget ? I ' m not saying it 's easy ( it 's not ) , but sometimes I don't think we WANT to forget . What I really wish is that we could go in and delete things we ' ve said to others . Apologies are just not the same . Anyway ... since words do have great power ... what kind of words do you feed your eyes and / or ears ? I AM CURRENTLY READING : - Praying With The Church , by Scot Mc Knight ( should finish it tomorrow ) . A great book for someone like me who is ignorant about prayer books and fixed - hour prayers . - Pocket Guide To The Bible , by Jason Boyett . Pretty funny , but haven't gotten too far into it yet . - Kierkegaard For Beginners , by Donald Palmer . Interesting , pretty brief , funny pictures . ON DECK : - You Converted Me ( Tony Jones ) - Story ( Steven James ) - Simply Christian ( NT Wright ) Rock on , friends . Peace . Revolution ( ate ) . 
Maybe I Should Have Said ... Regarding my earlier post " Why I Am No Longer Emergent " ... maybe I should have said , " Why I DON ' T WANT TO BE Emergent . " After receiving a few emails , I guess it does sound a little like I ' m pointing fingers , and I didn't mean to do that ( I was really just whining ) . The truth is , it 's not that I have anything against the emerging church ( whomever they are ) . I think maybe I ' m just tired of the " conversation . " Which isn't entirely true , but , you know , I don't know why we can't just be " the church . " The truth is ( and everybody knows it ) there are people who call themselves Christians that we would just as soon not be associated with . People say stupid things , make wild claims , wear ugly clothes and have bad breath . But you know what ... Even if we try to only stick to those like us , there will always be people around us that bug the snot out of us . So ... how cool is God to love us all ? To put up with our crap ? To be there , and care , and stick with us ? When I say I don't want to be emergent , it 's not that I dislike certain people so much ( even though I do ) . It has more to do with not liking the labels . And you can call them something else , but it 's nothing short of taking sides to me . I am a follower of Jesus . I have certain virtues and values that are dear to me . I do things in a particular way , and try to respect that others might do things in a peculiar way ( to me ) . I still think , at some point , it 's got to come down to ... " Love Jesus and do what you want . " So , if I offended any of you , I ' m sorry . If I didn't offend you ... just wait , I ' m sure I will eventually . : ) Yes , I want to be liked by everyone , but I want to be right with God . I would rather be known as a ' friend of sinners ' than a ' friend of emergent . ' That 's not anti - emergent , but pro - Jesus . Let 's be Christians boys and girls . Peace . Revolution ( ate ) . 
Why I Am No Longer Emergent . I honestly don t know if I am emergent or not , or if I ever was . But I used to have a Friend of Emergent button on my blog ; I used to tell people that I was with the emerging church people ; I used to feel a connection with the things I read and saw from those who say they are part of the emerging church . However , I removed my Friend of Emergent button today . Why , you ask ? Well , probably several reasons and I don t know that any of them are necessarily good . It probably has more to do with why I root for one sports team over another , or one player against another . Maybe it s just a feeling , I don t know . But - I don t smoke a pipe or have any facial hair in odd places . - I m not young and hip and I really hate going to coffee houses , because I don t know their lingo and feel stupid just ordering decaf coffee ( and why can t I just get a large and have it be the biggest size ? ) . - I am not well read in philosophy and church history , etc. ( I just bought Kierkegaard For Beginners and if it weren t for the pictures I wouldn t have bought it ) . - Honestly , and I don t know how to say this in a nice way , I don t mean to be mean , but most of the people I know who call themselves a part of the emerging church seem very arrogant to me . Like , they have the answers even though they aren t going to share them but you certainly don t know anything . Maybe smug is a better word than arrogant . - I used to think it was the emerging church that was being attacked by other Christians , but somewhere along the way it seems the tide has changed . Now the emerging side seems to be on the attack , or maybe it s more of an aggressive defense . I don t know , at any rate , this having - to - prove - we re - right - and - you re - wrong thing really brings me down anymore . As does the making fun of others . - Perhaps the biggest turn - off for me is a bit more personal . I guess I ve always felt myself to be somewhat emerging , or an emerging thinker anyway . I ve always resonated more with postmodern s or Gen - Xers or whatever you want to call them but , quite honestly , I just don t seem accepted by them . In fact , I feel downright rejected . Maybe it s just because I m too much of a simpleton , or maybe I m a complete fool , but for some reason my emails never seem to get responded to , my comments go unnoticed , and whenever I am at gatherings of church leaders , I always feel left out . Actually , it s more like , Oh no , here he comes . Let s find someplace else to go talk . So , I guess it boils down to I am no longer emergent because of the emerging church people . Sorry . I realize it is probably mostly my fault that darn lack of self - confidence and all . But it also raises the question of motive for me . Why do people want to be aligned with a specific part of the church ? Why can t it just be the Church ? Is it because they really don t like some people ; they want to have their own thing ; they just want to hang with the cool crowd ? I don t think that is it for most people emerging but it can certainly look that way to some . At any rate , I understand there are only a handful of you who read my blog . And I hope you know by now that I don t really know much of anything about anything . My thoughts are fairly simple , rarely coherent , and largely biased by my severe lack of self - esteem and knowledge . So , don t go thinkin this has near as much to do with the emerging church as it has to do with my own state of mind . It s just me , you know . I will continue to read things from Mc Laren , and the Jones boys , and others , but I don t think I m emergent anymore . I m just a follower of Jesus . Okay ? This is what I think : We are all messed up . God is wayyyy patient with us . I like Tombstone frozen pizza s ( deluxe ) . I hope Jesus accepts me . 
July 19 th 2006 - The gurning championships , etc. Sometimes photos get taken and people go as far as to shoot people to stop them coming out . You know the type of thing - Posh Spice pissed up with big hairy black spiders hanging out of her knickers and a visible moustache ... Here 's a couple of recent Bad Habits pics to show that I am not precious : . 
May 7 th 2006 : Downtime for Bonzo . Well , as one of our number in in sweaty Spain on holiday , we are out of action for a short while . What to do in his absence ? One Bad Habits gig . Redesign The Kerbcrawlers website and do some work on my own small web design business ' website I have been down with a bad cold over the last couple of weeks too , so I guess the break has come at what is just about a good time . I have a couple of weeks holiday from work booked at the beginning of June and I am not going away . The band is out of action again at that time , as someone else is on holiday , so I will hopefully manage to get some new demos recorded at home . That 's something I have been saying I will do for ages , but I haven't got round to it yet . I am a lazy bugger sometimes ( especially when it means working out how to use the home studio again after all this time ) and I ' ll need a kick up the arse to get me going on it . 
March 6 th 2006 : Getting into Bad Habits .... I posted not long since to say we were about to play in Altrincham . We did the gig last Thursday and it went down very well indeed . Here 's a photo from the event .. A really good night . We will be going back there . 
February 28 th 2006 : A little news ... The Kerbcrawlers have great difficulty with playing midweek shows , as one of our number teaches guitar for a living and if he doesn't work - he doesn't eat . Simple as that . We can only play round the Wigan area , as he finishes work at about 9 pm . We have had to pass over a number of midweek gigs we had booked in at a nice small place in Altrincham ( The Wheatsheaf ) to our very good mates in Bad Habits , who I ' coincidentally ' play bass with sometimes . The first one is this Thursday , when we cover a sudden cancellation . It will be nice to pick up a guitar with them again . Hopefully some photos will emerge from this gig . The Kerbcrawlers are working on some more songs for the set - ' Money ' by Pink Floyd and ' Always with me , always with you ' by Joe Satriani are just two of them . We also intend to get ' Everyday ' by Slade in there and return ' No more Mr Nice Guy ' by Alice Cooper to its rightful place . The threat of playing a few of our own songs looms somewhere off in the distance .... 
2 Days to go ... and Im not doing myself any favours . I have 2 days till kick off and I have noticed I seem to be eating more unhealthy than ever , is it a hidden feeling that I am doing this , I didnt realise I was till it was mentioned to me . I have been dining on burgers , steaks and a few beers but alas it 's just going to make my 12 weeks ahead even more difficult , I will need to change my diet drastically and start eating fresh veg , lean meat , fish and any other foods that are good for you : o ) I am looking forward to eating healthy as I know it can make you feel better within .... without going into too much detail lol . 
3 days to go .... and my life is moving fast . Well , my wife is back on Saturday and I start the fitness regime on Sunday but now on top of this Im moving flat next weekend sooooo my regime will change slightly to compensate . I have cancelled the gym membership I was just about to start and will concentrate on running in the mornings till I move to the city and sign up for a gym there . They always say life throws alot at you when you least expect it but I never knew I would be moving home ...... about time though there is not enough space where I am . I think moving into a new space thats only 15 minutes walk from work rather than travelling an hour each way on the bus will actually help my cause as I will have more time to concentrate on training and making sure I eat healthy . I know how difficult it can be to push yourself when work takes alot of time out of your life but you have to strive ad reach your goals .... this is what I am about to do , and you can see it happen RIGHT HERE ( Can you see how positive I am being today hehe ) . 
4 Days to go ....... I have been having problems with my stomach over the last 24 hours , I believe it is due to my own diet . Because my wife is away I have not been eating well and I am paying for it .... I am longing to start my campaign and reach my goal where I can sit back , feeling fit , with an increased metabolism where I wont feel like a lump of concrete is embeded inside me . I cannot wait to prove to myself and every one else out there that you can get fit and look great in 3 weeks . 
5 Days to go and what a challenge i have ahead . I am getting nervous about the start date that is looming , it wouldnt be such a problem if you guys weren't going to be following my every move . I think that when I look at my decision to undertake this venture , I did it because I knew my own motivation needed something to help drive it , what better way to do it than put myself in a position where anyone in the world can see what I am doing so I have to make sure I achieve my goal lol .... I dont want egg on my face ( an English saying meaning I don't want to fail after building it up ) . It would be nice to get some comments from you folks who are reading my blog ... any words of encouragement will help : ) . 
6 Days .......... not long now . You may be wondering why I am waiting for 6 more days , the truth is that my wife is away at the moment seeing her parents and has the Digital Camera so I cant take a photo of my big stomach lol . In 6 days you will see the stomach that has to go , you will see my weight and measurements and you will also see my despair as I write them down lol . Now many of you will be thinking , how can we be sure this is him on the photos ... well I have a tattoo on my right arm which is a big giveaway and like previously stated I will also be holding a newspaper of the day to show the date so you know this is not an old photo . I have told my wife about this blog and she thinks it 's a good idea , but also thinks I ' m a bit shamless to be showing myself on the Internet in all my glory ( waist upwards ) but I explained that I want to give a morale / confidence boost to all the other people out there who , like me , wish to get in shape . 
7 days to go .... creating the hunger to succeed . I have mixed feelings about my up and coming plan , I feel great that finally I will be going back to the gym , a place I once loved so much , but , I also feel a pang of nervousness about going back because I know how unfit I am going to be and how my strength will not be as great as it once was . I am a person who gets frustrated , and knowing how strong and fit I used to be I am sure to get annoyed with myself at first , but then we all have to start somewhere and this is where the hunger to succeed will kick in . One of the most difficult times for people who wish to start going to the gym is convincing themselves to go and once they have started , managing to push themselves for the first 4 weeks or so . The first 4 weeks are the most difficult when training as i is the time when your body has to wake up and get used to the movements you are carrying out and increase your fitness levels . I have an opinion that as long as someone can push themselves for the first 4 weeks , once they have passed that point it is a mile stone that will mean they will carry on training . 
The count down ....8 Days to go . In 8 days I am going to embark on a 12 week journey to lose my stomach and get fit . I am experienced in fitness and weight lifting as I used to be an avid gym goer ... some would even say I used to be obsessive but since 2004 the love of a good woman and my own laziness has put an end to this . My plan is to go from FAT to FIT in 12 weeks , I will talk about my highs and lows , my eating habits and exercise rituals throughout the 12 weeks with any audience who wishes to follow me on my journey . I decided to share this with the world as I know this is a subject most of us have an interest in , some of you may wish to lose weight but need a proverbial kick up the back side , some of you may wish to learn how you can achieve this yourselves .... some of you may be just laughing at the size of my stomach . In 8 days I will post a picture of my stomach from the front and side ... with a newspaper of the day to prove the date and I will also write down my starting measurements and weight , then after 12 weeks I will post my picture measurements and weight again so you can all see the improvements ( if there is any ) I have made . Weight loss should not be a subject you have to be coy about , if you admit you need to lose a few pounds then you can gain the drive to succeed in your goals . 
No no , pepper spray hurts ... We have been working in Forst Grove this week , which is always an experience in and of itself . As if the faint sound of duelling banjos and smell of cow dung thick in the air weren't enough , you can , and often do , run into some pretty goofy conversations from time to time . Quizno 's is a favorite lunch time destination of mine , and when I got wind that there was one such destimation to be found next to Pacific University , I was well inclined to investigate any and all claims . Said place was sought , found , and the premises entered in search of food . And food is what we found ... but that 's not the story . This particular location offers discounts to Pacific students , and the owner asks every person if they have a Pacific student ID . The guy in line behind us decides to strike up a conversation with the owner of the store and , not in as many words , asked if he had ever taken classes at the University . The owner then replies that he had not until this summer semester , but he claimed he was taking a class for the first time . This is where the story gets to be pretty funny ... trust me , it 's coming . The owner of the store quickly changes the direction of his story and admits that he is not actually taking any classes , but rather is volunteering in in some kind of emergency medical response course . What did he volunteer for you ask ? To be tazered ! That 's right ... he volunteered to be tazered so the students could practice their medical response on a live person who has been shot and subdued with a tazer gun . The guy he has been talking to goes on to ask if the tazering is all that he has volunteered for , or if there are other non - lethal detention tactics that he would be volunteering for , like pepper spray . " No no , pepper spray hurts . I won't do that . " As if tazering doesn't hurt , right ! It 's at this point that Nate drops the sandwich that is at his mouth and simply asks , " Where in the world are we ? " Welcome to Forest Grove , where people willingly get tazered to avoid the pain of pepper spray , cow dung odors are thick in the air , and all of it is set to a soundtrack of dueling banjos . 
Pray for Ethnos ... Anything you can come up with would just about cover it . In the last 48 hours there has been a suicide attempt , a miscarriage , and a dream internship lost 2 WEEKS before it was to start , and that 's just in the last 2 days . All of this comes in addition to the normal life of a community with it 's stresses and pressures of the community as a whole and for the individuals and families within the community . I know that those who read this blog are mostly from Ethnos , but if you aren't , please leave a comment and let us know your praying . I will be passing any and all comments on to the community so we all know who is joining us in prayer . Your prayer is greatly appreciated . Thank You . 
The Dilema . So , what do you do when you have a big vision for your life that your living out today in addition to a big vision you feel called to in the future ? You would be happy , fullfilled , and God - honoring either way , but your present reality obviously seems more likely than your future hope . The more I pray and think through what ministry means for me and Jenn , the more convinced I become that we will be planting achurch at some point in the future . Not sure when , or where , but I am more than reasonably convinced that we will . So , the dilema . I love and believe in what I ' m doing now . I believe that what I ' m asked to do is run a God - honoring business , be a source of hope and encouragement for those who live in the margins , and fabricate products to the very best of my ability . This is where I ' m at now . It 's certainly not without it 's trials . There have been a couple of points in the last couple weeks where I have been ready to quit it all , but that 's going to have to be another post . But I not only want to be faithful to God 's leading , but in all honesty , I want to be a part of leading a community to growth and vitality as we all discover who Christ is , what he wants for our lives , and then moving together and encouraging each other as we act on our discoveries . Present reality intersects with future hope ... I wonder if it 's possible to do both ? Be part of drumming up new work , client relations , and trade training , and leading a community of faith as well . Does the " lead pastor " have to be a full - time salaried position ? It certainly takes time to keep a finger on the pulse of the community , developing vision and motivating action among the community , and teaching the Scriptures to God 's people so we have a solid direction , but I still wonder .... What to do ? Keep being faithful and working hard at this business , and all the while continuing to be faithful , as hard as this may be sometimes , to continue preparing to lead a church and serve in and to and through the church . 
Dogs ... If your a reader of Jenn 's blog , you know by now that we are going to be adopting a couple of canine 's into our family . Meet Druk ( drook ) and Ashi ( awshi ) . Our friends Jesse and his wife Sarah have had to make the difficult decision to find another home for their beloved pups . Jesse was recently accepted into a Master 's program in Winipeg at the University of Manitoba , which he starts in the fall . The Montes ' are also expecting their first child in July . Long story short , Druk and Ashi are moving to Oregon . We are both looking forward to having these guys at home with us . 
ENTP . Ciara indirectly inspired me to post this stuff . I ' m not a huge fan of personality tests because some people might tend toward boxng you into that personality , or even worse , label you as needing help if you don't have " desirable " characteristics . With that to say , they are fun to see just how accurate they can actually be , and it 's always a little fun to see where other people land . I " score " as an ENTP ( Extroverted , Intuitive , Thinking , Percieving ) . The " extrovert " can be a little misleading because I sway back and forth between extro and intro , but the rest of the stuff is less than ambiguous as to where I land . Some of the descriptions of how these personality traits play out is pretty interesting . EInterested in external happenings . fatigued by steady reading and studying ; needs a break to talk to people . Opens mouth , then engages brain . Leaves wishing he hadn't said that . Expensive and unloading emotions . Living life to understand it . Scanning the environment for stimulation . Using trial and error with confidence . ( An " I " is pretty much the exact opposite ) NPerceiving with memory and associations . Patterns and meanings . possibilities for the future . Looking for the big picture . Head in the clouds . Carving inspiration . Restless . Imaginative . Hunches . Impulsive , spontaneous . Picks up only what fits the preoccupation . TUses objective and impersonal criteria . Draws cause and effect relationships . Firm - minded . Skeptical . Analytical . Truthful . Relating to things , ideas , and concepts . PFlexible , adaptable , tolerant . curious , tentative . seeks out experience . Aims to miss nothing . Adapt as we go . Respond to the situation . Curious an interested . Adapting and changing . I especially like " Opens mouth , then engages brain " and " Leaves wishing he hadn't said that " . If you want a quick description of my last week , there it is ! 
RHCP . So I got the new Red Hot Chili Peppers this week . I ' ve never really got too much into these guys , but something must have been off for me . I listen to some stuff from Californication , but that was usually about it . I could sit and listen to this all day long . Frusciante is quite good , and Flea is , well , Flea . I must say I like it very much . In fact , I ' m glad I got rid of my guitar . When crappy guitar playing intersects with amazing riffs , frustration ensues . 
Really valuable podcast . If you lead , have led , or will lead in the future , any manner of organizations or groups , there is a couple of podcasts that will be invaluable . All of these can easily be found on i Tunes . The Accidental Creative is great for learning a bit or getting a new perspective on walking through a creative process in order to maximize your level of creative output . And The Accidental Leader is along the same line , only for those who lead creative organizations . ... " But I work in accounting " ... You still have to maximize conceptual measures like value , efficiency , and customer satisfaction , so I would say you 're in a creative organization and could benefit from some of what is here . Some of this stuff is great . Apparently an organizational proctologist is also known as a consultant , organizational dissonance is a serious organizational cancer , and creative breakthroughs first require creative break - with . Good stuff . 
How we own our love ? Old one , edited .... I stand before you with a springbrewing in my heart ; we bare all , in haste : a naked secret , old loves , ribs , navel , and breasts . I free your tresses from the grip of a cheap plasticand let them flow over your shy eyesivory shoulders , Hepburn neck I press your warming body , hard against mine ; and between your chuckles , moans ; I wet your temporalis , maxilla , zygoma , with my beer beaten tongue . In a mad dance , I sin you , you sin me , not two sins , Just One for a small history , only for us . Then after a cigaretteand several turns ofthe swirling fan blades , I gaze at your Rodin head in my arms , lost in deep soulful sleep , I know it is only now ; I can claim you as mineand mine alone When you wake upyou would start about with goingto a movie and shoppingwhile I just want tolaze around reading ole books . 
Yellow pages ... Was looking for Zadie Smith s White Teeth for J who has been bugging me for it for sometime now and as I was rummaging through the book hill , I found a few old and precious ones , which like many old and precious ones unlocked a prison house full of memories . A snap and a few lines in a journal over a cup of tea would at least record the moment if not do it any justice . ~ Journals , Kurt Cobain Though the book is a capitalistic marketing of an icon I could not resist buying it . I wanted to know if he was the same person I had reckoned him to be through his songs . When I finished the book , I had realised how incredibly daft and supremely beautiful was his passion for music . The book is an excellent journey of affect through passion and how it burns you out if left on its own . ~ The Diaries , Franz Kafka Hmm the man ! the mystery ! This book personally represents so much confusion and lack of direction . I remember first reading it for 36 hours flat through two nights and a day . More importantly , as you can see , it is the only book I have nicked off a public library !! I had made several positively conscientious attempts to return it back and in fact had successfully done so on one occasion but it found me too irresistible . Once after returning it I remembered how beautifully he had described the scene of waiting in a train station and wanted to read the passage again but couldn t manage to find the book . After several weeks I accidentally discovered the book misplaced in a geography section of the library and I instantly knew two things . One -- that the book was mine and Two -- that I m not going to heaven . Also reminds me of reading many passages to S all through the night and how when we broke up she took it upon herself to return it back stating it was her duty to return the book to its due and sole owner in spite of having to resist owning it herself . The Story Of Philosophy , Will Durant This book is amazingly cheap priced for the wisdom is bestows . I remember - Me and C bought a copy each and started the reading sessions alternating with discussions during long walks , drives and evening teas during our internship days . I m yet to find a better primer for philosophy than this book written by the delicately humorous Durant and whole - heartedly recommend it to anyone who wishes to acquaint with the schools in philosophy . Personally I cherish my copy with all the wild and illegible scribbles and highlighting . For me and C It is a symbol of growth and a visage of what a concerted and collective human exploration means . Invisible Cities , Italo Calvino Who would have known this tiny self help kind of looking book would charm the world out of you ! I think I found it at the right time , just when I was developing interest in the anatomy and physiology in the life of the city , Calvino showed the beauty of metaphysics in the cities chronicling each one as a flag hoisted through the travels all across eternity . Also , it affirmed my conviction that nothing equals the beauty of the abstract . Besides , this is the copy for which I almost went to war against A for forgetting it in Italy . For you A , Yes I know its kalveeeeeeeeno and not Calvino but in return I ve made you more professional with the book returns . I think I should leave you with the words of Richard De Bury from - Of the Love of Books : How highly we must estimate the wondrous power of books , since through them we survey the utmost bounds of world and time , and contemplate the things that are as well as those that are not , as it were in the mirror of eternity . 
India - Border Roads Organisation .... You have barely heard of the name Border Roads Organisation as you start off on the highest motorable road * in the world . And as the ascent begins it would not escape your eye how the road has been cleverly carved through the ruggedly masculine and majestic Himalayas , widening when needed and arching into a narrow and lengthy curve where appropriate . The road undoubtedly is treacherous , but you never feel unsafe even for a moment . The scene that flanks you beside is a textbook fairly tale image which would never fail to marvel or move any heart . You climb along the misty trails and through the progressively dropping temperature to find your lungs pumping the freshest of fresh airs . There is no civilization in near sight , only the pure white sky and the near bit of road ahead . The far distant peaks promise panorama and peace . The drivers communicate in their own language , dippers , honks , unfathomable gestures etc all through the demanding drive . It is then you begin to realise , how hard it could be to manage and maintain the road throughout such harsh weather and uninhabitable terrain and as you continue wondering about it you start to notice heavily clothed men and bulldozers working to clear off the fresh snow from the road , often holding traffic . As you drive further higher up , the signboards marked Border Roads Organisation become more frequent guiding you through to safer futures . Somehow as you manage through a bumpy ride on one unhealthy segment of a longish curve with its metalling worn out off the road , you are greeted to a better maintained segment with a board which reads Inconvenience is Regretted , BRO . In a nation that is India , to find such a courteous signboard here , in this desolate corner , at an altitude of 15000 feet or so above the sea level under such rough conditions melts your heart away . As they say great deeds go into history books but its the smaller gestures that find their place in the heart . And as I think of that road and Border Roads Organisation now , I can only infer how it is a rare symbol of what a spoonful of will and discipline can do to India . On their site Shramena sarvam sadhyam reads the sanskrit motto of Border Roads Organisation , i . e With hard work every thing is possible . Indeed . * Highest motorable road - Connects Manali to Leh through several passes inc , the famous Rohtang and Khardung La . 
Where 's the Mustard ? I once made a decision that whenever I got into an argument with my parents , I would always go down fighting rather than sit and be quietly dismissive . There 's a point where while I had patience with everyone else except my immediate family . I know it 's a very immature choice , but I felt like I had to make them realize that I ' m no longer going to just lay back and take it . One of us is going to break sometime , and I ' m a lot younger . Immature ? Indeed it is . The scary part ? It 's feeding into other parts of my life . They say best indication if what kind of person you ' ll be is by looking at your parents . I never thought I ' d come close , but I ' m starting to realize I am . As much as my interests differ from anyone else in my family , my personality comes frighteningly close . Perhaps acting as a reminder that I still am a part of that family . I ' m trying to change here , I really am . It 's hard and tiring though . I mean , I ' m not even going through tough times right now with them . Things are relatively great . It 's in this calm that I start to see them in my reflection rather than myself . My inner child is probably pretty upset at me . Come on , man , figure it out . Going to a lighter topic , I started cooking yesterday . My family doesn't eat that well usually , and I ' d really like to turn that around . It sort goes along with my whole transformation into a cycling fanatic ( and then consequent health nut ) . I told my sister about it , and she sent me a couple cookbooks a month ago . They 're aimed for people my age who eat out a lot and really can't do much more than boil an egg . Also for those with their own apartments , but I don't fall into that category yet . Someday I will , and this is going to be great preparation .... well , we ' ll see . While I don't know the nutritional facts of what I ' m making though , I know it 's a lot healthier than Arby 's , Mc Donald 's , or the nearby Chinese restaurant that my parents like to order from . Last night I made Egg and Onion soup , Greek roast potatoes , and a slice of baked ham ( my parents aren't big on meat , fortunately ) . Tonight I made Beef Strogonaff served with mash potatoes . Tomorrow I plan on making Spicy Bean Dip ( as an appetizer , of course ) and Chicken Fajitas . Should be good times . I ' ve cooked a couple of these before several years ago , which is why I picked them . I know they ' ll taste decent , and I ' ll get practice at preparing things more quickly , which is my real goal . Well , I ' m tired . Stay frosty , y ' all . 
I Change My Mind . I don't like the heat . A couple days ago , the high shot straight to the 90 s , and I can tell you for sure that my body hates it . It hasn't left me lethargic , but I ' ve been sitting around doing a lot of nothing . Well , that 's not true . I guess I have been able to practice drumset a bit , but that 's about it . Otherwise I just do a lot of writing and a lot of tv - watching . It 's pretty ... nice actually . Minus the heat part . I feel a little pathetic though , because I did grow up in AZ . This shouldn't even compare . Maybe it 's the moisture . Arizona tends to be a lot dryer . Whatever . Wow , I didn't even feel like blogging right now . I ' m practically sweating just sitting here . Even with the cool breeze coming in from my open window ... ooh , there 's a nice one ... I need AC . Seattle is perfect for me three out of four times of the year ... or maybe I just need to get outside . 
I Lie To My Dreams . I had two dreams last night , and neither of them were really epic , but it 's been a rare occurence when I actually do remember my dreams , so I feel like I should right them down . In my first dream , there was some sort of military operation going on . I had some role in it , but it was all pretty unclear . For some reason , I went to a mall and into a shop that was run by a kindly old couple . It must have been a stationary shop , I think , and for some reason I was intent on stealing a bunch of journals and diaries . I stacked as many as I could in my arms to the point where I had a hard time carrying them . The old man noticed and offered to help . I ended up dropping the book . When his back was turned and his wife had gone away , I walked out . There was an alarm , because suddenly tons of security kept rushing to the store . It would appear that no one noticed me , because I kept walking down the escalator and eventually out the door . Every person who ran past me looked at me and I gave them a friendly nod . They did the same . When I arrived outside , my parents were being kept in some compound being guarded by a soldier . I went up to the soldier and said , " What are you doing ! ? I ' m in the army too ! " He just laughed a me , and then I started yelling at him . I eventually pinned him down and lectured him . " You know what the problem with our society is ? No respect . No one respects each other . Oh , sure there was a time when everyone respected each other , and were a bunch of wusses . He laughed at this . " But now no one respects each other , and that 's a problem . Because stuff like me kicking your ass happens . Here 's where the lie comes in ... " My dad was in the Chinese army , he could kick your ass too . " In my dream , I ' m pretty sure even though I thought that I had been in the army , my dad certainly hadn't been . I weas fully conscious of the fact that I was lying . For some reason this bothers me . My dream ended there . I don't remember exactly where my second dream starts either . I was back in AZ with a close friend of mine . I saw him when I went back to AZ last year ... I think girls ruined his life , but hopefully he won't read this . I was making some plans with him , and I ' m not sure what happened afterwards , but suddenly I was in a gym that had one open wall and faced a concert stage . Everyone there were fictional and non - fictional people alike . All people that I either watched on tv or have been at least briefly acquainted with . Most noticeably was a friend ( not a very close one , but still a friend ) from the UW drumline , and a couple of sisters who I had really given no thought to until this dream . I ' m not sure if we were waiting for something , or watching something , but I was content to amuse myself . Playing silly games or doing impressions . Something or other like that . Maybe I was trying to impress someone . All of a sudden though , I ended up in my old kitchen in AZ . The water was leaking from the refrigerator and I had been fortunate enough to discover . TIme fast - forwarded and suddenly my dad , or a figure like my dad had already removed all the electronic objects near it . I open the refrigerator and find some pizza that I think was supposed to be like Peter Piper Pizza , but since WA doesn't have it ( even though we were in AZ , that 's just how my dream worked ) , it was whatever the equivalent ( even though there is none ) up here is . I wanted to heat it up , and then I woke up . Strange and vague dreams ... 
Today Has Been Emotionally Draining . ... and sometimes , there 's no solution . You just have to move on and hope the next day goes better . This has nothing to do with the above , but for some reason , I ' ve been thinking about it recently . Well , maybe it has a little to do with it . It 's a quote from Sleepless in Seattle where the main character played by Tom Hanks is talking to a host of a radio show . Doctor Marcia Fieldstone : " What are you going to do ? " Sam Baldwin : " Well , I ' m gonna get out of bed every morning ... breath in and out all day long . Then , after a while I won't have to remind myself to get out of bed every morning and breath in and out ... and , then after a while , I won't have to think about how I had it great and perfect for a while . " Source : IMDB . 
This Will Be Fun . ... or exhausting . Most likely both . More of the latter I ' m sure . The Seattle - to - Portland Bike Classic is this coming weekend , and my training has suffered a small setback . I ' ve been in Canada the past week vacationing with my parents ( much to my reluctance ) and don't feel like I ' m in the greatest shape for this 200 - mile race . I ' ve gotten a little running in ... about 30 - 40 kilometers over the past 5 days , but 1 - 2 hour runs don't exactly compare to a two - day ride . I ' m in shape ... just not in super athletic shape quite yet . Oh boy . My plan is to run about 12 miles 10 miles today , which I think will help with my cardio . I ' ve been biking with this cross country dude I met at my friend 's birthday dinner , and we did a pretty rigorous 45 - mile bike ride a week and a half ago . He said he was tired , but it certainly didn't show . He was breathing fine while I was gasping for breath after our first big hill climb , and he says it 's because he has deep lungs . I attribute that to the X - country , which I haven't done in a long time . Since I wasn't able to bring my bike to Canada , I just ended up running , which I think has helped . Just not enough . We ' ll see . Stay frosty , y ' all . 
Wednesday - The Humanity . It 's a relentless grind at the moment , up at seven then back at six and doing nothing on an evening . Todays thought is that if I am going to do nothing then make it a productive nothing by reading while sitting in garden or see people while aimlessly doing nothing . Got to get something out of this summer , it 's too long a time to waste . Feel like if only the heat would break then it would the turning point but its hard to find the energy when you are living in sweat and not sleeping well . 
Start of Week 5 . Put in the hours required this weekend and got the website work to the point where I can almost wipe my hands of it . It is certainly down to manageable chunks now . Hopefully I can manage 30 minutes a day to get the project finished which will be a major hassle off my mind . Having received a tax rebate at the weekend the 800 from the website is now pure froth on the summers champagne . Last week went by in a blaze of sunshine and the weekend was spent at the Americana Music Festival at the Sage and a trip of unusual pubs on saturday night . Have enjoyed myself enough now to want to get back to some work . The gardens and the house are in a state and that has to be a priority this week . Not planning on going out at all until Newcastle Races on saturday . Done well on not wasting money and eating and drinking has not been out of control at all . If the heat would just subside so I could add a bit of jogging then it could be a great 4 weeks before our holidays . Have to accept that the best I can do with this time is endure it until September when things will get back on track again . Really , all i can do is prepare for September . Earn some money , read some teaching manuals , get the house sorted until next summer and make sure Joanne is healthy and happy . I can listen to podcasts and music which is a cheap pleasure and drink beer in the garden and try and get my own confidence and organisation up . Make sure I am healthy and happy . In the meantime have to look for small victories like not running up debt , eating healthy meals and doing some reading . The history of the world and the history of modern philosophy will make a good start , in fact that might be all given how much this job takes out on the eyes . Never mind , 4 weeks and 1000 to go . 
Thursday - Cool Down . Weather is changing but the summer isnt going anywhere . Want to do more reading and studying but worried that this job is taking is training my eyesight already . Hopefully a cool down will man can do a few more physical things . Its been nice to sit in the garden but its not a patch on actually doing something whilst outdoors . Had 3 bottles beer and a half bottle of wine last night which was ok . Been eating healthily this week so it wasnt a blowout night . Going for a few pub drinks tonight though which is over the top . Need to get some exercise . Priority this weekend though is getting the South Shields CC website finished and get in touch with mark to tell him that . Wish there was something more to this time than just treading water but maybe that will prove to be the lesson of the summer . 
Wednesday - Summer Time . Feel like just avoiding the sumer instead of doing anything with it . Need to do more but work takes up such a chunk of the day . Need to do dome summer things whatever they might be or else this working then home , computer , tea and housework then 3 hours telly will be the story of this summer . 
Monday - The Heat Is On . It is week 4 of the summer and the heat is so strong its just a case of getting by in one piece . Today was just a day of putting up with work and then doing the few unavoidable jobs around the house . Didnt do anything of not and that might be setting the trend for the week ahead . Think with this free time would get some readnig done though , perhaps thats what could concentrate on this week . Get something finished and something new read . 
3 Weeks Down Already . 3 weeks of the summer gone already , where did the time go . This weekend I went to a friends house for s drink on friday ( a few ) and then saturday I worked on a website for about 5 hours then it was the holy trinity of cricket club , rugby club and the 3 Tuns to see The Happy Cats . Sunday has been a hangover day sitting in the garden and reading newspapers . Suppose it has been relaxing but in the last week I have done nothing but work and then enjoy myself . It 's the usual problem that i would like to be progressing towards something . But what ! Why can't i just relax and enjoy things why is it that enjoyment is unfulfilling . Am I depressed again ? Lets be a bit more positive . List the good things this week Saw friends at the weekend Good day out on saturday Earned 250 Watched some quality - Munich , Theatre , Philosophy Programme , Cock and Bull Read some history , philosophy and news Ate quite well for the majority of the week 17 st 3 lbs this week which is better than 17 st 7 lbs a few weeks ago . Now list the bad things No jobs done on the garden and house and things are a bit of a mess Drank too much in 24 hours on friday and saturday Not enough exercise So to correct this Straight after work , have to do something physical like jogging , gardening etc. Drink less next week Try and finish a book and focus on one intellectual item at a time . Plan the website and college work that you have to do .... er thats it . As its summer and the weather is great I think have to concentrate on doing things and being busy and being outdoors and active as much as possible . 
Friday Afternoon - Week 3 . Working in an office is causing two reactions , both predictaqble but also compelling . The first is that I have a desperate need to get out and about and do things and go places . It 's obviously a raction to sitting on the same seat for hours at a time . Secondly , due probably to the mundane nature of the work , I am ravenous for facts and figures , history and philosophy and all forms of intellectual stimulation . Last 3 nights have been culture nights . Munich on DVDStrangers on a Train at the Little Theatre The Perfect Home - Alain De Boton documentary I tthink that there has been an overindulgence in brain food and now I need the weekend to give the body a bit of a workout . I need to work on a website this weekend however so its going to be a difficult to mix the two . The general aim for the next week is to do less inactivity and more physical work . Primarily the garden and the house but also some running would not go amiss . 
Girl Dies In Elavator Accident . 	 WWAY TV 3 A Wilmington child is dead after a horrifying accident involving an elevator . It happened Sunday night at a house off Pinfish Lane in Carolina Beach . According to investigators , the 10 - year - old girl was celebrating her birthday with friends at her mother 's boyfriend 's house when things took a deadly turn . Investigators say around eight p.m. Sunday night the girl went to play in an elevator that was recently put into the house . Police did not say who pushed the buttons in the elevator but at some point the girl was hanging out of the front , from her shoulders up , when the elevator began to move up to the next floor . The girl did not get out of the way in time and got crushed . This is terrible and my heart felt sympathy goes to this little girl 's family . 	 Read more ! 
One That Got Lost In The System . 	 WRALSome say an overwhelming caseload was a factor in why an illegal immigrant charged in what investigators have called a violent case of road rage was not deported after a prior conviction for a Mc Donald 's shooting . Joel Ortiz was arrested in April in connection with the shooting at the Raleigh restaurant and was under investigation by local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement . But when there was not enough evidence to support a felony conviction , according to prosecutors , a plea bargain was reached with Ortiz and the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor . Although a misdemeanor - assault charge is a deportable offense , according to immigration attorney Lynn Calder , immigration officials said that because the charge was reduced , the case became a low priority . " If they got something more serious going on at the time , I don't think they ' ll get to them , " Calder said . That procedure , referred to as a detainer , is now under way for Ortiz after he was arrested last Thursday in a series of incidents in which he allegedly chased down motorists , rammed their vehicles and shot at them . He is currently in jail under $ 407,000 bond . But Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby said on Monday that he had hoped immigration agents would have taken a serious look at Ortiz 's immigration status after the first arrest in April . " Anytime someone is in this country illegally and gets arrested for a felony with a firearm , it ought to get reviewed by ICE , " Willoughby said . Willoughby , the police , as well as many other people , have said they realize and understand how overwhelmed immigration agents are . For example , the local immigration office covers 31 counties . The enormous amount of work , in part , has prompted state lawmakers to take a tougher stance on illegal immigration . On Monday evening , they unanimously passed a resolution to pushing for an immigration court in North Carolina , which is one of three states under consideration for the court . North Carolina 's illegal - immigrant population is estimated at about 300,000 and is the eighth largest in the United States . Currently , the closest immigration court is in Atlanta . The resolution also urges the U.S. Congress to make a driving - while - impaired conviction a cause for deportation , and it calls for the expansion of Homeland Security to give local law - enforcement officers the authority to identify people who have previously been deported . An Elon University poll released in April shows that 71 percent of North Carolinians believe illegal immigration is an important issue , but those who responded are split as to whether it has helped the state . Of the 677 participants , 44 percent said illegal immigration has been bad for North Carolina , while 43 percent said it has been good or has not made much difference . Participants were asked their opinions about a variety of statements to determine what makes immigration an important issue to them . More than 70 percent agreed that providing school , health care and similar services for illegal immigrants costs too much and 72 percent said such immigrants do not pay their fair share of taxes . 	 Read more ! 
State House and Senate Fight Over Sex Offender Tracking . 	 WRALState lawmakers were poised on Monday evening to move forward with a bill that would better track sex offenders , but the House rejected the Senate 's version of the bill . 	 Read more ! 
Easley Says Give It Back . 	 WRALGov . Mike Easley demanded Monday that the state 's Ports Authority repay nearly $ 4,000 of taxpayer money used to make a state ferry available for an invitation - only boat party during a sailing festival . " I want to be crystal clear with you : this type of activity should not ever occur again , " Easley wrote in a letter to Ports Authority officials . " State agencies and their employees are stewards of the public 's money and trust and our actions should reflect the highest of standards . " The cruise gave about 200 passengers -- including Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and other elected lawmakers -- an up - close view of the Tall Ships Festival in Beaufort and Morehead City on July 1 . While officials dined on seafood and enjoyed the music of a steel drum band , others fought crowds and congestion . The ferry was replaced on its route by a smaller ship , leading to delays for passengers trying to cross the river . " It is absolutely indefensible that a ferry was taken out of service to transport dignitaries while the general public battled traffic and stood in stifling heat for hours to get a glimpse of the ships , " Easley wrote . Easley found that the Ports Authority , which is a state agency but runs on its own revenue , paid almost $ 25,000 out of its budget to host the event . The Department of Transportation added about $ 3,800 , which is taxpayer money . Most of the $ 3,800 was used for paint and cleaning supplies to renovate the Floyd Lupton , additional staffing and personnel to cover the costs of two ships , fuel and a photographer to document the event , said DOT spokesman Ernie Seneca . " To cover the costs borne by the taxpayers , I am directing the State Ports Authority to reimburse the Department of Transportation for the costs of using the ferry , " Easley wrote . 	 Read more ! 
Watermelon Festival . 	 Fair Bluff 's annual Watermelon Festival kicks off this weekend . I ' ve never been to it before , but this year my daughter is a Melon Belle , so I must throw in my support of this local festival . Also my 6 year old is really looking forward to the seed spitting contest , he keeps telling me he has to practice before the big day . Hope to see you there . 	 Read more ! 
Offensive Jokes . 	 I found this list of jokes at Boortz Something To Offend Everyone ! What do you call two Mexicans playing basketball ? Juan on Juan . What is the difference between a Harley and a Hoover ? The position of the dirt bag . What do you see when the Pillsbury Dough Boy bends over ? Doughnuts ? Why is air a lot like sex ? Because it 's no big deal unless you 're not getting any . What do you call a smart blonde ? A golden retriever . What 's the difference between a girlfriend and wife ? 45 lbs . What 's the difference between a boyfriend and husband ? 45 minutes . What 's the fastest way to a man 's heart ? Through his chest with a sharp knife . Why do men want to marry virgins ? They can't stand criticism . Why is it so hard for women to find men that are sensitive , caring , and good - looking ? Because those men already have boyfriends . What 's the difference between a new husband and a new dog ? After a year , the dog is still excited to see you . What makes men chase women they have no intention of marrying ? The same urge that makes dogs chase cars they have no intention of driving . What did the blonde say when she found out she was pregnant ? " Are you sure it 's mine ? " Why does Mike Tyson cry during sex ? Mace will do that to you . Why did OJ Simpson want to move to West Virginia ? Everyone has the same DNA . Did you hear about the dyslexic Rabbi ? He walks around saying " Yo . " Where does an Irish family go on vacation ? A different bar . Did you hear about the Chinese couple that had a retarded baby ? They named him " Sum Ting Wong . What would you call it when an Italian has one arm shorter than the other ? A speech impediment . What does it mean when the flag at the Post Office is flying at half - mast ? They 're hiring . What 's the difference between a southern zoo and a northern zoo ? A southern zoo has a description of the animal on the front of the cage along with ... " a recipe . " How do you get a sweet little 80 - year - old lady to say the F word ? Get another sweet little 80 - year - old lady to yell * BINGO * ! What 's the difference between a northern fairytale and a southern fairytale ? A northern fairytale begins " Once upon a time ... " A southern fairytale begins " Y ' all ain't gonna believe this s .... t . " Why is there no Disneyland in China ? No one 's tall enough to go on the good rides . 	 Read more ! 
Easley Blocks Attempt To ID New Marina Leaseholders . 	 Carolina Journal Gov . Mike Easley , saying proper procedure had not been followed , thwarted Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry s attempt in a Council of State meeting Tuesday to learn the identities of the individuals awarded a new lease for the state - owned Southport Marina property . When Berry tried to raise the issue at the meeting , Easley would not allow it . He told Berry that she didn t allow enough time for her request to be put on the agenda , though she said she had made the request five days in advance of the meeting . Easley indicated that her request would be taken up in August . Berry said she wanted the individuals involved in the marina deal identified because she said the public has a right to know . She also said full disclosure is necessary so state officials can avoid a conflict of interest when voting on real estate matters . Berry , Carolina Journal , and other media organizations have tried unsuccessfully to identify the leaseholders since Easley coaxed the lease though the approval process in January . Neither Easley s office nor the North Carolina State Ports Authority , the agency that controls the property , will identify the new owners of the marina operating company . This was a shady deal from the get go . A lot of Southport residents are upset at how this process was handled . They really feel betrayed by Easley and the state . A lot of questions have been brought up about who holds the lease and what their relationship to the governor is and with why the deal was made without giving residents input but so far very few answers have emerged from Raliegh . 	 Read more ! 
What the Heck ? ! ? 	 Myrtle Beach Online Seeking to patch any holes in North Carolina 's criminal justice system , the state Senate approved a bill Monday to create an " innocence commission " that could override a court to free a prisoner . The eight - member commission would conduct inquiries into claims of innocence . A convicted criminal would have to petition the commission , citing new evidence that may prove a new verdict . " It would restore the integrity and the public 's confidence in the process , " said Sen . Dan Clodfelter , D - Mecklenburg . A criminal justice task force recommended the panel . The task force was formed in part because of the murder case of Darryl Hunt , who spent 18 years in prison for the slaying of a Winston - Salem woman before DNA evidence exonerated him . If five of the eight members agree there is enough evidence , the case would be sent to a three - judge Superior Court panel . Charges would be dismissed if the judges unanimously determine there " is clear and convincing evidence " that the defendant is innocent . Only one senator - Hugh Webster - dissented in the vote . He said lawmakers should work on fixing the justice system as it is now . " We 're saying it 's not working , so we have to have this commission to catch and correct errors , " said Webster , R - Alamance . The Senate version , slightly different than a House bill passed last year , would bar defendants who pleaded from going before the commission . And while the House would allow a split decision of a three - judge panel to be appealed to the state Supreme Court , there is no such provision in the Senate bill and provides for no additional appeals . The measure now returns to the House for concurrence . So after going to a jury of his peers and being found guilty a panel can recommend an inmate to be set free . This is bull crap . This is wrong . An appeals process is set up for this and no panel is needed to second guess a jury . 	 Read more ! 
NC Moves To Break Law . 	 NBC 17 . com North Carolina is following the lead of other Southeastern states in proposing tolls for Interstate 95 to help pay for repairs and expansion . I - 95 needs about $ 4 billion in repairs in North Carolina , state Department of Transportation officials said . That includes replacing dozens of bridges and adding lanes to the highway 's 182 miles of asphalt across the state . DOT officials have discussed the toll - road plan with federal highway officials . But North Carolina law prohibits tolling an existing road , so the General Assembly would have to approve the change . " This follows the plan of Virginia , South Carolina and Georgia in making those improvements . The study is underway , and it no way implies you ' ll see construction equipment in the next few months , " state Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett said . South Carolina wants to start collecting tolls in 2009 . Virginia lawmakers have already passed a bill that would allow the state to share tolls collected at the state border with North Carolina . Drivers said Wednesday that they don't like the idea . " I ' m already paying lots of money , " said Wilmar Pinargote , who noted he would look for another route from Florida to New York if tolls are levied . " I try to save money . I need to save money for my family . " Our state law states that an existing road can not be made into a toll road . The law does allow tolls on new roads being constructing . But it doesn't suprise me that our state legislature is considering breaking the law or changeing to so that they can collect more taxes . Yes a toll is a tax . And don't believe that if tolls are set up that they will be used just for repairs on that road . The money will be pulled for whatever the legislature wants . Don't believe me , what about the lottery ? Remember it wouldn't replace any existing education money , but within a week it was . 	 Read more ! 
Senate Votes To Protect The 2 nd Amendment . 	 I ' m very very happy to see this . My Way - The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted to prohibit the confiscation of legally owned guns during an emergency like last year 's Hurricane Katrina , marking another victory for the gun lobby . By a vote of 84 - 16 , the Senate embraced an amendment by Sen . David Vitter , a Louisiana Republican . He attached his measure to a domestic security spending bill for the fiscal year starting October 1 that the Senate is expected to pass soon . The U.S. House of Representatives has passed its version of the spending bill and negotiators will have to decide whether to keep the gun provision . The House is usually sympathetic to gun owners . Citing the constitutional right to bear arms , Vitter said that during an emergency people should be allowed to hold onto " legally possessed firearms to defend your life , your property " at a time when telephone lines and cell phones probably are not operating and victims " can't reach out to law enforcement authorities . " Vitter said 10 states have passed similar laws . Louisiana is one of them . Following Hurricane Katrina last August , some emergency workers expressed fears about guns being looted from stores and first - responders being threatened by gun proliferation . Sen . Edward Kennedy , a Massachusetts Democrat , called the amendment " pay - back time by the National Rifle Association , " a powerful lobbying group that opposes gun controls . Sen . Richard Durbin , an Illinois Democrat , added , " You send the National Guardsmen in ... and then snipers start shooting at them and the police make it known this is going to be a gun - free zone . We don't want any National Guardsmen killed because of this national emergency , this disaster . Is that an unreasonable thing ? " Vitter countered that the " declaration or state of emergency in and of itself does not give anyone the right to confiscate guns " and local law enforcement officials should not " trump " the Constitution . Last month , gun lobbyists won another victory when the House voted to overturn a recently enacted law requiring safety trigger locks on all hand guns sold in the United States . That measure , attached to a law enforcement spending bill , awaits Senate action . 	 Read more ! 
Senate Doing A Kerry . 	 The US Senate has voted not to fund a fence on the southern border just two months after voting to build the 370 mile fence . The Washington Times Less than two months after voting overwhelmingly to build 370 miles of new fencing along the border with Mexico , the Senate yesterday voted against providing funds to build it . " We do a lot of talking . We do a lot of legislating , " said Sen . Jeff Sessions , the Alabama Republican whose amendment to fund the fence was killed on a 71 - 29 vote . " The things we do often sound very good , but we never quite get there . " Mr. Sessions offered his amendment to authorize $ 1.8 billion to pay for the fencing that the Senate voted 83 - 16 to build along high - traffic areas of the border with Mexico . In the same vote on May 17 , the Senate also directed 500 miles of vehicle barriers to be built along the border . But the May vote simply authorized the fencing and vehicle barriers , which on Capitol Hill is a different matter from approving the federal expenditures needed to build it . 	 Read more ! 
Hazleton , PA Gets Tough On Illegals . 	 News Max The Hazleton , Pa. , City Council approved a law Thursday night designed to make this small city in northeastern Pennsylvania among the most hostile places in the U.S. for illegal immigrants to live or work . The 4 - to - 1 vote came after nearly two hours of passionate debate . Opponents argued it was divisive and possibly illegal , but supporters argued illegal immigrants ' growing numbers have damaged the quality of life here . " We must draw the line , and we are doing it tonight , " Mayor Lou Barletta told a packed council chambers . Barletta proposed the Illegal Immigration Relief Act last month as a response to what he said were Hazleton 's problems with violent crime , crowded schools , hospital costs and the demand for services . The ordinance would deny licenses to businesses that employ illegal immigrants , fine landlords $ 1,000 for each illegal immigrant discovered renting their properties , and require city documents to be in English only . Good job . 	 Read more ! 
Johnston County Elections Director Stole Funds . 	 WRALThe Johnston County elections director resigned Friday after an investigation linked her to missing cash from the office -- more than $ 6,000 over five years . County attorney Mark Payne said Teresa Davis , who had been director since 1998 , was expected to begin repaying the money soon . He said his office would notify the county prosecutor . An internal investigation showed the missing money included filing fees from candidates and notary fees . Deputy director Leigh Anne Price was selected as interim director while the county elections board decides on a permanent replacement for Davis . Davis was paid about $ 52,000 a year and had experienced financial problems , filing for bankruptcy last year . 	 Read more ! 
House Passes Voting Rights Act Renewal . 	 Did you know that there is no federal right to vote . That 's constitution of the US does not grant you the right to vote . There are amendments that prevent the discrimination when granting the franchise , but they do not automatically give you the franchise . People mistake this state granted right as the law of the land when it 's not . The VRA is no longer needed . Heck it wasn't truely need in 1965 . Just read the 15 th amendment and you will see that blacks have same right to vote as whites . The 19 th amendment stated that a woman has the same right to vote as a man . Then the 24 th amendment stated that poll taxes are illegal ( voter id is not a poll tax ) . The 26 th amendment gave every citizen ( it does state citizens , not guest workers , illegal aliens , undocumented workers , etc ) equal right to vote . It should have been allowed to die . Why do we need bilingual ballots ? Why do some southern states still need DOJ approval of voting practice changes 40 years later ? Why ? 	 Read more ! 
Jugde Says No To Voter ID Check . 	 WSAV . com Georgia voters won't have to show a government - issued photo id when they go to the polls . That 's because of two rulings issued Wednesday . One denied the state 's appeal to an earlier ruling that blocked enforcement of the new law during next week 's primary . The other decision blocking enforcement came from a federal judge . Critics -- who believe the law will keep Georgia 's elderly , low - income and minorities from voting -- are relieved . " It 's logical . Because when people went to get the photo id , the same 17 pieces of identification they needed to get the photo id -- they can't use to vote ! So it really didn't make any sense at all , " says Democratic State Senator Regina Thomas . Law proponent , Republican Senator Eric Johnson , who sees photo id 's as a way to fight election fraud , issued a statement saying , " Democrats have found a way to allow Illegals and the dead to have a say in next Tuesday 's primary . Every registered voter should be outraged . " Georgia voters won't have to show a government - issued photo id when they go to the polls . That 's because of two rulings issued Wednesday . One denied the state 's appeal to an earlier ruling that blocked enforcement of the new law during next week 's primary . The other decision blocking enforcement came from a federal judge . Critics -- who believe the law will keep Georgia 's elderly , low - income and minorities from voting -- are relieved . " It 's logical . Because when people went to get the photo id , the same 17 pieces of identification they needed to get the photo id -- they can't use to vote ! So it really didn't make any sense at all , " says Democratic State Senator Regina Thomas . Law proponent , Republican Senator Eric Johnson , who sees photo id 's as a way to fight election fraud , issued a statement saying , " Democrats have found a way to allow Illegals and the dead to have a say in next Tuesday 's primary . Every registered voter should be outraged . " I don't see where it 's illegal or un - constitutional to require you to prove you are you to vote . Photo IDs aren't hard to get ( just ask any illegal alien here in NC ) . 	 Read more ! 
Lebanon Grabbed the Tiger By the Tail . 	 Washington Post Israel imposed a blockade on Lebanon by land , sea and air on Thursday , striking the capital 's airport twice , cutting off its ports and wrecking bridges and roads in attacks that killed at least 47 people in the last two days , nearly all of them Lebanese civilians . Israel said the radical Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah fired 150 rockets into northern Israel , including two that reached the port city of Haifa . Israeli jets repeatedly crossed over Beirut before dawn Friday . At least two explosions were heard , and antiaircraft fire and flares lit up the night sky . 	 Read more ! 
Minuteman Project Slowing the Border Drug Trade . 	 KVOA News 4 This intelligence report obtained by News 4 says that the Minuteman Project had an impact on drug trafficking in Cochise County in 2005 . DEA officials say bulk loads of marijuana crossing the border dropped siginificantly . Anthony Coulson , with DEA says , " When you have eyes on the border -- I think any law enforcment will admit this -- you have a great deterrent effect of keeping things away . " . 	 Read more ! 
Easley Signs Minimum Wage Bill . 	 WRALGov . Mike Easley Thursday signed into law a bill that will increase the state 's minimum wage by $ 1 . House Bill 2174 raises the hourly minimum pay rate from $ 5.15 to $ 6.15 per hour and also ties North Carolina 's minimum wage to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act . If the federal minimum wage is raised , employees in North Carolina will receive whichever wage is higher . The federal minimum wage is currently $ 5.15 an hour and has not been raised in nine years . At a news conference Thursday , Easley said the bill is just one step in changing the state 's economy . " We are not trying to build a low - road economy based on low wages and low skill . Those days are gone , " Easley said . " We are building a better workforce by providing the knowledge , talent and skill our citizens need to succeed in the global marketplace , " he added . " This higher level of education is bringing in high - paying jobs but raising the minimum wage helps our people make the needed transition to this new economy . " Several state and community leaders , including bill sponsor Rep. Alma Adams , D - Guilford , who worked to get the bill passed in both the House and Senate . " Raising the minimum wage by this first dollar is a small but significant step in the right direction toward a living wage , " she said . " It sends a powerful message that North Carolina values hard work and is concerned about working poor families and the ' least of these ' among us who need a lift up . " An estimated 139,000 workers will benefit from the law , which goes into effect Jan . 1 , 2007 . How much skill does it take to say , " hi welcome to Wal - Mart , wanta a sticker ? " or to flip a burger or sweep a floor . Mr. Easley , I have to inform that bio - tech engineers , nurses , doctors and teachers aren't makeing $ 5.15 per hour . 	 Read more ! 
Higher Minimum Wage For Illegals . 	 The Washington Times The Senate immigration bill would require that foreign construction laborers here under the guest - worker program be paid well above the minimum wage , even as American workers at the same work site could earn less . The bill " would guarantee wages to some foreign workers that could be higher than those paid to American workers at the same work site , " says a policy paper released this week by the Senate 's Republican Policy Committee . " This is unfair to U.S. workers , inappropriate , and unnecessary . " The 11 - page , harshly critical analysis of the Senate immigration bill on this one point reveals how torn Senate Republicans are over the larger issue of immigration . Though the bill was supported by Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee and Majority Whip Mitch Mc Connell of Kentucky , it was opposed by the rest of the Senate Republican leadership and a majority of Republicans in the chamber . And despite the support of Mr. Frist and Mr. Mc Connell , this week 's policy paper critical of the wage guarantees for foreign workers marks the official stance of the Republican Policy Committee , which formulates and implements the policies of the caucus . The Senate is really getting ourt of sync with the American people . 	 Read more ! 
The old entry way hall closet is gone . 1 st picture - Hallway closet has been closed off .2 nd picture - A look down to the entry way from our hallway .3 rd picture - The view from the living room into the kitchen with the new Pantry . 
INTRODUCING ........ ERGO - SPLIT KEYBOARDCompare to Kinesis Maxim - Similar in Style - Better Price !! FEATURESThe Ergo Split Keyboard offers the best in workstation ergonomics . Knowledge gained from extensive ergonomic studies has allowed us to acheive an optimal customization capability that can meet the physiological and anatomical requirements and habits of each individual user . Compare to Kinesis Maxim Keyboard . Palm rests can be individually adjusted to conform to the ergonomic and therefore the natural position of your arms and hands . Adjustment of the keyboard slope . Adjustment of the hand / arm positioning " splitting of the alphanumeric keypad " . Adjustment of the lateral slope . PC - USB port required . Would work with USB / PS 2 adapter Supports all Microsoft Windows OS , Windows 9 x , NT , ME , 2000 , XPApple Mac Intosh USB port , 9.0 , OS X ( 10.1.5 ) or later . Sun Micro Systems with USB Port . Keyboard Dimensions Height - 42 MMWidth - 383 MMDepth - 166 MMAdjustment Range Splitting of alphanumeric keypad 0 to 30 degrees Keyboard slope 6 and 12 degrees Lateral Slope 9 , 10 and 16 degrees Be sure to check out all of our other " ergonomically " correct computer aids - all at www .14 ushop . com / ergorest . 
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Ahoy Maties !!! Wooden Toys are the rage and you will find this play Pirate Ship at 1 shop 4 u . com along with a myriad of other wood toys for both girls and boys . The Pirate Ship Playset consists of a large wooden Pirate ship with hull that lifts for storage , 3 pirates and one Captain , cannon , and more !! While checking out this unique kid 's playset , check out all of our children 's furniture including beds , foam furniture , Game Loungers and mats , Bean Bags clothes poles , toy bins , sheepskin gloves , mocassins , hats and wool organic mattress pads for comfort and warmth . Kid 's Room Lamps and a vast array of other items to not only fit their room , but also their daily needs and enjoyment . 
Pacific Northwest Summers ... I grew up in Tacoma , went to highschool and junior college in Portland Oregon and have lived in Salem for a couple dozen years . A typical summer brings a few days in the 90 's and once in while cracking the 100 degree mark . But the hallmark of living here is that only once or twice in a summer does it fail to cool off in the evenings . Not this year . Last night was the first night in a week that the house cooled off by morning . With all the world 's troubles , I hate to complain about such a small thing as a few extra decrees of heat . But I must say this is a welcome relief . 
Oregon Blueberries , what could be better ? " Eat close to home " is the best new healthy eating advice . Don't eat foods shipped great distances , or overly processed . Eat food grown and / or processed nearby . It benefits local growers and keeps them in business and it benefits you because it 's better quality for the money . And it didn't take lots of fossil fuel to get to you . Well , here in the Willamette Valley , life could not better be . This is blueberry season . There are plenty and they are easy to pick . 
Blue - Baby Syndrome . Once a week , an employee of the City of Salem Oregon unlocks a metal jacketed post a few houses north of us . Inside is a water spigot and water valve . The employee then goes to his van and gets out his test gear . What is he testing ? Water . Oregon is blessed with wonderful life - giving mountain stream water . Our water is of the highest quality . But we keep testing it , just to be sure . Well , you say , isn't that the case throughout the United States ? No. For example , should you live in Iowa City , Iowa , you would be very concerned about Methemoglobinemia , also known as Blue - Baby Syndrome . Nitrates in drinking water have the potential of killing infants under six months . When the concentrations are high , pregnant women , nursing mothers and infants under six months are advised to drink bottled water . Nitrates come from fertilizer and feed lot runoff . The ground water and river system of the mid - west are full of it . Actually , we don't get off scott free in Oregon , either . Even lawn fertilizers can contaminate ground water . Our growers use nitrogen fertilizers , too . We just don't have the high intensive farming they have in the mid west . Nitrogen fertilizers keep food prices down . But as it turns out , we end up paying the price somewhere else . 
High Fructose Corn Syrup . One of the benefits of listening to podcasts is discovering new roads one had no intention to explore . Today , for example , I listened to Terry Gross ' interview of Michael Pollan , author of The Omnivore 's Dilemma . He and his book are also featured in the current Smithsonian Magazine . Both the interview and the Smithsonian article have to do with corn . As it turns out , corn dominates Iowa , our food system , and a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico , where no fish can live . The place where we are likely to meet corn on a very regular basis is not in corn on the cob , the delight of folks the likes Garrison Keillor of Lake Woebegon . We meet it as high fructose corn syrup . Go to your pantry and look at the ingredients panel of the foods you have on hand . I would be very surprised if you didn't find high fructose corn syrup , often as the second or third ingredient . This stuff goes back only as far as the seventies . And , it pays a big role in making people fat . So you might want to take a closer look . Here 's the podcast . 
Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce . Europeans came to the land we now call the United States under the delusion that no significant groups of people were living here and that all land was free for the taking . In fact , there was a considerable population of Native Americans . Some estimate 12 million or more . From Atlantic to Pacific , immigration , the United States government and the United States military defrauded them of their land . Our annual Thanksgiving mythology might make it seem that Native Americans approved of the coming of the white man . Such is not the case . There were plenty of battles . We ' ve been reading the ever so tragic story of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce . The Nez Perce were a people which comprised many bands of Native Americans . Principally , their home was the Wallowa Mountains of Northeast Oregon . The concept of private ownership of property was foreign to them . The annual progression from summer to winter meant their moving to take advantage of the weather . Immigration plays its part in the story . People moved into their lands . The US government stole the land and used the army to move them elsewhere . They were hunted and hounded from Oregon through Yellowstone National Park to the Canadian border . There seems no promise of the US government made them that it ever kept . The truly sad part is that generally , their story only repeats the experience of other Native Americans through out American history . The Declaration of Indepedence ideal that all people are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights of life , liberty and the pursuit of happiness has not and still in some cases does not extend to blacks , Native Americans , Chinese , or Japanese . 
The Springfield Fourth - Something for Everyone . Last night 's Springfield Fourth of July had something for everyone . For those who like culture , there was the Youth Bach Choir under the direction of St. Olaf College Director Anton Armstrong . Food ? Twelve venues . Special effects ? Special glasses which turn fireworks into wierd shapes . All in all , a wonderful evening ! The Light of Liberty . 
Bad Day to own a Bicycle . Bicycle chain sitting right in the middle of the bike lane . Unless this person was only going to be heading downhill from here , this would be the end of their ride . But it didn't have to be . Carrying a chain tool is a simple way to avoid such a predicament . Some bicycle multi tools have a chain tool built in . Chain tool : . 
Bad Day to own a Shopping Cart . This was just outside of my place of employment . You could still smell the burnt remains of the wheels , and the other combustible items that were in the cart . This cart probably contained the sum total of someone 's material possessions before it got torched . A likely " before " picture below : . 
At Home in the House of the Lord . At Stern Grove , the hawks still cry out . The trees harvest rain from the misty fog off the ocean . The dragonflies arrive seasonally , to dance on the air currents . The Earth 's heartbeat echoes through the drummers on the land . Needing no instruction , Children climb piles of rocks . Making offerings of grass and pebbles to a spirit alive . We see , and remember that we too know this game . Thank you to the children . Reminders from once we came . Guides to where we strive to return . Blessings on Mother Earth , and all her creatures seen and felt . Album art from Led Zeppelin 's " Houses of the Holy . " Coincidence ? * Dedicated to PDL for teaching me how to get the Led out . * . 
build - ering .. in vancouver . Buildering is described as an energetic mix of bouldering , parkour , gymnastics , stage fighting , and the style of BMX riding / skateboarding and seems like Vancouver is a hot spot for this crazy little twist on going for a leisurely stroll .... maybe I ' ll do the next set of City Surf tours around the best Buildering sites in a city !! .. might be too niche at this point -- check out the rough video ( which seems more like parkour to my amateur eye ) .. via psfk . 
my biz - 2 . .. don't intend to make this blog about my new business but I would like to occasionally use it as a place to hear what people think , want and don't want in a service like this .. so far for toronto I ' ll have audio walks designed for kensington , chinatown , st lawrence market , yorkville and the annex .. if you know of any cool little hidden - away places in these hoods let me know .. if you think I ' m missing an area of toronto entirely , let me know too .. gracias amigos .. ps . also , don't mean to sound like a rookie , but getting a business off the ground is SO HARD ! ( and SO AWESOME !!!! : ) . 
new biz .. my biz !! CITY SURF . ... for those who are wondering why I ' ve been somewhat of a slacker on the blog lately , I have a very good reason .. I ' ve been working away on a business idea for some time now , and I ( soft ) launched it recently !! Check out City Surf audio walking tours --- www . city - surf . cahow does it work ? simple - you download the tour and map of a neighborhood , listen to the tour when you 're there , and find out all about the cool local spots that half of us normally miss when we 're traveling ... the site is not loaded with the full range of tours yet , but gives you an idea of what the concept is all about . Take a look and listen to the sample tours ! would love to know what people think so feel free to send all and any feedback !! if you decide to prchase the tours that would make me happy too : ) . 
.. dance badly .. travel lots .. become famous .. ... 39 countries on all 7 continents ... lots of the same bad dance , but the video has an amusing feel to it , maybe it 's the music .. I miss traveling .. 
biz --- office for the office - less . .. the coffee office - a place for those poor / annoying people who make starbucks their office .. first canadian location is in windsor - I imagine toronto is not far behindtim , maybe you should have started this : ) via springwise . 
biz --- ikea ' d coffin . innovation in a space that is probably the most outdated industry in the world .. as creepy as it can be , this is a pretty cool product . count on the dutch to rethink the box we all end up in . coffins for everybody .. shows you can add creativity to any business .. 
Graham Rahal to Test for Newman Hass Racing . Robin Miller is reporting that Graham Rahal will participate in a test session with Newman Hass racing , with the possibility that it may lead to a Champ Car deal for 2007 . " Right now we 're just talking about it , " he ( Carl Haas ) said . " But that kid is pretty damn good isn't he ? " . 
Danica Patrick to AGR . Click here to read the full story . Basically , Danica Patrick is switching to AGR racing , in the midst of rumors that Rahal Letterman may switch to Champ Car for the 2007 season . Franchitti appears to be out and looking for a ride in either Champ Car or the IRL , and Herta 's contract is up as well . Who will Danica 's primary sponsor be ? Klein Tools ? Vonage ? XM Radio ? Jim Beam ? 7 - 11 ? All have an established relationship with AGR , but my prediction is that either 7 - 11 will sponsor Danica and continue to sponsor Kanaan , or Klein Tools will sponsor her . She could also bring ito AGR a new , big money sponsor . Go Danica Go !!! 
Silly Season So Far . Silly Season recap : Nascar Brian Vickers --- Out of the # 25 and looking for options . Casey Mears --- Out of the # 42 and into the # 25 . Juan Pablo Montoya --- Out of F 1 and into the # 42 with Nascar Dale Jarrett --- Out of the # 88 and in with Michael Waltrip racing ( still has UPS as a primary sponsor ) . Elliott Sadler --- Out of the # 38 and looking for options . Possibly could take over the # 19 from Jeremy Mayfield . Bill Elliott --- Could come back and run full - time for team Red Bull Racing . IRLDanica Patrick --- To Andretti - Green Racing in 2007 . Felipe Giaffone --- Out of the # 14 car midseason , replaced by Jeff Bucknam . Buddy Lazier --- Out of the D E # 5 midseason , replaced by Ryan Briscoe Jr. for 3 races and ??? ( possibly Sarah Fischer ) for other 3 races . Eddie Cheever --- Called it quits for remainder of 2006 season , and may not be back in 2007 . Dario Franchitti --- Looking for a ride in 2007 with either the IRL or CCWS . CCWSGraham Rahal --- Rumored to replace Bruno Junquero at Newman Haas . A . J . Allmendinger --- Out of the # 10 car midseason , now in the # 7 car with Forsythe Racing where he has won 3 in a row . Christiano De Matta --- Went to the # 10 Rusport car midseason . Mario Dominguez --- Out of the # 7 car midseason , riding in the # 19 for now . 
Is the Switch On in Open Wheel ? When I was a kid , I remember Burger King having their big promotion called " The Switch is on Week . " when everyone was supposed to switch from Mc Donald 's tp Burger King .2000 - 2002 saw 5 Champ Car teams defect to the IRL . These teams no comprise 13 of the 19 regular IRL drivers . Rumors abound that most of these teams have considered switching back to Champ Car racing . They could still use their IRL chassis to run at Indy . When they left , Champ Car racing ( then known as CART ) was a series with no vision for the future , other then to try to somehow hold off Tony George . But now things are different . Kevin Kalkhoven has infused the Champ Car Worl Series ( CCWS ) with a vision and a winning formula . He has erased all of the debt he inhereted when he took over what was left of CART , and in 2007 he should see the CCWS earn a profit . The new cars he has developed are 30 % cheaper than the current IRL car , and he will leave May open on the race schedule so that teams can race at Indy . Rahal is already heavily considering a switch . Their are rumors of Penske switching , especially if Marlboro ends its racing sponsorship program . Michael Andretti and Chip Ganassi were seen meeting with Kalkhoven in April at the Long Beach Grand Prix . Fernandez Racing will most likely follow the heard . If all of these teams defected back to Champ Car , the IRL would be left with 5 cars , 2 of which are with teams that are struggling to stay afloat financially ( D & R and Panther Racing ) , and 2 of which are funded directly by Tony George . Eddie Cheever might come back , to bring the total to 6 entries , but you can't run a series on 6 entries . So the magic question is , is the switch on ? We should find out more during the offseason . 
Rahal to switch to Champ Car ??? This story ( Link Here ) in the Edmunton Sun is suggesting that because of his son 's invlovement in the Champ Car Atlantic series , Bobby Rahal is considering switching back to the CCWS . Part of this deal is that his son , Graham Rahal , who by the way is a very talented young driver , may be replacing Bruno Junquero at Newman Haas to give the CCWS its second American driver . Given that merger talks seem to be breaking down , again , this is a very real possibility . 
Milwaukee Observations . I made it the the Milwaukee IRL race , and have a few observations . Before the race , a comment the announcer made really hit a nerve with me . The comment was to the effect of : " For decades the weekend after the Indy 500 was when open - wheel racing came to Milwaukee . Would you like to see it return to that date ? " The audience was supposed to cheer at that point , but hardly anybody did . The announcer seemed to completely ignore that there is an open wheel race that weekend --- It 's just not one that is run by King George . I was really disappointed by this comment because i know the IRL is trying to push the CCWS out of Milwaukee so they can get their race date , and because if they are putting that much effort into battling for the right to run at Milwaukee the weekend after Indy , they aren't talking with the CCWS about a merge . The race itself was good . At the end , Danice and Schekter had fresh tires and a big advantage over the rest of the field . I thought it was funny that Schetker was ignore in the post race media interviews despite his podium finish , especially since he drives for King George 's Vision Racing Team . 
IRL to Have Troubles Fielding Cars in 2007 . This year ( 2006 ) the IRL has 19 ( 18 w / o Cheever ) cars . They barely had 33 cars for the Indy 500 . Next year , they are in bad shape . Here are the potential problems : Cheever may not run a car in 2007 . D & R racing is struggling to find sponsorship to run more than 2 of the remaining 5 races in 2006 . Crash Dummie Ryan Briscoe will increase the rate with which their funds dissappear , as he crashed ( Again ) in Milwaukee and will crash in at least one of the 2 remaining races . Panther Racing still has no primary sponsor and almost didn't run in 2006 . Rahal Letterman is considering running just 2 cars in 2007 with the hope of making them more competitive , and is considering moving to Champ Car. If all of these scenarios play out in the worst case , the IRL could be down to 15 cars next year . At the same time , Champ car could increase to 22 - 24 cars if Stoddart starts a team , Polestar upgrades to Champ Car , and Rahal defects from the IRL . 
Paul Stoddart to Champ Car ? This article ( click here ) makes reference to exploratory work Paul Stoddart is doing on the possibility of running a Champ Car team for 2007 . Stoddart was the tea manager ? for the F 1 team Minardi , and owns the rights to use the name Minardi . Having the name Minardi in Champ Car could help provide more credibility to the sport . 
Champ Car CCWS Gets Las Vegas Race . This is good news for the CCWS , who will probably loose the Montreal race after this year . Read the full story here ( link here ) . This will be the opening race for the 2007 season , and should be a big success . The next step for their 2007 season should be to secure the Milwaukee Mile event and get back some of the old venues like Laguna Seca , Detroit , and Mid - Ohio . 
Walmart to Sponsor a Champ Car. It looks like this is basically a one race deal . Walmart 's Canadian division will sponsor Canadian driver Andrew Ranger . It looks lik eit is basically a one race deal for the Grand Prix of Montreal in August . Still , it is encouraging to see a big corporation jump in to sponsor american open - wheel racing . 
Bye Bye Eddie Cheever . Eddie Cheever called it quits earlier this week due to " a lack of funding . " ( Link here ) . Truth be told , this strengthens the IRL field , as it weeds out a guy who shouldn't be driving . In other news , Danica had a strong showing at Nashville , finishing 4 th . She has also hinted that she may finalize her ride for 2007 within the next week . 
Danica States Nascar Interest is Legit . In this article ( click here ) Danica Patrick states that she is looking at all of her options , including Nascar . " My biggest thing in everything is that I want to win , and I don't care who it 's with . " Of course , if it is just a ploy , she would certainly not admit it publically . 
Danica --- Nascar interest a ploy ? This story ( link here ) suggests that Danica is not interested in switching to Nascar , only in using the threat of leaving to get a better contract in the IRL . Paul Tracy is used as an example . A plausible scenario , but it is fun to think about Danica driving the number 6 Viagra car . 
Espresso or wampum , anyone ? We actually drove back from the next town to get this one . The teepee is concrete . Click on it and read about the door . Talk about the American Melting Pot . This sure ain't no Starbucks ! 
Chilly Willy . Hye all , Sorry I have been away from the blog the last few days . Jos and I have been hitting the Gymboree as much as we can , and I had a couple of shoots , and a gallery opening , so it has been pretty hectic . I am not done with the pretty pictures from Montana yet , but I would like to show you a little side project that I did while I was there with the Holga . We found the oddest things on the side of the road up there , and I shot them with the Holga . Here is the first . This is also the first image I made on that entire trip ! Cut Bank , Montana is the coldest city in the nation , as the sign says . Our little friend here is just a quiet reminder of that wonderful fact ! Rosa wanted to give him a hug ! 
Happy Birthday , Alex Smith . This is Avalanche Lake . It is one of the most beautiful places I have seen on Earth . Five waterfalls coming down the mountains into the lake . Chipmunks running around begging for food . Deer walking around and drinking from the lake . I counted 4 deer that I could see on the edge of the water . What a beautiful place . So I photographed it with a toy camera . I am an idiot ! I like the result , though . 
Heaven 's Peak . It may be obvious where I got the title for this one . This was shot on the Going - To - The - Sun Road at one of the turn - outs . There isn't too much to say about it . The picture pretty much sums it up . I guess , as a photographer , I finally did my job . 
Off in the distance ... I made this image on the way out of the park . One thing I know about the way Rosa and I travel . We never go back to the same place twice . So I was sad to be leaving all that beauty . I am sure that we will go to other great places , but man , it is such a beautiful world . I wish I could see it all . I scanned this one a little larger than the last panoramic . Clicking on it should give you a better payoff . I do hope you enjoy it . 
The Valley Below . Happy 4 th of July ! I hope you are having a great day , you are enjoying our freedom , and you use that freedom to eat far too much at the family barbaque . This one I think is a decent picture , one of my better ones of the trip . The Horizon version is much better , but I am saving that one . I will show it to you later . I ' d like you to see this one for now . This view was taken from the Going To The Sun Road in Glacier National Park . The road was closed for several weeks . It opened two days before we left . We drove it just to see things like this . As nice as the picture is , it isn't anything like being there . It reminded me of the book title , Their Eyes Were Watching God . I hope you enjoy this one . I hope you click on it to make it big and just enjoy it for a little while . Dave . 
Deer at St. Mary Falls . This was the deer that I was telling you about last time . I shot this with my long lens on the 10 D , but I was only about 8 feet away . I even followed the deer up the trail to get the shot . She was just happy to keep eating out of the tree . I wasn't too much of a bother to her . We saw so many deer at Glacier that we actually stopped taking pictures of them . The first deer that I saw , I broke out three cameras and shoved lenses into my pockets and my wife 's hands . By the end of the trip , we were like , " Oh . Cute . A deer . That 's nice . " I did get a GREAT Holge picture of a deer slipping in the water and almost falling down . I wasn't even responsible . 
St. Mary Falls . My buddy Eugene made a great point . I never said where I was going , and what I was doing there ! My wife and I made the trip to Glacier National Park in Montana . We were there for 6 days . We hiked 7 miles the first day , 4 miles the second day , we went whitewater rafting the third , took a bus tour ( bad idea ... ) the fourth , drove around , shot photos and hung out the fifth , and stayed at the B B on the sixth . It was a great trip . I took four cameras with me . The Canon EOS 10 D with a wide , normal , and telephoto lens . I took two Holgas , one for color , the other for black and white . I also took the Horizon 202 , my seldom used panoramic camera . This is the camera that got me the best results . I ' ll be posting from all three of the cameras over the next few days . I hope you enjoy them . This is St. Mary Falls . It was a short hike in to get to the falls . We did it mostly as an after dinner walk . What a beautiful place that this is the result of your after dinner walk . While we were walking , there was this deer that followed us up the trail . It didn't move , even when I walked up to about 6 feet away from it . My next post will be a picture of that deer . 
18 ++ 17 July 2006 . A man goes to a psychiatrist and says , " Doctor , you must help me . Every night I dream that I ' m driving a truck from Pittsburgh to New York . I ' m so tired I can hardly get up in the morning . " The doctor says , " Tell you what . Next time you have this dream , just call me and I ' ll come over and drive the truck for you . " The man tries it , and is cured . Another patient tells the doctor , " I have this same dream everynight . I ' m making love to four beautiful women , and by morning I ' m totally exhausted . Can you help me ? " The doctor says , " Tell you what , next time you have this dream , just call me and I ' ll come and take a couple of them off yourhands . " Two weeks later the man goes back to the psychiatrist and says , " Doc , you gotta help me . Now these women are bringing theirfriends , and they 're all getting so demanding . I ' m so tired I canbarely get through the day . Can't you do something ? " " You should have called me . " the doctor replied . " I told you I ' dtake a couple of them off your hands . " " But Doc , " he said , " I ' ve been calling you every night , and yourservice keeps telling me you 're out driving a truck from Pittsburgh to New York . " ------------------------------------------------------------------ YOUR 18 ++ , IS JUST A BLOG AWAY @ 	 http : // 18 plusplus . blogspot . com / SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE FOR THIS MAILING LIST @ 	 http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / 18 Plus Plus ALSO PLAYING AT A MAILING LIST NEAR YOU : : QUOTATION OF THE DAY -------------------- They inspire , they motivate and at times they tickle your funny bone . But they never miss to touch your heart . Your daily supply of chosengems from the world of literature , ancient proverbs , poetry and sayingsfrom great leaders . Join the Quote A Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Quotation Of The Day Or simply Blog it @ http : // quotationoftheday . blogspot . com / JOKE OF THE DAY ---------------- As wise men say , a joke a day keeps the doctor away . So step into thehealth zone by sharing a hearty laugh . A variety of jokes that areludicrous and trivial , witty and wacky , spontaneous and sportive . Wishing you a laugh riot . Join the Joke of the Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Joke Of The Day Or simply go Blogging @ http : // joketimefolks . blogspot . com / WORTH READING ------------- Things they do not teach you at college ! Life 's puzzle unfolded . Wordsof wisdom that motivate you to introspect and reflect . Here 's yourchance to question the priorities of existence and also to get theiranswers . Join the Worth Reading mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Worth Reading Or simply go Blogging @ http : // readingtimefolks . blogspot . com / ********************** Legal Disclaimer **************************** " This email may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient . Any unauthorized review , use or distribution by others is strictly prohibited . If you have received the message in error , please advise the sender by reply email and delete the message . Thank you . " ********************************************************************** . 
18 ++ 6 July 2006 . Two Dogs , Please Two Scottish nuns had just arrived to the US by boat when one said tothe other , " I heard that the occupants of this country actually eatdogs . " " Odd , " her companion replied , " but if we shall live in America , we mightas well do as the Americans do . " Nodding emphatically , the mother superior pointed to a hot dog vendorand they both walked towards it . " Two dogs , please , " said one . The vendor was only too pleased to oblige and he wrapped both hot dogsin foil . Excited , the nuns hurried over to a bench and began to unwraptheir ' dogs . ' The mother superior was first to open hers , then , stared at it for amoment , leaned over to the other nun and whispered cautiously , " Whatpart did you get ? " ------------------------------------------------------------------ YOUR 18 ++ , IS JUST A BLOG AWAY @ 	 http : // 18 plusplus . blogspot . com / SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE FOR THIS MAILING LIST @ 	 http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / 18 Plus Plus ALSO PLAYING AT A MAILING LIST NEAR YOU : : QUOTATION OF THE DAY -------------------- They inspire , they motivate and at times they tickle your funny bone . But they never miss to touch your heart . Your daily supply of chosengems from the world of literature , ancient proverbs , poetry and sayingsfrom great leaders . Join the Quote A Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Quotation Of The Day Or simply Blog it @ http : // quotationoftheday . blogspot . com / JOKE OF THE DAY ---------------- As wise men say , a joke a day keeps the doctor away . So step into thehealth zone by sharing a hearty laugh . A variety of jokes that areludicrous and trivial , witty and wacky , spontaneous and sportive . Wishing you a laugh riot . Join the Joke of the Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Joke Of The Day Or simply go Blogging @ http : // joketimefolks . blogspot . com / WORTH READING ------------- Things they do not teach you at college ! Life 's puzzle unfolded . Wordsof wisdom that motivate you to introspect and reflect . Here 's yourchance to question the priorities of existence and also to get theiranswers . Join the Worth Reading mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Worth Reading Or simply go Blogging @ http : // readingtimefolks . blogspot . com / ********************** Legal Disclaimer **************************** " This email may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient . Any unauthorized review , use or distribution by others is strictly prohibited . If you have received the message in error , please advise the sender by reply email and delete the message . Thank you . " ********************************************************************** . 
18 ++ 26 Jun 2006 . You don't want the usual ? A bartender was working the late shift . While he was working , abeautiful blonde woman walked in and took a seat at the bar . She ordered up a Coors and sat there drinking for a while . Suddenly , the woman passed out cold on the stool . The bartender had asudden thought , and so he cautiously looked around . Seeing that no one was around , he closed up the bar , and took advantageof the situation . The next night , the bartender was , again , working the late shift , butsome of his friends stopped by , so he told themabout the previous night and his good time with the blonde woman . All ofa sudden , the blonde walks in again . The bartender motions to hisfriends that she is the same lady . Thelady sits down at the bar and orders another Coors . Eventually , shepasses out . The bartender closes up shop , and him and allhis friends take their turns . The next night , the bartender is working the late shift . His friendsshow up , with all of their friends , and so there is a huge crowd in thebar . The woman walks in again , orders a Coors , drinks it , and then passes out . So , the barender closes up shop , and everyone has a turn . The next night , even more people are waiting at the bar . The woman walksin and orders a Budweiser . The bartender , his plans foiled , asks , " You don't want the usual ? " She looks at him for a minute and shakes her head . " No. Coors makes mypussy sore ! " ------------------------------------------------------------------ YOUR 18 ++ , IS JUST A BLOG AWAY @ 	 http : // 18 plusplus . blogspot . com / SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE FOR THIS MAILING LIST @ 	 http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / 18 Plus Plus ALSO PLAYING AT A MAILING LIST NEAR YOU : : QUOTATION OF THE DAY -------------------- They inspire , they motivate and at times they tickle your funny bone . But they never miss to touch your heart . Your daily supply of chosengems from the world of literature , ancient proverbs , poetry and sayingsfrom great leaders . Join the Quote A Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Quotation Of The Day Or simply Blog it @ http : // quotationoftheday . blogspot . com / JOKE OF THE DAY ---------------- As wise men say , a joke a day keeps the doctor away . So step into thehealth zone by sharing a hearty laugh . A variety of jokes that areludicrous and trivial , witty and wacky , spontaneous and sportive . Wishing you a laugh riot . Join the Joke of the Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Joke Of The Day Or simply go Blogging @ http : // joketimefolks . blogspot . com / WORTH READING ------------- Things they do not teach you at college ! Life 's puzzle unfolded . Wordsof wisdom that motivate you to introspect and reflect . Here 's yourchance to question the priorities of existence and also to get theiranswers . Join the Worth Reading mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Worth Reading Or simply go Blogging @ http : // readingtimefolks . blogspot . com / ********************** Legal Disclaimer **************************** " This email may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient . Any unauthorized review , use or distribution by others is strictly prohibited . If you have received the message in error , please advise the sender by reply email and delete the message . Thank you . " ********************************************************************** . 
18 ++ 23 Jun 2006 . White as a Ghost Two men were out playing golf on a nice Saturday afternoon . They weregetting frustrated , though , because the two women who were playing rightin front of them were quite slow , and were holding up the men 's game . " Don't they know they 're supposed to let us play through ? " asked thefirst man . The other man shook his head . " I ' m going to go ask them if wecan play through , " said the first man , emphatically , " Enough is enough . " He started walking over toward the women , but as he got close , hesuddenly turned around and came back , white as a ghost . " Oh God , " he said to his friend , " This is awful . You 're going to have toask those women if we can play through . You see , oneof them is my wife , and the other is my mistress . " The other man shrugged , and said " No sweat . " He walked overtoward the women , and just as he was getting close , turnedaround and came running back to his pal . His eyes wide open , hesaid , " Small world ! " ------------------------------------------------------------------ YOUR 18 ++ , IS JUST A BLOG AWAY @ 	 http : // 18 plusplus . blogspot . com / SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE FOR THIS MAILING LIST @ 	 http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / 18 Plus Plus ALSO PLAYING AT A MAILING LIST NEAR YOU : : QUOTATION OF THE DAY -------------------- They inspire , they motivate and at times they tickle your funny bone . But they never miss to touch your heart . Your daily supply of chosengems from the world of literature , ancient proverbs , poetry and sayingsfrom great leaders . Join the Quote A Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Quotation Of The Day Or simply Blog it @ http : // quotationoftheday . blogspot . com / JOKE OF THE DAY ---------------- As wise men say , a joke a day keeps the doctor away . So step into thehealth zone by sharing a hearty laugh . A variety of jokes that areludicrous and trivial , witty and wacky , spontaneous and sportive . Wishing you a laugh riot . Join the Joke of the Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Joke Of The Day Or simply go Blogging @ http : // joketimefolks . blogspot . com / WORTH READING ------------- Things they do not teach you at college ! Life 's puzzle unfolded . Wordsof wisdom that motivate you to introspect and reflect . Here 's yourchance to question the priorities of existence and also to get theiranswers . Join the Worth Reading mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Worth Reading Or simply go Blogging @ http : // readingtimefolks . blogspot . com / ********************** Legal Disclaimer **************************** " This email may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient . Any unauthorized review , use or distribution by others is strictly prohibited . If you have received the message in error , please advise the sender by reply email and delete the message . Thank you . " ********************************************************************** . 
18 ++ 22 Jun 2006 . A man meets a gorgeous woman in a bar . They talk , they connect , they endup leaving together . They get back to her place , and as she shows himaround her apartment , he notices that her bedroom is completely packedwith teddy bears . Hundreds of small bears on a shelf all the way alongthe floor medium sized ones on a shelf a little higher , and huge bearson the top shelf . The man is kind of surprised that this woman would have a collection ofteddy bears , especially one that 's so extensive , but he decides not tomention this to her . He turns to her ... they kiss ... and then they ripeach others clothes off and make love . After an intense night of passion , as they are lying there together inthe afterglow , the man rolls over and asks , smiling , " Well , how was it ? " The woman says , " You can have any prize from the bottom shelf . " ------------------------------------------------------------------ YOUR 18 ++ , IS JUST A BLOG AWAY @ 	 http : // 18 plusplus . blogspot . com / SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE FOR THIS MAILING LIST @ 	 http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / 18 Plus Plus ALSO PLAYING AT A MAILING LIST NEAR YOU : : QUOTATION OF THE DAY -------------------- They inspire , they motivate and at times they tickle your funny bone . But they never miss to touch your heart . Your daily supply of chosengems from the world of literature , ancient proverbs , poetry and sayingsfrom great leaders . Join the Quote A Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Quotation Of The Day Or simply Blog it @ http : // quotationoftheday . blogspot . com / JOKE OF THE DAY ---------------- As wise men say , a joke a day keeps the doctor away . So step into thehealth zone by sharing a hearty laugh . A variety of jokes that areludicrous and trivial , witty and wacky , spontaneous and sportive . Wishing you a laugh riot . Join the Joke of the Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Joke Of The Day Or simply go Blogging @ http : // joketimefolks . blogspot . com / WORTH READING ------------- Things they do not teach you at college ! Life 's puzzle unfolded . Wordsof wisdom that motivate you to introspect and reflect . Here 's yourchance to question the priorities of existence and also to get theiranswers . Join the Worth Reading mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Worth Reading Or simply go Blogging @ http : // readingtimefolks . blogspot . com / ********************** Legal Disclaimer **************************** " This email may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient . Any unauthorized review , use or distribution by others is strictly prohibited . If you have received the message in error , please advise the sender by reply email and delete the message . Thank you . " ********************************************************************** . 
18 ++ 13 June 2006 . Can't Your Father Do That Little farmboy comes in late for school . Teacher asks why he 's late . Farmboy replies that he had to take the family cow over to theneighbour 's to get her bred by a bull . Annoyed , teacher demands , " Can't your father do that ? " Little farm boythinks for a moment : replies , " Well , sure ... but the bull can do itbetter . " ------------------------------------------------------------------ YOUR 18 ++ , IS JUST A BLOG AWAY @ 	 http : // 18 plusplus . blogspot . com / SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE FOR THIS MAILING LIST @ 	 http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / 18 Plus Plus ALSO PLAYING AT A MAILING LIST NEAR YOU : : QUOTATION OF THE DAY -------------------- They inspire , they motivate and at times they tickle your funny bone . But they never miss to touch your heart . Your daily supply of chosengems from the world of literature , ancient proverbs , poetry and sayingsfrom great leaders . Join the Quote A Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Quotation Of The Day Or simply Blog it @ http : // quotationoftheday . blogspot . com / JOKE OF THE DAY ---------------- As wise men say , a joke a day keeps the doctor away . So step into thehealth zone by sharing a hearty laugh . A variety of jokes that areludicrous and trivial , witty and wacky , spontaneous and sportive . Wishing you a laugh riot . Join the Joke of the Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Joke Of The Day Or simply go Blogging @ http : // joketimefolks . blogspot . com / WORTH READING ------------- Things they do not teach you at college ! Life 's puzzle unfolded . Wordsof wisdom that motivate you to introspect and reflect . Here 's yourchance to question the priorities of existence and also to get theiranswers . Join the Worth Reading mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Worth Reading Or simply go Blogging @ http : // readingtimefolks . blogspot . com / ********************** Legal Disclaimer **************************** " This email may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient . Any unauthorized review , use or distribution by others is strictly prohibited . If you have received the message in error , please advise the sender by reply email and delete the message . Thank you . " ********************************************************************** . 
18 ++ 7 June 2006 . A Male Whale and a Female Whale A male whale and a female whale were swimming off the coast of Japanwhen they noticed a whaling ship . The male whale recognized it as thesame ship that had harpooned his father many years earlier . He said to the female whale , " Let 's both swim under the ship and blowout of our air holes at the same time and it should cause the ship toturn over and sink . " They tried it and sure enough , the ship turned overand quickly sank . Soon however , the whales realized the sailors had jumped overboard andwere swimming to the safety of shore . The male was enraged that theywere going to get away and told the female " lets swim after them andgobble them up before they reach the shore . " At this point , he realized the female was becoming reluctant to followhim . " Look , " she said , " I went along with the blow job , but I absolutelyrefuse to swallow the seamen ! " ------------------------------------------------------------------ YOUR 18 ++ , IS JUST A BLOG AWAY @ 	 http : // 18 plusplus . blogspot . com / SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE FOR THIS MAILING LIST @ 	 http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / 18 Plus Plus ALSO PLAYING AT A MAILING LIST NEAR YOU : : QUOTATION OF THE DAY -------------------- They inspire , they motivate and at times they tickle your funny bone . But they never miss to touch your heart . Your daily supply of chosengems from the world of literature , ancient proverbs , poetry and sayingsfrom great leaders . Join the Quote A Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Quotation Of The Day Or simply Blog it @ http : // quotationoftheday . blogspot . com / JOKE OF THE DAY ---------------- As wise men say , a joke a day keeps the doctor away . So step into thehealth zone by sharing a hearty laugh . A variety of jokes that areludicrous and trivial , witty and wacky , spontaneous and sportive . Wishing you a laugh riot . Join the Joke of the Day mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Joke Of The Day Or simply go Blogging @ http : // joketimefolks . blogspot . com / WORTH READING ------------- Things they do not teach you at college ! Life 's puzzle unfolded . Wordsof wisdom that motivate you to introspect and reflect . Here 's yourchance to question the priorities of existence and also to get theiranswers . Join the Worth Reading mailing list @ http : // groups - beta . google . com / group / Worth Reading Or simply go Blogging @ http : // readingtimefolks . blogspot . com / ********************** Legal Disclaimer **************************** " This email may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient . Any unauthorized review , use or distribution by others is strictly prohibited . If you have received the message in error , please advise the sender by reply email and delete the message . Thank you . " ********************************************************************** . 
Kinski - Alpine Static . Artista : KINSKI T tulo : Alpine Static A o : 2005 Sello : SUB POP Estilo : ROCK Formato : CD Edici n : 1 CD Precio : 16,95 ....1 . Hot Stenographer 2 . The Wives Of Artie Shaw 3 . Hiding Drugs In The Temple ( Part 2 ) 4 . The Party Which You Know Will Be Heavy 5 . Passed Out On Your Lawn 6 . All Your Kids Have Turned To Static 7 . The Snowy Parts Of Scandanavia 8 . Edge Set 9 . Waka Nusa . A mi me gustan . Hacen ROCK instrumental pero su fuerza es demoledora . Quiz s jam s sean reconocidos como " unos de los grandes " pero no hace falta . Se nota que disfrutan con la m sica que hacen y para m , eso es m s que suficiente .. Gran disco .. 
Matt Elliott - Drinking Songs . Artista : MATT ELLIOTT T tulo : Drinking Songs A o : 2005 Sello : ICI DAILLEURS / ACUARELAEstilo : POP ROCK Formato : CD Edici n : 1 CD Precio : 17,95 ....1 . C . F . Cundy 2 . Trying To Explain 3 . The Guilty Party 4 . What 's Wrong 5 . The Kursk 6 . What The Fuck Am I Doing On This Battlefield ? 7 . A Waste Of Blood 8 . The Maid We Messed . Tremendo y atormentado disco de este m sico sin parang n . Los temas que componen este segundo lbum de Matt Elliott son tan oscuros y depresivos que el tema The Kursk es el efitafio definitivo para la opresi n , el terror y la desesperanza .. Pese a todo lo anterior , es una obra maestra sin discusi n posible . Si no lo has escuchado a n , te has perdido algo grande .. 
Elliott Smith - From A Basement On The Hill . Artista : ELLIOTT SMITH T tulo : From A Basement On The Hill A o : 2004 Sello : EPITAPH Estilo : POP ROCK Formato : CD Edici n : 1 CD Precio : 17,95 ....1 . Coast To Coast 2 . Let 's Get Lost 3 . Pretty ( Ugly Before ) 4 . Don't Go Down 5 . Strung Out Again 6 . A Fond Farewell 7 . King 's Crossing 8 . Ostriches Chirping 9 . Twilight 10 . A Passing Feeling 11 . Last Hour 12 . Shooting Star 13 . Memory Lane 14 . Little One 15 . A Distorted Reality Is Now A Necessity To Be Free . Disco p stumo de Elliott Smith . Lamentablemente ya nunca podr vbolver a emocionarnos con su m sica . Quedan sus discos y ste su epitafio sonoro . Realmente es hermoso y grande , ntimo y atormentado , nost lgico y sensual .. Descanse en paz .. 
Telephon Tel - Aviv - Map Of What Is Effortless . Artista : TELEFON TEL AVIV T tulo : Map Of What Is Effortless A o : 2004 Sello : HEFTY Estilo : ELECTRONICA Formato : CD Edici n : 1 CD Precio : 16,95 ....1 . When It Happens It Moves All By Itself 2 . I Lied 3 . My Week Beats Your Week 4 . Bubble And Spike 5 . Map Of What is Effortless 6 . Nothing Is Worth Losing That 7 . What It Is Without The Hand That Wields It 8 . What Is Was Will Never Again 9 . At The Edge Of The World You Will Still Float . Extra o grupo quue no se puede ni debe describir pero que si puedes y debes descubrir . Electr nica experimental con ritmos pop . Dulces y amargos a partes iguales . Recuerdan situaciones complicadas . Especie de banda sonora de la irrealidad cibern tica aunque claro , eso no es del todo cierto . Yo te lo digo , mejor los descubres .. Muy recomendables .. 
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem . Artista : LCD SOUNDSYSTEM T tulo : LCD Soundsystem ( 2 CD ) A o : 2005 Sello : CAPITOL Estilo : ELECTRONICA Formato : CD Edici n : 2 CD Precio : 17,95 .... DISCO 1 : 1 . Daft Punk Is Playing At My House 2 . Too Much Love 3 . Tribulations 4 . Movement 5 . Never As Tired As When I ' m Waking Up 6 . On Repeat 7 . Thrills 8 . Disco Infiltrator 9 . Great Release . DISCO 2 : 1 . Losing My Edge 2 . Beat Connection 3 . Give It Up 4 . Tired 5 . Yeah - ( crass version ) 6 . Yeah - ( pretentious version ) 7 . Yr City 's A Sucker - ( 12 " version ) . Disco del que ya se ha dicho casi todo . Electr nica - dance de lujo . Ritmo , ritmo y m s ritmo . . 
The Dream Syndicate - The Days Of Wine And Roses . Artista : THE DREAM SYNDICATE T tulo : The Days Of Wine And Roses ( Remaster ) A o : 1982 Sello : RHINO Estilo : POP ROCK Formato : CD Edici n : 1 CD Precio : 18,95 ....1 . Tell Me When It 's Over 2 . Definitely Clean 3 . That 's What You Always Say 4 . Then She Remembers 5 . Halloween 6 . When You Smile 7 . Until Lately 8 . Too Little Too Late 9 . Days Of Wine And Roses , The 10 . Sure Thing 11 . That 's What You Always Say 12 . When You Smile 13 . Some Kinda Itch 14 . Too Little Too Late 15 . Definitely Clean 16 . That 's What You Always Say - 15 Minutes 17 . Last Chance For You - 15 Minutes . Esta m sica me hac a y me sigue haciendo vibrar . Rock , pop , furia , sutileza y mensajes subliminales de uno de los grandes m sicos de nuestro tiempo Steve Wine .. Suena este disco hoy como lo hizo en el 82 aunque claro , remasterizado ... ampliado ... liftin sonoro que no estil stico . He recorrido muchos kil metros con l sonando en el radio - casette del coche y ahora en el radio - cd .. Grande , muy grande .. 
Low - A Lifetime Of Temporary Relief : 10 Years Of B - Sides & Rarities . Artista : LOW T tulo : A Lifetime Of Temporary Relief : 10 Years Of B - Sides Jude 17 . Cheek . DISCO 2 : 1 . Venus 2 . Boyfriends Ladders . Disco 4 : DVD - Documentaries : Closer Than That ( includes live videos for Will the Night , Weight of Water , Don't Understand , Immune , Home , Dinosaur Act , Words , Shame , Over The Ocean , Canada , Looking Out For Hope ) , In the Fishtank , and Making of Trust . 
The Mercury Program - A Data Learn The Language . Artista : The Mercury Program T tulo : A Data Learn The Language A o : 2002 Sello : TIGER STYLE Estilo : POP ROCK Formato : CD Edici n : 1 CD Precio : 16,95 ...1 . Tequesta 2 . Fragile Or Possibly Extinct 3 . Slightly Drifting 4 . Egypt 5 . To / From Iceland 6 . You Yourself Are Too Serious 7 . Gently Turned On Your Head 8 . Sultans Of El Sur . 
The Cinematic Orchestra - Man With a Movie Camera . Artista : The Cinematic Orchestra T tulo : Man with a Movie Camera A o : 2003 Sello : NINJA TUNE Estilo : ELECTRONICA Formato : CD Edici n : 1 CD Precio : 16,95 1 . Projectionist , The 2 . Melody 3 . Dawn 4 . Awakening Of A Woman , The - ( Burnout ) 5 . Reel Life - ( Evolution II ) 6 . Postlude 7 . Evolution - ( Versao Portuense ) 8 . Work It ! - ( Man With The Movie Camera ) 9 . Voyage 10 . Odessa 11 . Theme De Yoyo 12 . Magician , The 13 . Theme Reprise 14 . Yoyo Waltz 15 . Drunken Tune 16 . Animated Tripod , The 17 . All Things . 
Mojave 3 - Puzzles Like You . Puzzles Like You A o : 2006 Sello : 4 AD Estilo : POP ROCK Formato : CD Edici n : 1 CD Precio : 16,95 ....1 . Truck Driving Man 2 . Puzzles Like You 3 . Breaking The Ice 4 . Running With Your Eyes Closed 5 . Most Days 6 . Big Star Baby 7 . Ghost Ship Waiting 8 . Kill The Lights 9 . You Said It Before 10 . To Hold Your Tiny Toes 11 . Just A Boy 12 . The Mutineer . 
Finally . Well you saw what it looked like before so heres an after . Still more work to do before the car is finished . Pictures don't do this paint justice " you must it see in person " but if you don't get a chance trust me it 's beautifull . 
More Parts Ready . Hood and bumpers ready for paint . Hood was flawless till somebody ran into it today so I had to make some last minute repairs . A shop and stupid people just don't mix . O well he learned his lesson I hope because when he ran into the hood the corner caught him and gave him about a 1 inch cut so he had to get stiches . May he will pay attention now . 
End of Week 1 . This week I Sand blasted the fenders , Cut out rust welded in new patches , Shot on etch primer , and a couple coats of regular primer on insides . Still have to massage out a couple dents then they will be ready to finish . 
In Training . Our little girl keeps on amazing us . This is her on the 4 th of July . Last week , she had started crawling , and we lowered her crib down a notch . Now she is very sneaky . My wife looked in on her at nap time , and she was pulling up on the bars . So , a week later , we had to lower her crib to the lowest notch . I swear this little girl is getting some Pink Ninja training camp stuff sent to her somehow . lol ... 
Discovery Oddity ( from Transbuddha . com ) . I waited until the Discovery landed safely before posting this video . It is the work of alphamonkey over on Transbuddha . com. It is a wonderful rendition of the launch video , sped up in a few ' boring ' places to make it fit in time with the song , ' Space Oddity ' by David Bowie . You know , " This is ground control to Major Tom , ... " Lyrics The video was shot from the right rocket booster looking down past the right wing of the shuttle . It is timed for certain parts of the song to fit the right mood . If you like flight or space , I think you will enjoy this . Click on the picture for the video . More ' plain jane ' videos of the shuttle are here : LINK . 
Is it the weekend already ? I can't believe how incredibly short and long this week was . I am looking forward to some family time . The weekend is good for that . Still no new offers on the house . The realtor company is dragging its feet in letting us go . They have until Monday and then I will be going one step up the food chain to get away . Sorry for my erratic posts . 
Kids Say The Funniest Stuff . Some humor to start the weekend . Never trust a dog to watch your food . - Patrick , age 10 When your dad is mad and asks you , " Do I look stupid ? " don't answer him . - Michael , 14 Never tell your mom her diet 's not working . - Michael , 14 Stay away from prunes . - Randy , 9 Never allow your three - year old brother in the same room as your school assignment . - Traci , 14 Puppies still have bad breath , even after eating a tic tac . - Andrew , 9 Never hold a dust buster and a cat at the same time . - Kyoyo , 9 You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk . - Armir , 9 If you want a kitten , start out by asking for a horse . - Naomi , 15 Felt markers are not good to use as lipstick . - Lauren , 9 Don't pick on your sister when she 's holding a baseball bat . - Joel , 10 Never try to baptize a cat . - Eileen , 8 . 
Crawling along . Our little girl decided to give us two presents over the weekend . On Friday night , her second tooth broke in , and she didn't even fuss over it . Then on Saturday , while I was letting my wife get her ' away ' time in , our daughter crawled for the first time ever . It blew my mind watching her go from a sitting position to a three stride crawl on her knees . I think she has been practicing behind our backs . Maybe she has been taking secret ' Pink Ninja ' training camp articles to bed with her . 
Realtor Update . Anyone out there ever tried to " extract " themselves from a realtor not living up to the standards set forth in a contract ? It 's kind of like a no win situation . There were some things about the buyer 's of our house that our realtor failed to mention to us . Then the contract for them to buy the house fell through . We submitted a request in writing to be " unconditionally released " from our brokerage agreement " with the realtor selling our house . Now it feels a little tense as people are still looking at our house , since it has to remain under the current agreement until the top dog in the company " lets us go " or what have you from our contract . In the meantime , it is a little awkward dealing with our realtor . To make matters worse , someone vandalized the sign in our front yard . The part that was vandalized was our realtor 's face , which now resembles Bill Gate 's reflection in a mirror . * see Devil * I don't know who did it , but that could make the situation even more tense . This is really getting old . The couple who was buying our house is now ' unreachable ' . It looks as if the money they put down as a ' good faith fee ' is going to be in limbo for a while . We could care less about it at the moment , we really just want the house sold for the price listed . I know God is taking care of us , it is just hard to let go of the illusion of control we think we have on the situation . 
Breathe ... OK ... I need to breathe a little here . Bad news last night , the couple who was ... ( that 's right , was ) buying our house decided to NOT buy our house two days before closing . More to follow on this late breaking news . Breathe ... breathe ... 
It 's Official ... Our daughter just cut her first tooth , my wife just called . She also said ' ma ma ma ' for the first time today . I apologize for not writing alot lately . Bad manners , me not being around much . I have been in San Diego since the 18 th , and working over 60 hours since then . I will be in San Diego until the 2 nd of July . My wife is still at home in KC MO , visiting our family . ALot has happened this week . My wife found an awesome house to move into , and the couple who owns it accepted our offer . This will be our 10 th time moving in the 9 1 / 2 years that we have been married . All of them are directly related to the military . No complaining here , we love moving and all , but now that we are civilians , it 's alot more stressful . AWTM wrote about her little road trip / adventure , and I am sure my wife can directly relate to that . 15 hours in a minivan with a 8 month old , and a 5 and 6 year old boy can make for some interesting travel time . Schedules are way disrupted by events like this . They are supposed to return to Louisiana on the 29 th , a day before we close on the house we are selling there . Please pray for her and the kids , it 's gonna be a rough few days for them . I wish I was back before they were . We ' ll all be re - adjusting to the ' normal schedule ' for at least a week . 
And now , this fine dining tale . It 's 8:45 am . I ' ve forgotten to bring my packet of oatmeal to work ( and besides , how many days in a row can a person eat oatmeal , even if it is of the maple and brown sugar variety ? ) . A brisk walk up Wisconsin Avenue to the Milwaukee Bagel Company . There 's a handlettered sign on the door , noting they 're closed for the week . I kind of appreciate the fact that there 's a bagel place in the middle of downtown that 's small and funky enough that the owner can take off for a week , but for Pete 's sake , I forgot my oatmeal this morning . So I go next door . Okay , next door is a tanning salon . I go one more door down . Dunkin ' Donuts . Get in touch with my inner New Englander . Shades of " Good Will Hunting " along the Milwaukee River . Whatever . I order an iced French Vanilla coffee . Large . I ' m given the option of cream and sugar . I opt for both . Extra sugar , actually . It comes back a lovely tan color . The first sip comes through the straw accompanied by a healthy measure of sugar crystals . It takes just one more sip for me to figure it out . I ' m drinking liquid donut . This is the most perfect drink ever concocted . Of course , I ' m never allowed to drink it again . 
A low interest rate . One of the spiffy things about being a journalist is getting to ask nosy questions . Or at least feeling empowered , when I see something that piques my interest , to ask what the heck is going on . I do this , as long as I have a microphone with me , or at least a notebook that says " NEWS " in large letters . Otherwise , I feel like just another schmuck bugging people to know what 's going on . Anyway , the side effect to this is my inability to countenance a lack of curiosity . I don't understand the mindset of someone who - given a situation in which there are barricades , dozens of emergency vehicles , protesters holding signs , and traffic backed up for miles around - goes about his business seemingly oblivious to the scene unfolding around him . And yet , that was the scene on the bus the other day ( and here you thought I was constructing a brilliant - yet - hypothetical scenario ) , as several people approached the driver to ask a ) why the busses were all running so late , and b ) why the route had been moved to a different street than usual . The answer , of course , was that the President of the United States was going to a fundraiser at a downtown hotel ( which for some reason necessitated closing a street on one side of the hotel , but not the other ) . The driver claimed to have no idea what was going on - leading me to believe he either thought he was performing some sort of national security - related function by not divulging his knowledge of the situation , or he honestly hadn't bothered to ask why his route had shifted and the traffic had backed up and the protesters were spilling into the street and there were a thousand police cars with their lights flashing just down the block . One of the less - spiffy things about being a journalist is feeling the need to inform strangers on a bus when you actually know the answer to what 's happening around you . But there are plenty of would - be reporters out there , and so I let one of the would - be journalists on the bus handle the situation . I thought about giving him my notebook that said " NEWS " , but then he got the facts of the story wrong . 
In case you weren't streaming . We get plenty of e - mails here in 19 Minutes World Media Headquarters via that spiffy e - mail link that shows up on my profile page . Most of them , of course , are for offers for Cialis - or , as the e - mails like to call it , C ! @ l 1 s ( as though spelling the name of a prescription drug with an at - sign and an exclamation point makes it seem more legitimate ) . But in our parallel e - mail universe , our readers are clamoring to learn what 's happening in the interview wing of the 19 Minutes office complex . This is especially key since our departure from our past headquarters rendered our podcasts inoperative . One of these days we ' ll get the 19 Minutes technical team to remove the outdated links . In any case , to appease the screaming and teeming masses from our parallel universe , here are some of the highlights from our radio existence in the past few weeks : Pauls Toutonghi has written an entertaining , mainly fictional account of a first generation Latvian - American growing up in 1989 Milwaukee . He was also a terrific interview , especially as he read from his book , " Red Weather " , noting his interpretation of the protagonist 's mother was based on his own mother 's accent , which he conceded sounded a little too much like Count Chocula . Hazel Barton is something of a rock star in her field , which of course you already know is the microbiology of caves . She 's one of the cave explorers featured in the Imax film , " Journey Into Amazing Caves " , and speaks articulately about why studying organisms called " extremophiles " is important . But she 's equally eloquent about why caving will never be an " extreme " sport - mainly because no one can see your brightly colored spandex when it 's underground and covered in mud . And she notes that scientists can also wear nice clothes above ground , too . Really . She said that . In an effort to interview only people with " Hazel " in their names who like nice clothes , we also spoke with Robin Hazelwood , a Wisconsin native who managed to attend an Ivy League school while simultaneously working as a fashion model . She 's also written a mainly fictional book called " Model Student " about , well , a Wisconsin native who manages to attend an Ivy League school while simultaneously working as a fashion model . To my knowledge , the book 's not nominated for a Pulitzer , but it is most definitely an engaging read , and Hazelwood was a witty , candid , and thoughtful interview . We 're thinking of instituting a new policy of only interviewing former fashion models . Richard Russo 's " Empire Falls " did win a Pulitzer . He was a fantastic interview , and one of the rare people who 's done a million interviews and still manages to remain introspective , or at least pretends really well . I ' m sure it wasn't the first time he ' d noted that " the first thing an author does when he wins a Pulitzer is get Caller ID , " but it still sounded fresh . We 're rerunning the interview tomorrow , but if you just can't wait , the original interview is still archived , along with its spiffy picture of Russo with me . Plus , the movie adaptation of " Empire Falls " is worth checking out , though unlike our streaming audio , it 's not free . And also in recent weeks , we interviewed Minneapolis - based musician Brianna Lane , who stresses the word " music " is at the end of her URL , so that it 's not confused with a former porn site . Unfortunately , the part of the interview where we attempted to justify the music wee had on our respective i Pods was lost to the cutting - room floor . But her album , " Radiator " , is fantastic if you 're into acoustic guitar - based stuff ( actually , it 's fantastic regardless of your tastes ) , and the interview 's music clips should at least whet your appetite . From there , we 're on to other important topics , like figuring out how to use " whet " in another context . 
Looking for some surreal estate . Sunday 's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ran an article about a new trend in the real estate industry - wherein home - building companies , to show off their model homes , hire actors to portray a " typical " family living in those homes . The idea , presumably , is to help potential buyers better visualize what living in these homes would be like , at least if they were better - looking and had nicer taste . It kind of surprised me to read this story , because it was a tactic that seemed decidedly un Wisconsin - like , unless things have changed radically in the four months since I moved here . But a closer inspection revealed it was a reprint of a New York Times article , datelined Santa Clarita , California . This was less surprising , considering current trends in the California real estate industry include charging $ 950,000 for a refrigerator carton under the 405 Freeway , plus forcing prospective buyers to write a love sonnet to the current owners , plus free pedicures for life , plus the sellers get to jump up and down yelling , " Big money ! " , as though they 're on " Wheel of Fortune " . ( My wife and I considered all these options when we were considering a job in California last year , and decided moving to Jupiter was a more cost - effective option , especially considering I ended up not getting the job . ) Of course , hiring actors to hang out in Wisconsin houses might be a shrewd move , when you consider some of the houses we looked at in the Milwaukee area . For example , there was the house that was still being used as a " day care center " , which meant as we were looking in the linen closet , the woman who owned the house was hanging out on the couch , smoking a cigarette and watching soap operas while the two kids in her charge slept on the couch next to her . Most of the houses we looked at were empty , though , which meant that there would have been plenty of room for actors to ply their trades . And so in case we decide to look at houses again in the near future , allow me to help the real estate actors of the world find their motivation , because acting like the 19 Minutes household would require some specialized acting talents . For starters , the husband and wife would need to spend much of their time debating whether it would be worse to have lace curtains in their bedroom , or no curtains at all . The husband would spend the rest of his time on the front steps , playing an incomprehensible game with his two - year - old daughter . The game basically involves taking small rocks and placing them in a plastic cup - but God forbid he tries to put the wrong rock in the plastic cup , because then all the rocks are dumped back out on the ground and the game starts over . The wife would also be in the yard , pulling weeds , then second - guessing whether they were weeds or plants that would have yielded beautiful flowers , had they only stayed in the ground for another week . For her part , the two - year - old would divide the rest of her time between discovering the miracle of sock fuzz between her toes , and asking her dad to tell the " t - shirt story " , which was the exciting story he made up on the spur of the moment about his t - shirt ( " Once there was a mommy and a daddy . And one day they went to a store called ' Sam 's Club ' in a place called Flagstaff , Arizona ... " ) . But there 's probably a good chance that whenever we go house hunting again , the trend of hiring actors will likely have passed . And that 's why I ' m polishing up my sonnet writing , just in case . 
Not soaring gently into that dark night . And speaking of the Copper Peak International Ski Flying Facility , we ' ve recently learned that the eagles and raptors are apparently the only ones enjoying the hill 's updrafts , since skiers haven't launched themselves off the jump since 1994 . There 's an interesting website that decries that fact , noting that Copper Peak should be the US ski jumping equivalent of Yankee Stadium , Lambeau Field , Churchill Downs , or the Indianapolis Motor Speedway . Meanwhile , the organization that maintains Copper Peak as an observation tower in the summer has its own website , with an important message from its president . If nothing else , at least it 's not the ski jumping equivalent of Tiger Stadium . 
Soaring gently into the collection . I have some strange hobbies . Most of them don t take up much time . My business card collection , for example , continues to exist much as it did when I was 15 , only now it 's in the basement of my own home , rather than taking up bookshelf space in my highschool - era bedroom between the Bloom County books and Spenser novels . ( As an actual working person , I tend to accumulate more business cards than I did at age 15 , but I ' m not considering the cards strewn around my desk as part of my collection yet . ) But the more relevant hobby ( to this column , anyway - it 's not really relevant in any other way , shape or form ) reared its head over the weekend on a trip to the western edge of Michigan 's Upper Peninsula . I like picking up the tourist guides printed by local chambers of commerce . Partly , this is to find interesting stuff to do when you 're in a place like Ironwood , Michigan . But more frequently , they provide a great opportunity to peruse some of the most tortured syntax in the history of the English language . Today 's entry comes courtesy of the Adventure Guide published by the aforementioned town in Michigan : On any given day , one may see a pair of Eagles or other Raptors soaring above the hillside of Copper Peak International Ski Flying Hill . Regardless of the direction of the wind , there is always a gentle updraft on the 600 foot landing slope of the only ski flying facility in the Western Hemisphere which enables these birds of prey to capture air under their wings and soar gently above the hillside . ( There are countless other ski flying facilities in the Western Hemisphere , of course , which allow the birds to soar aggressively above their respective hillsides . ) . 
And now for something vaguely different . I was never really part of the drug scene at any of the colleges I attended . This was largely because I never actually used any drugs . But I had friends in college that experimented with a variety of controlled substances ( including one who used his occasional marijuana use as an excuse to his parents for his poor grades , despite the fact that the real reason was that he was spending too much time with his girlfriend . But I digress . ) , and they often liked to have me around as they were going through whatever they were going through . That 's because I had , and continue to have bizarre thoughts like these : It 's time for Chinese restaurants to freshen up their placemats with some new zodiacal years . I ' m tired of having been born in the " Year of the Rooster " , though it was nice of them to swap out the word " cock " and thus eliminate 90 percent of the fun junior high school students have at Chinese restaurants . But if they can make that change , there 's no reason they couldn't do something more radical . And that 's why I ' m proposing the following new Chinese years over the next decade : 2006 : Year of the Anvil .2007 : Year of Top Soil .2008 : Year that Won't Stick to Most Dental Work 2009 : Year of the Bug that 's Flying Around in My Floor Lamp 2010 : Year of Excedrin 2011 : Year of Mucilage 2012 : Year of Hogan 's Heroes reruns 2013 : Year of the Al Stewart hit , Year of the Cat 2014 : Year of farfel 2015 : Year of Pueblo , Colorado We ' ll wait a little while before we propose the drawings that ' ll appear on the placemats . Bizarre Thought # 2 : Imagine you 're from a country with no tradition of cable TV . Say , Burkina Faso . Now , pretend you ' ve traveled to the United States and are looking for educational programming on television . And now , imagine that you get confused and believe QVC is actually a university , and not a shopping channel . Think of all the wackiness that ensues when you write to pitchman Bob Bowersox and suggest he ask for a sabbatical . ( And just a reminder that rum and Cokes were the strongest thing to enter my system in college ... ) and finally , Bizarre Thought # 3 : Wouldn't it be just incredible if Kenneth Lay died mysteriously before he could be sentenced for his role in the Enron debacle ? I think that would be terrific , because it would give people something to talk about with the Vincent Foster conspiracy buffs . But that one 's way too far - fetched . 
34 : the sky 's a - growin ' darkas the storm pushes in , this late july dayis about to explode to an end . and i look aroundat the clouds hangin ' low , thinkin ' what the windsbegin to sew . wonder and wanderabout who we are , am i sure 100 % that i should take this road this far ? look at me thinkin ' actin ' on life with folley , by droppin ' tokensinto the 34 trolley . like it ? made it up on a whim . i live on the 34 trolley and i figured to memorialize that and my thirty - fourth entry with something special . 
33 : i have been poking my nose all around the internet today and i found that this weekly venue called " buzz " in d . c . has closed . the significance of this is great to me . when i was younger , in my wild teenage years , i used to frequent buzz a lot . buzz was one of the largest weekly parties ( or raves if you want to call it that ) in the country . when i was in high school , i had developed a great love affair with two things : acid and electronic music . if it were house , breakbeat , industrial , drum n ' bass , jungle it didn't matter as long as it had a keyboard and / or turntables i loved it . i would drop a bunch of acid , maybe smoke some weed and make my way down to southeast d . c . on fridays and let the drugs and music take hold of me . the closing of buzz is a blessing and a curse . although i have no problems with people taking recreational drugs that aren't addictive , i am glad to be through with that phase of my life . i was young back then and like everyone else that age , i was in a serious indentity crisis . i have come to realize who i am now and what i am meant to accomplish with my term on earth . on the flipside , thinking about buzz and how much of a mainstay it was for me in my youth has only reaffirmed my feelings of aging . 
32 : for the past two weeks , israel has been bombing the hell out of lebanon . this must stop at once . ever since its independence in 1946 , israel has been throwing its weight around sort of like the U.S. does . we are allowing israel to bomb residential sections of beirut and lebanon hitting non - military targets . that sounds a lot like terrorism but it 's not because the U.S. and the U . K . governments back israel . that lonesome fact is what must separate terrorism from " self - defense " i am not anti - semitic but i have a very big problem with the country of israel . maybe i am anti - zionist , maybe i am more sympathetic to the arabs and muslims , i don't know but i know what is going on right now over there is not right . if you agree with what i ' m saying , please check out the link and sign the petition . thank you . http : // epetitions . net / julywar /// . 
31 : here 's some of my latest art. enjoy . ( i took my art away from my paranoia that some bastard will save it on thier harddrive and claim it as thier own . what does it matter ? no one fucking reads my blog anyway ) . 
30 : to say that i am in a good mood is an understatement . yes , i know that i am still peeved about the goddamn italians winning the world cup but tonight i can go to sleep with sincere satisfaction . i have just finished writing for the day and that day started 10:30 yesterday morning and finished at 12:30 this morning . i wrote twenty - nine pages and figured out that i am less than a hundred pages from finishing my first draft . the first draft is the hardest . it takes the longest to complete simply because i must get all the ideas in my head into order , make them coherant , keep track of character names and various dates , do research , bug my girlfriend about ideas and plot changes and at last , sit down and write . but once i have the first draft written , it 's easy - peasy - japanesey editing and wearing out my spell and grammer check . from there it 's time to print it up , read it as a hard copy , send it off to my girlfriend , followed by my other friends and family and back to me . i read it again , sit down with my girlfriend and we edit it and voila , i have finished my book . very long process but i am nearing the end of the hardest part . thank god . 
29 : to say that i am in a bad mood is an understatement . i have just wasted the past month of my life to watching the goddamn italians win the world cup . fuck them . it 's as bad as the yankees winning the world series , the cowboys winning the super bowl , the red wings winning the stanley cup ; it is by far one of the most horrible things to happen . now i have to wait four years until the cup goes to south africa to see someone beat the shit out of the fucking italians . at least one good thing came out of the game yesterday : zidane 's head to the chest of that fucking italian . it was beautiful . ( yes , i have bad sportsmanship ) . 
28 : well , i live in philly ( that 's philadelphia , pennsylvania if any one needs clarification ) and i get inundated with " patriotism " around this time of the year . if any of you know me , you can probably feel it coming but no , i ' m not going to start ripping this country a new one . not on it 's birthday at least . i understand that on this date in 1776 a bunch of rich white aristocratic males declared their freedom from england but forgot about the blacks , the women , the minorities , the jews , the catholics and of course the original inhabitants of this land , the native americans . the point that i ' m trying to make is this : i feel grateful that i was born here . there are other great countries in the world , many other governments that i respect ( canada , sweden and switzerland to name some ) but i was born here and i feel lucky . i understand that this country isn't perfect . that this government is fucked in the head and the very foundation in the declaration of independence and the constitution nine years later were discriminatory and unfair at the time . to this day there are groups of americans being denied rights but at the same time , there are many countries in this world that even fighting for rights can land a person in jail . do you want an example ? look at nelson mandela in south africa . look at gandhi in india and south africa . look at lumumba in the belgian congo . look at the dalai lama in tibet . look at aung san suu kyi in burma . these are or were people that fought for change in their homeland . whether it was independence or social change , they had been imprisoned or exiled for their beliefs . here i am , i philadelphia on july 4 th , 2006 writing this entry . here i am in philadelphia writing a novel as crazy as i can imagine . here i am able to watch porn , drink alcohol , eat shellfish and write words in a book that could land me in jail or have a death hit put out on me . ask salmon rushdie , it happened to him . the point i ' m making is this : yes , this country can be fucked up and breaking it 's own back but we have so many things that we take for granted in this country that many don't . there is no such thing as a perfect country or the perfect government but we must know that we have fairly well off in this country . i believe when you can appreciate that , then one can begin to seriously question what is going on here . 
God will come with vengeance ! ISRAEL COMES HOME GETS TOUGHIsaiah 351 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them ; and the desert shall rejoice , and blossom as the rose .2 It shall blossom abundantly , and rejoice even with joy and singing : the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it , the excellency of Carmel and Sharon , they shall see the glory of the LORD , and the excellency of our God .3 Strengthen ye the weak hands , and confirm the feeble knees .4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart , Be strong , fear not : behold , your God will come with vengeance , even God with a recompence ; he will come and save you .5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened , and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped .6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart , and the tongue of the dumb sing : for in the wilderness shall waters break out , and streams in the desert .7 And the parched ground shall become a pool , and the thirsty land springs of water : in the habitation of dragons , where each lay , shall be grass with reeds and rushes .8 And an highway shall be there , and a way , and it shall be called The way of holiness ; the unclean shall not pass over it ; but it shall be for those : the wayfaring men , though fools , shall not err therein .9 No lion shall be there , nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon , it shall not be found there ; but the redeemed shall walk there : 10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return , and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads : they shall obtain joy and gladness , and sorrow and sighing shall flee away . 
A man of many needs . Today , I realised I am a man of many needs . It 's easy to forget I have these needs when they 're being taken care of by people . But without these people , these needs resurface . The sooner I realise I need people , even to enjoy my individual life , the better . God has given me some really good people in my life . It 's amazing how these people have contributed to the man I am today . These people I will always treasure : Daddy , Mummy , and Jan . I will never walk away from the destiny you have for me , Lord . To learn contentment , that 's all I ask . To be settled and still where I am , knowing you are the one who can truly push me forward . I hope my needs will be fulfilled one day . They seem to be a bottomless pit . Maybe they are . Maybe they are why I need people . Maybe they will also be the reason why I can finally stay still . Sometimes I wonder why some initiatives seem like bashing my head upon the wall . I was not cut out for it . Really . I try , but I ' m just not cut out for it . I ' m too emotionally needy to be able to stand on my two feet . Maybe this neediness will never stop . But I will be content . And I will say of the Lord , " You are my shield , my strength , My fortress , deliverer My shelter , strong tower , My ever present help in times of need . " I am strengthened . My self - image is up . It stops being bashed . It is now renewed . I will stop relying on the praises and attentions of others . May his strength be more than enough . To stop relying on the wayward support of man that needs striving . To have faith , not desperation . To move , resting . These are the sayings of King Lemuel , an oracle that his mother taught him . " O my son , son of my womb , O son of my promises , do not spend your strength on women , on those who ruin kings . And it is not for kings , O Lemuel , to guzzle wine . Rulers should not crave liquor . For if they drink , they may forget their duties and be unable to give justice to those who are oppressed . Liquor is for the dying , and wine for those in deep depression . Let them drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more . Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves , ensure justice for those who are perishing . Yes , speak up . " Yes , I will do so . Abandon foolishness for the perishing , but for me who is rising , to follow wisdom . To stop chasing after the wind . My heart tears at this nonetheless . But it is for the good of my esteem . And it is the will of the Lord . 
Found a new grace ... Amazing Grace . Seriously , truly , amazinggg . Nothing that I could do to prove anything to you , dear Lord . But you have given me everything . Today I draw . Draw upon your love , and your amazing security and grace and freedom for me . Amazing love , how can it be That you my King would die for me Open up the gates and let the King of glory in Fill this house with praises as we lift our hands and worship you ... King of Heaven we dance before your throne . Grace ... I am charged up and ready to meet the day . = ) . 
One stupid post to squash them all . Welcome to this post : a one - in - a - million post in which Daniel gets a chance to release / sublimate his stupidity . Don't say you weren't prewarned . Ok , the stupid but thrilling things that have been happening in my life : 1 . Attachment @ Bowen : recently , I got a chance to work pretty closely with this really chio ( in my opinion ) teacher . I had to teach in her class , so we had to work on that together , plus she 's also helping me to get my project done . Ha ha . Me being the silly guy that I am , am swooning every time I need to discuss things with her . ( So stupid right ) Why -- you may ask : well , the reasons are few ( and superficial ) : 1 . She has a crooked , but utterly heartwarming smile .2 . She has this really cute demeanour and behaviour , the little bit crazy kind that just lightens everybody 's day . She has a real talent in making people smile ; : ) 3 . She 's like this superteacher : handling so many projects at a time , doing so many things at one time -- yet , she never loses her sense of humour / smile .4 . She has these beautiful legs that seem to stretch forever whenever she sits down . I ' d rate her personality as Sanguine + Phlegmatic ( primary ) + Choleric ( secondary ) . But in case some people are seeing green , she is a bit of the " lao chio " . Ha . And ' cos she 's so Phlegmatic , it 's hard to really know her lor ( at least in a short period of time ) , other than this cute sweet nice teacher that brightens up everybody 's day . So there . AND she 's married . So let 's just fuhgeddaboutit . : D 2 . Daniel has also been enjoying this attachment ' cos of the amount of boh - liao - time that the " scholars " ( frankly , I don't feel very scholarly , I feel like the Ah Beng of the grp ) enjoy . Sometimes , like today , it 's plain boring . Other times , I ' m trashing girls ( sorry la , not that I chauvinistic or wat , it 's just that there are no other guys around ) in Chinese chess , playing UNO , listening to Simple Plan , and writing poetry . Very very fun . I got inspiration for a poem from hearing some sentimental music in an art class ... and guess what ? Out came a love poem from nowhere ... and I managed to use it to teach poetry ! The best part is that the students loved it ! ( Oh , sidenote : We scholars have been found out . My chio teacher told me that she went into the conference room for a mtg and saw on the laptop what our REAL schedule was like -- she saw " youtube . com " on the web browser . HIAK HIAK . ) 3 . Other thrilling thing is that the sec 1 s are beginning to recognise a Mr. Ng and always greeting him profusely when he is near . Hallelujah . Even the sec 1 s who had tried to be mischevious in my class wanted to have lunch with me . A great compliment for any teacher , I must say ( altho the popularity charts usu don't last long in a Secondary Sch ) .4 . Ps Dex is gone ( sigh ) but hey , Ps Roger is here . Will need to set aside time to entertain him ... Anyway .... I ' m feeling very stupid , yet I kinda like the stupid side of me . : P The superficial , fickle side had been buried for very long . Now that it is resurfacing , I keep it within wraps , but don't wanna smother it altogether . It really can be quite fun .... so long I keep it under control = )) And for friends of the bride , don't worry : my heart still remains with my Dearie alone . Just musings from the immature side that needs to grow up . = ) P . S . My Dearie is being interviewed tonight for a Youth Pastor 's position . Pray . = ) . 
A teensy weensy upd 8 since my attachment ... Hi everybody ! ( esp my fan club ) 1 . Ok , I ' ve started my attachment at this sec sch called Bowen Sec . It 's an attachment I ' ve had to do ' cos MOE pays for my school fees and gives me cash , so these three weeks , I ' m required to work for them for free . Lol . Actually , it 's not really work la , more like a training programme put together for the load of us . So far , God 's been good , and it 's been real fun .2 . Besides that , my usual routine of tuitions etc has been going on , plus my business . Wah , really not ez . The business is like a baby , I can't leave it hanging , but have to take as much care of it as I can . So I ' ve been doing so . Wanna thank God for making the impossible a possible . I don't know how to explain it . When I first looked at the stats , it was real bad . Like unsellable . Then left the matter to the Lord , received new faith , and after 3 - 4 days of prayer looked at the figures again . Suddenly , something clicked . It 's possible ! : D 3 . Thank God for Ws 's call yesterday . That girl will not be reading this , but she has no idea how much her call encouraged me that day . Somehow , I needed reassurance that my work for God means something to the people I minister to . And I felt very very reassured by her call yesterday .4 . I think the one need in my life has been a need for security , for acceptance for who I am , and I think me being who I am , this kind of blessed assurance can come only from God . Felt this today as I was going home from school ( Bowen ) and thinking on the day 's events . And I think sometimes subconsciously I can perform what I do for the sake of receiving assurance , hoping to get some kind of encouragement for what I am doing . That 's not very healthy . I need to place my boast in Christ alone , not in my gifts , talents , and a whole load of superficial stuff . And I know I need encouragement . I will find that encouragement by humbling myself before people , and receive the encouragement that comes from them and from the Lord . Amen .5 . Some more notes on the ministry . I felt so broken on Mon - Tue . I don't know why . I had an excellent time of experiencing the Lord and of moving in His Spirit , but I felt very empty . Jan says it 's a spiritual attack . I agree . When I took arms and rebuked the stronghold of doubt , I received more and more strength from the Lord . When Jan talked to me that night , I felt more strengthened , though still broken . And when the Lord just gave me more grace on Tue , I felt a breakthrough . A breakthrough that happens because of faith and not because of other feelings .6 . Some more notes on work : I hope to come to that place where I am fully reliant on God for success at work . I am heading there , and I will reach there soon . Amen .7 . ( sings ) Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom Nor let the strong man boast in his strength Let not the rich man boast in his riches But let the faithful come and give thanks To the one who made us The one who saved us I will boast in the Lord my God ! I will boast in the One who 's worrrrrr - thy I will boast in the Lord my God ! I will boast in the One who 's wor - thyyyyyy He 's worthy ! ( Low tone ) I will place my trust in Christ alone I will place my trust in Christ alone ( One octave higher ) I will place my trust in Christ alone ! I will place my trust in Christ alone ! I will boast in the Lord my God I will boast in the One who 's worthy ! I will boast in the Lord my God I will boast in the One ... Who 's worthy . = ) 8 . I wrote a poem today , but I shall not upload it ' cos it 's one of those reminiscent poems which can lead to a lot of misunderstandings if not properly understood ( the last part of that sentence was SO duhh ) . Ya . So I shall not upload it .9 . And yes : I broke a new record today ! 15 laps continuous freestyle ! Wooohooohooo ! 
Been real busy . To all my friends : 1 . Pls pray for my business and ministries . The business has lots of stuff to do , but very little time given to me to do it . And a lot of things I ' m not very confident of doing .... : ( 2 . We 're embarking on Proj Y again ! YAY ! Pray that we ' ll have another harvest of souls . Looking forward to another exciting season . 
Me Jean , You Tarzan ? You scored as Jean Grey . Jean Grey is likely the most powerful X - Man. She loves Cyclops very much but she has a soft spot for Wolverine . She 's psychic so she can sense how others are feeling and tries to help them . She also has to control her amazing powers or the malevolent Phoenix entity could take control of her and wreak havok . Powers : Telekinetic , Telepathic Jean Grey 85 % Storm 70 % Cyclops 70 % Iceman 70 % Wolverine 60 % Nightcrawler 55 % Rogue 55 % Beast 40 % Colossus 35 % Gambit 35 % Emma Frost 15 % Most Comprehensive X - Men Personality Quiz 2.0 created with Quiz Farm . com. 
As the Lee and Lee family have demonstrated ... ... defamation is a very SERIOUS offence . To * ahem * a particular someone who has defamed me by suggesting - indirectly - that I am some hua xin ren who has some other sweetheart tucked in my heart and that I regret being with my current sweetie , REPENT OR THOU SHALT FEEL THE POWER OF MY WRATH ' Cos my heart belongs to my Dearie and my Dearie alone . : D . 
Welcome to " Survivor : Singapore " . Yes , that 's how I felt just before service started today . Felt a terrible spiritual heaviness I knew not what . Felt so weak I thought I couldn't song lead . So spent time in prayer , and realised that we were battling spiritual forces . So I whacked them in the name of Jesus . Felt a tremendous freedom after that . Song leading was good , but felt directionless until Pastor took over . Ya . I was glad he took over . I felt like I was in a hazy room , with no clear direction . Felt very strengthened by watching Edmund Chan 's msg today during service . Just felt like bursting out and just crying out to the Lord . But didn't want to make a scene ( is it a good thing ? bad ? ) . But I just felt like crying out to the Lord . Take it all .... take my business , my life , my relationships , my ministry , my churches ... just take it all . 100 % . Just reached home after comforting my dear . And read through my journals . Wooooohoooo . I feel so strengthened after reading it . And yes , it definitely gave me the thought that I want more and more ministry from others . So I ' m gonna seek it , not on a regular basis , but whenever there are new people in town , I definitely want to benefit from their ministry . ' Cos one of the reasons why the ministry was so dynamic in Cebu was ' cos I had benefited from Bro Kubus ministry in COOS at that time . The man had laid hands on me for 2 seconds .... but it was enough for me to know that it 's not the man , it 's Jesus , and this is how the Master feels like . And I think one can't get enough of such touches from God . Felt so strengthened with a new strength ( hate repeating words but no choice ) at that time . And I think my memory is short , you know , after a while I forget that it was ' cos someone ministered to me in the first place . So I need people to minister to me . So guys , if you 're reading this and you know some good ministers are in town , page me ya ? Many thanks in advance . 
Back in Singapore .... A few thoughts after spending my 2 nd night in Singapore : 1 ) Welcome back to such a boring place : P 2 ) I miss the students . Esp their fellowship and their laughter . Sometimes boring after a while , but still .... it was chao fun .3 ) Miss the crying of the 2 kids ... each taking turns to wail and driving their parents up the wall .4 ) Miss my hotdogs .5 ) Miss the 2 good friends I made there : Judy Ann and Boyet . Miss the long chit - chats .6 ) At least ... I ' ve come back to my Dearie and the churches I missed here ! : D . 
Long Time No See A | . I Q _ A ~ y A A M ] b h e J A b p A C O o } l C u U q X j big brother ...... v N O o A P ` N O l L G u D D h r W s h R @ | A Y r A n h J A ...... v o O q H u A O o O A p A p C v b C ~ Y A { F C g L H b ~ N P A | n w [ _ O p A w L H N q ucut u v A h o q A H b } e N H M u L } H n F L A a M s @ N L Y t A O M v ( o I H ) G k C n w p A E @ A j a a A F h q A N O y C R n w H A Y e a H ~ A M w V A B R F C ] u @ Y A @ o O H L i ` G } } N ( n w Y Fan ) @ j A p B X B x n w H A M C A Q h ~ e i O s o D ` s b A O n O q ~ @ H o @ H o } } N n w _ C _ } } N A S u g L n w N ~ H A u | L u R v b W A O Webay H N c ...... o k M O L ` F A | V u R n w S R ~ Fan D p C Q R n w s A S F n @ } l A ] L q h A O M n C O _ j L N A Q o l n L A O Q W H { O u H { v C g P q R Y A O v v A Q } } N O o w _ a I A n H F H ^ q A g L @ i ~ A G j a A @ ~ M i O H v l A O H S F A B n a o O H [ C H R O D m p n A q H ( j a ) u @ e K o A L i A s D OSigur Ros F i u I A N O t Post Rock A o @ ~ { t C m Y Y { n Y ^ B L B ^ Q A O Linkin Park In The End S A q u } v q A D [ { u ] P s t v s i q D A C mencore n O L p m y n g q @ ~ A s M q { t k A N OBeastie Boys Benny And The Jets A s M X { ^ A [ J q g N Benny And The Jets G C x X w P T @ ~ A Y H q X o A ] } C . 
your mark . } U j y x A X Z P H j g T Swatch h C @ Blue Man Group X @ p C Blue Man Group A { A D O X S | v W @ } t w F " Swatch x Blue " O @ Y A S h j C o O D ~ A @ z Y m n } l C O o ~ p | w b Y x X A n v S Y Suede @ ~ A M Coming Up T O D ` C b X L A o { p @ F @ Beautiful Ones x @ ~ m n F P A ] @ s Blur To The End D ` m K E n C p @ areferences P A ] ~ C A @ x o B @ ~ A ] A P q C Q C q A p o l ^ D G u I A } A S n } A n m A Y A n } A N v T C ` A v A A N q H | Heart C v q S h d N A u v o S A O m n C B q Y f o ( F T Y ) A Blue Man Group Sing Along D ` A A d ASing Along OBMG j W Dave Matthews X @ @ ~ C w m n A p H m n B m Made In Hong Kong n B m @ n B m p G o @ A A R n M m @ ] S n o S o h d N q C u Q g X A @ ^ Q v g A A W d \ U u A ~ o { a u v A d D ` s A H p a Z y W A r s L N C O @ @ m @ n D ` A O Super Furry Animals Dim Bendith A S O l h O m h F n C n h H ^ Gorillaz Feel Good Inc. q m h F n A H { O ( ] Feel Good Inc. X { ) C O { u a A NU 2 @ ~ Staring At The Sun MLast Night On Earth @ @ ~ F _ q ~ ( p | w ) @ A Misia m F p p n M m O L h l n u X v @ m R O j v Q n ...... p G q s v v DMisia @ A ] n D u C H U O @ ~ H { u v O H @ ~ a q ( I / Q @ ~ ) G - h F ( I ) / U 2 - Staring At The Sun - h F ( II ) / U 2 - Last Night On Earth - @ / Super Furry Animals - Dim Bendith - / Blue Man Group - Sing Along c - N / Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out Of My Head p K - / Justin Timberlake - Like I Love You a - a / 2 Pac - To Live And Die In L . A . a - Y v Y / R . Kelly - Thoia Thoing Ping Pung - R O j v Q ( I ) / Misia - F p p Ping Pung - R O j v Q ( II ) / Misia - O L h l L p - U ~ o / N . E . R . D . - Lapdance ( n n J ) L p - U ~ o / N . E . R . D . - Lapdance L p - B / Linkin Park - Faint G - R o @ / Missy Elliot - Get Your Freak On X - / Beyonce - Crazy In Love ] S h j d N p a Z @ ~ A Q F i s H U } Ghttp : // www . xanga . com / anti _ mark _ lui b P n A j a r g C . 
} O ...... j a x j a d Y B A Q @ e h g ~ d A H P h l D L _ ...... DXbox 360 Play Station 3 A ] O @ N A u L O p o L p ~ } F C q e p A A A S h R A j a u O _ ^ a Y B q w a h M j W o o M D F l n Y ] o Z P p l A I I M w C u t z h a H R @ A q L O u t A u O j a @ H a H w F I d U I a L D A h g h @ h _ _ U C L G u S A a H v M S F A O L h h ...... Y Y n a A | a W ~ h B F ~ H ~ \ Q H | G q C L A O N a u u v C C n F n A u U h N L @ H a B n F A a p h O H Q a C . 
n u ^ M l . @ M A k j N j Q A N j Q b Q @ P n p U ( q U j p a } X v i ) N A H A O C j { @ A N @ y Q G X A o e l a C a w } ( Francesco Totti ) A R _ F ( Gianluca Zambrotta ) M ( Mauro Camoranesi ) R I u ...... n D u I v o r q n N j Q W X { C Gwww . worldcup . com H z z D A O H I ( Zinedine Zidane ) | u I v A Y V S ( Marco Materazzi ) f H Q y X A H H Q D S s F A O s I V ~ | N } C D ~ A ^ m n ( The Guardian ) S b I u l v ( terrorist ) C m n v A F u A q @ A u l v O _ i j C i A u l v u X v O W d U A y W g I I | j x A S D ] L k J H j q ] _ G 1 . S O N j Q H A N j Q C 2 . I B H | Q l H z u T P _ A i H V X z A _ ( Wayne Rooney ) MC . ( Cristiano Ronaldo ) l f A O p j C G M v D A { u i j i p A _ U a S H w ] _ A I T p f A m n ] usurely been provoked - there were suggestions last night that Materazzi had called him " a terrorist " - but Zidane will be right to curse his stupid reaction . v u He had surely been provoked but Zidane will be right to curse his stupid reaction . v Y i Q C p G A I | T i A _ _ j d A @ j O S o W H Q @ P X L L A G ~ O | ...... j O L A l Y A W v A F H O L k z C G z o o O Y S h j F A _ L X | A I @ L E A w F L a C Rock Star I O 2006 ~7 13 I w V j S T X V d M n n A ] F e @ O ] C p G f b A f X c ] A o D { I S C . 
Glog Glog . 10.09.2005 i ' m clueless . people don't take me seriously . they think i ' m some kind of a joke . i don't know why . can somebody tell me ? what did i do wrong ? have i said anything offensive ? i really can't remember if i did . tell me ... it 's unfair when people just stop talking to you . people you care about . i thought they care for me too . but i guess i was wrong . i thought they do care . but they really don't . sad ... but true . you invest so much that non is being reciprocated . it seems unfair . i know it is . but i guess that 's just the reality . it does hurt . you give it out without expecting anything in return . you love because you wanted to . it 's not wanting anything back . it just hurt most of the times . maybe i expect too much . that 's why oftentimes i always get disappointed . maybe i expedite things too much . somethings just doesn't go as i want them to . maybe they 're right . maybe i ' m wrong . maybe things are not really meant to be . although i try to refuse that part . i believe if you don't try , things would really won't work out . nothing will happen if you 're just going to sit and wait . do the initiative . don't wait . if you get rejected , who cares ? at least you tried . you can die saying at least you tried . you could have done harder , but if the feeling is not mutual , just learn how to move on . or better move on . like what most people say , " there are a lot of fishes in the ocean " dig deep . or swim deep ? you ' ll never know what you ' ll find out at the bottom . 
. Cars play d ? ( ) d Starbucks d The Horse Whisperer ( ) bye bye e ( ) man d 7 d To : ! !! To Sam D . : We ' ll be fine . 
I will drop a bomb if ya ' ll dont turn some AC on !!! Dont ya ' ll believe this is the sentiment of half of the people living and fighting in the Middle East . " If there was some AC on somewhere , anywhere I would be cool ( literally ) " I know how it is when I get hot ... Let the Ac go off in my crib ( even here in IL ) I am ready to kick sombody 'sass. Imagine living in that constant heat all of your life .. hell yes I ' d be ready to fight !! I heard someone say .. open a water park up over there .... fighting would cease immediatley , blast the Electric Slide in the middle of a battle ... guns would hit the ground before the first turn and dip ... We have ways to stop the fighting over there , who is willing to bet that this is what Condi is thinking this week while she is over there ... " Fuck all this fighting ya ' ll , let 's have a barbecue . " Not making light of these situations at all ... just trying to lighten up a dark situation .. Keep Blogging ya ' ll ... dont forget to reciprocate . 
Reciprocation . Happy Friday Blog World !! Wikitionary defines reciprocation as a mutual giving and returning ; as , the reciprocation of kindness . First of all ( ladies ) I don't do anything for the purpose of receiving anything in return , I do it ' cause I want to and I love something about yo fonky ass. Just think though you just put in major work on your man .. I ' m talking about hooked him UP ... balls and all ... after you finish he just sits there looking at the fukin wall or something . You my friend will be in need of reciprocation .. Fellas stop being so damned selfish .. hook your ladies up occasionally , ' cause you know you are gonna want her to smell your NUSTY MUTS sooner or later .... RECIPROCATION .. one good turn deserves another . Ladies tell that Monkey Quid pro Quo ... Fellas learn what that shit means . One more thing ladies dont wait until ya ' ll are just about to almost maybe get down to do the ' ol nasty rug burn dance ... surprise his ass grab that thang , take it out and handle your business ... finish it up ... and calmly tell that Monkey you want ..... RECIPROCATION ..... Have a good weekend ... and get out there and reciprocate . 
?? Why Are These Bitches So Nosey ?? Why are these bitches so nosey ya ' ll .... talking about these " folks " I work with . I have a female friend here at work , she 's new here , fine as hell , has more sense in her little toe than these big Sophia from the Color Purple looking .... that is neither here nor there .. I digress .. back to the question " why " damnit " why " . I am a friendly guy , so what I am friendlier to females more so than males ... the thing is I am friendly on damn near the same level with all these females in here as I am with ( what shall we call her ) ... Track Star ( more on that as we progress ) . My professionalism can only go so far , two weeks ago BDO ( Big Dark One ) has the nerve to call me aside and ask me what 's up with me and Track Star , I proceed to tell her that nothing is going on we are merely friends and that is it , she then asks me " Do you think I am stupid " in my mind " The Donkey " was telling me to say " Hell Yeah , monkey you have to be stupid to have the nerve to just come out and ask me that " ... but my Mom taught me to be respectful to my elders so I stuck with my original answer of " nothing " . Yesterday Track Star tells me that another of " The Goonies " asked her what 's up with us ... to which she gave the same reply .. Goonie then tells her .. just watch yourself girl I have heard that he messed with another girl here that got fired ... My response was ... WTF !!!!! Goonie has been here less than a year compared to my 5 yrs ... we speak when we cross paths ( me being friendly ) so I ' m thinking what do YOU know about ME . Sidenote : BDO also came up to me regarding said female from last paragraph to ask the same question .. it was almost an instant replay of this situation with Track Star .... Last female was " just a friend " attractive and younger than these other crows ... Why can I not be friends with an attractive , younger female at work ? I have had similar relationships with older women at work and not a damn thing has been said .. why the hate ladies , and gentleman ( only one ) . Be aware co - workers >>> Professional 1 In The Same has left the building ... Stay the FUCK UP OUT MY BUSINESS !!! 
1 In The Same 1 In The Same ... This has been a title that I have tried to avoid my whole life of being 1 In the same . I spent most of my high school years , all of my college years and a majority of my adult years not so much trying to convince others but trying to convince my self that I AM NOT 1 in the same . Dont get me wrong Blog world there is nothing wrong with being one of the crowd when I say 1 in the same I am comparing my self to influences in my life , i . e . my Dad , my grand pa ( both of them ) , various Uncles and various friends . When I say I have had some PISS poor male influences ... damn ya ' ll I have had some piss poor male influences . I am sure over the course of our time together I ' ll share some stories for yo ' ass. Long story short because of the way I have seen most of my male family act I have spent years trying not to be like " THEM " and convince myself that I am not 1 in the same . Regardless of these things I still find myself doing the Generational thing my folks are doing and have done ... WTF I know better ... Stay Tuned ... 
Long Time Coming . Well here we are post # 1 ... not sure what I plan to accomplish by this Blog ... I just know that after reading the adventures of Slish , R Mack and Zed .. I thought I might have a story or two to tell .. Stay tuned we ' ll see what turns up . 
How your Senator Voted on tax payer funding unethical , unproductive Human embryo experiments . Click below to see how your Senators voted on taxpayer funding for human embryo experimentation : http : // www . grassfire . org / 21 / senate _ vote _ hr 810 . htm After reviewing the list , we encourage you to contact your Senators and let them know how you feel about the way they voted on this legislation . For those here in Indiana , it is just another example of how both Lugar and Bayh have let the losing proposition of California go national . More info on the ' experiments ' here if you can view flash . 
Destroying vulnerable young to assist wealthy old . To show my support for the unborn , I have signed Grassfire . org 's " Petition for Life " petition calling on our legislative leaders to respect and protect the rights of the unborn in our nation who are being threatened by abortion . A recognized grassroots leader in the fight for the unborn , Grassfire has rallied more than half - a - million citizens with their national petition -- a petition that has already been presented to many key leaders in Washington and beyond . Right now there are a number of key Pro - Life pieces of legislation in Congress -- notably the suspension of RU - 486 , and the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act . In support of these and other critical Pro - Life issues Grassfire is calling on Pro - Life citizens to help them rally an additional and mobilize an additional 30,000 citizen signers in time for our next petition presentation . Please use your voice to support the rights of the unborn by adding your name to this important Grassfire petition : http : // grassfire . org / 21 / life . asp ? PID = 10343786 & NID = 1 Sincerely , Mr. Joe Whitchurch . 
Is the Jack Bauer of ' 24 ' a type of Christ ? I guess I ' m not the only one who likes ' 24 ' but alas , Jack as a type of Christ ... ? You decide and I ' d appreciate your comments too after you skim this blog . 
4 th of July Courage on the Home front and abroad . This TV ad is short and to the point and a wonderful response to ' move on with cut n run dot extremists ' . First view and enjoy it . Then think of those who may be strengthened and encouraged to see examples of such in public proclamation . Don't spam people but do send to friends by forwarding graciously ' outside the choir ' and ' outside the committed ' circles you normal post to . The other voices drone - on perpetually by the left , liberal , moral - equivocating mainstream media , university newspapers , and many of the same classroom captive audience of leftist authoritarian soapboxes . Why not graciously share another viewpoint ? Enjoy and forward as led . http : // www . youtube . com / watch ? v = Qvf RCwk 8 edg And for the genuine risk takers , check out this political ad and ask yourself why such ads are not legion . Could it not be partly because so few are taking a stand for righteousness outside our little choirs . At least when someone runs for office they MUST go public but this gentleman really deserves some encouragement imho . Take a risk and view this one too , it is fabulous . You simply have to see this ad before it is censured . http : // vernonrobinson . com / twilightzone 3 . shtml These are not endorsements but HEY , aren't these some of the issues we feel strongly about because they are rooted in our understanding of Biblical truth and Biblical revelation ? And isn't it refreshing to see people in the public square being clear and not as namby pamby and hyper nuanced as some of our super sensitive church services ? Rather , declaring truth clearly and setting it before peoples ' consciences as per 2 Cor 4:1 - 4 1 Therefore , since through God 's mercy we have this ministry , we do not lose heart . 2 Rather , we have renounced secret and shameful ways ; we do not use deception , nor do we distort the word of God . On the contrary , by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man 's conscience in the sight of God . 3 And even if our gospel is veiled , it is veiled to those who are perishing . 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers , so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ , who is the image of God . 
The best web streaming Chicagoland talk radio . Bill Bennett , Laura Ingraham , Dennis Prager , Michael Medved , and also a guy who is too far over the edge for me , Michael Savage . Bennett , Ingraham , and Prager are top drawer scholars and frequently have distinguished guests who do not double - speak and they are clearly functioning from a Judeo - Christian understanding of rationality and justice . Quite refreshing . Here 's the link . 
Cool , cell phone charger . Here 's a tiny item from hi - tech & cheaper than cell phone accessories I ' ve seen . One AA battery in a lipstick - sized case for the low side of $ 30 with shipping . Not bad for battery hogging treo 's , the camper , hiker , frequent flyer , campus or board meeting cell phone frequent caller .. for i Pods soon . See it here http : // tinyurl . com / eo 8 sk I ' m checking it out . 
Fun and Funny Birthday and other Greetings . happy birthday from " the minister farrakhan " happy conservation birthday from " al gore " this ones more iffy but yes " the clinton / s " are running for high office again . 
Books of Note : Godless , America , and Showdown . Why does it take an outsider to reveal political correct nonsense in the church ? That title is ' godless ' not ' goddess ' . LOL . Some appreciate Ann a bit too much . But sure , you can click here to get her book . And why not ? She hasn't started calling the Presidents , former Presidents and / or her detractors ' Nazis ' like so many other ' more respectable ' books by media elites , and posturing , popular , political leftists , and university professors are doing . Bill Bennett for President ! Not likely but he is a good man and a clear thinker . Like the Ann Coulter book , if you buy this one for me , I will read it gladly . And yes , you can click here to buy it . I ' ll admit it . I like Laura Ingraham 's radio show and this is where I heard about this book . From the interview it sounds like another I ' d love to read . Can someone tell me why our major media and a major political party want Bush censured but have nothing to say when China uses Yahoo and Google to censure Chinese access to democratic principles and resources on the web . Where is the library association 's ' death cry ' ? Why isn't the ACLU going after Google and Yahoo ? I didn't think there was any way to stop ( porn ) the internet information from coming into a country . Simply impossible . But not for the Chinese with the help of Google and Yahoo . I suppose they are just keeping their CNN office open in Baghdad so they just HAVE to censure freedom . Click here to get the above mentioned book . Speaking of censureship , here 's one that seems reasonable for Jimmy ... Carter . Though George W . Bush isn't running for President again ( someone tell the liberals ! ) Al Gore might be . Here is a very fun tribute to the main who rants and raves with the best of them . Click here for a 30 second ride with Al . Enjoy ! 
David Warlick Responds . 2 Cents Worth DOPAmatic ! Man , do I respect David Warlick . Check the comments in his blog . We have a little dialogue going on . He posted the following : Point well taken Jim . I had exactly the same reaction when I first read the bill weeks ago . However , it is its vagueness that worries me , because many could interpret it to include Class Blogmeister . CB is not commercial now , but I , as a business man ( boy it scratches my throat to say that ) have the right to start charging and start advertizing . No plans to do that !!!! I m sure you would agree , that if the law also stated that children must learn with and within digital networked information , that we are required to teach them contemporary literacy skills and a curriculum that is tailored for the needs to today s children , and not for the students we wish we were teaching , then I would feel easier about HR 5319 . Thanks for your perspective . Balance is always good and I appreciate it , sincerely . And here is my response : Dave , thanks for taking the time to respond . I know you are a busy guy . I was really impressed with you when I met you at the Support Blogging get together in San DIego . You have created a great product in Class Blogmeister , and I do hope that you can profit from it someday . You have created it in a way that is safe for children and easy for teachers to administer . I cannot think of a way your product could ever be blacklisted by the feds because the outcry from this community would be deafening in DC . You have put a lot of thought into the issues the fed want addressed in DOPA , namely the potential unsolicited contact of a child by a sexual predator , and have created a model for how - to battle those issues . The bill is an extension of the CIPA law . As we have moved into Web 2.0 , so does legislation need to move with the times . To say that the laws of justice should stand pat and watch the world whiz by is dangerous and leads to knee - jerk reaction legislation ( an extreme example of which is the Patriot Act ) . This is a good sign that the government is taking an interest in the social landscape of the Internet . I agree with your statement about children learning with and within digital network information , but it cannot be whilly - nilly . And a statement such as that should be in the National Education Technology Plan , but cannot be legislated into law unless you want to amend NCLB . In my opinion and perspective , the bill doesn't go after the networked learning environment , but rather the openess of that environment after the learning is done ( is it ever done ? ) . It states in the bill that as long as something is done for educational purposes or under adult supervision , then it is OK to allow access . So there is that " out " should something come along as the ideal product for a lesson but is currently blacklisted . Where we agree is the vaguenes of the bill . I would feel more inclined to support or not support this bill if I could see a list of the sites that could potentially be blocked . Because there is that vagueness , and my distrust of Big Brother , I do not support this bill . Funny how we ultimately agree , but our reasons and the way we get there differ . 
Has the Bill been read ? 2 Cents Worth Outlaw Teachers Outlaw Learners Ungh , David . Have you read the bill yet ? Have you broken it down without relying on the opinion of another blogger ? Blogging isn't banned . Learning Blogmeister will not go away . The commercial sites will be filtered in schools . Commercial chat services will be filtered . The list of sites will be provided to schools and libraries . And , according to Section 2 - Part ( d ) of the bill , as long as there is adult supervision and for an educational purpose then go ahead with using the services . I think the spirit of the bill is not to stiffle legit teaching , but unfettered student access to commercial social sites . Interestingly , I am against the bill , but because I am a local / state rights guy and am always wary of the long arm of the feds . 
The Wonders of Derby Tech . One of the issues I walked into with the 1:1 program in Palos Heights is how to filter student content outside the school . Our current iteration of our firewall seems to have the solution . The CIPAFilter we use has the ability built into it to proxy filter on both the inside and outside of the network By setting up a local username and password on the filter , and forcing the proxy settings to the outside firewall IP of the student laptops , students now have to use the content filter to surf the Internet . This is still a testing phase , but it is one that looks promising if my initial findings workout . What will make this perfect is to have Derby Tech complete their work with Open LDAP authentication . Once Open LDAP is completed , I can then tie all student activity to a web usage report and really see who is going where and at what times . This is the kind of data that will give better insight into how 1:1 are used outside the building , something that many 1:1 studies only speculate on through surveys . 
Software for our 1:1 . As I begin my first year as a 1:1 Technology Coordinator I have compiled a list of software we will be using on our laptops . If there is anything glaring that is missing , please let me know !!! As soon as Apple 's WWDC is finished next week I will begin creating the final image ( hopefully , they will announce a 10.4.8 update available that day ) . Accelerated Reader v 6.36 Address Book Adobe Reader 7.0.8 Apple Works 6 Art Rage 2 Free Automator Calculator Chess Div X Player File Maker Pro 6 Flip 4 Mac WMV Player Freeopardy Google Earth Google Sketch Up Homework Hand Ini Cali Chat ( maybe . ) i Movie HDInspiration 7.6 i Photoi Tunesi Work 05 ( 06 on our Mac Books ) Journler Macromedia Contribute 3 Macromedia Dreamweaver 8 Macromedia Fireworks 8 Macromedia Flash 8 Magic Word Converter Mail Movie Works Deluxe 6.1 Neo Office Preview Quick Time Player Safari Sound Studio Time Liner 5.0 Ultra Key 4.0 VLCWindows Media Player . 
Attempted Pod Casting . Alright , I had my Mac Book Pro ... I had my good USB headset ... I had notes on a yellow tablet ... I had Garage Band 3 all fired up and ready to podcast . Problem ? Yeah . I babble too much . A lot of " uhs " and " ahs " and that is not the quality of a podcast that I want . I don't want to do a bad podcast . Maybe doing things solo isn't such a good idea . A group podcast using Skype ( oh , free calls to Mexico from July 22 - 23,2006 ! ) to conference everyone ( who everyone is , I have not figured out ) , might be the way to go a la TWIT . I need to think this podcasting thing through a little better . Maybe 5 minutes is better than 30 ? 
UN Standards for Open Source . Hmm . UN Standards for open source software . Well , I guess I should have more faith in the UN to think things through than anyone else . Right ? RIGHT ? ! { not much of a post , I know , but I am just throwing this out there } . 
What a Mesh . Yeah , bad pun . Whatever . Mesh networks . Negroponte talked about them as the way the OLPC laptops will connect with each other . Shared broadband . The hype is great . Just piggyback from one router to the next until you get out onto the Internet . Sounds fantastic for basic surfing . Probably should have setup a mesh ( ad - hoc ? ) network at NECC in the Westin seeing as the Wi - Fi worked great downstairs , but was kludgey in upstairs . Anyway , I found this explanation about mesh network here and here . Then there are these guys who are helping to wire up US cities with mesh networks . Will fiber to the curb even be an issue in the future if we can grab the Internet out of the air like a radio station ? There is a debate about mesh technology and just how good it can be , but also its potential limitations ( left out of the three articles above ) as shown in this ongoing blog debate here . There are also debates about the best way to implement a mesh network , whether ad - hoc or structured . The OLPC actually touts an ad - hoc network structure to have students hook into the Internet . The laptops will have wireless broadband that , among other things , allows them to work as a mesh network ; each laptop will be able to talk to its nearest neighbors , creating an ad hoc , local area network . When these machines pop out of the box , they will make a mesh network of their own , peer - to - peer . This is something initially developed at MIT and the Media Lab . We are also exploring ways to connect them to the backbone of the Internet at very low cost . This could be scary and ugly if what I am reading about simple ad - hoc networks are true . I seem to remember Negroponte talking about a simple , portable , solar - powered repeater , but again , if it is simply ad - hoc the signal could degrade . Upon further digging into the OLPC site , I find no specific information about how the students will click into the Internet over miles of hops . It is MIT though , and maybe I should have faith that one of the premier technical institutes will work this through ... either that our lean on the India Institute of Technology to really find the answer . 
Fluff and no Stuff ( except Will Richardson ) . Just finally got around to reading Brazilians with tiny orange laptops vs . entertainment - addled game boyz and girlz ? by Bob Sipchen and was disappointed in the total lack of substance in this article . Here , Bob has an opportunity to delve into some of the controversy behind the OLPC and instead I get a grabber of an opening , four fluff paragraphs about the fluff vendor hall at NECC , followed up with unfocused ramblings that move from Ian Jukes , to the way kids pull info off the Internet , to Negroponte 's presentation that was covered in many newspapers , to spinning moral compasses , to conference rollings and the takes of Don Knezek and Will Richardson . Will is always good for a quote , but his was more of a stand on Web 2.0 and not the $ 100 laptop . Where the heck did this posting go ? It started out like a laser beam and finished up like the flash of a camera in a large arena . So , no stuff to this article . Makes me wonder why Lauer , or Jakes , or Jukes , or Richardson don't have space on the LA Times website and Sipchen does . 
The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat . In yet another sign that I might be getting older more quickly than I thought , I caught myself half - asleep - on - the - couch head - bopping to Lionel Richie and " Dancing On the Ceiling " during last night 's Philly July 4 th concert . My deterioration has gone from steady to rampaging ... I have been disgusted with myself since Monday night . I surprised everyone by actually showing up for poker night in Berwyn . I really need to get myself out more . When the host of an event says " Vince ! Oh My God ! I can't believe you came ! I mean , I ' m really glad to see you . But , wow ! " , it generates mixed feelings . On one hand , it feels good to be greeted warmly by your friends . On the other hand , it shows that you aren't getting out to see them nearly enough . I did myself no favors heading into the night 's poker action . I severely damaged myself with a lunchtime Burger King run , and followed that with a rushed ring bologna , potato salad and corn on the cob dinner . My stomach was a mess as I headed north on Rt . 202 , and it got worse as things went along . I started the night by winning a nice - sized pot , but I found it tougher and tougher to maintain my concentration and patience as my stomach rebelled against me . Failure to procure allergy medicine prompted a most nasty allergy attack that set in early in the night - which didn't help matters either . We played most of the night 11 - handed , $ 1 - $ 2 no - limit . A game that size no - limit requires patience and intelligent playing of position . I had three wild players on my left , and this hurt me throughout the night . As is the case with a no - limit game , I had up - and - down swings all night . I ' d be up $ 75 , and then lose $ 30 right back . I played very well for a lot of the night , but off - set my good play with some truly stupid decisions , including one that will stand out for a long time that cost me almost $ 40 . In fact , it might have been the worst hand of poker that I have ever played . I ended up buying in for $ 100 , and cashed out $ 50 for a minus - 50 night . I will do better next time I play with those guys . I will say it was worth $ 50 to see everyone on Monday night . Sometimes you don't realize how much you miss people until you are around them again . As I wrote in my last entry , I was locked - in for yesterday 's Italy - Germany World Cup semi - final . There were many times during the contest that it looked like I would be on the wrong end of the result ( and my bet with Herr Maert ) , but Italy scored twice in the final minutes of the second overtime , and exultation exploded across Italy and the Blando living room . After I calmed down my shrieking and blasting of the Italian national anthem , some guilt crept in . Here I was , on the 4 th of July , wildly celebrating a goal scored by the national team representing a country I had never stepped foot in . I felt very much like a poseur . My father is from Italy , and I grew up watching the games with him , cheering on the blue - clad Italian national team , and rooting for Napoli in the Italian Serie A . I am proud of my Italian heritage , but I have never truly immersed myself in it - I never studied the language , and I have never visited my Father 's homeland . Let it be said that I am newly motivated . I WILL visit Italy . Once we get caught up on some finances , I am going to start putting money away so I can see my Dad 's hometown , and as much of the middle - to - south of the country I can . I will climb Mt . Vesuvius as my Father did when he was a boy , and I will visit Naples and Rome . I will attempt to time my visit so I can attend a Napoli soccer match ( that is , if they have climbed back into Serie A by then ) . [ Currently Listening : Cyrkle - " Red Rubber Ball " ] . 
E , cominci ! While I am the first to admit that I have serious problems with our current governmental system , I am very much an American patriot . You do not have to support every decision made by the people running the country in order to love your homeland . I am an American , and proud to be one . So , Happy Birthday America ! Here 's hoping the next year brings you closer to what the Founding Fathers had in mind when you were born , instead of the rich - get - richer society subjugated by Big - Business and a " culture " dominated by the comings and goings of celebrities . As most of you know , my father is from Torre Annuziata , Italy , and while I have never been to my father 's homeland ( at least not yet ) , I am very proud of my Italian heritage . The highlight of my 4 th of July holiday will not be fireworks , beer or a cookout - but the FIFA World Cup semifinal match between Italy and Germany . My parents and niece will be coming over tomorrow around 2 , and while the girls will most likely go up to the pool , I will be riveted to the television with my Dad , rooting like crazy for the Azzurri . Making the game even more exciting is a bet I have going with my uber - good friend of German descent , Herr Maert . He floated the idea of putting national team jerseys on the line for the game . If Italy wins , he has to buy me an XXL Italy jersey , and I will buy him a Germany jersey if they win . This might go down as one of my poorer sports betting decisions , as the Germans ( with homefield advantage ) are heavily favored . I mis - read one online betting house I visited this morning on which I interpreted Italy as a 1.5 - to - 1 favorite , temporarily alleviating my fear that I might be on the wrong side of the odds . Oops . And , begin ! The " holiday " weekend was okay on my end . Friday night I played the card game " a $$ hole " for the first time in ages . My reputation as a beer pong player is legendary , but my prowess at the a $$ hole table is equally potent . I am a vicious bastard when I play that game . I doubt my neighbors will play with me anymore after Friday night . I was very cocky and mean , after quickly ascending from the bottom spot after joining the game late - as I was rocking the baby to sleep . Playing again made me nostalgic for the 7749 and " Westgate " Eras . A $$ hole was a staple of our weekends back then , especially when a lot of our crew lived at Westgate . We ' d play for a few hours , walk across the street to Maddie 's , stay there for a couple hours , come back and play some more . Always a great time . Speaking of cards and the old Westgate crew , I am very eager for tonight 's card game in Berwyn . I haven't played in a little while , and I ' m looking forward to sitting down and seeing what I can do . More importantly , I am looking forward to seeing some very good friends that I haven't been able to spend much time with over the last couple of years . I am thankful that I still get invited to card games , and that they haven't written me out of the will ( or the fantasy football league ) yet . [ Currently Listening - Neil Diamond - " Cracklin ' Rosie " ] . 
Going to California ... Hmmmm .... What else is new . I really have nothing new to say . I just wanted to post something so that my birthday post went away ! Kinda white trash to leave that up when my birthday has come and long gone . I just got back from California . My best friend got married in Sacramento , Calif. I was the best man ... in more ways than one ( if you know what I mean . And , if you do let me know because I don't ! ) . I had a good time ... catching up with him and his family . I ' m really glad I was invited and was really happy that I got to go . I finally started sprucing up my moutain bike . My brother - in - law tripped it out with new handlebars , breaks and a rear derailer . But , my doting girlfriend got me some clipless pedals . I had never used them before and have spent the last couple days trying to learn how not to fall on my ass ! Needless to say , it must have been an entertaining show for the people who had a view of the quad I was practicing . I also got new shoes to go with my pedals . Ooop ... Family Guy is on TBS . Must be entertained ... Peace out ! PS - Only 22 days until The Simpsons : Season 8 comes out !!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
Happy Birthday !! That is a picture of the flower cake my wonderful girlfriend sent me today ... TODAY IS THE 10 - YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF MY 21 st BIRTHDAY !!! Happy birthday to me Happy birthday to me Happy birthday to me Happy birthday to me ( editor 's note : sung to the tune of " Happy Birthday " ) Here 's what other magical things happened on July 17 ! And , if you 're into the whole entertainment mumbo jumbo ... here are some famous things that happened again on this magical day ! Have a good day ... only 28 days until the DVD Release of The Simpsons : Season 8 . 
Happy Bastille Day !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Bastille Day to my French friends ( I don't have any ) . Bastille Day is actually a funny thing ... the liberation of its prisoners in 1789 by revolutionaries began the French Revolution . But , it was practiacally empty . A mere seven people were imprisioned ! Imagine 100 's of people storming a prison to liberate all these wrongfully jailed people ... and there 's only seven there ! Ha , ha , ha ! Speaking of France .... vive le Tour de France . American Floyd Landis still dons the maillot jaune . U - S - A , U - S - A !!! One of my co - workers lost her husband to Cancer on July 11 . The funeral was today ( July 14 ) . I went . So , that was my second funeral ever and I don't think I ' m going to do that anymore . That 's just some sad stuff . I say no more dying . I haven't thought about the logistics of eternal life ... and the drag it will be on economic and natural rescouces . I mean , a lot of people are employed because of the whole " death industry . " So , all you all that read this ... no dying because I sure as hell am not going to another funeral ! But , you all are invited to mine and mandated to attend ! = ) God willing , that 's still a number of years away ! I finally got to go out mountain biking today .... after an unsettling two week hiatus . My " in - shapeness " hadn't deteriorated as much as I thought . I ' m still really liking the whole mountain biking thing . When you 're in shape and finally get the hang of it ... it 's actually quite a rush ! I like it . Hmmmm ... what else .... my birthday is in three days . That 's pretty exciting .... to me . 
Vegas , baby ! Vegas ! Hello everyone . I made it through the weekend in Las Vegas . It was my best friend 's bachelor party and we all rented a house in one of the ' burbs and spent our evening on the strip . I know y ' all are like , " Bust out some pictures , man , " but I was not the trip historian . So , I took no holiday snaps ! And if you think I was the locus of exciting doings .... well , I wasn't . I was merely an innocent bystander just tagging along for the ride !! It was awesome seeing my best friend . We ' ve known each other for a mere 26 years ! The one thing I enjoyed was one of the people we hung out with was a government spook ! Good thing I decided to pay my taxes last April , eh ? ! While he didn't speak about specifics , it was interesting to hear the things he could talk about . It certainly made my job look mundane ... Some good news ! My girlfriend is getting out of the hospital after nine months in there . She 's been fighting cancer and completed her chemo treatments while I was in the City that Never Sleeps . When I was in Boise , Idaho , over the Fourth of July , my brother - in - law saw someone wearing a cool shirt that said , " Beat Cancer ? Hell , I kicked its ass ! " I thought it was appropriate . Anyhoo , I ' m very proud of my girl ... and am anxious to get busy livin ' life with her ... Speaking of girlfriend , I have to thank her for figuring out how to get a pic on my profile . Some bad news . My last post I was talking about how me and my girlfriend were gonna get a dog and name him / her Premysl . I found out that I have to name him / her Oscar . PS - Only 36 days until The Simpsons : Season Eight is released on DVD !!! Yeah , I can't wait either !!! 
Puppy Love ... So , here 's a picture of my two favorite pups . The one on top is Brit and the one on the bottom ( looking half - dead ) is Sasha . They 're vizslas ! I love vizslas . Had two growing up ... Fritz ( who died of cancer in 1985 at three years old ) and Whiskey ( who died of old age in 1996 ) . I ' m looking forward to getting a house with Ms. Humble and getting me a vizsla . I wanna name him Premysl ( pronounced : Preh - mish - elle ) . I got the name from the Austro - Hungary history class I took at Colorado State ( I know ... snore ! ) . Wenceslas Premysl is the patron saint of the Czech Republic and was one of the first enlightened despots . This same despot was also the inspiration for the Christmas Carol " Good King Wenceslas . " While I have Prague on my mind ... if you don't like your government , throw them out the window on to a huge stinkin ' pile of CRAP ! Ha , ha , ha !!! This event perhaps rates as one of my favorite in history . Anyhoo , those are my sister 's vizslas ... I was visiting her over the Fourth of July holiday . It 's nice to get out of the Mormon stronghold every once in a while and get normal - strength beer ! I was very happy with my Fourth of July trip . My brother - in - law took me on a couple of good mountain bike rides .... effectively whipping my ass in to A LOT better shape . I finally figured out why I got into mountain biking . Took long enough but now it doesn't kick my ass anymore ! Well , I haven't seen anything worthy of a WTF nod this week , sadly . But , it is only Wednesday . And , I am heading to Vegas for my best friend 's bachelor party . To quote Vince Vaughn in " Swingers " ... " Vegas , Baby ! Vegas ! " I ' m sure Vegas will be full of WTF 's ? In fact , I know it is . The fact that I ' m making my fourth trip there this year is a WTF moment in and of itself . Well , I ' m gonna log off here ... but before I off .. I ' d like to welcome my mom to the blog portion of the information superhighway . Her slice of internet is right here ! PS - if my mom is a DAR - ling .... does that make me a SAR - ling ? Methinks that 's a question without an answer like , " What 's the sound of one hand clapping ? " . 
So far , so good ... I ' m on day three of owning a blog and so far , so good . I haven't crashed the Internet and no government spooks showed up at my door . Sorry that my blog isn't aesthetically pleasing just quite yet . I ' m still trying to build upon my basic knowledge of HTML programming so that I can add pictures and whatnot . I haven't really seen anything for my " WTF Moment of the Week " nod . Although , the story on cnn . com about Rush Limbaugh smuggling Viagra was the Web site 's most popular story on Tuesday . That is a good front - runner for a WTF acknowledgement . I didn't know that ultra - right - wing Republicans had " casual carnal relations " ... so I ' m wondering what Rush was doing with all those Viagra pills ! Maybe ultra - right - wing Repbulicans do have " casual carnal relations " but living in Utah , all I hear is the WWJD - CTR . I ' m pretty sure that if you apply that little acronymn to casual sex , it means " relations for procreation only . " See ... CTR is a Utah thing . It stands for " Choose the Right . " Now , I haven't decided if that 's a " good - evil " reference or a political statement . Methinks that while it means " choose to do good " , me also thinks that the subliminal message is to " choose the far right of the political spectrum . " I mean , Utah is , afterall , an EXTREMELY red state . Well , as I said earlier .... no government spooks have shown up at my door ... but I ' m sure the religious majority in Utah will draft a " cease and decist " order and send hired goons to rough me up over questioning the whole " CTR " thing . At any point , why Rush 's sex life was the No. 1 story on cnn . com is dissapointing to me . I mean , there are people losing their homes to flood in DC and Pa. , and Hamas recognized Isreal ( on some diplomatic level ) yet more people were interested in Rush smuggling / ingesting pills so he could get his little soldier to salute on command !!! Ugh ! 
Hello world ! So , I have decided to try and venture into the blogging world .... with the hopes that it 's a succussful one ! I ' d like to begin with my " WTF Moment of the Week . " Now , it happened last week but it still irks me .... and since I didn't have a blog back then , I thought I ' d share it : So , those of you who live in the Beehive State and are avid hockey fans may have been dissapointed two Saturdays ago when they sat down to watch game 6 of the Stanley Cup 's Oilers v. Hurricanes . The idiots who run the NBC affiliate here decided to show Real Salt Lake ( MLS ) play at Houston in hockey 's stead ... now RSL is like 3 - 6 - 1 . The only reason they 're not the worst team in the league is because the Cheevas own that dubious distinction . I was so happy to watch a meaningless regular - season MLS game when the Stanley Cup was on the line !!! What sucks is that the quick - thinking , oh - so - intelligent management at said local affiliate didn't make arrangements to show the hockey game on a different outlet . The only thing that would ' ve made it worse is if the same station opted out of the Stanley Cup to show General Conference .... but I ' m sure that day 's in the not - too - distant future !! 
Exodus from Michigan Medical School ? I just got an email from Uof M saying that four deans , Allen Lichter , Daniel Remick , Maya Hammoud , and Brian Zink , all recently left the school for other positions . The letter assures us that they have " over 1800 remaining faculty " committed to my education . Makes me wonder who they ' ll bring in as the new dean and if they 're as committed as they should be to keeping this a top - notch research institution . 
Michigan Medical Schools Joke ( warning : joke is not that funny ) . This was told to me by one of my physicians who went to Michigan State when I told him I was going to Medical school at Uof M. There are 3 med schools in Michican -- Michigan , Michigan State , and Wayne State . A patient walks into the doctors ' office presenting with a rare condition . The first doctor , who graduated from Michigan says , " Well , I ' ve never seen this condition before but I ' ve read a number of articles on it , and I did some research on something similar when I was in school . " The second doctor , who graduated from Wayne State says , " Well , I ' ve never researched this and I don't know what the current literature says , but I ' ve actually seen a couple of cases of this . " The third doctor , from Michigan State says , " I ' ve never seen this before and I don't know of any research on the topic , but I can tell you how the patient probably feels . " Get it ? See , because Michigan is known for its research , State for its primary care , and ... oh , never mind . 
" The higher the gas prices , the more profits we should make , right ? " . In the times of high gas prices , Exxon Mobil is apparently keeping its profit margins even higher . Exxon today posted near record profits . I like this gem from the above linked article : But the industry has said that oil prices fluctuate widely over time and that , over the long run , its actually less profitable that several other sectors . Update : That 's the second largest quarterly profit by a publicly traded American company ever . It 's up 40 % over same time last year . 
A little puzzle 4 U . Jody belongs to a a group called SCBWI , which is some sort of authors of children 's books group . They 're having a conference in October called " SCBWI Solves the Mystery of Writing and Illustrating for Children " . The whole conference has a big mystery theme to it . Today Jody received the brochure for the conference that was titled " Featuring the Case of the Missing National Executive Director . " I guess during the course of the conference they 're going to to have people solve clues and figure something out . And the brochure had the first clue in the form of a puzzle . So Jody asked me to help her work on it -- it 's basically a cryptogram with a few oddities . I ' ll give you the exact text of the brochure . In the comments section , I ' ll give you two hints in comment 1 and the solution in comment 2 . So , don't look at the comments until you think you ' ve solved it . Or if you hate puzzles you can just go straight there . " We need all of the detectives we can get for this fall 's conference . Solve the following message to get your first clue . Look for more clues at the conference ! AGD QJQOGFUHQ PUDQOFAD VME NQQZ WUPZMBBQP . TQXB GE RUZP FTQ AKEFQDK EB QMWQD . K " . 
Google coming to Ann Arbor . Which will be great to make Ann Arbor more of a high tech area and great for jobs in Michigan in general . Google is planning on bringing in 1000 jobs in their Adwords division . If anyone I know at Google is moving to Ann Arbor , let me know . Two sites proposed are south of Briarwood Mall near the municipal airport or up by Domino 's Farms off of Plymouth . Google has stated a desire for something in downtown . 
How do you say " have a nice day " in Norse ? Norway , with all of its wealth from oil exporting , is trying to find ways to invest its huge pension fund . They divested over $ 400 M worth of Walmart funds citing " serious and systematic " labor violations . Walmart stock fell on the news . 
As Andrew Sullivan Says , King George Watch . The Republican senator from Pennsylvania , Arlen Specter , prepares to introduce a bill allowing congress to sue Bush over his use of signing statements ( giving him wiggle room around laws he signs , such as the anti - torture amendment ) . These same statements that the ABA called unconstitutional in yesterday 's news . 
Well , now I know what I ' m doing this summer . The new movie from Broken Lizard , the comedy team that brought us the astoundingly good " Super Troopers " and the astoundingly mediocre other movie . 
Southern Belle Syndrome . " Dear Diary , today is day six of my strange malaise , this light - headed weakness that afflicts me ever so terribly . I feel as if I could just die . Oh , and that Rhett is such a terrible ass. " Meena calls my dizziness my Southern Belle Syndrome as if I ' m about to place the back of my hand on my head and swoon over . So , I went to see the doctor today as this thing isn't getting any better . Before I went I looked up dizziness on Web MD . It turns out there 's two types of dizzy -- vertigo , where the world spins around , and pre - syncope ( or light - headedness ) . I have the latter . According to the interweb this can be caused by any number of things -- stress , depressions , shortness of breath , low blood pressure , vitamin deficiency , and viruses . Basically anything . I took the girls with me to the doctor as Jody is at work . After waiting a few minutes the nurse took my blood pressure and then I saw the young Dr. Lim who asked me a few questions and then basically told me , You 're young , you 're healthy , you have no other symptoms , I don't think there 's anything else we need to do for you right now . He said to come back in a week or so if it gets worse . I asked him what I do if in a week it 's exactly the same . He said that in all likelihood he wouldn't do anything then anyway . This sounds like the beginning of one of those stories that old people tell where someone has a rare and terrible disease that the first six doctors miss until some wise specialist hits on the right answer but by then it 's too late . Don't be surprised if I turn up with a brain tumor . Either that or this new corset is too tight . 
Oxfam urges changes in the way food aid is distributed . While emergency spending by donor nations has gone up for developing nations , the amount invested in agricultural production has actually dropped 43 % . The report argues that food aid - led emergency interventions are often only a partial solution , and that increased long - term support of agriculture , infrastructure , and social safety nets in vulnerable countries is vital .... Conflict , HIV and climate change compound Africa s food crises : * Africa s conflicts are the cause of more than half the continent s food crises . The current situation in Darfur , where 3.4 m people are dependant on food aid , is a classic example of the devastating humanitarian emergency that conflict creates . * HIV / AIDS is exacting a terrifying toll on one of Africa s key resources for food production people . By 2020 a fifth of the agricultural workforce in Southern African countries will have been claimed by AIDS . [ Josh : emphasis mine ] * Climate change is wreaking havoc on the livelihoods of small landholders and nomadic pastoralists in Africa . Researchers predict that about 60 m more Africans will be at risk of hunger by the 2080 s because of a rise in global temperatures . Oxfam suggests the following steps to improve the situation : # Donor governments , particularly the US , must re - examine their food aid policy , untie their contributions , and look to increase the proportion of locally purchased food . They must also ensure interventions work more to support livelihoods of those most at risk . # African governments should adhere to the commitments made at the 2003 African Union summit for national governments to increase agricultural spending to 10 % of budgets . Governments should also establish long - term social protection schemes for people affected by chronic food insecurity and make available resources for a predictable need . # Aid agencies , donors , UN and governments should increase their use of innovative alternatives to food aid such as cash - based programming to ensure that Africa s poor are given more sustainable and flexible assistance . 
Abbott is refusing new AIDS drugs to developing nations . A newer version of the AIDS drug produced by Abbott Labs requires fewer pills and no refrigeration ( a huge advantage in tropical countries ) because it appears that the old drugs make them more money . Quotes from this article : However , Abbott refuses to sell the drug to MSF for use in its programmes in Thailand and Guatemala and has dragged its feet with registering it in developing countries . The result is that the new formulation of lopinavir / ritonavir remains unavailable and unaffordable for the vast majority of patients who need it .... " Instead , Abbott says we can make do with the older drug that is no longer even on the US market , but this is clearly a second - best product and it is sold here at a price that is anyway not affordable . By limiting its $ 500 price to the poorest of developing countries , Abbott is adopting a policy that deliberately excludes people living with HIV / AIDS in other developing countries . " ... In Thailand , Abbott charges at least $ 2,800 for the old version of lopinavir / ritonavir , which means that it costs roughly ten times more to treat a patient who needs to be switched to a second - line regimen containing this drug . 
Still a go for my vacation . Concerned with the level of unrest in Oaxaca this past few days I called the American embassy in the city . I asked the guy who answered if I should be concerned about being down there right now , if there were any roads closed , etc. He told me that it 's relatively calm right now and that most activity is confined to the Zocalo ( city center area ) . When I told him that I would be staying at the Hotel Monte Alban , which is located right on the Zocalo he said that the main thing I would have to worry about is the inconvenience of stepping over people . Apparently there are thousands of strikers literally camping out on the streets and in the square . I moved my reservations to be a little further out . So , we have a fun week planned looking at ruins , eating lots of Mexican food , doing a little shopping . We 're planning a few - day excursion over to the Pacific coastal town of Huatulco . Although I don't remember it that well we used to go down to the beach when we lived there when I was younger . You used to be able to rent a hammock under a shelter right on the beach . They would make a fire and cook fish up for you right there and serve it to you with the head on . I ' m told we would have to go poop in the bamboo grove . We might opt for indoor plumbing this time . 
Escuela m dica . Brian passed me this link to this article about poor American students who go to medical school in Cuba . Castro specifically set the program up with the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus to educate inner city U.S. students who could not otherwise afford to go to medical school . Students accepted into this program violate U.S. travel bans to Cuba . But they receive free tuition , room , and board ( such as it is ) . In return they commit to working in underserved populations back in the U.S. Select quote : Medicine has long been Castro 's most effective foreign policy tool . According to Cuba 's foreign ministry , this year alone Cuba is training 20,000 foreigners to be doctors , nurses and dentists , most free of charge . More than 2,500 Cuban doctors are treating earthquake victims in remote parts of Pakistan . In the past two years , the ministry says , Cuban specialists have performed eye surgery on 209,103 foreigners , including 157,000 from Venezuela , whose leftist president has forged close ties to Castro and sells Cuba cheap oil . Thompson mentioned that some areas of his district in northwestern Mississippi were woefully underserved by doctors , and he remembers Castro saying : " We would love to help you address some of those inequities . If the Black Caucus can identify students who are willing to come and attend medical school , we make that offer free of charge . " Soon afterward , Castro announced he was offering up to 500 scholarships for American students who were committed to serving impoverished U.S. communities but were unable to afford medical school . The article profiles one American student named Melissa who is going through the program . What struck me about her circumstances was the prohibitive expense even of applying to these schools , something I thought as I was making my rounds . I ' m fortunate to have had a job to pay for this . At her high school in Houston , Melissa loaded up on as many science courses as possible . She won a full scholarship to Howard , where she graduated as a premed student with a 3.2 grade - point average . She ' d saved $ 1,600 from a part - time job at Howard to pay for the Medical College Admission Test and a prep course . The prep course turned out to be a study in disillusionment . " They recommended we apply to no less than 14 schools , and each school application costs at least $ 200 . I ' d just spent two years saving the $ 1,600 , and now I need another $ 2,800 just to apply to schools ? Then , if you 're lucky and a school calls you , you have to fly there and stay in a hotel . They even had the finite details about what to wear , and you ' d have to buy a business suit , and everything was more money and more money and more money , and even then maybe you wouldn't get in . " . 
Do you think this will change anything ? A bipartisan panel from the American Bar Association criticizes Bush for ignoring parts of bills he signs ( including the ban on torture ) with the use of more " signing statements " than all other presidents combined . In doing so , he is ignoring constitutionally mandated checks and balances . 
A little something silly . It 's Sunday afternoon , and I ' ve been working most of the day on a white paper for work . So , as a diversion , here 's a silly poem by ee cummings . the way to hump a cow is notby ee cummingsthe way to hump a cow is notto get yourself a stoolbut draw a line around the spotand call it beautifoolto multiply because and whydividing thens by nowsand adding and ( i understand ) is hows to hump a cowsthe way to hump a cow is notto elevate your toolbut drop a penny in the slotand bellow like a boolto lay a wreath from ancient greathon insulated brows ( while tossing boms at uncle tomsis hows to hump a cowsthe way to hump a cow is notto push and then to pullbut practicing the art of swotto preach the golden rullto vote for me ( all decent memand wonens will allowswhich if they don't to hell with them ) is hows to hump a cows . 
" War on Terrorble Diseases " . Jon Stewart slams the Bush stem - cell research veto here . The best part is when he shows the clip of Bush saying something to the effect that every life is important , every human being counts . Then Stewart cuts to a different clip where a reporter asks Bush how many civilians have died in Iraq so far and Bush says , " Oh around thirty thousand , more or less . " . 
How about an i Pod 5 to get the day started ? I slept for 11 hours last night . My dizziness is gone , and I feel great . How about an i Pod 5 to get my day started .5 at random from my i Pod : " Il Barbiere Di Siviglia " , by Rossini " Down To the River To Pray " , by Alison Krauss ( from the O Brother , Where Art Thou soundtrack ) " International Bright Young Thing , " by Jesus Jones " New Amsterdam " , by Elvis Costello the Attractions " Mi Sentimiento " , by Manitas De Plata . 
More CO 2 means more plants . It 's a good thing . Yeah , that 's the ticket ... Mom the other day asked if I believe in global warming , which seems to me like asking if I believe in Canada or in voles . I think what she meant to ask is whether I believe that global warming is caused by human activity , which I do believe is beyond reasonable debate . I think Mom ( and a lot of other Christians ) believe that we 're living in the end times . She 's said as much and I ' ve heard the same from others . But here 's my question -- and I ' m going to try to be careful how I ask this because I ' m not trying to ridicule , but I ' m sincere in asking : if you 're a Christian and you believe that you 're living in the end times and that the world 's about to end ( as evidenced by wars , famines , and terrible natural disasters ) , and if as a Christian the end times mean that you 're closer to eternal bliss , do you do anything to change the state of the world ? Seriously . Do you stop driving gas - guzzling SUVs that contribute disproportionately to global warming ? Do you vote for politicians who will fight for scaling back on pollution or developing alternative engergy sources ? Do you work ( or vote for representatives who will work ) to end violence in the Mideast ? Or do you pretty much live as if there 's not many more tomorrows ? See , this is what scares me -- as a person who doesn't believe in the end times , and as a person who does believe that how I live my life has long - lasting consequences on the welfare of the world , I get nervous that our country is being led by the kind of Christian who just may believe that we don't need to make a strategy to take us beyond this generation or the next . Please , someone , disabuse me of this belief . Update : Re - reading this post , it sounds maybe a little harsher than I meant . Sorry . It was late , and I was beyond tired . Let 's just move on . 
Sleep Deprivation . I just finished watching Dick Linklater 's most recent move , A Scanner Darkly with the Kramarts and Meena . The movie was based on a Philip K . Dick story about a dystopian future where drugs are the prominent part of life ( yes , the only reason I typed this sentence was to use the word " dystopian " ) . The most interesting part of the movie to me was the style . The movie was filmed with live actors but the frames of film were painted over by hand . So , it looks animated but with realistic people . This technique is used in a series of commercials hawking some sort of financial services . You may have seen them . The first time I saw this technique was in Waking Life , a very good movie that explored the nature of consciousness and dreams . I was telling Krameda tonight that it 's the kind of movie that captures those coffee - shop , pot - induced conversations you had when you were in college . I meant it as a recommendation . Anyway , this film technique is successful in presenting a realistic subject in a disjointed style , which was fitting for a drug movie or a dream movie . My problem is I can't handle extended dream sequences , drug trips , or crazy - person point of view in a movie . I mean , it 's okay as a device , but to make a whole movie about it just makes me mad . And I ' m not a traditionalist when it comes to story - telling techniques . I don't mind disjointed time or point - of - view styles . I just don't like disjointedness for its own sake , and that 's what this movie felt like to me . The bummer was that the movie had an interesting plot ; it just felt like they crammed the plot into 20 minutes at the end of a 70 minute drug ride . Still , the movie resonated with me strangely tonight . I wrote before that I ' ve been having dizzy spells recently , and tonight they were worse . I thought I was getting the flu or something , and I may be , but I think it 's actually exhaustion . Right now the clock in my computer says 1:54 AM , but that 's not the time where I ' m at right now . I still have another hour to wait for my flight , four and a half hours on the plane , and then I arrive in Detroit at 7:30 AM ready to start the day . I ' m glad to be finishing this because I don't think I can keep this pace up much longer . The most interesting thing about being sleep deprived is how my priorities change . The first thing I lose is the ability to care what other people around me think . I don't care if I cut them off in traffic or I ' m rude to them in line . I don't care that I think the guy behind me is reading this over my shoulder ( yeah , you , asshat ) . I don't care when the smelly guy next to me is complaining about all the travel he 's been doing and the flight delays he 's had . I wonder if this is what it 's like to be a crazy person . Update : Huh , I just looked up Waking Life and learned that this was also directed by Linklater . No wonder the styles were similar / identical . I wonder if he 's the first to use it . 
Vacation next Thursday . We 're planning on traveling to Oaxaca , Mexico next Thursday for vacation . Erik points out what a terrific travel destination this is because of the riots and the civil unrest going on right now . If I get kidnapped , someone please pay the ransom . 
Too tired to blog . I ' m too tired to do a post this morning . Besides the time zone difference , which wakes me up out in California at 4:30 AM , I think I ' m sick . I don't feel naseous at all , but I ' ve been getting dizzy spells for the past 2 - 3 days . Meena says it 's because I ' m getting so tall . Plus , last night , we went down to Dan & Jordan 's and drank some beer , so I ' m a little out of it from that . We were going to play Karaoke Revolution , and I was going to wow everyone with my rendition of Janis Joplin 's " Bobby Mc Gee " , but Meena couldn't get the machine to work . So we just sat around all night watching Meena take the disk out and put it back in ( literally for 3 hours ) . And I ' m too tired to blog about how Dan pulled a classic Krameda move when he looked at his watch to check what time it was and spilled the drink he was holding in his watch - hand all over his pants . Just like old times . 
Celebrity sighting in Arkansas ? Okay , here 's the story . When Meena and I were last in Bentonville we were hanging out in the town square waiting for our flight and we saw a couple of dudes ( not in the cowboy sense ) who looked totally out of place . There were four guys , three totally grunged out -- wearing black , tattoos , long greasy hair , one was smoking a stumpy and fat cigar -- and the fourth had long hair but was wearing a button - down shirt . Meena and I were cracking up at these guys , who we considered locals who were trying to be rebels . But we kept making fun of their posturing . Well , we later saw them at the airport when we were catching our flights . We passed them unloading a van and getting ready to go on their own flight . We also see them in the airport where one gets into an argument with a TSA guy ( these rockers like sticking it to the Man ) . And Meena says she saw someone come up and greet them as if they were celebrities . Okay , here 's the thing -- sounds totally like a band , right ? We think so ( and shirt - guy was the manager ) , but the equipment they were unloading didn't look like band equipment . It looked more like photography equipment , and the manager guy was carrying some sort of camera bag . Anyway , here 's the mystery : if these guys were celebs , find out who they were . This was the week after July 4 , and this airport serves Bentonville , Fayetteville , and Rogers , Arkansas . The guys were all white and looked to be in their 40 s ( a washed - up band if anything ) . I looked for music schedules for Northwest Arkansas on Google and found some stuff , but nothing about these dudes . 
Bush vetoes stem - cell bill . I ' m sitting in the airport waiting to board my plane to San Francisco . I ' m watching on the airport CNN how Bush has just vetoed the stem cell bill . Man , that pisses me off in so many ways . I don't even know where to start . Okay , how about this -- he uses his first veto in five years on a bill that would advance scientific research . He 's never once blocked a spending bill before , but now he thinks he 's making a moral stand . That 's the other thing . He 's saying things like , " This is crossing a moral boundary ... " or " I will not allow American taxpayers to pay for the destruction of human embryos . " Don't you think this is a little ironic from the man who started a war which has cost tens of thousands of civilian lives and who presided over how many executions as governor of Texas . And then there 's the whole absurdity of the situation . The birth control pill can cause destruction of a viable embryo for crying out loud . As a matter of fact you can argue ( and I ' ve seen it argued in a medical journal ) that the rhythm method causes destructions of embryos by reducing the chances of implantation in the uterus as well . So , not only are potential medical and scientific breakthroughs delayed because of his misplaced fit of morals , but now we 're also depriving the country of a thriving biomedical industry . I can see the brain drain starting . How can this president be so wrong on every single issue ? 
Before / After Pictures of Josh ( quiz at the end ) . A while ago when I was testing out search engines ( see my post on Yahoo ! vs . Google ) , I discovered the only picture of me on the internet . This was taken about 9 years ago when I was working at Oracle in Redwood Shores , CA . Well , obviously a lot has changed since then . Here 's the quiz for those of you who know me in person . Find six things that have changed between then an now ( no peeking until you 're done ) . Ready ? Okay , let 's see how you did : In this picture , I don't have the excess kidney fat that I have today , which some people cruelly call " love handles . I no longer shop at the House of Denim ( cred to Eugie - bear ) . Shaved the beard long ago . I no longer wear Joseph Mc Carthey - style glasses . My state of mind is much improved now that I ' m no longer working in that cesspool of a company . I hated that place . Here 's two representative stories . 1 . When I first joined Oracle , I had to sit through orientation . I was in a room with about 30 other neophytes when the lights were dimmed and a large projections screen descended from the ceiling . The flickering image of Larry Ellison soon appeared just like that hologram of the emperor appearing to Darth Vader . He began telling us about how gold and silver no longer mattered , how the number one asset in the new millenium will be information . And because Oracle would control information , we would be the most powerful entity in the world ( and , thus , he would be the most powerful man ) . I ' m not sure , but I think I may have signed away rights to my firstborn . 2 . Way back in 1998 when I was there , Oracle was planning on releasing something they called the network computer which was basically a light computer with very little processing or memory . All of the memory would be on huge , Oracle - controlled servers on the internet . This was a big deal to the company . They came out with a marketing campaign that had 4 major selling points which they wanted every employee to memorize . They printed up t - shirts , fliers , mousepads , and everything . HR would even call up random people at their cubicle and ask them what point # 3 or point # 1 was , and you were supposed to know it . Anyway , the idea bombed , and a month later , no mention was ever made of it . I ' m at least half an inch taller than in this picture . 
Besides spiders and Gary Busey , I mean . You know what scares me ? Have you ever seen that movie The Trigger Effect with Kyle Mac Lachlan ( he of the prominent chin ) ? In this movie Mac Lachlan plays a typical suburbanite in LA or somewhere with his wife and little baby . The power goes out for a few days and the whole city slides into chaos . It 's based on a Twilight Zone episode called " The Monsters are Due on Maple Street . " In the movie , Mac Lachlan has to go to a grocery store to get his baby some medicine , but no one can ring him up and people are looting , and his baby is crying ... so , he steals the medicine . And after a few more things happen , a suspicious person ends up getting shot on his quiet little cul - de - sac in the ' burbs for no other reason than looking suspicious . When the cop comes out Mac Lachlan asks , How are things going out there ? and the cop says , Out where ? Anyway , I ' ve seen the movie and the Zone episode , and they both scare the bujeezus out of me . However you want to label that -- mob violence , mass hysteria -- it basically amounts to a breakdown of civilization , or at the least , society . And here 's the problem , here 's why it probably scares me more than most people -- I think it 's a distinct possibility . First off , in a major catastrophe , I wouldn't trust my fellow human being further than I could loot them . Secondly , I think that there are many paths to that state . I mean look around us . We have terrorists , global warming , ever - deadlier natural storms , massive heat waves , the Bush administration . I was reading a scientific article the other day that was saying that if the ice caps melt a certain amount the salinity of the oceans could change just enough to start reflecting more sunlight back into the atmosphere and trigger a whole new ice age . Really , how do you think people are going to start treating other people once there 's shortages of food , medicine , money , shelter ? Exactly . They 're going to treat them the same way they do today . Have you been to a ghetto in Detroit recently ? Do you remember how it was in New Orleans during Katrina ? It 's going to be every man for himself . And really , if it were just me , I think I could survive an apocalypse . I ' d wander around the waste having adventures just like the six - string samurai . But I ' ve got a family , and I think about how it would be if I couldn't get enough food or care for them . I really do . These things occupy my thoughts . Which is why I ' ve planned my life for this kind of occasion . Remember in Dr. Strangelove when a nuclear disaster is imminent , what do they do ? Or in that movie where Morgan Freeman is president and the asteroid is about to hit the earth ? That 's right , they select a representative sample of people to move them into caves to survive and to propagate the species . Well , every decision I make I ask myself , Is this going to increase my chances of making it into the cave or decrease my chances ? Really . What kinds of people do you think they 're going to put in the caves -- scientists , leaders , artists , doctors . Most importantly , they 're going to pick people who can breed . This was the main reason I decided to switch careers . I mean , really , if they 're going down the cave - candidate list and they get to a taxonomist do you think they ' d even consider me ? Not likely . But , I have proven I can breed , and I ' ll also be a doctor . I just have to round it out by publishing a novel . I ' m not kidding . 
Jody and I must have been doing it the hard way . A government study reported by the Washington Post has found that " abstinence only " programs are misleading and sometimes outright lying to students . The report studied 13 curricula and found that 11 of the 13 contained false or misleading information , including these gems : genital touching can lead to pregnancyhalf of the gay male teenagers tested have tested positive for HIVabortion can lead to sterility and suicide HIV can be spread through sweat and tears . 
Euthanasia during Katrina . Three medical workers were arrested Monday for allegedly euthanizing patients duing Katrina . Forget the whole question of euthenasia in general ( although , I think we could stand to revisit it again ) , I would have a hard time putting myself in the position of those doctors who were working in unbearable heat with no electricity and food running low . Remember , there were reports of snipers and looters and there was no government response for , what , 4 days ? Anyway , I can't unilaterally condemn those doctors , who are usually by nature compassionate people . If I were in their shoes , I don't know what I would have done . I think that a merciful death may sometimes be more humane than keeping a person alive . 
David Berkowitz vs . Bob Cobol . This website ( sent to me from Dunka G this morning ) tests whether you can tell the difference between serial killers and inventors of programming languages . I only scored 6 of 10 . 
Uof M Ropes Course . I have to sign a waiver prior to med school orientation week . It 's a liability waiver for the " University of Michigan Challenge Program . " Apparently , during orientation week all of the incoming students have to participate in a Dilbert - esque team - building course , which involves -- and I quote -- " simple ball tossing activities to more complex challenges involving larger and sometimes fanciful props such as ropes , boards and cables . " But , the letter assures me , if I find any of these activities too stressful or straining , at the Challenge Program they abide by a " Challenge by Choice philosophy . " Whew , I ' m relieved . Does this sound gay to anyone else ? Oh , wait , Krameda says I ' m not supposed to use the term " gay " in a pejorative sense . Does this sound homosexual to anyone else ? ( Gay friends feel free to respond ) . 
Yahoo ! vs . Google . So , Yahoo today announced the release of their " Web 2.0 " powered webpage . I mentioned in a previous post that Yahoo maps , in my opinion , were slightly better than Google maps . Well , now with this new front page , I think Yahoo could be giving Google a run for their money . Today , I played around with their respective search engines ( after all , that 's supposed to be Google 's bread and butter , right ? ) . I tried various searches including , " Tablus " ( the name of the company I work for ) , " Josh Mugele " , and " monkey keyboard " ( without the quotes ) . I searched images and webpages . What I found , surprisingly , was that Yahoo was actually very comparable to Google in the search department . There were a few things I liked about Yahoo -- when I searched on my name , I got my " Linked - In " page , which didn't show up in Google , and Yahoo had search suggestions for my " Tablus " query ( see image below ) . And there were some things I liked about Google . For example , Google seems to always rank Wikipedia pages highly , as when I searched for " Monkey Keyboard " . Google 's first hit was the Wikipedia article about the infinite monkey theorem ( Yahoo also found it , but ranked about 5 spaces lower ) . But all in all , they were comparable . Most of the hits were the same with a little bit of differences in the rankings . Which do you prefer ? I may end up using Yahoo more now , if only because they found three more websites with my name in it ( which just means that their index is bigger , not that they necessarily have a better algorithm ) . 
August 2006 Harper 's Magazine Excerpts . Excerpts from Harper 's Index : Ratio of the estimated U.S. cost of ratifying the Kyoto Protocol to the cost of the Iraq war so far : 1:1 Portion of all fuel consumed by the U.S. government that is used by the Air Force : 1 / 2 Estimated amount the U.S. military has spent since 1994 to replace service members discharged for being gay : $ 364,000,000 Number of films since 1960 that feature an evil albino : 55 Chance that a member of an all - white jury decides a black defendant 's guilt before deliberating , in a recent study : 1 in 2 Chance that a white member of a racially mixed jury does : 1 in 3 Amount that a randomly chosen Arizona voter will receive after each election , if a November referendum passes : $ 1,000,000 Number of African giant pouched rats that Belgian researchers have trained to sniff out explosives : 36 Number of wasps that a Georgia engineering professor says he has trained to do this : 3,000 Seconds he says it takes to train each wasp : 30 Price , from a North Carolina company , for a charcoal - filled seat cushion that absorbs the odor of flatulence : $ 21.95 Percentage of the odor that the cushion absorbs , according to an outside survey : 20 Percentage absorbed by the company 's $ 64.99 carbon - fiber underwear : 99 Excerpts from Harper 's Findings : ... Gene experts said that we are not entirely human . " We are somehow like an amalgam , " said one molecular biologist , " a mix of bacteria and human cells . There are some estimates that say 90 percent of the cells in our body are actually bacteria . " ... A new vaccine seemed to be effective in preventing Alzheimer 's in mice ... Overweight children are more likely to break their bones , strict disciplinarians are more likely to raise fat children , and British children could face obesity tests at school ... Hungry polar bears were eating one another in Canada . 
Overheard in NY . Have you seen this website ? It 's where people post random things they ' ve heard in and around New York . Here 's a sample : Saleslady : Where are you from ? Tourist : Kansas City . Saleslady : There 's a city in Kansas ? Like with buildings ? Tourist : Yes. Saleslady : Tall ones ? 
I ' m a ninja . If I ' m working upstairs in the office late at night I ' ll sometimes turn off all of the lights before walking down the stairs , through the living room and dining room , and then into my bedroom . It 's practice in case , you know , I ever become blind or have to battle ninjas who have cut off the power supply . Last night I smacked my head into a door . 
Sunday morning musings . If you could take humans and genetically alter a single , specific characteristic , what would it be ? I always thought it would be cool if we had opposable thumbs on our feet . You know , to grab and pick stuff up with . I already have hideously long finger toes ( I can pick up a baseball between my first two toes ) . So , if you know any boys about my daughters ' ages with large , splayed big toes , let me know . I ' m all about arranged marriages . I figure 4 - 5 generations , tops . 
Raymond Chandler . I think the single best prose writer ( not necessarily best novelist ) I ' ve ever read is Raymond Chandler , author of The Big Sleep , Farewell , My Lovely , and The Long Goodbye among others , all with the private detective , Philip Marlowe . I think I ' ve read every one of his novels . I can't remember plot details from any of them , but I do remember the sheer joy I ' d get at reading them . Here are some quotes from him and his books ( I googled these rather than digging through my own copies ) : Alcohol is like love . The first kiss is magic , the second is intimate , the third is routine . After that you take the girl 's clothes off . Everything a writer learns about the art or craft of fiction takes just a little away from his need or desire to write at all . In the end he knows all the tricks and has nothing to say . From 30 feet away she looked like a lot of class . From 10 feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from 30 feet away . I guess God made Boston on a wet Sunday . I think a man ought to get drunk at least twice a year just on principle , so he won't let himself get snotty about it . It is pretty obvious that the debasement of the human mind caused by a constant flow of fraudulent advertising is no trivial thing . There is more than one way to conquer a country . She gave me a smile I could feel in my hip pocket . She jerked away from me like a startled fawn might , if I had a startled fawn and it jerked away from me . The streets were dark with something more than night . Woe , woe , woe ... in a little while we shall all be dead . Therefore let us behave as though we were dead already . 
Right around the corner . I got my pre - orientation packet from Uof M today , orientation beginning with the white coat ceremony on August 6 . The packet containeda list of recommended / required textbooks . This should set me back about $ 500 . a list of all of the different student organizations I could join . Ones that I might be interested in -- an AMA student branch , a neurology interest group , and international medicine interest group , and a service group ( they go around and help homeless shelters take medical histories ) . Groups I ' m not interested in -- the gay / lesbian / transgender medical student society , the Asian - American medical student society , the African - American medical student society . I assume orientation week has some sort of rush party thing . a reminder to update my immunizations . I got my Hepatitis B shots earlier this year . I went in this morning to get my TB test . an invitation to contemplate my upcoming experience in gross anatomy and to express those thoughts with words or pictures which will be presented to the student body ( anonymously ) during orientation . Me ? I think anatomy 's gross ( ha ha ) . 
Plug for Ann Arbor . Meena was in town the last few days for work . Unfortunately , she was sick much of the time and stayed locked up in her room . When she was able to come down we went into my office , which is located directly above an Irish pub called Conor O ' Neils on Main Street in Ann Arbor . While she was here , we had a job candidate named Heather come in for an interview . On Thursday night , Jody , Meena , Heather , and I went out for dinner and a stroll around downtown . We ate at a sidewalk table of a very posh Asian fusion place called Pacific Rim where I was able to take my shoes off and eat like a civilized person . We all liked the restaurant , and I recommend it to anyone who comes into town . I was telling John ( a current co - worker ) the next day how much I enjoyed the evening , eating outside , walking down to the diag and watching the students , and what a wonderful town Ann Arbor is . But he called me on it . He said I ' m just trying to psych myself up for living here for four more years . Maybe so , but there is a lot to like about this town . The art fair for one . The film festival , which shows indie films at the historic theaters on State and Liberty , for another . 
Doctors in the arts. Who 's your favorite physician / artist ? Michael Crichton doesn't count . Mine is William Carlos Williams . My first introduction to him was in college with " Queen - Ann 's - Lace " . I think Krameda 's favorite poem is also by him , " This is Just to Say . " But I think Krameda likes it the way an absurdist likes reality . I sincerely like Williams ' poetry and think it 's very profound in a kind of Zen way . My beat - up copy of Norton 's says of him , " ... Williams has attracted more followers in the last forty years than has Yeats or Eliot . " For whatever that 's worth . Queen Anne 's Lace Her body is not so white asanemone petals nor so smooth - norso remote a thing . It is a fieldof the wild carrot takingthe field by force ; the grassdoes not raise above it . Here is no question of whiteness , white as can be , with a purple moleat the center of each flower . Each flower is a hand 's spanof her whiteness . Whereverhis hand has lain there isa tiny purple blemish . Each partis a blossom under his touchto which the fibres of her beingstem one by one , each to its end , until the whole field is awhite desire , empty , a single stem , a cluster , flower by flower , a pious wish to whiteness gone over -- or nothing . This Is Just to Say I have eatenthe plumsthat were inthe icebox and whichyou were probablysavingfor breakfast Forgive methey were deliciousso sweetand so cold . 
JPod . Meena passed along this book to me by Douglas Coupland because she thought I would like it based on the fact that I want to write a book based in the cubes and this novel is supposed to be similar , I guess . Coupland wrote a book in ' 91 about generation X , kind of defining the movement , so I guess he feels he has a corner on pop culture or something . But I ' ve read half a dozen writers who are more pop - culture savvy than him and who are better writers too . I got halfway through the book , but I don't think I " m going to finish it . He 's obviously proud of writing a pop culture novel , he 's gimmicky , but worst of all , his characters are stupid and flat . Any author who sums up each main character in the first few chapters ( and by actually just describing them rather than having them do anything ) is definitely a hack . And talk about gimmicks , the narrator 's mother is a pot dealer , his father is a wannabe actor , and his brother is involved in smuggling Chinese immigrants . I mean it 's as if he takes this cube setting rich in human drama ( however trivial ) and comedy and then decides it 's not enough so he 's going to throw in not one but three B - movie subplots . No thanks . 
Sarah Silverman . I watched Sarah Silverman 's Jesus is Magic last night ( Sarah Silverman is a comedienne who appeared in School of Rock as the bitchy girlfriend . That girl is crude . She had some pretty funny bits , but I got tired of her toward the end . I ' d repeat some of her jokes , but the funny would get lost in the delivery . Plus , I can't think of a single inoffensive thing she said ( as if she was trying really hard to offend ) . But I did laugh . That either means I have no taste or no sense of humor . Dunno . 
Last Night . I woke up last night at 3:00 AM because I thought I heard one of the girls coming into the room . I ' m a deep sleeper , so when I wake up I ' m usually pretty dazed . It took me a few minutes to realize that nobody was in the room and that I was hearing sounds from outside my window , which is on the ground floor opening out to the back deck . I rubbed my eyes and tried peering through the darkness . There were , I could just make out , two somethings -- raccoons ? -- one on the deck , the other perched on the top of the trashbag , which itself was stuffed on the top of our garbage can like a scoop of ice cream on a cone . This bears some explanation . In Michigan , apparently , landfill is at a premium mostly because we store a lot of Canadian trash in our state . Michigan requires that we dispose of our house waste in bright orange bags that we have to buy from the state for two and half bucks a pop . This leads to stuffing the bags as if our budget depended on it . One bag can hold at least two tall kitchen garbage bags along with a couple of pizza boxes , a bathroom trash can , and a bunch of junk mail . In short , these bags get too big to easily fit in the trash cans . I ' m always nagging Jody to stuff the bags down in the cans , but really , I ' m the one who bought the cheapest cans I could find at Lowe 's . Anyway , the lid doesn't fit , and of course , not having a lid attracts the trash - eaters . So , at 3 AM , I ' m banging on the window , trying to scare the shapes away , but the shapes just look at me . So , I went out the back door , and the one on the deck runs away . But I could still see the shape on the trash can . And that mofo was huge . I ' m not kidding . He was probably as big as my 5 - year - old . And then I started thinking , what if this is a skunk ? I mean we have those . What if I got sprayed ? So I stood on my deck in my underwear not wanting to get close , stomping my feet and waving my arms and hissing , I ' m a human , goddammit , you 're supposed to be afraid of me . He ended up being a raccoon after all ( my eyes finally adjusted ) , and he stared at me laconically for a while then decided to leave . Me , I ended up picking up chewed up trash at 3 AM and stuffing it down into the can . 
Ulysses . One of my favorite poems of all times is Tennyson 's " Ulysses " , even if it is a little Dead Poet 's Societyish . It 's narrated by Odysseus near the end of his life when he 's getting restless and a little scared of dying , or at least of obsolescence . My favorite lines from the poem : " Some work of noble note , may yet be done , / Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods . " Speaking of Odysseus , and I know it makes me a huge nerd , but The Iliad and The Odyssey are two of my favorite stories . The best translation I ' ve ever read is by Robert Fagles . The first begins , " Rage , goddess . Sing the rage of Peleus ' son , Achilles , murderous , doomed , who cost the Achaeans countless losses ... " Woof . Ulyssesby Alfred Tennyson It little profits that an idle king , By this still hearth , among these barren crags , Match ' d with an aged wife , I mete and dole Unequal laws unto a savage race , That hoard , and sleep , and feed , and know not me . I cannot rest from travel : I will drink Life to the lees : all times I have enjoy ' d Greatly , have suffer ' d greatly , both with those That loved me , and alone ; on shore , and when Thro ' scudding drifts the rainy Hyades Vest the dim sea : I am become a name ; For always roaming with a hungry heart Much have I seen and known ; cities of men And manners , climates , councils , governments , Myself not least , but honour ' d of them all ; And drunk delight of battle with my peers ; Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy . I am part of all that I have met ; Yet all experience is an arch wherethro ' Gleams that untravell ' d world , whose margin fades For ever and for ever when I move . How dull it is to pause , to make an end , To rust unburnish ' d , not to shine in use ! As tho ' to breath were life . Life piled on life Were all to little , and of one to me Little remains : but every hour is saved From that eternal silence , something more , A bringer of new things ; and vile it were For some three suns to store and hoard myself , And this gray spirit yearning in desire To follow knowledge like a sinking star , Beyond the utmost bound of human thought . This is my son , mine own Telemachus , To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle - Well - loved of me , discerning to fulfil This labour , by slow prudence to make mild A rugged people , and thro ' soft degrees Subdue them to the useful and the good . Most blameless is he , centred in the sphere Of common duties , decent not to fail In offices of tenderness , and pay Meet adoration to my household gods , When I am gone . He works his work , I mine . There lies the port ; the vessel puffs her sail : There gloom the dark broad seas . My mariners , Souls that have toil ' d , and wrought , and thought with me - That ever with a frolic welcome took The thunder and the sunshine , and opposed Free hearts , free foreheads - you and I are old ; Old age had yet his honour and his toil ; Death closes all : but something ere the end , Some work of noble note , may yet be done , Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods . The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks : The long day wanes : the slow moon climbs : the deep Moans round with many voices . Come , my friends , ' Tis not too late to seek a newer world . Push off , and sitting well in order smite The sounding furrows ; for my purpose holds To sail beyond the sunset , and the baths Of all the western stars , until I die . It may be that the gulfs will wash us down : It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles , And see the great Achilles , whom we knew . Tho ' much is taken , much abides ; and tho ' We are not now that strength which in the old days Moved earth and heaven ; that which we are , we are ; One equal - temper of heroic hearts , Made weak by time and fate , but strong in will To strive , to seek , to find , and not to yield . 
Oh to be a child again ... I just read this post over on Av Canada ... reminded me of the reason I got into flying in the first place . I remember the first time I took the controls of a plane and how much my cheeks hurt from the grin on my face . It really wasn't that long ago , but I have a hard time imagining my life without a place in it for flying . Yeah , awful pic , but it has good memories attached ... ! 
How many ... ? # 470021 + ( 1045 ) - [ X ] how many emo kids does it take to change a lightbulb ? HOW MANY ? ! none they just sit in the dark and cry # 540211 + ( 487 ) - [ X ] how do you create a user in linux ? you can't , if you use linux you 're going to live alone forever # 14500 + ( 187 ) - [ X ] @ ( F | uid ) candlelight dinners suck @ ( F | uid ) i cant see my food Warning , if you do decide to check out bash . org , a lot of the quotes are not safe for work and typically aren't exactly ... mature . 
Patience . I was just going through some old poetry I ' d written a couple of years ago and found one I thought I ' d share . Perhaps I ' ll share some more in the future ? We ' ll see . This is entitled " Patience " . Make of it what you will . Patience -- Gord Spence When will it be ? This room smells like new carpet The walls are freshly painted , but already worn Red , white , chipped drywall We wait The garbage can shines with irony Denying its nature in the bright fluorescent light People stand Lingering Conversing aimlessly Quietly drifting in and out Why isn t she here yet ? Stomach knots Pulse races Patience runs thin Would eat But I can t Would walk But I can t I want this to be over now . 
Best picture all week . I don't know if you ' ve ever heard that cats can be somewhat territorial . There is a story here about a little tabby named Jack . He met a bear . He didn't like the bear being on his property . So he chased him up a tree ! Want proof ? Voila : Jack don't take crap from nobody . 
Mountains ! I forgot that you could see the mountains from Calgary until about the second or third day we were there , and I saw them off in the distance . Before we left yesterday , I made sure to grab a couple of shots while we were at the airport ! A free ... uh ... cookie , to the first person to correctly name the three aircraft types in those pictures !! A beautiful city . It was a pleasure to visit it for a week , but I don't think I ' d want to live there long - term . Especially since the rent is actually higher on average than in Rome ! How 's that for crazy ! ? 
New toy ! And you thought me and pointy things was a bad idea !! " Bah ! " I say ! Bah ! I ' ve been looking for a good camping knife for a while now . Today I passed on getting a replica of Excalibur and went with something a little less flashy , but perhaps a wee bit more useful . Oh , and I ' m in Calgary right now . 7 % sales tax is teh r 0 x 0 r . I ' m doing training with my company and it 's going fairly smoothly . I ' ve been looking forward to this trip for a while now , so it was a bit of a surprise to me when I wasn't all that happy about leaving on Monday morning . This past weekend was London Conference , which was an absolute blast . I love being able to reconnect with my friends who are scattered about the province and I rarely get to see them . This means that I got about 8 hours sleep over the two nights of Conference . Then Monday I left for the airport at 5:00 AM after about 5 hours of sleep . I tried to sleep on the plane but didn't have a lot of luck . So , I was exhausted last night , and now that I ' ve caught up with the timezone I ' m just now starting to feel tired ( it 's 23:00 MDT [ 01:00 EDT ] ) . I ' ll try to do a bit of a followup post on Conference when I ' m feeling up to it ( tomorrow I should think ) . Oh , and I saw Over the Hedge tonight . Funniest movie I ' ve seen in a long , long time . See it , you ' ll like it . Dwayne : [ after shooting the head off a plastic flamingo ] Arrrgh ! Not again ! Those things are so lifelike ! Curse you , plastic moldsmen . 
Toronto Section - km 1.2 - 21.5 . Tim , Val and myself started the hike at km 1.2 ( Campbellbille Rd . ) of the Toronto section of the Bruce Trail . The forecast threatened a 60 % chance of rain but we lucked out as a high pressure system seemed to be moving in and blew the clouds away early in the day . Of course , this high pressure system brough with it high winds . We were fortunate to be in the woods most of the time , so they didn't really affect us too much , except when crossing out in the open . There was a fairly rough section between km 10 and 12 , which was quite hard on our ankles . The trail was more or less littered with smallish loose rocks ( 15 - 20 cm on a side ) . The size of the rocks meant that our ankles were constantly being bent in odd directions , as well it put a lot of pressure on our knees in a sideways direction . Not so happy . I was leading during this point and elected to set a fairly quick pace , but it still took about an hour to get through . All three of us were fairly winded when we reached the end , just prior to Speyside . At km 17.4 , we started through a trio of farmer 's fields . The first and third were wet , but mostly hard - packed for walking on . The second was planted fairly recently , which meant the earth was extremely soft . This brought back memories of my very first hike ( Arkona - Grand Bend ) and my shoes probably won't forgive me for a while . The trail then brought us through the Limehouse conservation area where the " Hole in the Wall " is located , as well as a number of crevasses . The terrain is similar to that of Singhampton , though on a smaller scale . The deeper crevasses here were 20 feet deep as opposed to Singhampton 's 50 or more in some cases . It was still quite impressive to be climbing down through these gigantic rock formations . All that was left after this section was a short bit of road - walking , which led us to Limehouse and the car ! ( km 21.5 ) Many thanks to Tim 's sister , Julie , for giving us a lift to the trailhead so that we wouldn't have to retrace our steps along the trail to get back to the car . Here 's a map Timmy made of the trip . 
I recognise Israel 's right to exist , but I also recognise the rights of Palestinians to their own state . I wish I could come up with an amicable solution for both sides in this conflict . I see that both sides have a point , and both sides have done irreparable harm to the other . Why must the violence and hatred continue ? When will it all end ? Three years ago , when I attended General Council 38 in Wolfville , NS , we had a Jewish rabbi and a Palestinian scholar speak about the situation in Israel / Palestine . I remember the feeling of tension in the room was unbearable . I literally had to stand up and walk out of the room after they spoke because I couldn't breathe anymore . The stories from both sides were heartbreaking and convincing . Neither more important than the other , both painful and unimaginable to myself , a young Canadian who has never experienced real violence first - hand . I don't know where I wanted to go with this , but I want for people to think about situations around the world and realise that they 're not black and white . The world is a place full of shades of grey ... blacks and whites exist only on paper ... in fiction . Stay well , my friends . 
" Quarter - life Crisis " . I ' ve joked with some people lately that I must be going through my " Quarter - life crisis " . I was mostly joking , but in a lot of ways it 's true . I caught this bit of prose on a forum that I frequent , and I thought I ' d share it with my other twenty - something friends ... We 're not alone , guys . BEING TWENTY - SOMETHINGThey call it the " Quarter - life Crisis . " It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about yourself that you didn't know and may not like . You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two , but then get scared because you barely know where you are now . You start realizing that people are selfish and that , maybe , those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met , and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones . What you don't recognize is that they are realizing that too , and aren't really cold , catty , mean or insincere , but that they are as confused as you . You look at your job ... and it is not even close to what you thought you would be doing , or maybe you are looking for a job and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and that scares you . Your opinions have gotten stronger . You see what others are doing and find yourself judging more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and are constantly adding things to your list of what is acceptable and what isn't . One minute , you are insecure and then the next , secure . You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life . You feel alone and scared and confused . Suddenly , change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life , but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away , and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward . You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you . Or you lie in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough that you want to get to know better . Or maybe you love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you know that you aren't a bad person . One night stands and random hook ups start to lookcheap . Getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic . You go through the same emotions and questions over and over , and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision . You worry about loans , money , the future and making a life for yourself ... and while winning the race would be great , right now you ' d just like to be a contender ! What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it . We are in our best of times and our worst of times , trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out . Maybe this will help someone feel like they aren ' talone in their state of confusion ........ I know I ' m not the only one who 's been feeling lonely and confused of late . If you need an ear , I ' m around . Everything 's going to be alright . 
there was a rhyme called ... A Poem for Silence I am sitting down to start writing a column When I realize the house is nice and quiet No screaming , crying , fussing or whining Only the hum of the A / C unit No sounds of monster trucks or videos No baby rattles or little fartos Sometimes the silence is maddening Am I typing too loud ? I m wondering . It only takes that one dog bark To break the silent hour I swear if another train goes by My moment of peace will go sour I check to see if the phone is turned off No calls will awaken my angels If you really need to talk to me Send me some quiet emails I usually get work done when they nap Some days I just can t do it Enjoying the stillness of the house Makes it very hard to commit I guess I had better stop typing now And make good use of this time Like start some laundry , then take my own nap Instead of writing this silly rhyme . 
it was TGIF ... which is the day after Thursday ... when a new issue of Quirkee . com came out ! You shouldn't miss this one , or any of them for that matter . You could go as far as making it your home page . I did . But then again , I may be a little more quirky than the rest of you . 
it was " Daddy Dressed Me Funny Day " ... again ! I think I might be enjoying this too much ! But like I said before , my days of getting to dress this child are running out . I have to take advantage of it now ! Next week I ' ll get big brother to help me dress her . That should be interesting , especially since he is wearing all of his clothes backwards right now . Even his underwear . His new superhero name is Captain Backwards Underpants . You have to admit she is pretty darn cute in these duds ! 
a Monster Truck Rally came to our house ! Gunslinger , Grave Digger , Cremator , Dragon Slayer , Blue Thunder , Wild Thang , Pouncer , and many more go Monster Truckin ' around our house all day ! How cool is that ? Pretty cool I must say . You see , we have spent the last couple of weeks bribing Coan to use the porcelain throne by purchasing the Hot Wheels Monster Truck Series . We put them on the mantle still in the package and when he " drops the kids off at the pool " he gets to open a new one ! We started this collection last year and had about 6 of them already . He 's now up to 13 and working his way to collect them all . He has a case that they go in that holds 15 , but there are at least 25 in the series . I guess we ' ll have to get another case . If there were 300 monster trucks in the series I would buy them all and 20 cases to put them in ... if it meant one less poopy diaper every day . I love the boy , but those diapers were getting messy ! I can't wait until we get the whole series so when he goes to sleep at night I can have them all to myself ... 
it was Thursday again ! That means another fun filled day of reading the articles up on Quirkee . com ! You know you want to read them but you are afraid your boss might catch you . Beware ! Some of the content could be harmful to the frown on your face . 
there was " Daddy Dressed Me Funny " day . Fathers are notorious for not being able to dress their kids very well . Not me ! Julia has so many cute little matching outfits that are paired together on hangers in her closet that it makes it almost impossible to dress her funny . Well , since she won't let me dress her forever and neither will her Mommy , I ' ve decided to have a " Daddy Dressed Me Funny " day about once a week . Sometimes it 's good to throw a wrench into the system of matching clothing and let the creative juices flow . I couldn't resist putting her in the Dallas Cowboys onesie again before she outgrows it . I also came across these socks with a bunny and a kitty rattle on them that were hiding at the bottom of her sock container . Hmm , I think I wasn't supposed to find those . I topped her off with a Gilligan hat to keep her cool and safe from the sun . Now I need to go find a busy public place to show her off . The park ? Mommy will be so proud . Let 's go ! 
Teaching at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills Sunday , July 23 . If you are interested in learning of the some of the amazing evidence for the divine origin and historical reliability of the Bible , then join us at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills ( Pastor : Jack Hibbs ) this Sunday morning . I ' ll be addressing this topic and employing a very visual Power Point presentation , jam - packed with images of archaeological discoveries , amazing scientific discoveries , and more . If you have a friend or family member who is a skeptic or unbeliever , this would be a great study for them to hear . Pray about inviting them , and we ' ll be praying that God will do a great work in their life . For more details , call 909 - 393 - 7100 or click here for map / directions . Service times are at 7:30 , 9:30 and 11:30 AM . Hope to see you there . Stop by my table and say hi . 
A New Chapter in Ministry . For the past nine years I have served as a pastor at Calvary Chapel in Vista , California . With my pastor 's approval , words of encouragement and blessing , I am now launching out on my own into a full time itinerant teaching ministry . Of course , I won't be on my own . Jesus said , " I am with you always , even until the end ( Matt . 28:18 - 20 ) . " I look forward to having more time now to devote to developing new studies , researching , writing , teaching , and blogging ! May the Lord bless all of you who enjoy this blog and the www . Always Be Ready . com website . I covet your prayers . 
Dead Sea Scrolls Coming To San Diego . Someone at Calvary Chapel San Diego yesterday was kind enough to inform me that the Dead Sea Scrolls ( ancient hand - written manuscript copies of the Old Testament that help verify that the Old Testament has been accurately preserved down through the centuries ) are coming to San Diego in 2007 . Click here for more information ! 
Problems with the So - Called Gospel of Judas . I have been traveling around extensively teaching on The Da Vinci Code for the past two months , and one question , more than any other , continues to arise in Q & A 's after the study . This is the question : " What do you think about the Gospel of Judas ? Is there any chance that it is true ? " The answer is no .1 . It contradicts authentic , divinely inspired revelation .2 . It was written in the second century , by a Gnostic , * long after the time of Judas . Even National Geographic acknowledges this on their website , even clearly stating that the only surviving manuscript copy we have dates to the third or fourth century . Is there even a small chance this was written by Judas , one of the twelve disciples ? No. * Gnosticism was a philosophy that developed over several centuries before Christ . Some of its core teachings are : 1 . All matter is evil , and the non - material , spirit - realm is good .2 . There is an unknowable God , who gave rise to many lesser spirit beings called Aeons .3 . One evil , lower spirit being is the creator who made the universe .4 . Gnosticism does not deal with ' sin ' , only ignorance .5 . To achieve salvation , one needs to get in touch with secret knowledge . 
Has Noah 's Ark Been Found ? Bob Cornuke of the BASE Institute has brought back some very interesting photographs of what is possibly Noah 's Ark mentioned in Genesis , chapter 6 and 7 . Click here to see the photographs and read more about this developing story . 
Sale on " The Da Vinci Code Examined " DVDs !! An hour long DVD refutation of the so - called facts in The Da Vinci Code is on sale for only $ 3.00 each on my website , www . Always Be Ready . com. Click here and then scroll down in our shopping cart to see more details . 
Archaeological Excavation Aims to Unearth the City of Jesus ' First Miracle : Cana . The Washington Times reports today on the ongoing effort to excavate the ancient Biblical city of Cana , where Jesus performed His first miracle . Click here to read the story . 
The So - Called Gospel of Judas Discovered . Foxnews . com reports today on the recent discovery of a document in Egypt being called " The Gospel of Judas . " Unsuprisingly , this Gnostic writing from the second or third century , contains a differing account of the details surrounding the betrayal of Jesus by Judas , than that which is contained in the four authentic gospels written in the first century by eye - witnesses to the events . Click here to read the full story . 
Testing Darwin 's Teachers . The LA Times has an article online today about students in Kansas who enjoy asking sophisticated ( sometimes ) , challenging questions of their biology teacher regarding evolution . 
New Photo Resparks Interest in Looking for Noah 's Ark . A new , high - resolution digital image of what has become known as the " Ararat Anomaly " is reigniting interest in the hunt for Noah 's Ark . Click here to see the photo and read the news . 
Darwin Smacked in New U.S. Poll : 69 % of Americans want alternate theories in classroom . Worldnetdaily . com reports today that a new poll shows 69 percent of Americans believe public school teachers should present both the evidence for and against Darwinian evolution . The Zogby International survey indicated only 21 percent think biology teachers should teach only Darwin 's theory of evolution and the scientific evidence that supports it . A majority of Americans from every sub - group were at least twice as likely to prefer this approach to science education , the Zogby study showed . Click here to read the rest of the article . 
Dr. Henry Morris Home With the Lord . The Institute for Creation Research said , " After a series of minor strokes in recent weeks , Dr. Henry Morris , founder and president of the Institute for Creation Research , was peacefully ushered into the presence of his Creator , Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday , February 25 , around 6:30 p.m. He was 87 years old . Henry Morris was considered the " father of the Modern Creation Movement " , authoring well over sixty books on Biblical Creationism , Scientific Creationism and commentaries on the Bible . His most recent work was the New Defenders Study Bible ( released last month ) which contained several thousand additional annotations . Dr. Morris was a brilliant scholar and theologian who was used by God in many marvelous ways to launch and encourage the Modern Creation Movement on a global scale . But for those of us who had the privilege of working with Henry Morris , he was a gentle , humble and faithful servant of God who modeled what it means to finish well as he consistently looked unto Jesus and ran with patience the race that was set before him ( Hebrews 12:1 - 2 ) . Plans for a memorial service are being arranged for this Thursday ( 3 / 2 / 06 ) at Shadow Mountain Community Church . Please pray for the Morris family and the entire staff at ICR during this transition . " . 
The Victory of Reason . Charles Colson 's writes today , " At the heart of the furor over Danish cartoons depicting Muhammad are the different values and ideals of two civilizations : one shaped by Christianity , the other by Islam . Of course , it 's seldom put that way , especially in the elite media . Instead , the values being defended are called " Western , " as if a compass point produced the freedoms we today enjoy in the Western world . Fortunately , there 's a new book that sets the record straight . The book is called The Victory of Reason : How Christianity Led to Freedom , Capitalism , and Western Success by Rodney Stark , who is not a Christian believer . In fact , Stark set out to refute German sociologist Max Weber 's famous thesis that attributed the rise of capitalism to the Reformation . Instead of refuting it , however , he wound up doing just the opposite , writing about how Christianity 's emphasis on reason led to the rise of Europe . Click here to read the rest . 
500 Doctoral Scientists Skeptical of Darwin . Worldnetdaily . com reports today that more than 500 scientists with doctoral degrees have signed a statement expressing skepticism about Darwin 's theory of evolution . Many of these scientists are professors or researchers from prestigious institutions such as the Smithsonian Institute , Cambridge University , UCLA , Princeton , Berkeley , etc.. The statement , which includes endorsement by members of the prestigious U.S. National Academy of Sciences and Russian Academy of Sciences , was first published by the Seattle - based Discovery Institute in 2001 to challenge statements about Darwinian evolution made in promoting PBS 's " Evolution " series . The PBS promotion claimed " virtually every scientist in the world believes the theory to be true . " " Darwinists continue to claim that no serious scientists doubt the theory and yet here are 500 scientists who are willing to make public their skepticism about the theory , " said John G . West , associate director of Discovery Institute 's Center for Science Culture . Click here to read the rest of the story at worldnetdaily . com. 
Goliath 's Name Discovered in Ancient City of Gath . There was recently an interesting discovery made in Israel . Reuters reports , " An Israeli researcher said he has made a Goliath of a find -- the first archaeological evidence suggesting the biblical story of David slaying the Philistine giant actually took place . A shard of pottery unearthed in a decade - old dig in southern Israel carried an inscription in early Semitic style spelling " Alwat and " Wlt " , likely Philistine renderings of the name Goliath , said Aren Maeir , who directed the excavation . " This is a groundbreaking find , " he said of the rust - coloured ceramic . " Here we have very nice evidence the name Goliath appearing in the Bible in the context of the story of David and Goliath ... is not some later literary creation . " Maeir , head of the archaeology department at Bar - Ilan University near Tel Aviv , told Reuters that his excavators found the shard , possibly part of a bowl , about two metres ( 6.5 ft ) underground at Tell es - Shafi . The mound where the dig took place is widely believed to be the site of the ancient city of Gath , which the Bible calls Goliath 's hometown . Click here to read the rest of the story . 
Is Reincarnation Compatible With the Bible ? There are many Biblical problems with believing in reincarnation . First , Second Corinthians 5:8 says , " We are confident , I say , and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord . " At death , the Christian goes into the presence of the Lord , not into another body . Secondly , Luke 16:19 - 31 tells us that unbelievers , upon death , go to a place of suffering , not into another body . Thirdly , Hebrews 9:27 assures us " it is appointed unto man once to die , and after that to face judgment . " Each human being lives once as a mortal on earth , dies once , and then faces judgment . He does not have a second chance by reincarnating into another body . Reincarnation is a heretical , unbiblical doctrine . 
The Privileged Planet : Our Special Place in the Universe . I came across this short write up today by Charles Colson called , " The Privileged Planet : Our Special Place in the Universe " ( Nov . , 2004 ) . Do you ever find yourself saying , I wish so - and - so were still around ? Well , I wish the astronomer Carl Sagan were still around . He died in 1996 , but had he lived , he would have found an extraordinary book , The Privileged Planet , by astronomer Guillermo Gonzalez and philosopher Jay Richards , deeply challenging maybe even disturbing . Here s why : In his frequent appearances on the Tonight Show , and in his public television series Cosmos , Sagan was presented as the visionary sage of science . He spoke cheerfully of being inspired by the vastness of the universe and our growing scientific knowledge of our place in it . Ironically , however , Sagan s cheerful demeanor didn t fit his message of cosmic loneliness . Earth has no special significance , he said it s merely one tiny planet going around an unremarkable star , in an equally unremarkable galaxy , adrift in a universe filled with billions of such galaxies . Our planet , he wrote , is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark . In our obscurity . . . there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves . Sagan s picture of an insignificant , almost accidental Earth reflects a widely held and rather bleak assumption in modern science . Called the Copernican Principle , or the Principle of Mediocrity , this assumption says that the Earth isn t special at all . Now , the Bible places a high value on the virtue of humility , so Christians might be tempted to agree with this picture : Maybe we re not so significant after all . But there s all the difference in the world between seeking real humility ( indeed a virtue ) and arguing , as Sagan did , for human insignificance by assuming the universe exists for no purpose . Furthermore , the first question anybody should ask ( Christian or not ) about assumptions like the Principle of Mediocrity is this : Is it true ? Or is a materialistic philosophy being promoted in the name of science ? That s exactly the question that Gonzalez and Richards pursue in The Privileged Planet . And now their book has inspired a stunning new science documentary . What makes the production so wonderfully refreshing is the spirit of scientific freedom and open intellectual inquiry motivating it . Using state - of - the - art computer animations , awe - inspiring astronomical footage , and interviews with leading scientists , including Robert Jastrow and Paul Davies , the documentary draws a strikingly different picture from the Sagan image of mediocrity . We learn how many things you need to get a planet , like Earth . It takes just the right atmosphere , plate tectonics , a large moon , well - placed planetary neighbors , in the exact right location in a spiral galaxy , and much , much more . That alone is interesting . But there s another surprise . Earth also provides the best conditions for scientific discovery . Did you catch that ? The very place with intelligent beings is also the best place for scientific discovery . According to the evidence marshaled by Gonzalez and Richards , the universe is , literally , designed for discovery . Young Carl Sagans need to consider The Privileged Planet . And believers will be encouraged that science is finally discovering what we knew all along we are a specially blessed people . -- Charles Colson , Breakpoint radio broadcast , November 24 , 2004 . 
What About Those Who Have Never Heard of Jesus : Will They Be Condemned to Hell ? This is a common question that unbelievers have . The Bible says that God is loving ( Psalm 103:8 , 1 John 4:10 ) and that He is not willing that any should perish ( 2 Peter 3:9 ) . If a person has never heard of Jesus , the Bible says that God is going to be absolutely fair with them ( Psalm 98:9 ) , and that He will judge them based on what they do know through the testimony of creation and their conscience ( Romans 1:20 , 2:12 - 15 ) . If a person responds favorable to the testimony of his conscience or the the testimony of creation and truly seeks to know God , the Bible says that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him ( Hebrews 11:6 ) . God has many ways of getting the truth about salvation through Christ to those who seek Him . He can send them a missionary ( Acts 10 ) , allow them to hear a radio broadcast , give them a dream or vision ( Daniel 2 , 7 ) , send them an angel ( Revelation 14:6 ) or a Bible ( Psalm 119:130 ) , direct them to a website , etc. so that they can know the truth . 
Interview with Charlie Campbell on CSN . Tune in Sunday , January 29 at 2:30 PM ( Pacific Time ) and 5:30 PM ( Eastern time ) to CSN online to hear a half hour program regarding the new book , ONE MINUTE ANSWERS TO SKEPTICS ' TOP FORTY QUESTIONS . For more on the book click here . 
Should the Apocrypha be in the Bible ? Evangelicals believe that the Bible is made up of sixty six books . ( If you want to read about how the church discovered the Books that God decided were to be included in the Bible , I would encourage you to purchase a copy of Norman Geisler s book From God to Us , How We Got the Bible ) . The Catholic Church , in 1546 , at an event known as the Council of Trent , added eleven Jewish writings to the Bible known as the Apocrypha to Protestants and the Deuterocanonical books ( lit . second canon ) to the Catholics . What is the Apocrypha ? The Apocrypha is a collection of fourteen Jewish writings that were written down between 200 B.C. and A . D . 100 . Eleven of those fourteen books were accepted by the Catholic Church as God - inspired Scriptures and were placed in the Catholic Bible . If you were to open up a Catholic Bible today you would see books in there with titles like Tobit , Judith , First and Second Maccabees and Baruch . Could these books be God inspired Scripture ? Not a chance . There are numerous reasons why the early church and believers down through the centuries have rejected the apocryphal books as authoritative or divinely inspired . 1 . Neither Jesus nor the New Testament writers ever quoted from the Apocrypha as Scripture .2 . The Apocrypha contains numerous historical , geographical and chronological errors .3 . The Jews themselves never accepted the Apocrypha as inspired . 4 . The Apocrypha contains no predictive prophecy to help substantiate it s claims .5 . The Apocrypha never claims to be the inspired Word of God .6 . The Apocrypha was rejected by many of the leading early church fathers .7 . Jerome rejected the Apocrypha and left them out of His Latin translation of the Bible ( the Vulgate ) .8 . The Apocrypha contains numerous non - biblical and heretical doctrines .9 . The Apocrypha was not formally declared to be authoritative and inspired by the Catholic Church until 1546 . For more explanation on each of the nine reasons above see my study on Roman Catholicism here . 
Museum in Florida Displaying Pieces of the Dead Sea Scrolls and 1611 Version of the King James Bible . If you live in or near St. Petersburg , Florida , this will be of special interest to you . CNN reports today that , " The Bible 's evolution from ancient Hebrew to modern languages and from clay tablets to printed books is a rich lesson in the history of civilizations , the origins of the written word and the revolution of printing . The story of how the text of the Bible has been written and disseminated over the centuries is recounted in a new exhibition at the Florida International Museum that boasts artifacts as rare and priceless as they come , among them bits of the Dead Sea Scrolls , a fragment of the Gospel of John dating to about 250 A . D . , a 1455 Gutenberg Bible and a first edition of the King James version from 1611 . " Click here to read the rest of the story . 
An Argument for God 's Existence From Desire . Here is an interesting , thought provoking argument for God 's existence : 1 . Every natural , innate desire in us corresponds to some real object that can satisfy that desire . 2 . But there exists in us a desire which nothing in time , nothing on earth , no creature can satisfy . 3 . Therefore there must exist something more than time , earth and creatures , which can satisfy this desire . 4 . This something is what people call " God " and " life with God forever . " C . S . Lewis , who used this argument often , summarizes it with these words : " Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for these desires exists . A baby feels hunger ; well , there is such a thing as food . A duckling wants to swim ; well , there is such a thing as water . Men feel sexual desire ; well , there is such a thing as sex . If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy , the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world . " ( Mere Christianity , Bk . III , chapter 10 , " Hope " ) . 
The Fanciful , Deceptive Imagination of Dan Brown . In his popular , yet highly inaccurate novel , The Da Vinci Code , Dan Brown asserts ( through a character named Lee Teabing ) that the the deity of Christ was an invention of the church at the Council of Nicea . Here is an excerpt right from the book , At this gathering [ the Council of Nicea ] many aspects of Christianity were debated and voted upon the date of Easter , the role of the bishops , the administration of sacraments , and , of course , the divinity of Jesus . until that moment in history , Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet , a great and powerful man , but a man nonetheless . A mortal . Jesus establishment as the Son of God was officially proposed and voted on by the Council of Nicaea . A character by the name of Sophie says , Hold on . You re saying Jesus divinity was the result of a vote ? Teabing says , A relatively close vote at that . ( p . 233 ) Dan Brown suggests here that the deity of Christ was a late invention by the church , it was proposed at the council of Nicea , and that it barely passed . For the person who is unfamiliar with the Bible , church history , or what happened at the council of Nicea this might easily be believed . What was the council of Nicea ? The council at Nicea in modern day Turkey was a gathering of 318 Bishops ( church leaders from all over the Roman Empire ) in A . D . 325 to discuss doctrines related to the person of Jesus . This meeting was hardly the place where it first proposed that Jesus was actually God , as Brown suggests . That belief was already firmly in place as the popular teaching of the church ( e . g . , John 20:28 , Titus 2:13 ) . In the fourth century there was a man by the name of Arius ( 256 - 336 ) who was causing some disputes throughout the Roman Empire as it related to the person of Jesus . Arius reasoned that since Jesus was begotten , ( Jn . 3:16 ) He must have had a beginning . His false teachings regarding Jesus became known as Arianism . Arianism denied the eternality of Jesus . Followers of his teaching , known as Arians , held that the divine nature of Christ was similar to God , but not the same . The Council of Nicea , this gathering together of the Bishops , condemned this teaching in 325 A . D . and reaffirmed what the Bible already taught , that Jesus had the very same nature as God . Was it a close vote ? You tell me . There were 318 bishops that were called to the meeting in Nicea . As for the vote that was finally taken , only five out of 318 dissented ; and only two of those five refused to sign the resulting resolutions , which reaffirmed the prevailing view of the church : Jesus was , and is , God . Hardly a close vote , as Brown suggests in his book !!! Can you imagine a basketball team being beaten 316 to 2 and then the losing team telling people afterwards that , " It was a relatively close game ? This is just one of many inaccuracies in The Da Vinci Code . The movie comes out in May , 2006 . For a more thorough treatment on these errors , you can purchase an hour long teaching I did on this topics by clicking here ( DVD cost : $ 12.00 ) . 
Is There a Contradiction in the Accounts of the Women at Jesus ' Tomb ? Someone emailed me yesterday who was troubled by the apparent contradiction in the Gospels regarding the women at Jesus ' tomb on the morning of His resurrection . Mark 16:2 says , " And very early on the first day of the week , they came to the tomb when the sun had risen . " John 20:1 says , " Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb , while it was still dark , and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb . " So , " Which was it ? Did they go to the tomb ' while it was still dark ? ' or ' when the sun had risen ? ' " The difficulty is solved when we realize that the women , whether they had stayed in Jerusalem or Bethany , had to walk quite some distance to reach the grave . It was dark when they left the place in which they were staying , but when they arrived at the tomb , the sun was beginning to shine . John was referring to their DEPARTURE ( " still dark " ) . Mark was speaking of their ARRIVAL ( " sun had risen " ) . This is one of a couple of plausible solutions . For more help with apparent contradictions in the Bible , I highly recommend everyone own a copy of When Critics Ask by Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe . This book addresses just about every apparent contradiction , or error in the Bible . It is excellent . 
Why Didn't God Preserve the Original Writings of the Men Who Penned the Bible ? There are thousands of partial and complete handwritten manuscript copies of the Old and New Testament . These manuscripts are on display today in places like the Smithsonian Institute , the Cambridge University Library , the British Library , etc. These manuscripts have allowed scholars to verify that the Bible we have today is the same Bible the early church possessed 2,000 years ago . To our knowledge though , none of the autographs ( the originals ) of any of the sixty six books of the Bible actually survive . Someone asked me a while back , " Why didn't God preserve the originals ? If we had the originals , then we could know for certain that the Bible hasn't undergone corruption ! " Could we know for certain ? I don't believe we could . I believe that God has purposely allowed the originals to disappear so that we could actually be more certain that we have a trustworthy copy of the Bible . What are you saying Charlie ? Hear me out on this . Let 's imagine the originals were allowed to survive . Let 's imagine that they were in someone 's possession back in the second century or third century . We ' ll call him Joe the Scribe . Joe could have changed them ! And who would know ? Perhaps nobody . But if the original is quickly copied numerous times and these copies are then spread all over the ancient world , and then the original is lost or destroyed , there 's no way that Joe could alter the Word of God . Someone might try to sneak an error into a manuscript copy , but the thousands of other copies in circulation would quickly allow the church to cross - check and compare them with one another . The result of the cross - checking ? The variants ( small slips of the pen , grammatical errors ) that anybody tried had tried to sneak into their manuscript would be spotted and the church could come away with great confidence that they have a highly accurate copy of the original . I believe that God , in His perfect wisdom and foresight , knew the danger of leaving the originals intact and in the possession of any one person or group . Ironically , by allowing the originals to disappear , His Word has actually probably been better preserved . 
Mormon Mind Control . I talked with a woman named Jennifer today who was baptized last week into the Mormon Church . I got to dialog with her about some of the differences between Biblical Christianity ( and it 's view of the Scriptures , God , Jesus , Man and the Gospel ) and what the Mormon Church teaches . She seemed interested to hear . When I told her that I would love to give her a book on Mormonism ( Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Mormons by Ron Rhodes ) so she could do a little more investigation , she said that she was told not to read any literature by those critical of the Mormon church . Isn't that a convenient and easy way to keep your members ? Sadly , that is common within all of the cults . I explained to Jennifer that this close - minded , uncritical attitude toward faith is exactly the opposite of what the Bible advocates . I told her that 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to " examine all things " and to hold fast to that which is good . I told her of the Bereans in Acts 17:11 and how the Bible commends them for daily examining the teachings of the apostle Paul and critically holding them up the light of the Scripture . God wants us to question what we hear and what we are taught . The apostle John said , " Beloved , do not believe every spirit , but test the spirits , whether they are of God ; because many false prophets have gone out into the world ( 1 Jn . 4:1 ) . " How do you test the spirit of one who is making some spiritual claim ? Isaiah tells us how . He says , " To the law and to the testimony ! If they do not speak according to this word [ the Word of God , i . e . , the Bible ] , it is because there is no light [ truth ] in them ( Isaiah 8:20 ) . Hold up everything you hear to the inspired , infallible Word of God , and you ' ll quickly discern truth from error . Jennifer was excited to hear these Scriptures and then gladly accepted the book and some of my notes on Mormonism . Say a prayer for Jennifer tonight . 
Need Help Understanding the Problems With Calvinism ? Click here to listen to an hour long teaching by Dr. Norman Geisler entitled , " WHY I ' M NOT A FIVE POINT CALVINIST . " You will have to register to use the site by providing your email address and creating a password . Then in the media section , type in GEISLER in the " Search for Sermon " and it will pop up for you to listen to . Norman Geisler was formerly the professor of systematic theology at Dallas Theological Seminary , is the author of more than sixty books , and is today the President of Southern Evangelical Seminary . For a more in - depth treatment of this issue , I ' d encourage you to pick up his book Chosen But Free . To see a collection of tape recorded teachings by Norman Geisler including , " FIVE MORE REASONS I ' M NOT A FIVE POINT CALVINIST " , and " WAS CALVIN A FIVE POINT CALVINIST ? " click here . 
The Statement That There Are No Absolute Truths Is Self Defeating . A popular saying or belief amongst skeptics of the Christian faith is , " All truth is relative . " With this statement many skeptics seek to justify , in their own minds , that there are no absolute truths , including those truth claims put forth in the Bible . Yet , when the skeptic says , " All truth is relative " they are , perhaps unknowingly , making a claim that they believe is absolutely true . If what they are saying ( " All truth is relative . " ) is absolutely true , then not all things are relative and the statement that " All truth is relative " is false . Another closely related and popular sentiment in our society today is , " There are no absolute truths . " Yet , this statement , " There are no absolute truths " is an absolute statement which the skeptic claims is true . If their statement is true , it is an absolute truth and there " There are no absolute truths " is false . Both statements ( " All truth is relative " and " There are no absolute truths " ) are self defeating . If you have the opportunity to talk to someone who thinks this way , point out to them that the logical end of their beliefs is that they cannot believe anything at all , including that there are no absolute truths . Nothing can be true for the relativist , including relativism . 
Actor Stephen Baldwin Standing Up Against Pornography . Actor and Christian , Stephen Baldwin is on a crusade against pornography . Click here to read today 's article at World Net Daily . com. If you struggle with online temptaion , may I suggest that you download a FREE software called X 3 at xxx . church . com that will help do away with the temptation ? It documents any questionable websites you visit and mails a report once every two weeks to your wife , friend , accountability partner , or whomever you designate . Knowing that someone is going to see where you ' ve been on the internet is a great deterrent against temptation . 
Debating the Age of the Earth . There are of course a few different views regarding the age of the universe . I personally don't think it is all that necessary that Christians debate this issue . Discussing the age of the universe ( or the earth ) can be an interesting theological discussion , but the more important fact to keep in mind and rally around is not WHEN the universe was created but THAT it was created . 
Maybe My Kindergarten Teacher Was Right After All . Ron Carlson , a Christian apologist and author , said , " In grammar school they taught me that a frog turning into a prince was a fairy tale . In the university they taught me that a frog turning into a prince was a fact . " Funny how university professors , with a pair of glasses , a beard and a lab jacket can get intelligent people to believe in fairy tales . 
Was Jesus ' Resurrection an Idea Stolen from Pagan Religions ? More and more lately I am bumping into comments online from skeptics of the Bible who are saying that the authors of the New Testament stole the idea of Jesus ' resurrection from ancient pagan sources . This theory is interesting for tickling ears , but goes against the facts . As Dr. Norman Geisler writes , " The first real parallel of a dying and rising god does not appear until A . D . 150 , more than a hundred years after the origin of Christianity . So if there was any influence of one on the other , it was the influence of the historical event of the New Testament [ resurrection ] on mythology , not the reverse . The only known account of a god surviving death that predates Christianity is the Egyptian cult god Osiris . In this myth , Osiris is cut into fourteen pieces , scattered around Egypt , then reassembled and brought back to life by the goddess Isis . However , Osiris does not actually come back to physical life but becomes a member of a shadowy underworld ... This is far different than Jesus ' resurrection account where he was the gloriously risen Prince of life who was seen by others on earth before his ascension into heaven .... even if there are myths about dying and rising gods prior to Christianity , that doesn't mean the New Testaments writers copied from them . The fictional TV show Star Trek preceded the U.S. Space Shuttle program , but that doesn't mean that newspaper reports of space shuttle missions are influenced by Star Trek episodes ! " [ Norman Geisler and Frank Turek , I Don't Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist , p . 312 ] . 
C . S . Lewis on Hell . C . S . Lewis said , " I believe that the damned are , in one sense , successful rebels to the end ; that the doors of hell are locked on the inside . " According to Lewis , there are only two kinds of people -- those who say to God , " Thy will be done , " and those to whom God says , " Thy will be done . " A person 's lostness doesn't stem from any unfairness in God but from their own stubborn rejection of Him . As was the case in Stephen 's day , some " are always resisting the Holy Spirit " ( Acts 7:51 ) . 
Philosophical Evidence That The Universe Cannot be Eternal , and Therefore Uncaused . Imagine with me for a couple of minutes that you are holding a copy of THE DA VINCI CODE in your hands which you have been reading . Suppose that before you reached the page that lies before you ( let 's call it page Z ) , you had to first read the page before it ( page Y ) . And before you read that page you had to read the one before it ( page X ) , and so on , going all the way back to the first page . Since the book has a first page , your coming to the current page ( Z ) requires that you first read only a finite number of pages . More pages could be added to the front of the book to lengthen the time it would take for you to get to page Z . ( Hopefully Dan Brown won't read this and get any ideas for a prequel . ) Let us suppose that you are a better than average reader and that it takes only one minute to read each page ; and let us supppose that you read non stop until you get to page Z . Then , if there are only ten pages to complete before page Z , it will take you ten minutes to get to page Z . How long will it take if you must first read twenty pages ? 20 minutes . How about fifty pages ? 50 minutes . A hundred pages ? A 100 minutes . Ten thousand pages ? You can do the math . The important thing to realize is that in every case , no matter how long the book is , there is always only a finite amount of time that it will take to read it . But let 's suppose we add an infinity of pages to the front of this book . When will you get to page Z if you must first read all of those pages ? The answer is : Never . So if you find yourself reading page Z after completing all the pages before it , you know you ' ve read only a finite number of pages . The same sort of thing holds for the series of events making up the total history of the universe . Take some event in the actual history of the universe , like your birth . That event can occur only if a finite number of events must occur first . If an infinite number of events must occur before your birth , then you would never have been born . So , either we are halluncinating regarding the fact of your birth , or only a finite number of events occurred prior to your birth . If only a finite number of events occurred before your birth , then the universe has not always existed but had a beginning . Since we are not hallucinating , the universe must have had a beginning . This poses a problem for the atheist . How does something that begins to exist come into being apart from a creator ? ( Thank you to R . Douglas Geivett for his helpful insights on this topic in TO EVERYONE AN ANSWER , edited by Francis Beckwith , William Lane Craig , and J . P . Moreland , chapter 4 , 2004 , p . 65 ) . 
A New NBC Show Starring Jesus ? Did anybody watch the premiere of the new NBC television show last night , THE BOOK OF DANIEL ? If you did , what did you think about it ? Is there anything about the show that you think Christians could use as a springboard for conversation with unbelievers ? If you haven't heard about it , you can read a short World Net Daily . com article on it here . 
The Fine Tuning of the Universe . Astrophysicist Hugh Ross estimates that there are " twenty - nine characteristics of the universe that must be fine - tuned for any kind of physical life to be possible " and that the solar system we live in has forty - five characteristics that are necessary for human life to arise in it . Given the individual and collective probabilities for these characteristics to all arise by chance with precisely the correct values to make human life possible , Ross estimates that there is much less than 1 chance in one hundred billion trillion trillion trillion that there exists even one planet on which life would occur anywhere in the universe . Is it reasonable to believe that the fine tuning of the universe requires a Tuner ? Paul Davies , Ph . D . , believe so . He is an internationally acclaimed physicist and author who has held an academic appointment at the University of Cambridge . He said , " There is for me powerful evidence that there is something going on behind it all .... It seems as though somebody has fine tuned the nature 's numbers to make the Universe .... The impression of design is overwhelming . " [ The Cosmic Blueprint , 1988 , p . 203 ] . 
I Don't Have Enough Faith to be An Atheist . It seems absurd to the highest degree to think that nothing can do something , let alone create , but that is exactly what atheism requires nothing to be able to do . Perhaps this is why God says , in Psalm 14:1 , that it is the fool who has said in his heart that there is no God . If we reject the idea that there must be an uncaused cause , or Creator , of the universe , we are left with having to believe that everything that exists came into being from nothing and by nothing . But this is absurd . Even atheists have problems with the absurdity of this . Atheistic philosopher , J . L . Mackie , from Oxford said , " I myself find it hard to accept the notion of self - creation from nothing , even given unrestricted chance . " David Hume , one of the most ardent skeptics of Christianity ever , said , " I never asserted so absurd a proposition as that anything might arise without a cause . " Things that arise , or begin to exist ( i . e . the universe ) , must have a cause . Everybody intuitively knows this . Faith in an uncaused , eternal , power outside of the universe , that brought the universe into existence is absolutely reasonable . I don't have enough faith to believe that nothing brought the universe into existence . I don't have enough faith to be an atheist . 
New Book Now Available Through Amazon . You can support the ministry of Always Be Ready and be equipped to respond to skeptics ' top forty questions about Christianity at the same time by purchasing my new book , ONE MINUTE ANSWERS TO SKEPTICS ' TOP FORTY QUESTIONS ( Paperback , 138 pages ) . It is now available to purchase through Amazon . com for just $ 9.95 . Click here to go right to it . If you have already purchased the book , perhaps you might post a quick review at the same site . 
Philosophical Evidence for God 's Existence . Philosophically , it seems very reasonable to me that a Creator of the universe must exist . Here 's why .1 . Something exists .2 . Nothing does not produce something .3 . Something must have always existed .4 . The universe has not always existed . The background radiation echo , the motion of the galaxies and the second law of thermodynamics all point to the fact that the universe began to exist at a finite point in time . 5 . Therefore there must be an eternal power beyond the uinverse that caused the universe to come into existence . If you were a skeptic , or are a skeptic , how might you seek to refute this line of reasoning ? I ' d be interested to hear . For more on God 's existence see my study here . 
Put the Burden of Proof Back on the Skeptic . Has a skeptic or unbeliever ever told you something like : - " Jesus never said He was God . " - " All religions are basically the same . " - " The Bible has undergone corruption and cannot be trusted . " - " The Bible is full of contradictions . " - " Darwinism has disproved God 's existence . " Many Christians are left speechless at such words . This need not be the case . Rather than go into defensive mode ( i . e . trying to explain the ways that Jesus did claim to be God , or how the manuscript evidence proves the Bible has not undergone corruption ) , go on the offense . Put the burden of proof back upon the person who is making the assertion . Ask a simple question or two like , " How did you come to that conclusion ? " or " Why should I believe that to be the case ? " or " What evidence do you have that that is actually true ? " Simple questions like these can accomplish three things : 1 . They help build relationship . Nobody likes to sit through a one - sided monologue .2 . They help buy you some time to think of how to respond to the issue .3 . They help expose the fact that most skeptics and unbelievers do not really know why they believe what they believe . Once they see that that is the case , they may be more open to hearing what you have to say . For more help answering skeptics genuine questions see my new book , ONE MINUTE ANSWERS TO SKEPTICS ' TOP FORTY QUESTIONS . Click here . 
Judge Orders Priest to Prove Christ Existed . The TIMES ONLINE reported today that an Italian judge has ordered a priest to stand trial and prove that Jesus ever even existed . This raises a question . If somebody were to ask you to state your reasons why you believe that Jesus existed , what would you say ? Think it through , do some research , and share your answer by clicking on the comments link below . Keep your answer to a minute long and we ' ll post the best answer in about a week . If you need help with this issue , Gary Habermas has written a great book on this topic , THE HISTORICAL JESUS : Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ . Click here to buy from Christianbook . com. 
Two Mormon Missionaries Shot While Witnessing . CHESAPEAKE - A 21 - year - old Mormon missionary died Monday night after he and his partner were shot while going door - to - door in the Deep Creek area . Read story here . 
Artifacts With Links to Bible Unearthed . The Washington Times reports today that , " Israeli archaeologists , screening tons of rubble scooped out of this ancient city 's sacred Temple Mount , have discovered hundreds of artifacts and coins , as well as jewelry , some with biblical links dating back more than three millennia . " Click here to read the rest of the story . 
A Word For Defenders of the Faith by C . S . Lewis . To be ignorant and simple now not to be able to meet the enemies on their own ground would be to throw down our weapons and to betray our uneducated brethren who have , under God , no defense but us against the intellectual attacks of the heathen . Good philosophy must exist , if for no other reason , because bad philosophy needs to be answered . C . S . Lewis . 
What Did Jesus Teach About the Bible ? Jesus affirmed that the Bible was : 1 . Without Error ( John 17:17 ) 2 . Historically Reliable ( Matthew 12:40 , 24:37 - 39 ) Jesus affirmed as historically true some of the most disputed passages of the Old Testament , including the story of Jonah in the whale ( Matthew 12:40 ) , the destruction of the world by a flood in the days of Noah ( Matt .24:37 - 39 ) , and others 3 . Divinely Authoritative ( Matthew 4:4 - 10 ) 4 . Scientifically Accurate Regarding the Origin of Man ( Matthew 19:4 - 5 ) For example , when He taught on marriage He referred to the literalcreation of Adam and Eve ( Matthew 19:4 - 5 ) 5 . Infallible ( John 10:35 ) 6 . Indestructible ( Matthew 5:18 ) If Jesus was a prophet of God , as even the Qur an teaches , or even if He was a good teacher ( as so many are willing to believe today ) it would be wise for us to take His Word on the matter . 
Anyone Can Say They Are God . Anyone can say they are God , but Jesus did more than claim to be God , He backed up His claims . He proved that He was the Son of God ( equal with God , John 5:18 ) by : 1 . Fulfilling hundreds of Old Testament prophecies 2 . Performing numerous miracles 3 . Living a sinless life 3 . Resurrecting from the dead It 's one thing to make grandiose claims , it 's another thing to back them up . 
The Existence of Evil and Suffering Actually Turns Out to be a Strong Evidence for God 's Existence . The very thing that the skeptic says disproves the existence of God ( the existence of evil and suffering in the world ) is actually a strong evidence that there must be a God . Here is how we might reason this to be the case : 1 . Evil exists in the world .2 . Evil is a departure from the way things ought to be .3 . If there is a way things ought to be , there must be a designed plan ( or designed standard ) for the universe . Peter Kreeft said in his book , Handbook of Christian Apologetics , ... the very fact of our outrage at evil is a clue that we are in touch with a standard of goodness by which we judge this world as defective , as falling drastically short of the mark ( p . 123 ) .4 . There cannot be a designed plan for the universe without a designer of the universe .5 . Evil is mankind s departure from this designer s standard and that designer is God . For more help on the compatibility of evil and suffering with a loving , all - powerful God , click here . 
THE DA VINCI CODE : Examined and Refuted . The Da Vinci Code is adversely affecting the way millions of people around the world view the Gospel , the church , Jesus and the Bible . Written by Dan Brown , the book has sold more than 25 million copies since it was first published in 2003 . If you are like most Christians , you don't have the time , or the desire , to read the book . Unfortunately , your friends , family members and coworkers do ! If you ' d like to know a little about the book and some of the problems with Dan Brown 's erroneous claims , we have put together a short article here that we believe will be helpful to you . With the movie coming out May 19 , 2006 , it is important that Christians be prepared to answer the questions that people will have . I would be happy to come and speak to your church on this topic . If you , or your pastor , are interested , you can email Always Be Ready at Info @ Always Be Ready . com. I do not charge for guest speaking . Contact me soon , my calendar is filling up as we get closer to the movie release date . We also have a DVD on this topic . 
Charles Spurgeon on the Book of Mormon . One of the most modern pretenders to inspiration is the Book of Mormon . I could not blame you should you laugh outright while I read aloud a page from that farrago . Charles H . Spurgeon ( 1834 - 1892 ) , British preacher . 
National Geographic Society Comments on the Book of Mormon . Archaeologists and other scholars have long probed the hemisphere s past , and the Society does not know of anything found so far that has substantiated the Book of Mormon . The National Geographic Society , August 12 , 1998 . View actual document here . 
The Amazing Influence of that Babe in the Manger . This Jesus of Nazareth , without money and arms , conquered more millions than Alexander , Caesar , Mohammed , and Napoleon ; without science and learning , He shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined ; without the eloquence of schools , He spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since , and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet ; without writing a single line , He set more pens in motion , and furnished themes for more sermons , orations , discussions , learned volumes , works of art , and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times . Philip Schaff ( 1819 - 1893 ) , historian ; The Person of Christ , 1913 , pp . 29 - 30 . 
Do You Need Help Sharing the Truth With Someone Involved in Scientology ? John Weldon , a Christian apologist and author , has written a good article on Scientology . He examines the origin of the religion and how their beliefs compare with Biblical teaching . Click here to read . 
So Much for Free Speech in North Dakota : Students Forbidden From Debating Intelligent Design . So much for free speech in North Dakota . Science Daily reports that , " Students in North Dakota debating programs have been banned from broaching the topic of intelligent design . " Click here to read the Science Daily article . This is actually going to be detrimental to the Darwinist camp . The last thing I would want do , if I did not want my children to take interest in the intelligent design movement , is tell them they cannot talk about it ! We pray that this decision will result in more kids investigating the compelling evidence for a Designer . 
20 Reasons To Believe That Jesus is God . There are a variety of different beliefs amongst the different religions as to who Jesus was and is . Some say He was an enlightened man . Others say He was an an angel or just a good teacher . Christians affirm that Jesus was , and is , God the Son , coequal in nature with the Father and the Holy Spirit . But on what grounds do we believe this to be so ? The answer is the Bible , the inspired , infallible Word of God . That is our authority on the issue . If you are unsure of what to believe about Jesus -- perhaps a Jehovah 's Witness or Mormon has confused you on this issue -- please click here . I outline , on one easy - to - read page , 20 reasons why Christians believe Jesus is God . Hope this helps you . God bless . 
Do You Love the Truth ? Blaise Pascal ( 1623 - 1662 ) said in his day , " Truth is so obscure in these times , and falsehood so established , that , unless we love the truth , we cannot know it . " Of course , the same is true today . How is one to know the truth ? The answer is found in the Gospel of John , chapter 8 . Jesus said , " If you abide in My word , you are My disciples indeed . And you shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free " ( John 8:31 - 32 ) . 
New DVD : The Bible vs . Book of Mormon . Living Hope Ministries in Utah has just produced and released an amazing new DVD entitled THE BIBLE vs . THE BOOK OF MORMON . Comparing side by side the claims and evidences of both the Bible and the Book of Mormon , this DVD clearly and powerfully demonstrates the truthfulness of the Bible and the fiction of Joseph Smith 's Book of Mormon . Always Be Ready has this DVD on sale right now for just $ 14.95 . Click here to see our DVD section . This is a great DVD to give to your Mormon friend , coworker , or family member . For more on Mormonism , we also have the DNA vs . THE BOOK OF MORMON DVD in stock , also produced by Living Hope Ministries . You can read more about it when you view our DVD selection . God is using both of these resources to lead many Mormons out of darkness and into the light . 
Darwinism : " Masquerading As Science " . Dr. Jonathan Wells , who earned two doctorates , one in molecular and cell biology from U . C . Berkeley and another from Yale recently said , " My conclusion is that the case for Darwinian evolution is bankrupt . The evidence for Darwinism is not only grossly inadequate , it 's systematically distorted . I ' m convinced that sometime in the not - too - distant future -- I don't know , maybe twenty or thirty years from now -- people will look back in amazement and say , ' How could anyone have believed this ? ' Darwinism is merely materialistic philosophy masquerading as science , and people are recognizing it for what it is .... When you analyze all of the most current affirmative evidence from cosmology , physics , astronomy , biology , and so forth -- well , I think you ' ll discover that the positive case for an intelligent designer becomes absolutely compelling . " ( Interview with Lee Strobel , The Case for a Creator , 2004 , p . 65 - 66 ) . 
How NOT to Witness to a Jehovah 's Witness . Many Christians aren't sure how to go about witnessing to Jehovah 's Witnesses on their doorstep . Here is an example of how NOT to do it . The L . A . Times on December 9 , 2005 reported : " A woman who used a butcher knife to beat a Jehovah 's Witness who knocked on her door on Christmas Day was sentenced to three months in jail .... The Jehovah 's Witness had shown up at Infusino 's [ the woman with the knife ] apartment by mistake and was looking for a neighbor who was interested in the religion . She apologized for the error and tried to leave , but Infusino grabbed her by the hair and pulled her into the apartment . " Do you need help with witnessing to Jehovah 's Witnesses ? Click on the JEHOVAH ' S WITNESSES link on ABR 's homepage www . Always Be Ready . com. 
Are You a College Student with Liberal Professors ? Sean Hannity Wants to Help You . Sean Hannity ( a conservative Christian talkshow host for Foxnews ) wants to help expose liberal propaganda and intimidation by university professors . Here is an excerpt from World Net Daily who has an article on this today . Sean said , " All you college kids out there , check your state laws , check your campus laws ... Get your little tape recorders if legal , and I want you to start recording these left - wingers . Bring it to this program [ Sean 's radio program ] and we ' ll start airing it every single time on this program .... whenever you have the left - wing professors that are abusive to conservatives , that degrade you , that call you names , that use ad - hominem attacks , that are punishing you for your political point of view , that are purposely trying to indoctrinate you with extremist left - wing views if it is legal , tape them . If it is not legal , take verbatim notes , get witnesses , bring these articles to the school newspapers , bring it to the local media . Expose these people for the abusive professors that they are , and I guarantee you when there 's a series of these instances where we expose these people , I guarantee you this indoctrination process is going to stop dead in its tracks .... Fear is a great motivator , and the fear that these left - wingers are going to get fired or be held accountable for their mean - spirited comments against people or their indoctrination is going to be the single - biggest motivation we ever see to get them to stop doing what they 're doing to college kids around the country . " Read the entire article here . 
How Americans View Muslims Post 9 - 11 . " Just before the September 11 attacks , a Gallup survey showed that 45 percent of Americans had favorable views toward Muslim - Americans . Today , 59 percent do . Imagine it -- Islamic extremists attack America , and we think more of Islam than before the attack ! " - Charles Colson , Lies That Go Unchallenged in Popular Culture , p . 356 , 2005 . 
Do You Have Kids ? Help Them Know Why They Believe What They Believe . " Studies have shown that when students lack good defenses , their faith erodes . And two - thirds will forsake Christianity by their senior year of college . " Read the rest of this article from THE CHRISTIAN POST here . Reading this article , I was again reminded of the importance of parents training their kids , from a young age , to know why they believe what they believe . Many parents , who simply tell their kids what to believe , are brought to tears when their college - age kids walk away from the Lord . Do you have young kids ? Do you have grandkids ? Look for opportunities to talk to them about some of the evidences for God 's existence , the trustworthiness of the Bible , etc. Do you need help preparing or learning about some of those evidences ? See our notes on our main page at www . Always Be Ready . com. 
Seventy Percent of Americans Believe Jesus is the Son of God . THE WASHINGTON TIMES reports today that , " Traditional religion is still the bedrock of America , with " very large majorities " of the public steadfast in their belief in God and the birth and Resurrection of Jesus Christ -- with belief in astrology , ghosts and other New Age hallmarks lagging behind . Overall , 82 percent of Americans believe in God , according to a recent Harris poll , which also revealed that 73 percent also believe in miracles , 70 percent in life after death , 70 percent in the existence of heaven , and 70 percent that Jesus is the Son of God . In addition , 68 percent believe in angels and 66 percent in the Resurrection of Christ . Six out of 10 believe in the devil and the existence of hell . " Click here for the rest of the article . 
Famous Atheist Abandons Atheism for Belief in Intelligent Designer . This is no longer news to some of you , but worthy of posting here for those of you who haven't yet heard . Antony Flew , a world - renowned atheist , author and debater , has abandoned his atheism in light of the latest scientific evidence . Read about his change of mind here . He is not yet a Christian , only a theist , but we pray that God will continue to lead him into the truth . 
Scientists Who Are Critical of Darwinian Evolution . Did you know that some of the brightest scientists in the world , from some of the most prestigious institutions in the world ( including Cambridge University , Stanford , Cornell , MIT , Princeton , Harvard , etc. ) , are critical of Darwinian evolution ? Often times the liberal media seeks to portray Christians as uneducated , uniformed idiots for believing in a Creator . If you have ever been tempted to feel this way , know that when you affirm a belief in a Creator , you are actually standing with a group of very educated scientists who hold Ph . D . s in a plethora of different fields . To see a list of scientists who are critical of Darwinian evolutionary theory click here ( pdf file ) . 
Easy Way to Inoculate Your Neighbors Against Cults . Have Mormon missionaries or Jehovah 's Witnesses been through your neighborhood ? Here is a great and easy way to warn your neighbors about both groups and at the same time share what the Bible really teaches . Go to this link over at the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry and download a free door hanger warning tract that you can print out . These work great ! Help spread the truth . 
Exciting New Archaeological Discovery . We know from the New Testament accounts and extrabiblical literary evidence ( Flavius Josephus , the Babylonian Talmud , etc. ) that Jesus lived . We also know that the early church believed that Jesus was God long before the Council of Nicea in A . D . 325 ( e . g . , John 20:28 ) . ( In The Da Vinci Code , Dan Brown asserts that the deity of Christ was a fourth century invention by the church . ) A recent archaeology discovery in Megiddo helps verify , not only that Jesus lived , but that the early church also viewed Him as God long before the fourth century . See both installments of the story at : www . foxnews . com / story / 0,2933,174685,00 . html and : www . foxnews . com / story / 0,2933,174772,00 . html . 
Is it Reasonable to Believe that God Exists ? What evidence is there that the God exists ? Well , for starters , we might point to the very existence of the universe itself . Let s think about this for a moment . There are only three options for the existence of the universe . One , that it has always been . Two , that it came into being by itself . Three , that it was created . The first option ( that the universe is eternal ) has been utterly rejected by the scientific community . An overwhelming amount of evidence has ruled out the notion that the universe has always existed . The motion of the galaxies , the background radiation echo , and other evidences all point to the fact that the universe sprung into existence at a particular point in time , something scientists call the Big Bang . Option two , that the universe created itself , is impossible . It would be impossible for the universe to have created itself . Before the universe existed there would not have been anything around to do anything . And we all know that nothing can not do anything . Nothing is nothing . It ( if we could even call nothing an it ! ) can t see , smell , act , think . Nothing is nothing ! So option one and two can be thrown out on scientific and philosophical grounds . Option three , that something or someone outside of the universe created the universe , is the only reasonable option . When you see a painting on a wall , what proof do you need to establish the fact that a painter exists ? Nothing else besides the painting itself . The painting is absolute proof that there was a painter . You don t need to see the painter to believe that he exists . The painting is all the evidence you need . The painting would not be there if the painter didn t exist . And so it is with the universe . The existence of the universe itself proves absolutely that there is a creator . 
New Apologetics Book Now Available . We are excited to announce the completion of a new apologetics resource , written by Charlie H . Campbell , that is sure to strengthen your faith and be a great resource to give to unbelievers . Here is what some well known Christian thinkers are saying about it : " I hope many seekers will give serious consideration to the thoughts so well expressed in this timely and pithy book . Well worth reading . " - CHARLES COLSON " This is a handy book with helpful answers for busy people . " - Dr. NORMAN GEISLER " The Christian faith is the most reasonable faith in the world , and Charlie Campbell shows that in a straight forward and down to earth way in this book . I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and plan to give it away to as many people as I can . " - BRIAN BRODERSEN In this book Charlie Campbell tackles forty of the most popular questions that skeptics and unbelievers ask Christians . Questions like : How do you know that God exists ? Hasn't the Bible undergone corruption as it was translated down through the centuries ? What evidence do you have that the Bible is actually true ? How can a God of love allow evil and suffering ? How can a God of love send people to hell ? And more ! Click here to purchase . $ 9.95 for individual copies . $ 35.00 for a bulk pack of five copies . 
Preterism : A Review of Hank Hanegraaff 's THE LAST DISCIPLE by Dr. Norman Geisler . Dr. Norman Geisler , President of Southern Evangelical Seminary and author of more than sixty books , tackles and refutes many of the problems with Hank Hanegraaff 's peculiar view of the end times expressed in THE LAST DISCIPLE series . Click here . 
Did Jesus Ever Exist ? For a great examination of the extrabiblical , historical evidence for Jesus ' existence pick up a copy of THE HISTORICAL JESUS : ANCIENT EVIDENCE FOR THE LIFE OF CHRIST ( College Press Publishing Company , 1996 ) , by the first rate Christian scholar Gary Habermas . This is a fantastic reference book jam - packed with quotes and references to Jesus from sources outside the Bible . It utterly demolishes the foolish idea that Jesus never existed . 
Dating of the Dead Sea Scrolls . Someone emailed us today and asked how we know that the Dead Sea Scrolls actually date back to the time before Christ . That is a great question . First off , why is this important to know ? The Dead Sea Scrolls , discovered in 1947 , in Qumran , Israel , help verify that the Old Testament we have today has not undergone any significant corruption . The Dead Sea Scrolls represented every book of the Old Testament , except for the Book of Esther , and date as far back as the third century B.C.. How do we know that these scrolls are this old ? Teams of scholars determined the scrolls age by examining . . . 1 . The pottery that housed the manuscripts 2 . The weave and pattern of the manuscript cloths 3 . The form of the characters 4 . The spelling of the words 5 . The coins found alongside the manuscripts 6 . They also used Carbon - 14 Dating For more on the reliability of the Bible , see the link BIBLE at www . Always Be Ready . com. 
Wednesday 's Random Thoughts . I saw this dumb question on the yahoo page when I started it up this morning - How do you prepare a live chicken to cook ? - I suppose you send it to cooking school . Random annoyances : 1 . What is it with raisins in cinammon rolls ? I mean , they reall don't add anything besides an inappropriate surprise to the taste . You bite in to the cinammon roll and they hide the raisins inside . So you aren't expecting it . So there is this little squishy sweet flavored thing that just appears in your mouth . Now if you aren't expecting it , my first reaction is that I wonder if a bug or something is in there . Then I realize it is a raisin , so I am only annoyed . Of course , I saw raisins in a fruit salad at the DFAC ( dining facility ) - raisins ? It isn't trail mix , grapes belong in fruit salad , not raisins . The unltimate disappointment , when you see a cookie in low - light conditions and bite into that chocolate chip cookie , only to find it is an oatmeal and raisin cookie ... ugh !! 2 . Web pages that jump up on top when they finish loading . What is with that ? You hi - speed users probably don't have this problem . But since I often use NO speed internet , I will do a search or whatever , and open a page that I am typing on , like ... uh ... now . See , I don't really know how to type , so I have to watch the keyboard as I type . So I look up and see - wham ! some dumb page when I was searching for whatever , and now I am typing in the search for blank for who knows how long ... Who is the obnoxious person that came up with that ? Oh , and it happens as I am trying to log into something too . Or I am typing in the password space , and since the page actually ' finishes ' loading it jumps to the user or ID space or whatever it is . So I end up typing half of my password in the ID space . How dumb is that ? This only happens about every 3 rd time I try to log into something . That is totally annoying !!! 3 . Useless search engine ' finds ' ... what is with it when you search a topic , so you click the link and wait ( remember , NO speed internet ) and it is one of those NON - page pages . you know , it lists a bunch of links to ' advertisers ' but has absolutely NO useful information . I mean does ANYONE click one of the advertisers links ? I wouldn't buy from anyone that promoted such nonsense .4 . Java Script pages that load everything under the sun first , before the useful and pertinent information . In the Old days when most of these pages were good old HTML without Java , they loaded faster and displayed as many pictures , and as much information as the new - fangled Java Script ones . As far as a user perspective , I have not seen and advantages to a page being done in Java Script . I know ! , they take longer to load , use more memory , and make people buy more powerful computers and hi - speed internet ! 5 . When you add a site to your favorites or log on to some sites , they change your internet settings . I hate having to reset my address bar to NOT to search . Sheesh !! , there are a gazillion search options out there , why would I search from the address bar ? It just uses someone else 's search engine anyways . When search is on , I have had it tell me there is no such pace on some addresses , and then turn off the search part , type in the exact same address and amazingly , like magic , the site appears . Search engines nowdays have so much crap built in they cannot find the obvious . OK , I vented . Why I felt compelled to post this stuff , I have no clue . 
Ewwwww ! I was Tagged by a Flea ! Ok , it was probably a good thing that I was tagged by Flea . I was in a really bad mood and was about to post some junk that would have just pissed people off , etc , etc. So thanks Flea ! 5 Things always in my purse ( hey ! I don't have a purse ! ) backpack : 1 A towel or rag 2 AFEES Pogs 3 A USB cable 4 Some keys to I don t know what 5 550 Chord 5 Things always in my wallet : 1 - Permanent TCLEOSE Peace Officers License 2 - Yugoslavian Dinars ( I have no Idea why they are still in there ) 3 - Guitar Picks 4 driver s license 5 a few small pieces of paper with various information on them 5 Things always in my refrigerator : 1 Some unknown items stuck in the frost in the freezer 2 Iced tea 3 25 + of bottles of water 4 At least one energy bar 5 - At least one individual Cereal ( why in the fridge I really don't know ) 5 Things always in my closet : 1 - A duffle bag full of issued army gear I will never use that I have to turn in when I leave here 2 One of those folding canvass chairs 3 A mop and bucket ( does this count as 2 ? ) 4 A big black storage box mostly filled with stuff I should just get rid of .5 An extra duffle bag 5 Things always in my car : 1 Bullet holes 2 At least one copy of Stars and Stripes ( usually old ) 3 My IBA ( bullet proof vest and helmet ) 4 Ammunition 5 - Rope 5 ( or more ) Things always on my desk ( not really a desk but I share a long counter thing with 2 other guys ) : 1 A stapler that doesn t work why do I keep it ? 2 At least one bottle of water 3 Wet Wipes 4 Hand sanitizer 5 Several sticky notes of various size and color most of which I should just trash . Anyways , I don't feel like tagging anyone right now , but feel free to tag yourself . ( That almost doesn't sound right ! haha !!! ) See my mood is better already : P . 
How I got my job - Part 1 . Note : I am breaking this up into parts ( probably 5 ) , as I don t like to read long posts , so I won t post a long post . I know I don t talk a lot about my specific job and work for various reasons . I decided to try to tell all of you how I got the job I now have . Now I will not go into too many details about how I got to working in Iraq . You can go here to see what they look for now . I will go back waaayyyy back , to when I was working as a cop . Somewhere way back then in 1998 or 99 , I had seen an ad on the internet looking for cops to monitor police in Bosnia . I knew nothing about Bosnia , except that it used to be part of Yugoslavia , and there had been a war there . There were photos of blown up buildings , talk of hard living conditions , and of great pride in doing the work in that Mission . I felt led to apply , so I did . Later I get a call from the company , and they asked if I wanted to go to Kosovo . Well at the time we were still dropping bombs on Yugoslavia AND Kosovo . I said well , not right now , and they said , we mean when the smoke clears I told them I was interested . I don t hear from these guys for months , and in June while celebrating my youngest son s birthday ( but not on his birthday ) I get a call and they basically ask if I am still interested . I tell them I am . They said they would let me know when they would need me . They sent a list of what I would need to pack , etc ( little did I know that they had NO idea as to what to pack ) . Unlike here in Iraq I would be living off the local economy . Now , I was expecting a call saying the training will start next week , or in a couple of weeks , etc. So I get this call at 530 PM one Friday afternoon , telling me they have tickets waiting for me at the Airport for an 830 AM flight to Dallas , we were going to be trained at the American Airlines Training Center . So I start trying to pack , and late run to Wal - Mart to buy my 1 year supply of stuff . I do a pretty good job of packing considering I packed a lot of stuff I did not need . 
How I got my Job Part 2 . We go through the training which by the way they had no idea what to train on because they had only trained people for Bosnia ( an unarmed monitoring mission ) and we were going to be the police in Kosovo . Now as cops we asked the obvious question : can we get a copy of the law ? Well , we couldn t as no one had any . Besides that they didn t know which laws we would be enforcing . We were going to be armed with a 9 mm Beretta . Oh , and pepper spray , and an Asp baton . So after our training and our psychological testing ( I know , I know how come they passed me is still a mystery ) Sometimes I think the guys that failed are the ones that get sent ! So we sneak into DFW International Airport just after midnight and line up to get on an old Russian airliner http : // en . wikipedia . org / wiki / Il - 62 ( OK technically Ukrainian : Eastline Airlines ) . Ok , nothing suspicious here , 110 armed civilians getting on an old Russian plane at midnight heading to Yugoslavia . This plane is obviously put together from 3 or 4 planes . You can see several layers of cords in the tires . They use dry ice for the air conditioner . And a mechanic crew flies with them . As we seat ourselves on the plane , they hand out lighters ( not quite like today ) . Now this plane can t make it straight over without refueling , so we lay over in New Foundland for a refuel stop . We Arrived in Macedonia , because the mines had not been cleared fro the Airport in Pristina yet . The Ariport at that time was obviously used as much as a military base as a civilian airpoirt . It was loaded with transport planes and helicopter gunships . OK , Ok I know I haven t got to Iraq yet - I am getting there though ! .. 
How I got my Job Part 3 . Ok , I won t go into detail about how we had to wait three days in Macedonia , while the Nepalese and Pakistani Police contingent wrecked the cars in the driving test and nearly shot the range officers in the firearms qualification . We smuggle our weapons into Kosovo and get set up at the training center . We were greeted with garbage piles on street corners that were 20 feet high , most of them burning . At night there were constant gun battles , helicopters at rooftops and several explosions across the city . Anyways , we go through orientation , and we were told to wait for our assignments . I decided to go through the police HQ and ask around as to who needed what . I came across the SIU . They needed someone who could make a database on a computer for tracking all the cases . I was the first one in our group to get assigned to a job . Later on SIU was changed to CCIU and was responsible for War Crimes and cold cases across Kosovo . I worked for two years with CCIU , more in administrative side , but I was involved with investigations , which included exhumations and small mass graves 7 or less people buried in one location . We had no high tech equipment in the beginning so that meant we did the digging and bagged these bodies in makeshift body bags . The morgue did not have a refrigerated unit and we would deliver the bodies to a shipping container just outside the morgue . Later on , when it was time for autopsy , we would have to go in to the container and find the right bag and take it inside . By the time I was done with Kosovo , I had definitely had my fill of death . ( Note : some time after that I was watching Behind Enemy Lines with my sons , and I could literally smell the scene when the pilot hid in the mass grave ) After Kosovo , I thought I would make big money and tried to sell cars . Actually I was OK , not great , I even made salesman of the month one month . I got a call from Dyn Corp asking me to go back to Kosovo . I wasn t making much money , and I knew I liked the work , so I went back . 
Zidane 's head butt and Sachin Tendulkar . Just a thought occured to me - What Zidane did in the final against Italy was a very serious offence . There are no two ways about it . Even the French media and public admitted it and felt the punishment he received ( Red Card ) was well deserved . But at the same time , they still respect him for what he has achieved although this incident would go down as a blot on record of their national hero . Few years back we had a similar incident ( although some might argue not quite that serious ) with our national hero - Sahin Tendulkar . Sachin was shown on television to be doing something with the seam of a cricket ball - a punishable offence in the game . And although the player claimed he was just cleaning the seam , the offence nevertheless deserved to be punished ( no player is going to go out and admit that he did wrong ) . The Indian media and public however were not ready to accept that what Sachin did was anything wrong and then there were cries of differential treatment and harsh puinishment being meeted out etc etc etc. There was a huge public outcry when punishment was handed out to him . Now here 's the difference - both Zidane and Sachin are national infact global incons in their own rights . But one is respected the other is idolized . One makes a mistake , pays for it and the fans accept the punishment as deserved and move on . Their respect for him is not diminished . However the fans of the other do not accept the fact ( playing with the seam of a cricket ball is a crime in the game period ) and make cries of partiality etc. Its time we became more mature and stopped godifying people . If a person makes a mistake , he pays for it and life moves on . Everyone makes a mistake . Life goes on . Let life go on .. Thats it for now ... 
The Mittal Saga . I must say , I am very puzzled with the way the whole Mittal episode was handled not just by the media but the politicians and also public at large . Yes , Mittal owns the largest steel company in the world and yes , he is an Indian . But let us get our facts straight Mittal has lived outside India for more than 3 decades Mittal has no business interests in India His company is not an Indian company His retaining Indian passport is also likely due to the tax status ( I happen to know another ' Indian ' who lived whole of his life outside India but retains Indian passport solely due to tax purposes ! ) He has never publicly championed the cause of either India and Indian business He is a very ruthless businessman ( for which I respect him ) Yet , inspite of this the issue was talked about as if we were referring to a person next door - a person who is a national hero . Sample this We believed ( rather convinced ourselves ) that the hostility to his take over bid was his ' race ' , rather his being an Indian - without knowing that over the last few months there have been objections to take over of European companies by Europeans as well . Our Commerce Minister ( Mr. Kamal Nath ) believes that it is his conversation with the Luxemburg head of state that ensured that Luxemburg did not oppose the deal - Who is Kamalnath ? We believed that Mr. Mittal is a shining of modern Indian businessman - bold , audacious , ambitious etc etc etc - what 's the relation ? How convenient of ourselves ? As the famous Mc Enroe saying goes , I wish to ask people - You are not serious . Don't get me wrong , I have lots of respect for Mr. Mittal . But there is not need to eulogise him . I am proud of his being of Indian origin and I wish him luck , but I don't godify him . Lets not go overboard .. That 's it for now ... 
Signed up for the 1 Step System - Initial Observations . Hello all ! This is my very first blog and I hope you find this information useful . For the last few months I have started to research and test the online business marketing , Internet home - based businesses , adsense and even e Bay auctions . I figured it would be best not to reinvent the wheel . I purchased John Reese 's Internet Traffic Secrets and I ' m currently studying his system . During one of the video presentations , Jeff Alderson was featured and so were some of his products . I checked out his sites and ran into a link to the 1 Step System http : // 14327.1 stepsystem . com. The 1 Step System website was nicely created , very professional with video and sound . I signed up to listen to the 37 live teleseminar . Jeff Alderson is a well know guru in Internet Marketing and I figured this would be a great opportunity to have him as my sponsor . I took the plunge and paid the $ 597 . I know it seems like a lot , but Google searches showed many satisfied business owners and if it can change my financial future , I just have to give it a try . I also ran into an e - book that very nicely explains the system and how to make money . If you want to check it out , go to http : // www .1 stepsystemrevealed . com and download your FREE ebook . Enter your name and e - mail and the PDF downloads immediately . No SPAM and your information will not be shared or sold . Have you had success on the 1 Step System ? Would you be willing to share your ideas or thoughts in general ? I will make entries to my blog as soon as my business begins to take off . I ' m still going through my Traffic Secrets and my back - office of the 1 Step System which has many hours of video , audio and PDF e - books covering many topics that will help expand my business . While I expect to post weekly , it could happen daily if new and exciting developments happen . I look forward to sharing my experiences with you . 
balance in design . Balance in desin . 
Good Denim . It 's important to have good denim . Good , strong denim that suits you and will last long and wear well . According to the tag on the Levi 's I ' m wearing , denim was created in 1873 -- or it was first sold in 1873 . " May 20 , 1873 . " The Levi 's store in San Francisco is like Oz , resplendent . The Mother of the City . When I ' m drunk in my room I like to lay my head on my desk and study the texture on my jeans . It 's important to keep a journal . But , I sometimes wonder if journals give it all ; or , if they do , isn't it a shame ? So , a writer or politician or artist dies and they publish their journals . The journals maybe give some context to what the person did . Keats once ate a handful of cayenne pepper at a party ; another example of the passion in the early poems , the bright - eyed boy ! But what did the writer / politician / artist think that he or she didn't write ? That 's what I want to read . There 's that poem by Heather Mc Hugh where she lays it out . Reading through some of my old journals tonight , I was impressed by the emotion and nakedness , but I can't help but wonder excitedly , what didn't I say ? It 's important to have good shoelaces , an often overlooked fact . I just assume shoelaces will always work . I never realized how important shoelaces are until I had a bad set . On my brown Eccos in Boston . To be fair to the laces , Boston will wear on anything . It 's important to attach the appropriate adjectives to light . Everything happens inside of light . This is especially apparent when I ' m under the influence of something -- alcohol , weather . e . g . Grape light . e . g . Dusty light . e . g . Amber light . e . g . Steel light . Using your own adjectives is seeing things purely , is thinking for yourself . Priscilla remember when it had just finished raining and we drove to Costco and the light was shivering , the light was jewelled ! It 's important not to tell the truth . The truth is obliterative . It 's important to meet someone you respect who does something that you do that you 're embarassed of . It 's important to eat well -- it 's what you put into your body . It 's also important to drink enough water . It 's important to experience different climates . It 's important to hide your sources , it 's important to fuck and fuck and fuck and fuck ! , it 's important for me to remember that my mom reads this and I should stop writing before it gets even more out of hand . 
I ran into my primary reader at the Elbo Room tonight !! John Wheaton -- I mentioned him in this post . We were in a poetry writing class together senior year and were responsible for reading each other 's poetry and exchanging letters every week . It was us and this girl Lulu , a graduate student in I think Chinese literature . I don't know what happened to her . & Cody bought me beer and pizza ! & I met a singer - songwriter from Madison who does country / Americana stuff and I ' m going to her CD release party next week ! We split a veggie slice . Are you out there Lulu ? 
[ Big Ocean . Haven't had a car to go to any more lumber stores + hosted a friend + interviewed and taught a demo lesson at KIPP Bayview + no money = bookcases temporarily on hold . The ocean is big it makes the noise of me waiting ] . 
The Quest for Lumber , Day 1 . Evening . Walked to Cole Hardware . Windy . Salespeople tell me they don't usually do cuts this late but Okay , hurry up , what do you want ? Tell them I need 1 X 10 pine . Salesman tells me they only have 1 X 12 . Anything else ? Nope . Salesman leaves , and I discover the 1 X 12 is mislabelled , should be labelled 1 X 10 , but on measurement is more like 1 X 9 1 / 3 . Frustration . 
Mike Fauteux is a tool . I need to be more resilient . Tonight my dad told me that I need to fly out to San Francisco ( I ' m moving to San Francisco ) rather than drive . I was really looking forward to driving out there on my own . He was going to let me take one of our cars since they need to get it out there eventually anyway ( my parents are moving to Reno ) and it would be convenient for me to drive it out for them . I was really looking forward to the drive . Not in any kind of romantic way , but I just think it would have been soothing in a way that I need right now , after being social in Boston and being stuck at home this week , and before the whirlwind of moving into my apartment and finding a job , etc. I was especially looking forward to stopping in Park City . I ' ve been to Park City a few times -- I was there for Sundance in 2003 , which was one of the coolest things I ' ve ever done , then I stopped there once with Adam and once with Stefanie on the drive from / to California . With Adam we fought about what kind of food to buy at Albertson 's for the rest of the trip and with Stefanie we had a little fight about my intolerance of fat people . But yeah , resilience . It was such a letdown when my dad told me I have to fly . That drive is exactly how I needed to relax right now . It would have been really soothing , but I guess it 's kind of immature for me to pout about it . All right , this little example seems insignificant but I kind of had a realization that I ' m not very resilient . I get all excited about driving to California , and then I find out it 's not going to happen and I ' m way down . I do it with anything that upsets me , to varying degrees , where I kind of go into shock for a while and need to be alone and I become really unmotivated and there 's a lot of self - loathing going on . Phone call with Michelle tonight in which we talked about the idea of " selling out , " which is a common and kind of ironic idea from people who ' ve gone to schools like Stanford or Harvard . We also talked about this kid Mike Fauteux from HGSE and how he 's a complete tool . Hey Michelle : MIKE FAUTEUX IS A FUCKING TOOL . I think that should be the title of this post . Apparently I also get hostile when I ' m upset . Long phone call with Brianna made me happy . She brought up the point that she has read / seen / listened to anything I ' ve ever recommended to her , yet she 's asked me to watch one movie ( Sense & Sensibility ) for about three years and I haven't done it . I told her not to take it personally -- I don't do a lot of things that people ask me to do -- and that I will watch it this weekend . It 's 4 a.m. now so I should go to bed . I have to get a good night 's sleep so I can watch World Cup games and eat and nap all day tomorrow . I hate being at home . 
PM 's response ' unacceptable ' . What is ' unacceptable ' is that we have a member of our government that is so uniformed of what a ' peacekeeper ' can actually accomplish that he would think the PM is wrong on this . These soldiers were being allowed to be used as ' cover ' by a terrorist organization , they were unarmed ... and truthfully should have been pulled out once their position was compromised . The Sec Gen of the UN should apologize , for some reason I don't think we will see that . I am so glad we finally have a PM that is right at least occasionally . js . 
A difficult lesson . I saw things like this when I was a young man in the military , you cannot reason with bullies ( or terrorist , which are the same thing ) . Let us hope the world can stand back and let this be sorted out . js . 
The New York Times - Memorable Photographs . Remember when the Globe and Mail published those pictures of the snipers in Arnhiem picking off Canadian Paratroopers in 1944 ? Neither do I... HT to 4 Mile Creek . js . 
Anti - Idiotarian Rottweiler Blog Archive More News From the Tiny Minority of Extremists Hijacking Peaceful Islam . " At one point he announces dramatically that the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center changed many people s lives . After a pause , he brings the house down by adding : Especially those inside . " This is what we are up against , some do not ( or do not want to ) realize it . js . 
Democratic Underground - Can a jet fuel / hydrocarbon fire collapse a steel structure ? An experiment . So apparently , in some circles , this ' proves ' that the WTC did not collapse from the two airplanes ( one that we saw on videocam feed and the other that was watched world wide ) but from some conspiracy , this in a country and a government that can't keep a secret for more than ten minutes . There are some loonies here . js . 
. Bright Eyes Lua Sweet Illusion Decemberists - We Both Go Down Together Franz Ferdinand Walk Away Chelsea Burns Eels Understanding Salesmen Madrugada Hold On To You The Everthere Brendan Benson Biggest Fan Radio Campaign Jeff Klein Red Lantern Unisex Pigs And Their Farms Roddy Frame - " Marble Arch " " Dirty Secret " Ry Cooder - " Poor man 's Sangri - La " Belle " Monster Ballads " Ed Harcourt - " You only call me when you 're drunk " comment , cd mp 3 . 
Cape Flowers 2 . . flickr - photo { border : solid 2 px # 000000 ; } . flickr - yourcomment { } . flickr - frame { text - align : left ; padding : 3 px ; } . flickr - caption { font - size : 0.8 em ; margin - top : 0 px ; } 	 Cape Flowers 2 , originally uploaded by ramzidreessen . 	 Well ... I ' m making so much money with my job ... I ' m thinking about going for the 20 D . or 30 D . but then there 's tax , the CF card , and the kit lens ... ah . 20 D it is . I don't need a bigger screen . If you have better ideas , just leave comments on this post . 
Prancing up the Stairs . . flickr - photo { border : solid 2 px # 000000 ; } . flickr - yourcomment { } . flickr - frame { text - align : left ; padding : 3 px ; } . flickr - caption { font - size : 0.8 em ; margin - top : 0 px ; } 	 Prancing up the Stairs , originally uploaded by ramzidreessen . 	 
While Drawing . . flickr - photo { border : solid 2 px # 000000 ; } . flickr - yourcomment { } . flickr - frame { text - align : left ; padding : 3 px ; } . flickr - caption { font - size : 0.8 em ; margin - top : 0 px ; } 	 While Drawing , originally uploaded by ramzidreessen . 	 
Cape Lily . . flickr - photo { border : solid 2 px # 000000 ; } . flickr - yourcomment { } . flickr - frame { text - align : left ; padding : 3 px ; } . flickr - caption { font - size : 0.8 em ; margin - top : 0 px ; } 	 Cape Lily , originally uploaded by ramzidreessen . 	 
Stars , Stripes . . flickr - photo { border : solid 2 px # 000000 ; } . flickr - yourcomment { } . flickr - frame { text - align : left ; padding : 3 px ; } . flickr - caption { font - size : 0.8 em ; margin - top : 0 px ; } 	 Stars , Stripes , originally uploaded by ramzidreessen . 	 
Spring Has Sprung . . flickr - photo { border : solid 2 px # 000000 ; } . flickr - yourcomment { } . flickr - frame { text - align : left ; padding : 3 px ; } . flickr - caption { font - size : 0.8 em ; margin - top : 0 px ; } 	 Spring Has Sprung , originally uploaded by ramzidreessen . 	 Happy Father 's Day ! 
Sprinkler . . flickr - photo { border : solid 2 px # 000000 ; } . flickr - yourcomment { } . flickr - frame { text - align : left ; padding : 3 px ; } . flickr - caption { font - size : 0.8 em ; margin - top : 0 px ; } 	 Sprinkler , originally uploaded by ramzidreessen . 	 For some reason , this is my favorite photo of the month . Maybe it 's because it 's so sharp , or maybe it 's just the direction and movement of the water ... or maybe it 's because I don't usually convert things to black and white . 
MTV on plagiarism . Good article about plagiarism was posted at MTV . Strange thing , as Shana Leonard put attention on plagiarism verification programs on musical site , which in fact MTV does . " For topics that aren't available or for cheaters who are a bit more cautious students can buy custom essays that are written on demand and tailored to specific requirements . " Personally I don't see also any problems . ... " for a nominal fee , students can purchase prewritten essays on almost any topic from virtual paper mills " , say HQessays . com , and that leave them more usefull time for studying or fun . Concerning Music Television , I would ask , - in visual space of TV , are there thieves ? Sure . 
High Heat and Tough Week .. Along with the rest of the country experiencing heat .. car is taking a back seat while I deal with the weather .. Will add more later .. did have the Insurance adjuster look at my wrecked car ( previous post ) .. so I ' ll let ya know how that goes .. Les . 
Actually got more then one day off Lol . I took a couple and it 's good to get the rest I needed but also being gone from work let them notice how valuable of a person I am . It suxs that my knee still hurts today , but making the best of it . Have some plans for tomorrow .. still need to make the engine build vid .. just thinking on the best way . See ya ! Les . 
Farris Buler 's day off . Hey , that 's a movie .. but in my case I ' m not having fun on my day off . I twisted my knee last Sunday and it was hurting a little yestersday morning . About lunch time I couldn't even stand on my right leg . I went home early and by 5:00 o ' clock my knee was swolen to the point it looked like doubbled in size . So today I ' m off of work flipping thru the TV chanels .. that suxs . I have to keep my leg up in the air and stay off of it . Well I hope I feel better soon .. I can't stand ( pun ) to sit around .. Lol . See ya , Les . 
Just another day of work for me . Well it was getting late so I took a quick pic of the Mustang to upload .. I did manage to get the Capri engine & Trans cleaned up today so next weekend I ' ll install it . I don't have a bunch of cash right at the moment so I ' m just working on stuff .. I have an updated pic of the Capri below .. I was thinking of using the Capri to tow my Mustang to the track .. so maybe they will be painted identical .. still thinking about that tho .. Well st least I ' m making some progress ( Hoot ) even if it 's over 100 degrees out .. uck weather anyways .. I didn't make my Video but will try this week ? Maybe ? See ya , Les . 
Once again time flys . Can't believe this week has went by so fast .. sheesh .. I ' ll put up some pictures of my car tomorrow . I have to finish the cowl area ( just in front of the windshield ) so that 's my next part of the project . I ' m going to the shop tomorrow to clean an engine & trans for my Capri convertable . After I get that finished I ' ll add a video " Part 1 " on how to build a race engine on my You - Tube account .. I ' ll post a link to it . Les . 
Having some fun . Well It was hot outside today again .. but made the best of my workday . Got home and had to cook on the grill . Made some Hot Wings for dinner but first I sat down with a wine cooler under the celing fan . The cat climbed onto my lap and stretched out . I had put one more wine cooler in the freezer .. Well it was the fastest nap I ever took .. The cat still in my lap but the wine cooler in the freezer was frozen .. Ummm !! So I got my buti going and cooked the chicken and took the frozen drink out with me to defrost , and it did rather quickly .. Dinner was good ! Lip 's are still burning Lol ! Used Hot sauce with BBQ sauce .. Feeling much better today I rolled the car outside in the evening breeze and reinstalled the Mustangs doors and rear bumper .. I need to remove again for final painting but at least the car is one again .. ; = ) .. Thank God . Well I ' m more happy today then have been in awhile soo see ya later ! Les . 
Back to Normal next week . Whatever that is .. the shop owner returns from his vacation .. Means a ton more work in this heat for me . I don't mind being busy but it 's tough because I worked and he is comming off a vacation .. I ' m still bummed because the Police report is not ready and my car is still sitting in my driveway destroyed by that Drunk Driver . My insurance company won't do anything untill they have a police report . I feel like a Mouse in a MAZE !! The money I invested in that car that got hit was suppose to turn a profit and make me more money .. It 's a nightmare .. I guess I ' m trying to feel better by talking about it is all .. Later , Les . 
More progress . I now have most of the car ready for paint . Been busy the last few evenings .. It 's still very hot out in the evening but I work anyways .. Here is a couple of pic 's from a day ago .. Take care , Les . 
Happy 4 th to ya ! Well I ' m adding some information on my engine and car . Hope you can see it . Over to the right is dyno run that I did on my computer . I have used this program in the past and it was pretty close to what the engine was . It calculates my 545 cubic engine to be Peak HP of 663 and Peak Torque of 730 That is about what I ' m shooting for . : = ) On the left is a computed 1 / 4 mile run data sheet . I add all the factors of my car and it tells me what it may run in the 1 / 4 mile in X conditions . It says that I should be able to obtain 10.006 @ 133 Mph .. Again that 's what I ' m shooting for . So it appears to be a good combination of Engine and Chassis .. Well I ' m back in the garage today so I ' m hoping to make some progress .. Take care , Les . 
Long lost Pal . Back in the day while I was in the Navy I had a good friend and I lost touch with him . One day while checking on some information about my old squadron I found a link to be reunited with some of the members . I tryed the e - mail addy of my friend and he wrote me back .. That 's great .. hopefully I can get caught up on what he 's been doing the last zillion years .. See ya , Les . 
Need to chat with God . Hey , Man sorry to post some bad news but the car I just fixed to sell got hit by a Drunk Driver while parked .. damn ! The dude is suppose to have insurance but .. it just suxs .. I had about $ 1000 invested and now it 's gone .. If you go to my Fathers day post you can see the car before it got wrecked .. Well I ' m bummed for sure .. See ya later ! 
Went Shopping Lol ! I ' ve been balancing my funds and finally got some $$ to get some parts . These parts will complete the lower half of the engine .. Whoohoo ! Shop owner went on vacation today . I had thought I was getting a week off , at least that 's what was going to happen , Not ! Instead I got a weeks worth of work .. Ugh .. ; = ( I don't know .. sheesh ! No matter I guess , I ' ll get some time off when he gets back I guess .. Well got to go ! Les . 
Friggin Hell of a Day ! I ' m pissed .. not only did I have a bad day but my friggin computer is fighting over home pages and I don't care ! Stupid Yahoo .. anyways .. All I wanted to do is add to this page and it keeps askiing me if I wanted a different home page .. Gerrr .. I had to go a different way to get to here .. Friggin computer .. cut me and just add some salt .. I ' m mad ! Bye ! 
It 's Sunday already . Wow , I pretty much slept all day . Yesterday I worked on my 1984 Mustang convertable at the shop . Being in the heat caught up to me .. Regardless of the heat this week I need to get the racecar finished as far as body work goes . I ' m gonna have to push myself .. The best part is having that part of the car behind me . I ' m sad because the car is behind schedule and should be done .. but .. it 's going to be finished this year so I know I ' ll be ready for next year .. It will at least allow me to do some testing this year .. See ya , Les . 
Blue Sun Queen Part three . Ambassador Mansur Al - Zawahri Stood watching troop transports landing at various strategic sites throughout the capitol city from the embassy s rooftop garden . He wore the new dark blue with gold trim shalwar kameez that his sister had sent him from Kashmir prime . The Kashmir Tiger roses were in bloom , their orange and black flowers the size of dinner plates . Ambassador Al - Zawahri had brought them from his family s home back on Kashmir Prime and had planted them himself . He had given several away in pots to the nodeceaseded Taoiseach and to several members of the Oireachtas , the legislative branch of Nuadh Eire s government , he had recently been informed that all members of the Oireachtas had been placed under house arrest . When the coup had started tintelligencence unit had to inform the Ambassador that the self - proclaimed Blue Sun Queen s , Dr. Karen O Brien head of the Blue Sun Corporation , military was much larger than they had ever suspected and while most of the soldiers appeared to be 14 or 16 years old the assault rifles that they carried were quite real and you would be just as dead if they shot you as you would be if shot by an older soldier . Also as they had feared top ranking miliofficersciers had apparently been bought off and many of them had been given various titles , Sir this , Baron that and Duke who ever , and put in charge of various regions of Nuahd Eire . One military base seemed to be a site of fighting but it was brief . officersciers loyal to the republic seemed unable to launch any type of resistance . The Embassy grounds were jammed with over two thousand Confederate citizens whom had either been studying , Visiting or doing business on Nuadh Eire when the coup had been launched . There were also nearly a hundred locals whom had asked for asylum including two members of the Oireachtas and their families . All of the locals had made it to the embassy before the blue army had parked several armored vehicles around the Confederate embassy . While the embassy guards were on high alert and carrying loaded weapons , they assured the Ambassador that it seemed to them that the new blue army was trying to stop local people from getting to the embassy for sanctuary . They noted that the armored vehicles weapons were all pointed away from the embassy and that all confederate citizens had been stopped and questioned but allowed to continue on to the embassy . After two days Ambassador Mansur Al - Zawahri and various other ambassadors were invited to an informal dinner and meeting with the Blue Sun Queen . Ambassador Al - Zawahri was told to inform her that the confederation viewed the change in power on Nuadh Eire as an internal matter of the citizens of Nuadh Eire and one that they should resolve on their own . 
The Blue Sun Queen . Seamus Finnigan , star reporter for the New Belfast Times , leaned against the cold dingy red brick wall disappearing into the long shadows cast by the street lights . He had one hand clutching to his tattered leather brief case stuffed full of printouts and the other held an old green bandana against the gun shot wound in his side . His fingers becoming sticky as more blood seeped through the bandana . He knew that no periodical on Nuadh Eire would publish what he had found . They had all been bought out right or compromised in less than civilized ways . He had been running and bleeding since they had ambushed him at Merchants Quay . Seamus knew it was a minor miracle that he had gotten away , but he had managed to give them the slip on the poorly lit streets of New Dublin and get on a cross town train . He also knew that he was very tired and had lost a lot of blood . It was only two more blocks and then across Clanbassil St. to make it to the Confederate Embassy . From the Confederate Embassy he could get an off - world news agency to publish his story , maybe something on New Caledonia or High Wales . He tried to block out the pain and stumbled down the road , leaving a small pool of blood on the pavement behind . It was 4 am when Seamus collapsed in the middle of Clanbassil Street . His dying gasp for help brought two of the Confederate embassy guards running out into the deserted street , they slung their G . A . R - 17 s grabbed Seamus and carried him quickly into the embassy grounds , to the embassy s well equipped infirmary . While they waited Sgt. Hassan military training kicked in and he started looking for intelligence , he looked through the tattered and stained brown leather briefcase and he took Seamus s flash drive off of his bracelet . That along with Seamus s PDA he turned over to the embassy s chief of intelligence , Col . Tarik Mubarak . While Col . Mubarak started to go through the computer printouts they had found in Seamus s briefcase , Seamus died on the operating table , leaving a lot of questions behind . 
All the earth a place to pray . The Prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him ) said : " Wherever you may be at the time of prayer , you may pray ( there ) , because ( all the earth ) is a mosque . " Fiqh - us - Sunnah , Volume 2 , Number 67 . 
PRAISE GOD EVEN IN ADVERSITY . The Prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him ) said : " The first to be summoned to Paradise on the Day of Resurrection will be those who praise God in ( both ) prosperity and adversity . " Al - Tirmidhi , Hadith 730 . 
Assault part 9 . Confederation forces fought their way to the gates of the capitol , paying for every meter with blood . Bahamut class battleships , outfitted with mass drivers , maneuvered into low orbit firing on the unity forces north of the capitol with devastating effect . Confederation troops , who could feel the explosions caused by the mass drivers from kilometers away , joked that next year they would fish in the lakes being created north of the capitol city . The destruction of the Unity forces north of the capitol left the Unity defenders with out hope of reinforcement . After three days of ferocious fighting the Unity defenders retreated into the city , abandoning the few armored vehicles that had not been destroyed . The Unity defenders hoped to delay the invading confederate forces long enough for reinforcements to arrive from the southern continent . Unfortunately for the defenders any relief would have to be air - lifted to get to them in time to help and the C . S . S . Musa , a Zaratan class carrier s Buraq fighters were destroying anything that the Unity tried to put into the air . After two days of attempting to negotiate surrender , the Confederate assault troops were given their orders and attacked the city blasting the airlocks and simply cutting through the city s walls . Fierce house to house fighting raged for 5 days and while the Unity troops had the will to fight , they found themselves out of ammunition and low on bottled air and filters . And so they finally surrendered . The leader of the Unity of Saints , who went by the title of prophet , was captured and announced the unity s surrender . The surrender was recorded and broadcast all over the planet . Soon confederate ships were being dispatched to all Unity controlled star systems with recordings of the Unity of Saint s prophet surrender . In one bold remove the Unity of Saints was removed as a military threat . Omar can you give me a hand over here ? I need and Hamza to bring those welders over to gate station 4 , so they can get started on repairing it said the captain . Sir why can t we just get a bio - lab to create a retro - virus we can give these people so that they can be enhanced and able to breathe the air here ? Can t be that hard , they possibly even have the original retro - virus used on Hausa World that enabled to breathe back home and here on Zarahemla prime still sitting in storage in some lab somewhere . Asked Hamza . The saints have some type of religious beliefs that do not allow them to gene - modify themselves . Their cattle are in the fields around the city so they obviously know how to do it . We cannot enforce our beliefs on them it just isn t right . Replied the captain , Now get those welders over to gate station four , so we can get this city depressurized . . 
Assault part 8 . Confederate Armored vehicle fires at Unity para - military forces in support of confederate assault troops . Soon they had new orders , ground radar had triangulated where the sporadic rocket fire that was hitting them was coming from , but as they still could not find the mortar teams , Omar was told to take his men and spot the rocket launchers . Moving carefully through the forest looking out for booby traps and Unity Para - military snipers , an hour later they started taking fire , they could also hear the whoosh of the out going rockets . Hamza s hit , yelled Jakir as he returned fire at the Unity defenders . I m alright shouted Hamza after rolling behind a tree , Alhamdulilah I m alright , but the laser spotter is broken . Omar fired two grenades from the under slung grenade launcher on his G . A . R - 17 and made a mad dash towards Hamza . While Hamza zeroed in on the Unity defenders and started putting 14 mm rounds into them , Omar tried to see if he could fix the laser spotter . He quickly came to the irrefutable conclusion that he could not . The laser spotter had been hit by a round meant for Hamza and had broken in to two pieces , electronic components inside were shattered . Omar looked at Hamza and announced It looks like the spotter has given its life for the Confederation . We don t have another one , do we ? Nope Didn t think so . Alright we have to come up with another plan . Said Omar glancing around the huge tree he and Hamza were using as cover . He had come to realize that in the last few minutes that the Unity return fire had significantly dropped off . Look I took out the machine gun they had with my grenades , how many do you think you have you gotten ? I put down maybe 5 or 6 . Alright listen up ; I want you to get over there with Jakir . You two will fire all 5 of your grenades in rapid succession and then start firing 3 round bursts . Hussian and I will charge them . If there are as few of them as I think we should be able to over run them and then hit the rocket tubes . And if there isn t a few of them but a whole company back there guarding the rocket tubes , then what . Then it nice knowing you and I die with wudu Right , right The plan went off perfectly as there turned out to be only two unity defenders left . They moved up towards where they heard the rockets firing from . They crawled up a small hill which the rocket tubes were set up behind and fired down on the Unity unit killing them all before they could get off even one shot . Eight hours later the Confederate Assault infantry was able to hook up with the armor units that were waiting to press on to the capitol city of Zarahemla Prime and all of the Unity . 
Assault part 7 . The pod hit the ground with a heavy thud , the iris door spun open and the straps holding Omar in the pod released . Omar activated his body armor s chameleon skin and as trained moved twenty meters away from the pod took and took cover before activating his locater , so that he could find the Lt . When he picked up the Lt . s signal flash he locked its location on his map read out and started moving towards it , as it was the units rally point . Moving cautiously through the forest it took him only a few minutes before he came upon the rally point . The Captain was there giving out assignments . Omar get over ordered Captain Khalid , don t have a mortar with you ? No sir You did not happen to see any of the mortar teams when you were making your way here , did you No sir Alhamdulilah ! Where are those mortar teams , listen Omar I want you to grab Hamza , Takir and Hussain and try to get up to the road . Hamza has a Laser spotter and we got Jinn Bombers entering the atmosphere now . They are going to do us a fly over . There is a Unity armored column coming down the road and you guys are going to spot it for the bombers , alright . Yes sir Omar found the other men and they started towards the road . Hamza explained to him that something with the drop pods navigation systems had malfunctioned and they were twenty kilometers south of where they were supposed to be . So , while they had been screaming through the atmosphere hoping their feet did not burn off , the drop ships had unloaded the armor in the right place . The eyes in the sky had discovered that there was a Unity armor unit between them and the confederate armored unit whom they were supposed to be scouting a path towards the capitol . They could hear gunfire erupting south and west of them as Unity Para - military forces engaged the invading confederate army . It wasn t long before they saw the enemy tanks moving down the road towards them . Hamza trained the laser spotter on the second tank as Takir made a radio flash signal to the Jinn attack bombers . 10 seconds later the whole road seemed to explode as hundreds of bomblets rained down on the armored column . They never even saw the Jinn bombers . 
Assault part 6 . Drop pods photographed by a Unity Officer in command of a AAA unit .12 hours later they emerged from the wormhole and slid into the Zarahemla star system , and while the confederate 4 th fleet finished wiping the Zarahemla defenders from the sky , the Assault group traveled through the star system to take position in orbit of Zarahemla Prime . As every minute ticked by Omar and the other men felt the tension rise . Men cleaned their weapons , made dhiker , or read to try and pass the time . As they got closer and closer to their objective , more and more of the men made dhiker . The order was given , Omar and the rest of his company assembled outside of their drop pods with all of their equipment . The captain then ordered them into their drop pods and then added , Remember your training and you will survive . Remember Allah and you will be victorious regardless of the battle s out come . Omar got into his drop pod and strapped himself in . He read the engraved plate , which was just above the go no - go lights in his drop pod . It was a hadith and read The Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) once saw the corpse of a woman who had been killed during a battle . He disapproved of it and forbade the killing of women and children . It was a final reminder to the assault troops of how they were expected to conduct themselves during combat . The green go light came on and Omar feeling his stomach doing flip - flops recited the basmallah as he pressed the launch button . The steering rockets fired and he felt the drop pod hit the atmosphere . The pod started to heat up for a short time and then the jerk of the main shoot being deployed , activated automatically by the pod s altimeter . During this stage Omar knew he was most vulnerable , for even with the pod being invisible to radar and as the heat shield fell away , invisible to infrared the pod could still be seen by the naked eye . The shoot was sky blue but the pod was a dark grey . Attempts at painting them just had the paint burn off during entry . 
Assault part 5 . After several days of leave spent mostly playing soccer and computer games , Omar and Hamza reported back to base and assembled with the rest of the third assault division in a huge cavernous hanger . When General Al - Jaber walked into the hanger 20 thousand men snapped to attention . The General walked slowly across the stage to the podium , looking out at the faces of men whom he was about to order into combat . They are so young he thought . At the age of 63 , General Al - Jaber was old enough to be the grandfather of most of the men in the 3 rd Assault Division . He still kept his 2.1 meter frame in trim fighting shape by jogging and swimming every day , but even with that age had caught up with him some what and took out the reading glasses , that he hated that he had to have , to read his speech notes . Assalam Alaikum Said General Al - Jaber . Alaikum Assalam replied 20 thousand soldiers . Bismillah Rahim Raham , five months ago military vessels belonging to the Frankish Empire attacked the Confederation , but they were not being content with destroying the military sites in the New Palestine star system . Oh no , they also nuked the eight largest cities on the prime planet . Now since that time we have fought two major battles and several smaller skirmishes , with raids going back and forth . The last major battle was a major attack by the Franks on New Kelantan and gentlemen , the Franks were crushed . All of the Frankish capitol ships participating in the raid were destroyed . A complete victory for the Confederation . Now the Franks are still in the fight and they have just finalized an alliance with the Unity of Saints . An Alliance , which we shall nullify with one bold strike . You will leave this assembly gather your gear , for in 6 hours you will be taking the elevator up to a top of the line Crocotta class assault troop transport the General paused looking up from his notes at the sea of faces and exclaimed Takbir 20 thousand voices replied Allahu Akbar Takbir Allahu Akbar Takbir Allahu Akbar You are dismissed . Omar and Hamza crowded on to the elevator car with a thousand of their fellow soldiers , combat armor on and packs on their backs . They would have their G . A . R . - 17 s issued to them once they got on board the C . S . S . Cairo , The Crocotta class assault ship which would transport them . Once they and the rest of the assault divisions were loaded onto the transports , each platoon gathered around its Lieutenant who then ripped open their sealed orders and read them to the men . The Confederation High Command was making an attack on Zarahemla prime . The 7 th fleet would slide into the Zarahamla Star system first and then they , 250,000 assault troops being escorted by 2 Bahamut class battleships and 4 Quyata class heavy cruisers , would come into after most of the Unity system defense ships had been destroyed or disabled . The assault ships were then to establish a low orbit and the assault troops would go down in drop ships . The soldiers also learned that the assault troops from Hausa world had been chosen to make the assault on Zarahemla Prime for a very special reason . Zarahemla Prime s air was of a similar composition as Hausa world , 50 % Carbon Dioxide . As all of the Hausa had been genetically modified generations ago so that they could breath the air , they would not have to wear any special type of respirators . The Unity defenders would be wearing such devices , as genetic modification of human beings was illegal in the Unity . All the cities and towns on Zarahemla Prime were domed .86 hours after receiving their orders the lead battleship , the CSS Kuwait led the assault group to their slide point and opened up a worm hole which the group slid through to the Zarahemla star system . 
Assault part 4 . When they got off the train , they were hustled on to a bus with other recruits and in short order were driven to the training base , where they met training Sgt. Abdulkhareem . A man whose 2.2 - meter tall frame seemed to bulge everywhere with muscles and he howled at them in a thick New Daura accent pegging him as an off worlder . He seemed to spend the entire training time either in their faces or behind them kicking their butts . Listen up , I am not your friend , I am not your mama , I am not your daddy , I am your training Sgt. I will be training you how to be Confederate Assault troops , the greatest type of soldier there is . I will train you how to use all sorts of different killing devices and in battlefield tactics . But most importantly I will teach who the enemy is , so that when you go into battle you will not hesitate , because if you hesitate you die , roared training Sgt. Abdulkhareem . Over the next several months Omar , Hamza and the other recruits learned how to use the G . A . R . - 17 ; gauss assault rifle , as well as the V. R . F gauss gun . They learned to use grenades , mines , and seemingly every confederate infantry weapon in use . Spending hours each day on the firing range , with the hot sun beating down on them . When it rained , as the military did not want to run the firing range in the downpour , they did physical training and practicing marching in formation . The military did not seem to care how wet they got . They practiced hand - to - hand combat , knife fighting and use of the garrote until every muscle ached and they could do the movements in their sleep . Drop the garrote over his head and around his neck , partial twist of your body and pull . Done correctly the enemy s head will come off , barked Training Sgt. Abdulkhareem white teeth gleaming . Omar and the other recruits could hear training Sgt. Abdulkhareem in their sleep howling at them , Wrong , now you are dead . Do it again ! After graduation from the weapons school they went straight to drop school . They did parachute jumps and specialized HALO jumps for 3 weeks , then after a week of classroom instruction they went up the space elevator , they climbed aboard the C . S . S . West Wind , loaded into drop pods and made their first orbital assault insertion . They made one more drop and then had their graduation ceremony . Omar s Mom and sisters came with Hamza s parents and brother . They all remarked how they looked older and seemed more mature . Mostly Omar and Hamza just felt tired , but they also felt confident in their new abilities and skills . 
Assault Part 3 . Abu Hurairah , may Allah be pleased with him , reported : A person came to Allah 's Messenger ( may peace be upon him ) and said : Who among the people is most deserving my companionship ( of a kind treatment from me ? ) He said : Your mother . He , again , said : Then who ( is the next one ) ? He said : It is your mother ( who deserves the best treatment from you ) . He said : Then who ( is the next one ) ? He ( the Holy Prophet ) said : It is your mother . He ( again ) said : Then who ? Thereupon he ( The Prophet ( peace be upon him )) said : It is your father . YOU DID WHAT !!! yelled Khadija , Omar s mom a tall thin woman wearing a black and gold outfit , at him . Hamza and I went down to the recruiter s office and signed up . Replied Omar nervously ; this was not going at all as he had seen it in his mind . He had envisioned hi mother crying and grief stricken but proud , not blazing with anger . When you say recruiters , you mean you have signed up as dutronic robotic gardening equipment salesmen . Said his mother with just a hint of sarcasm . No mother , Hamza and I went and signed up with I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BOY , I AM NOT STUPID . Hamza and I I don t care what Hamza does , I am not his mother . Now I forbid you to join the military . I have just lost your father , I am going to need help with your sisters , she said gesturing to the 3 little girls who were sitting quietly on the living room s old and worn couch . Mom , we already signed up . We are to report back to the recruiting station next Thursday to ship out for training . Khadija collapsed into the big black leather chair next to the couch , her head in her hands . It seemed that her anger had evaporated away and with it her strength . Her husband of twenty - four years dead and now her only son going off to fight in a war that had taken her by surprise . This was not how her life was supposed to be going , she thought . She had been inquiring about brides for her son and had expected to have him introduced to a few prospective brides when her husband had returned in 6 months . Now all her plans were shattered . Khadija had Omar home for ten days and she made the most of it . Cooking all his favorite foods and letting him spend his days drinking tea and playing mancala with his sisters and friends . Omar figured he had gained two kilos by the time he reported to the military recruiter s office , where they were given train tickets . 
Assault part two . It is narrated on the authority of Tariq b . Shihab : It was Marwan who initiated ( the practice ) of delivering khutbah ( address ) before the prayer on the ' Id day . A man stood up and said : Prayer should precede khutbah . He ( Marwan ) remarked , This ( practice ) has been done away with . Upon this Abu Sa ' id remarked : This man has performed ( his duty ) laid on him . I heard the Messenger of Allah as saying : He who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand ; and if he has not strength enough to do it , then he should do it with his tongue , and if he has not strength enough to do it , ( even ) then he should ( abhor it ) from his heart , and that is the least of faith . Hamza plucked his red tinted glasses off his face and turned to his best friend , since 2 nd grade , and stuttered Omar , cousin I am so sorry , I mean I am sure that he wasn t there . He was probably in the field . You know how he is always out getting rock samples . Omar isn t your dad on New Palestine ? Asked Zainab a young co - ed that Omar and Hamza had in their Neo - Quantum Trigonometry class . Yeah his dad is on New Palestine , teaching geology at the university at Ramallah by the Sea . Now could you give us a moment . Replied Hamza who now had taken Omar s arm in his hand and was directing him out the door . More of their classmates started to offer words of sympathy or encouragement . Omar s tall and lanky frame came to a sudden halt . Causing an un - alert Hamza to almost trip over him . The time stamp on the pictures show that it was a weekday morning . He is teaching classes mornings during the week . He was there when Ramallah by the sea was hit . Stated Omar adding We are at war Hamza , and I am going to go down and to the military recruiter s office and sign up . We will sign up together said Hamza with a big smile braking across his face . , because there is no way I am going to let you go off and get all the glory . When they got there they found the recruiter s office was full . 
Assault . The Amarya Zazzau University Student Union cafeteria was filled with the sound of students talking about the latest soccer match , exams , what they were going to do this weekend and the smells of rice and lamb . While the cafeteria was co - ed , male and female students sat at different tables . Male and female students would talk to each and occasionally romances started in the cafeteria they always sat at different tables , no one was really sure if this was a university rule or just tradition , but it was always done . Suddenly one of the students whom were watching one of the vid screens on the wall shouted for every one to be quite . Soon everyone in the cafeteria was glued to the broadcast . CINN NEWS FLASH CINN NEWS FLASH CINN NEWS FLASHThe Frankish navy has made a surprise attack on New Palestine . Initial reports are telling us that the orbital shipyards at New Palestine have been destroyed , along with all orbital defenses and system defense boats . CINN has just received word that the attacking Frankish fleet also dropped thermo - nuclear bombs on several cities on New Palestine . The list we are reading to you now are of the cities that we know have been hit , but it is not to be assumed to be a complete list . Arafat city , New Jericho , Ramallah by the Sea , and Druze Colony . The Confederation military is calling up all reserves and canceling all leaves . You are to report to your unit right away . In planetary news The Hausa world Military High Command is also calling up all reserves and canceling all leaves . If you are in the military you are to report to your unit commander immediately . The Picture is our first visual of the Nuclear strike on Ramallah by the sea . It was shot by the medical transport vessel Um Musa as it descended towards the planet . 
Quran . Qur ' an , Al - An ' am , Surah 6:163 - 164 I ask whether I should seek any god besides God -- when he is the Lord of all things . All people will reap the harvest of their own deeds ; no one will bear another s burden . Ultimately , all of you will return to your Lord , and he will resolve your disputes . - Qur ' an , Al - An ' am , Surah 6:163 - 164 . 
New Kurdistan badlands Marathon . Based roughly on the quote from Caliph Umar , that all Muslims should learn to ride a horse , shoot a bow , and swim , the New Kurdistan badlands marathon is one of the most grueling races in the C . I. W . The race kicks off with an archery contest . The score in the archery contest determines the racers starting position in the 2 nd stage of the race . The 2 nd stage of the race is horseback riding . The competitors race their horses through over 100 kilometers of difficult terrain . The third stage of the race is the swimming and competitors swim must swim across the Shin Derayace , a one - kilometer swim . Racers emerging from the water immediately are in the 4 th and final stage of the New Kurdistan badlands marathon . The 300 - kilometer foot race through dangerous desert terrain . The temperatures in the New Kurdistan Badlands can shoot up to 40 c and plunge to 4 c at night . Nor does bad weather stop the race . In the 178 years the race has been run flash floods have killed 27 racers . The race starts every year after Eid - al - Fitr . In fact the first non - Kurd to win the race Abdulrahman Muhammed of New Malaysia , arrived on New Kurdistan two days before the start of Ramadan and walked the course twice before Eid . Many series competitors now do this ; even some non - racers will do it . Walking the course during the day and reading Quran and performing Tarawih prayers at night . They call this performing Abdulrahman s quest . Some racers have started to pick up the tactic of running at night , navigating by the stars and sleeping during the day . Some racers from new Tajikistan , whom lay out during the day allowing their skin s chlorophyll to rebuild their bodies energy reserves , have used this tactic very effectively . A tactic made even more effective by the fact that the racers must carry all their own food and water . There are only four water stations along the racecourse , not including the lake they must swim . The entire race is broadcast 24 hours a day for the entire 15 days it normally takes the last runners to make it to the finish line , on New Kurdistan channel seven . During the race much of the planet will be glued to the coverage cheering on their favorite runners . All along the racecourse you can see the channel seven monitoring drones hovering above the ground . They also allow race officials to monitor the race for safety concerns and to make sure there are no rule violations . On occasion racers have tried to bury food and water supplies in violation of the race rules . 
The Flu . Hi everyone sorry about not posting anything this week i have been down with the flu , but as i am finally feeling better i hope to be able to post some pictures and stories this up coming week . now i just have to get ready for the kids getting out of school for the summer . Salam . 
Lupursus . Dear Abdulrahman Assalam Alaikum We went to the Planetary zoo . It was Huge . They have a Monorail to help visitors get around . We saw the pair of Lupursus that they have there . The male is the black one with the green stripes and the female one is the pink and black one . They can run up to 80 kilometers a hour and they weigh 300 kilos . The most dangerous thing about them is they have no fear of man . We also saw a really nice Walid Monkey habitat . It donned on me while we were looking at it that I have never seen Walid Monkeys outside a zoo , even back home . So Inshallah , when we get back as soon as I can I am going to take the mag - train down to the southern Hutan park and observe some Walid Monkeys in their natural Habitat . Give everyone our Salams and Inshallah we will be Home in 3 weeks . Wassalam Your Cousin Muhammed . 
Floaters and South Islands . Bismillah Dear Abdulrahman Assalam Alaikum Well we just got back from our fishing trip . It was great . We caught a lot of the local fish , one of which has tentacles . I even hooked this massive thing called a horned trout . It must have weighed a hundred kilos , almost pulled me off the boat . After fighting it for 45 minutes , seemed like days , it managed to tear out of the hook . We fished in an area called the southern teeth . It is called that cause of the shape of the little islands that that dot it , and it is in the southern ocean . The Captain said that if we had been fishing out there in the winter we would have seen chunks of ice in the water . But while we were there it was warm and plenty of sunshine . Oh and I am 2 shades darker now . Alhamdulillah , we saw the giant floating fishers , in my last picture you can see two of them . They were enormous , the size of those advertising zeppelins you see flying at sporting events back home . The captain told us that they suck up water in drinking tubes that they drag in the water and that special bacteria that live in them break the water down into hydrogen and oxygen . The floaters absorb the oxygen into their blood and that the hydrogen goes into their balloon sack . I ask about storms and apparently the lower themselves into the water during storms . Also their skin has some special property , which redirects lighting strikes down into the water . Well Jamila and I are going to go to the new Benjarmasin Zoo and Aquarium tomorrow . Should be a blast , the hotel clerk told us that they have a mated pair of Lupursus there . Oh yeah , last night we went out and had a local dish which was battered fish served over rice with some sort of yogurt sauce . It was delicious , so we bought a cookbook . So when we get back we will be cooking a big dinner for everybody . Wassalam Your cousin Muhammed . 
Formation of the Confederacy . Even though the Chattergee - Haque fast as light drive had allowed humanity to settle over a thousand star systems by 1800 A . H . because the Drive was limited to the speed of light and the vast distances between star systems , Interstellar government was impossible and each star system was on its own . Even trade between star systems was out of the question . Then on the Planet Kalimantan Prime in the year 1837 A . H . all of this changed . Professor Hassan Nashashibi of the university of New Benjarmasin completed the greatest invention in transportation science since the wheel , the Nashashibi Worm drive or as it is more commonly known as Worm Drive . The Worm drive powered by a Sun burst fusion reactor allowed man to travel distances in mere hours that had taken years by opening up a worm hole between two points in space . The first trip was to the nearby star system of New Malaysia . The Authorities on New Malaysia were amazed by this new star drive . The First Citizen of New Malaysia , Zainab Muhammed , quickly got the crew of the ship to agree to carry back several representatives of New Malaysia , who upon arriving on Kalimantan Prime negotiated a trade agreement and a mutual defense pack . This was followed several months later by a technology exchange program . This was the beginning of the Confederation of Islamic Worlds . Within several years the Confederation had all the ethnic Malay worlds and had devised a standard treaty for each world to ratify to join the Confederation . Afterwards The Confederation sent representatives to New Kurdistan , Turkmen Prime and hundreds of other predominantly Muslim star systems . The urge to reconnect with humanity and the prospect of trade and new technology and all but a very few joined . Soon ships with worm drives were sliding into star systems nearly everywhere that Humanity had settled . At first the Confederation exclusively had the worm drive , but this was not to last for more than a dozen years . Scientists on New Guangxi by carefully monitoring star ships every time they activated their worm drives were able to conclude how the drive worked and in seven years they successfully tested their own worm drive . The leaders of High Aquitaine were not so subtle and simple seized one and reversed engineered the worm drive . Later agents of Nuevo Amazonas were able to steal plans for the worm drive from Aquitaine Prime . With the Genie out of the bottle scientists and engineers were able to compare notes and even more powerful and efficient worm drives were built . This of course also led to the formation of the Celestial Alliance , the Frankish Empire , the Nuevo Federation , and numerous smaller interstellar groups like the Shiite systems Alliance , the Unity of Saints and the Federation of Free Worlds . The invention of the worm drive also led to a huge amount of trading in technological and scientific information and the 3 rd expansion of humanity into space . 
Vacation Pictures . Bismillahir - Rahmanir - Rahim Hey Abdulrahman Assalam Alaikum Just got to New Samarinda , The Hotel here is great , I actually have a whirlpool in my bathroom and the view from my balcony is of the Imam Hassan Memorial flower garden . The Garden looks spectacular from up here . Your Mom would love it . Remember when we were in school , all those times she had us digging flowerbeds and planting flowers . Well here are some pictures I took while on my extreme backpacking group trip . We were in the Kalimantan Prime northern national park . There are no facilities at all in the park , not even trails . If trails start to form the park officials will put that area of the park off limits until it recovers . That and they only let five thousand people into the park every year . We got to spend two weeks hiking and camping . The park is over 20,000 square kilometers and the terrain was formed by glaciers that pushed through the area over ten thousand years ago during New Kalimantan s last ice age . Most of the fauna that we saw was bipedal , kind of neat huh . We saw a herd of Kiki deer must have been three or four hundred of them , they were so graceful , we all just watched them run by nobody remembered to pull out a camera . There is also a species of predator called a Lupursus that lives in the park , but we never saw one . Part of our gear were these neat collapsible kayaks , they were so cool . We used them to cross a couple of lakes and we went down a river in them and rode some small rapids . Thinking of buying one for myself . Of course the park is closely monitored and if we would have found ourselves in any real danger we just have to activate our emergency transponder and one of the park ranger spheres would have swooped down and rescued us . I got a few pictures of them as well , they are the big gold globes in the pictures . They were cool o watch to as they simply glide through the air silently . They are silent as no to disturb any of the wildlife . We are going to do some shopping and sight seeing in the city but next week we are going deep sea fishing . And get this the captain of the boat is giving us a discount cause we are from off world . I love this planet . Wassalam Your cousin Muhammed PS give my Salams to your family and tell Aisha that Inshallah she should be getting a post card from me soon . 
Dracheufer . One of the worst Confederation military disasters of the Grand War was the failed assault on New Prussia . It should be remembered that New Prussia had been conquered by the Franks 10 years before the start of the Great War . Confederation Intelligence stated that the civilian population of New Prussia was unhappy with the empire and either would be indifferent to the invasion or would welcome the Confederation Military as liberators . It was based on this Intelligence that such a small invasion force was sent . Yet most military historians agree that it was not the size of the force that caused the failure of the assault but the botched landing . In an attempt to render ineffective the Frankish mobile surface to air missile batteries , It was that while armor would go down on traditional landing craft , that the infantry would use the new I. A . D . P . or Individual Assault Drop Pods . The I. A . D . P . s were nearly invisible to radar and as each one only contained one soldier the use of Surface - to - Air missiles would be cost prohibitive to the Frankish defenders . Unfortunately not all the kinks had been worked out of the guidance system so they would land anywhere within a kilometer of their landing target . So when the landing zone was picked many believe that deciding on Dracheufer could be a mistake and they were correct . While Dracheufer was only 20 kilometer from New Berlin and appeared on the map to be flat it turned into a disaster . For the Appearance on the map was correct except for a massive cliff , which separated the beaches from the fields above . So while many drop pods only missed their target - landing zone by a few meters , they landed on the beach . This trapped over half of the infantry troops whom had dropped , as they faced a 200 - meter cliff , which they had to climb to be able to link up with the rest of the assault force . When Frankish reconnaissance drones discovered this , the Franks were quick to dispatch every naval vessel they had in New Berlin and these ships chewed up the Confederation troops trapped on the beach . Over 30,000 died in a matter of hours . While The Confederation troops found themselves tangled up in this combat and unable to make the rapid assault on New Berlin . The Frankish defenders put into action a new mine laying machine which in short order turned every field between New Berlin and the Confederation Invasion force into a mine field . The light Confederation force found itself engaged in heavy combat and moving forward through mine fields that soon decimated its ability to fight . General Mustafa Abdulqadir was forced to offer surrender after only 120 hours of landing on the planet or face complete annihilation . After the War a monument to those who died at the battle of Dracheufer was erected . 
Chattergee - Haque Fast - as - Light drive . The Invention of the Chattergee - Haque Fast as light drive was a huge break through in science and herald the beginning of man s break out from the solar system and into interstellar space . The Chattergee - Haque drive was designed by Dr. Sujana Chattergee and Dr. Khadija Haque while serving on the Calcutta Research Station . The Station was a large asteroid that the government had set up for the conducting of what it deemed dangerous experiments . The Station was unfortunately destroyed during an experiment on a new cold fusion technique . When the two scientists realized that their fusion shielding experiments was leading to , they quickly changed the objective of their research and with in a year the Chattergee - Haque fast as light drive was a reality . Probably the most amazing thing about the drive was not that it allowed man to go fast as light , but that it allowed him to do so relatively cheaply . Very soon over ten nations launched interstellar probes using the Chattergee - Haque drive , and before any of them had sent back data huge colony arks were being built . The first group to leave the solar system was sponsored by the Confederation of Islamic States . Over a million Kurds went up the Space elevator in Kenya and boarded 4 great space arks . This was soon followed by two Arks carrying half a million Palestinians and several Arks carrying a quarter of million each of Indonesians and Malays all who took the Indonesian space elevator . Not long after this the North American Alliance launched an Ark carrying Cherokees , Arapahos and Mohawks . The French Government launched one Ark a year for several years of a hundred thousand each , though sometimes they had to draft colonists . It was this way that mankind colonized and explored the stars for nearly 300 years , until the discovery of the worm drive . 
Changes . Being interested in science fiction is not just an interest in what the world will be like 400 years from now but how will the world have changed in my lifetime . One of the things that got me very interested in Science Fiction was not simply star trek , star wars and battlestar galactica but a story my mom told me . I have no memory of my great grand mother as she died when I was one year old at the age of 96 . Now I was born in 1387 A . H . ( 1968 AD ) so yes she died in 1388 A . H . ( 1969 AD ) . The Year she died she watched a man walk on the moon , when she was born , the year 1290 A . H . ( 1873 AD ) , there were horses and carriages on the streets of New Orleans and the quickest way to travel was either by steam ship or train . The changes she saw in her lifetime were phenomenal ; In my lifetime I can remember going to a friend 's house who had a PC which used cassette tapes then computers started to use floppy disks , right now most computers use CDs , and on my key chain I have a 1 gig flash drive . My first computer did not have a 1 gig hard drive . I can only imagine what everything will look like at the end of my lifetime or what my children will see during their lifetime . So before you start to scoff at some idea as being implausible remember my great grandmother . 
Blender . Assalam Alaikum Sorry about taking so long between posts lately I am trying to learn blender and flash right now , and that is taking up a lot of my time but as I think knowing blender and flash will allow me to greatly enhance the story telling here , I am really motivated to learn them , which also means if you know any good tutorial sites feel free to post them to me here . Oh and that combined with the fact that the schools out so the kids are all home right now means I am doubly busy with that . Trying to keep the little guys busy and not just sitting in front of the TV all week . Salam . 
Spike back cats of New Kurdistan . The Spike back cats of New Kurdistan are that worlds planetary animal . There is a wonderful display of the creatures in front of the Pesh Merga command center , which is a must see tourist attraction . A dangerous predator an adult spike back weighs upwards of 70 Kg and has 10 - centimeter razor sharp claws . While they are jungle dwellers and decent climbers , in the open they can run up to speeds of 100 Kph . They normally live in packs of 6 to 8 adults . They are matriarchal with the lead female leading the hunts and eating first . As pack hunters they can bring down prey 4 to 5 times larger than themselves . The Spike back s feline appearance is deceiving as while they are warm blooded the have far more in common with reptiles . They are egg layers and begin to reproduce in their 5 th year of life laying 3 to 4 eggs at a time . The newly hatched spike back does not suckle but eats meat , which its mother brings it . They learn to hunt in their 2 nd year of life and are on their own by their 3 rd year . Contrary to popular opinion their spikes are not poisonous . 
Primer sa 2001 Mga Tiyak na Tuntunin sa Gamit ng Walong Dagdag na Letra . ( Bahagi ng 2001 Revisyon ng Alfabeto . at Patnubay sa Ispeling ng Wikang Filipino ) . Unang Bahagi . Ang Kaligiran sa Pagbalangkas . Ng 2001 Mga Tiyak na Tuntunin sa Gamit . Ng Walong Dagdag na Letra . ( To be continued ) . 
Appendix / Apendise . Dr. Nita P . Buenaobra , Commission Chairman IV , Tagapangulong Komisyoner , Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino . Dr. Rosario E . Maminta , Director ng Proyekto . Teknikal na Komite Primer : Tagapangulo : Dr. Rosario Alonzo Raportyur : Dr. Narciso Matienzo Mga Miyembro : Dr. Pamela Constantino , Dr. Clemencia Espiritu , Dr. Galileo Zafra . Patnubay sa Ispeling : Tagapangulo : Dr. Jesus Fer . Ramos Raportyur : Dr. Teresita Fortunato Mga Miyembro : Dr. Marietta Reyes - Otero , Dr. Enedina Villegas , Prop. Melanie Donkor , Dr. Fely Castillo . REPUBLICA NG PILIPINAS . Republic of the Philippines . KAGAWARAN NG EDUKASYON , KULTURA AT ISPORTS . Department of Education , Culture and Sports DECS Complex , Meralco Avenue Pasig City , Philippines . Tanggapan ng Pangalawang Kalihim Office of the Undersecretary . Agost 17 , 2001 . Kautusang Pangkagawaran Blg . 45 , s . 2001 . ANG 2001 REVISYON NG ALFABETO AT PATNUBAY SA ISPELING NG WIKANG FILIPINO Sa : . Mga Director ng Kawanihan , Mga Director ng Rehiyon , Mga Superintendent , Superbisor , At Pinuno ng mga Paaralan , Iba pang Kinauukulan . Kaugnay ng itinatadhana ng Konstitusyon ng 1986 hinggil sa patuloy na pagpayabong at pagpayaman ng Filipino bilang wikang pambansa at pampamahalaang wika , at bilang tugon sa mabilis na pagbago , pag - unlad , at paglaganap ng wikang pambansa , ang Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino , sa tulong ng mga dalubwika , manunulat , editor , tagapaglimbag , propesor / guro , at mga kinatawan ng samahang wika , ay nagsagawa ng pagrevisa sa mga alituntunin sa ispeling at primer hinggil sa wikang Filipino . Kalakip nito ang 2001 Revisyon ng Alfabeto at Patnubay sa Ispeling ng Wikang Filipino na binuo ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino . Simula ngayon ay gagamiting gabay ang 2001 Revisyon ng Alfabeto at Patnubay sa Ispeling ng Wikang Filipino sa pagtuturo , pagsulat ng teksbuk at korespondensyang opisyal , at iba pang gawain ng Departamento . Hinihiling ang pagpaabot ng Kautusang ito sa lalong madaling panahon sa lahat ng mga kinauukulan . ( Sgd . ) . ISAGANI R . CRUZ , Pangalawang Kalihim Kalakip : . Gaya ng nasasaad . Sanggunian : . Kautusang Pangkagawaran : Bld . 81 , s . 1987 ; 14 , s . 2001 at Memorandum Pangkagawaran : Blg . 207 , s . 2001 . Pamumunod : 1 - ( D . O . 50 - 97 ) . Ilagay sa Palagiang Talatuntunan sa ilalim ng mga sumusunod na paksa : CHANGE , LANGUAGE , POLICY . Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino Lupon ng Sekretaryat Dr. Rosalina C . Matienzo , Tagapangulo . Pinky Jane S . Tenmatay , Rosie A . Martinez , Ka - Tagapangulo . Miriam C . Palawan , Manuel A . Cusi , Sr . , Tomas T . Ocampo , Jr. , Enrico B . Reyes , Julio A . Ramos , Kagawad . 
Zidane Interview . 	 I have heard about the Zinedine Zidane ( Zidane 's home page in French ) interview , however I had not had a chance to see it . I ' m not sure if any of the Canadian networks broadcasted it in full or if they just presented the " important " parts . For those of you who may not be aware , during the World Cup 2006 final between France and Italy , Zidane was sent off with 10 minutes left in extra time for a head butt delivered to the chest of Italian player Materazzi ( through the great and all powerful youtube , here is the hit ) . The hit was allegedly in return to comments Materazzi made about Zidane 's mother and sister . italy went on to win the World Cup ( as if you didn't know already ) in penalties . Zidane gave an interview to the French channel Canal + explaining his actions . Here is the interview given . For those of you who don't understand French , he says that he would have rather received punches instead of those words about his mother and sister and that Materazzi repeated the insults a few times . He does apologize to everyone watching , especially to the kids around the world . He does NOT however regret the hit . He says that regretting what he did would be the same as admitting that the words Materazzi spoke were true and he would never do that . Zidane is a great soccer player . He has retired from soccer after a long and great career ( yes a video will come later on ) . It is sad that his retirement has been marked by such an ugly incident but one must not forget that he , as everyone else , is a man first and a soccer player second . Yes insults are part of the game and yes there are very disgusting things coming out of the mouths of soccer players . However everything has a limit and Zidane 's actions prove that . You can't just go around insulting people and not expect there to be consequences just because it is on the field of play . I do not condone Zidane 's actions by any means , and I hope FIFA does come down at least on him if not on Materazzi as well . Ah well , the world cup is over and now we wait for UEFA 2008 and then WC 2010 . ~ ERTW . 
Fun with Underwear . 	 I ' ve seen these commercials a few times over the past week . It seems Fruit of the Loom has come out with a new commercial campaign and it 's pretty catchy . It features the Fruit Guys , a music group that dresses as the fruits in the Fruit of the Loom bunch : Apple , Green Grape , Purple Grape , and the Leaf . I must say that the commercials are very entertaining . One of them is along the lines of Coldplay 's " Yellow " video / song [ insert " 40 Year Old Virgin " reference here ] . Apple is walking down the street singing about blue underwear and such . It is really catchy . Unfortunately I have not been able to find an online video of these commercials as of yet . The Fruit Guys do have a video of their song ( MP 3 ) " You can't overlove your underwear " put online so that 's the best I can do for now . As soon as I can , I will be posting a video of the commercials . Until then just make sure you keep an eye out for them . ~ ERTW . 
Piaggio MP 3 . 	 So I was reading through my monthly copy of Popular Mechanics and came over this short news brief about the Piaggio MP 3 three - wheeled scooter . ( I couldn't find a link to the article online ) Basically it 's a normal scooter , except that it has three wheels . One in the back and two on the front . Something like the following : ( my ASCII drawing skills are a bit out of practice but you get the point . { } { } | | | { } Here is a picture of what it looks like from the Italian newspaper la Repubblica . This is a better picture of it ( one of the largest I could find short of copying what 's on the official site ) from the article at Moto Corse ( in Italian ) . I found a couple of You Tube videos on it , though the quality is really low . Here 's a 5 minute video and a 2 minute video . According to PM it comes in a 125 cc and 250 cc model and the latter starts at around $ 6400 US . Unfortunately it is currently available only in Italy . I encourage you to check the official Piaggio MP 3 site . They have loads of cool stuff there . ~ ERTW . 
WC ' 06 Winding Down . 	 I ' ve been following the world cup on and off . I watched all the games I could no matter who was playing really . One team that I was looking for , improvement wise , was Portugal . I figured that maybe after so many years on the international soccer field they would have learned to play fair and to actually play without diving whenever an opposing players just runs by them . Boy was I wrong ! ~ ERTW . 
Spiderman 3 trailer . 	 I can't wait for the latest instalment to come out . May 4 th , 2007 is the release date and it 's TOO far for me . Here is a teaser trailer I could find . Good ol ' You Tube . In other news , I ' m going to Montreal for the weekend so I will be pretty much incomunicado . I will have my cell phone so those of you who have me on your MSN or know my number can text me . Enjoy the trailer , et au revoir . ~ ERTW . 
Krispy Kreme Cheeseburger ... 	 Ok I know I ' ve posted a lot tonight but this one I just HAD to post about . A baseball team in the States ( Gateway Grizzlies ) have just unveiled a new burger ... they teamed up with Krispy Kreme to bring you ... a cheeseburger whose buns are Krispy Kreme doughnuts ... yeah ... I ' ll let you decide ~ ERTW . 
A quick note from Chris Moiser . Hi , mega probs in getting reports off to you today . Ollie is currently on the other machine here doing it now . Went to the Gambian Daily observer today and gave our story to the security man , the editor , and a reporter . The reporter we found out to be the agricultural correspondent . It all was treated with much more interest when the senior reporter came in and asked if we had heard about the report on the BBC about Ninki nanka . We then pointed to Richard and said it was him . We were then taken to a nearby internet cafe with a memory stick so that we could donwload the CFZ site report for them . We ended up paying for the internet cafe ! and then back to the observer office for a photograph . We had the photograph done on the balcony there , under a mango tree . I pointed out to the reporter that Lisa loves mangos , so the reporter picked her one ! As the Agriculture correspondent I believe that it was a good mango ! We may be in tomorrows paper which we will try and get before we get taken to the airport . If not it may be under Gambia on www . allafrica . com There is also a Gambia Daily Observer website , but I do not know its address . Chris . M. 
Richard 's thoughts after ten days ... The habitat of Armitage 's skink Day 10 , 13 th July I was interviewed by a man from BBC World Service Africa . He asked all the usual questions : why are you here ? What is Ninki - Nanka ? Have you seen it ? He also said that some listeners might think it was just an excuse for a holiday . I explained that our group counted among it a zoologist , an archaeologist , a biologist , an ecologist , and even an astrophysicist . Later that day we travelled down to Gunjur Beach . Luke had told us that a couple of Rastafarian men who owned a beach bar had provided him with two specimens of Armitage 's skink . After traversing a foul smelling fish market we came upon the bar . It was a tumbled down wooden shanty , festooned with wind chimes created from sea shells . They jangled eerily . The owner was a friendly guy . We ordered a round of soft drinks and then asked him about the skink . He confirmed that he had caught two in his toilet and passed them on to Luke at the Gambian Reptile Park . He described them as around 10 inches long , as thick as his finger and sandy brown with a black stripe . We asked him about Ninki - Nanka and he said that it was an animal so powerful that those who saw it died . He had known people who had seen it but they were ' no longer conscious ' . We walked along the beach towards the grassy dunes that Luke had told us were the skink 's habitat . A local beach bum and his dog started to follow us quite unbidden . He trailed round after us where ever we went . Suzi asked him to leave and he ignored her . I asked him why he was following us and he said he wanted to ' help us ' ( i . e . get some money off us ) We told him we were scientists looking for lizards and that his dog was scaring them away . Finally he left . We searched the dunes as the temperature became cooler but found nothing . We began to walk back along them , looking for a suitable area to sit quietly as the sun set and watch for the skinks . Unfortunately the pestering beach bum reappeared ( this time sans dog ) and proceeded to attach himself to our group . He claimed to have seen a snake beside the road 4 years previously , but he said it was green . Hunting for the skink At this point it may be useful to look back on the descriptions of Ninki - Nanka that we have received : Baka Samba , Mr Fixit , whose uncle saw the dragon : Huge and terrible , has fire in the mouth . Musa Jatta , guide at Abuko : It is like a huge python . It is big enough to swallow a whole cow . It has legs , and wings like a bat 's . It breathes fire . Hassan Jinda , grandson of victim Papa Jinda : It is unimaginably big . If you see the front of it you cannot see the end . It has a crown of fire on its head . Male and female have different crowns . Its scales glitter . Dodgy fishmarket guy 1 : It is like a snake , but it can grow as big as a palm tree . Its scales are like mirrors and you can see yourself in them . When it grows big it goes into the sea . Dodgy Fishmarket guy 2 : It has a snake like body and a face like a kangaroo . It has a forked tongue . Momomudu park ranger at Kiang West , and so far our only first hand witness : It has a face like a horse . A feather like crest falls down over its face . Its scales are reflective like mirrors , mainly black and green . 50 meters long by 1 meter wide . Snake like body . None of the descriptions match up . Crests , reflective scales and a snaky body do seem to be constants , as does the idea of seeing a Ninki - Nanka leading to death . I am considerably less convinced of the existence of this creature than other beasts I have hunted such as the Naga , Orang - Pendek , and the Mongolian Deathworm . 
This is getting weird ............... The media around the world are getting wildly excited about the expedition , just as the supply of news is beginning to dry up ! Yesterday we got a double page spread in The Independent , and today we have been on the BBC Online website ... The problem that we have is a technical one . We received this email from Chris Moiser earlier today : " Hi , Power off all day and the internet people do not use the computers on their own generators ( too dangerous voltage surge ) " . As the world becomes more technical , and we find that we are living in one great multimedia circus , sometimes it is easy to forget that the vast majority of the human race are not able to make instantaeneous contact with one another . Even at the CFZ it is easy to forget that even two and three years ago during the Sumatra expedition , the boys were out of touch for the entire time they were there . I had a telephpne call from Richard on arrival at Singapore airport on both the outwards and return journeys and that was it ! This time life has been much easier ... But it 's so bloody frustrating ! And it is so easy to misinterpret what the expedition is actually doing . Take Bungalow Beach for example . The bulletins suggest that the area where ` Gambo ` was buried has been built over completely . But has it ? We only have one way communication with the boys ( and girls ) , and whilst this certainly seems likeley , we don't know whether they have managed ( or are going to manage ) to do some exploratory digging or not ... And the interview with Baka , that I posted earlier . As one correspondent so writely says , this proves that dead and dying animals ( including a large cetacean without a back fin ) do , indeed , get washed up on that beach . But was it the same incident ? Is there any way of telling ? Until the team , return next week , the answer is sadly , NO . Until then , I suggest that you do what me and Mark are doing back at CFZ Mission Control . Pour yourself a Margarita , sit back and enjoy the ride .... 
INTERVIEW WITH BAKA SAMBA . Interview with Baka Samba One one of the first blog postings made after their arrival , the team told us about their encounter with a local shopkeeper , Baka Samba . What we at CFZ base have been waiting for , however , is this following testimony .... Richard : Was your shop here in 1983 ? Baka : Yes R : Do you remember a large animal being washed up on the shore in 1983 ? B : Yes , it was a big dolphin R : How large ? B [ pointing from where he was to a breeze block lying on the floor , approximately 10 feet away ] : From here to there R : What happened to it ? B : It was alive when it washed up . Some white men came with a boat and tried to save it , but it was very ill and it vomited and then it died . It was left on the beach . Oll : Could you draw a picture of it ? Baka : I can't draw Oll [ pointing to a silver pendant of a dolphin ] : Was it like that ? B : Yes O : I ' ll draw it , and you tell me what it 's like [ Oll drew out a picture , following Baka 's directions and asking the locations of the fins as he went ] O : Does it have a fin on the back ? B : No , it had no fin on the back When Richard visited the fish market he drew a picture of what Gambo was supposed to look like and took it with him . He showed it to a fisherman , told them what size it was supposed to be and asked them if they ' d ever seen anything like it . They identified it as a sawfish . We will be returning to Bungalow Beach very soon to interview Baka again . 
Debt Diet . http : // www 2 . oprah . com / money / debtdiet / money _ debtdiet _ main . jhtml Anyone want to start a debt diet club ? It would be cool to escape the rat race and encourage each other with healthy money matters ... hit me back if you are interested . Cheers ! Reid . 
A Recap ... I have been moving forward with my workout . For the first time I am really enjoying it REALLY enjoying it . I am not allowing the small set backs this time and I find it very freeing as I am ' resting ' into it . " I " want to be healthy and I am learning to make it MINE , not because someone else says , but because I want to . You will see some guns on me soon who hoo !! Welcome to the gun show ! and my energy returning ( don't be too scared about that one ) ... I was actually able to RUN for my part of my cardio on Thursday , I was shocked , I have not run that long since I was in track in High School ... WHOO HOOO !! I never really understood the power of music being a motivator during cardio , I took that for - granted as I am a dance instructor , I used the music ( Meatloaf believe it or not ) to push me past the time I was planning to run ... Bow chick a bow wow , no more forgetting the earphones ! I went hiking this week with Jeramy and Ryan on Independence Day , how I take for - granted how awesome it is we live in Colorado . Anyone up for some day hiking ??? Let 's pack a picnic lunch and go experience ! God did a pretty good job on some of these views I will say lets enjoy them together sometime ... sometimes they are breath taking because there is no oxygen , but it is fun ! I have learned that I am a bit afraid of heights I would like to work to get back to a healthy balance ... so I am going back up ! Not so good with the finances this week ... looks like I will be revisiting that one soon ... just say ugh , don't let the castle fall and get back on track ! I think that my issue is beyond the savings and I need to know what is going out ... back to the basics . Goal , let my assets pay for themselves , know where my money is going and plan accordingly . I did make a couple of good decisions about spending ... I downgraded my Netflix , Cancelled a gym membership I did not use , and got all my stuff out of storage ( just in time to not pay this month 's fee ) . It is kinda funny , I held on to spending my money on the 24 hour fitness membership because it was a good deal and I would be able to use it , well I was not using it -- so what is so good about that . I am learning that saying NO is OK for deals that you will not use ( just because it is on sale does not mean you need it ) ... some of you might say " duh " but I knew that , but it never really sunk in till now .... 
Again from Paul ... Here 's the excerpt from Marianne Williamson 's book A Return To Love : Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles . ( One more for my book list ) " Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate . Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure . It is our light , not our darkness that most frightens us . We ask ourselves , Who am I to be brilliant , gorgeous , talented , fabulous ? Actually , who are you not to be ? You are a child of God . Your playing small does not serve the world . There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you . We are all meant to shine , as children do . We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us . It is not just in some of us ; it is in everyone . And , as we let our own light shine , we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same . As we are liberated from our own fear , our presence automatically liberates others . " . 
Movement . I hope you agree this message is dead - on and is something we all need to think about more ... It 's never virtuous to keep your music bottled up inside of you -- never ensuing your REAL desires ... because ... you 're afraid you ' ll make mediocre " friends " feel uncomfortable , or because you 're scared of what might go wrong , or you 're afraid you ' ll fail , or because you don't know where to start . You have one life to live and nothing to lose . Instead of being afraid to tell someone you love them because of what they ' ll think , TELL them . Instead of procrastinating because you don't have all the answers , JUST DO SOMETHING . You don't get inspired to do the thing ; you do the thing and then you ' ll feel inspired . The bottom line is : Will all the trivial things you fear or worry about matter when your time is numbered in hours -- not days and years ? ( I saw this on my friend Paul 's My Space Posting , and it is so on time ) . 
Oh my legs !!! Wow what a first day working out ! I am really going to like my trainer well sometimes I won t ( like trying to walk this morning Oh dear ! ) I will have to say that I have waited TOOO long to get something like this started again and I am WAAAYYYY out of shape for me . I could not even finish the routine he was giving me ! UGH , and he was not trying to make me over do it ! I am however excited and motivated and in a good non - over - obsessive way for this . I have tried a couple of times to replicate the training I did when I was doing the body for life program , but it was not motivating anymore and I felt sort of empty doing it . This time it seems simpler and I am moved with it ( if that makes sense ) PLUS , I have a great coach to help me along theway ( I see where this helps ) . He has a knack for encouraging and has a great attitude ! We are starting out rather simple , even though it killed me yesterday , we will change up the routine a bit as the training progresses . I liked starting simple ( Ah the things you learn as you get older ) I have a bit to go with all this , after all it is about continuing and pushing throughboundaries , but watch for more updates on the hunkification of Reid ! 
1 st Fitness . Ok , here I go with another division of the Reid s Life Pie . This is the section that has to do with fitness I turn 36 this Friday ( June 30 th ) , and I am always bitching that I need to have a smaller gut . Well , action more than words right ?? Time to become physically the hunk I already am on the inside ! Tonight I meet for the first time with a personal trainer and someone that will hold me accountable for the goals I set with him . I will keep you posted on some of the goals that I will be setting and the progress of my training goal not too fall off the horse too much with this . I will probably meet with them 2 times a month for technique check and accountability . If you live in Denver I am going to post their link here http : // www . definefit . com / they use a private studio of course let them know you are coming through me ! If any of you have extra time and want to work out ( weights , dance , cardio , bike riding , let me know ) I would love to share some of this with you ! 
Worry . One of the interesting things about me , it I find myselfgetting worked up over little things , and what I am realizing is that I WORRY !! Especially with small things and I make up what I think the perceived outcomewill be and I work myself into a tizzy Part of the problem is my empathic nature , those of you who know me understand , I get the feelings and I canfeel what your emotion is when I am talking to you , OK they are a bit like Spidey Senses however , I a not good at predicting outcome ( I tend to fantasize ratherthan realisize ( my word )) , I just understand what is going on , make sense ? I do this with work , relationships , and goals it is part of the reason I sometimes let my castle fall . Since I have learned that I do this , it helps me breathe , think , and realize all is ok J and I can still move . 
Help Me Replace My Camera . Turning a new leaf , maybe begging for help , not quite ontrack , but I do want this as I document my life ; - ) I lost my brand new camera in February , and I have been looking to replace it . A couple of friends of mine ( for real ) have used this method for free electronics and they have received them ... cool thing is they are offering the same camera I lost a Power Shot SD 550 ... it would be so nice to get it back I need six friends to sign up and complete one of the offers , they are not horrible ( Blockbuster or Netflix Trial ) and I get my camera ... then we can pose for pictures !!! YAY .. just be sure to cancel the deal after the trial period if you really dont want it ... Here is a link for my referral , if you want me to e - mail you this let me know and I will send it to youhttp : // digitalcameras . freencome . com / ? r = 30955247 Just putting it out there , thanks for reading : - ) . 
Good Advice From a Stranger . 1 . There are at least two people in this world that you would die for .2 . At least 15 people in this world love you in some way .3 . The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you .4 . A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone , even if they don't like you .5 . Every night , SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep .6 . You mean the world to someone .7 . You are special and unique .8 . Someone that you don't even know exists loves you .9 . When you make the biggest mistake ever , something good comes from it .10 . When you think the world has turned its back on you take another look .11 . Always remember the compliments you received . Forget about the rude remarks . Makes me think of those spamming e - mails , but I like what this had to say . 
gioved , luglio 20 , 2006 . 	 Bouldering . Angela Eiter Bouldering At The XX Winter Olympics Originally uploaded by Reindert Lenselink . da http : // www . flickr . com / photos / 67773910@ N 00 / Reindert Lenselink During the XX Olympic Winter Games - Torino 2006 some of the best world climbers have been invited by the City of Bardonecchia to climb together on a new facility purposely designed . 
Condo - Sears Tower - Family Party - Palmers . Vandaag uitchecken in de hostel om de laatste nacht in Chicago bij Dave Colleen en Donna Cheryl , Kyle , Steve , Andrea and Justin , Donna Rich , Gary and Colleen . We appreciate it !! 
A Stirling Performance . My various rantings on Scottish football have probably been boring all you bar one person all week ( and there 's every chance that they 're boring him too ) , but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to give a mention to East Stirlingshire - possibly the worst team in the history of British senior football . This is a team that has amassed a grand total of 66 points in the last four seasons , has a wage cap of 10 per week , and has the only unpaid manager in the whole of British football . Clearly , there 's something going on here that deserves my further attention . They 're so bad that the story goes that the other Scottish League teams are trying to get the League to bring in promotion and relegation just to get rid of them . But , having said all of the above , one can't deny that there 's something inherently charming about a team that is completely wretched , week in week out , and that just doesn't seem to really care . Also , their website ( although it has one or two irritating noises on it ) is humourous and good - natured ( if you want to check this for yourselves , I ' d suggest a quick visit to their Player Profiles section , where right - back David Harvey names " scoring two own goals against Queen 's Park " as his " Most Memorable Moment " ) . It 's also notable that only one of the players isn't single . It would appear that the chat - up line of , " hey , baby , you might have heard of me - I play for East Stirlingshire " doesn't work . Mind you , on a maximum wage of 10 per week , they ' d hardly be able to keep the average gold - digging WAG in the syle to which they ' ve become accustomed . Of course , East Stirlingshire 's one big contribution to world football is that they gave Sir Alex Ferguson his first break as a manager . Ferguson was paid 40 a week when he joined them in 1974 , and when he joined them they had just eight players , and no goalkeepers . Unsurprisingly , he lasted just six months at Firs Park before being tempted away to the bright lights of St Mirren ( funnily enough , East Stirlingshire were above St Mirren at the time that Ferguson jumped ship , but you see what I mean ) . During the 1970 s and 1980 s , Meadowbank Thistle earnt a cult support for their ineptness ( which dried up when they got fed up with being rubbish , changed their name to Livingston and moved thirty miles from their Edinburgh base ) . In the 1990 s , Cowdenbeath were nicknamed the " Blue Brazil " in the 1990 s and the same phenomenon happened ( in case you were wondering what happened to them , they won the Scottish League Third Division under the managership of the former Bolton , Wolves and Hibernian striker Mixu Paateleinen - he must occasionally wake up wondering how his career ended up with this bizarre outcome ) . East Stirlingshire , for whatever reason , don't seem to inspire the same amount of affection . It 's a pity . Players who play for ten pounds a week and a ground with a sheer brick wall at one end of their ground ... Such eccentricities should be nurtured and encouraged . If you lived there , wouldn't you rather be involved with this sort of thing than the underlyingly sectarian , money - drenched nonsense that follows Rangers Celtic around ? 
Say Hi - Hi To Your Mom . I thought I ' d continue with my Caledonian theme , what with the Scottish League starting this weekend and everything . The plight of East Stirlingshire to follow tomorrow ( or maybe later tonight ) , but tonight I ' d thought I ' d focus on Glasgow 's long - forgotten " third " club ( and I say this in full knowledge of the existence of Partick Thistle ) : Third Lanark . Third Lanark were formed before either Celtic or Rangers . 1872 , to be precise . As you may have gathered from the name , they were initially connected to the military , but the link soon ended , and the Hi - His ( so nicknamed because their ground was an altitude which meant that it overlooked the rest of Glasgow ) became one of the powerhouses of early Scottish football . They won the Scottish League in 1904 and the Scottish Cup twice . As Celtic and Rangers cemented their stranglehold on the Scottish League , though , Lanark struggled . They yo - yoed between the two divisions of the Scottish League in the 1920 s and 1930 s , but settled again in Division One in the mid - 1950 s , and reached the final of the Scottish League Cup as recently as 1959 . During their last great period , a number of ( relatively ) well - known players played for them . Bobby Craig , who would go on to star for Newcastle and Celtic , was one . Ally Mc Leod ( best known for his magnificently deluded management of Scotland at the 1978 World Cup ) both started and finished career playing for them . A total of of eight years . It wasn't enough . In the early 60 s , they took the financially ruinous decision to build a new stand at a time when their crowds were tumbling . By April 1967 , just 297 people turned up to see one of their last matches , a home match against the newly - formed Clydebank . They went into liquidation that summer . A subsequent Board Of Trade report showed considerable financial mis - management on the part of the club 's directors , including a rumour that the club 's final chairman had attempted to manipulate the club 's difficulties in order to personally profit from any sale of the ground . There was a certain irony that it was development of their ground that turned out to sound their death knell , because it is the ground itself that they are now probably most famous for . Initially known as Hampden Park , it was passed to them from Queens Park , who even now play at the current Hampden Park ground . They soon changed its name to Cathkin Park , and it was one of Scotland 's biggest grounds , with a capacity of 50,000 . After the club folded in 1967 , Glasgow City Council took it over , and it is still used for schools football matches today . Somewhat remarkably , they didn't landscape the area , and it makes for quite an eerie sight . The supporters largely preferred to transfer their support to a Scottish Junior League side Pollok , who even now get by far the biggest attendances in their league ( and , at around 600 , considerably more than many lower division Scottish League clubs ) . Pollok 's best days could yet be ahead of them . The Scottish League is currently debating whether to introduce re - election or promotion and relegation from the bottom of Division Three , and they would surely be amongst the favourites to make the step up . Might I suggest that , should they ever manage this , they change their name to Third Lanark and their colours to red and white ? Either tonight or tomorrow , I ' ll be taking a look at the team that they ' d be most likely to replace . 
Who Are They ? Was there ever a more ridiculous advert than the Milk Council 's " Accrington Stanley " one of the mid - 1980 s ? " Accrington Stanley ? " , bellowed a dreadful little Scouse kid , apparently spurred on By Ian Rush , " Who are they ? " . " Exactly ! " , spat his equally obnoxious little friend . I know that it was all just a joke , made partly because of Stanley 's hilarious name , but as a supporter of a club as small as theirs at the time , I was indignant about it . As you may have noted , I still am . It was , I guess , the inherent snobbery of the top of the English game . The smaller clubs don't don't matter . They 're an irrelevance . It would be better not to play football at all than to play for them . It 's a large part of the reason why I cheer every time a small club dumps one of these supposed " giants " on their arse in the FA Cup . So ... a quick re - cap : Accrington Stanley were Football League members from 1922 to 1962 . They became the first club in the history of the League to resign in mid - season , after a financial implosion ( two more have followed - Aldershot & Maidstone United , in quick succession in the early 1990 s ) . After limping on gamely for three years , they folded , and their ground fell to ruin . You can read more about them here . A new club , with the same name , were founded in 1968 , and as you know , last season they won the Nationwide Conference to win promotion back into the League . With pleasing symmetry , they replaced Oxford United - the team that took their place forty - four years ago . In 1985 ( which was , I think , the year that the aforementioned advert came out ) , they were promoted from the North West Counties League to the Northern Premier League . A somewhat higher level than any of us have ever played at . I mention all of this because of something I was researching last night . I was reading about the quite fabulously bad East Stirlingshire ( more on them later this evening ) , and it became apparent that their players earn a flat wage of 10 per week each . Now , whilst such a wage structure may not be particularly conducive to success , even in the Third Division of the Scottish League , it 's certainly bold . One of my old bosses was a centre - half for Leverstock Green in the heady heights of the Herts Senior County League about five or six years ago , and even he got 40 a week . What I ' m trying to point out is that you have to be reasonably good at football to get paid to do it , and that shows a fatal flaw in the Milk Marketing Board 's advert . Only good enough to play for Accrington Stanley ? I wish . East Stirlingshire to follow . 
Sunday Sunday . Apart from watching a torpid five minutes of Celtic - Everton on Channel 5 this afternoon , I ' ve had a relatively football - free weekend . This is what the end of July should be like . A bit of golf on the television , enough cheap Tequila last night to floor an elephant . Lazy days indeed . A time to feel footloose and fancy - free before the stomch - knotting domestic season begins in earnest again . We become , for a few weeks , fully rounded human beings . Of course , it 's not quite as simple as that . I ' ve spent some time downloading bits and pieces over the weekend , and I ' m currently girding myself to torrent two hours worth of highlights of the 1979 / 80 Scottish Premier League . I know that this is alarmingly geeky , but I also know that at least some of you will be insanely jealous . However , the opportunity to own highlights of ( amongst other things ) Rangers playing in front ot a crowd of 12,000 at Ibrox was just too good to pass up . I ' ve also stumbled across the Celtic - Rangers match from 1987 that ended up with four players being charged by the police . I ' m not watching that until I ' ve got a big tub of popcorn , though . Of course , the television coverage of football is the one thing that has changed more than anything else over the last twenty years or so . I have something in the pipeline about ITV 's regional coverage of the 1970 s & 1980 s ( and bemoaning the terrible waste of their back catalogue - all the matches that they covered are sitting gathering dust somewhere . Why haven't they been made available on DVD or to download ? ) , so I ' ll stay away from that subject for the time being , but Channel 5 's coverage of Celtic - Everton reminded me of the extent to which it is possible to argue that there simply is too much football on the television these days . A pre - season friendly between Celtic and Everton , not even part of a pre - season tournament , could be of very little interest to anybody other than , well , Celtic & Everton supporters , so why did Channel 5 decide to pack John Helm and chums off to Glasgow ? Well , this sort of football is still cheap broadcasting . To actually produce it costs next to nothing . Five will have bunged Celtic a few quid for the rights , but to actually show it costs them next to nothing . It fills a couple of hours in their schedule at a time when they would be expecting an audience of no more than a few thousand people and , most importantly of all , they know that there are enough people like you and I that will slump down on the sofa at this time of year and watch any football that 's put in front of them . It 's the reason that Channel 5 shows highlights from the Eriedivisie at two in the morning on Fridays ( and very good it is , too ) , and why Channel 4 occasionally sneaks something from Le Championnat into its late night schedule . If nothing else is on , who amongst us doesn't flick onto Sky Sports News when there 's nothing else on and stare vacantly at the Welsh Premier League 's top goalscorers until we realise that we should be doing something altogether more constructive ? All of which reminds me ... I really need to get a HD recorder before the middle of August . 
A Friendly Word . First up , we passed 10,000 visitors yesterday . So , thank you for stopping by ( again ) . The new season starts next week in Scotland , and I daresay that there ' ll be a full preview of that on here at some point over the next seven days ( unless I can find someone to write it for he it ' ll have to be done by me - I should probably start researching it ) , but in the meantime it 's more friendlies today , most notably between Arsenal and Ajax at Ashburton Grove ( on a point of principle , I ' m not calling their new stadium by its sponsors ' name ) . It 's Dennis Bergkamp 's farewell , and I think it 's fair to say that he has probably been the most successful import ever into the Premiership . Seven million quid exceptionally well spent ( and , as someone that is fairly scared of flying , it 's nice to know that there 's someone even more spacky about it than me ) . It also marks the final farewell to Highbury . Much as I hate Arsenal ( and I really , really do , at a very profound and occasionally profane level ) , I ' m going to miss the old place . It may have become the Highbury Library in it 's final years ( when the truth was that it wasn't that much worse than anywhere else ) , but one has to say that two of the stands were stunning pieces of architecture and , as listed buildings , can't be demolished ( they 're being converted into flats ) . One by one , the famous stadia of England are being demolished - Spurs are talking of moving out of White Hart Lane , and Everton and Liverpool are desperate to move out of Goodison Park and Anfield - and , I have to say , it upsets me somewhat . I made reference to the demolition of the Trinity Road Stand at Villa Park . Football clubs really should take more care of their legacies in this respect . Elsewhere , there are a number of other friendly matches going on this afternoon . I wish there was another competition that brought forward fixtures like Dunfermline vs Carlisle , Rochester Raging Rhinos ( they 're American , not from the Medway towns ) vs Sheffield Wednesday , Northampton Spencer vs Peterborough and Manchester United vs Kaiser Chiefs ( the team , not the band ) . The thing about friendlies is ( and it took me about the age of 16 to realise this ) that they 're never going to be as good as you hope they will be . The people that go to them are the football equivalents of heroin addicts . So desperate for their fix that they ' ll travel to to Hitchin from Bristol on a Saturday afternoon in July ( as I daresay at least some Bristol Rovers fans will be doing as I write this ) , they have my complete admiration . I can only aspire to such dedication . Finally , the Intertoto Cup . It 's , well , the finals today . Newcastle , like pigs snuffling for truffles , are in Norway needing to beat Lillestrom for a place in this year 's UEFA Cup . I daresay that Damien Duff , who is apparently in the process of joining the long and illustrious list of players to snub Spurs in order to join Newcastle . So : turning down Martin Jol , fighting for a place in the Champions League and with one eye on winning a cup or two , in favour of Glenn Roeder , and the once - in - a - lifetime to play Michael Owen and Kieron Dyer at cards on the St James Park injury table . What a great career move . 
Coke Is The Real Thing . So , Shaun Newton ... busted . The biggest surprise of the whole story to me wasn't that he ' d been caught having taken the old Bolivian Marching Powder , rather that he was playing at West Ham when he was . Most Wolves fans will tell you that he spent much of his time at Molineux as if under the influence of a very heavy dose of mogadon . That he was in a Premier League club 's squad having spent a few seasons singularly failing to be Wolves ' long - term replacement for Steve Bull was something of a shock , I can tell you . I ' m struggling to see how a seven month ban is proportionate , especially when compared with the recently - retired Zinedine Zidane 's three - match ban for head - butting someone for insulting his mother in the World Cup final . Zidane is , of course , an icon . A role - model to millions . To see him commit such an act of violence on a football pitch was shocking . He ' ll spend three days ( yes , that 's three days ) doing community service , because his international career is over . Newton , according to tabloid rumour , isn't even much of a role - model within his own family at the moment . If the authorities ( and , presumably , the clubs ) really wanted do something about recreational drug use in football , presumably they ' d be better advised to not pay their young players thousands of pounds a week for a couple of days work , and then leave them to their own devices for the rest of the time . This , though , is the paradox of the harsh sentencing of drug offenders . It tackles those unfortunate enough to get caught , without actually tackling the problem itself . Just like in wider society , funnily enough . It 's difficult to see how cocaine could be regarded as a performance - enhancing drug in any case , of course . If football required players to talk too much , sweat profusely , gurn and grind their teeth , then I can see how it would be performance - enhancing ( and it would also explain something about Paul Gascoigne 's problems - how did they not spot that earlier ? ) , but I can see no real benefit to him disappearing for the whole of the half - time break with a rolled up twenty pound note . Steroids are a different matter , but coke ? Pull the other one . In other news , Spurs will pull off the transfer coup of the summer if they can prise Damien Duff away from another season on the bench for Chelsea . It 's a sign of how far they ' ve come in such a short period of time that they can be seriously linked with a player of his calibre . They 're the favourites to get Pavel Nedved in the great Juventus fire - sale , too . Meanwhile , Quinton Fortune has got got to suffer the indignity of playing a trial match for Bolton against Burnley at the weekend ( this amuses me for a reason that I can't quite put my finger on ) , and , finally , Liverpool are set to pay 6 m for Jermaine Pennant from Birmingham City . Hopefully they ' ll take more care of him than they did of the " Spice Boys " in the 1990 s . Finally , because I can't leave a post on here without a link , I ' d recommend that you all take a look at this blog about the MLS in America . It 's rather good . The owner of it , for reasons that I haven't fully fathomed yet , also supports Ipswich Town . It takes different strokes to move the world . 
Keep on Truckin ' Things are still a little tough for me . I woke up late this morning and spent some time cleaning up the loft . Times like this really make you take stock . I ' ve always considered things like my microsuede sectional sofa as more than a piece of furniture , as a symbol of my success . Yet after the Delrayo Rancho disappointment , I sort of wonder about that success . I mean what is success ? Is it simply being able to make the payments to Art Van for the sectional ? Well I can do that . Sure sometimes at the end of the month my diet has to be Ramen heavy but I make my payments . But is that success ? Really ? Delrayo Rancho was supposed to be success . I thought about selling the sectional , that I didn't deserve it , that someone who fails like I failed with Delrayo Rancho doesn't deserve a microsuede sectional sofa . But then I thought that everyone has setbacks . I need to use these feelings as motivation . So I curled up on my sofa with a Tony Robbins book and an hour or so later I new what I had to do ! I HAVE TO LIVE UP TO THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE MICROSUEDE SECTIONAL SOFA ! No one can keep George Babbitt down except for George Babbitt . Oh sure U.S. Steel can throw a roadblock on the path to my dreams and maybe Delrayo Rancho won't happen but GEORGE BABBITT IS A SUCCESS AND GEORGE BABBITT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL ! So today was all about getting back on track . After finishing the book , I got up off my ass I did some serious cardio work on my elliptical machine ... mind / body connection . Then I took a shower and went out to face the world . I grabbed some lunch downtown at Subway ( I try to support Subway because they ' ve always invested so heavily in Detroit ) and it hit me ... Delrayo Rancho wasn't the end . It was just a means to the end . The end was Detroit . And I ' m going to keep working for Detroit . Every time I exchange a business card at a networking mixer or participate in a sales seminar , it will all be to improve Detroit . Maybe that means demonstrating the incredible cleaning power of the Kirby Home Cleaning System to Detroiters or something else . I don't know . The sky is the limit ! As I said yesterday , I ' m headed out of town to review some interesting opportunity businesses they might help me help Detroit . Setbacks are just another opportunity to move forward ! In a weird way , U.S. Steel gave me a gift by refusing to sell Zug Island . I mean the plans for Delrayo Rancho are still around . If they change their minds , we can hit the ground running and restart the project . But in the meantime , I ' m going to explore all kinds of super cool new ways to help Detroit . And I can't wait . And of course , wouldn't you know it ; Billy Joel wrote a song that reflects my mood today . God damnit that guy is so awesome ! Everybody Has A Dream The Stranger Released : 1977 While in these days of quiet desperation As I wander through the world in which I live I search everywhere for some new inspiration But it 's more than cold reality can give If I need a cause for celebration Or a comfort I can use to ease my mind I rely on my imagination And I dream of an imaginary time I know that everybody has a dream Everybody has a dream And this is my dream , my own Just to be at home And to be all alone ... with you If I believe in all the words I ' m saying And if a word from you can bring a better day Then all I have are these games that I ' ve been playing To keep my hope from crumbling away So let me lie and let me go on sleeping And I will lose myself in palaces of sand And all the fantasies that I have been keeping Will make the empty hours easier to stand I know that everybody has a dream Everybody has a dream And this is my dream , my own Just to be at home And to be all alone ... with you Everybody has a dream ... my dream is to be helping Detroit . 
A Message for the Youngsters Every so often a youngster , a graduating high school senior or a college student , looking for advice on how they can start building wealth in their spare time , contacts me . As many of you know , I was part of the Kirby Home Cleaning System team through most of my college years and even a couple years afterward . However often times students just don t have the time to commit to a sales program like Kirby . That s ok because Don Lapre has an opportunity for you ! Don of course is famous for his amazing Making Money package that taught ordinary folks how to make extraordinary wealth by selling through TINY CLASSIFIED ADS ! Well Don has a new program THE GREATEST VITIMAN IN THE WORLD ! So if you are looking to make a little bit of money part - time this is something to check out . From some of the success stories , you might just want to quit you job and work as an independent marketing associate for THE GREATEST VITIMAN IN THE WORLD full - time . Let me tell you Don Lapre know how to make you money . When I was with Kirby , a colleague of mine , Kyle Rourke , pulls me aside and asks me if I want to make a little extra cash . Naturally , I said yes . Opportunity doesn t knock twice so I never turn down an opportunity to create wealth . That s when Kyle tells me all about Don Lapre s system . Kyle was confident he could succeed in the system but to do it part - time and to do it right , he wanted a partner and he believed I had the killer sales instinct to be an asset to his venture . Let me tell you we followed Don s advice to a tee and we made money ! A few hours a week and suddenly six months later , I ve made $ 8000 ! I put a down payment on a brand new 1996 Ford Probe , paid for a spring break trip to Cancun , and even had enough left over to purchase my first sectional sofa , it wasn't microsuede but it was a start . All without touching my commissions from Kirby . my first sectional ! I d probably still be working Don Lapre s program if I wasn t so committed to Delrayo Rancho and using the no money down techniques to revive Detroit . So my advice for the young people looking to get their feet wet in the exciting fields of opportunity business and entrepreneurship , go with Don Lapre and THE GREATEST VITIMAN IN THE WORLD ! 
Happy Fourth of July - Detroit style ! God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwoodre - written for Detroit by George Babbitt If tomorrow all the things were gone , I d worked for all my life . And I had to start again , with just my loft and my wife . I d thank my lucky stars , to be livin here today . Cause the fist still stands for real , and they can t take that away . And I m proud to be a Detroiter , where at least I know I m real . And I wont forget the men who died , who gave that right to me . And I gladly stand up , next to you and defend her still today . Cause there ain t no doubt I love this land , God bless Detroit YEAH ! From the lake on Jefferson , to the ski hills of Grand Circus Park . Across the plains of the east side From East Grand Blvd . to shining West Grand Blvd . From Rosedale Park down to Delrayo Rancho , and Corktown to the CBDWell there 's pride in every Detroit heart , and its time we stand and say . And I m proud to be a Detroiter , where at least I know I m real . And I wont forget the men who died , who gave that right to me . And I gladly stand up , next to you and defend her still today . Cause there ain t no doubt I love this land , God bless Detroit YEAH ! And I m proud to be a Detroiter , where at least I know I m real . And I wont forget the men who died , who gave that right to me . And I gladly stand up , next to you and defend her still today . Cause there ain t no doubt I love this land , God bless Detroit YEAH ! 
BRANDINGI ' ve had a busy day today meeting with our marketing department and conducting marathon conference calls with nationally recognized branding consultants . Needless to say , it has been an exhaustive day and after I finish this short post and grab a quick Cobb Salad and mineral water ( I love Cobb Salad 's because it shares its name with Detroit 's greatest baseball player Ty Cobb ! ) for late lunch it will be back to the grindstone for old Babbitt . That 's fine by me , I love my job and like being busy . I know when I ' ve got a load of paperwork on my desk or bunch of meetings scheduled that I ' m doing good things for Detroit . Anyway some good news , the branding and marketing people are really gung - ho about the blog and believe my blog will be essential in building the word - of - mouth organic advertising Delrayo Rancho will need to really be successful . They have decided to get in here with me and help ensure that we maximize the 2026 Loft brand ! You may have noticed a few changes here lately . We ' ve been playing around with fonts and colors to hopefully create a blog that it is both interesting and visually appealing . Hopefully we will develop a consistent style for Loft 2026 very soon . Until then be prepared for a Todd Jones - style roller coaster ride ! Isn't that a create line , Bill from Marketing came up with that and we all got a big laugh out of it . We just love Todd Jones ' go for broke pitching style . Anyway let us know what you think by posting comments on the blog itself or through email ( georgebabbitt 2026@ hotmail . com ) you can text message me as well if you know my number . And before I forget , big Delrayo Rancho branding news will be coming very soon ... 
NOW THIS IS VISION ! Kansas City is doing something really revolutionary . This is a picture of the new arena that city is building downtown to spur economic growth . This is from the Wall Street Journal via The Sports Economist : Complete with a glass exterior and terrazzo floors , the $ 276 million Sprint Center is scheduled to open next year in this city 's downtown . The 18,000 - seat arena is designed to help anchor a massive project that includes nine blocks of retail , residential and office space that local officials say will revive Kansas City 's faltering central business district . Already , there 's a waiting list for luxury suites . " It was what we needed to do , " said Wayne Cauthen , Kansas City 's city manager . There 's just one problem : Kansas City has no major - league team to play there . The city is hoping for a National Hockey League team , but so far it doesn't even have a minor - league tenant for its new venue . Now we have heard all of the talk about a new Red Wings arena or maybe bringing the Pistons downtown where they belong or even getting a Major League Soccer team and building a new facility for that team . However all those plans are always based on the team making the plans and Detroit following along . Well that 's ass backwards and Kansas City has figured it out . They are building the arena and setting the terms ! Always bargain from a position of strength . That 's how I work in my business and that 's how Detroit should work in its business . We should just build a new arena and let the Pistons and Red Wings and MLS fight over who gets it . Maybe near a bustling new development complete with time - share condos and a ski hill ? he he he Of course it would be great to have this new arena near Delrayo Rancho but I don't care where they put it in the city because it could do so much good . And why does there have to be just one new sporting facility . Build two or three ! This is Hockeytown after all , there 's no reason Detroit can't support two NHL teams . I mean the Vipers did Ok and they were way out at the Palace . Somebody needs to DO SOMETHING here and get this kind of project off the ground . Maybe at Tiger Stadium ... unless Quicken Loans or the Cheesecake Factory already has dibs on that site . Sometimes there is just so much awesome development going on in Detroit I can't keep track of it On another subject , I see where John Ferchill is saying the restored Book - Cadillac will be the nicest hotel in Detroit . Heh . Apparently he hasn't seen the hotel / resort / convention center / ski lodge we are building at Delrayo Rancho . Why do these out - of - state developers think they are so great they can belittle us local guys ? Just because he has a track record of completing several successful major urban projects in others cities doesn't mean he 's all that . I mean I ' m glad the Book - Cadillac is getting restored but why act like your project is so much better than everyone else 's development ? 
INTRODUCTION . Expect a little chaos in the first days and weeks of this new blog ! I ' m getting it in order slowly . Welcome to MFBQ ! I want to begin with some of the most frequently asked questions that " Newbies " ask on the Blogger Help Group . Mama Mouse , who participates in the Help Group , suggested the idea of stickyposts , which made me think of a bulletin board with them on there . There 's no way to stick them to the top of Blogger Help Group if you 're not Blogger , so it turns out that I ' m another impudent pill who 's decided to start a blog just to explain how Blogger works and how it doesn't work ! Of course , sometimes I want to say , " It doesn't work that way ! " just to shut people up , not because it 's true . I try not to say provocative things , but sometimes I fail . Now I still can't get these posts to stick where I want them to go , so I ' m the man with sticky posts all over him ! A change : By Archiving by weeks , there are not as many posts on the front page or any page to come . If you will be prepared to use the Categories over in the sidebar to the right , it will find the right post for you . I also want to emphasize that your chickenshit advisor ( me ) has been as angry as you and it didn't work . My anger hasn't worked on Blogger and yours certainly won't work here at MFBQ ( unless it just makes me violently track - you - down - and - kill - you angry ) . So bring it down a notch . It is incredible how angry new Bloggers get . Once here , though , all Bloggers are in the damn soup together ! Except for the maniacs and the quitters ! They go elsewhere . Who cares where ? The comments on this blog were only half - likely to be seen by me . so I got rid of them ! If you have a question , click on the MFBQ box in the sidebar and Email Me ! The above date is phony to keep the post at the top . 
Write Blogger Support . Inform Blogger Support of your problem . If they don't help you instantly , they may help the group in the end . Blogger is Slow Poke Blogger Support . Be sure to read the input at the bottom of the page where you can send them your message ! You probably have to keep notifying them ; Their first response is always an automated reply . If their first response gives you a number , reference it every time you write back ! This date is phony to keep the post near the top . 
Asking Questions Here . Email Me ! Sometimes I could never discover questions that people leave in my comments for a long while , so I squealched them ! If you see the button in the sidebar , it lets you email me and I ' ll be sure to see that more quickly . I love the comments , but I don't always notice them ! This date is phony to keep the post near the top . 
Copyright . A lot of crap about copyright and so forth goes around . I ' m no expert in it . But check these out . Digital Millennium Copyright Act . Google statement about copyright . According to this , your work , if legitimate , is copyrighted even if you don't copyright it . But do you have the big bucks to enforce it against some large entity or big damn bastard who 's stalking you in some manner ? There 's the rub . 
Clear Cache . You may need to clear your cache , delete temporary files and cookies , refresh or restart your computer . Sometimes our computer will hold an old memory of our blog and won't spit it out ! See if you can shake it loose . Of course , it may just be a Blogger Quirk due to your server being disrupted or worked on . You have my pity , but that 's not worth much . I don't use Firefox , so I can't tell much about it . It 's different from IE , obviously . Check with Chuck or Peter ( see my sidebar ) for their advice on this . For more information on how and why to clear your cache , see : Windows IE Clear Cache . 
Low Sidebar . These are my rote instructions when sidebar nosedives happen , which mostly occur in the Internet Explorer browser . I don't know that it happens at all in Firefox , but I know other horror stories about Firefox , so don't get excited ! But , on to our problem ! Sometimes it 's simple , sometimes not . Your sidebar may be going to the bottom because your server is crazy due to being worked on by Blogger . Your sidebar doesn't begin at the top like it 's supposed to . Wrong codes , or missing pieces of codes , sometimes cause this kind of jump or abberation . It is possible you have posted too large a photo or too long a link . Change that and it might go back to the top of the page . Look for a misstated IMG code . Possibly your main column width and sidebar exceed allowable Content width or header width . Sometimes one of the " floats " in the template will get changed for some reason and be wrong . Investigate . Options are " left " , " right " , and " none " . If you suspect it may be caused by something in a particular post , you could Save as Draft to remove it temporarily and see if it was the cause . Then you can Publish it again later to put it back in place . Also , sometimes I ' ve found it to be caused by just getting some wrong or missing code in the template or in a recent post . You might have one tag or symbol too many or too few . If you ' ve deleted some things , maybe you left one little piece of nonsense code behind that 's confusing the template . Once it was caused in a friend 's site by a -- > , the closing tag for hiding a comment ; it had no start tag , was just wrongly there ! . Play Sherlock Holmes and test some changes without saving them until you use Preview and see that the change works and does no harm . It 's hard , but I don't know any easy way . To hear it put another way , go to Peter 's post about it or Chuck 's post . 
Strange Symbols . Clean MS Word Gobbledegook ! Word has formatted lettering . In short it introduces some gobblydegook and symbols that will screw up templates and sometimes posts . I write often in Word , but I " clean " it by copying and pasting into Notepad , then copying that again before pasting it into the Blogger editor . You CAN sometimes get away with it and think Word is okay . But then it will trip and stumble and screw up your blog ! Apostrophes or quotation marks will create havoc , and question marks will replace hyphens ! I ' ve found that the quotation marks in Word will screw up a link code because the machine is seeing it differently ! Remember , it 's not worth being careless ! 
Line Breaks . When " Enter " doesn't make a new line : go to Dashboardclick " Change Settings " click " Formatting " find " Convert line breaks " and click it to " Yes " go to bottom and Save your change . Beware of cached versions , either in your computer memory or elsewhere . Delete the cookies , clear the cache . If the above doesn't work , there may be times when a quick and dirty fix will do , that is , to make lines break with br . No closing tag is required . 
Your " posted by " Or Display Name . To change the name : Go to Dashboard . Go to Edit Profile . Go down to Display Name . Fill in your name , your nom de plume , or your fake signature . Go to bottom to Save Profile . Be sure to republish after this is done . 
Links As Code . Every site you visit or create has a link name . you can find mine at http : // rodentia . blogspot . com / However , in a template , the link would read : a href = " http : // rodentia . blogspot . com / " The Rat Squeaks / a and the code would be unseen except for " The Rat Squeaks " . If you 're in a site and want to link back to it from your own site , put the cursor up in the Address window , right - click the mouse and then click Copy in the menu that appears closeby . When you get to your template or to your temporary file ( wherever ) , you can Paste what you copied before . Then you ' ll have to work it out like the formula shown above . Permalinks If you want to be able to point to a specific post , rather than just to the front page of the blog , find the bottom of the post and hover your cursor over things until the time indicator or some other item shows the term " permanent link " . Then you can keep the cursor on that and right - click . The menu will show , among other things , Copy Shortcut . Click on that . Now you have the link you want in this case . Again , you have to insert it into the formula . like so : a href = " url " > Title / a . 
My Influences F 3 . 7 - 27 - 06 My Influences F 3 FAUST 71 MINUTES OF - THE LAST ALBUMFAUST FAUSTFAUST FAUST IVFAUST FAUST TAPESFAUST RETURN OF A LEGENDFAUST SO FARFAUST / TONY CONRAD OUTSIDE THE DREAM SYNDICATEFAUST / TONY CONRAD SLAPPING PYTHAGORASI went down the Faust path because you could find copies of The Faust Tapes at a stupid record store called The Wherehouse for less than $ 1 . Nobody told me to buy it , but I sure told a lot of people about Faust . Love em . My brother is who sent me my first Clear Faust 1 st LP on Polydor Records . Only one I bought new was Faust IV. Darrell liked Faust , Paul liked Faust everybody liked Faust . The 4 x Faust LP s saw me through junior high and high school . FAUVES , THE DRIVE THROUGH CHARISMAIt s major label Aussie rock music ; found this and a bunch of CD EP s for real cheap , covers looked good etc. For me , their shining moment is Everybody s Getting a 3 - piece Together . FELDMAN , MARTY I FEEL A SONG GOING OFFFELDMAN , MARTY MARTYI saw him on the TV ; found these UK LP s in New Zealand in the 80 s ; I didn t know about his Monty Python connection , or that he wrote novelty hits for Charlie Drake . FERON , LOUISE LOUISE FERONFrench female vocalist ; I bought it because it was cheap and on Virgin France records ; also John Cale s on it . FETUS PRODUCTIONS FETUS PRODUCTIONSFETUS PRODUCTIONS LUMINOUS TRAILSRecords that I got just because they were from New Zealand . Got em in NZ . FIANCEE DU PIRATE , LA TA GUITAREI think Bob Gaulke found this one , and a cheap CD of it turned up at La Cite , the late , much - lamented French store on Westwood Blvd . in Westwood . FIDDY , JOHN PLASTIC POPSICLEBritish production music , probably purchased because it was with a bunch of UK Easy Listening LP s @ Poo - Bah s . FIFTH DIMENSION AGE OF AQUARIUS , THEFIFTH DIMENSION GREATEST HITSFIFTH DIMENSION STONED SOUL PICNICHeard em on the radio , and probably saw em on the TV . Working On A Groovy Thing ! ( Bill Inglot loved them ) . FINCH BEYOND EXPRESSIONFINCH GALLEONS OF PASSIONFINCH GLORY OF THE INNER FORCEInstrumental Dutch 70 s band , but never my favorite . All were inexpensive , and bought because of the covers . FINGERPRINTZ DISTINGUISHING MARKSSaw em live once , never cared at all . Bought this LP 25 + years later . I think I also have videos of them . FIRE MERCHANTS LANDLORDS OF ATLANTISGiven to me by Mr. Mike Kelley , who released them on his Renaissance Records label . FIREFALL FIREFALLThis record used to get played at the very first hippie record store job I ever had , likely by Wild Bill Evans ; in the 90 s , when LP s got real inexpensive , I decided to try and buy a bunch of the records that I used to hear in the late 70 s . 
My Influences F 2 . 7 - 26 - 06 My Influences F 2 FAMILY / CHAPMAN , ROGER CHAPPOFAMILY / CHAPMAN , ROGER MAIL ORDER MAGICFAMILY / CHAPMAN , ROGER MANGO CRAZYFAMILY / CHAPMAN , ROGER SHADOW KNOWS , THEFAMILY / CHAPMAN , ROGER TECHNO - PRISONERSFAMILY / CHAPMAN , ROGER ZIPPERFAMILY / STREETWALKERS LIVEFAMILY / STREETWALKERS STREETWALKERS ( Phonogram ) FAMILY / STREETWALKERS STREETWALKERS ( Reprise ) FAMILY / STREETWALKERS VICIOUS BUT FAIRI bought all of these because of my Family fandom . My favorite post - Family Roger Chapman moment is his vocals on Mike Oldfield s Shadow On The Wall . Somehow , I missed out on most of the Streetwalkers albums in the 1970 s I got the first one on Reprise UK , then I stopped . Probably it was that I wanted more European music , and couldn t be bothered with British music anymore attitude that I had for a while . FAMILY TREE MISS BUTTERSI sometimes go on rampages where I try to hear albums that I have never heard before , after looking them up in a Schwann catalogue , Phonolog or Music Master book . Didn t know what this was , won it on e Bay , a sealed copy . It s the Segarini guy , a Canadian who recorded tons of stuff under a lot of different names . FANNY FANNYAlice de Burgh used to rep A & M Records , at the distributor I worked at , in the late 70 s . Somebody ( Dana ? ) whispered to me , That s the drummer of Fanny ! . I remembered Fanny , they were the all - girl ( L - word ) group on WB / Reprise FANTASTIC EXPLOSION FANTASTIC EXPLOSIONFANTASTIC EXPLOSION FANTASTIC EXPLOSION 2 I might ve seen this recommended online , at some electronic music forum or another . But I found em used in Tokyo . FANTASTIC PLASTIC MACHINE FANTASTIC PLASTIC MACHINEFANTASTIC PLASTIC MACHINE LUXURYMr . Yasuharu Konishi of Pizzicato Five gave me a 45 by Tomoyuki Tanaka ( Mr. FPM ) before the first album was released , but I think the first I actually heard of them was on the Pussyfoot Label collection Fish Smell Like Cat promo CD that Toshio Nakanishi sent me , Dear Mr. Salesman ( with the goofball Jonathan Winters sample ) . FAR EAST FAMILY BAND CAVE DOWN TO THE EARTHFAR EAST FAMILY BAND CAVE DOWN TO THE EARTH ( wka NIPPONJIN ) FAR EAST FAMILY BAND PARALLEL WORLDFAR EAST FAMILY BAND TENKUJINFAR EAST FAMILY BAND / MIYASHTA , FUMIO FUMIOMr . Tony Harrington was who held this up to my mirror , without a doubt . Saw em live , interviewed Fumio etc. FARINA , MIMI SOLOFARINA , RICHARD & MIMI CELEBRATIONS FOR A GREY DAYFARINA , RICHARD & MIMI MEMORIESFARINA , RICHARD & MIMI PACK UP YOUR SORROWSFARINA , RICHARD & MIMI REFLECTIONS IN A CRYSTAL WINDI first knew of Richard Farina when Ian Matthews covered his songs on If You Saw Thro My Eyes and Tigers Will Survive LP s on the Vertigo label . I love his books . FARLOWE , CHRIS ART OF CHRIS FARLOWE , THEI wanted this because of the Rolling Stones connection and finally found an LP of it in New Zealand , in the 80 s . FARR , GARY ADDRESSED TO THE CENSORS OF LOVEI only know of Gary Farr because he was on the flip side of a Soft Machine LP on Byg Records , from France . FARYAR , CYRUS CYRUSFARYAR , CYRUS ISLANDSI wanted these because Cyrus spoke the words on Cosmic Sounds of the Zodiac and had produced The Firesign Theatre . 
My Influences F 1 . 07 - 25 - 06 My Influences F 1 F . F . F . BLAST CULTUREF . F . F . F . F . F . ( 3 rd Album ) F . F . F . FREE FOR FEVERI think Chris Padrick at Bay Cities Disc was who found the Bill Laswell connection interesting . FABARES , SHELLEY SHELLEY ! Johnny Angel is a deeply buried single in my subconsciousness . Perhaps my sisters were responsible for this ? FABULOUS POODLES FABULOUS POODLESFABULOUS POODLES MIRROR STARSRecommended to me by numerous people , but it was Greg Stewart who gave me both of these LP s . My GF likes em ! FAHEY , JOHN REQUIAAfter he died , I decided to try this . I LOVED his stuff on the previously - unreleased Jack Nitzsche album ( Rhino Handmade ) . FAIR WEATHER BEGINNING FROM AN ENDOn the Neon label , from England , early 70 s but little to recommend it otherwise . Uh , nice cover . FAIR , JAD BEST WISHESSolo album from Mr. Half Japanese . Is he half Japanese ? Lo - fi is as lo - fi does . Tom Recchion said Yes. That . FAIRPORT CONVENTION FAIRPORT CONVENTIONFAIRPORT CONVENTION WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAYSMark Moerman has always been their big champion but I bought it because it is on Island Records , from England . FAITH , PERCY BEATLES ALBUM , THEFAITH , PERCY BLACK MAGIC WOMANTop drawer kitsch Easy Hits . I wanted to hear Percy s version of Black Magic Woman , with an orchestra . FAITHFULL , MARIANNE BROKEN ENGLISHFAITHFULL , MARIANNE CHILD ' S ADVENTURE , AFAITHFULL , MARIANNE DANGEROUS ACQUAINTENCESFAITHFULL , MARIANNE SECRET LIFE , AFAITHFULL , MARIANNE STRANGE WEATHERFAITHFULL , MARIANNE TROUBLE IN MIND ( O . S . T . ) - Various Artists FAITHFULL , MARIANNE VAGABOND WAYSHer 60 s stuff never did it for me . Probably , it was seeing the Broken English LP stickered with an Offensive language sticker that made me curious then I actually heard it ! Wow . And I love anything with Wally Badarou keyboard playing . FALCONER , RODERICK NEW NATIONFALCONER , RODERICK VICTORY IN ROCK CITYThese came to me from my sister Marilyn . I have no idea at all why she had em . FAME , GEORGIE GEORGIE FAMEFAME , GEORGIE YEH YEH IT ' S GEORGIE FAMEGeorgie Fame s big fan is Mr. Tom Meyer ; I found some UK 60 s 45 s and took it from there . FAMILY ANYWAY ... FAMILY BANDSTANDFAMILY FAMILY ENTERTAINMENTFAMILY FEARLESSFAMILY FROM PAST ARCHIVESFAMILY IT ' S ONLY A MOVIEFAMILY MUSIC IN A DOLL ' S HOUSEFAMILY OLD SONGS , NEW SONGSFAMILY SONG FOR ME , AFAMILY STRANGE BAND pirate There used to be a small hippie record store in North Long Beach I liked this place because it had very inexpensive used LP s . Once ( 1970 ? ) , I chanced upon a 98 cent UK copy of Music In A Doll s House and decided to try it because of the cover and , to a lesser extent , because it was on Reprise Records . Well , it s probably my # 1 favorite UK psychedelic hippie record of all - time . Also got lucky with Family Entertainment found an inexpensive copy with the poster in it , which hung on the back of my bedroom door for 20 + years . Roger Chapman is the best . 
My Influences E 3 . 7 - 24 - 06 My Influences E 3 ENEMA PROJECT ENEMA MUSICNice Japanese indie band I must admit : tried this one because of the name / title . What can Enema Music sound like ? ENID , THE AERIE FAERIE NONSENSEENID , THE IN THE REGION OF THE SUMMER STARSENID , THE TOUCH MEENID , THE / GODFREY , ROBERT JOHN FALL OF HYPERIONI believe Philip Page first said You must hear In The Region Of The Summer Stars . Jim Hresko knew that , too . ENO , BRIAN ANOTHER GREEN WORLDENO , BRIAN BEFORE AND AFTER SCIENCEENO , BRIAN DISCREET MUSICENO , BRIAN HERE COME THE WARM JETSENO , BRIAN TAKING TIGER MOUNTAIN ( BY STRATEGY ) ENO , BRIAN / DAVID BYRNE MY LIFE IN THE BUSH OF GHOSTSENO , BRIAN / JOHN CALE WRONG WAY UPENO , BRIAN / SCHECKLEY , ROBERT IN A LAND OF CLEAR COLOURSHe was in Roxy Music , on Island Records so I was going to try it anyway . I like the Island LP s better now than I did then . EPIDAURUS EARTHLY PARADISEAs they re neo - prog , it might ve been David Overstreet who first told me this was any good . EROC WOLKENREISEI never bought their LP s in the 70 s there were just too many German LP s to buy then . The name never left my brain , and I once found an inexpensive CD at Rockaway , obviously traded in by a publisher or something . ESCROCS , LES FAITES - VOUS DES AMIS ? I saw a video for Assedic on Boulevard Des Clips , merci , Gilles Yepremian . Bob Gaulke got this message solid . ESPERANTO DANSE MACABREESPERANTO ESPERANTO ROCK ORCHESTRAESPERANTO LAST TANGO Produced by Pete Sinfield ( of King Crimson ) . And the cover of Danse Macabre was excellent . ESQUERITA CAPITOL COLLECTOR ' S SERIESEd Winfield was always who sung Esquerita s praises ; this may have been the title to get him to buy a CD player ! ESTER , PAULINE DE L ' AUTRE COTEESTER , PAULINE LE MONDE EST FOUI was just trying anything that looked good , on a visit to Paris , 90 . I really liked Le Monde Est Fou , 2 nd one not as much . ETRON FOU LELOUBLAN BATELAGESETRON FOU LELOUBLAN LES TROIS FOU ' S PERDEGAGNENT ( AU PAYS DE ... ) ETRON FOU LELOUBLAN NOS TROIS AMIS DEBARQUERENT A NEW YORKProbably sold to me in a catalog via Archie Patterson , likely described as Rock in Opposition - style music . Why I bought three of them is anybody s guess ! Uh , because they re French ? Not exactly , too early for that . EULENSPYGEL AUSCHUSSThis has the coolest cover Auschuss means trash and the cover is a piece of discarded cardboard . Also , good label : Spiegelei Records . EUROPEANS EUROPEANS LIVEEUROPEANS RECURRING DREAMSEUROPEANS VOCABULARY Animal Song 12 came in to the distributor I was working at in 82 , great stuff . I made sure I found all their other titles . EURYTHMICS IN THE GARDENHolger Czukay was who first told me about Eurythmics and he s on this album . I did not follow their popularity . EVANS , BILL / HALL , JIM UNDERCURRENTSimply one of the best albums covers of all time . Jazz . EVEN / ODD LOUD AND CLEARMy friend Dana Madore ! EXPRESSION , THE EXPRESSION , THEMark Moerman was who told me to try this ; Aussie 80 s , and I missed it at the time . 
Yard List . I have been reading a book called " To See Every Bird On Earth " by Dan Koeppel ; it strikes me that there are a myriad of parallels between bird - watching and record collecting . As you can see , I am presently going through my ' 20 th century full - length ' titles , my " Life List " , if you will . In the birding community , I would be known as a " Big Lister " , except ... I am not in the birding community , I am a record collector . And record collectors are not organized in the same way as the birding community . Sure I make my lists ... but my aim is to retain the specimen , for further examination at an as - yet - undetermined later date . I snapped this photo of a bird on a vacation to Hawaii , a few year back . I have no idea what it is , apart from being a pretty bird . No , I do not have bird lists ... yet . I suppose I could become one of those guys who wants to make digital recordings of bird vocalizations - out in the musty jungle , with my Sony Mini Disc and directional microphone ... But I ' m a record collector . I ' m a reasonable guy - I won't buy records if it 's too hot out , or if I don't have an easy way to get th records back to he hotel room ( or car ) . Yes , I ' ve spent " food money " on records , and am damned proud of it . I ' ve traveled to New Zealand , Finland , Japan , Italy , Canada ... Portland , Las Vegas , Berkeley ... all in search of phonograph records . A " Yard List " in record collecting would be maddening - the equivalent of counting CD - R 's in your " Life List " , I suppose . For a title to count towards the " Big List " , does it have to have artwork ? What about splits and lumps ? Seriously , folks - time to plan for my dotage . Bird - watching or record collecting ? 
My Influences E 2 . 7 - 21 - 06 My Influences E 2 EIGHT SECONDS ALMACANTAR Produced by Rupert Hine . Joe Castle is who found it for $ 1 . EILIFF EILIFFGerman early 70 s band that I found in New Zealand in the 80 s . I bought it because it was cheap and I liked the cover . EINZELGANGER EINZENGANGERWow , how easy are they going to make it ? A German word for the band name let s see synthesizers EIRE APPARENT SUNRISE Produced by Jimi Hendrix . AND a Soft Machine connection . Doesn t get any better recommendation than that ! EKOVA SOFT BREEZE AND TSUNAMI BREAKSI believe Nancy X @ Sony NYC sent me a promo of this , but I might ve tried it anyway , because of who was remixing them . EL CAMINOS REVERB EXPLOSION ! A promo CD from Elliot Kendall ; Japanese whammy - bar twang - fest . Bullseye ! EL GENERAL MUEVELO CON EL GENERALI saw a video for Muevelo on either Much Music or Musiq ue Plus probably on Clip Trip ! ELASTICA ELASTICASaw em on Later with Jools Holland and was mightily amused . Thank you , Terry Greenhill ! ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA BALANCE OF POWERELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA DISCOVERYELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA ELDORADOELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA ELO IIELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA FACE THE MUSICELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA NEW WORLD RECORD , AELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA NIGHT THE LIGHT WENT ON IN LONG BEACHELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA NO ANSWERELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA OLE ELOELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA ON THE THIRD DAYELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA OUT OF THE BLUEELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA SECRET MESSAGESELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA TIMEI was ready for E . L . O . , having been a big fan of The Move s Looking On . Mark Moerman is the big fan , however . ELECTRONICAS DANCE LITTLE BIRDI spotted this monstrosity at the Pasadena swap meet in the junk section , not the record section . I knew the song from having visited Europe ( Holland , mostly ) at various times in the 1980 s . ELLISON , HARLAN ELLISON READS ELLISONELLISON , HARLAN JEFFTY IS FIVEELLISON , HARLAN ON THE DOWNHILL SIDEELLISON , HARLAN ON THE ROAD WITH ELLISONI used to hear Mr. Ellison rant and rave on Hour 25 , on KPFK , and always loved it . Delighted to find he had made records ! EMERSON , LAKE & PALMER BRAIN SALAD SURGERYEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER EMERSON , LAKE & PALMEREMERSON , LAKE & PALMER IN CONCERTEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER LOVE BEACHEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITIONEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER TARKUSEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER TRILOGYEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER WELCOME BACK MY FRIENDS EMERSON , LAKE & PALMER WORKS , Vol. 1 EMERSON , LAKE & PALMER WORKS , Vol. 2 EMERSON , LAKE & PALMER / EMERSON , KEITH INFERNOEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER / LAKE , GREG MANOEUVRESI probably didn t know at the time that EL & P were an amalgam of The Nice and King Crimson . It wouldn t have mattered to me anyway , it was on Island Records UK . Bought the first album first , 70 . Also bought Tarkus when it was new , too . 
My Influences E 1 . 7 - 20 - 06 My Influences E 1 EARTH AND FIRE ANDROMEDA GIRLEARTH AND FIRE ATLANTISEARTH AND FIRE EARTH AND FIRE ( 1 st ) EARTH AND FIRE FRAMES - Earth & Fire Orchestra EARTH AND FIRE GATE TO INFINITYEARTH AND FIRE IN A STATE OF FLUXEARTH AND FIRE PHOENIXEARTH AND FIRE REALITY FILLS FANTASYEARTH AND FIRE SONG OF THE MARCHING CHILDRENEARTH AND FIRE TO THE WORLD OF THE FUTUREEARTH AND FIRE / KAAGMAN , JERNEY MADE ON EARTHEARTH AND FIRE / KAAGMAN , JERNEY RUNI am certain I saw the UK copy of Atlantis , noticed that they had a mellotron Charlie Miller was probably who told me they were good . EARTH OPERA GREAT AMERICAN EAGLE TRAGEDYPurchased because of the presence of Mr. John Cale . EARTH , WIND & FIRE STAR BOXHeard em a lot while I was in high school . Heard em on the radio , saw em on the TV . EARTHY SIDE , THE EARTHY SIDE , THEI think this record came with a sticker advising that it had adult content . Also probably heard something from it on KPFK . EAST OF EDEN MERCATOR PROJECTEDEAST OF EDEN SNAFUI found Mercator Projected in a $ 1 bin , at a record store in L . B . and I liked the Deram label a lot . Dave Arbus = Baba O Riley . The locking groove at the end of Side One of Snafu is my favorite , bar none . EDDY , DUANE BIGGEST TWANG OF THEM ALL , THEPresumably purchased because of the tenuous Lee Hazlewood connection . EDMUNDS , DAVE BEST OFEDMUNDS , DAVE GET ITEDMUNDS , DAVE INFORMATIONI heard him on the radio a lot but I had been a Love Sculpture fan since 70 or so . EDWARDS , JONATHAN JONATHAN EDWARDSEDWARDS , JONATHAN LUCKY DAYEDWARDS , JONATHAN SAILBOATAlways liked Sunshine , but my friend David Zimelis recommended him to me , and I tried some others . EDWARDS , TEDDY MISSIPPI LADThis CD features Tom Waits on vocals and rather good vocals , as it were . Dale Bailey @ Bay Cities Disc noticed , too . EFRON , MARSHALL NUTRINO NEWS NETWORK , ABYSMO , NEW JERSEYI bought this because of the cover it looked crazy ( it is crazy ) . From a long - forgotten $ 1 bin . EGG CIVIL SURFACE , THEEGG EGGEGG POLITE FORCEEGG / HATFIELD AND THE NORTH AFTERSEGG / HATFIELD AND THE NORTH HATFIELD AND THE NORTHEGG / HATFIELD AND THE NORTH ROTTER ' S CLUB , THEEGG / NATIONAL HEALTH D . S . AL CODAEGG / NATIONAL HEALTH MISSING PIECESEGG / NATIONAL HEALTH NATIONAL HEALTHEGG / NATIONAL HEALTH OF QUEUES AND CURESEGG / STEWART , DAVE / BARBARA GASKIN BIG IDEA , THEEGG / STEWART , DAVE / BARBARA GASKIN SPINEGG / STEWART , DAVE / BARBARA GASKIN UP FROM THE DARKEgg were just one of those groups you were supposed to try it was probably sold to me as They re a cousin band of Caravan by Steve Zepeda , about 73 or 74 . Likely , I went for Civil Surface ( 74 ) instantly , as Henry Cow people were on it . The Hatfields , Nat l Health and Stewart & Gaskin all come naturally , after initial Egg fandom . The Canterbury door was held open for me by Steve Zepeda , however I was already a Soft Machine fan , having found a copy of Vol. 2 in a $ 1 bin somewhere . 
My Influences D 9 . 7 - 18 - 06 My Influences D 9 DRISCOLL , JULIE / BRIAN AUGER & THE TRINITY STREETNOISETook me a few years , but one day I realized that I d never heard this . I also didn t know ( then ) that Julie Driscoll and Julie Tippett were the same person . I never cared much for Brian Auger s later stuff , even though a collection got released on the Trattoria label , in Japan ( a label that I collect ) . D ' SILVA , AMANCIO INTEGRATIOND ' SILVA , AMANCIO KONKAN DANCEI m a new / recent fan of Amancio D Silva , but I remember the Integration LP ! It s been British jazz time for a few months now . DUB MASTER X DMX IIDUB MASTER X DUB MASTER XDUB MASTER X SIDE JOBMr . DMX was involved with both Mute Beat and Pizzicato Five . I think I even met him once ( 89 in L . A . Mute Beat live show ) DUCK ' S BREATH Mystery Theatre BORN TO BE TILEDDUCK ' S BREATH Mystery Theatre OUT OF SEASONI think it was Warren Bowman that had the cassette of these guys I like Merle Kessler ! Any other LP s or CD s ? DUDZIAK , URSZULA FUTURE TALKDUDZIAK , URSZULA MAGIC LADYDUDZIAK , URSZULA MALOWANY PTAK ( THE PAINTED BIRD ) DUDZIAK , URSZULA NEWBORN LIGHTDUDZIAK , URSZULA NIGHT RAINDUDZIAK , URSZULA URSZULAI found an LP of Newborn Light for a mere 10 cents , at a record store in Downey ( Middle Earth ) , the price was written in black felt - tipped pen on the front cover . Later , I found a 99 cent promo of Urszula , and loved it to death . Now I mail - order her CD s . DUFFY , STEPHEN BECAUSE WE LOVE YOUDUFFY , STEPHEN DESIGNER BEATNIK - Dr. Calculus DUFFY , STEPHEN DUFFYDUFFY , STEPHEN I LOVE MY FRIENDSDUFFY , STEPHEN MUSIC IN COLORSDUFFY , STEPHEN THEY CALLED HIM TIN TINDUFFY , STEPHEN UPS AND DOWNS , THEDUFFY , STEPHEN / LILAC TIME & LOVE FOR ALLDUFFY , STEPHEN / LILAC TIME ASTRONAUTSDUFFY , STEPHEN / LILAC TIME LILAC TIMEDUFFY , STEPHEN / LILAC TIME LOOKING FOR A DAY IN THE NIGHTDUFFY , STEPHEN / LILAC TIME PARADISE CIRCUSI think the first time I connected with Mr. Duffy , it was on the TV Music Box , in Henk Hofstede s home in Amsterdam . They were showing the Icing On The Cake music video . London Girls really kicks my ass , too . DUKES , THE ( UK ) DUKES , THEPurchased because of Jimmy Mc Culloch s involvement . My late sister Susie was all into Jimmy Mc C / Thunderclap Newman . DUNBAR , AYNSLEY BLUE WHALEHmmm how did I know about him ? I think I bought this because it was on the Byg label and I liked that label largely because of the Gong LP s ( which were horrible pressings ) . I think Juicy Lucy s Paul Williams is on this LP . DUNBAR , SLY SLY , WICKED AND SLICK - EXTRA VERSIONThis is almost like saying How did you discover reggae ? I loved Sly & Robbie s contributions to Grace Jones Nightclubbing LP , so I suppose that makes Dennis Duck indirectly responsible . The first person who ever discussed reggae with me was Mike Mc Goldrick . At the end of the 70 s , my brother was a big reggae fan ( and still is ! ) . DURAN DURAN DURAN DURANDURAN DURAN RIO 1981 was a neat time . Lots of new stuff was happening . Sometimes , we could read about it in Melody Maker or NME ( before ever hearing the band in question ) and I think Duran Duran was one such band . It s like we were waiting for them without ever having heard them . I was working at a small importer / record distributor in 1981 often , I would take home a stack of 45 s on Friday , just to see what the heck the stuff was . Duran Duran was a keeper an example of dumper fodder = Culture Club . I think Duran Duran was also produced ( or recorded ) by a guy who worked with Magazine , so that was a vote of confidence . Sometimes with a band s first record , you can tell that they re going to be big other times , not . 
My Influences D 8 . 7 - 17 - 06 My Influences D 8 DORAY , PHILIPPE NOUVEAUX MODES INDUSTRIELSAnother good label : Invisible Records , from France . I think Mike Mc Goldrick is who found this , however . DOUBLE BLUEI think I saw the music video for Captain Of Her Heart on Much Music from Canada . Or was it Woman Of The World ? DOURADOS , LOS INTRODUCING I bought this because there is a cover version of an Amancio D Silva song on it . Otherwise , UK easy listening Latin kitsch . DR . DOPO JAM ENTREEDR . DOPO JAM FAT DOGS Gary Steel sent me the CD s . DRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANSDRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE DRIFTWOOD AT SEADRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE SONGS OF BILLY YANK AND JOHNNY REBDRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE TALL TALES IN SONGDRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE VOICE OF THE PEOPLEDRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE WESTWARD MOVEMENT , THEDRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE WILDERNESS ROAD , THEWhile thriving on C & W discoveries , I stumbled across a mint ( minus ) copy of Driftwood s debut LP at Logo s in Santa Cruz . It s charming , if cornball stuff . I heard he lived to be nearly 100 years of age . 
My Influences D 7 . 7 - 14 - 06 My Influences D 7 DOG THAT BIT PEOPLE DOG THAT BIT PEOPLEI think Jim Hresko was who found this for me ; he knew I was a fan of Locomotive & The Norman Haines Band etc. DOLBY , THOMAS FLAT EARTH , THEDOLBY , THOMAS GOLDEN AGE OF WIRELESS , THEWhy did I first try the 81 Europa 12 single ? He was very obscure , before he became popular and had US releases . Maybe Peter Dyer of Caroline Exports had given me the Urges 45 by Dolby , as a promo , before he signed with EMI ? DOLLY DOTS AMERICAN DREAMDOLLY DOTS DISPLAYDOLLY DOTS DOLLY DOTSDOLLY DOTS IN CONCERT - LIVE IN CARREDOLLY DOTS P . S . WE LOVE YOUDOLLY DOTS TAKE SIXDOLLY DOTS / ANITA ( Heilker ) GIRL IN BLACK , THEReally mysterious . My serious music friends in Holland would never have recommended this fluffy band to me . Maybe I bought a picture disc 45 in 79 ? Or did the Japanese exporter send me a promo 45 of Radio in 80 ? DOMINO , FATS BEST OF - MY BLUE HEAVENHeard him on the radio , Blueberry Hill . DONAGGIO , PINO BRIAN DE PALMA FILMSI liked the Brian De Palma films DONOVAN 7 - TEASEDONOVAN BARABAJAGALDONOVAN COSMIC WHEELSDONOVAN DONOVAN ( RAK / Arista ) DONOVAN DONOVAN IN CONCERTDONOVAN ESSENCE TO ESSENCEDONOVAN FAIRYTALEDONOVAN FOR LITTLE ONESDONOVAN GIFT FROM A FLOWER TO A GARDEN , ADONOVAN GOLDEN HOUR OFDONOVAN GREATEST HITSDONOVAN H . M. S . DONOVANDONOVAN HURDY GURDY MANDONOVAN LIVE IN JAPAN : SPRING TOUR 1973 DONOVAN MELLOW YELLOWDONOVAN OPEN ROADDONOVAN SLOW DOWN WORLDDONOVAN SUNSHINE SUPERMANDONOVAN THIS IS DONOVANDONOVAN UNIVERSAL SOLDIERDONOVAN WEAR YOUR LOVE LIKE HEAVENDONOVAN WHAT ' S BIN DID AND WHAT ' S BIN HIDDONOVAN / LEWIS , VIC DONOVAN MY WAYEarliest Donovan memory : hearing Sunshine Superman on the AM radio . My brother had Donovan LP s . My friend Cameron Hand liked Donovan a lot and I helped him collect all the variant pressings . In 2006 , I think it s hip that Donovan worked with British jazz guys like Ronnie Ross and Harold Mc Nair . Epistle To Dippy is one of my all - time favorite 45 s . I ve seen Donovan live before , but I think Cameron was who got all of his records signed . DOO - DOOETTES LOOK TO THISI am friends with Tom Recchion , either he gave me this , or I bought it because he s on it . DOORS AMERICAN PRAYER , ANDOORS DOORS , THEDOORS L . A . WOMANDOORS MORRISON HOTELDOORS OTHER VOICESDOORS SOFT PARADE , THEDOORS STRANGE DAYSDOORS WAITING FOR THE SUNDOORS WEIRD SCENES INSIDE THE GOLD MINEDOORS / KRIEGER , ROBBIE ROBBIE KRIEGER & FRIENDSDOORS / KRIEGER , ROBBIE ROBBY KRIEGERDOORS / MANZAREK , RAY CARMINA BURANAProbably it was hearing Light My Fire or Break On Through on the radio . I got the first album when it was new - ish . My brother , Gilles , Ida and Yael all love The Doors . 
My Influences D 6 . 7 - 13 - 06 My Influences D 6 DIP IN THE POOL AURORAEDIP IN THE POOL DIP IN THE POOLDIP IN THE POOL RETINAEMMM I met them at an in - store performance at HMV Shibuya , in Tokyo ( at the old location , downstairs ) . DIRTY THREE DIRTY THREEDIRTY THREE HORSE STORIESDIRTY THREE OCEAN SONGSDIRTY THREE SAD I visited NZ in 81 and heard Dobbyn s solo debut Lipstick Power while staying at Chris place on Nairn Street in Wellington , probably on Radio Windy . I also was first taken to see D . D . Smash by Gary Steel . The last time I saw D . D . Smash was the Aotea Square ( Auckland ) riot , in 84 to get away from the rioting , I went to Murray Cammick s Rip It Up office , which was nearby . In the John Dix book about New Zealand music , my entry is in regards to my having witnessed the D . D . Smash riot . I always have time for Dave Dobbyn . 
My Influences D 5 . 7 - 12 - 06 My Influences D 5 DEVO DUTY NOW FOR THE FUTUREDEVO FREEDOM OF CHOICEDEVO NEW TRADITIONALISTSDEVO OH , NO ! IT ' S DEVODEVO Q : ARE WE NOT MEN ? DEVO SMOOTH NOODLE MAPSDEVO / MOTHERSBAUGH , MARK JOYEUX MUTATODEVO / MOTHERSBAUGH , MARK MUZIK FOR INSOMNIAKS Vol. 1 DEVO / MOTHERSBAUGH , MARK MUZIK FOR INSOMNIAKS Vol. 2 I worked at a record distributor in 78 ; a guy there ( Mr. Phil Culp ) had a Devo license plate ( that kept getting stolen ) but who told me first about going to see them at the Starwood ? It might ve been Mike Mc Goldrick . Mark M was nice to me on the phone . D - GENERATION BREAKFAST TAPES ( 1988 - 1990 ) D - GENERATION SATANIC SKETCHES , THEI may have first seen their Australian TV show before I knew Ken Grady . But who sent me that tape ? Robert O ? DIBANGO , MANU AMBASSADORDIBANGO , MANU ELECTRIC AFRICADIBANGO , MANU GONE CLEARDIBANGO , MANU HOME MADEDIBANGO , MANU LIVE ' 91 DIBANGO , MANU POLYSONIKDIBANGO , MANU SEVENTIESDIBANGO , MANU SOFT & SWEETDIBANGO , MANU SOUL MAKOSSADIBANGO , MANU WAKA JUKUDIBANGO , MANU WAKAFRIKAI never thought I d be giving credit to this place , but I used to work at a CD store in Hermosa Beach , CA called Bay Cities Disc . It was a take the discs out of the cases store , so we could play anything in stock . I think Chris Padrick put either Ambassador or Gone Clear on one day . Now I am a Manu Dibango maniac I love his autobiography Three Kilos of Coffee read it ! DICKSON , BARBARA BARBARA DICKSON ALBUM , THEWell , it was the single January February that caught my ear but can t remember where I first heard it . Somebody may have suggested her to me , after my initial spate of Kate Bush fandom no , they re not similar singers . Philip Page , perhaps ? DIE DORAUS UNE DIE MARINAS BLUMEN UND NARZISSENGiven to me by the members of the Japanese synth - pop group Motocompo . DIED PRETTY FREE DIRTDIED PRETTY LOSTDIED PRETTY PRE DIETYDIED PRETTY TRACEI think it was Mike Chunn , the former bass player for Split Enz that first told me they were worth listening to . DIESEL WATTS IN A TANKI picked this up because of their connection to Kayak Dutch bands . DIETHELM / BRANDENBERGER DIDI L ' AMOURDIETHELM / FAMULARI DIETHELM / FAMULARIDIETHELM / FAMULARI VALLEYS IN MY HEADDIETHELM BAND , THOMAS BIG SHAKEDIETHELM BAND , THOMAS MEMORY GAMESDIETHELM BAND , THOMAS PENGUIN IN LOVEDIETHELM , THOMAS 82 - 89 DIETHELM , THOMAS SHAVEDMr . Philip Page of Austin , TX ( currently resident in Helsinki . Finland ) that asked me to see if I could find Valleys In My Head for him , on compact disc about 84 or so . It blew me away , changed my life . Warren Bowman had a CD player before I did , so I used to listen to it at his place . Two other Diethelm facilitators : Hildegard Schmidt put me in touch with Mr. Diethelm , and Brigitta S . brought me some of his CD s ! Mr. Diethelm is recording again in 2006 , let s hope he releases a new CD soon ! DIK DIK , I AMICOThis came from the Buy anything Italian phase but I bet I found the Obsessoni 45 at an Italian deli in San Pedro , CA . DIMITRI FROM PARIS SACRE BLEUI saw the music video for Sacre Francais on Boulevard Des Clips courtesy of Gilles Yepremian . DION DION ' S GREATEST HITSI think my older brother was who had the I Wonder Why 45 . 
My Influences D 4 . 7 - 11 - 06 My Influences D 4 DELANEY R . I. P . Lizzy ! DESIRELESS FRANCOISOoh , French CD s ! Buy anything French ! But I probably also saw her video for Voyage Voyage , so I knew her already . DETECTIVE DETECTIVEOh , I heard this back in my first hippie record store Is this Led Zeppelin ? Not quite . Found the LP in the $ 1 bin . DEUTER , GEORG CELEBRATIONDEUTER , GEORG CICADADEUTER , GEORG HALEAKALAI tried this about 76 or so thinking it was more German space rock ( The Kuckuck label is German ) . Pre - New Age ? DEUTSCH NEPAL TOLERANCEI had visited the Staalplaat shop in Amsterdam , in search of Boyd Rice material and I bought this there . DEVIANTS , THE DEVIANTS # 3 DEVIANTS , THE DISPOSABLEDEVIANTS , THE PTOOFF ! DEVIANTS , THE / FARREN , MICK MONA THE CARNIVOROUS CIRCUSWell , I liked the name Deviants , and I found Ptoof ! in a $ 1 bin ; I also liked the Sire label in 70 72 . DEVIL DOLL GIRL WHO WAS ... DEATH , THEDEVIL DOLL SACRILEGIUMI think it was either David Overstreet or Mike Kelley who said , You really should hear Devil Doll . DEVIVO , JENNY MY DADToshio Nakanishi sent me a promo CD of this . He produced it . It s cool . 
My Influences D 3 . 7 - 10 - 06 My Influences D 3 DAVIS GROUP , SPENCER AUTUMN ' 66 DAVIS GROUP , SPENCER BEST OFDAVIS GROUP , SPENCER GIMME SOME LOVIN ' I heard Somebody Help Me or Keep On Running on the radio I do not think I knew who Steve Winwood was . DAVIS JR . , SAMMY SAMMY DAVIS JR . NOWDAVIS JR . , SAMMY SOMETHING FOR EVERYONEWell , I saw Sammy on the TV . I heard Shelter Of Your Arms on the radio but after seeing I Love You , Billy Baker ( an episode of the late 60 s TV show The Name of The Game ) in the early 1980 s , Sammy became a bit of a figure of fun for me . He was so OUT , he was IN . I even saw him perform live a couple of times ! I was in England when he died , so I missed all of that . Years later I even got to see Sammy s record collection at an antique store in Venice , CA . DAVIS , MILES ASCENSEUR POUR L ' ECHAFAUD ( O . S . T . ) DAVIS , MILES KIND OF BLUEDAVIS , MILES SKETCHES OF SPAINWho told me to listen to Kind of Blue ? Maybe Jay Green of Poo Bah Record Shop said , Try that , and if you like it , he has about a hundred other really good ones . Jay used to display actual Miles Davis autographs in his store . I have also enjoyed drinking at Milestones , a jazz bar in Takadanobaba , Tokyo . DAVIS , SKEETER BLUEBERRY HILL AND OTHER FAVORITESDAVIS , SKEETER CLOUDY , WITH OCCASIONAL TEARSDAVIS , SKEETER END OF THE WORLD , THEDAVIS , SKEETER HERE ' S THE ANSWER - Various Artists DAVIS , SKEETER I FORGOT MORE THAN YOU ' LL EVER KNOW DAVIS , SKEETER I ' LL SING YOU A SONG AND HARMONIZE TOODAVIS , SKEETER WHAT DOES IT TAKEWow , those double - tracked harmonies ( with herself ) are awesome . I remember End of The World from the radio . DAVIS , TYRONE TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIMEI remember him from the radio If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time , and I have a 45 of it from the time . DAWE , TIM PENRODObtained because it was on Straight / Bizarre Mr. Zappa s label . DE MICHELE , GRAZIELLA LE CLOWN D ' ALICANTEFrom the age of trying anything on the Virgin France label . Great female pop vocal CD ! DEAF SCHOOL DON ' T STOP THE WORLDDEAF SCHOOL ENGLISH BOYS - WORKING GIRLSDEAF SCHOOL SECOND HONEYMOONThere was a promo double 7 EP for Deaf School , from Warner Brothers records that was going around . I got one , 77 . DEAN , JIMMY BIG BAD JOHN ... I knew of him from the TV . I also knew that Don Bolles & his friends had teased Mr. Dean on the radio . DEBILE MENTHOL EMILE AU JARDIN PATROLOGIQUEThis came out of the used LP bin at Moby Disc , in Van Nuys . I bought it because it has a cool cover , and was French , 81 . DEBRIS STATIC DISPOSALThis came into the hippie record store where I was working in 76 . Mike Mc Goldrick & I played it in the store . DEEE - LITE INFINITY WITHINDEEE - LITE WORLD CLIQUEOh , I definitely saw them on the TV they were coming up while I lived in England , 90 . DEEP PURPLE FIREBALL ( Anniversary Edition ) DEEP PURPLE HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHTDEEP PURPLE IN ROCK ( Anniversary Edition ) DEEP PURPLE MACHINE HEAD ( Anniversary Edition ) DEEP PURPLE PERFECT STRANGERSDEEP PURPLE SHADES OF DEEP PURPLEDEEP PURPLE WHO DO WE THINK WE AREDEEP PURPLE / GILLAN BAND , IAN CHILD IN TIMEDEEP PURPLE / GILLAN BAND , IAN CLEAR AIR TURBULENCEDEEP PURPLE / GLOVER , ROGER MASKI remember Hush being played on the AM radio next thing I remember was the Into The Fire 45 , about 70 . Saw ' em live in New Zealand , too ! 
My Influences D 2 . 7 - 7 - 06 My Influences D 2 DANCE MACABRE LAST REQUESTI got their Between The Lines 12 EP on my first visit to NZ . I was just buying anything I could find . DANGERFIELD , RODNEY I DON ' T GET NO RESPECTDANGERFIELD , RODNEY LOSER , THEDANGERFIELD , RODNEY NO RESPECTI think I saw him on the TV the records came long before he was in movies . DANIELE , PINO BELLA ' MBRIANADANIELE , PINO CHE DIO TI BENEDICADANIELE , PINO E SONA MO ' DANIELE , PINO FERRYBOATDANIELE , PINO MASCALZONE LATINADANIELE , PINO MUSICA MUSICADANIELE , PINO NON CALPESTARE I FIORI NEL ... DANIELE , PINO PINO DANIELEDANIELE , PINO SCHIZZECHEA WITH LOVEDANIELE , PINO SOTTO ' O SOLEDANIELE , PINO UN UOMO IN BLUESDANIELE , PINO VAI MO ' DANIELE , PINO YES I KNOW MY WAY - THE BEST OFI first heard Tutto Nata Storia ( from Bella Mbriana ) while sitting in a small Italian restaurant in Paris Latin Quarter , probably 85 . I asked them who was on the stereo , and they showed me the album cover . Schizzechea With Love kicks my ass , too . DANNY & THE JUNIORS ROCKIN ' WITH DANNY & THE JUNIORSI actually chased this because they have a song called Dotty ( the diminutive of the name Dorothy , my GF ! ) . DANSE SOCIETY HEAVEN IS WAITINGAnother one likely sold to me by a salesman from a record importer , when I was working at a record distributor . DAOU , VANESSA DEAR JOHN COLTRANEDAOU , VANESSA PLUTONIUM GLOWDAOU , VANESSA SLOW TO BURNDAOU , VANESSA ZIPLESSDAOU , VANESSA / DAOU , THE HEAD MUSICThank you , Joe Castle . He had pulled a U - Matic videocassette of The Daou s Surrender Yourself out of somewhere , and we quickly found their sole CD at a local cheezy record store , in the $ 1 bin . Wes Oishi gave me the Slow To Burn promo CD . D ' ARIANO , RAY ARE YOU ON SOMETHING ? I definitely heard this on The Sunday Gummies , a comedy radio show on KPFK - FM . So , thanks to Joe Adams . DARIEN SPIRIT ELEGY TO MARILYNIt was on the Charisma label . That was enough . That , and the cover had 3 - D lips on it ! DARLING BUDS CRAWDADDYDARLING BUDS EROTICADARLING BUDS POP SAID ... I think I found a UK promo 45 of Burst at Rockaway in Los Angeles . It looked cool , and was $ 1 , 1988 . DASSIN , JOE GOLD Vol. 1 DASSIN , JOE GOLD Vol. 2 DASSIN , JOE LA DEMOISELLE DE DESHONNEURDASSIN , JOE LES DALTON ( Vol. 3 ) DASSIN , JOE L ' ETE INDIENNancy X , then @ Sony NYC sent me some promo CD s of Mr. Dassin and I loved Les Daltons . DAVE DEE , DOZY , BEAKY , MICK & TICH GOLDEN HITS OFDAVE DEE , DOZY , BEAKY , MICK & TICH IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE , PREPARE FOR INDIGESTIONDAVE DEE , DOZY , BEAKY , MICK & TICH LEGEND OF DAVE DEE , DOZY , BEAKY , MICK & TICH VERY BEST OFI remembered Bend It from the radio and it took nearly 20 years to find If Music Be The Food Of Love in NZ . DAVIES , PETER MAXWELL EIGHT SONGS FOR A MAD KINGDAVIES , PETER MAXWELL VESALII ICONESI wanted Peter Maxwell Davies LP s because of the Ken Russell film , The Devils ( he had done the music ) . = = = What about the artists that I love that do not have full - length titles ? Tomorrow , I will post a list of artists that only have singles , that will otherwise not appear in my " Big List " ! - Ron . 
My Influences D 1 . 7 - 6 - 06 My influences D 1 D . A . F . DIE KLEINEN UND DIE BOSEND . A . F . FUR IMMERD . A . F . / GORL , ROBERT NIGHT FULL OF TENSIONI heard Der Mussolini being played in the Blue Shell nightclub in Koln , Germany in 1981 . DADDY LONGLEGS HORSEOn the Pussyfoot label , and I believe Howie B is directly involved with this CD . I first tried Howie B because of his use of Toshio Nakanishi cover art. British electronica . DAFT PUNK HOMEWORKI first saw Daft Punk on Boulevard Des Clips , the video for Around The World , about 96 . Thanks , Gilles Yepremian . DAHO , ETIENNE COLLECTIONDAHO , ETIENNE DAHO SINGLESDAHO , ETIENNE DAHOLYMPIADAHO , ETIENNE EDENDAHO , ETIENNE LA NOTTE LA NOTTEDAHO , ETIENNE LIVE E . D . DAHO , ETIENNE MYTHOMANE ( CD mix ) DAHO , ETIENNE MYTHOMANE ( LP mix ) DAHO , ETIENNE PARIS AILLEURSDAHO , ETIENNE POP SATORIDAHO , ETIENNE POUR NOS VIES MARTIENNESDAHO , ETIENNE / BAKER , ARTHUR MERGEHe was a line in a catalog ; the idea of a Virgin Records in France was exciting to me , so a copy of La Notte La Notte was requested from an exporter about 84 . I really liked it a lot . DALEK I COMPASS KUM PASDALEK I LOVE YOU DALEK I LOVE YOUEric Heuseveldt of Boudisque in Amsterdam told me about his group & their debut single in 1980 . DAMNED ANYTHINGDAMNED BLACK ALBUM , THEDAMNED DAMNED BUT NOT FORGOTTENDAMNED DAMNED DAMNED DAMNED ( 1 st ) DAMNED DAMNED pirate DAMNED FINAL DAMNATIONDAMNED GIVE DADDY THE KNIFE CINDY - Naz Nomad DAMNED LIVE IN NEWCASTLE ( THIS ONE ' S FOR THE FANS ) DAMNED MACHINE GUN ETIQUETTEDAMNED MCA SINGLES A ' S & B ' SDAMNED MUSIC FOR PLEASUREDAMNED NOT OF THIS EARTHDAMNED OFFICIAL FAN CLUB MEETING pirate DAMNED PHANTASMAGORIADAMNED SESSIONS OF THE DAMNEDDAMNED STRAWBERRIESDAMNED WORST OFDAMNED / CAPTAIN SENSIBLE POWER OF LOVE , THEDAMNED / CAPTAIN SENSIBLE SENSIBLE SINGLESDAMNED / CAPTAIN SENSIBLE WOMEN AND CAPTAINS FIRSTDAMNED / JAMES , BRIAN BRIAN JAMESDAMNED / PHANTOM CHORDS / VANIAN DAVID VANIAN / PHANTOM CHORDSI was working in a hippie record store in 77 . The punks in the store kept asking , When are we going to get in some punk rock ? Can we order it ? . I had just moved stores ( following my manager ) , so I was inclined to try and help the nascent punks find their nectar . I liked Fan Club the first time I ever heard it , sometime late in 1977 . At my first record store job , I met a guy named Jordan Shroyer . I do not know how / why . But he was all into The Damned . So was Mott , but maybe not exactly at first . DANCE EXPONENTS AMPLIFIERDANCE EXPONENTS EXPECTATIONSDANCE EXPONENTS PRAYERS BE ANSWEREDDANCE EXPONENTS / EXPONENTS BETTER NEVER THAN LATEDANCE EXPONENTS / EXPONENTS SOMETHING BEGINNING WITH CDANCE EXPONENTS / LEGIONNAIRES LIVE AT MAINSTREETProbably first heard em on my second visit to NZ the Airway Spies 45 , 82 . I liked the All I Can Do 45 even better . I think their 12 of S * x & Agriculture is amazing . Still ! 
Recent Items . Found on my recent visit to PORTLAND , OR . ( Hit single : Canada ROSETTA STONE ROCK PICTURES , PRIVATE ST UK LP Ex - B.C. R . TROWER , ROBIN CARAVAN TO MIDNIGHT , CHRYSALIS UK LPV . A . SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE UPTOWN , ATLANTIC US LP mono 64 ; Live recordings of Wilson Pickett , The Drifters , Patty yes , there was an Alex Harvey LP after The Mafia Stole My Guitar ! LENNON , JOHN WALLS AND BRIDGES , CAPITOL US CD ; not re - mixed ! LEVEL 42 TRUE COLOURS , POLYDOR DE CD w / bonus track ; Wally Badarou ! Mc CARTNEY , PAUL UNPLUGGED ( Official Bootleg ) , CAPITOL US CD Numbered edition MITCHUM , ROBERT THAT MAN , BEAR FAMILY DE CD 50 s & 60 s recordings , incl. The Ballad Of Thunder Road and all of his Monument sides ! MOMUS CIRCUS MAXIMUS , CHERRY RED UK CD w / bonus tracks PABLO , AUGUSTUS MELODICA KING , OCHO UK CD dub reggae PABLO , AUGUSTUS / V. A . CLASSIC ROCKERS , ISLAND US CD dub reggae PETER , PAUL & MARY VERY BEST OF , WARNER AUS CD 25 tracks ! SCHULZE , KLAUS PICTURE MUSIC , THUNDERBOLT UK CDV . A . MOJO : REVOLVER RELOADED , MOJO UK CD The Beatles Revolver ( UK version ) re - recorded by contemporary artists V. A . MOJO : TRASH ! THE ROOTS OF PUNK , MOJO UK CDWATTS , ALAN THIS IS IT , LOCUST MUSIC US CD early 60 s esoteric nonsense WIRE DOCUMENT & EYEWITNESS , MUTE UK CD 80 The Swimmer + live material ZAPPA , FRANK THE ARK JULY 1968 , FOO - EEE US CD Beat The Boots Live CD " D " starts tomorrow ! 
My Influences C 15 . 7 - 5 - 06 My Influences C 15 CROCODILES LOOKING AT OURSELVESCROCODILES NEW WAVE GOODBYECROCODILES TEARSDoubtlessly sent to me in the mail before my first visit to NZ in 81 by Chris Ward ( now Chris Clement ) . Fane Flaws ! CROSBY , STILLS & NASH CROSBY , STILLS & NASHCROSBY , STILLS , NASH & YOUNG 4 WAY STREETCROSBY , STILLS , NASH & YOUNG DEJA VUCROSBY , STILLS , NASH & YOUNG SO FAR - GREATEST HITSI went for CS & N because of my interest in Buffalo Springfield . I think my sister Marilyn had their debut LP . CRUCIFERIUS NICE WAY OF LIFE , AThe cover is die - cut , and I found a copy in the used LP bin at Moby Disc in Van Nuys . Nobody told me to buy it . CRUEL SEA DOWN BELOWCRUEL SEA HONEYMOON IS OVER , THECRUEL SEA ROCK ' N ROLL DUDSCRUEL SEA THIS IS NOT THE WAY HOMECRUEL SEA THREE LEGGED DOGI saw a video for Better Get A Lawyer , on a videotape of Rage , from Australia thanks to Ken Grady . The Cruel Sea eventually came and played in Los Angeles ! Tex played the whole show bare - foot . CRYSTALS , THE SING THEIR GREATEST HITS ! Heard em on the radio . CURE , THE 17 SECONDS ( Deluxe edition ) CURE , THE BOYS DON ' T CRYCURE , THE HEAD ON THE DOOR , THECURE , THE JAPANESE WHISPERSCURE , THE KISS ME KISS ME KISS MECURE , THE MIXED UPCURE , THE STANDING ON A BEACH - THE SINGLESCURE , THE THREE IMAGINARY BOYS ( Deluxe edition ) CURE , THE TOP , THEI probably didn t hear The Cure until 17 Seconds came out their 1 st album singles didn t look too interesting to me . I really liked A Forest , and bought the 12 . CURRAN , ALVIN CANTI E VEDUTE DEL GIADINO MAGNETICOCURRAN , ALVIN FIORI CHIARI , FIORI OSCURICURRAN , ALVIN FOR CORNELIUS - ERA ORACURRAN , ALVIN WORKS , THEI just ordered Fiori Chiari , Fiori Oscuri out of a catalog that I saw at the record distributor it was merely a line in a catalog . Just decided to try it , no reason . What a great electro - ambient album it is , too . CURTIS , SONNY BEATLE HITS - FLAMENCO GUITAR STYLEFor the Easy Hits kitsch collection . CURVED AIR AIR CONDITIONINGCURVED AIR BEST OFCURVED AIR LOVECHILDCURVED AIR PHANTASMAGORIACURVED AIR SECOND ALBUMI wanted the debut Curved Air LP because it was a lovely picture disc ! Did I buy it before hearing them on a Warner Brothers sampler LP ? I don t think so . CUTLER , IVOR AN ELPEE AND TWO EPEESCUTLER , IVOR DANDRUFFCUTLER , IVOR GRUTSCUTLER , IVOR JAMMY SMEARSCUTLER , IVOR LIFE IN A SCOTCH SITTING ROOM Vol. 2 CUTLER , IVOR LUDOCUTLER , IVOR PRINCE IVORCUTLER , IVOR PRIVILEGECUTLER , IVOR VELVET DONKEYCUTLER , IVOR WHO TORE YOUR TROUSERS ? I first heard Mr. Cutler on Robert Wyatt s Rock Bottom . It was Mike Mc Goldrick who played me the Dandruff LP . When I lived in England in 1990 , an Ivor Cutler show got scheduled in Bristol , near where I lived . When I went to the venue to inquire about tickets , I was told his show had been cancelled , due to poor health . Mr. Cutler lived another 16 years . He died earlier this year , 2006 . CUTUGNO , TOTO L ' ITALIANOI heard this Italian pop male vocal gem sitting in an Italian restaurant in Paris , Latin Quarter 85 ? CYBOTRON COLOSSUSCYBOTRON CYBOTRONCYBOTRON IMPLOSIONThe importer I worked for used to import LP s from Australia the guy at the exporter used to be in this band ! CZERKINSKY CZERKINSKYI was given a promo CD of this by Mr. Kajino at Nippon - Columbia Records main office in Tokyo , 97 ? = = = So , there we are , finished with C ! 
My Influences C 14 . 7 - 4 - 06 My Influences C 14 Since " Re - starting " my blog , this is the 500 th entry . COWBOYS INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL SIN , THECOWBOYS INTERNATIONAL / LOCKIE , KEN IMPOSSIBLE , THEProbably sold to me by a guy at an LP importer ; perhaps I tried it because of the gimmix cover ( orange plastic sleeve ) . COWSILLS COWSILLS IN CONCERT , THEI remember their radio hits ; I picked up the Concert CD because of the non - LP bonus tracks , I also have another CD COX , MICHAEL BEST OF ( JOE MEEK # 4 ) Joe Meek ! COXHILL , LOL DIGSWELL DUETSCOXHILL , LOL DIVERSECOXHILL , LOL EAR OF BEHOLDERCOXHILL , LOL FLEAS IN CUSTARDCOXHILL , LOL INIMITABLE , THECOXHILL , LOL JOY OF PARANOIACOXHILL , LOL LOL COXHILL + TOTSUZEN DANBALL 2 COXHILL , LOL TOVERBAL SWEETCOXHILL , LOL / MORGAN - FISHER SLOW MUSICCOXHILL , LOL / STEPHEN MILLER COXHILL / MILLERCOXHILL , LOL / STEPHEN MILLER STORY SO FAR ... OH REALLY ? , THEI believe there were copies of Story So Far in a local record store for $ 1 , and I could see Robert Wyatt s name on it . CRACK THE SKY ANIMAL NOTESCRACK THE SKY CRACK THE SKYCRACK THE SKY LIVE SKYCRACK THE SKY SAFETY IN NUMBERS Animal Notes was a promo , when I was working in a hippie record store , 76 Mike Mc Goldrick gave it to me . CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 65 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 65 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 66 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 67 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 68 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 69 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 70 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 71 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 72 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 73 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 74 we imported lots of Japanese - pressed reissues of US 50 s jazz LP s I remember one of our reps got excited when he saw these on the release sheet they d never been re - issued before , since their original release in the 50 s . I have always enjoyed instrumental music , so Jazz U.S.A. sounded good to me . The rep ? Fred Norsworthy , I believe his name was . I wonder if he still walks the Earth ? CRISTINA CRISTINACRISTINA SLEEP IT OFFLike many people I first heard her on KROQ - FM Is That All There Is ? , the rather rude and amusing version . The record for that was completely unavailable in L . A . but I found it on one of my first visits to London . I think Jim Donato still cares . = = = Back from PDX - interesting place ... - Ron . 
My Influences C 13 . 6 - 23 - 06 My Influences C 13 COSBY , BILL 200 M. P . H . COSBY , BILL 8:15 ; 12:15 COSBY , BILL BILL COSBYCOSBY , BILL FOR ADULTS ONLYCOSBY , BILL I STARTED OUT AS A CHILDCOSBY , BILL IS A VERY FUNNY FELLOW - RIGHT ! COSBY , BILL IT ' S TRUE ! IT ' S TRUE ! COSBY , BILL REVENGECOSBY , BILL TO RUSSELL , MY BROTHER , WHOM I SLEPT WITHCOSBY , BILL WHY IS THERE AIR ? COSBY , BILL WONDERFULNESSMy brother was who had the Bill Cosby LP s . Remind me to ask him where he heard of him . COSMIC OVERDOSE 4668 COSMIC OVERDOSE COSMIC OVERDOSEI liked the name and the label ( Silence Records , of Sweden ) , perhaps purchased from a mail - order catalog ? COSMIC VILLAGE NICE AGEYMO cover versions , via David Ponak . I also like the solo works of Hajime Yoshizawa , the guy from this group . COSMOS FACTORY BLACK HOLECOSMOS FACTORY JOURNEY WITH THE COSMOS FACTORY , ACOSMOS FACTORY METAL REFLECTIONCOSMOS FACTORY TRANSYLVANIAN CASTLE [ 1 st ] Some of these were imported into the U.S. by Captiol / EMI , no idea why . Japanese prog seemed to hold some water in those days , what with Chronicle and the Far East Family Band . I didn t get the 1 st album until much later , and I like it ! COSTA , DON INSTRUMENTAL VERSIONS OF SIMON & GARFUNKEL Easy Hits , kitsch collection I think my dad had other Don Costa records COUNTRY JOE & THE FISH C . J . FISHCOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH ELECTRIC MUSIC FOR THE MIND & BODYCOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH HERE WE ARE AGAINCOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH I - FEEL - LIKE - I ' M - FIXIN ' - TO - DIECOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH LIFE AND TIMESCOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH REUNIONCOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH TOGETHERCOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH / COUNTRY JOE INCREDIBLE ! LIVE ! My sister Marilyn played me Electric Music for the Mind & Body , The Masked Marauder etc. Country Joe was great in Woodstock . I remember trying to play the fish game as a kid . We laughed at Harlem on Together . COUP D ' ETAT COUP D ' ETATNZ band , found em on my first visit in 81 . Mmmm Hello Sailor involvement ? COUTURE , CHARLELIE 3 FOLIES - LIVECOUTURE , CHARLELIE ART ET SCALPCOUTURE , CHARLELIE CASQUE NUCOUTURE , CHARLELIE CROCODILECOUTURE , CHARLELIE DOWNTOWN PROJECTCOUTURE , CHARLELIE LE PECHEURCOUTURE , CHARLELIE LES NAIVESCOUTURE , CHARLELIE MELBOURNE AUSSICOUTURE , CHARLELIE MODERNS , THE ( O . S . T . ) COUTURE , CHARLELIE POCHETTE SURPRISECOUTURE , CHARLELIE POEMES ROCKCOUTURE , CHARLELIE QUOI FAIRE ? COUTURE , CHARLELIE SOLO BOYSCOUTURE , CHARLELIE SOLO GIRLSCOUTURE , CHARLELIE SOUDE - SOUDESCOUTURE , CHARLELIE TCHAO PANTIN ( B . O . F . ) COUTURE , CHARLELIE VICTORIA SPIRITCOUTURE , CHARLELIE / ELIANE , PIERRE LITERATURECOUTURE , CHARLELIE / NOVEMBRE , TOM L ' INSECTEI started with Crocodile , so no wonder I bought all the rest of these ! It was a line in a catalog , from a distributor and it s designation told me it was on Island Records , from France . I d seen his debut Island label LP when I visited Paris for the first time in 79 it has a striking new wave cover . I ve seen him live , in Malakoff C est deja la sud ! a suburb of Paris . He answered me when I wrote to him . He sent me CD s , I sent him clove cigarettes from an Indonesian restaurant . = = = I ' m away until Tuesday July 4 th . Taking a break , but I ' ll pick up right where I left off ! When I post on Tuesday July 4 th , it will be the 500 th post in this incarnation of my blog . Thanks for reading my stuff . Be seeing you , Ron . 
My Influences C 12 . 6 - 22 - 06 My Influences C 12 COOPER , ALICE BILLION DOLLAR BABIESCOOPER , ALICE EASY ACTIONCOOPER , ALICE GOES TO HELLCOOPER , ALICE GREATEST HITSCOOPER , ALICE KILLERCOOPER , ALICE LACE AND WHISKEYCOOPER , ALICE LOVE IT TO DEATHCOOPER , ALICE SCHOOL DAYS ( EARLY RECORDINGS ) COOPER , ALICE SCHOOL ' S OUTI first heard Vince on Zapped , the Frank Zappa Straight / Bizarre label sampler LP , about 1970 . Then I saw them in Diary of a Mad Housewife and on TV in a show called Mid - summer Rock ( which also had Grand Funk and Iggy in it ) . COOPER - CLARKE , JOHN DISGUISE IN LOVECOOPER - CLARKE , JOHN ME AND MY BIG MOUTHCOOPER - CLARKE , JOHN OU EST LA MAISON DE FROMAGE ? COOPER - CLARKE , JOHN SNAP , CRACKLE [ & ] BOPCOOPER - CLARKE , JOHN WALKING BACK TO HAPPINESS ( 10 " ) COOPER - CLARKE , JOHN ZIP STYLE METHODGimme the gimmix ! I tried JCC when they released that clear 10 record , about 79 . I really liked Disguise In Love and his movie Ten Years In An Open Necked Shirt . The Innocents single EP is indie groovy , too . Neat guy . COOPERTEST COOPERTESTMmmm given to me by Fay Losvky ( and she guest stars on this CD ) . CORDUROY CLIK ! CORDUROY DAD MAN CATCORDUROY HIGH HAVOCCORDUROY NEW YOU ! , THECORDUROY OUT OF HEREI saw the music video for Motorhead by Corduroy on Rage about 94 , so Ken Grady , once again . COREY , PROF . IRWIN EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ... METRIC SYSTEMCOREY , PROF . IRWIN I FEEL MORE LIKE I DO NOWCOREY , PROF . IRWIN WIN WITH IRWINCOREY , PROF . IRWIN WORLD ' S FOREMOST AUTHORITY ... AT LE RUBAN BLEUI remembered him having been a nut on TV , and was delighted to find that he d made records . Is he still alive ? ( Yes ) CORNELIUS 69 / 96 CORNELIUS 96 / 69 CORNELIUS CM & FMCORNELIUS FANTASMACORNELIUS FIRST QUESTION AWARD , THECORNELIUS / FLIPPER ' S GUITAR CAMERA TALKCORNELIUS / FLIPPER ' S GUITAR COLOUR ME POPCORNELIUS / FLIPPER ' S GUITAR DOCTOR HEAD ' S WORLD TOWERCORNELIUS / FLIPPER ' S GUITAR ON PLEASURE BENTCORNELIUS / FLIPPER ' S GUITAR THREE CHEERS FOR OUR SIDEKen Heaton was who first sent me Flipper s Guitar stuff , on cassette ! I found Keigo Oyamada via David Ponak , Tom & Terry , Yasuharu Konishi met Corny in Tokyo in 96 , at Trattoria s office , so thanks also to Hiroko Wayama , who was always my Trattoria facilitator . Saw him live several times , both here & in Japan . CORTE DEI MIRACOLI CORTE DEI MIRACOLII just bought this again recently , having sold my original copy 20 + years ago . It s not Grade A Italian prog rock COS PASIONESCOS POSTAEOLIAN TRAIN ROBBERYCOS SWISS CHALETCOS VIVA BOMACOS / SCHELL , DANIEL & KARO IF WINDOWS THEY HAVEI tried Viva Boma because of the LP cover . I found it in a record store bin in Los Angeles , about 76 . I like it better now than I did then . COSA ROSA COSA ROSACOSA ROSA KEIN ZUFALLPromo CD s from Nancy X @ Sony NYC . Cosa Rosa kind of reminds me of Marianna Rosenberg ( German female vocalists ) . 
My Influences C 11 . 6 - 21 - 06 My Influences C 11 COMELADE , PASCAL PARALOLOLikely from the age of mail - ordering European LP s , must ve been a line in a catalog . I don t remember . COMIC STRIP / Various Artists COMIC STRIP , THESaw em on the TV ; Rik Mayall , Adrian Edmundson , Nigel Planer et al. COMMANDER CODY / LOST PLANET AIRMEN LOST IN THE OZONEI heard Hot Rod Lincoln on the radio ; I really dug this when it was a new release . Great songs . COMMITTEE , THE WIDE WIDE WORLD OF WARThe Little David label was making some spiffy comedy LP s in the 70 s . This was one of em , from the $ 1 bin . COMPANYIA ELECTRICA DHARMA L ' OUCOMBALLACOMPANYIA ELECTRICA DHARMA TRAMUNTANASpanish artist , likely purchased because of the cover and / or ease of availability ( i . e . in a used LP bin , cheap ) . COMUS FIRST UTTERANCECOMUS TO KEEP FROM CRYINGI tried First Utterance because of the cover and label ( Dawn Records ) , it reminded me of Roger Chapman . CON FUNK SHUN BEST OFHeard em on the radio . Funky stuff . CONCEPTION CORPORATION CONCEPTIONLANDCONCEPTION CORPORATION PAUSE IN THE DISASTER , APerhaps I heard these guys on KPFK - FM , on the Sunday Gummies Sunday morning comedy show . CONGRESS OF WONDERS REVOLTINGCONGRESS OF WONDERS SOPHOMORIC ( see listing above , it was Radio Phil that I first heard , I still love it ! ) CONTE , PAOLO JIMMY , BALLANDOI think Fay Lovsky told me about him , when I was visiting Holland . She admired that he was a little old man . CONTORTIONS BUY CONTORTIONSGot this one because I liked the James White & The Blacks album . COODER , RY BOOMER ' S STORYCOODER , RY CROSSROADS ( O . S . T . ) COODER , RY INTO THE PURPLE VALLEYCOODER , RY PARIS , TEXAS ( O . S . T . ) COODER , RY RY COODERCOODER , RY WHY DON ' T YOU TRY ME TONIGHTCOODER , RY / TOURE , ALI FARKA TALKING TIMBUKTUI was sold on Ry Cooder by the cover of the first album . Later , I found out that he was a Rising Son & Rolling Stone . COOK , PETER MISTY MR. WISTY , THECOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE BEDAZZLED ( O . S . T . ) COOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE BEHIND THE FRIDGECOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE CLEAN TAPES , THECOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE DEREK & CLIVE ( LIVE ) COOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE DEREK & CLIVE AD NAUSEUMCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE DEREK & CLIVE COME AGAINCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE GOOD EVENINGCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE GOODBYE AGAINCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE NOT ONLY PETER COOK ... BUT ALSO DUDLEY MOORECOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE NOT ONLY ... BUT ALSO ... COOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE ONCE MOORE WITH COOKCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE WORLD OF PETE & DUDCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE etc. BEYOND THE FRINGECOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE etc. BEYOND THE FRINGE - ORIGINAL BROADWAY CASTCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE etc. BEYOND THE FRINGE ' 64 I ve liked British comedy & comedians since the 60 s . I saw Bedazzled on TV about 1970 , and searched until I found the soundtrack LP for it . Then came Good Evening , then the Derek & Clive albums . I got the Decca LP s in NZ . - Ron . 
My Influences C 10 . 6 - 20 - 06 My Influences C 10 COLD CHISEL CIRCUS ANIMALSIn 2006 , I have a lot of time for the Aussie working band ethic . It s just Rock Music , but I know they worked hard at it . COLE , B . J . TRANSPARENT MUSICI remembered him from the 70 s , steel guitarist on many assorted LP s . I got this because of his work with Luke Vibert . COLEMAN , ORNETTE DANCING IN YOUR HEADYou only have to hear this once , huh ? Then it s never forgotten . Thank you , Jay Green of Poo Bah Record Shop . COLLIER , GRAHAM NEW CONDITIONSI got this at Mole Music in London , Pete Brown took me there . I knew Collier had British 70 s jazz LP s that I wanted , but this was what was on offer . Lately , I am so into British jazz of the 60 s I got What s Bootsy Doin for the Bill Laswell vibe . COLLINS , EDWYN GORGEOUS GEORGEI prefer Edwyn Collins as a solo artist to his work with Orange Juice . My GF was who has been playing to me . COLLINS , GLENDA BEEN INVITED TO A PARTYGot it when I lived in England produced by Joe Meek . Thank you , Jim Blake . COLLINS , JUDY # 3 COLLINS , JUDY COLORS OF THE DAY ( BEST OF ) COLLINS , JUDY FIFTH ALBUMCOLLINS , JUDY GOLDEN APPLES OF THE SUNCOLLINS , JUDY IN MY LIFECOLLINS , JUDY JUDY COLLINS CONCERT , THECOLLINS , JUDY LIVINGCOLLINS , JUDY MAID OF CONSTANT SORROW , ACOLLINS , JUDY WHALES & NIGHTINGALESCOLLINS , JUDY WHO KNOWS WHERE THE TIME GOES ? COLLINS , JUDY WILDFLOWERSMy sisters played me Judy Collins albums . My mother liked Someday Soon . I liked Both Side Now . I read her book . COLLINS , SHIRLEY & DOLLY ANTHEMS IN EDENBecause it was on the Harvest label . COLOMBIER , MICHEL OLD FOOL BACK ON EARTHBecause he was an arranger for Serge Gainsbourg . COLONEL JUBILATION B . JOHNSON MOLDY GOLDIESOddball novelty LP that featured a whacked - out cover version of Dylan s Rainy Day Women # 12 & # 35 . Thanks , Bob ! COLOSSEUM COLLECTOR ' S COLOSSEUMCOLOSSEUM COLOSSEUM LIVECOLOSSEUM DAUGHTER OF TIMECOLOSSEUM GRASS IS GREENER , THECOLOSSEUM THOSE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE SALUTE YOUCOLOSSEUM VALENTYNE SUITECOLOSSEUM / HECKSTALL - SMITH , DICK STORY ENDED , ACOLOSSEUM / HECKSTALL - SMITH , DICK WOZA NASUI probably first bought Colosseum albums because of the heavy duty Cream vibe . I started with The Grass Is Greener . COLUMBUS , RAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROCK ' N ' ROLLCOLUMBUS , RAY HIS 14 GREATEST HITS ( 1964 - 1974 ) COLUMBUS , RAY JANGLES , SPANGLES AND BANNERSCOLUMBUS , RAY RAY COLUMBUS ALBUMCOLUMBUS , RAY & THE INVADERS ANTHOLOGYCOLUMBUS , RAY & THE INVADERS ORIGINAL NUMBERSCOLUMBUS , RAY & THE INVADERS TILL WE KISSED ( GREATEST HITS OF ) When I first got to NZ in 81 , it was like greeting a new vista of music . OMG , NZ 60 s music ! And Ray is King . COMATEENS DEAL WITH ITCOMATEENS PICTURES ON A STRINGPurchased after the fact found em in the 99 cent bin . I believe there s some Etienne Daho connection here . 
My Influences C 9 . 6 - 19 - 06 My Influences C 9 CMU SPACE CABARETCMU SPACE CABARET / OPEN SPACESI heard Space Cabaret LP playing in Tower Records in Hollywood , when it was a new release . I liked the electric piano . COASTERS , THE COAST ALONG WITH THE COASTERSCOASTERS , THE COASTERS , THECOASTERS , THE GREATEST HITSCOASTERS , THE JUST COASTIN ' COASTERS , THE ONE BY ONECOASTERS , THE THUMBIN ' A RIDECOASTERS , THE WAKE ME , SHAKE MECOASTERS , THE WHAT IS THE SECRET OF YOUR SUCCESS ? The other night we painted posters , we played some records by The Coasters from Status Back Baby by Frank Zappa I understood the synergy between Joe & Leon Russell etc. Rock music . COCONUT ROUGH COCONUT ROUGHCOCONUT ROUGH / NARCS WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORKI was already a Pop Mechanix fan and a Blam Blam Blam fan . I was waiting for this group ! COEUR MAGIQUE WAKAN TANKAGreat cartoon cover , French band , on Byg all stuff that I like . And it was in the $ 1 bin . COHEN , ADAM ADAM COHENSon of Leonard . COHEN , LEONARD COHEN LIVECOHEN , LEONARD DEATH OF A LADIES ' MANCOHEN , LEONARD FUTURE , THECOHEN , LEONARD I ' M YOUR MANCOHEN , LEONARD LIEBESTRAUME ( Collection ) COHEN , LEONARD LIVE SONGSCOHEN , LEONARD LIVE ! FROM THE COMPLEX 4 / 93 COHEN , LEONARD NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONYCOHEN , LEONARD RECENT SONGSCOHEN , LEONARD SIX MONTREAL POETS - Various Artists COHEN , LEONARD SONGS FROM A ROOMCOHEN , LEONARD SONGS OF A SERIOUS OLD MAN pirate COHEN , LEONARD SONGS OF LEONARD COHENCOHEN , LEONARD SONGS OF LOVE AND HATECOHEN , LEONARD VARIOUS POSITIONSCOHEN , LEONARD ZURICH 1993 pirate My sister Susie played me L . C . even before I saw his songs used in Mc Cabe & Mrs. Miller . The debut album breaks my heart , New Skin lights my fire I love his work , and am truly glad he still walks the Earth . Seen him live , I have his autograph , I ve read his books . 
My Influences C 8 . 6 - 16 - 06 My Influences C 8 CLARKE , JOHN / BRYAN DAWE ANNUAL REPORTCLARKE , JOHN / FRED DAGG FRED DAGG ANTHOLOGYCLARKE , JOHN / FRED DAGG FRED DAGG LIVECLARKE , JOHN / FRED DAGG FRED DAGG TAPES , THECLARKE , JOHN / FRED DAGG GREATEST HITSChris Ward ( now Chris Clement ) told me about Fred Dagg ( comedian John Clarke ) and his sons named Trevor , 1980 CLASSICS IV VERY BEST OFHeard em on the radio my mother always liked Traces . CLAW BOYS CLAW ANGELBITECLAW BOYS CLAW CRACK MY NUTCLAW BOYS CLAW HITKILLERS - THE BEAST OF C . B.C. CLAW BOYS CLAW SUGERI saw a music video for So Mean , and liked the groove . I once met Piete Te Bos of CBC , in the street in Amsterdam I was walking to / from an Indonesian restaurant with Henk Hofstede of The Nits . Might ve been the Utrechtsestraat , near the Tempo Doeloe restaurant right by the Concerto Record Shop . He was holding a pair of crash cymbals . CLEAN , THE GREAT SOUNDS GREAT ... CLEAN , THE MODERN ROCKCLEAN , THE UNKNOWN COUNTRYCLEAN , THE / GREAT UNWASHED CLEAN OUT OF OUR MINDSCLEAN , THE / KILGOUR , DAVID HERE COME THE CARSI tried their Boodle Boodle Boodle EP on my first visit to NZ 81 ; maybe next visit I was recognized in Queen Street by Hamish Kilgour , the drummer of The Clean . Maybe Chris Knox told him about me ( visiting NZ , looking for music ) I m not sure . We became friendly , I eventually went and stayed with Hamish at his home in Christchurch but that wasn t until 85 or so . Hamish also came and visited Los Angeles . I think he lives in NYC now . My emails to him bounced , recently . Phone home , Hamish ! CLEAR LIGHT CLEAR LIGHTI bought it because it was on Elektra Records ; a Paul A . Rothchild production ! I love their She s Ready To Be Free 45 . CLEARLIGHT SYMPHONY CLEARLIGHT SYMPHONYCLEARLIGHT SYMPHONY DELIRED CHAMELEON FAMILY ( B . O . F . ) CLEARLIGHT SYMPHONY FOREVER BLOWING BUBBLESI tried em because of the Gilbert Artman connection . Pierre Clementi ! CLIMAX BLUES BAND GOLD PLATEDHeard Couldn t Get It Right on the radio and always rather liked it . I don t know much about their stuff , however . CLINTON , GEORGE BEST OFOn the funky funky radio . Do Fries Go With That Shake ? ( I will never forget Flooky s in Hollywood ) . Earth calling George ! CLOSE , DEL / JOHN BRENT HOW TO SPEAK HIPMy brother told me about this album , maybe 35 + years ago . More recently , Japanese DJ s have sampled it . CLOUD NINE WATERLANDThis is the band of the one - time female vocalist of The Nits . CLOUDS COLLAGECLOUDS OCTOPUSCLOUDS PENNY CENTURYCLOUDS THUNDERHEADI probably saw a Bower Of Bliss video on Rage and found the CD s in the bargain bin . Thanks to Ken Grady , once again ! CLOUDS U . K . CLOUDS SCRAPBOOKI am still looking for their other albums ! I was always curious , what with them being an Island UK 60 s act . CLOVERS , THE DOWN IN THE ALLEYI ve been a Coasters fan since I was 10 so , naturally , I investigated other Atlantic R & B acts . CLUSTER CLUSTERCLUSTER CLUSTER IICLUSTER ZUCKERZEITCLUSTER / KLUSTER KLOPFZEICHENCLUSTER / KLUSTER ZWEI OSTEREICluster comes very close to the beginning of my interest in German bands . I think Cluster II was first for me , and I probably bought it solely because it was German and it had a cool cover it is the LP spine you can see in a wall of records from across the room ! But did I buy it at Moby Disc ? Did my brother send me this ? Been too long can t remember everything ! 
Recent items . 6 - 15 - 06 I m going to take a breath the large alphabet will continue tomorrow . Here is a partial list of what I have been listening to / considering for the last few weeks ARTHEY ORCH . , JOHNNY GOLDEN SONGS OF DONOVAN , RCA US LPWow , this is the second Donovan Easy Hits album ( the other one is by Vic Lewis ) BARDOT , BRIGITTE BEST OF , PHILIPS JPN CDJapanese CD purchased as much for the Serge Gainsbourg content . BASIA LONDON WARSAW NEW YORK , EPIC / SONY JPN CDFor some reason , I always like finding Japanese versions of common CD s . BEDFORD , DAVID / V. A . TWO POEMS FOR CHORUS , DEUTSCHE G LPI have been fond of the classical works of Mr. Bedford for some time ; Soft Machine - related . BEE GEES / V. A . SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER ( O . S . T . ) , RSO US CD re Yes , the re - mastered CD for $ 3 ! BOWIE , DAVID MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD , TOSHIBA JPN CD re BOWIE , DAVID / TIN MACHINE RADIO SESSION , VICTOR JPN CD single One more Bowie CD to the collection and I always check out Tin Machine train wrecks . CAPALDI , JIM SHOE SHINE , RSO US 12 promo Solo 12 from the drummer and back - up vocalist of Traffic . I am always interested CARNIVAL , THE THE CARNIVAL , VIVID SOUND JPN CDPerverse Japan - only CD L . A . session musicians trying to sound like Sergio Mendes / Brasil 66 . DAVIES , PETER MAXWELL IMAGE BAIRNS RUNES , UNICORN UK LPDAVIES , PETER MAXWELL MAVIS IN LAS VEGAS , COLLINS UK CDMore 20 th century classical music always did like his Ken Russell film scores DOLDINGER , KLAUS DAS BOOT ( O . S . T . ) , ATLANTIC US CDI never saw Das Boot , but I understand it is a decent movie . And I like Doldinger . DURAN DURAN / ARCADIA ELECTION DAY , PARLOPHONE UK 12 W / PS 3 / 5 of Duran Duran as arcadia in 85 OK . Why ? Not a bad song , actually . HECKSTALL - SMITH , DICK A STORY ENDED , ARCHIVE JPN CD re Japanese little album cover of one of my all - time favorite albums ; 5 x bonus tracks ! KINGS OF CONVENIENCE / V. A . VERSUS , ASTRALWERKS US CDRemixes / reworkings I picked this up because of the presence of Alfie I love his songs on You Are What You Eat . Probably time for me to finish up my Peter Paul & Mary collection . = = = Back with more alphabet tomorrow ! - Ron . 
My Influences C 7 . 6 - 14 - 06 My Influences C 7 CHRISMA CHINESE RESTAURANTCHRISMA HIBERNATIONCHRISMA / KRISMA CATHODE MAMMACHRISMA / KRISMA CLANDESTINE ANTICIPATION Chinese Restaurant came first it was Italian , so I was naturally interested , but it s not progressive rock . I kept it . I was somewhat validated when Cathode Mamma was really good with Hans Zimmer etc. CHRISTMAS , KEITH BRIGHTER DAYPurchased because it was on the Manticore label ; and 30 + years later , I had never heard it . Tenuous King Crimson connection . CHRONICLE ... LIKE A MESSAGE FROM THE STARSCHRONICLE IMAWA TOKINO SUBETECHRONICLE LIVE AT THE WHISKY A - GO - GOTony Harrington walked into the hippie record store I was working at , sometime in early 1977 , with Like A Message From The Stars under his arm he gave copies to myself and Mike Mc Goldrick . Tony we had been friends for nearly 30 years . And it started with Chronicle . CIBO MATTO SUPER RELAXCIBO MATTO VIVA ! LA WOMANI was given promos of these 2 x CD s by David Ponak we were doing Japanese music together for most of the 1990 s but I think he was more of a fan of New Rock , Cibo Matto and Buffalo Daughter , than I was . Still , funny stuff . CID , JOSE 10000 ANOS DEPOIS ENTRE VENUSMr . David Overstreet of Art Sublime Records turned me on to this Portugese 70 s progressive rock ! CINE TECHNO YUKIHIRO SELECTIONI believe the Yukihiro in question is YMO s Yukihiro Takahashi synthesizer versions of film themes . Found it in Tokyo . CITIZEN BAND CITIZEN BANDCITIZEN BAND JUST DROVE THRU TOWNCITIZEN BAND PIRATECITIZEN BAND RUST IN MY CARWhen I first hit NZ in 81 , I was amazed at how many records seemed to have people from Split Enz on them . Citizen Band were probably the best link to what I liked about Split Enz , with only The Swingers being more on target . CITY BOY DINNER AT THE RITZCITY BOY YOUNG MEN GONE WESTI started picking these up when I realized that Van Der Graaf Generator people were side men to this band . CITY BOYS LIFE OF CITY BOYS , AGot this as a promo at Trattoria Records in Tokyo arigato gozaimasu to Hiroko Wayama ! FPM & P 5 connections . CLARK FIVE , DAVE 25 THUMPING GREAT HITSCLARK FIVE , DAVE BEST OFHeard em on the radio Can t You See That She s Mine was likely first . I used to have a Session UK LP long gone . CLARK , ANNE PRESSURE POINTSProduced by John Foxx . CLARK , DOUG / HOT NUTS ON CAMPUSLooked smutty . Mike Mc Goldrick was probably who first told me about this band . CLARK , ROY ENTERTAINER , THECLARK , ROY SUPERPICKERI saw him on Hee Haw ! CLARK , SONNY COOL STRUTTIN 're CLARK , SONNY DIAL ' S ' FOR SONNYCLARK , SONNY SONNY CLARK TRIOCLARK , SONNY STANDARDSWhen the CD of Cool Struttin first came out , I was standing in Logo s Records in Santa Cruz so , the very first time I ever heard this monumental jazz hard bop classic , it was all 6 cuts as found on the Blue Note CD . So , late 80 s for me . Cool abum . 
My Influences C 6 . 6 - 13 - 06 My Influences C 6 CHAPPIE NEW CHAPPIEI bought it in Tokyo , because of the Groovisions cover art , and tenuous FPM and P 5 connections . CHAVIN , CHINGA COUNTRY P * RNCHAVIN , CHINGA JET LAGThis came out when I was working in a record store ; I loved anything smutty then , so I tried it , and I even saw him live ! CHEAP TRICK AT BUDOKANI remember the Cheap Trick mania and I eventually got to go to Budokan in Tokyo myself to see Cornelius . CHEDID , LOUIS BIZARCHEDID , LOUIS BRAVO A LOUID CHEDIDCHEDID , LOUIS CES MOTS SONT POUR TOI ... CHEDID , LOUIS ENTRE NOUSCHEDID , LOUIS GOLDCHEDID , LOUIS ZAPI think Bob Gaulke told me to buy Bizar or did I merely find a cheap CD of it ? No , Bob told me about Revolution . CHERRY , DON ART DECOCHERRY , DON BROWN RICECHERRY , DON DON CHERRY ( ORIENT / EAGLE EYE etc. ) CHERRY , DON HOME BOY - SISTER OUTCHERRY , DON MU , FIRST PARTCHERRY , DON MU , SECOND PARTCHERRY , DON ORGANIC MUSICCHERRY , DON / PENDERECKI NEW ETERNAL RHYTHM ORCHESTRA Brown Rice was definitely my first Don Cherry LP I checked it out because it was produced by Corrado Bachelli , a guy who was working with some Italian bands that I liked . I was likely made aware of this fact by Armando Gallo . CHERRY , NENEH RAW LIKE SUSHII always did like Kisses On The Wind she s Don Cherry s daughter , too . CHICAGO CHICAGO AT CARNEGIE HALL ( 4 LP boxed set ) CHICAGO CHICAGO IICHICAGO CHICAGO IIICHICAGO CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITYCHICAGO CHICAGO VCHICAGO CHICAGO VII heard South California Purples on the FM radio , about 70 . I ve known a few Chicago fans over the years . CHICKENMAN BEST OFCHICKENMAN CHICKENMAN RETURNSCHICKENMAN PUFFY SLEEVES AND OTHER EXQUISITE FOOLISHNESSI wanted the Chickenman LP because it appeared on the Atco Records innersleeve . Took me a few years to find it . CHICKS , THE CHICKS SECOND ALBUM , THECHICKS , THE C ' MON CHICKSCHICKS , THE LONG TIME COMIN ' , ACHICKS , THE SOUND OF THE CHICKS , THEI picked these up in New Zealand , because they looked funky in an NZ 60 s sort of way . Nobody told me to buy em . CHIHUAHUA NOMAD LANDI saw Chihuahua perform as the band behind the Archaos Circus , when I lived in England in 1990 . They re like Mano Negra . CHILLS BRAVE WORDSCHILLS KALEIDOSCOPE WORLDCHILLS SOFT BOMBCHILLS SUBMARINE BELLSI think it was the Rolling Moon 45 that piqued my curiosity I bought it in a store on Queen Street in Auckland . Seen ' em live . CHINA CRISIS DIARY OF A HOLLOW HORSECHINA CRISIS WHAT PRICE PARADISECHINA CRISIS WORKING WITH FIRE AND STEELJim Donato always talks these guys up am I missing the really good one , or what ? CHOCOLAT ONE TOO MANY CHOCOLATPicked up because of the Hideki Kaji connection ( he wrote or produced or played on this ) . 
My Influences C 5 . 6 - 12 - 06 My Influences C 5 CELENTANO , ADRIANO HIT PARADE : LE VOLTE CHE ... CELENTANO , ADRIANO I MALI DEL SECOLOCELENTANO , ADRIANO IL FORESTIEROCELENTANO , ADRIANO IL RAGAZZO DELLA VIA GLUCKCELENTANO , ADRIANO IL RE DEGLI IGNORANTICELENTANO , ADRIANO IO NON SO PARLAR D ' AMORECELENTANO , ADRIANO LE ROBE CHA HA DETTO ADRIANOCELENTANO , ADRIANO NON MI DIRCELENTANO , ADRIANO NOSTALROCKCELENTANO , ADRIANO SUPREMOCELENTANO , ADRIANO SVALUTATIONCELENTANO , ADRIANO TI AVRO ' I found a Non Mi Dir CD at Rockaway Records in L . A . I was dismissive of Celentano in the 70 s it wasn t prog rock ! But in the 80 s , Italian pop male vocals were just FINE with me . The next person I met who liked Celentano was Constantin Andrei . CELESTE CELESTEFrom the age of automatically buying anything new from Italy it s on the Grog label , a good label . The cover isn t much , but that looks like some New Trolls guys ! Self - referential by 76 . CELIBATE RIFLES BLIND EARCELIBATE RIFLES MINA MINA MINACELIBATE RIFLES SIDEROXYLONCELIBATE RIFLES SOFACELIBATE RIFLES SPACEMAN IN A SATIN SUITI never listened at the time , but I saw videos from these guys on Rage and liked them , thanks to Ken Grady . Tick Tock ! CENTRAL BROADCASTING ORCH . PHASES OF THE MOONI think I picked this up in New Zealand , for some reason . Perhaps it merely looked out of place Chinese music in NZ ? CERVELLO MELOSThis had such a great cover ! I may have heard it from Greg Stewart on KPFK - FM , but or maybe Jim Hresko told me about it ? Or did I figure out on my own that guys from Osanna were in this band ? Would I still have bought if I knew that this record doesn t have a keyboard player ? It s a great album , and I frequently tout it as the best Italian 70 s prog rock record without a keyboard player I have an autographed copy ! ( Got it signed when Nova came to town ! ) CHACKSFIELD , FRANK PLAYS THE BEATLES ' SONGBOOK Easy Hits , kitsch collection . Tony Harrington was always amused that I knew who Mr. Chacksfield was . My dad told me . CHAGRIN D ' AMOUR CHAGRIN D ' AMOURCHAGRIN D ' AMOUR MON BOB ET MOII got a promo 45 of Chacun Fait from the Japanese record distributor , about 81 got the rest in France . Slim Pezin ! CHAMBERS BROTHERS , THE TIME HAS COME , THEHeard it on the radio ! 35 + years later , I got a CD of it for $ 3 , to see if it was a psychedelic as I remember it being . It was . CHAMFORT , ALAIN AMOUR , ANNEE ZEROCHAMFORT , ALAIN DOUBLE VIECHAMFORT , ALAIN MARIAGE A L ' ESSAICHAMFORT , ALAIN NEUFCHAMFORT , ALAIN PERSONNE N ' EST PARFAITCHAMFORT , ALAIN POSESCHAMFORT , ALAIN ROCK ' N ROSECHAMFORT , ALAIN SECRETS GLACESCHAMFORT , ALAIN TENDRES FIEVRESCHAMFORT , ALAIN TROUBLEI bought a CD of Tendres Fievre in San Francisco ( at Rooks I saw a Wally Badarou production credit . That was all it took . What a bonus I later discovered he had been a Gainsbourg collaborator ! CHAPMAN , MICHAEL FULLY QUALIFIED SURVIVORCHAPMAN , MICHAEL LIFE ON THE CEILINGCHAPMAN , MICHAEL RAINMAKERCHAPMAN , MICHAEL WINDOWCHAPMAN , MICHAEL WRECKED AGAINI tried a cheap LP of Fully Qualified Survivor ( with Mick Ronson ) because it was on the Harvest label , probably about 71 or so . I was stoked to discover that members of Spring were on Wrecked Again . 
My Influences C 4 . 6 - 9 - 06 My Influences C 4 CARLOS , WALTER CLOCKWORK ORANGE , AI knew this was synthesizer music ( same guy as Switched On Bach , right ? ) I wanted to see the film because of the music . CARMEL STRINGS / LARRY KNECHTEL BOSS BAROQUEKitsch collection , Easy Hits . L . A . session musicians . CARNIVAL , THE CARNIVAL , THEMy dad had this record . Grade A kitsch , Easy Hits . I just found the Japanese CD of this album !! Fake Sergio Mendes ! CARSON , JOHNNY HERE ' S JOHNNY - MAGIC MOMENTS from ' TONIGHT SHOW ' CARSON , JOHNNY INTRODUCTION TO NEW YORK AND THE WORLD ' S FAIRI saw him on the TV , and liked him a lot . Late night TV has never been th same , without Mr. Carson . CARTHY , MARTIN SHEARWATEROn the Mooncrest / B & C label , a cousin to Charisma and the cover was good . UK folk music . CASH , ALVIN / REGISTERS TWINE TIMEI heard Twine Time on the radio when I was about 7 or 8 years old I even made a tape recording of it , off of the radio ( something my father showed me how to do ) . I found the LP about 20 years later , and a whole gang of 45 s . Alvin , R . I. P . CASH , JOHNNY AT FOLSOM PRISON AND SAN QUENTINCASH , JOHNNY BEST OFCASH , JOHNNY BLOOD , SWEAT AND TEARSCASH , JOHNNY CHRISTMAS : THE JOHNNY CASH FAMILYCASH , JOHNNY EVERYBODY LOVES A NUTCASH , JOHNNY FABULOUS JOHNNY CASH , THECASH , JOHNNY HOLY LAND , THEI saw him on the TV . The Holy Land had a 3 D cover ! Boy Named Sue was omni - present in elementary school . CASSIDY , SHAUN WASPI was definitely working in a record store or distributor this album walked down the pike and immediately , we knew something was up look at those songs ! Oh , wait a minute . Produced by Todd Rundgren . Maybe we should play it ? It is a strange record . Pyramid parties in Marina Del Rey ! WTF ? Yes , this is Shaun s last album . CASTRO - NEVES , OSCAR TROPICAL HEARTThe piano player for Sergio Mendes I tried this because it is an audiophile ( JVC XRCD ) disc . CAT MOTHERS / ALL NIGHT NEWS BOYS STREET GIVETH AND THE STREET TAKETH AWAY , THEProduced by Jimi Hendrix . I want to get some of their other albums ! CATALOGUE ANTWERPEN LIVE 11 AUG 1979 1.30 H BELGIECATALOGUE INSOMNIEGiven to me by either Gilles Yepremian or Jean Francois Pauvros or Jac Berrocal . CATAPULT CATAPULTI knew Let Your Hair Hang Down from a sampler LP , and I found this LP on a visit to Holland . Dutch glam rock ! CATHARSIS Vol. 1 MASQCATHARSIS Vol. 2 LES CHEVRONSCATHARSIS Vol. 3 32 MARSCATHARSIS Vol. 4 ILLUMINATIONSCATHARSIS Vol. 5 BOLERO DU VEAU DES DAMES , LECATHARSIS Vol. 6 ET S ' AIMER ... ET MOURIRCATHARSIS / BOCQUET , ROLAND LA BALANCE ( B . O . F . ) CATHARSIS / BOCQUET , ROLAND PARADIACATHARSIS / BOCQUET , ROLAND ROBOT BLEUCATHARSIS / BOCQUET , ROLAND ROBOT ROSEI think I got Paradia first , about 77 . I love that album . On my first visit to Paris in 79 , I looked him up in the phone book . I had mail - ordered maybe one or two Catharsis LP s from Intergalactic Trading Company in Portland and I found the rest in record stores in Paris . Roland gave me lots of neat records singles by Henriette Coulouvrat that he produced , tapes of unreleased albums ( Atlantide ) and later he sent me the Robot Rose and Robot Bleu LP s . Last time I sent him a New Year s card , it came back about 6 months later so I ve lost his address . Roland ! Please phone home ! CELEBRITY SKIN GOOD CLEAN FUNI ve known Don Bolles for over 25 years and the Celebrity Skin records make me laugh . 
My Influences C 3 . 6 - 8 - 06 My Influences C 3 CANNED HEAT BOOGIE WITH CANNED HEATCANNED HEAT UNCANNED ! - THE BEST OFI heard Goin Up The Country on the radio . CANNON , ACE ACE OF SAXCANNON , ACE BABY DON ' T GET HOOKED ON MECANNON , ACE CANNON COUNTRYCANNON , ACE COOL ' N SAXYCANNON , ACE SUPER SAX COUNTRY STYLECANNON , ACE TUFF - SAXMy Bill Black Combo fandom lead me to Ace Cannon . CANNON , FREDDY BEST OFMy brother ( ? ) had a 45 of Way Down Yonder In New Orleans , which I found in my home , as a kid . CAOLI , CANO EXTRA BRIGHTCAOLI , CANO FAMILIACAOLI , CANO FINECAOLI , CANO HADAKA DE AIMASHOUCAOLI , CANO OH LA LACAOLI , CANO / CIOCCOLATA CIOCCOLATACAOLI , CANO / CIOCCOLATA L ' ALMA BELLACAOLI , CANO / CIOCCOLATA SPECIALI bet I got a promo of her TRA Project Cioccolata cassette from the Japanese exporter , liked it and ordered her stuff as it came out . I had no idea she had re - positioned herself as a solo artist in the 90 s I found that out upon my first real visit to Japan in 94 . CAPABILITY BROWN FROM SCRATCHCAPABILITY BROWN LIAR ( Collection ) CAPABILITY BROWN VOICECAPABILITY BROWN / KRAZY KAT CHINA SEASCAPABILITY BROWN / KRAZY KAT TROUBLED AIRI was liking the Charisma label Genesis , Monty Python etc. It was easy to spot From Scratch in the 50 cent bin , at my local hippie record store . Less than a year later , I found a $ 1 promo of Voice , which I think is incredible . I got to tease Armando Gallo about taking photos of Capability Brown , when he published a big book of photos of Genesis When s your Capability Brown book coming out ? . I found the Krazt Kay LP s when working at the record distributor we probably tried a copy of the first one , just because it was new I saw who they were , and CAPLAN , JIL A PEINE 21 ANSCAPLAN , JIL AVANT QU ' IL NE SOIT TROP TARDCAPLAN , JIL JIL CAPLANCAPLAN , JIL LA CHARMEUSE DES SERPENTSI believe Jil Caplan came from the French book store La Cite on Westwood Blvd . , which is , sadly , long gone . I was looking at the new French CD s , and saw that A Peine 21 Ans was produced / written by Jay Alanski , the man who did Lio . That was all it took . CAPTAIN BEYOND CAPTAIN BEYONDHey , man this had a 3 D cover ! Then I heard Thousand Days Of Yesterday on the FM radio CARAVAN BBC 1969 - 1973 pirate CARAVAN CARAVANCARAVAN CARAVAN & THE NEW SYMPHONIACARAVAN FOR GIRLS WHO GROW PLUMP IN THE NIGHTCARAVAN IF I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN CARAVAN IN THE LAND OF GREY AND PINKCARAVAN WATERLOO LILYCARAVAN / SINCLAIR , RICHARD CARAVAN OF DREAMSI think Steve Zepeda tried to turn me on to them , but I was more interested in Robert Wyatt . How did I come back around to Caravan ? An inexpensive copy of In The Land of Grey & Pink , perhaps ? CARLIN , GEORGE CARLIN ON CAMPUSCARLIN , GEORGE CLASS CLOWNCARLIN , GEORGE EVENING WITH WALLY LONDO ... , ANCARLIN , GEORGE FM & AMCARLIN , GEORGE OCCUPATION : FOOLECARLIN , GEORGE ON THE ROADCARLIN , GEORGE PLACE FOR MY STUFF , ACARLIN , GEORGE TAKE - OFFS & PUT - ONSCARLIN , GEORGE TOLEDO WINDOW BOXI saw him on the TV , and probably read an article about The 7 Words You Cannot Say on Television . 
My Influences C 2 . 6 - 7 - 06 My Influences C 2 CAMP , HAMILTON WELCOME TO HAMILTON CAMPI heard this on a Warner Brothers sampler LP ! CAMPBELL , ARCHIE ARCHIE CAMPBELLCAMPBELL , ARCHIE BEST OFCAMPBELL , ARCHIE COCKFIGHT AND OTHER TALL TALES , THECAMPBELL , ARCHIE GOLDEN YEARS , THECAMPBELL , ARCHIE / LORENE MANN TELL IT LIKE IT ISI saw him on Hee Haw ! CAMPBELL , JIMMY HALF BAKEDI bought this because it was on the Vertigo label . 30 years later , I found out who he was a Liverpool singer / songwriter and not a progressive rock artist ( which was what I was hoping / expecting ) . Decent singer / songwriter stuff . CAN CANCAN CANNIBALISMCAN CANNIBALISM 2 CAN CLASSIC GERMAN ROCK SCENECAN DELAY 1968 CAN EGE BAMYASICAN FLOW MOTIONCAN FUTURE DAYS re CAN GERMANY 1976 Vol. 1 pirate CAN GREAT BRITAIN 1977 Vol. 2 pirate CAN LANDEDCAN LIMITED EDITIONCAN MONSTER MOVIECAN OPENERCAN OUT OF REACHCAN RADIO WAVES pirate CAN RITE TIMECAN ROCK IN DEUTSCHLAND Vol. 6 CAN SACRILEGE ( Remixes ) CAN SAW DELIGHTCAN SOON OVER BABALUMACAN SOUNDTRACKSCAN TAGO MAGOCAN UNLIMITED EDITIONCAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER CANAXIS 5 CAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER DER OSTEN IST ROTCAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER FULL CIRCLECAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER MOVIESCAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER MOVING PICTURESCAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER ON THE WAY TO THE PEAK OF NORMALCAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER TECHNICAL SPACE COMPOSER ' S CREWCAN / KAROLI , MICHAEL / POLLY ELTES DELUGECAN / PHANTOM BAND FREEDOM OF SPEECHCAN / PHANTOM BAND PHANTOM BANDCAN / SCHMIDT , IRMIN ANTHOLOGY - SOUNDTRACKS ' 78 - ' 93 ( 3 CD boxed set ) CAN / SCHMIDT , IRMIN FILMMUSIK Vol. 1 CAN / SCHMIDT , IRMIN FILMMUSIK Vol. 2 CAN / SCHMIDT , IRMIN FILMMUSIK Vol. 3 but the first one I tried was Unlimited Edition , which I found for $ 3 ( a promo copy , even ! ) at Moby Disc in Van Nuys , California . I went to Germany in 1979 and met Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit , thanks to an introduction by my former drummer ( John Payne ) . A year or two later , I went and visited Holger with Andreas Thein , from the group Propaganda . I ve written to Hildegard Schmidt , wife of Irmin Schmidt asking about Swiss nylon - string guitarist Thomas Diethelm ( who Irmin produced ) . Start with Soon Over Babaluma , then buy Landed , then get Czukay s Movies if you re still in the pool , get Schmidt s Soundtracks 78 - 93 3 CD anthology . 
My Influences C 1 . 6 - 6 - 06 My Influences C 1 CABBAGEBOY GENETICALLY MODIFIEDGary Steel told me about this , standing in Amoeba Records in Hollywood fall of 05 . CACCIAPAGLIA , ROBERTO GENERAZIONI DEL CIELOCACCIAPAGLIA , ROBERTO SEI NOTE IN LOGICACACCIAPAGLIA , ROBERTO SONANZE Sonanze came first , and I probably picked it up just because it was an Italian record , nobody told me it was good . CAF CR ME CAF CR MEWell , it certainly looked interesting a French band on the Harvest label , doing a Beatles medley ! CAFE TACUBA REVES / YOSOIDavid Ponak hipped me to this , good and proper . A fantastic CD that more people need to hear . CAGE , JOHN EXTENDED VOICES - Various Artists CAGE , JOHN INDETERMINACYCAGE , JOHN JOHN CAGE - CHRISTIAN WOLFFCAGE , JOHN NOVA MUSICHA N .1 CAGE , JOHN VARIATIONS IV Vol. 2 CAGE , JOHN / BABBITT , MILTON NEW ELECTRONIC MUSIC FROM LEADERS ... CAGE , JOHN / JAN STEELE VOICES AND INSTRUMENTSCAGE , JOHN / TUDOR , DAVID SECOND WIND FOR ORGAN , AAs an 11 / 12 - year - old , I went to the Thrifty Drug Store a lot sometimes along , sometimes with my dad . They had a cheapie bin of records , what we would come to know as cut - outs , where records would have a hole drilled in the cover , and as cheap as 57 cents ! The top price for the cut - out bin was $ 1.98 at this time ( roughly 1970 ) . I consider myself pretty fortunate to have found a $ 1.98 copy of Indeterminacy , when I was about 12 years old in just such a bin . A 2 LP set in a box , $ 1.98 . It looked interesting . No , I did not know who he was . I did not know it was a spoken word album . Hoping that it has some synthesizer music on it , I plunked down my meager allowance for this unknown album . It changed my life . CALE , JOHN ACADEMY IN PERIL , THECALE , JOHN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCECALE , JOHN CALE STREET pirate CALE , JOHN CARIBBEAN SUNSETCALE , JOHN DOWN AT THE END OF LONELY STREET pirate CALE , JOHN DRIFT STUDY pirate CALE , JOHN EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUESCALE , JOHN FEARCALE , JOHN GUTS ( Collection ) CALE , JOHN HEAR " FEAR " - interview CALE , JOHN HELEN OF TROYCALE , JOHN HONI SOITCALE , JOHN JOHN CALE COMES ALIVECALE , JOHN MUSIC FOR A NEW SOCIETYCALE , JOHN PARIS 1919 CALE , JOHN SABOTAGECALE , JOHN SEDUCING DOWN THE DOOR ( Collection ) CALE , JOHN SLOW DAZZLECALE , JOHN VERY DEAD CHICKEN pirate CALE , JOHN VINTAGE VIOLENCECALE , JOHN WALKING ON LOCUSTSCALE , JOHN WORDS FOR THE DYINGCALE , JOHN / REED , LOU SONGS FOR DRELLAI heard Paris 1919 on the FM radio , and went in search of the least expensive copy I could find . I did not know he had anything to do with the Velvet Underground ( a group I had tried because they were on Verve Records , but I didn t keep their stuff ) . I later bought Fear because of how much I liked Paris 1919 . By the end of the 70 s , I got to see him live ; I met him in the 80 s , got everything autographed etc. ( I have Mike Mc Goldrick to thank for that ! ) . Jordan Shroyer really liked John Cale , and made a great Sabotage T - shirt that I wore for years . CAMEO ALLIGATOR WOMANCAMEO CAMEOSISCAMEO CARDIAC ARRESTCAMEO SECRET OMENCAMEO SHE ' S STRANGECAMEO SINGLE LIFECAMEO WORD UP ! I heard em on the radio , and they made me laugh . Word ! Also saw them on Goodnight L . A . , the KABC video show . 
My Influences F 3 . 7 - 27 - 06 My Influences F 3 FAUST 71 MINUTES OF - THE LAST ALBUMFAUST FAUSTFAUST FAUST IVFAUST FAUST TAPESFAUST RETURN OF A LEGENDFAUST SO FARFAUST / TONY CONRAD OUTSIDE THE DREAM SYNDICATEFAUST / TONY CONRAD SLAPPING PYTHAGORASI went down the Faust path because you could find copies of The Faust Tapes at a stupid record store called The Wherehouse for less than $ 1 . Nobody told me to buy it , but I sure told a lot of people about Faust . Love em . My brother is who sent me my first Clear Faust 1 st LP on Polydor Records . Only one I bought new was Faust IV. Darrell liked Faust , Paul liked Faust everybody liked Faust . The 4 x Faust LP s saw me through junior high and high school . FAUVES , THE DRIVE THROUGH CHARISMAIt s major label Aussie rock music ; found this and a bunch of CD EP s for real cheap , covers looked good etc. For me , their shining moment is Everybody s Getting a 3 - piece Together . FELDMAN , MARTY I FEEL A SONG GOING OFFFELDMAN , MARTY MARTYI saw him on the TV ; found these UK LP s in New Zealand in the 80 s ; I didn t know about his Monty Python connection , or that he wrote novelty hits for Charlie Drake . FERON , LOUISE LOUISE FERONFrench female vocalist ; I bought it because it was cheap and on Virgin France records ; also John Cale s on it . FETUS PRODUCTIONS FETUS PRODUCTIONSFETUS PRODUCTIONS LUMINOUS TRAILSRecords that I got just because they were from New Zealand . Got em in NZ . FIANCEE DU PIRATE , LA TA GUITAREI think Bob Gaulke found this one , and a cheap CD of it turned up at La Cite , the late , much - lamented French store on Westwood Blvd . in Westwood . FIDDY , JOHN PLASTIC POPSICLEBritish production music , probably purchased because it was with a bunch of UK Easy Listening LP s @ Poo - Bah s . FIFTH DIMENSION AGE OF AQUARIUS , THEFIFTH DIMENSION GREATEST HITSFIFTH DIMENSION STONED SOUL PICNICHeard em on the radio , and probably saw em on the TV . Working On A Groovy Thing ! ( Bill Inglot loved them ) . FINCH BEYOND EXPRESSIONFINCH GALLEONS OF PASSIONFINCH GLORY OF THE INNER FORCEInstrumental Dutch 70 s band , but never my favorite . All were inexpensive , and bought because of the covers . FINGERPRINTZ DISTINGUISHING MARKSSaw em live once , never cared at all . Bought this LP 25 + years later . I think I also have videos of them . FIRE MERCHANTS LANDLORDS OF ATLANTISGiven to me by Mr. Mike Kelley , who released them on his Renaissance Records label . FIREFALL FIREFALLThis record used to get played at the very first hippie record store job I ever had , likely by Wild Bill Evans ; in the 90 s , when LP s got real inexpensive , I decided to try and buy a bunch of the records that I used to hear in the late 70 s . 
My Influences F 2 . 7 - 26 - 06 My Influences F 2 FAMILY / CHAPMAN , ROGER CHAPPOFAMILY / CHAPMAN , ROGER MAIL ORDER MAGICFAMILY / CHAPMAN , ROGER MANGO CRAZYFAMILY / CHAPMAN , ROGER SHADOW KNOWS , THEFAMILY / CHAPMAN , ROGER TECHNO - PRISONERSFAMILY / CHAPMAN , ROGER ZIPPERFAMILY / STREETWALKERS LIVEFAMILY / STREETWALKERS STREETWALKERS ( Phonogram ) FAMILY / STREETWALKERS STREETWALKERS ( Reprise ) FAMILY / STREETWALKERS VICIOUS BUT FAIRI bought all of these because of my Family fandom . My favorite post - Family Roger Chapman moment is his vocals on Mike Oldfield s Shadow On The Wall . Somehow , I missed out on most of the Streetwalkers albums in the 1970 s I got the first one on Reprise UK , then I stopped . Probably it was that I wanted more European music , and couldn t be bothered with British music anymore attitude that I had for a while . FAMILY TREE MISS BUTTERSI sometimes go on rampages where I try to hear albums that I have never heard before , after looking them up in a Schwann catalogue , Phonolog or Music Master book . Didn t know what this was , won it on e Bay , a sealed copy . It s the Segarini guy , a Canadian who recorded tons of stuff under a lot of different names . FANNY FANNYAlice de Burgh used to rep A & M Records , at the distributor I worked at , in the late 70 s . Somebody ( Dana ? ) whispered to me , That s the drummer of Fanny ! . I remembered Fanny , they were the all - girl ( L - word ) group on WB / Reprise FANTASTIC EXPLOSION FANTASTIC EXPLOSIONFANTASTIC EXPLOSION FANTASTIC EXPLOSION 2 I might ve seen this recommended online , at some electronic music forum or another . But I found em used in Tokyo . FANTASTIC PLASTIC MACHINE FANTASTIC PLASTIC MACHINEFANTASTIC PLASTIC MACHINE LUXURYMr . Yasuharu Konishi of Pizzicato Five gave me a 45 by Tomoyuki Tanaka ( Mr. FPM ) before the first album was released , but I think the first I actually heard of them was on the Pussyfoot Label collection Fish Smell Like Cat promo CD that Toshio Nakanishi sent me , Dear Mr. Salesman ( with the goofball Jonathan Winters sample ) . FAR EAST FAMILY BAND CAVE DOWN TO THE EARTHFAR EAST FAMILY BAND CAVE DOWN TO THE EARTH ( wka NIPPONJIN ) FAR EAST FAMILY BAND PARALLEL WORLDFAR EAST FAMILY BAND TENKUJINFAR EAST FAMILY BAND / MIYASHTA , FUMIO FUMIOMr . Tony Harrington was who held this up to my mirror , without a doubt . Saw em live , interviewed Fumio etc. FARINA , MIMI SOLOFARINA , RICHARD & MIMI CELEBRATIONS FOR A GREY DAYFARINA , RICHARD & MIMI MEMORIESFARINA , RICHARD & MIMI PACK UP YOUR SORROWSFARINA , RICHARD & MIMI REFLECTIONS IN A CRYSTAL WINDI first knew of Richard Farina when Ian Matthews covered his songs on If You Saw Thro My Eyes and Tigers Will Survive LP s on the Vertigo label . I love his books . FARLOWE , CHRIS ART OF CHRIS FARLOWE , THEI wanted this because of the Rolling Stones connection and finally found an LP of it in New Zealand , in the 80 s . FARR , GARY ADDRESSED TO THE CENSORS OF LOVEI only know of Gary Farr because he was on the flip side of a Soft Machine LP on Byg Records , from France . FARYAR , CYRUS CYRUSFARYAR , CYRUS ISLANDSI wanted these because Cyrus spoke the words on Cosmic Sounds of the Zodiac and had produced The Firesign Theatre . 
My Influences F 1 . 07 - 25 - 06 My Influences F 1 F . F . F . BLAST CULTUREF . F . F . F . F . F . ( 3 rd Album ) F . F . F . FREE FOR FEVERI think Chris Padrick at Bay Cities Disc was who found the Bill Laswell connection interesting . FABARES , SHELLEY SHELLEY ! Johnny Angel is a deeply buried single in my subconsciousness . Perhaps my sisters were responsible for this ? FABULOUS POODLES FABULOUS POODLESFABULOUS POODLES MIRROR STARSRecommended to me by numerous people , but it was Greg Stewart who gave me both of these LP s . My GF likes em ! FAHEY , JOHN REQUIAAfter he died , I decided to try this . I LOVED his stuff on the previously - unreleased Jack Nitzsche album ( Rhino Handmade ) . FAIR WEATHER BEGINNING FROM AN ENDOn the Neon label , from England , early 70 s but little to recommend it otherwise . Uh , nice cover . FAIR , JAD BEST WISHESSolo album from Mr. Half Japanese . Is he half Japanese ? Lo - fi is as lo - fi does . Tom Recchion said Yes. That . FAIRPORT CONVENTION FAIRPORT CONVENTIONFAIRPORT CONVENTION WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAYSMark Moerman has always been their big champion but I bought it because it is on Island Records , from England . FAITH , PERCY BEATLES ALBUM , THEFAITH , PERCY BLACK MAGIC WOMANTop drawer kitsch Easy Hits . I wanted to hear Percy s version of Black Magic Woman , with an orchestra . FAITHFULL , MARIANNE BROKEN ENGLISHFAITHFULL , MARIANNE CHILD ' S ADVENTURE , AFAITHFULL , MARIANNE DANGEROUS ACQUAINTENCESFAITHFULL , MARIANNE SECRET LIFE , AFAITHFULL , MARIANNE STRANGE WEATHERFAITHFULL , MARIANNE TROUBLE IN MIND ( O . S . T . ) - Various Artists FAITHFULL , MARIANNE VAGABOND WAYSHer 60 s stuff never did it for me . Probably , it was seeing the Broken English LP stickered with an Offensive language sticker that made me curious then I actually heard it ! Wow . And I love anything with Wally Badarou keyboard playing . FALCONER , RODERICK NEW NATIONFALCONER , RODERICK VICTORY IN ROCK CITYThese came to me from my sister Marilyn . I have no idea at all why she had em . FAME , GEORGIE GEORGIE FAMEFAME , GEORGIE YEH YEH IT ' S GEORGIE FAMEGeorgie Fame s big fan is Mr. Tom Meyer ; I found some UK 60 s 45 s and took it from there . FAMILY ANYWAY ... FAMILY BANDSTANDFAMILY FAMILY ENTERTAINMENTFAMILY FEARLESSFAMILY FROM PAST ARCHIVESFAMILY IT ' S ONLY A MOVIEFAMILY MUSIC IN A DOLL ' S HOUSEFAMILY OLD SONGS , NEW SONGSFAMILY SONG FOR ME , AFAMILY STRANGE BAND pirate There used to be a small hippie record store in North Long Beach I liked this place because it had very inexpensive used LP s . Once ( 1970 ? ) , I chanced upon a 98 cent UK copy of Music In A Doll s House and decided to try it because of the cover and , to a lesser extent , because it was on Reprise Records . Well , it s probably my # 1 favorite UK psychedelic hippie record of all - time . Also got lucky with Family Entertainment found an inexpensive copy with the poster in it , which hung on the back of my bedroom door for 20 + years . Roger Chapman is the best . 
My Influences E 3 . 7 - 24 - 06 My Influences E 3 ENEMA PROJECT ENEMA MUSICNice Japanese indie band I must admit : tried this one because of the name / title . What can Enema Music sound like ? ENID , THE AERIE FAERIE NONSENSEENID , THE IN THE REGION OF THE SUMMER STARSENID , THE TOUCH MEENID , THE / GODFREY , ROBERT JOHN FALL OF HYPERIONI believe Philip Page first said You must hear In The Region Of The Summer Stars . Jim Hresko knew that , too . ENO , BRIAN ANOTHER GREEN WORLDENO , BRIAN BEFORE AND AFTER SCIENCEENO , BRIAN DISCREET MUSICENO , BRIAN HERE COME THE WARM JETSENO , BRIAN TAKING TIGER MOUNTAIN ( BY STRATEGY ) ENO , BRIAN / DAVID BYRNE MY LIFE IN THE BUSH OF GHOSTSENO , BRIAN / JOHN CALE WRONG WAY UPENO , BRIAN / SCHECKLEY , ROBERT IN A LAND OF CLEAR COLOURSHe was in Roxy Music , on Island Records so I was going to try it anyway . I like the Island LP s better now than I did then . EPIDAURUS EARTHLY PARADISEAs they re neo - prog , it might ve been David Overstreet who first told me this was any good . EROC WOLKENREISEI never bought their LP s in the 70 s there were just too many German LP s to buy then . The name never left my brain , and I once found an inexpensive CD at Rockaway , obviously traded in by a publisher or something . ESCROCS , LES FAITES - VOUS DES AMIS ? I saw a video for Assedic on Boulevard Des Clips , merci , Gilles Yepremian . Bob Gaulke got this message solid . ESPERANTO DANSE MACABREESPERANTO ESPERANTO ROCK ORCHESTRAESPERANTO LAST TANGO Produced by Pete Sinfield ( of King Crimson ) . And the cover of Danse Macabre was excellent . ESQUERITA CAPITOL COLLECTOR ' S SERIESEd Winfield was always who sung Esquerita s praises ; this may have been the title to get him to buy a CD player ! ESTER , PAULINE DE L ' AUTRE COTEESTER , PAULINE LE MONDE EST FOUI was just trying anything that looked good , on a visit to Paris , 90 . I really liked Le Monde Est Fou , 2 nd one not as much . ETRON FOU LELOUBLAN BATELAGESETRON FOU LELOUBLAN LES TROIS FOU ' S PERDEGAGNENT ( AU PAYS DE ... ) ETRON FOU LELOUBLAN NOS TROIS AMIS DEBARQUERENT A NEW YORKProbably sold to me in a catalog via Archie Patterson , likely described as Rock in Opposition - style music . Why I bought three of them is anybody s guess ! Uh , because they re French ? Not exactly , too early for that . EULENSPYGEL AUSCHUSSThis has the coolest cover Auschuss means trash and the cover is a piece of discarded cardboard . Also , good label : Spiegelei Records . EUROPEANS EUROPEANS LIVEEUROPEANS RECURRING DREAMSEUROPEANS VOCABULARY Animal Song 12 came in to the distributor I was working at in 82 , great stuff . I made sure I found all their other titles . EURYTHMICS IN THE GARDENHolger Czukay was who first told me about Eurythmics and he s on this album . I did not follow their popularity . EVANS , BILL / HALL , JIM UNDERCURRENTSimply one of the best albums covers of all time . Jazz . EVEN / ODD LOUD AND CLEARMy friend Dana Madore ! EXPRESSION , THE EXPRESSION , THEMark Moerman was who told me to try this ; Aussie 80 s , and I missed it at the time . 
Yard List . I have been reading a book called " To See Every Bird On Earth " by Dan Koeppel ; it strikes me that there are a myriad of parallels between bird - watching and record collecting . As you can see , I am presently going through my ' 20 th century full - length ' titles , my " Life List " , if you will . In the birding community , I would be known as a " Big Lister " , except ... I am not in the birding community , I am a record collector . And record collectors are not organized in the same way as the birding community . Sure I make my lists ... but my aim is to retain the specimen , for further examination at an as - yet - undetermined later date . I snapped this photo of a bird on a vacation to Hawaii , a few year back . I have no idea what it is , apart from being a pretty bird . No , I do not have bird lists ... yet . I suppose I could become one of those guys who wants to make digital recordings of bird vocalizations - out in the musty jungle , with my Sony Mini Disc and directional microphone ... But I ' m a record collector . I ' m a reasonable guy - I won't buy records if it 's too hot out , or if I don't have an easy way to get th records back to he hotel room ( or car ) . Yes , I ' ve spent " food money " on records , and am damned proud of it . I ' ve traveled to New Zealand , Finland , Japan , Italy , Canada ... Portland , Las Vegas , Berkeley ... all in search of phonograph records . A " Yard List " in record collecting would be maddening - the equivalent of counting CD - R 's in your " Life List " , I suppose . For a title to count towards the " Big List " , does it have to have artwork ? What about splits and lumps ? Seriously , folks - time to plan for my dotage . Bird - watching or record collecting ? 
My Influences E 2 . 7 - 21 - 06 My Influences E 2 EIGHT SECONDS ALMACANTAR Produced by Rupert Hine . Joe Castle is who found it for $ 1 . EILIFF EILIFFGerman early 70 s band that I found in New Zealand in the 80 s . I bought it because it was cheap and I liked the cover . EINZELGANGER EINZENGANGERWow , how easy are they going to make it ? A German word for the band name let s see synthesizers EIRE APPARENT SUNRISE Produced by Jimi Hendrix . AND a Soft Machine connection . Doesn t get any better recommendation than that ! EKOVA SOFT BREEZE AND TSUNAMI BREAKSI believe Nancy X @ Sony NYC sent me a promo of this , but I might ve tried it anyway , because of who was remixing them . EL CAMINOS REVERB EXPLOSION ! A promo CD from Elliot Kendall ; Japanese whammy - bar twang - fest . Bullseye ! EL GENERAL MUEVELO CON EL GENERALI saw a video for Muevelo on either Much Music or Musiq ue Plus probably on Clip Trip ! ELASTICA ELASTICASaw em on Later with Jools Holland and was mightily amused . Thank you , Terry Greenhill ! ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA BALANCE OF POWERELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA DISCOVERYELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA ELDORADOELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA ELO IIELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA FACE THE MUSICELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA NEW WORLD RECORD , AELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA NIGHT THE LIGHT WENT ON IN LONG BEACHELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA NO ANSWERELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA OLE ELOELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA ON THE THIRD DAYELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA OUT OF THE BLUEELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA SECRET MESSAGESELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA TIMEI was ready for E . L . O . , having been a big fan of The Move s Looking On . Mark Moerman is the big fan , however . ELECTRONICAS DANCE LITTLE BIRDI spotted this monstrosity at the Pasadena swap meet in the junk section , not the record section . I knew the song from having visited Europe ( Holland , mostly ) at various times in the 1980 s . ELLISON , HARLAN ELLISON READS ELLISONELLISON , HARLAN JEFFTY IS FIVEELLISON , HARLAN ON THE DOWNHILL SIDEELLISON , HARLAN ON THE ROAD WITH ELLISONI used to hear Mr. Ellison rant and rave on Hour 25 , on KPFK , and always loved it . Delighted to find he had made records ! EMERSON , LAKE & PALMER BRAIN SALAD SURGERYEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER EMERSON , LAKE & PALMEREMERSON , LAKE & PALMER IN CONCERTEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER LOVE BEACHEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITIONEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER TARKUSEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER TRILOGYEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER WELCOME BACK MY FRIENDS EMERSON , LAKE & PALMER WORKS , Vol. 1 EMERSON , LAKE & PALMER WORKS , Vol. 2 EMERSON , LAKE & PALMER / EMERSON , KEITH INFERNOEMERSON , LAKE & PALMER / LAKE , GREG MANOEUVRESI probably didn t know at the time that EL & P were an amalgam of The Nice and King Crimson . It wouldn t have mattered to me anyway , it was on Island Records UK . Bought the first album first , 70 . Also bought Tarkus when it was new , too . 
My Influences E 1 . 7 - 20 - 06 My Influences E 1 EARTH AND FIRE ANDROMEDA GIRLEARTH AND FIRE ATLANTISEARTH AND FIRE EARTH AND FIRE ( 1 st ) EARTH AND FIRE FRAMES - Earth & Fire Orchestra EARTH AND FIRE GATE TO INFINITYEARTH AND FIRE IN A STATE OF FLUXEARTH AND FIRE PHOENIXEARTH AND FIRE REALITY FILLS FANTASYEARTH AND FIRE SONG OF THE MARCHING CHILDRENEARTH AND FIRE TO THE WORLD OF THE FUTUREEARTH AND FIRE / KAAGMAN , JERNEY MADE ON EARTHEARTH AND FIRE / KAAGMAN , JERNEY RUNI am certain I saw the UK copy of Atlantis , noticed that they had a mellotron Charlie Miller was probably who told me they were good . EARTH OPERA GREAT AMERICAN EAGLE TRAGEDYPurchased because of the presence of Mr. John Cale . EARTH , WIND & FIRE STAR BOXHeard em a lot while I was in high school . Heard em on the radio , saw em on the TV . EARTHY SIDE , THE EARTHY SIDE , THEI think this record came with a sticker advising that it had adult content . Also probably heard something from it on KPFK . EAST OF EDEN MERCATOR PROJECTEDEAST OF EDEN SNAFUI found Mercator Projected in a $ 1 bin , at a record store in L . B . and I liked the Deram label a lot . Dave Arbus = Baba O Riley . The locking groove at the end of Side One of Snafu is my favorite , bar none . EDDY , DUANE BIGGEST TWANG OF THEM ALL , THEPresumably purchased because of the tenuous Lee Hazlewood connection . EDMUNDS , DAVE BEST OFEDMUNDS , DAVE GET ITEDMUNDS , DAVE INFORMATIONI heard him on the radio a lot but I had been a Love Sculpture fan since 70 or so . EDWARDS , JONATHAN JONATHAN EDWARDSEDWARDS , JONATHAN LUCKY DAYEDWARDS , JONATHAN SAILBOATAlways liked Sunshine , but my friend David Zimelis recommended him to me , and I tried some others . EDWARDS , TEDDY MISSIPPI LADThis CD features Tom Waits on vocals and rather good vocals , as it were . Dale Bailey @ Bay Cities Disc noticed , too . EFRON , MARSHALL NUTRINO NEWS NETWORK , ABYSMO , NEW JERSEYI bought this because of the cover it looked crazy ( it is crazy ) . From a long - forgotten $ 1 bin . EGG CIVIL SURFACE , THEEGG EGGEGG POLITE FORCEEGG / HATFIELD AND THE NORTH AFTERSEGG / HATFIELD AND THE NORTH HATFIELD AND THE NORTHEGG / HATFIELD AND THE NORTH ROTTER ' S CLUB , THEEGG / NATIONAL HEALTH D . S . AL CODAEGG / NATIONAL HEALTH MISSING PIECESEGG / NATIONAL HEALTH NATIONAL HEALTHEGG / NATIONAL HEALTH OF QUEUES AND CURESEGG / STEWART , DAVE / BARBARA GASKIN BIG IDEA , THEEGG / STEWART , DAVE / BARBARA GASKIN SPINEGG / STEWART , DAVE / BARBARA GASKIN UP FROM THE DARKEgg were just one of those groups you were supposed to try it was probably sold to me as They re a cousin band of Caravan by Steve Zepeda , about 73 or 74 . Likely , I went for Civil Surface ( 74 ) instantly , as Henry Cow people were on it . The Hatfields , Nat l Health and Stewart & Gaskin all come naturally , after initial Egg fandom . The Canterbury door was held open for me by Steve Zepeda , however I was already a Soft Machine fan , having found a copy of Vol. 2 in a $ 1 bin somewhere . 
My Influences D 9 . 7 - 18 - 06 My Influences D 9 DRISCOLL , JULIE / BRIAN AUGER & THE TRINITY STREETNOISETook me a few years , but one day I realized that I d never heard this . I also didn t know ( then ) that Julie Driscoll and Julie Tippett were the same person . I never cared much for Brian Auger s later stuff , even though a collection got released on the Trattoria label , in Japan ( a label that I collect ) . D ' SILVA , AMANCIO INTEGRATIOND ' SILVA , AMANCIO KONKAN DANCEI m a new / recent fan of Amancio D Silva , but I remember the Integration LP ! It s been British jazz time for a few months now . DUB MASTER X DMX IIDUB MASTER X DUB MASTER XDUB MASTER X SIDE JOBMr . DMX was involved with both Mute Beat and Pizzicato Five . I think I even met him once ( 89 in L . A . Mute Beat live show ) DUCK ' S BREATH Mystery Theatre BORN TO BE TILEDDUCK ' S BREATH Mystery Theatre OUT OF SEASONI think it was Warren Bowman that had the cassette of these guys I like Merle Kessler ! Any other LP s or CD s ? DUDZIAK , URSZULA FUTURE TALKDUDZIAK , URSZULA MAGIC LADYDUDZIAK , URSZULA MALOWANY PTAK ( THE PAINTED BIRD ) DUDZIAK , URSZULA NEWBORN LIGHTDUDZIAK , URSZULA NIGHT RAINDUDZIAK , URSZULA URSZULAI found an LP of Newborn Light for a mere 10 cents , at a record store in Downey ( Middle Earth ) , the price was written in black felt - tipped pen on the front cover . Later , I found a 99 cent promo of Urszula , and loved it to death . Now I mail - order her CD s . DUFFY , STEPHEN BECAUSE WE LOVE YOUDUFFY , STEPHEN DESIGNER BEATNIK - Dr. Calculus DUFFY , STEPHEN DUFFYDUFFY , STEPHEN I LOVE MY FRIENDSDUFFY , STEPHEN MUSIC IN COLORSDUFFY , STEPHEN THEY CALLED HIM TIN TINDUFFY , STEPHEN UPS AND DOWNS , THEDUFFY , STEPHEN / LILAC TIME & LOVE FOR ALLDUFFY , STEPHEN / LILAC TIME ASTRONAUTSDUFFY , STEPHEN / LILAC TIME LILAC TIMEDUFFY , STEPHEN / LILAC TIME LOOKING FOR A DAY IN THE NIGHTDUFFY , STEPHEN / LILAC TIME PARADISE CIRCUSI think the first time I connected with Mr. Duffy , it was on the TV Music Box , in Henk Hofstede s home in Amsterdam . They were showing the Icing On The Cake music video . London Girls really kicks my ass , too . DUKES , THE ( UK ) DUKES , THEPurchased because of Jimmy Mc Culloch s involvement . My late sister Susie was all into Jimmy Mc C / Thunderclap Newman . DUNBAR , AYNSLEY BLUE WHALEHmmm how did I know about him ? I think I bought this because it was on the Byg label and I liked that label largely because of the Gong LP s ( which were horrible pressings ) . I think Juicy Lucy s Paul Williams is on this LP . DUNBAR , SLY SLY , WICKED AND SLICK - EXTRA VERSIONThis is almost like saying How did you discover reggae ? I loved Sly & Robbie s contributions to Grace Jones Nightclubbing LP , so I suppose that makes Dennis Duck indirectly responsible . The first person who ever discussed reggae with me was Mike Mc Goldrick . At the end of the 70 s , my brother was a big reggae fan ( and still is ! ) . DURAN DURAN DURAN DURANDURAN DURAN RIO 1981 was a neat time . Lots of new stuff was happening . Sometimes , we could read about it in Melody Maker or NME ( before ever hearing the band in question ) and I think Duran Duran was one such band . It s like we were waiting for them without ever having heard them . I was working at a small importer / record distributor in 1981 often , I would take home a stack of 45 s on Friday , just to see what the heck the stuff was . Duran Duran was a keeper an example of dumper fodder = Culture Club . I think Duran Duran was also produced ( or recorded ) by a guy who worked with Magazine , so that was a vote of confidence . Sometimes with a band s first record , you can tell that they re going to be big other times , not . 
My Influences D 8 . 7 - 17 - 06 My Influences D 8 DORAY , PHILIPPE NOUVEAUX MODES INDUSTRIELSAnother good label : Invisible Records , from France . I think Mike Mc Goldrick is who found this , however . DOUBLE BLUEI think I saw the music video for Captain Of Her Heart on Much Music from Canada . Or was it Woman Of The World ? DOURADOS , LOS INTRODUCING I bought this because there is a cover version of an Amancio D Silva song on it . Otherwise , UK easy listening Latin kitsch . DR . DOPO JAM ENTREEDR . DOPO JAM FAT DOGS Gary Steel sent me the CD s . DRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANSDRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE DRIFTWOOD AT SEADRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE SONGS OF BILLY YANK AND JOHNNY REBDRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE TALL TALES IN SONGDRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE VOICE OF THE PEOPLEDRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE WESTWARD MOVEMENT , THEDRIFTWOOD , JIMMIE WILDERNESS ROAD , THEWhile thriving on C & W discoveries , I stumbled across a mint ( minus ) copy of Driftwood s debut LP at Logo s in Santa Cruz . It s charming , if cornball stuff . I heard he lived to be nearly 100 years of age . 
My Influences D 7 . 7 - 14 - 06 My Influences D 7 DOG THAT BIT PEOPLE DOG THAT BIT PEOPLEI think Jim Hresko was who found this for me ; he knew I was a fan of Locomotive & The Norman Haines Band etc. DOLBY , THOMAS FLAT EARTH , THEDOLBY , THOMAS GOLDEN AGE OF WIRELESS , THEWhy did I first try the 81 Europa 12 single ? He was very obscure , before he became popular and had US releases . Maybe Peter Dyer of Caroline Exports had given me the Urges 45 by Dolby , as a promo , before he signed with EMI ? DOLLY DOTS AMERICAN DREAMDOLLY DOTS DISPLAYDOLLY DOTS DOLLY DOTSDOLLY DOTS IN CONCERT - LIVE IN CARREDOLLY DOTS P . S . WE LOVE YOUDOLLY DOTS TAKE SIXDOLLY DOTS / ANITA ( Heilker ) GIRL IN BLACK , THEReally mysterious . My serious music friends in Holland would never have recommended this fluffy band to me . Maybe I bought a picture disc 45 in 79 ? Or did the Japanese exporter send me a promo 45 of Radio in 80 ? DOMINO , FATS BEST OF - MY BLUE HEAVENHeard him on the radio , Blueberry Hill . DONAGGIO , PINO BRIAN DE PALMA FILMSI liked the Brian De Palma films DONOVAN 7 - TEASEDONOVAN BARABAJAGALDONOVAN COSMIC WHEELSDONOVAN DONOVAN ( RAK / Arista ) DONOVAN DONOVAN IN CONCERTDONOVAN ESSENCE TO ESSENCEDONOVAN FAIRYTALEDONOVAN FOR LITTLE ONESDONOVAN GIFT FROM A FLOWER TO A GARDEN , ADONOVAN GOLDEN HOUR OFDONOVAN GREATEST HITSDONOVAN H . M. S . DONOVANDONOVAN HURDY GURDY MANDONOVAN LIVE IN JAPAN : SPRING TOUR 1973 DONOVAN MELLOW YELLOWDONOVAN OPEN ROADDONOVAN SLOW DOWN WORLDDONOVAN SUNSHINE SUPERMANDONOVAN THIS IS DONOVANDONOVAN UNIVERSAL SOLDIERDONOVAN WEAR YOUR LOVE LIKE HEAVENDONOVAN WHAT ' S BIN DID AND WHAT ' S BIN HIDDONOVAN / LEWIS , VIC DONOVAN MY WAYEarliest Donovan memory : hearing Sunshine Superman on the AM radio . My brother had Donovan LP s . My friend Cameron Hand liked Donovan a lot and I helped him collect all the variant pressings . In 2006 , I think it s hip that Donovan worked with British jazz guys like Ronnie Ross and Harold Mc Nair . Epistle To Dippy is one of my all - time favorite 45 s . I ve seen Donovan live before , but I think Cameron was who got all of his records signed . DOO - DOOETTES LOOK TO THISI am friends with Tom Recchion , either he gave me this , or I bought it because he s on it . DOORS AMERICAN PRAYER , ANDOORS DOORS , THEDOORS L . A . WOMANDOORS MORRISON HOTELDOORS OTHER VOICESDOORS SOFT PARADE , THEDOORS STRANGE DAYSDOORS WAITING FOR THE SUNDOORS WEIRD SCENES INSIDE THE GOLD MINEDOORS / KRIEGER , ROBBIE ROBBIE KRIEGER & FRIENDSDOORS / KRIEGER , ROBBIE ROBBY KRIEGERDOORS / MANZAREK , RAY CARMINA BURANAProbably it was hearing Light My Fire or Break On Through on the radio . I got the first album when it was new - ish . My brother , Gilles , Ida and Yael all love The Doors . 
My Influences D 6 . 7 - 13 - 06 My Influences D 6 DIP IN THE POOL AURORAEDIP IN THE POOL DIP IN THE POOLDIP IN THE POOL RETINAEMMM I met them at an in - store performance at HMV Shibuya , in Tokyo ( at the old location , downstairs ) . DIRTY THREE DIRTY THREEDIRTY THREE HORSE STORIESDIRTY THREE OCEAN SONGSDIRTY THREE SAD I visited NZ in 81 and heard Dobbyn s solo debut Lipstick Power while staying at Chris place on Nairn Street in Wellington , probably on Radio Windy . I also was first taken to see D . D . Smash by Gary Steel . The last time I saw D . D . Smash was the Aotea Square ( Auckland ) riot , in 84 to get away from the rioting , I went to Murray Cammick s Rip It Up office , which was nearby . In the John Dix book about New Zealand music , my entry is in regards to my having witnessed the D . D . Smash riot . I always have time for Dave Dobbyn . 
My Influences D 5 . 7 - 12 - 06 My Influences D 5 DEVO DUTY NOW FOR THE FUTUREDEVO FREEDOM OF CHOICEDEVO NEW TRADITIONALISTSDEVO OH , NO ! IT ' S DEVODEVO Q : ARE WE NOT MEN ? DEVO SMOOTH NOODLE MAPSDEVO / MOTHERSBAUGH , MARK JOYEUX MUTATODEVO / MOTHERSBAUGH , MARK MUZIK FOR INSOMNIAKS Vol. 1 DEVO / MOTHERSBAUGH , MARK MUZIK FOR INSOMNIAKS Vol. 2 I worked at a record distributor in 78 ; a guy there ( Mr. Phil Culp ) had a Devo license plate ( that kept getting stolen ) but who told me first about going to see them at the Starwood ? It might ve been Mike Mc Goldrick . Mark M was nice to me on the phone . D - GENERATION BREAKFAST TAPES ( 1988 - 1990 ) D - GENERATION SATANIC SKETCHES , THEI may have first seen their Australian TV show before I knew Ken Grady . But who sent me that tape ? Robert O ? DIBANGO , MANU AMBASSADORDIBANGO , MANU ELECTRIC AFRICADIBANGO , MANU GONE CLEARDIBANGO , MANU HOME MADEDIBANGO , MANU LIVE ' 91 DIBANGO , MANU POLYSONIKDIBANGO , MANU SEVENTIESDIBANGO , MANU SOFT & SWEETDIBANGO , MANU SOUL MAKOSSADIBANGO , MANU WAKA JUKUDIBANGO , MANU WAKAFRIKAI never thought I d be giving credit to this place , but I used to work at a CD store in Hermosa Beach , CA called Bay Cities Disc . It was a take the discs out of the cases store , so we could play anything in stock . I think Chris Padrick put either Ambassador or Gone Clear on one day . Now I am a Manu Dibango maniac I love his autobiography Three Kilos of Coffee read it ! DICKSON , BARBARA BARBARA DICKSON ALBUM , THEWell , it was the single January February that caught my ear but can t remember where I first heard it . Somebody may have suggested her to me , after my initial spate of Kate Bush fandom no , they re not similar singers . Philip Page , perhaps ? DIE DORAUS UNE DIE MARINAS BLUMEN UND NARZISSENGiven to me by the members of the Japanese synth - pop group Motocompo . DIED PRETTY FREE DIRTDIED PRETTY LOSTDIED PRETTY PRE DIETYDIED PRETTY TRACEI think it was Mike Chunn , the former bass player for Split Enz that first told me they were worth listening to . DIESEL WATTS IN A TANKI picked this up because of their connection to Kayak Dutch bands . DIETHELM / BRANDENBERGER DIDI L ' AMOURDIETHELM / FAMULARI DIETHELM / FAMULARIDIETHELM / FAMULARI VALLEYS IN MY HEADDIETHELM BAND , THOMAS BIG SHAKEDIETHELM BAND , THOMAS MEMORY GAMESDIETHELM BAND , THOMAS PENGUIN IN LOVEDIETHELM , THOMAS 82 - 89 DIETHELM , THOMAS SHAVEDMr . Philip Page of Austin , TX ( currently resident in Helsinki . Finland ) that asked me to see if I could find Valleys In My Head for him , on compact disc about 84 or so . It blew me away , changed my life . Warren Bowman had a CD player before I did , so I used to listen to it at his place . Two other Diethelm facilitators : Hildegard Schmidt put me in touch with Mr. Diethelm , and Brigitta S . brought me some of his CD s ! Mr. Diethelm is recording again in 2006 , let s hope he releases a new CD soon ! DIK DIK , I AMICOThis came from the Buy anything Italian phase but I bet I found the Obsessoni 45 at an Italian deli in San Pedro , CA . DIMITRI FROM PARIS SACRE BLEUI saw the music video for Sacre Francais on Boulevard Des Clips courtesy of Gilles Yepremian . DION DION ' S GREATEST HITSI think my older brother was who had the I Wonder Why 45 . 
My Influences D 4 . 7 - 11 - 06 My Influences D 4 DELANEY R . I. P . Lizzy ! DESIRELESS FRANCOISOoh , French CD s ! Buy anything French ! But I probably also saw her video for Voyage Voyage , so I knew her already . DETECTIVE DETECTIVEOh , I heard this back in my first hippie record store Is this Led Zeppelin ? Not quite . Found the LP in the $ 1 bin . DEUTER , GEORG CELEBRATIONDEUTER , GEORG CICADADEUTER , GEORG HALEAKALAI tried this about 76 or so thinking it was more German space rock ( The Kuckuck label is German ) . Pre - New Age ? DEUTSCH NEPAL TOLERANCEI had visited the Staalplaat shop in Amsterdam , in search of Boyd Rice material and I bought this there . DEVIANTS , THE DEVIANTS # 3 DEVIANTS , THE DISPOSABLEDEVIANTS , THE PTOOFF ! DEVIANTS , THE / FARREN , MICK MONA THE CARNIVOROUS CIRCUSWell , I liked the name Deviants , and I found Ptoof ! in a $ 1 bin ; I also liked the Sire label in 70 72 . DEVIL DOLL GIRL WHO WAS ... DEATH , THEDEVIL DOLL SACRILEGIUMI think it was either David Overstreet or Mike Kelley who said , You really should hear Devil Doll . DEVIVO , JENNY MY DADToshio Nakanishi sent me a promo CD of this . He produced it . It s cool . 
My Influences D 3 . 7 - 10 - 06 My Influences D 3 DAVIS GROUP , SPENCER AUTUMN ' 66 DAVIS GROUP , SPENCER BEST OFDAVIS GROUP , SPENCER GIMME SOME LOVIN ' I heard Somebody Help Me or Keep On Running on the radio I do not think I knew who Steve Winwood was . DAVIS JR . , SAMMY SAMMY DAVIS JR . NOWDAVIS JR . , SAMMY SOMETHING FOR EVERYONEWell , I saw Sammy on the TV . I heard Shelter Of Your Arms on the radio but after seeing I Love You , Billy Baker ( an episode of the late 60 s TV show The Name of The Game ) in the early 1980 s , Sammy became a bit of a figure of fun for me . He was so OUT , he was IN . I even saw him perform live a couple of times ! I was in England when he died , so I missed all of that . Years later I even got to see Sammy s record collection at an antique store in Venice , CA . DAVIS , MILES ASCENSEUR POUR L ' ECHAFAUD ( O . S . T . ) DAVIS , MILES KIND OF BLUEDAVIS , MILES SKETCHES OF SPAINWho told me to listen to Kind of Blue ? Maybe Jay Green of Poo Bah Record Shop said , Try that , and if you like it , he has about a hundred other really good ones . Jay used to display actual Miles Davis autographs in his store . I have also enjoyed drinking at Milestones , a jazz bar in Takadanobaba , Tokyo . DAVIS , SKEETER BLUEBERRY HILL AND OTHER FAVORITESDAVIS , SKEETER CLOUDY , WITH OCCASIONAL TEARSDAVIS , SKEETER END OF THE WORLD , THEDAVIS , SKEETER HERE ' S THE ANSWER - Various Artists DAVIS , SKEETER I FORGOT MORE THAN YOU ' LL EVER KNOW DAVIS , SKEETER I ' LL SING YOU A SONG AND HARMONIZE TOODAVIS , SKEETER WHAT DOES IT TAKEWow , those double - tracked harmonies ( with herself ) are awesome . I remember End of The World from the radio . DAVIS , TYRONE TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIMEI remember him from the radio If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time , and I have a 45 of it from the time . DAWE , TIM PENRODObtained because it was on Straight / Bizarre Mr. Zappa s label . DE MICHELE , GRAZIELLA LE CLOWN D ' ALICANTEFrom the age of trying anything on the Virgin France label . Great female pop vocal CD ! DEAF SCHOOL DON ' T STOP THE WORLDDEAF SCHOOL ENGLISH BOYS - WORKING GIRLSDEAF SCHOOL SECOND HONEYMOONThere was a promo double 7 EP for Deaf School , from Warner Brothers records that was going around . I got one , 77 . DEAN , JIMMY BIG BAD JOHN ... I knew of him from the TV . I also knew that Don Bolles & his friends had teased Mr. Dean on the radio . DEBILE MENTHOL EMILE AU JARDIN PATROLOGIQUEThis came out of the used LP bin at Moby Disc , in Van Nuys . I bought it because it has a cool cover , and was French , 81 . DEBRIS STATIC DISPOSALThis came into the hippie record store where I was working in 76 . Mike Mc Goldrick & I played it in the store . DEEE - LITE INFINITY WITHINDEEE - LITE WORLD CLIQUEOh , I definitely saw them on the TV they were coming up while I lived in England , 90 . DEEP PURPLE FIREBALL ( Anniversary Edition ) DEEP PURPLE HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHTDEEP PURPLE IN ROCK ( Anniversary Edition ) DEEP PURPLE MACHINE HEAD ( Anniversary Edition ) DEEP PURPLE PERFECT STRANGERSDEEP PURPLE SHADES OF DEEP PURPLEDEEP PURPLE WHO DO WE THINK WE AREDEEP PURPLE / GILLAN BAND , IAN CHILD IN TIMEDEEP PURPLE / GILLAN BAND , IAN CLEAR AIR TURBULENCEDEEP PURPLE / GLOVER , ROGER MASKI remember Hush being played on the AM radio next thing I remember was the Into The Fire 45 , about 70 . Saw ' em live in New Zealand , too ! 
My Influences D 2 . 7 - 7 - 06 My Influences D 2 DANCE MACABRE LAST REQUESTI got their Between The Lines 12 EP on my first visit to NZ . I was just buying anything I could find . DANGERFIELD , RODNEY I DON ' T GET NO RESPECTDANGERFIELD , RODNEY LOSER , THEDANGERFIELD , RODNEY NO RESPECTI think I saw him on the TV the records came long before he was in movies . DANIELE , PINO BELLA ' MBRIANADANIELE , PINO CHE DIO TI BENEDICADANIELE , PINO E SONA MO ' DANIELE , PINO FERRYBOATDANIELE , PINO MASCALZONE LATINADANIELE , PINO MUSICA MUSICADANIELE , PINO NON CALPESTARE I FIORI NEL ... DANIELE , PINO PINO DANIELEDANIELE , PINO SCHIZZECHEA WITH LOVEDANIELE , PINO SOTTO ' O SOLEDANIELE , PINO UN UOMO IN BLUESDANIELE , PINO VAI MO ' DANIELE , PINO YES I KNOW MY WAY - THE BEST OFI first heard Tutto Nata Storia ( from Bella Mbriana ) while sitting in a small Italian restaurant in Paris Latin Quarter , probably 85 . I asked them who was on the stereo , and they showed me the album cover . Schizzechea With Love kicks my ass , too . DANNY & THE JUNIORS ROCKIN ' WITH DANNY & THE JUNIORSI actually chased this because they have a song called Dotty ( the diminutive of the name Dorothy , my GF ! ) . DANSE SOCIETY HEAVEN IS WAITINGAnother one likely sold to me by a salesman from a record importer , when I was working at a record distributor . DAOU , VANESSA DEAR JOHN COLTRANEDAOU , VANESSA PLUTONIUM GLOWDAOU , VANESSA SLOW TO BURNDAOU , VANESSA ZIPLESSDAOU , VANESSA / DAOU , THE HEAD MUSICThank you , Joe Castle . He had pulled a U - Matic videocassette of The Daou s Surrender Yourself out of somewhere , and we quickly found their sole CD at a local cheezy record store , in the $ 1 bin . Wes Oishi gave me the Slow To Burn promo CD . D ' ARIANO , RAY ARE YOU ON SOMETHING ? I definitely heard this on The Sunday Gummies , a comedy radio show on KPFK - FM . So , thanks to Joe Adams . DARIEN SPIRIT ELEGY TO MARILYNIt was on the Charisma label . That was enough . That , and the cover had 3 - D lips on it ! DARLING BUDS CRAWDADDYDARLING BUDS EROTICADARLING BUDS POP SAID ... I think I found a UK promo 45 of Burst at Rockaway in Los Angeles . It looked cool , and was $ 1 , 1988 . DASSIN , JOE GOLD Vol. 1 DASSIN , JOE GOLD Vol. 2 DASSIN , JOE LA DEMOISELLE DE DESHONNEURDASSIN , JOE LES DALTON ( Vol. 3 ) DASSIN , JOE L ' ETE INDIENNancy X , then @ Sony NYC sent me some promo CD s of Mr. Dassin and I loved Les Daltons . DAVE DEE , DOZY , BEAKY , MICK & TICH GOLDEN HITS OFDAVE DEE , DOZY , BEAKY , MICK & TICH IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE , PREPARE FOR INDIGESTIONDAVE DEE , DOZY , BEAKY , MICK & TICH LEGEND OF DAVE DEE , DOZY , BEAKY , MICK & TICH VERY BEST OFI remembered Bend It from the radio and it took nearly 20 years to find If Music Be The Food Of Love in NZ . DAVIES , PETER MAXWELL EIGHT SONGS FOR A MAD KINGDAVIES , PETER MAXWELL VESALII ICONESI wanted Peter Maxwell Davies LP s because of the Ken Russell film , The Devils ( he had done the music ) . = = = What about the artists that I love that do not have full - length titles ? Tomorrow , I will post a list of artists that only have singles , that will otherwise not appear in my " Big List " ! - Ron . 
My Influences D 1 . 7 - 6 - 06 My influences D 1 D . A . F . DIE KLEINEN UND DIE BOSEND . A . F . FUR IMMERD . A . F . / GORL , ROBERT NIGHT FULL OF TENSIONI heard Der Mussolini being played in the Blue Shell nightclub in Koln , Germany in 1981 . DADDY LONGLEGS HORSEOn the Pussyfoot label , and I believe Howie B is directly involved with this CD . I first tried Howie B because of his use of Toshio Nakanishi cover art. British electronica . DAFT PUNK HOMEWORKI first saw Daft Punk on Boulevard Des Clips , the video for Around The World , about 96 . Thanks , Gilles Yepremian . DAHO , ETIENNE COLLECTIONDAHO , ETIENNE DAHO SINGLESDAHO , ETIENNE DAHOLYMPIADAHO , ETIENNE EDENDAHO , ETIENNE LA NOTTE LA NOTTEDAHO , ETIENNE LIVE E . D . DAHO , ETIENNE MYTHOMANE ( CD mix ) DAHO , ETIENNE MYTHOMANE ( LP mix ) DAHO , ETIENNE PARIS AILLEURSDAHO , ETIENNE POP SATORIDAHO , ETIENNE POUR NOS VIES MARTIENNESDAHO , ETIENNE / BAKER , ARTHUR MERGEHe was a line in a catalog ; the idea of a Virgin Records in France was exciting to me , so a copy of La Notte La Notte was requested from an exporter about 84 . I really liked it a lot . DALEK I COMPASS KUM PASDALEK I LOVE YOU DALEK I LOVE YOUEric Heuseveldt of Boudisque in Amsterdam told me about his group & their debut single in 1980 . DAMNED ANYTHINGDAMNED BLACK ALBUM , THEDAMNED DAMNED BUT NOT FORGOTTENDAMNED DAMNED DAMNED DAMNED ( 1 st ) DAMNED DAMNED pirate DAMNED FINAL DAMNATIONDAMNED GIVE DADDY THE KNIFE CINDY - Naz Nomad DAMNED LIVE IN NEWCASTLE ( THIS ONE ' S FOR THE FANS ) DAMNED MACHINE GUN ETIQUETTEDAMNED MCA SINGLES A ' S & B ' SDAMNED MUSIC FOR PLEASUREDAMNED NOT OF THIS EARTHDAMNED OFFICIAL FAN CLUB MEETING pirate DAMNED PHANTASMAGORIADAMNED SESSIONS OF THE DAMNEDDAMNED STRAWBERRIESDAMNED WORST OFDAMNED / CAPTAIN SENSIBLE POWER OF LOVE , THEDAMNED / CAPTAIN SENSIBLE SENSIBLE SINGLESDAMNED / CAPTAIN SENSIBLE WOMEN AND CAPTAINS FIRSTDAMNED / JAMES , BRIAN BRIAN JAMESDAMNED / PHANTOM CHORDS / VANIAN DAVID VANIAN / PHANTOM CHORDSI was working in a hippie record store in 77 . The punks in the store kept asking , When are we going to get in some punk rock ? Can we order it ? . I had just moved stores ( following my manager ) , so I was inclined to try and help the nascent punks find their nectar . I liked Fan Club the first time I ever heard it , sometime late in 1977 . At my first record store job , I met a guy named Jordan Shroyer . I do not know how / why . But he was all into The Damned . So was Mott , but maybe not exactly at first . DANCE EXPONENTS AMPLIFIERDANCE EXPONENTS EXPECTATIONSDANCE EXPONENTS PRAYERS BE ANSWEREDDANCE EXPONENTS / EXPONENTS BETTER NEVER THAN LATEDANCE EXPONENTS / EXPONENTS SOMETHING BEGINNING WITH CDANCE EXPONENTS / LEGIONNAIRES LIVE AT MAINSTREETProbably first heard em on my second visit to NZ the Airway Spies 45 , 82 . I liked the All I Can Do 45 even better . I think their 12 of S * x & Agriculture is amazing . Still ! 
Recent Items . Found on my recent visit to PORTLAND , OR . ( Hit single : Canada ROSETTA STONE ROCK PICTURES , PRIVATE ST UK LP Ex - B.C. R . TROWER , ROBIN CARAVAN TO MIDNIGHT , CHRYSALIS UK LPV . A . SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE UPTOWN , ATLANTIC US LP mono 64 ; Live recordings of Wilson Pickett , The Drifters , Patty yes , there was an Alex Harvey LP after The Mafia Stole My Guitar ! LENNON , JOHN WALLS AND BRIDGES , CAPITOL US CD ; not re - mixed ! LEVEL 42 TRUE COLOURS , POLYDOR DE CD w / bonus track ; Wally Badarou ! Mc CARTNEY , PAUL UNPLUGGED ( Official Bootleg ) , CAPITOL US CD Numbered edition MITCHUM , ROBERT THAT MAN , BEAR FAMILY DE CD 50 s & 60 s recordings , incl. The Ballad Of Thunder Road and all of his Monument sides ! MOMUS CIRCUS MAXIMUS , CHERRY RED UK CD w / bonus tracks PABLO , AUGUSTUS MELODICA KING , OCHO UK CD dub reggae PABLO , AUGUSTUS / V. A . CLASSIC ROCKERS , ISLAND US CD dub reggae PETER , PAUL & MARY VERY BEST OF , WARNER AUS CD 25 tracks ! SCHULZE , KLAUS PICTURE MUSIC , THUNDERBOLT UK CDV . A . MOJO : REVOLVER RELOADED , MOJO UK CD The Beatles Revolver ( UK version ) re - recorded by contemporary artists V. A . MOJO : TRASH ! THE ROOTS OF PUNK , MOJO UK CDWATTS , ALAN THIS IS IT , LOCUST MUSIC US CD early 60 s esoteric nonsense WIRE DOCUMENT & EYEWITNESS , MUTE UK CD 80 The Swimmer + live material ZAPPA , FRANK THE ARK JULY 1968 , FOO - EEE US CD Beat The Boots Live CD " D " starts tomorrow ! 
My Influences C 15 . 7 - 5 - 06 My Influences C 15 CROCODILES LOOKING AT OURSELVESCROCODILES NEW WAVE GOODBYECROCODILES TEARSDoubtlessly sent to me in the mail before my first visit to NZ in 81 by Chris Ward ( now Chris Clement ) . Fane Flaws ! CROSBY , STILLS & NASH CROSBY , STILLS & NASHCROSBY , STILLS , NASH & YOUNG 4 WAY STREETCROSBY , STILLS , NASH & YOUNG DEJA VUCROSBY , STILLS , NASH & YOUNG SO FAR - GREATEST HITSI went for CS & N because of my interest in Buffalo Springfield . I think my sister Marilyn had their debut LP . CRUCIFERIUS NICE WAY OF LIFE , AThe cover is die - cut , and I found a copy in the used LP bin at Moby Disc in Van Nuys . Nobody told me to buy it . CRUEL SEA DOWN BELOWCRUEL SEA HONEYMOON IS OVER , THECRUEL SEA ROCK ' N ROLL DUDSCRUEL SEA THIS IS NOT THE WAY HOMECRUEL SEA THREE LEGGED DOGI saw a video for Better Get A Lawyer , on a videotape of Rage , from Australia thanks to Ken Grady . The Cruel Sea eventually came and played in Los Angeles ! Tex played the whole show bare - foot . CRYSTALS , THE SING THEIR GREATEST HITS ! Heard em on the radio . CURE , THE 17 SECONDS ( Deluxe edition ) CURE , THE BOYS DON ' T CRYCURE , THE HEAD ON THE DOOR , THECURE , THE JAPANESE WHISPERSCURE , THE KISS ME KISS ME KISS MECURE , THE MIXED UPCURE , THE STANDING ON A BEACH - THE SINGLESCURE , THE THREE IMAGINARY BOYS ( Deluxe edition ) CURE , THE TOP , THEI probably didn t hear The Cure until 17 Seconds came out their 1 st album singles didn t look too interesting to me . I really liked A Forest , and bought the 12 . CURRAN , ALVIN CANTI E VEDUTE DEL GIADINO MAGNETICOCURRAN , ALVIN FIORI CHIARI , FIORI OSCURICURRAN , ALVIN FOR CORNELIUS - ERA ORACURRAN , ALVIN WORKS , THEI just ordered Fiori Chiari , Fiori Oscuri out of a catalog that I saw at the record distributor it was merely a line in a catalog . Just decided to try it , no reason . What a great electro - ambient album it is , too . CURTIS , SONNY BEATLE HITS - FLAMENCO GUITAR STYLEFor the Easy Hits kitsch collection . CURVED AIR AIR CONDITIONINGCURVED AIR BEST OFCURVED AIR LOVECHILDCURVED AIR PHANTASMAGORIACURVED AIR SECOND ALBUMI wanted the debut Curved Air LP because it was a lovely picture disc ! Did I buy it before hearing them on a Warner Brothers sampler LP ? I don t think so . CUTLER , IVOR AN ELPEE AND TWO EPEESCUTLER , IVOR DANDRUFFCUTLER , IVOR GRUTSCUTLER , IVOR JAMMY SMEARSCUTLER , IVOR LIFE IN A SCOTCH SITTING ROOM Vol. 2 CUTLER , IVOR LUDOCUTLER , IVOR PRINCE IVORCUTLER , IVOR PRIVILEGECUTLER , IVOR VELVET DONKEYCUTLER , IVOR WHO TORE YOUR TROUSERS ? I first heard Mr. Cutler on Robert Wyatt s Rock Bottom . It was Mike Mc Goldrick who played me the Dandruff LP . When I lived in England in 1990 , an Ivor Cutler show got scheduled in Bristol , near where I lived . When I went to the venue to inquire about tickets , I was told his show had been cancelled , due to poor health . Mr. Cutler lived another 16 years . He died earlier this year , 2006 . CUTUGNO , TOTO L ' ITALIANOI heard this Italian pop male vocal gem sitting in an Italian restaurant in Paris , Latin Quarter 85 ? CYBOTRON COLOSSUSCYBOTRON CYBOTRONCYBOTRON IMPLOSIONThe importer I worked for used to import LP s from Australia the guy at the exporter used to be in this band ! CZERKINSKY CZERKINSKYI was given a promo CD of this by Mr. Kajino at Nippon - Columbia Records main office in Tokyo , 97 ? = = = So , there we are , finished with C ! 
My Influences C 14 . 7 - 4 - 06 My Influences C 14 Since " Re - starting " my blog , this is the 500 th entry . COWBOYS INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL SIN , THECOWBOYS INTERNATIONAL / LOCKIE , KEN IMPOSSIBLE , THEProbably sold to me by a guy at an LP importer ; perhaps I tried it because of the gimmix cover ( orange plastic sleeve ) . COWSILLS COWSILLS IN CONCERT , THEI remember their radio hits ; I picked up the Concert CD because of the non - LP bonus tracks , I also have another CD COX , MICHAEL BEST OF ( JOE MEEK # 4 ) Joe Meek ! COXHILL , LOL DIGSWELL DUETSCOXHILL , LOL DIVERSECOXHILL , LOL EAR OF BEHOLDERCOXHILL , LOL FLEAS IN CUSTARDCOXHILL , LOL INIMITABLE , THECOXHILL , LOL JOY OF PARANOIACOXHILL , LOL LOL COXHILL + TOTSUZEN DANBALL 2 COXHILL , LOL TOVERBAL SWEETCOXHILL , LOL / MORGAN - FISHER SLOW MUSICCOXHILL , LOL / STEPHEN MILLER COXHILL / MILLERCOXHILL , LOL / STEPHEN MILLER STORY SO FAR ... OH REALLY ? , THEI believe there were copies of Story So Far in a local record store for $ 1 , and I could see Robert Wyatt s name on it . CRACK THE SKY ANIMAL NOTESCRACK THE SKY CRACK THE SKYCRACK THE SKY LIVE SKYCRACK THE SKY SAFETY IN NUMBERS Animal Notes was a promo , when I was working in a hippie record store , 76 Mike Mc Goldrick gave it to me . CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 65 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 65 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 66 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 67 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 68 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 69 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 70 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 71 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 72 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 73 CRAMER , FLOYD CLASS OF ' 74 we imported lots of Japanese - pressed reissues of US 50 s jazz LP s I remember one of our reps got excited when he saw these on the release sheet they d never been re - issued before , since their original release in the 50 s . I have always enjoyed instrumental music , so Jazz U.S.A. sounded good to me . The rep ? Fred Norsworthy , I believe his name was . I wonder if he still walks the Earth ? CRISTINA CRISTINACRISTINA SLEEP IT OFFLike many people I first heard her on KROQ - FM Is That All There Is ? , the rather rude and amusing version . The record for that was completely unavailable in L . A . but I found it on one of my first visits to London . I think Jim Donato still cares . = = = Back from PDX - interesting place ... - Ron . 
My Influences C 13 . 6 - 23 - 06 My Influences C 13 COSBY , BILL 200 M. P . H . COSBY , BILL 8:15 ; 12:15 COSBY , BILL BILL COSBYCOSBY , BILL FOR ADULTS ONLYCOSBY , BILL I STARTED OUT AS A CHILDCOSBY , BILL IS A VERY FUNNY FELLOW - RIGHT ! COSBY , BILL IT ' S TRUE ! IT ' S TRUE ! COSBY , BILL REVENGECOSBY , BILL TO RUSSELL , MY BROTHER , WHOM I SLEPT WITHCOSBY , BILL WHY IS THERE AIR ? COSBY , BILL WONDERFULNESSMy brother was who had the Bill Cosby LP s . Remind me to ask him where he heard of him . COSMIC OVERDOSE 4668 COSMIC OVERDOSE COSMIC OVERDOSEI liked the name and the label ( Silence Records , of Sweden ) , perhaps purchased from a mail - order catalog ? COSMIC VILLAGE NICE AGEYMO cover versions , via David Ponak . I also like the solo works of Hajime Yoshizawa , the guy from this group . COSMOS FACTORY BLACK HOLECOSMOS FACTORY JOURNEY WITH THE COSMOS FACTORY , ACOSMOS FACTORY METAL REFLECTIONCOSMOS FACTORY TRANSYLVANIAN CASTLE [ 1 st ] Some of these were imported into the U.S. by Captiol / EMI , no idea why . Japanese prog seemed to hold some water in those days , what with Chronicle and the Far East Family Band . I didn t get the 1 st album until much later , and I like it ! COSTA , DON INSTRUMENTAL VERSIONS OF SIMON & GARFUNKEL Easy Hits , kitsch collection I think my dad had other Don Costa records COUNTRY JOE & THE FISH C . J . FISHCOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH ELECTRIC MUSIC FOR THE MIND & BODYCOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH HERE WE ARE AGAINCOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH I - FEEL - LIKE - I ' M - FIXIN ' - TO - DIECOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH LIFE AND TIMESCOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH REUNIONCOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH TOGETHERCOUNTRY JOE & THE FISH / COUNTRY JOE INCREDIBLE ! LIVE ! My sister Marilyn played me Electric Music for the Mind & Body , The Masked Marauder etc. Country Joe was great in Woodstock . I remember trying to play the fish game as a kid . We laughed at Harlem on Together . COUP D ' ETAT COUP D ' ETATNZ band , found em on my first visit in 81 . Mmmm Hello Sailor involvement ? COUTURE , CHARLELIE 3 FOLIES - LIVECOUTURE , CHARLELIE ART ET SCALPCOUTURE , CHARLELIE CASQUE NUCOUTURE , CHARLELIE CROCODILECOUTURE , CHARLELIE DOWNTOWN PROJECTCOUTURE , CHARLELIE LE PECHEURCOUTURE , CHARLELIE LES NAIVESCOUTURE , CHARLELIE MELBOURNE AUSSICOUTURE , CHARLELIE MODERNS , THE ( O . S . T . ) COUTURE , CHARLELIE POCHETTE SURPRISECOUTURE , CHARLELIE POEMES ROCKCOUTURE , CHARLELIE QUOI FAIRE ? COUTURE , CHARLELIE SOLO BOYSCOUTURE , CHARLELIE SOLO GIRLSCOUTURE , CHARLELIE SOUDE - SOUDESCOUTURE , CHARLELIE TCHAO PANTIN ( B . O . F . ) COUTURE , CHARLELIE VICTORIA SPIRITCOUTURE , CHARLELIE / ELIANE , PIERRE LITERATURECOUTURE , CHARLELIE / NOVEMBRE , TOM L ' INSECTEI started with Crocodile , so no wonder I bought all the rest of these ! It was a line in a catalog , from a distributor and it s designation told me it was on Island Records , from France . I d seen his debut Island label LP when I visited Paris for the first time in 79 it has a striking new wave cover . I ve seen him live , in Malakoff C est deja la sud ! a suburb of Paris . He answered me when I wrote to him . He sent me CD s , I sent him clove cigarettes from an Indonesian restaurant . = = = I ' m away until Tuesday July 4 th . Taking a break , but I ' ll pick up right where I left off ! When I post on Tuesday July 4 th , it will be the 500 th post in this incarnation of my blog . Thanks for reading my stuff . Be seeing you , Ron . 
My Influences C 12 . 6 - 22 - 06 My Influences C 12 COOPER , ALICE BILLION DOLLAR BABIESCOOPER , ALICE EASY ACTIONCOOPER , ALICE GOES TO HELLCOOPER , ALICE GREATEST HITSCOOPER , ALICE KILLERCOOPER , ALICE LACE AND WHISKEYCOOPER , ALICE LOVE IT TO DEATHCOOPER , ALICE SCHOOL DAYS ( EARLY RECORDINGS ) COOPER , ALICE SCHOOL ' S OUTI first heard Vince on Zapped , the Frank Zappa Straight / Bizarre label sampler LP , about 1970 . Then I saw them in Diary of a Mad Housewife and on TV in a show called Mid - summer Rock ( which also had Grand Funk and Iggy in it ) . COOPER - CLARKE , JOHN DISGUISE IN LOVECOOPER - CLARKE , JOHN ME AND MY BIG MOUTHCOOPER - CLARKE , JOHN OU EST LA MAISON DE FROMAGE ? COOPER - CLARKE , JOHN SNAP , CRACKLE [ & ] BOPCOOPER - CLARKE , JOHN WALKING BACK TO HAPPINESS ( 10 " ) COOPER - CLARKE , JOHN ZIP STYLE METHODGimme the gimmix ! I tried JCC when they released that clear 10 record , about 79 . I really liked Disguise In Love and his movie Ten Years In An Open Necked Shirt . The Innocents single EP is indie groovy , too . Neat guy . COOPERTEST COOPERTESTMmmm given to me by Fay Losvky ( and she guest stars on this CD ) . CORDUROY CLIK ! CORDUROY DAD MAN CATCORDUROY HIGH HAVOCCORDUROY NEW YOU ! , THECORDUROY OUT OF HEREI saw the music video for Motorhead by Corduroy on Rage about 94 , so Ken Grady , once again . COREY , PROF . IRWIN EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ... METRIC SYSTEMCOREY , PROF . IRWIN I FEEL MORE LIKE I DO NOWCOREY , PROF . IRWIN WIN WITH IRWINCOREY , PROF . IRWIN WORLD ' S FOREMOST AUTHORITY ... AT LE RUBAN BLEUI remembered him having been a nut on TV , and was delighted to find that he d made records . Is he still alive ? ( Yes ) CORNELIUS 69 / 96 CORNELIUS 96 / 69 CORNELIUS CM & FMCORNELIUS FANTASMACORNELIUS FIRST QUESTION AWARD , THECORNELIUS / FLIPPER ' S GUITAR CAMERA TALKCORNELIUS / FLIPPER ' S GUITAR COLOUR ME POPCORNELIUS / FLIPPER ' S GUITAR DOCTOR HEAD ' S WORLD TOWERCORNELIUS / FLIPPER ' S GUITAR ON PLEASURE BENTCORNELIUS / FLIPPER ' S GUITAR THREE CHEERS FOR OUR SIDEKen Heaton was who first sent me Flipper s Guitar stuff , on cassette ! I found Keigo Oyamada via David Ponak , Tom & Terry , Yasuharu Konishi met Corny in Tokyo in 96 , at Trattoria s office , so thanks also to Hiroko Wayama , who was always my Trattoria facilitator . Saw him live several times , both here & in Japan . CORTE DEI MIRACOLI CORTE DEI MIRACOLII just bought this again recently , having sold my original copy 20 + years ago . It s not Grade A Italian prog rock COS PASIONESCOS POSTAEOLIAN TRAIN ROBBERYCOS SWISS CHALETCOS VIVA BOMACOS / SCHELL , DANIEL & KARO IF WINDOWS THEY HAVEI tried Viva Boma because of the LP cover . I found it in a record store bin in Los Angeles , about 76 . I like it better now than I did then . COSA ROSA COSA ROSACOSA ROSA KEIN ZUFALLPromo CD s from Nancy X @ Sony NYC . Cosa Rosa kind of reminds me of Marianna Rosenberg ( German female vocalists ) . 
My Influences C 11 . 6 - 21 - 06 My Influences C 11 COMELADE , PASCAL PARALOLOLikely from the age of mail - ordering European LP s , must ve been a line in a catalog . I don t remember . COMIC STRIP / Various Artists COMIC STRIP , THESaw em on the TV ; Rik Mayall , Adrian Edmundson , Nigel Planer et al. COMMANDER CODY / LOST PLANET AIRMEN LOST IN THE OZONEI heard Hot Rod Lincoln on the radio ; I really dug this when it was a new release . Great songs . COMMITTEE , THE WIDE WIDE WORLD OF WARThe Little David label was making some spiffy comedy LP s in the 70 s . This was one of em , from the $ 1 bin . COMPANYIA ELECTRICA DHARMA L ' OUCOMBALLACOMPANYIA ELECTRICA DHARMA TRAMUNTANASpanish artist , likely purchased because of the cover and / or ease of availability ( i . e . in a used LP bin , cheap ) . COMUS FIRST UTTERANCECOMUS TO KEEP FROM CRYINGI tried First Utterance because of the cover and label ( Dawn Records ) , it reminded me of Roger Chapman . CON FUNK SHUN BEST OFHeard em on the radio . Funky stuff . CONCEPTION CORPORATION CONCEPTIONLANDCONCEPTION CORPORATION PAUSE IN THE DISASTER , APerhaps I heard these guys on KPFK - FM , on the Sunday Gummies Sunday morning comedy show . CONGRESS OF WONDERS REVOLTINGCONGRESS OF WONDERS SOPHOMORIC ( see listing above , it was Radio Phil that I first heard , I still love it ! ) CONTE , PAOLO JIMMY , BALLANDOI think Fay Lovsky told me about him , when I was visiting Holland . She admired that he was a little old man . CONTORTIONS BUY CONTORTIONSGot this one because I liked the James White & The Blacks album . COODER , RY BOOMER ' S STORYCOODER , RY CROSSROADS ( O . S . T . ) COODER , RY INTO THE PURPLE VALLEYCOODER , RY PARIS , TEXAS ( O . S . T . ) COODER , RY RY COODERCOODER , RY WHY DON ' T YOU TRY ME TONIGHTCOODER , RY / TOURE , ALI FARKA TALKING TIMBUKTUI was sold on Ry Cooder by the cover of the first album . Later , I found out that he was a Rising Son & Rolling Stone . COOK , PETER MISTY MR. WISTY , THECOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE BEDAZZLED ( O . S . T . ) COOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE BEHIND THE FRIDGECOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE CLEAN TAPES , THECOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE DEREK & CLIVE ( LIVE ) COOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE DEREK & CLIVE AD NAUSEUMCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE DEREK & CLIVE COME AGAINCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE GOOD EVENINGCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE GOODBYE AGAINCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE NOT ONLY PETER COOK ... BUT ALSO DUDLEY MOORECOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE NOT ONLY ... BUT ALSO ... COOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE ONCE MOORE WITH COOKCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE WORLD OF PETE & DUDCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE etc. BEYOND THE FRINGECOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE etc. BEYOND THE FRINGE - ORIGINAL BROADWAY CASTCOOK , PETER / DUDLEY MOORE etc. BEYOND THE FRINGE ' 64 I ve liked British comedy & comedians since the 60 s . I saw Bedazzled on TV about 1970 , and searched until I found the soundtrack LP for it . Then came Good Evening , then the Derek & Clive albums . I got the Decca LP s in NZ . - Ron . 
My Influences C 10 . 6 - 20 - 06 My Influences C 10 COLD CHISEL CIRCUS ANIMALSIn 2006 , I have a lot of time for the Aussie working band ethic . It s just Rock Music , but I know they worked hard at it . COLE , B . J . TRANSPARENT MUSICI remembered him from the 70 s , steel guitarist on many assorted LP s . I got this because of his work with Luke Vibert . COLEMAN , ORNETTE DANCING IN YOUR HEADYou only have to hear this once , huh ? Then it s never forgotten . Thank you , Jay Green of Poo Bah Record Shop . COLLIER , GRAHAM NEW CONDITIONSI got this at Mole Music in London , Pete Brown took me there . I knew Collier had British 70 s jazz LP s that I wanted , but this was what was on offer . Lately , I am so into British jazz of the 60 s I got What s Bootsy Doin for the Bill Laswell vibe . COLLINS , EDWYN GORGEOUS GEORGEI prefer Edwyn Collins as a solo artist to his work with Orange Juice . My GF was who has been playing to me . COLLINS , GLENDA BEEN INVITED TO A PARTYGot it when I lived in England produced by Joe Meek . Thank you , Jim Blake . COLLINS , JUDY # 3 COLLINS , JUDY COLORS OF THE DAY ( BEST OF ) COLLINS , JUDY FIFTH ALBUMCOLLINS , JUDY GOLDEN APPLES OF THE SUNCOLLINS , JUDY IN MY LIFECOLLINS , JUDY JUDY COLLINS CONCERT , THECOLLINS , JUDY LIVINGCOLLINS , JUDY MAID OF CONSTANT SORROW , ACOLLINS , JUDY WHALES & NIGHTINGALESCOLLINS , JUDY WHO KNOWS WHERE THE TIME GOES ? COLLINS , JUDY WILDFLOWERSMy sisters played me Judy Collins albums . My mother liked Someday Soon . I liked Both Side Now . I read her book . COLLINS , SHIRLEY & DOLLY ANTHEMS IN EDENBecause it was on the Harvest label . COLOMBIER , MICHEL OLD FOOL BACK ON EARTHBecause he was an arranger for Serge Gainsbourg . COLONEL JUBILATION B . JOHNSON MOLDY GOLDIESOddball novelty LP that featured a whacked - out cover version of Dylan s Rainy Day Women # 12 & # 35 . Thanks , Bob ! COLOSSEUM COLLECTOR ' S COLOSSEUMCOLOSSEUM COLOSSEUM LIVECOLOSSEUM DAUGHTER OF TIMECOLOSSEUM GRASS IS GREENER , THECOLOSSEUM THOSE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE SALUTE YOUCOLOSSEUM VALENTYNE SUITECOLOSSEUM / HECKSTALL - SMITH , DICK STORY ENDED , ACOLOSSEUM / HECKSTALL - SMITH , DICK WOZA NASUI probably first bought Colosseum albums because of the heavy duty Cream vibe . I started with The Grass Is Greener . COLUMBUS , RAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROCK ' N ' ROLLCOLUMBUS , RAY HIS 14 GREATEST HITS ( 1964 - 1974 ) COLUMBUS , RAY JANGLES , SPANGLES AND BANNERSCOLUMBUS , RAY RAY COLUMBUS ALBUMCOLUMBUS , RAY & THE INVADERS ANTHOLOGYCOLUMBUS , RAY & THE INVADERS ORIGINAL NUMBERSCOLUMBUS , RAY & THE INVADERS TILL WE KISSED ( GREATEST HITS OF ) When I first got to NZ in 81 , it was like greeting a new vista of music . OMG , NZ 60 s music ! And Ray is King . COMATEENS DEAL WITH ITCOMATEENS PICTURES ON A STRINGPurchased after the fact found em in the 99 cent bin . I believe there s some Etienne Daho connection here . 
My Influences C 9 . 6 - 19 - 06 My Influences C 9 CMU SPACE CABARETCMU SPACE CABARET / OPEN SPACESI heard Space Cabaret LP playing in Tower Records in Hollywood , when it was a new release . I liked the electric piano . COASTERS , THE COAST ALONG WITH THE COASTERSCOASTERS , THE COASTERS , THECOASTERS , THE GREATEST HITSCOASTERS , THE JUST COASTIN ' COASTERS , THE ONE BY ONECOASTERS , THE THUMBIN ' A RIDECOASTERS , THE WAKE ME , SHAKE MECOASTERS , THE WHAT IS THE SECRET OF YOUR SUCCESS ? The other night we painted posters , we played some records by The Coasters from Status Back Baby by Frank Zappa I understood the synergy between Joe & Leon Russell etc. Rock music . COCONUT ROUGH COCONUT ROUGHCOCONUT ROUGH / NARCS WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORKI was already a Pop Mechanix fan and a Blam Blam Blam fan . I was waiting for this group ! COEUR MAGIQUE WAKAN TANKAGreat cartoon cover , French band , on Byg all stuff that I like . And it was in the $ 1 bin . COHEN , ADAM ADAM COHENSon of Leonard . COHEN , LEONARD COHEN LIVECOHEN , LEONARD DEATH OF A LADIES ' MANCOHEN , LEONARD FUTURE , THECOHEN , LEONARD I ' M YOUR MANCOHEN , LEONARD LIEBESTRAUME ( Collection ) COHEN , LEONARD LIVE SONGSCOHEN , LEONARD LIVE ! FROM THE COMPLEX 4 / 93 COHEN , LEONARD NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONYCOHEN , LEONARD RECENT SONGSCOHEN , LEONARD SIX MONTREAL POETS - Various Artists COHEN , LEONARD SONGS FROM A ROOMCOHEN , LEONARD SONGS OF A SERIOUS OLD MAN pirate COHEN , LEONARD SONGS OF LEONARD COHENCOHEN , LEONARD SONGS OF LOVE AND HATECOHEN , LEONARD VARIOUS POSITIONSCOHEN , LEONARD ZURICH 1993 pirate My sister Susie played me L . C . even before I saw his songs used in Mc Cabe & Mrs. Miller . The debut album breaks my heart , New Skin lights my fire I love his work , and am truly glad he still walks the Earth . Seen him live , I have his autograph , I ve read his books . 
My Influences C 8 . 6 - 16 - 06 My Influences C 8 CLARKE , JOHN / BRYAN DAWE ANNUAL REPORTCLARKE , JOHN / FRED DAGG FRED DAGG ANTHOLOGYCLARKE , JOHN / FRED DAGG FRED DAGG LIVECLARKE , JOHN / FRED DAGG FRED DAGG TAPES , THECLARKE , JOHN / FRED DAGG GREATEST HITSChris Ward ( now Chris Clement ) told me about Fred Dagg ( comedian John Clarke ) and his sons named Trevor , 1980 CLASSICS IV VERY BEST OFHeard em on the radio my mother always liked Traces . CLAW BOYS CLAW ANGELBITECLAW BOYS CLAW CRACK MY NUTCLAW BOYS CLAW HITKILLERS - THE BEAST OF C . B.C. CLAW BOYS CLAW SUGERI saw a music video for So Mean , and liked the groove . I once met Piete Te Bos of CBC , in the street in Amsterdam I was walking to / from an Indonesian restaurant with Henk Hofstede of The Nits . Might ve been the Utrechtsestraat , near the Tempo Doeloe restaurant right by the Concerto Record Shop . He was holding a pair of crash cymbals . CLEAN , THE GREAT SOUNDS GREAT ... CLEAN , THE MODERN ROCKCLEAN , THE UNKNOWN COUNTRYCLEAN , THE / GREAT UNWASHED CLEAN OUT OF OUR MINDSCLEAN , THE / KILGOUR , DAVID HERE COME THE CARSI tried their Boodle Boodle Boodle EP on my first visit to NZ 81 ; maybe next visit I was recognized in Queen Street by Hamish Kilgour , the drummer of The Clean . Maybe Chris Knox told him about me ( visiting NZ , looking for music ) I m not sure . We became friendly , I eventually went and stayed with Hamish at his home in Christchurch but that wasn t until 85 or so . Hamish also came and visited Los Angeles . I think he lives in NYC now . My emails to him bounced , recently . Phone home , Hamish ! CLEAR LIGHT CLEAR LIGHTI bought it because it was on Elektra Records ; a Paul A . Rothchild production ! I love their She s Ready To Be Free 45 . CLEARLIGHT SYMPHONY CLEARLIGHT SYMPHONYCLEARLIGHT SYMPHONY DELIRED CHAMELEON FAMILY ( B . O . F . ) CLEARLIGHT SYMPHONY FOREVER BLOWING BUBBLESI tried em because of the Gilbert Artman connection . Pierre Clementi ! CLIMAX BLUES BAND GOLD PLATEDHeard Couldn t Get It Right on the radio and always rather liked it . I don t know much about their stuff , however . CLINTON , GEORGE BEST OFOn the funky funky radio . Do Fries Go With That Shake ? ( I will never forget Flooky s in Hollywood ) . Earth calling George ! CLOSE , DEL / JOHN BRENT HOW TO SPEAK HIPMy brother told me about this album , maybe 35 + years ago . More recently , Japanese DJ s have sampled it . CLOUD NINE WATERLANDThis is the band of the one - time female vocalist of The Nits . CLOUDS COLLAGECLOUDS OCTOPUSCLOUDS PENNY CENTURYCLOUDS THUNDERHEADI probably saw a Bower Of Bliss video on Rage and found the CD s in the bargain bin . Thanks to Ken Grady , once again ! CLOUDS U . K . CLOUDS SCRAPBOOKI am still looking for their other albums ! I was always curious , what with them being an Island UK 60 s act . CLOVERS , THE DOWN IN THE ALLEYI ve been a Coasters fan since I was 10 so , naturally , I investigated other Atlantic R & B acts . CLUSTER CLUSTERCLUSTER CLUSTER IICLUSTER ZUCKERZEITCLUSTER / KLUSTER KLOPFZEICHENCLUSTER / KLUSTER ZWEI OSTEREICluster comes very close to the beginning of my interest in German bands . I think Cluster II was first for me , and I probably bought it solely because it was German and it had a cool cover it is the LP spine you can see in a wall of records from across the room ! But did I buy it at Moby Disc ? Did my brother send me this ? Been too long can t remember everything ! 
Recent items . 6 - 15 - 06 I m going to take a breath the large alphabet will continue tomorrow . Here is a partial list of what I have been listening to / considering for the last few weeks ARTHEY ORCH . , JOHNNY GOLDEN SONGS OF DONOVAN , RCA US LPWow , this is the second Donovan Easy Hits album ( the other one is by Vic Lewis ) BARDOT , BRIGITTE BEST OF , PHILIPS JPN CDJapanese CD purchased as much for the Serge Gainsbourg content . BASIA LONDON WARSAW NEW YORK , EPIC / SONY JPN CDFor some reason , I always like finding Japanese versions of common CD s . BEDFORD , DAVID / V. A . TWO POEMS FOR CHORUS , DEUTSCHE G LPI have been fond of the classical works of Mr. Bedford for some time ; Soft Machine - related . BEE GEES / V. A . SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER ( O . S . T . ) , RSO US CD re Yes , the re - mastered CD for $ 3 ! BOWIE , DAVID MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD , TOSHIBA JPN CD re BOWIE , DAVID / TIN MACHINE RADIO SESSION , VICTOR JPN CD single One more Bowie CD to the collection and I always check out Tin Machine train wrecks . CAPALDI , JIM SHOE SHINE , RSO US 12 promo Solo 12 from the drummer and back - up vocalist of Traffic . I am always interested CARNIVAL , THE THE CARNIVAL , VIVID SOUND JPN CDPerverse Japan - only CD L . A . session musicians trying to sound like Sergio Mendes / Brasil 66 . DAVIES , PETER MAXWELL IMAGE BAIRNS RUNES , UNICORN UK LPDAVIES , PETER MAXWELL MAVIS IN LAS VEGAS , COLLINS UK CDMore 20 th century classical music always did like his Ken Russell film scores DOLDINGER , KLAUS DAS BOOT ( O . S . T . ) , ATLANTIC US CDI never saw Das Boot , but I understand it is a decent movie . And I like Doldinger . DURAN DURAN / ARCADIA ELECTION DAY , PARLOPHONE UK 12 W / PS 3 / 5 of Duran Duran as arcadia in 85 OK . Why ? Not a bad song , actually . HECKSTALL - SMITH , DICK A STORY ENDED , ARCHIVE JPN CD re Japanese little album cover of one of my all - time favorite albums ; 5 x bonus tracks ! KINGS OF CONVENIENCE / V. A . VERSUS , ASTRALWERKS US CDRemixes / reworkings I picked this up because of the presence of Alfie I love his songs on You Are What You Eat . Probably time for me to finish up my Peter Paul & Mary collection . = = = Back with more alphabet tomorrow ! - Ron . 
My Influences C 7 . 6 - 14 - 06 My Influences C 7 CHRISMA CHINESE RESTAURANTCHRISMA HIBERNATIONCHRISMA / KRISMA CATHODE MAMMACHRISMA / KRISMA CLANDESTINE ANTICIPATION Chinese Restaurant came first it was Italian , so I was naturally interested , but it s not progressive rock . I kept it . I was somewhat validated when Cathode Mamma was really good with Hans Zimmer etc. CHRISTMAS , KEITH BRIGHTER DAYPurchased because it was on the Manticore label ; and 30 + years later , I had never heard it . Tenuous King Crimson connection . CHRONICLE ... LIKE A MESSAGE FROM THE STARSCHRONICLE IMAWA TOKINO SUBETECHRONICLE LIVE AT THE WHISKY A - GO - GOTony Harrington walked into the hippie record store I was working at , sometime in early 1977 , with Like A Message From The Stars under his arm he gave copies to myself and Mike Mc Goldrick . Tony we had been friends for nearly 30 years . And it started with Chronicle . CIBO MATTO SUPER RELAXCIBO MATTO VIVA ! LA WOMANI was given promos of these 2 x CD s by David Ponak we were doing Japanese music together for most of the 1990 s but I think he was more of a fan of New Rock , Cibo Matto and Buffalo Daughter , than I was . Still , funny stuff . CID , JOSE 10000 ANOS DEPOIS ENTRE VENUSMr . David Overstreet of Art Sublime Records turned me on to this Portugese 70 s progressive rock ! CINE TECHNO YUKIHIRO SELECTIONI believe the Yukihiro in question is YMO s Yukihiro Takahashi synthesizer versions of film themes . Found it in Tokyo . CITIZEN BAND CITIZEN BANDCITIZEN BAND JUST DROVE THRU TOWNCITIZEN BAND PIRATECITIZEN BAND RUST IN MY CARWhen I first hit NZ in 81 , I was amazed at how many records seemed to have people from Split Enz on them . Citizen Band were probably the best link to what I liked about Split Enz , with only The Swingers being more on target . CITY BOY DINNER AT THE RITZCITY BOY YOUNG MEN GONE WESTI started picking these up when I realized that Van Der Graaf Generator people were side men to this band . CITY BOYS LIFE OF CITY BOYS , AGot this as a promo at Trattoria Records in Tokyo arigato gozaimasu to Hiroko Wayama ! FPM & P 5 connections . CLARK FIVE , DAVE 25 THUMPING GREAT HITSCLARK FIVE , DAVE BEST OFHeard em on the radio Can t You See That She s Mine was likely first . I used to have a Session UK LP long gone . CLARK , ANNE PRESSURE POINTSProduced by John Foxx . CLARK , DOUG / HOT NUTS ON CAMPUSLooked smutty . Mike Mc Goldrick was probably who first told me about this band . CLARK , ROY ENTERTAINER , THECLARK , ROY SUPERPICKERI saw him on Hee Haw ! CLARK , SONNY COOL STRUTTIN 're CLARK , SONNY DIAL ' S ' FOR SONNYCLARK , SONNY SONNY CLARK TRIOCLARK , SONNY STANDARDSWhen the CD of Cool Struttin first came out , I was standing in Logo s Records in Santa Cruz so , the very first time I ever heard this monumental jazz hard bop classic , it was all 6 cuts as found on the Blue Note CD . So , late 80 s for me . Cool abum . 
My Influences C 6 . 6 - 13 - 06 My Influences C 6 CHAPPIE NEW CHAPPIEI bought it in Tokyo , because of the Groovisions cover art , and tenuous FPM and P 5 connections . CHAVIN , CHINGA COUNTRY P * RNCHAVIN , CHINGA JET LAGThis came out when I was working in a record store ; I loved anything smutty then , so I tried it , and I even saw him live ! CHEAP TRICK AT BUDOKANI remember the Cheap Trick mania and I eventually got to go to Budokan in Tokyo myself to see Cornelius . CHEDID , LOUIS BIZARCHEDID , LOUIS BRAVO A LOUID CHEDIDCHEDID , LOUIS CES MOTS SONT POUR TOI ... CHEDID , LOUIS ENTRE NOUSCHEDID , LOUIS GOLDCHEDID , LOUIS ZAPI think Bob Gaulke told me to buy Bizar or did I merely find a cheap CD of it ? No , Bob told me about Revolution . CHERRY , DON ART DECOCHERRY , DON BROWN RICECHERRY , DON DON CHERRY ( ORIENT / EAGLE EYE etc. ) CHERRY , DON HOME BOY - SISTER OUTCHERRY , DON MU , FIRST PARTCHERRY , DON MU , SECOND PARTCHERRY , DON ORGANIC MUSICCHERRY , DON / PENDERECKI NEW ETERNAL RHYTHM ORCHESTRA Brown Rice was definitely my first Don Cherry LP I checked it out because it was produced by Corrado Bachelli , a guy who was working with some Italian bands that I liked . I was likely made aware of this fact by Armando Gallo . CHERRY , NENEH RAW LIKE SUSHII always did like Kisses On The Wind she s Don Cherry s daughter , too . CHICAGO CHICAGO AT CARNEGIE HALL ( 4 LP boxed set ) CHICAGO CHICAGO IICHICAGO CHICAGO IIICHICAGO CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITYCHICAGO CHICAGO VCHICAGO CHICAGO VII heard South California Purples on the FM radio , about 70 . I ve known a few Chicago fans over the years . CHICKENMAN BEST OFCHICKENMAN CHICKENMAN RETURNSCHICKENMAN PUFFY SLEEVES AND OTHER EXQUISITE FOOLISHNESSI wanted the Chickenman LP because it appeared on the Atco Records innersleeve . Took me a few years to find it . CHICKS , THE CHICKS SECOND ALBUM , THECHICKS , THE C ' MON CHICKSCHICKS , THE LONG TIME COMIN ' , ACHICKS , THE SOUND OF THE CHICKS , THEI picked these up in New Zealand , because they looked funky in an NZ 60 s sort of way . Nobody told me to buy em . CHIHUAHUA NOMAD LANDI saw Chihuahua perform as the band behind the Archaos Circus , when I lived in England in 1990 . They re like Mano Negra . CHILLS BRAVE WORDSCHILLS KALEIDOSCOPE WORLDCHILLS SOFT BOMBCHILLS SUBMARINE BELLSI think it was the Rolling Moon 45 that piqued my curiosity I bought it in a store on Queen Street in Auckland . Seen ' em live . CHINA CRISIS DIARY OF A HOLLOW HORSECHINA CRISIS WHAT PRICE PARADISECHINA CRISIS WORKING WITH FIRE AND STEELJim Donato always talks these guys up am I missing the really good one , or what ? CHOCOLAT ONE TOO MANY CHOCOLATPicked up because of the Hideki Kaji connection ( he wrote or produced or played on this ) . 
My Influences C 5 . 6 - 12 - 06 My Influences C 5 CELENTANO , ADRIANO HIT PARADE : LE VOLTE CHE ... CELENTANO , ADRIANO I MALI DEL SECOLOCELENTANO , ADRIANO IL FORESTIEROCELENTANO , ADRIANO IL RAGAZZO DELLA VIA GLUCKCELENTANO , ADRIANO IL RE DEGLI IGNORANTICELENTANO , ADRIANO IO NON SO PARLAR D ' AMORECELENTANO , ADRIANO LE ROBE CHA HA DETTO ADRIANOCELENTANO , ADRIANO NON MI DIRCELENTANO , ADRIANO NOSTALROCKCELENTANO , ADRIANO SUPREMOCELENTANO , ADRIANO SVALUTATIONCELENTANO , ADRIANO TI AVRO ' I found a Non Mi Dir CD at Rockaway Records in L . A . I was dismissive of Celentano in the 70 s it wasn t prog rock ! But in the 80 s , Italian pop male vocals were just FINE with me . The next person I met who liked Celentano was Constantin Andrei . CELESTE CELESTEFrom the age of automatically buying anything new from Italy it s on the Grog label , a good label . The cover isn t much , but that looks like some New Trolls guys ! Self - referential by 76 . CELIBATE RIFLES BLIND EARCELIBATE RIFLES MINA MINA MINACELIBATE RIFLES SIDEROXYLONCELIBATE RIFLES SOFACELIBATE RIFLES SPACEMAN IN A SATIN SUITI never listened at the time , but I saw videos from these guys on Rage and liked them , thanks to Ken Grady . Tick Tock ! CENTRAL BROADCASTING ORCH . PHASES OF THE MOONI think I picked this up in New Zealand , for some reason . Perhaps it merely looked out of place Chinese music in NZ ? CERVELLO MELOSThis had such a great cover ! I may have heard it from Greg Stewart on KPFK - FM , but or maybe Jim Hresko told me about it ? Or did I figure out on my own that guys from Osanna were in this band ? Would I still have bought if I knew that this record doesn t have a keyboard player ? It s a great album , and I frequently tout it as the best Italian 70 s prog rock record without a keyboard player I have an autographed copy ! ( Got it signed when Nova came to town ! ) CHACKSFIELD , FRANK PLAYS THE BEATLES ' SONGBOOK Easy Hits , kitsch collection . Tony Harrington was always amused that I knew who Mr. Chacksfield was . My dad told me . CHAGRIN D ' AMOUR CHAGRIN D ' AMOURCHAGRIN D ' AMOUR MON BOB ET MOII got a promo 45 of Chacun Fait from the Japanese record distributor , about 81 got the rest in France . Slim Pezin ! CHAMBERS BROTHERS , THE TIME HAS COME , THEHeard it on the radio ! 35 + years later , I got a CD of it for $ 3 , to see if it was a psychedelic as I remember it being . It was . CHAMFORT , ALAIN AMOUR , ANNEE ZEROCHAMFORT , ALAIN DOUBLE VIECHAMFORT , ALAIN MARIAGE A L ' ESSAICHAMFORT , ALAIN NEUFCHAMFORT , ALAIN PERSONNE N ' EST PARFAITCHAMFORT , ALAIN POSESCHAMFORT , ALAIN ROCK ' N ROSECHAMFORT , ALAIN SECRETS GLACESCHAMFORT , ALAIN TENDRES FIEVRESCHAMFORT , ALAIN TROUBLEI bought a CD of Tendres Fievre in San Francisco ( at Rooks I saw a Wally Badarou production credit . That was all it took . What a bonus I later discovered he had been a Gainsbourg collaborator ! CHAPMAN , MICHAEL FULLY QUALIFIED SURVIVORCHAPMAN , MICHAEL LIFE ON THE CEILINGCHAPMAN , MICHAEL RAINMAKERCHAPMAN , MICHAEL WINDOWCHAPMAN , MICHAEL WRECKED AGAINI tried a cheap LP of Fully Qualified Survivor ( with Mick Ronson ) because it was on the Harvest label , probably about 71 or so . I was stoked to discover that members of Spring were on Wrecked Again . 
My Influences C 4 . 6 - 9 - 06 My Influences C 4 CARLOS , WALTER CLOCKWORK ORANGE , AI knew this was synthesizer music ( same guy as Switched On Bach , right ? ) I wanted to see the film because of the music . CARMEL STRINGS / LARRY KNECHTEL BOSS BAROQUEKitsch collection , Easy Hits . L . A . session musicians . CARNIVAL , THE CARNIVAL , THEMy dad had this record . Grade A kitsch , Easy Hits . I just found the Japanese CD of this album !! Fake Sergio Mendes ! CARSON , JOHNNY HERE ' S JOHNNY - MAGIC MOMENTS from ' TONIGHT SHOW ' CARSON , JOHNNY INTRODUCTION TO NEW YORK AND THE WORLD ' S FAIRI saw him on the TV , and liked him a lot . Late night TV has never been th same , without Mr. Carson . CARTHY , MARTIN SHEARWATEROn the Mooncrest / B & C label , a cousin to Charisma and the cover was good . UK folk music . CASH , ALVIN / REGISTERS TWINE TIMEI heard Twine Time on the radio when I was about 7 or 8 years old I even made a tape recording of it , off of the radio ( something my father showed me how to do ) . I found the LP about 20 years later , and a whole gang of 45 s . Alvin , R . I. P . CASH , JOHNNY AT FOLSOM PRISON AND SAN QUENTINCASH , JOHNNY BEST OFCASH , JOHNNY BLOOD , SWEAT AND TEARSCASH , JOHNNY CHRISTMAS : THE JOHNNY CASH FAMILYCASH , JOHNNY EVERYBODY LOVES A NUTCASH , JOHNNY FABULOUS JOHNNY CASH , THECASH , JOHNNY HOLY LAND , THEI saw him on the TV . The Holy Land had a 3 D cover ! Boy Named Sue was omni - present in elementary school . CASSIDY , SHAUN WASPI was definitely working in a record store or distributor this album walked down the pike and immediately , we knew something was up look at those songs ! Oh , wait a minute . Produced by Todd Rundgren . Maybe we should play it ? It is a strange record . Pyramid parties in Marina Del Rey ! WTF ? Yes , this is Shaun s last album . CASTRO - NEVES , OSCAR TROPICAL HEARTThe piano player for Sergio Mendes I tried this because it is an audiophile ( JVC XRCD ) disc . CAT MOTHERS / ALL NIGHT NEWS BOYS STREET GIVETH AND THE STREET TAKETH AWAY , THEProduced by Jimi Hendrix . I want to get some of their other albums ! CATALOGUE ANTWERPEN LIVE 11 AUG 1979 1.30 H BELGIECATALOGUE INSOMNIEGiven to me by either Gilles Yepremian or Jean Francois Pauvros or Jac Berrocal . CATAPULT CATAPULTI knew Let Your Hair Hang Down from a sampler LP , and I found this LP on a visit to Holland . Dutch glam rock ! CATHARSIS Vol. 1 MASQCATHARSIS Vol. 2 LES CHEVRONSCATHARSIS Vol. 3 32 MARSCATHARSIS Vol. 4 ILLUMINATIONSCATHARSIS Vol. 5 BOLERO DU VEAU DES DAMES , LECATHARSIS Vol. 6 ET S ' AIMER ... ET MOURIRCATHARSIS / BOCQUET , ROLAND LA BALANCE ( B . O . F . ) CATHARSIS / BOCQUET , ROLAND PARADIACATHARSIS / BOCQUET , ROLAND ROBOT BLEUCATHARSIS / BOCQUET , ROLAND ROBOT ROSEI think I got Paradia first , about 77 . I love that album . On my first visit to Paris in 79 , I looked him up in the phone book . I had mail - ordered maybe one or two Catharsis LP s from Intergalactic Trading Company in Portland and I found the rest in record stores in Paris . Roland gave me lots of neat records singles by Henriette Coulouvrat that he produced , tapes of unreleased albums ( Atlantide ) and later he sent me the Robot Rose and Robot Bleu LP s . Last time I sent him a New Year s card , it came back about 6 months later so I ve lost his address . Roland ! Please phone home ! CELEBRITY SKIN GOOD CLEAN FUNI ve known Don Bolles for over 25 years and the Celebrity Skin records make me laugh . 
My Influences C 3 . 6 - 8 - 06 My Influences C 3 CANNED HEAT BOOGIE WITH CANNED HEATCANNED HEAT UNCANNED ! - THE BEST OFI heard Goin Up The Country on the radio . CANNON , ACE ACE OF SAXCANNON , ACE BABY DON ' T GET HOOKED ON MECANNON , ACE CANNON COUNTRYCANNON , ACE COOL ' N SAXYCANNON , ACE SUPER SAX COUNTRY STYLECANNON , ACE TUFF - SAXMy Bill Black Combo fandom lead me to Ace Cannon . CANNON , FREDDY BEST OFMy brother ( ? ) had a 45 of Way Down Yonder In New Orleans , which I found in my home , as a kid . CAOLI , CANO EXTRA BRIGHTCAOLI , CANO FAMILIACAOLI , CANO FINECAOLI , CANO HADAKA DE AIMASHOUCAOLI , CANO OH LA LACAOLI , CANO / CIOCCOLATA CIOCCOLATACAOLI , CANO / CIOCCOLATA L ' ALMA BELLACAOLI , CANO / CIOCCOLATA SPECIALI bet I got a promo of her TRA Project Cioccolata cassette from the Japanese exporter , liked it and ordered her stuff as it came out . I had no idea she had re - positioned herself as a solo artist in the 90 s I found that out upon my first real visit to Japan in 94 . CAPABILITY BROWN FROM SCRATCHCAPABILITY BROWN LIAR ( Collection ) CAPABILITY BROWN VOICECAPABILITY BROWN / KRAZY KAT CHINA SEASCAPABILITY BROWN / KRAZY KAT TROUBLED AIRI was liking the Charisma label Genesis , Monty Python etc. It was easy to spot From Scratch in the 50 cent bin , at my local hippie record store . Less than a year later , I found a $ 1 promo of Voice , which I think is incredible . I got to tease Armando Gallo about taking photos of Capability Brown , when he published a big book of photos of Genesis When s your Capability Brown book coming out ? . I found the Krazt Kay LP s when working at the record distributor we probably tried a copy of the first one , just because it was new I saw who they were , and CAPLAN , JIL A PEINE 21 ANSCAPLAN , JIL AVANT QU ' IL NE SOIT TROP TARDCAPLAN , JIL JIL CAPLANCAPLAN , JIL LA CHARMEUSE DES SERPENTSI believe Jil Caplan came from the French book store La Cite on Westwood Blvd . , which is , sadly , long gone . I was looking at the new French CD s , and saw that A Peine 21 Ans was produced / written by Jay Alanski , the man who did Lio . That was all it took . CAPTAIN BEYOND CAPTAIN BEYONDHey , man this had a 3 D cover ! Then I heard Thousand Days Of Yesterday on the FM radio CARAVAN BBC 1969 - 1973 pirate CARAVAN CARAVANCARAVAN CARAVAN & THE NEW SYMPHONIACARAVAN FOR GIRLS WHO GROW PLUMP IN THE NIGHTCARAVAN IF I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN CARAVAN IN THE LAND OF GREY AND PINKCARAVAN WATERLOO LILYCARAVAN / SINCLAIR , RICHARD CARAVAN OF DREAMSI think Steve Zepeda tried to turn me on to them , but I was more interested in Robert Wyatt . How did I come back around to Caravan ? An inexpensive copy of In The Land of Grey & Pink , perhaps ? CARLIN , GEORGE CARLIN ON CAMPUSCARLIN , GEORGE CLASS CLOWNCARLIN , GEORGE EVENING WITH WALLY LONDO ... , ANCARLIN , GEORGE FM & AMCARLIN , GEORGE OCCUPATION : FOOLECARLIN , GEORGE ON THE ROADCARLIN , GEORGE PLACE FOR MY STUFF , ACARLIN , GEORGE TAKE - OFFS & PUT - ONSCARLIN , GEORGE TOLEDO WINDOW BOXI saw him on the TV , and probably read an article about The 7 Words You Cannot Say on Television . 
My Influences C 2 . 6 - 7 - 06 My Influences C 2 CAMP , HAMILTON WELCOME TO HAMILTON CAMPI heard this on a Warner Brothers sampler LP ! CAMPBELL , ARCHIE ARCHIE CAMPBELLCAMPBELL , ARCHIE BEST OFCAMPBELL , ARCHIE COCKFIGHT AND OTHER TALL TALES , THECAMPBELL , ARCHIE GOLDEN YEARS , THECAMPBELL , ARCHIE / LORENE MANN TELL IT LIKE IT ISI saw him on Hee Haw ! CAMPBELL , JIMMY HALF BAKEDI bought this because it was on the Vertigo label . 30 years later , I found out who he was a Liverpool singer / songwriter and not a progressive rock artist ( which was what I was hoping / expecting ) . Decent singer / songwriter stuff . CAN CANCAN CANNIBALISMCAN CANNIBALISM 2 CAN CLASSIC GERMAN ROCK SCENECAN DELAY 1968 CAN EGE BAMYASICAN FLOW MOTIONCAN FUTURE DAYS re CAN GERMANY 1976 Vol. 1 pirate CAN GREAT BRITAIN 1977 Vol. 2 pirate CAN LANDEDCAN LIMITED EDITIONCAN MONSTER MOVIECAN OPENERCAN OUT OF REACHCAN RADIO WAVES pirate CAN RITE TIMECAN ROCK IN DEUTSCHLAND Vol. 6 CAN SACRILEGE ( Remixes ) CAN SAW DELIGHTCAN SOON OVER BABALUMACAN SOUNDTRACKSCAN TAGO MAGOCAN UNLIMITED EDITIONCAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER CANAXIS 5 CAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER DER OSTEN IST ROTCAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER FULL CIRCLECAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER MOVIESCAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER MOVING PICTURESCAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER ON THE WAY TO THE PEAK OF NORMALCAN / CZUKAY , HOLGER TECHNICAL SPACE COMPOSER ' S CREWCAN / KAROLI , MICHAEL / POLLY ELTES DELUGECAN / PHANTOM BAND FREEDOM OF SPEECHCAN / PHANTOM BAND PHANTOM BANDCAN / SCHMIDT , IRMIN ANTHOLOGY - SOUNDTRACKS ' 78 - ' 93 ( 3 CD boxed set ) CAN / SCHMIDT , IRMIN FILMMUSIK Vol. 1 CAN / SCHMIDT , IRMIN FILMMUSIK Vol. 2 CAN / SCHMIDT , IRMIN FILMMUSIK Vol. 3 but the first one I tried was Unlimited Edition , which I found for $ 3 ( a promo copy , even ! ) at Moby Disc in Van Nuys , California . I went to Germany in 1979 and met Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit , thanks to an introduction by my former drummer ( John Payne ) . A year or two later , I went and visited Holger with Andreas Thein , from the group Propaganda . I ve written to Hildegard Schmidt , wife of Irmin Schmidt asking about Swiss nylon - string guitarist Thomas Diethelm ( who Irmin produced ) . Start with Soon Over Babaluma , then buy Landed , then get Czukay s Movies if you re still in the pool , get Schmidt s Soundtracks 78 - 93 3 CD anthology . 
My Influences C 1 . 6 - 6 - 06 My Influences C 1 CABBAGEBOY GENETICALLY MODIFIEDGary Steel told me about this , standing in Amoeba Records in Hollywood fall of 05 . CACCIAPAGLIA , ROBERTO GENERAZIONI DEL CIELOCACCIAPAGLIA , ROBERTO SEI NOTE IN LOGICACACCIAPAGLIA , ROBERTO SONANZE Sonanze came first , and I probably picked it up just because it was an Italian record , nobody told me it was good . CAF CR ME CAF CR MEWell , it certainly looked interesting a French band on the Harvest label , doing a Beatles medley ! CAFE TACUBA REVES / YOSOIDavid Ponak hipped me to this , good and proper . A fantastic CD that more people need to hear . CAGE , JOHN EXTENDED VOICES - Various Artists CAGE , JOHN INDETERMINACYCAGE , JOHN JOHN CAGE - CHRISTIAN WOLFFCAGE , JOHN NOVA MUSICHA N .1 CAGE , JOHN VARIATIONS IV Vol. 2 CAGE , JOHN / BABBITT , MILTON NEW ELECTRONIC MUSIC FROM LEADERS ... CAGE , JOHN / JAN STEELE VOICES AND INSTRUMENTSCAGE , JOHN / TUDOR , DAVID SECOND WIND FOR ORGAN , AAs an 11 / 12 - year - old , I went to the Thrifty Drug Store a lot sometimes along , sometimes with my dad . They had a cheapie bin of records , what we would come to know as cut - outs , where records would have a hole drilled in the cover , and as cheap as 57 cents ! The top price for the cut - out bin was $ 1.98 at this time ( roughly 1970 ) . I consider myself pretty fortunate to have found a $ 1.98 copy of Indeterminacy , when I was about 12 years old in just such a bin . A 2 LP set in a box , $ 1.98 . It looked interesting . No , I did not know who he was . I did not know it was a spoken word album . Hoping that it has some synthesizer music on it , I plunked down my meager allowance for this unknown album . It changed my life . CALE , JOHN ACADEMY IN PERIL , THECALE , JOHN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCECALE , JOHN CALE STREET pirate CALE , JOHN CARIBBEAN SUNSETCALE , JOHN DOWN AT THE END OF LONELY STREET pirate CALE , JOHN DRIFT STUDY pirate CALE , JOHN EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUESCALE , JOHN FEARCALE , JOHN GUTS ( Collection ) CALE , JOHN HEAR " FEAR " - interview CALE , JOHN HELEN OF TROYCALE , JOHN HONI SOITCALE , JOHN JOHN CALE COMES ALIVECALE , JOHN MUSIC FOR A NEW SOCIETYCALE , JOHN PARIS 1919 CALE , JOHN SABOTAGECALE , JOHN SEDUCING DOWN THE DOOR ( Collection ) CALE , JOHN SLOW DAZZLECALE , JOHN VERY DEAD CHICKEN pirate CALE , JOHN VINTAGE VIOLENCECALE , JOHN WALKING ON LOCUSTSCALE , JOHN WORDS FOR THE DYINGCALE , JOHN / REED , LOU SONGS FOR DRELLAI heard Paris 1919 on the FM radio , and went in search of the least expensive copy I could find . I did not know he had anything to do with the Velvet Underground ( a group I had tried because they were on Verve Records , but I didn t keep their stuff ) . I later bought Fear because of how much I liked Paris 1919 . By the end of the 70 s , I got to see him live ; I met him in the 80 s , got everything autographed etc. ( I have Mike Mc Goldrick to thank for that ! ) . Jordan Shroyer really liked John Cale , and made a great Sabotage T - shirt that I wore for years . CAMEO ALLIGATOR WOMANCAMEO CAMEOSISCAMEO CARDIAC ARRESTCAMEO SECRET OMENCAMEO SHE ' S STRANGECAMEO SINGLE LIFECAMEO WORD UP ! I heard em on the radio , and they made me laugh . Word ! Also saw them on Goodnight L . A . , the KABC video show . 
Deep breaths .. Serenity now .. serenity now .. Ok maybe I was a little too harsh in my last posting . Im feeling alot better now . I just get so frustrated when I see my stepson ( whom , believe it or not , I do love very much ) going down such a path . Im so afraid he is going to end up like his POS bio - dad and I seem to be the only one that seems to give a damn . His mom has always too busy and too self - absorbed in her own life and lets him make all the decisions and tries to be his friend and not his parent . I worry that i ' m going to see him on Maury one afternoon getting a DNA test because he may have got some teenage girl pregnant . Im so concerned that he is going to be just like his dad . Live in a trailer with 3 illegit kids by 2 momma 's and smoke weed all day and drop out of school . To be in and out of county jail and not seem to care . How I got mixed up in all this all those years ago i ' ll never know - im not these kind of people . I seem to be the only one that thinks about the future and who he is going to be . I guess the bottom line is that HE isnt my responsibility and who he turns out to be isnt my problem . All I can do is be the best person I can be with him and try and show him a path , if he chooses to go a different way I have to accept that . I have done all I can do with the limited influence I have . 
Ok , I ' m a racist ... You know I really dislike blacks ... I know in this world of ' Political Correctness ' im supposed to be tolerant and accepting and all that . Its just so damn hard when I watch Maury and see the vile things these people do . Or when I watch the news and all the crime and death these people cause . The convience store clerk that gets killed for 68.00 and change , The teenage girl that is raped and left for dead , etc etc. Its just so damn hard to be ' tolerant ' when my stepson and I go to the mall and I see a cute teenage white girl with some black ' gangsta - thug ' with the do - rag and the pants half - way down his ass. Cole and I were walking along and the couple was walking towards us and the guy just stares right into my eyes . We end up almost running into each other because we are heading towards each other . We barely miss our shoulders bumping together and I whisper under my breath - ' fukin Niggers ' and shake my head . What happened to common courtesy ? I made an effort to make room for him and it seemed like he moved over more to make more of an attempt to run into me . What kind of shit is that ? Dont they realize that when they act like assholes and try and be all gangsta in front of their white ' ho 's they only perpetuate the opinion us whites have of them ? And what would have happened if I hadnt made room at the last minute ? Would he have started some crap over something as stupid as someone bumping into him at the mall ? Probably , just to look cool in front of his white girl , who was obviously a rich white girl that is just trying to piss her dad off . Another case in point , as I sit here and type this there are no less than 8 blacks in the pool hollering and making all kinds of noice . Its 1:30a.m. !!! And I dont mean a little noise now and then , I mean I can hear almost every word they say . Granted I have a pool view apartment , but there isnt supposed to be anyone in the pool after 11 during the summer . Its fucking ridicilous !! I like to go out to the pool late at night sometimes and im always careful not to make noise and to be as quiet as possible and to be considerate of people that might be sleeping . Im just sick to death of them and how they are . Im sick of all of us people quietly shaking our heads in quiet indignation while they walk all over us . We shouldnt have to live like this in a civilized society . Now the P . C . crowd will chirp in and say " not all blacks are like that , there are some good ones . " Yea well , its been my experience that there are far more inconsiderate , baby - makin , stealing , crack - smoking ones that dont give 2 shits about anything but themselves . Im sick of carrying them , im sick of my taxes giving them a big bonus every year because they had 5 kids and I dont have any . I pay over 600.00 a month to live in a decent , but very small 1 bedroom apartment . I dont pay 600.00 to listen to blacks scream at each other at the pool at 1:30 . Im tempted to go to the office tomorrow a.m. and complain , but what will that do ? Then the office will send around some note like they always do with the pool hours and all that . Or the office will tell the security guard to run off people in the pool after 11 , so the fukin niggers fuck it up for everyone . Thanks !!! we appreciate it !!! Id even be willing to bet that these people dont even live here . I mean whats to stop a group of people from coming to the apartments after going out partying and just going for a swim ? Everyone knows that you can just follow behind someones car into the gates . The pool fence does have doorknob lock on the gate , but once someone is on the other side it can be opened without a key . All they would have to do is get one person to jump the fence and then let the rest in . ARGH !!!! 
Smoke ' em if ya got ' em . Ok so ive got an interview with a software company on Monday . I was talking with the HR girl yesterday for an initial phone interview and she asked me if I smoked . I said no , just because I dont think its any of their f ' in business . Then she goes on to tell me that they dont hire smokers and theres no smoking anywhere on the property and you cant even be a smoker on you own time or at home - absolutely non smokers only . EXCUSE ME ? 1 . Who the FUK are you to tell me what I can and cant do on my own time . Its a damn cigarette , its not like I smoke crack or meth or something . So if I go to a bar and get a DWI on the way home , id still have a job ? If in my spare time I like to go to peep shows and topless bars and 24 perv stands and I like to masturbate feverishly 20 times a day on my own time I ' d still have a job ? But if I smoke a few cigarettes in the evenings at home while watching TV I could be fired ? 2 . So how come its illegal to discriminate based on age , race , sexual preference , etc. but its ok to discriminate against smokers ? I know one day smoking is probably going to kill me , but it takes years off the END of your life , and really those are the diaper wearing drooling Alzheimers years anyhow and its MY choice to smoke or not . 3 . If someone is working for you and they contract AIDS or some other illness its illegal to fire them . Yet if someone decides to take up smoking thats grounds for getting fired ? 4 . How come every other malady that strikes people these days is a ' disease ' ? Thats what really pisses me the fuk off . " Alcoholism is a disease " " Addiction is a disease " " Mental Illness is a disease " " Obesity is a disease " THESE ARENT DISEASES PEOPLE !!! SHIT !!! But then homosexuality isnt a disease its a ' life - choice ' . I dont have anything particularly against gays . Im just illustrating a point . Polio is a disease , AIDS is a disease , the black plague was a disease , congestive heart failure is a disease . If we have to classify homosexuality as a ' life - choice ' why cant smoking be classifed as a ' life - choice ' ? It REALLY doesnt hurt anyone but the smoker . All this second - hand smoke nonsense and the little bitches that cry ' im allergic ' waaaaaaaaa is a load of crap . These are the same fukers that sit in traffic for an hour every day and suck down exhaust fumes and talk on their brain - tumor inducing cell - phones . But GOD forbid if a wisp of my cigarette smoke drifts their way . And for a company to REQUIRE that you dont smoke , even in your off time is absurd . If im the best employee they have ever had and I make the company millions of dollars they would fire me because I smoke ? Thats just nucking futs ! I just really get in a wad when I am supposed to be tolerant of everything and not be prejudiced , or judge people blah blah .. yet its ok for these bastards to be intolerant of MY ' life - choice ' and make judgements about me and my character just because I have a vice . Screw You !!! 
Pop - up blocker BITCH ! So ive been watching " The Chapelle Show " lately . There was one episode where he does a skit that if the internet was like the mall we would all be disturbed and close it down . So he goes to the mall and there is a dating service and a free music store and porn shops and all this stuff right . So hes walking along and these 2 guys keep bugging him to enlarge his penis or consolidate his debt with a mortgage blah blah . He finally punches them , and says pop - up blocker , BITCH ! So that got me thinking .... Ive been going to the mall alot here lately to get out of the house and all that . And ive noticed all those little kiosks are just like those damn pop ups on the internet . Youre just walking along thinking about stuff and people watching and then these little fukers jump out in front of you . " Hey buddy , how much do you pay for your cellphone ? Dont you need a new cellphone ? we ' ve got a special on 500 minutes for 49.95 !! " I tell them I have a prepaid phone that I barely use anyways , but that doesnt seem to register with them . I tell them I dont have a job right now , I dont really need a cellphone , blah blah . But they just keep on with their pitch . Ive gotten to the point where I just walk past and dont even acknowledge they exist . Then I come to the hot chick with the nail products kiosk . She jumps out and says " Hey , do you have a girlfriend ? " for a split second I think she is hitting on me - yea right . Before I even answer she grabs my hand and pulls me in and starts filing the top of my fingernail with some sandpapery board thing . Then she buffs it to a mirror - like finish and tells me . " Doesnt that look nice , maybe you can get a girlfriend if all your nails looked like this , or if you have a girlfriend she would love to get this special buffing board as a gift , its only 19.95 ! " LOOK BITCH IM NOT PAYIN 20 BUCKS FOR SANDPAPER !! So now im walking through the mall and ive got one shinly nail and 9 normal looking ones . Im going to have to 1 . rough up the shiny one so it matches the rest . Or 2 . get caught up in her schtick 9 more times dammit . And I dont care what anyone says " Real " men dont buff their nails or get manicures or whatever . " Real " men have rough man hands with callouses and chipped nails and bleeding cuticles . So my idea of the week is to design a T - shirt to wear to the mall . Kinda like the Dave Chapelle idea . A pop - up kiosk blocker T - shirt that is universally recognized by all these poeple and lets them know to screw off . It should say something like " If you work in a kiosk - leave me alone ! " or maybe something more direct like " The voices in my head told me to come to the mall and shoot the second mother - fuker that speaks to me , do YOU really want to risk it ? " . 
Economics 101 . Minimum - wage push focusing on state level Just another reason Democrats are short sighted . Democrats are always saying that ' people need to earn a livable wage ' that the poor and uneducated need a higher minimum wage because of inflation and blah blah . Well heres the REAL scoop . Raising the minimum wage actually contributes to inflation and unemployment . Its simple business economics , the democrats are just trying to reach out to their main constituents and kiss their asses because most of them are low - wage earners and are too uneducated to see the big picture . IF the Democrats really wanted to help the people they would come up with programs to get them to stop having 5 kids by 4 dads and to get an education . But I digress .... Ok so lets say ABC company has 15 employees that make 5.15 an hour . That makes their weekly payroll 15 x 40 x $ 5.15 = $ 3090.00 . Now lets raise the minimum wage to 6.95 , 15 x 40 x 6.95 = $ 4170 . A difference of $ 1080.00 . Thats an extra 1080.00 the company has to come up with to cover payroll every week . Now what will ABC company do to cover the difference ? There are only 3 things they can do . 1 . Raise prices for their goods , which contributes to inflation and makes ALL the consumers pay . 2 . Lay off an employee , which contributes to unemployment . or 3 . reduce the hours of some of the employees to the point that they payroll can be covered , which contributes to what is called ' underemployment ' The fact is the extra cost has to come from somewhere . Imagine how much the problem is compounded if you have thousands of employees . Say like Mc Donalds or Burger King or Wal - Mart ? Now compound it more by thinking of all the companies that supply these places and pay THEIR employees minimum wage . The increased cost is passed on to Mc Donalds , Burger King , Wal - Mart , further compounding the amount these companies must increase their prices , lay off or reduce the hours of their labor to cover the costs . The fact is that raising the minimum wage only hurts people more . Especially the middle class , who dont get a raise proportionate to the raise in the minimum wage . We ALL have to pay higher prices for goods because ABC company needs to make more money to cover its payroll . So essentially its the same as our Robin Hood tax system that gives money to the poor for having 5 kids and no education . We have to pay for Sheniqua that decided to drop out of High School because she had 3 kids already and now cant make enough to support them . Its redistribution of wealth , a Socialist based economic idea . I ' ll agree 5.15 an hour is an impossible wage to live on . But raising the minimum wage isnt the answer . People need to get educated or get a skill and make something of themselves . You can actually chart over the decades how every increase in the minimum wage has caused an immediate increase in inflation . So the net result is a wash . The people make slightly more money , but the price they have to pay for rent , groceries , etc is higher . 
Im going insane . Ive been out of work for 4 months now and im losing it . Ive only recently had a few interviews out of the hundreds of resumes ive sent out . I am going completely and utterly nuts ! I sit here at home day after day and wait for the phone to ring . I stay up too late and sleep too long and sit on the couch all day and smoke . Ive gone up to almost 2 packs a day and my chest hurts and im always hot . Im just so insanely bored and stressed out . My nerves are shot and I cant concentrate . I just keep replaying memories in my head of things that have happened and choices I ' should ' have made in the past and how I ended up in this situation . I play the few interviews back in my head over and over and im so full of anxiety that I didnt say this right or I should have said that or maybe they didnt like my tie or maybe I came off as an idiot . Last week I had two second interviews with two companies and I think I blew them both . I know I blew one definately because there was a message on the machine when I got home that said , " Thank you for coming in , we appreciate the time you took to speak with us , however weve narrowed the candidates down to 3 and im afraid you werent one of them . " ARGH !!!! But at least they called and let me know . The other company hasnt called me back yet and I dont think they will . I met with the VP of Sales and Marketing and it just seemed like he thought I was trying to hard to be everything they were looking for . At the end of the interview he said , " Well I like what you had to say , were just looking for someone with at least some experience in the foods industry " To that I said , " Well I have some experience , I mean I waited tables at Landry 's in college for a while . " And he just gave me a look like ' yea , sure , ok , youre just full of it and trying to say something to get in the door . " I just cant get a damn break for anything . My unemployment benefits are going to run out soon and I have nothing going for me . I just dont understand what the problem is . I went to college like I was supposed to . I earned 2 degrees , which is more than 80 % of the workforce out there has . I just wish I had picked a better Major , or went to a different school or learned a skill or something ! The truth is that I never really liked college . I didnt even really want to go to college , but I had it programmed into me that if I didnt go to college I wouldnt be successful . I went because my parents had drilled into my head since I was in elementary school that if I didnt go to college and get a degree I would always struggle . HOW IRONIC !!! All I have ever done is struggle !! The degrees havent made a pot of piss worth of difference . Ive always had financial troubles . Im 34 fuking years old and have 1.09 in my savings account . What about a 401 k or and IRA ? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!! Im going to be a fuking ward of the state when I retire !! I finished college in 99 , after graduating High School in 1990 !!! I had alot of setbacks and alot of starts and stops but I finally did it . And what the hell has it done for me ?? NOT A FUKING THING !!! Ive got to do something soon , I guess i ' ll go back to work at Best Buy or some such shit . Evidently the degrees I have are make me qualified to say " Would you like the extended warranty for your ______ ? " UGH . 
CCAAASSSHH !!!!! Wanna make some cash ? $ 75 bucks is on the line for the month of August . There will be a post everyday of August to this blog . If you respond with a comment within 8 hrs . of the posting , that 's a point ! The person that has the most points at the end of the month wins the cash . It 's that simple ! The posts ' might be serious , silly or funny ... stop by and find out . - P . Chuck . 
Back from the country ! Hey guys , Pastor Chuck here , just saying , " Hi ! " The fam is back from Tennessee and we 're excited about this Fall , and the end of summer of course . I ' m sure you are all PUMPED to go back to school ! Anyway , I ' ll see you all Sunday ! Peace ! 
Don't Stop Fighting . 1 Timothy 6:12 says , " Fight the good fight for what we believe . " and also says , " Hold tightly to the eternal life that God has fiven you . " Sometimes we may feel like life isnt worth fighting for ... People give up everyday .. There are many reasons why we give up everyday ... - death of a loved one - Divorced parents - wasnt pretty / skinny enough - Cant make any friends - Boyfriend / girlfriend broke up with them - Family moved and lost all old friends Exodus 14:14 " The Lord will fight for you ; all you need to do is be still . " How to fight the good fight : 1 Let Jesus Fill the Void - There is an emptiness inside our hearts that only God can fill - God created us with the ability to choose life with Christ or death with this world , but He also created us with a longing and an emptiness that only He can fill . 2 Dont Stop Fighting - When your tired or lonely , dont give up on God - Dont give up on your family - Dont give up on your friends - Dont give up on school - Dont give up on relationships - Fight to remain faithful 3 Let God Fight For You - Moses and the Israelites weree escaping slavery from Egypt . The Egyptian armies were closing in on the Israelites and they began to become afraid . Moses tried to encourage them to be strong . He told them that the Lord would protect them . And of course , God did . He had Moses lift his staff toward Heaven and God parted the Red Sea . - Moses encouraged the Israelites . Some of you may want to give up of this life . Some of you may want to five up of your family , friends , and school dreams .. please dont and keep on fighting ! Bryon Keiths song , " Fight " says , " Dare you to fight , dare to you bleed . Dare you to live what you believe . Dare you to stand , dare you to scream . Dare you to be all that you can be . ' Cause when will becomes a might , fight . " Jesus offers so much , so much love , acceptance , peace , safety , friendship and much much more !! Dont stop fighting !! 
The Key to being Carefree . Hey guys , We had a great service last night . I appreciate all that came . I ' ve got a couple of 212 events I ' ll give dates and times for at the end of this post . Last night we talked about King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah . The Assyrians army and there King Sennecherib were coming for Jerusalem . Hezekiah tried twice in his own power to solve the problem at hand . Both times he failed , and then Isaiah came with a word from the Lord . He said , " The Sovereign LORD , the Holy One of Israel , says , ' Only in returning to me and waiting for me will you be saved . In quietness and confidence is your strength . But you would have none of it . ' " ( Isaiah 30:15 ) The prophet was telling the King to rest and wait in the Lord , and he ' ll come through for Jerusalem . If you read the rest of the story you ' ll see that Hezekiah took Isaiah 's advice and relied on the Lord , and the Lord didn't let him down . If you are going through something in your life and don't know what to do - give it to the Lord and rest in Him . You ' ll find peace and rest from your stresses if you ' ll rely on the Lord and trust His wisdom for your life . We can't always see what He sees and don't always know what He knows , so TRUST HIM ! ______ Friday , May 26 , 6 PM @ church We are going to go to Traxx @ Jungle Villagefor some post - school fun . They ' ve got mini golf , an arcade , go carts , batting cages , etc. Saturday , June 3 , 9 AM - 1 PM " City Reach " Carwash We ' ll be raising money for the groupgoing on our summer missions trip . Everyone is invited to help ! 3 B ' 06 June 29 - July 1 Bible / Bike / Beach Youth Retreat Cost : $ 40 for everything It 's gonna be fun !!!!!!! 
Our God is a Consuming Fire . What 's up ? Wed . night was a blessing to me and I hope it was to you , too ! If you missed it - we missed you . I just wanted to write a little note on the Lord today as a consuming fire . If you are reading this and live in Brevard County , then you know what it 's like to live near fire ... danger , smoke , roads closed , etc. Fire is nothing to be messed with . As long as we have it contained , we love it . A campfire , the fireplace , scented candles , these are all great things , but a fire that takes on a life and will of its own is a fiercely scary thing . God is compared to a consuming fire in the Bible . The Lord is not a game to be played with , much like fire is not a toy . The Lord is passionately and fiercely loving , caring , just , merciful , kind , angry at times , and many other things . God wants to consume all of you . He wants to have the first place in your life , not the second , third or tenth place . The Bible also calls our God a jealous God , and not jealous in a possessive boy / girl - friend kind of way that is petty and mean , but in a fantastically loving way . He is jealous for my time and your time , our affection , our ear . He wants to have a place of honor in our lives . He DESERVES a place of honor in our lives , b / c the Bible says that , " while we were still sinners Christ died for us . " That means that He died for me and you , before we even had a chance to accept of reject Him . He loved us so much that He would have done it for just one of us . If you have some time , search for the word fire in the Bible and see how God is described . It will be a cool study . Have a blessed day ! In His Grip , Pastor Chuck . 
Guilt . Hey 212 ers , Last night was a great night in the Lord 's presence . If you couldn't be there , we missed you . If you were sick , we prayed for you to feel better . I hope you are . Guilt is a tough subject to deal with . No one likes to feel guilty ! There are two kinds of guilt - feelings of guilt because you are indeed guilty or feelings of guilt over something you had no control over . Let 's deal with the guilty guilt first . I believe that in the life of a believer , guilt or your conscience is the work of the Holy Spirit , gently nudging us when we get off the path . Guilt is like an alarm sounding in our hearts . We ' ve done something that we know we probably shouldn't and the Lord is letting us know that it needs to be dealt with . As Doug Fields puts it , when we feel guiltly about something we should " GO " two places . The first place we should GO is to God . The Bible says in 1 John 1:9 , " If we confess our sins , he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness . " That 's a great promise . Secondly , he says we should GO to someone else . You need to find a peer of your same gender that will help keep you accountable . Someone that will ask you how you are doing and if you 're being strong in that area of tempation or sin that you are weak in . I believe you will stay straight when you know someone you care about ( and don't want to lie to ) is going to ask you hard questions about your walk with the Lord and how you are doing in certain areas . The second kind of guilty feelings can feel just as bad . They torment you and make you feel like dirt , but often are things that you could not have stopped from happening . Your parents divorce was not your fault ... The loss of a loved one was not your fault ... many things make us feel guilty , but it 's not the Lord trying to tell you something , it is the enemy of our souls trying to make you useless to God . If he ( satan ) can make you feel like you 're not worth anything , and that God is disappointed in you , then he can render you useless to God . You won't feel like God can use you , when God wants nothing more than to use you ! If you ' ve done something wrong , and confessed it to God , and asked for forgiveness , let it go ! God has forgive you and forgotten it , so you should do the same . That 's it for now ! Peace ! - P . Chuck . 
Fine Arts , etc. What 's up peeps ? Just a couple of reminders . This Saturday , March 25 , we are doind a Saturday Mission . We will be handing out lightbulbs to some of the churches neighbor 's and telling them Jesus loves them and that He is the light of the world . Meet at the church at 1 PM . Bring a few bucks and we ' ll get some food or doing something fun afterwards . Also , Fine Arts practice is this Sunday , March 26 , immediately following the morning service . Lunch will be provided so you don't have to go hungry . Everyone that wants to be involved in the Human Video needs to be there if possible . Have a great day ! - Chuck . 
What next for the Presbytery of East Iowa ? The Presbytery of East Iowa ( PEIA ) 217 th General Assembly commissioners have issued a call to the churches of our presbytery to engage in discussions , education and prayer before accepting the conclusions of others as to the meaning and implications of the Peace , Unity and Purity task force report . The PEIA commissioners , Ron Lewis , Rose Taul , Nancy Olthoff , and myself , who represent a diversity of understandings on this issue , are united in our commitment to lead the presbytery in an intentional and timely process to fully understand the implications of this decision in the life of our churches and presbytery . We will begin this process at the September 12 th Presbytery meeting and will insure that all voices in our churches have an opportunity to be involved in understanding the recommendations and seeking God 's leading . At that meeting a recommendation for a continuing process and timeline will presented . Many groups within the Presbyterian Church ( USA ) have made strong statements for and against the actions that were taken by the commissioners at the 217 th General Assembly . Some are even beginning a time of discernment as to how they should move forward . There have been many things that have caused conflict in the church over the past 2000 years and while the reasons have varied there is one thing that has not . God is still God and it is only by His grace through the death of His Son Jesus Christ that we can know Him . We need to come together regardless of personal views and let God will make a way where there is no way . Because of Him , Terry . 
A New Low : Blocking Blogging . The idioic " leaders " of the UPA Government just cannot stop making one mistake after another . Times of India reports : The Department of Telecommunications in an order to all leading Internet Service Providers ( ISP s ) ordered the blocking of popular Internet blogging sites . The premise for such a move was that that blogs were spewing communal hatred and some indulging in anti - national acts and writings . The order is not only absurd in its approach towards emerging changes on the web ; it is in fact against the entire idea that is the Internet . The Internet , the great knowledge tool , which knows no boundaries , was envisioned as the great leveler . The ability to access any information anywhere in real - time revolutionized not only the world but helped in flattening the world thereby giving developing nations like ours the competitive edge to showcase our talent and entrepreneurial skills . The web - log or blog was the natural extension of this phenomenon that extended its reach to the common user to put his thoughts and ideas out into the infinite space of the Internet . Blogging took off after the Iraq war in 2003 and has not looked back ever since . In fact , in the West , blogging has become the first source of news and information for many readers who are moving from the traditional media , whom they see as biased in their leanings and motives . The world of blogs really got recognition when Yahoo decided to introduce a news search that included blogs , thereby giving legitimacy to what was viewed earlier by mainstream media as armchair journalists trying to become the real thing . Closer home , the paranoia that has set in the government in the aftermath of the criticism it received for policies like being soft on terror , foreign policy flip - flops and reservations has made it take this rather draconian step . It seems that the government instead of trying to listen to the voice of the people wants to gag it . This is not the first time that the Congress has tried to breach the freedom of speech . The Indira Gandhi government was notorious for what it did to the media during the emergency . With remnants of the Young Turks of the time still very much present in the decision - making of this government , it is easy to see where the idea got its origins . The government fears that the communally loaded messages of some blogs are detrimental for the nation s fragile communal harmony . While one must concede that there are a few rotten apples in every sphere , to typecast blogging , per se , as being anti national , is a bit over the top . If anything , blogging initiates healthy debate , which must be encouraged in every democracy . And if the government cannot stand the heat of what its citizens have to say , then they should do a rethink on their policies rather than go after the voice that has raised an opinion . The government has also pointed out to the banning of blogs that can cause damage to relations with other nations . The reality is that a blog is just an opinion ; it does not have the power to alter the mood of a foreign nation to become hostile towards us . Rather it is politicians on both side of the divide that spread hatred towards our own citizens or other nations , a vitriolic Narendra Modi or Pravin Togadia , or a narrow minded Arjun Singh are more detrimental to this country than any blog . The UPA with this order to gag the web and trying to alter the Broadcast Bill to make it more stringent towards the media is unnecessarily venturing into areas where it is bound to face tough resistance . This at a time when they should be more concerned about the nations security and the rising tensions within its own alliance . By trying to curb freedom of expression they might ultimately manage to antagonize the last remaining support for itself and thereby hasten the downfall of its very existence with out of sync policies like blocking blogging and gagging the media .... Read more ! 
Indian maid raped for a week by Singaporean employer . As I had reported in this post one more Indian woman committed suicide in the Persian Gulf . Indian women working as maids in more civilized countries , like Singapore , are often in trouble too . Being a foreigner , not knowing who to contact to get help in times of trouble , financial pressures back home in India and the need to keep the job , and the stigma surrounding rape make Indian women an easy target for overseas employers . If India is to consider herself an emerging superpower , or at least a major Asian regional player , she has to take concrete steps to protect her people from helplessly suffering indignities of this kind . Times of India reports : Singaporean on trial for raping Indian maid SINGAPORE : An Indian maid has accused her Singaporean boss of raping her , said media reports on Tuesday . She alleged that he raped her every day for a week and threatened to strangle her and throw her down from the flat , The Straits Times reported . Sudarsanan Margasagayam , a 48 - year - old former building safety officer , faces five counts of raping the woman . The maid , a mother of three in her late 30 s , told an employment agent who placed her in the job what happened from June 1 - 7 , 2004 . A police report was made , and Sudarsanan , married with two children , was arrested . Jerome Goh , a psychiatrist at the Institute of Mental Health , diagnosed the maid with post - traumatic stress disorder and depression after the alleged attacks .... Read more ! 
Modi says terrorists have no religion . Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has said that strong laws are needed to fight terrorism , India should learn something from Israel about how to respond to terror attacks , and that the UPA Government has no clue how to fight terrorism . All three points are correct . He also said that terrorists have no religion . This statement is simply garbage . Islamic terrorists do have a religion , and they follow it very carefully . If you read the Koran , you will understand this . Every act of killing , rape , kidnapping , terror and mayhem the Islamic terrorists commit is committed because the Koran very explicitly calls for acts of such kind . It is useless to deny the truth . Rediff reports : Terrorists have no religion : Modi Sumit Bhattacharya in Mumbai | July 17 , 2006 In Mumbai to address a Bharatiya Janata Party anti - terrorism public meeting , Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that " terrorists have no religion . " " Jihadi terrorism is not Islam . Jihadi terrorism is an international threat , " the senior BJP leader insisted at a meeting to condemn the terrorist attacks in Mumbai last Tuesday that killed 200 people and left about 700 people injured . In a speech that was more like a mature statesman and less like a firebrand right - wing politician -- the Press Trust of India reported that the Maharashtra state government had warned Modi not to make any ' objectionable ' statement -- the senior BJP leader emphasised the need for strong laws to tackle terrorism . " If you ( the United Progressive Alliance government ) cannot enact POTA ( Prevention of Terrorism Act ) , allow the states to do it , " Modi said , adding that he had sent the proposal of a law for Gujarat on the lines of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act in 2004 , and that Union Home Minister " Shivraj Patil has been sitting on it . " Modi pointed out that the United States -- which he called " the drum - beater of human rights " -- had introduced the Patriot Act , the Financial Anti - terrorism Act and the Homeland Security regime after 9 / 11 , and that France and " even Japan " had enacted special laws to deal with terrorism . Modi -- who was equated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and hailed as the only Indian leader to have fought terror by each and every speaker at the meeting from Maharashtra BJP unit chief Nitin Gadkari ( second from left ) to former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde ( fifth from left , beside Modi ) -- questioned the UPA government 's " will to fight terrorism . " The Gujarat chief minister insisted that POTA -- which the UPA government scrapped as soon as it came to power in 2004 , saying the law was ' draconian ' and a ' weapon ' to target the minority community -- would boost the morale of the security forces , and send a message to the terrorists that the government was " serious about the serious issue . " " These people ( the Congress - led UPA government ) cannot send a strong signal to terrorists , let alone fight them , " Modi thundered to rousing applause from the 3,000 - strong crowd at the Shanmukhananda Auditorium . He launched a scathing attack on what he called " five - star activists " and people " brought up with foreign values , " saying , " they paint as communal whoever speaks up against terrorism . " Modi , dressed in all white , wondered when India would be " like Israel , where everyone has a fire inside him . A dream of fighting for the country . " His 90 - minute speech also focused strongly on those killed in the terrorist attacks on Mumbai . " I have come to Mumbai with a heavy heart , " the chief minister during whose reign over 1,000 people were killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots began . Towards the end , he said , " I cannot watch 200 people die . It 's not what my politics is about . " Text : Sumit Bhattacharya Photograph : Arun Patil ... Read more ! 
Israel launches ground war on Lebanon . Hats off to Israel ! They have shown the rest of the world ( especially countries with stupid and cowardly Governments like India ) that there are limits of the patience of the Civilized world with Islamic intolerance and terrorism . Hezbollah is a terrorist group based in Lebanon , armed and supported by Islamic terrorist countries Syria and Iran . Six days ago Hexbollah captured two Isralei soldiers . They thought Israel would negotiate for their release , and make some concessions . This hope was born out of Israel 's recent troubles with Palestine , where the terrorist group Hamas ( which lists the destruction of Israel as one its declared aims ) won the elections . Israel stopped paying money to the Palestine Authority ( controlled by Hamas ) , and this led to a lot of unrest . So the Hezbollah guys thought that Israel in its present weak and vulnerable position would be a good target . They were wrong . Israel values human life . The lives of their captured soldiers are important to them . They refused to take the easy way out : giving up on the soldiers ( something India has done on multiple occasions , when Indian soldiers have been captured , tortured , and killed many times by Pakistani Army , and of late very disturbingly with increasing frequency , also by Bangladeshi paramilitary forces ) . Israel pounded Hezbollah positions in Lebanon with aerial bombardments for six days . And now its has launched a full - fledged ground assault against Hezbollah . This will show the Islamic terrorists that the rest of the world will not sit quietly and silently watch them commit one outrage upon another . Their outrageous conduct will lead to swift and sure retribution . Hats off to the brave Israeli political leadership , and the brave soldiers of Israel ! May God be with you ! May secular humanist moderate liberal and modern Civilization win this grave struggle against the deadly and dangerous forces of the Medieval Age . Times of India reports : Israel changes gear , sends in ground forces BEIRUT / JERUSALEM : Israeli ground troops have entered southern Lebanon to attack Hezbollah bases on the border , a government spokesman said on Monday , even as Hezbollah patron Iran said a cease - fire and a prisoner swap were possible . Israel 's six - day - old offensive against Hezbollah following the capture of two Israeli soldiers has been an aerial campaign . The government spokesman , Asaf Shariv , said the Israeli army chief of staff confirmed that ground troops were also in Lebanon briefly . Israel has been reluctant to send ground troops into southern Lebanon , an area that officials say has been heavily mined by Hezbollah and could lead to many Israeli casualties . The militant Islamic group , meanwhile , fired rockets that flew farther into Israel than ever before . Iran 's foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki said a cease - fire and a prisoner swap would be " an acceptable and fair " deal to resolve the conflict . " In fact , there can be a cease - fire followed by a prisoner swap , " he said after talks with Syrian vice president Farouk al - Sharaa . ... Read more ! 
Until further notice , 21 Seconders is on hiatus . In the meantime , be encouraged to e - mail all of your favorite episodes to your friends and family . Thank you for all of your support . Sincerely , Skyler Saunders . 
21 Seconders Is On Break . For the remainder of this week , 21 Seconders will be on break . Do not fret , though , for all new episodes will appear next week . In the meantime , feel free to view all of the past episodes . Thanks for all of your support . Sincerely , Sky . 
My Memories of Being Homeless Of Hope . In this civilization that we have created and , of which we are caught in its momentum , can we ever completely do away with homelessness ? I doubt it , because who must we actually blame for the conditions leading to homelessness ? Ultimately , both society and the transient individual bear responsibility for homelessness . No society can claim to be so perfect , that none of its citizens are omitted from its success . On the other hand , and with the exception of children , no mentally - sound individual can escape the reality that they also play a crucial role in controlling their own aspirations and indulgences . There is no such thing in this world as a utopia and no such thing as a saint . We cannot always rely on the kindness of people , such as Mr. Behi and his wife or Gail Sacco , to alleviate the pains of homelessness . What we can do , is to be comfortable demanding , and paying , a livable wage to people so that they remain a viable economic unit in our society . Additionally , having strong federal programs to aid homeless shelters , along with their affiliated medical programs , is just as important . You understand , of course , that a federal program is our way of expressing compassion . It is our way of acknowledging that not all members of society benefit from our economic endeavors but , we will certainly provide them sustenance , if only they will remain hopeful of , and strive for , a better future . Is this just wishful thinking ? Perhaps but I think I ve earned it . - Just a peasant Previous posts on homelessness : The Predators - Of Food - Of Life - Of Despair Soup kitchen line in the US , during the Great Depression , 1932 . From the Civilian Conservation Corps . 
Collective Punishment . " To kill the big rats , you have to kill the little rats . " - Hutu radio political commentator in Rwanda - 1994 . Collective punishment is not self - defense . Collective punishment is an act of violence propagated against an entire local population for the acts of a few of its members . Collective punishment is also the automatic dismissal of due process of law which requires that the individuals responsible for an act of violence are actually the ones prosecuted for said act . Collective punishment allows destroying the property of people and killing them , although they may have had absolutely no knowledge of the crime . Collective punishment is certainly not new as ancient religious texts are decorated with stories of collective punishments and the modern examples are also quite plentiful . The Germans collectively punished Jewish people , as seen in the Warsaw Ghetto pictured above , on a massive scale during the years of World War II. The Germans also collectively punished the civilians of Oradour - sur - Glane for the actions of the French resistance in 1944 . In the 1950 s , the British used collective punishment against civilians in Cyprus and Malaysia . Economic sanctions are also a form of collective punishment since it is the civilians that will suffer for the transgressions of those in power who inevitably remain secure by force of arms . Yet governments are not the only groups guilty of the tactics of collective punishment . In Rwanda , armed Tutsi groups used collective punishment against Hutu men , women and children . The attacks on the World Trade Center , Madrid , London , and Mumbai are all forms of collective punishment . The point being , that even if every single person killed or maimed , had been guilty of the crimes of which they were accused by Al - Qaeda and others , not a single one of them was given due process of law and therefore , their human rights were violated . Even the Oklahoma City bombing was a collective punishment as it is highly unlikely , that the 19 children killed in the blast , had participated in any FBI enforcement operations that were so offensive to the convicted bombers . Let us try to move past the obvious point of Israel s latest aggression which is that , it is a clear violation of Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention , specifically forbidding collective punishment . Let us try to move past the fact that suicide bombers , associated with Hamas and Fatah , are guilty of collective punishment when they kill Israeli civilians . And of course , we must move past the fact that Hezbollah is also guilty of collective punishment when they fire missiles into Israeli towns . All modern warfare is collective punishment . Prior to the 20 th century , civilian casualties , related to an actual set - piece battle , were approximately 1 in 10 . By World War II , one - half of conflict casualties were civilians , and by the 21 st century , 90 % of all casualties were civilians . These numbers do not include all the civilians affected by ruined infrastructure , latent unexploded ordinance , starvation , and disease . This is of course , influenced by the increased destructive capabilities of weapons and the uniform acceptance of urban centers as valid military targets . Therefore , all modern warfare is collective punishment because , any time a modern weapon is applied for the purpose of inflicting collateral damage , every civilian killed is cheated of due process of law and of their human rights . They are paying for the transgressions of others . To embrace collective punishment as a form of self - defense against an opponent is to validate its use by an opponent against you . Plain and simple . - Just a peasant . 
Old Dog . In a single remark , without malice , he reminds me I am no longer young ; my words can no longer seduce . I am an old dog , lying quietly , refusing to chase cars ; and by this I am judged . For every love he has dreamed , I have lived seven . But what use are the stars when my eyesight has failed ? My friend s years are marked by candles in a cake ; mine - by faces of lovers forever gone by . To potential mates he brings wilting flowers for a vaseor scented candles for their kitchen counter . He does not know , to their hearts , I once brought fire ; and even recklessly brought despair . Does he know their eyes when trust has been betrayed ? Does he know the pain to see them in another s embrace ? Will he sacrifice everything for them just to win nothing ? Could he ever know how often this has been me ? To some woman , he will still give confident speecheson the proper conduct for her humor and her discontent . While I myself , have become speechless before her kindness ; as I am speechless before her fury . Removing her soft dress with a kiss in the dying shadows , he will believe that making love begins in the bedroom . Yet I have seen , it is in the dancing lights of the other roomswhere her passion for you truly takes root . To most men , the only important words a woman desires , will simply and always be - I love you . But I have learned , the hard way , the most important wordswill always be - I m sorry . - Just a peasant . 
When Love Dies . When we are young we seldom realize that , for as many loves we create , just as many will die . We do not reflect on all those things that must come to an end . I am no exception . A single phrase I mentioned to a friend the other day suddenly brought back a long lost memory . It stemmed from a robbery at a sandwich shop I was working at when I was about twenty - five . However , it s actually not the robbery that I wanted to speak of , but of something more important that happened afterward . I walked home that night after the robbery and , when I came into the apartment , my girlfriend said a detective had called . I think she was a bit concerned that I had somehow caused some trouble somewhere . That was not the case of course , and it was simply that I was the store manager that night and , besides the one hostage , I was the one who had dealt with the gunman . The call was from the police detective who had questioned me after the robbery and he was just following up on a question . When I got off the phone I went into the room where my girlfriend was sitting on the couch and the conversation went like this : Girlfriend : What happened ? Me : I got robbed at the store tonight . Girlfriend : Oh . And that was it . She turned back to the television and never asked me another thing about that night . It was clear that she was not interested or concerned . I suppose I could have asked her if she wanted to know more , but I didn t say anything . After a while , I just stared at the floor - and reflected . As is usual for me it seems , during robberies or facing the perils of love , I was not outwardly upset , but I think most people reading this would understand what I must have felt like inside . It is hard to face the dawning realization that the person you hold so dear , does not really care too much about you any more . There is an awful taste , when love dies , that seems to suddenly swell up inside of you or maybe it s just the salt in all those tears that you keep inside and refuse to cry . Either way , I still stuck around with her for a couple of months afterwards , trying to convince myself that I was wrong . You have to understand robberies happen all the time , but Love doesn't . Nonetheless , I had been correct on the night of the robbery and I should have realized it then . Eventually , I quietly went my own way . - Just a peasant Photo from the galleries of Wade Heninger . 
In My Middle Years . In my middle years , on the air of the fading summer , I can still smell the immortalityof my shallow adolescence . In my middle years , on the air of the fading summer , I can still hear the whispersof heroic deeds never performed . In my middle years , on the air of the fading summer , I can still taste honeysuckle leaves , sweet with delusions of uniqueness . In my middle years , on the air of the fading summer , I m forced to seek melancholy comfortin wild blackberries and dusty grapes . In my middle years , on the air of the fading summer , I vainly grope for tomorrow 's dewdropsbecause I cannot touch yesterday 's river . - Just a peasant Painting : Wheatstacks ( End of Summer ) by Claude Monet . 
I ' m Going To Hell . Today , I was thinking about intolerance here in America and in other places . It has so many flavors but where does it come from ? During my life , I have been damned to biblical Hell , not once , not twice , but four times . I have been damned to Hell for being a heavy metal musician , a scientist , a humanist , and even a Dungeon Master . The need to feel unique is what drives people to believe that they are on the cutting edge of civilization s progress and that they , alone , are capable of understanding and protecting the institutions of their society . It is from this lust for uniqueness that people draw their human identity . Intolerance is born from their efforts to insulate these institutions from change because any people , that are physically or intellectually different , are considered a threat to the survival of the institution . These different people are then dehumanized so that either , they cannot reasonably participate in the institution or , so that they can be more easily isolated and eliminated . Intolerance therefore , is the manifestation of dehumanizing people . We do not tolerate those who are not human . The first time that I was damned to Hell , I was just seventeen years old . A girl that I had dated , just twice , declared that I was going to Hell because I played Dungeons Dragons BEST GAME EVER ! 
Israel s new war . Yossi Halevi writes a good article in The New Republic about the current military actions of Israel . ( http : // www . tnr . com / doc . mhtml ? i = w 060710 s = halevi 071206 ) I support the current Israel policy of unilateral disengagement and this article talks about very solid arguments in support of such policy . Hamas and Hezbollah clearly want war with Israel and Israel is working on what they want . But as this article and many media stories have reported , the real enemy this time is Iran . The end game of this new war is likely to be in terms of confrontation of Israel with Iran . High oil prices have emboldened Iran to pursue now aggressive policies and attacks of Hamas and Hezbollah are likely to have complete backing from Iran . The key question is what would America do to contain Iran . As of now , America s pre - occupation with Iraq war and unwillingness of Russia and China to help in any way to evolve consensus to deal with Iran ; chances are dim . This mean Israel will eventually act on its own . But it is not clear whether strategic balance is there in today s world where Israel can pull off victory like 1967 in today s world . In other words , comparatively Israel does not seem to have enough military power to take on Hamas , Hezbollah and destruction of Iranian nuclear weapons program and their active help . This means decks are lot against Israel this time and there will be no other option for USA than to get involved in this conflict eventually possibly to face Iran head on . The problem will be that participation of USA will be more of forced one at late stage rather than pre planned involvement to drive maximum resolution of the conflict . Hence , neglect of USA involvement and lack of explicit backing to Israel will eventually cost USA and the world lot . It is imperative that USA gets involved in this conflict decisively and quickly . Umesh Patil San Jose , CA 95111 July 12 , 2006 . 
2006 FIFA World Cup Conclusion . Slowly Europe and rest of the world will come to senses now that the party is over . All praise to Germany for what seems like hosting a great tournament . What is the beef with that guy named Franz Beckenbauer ? Seems like he is always on the positive and winning side of the great game called football ! Other games would envy when would they get their Beckenbauers . German team also achieved great success and the whole feel about the team , the nation and the game was very positive and refreshing . Rarely a sports phenomenon has achieved such a positive spirit . Hopefully Chinese organizers attain some of that positive spirit in Beijing 2008 Olympics . Unpredictability in football is the only predictable thing . French played all through a great game in the final , but could not lift the trophy . Two chances late in the game were sensational for French one just before Ribery came out when he took the shot at the goal post and the second chance of Zidane s header . Buffon made great save and in a sense Italy won their cup right then and there . Great deal of media ink and attention will be spilled about Zidane s red card . But it is pretty obvious that missing the header moments before made him frustrated and angry . Of course there is no way to justify his behavior . Hitting the player in chest was senseless and that was the psychological blow French were unlikely to overcome , for that matter any team . What a sad spectacle for Zidane , French and in the end for World Football . FIFA would have had an egg on it 's face if Zidane was not expelled at that time . It is quite likely that he may be further punished or prosecuted . The only thing it demonstrates is in the end hero s are humans too who can make mistake . Hopefully the world media does not go overboard in berating Zidane and gives due credit to what he has achieved in his life time . The incident was bad but that single incident does not erase all of his achievements over many years . FIFA needs to worry about what is a better way to avoid penalty kicks in the final . It is disgrace to decide the final in penalty kicks . Hopefully as the FIFA management has said , they would brain storm and come up with better solutions to this problem . Other than that , FIFA stock is rising and at the moment it is at the zenith of its popularity , power and sheer afterglow . We will see what happens in next 4 years when FIFA kicks the next world cup in S . Africa . One thing will be sure - Europeans will unlikely to dominate that tournament . As England team said , cup in Europe was the best chance for England and European teams to win . Italians clinched it . Their defense , as usual , was great and they won that basis . Something is quite electrifying in staging a physical activity of 22 players which is watched all over the world by Billion people the game in the same stadium where Hitler organized his 1936 Olympics . Rest of the world does get the message Germany , Europe and the whole world has come a long way on a better road . Let us keep walking on this good road . Umesh Patil San Jose , CA 95111 July 9 , 2006 . 
Global Warming and Conservative Response . It has been very shameful on respected columnists like George Will and Charles Krauthammer who have been doubting the science behind the Global Warming . What is bad is for these intellectuals there is no reason to be blind towards developing challenges apart from simple ideological biases Global Warming is an issue earlier raised by Environmentalists and Liberal and that is it it must be wrong then for these ideologues . Now that Congress authorized body National Science Foundation has come up with the clear scientific report ; it is hard for Congress to ignore this developing crisis . ( http : // news . yahoo . com / s / ap / 20060622 / ap _ on _ sc / global _ warming and http : // www . sfgate . com / cgi - bin / article . cgi ? f = / c / a / 2006 / 06 / 23 / WARMING . TMP type = science ) Congress asked that body specifically to guide and now they have spoken . Hopefully all these conservative columnists now realize their foolishness and start working on how to address the problem on hand . There in lies the fundamental problem . Before scientific community to come back with emphatic evidence , these intellectuals doubted the science . Now they are going to doubt about any remedy proposed . Their argument will what Pres . Bush has been arguing jobs will be lost and average Americans will suffer if we start to address the Global Warming issue . As if there are no sane policies with minimal to zero job impact . Otherwise also , what do you do then ? Keep allowing this catastrophe to develop and blame it on Liberals and Sinners of this world ? It is quite possible that Pat Robertson will soon issue fatwa to kill all Gay people as a remedy to avoid Global Warming . So the way political story is going to develop in next few years is Conservatives as the true care takers of general employable people of America and Karl Roves of the world will portray Democrats as job killers ! It will not stop there as is the wont of Norquist politicians ; Republicans will find more avenues of Tax Cuts under the pretext of combating Global Warming . It is bound to happen . What needs to happen is to explain American public whose profits may get impacted by policies to combat Global Warming and what adjustment common Americans will have to do . Common people will do what is needed , provided all the ideological debates and wasted interests are bare open . That is the need of the hour going forward now that science behind Global Warming is on solid grounds . Umesh Patil San Jose , CA 95111 June 25 , 2006 . 
Advani Hammers . As decades and time passes , we are having less and less leaders who fought Indira s Black Hole Emergency Rule . It is like what it used to be when I was in schools slowly and but surely all the Freedom Fighters were going away . With that India slowly forgot or put their heroic struggle in the collective history consciousness depending upon your perspective . We are witnessing similar march of Time regarding India s leaders who fought against Indira s Emergency . Thus Advani hammering Congress during the Save Democracy Day comes at appropriate time . One does not need to remind his qualifications to hammer his criticism of Congress in this regard . His point is essentially true Congress is incapable of thinking rulers away from Nehru - Gandhi family . True India had Rao and Dr. Singh is the current Prime Minister . But overwhelming power today still vests with Sonia . Dr. Singh is modern day avatar of appointed vazir of Her Majesty , Empress Sonia in this case . Add to this pathetic clamor of Congress people for Rahul and Priyanka and then Advani s argument rings the bell . There is political tone to Advani s talk , but that is what we want from our Opposition Party fearless criticism of the ruling class . BJP leaders were right to point the heavy handed way of Congress Government in regards to last year s Bihar Assembly fiasco . Congress has a long way to get away from these imperial tendencies which it exhibits on many occasions . We all are waiting for a day when Congress Plenary Session passes the resolution to condemn emergency ; apologies to masses for all those oppressive acts ; renounces such dictatorial policies ; vows never to repeat such actions in future and lays down concrete organizational measures to avoid such pitfalls in future ( to the extent possible ) . Congress must create an organization environment where those who do not come from Nehru Gandhi family are not handicap in pursuing legitimate leadership aspirations . Till then India needs from time to time reminder about emergency as how Advani spoke . The worry is whether we will have young Indian population enough learned about this thing called emergency and true significance of that ? With all the hallabol of Globalization , Money and Mandal ; one wonders if that precious little we always remain vigilant for our rights , freedom and Democracy will be lost on India s young and energetic youth . On this day we pray that it does not happen . As they say , we should never forget what happened 23 years back . Umesh Patil San Jose , CA 95111 June 25 , 2006 . 
Better Party to Execute the War . If Republicans and Karl Rove were to have maturity in not bragging Zarqawi killing as proof of working of Pres . Bush s Iraq war , America would not have come to this not so happy stage . Karl Rove and House Republicans are back to the game of equating Iraq war as larger War on Terrorism and exploiting electoral advantages there off . Let us look at the big picture of what America has achieved so far in this Iraq war : Positives : - Saddam gone and one remote possibility of nuclear proliferation contained . Negatives : - Loss of 2500 American lives and many more possibly to come in future . - Loss of around Half Trillion dollars ( $ 500 Billion ) on the avoidable war . - Dropping of a ball from the larger picture of War on Islamic Fundamentalism and War on Terrorism . - Degradation of American Army . - International loss of America s credibility and no attention to many other pressing Foreign Policy issues . With this balance sheet , for any political leadership to contend that Iraq War has been beneficial to America is plain simple wrong . By now the original Neo Con thesis of Democracy in itself good and answer for rogue states is enough discredited that no one believes this thesis . Further , whom are we kidding if we say that Iraq is well on the path of stable Democracy ? The country still has the same danger of civil war and division what it was before Zarqawi killing . The road is long and mostly actions are on the part of Iraqi s themselves . And of course , while all the cost benefit analysis is going on ; how do you account for the false premise ( of WMD ) on which the war was sold principally to American people and then to the world ? Explaining all this to American people is the only way to call the bluff of Karl Rove : - The war was started on wrong premises , by deceiving America . - Purported benefits do not justify the cost paid so far . - Equating Iraq war with War on Terror is wrong since these two are different things . The question is what do we do now . Rove is hammering Democrats by portraying them as the political party which does not have gumption to execute the war ; they want to cut loose and run and only Republicans can do this job . The way Democrats need to reply is yes , America will not cut and loose as long as Iraqi s do not engage in Civil war but do Americans want to trust Republicans to run the remaining war again ? It needs to be reminded that inability of America to wind up Iraq war is squarely fault of Pres . Bush and then why Americans in right mind want to trust Republican leadership in prosecuting the remaining war ? Even after all the lying and bad execution ? The only way a right political opposition can rise to Rove s games is when alternating political force convinces public of it s savvy to execute the remaining Iraq war ( and to pull out if Iraq Civil War starts ) and the overall War on Terrorism . What Americans need to know is Pres . Bush s insistence in continuation of Iraq policy and backing of Republicans to that policy is more a function of keeping up their political power rather than any welfare of America . There is no other alternative other than questioning Pres . Bush s integrity here . In absence of that Rove s cunning ploy will succeed yet another time . Since many political opponents of Pres . Bush backed his Iraq policy at start , even at some political cost ; it will be hard now to label these opponents as political opportunists . Political opportunism is more manifested by Pres . Bush and his party . Umesh Patil San Jose , CA 95111 June 17 , 2006 . 
THE DEAF JEDI DUELS WITH TIME . THE DEAF JEDI DUELS WITH TIMEMy good friend Stephen Newell , ( a . k . a . " The Deaf Jedi " ) author of the blog entitled " The Silent Holocron , " aparently thinks silence is the cure all for everything -- including aging . In a last ditch effort to save planet Youth , the Deaf Jedi employed the oft - tryed and oft - foiled strategy of remaining silent about his birthday yesterday . But who could blame him ? He 's 29 years old and the " Big Three - O " looms ominously on the horizon ( a scary thought for any mortal ) . Not to mention the fact that the aging warrior probably felt ill - equiped to deal with the onslaught of years -- especially in light of the fact that Southern doesn't offer a class in geriatrics . In the end , however , April 25 th came and went , and time won . Nothing but wheelchairs and shuffleboard from here on out brother . But seriously folks , this light saber wielding UPSer is awsome !! He 's just no match for the Sith Lord Father Time . But I have an idea that might make him feel better . Let 's all sing a song to commemorate his time here on planet earth . Ready . . . . . . And : Happy Birthday to you ! Happy Birthday to you ! Happy Birthday dear Stepheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen !! *** GAAASP ! *** Happy Birthday to you ! Grace and Peace , Shane Morgan . 
I heard Hasselhoff is going to release a record with Ice - T as producer . In that spirit , I am going to republish my KITT facts -- . Related news : Hasselhoff : Too drunk ?? Or too sick ??? to fly ... I would think he would not drink after that Palm Springs ordeal ... ( Inspired by the Web page , " K . I. T . T . Is the One . " ) Photo of K . I. T . T . available HERE . Blogger is hosing me again !! ) 1 ) There were Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq . KITT detonated them them -- with a crash in the desert . Due to KITT 's " Molecular Bonded Shell , " he received only two paint scratches . He took himself to Earl Scheib the next day and had them fixed with touch - up paint .2 ) KITT went to Jiffy Lube and got an oil change and a new air filter . He then decided to go all out , and get his fuel injection cleaned for an extra $ 20 . Three miles away , a sleeping Michael Knight got a hard - on .3 ) Rocco Siffredi drove KITT to a porn set . The actresses said they would perform for free , if they could drive KITT for just five blocks afterwards . The movie won 6 AVN awards , due to the enthusiasm of the performances .4 ) The city of Berlin , Germany has passed a law making it illegal for KITT and Hasselhoff to sing a duet in the city limits . They are afraid the rocks of the Berlin Wall will reassemble themselves .5 ) When KITT turns on the " Turbo Boost , " a nun driving him will have multiple orgasms .6 ) KITT went to the Baywatch set with Hasselhoff , to audition for a role as a dune buggy . The producers were afraid the Baywatch Babe lifeguards would leave a drowning man in the water , to give KITT mouth - to - mouth resuscitation by popping his hood and sucking on his carburetor .7 ) KITT and KARR ( his evil twin ) used to be friends . Their favorite prank was to take turns having sex with a Buick Elektra ; not telling her they are two different cars .8 ) If Michael Knight calls a " 900 - number " on the " Comlink wrist communicator , " the phone sex operator pays him ...9 ) KITT told Mac Gyver he was feeling sick . Mac Gyver took his temperature -- with a thermometer he has in his Swiss Army Knife . Mac Gyver gave KITT a tune - up . He made the spark plugs out of two wire coat hangers , a plastic milk carton , a cigarette lighter , and five cans of strawberry Fanta .10 ) KITT told Mac Gyver his show was about to be cancelled . So Mac Gyver made the Stargate . Out of some baling twine , three wire coat hangers , a broken radio , some duct tape , and six cans of grape Fanta .11 ) Rocco Siffredi drove KITT from California to Indiana to pick up chicks , in " Super Pursuit Mode . " The number of female orgasms produced the first day Rocco Siffredi and KITT were there inspired a race : " The Indianapolis 500 . " 12 ) Every time KITT skids in the California desert , a baby angel is born .13 ) YOU take Viagra . KITT takes Gumout with an STP Gas Treatment - chaser .14 ) People say , " All roads lead to Rome . " KITT knows , " All roads lead to a crash in the desert . " ( Taken from , " K . I. T . T . Is The One . " ) 15 ) The US Civil War did not OFFICIALLY end until KITT got the General Lee ( from Dukes of Hazzard ) to sign surrender papers at Appomattox . They toasted the agreement with a case of chilled STP Gas Treatment , served in champagne flutes .16 ) Feeling guilty he was injured in a car wreck , KITT gave Esteban 12 free guitar lessons .17 ) Mac Gyver and KITT had a child through artificial insemination . We know him today as Mr. Goodwrench . 
Today 's topic : . Can you trust your mistress ?? ( The Hottest Female in the United States , bar none !! Don't even try -- Ms. Hottie Mc Hottenstein -- to be hotter than this Hottie !! Nobody 's mistress , but after the makeup , wardrobe , and lighting team get there , we wish !! Wait -- she 's holding a dollar . I would park her car , for one thing , if that 's a tip !! ) ( Erratum : I stated above that Eva Longoria is the Hottest Woman in the United States . She is really the Hottest Woman ALIVE ... my apologies ! I am working with a limited research team here -- Rosie Palm and her five daughters . DEAD Women who are hotter than Eva Longoria include , but are not limited to : Jayne Mansfield , Mae West , Dorothy Dandridge , Josephine Baker , and Lillian Gish . God forbid , if something should happen to Eva Longoria ; Jessica Alba will become the Hottest Woman Alive . Should something happen to Jessica Alba , U.S. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert will become the Hottest Woman Alive . After that , consult the U.S. Constitution ... ) . 
Effective Hummer Commercial ( But Aren't They All ?? ) . Hummers interest me as a marketing guy for the same reason that Jeeps and Tang Breakfast Drink and Space Food Sticks do : They are a successful product wholly researched and designed by the US government , with no market testing , focus groups , demographic research , or any of the other " bells not Ruben Studdard in an Escalade ... I mean , I don't even want to think about a Mack truck ... ) I assume that you would want to put premium gasoline in a brand new Hummer , and at the last Georgia Texaco pump I drove by , that 's $ 3.25 per gallon . And Georgia is one of the better states to buy gas in , due to low tax and proximity and piping to New Orleans . And a Hummer gets -- what -- 9 miles per gallon ? " Wait , " you say , " it says 16 miles per gallon on the sticker ! " If you believe that sticker , you will believe that Santa Claus fills your gas tank at night while the Easter bunny checks your oil and the Tooth Fairy leaves a quarter in your seat cushion . That " 16 miles per gallon " means that a professional driver driving one of the three stick shift Hummers they made , on a level closed course in Pahrump , Nevada in the Winter with only a lizard to stop for and no traffic lights . And the air conditioner off ... and the wind blowing behind the Hummer . So selling Hummers -- barring a picture of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad giving Ehud Olmert a " hummer " on the front page of tomorrow 's New York Times -- means " working for a living . " In that context , the current Hummer commercial in heavy rotation is interesting : A limousine liberal , Caucasian upper middle - class woman is waiting with her daughter at a bus stop . She practically has " I Voted for Kerry " tattooed on her forehead . But then again , she would not think of ever getting a tattoo ... The bus pulls up and daughter starts getting on . Rude passenger butts in front of Mommy . Mommy says , " Hey , I was in line ! " Passenger employs that famous urban Darwinian skill of " pretending she didn't hear something . " It 's up there with " pretending not to look at anyone . " Is the " friendly " bus driver going to sucker punch the rude passenger and give her a lesson in etiquette ? I am not holding my breath ... that bus driver will close the doors and look straight ahead if Mommy has a coronary . Will Mommy even make it on the bus ? If not , will Little Muffy make the ride alone ... the ride to the white slave market in Kathmandu , I guess ?? Where she will be auctioned off to turn six tricks a day for the rest of her life ?? Cut to Mommy and Muffy riding in a new Hummer . I guess Mommy made it on the bus -- then made it straight to a Hummer dealership the next day . Mommy turns and smiles at Muffy , her hands on the cushioned leather steering wheel -- inches from the climate control and the quadrophonic stereo -- whose Bose speakers are gently bumpin ' Lite Soft Rock All - Fleetwood Mac 99.9 FM . The rude Proletariat bitch at the bus stop will not penetrate this Hummer -- not even with a hand grenade tossed under its chassis . Oh , yeah -- and if there is any piss on the seats in the Hummer , it is Muffy 's and not some wino who went a little heavy on the Wild Irish Rose . ( Read that link . Wild Irish Rose is now available in , " Wild Fruit with Ginseng . " Why , exactly , do we want to give schizophrenic winos an aphrodisiac ?? ) Message ? " We know you want to save the planet , Mommy . But do you and Muffy really want to travel with the ' Great Unwashed ' every day , when you could be bumpin ' in a Hummer ? " It 's one thing to attend some rally and hug a tree . It 's another thing to rub elbows with the Untouchable caste on public transportation when you are a Brahmin . Or at the very least a Ksatriya ... ( The Zen Wizard is a Brahmin , but was a Ksatriya in a previous incarnation . ) . 
What is your favorite opening paraph from any work of fiction ? I saw this on someone else 's page ; I think it was Pomgirl 's . Anyway , when you do this , you get some really cool stuff . What is your favorite paragraph from any work of fiction ? Are you stuck ?? START HERE ... Here 's mine : " There was a desert wind blowing that night . It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch . On nights like that every booze party ends in a fight . Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husband 's necks . Anything can happen . You can even get a full glass of beer at a cocktail lounge . " It 's from " Red Wind , " by Raymond Chandler -- a short story . What 's YOURS ?? " Copy " " Paste " it in the " Comments ! " Parenthetically , a while later a bartender gives Marlowe a full glass . This dialogue ensues : The kid said : " I don't like drunks in the first place and in the second place I don't like them getting drunk in here , and in the third place I don't like them in the first place . " " Warner Brothers could use that , " I said . " They did . " ##### . 
Whats on in July . Music nights for the rest of July are Jules Barnes Tuesday 18 th Helen Wednesday 19 th from 8 pm - 11 pm Kirsty Baird Wednesday 26 th from 8 pm - 11 pm Steve Wilson Thursday 27 th from 8 pm - 11 pm Jed Monday 31 st 8 pm - 11 pmand on Monday the 24 th Pub quizfrom 8 pm . 
Steve Wilson Live . Thursday night at the Hogshead , Castle Street was busy . The mix of regulars and tourists in almost equal numbers . One couple I spoke to were up from Birmingham for a weeks holiday and it was their second night in the pub . They had been drawn in by the fact there was live music on . ( They had been in on Tuesday listening to Jules . ) Steve Wilson was the draw for a lot of customers last night . With a standard of delivery of a true professional Steve entertained his audience with a mix from one of the largest range of covers I ' ve ever known a pub singer to perform . From Lynard Skynard to Coldplay Steve will probably know it , sing it , and most of all sing it well . Truth be told I hadn't expected music last night , I ' d gone in for one beer on a hot night on my way home . But I stayed well past the time I should have been on my way home . I ' m certain I ' ll make a date , and I ' ll advise you to do so to for the next night Steve Wilson 's on at the Hogshead . 
Jules Barnes Live . Jules Barnes singer / song writer once again wowed another audience . This time The Hogshead Castle Street . With her great personality , style and incredible voice Jules once again had the people watching and others not , taping along to her own songs and her covers of popular songs to numerous to mention . Lets just say Michael Jackson , Don Mclean , Dido and Sarah Mclaughlin all were given the Jules Barnes touch . Even the German tourists stayed after their meal and enjoyed another couple of drinks , and the music on offer on Tuesday night . A few beers later I could so easily got up there to to sing , and I definately shouldn't . Such is the way the night went . Look forward to Jules in the future I ' m sure she ' ll be back with avengance . 
A Photographic Invasion . ( The Last Picture Show ) . August 2006 . The 60 th anniversary of the Edinburgh Fringe . The sixth year of Smallbrowns photographic exhibition and the second in the Hogshead Castle street . All the hustle and bustle of life on the High street captured on film and displayed on the walls of the Hogshead Castle Street . From the famous to the imfamous all there to be seen . If you ' ve not seen it , this is your last chance , don't miss it ! Scared to venture down the High street at Festival time , see it all in one exciting venue . The pick of stage and street shows captured on film . A visual feast for anyone with an interest in photography , and even those that aren't . All photographs Andrew Brown . 
Emily 's New Gaff ! Greetings from The Hogshead , Castle Street . Emily Harvey of The Chanter fame is now the new manager of the Hogshead , Castle Street . All her staff and regulars from Bread Street I ' m sure would like me like to wish her well in her new , but not to far away to pop in for a drink , pub . 
With a Castle View . Earlier this year following Ireland 's lead Scotland became a smoke free zone in all places of business . For those of us who still love the French Cafe society the Hogshead , Castle street offers out door seating , with an incredible view of the Castle and the hustle and bustle of life on Castle Street , Rose Street and Princes Street . And covered seating when Scotland , just doesn't live up to the French Riviera . 
What 's on the menu ? Well the Hogshead , Castle street offers not only the standard of food you come to expect at one of their great pubs , but a traditional Scottish menu for those from all over the world who fancy the chance to try something a little different like Haggis , neeps and tatties . And the Fantastic Meal Deal is again another great reason to stop off and try pub fare in the Hogshead Castle Street . Two Meals for 6.95 * * selected menu . 
This thing called life is really something . Tuesday after work I had another interview , for another position . This time though , I think I have a bit of an edge on the rest . You see , the company I am applying to work for used to be merged with my dad 's company , House of Graphics . They were in the same building for the longest time , and all treated me like family . The interview was great , somewhat of a reunion with those fellas . The facility is brand new , with state of the art equipment . The attitude of the company and it 's employees is completely positive , which is a huge contrast to the current environment I am in . They offer a 401 k plan and benefits , it 's like heaven ! After we talked for almost an hour and a half I thanked him , jumped in my car and drove home . He called me back yesterday afternoon and had one question for me ... Are you dependable ? I quickly answered yes , and he followed by telling me that they are extremely interested in having me work for them . Then he asked me to come in Monday when I get done working , to see if we can't help each other and work something out ! Needless to say I squeezed out a few more thank yous , hung up the phone and started dancing around like a little elf ! I am usually one who doesn't like to buy the whole ' things happen for a reason ' theory ... But at times like this I have to wonder . I mean it turns out that not getting the last job I applied for could have been the best thing that happened to me . Hindsight is always 20 / 20 I guess . 
Pink everywhere , and I am starting to like it ! My fiance had her shower this past weekend and now my house is invaded by groups of pink dresses and outfits , pink car - seats , pink bags - you get the idea . We found out officially that we are having a baby girl last Friday , which cost me $ 100 dollars ( we had a small side bet to try and lighten things up a bit ) but brought me an overwhelming amount of happiness ! I wasn't set on know what the baby 's sex is , but my better half thought that it would be nice to know to avoid all yellow gifts and such . I just want the child to be healthy , all 10 fingers and all 10 toes ! In spite of the pink invasion , Jordan and I will be making a stop by the brand new Super Walmart ( like most are , conveniently located 2 blocks from the old Walmart that is now empty - another day another blog ) to represent our hood . 
I ' m typically not one to give advice on how to pick up women . This morning I came into work and had a huge stack of papers in front of my computer with a sticky note from my boss that read : Chase , please see me on this right away . It 's not as bad as it looks . Assuming that I ' d be doing 4 hours of typesetting I slowly dragged my body to my boss ' office . However she was right , there was just a few lines here and there that needed re - typed . The booklet is called " Wedding Alternatives " and it a guide to planning your wedding without using the commercially prescribed aspects that seem to distract from the truly important things about marriage and a wedding . It brings up a lot of good points , so if you 're getting married this is definitely worth checking out . Saturday I stopped by a friends wedding reception for a few hours , to find all of my high school friends drunk as could be ! The reception area was decorated nicely , with plenty of snacks and alcohol . One of my best friends , Jon , was pretty intoxicated to say the least . I made the mistake of telling him a friend of my fiance was in town and staying at my place . He has had a little crush on her for a while , and that can be trouble when a guy has had as much as he had to drink . After relentless requests from him to go out to my house with me , I caved in . We got to the house and I told him , " Just play it cool ... She 's sober as a nun right now , you don't want to do anything stupid . " . Jon gave me a look as if he were saying , " Chase , would I do that ? " and yes , he would .20 minutes into our little party , we were in the middle of a conversation I hear Jon say , " I think I could puke " . Now , I didn't really have a set of rules of what not to say that I followed when hitting on women , but I am positive that if I did this would be at the top ! Needless to say , Jon went home alone that night . 
Note to self - Get running shoes . Do you ever wish that you could see things before they actually happen ? You know , to stop something bad from happening ? I do . Last night was one of those nights . As mentioned before I was subbing for a friend at golf league , and it was great ! We were having a blast , I played fairly well and it was beautiful weather for golfing . Afterwards we had a little food and another beer inside and somehow it started . A friend who applied for the same position I had , and didn't get the job either was constantly talking about how ' he ' got robbed . Finally I just said ( regrettably ) that I was confident when he told me that it was between us , because I know quite a bit more about graphic design and marketing than he does . I couldn't have said anything worse . We had both been drinking and after I said that the night took a turn for the worse . Long story short - there was a big argument , a lot of shit was said and we ending up going at it for a second . I had a friend pick me up because my car wouldn't start ( my security system is messed up , sometimes it thinks the car is being stolen and doesn't allow gas to pump out ) and went home . After venting on the phone , trying to call and explain that I didn't mean it as a malicious attack on him I decided to take a run and get my car . Some might say , " Chase , running at 1 in the morning after you ' ve been drinking isn't probably the best idea . Especially because you haven't ran since high school P . E . ! " Nonsense I say . It was great , it was exactly what I needed . I did stop and walk 2 times during the 3 mile jog , but I still completed it in just over 30 minutes . When I got to my car and got inside , it wouldn't start again ... So I had to wait 10 minutes before my car will start ( in case someone were actually stealing the car , they ' d have to wait 10 minutes before the system will bypass the alarm and pump out gas ) . By this time my buzz had more than worn off , and I was covered in sweat from head to toe . I have 2 huge blisters on my feet , next time I think I ' ll wear socks . I got home around 1:45 and called it a night . Of course I feel bad about what happened ... I shouldn't have said what I did . But until I graduate from Superhero school and can go back in time I ' m just going have to live with it . 
It 's 100 degrees and I get sick ... Go figure . Last Wednesday night I started to feel a little tickle in my throat . Eight days and several new symptoms later , the little tickle is starting to look like an inevitable doctors visit . There were good days when I didn't feel a thing during the past week that kept me from making a visit . Besides that I really don't like going to the doctor . I haven't since I was a young lad . The reasons why have drastically changed however . For example , I used to fear the doctor because he ' d poke me with a needle ... Now I fear him because I don't have health insurance and he will cost me a bunch of paper . My fiance and I ( jokingly ) said we were going to head to the courthouse and get married today so I can get on her health insurance plan . Today isn't that bad however . I have my Alka - Seltzer and we got a brand new Kandiyohi water dealy right in front of my office , so I ' m totally hydrated . I was starting to think I was getting worse and I ' d need to stay home this afternoon but then I got a text from a friend who needs a sub in his golf league ... And suddenly I feel quite a bit better ! 
Nothing like the smell of gas and grass ! I enjoy mowing . Which is pretty funny because I can remember for the longest time dreading it ! But now it 's somewhat therapeutic , almost like meditating . Saturday morning I decided to gas up the mower and get my yard mowed . I was thinking if I started early enough I ' d escape the heat . I was wrong . But still I pulled the string and started walking . About 5 1 / 2 neatly aligned rows into my massive back yard I happened to look down and see a little bird ... Six inches in front of my still running mower . I then shut it off , and the bird still just sat there . As I looked closer I realized that the bird 's eyes were not exposed , and it couldn't see ( apparently by the way it sat in front of my loud mower , it couldn't hear either ) . I moved it aside , about 2 rows over so it could keep me company during my walking . In addition to the relaxation I also like messing with my neighbor a bit . We live in a duplex and so the I mow from the sprinklers ( center of our 2 places ) straight back ... Most of the time . The last 2 times I have mowed I leave an extra 2 or 3 strips , and I am sure he appreciates it . Besides , his yard isn't as big as ours . 
False alarm . My interview Friday afternoon went great , for those who care . So great in fact that I thought I ' d be getting a call this morning with a job offer . Come to find out the interview Friday was a waste of my time . A friend of mine who owns an agency here in town said that an intern he had working for him got a call Friday early afternoon ( mind you BEFORE my interview had even took place ) with the job offer . Thus the reason only 1 lady was present instead of 2 , when I was lied to and told it was because the head of it all was busy in meetings . Bull shit . I am beginning to wonder if I just SUCK that bad and everyone I am surrounded by is just too nice to tell me . Seriously . *** 10:40 PM Central *** Just to be sure though , I am going to call them in the morning to make sure this chick isn't full of poop . : ) . 
finish it . Finish the sentence : 1 . My ex is .... doing something , I guess . She won't tell me anymore .2 . Im listening to .. Family Guy 3 . Maybe I should ... figure out my life .4 . I love ... music , beer and dogs .5 . My bestfriend ( s ) ... live too damn far away , and we don't talk enough .6 . I don't understand ... why my boss hasn't been fired yet .7 . I lost ... my virginity to a slut .9 . People say .... I ' m an asshole , until they get to know me .10 . Love is ... lost right now .11 . Somewhere , someone is ... eating a pizza and thinking about sex .12 . I will always ... believe in love .13 . Forever seems .... a long time to be alone .14 . I never want to ... be like my boss .15 . My mobile phone ... is a pain in the ass.16 . When I wake up in the morning ... i curse the air conditioner that keeps tripping my circuit breaker .17 . I get annoyed when ... I don't have anyone to drink with .18 . Parties are ... a thing of the past , for the most part .19 . My pet ( s ) are / is ... the fly that won't die in my apartment . It 's been in here for five days now .20 . Kisses are the best when ... they are meant .21 . Today I... recovered from a massive bender with co - workers .22 . Tomorrow I will ... walk five miles , sweating a lot , go to work , write a story or two and then come back home and do it all over again on Friday . Then go on vacation . Ahhhh ... the beach ! 23 . I really want ... a new job . 
a fitting song . After last night 's debacle of beer , beer , stumble footing and talks of blow jobs , I figured this song would make for a good memory of what I can only imagine ? I realize I missed a day But I ' m too wrecked to care anyway I look around and see this face What the hell have I lost my taste Don't want to find out Just want to cut out My head explodes , my ears ring I can't remember just where I ' ve been The last thing that I recall I got lost in a deep black hole Don't want to find out Just want to cut out Blackout I really had a blackout Blackout I really had a blackout Blackout I really had a blackout Blackout I really had a blackout I grab my things and make my run On the way out , another one Would like to know before I stop Did I make it or did I flop Don't want to find out Just want to get out Blackout I really had a blackout Blackout I really had a blackout Blackout I really had a blackout Blackout I really had a blackout Don't want to find out Just want to get out Blackout I really had a blackout ! 
a new obsession . 10 days solid now I ' ve had one cassette tape in my car -- " This Year 's Model " by Elvis Costello and the Attractions . It 's not an album I just bought or anything . There doesn't seem to be any overwhelming reason for me constantly listening to it . But it is a kick - ass piece of plastic . There isn't a bad song on it . I ' m completely sold . Not until these two weeks had it dawned on me just how good this album is . In fact , this album is so damn good it has forced its way into my top 10 . I ' m wondering when I ' ll finally get tired of it , if ever . Who knows ? I may never listen to another tape / cd again in my car ... 
A Sam Raimi moment , Chapter 2 . With beers in hand , Josh and I eye the bar . It 's empty for the most part . That 's good . It 's one of those places that Applebee 's tries to be . Or maybe , it 's a place that 's trying to be the " real " place that Applebee 's business model is structured after . I don't know . It 's just boring . It 's cliched and it 's got a lot of neon beer signs . It 's called " Jerry 's Place . " A couple of booths have some tourists . Well , I assume they 're tourists -- a mom , dad and two kids . Out at 9 p.m. in the club area . Plus , the kids got a Pokemon shirt on . Of course , we 're tourists too , me and Joshy . Ha . Joshy . If only he knew I called him that all the time . Just not to his face . The only person I ever heard call my bud that was my ex . She didn't take no shit , but loved to give it . Fuck . Now I ' m thinking about her . I always do , even though I don't let on . My girlfriend thinks about her . I know it . How the hell did I start thinking about this ? Oh yeah , Joshy . " Where ya wanna sit ? " I say in my newly re - acquired Southern drawl . " Let 's hit the end of the bar , " Josh says . The far end , near the front door is empty . Except for the only guy more out of place than us . With Jam shorts and a button up shirt , this guy is out of more than just place . We sit down , and share a stare at the television . The Twins are playing the Royals . Who the fuck would watch this on a Friday night ? Degenerate gamblers and fat chicks , I think . " Sumasnski 's got a grand on this game , " Josh says suddenly . Took the over and the Royals . Says Mac Dougal will come in and give up five , six runs in the eighth when the Royals look to close . It 's 1 - 0 in the ninth . We share a chuckle . Then I order another round . A short , kind of pudgy girl walks up to the jukebox . I hadn't noticed it when looking around earlier . I ' m a fan of the JBox . I have a serious itch to buy one . So much of an itch , I buy 45 s all the time . " One day , I ' ll have a bar on the beach , " I always tell people . " I ' ll sell shitty beer and have an old 45 s jukebox . " I ' ve been telling that story since I was 19 . Sixteen fucking years . The girl is now choosing her tunes . I hope for anything but Shania Twain . This place seems like the kind of place where Toby Keith and Co. , would dominate the set list . Then something strange happens . The opening cords to Guns on the Roof by the Clash start up . I take a second look at the girl . All of the sudden , she 's not so pudgy . It 's more of a Thora Birch in Ghostworld kind of vibe now . I ' m a little happier now . The bartender gives us two more beers -- still Budweiser . " Shit , " I say to Josh . He just cracks a smile and says , with his eyes " you 're a jackass . Drink your fucking beer . " We clink bottles and drink . Mr. Jams all of the sudden starts cussing up a storm . " Fuck George Bush . Fuck AIDS . Fuck death . Fuck this beer . Fuck this bar . " Josh turns to him and says " How you doing today ? " The fucks stop momentarily . Mr. Jams squints and gives us the up and down . He slumps back into his stool and says " This place used to be run by niggers . Not the bad ones , but some bad - ass muther fuckas . They 're dead now . Now it 's run by him . " He points at the bartender . He 's obviously a college student . Probably flunked out the first time , but now he 's back . All 24 years old . Just out of the parent 's house again . " Can you not use the N - word ? " He says with a shaking his finger at you attitude . " And the F - bomb . Stop dropping it . " Josh and I say collectively , once again without words " This oughtta be good . " It 's 9:27 and the Iron Maiden boys don't go on until 11 . After the opening band at 10 . We order another round and settle in for the show . To be continued ... 
Goldley and Cream . I think that was the name of those songwriters ? right ? Anyway , I was cleaning out some cabinets and i just broke down all of the sudden . For what ever reason , my depression just showed up in full force . I hadn't cried in a long while , but it was good . I got it out and went on with life . I ' m reading my old diary from 1993 to 2001 . It 's interesting reading , and kind of sad . I ' m repeating a lot of bad things . I guess that 's what people do . They repeat . Whether it be successful endeavors or failures , they tend to happen over and over until something is done about them . I do see a theme in my life , that I ' ve alluded to in here , or maybe even flat out said it before : Bad things happen with my relationships , they end , or they suck and most of the time , there is someone that steps in after a while to make things cool again . Of course , I could just be looking at it with 3 - d glasses and hoping it means something . Plus , I ' ve drank a lot of beers and written a lot of silly stuff while drunk over the years . I just wish mom hadn't thrown away my old word processor . I have disks of my diaries from college that I can't ever read again ... Of course , why I feel the need to read it all is a confusing topic ? Oh well . I ' m off to digest the trout I cooked tonight . Trout and brocoli . Not too shabby a dinner . 
song words for a dull day . Tell me one more time as I hold your hand , that you don't love me Tell me one more time as teardrops start to fall Shout it to me and I ' ll shout it to the skies above me That there was nothing after all Baby , baby , tell me that you never wanted my loving Baby , baby , tell me that you never , tell me , tell me , One more time , one more time , say you 're leaving , say goodbye One more time , one more time , say you 're leaving , say goodbye Tell me one more time that we never had a thing in common Tell me one more time as you turn and face the wall Tell me I should know you were never my kind of woman Tell me we were fools to fall . 
Cassette Review No. 22 . Oh boy . This is one of those embarrassing moments of youth . Kind of like an old prom photo , but since I didn't go to my prom , that doesn't exist . Only cassette tapes of shame ... The fact I own this one is reason enough to call me a number of names . But damn proud of my upbringing I am despite how horrid some parts of it may be today , indeed . But honestly , the few memories I have of this thing are listening to it 1 . by myself in my old pale blue painted with beer and metallica posters room in Hopewell , and 2 . the two times I tried to convince others at school that it was ' worth a listen . ' Kingdom Come : " In Your Face " With a groan you say that now . But in 1989 , a senior in high school -- still a virgin too ! -- that 's just an awesome thing . Think Beavis and Butthead before they existed . Pick which one you want me to be , most likely Beavis , but hey , I ' m not picky . Song No. 1 , " Do You Like It " Why would you ask a question like that to open your second album . Especially after being dogged by metal fans as being at best a Zep rip off , at worst a Whitesnake rip off ? This is horrible . Track 2 : " Who Do You Love " There you go , Robert Plant Jr. , asking questions again . Stop it . This is bad . That keyboard buried in the mix , is tacky now and was then . Sidebar : Did i actually think some chick would go -- " Kingdom Come ! Yeah ! Let 's fuck ! " Back in 1989 , I guess it worked for someone ??? The Wind : " And still the wind is going to blow sometimes fast and sometimes slow . " Jesus .... did you really write that ? Sidebar No. 2 : This may be the one time Chris Tres was right and I was wrong about music . Yes , he had G ' n ' R before anyone I knew , but he also had NKOTB and Winger . He didn't dig this . Good job C ... Tres ! BTW , where the hell are you ? We haven't even traded X - mas cards in three years ? Track 4 : Gotta Go ( Can't wage a war ) : boring enough to let me type all the above . Track 5 : Highway 6 : Generic pap . Waaahhhh ... Wreeehhhhh .. stop now .... side two : ( aka , can i make it ? ) Perfect ' O ' : I hear you moan Oh perfect ' O ' God damn that is faq u ing bad . I really wonder how many times this tape 's b - side has really ever been played ? b / c this sucks ... anyone out there own this ? Did you play it much ? Just Like a Wild Rose : Was this a single ? I vaguely remember it . It sounds vaguely familiar , or maybe that 's just the bad Zep thing going on ? Overrated : Now I like songs taht call out critics . " Garageland " by the Clash is the standard in my mind , as feeble as it is . But come on , Kingdom Come , should you really do this ? Oh wait , it 's about a fuking hoe . Boy , that 's swell . Mean Dirty JOe : I won't listen to this , sorry . Stargazer : Meet the maker ? Oy vey ! Sorry Lenny ... What 's my rating ? Well , it 's better than Winger .. So I ' ll give it a 1.4 out of 10 . 
A Sam Raimi Moment ... A Sam Raimi Moment : We pulled into downtown Richmond at about 8 o ' clock . My buzz from the beers at the biker bar benefit had long ago went away . It kind of sucked . Replacing it was that dull headache that comes with drinking Budweiser . It 's why I never drink Bud , unless I ' m with Josh . It takes about 10 minutes to find a parking spot . It 's Friday , so that 's no surprise . But what is surprising is that Josh has such a tough time finding his way around . I always remembered him being a much better driver . But of course , 9 times out of 10 I was drunk when I was with him in a car . Except for the cross country road trip . Then it was sober and sights . Now , it 's one - way streets and handicapped parking spots . By my inside clock , I never wear a watch and loathe looking at my cell phone every five minutes to see what time it is , it 's 8:15 . The opening band is probably going on . Shit . Finally , we find a spot . It 's a few blocks away from the Gun , a local dive that has shows . I haven't been since it was called something else back in the 1990 s . No biggie . We get to the Gun . The girl a the front , she 's smacking on some Dentyne Ice and talking on a GD cell phone . Plus , she 's got three bars in her nose . That 's attractive . But shit , she does have great drug - addled eyes . I just can't stop falling for girls with those . She 's probably a great lay , I think to myself . In between yaps and snaps of gum , she says " 5 bucks . " That 's odd , it was supposed to be 6 . Oh well . Save a buck , cool . Three of them equals a beer . As we walk into the club , something odd is going on . Josh and I look at each other but don't say anything . We 're just trying to figure out exactly what we ' ve stepped into . At most of the booths are folks about 10 years our senior . Being 35 , it 's not a surprise to be " that guy " at most pubs and clubs . But these tables are full of 45 year old moms and dads . We amble up to the bar and order two beers . Budweiser . " Shit . " After a quick half beer swig , a nearly naked girl pushes her way by . Nice . Then a double take , as she is probably 15 . Maybe 16 . Then a bunch of dudes amble by . All 15 or 16 . A band comes on stage . They have mohawks and stupid t - shits with snarky comments on them . One guy has a CCCP shirt on . Then I spy some brass . No , not the big wigs , but the instruments . Next thing you know , bad ska music is filling the venue . I finish my beer and go back for another . By then , I ' ve found a concert flyer . " All ages show , 6 to 9 , " it says . I drink some more . I show it to Josh . We both take a drink and look around . " Well , chief , " Josh says , " you only live once . " We finish our beers and get another . Then it dawns on us . We ' ll have to pay another cover to see the band we came to see -- an Iron Maiden cover band . We drink our beers and have another . Soon , the band is done . The crowd leaves . We try to order another round , " Get out of here , " the barkeep with bleach blonde hair and a black soul patch says . We do . Next door is a swanky bar . We go in . Get a couple more Buds . Too be continued .... 
advise from a " sage " . the other day , the genius at work , otherwise known as mullet , gave some sound advise to us who toil with unstable pagination systems . " Don't save as often as you have been . " Wha - what ? Now I know that there is nothing there . Nothing . Nothing . Nothing . Nothin . Nothi . Noth . Not . No. N . . But of course , it was what came right before it that made it even more priceless . " Don't work on more than one page at a time . If the power goes out , you ' ll only lose a little bit of work , instead of a lot . " But don't save often . What parallel universe did i step into back in 2001 . And why did I think it was a good idea ? 
lyrical on this day . A double shot of my second favorite song writin ' duo ... Last night I was woken by my cry Had a dream just as plain as you and Iand ... People don't changejust overnight It ain't natural . 
Cold turkey . today marks the two - year anniversary of my going cold turkey with soda . i have not had a sip of the elixer of the gods in 730 days now . i ' m surprised i ' ve made it that far , but simply put , i don't really even remember what it tasted like . about the only thing that sucks about it right now is that bottle of So Co that has been sitting on my counter for that entire time . since i used to mix it with dr . pepper or coke , i can't drink it . so it just sits there . sadly looking at me and my beers . i ' m wondering if i ' m going to go for beer next . try to kick that habit . eh . probably not . i ' m still trying to get under 200 pounds . i was down to 200 a couple days ago . this morning after working out , it was 201 again . been that way for a couple of days now . i ' m guessing tomorrow won't be one for the 1 's as i ate almost a complete bag of " munchies " the doritoe / cheeto / etc. treat . did not , eat dinner however , so maybe they will balance out ( ha ! ) . i ' ve only got nine days till my goal needs to be met . guess we shall see ? well , i have to be up early in the morning today to do an interview . yippie . 
The Mating Game . ....... [ c ] 2006 by DOMINO ....7.24.06 ........... Last night I saw an vintage movie from 1959 called " The Mating Game , " It starred , among others , Tony Randall and Debbie Reynolds . In the movie the IRS sent an ivestigator to a farm and through their own figures , decided that the people owed $ 50,000 in back taxes . The man was going to lose his farm that had been in the family for generations . One person remarked " once the IRS decides that is what is owed , then it is the end . " In the movie , of course , the family does not lose the farm because it turns out the US owes them 14 million because of some horses that were taken from the ranch back in the Civil War ( interest added up nicely ) . What I found interesting , anyway , was that even back in 1959 it was clear of how cruel the IRS is . They create figures and then just steal , plunder and destroy in ordere toi get what they believe is theres . And they are agents of the US government !!! IRS bothering you ? Consider yourself lucky . They are not out to bother ... they are out to destroy !! 
The Following Kansas Senators are Not Getting Paid Enough to Take Email Concerns When they are " on break " : . ....... [ c ] 2006 by Richard L Zorek ......7.18.06 ........... David Wysong , Dennis Wilson , Susan Wagle , Dwayne Unbarger , Roger Reitz , Kay O Connor , Barbara Allen , James Barnett , and Carolyn Mc Ginn . I sent off 40 emails tonight to all the Kansas Senators . These aforementioned Senators have a autoresponder which says their email is shut off . Only four had an autoresponder that actually indicated it was receievd . That leaves 27 in question . The issue I was writing about had to do with health care issues and all the dead ends I am finding in the medical system , only to find more deadends in the political end . 
All I See Are Ideas . ....... [ c ] 2006 by Richard L Zorek .....7.18.06 ........... Ideas are fine . They are most often the root and foundation of great inventions and plans . But in Kansas , Missouri , and throughout most of the country , when it comes to health care ... all I see are ideas . And I am pulling them up off the internet with dates that go several years back . The ideas produced no fruit . People are still getting sick and dying for lack of health care . I see whole organizations formed with what might even be paid committe memebers getting together task forces to look into the subject .... but then see no end result or answer to the problem . The committees seem to be started to find out how big of a problem it is . Then the information disappears and so , it seems , does the organization . But the organization will get note if a member runs for office . Congresssmen and comittee members : we don't want your big ideas ! Your big ideas aren't helping people get healthy and they aren't helping people to not die !!! 
If I Were an Apple , I would Have Arlen Spectors Attention . ....... [ c ] 2006 by Richard L Zorek ......7.09.06 ........... On April 15 th , 2003 , Sen Arlen Specter ( R - PA ) , a senior member of the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture , Joined 24 of his fellow senators in a bipartisan letter to the Dept of Agriculture , urging the department to improve the crop insurance policy for apples throuhgout the country . These improvements include options to upgrade coverage from the cider grade and would provide adequate coverage against unpredictable weather and volatile markets What Sen Arlen Spector did not do that year was ask for any insurance polcies , coverages or issues realting to insuring the people of the United States . They signed off the letter by saying " We thank you for your timely attention to the concerns of apple farmers across the country regarding their crop insurance needs . " If I were an apple , or an apple farmer , I guess I might get his attention . 
Tax Burden ? I will Send you My Bill . ......7.07.06 ........... I lost my insurance coverage over a year ago after pretty much having it most of my life . I can see now that i took it for granted . Recent experiences have opened my eyes to the " other " side of the American medical system . And it is a mess . The insurance companies aid in deciding what medicines and doctors should charge ( and even , in some cases , what they can prescribe ) . . When the insurance companies say they can raise the price , most do . So , it has nothing to do with " real " cost . Hospitals are businesses for the most part . There are people who work for them who have a sincere desire to help people , but the entity is a business . And they will not hesitate suing anyone for money they didn't get because they overcharged or you did not have insurance . And they do not care . It is now becoming more and more common place for people to have very large medical debts on their credit report . I worked very hard to keep my credit report clean . It is destroyed now . I have to wonder how many people die , or how many people are suffering from inadequate or no health care . I was given a list of " free " clinics ( or ones that will work with those who don't have insurance ) from two local hospitals ( one in Independence and one in Shawnee Mission ) , but after calling them could not get in unless I had AIDS or was pregnant ( which neither is a problem for me ) . And that was a general response from those that actually answered the phone . Then I was referred to doctors that i could not afford ...... and that list is very long . American politicians want to spend time debating issues like a war across the ocean , the price of gas , and their own salary increase while there are many Americans across the country that just want to be healthy . And , anyone who says that health care for everyone is just to much of a tax burden is more than welcome to pay my medical bill . 
Medicaid ? For Who ? medicaid protest .....07.06.06 ..... In order to make it even more difficult for the people who need help from Medicaid to get the help they need , Federal legislators have passsed a law requiring more ID : A birth certificate . When you are poor , do you carry one around with you ? Do you have one handy ? But even more important .... can you afford to get one ? You came to get help through Medicaid because you don't have the money to afford medical help . Now you have to come up withmore money you don't have . Just more indication of how far out of touch most legislators are with the subject of health care . 
American Health Care : A good Way to Die . ....... [ c ] 2006 by Richard L Zorek ......7.05.06 ........... That 's just the way it is . There may be people on the staff that have true compassion for people and their health , but the hosptal as a whole it nothing more than a business out to make money . And not just a little money . A lot of money . An overnight visit at Shawnee Mission Hospital here in Kansas City cost $ 15,000 . That didn't include the tests or doctors .... that was just the stay . Shouldn't I have gotten room with a fridge and a pool and suana for that ? Ot steak dinner with wine ? I could have gotten the same care at the Motel 6 and just walked over for my tests . That would have only cost me about $ 60 . 
Too Big ; Too Busy : Goodbye ! .... [ c ] 2006 by Richard L Zorek ......6.30.06 ..... I have a lot of complaints about the medical community . I am uninsured and cannot get proper medical help even if my life depended on it , it seems . But , that 's a whole other article ( which will be forthcoming ) . There are organizations that should be easier to access : churches . I just quit going to the church I was going to : First Family Church in Overland Park . Though I usually enjoy the message of Pastor Johnson , in my time of need I could not get anyone to respond . Couldn't get an " appointment . " And it 's a rarity that anyone returns an email , in fact I have never had anyone return one except for once when I begged them to respond . So , I went to another church that 's closer , thinking I might get someone to talk with me there . I was dissapointed to find it was the same thing . No one in the office today . Call and get an appointment . That was Antioch Church of Overland Park . I remember attending a mega - church in Aurora , Colorado back in the early 90 s and in my time of real need I went to the church to find someone to talk to . I remember over hearing someone say " does he have an appointment ? " How disheartening it must be for people in need to come to a church looking for help , spritual guidance , anything .... only to hear that . Apparently , the churches are becoming too slick and too business like to be of much good to a hurting world . They seem too busy doing their church thing to be helpful . That 's a strong accusation . But it is what I am feeling today . 
Why 239 Capitol Street ? - By any objective measure , it was the worst of the places I ' ve called " home " . I am drawn back to it like a moth to flame , though it hasn't existed for over forty years . When I returned from Korea in the Spring of 1964 and stood in my hot green wool uniform on the raw ground where the Capitol Apartments had been for all the days of my life , I thought my heart would stop . I can't ever know this , but I believe my life changed course on that day . Whoever ( or whatever ) I was to become when I left home in October of 1962 was just a wisp of smoke in the still air . For awhile , I could see it , or sense it , hanging semitransparent in the air , but becoming more disorganized and distant by the day . Life has taken me into the path of many interesting events , some quite spectacular and seemingly momentous . But that May day in 1964 was the nexus for me ; all the eighteen years of my life seemed buried in the dirt at my feet , along with the old , crumbling bricks of the Capitol Apartments . That was my Day in the Yellow Wood . Perhaps , somewhere in the varied halls of the universe , the Capitol Apartments yet stands guard on Electric Alley , and raucous Saturday night music from the open doors of the Ko Ko Mo Club and the El Borracho still drifts through the summer night and into the second - floor casement window of a thirteen - year - old boy , lying awake in bed , wondering about tomorrow , the world , and his place in it . Perhaps that boy is me . Oh , I hope so . I am 58 years of age , the lifelong mate of a sweet woman I would never have aspired to , had I been a seriously thoughtful person . I am the father of a beautiful and intelligent daughter . I have also , with my mate , favored the world with three bright , funny , and loving sons . I have grandchildren out there ... my daughter made them and pampers them and grows them . I hardly know them . New York may as well be Antarctica , for all the likelihood that I will go there . All in all , I am a happy person . I may die before I write here again , so I can't leave this unsaid : It 's a Wonderful Life . It 's therapeutic , making these scatchings , and disconcerting at the same time , not knowing if or when they will fall upon someone , or whether they will land like stones or like snowflakes if they do . 
Champ Car World Series - Edmonton . Well the weekend isn't over yet but so far the races this year have been great ! On Friday I took my mom with me , and I didn't put any sun screen on ....... can you see where this is going ?? Yeah so I got sunburnt in an interesting Tiger pattern ! The racing was good and there were even a few crashes that happened right in front of us ! Nancy was the best Friday night , taking care of me with ice cold towels on my burn . hehe oops ! Thanks Nancy !! Today I took my dad with me , but today I wore sunscreen ! OMG , it was still 36 C today and sitting on aluminum stands at a race track made it " all " the better ! So so hot ! But just like yesterday it was a great day . Lots of racing , lots of sun , good times ! This year they are doing a demo of the sport of drifting . You know the stuff in the movie Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift .... SO COOL !! ...... But sometimes things in this sport don't go as planned ... Turns out this guy had a passenger with him on this ride . They did 3 good drifting laps and then ended up smoking the wall on the final corner of the lap . Pretty good ride so the driver said ! haha ! I guess tomorrow is going to be sweet and they are going to destroy a car . Should be cool ! Tomorrow is the finals for the Champ cars as well as the Atlantic class cars ( beginner Champ cars ) I am taking Nancy to that , she has never been to a race like that so it should be extra special . I just hope she likes it as much as I do !! I just hope that Paul Tracy and Katherine Legge do well tomorrow . They are my favorites ! Either way I am sure it will be just as good of a day as the last 2 days have been , only better because Nancy will be there ! : o ) I have a ton of videos of the past few days but I can't figue out how to load them on here , but they are pretty cool ..... if you want to see a few let me know and I can send you some . That is all for now ........ 
Good weekend ! Well been a while since I posted an entry on here so I figure I should let you all know how the weekend went . It all started with taking the day off on Friday to go golfing with everyone for James ' " last free day " before getting married to Tasha . We couldn't have scripted a better day to go golfing . There were no clouds , no wind , and was about 24 C when we got off the course at about 12:30 . Everything for some reason was going in my favor that day ...... I started the round with 7 pars on the front 9 and ending up with a final score of 85 , but easily could have got under 80 . Oh well it was still a GREAT round , and I wasn't at work so it was even better ! The wedding was on Saturday , I was taking video footage of their special day and didn't get much for pictures but here are a few that I was able to get ..... I invited Nancy to go to the wedding with me and she did come but wasn't able to go to the actual wedding because she was going to paintball with guys from work . Well look where that got her ..... But she did come to the reception and had the unfortuneate task of meeting all my friends . Sorry Nancy ! She says it wasn't too bad and they were really nice but I know my friends ! haha ! Thanks again for coming to the wedding Nancy , I had a great time ! 
My First Post . Well I figured that I would get with the times and actually make a blog to keep people up to date with me and my life journies ! So what is new in my life ...... well as most of you know by now I have been transferred back to Edmonton and have been back here for about a month now . I am living back with mom and dad right now but they will be moving to Athabasca here in a month or so . So far it hasn't been too bad but after being on my own for 3.5 years while up in Mc Murray , it is a little different to get used to . Two weeks ago I finally went and got checked out to fly here and all went well so I can fly here now ! So far I have only flown out of Cooking Lake that has Cessna 172 's and a 152 , I want to get over to the Edmonton Flying Club where they have a Diamond which looks really cool and I wouldn't mind having a go at flying that ! Anyway like I said I have only flown out of Cooking Lake and the plane that I have flown has the best call sign I have seen yet ! Have a look at the pics below and you will know what I mean ... So now that I got all checked out to fly here and I know that a lot of people here would like to go for a flight and see what it is like .... well Jen ( my office mate at work ) was my first " victom " to take advantage of having Friday afternoons off and we went for a local flight . Here are a few quick snapshots I was able to get off in between the turbulant air that day . The scenery is SO much different than it was in Mc Murray , I was blown away ! Still very beautiful though . For those of you that don't know yet , Jen is also the one that set me up on a blind date here 2 weeks ago with a really awesome friend of hers . So far we have only gone out twice , but I enjoy spending any time I can with Nancy ! She is a really down to earth , intellegent , fun to be with person and I think our personalities match pretty well ...... oh and did I mention that she is cute too ! : o ) Anyways for a first blog post I think this is pretty good . Hopefully this works and I can keep this up for all to enjoy . 
Cool SEO tool . Came across this excellent link last night that gives a visual representation of the top 100 links in Google and Yahoo for any one search term . It also displays links that appear in both and where they position . It 's really useful , especially if like me , you 're trying to optimise your site for specific high volume search terms . Have a look at the tool here . It 's incredibly useful for a company in travel as there 's so much competition online , not just from competitors but from affiliates etc as well . For example try ' dubai holidays ' ; you can see that the Dubai Sands hotel does incredibly well for that term as they position top in both . But then try ' dubai holiday ' and the Dubai Sands is 4 th in Google but doesn't even show in Yahoo ( so maybe they 're not quite so good ) . Then try ' all - inclusive holidays ' and there is still quite a lot of crossover ( although not as much as the Dubai term ) . But if you change that to ' all - inclusive holiday ' there are only 3 sites that appear in both , so potentially an opportunity for others to focus on that term for both engines and get good coverage . For an example of someone who 's doing this pretty well try ' package holiday ' and ' package holidays ' . You ' ll see that www . holiday . co. uk position high up for both ! Anyway , enough of that , I need a holiday now ... 
Holiday reviews , good or bad for business ? These days whenever I book a hotel , holiday or pretty much buy anything else I check the web for reviews and people 's experiences . In travel this is especially prominent with the rise and rise of Trip Advisor and tour operators allowing customers to post reviews on their websites it 's only going to get bigger and bigger . My personal favourite review site has to be Holiday Watchdog . They saved me from a holiday from hell last year , I read a review on their site which made me nervous about the hotel in question , after much digging around and emails I managed to track down the person who posted the review and they confirmed that the hotel wouldn't have been for me . They even recommended a more suitable hotel in the same resort which I then booked and had a fantastic time . So I owe Holiday Watchdog a big debt of gratitude . Check them out by clicking the logo below ! 
Unfortunate domain names ... Just got sent this list of domain names and thought I ' d share , unfortunate or just plain stupid ?? A site called Who Represents where you can find the name of the agent that represents a celebrity . Their domain name wait for it iswww . whorepresents . com Looking for a pen ? Look no further than Pen Island atwww . penisland . net Need a therapist ? Try Therapist Finder atwww . therapistfinder . com And now , we have the Mole Station Native Nursery , based in New South Wales : www . molestationnursery . com Welcome to the First Cumming Methodist Church . Their website iswww . cummingfirst . com Then , of course , there s these brainless art designers , and their whacky website : www . speedofart . com Want to holiday in Lake Tahoe ? Try their brochure website atwww . gotahoe . com. 
Holiday anyone ??? Thought it was about time I put up this little holiday search which was on another of my personal sites and has been doing quite well . It 's on the right hand side , right down the bottom ( click here ) so it 's not in your face or anything , but it is worth a try as there 's some really good last minute holiday deals available ! Yes , you guessed right it 's an affiliate search engine but all in a good cause as my employers product is listed on it ( along with a lot of competitors ) . Anyway , I can highly recommend it , I even booked my own package holiday through this very search engine ! There 's a great range of package holidays on offer . Caribbean holidays are particularly well represented also Florida and Orlando holidays . So if you 're looking for a late deal holiday and are having difficulty elsewhere give this a try ! 
SEO in the travel industry . It amazes me everytime I visit Google just how many major travel companies don't appear when I perform the most basic of searches ! For example I search for ' holiday in spain ' and only one of the companies I ' m expecting appear in the top 20 natural results . Change that to ' holidays in spain ' and it 's slightly better ( two more appear ) . The same applies for terms such as ' caribbean holiday ' , again some of the big players are no where to be seen ( again , change that to ' caribbean holidays ' and they fare slightly better ) . So I go off to have a look at some of the big players websites ..... So many of them never change their page titles as you browse through the site , it 's constantly ' such and such , the number 1 for holidays ' or similar . A simple change to make the page title specific to the destination a user is browsing would help dramatically ( eg. ' such and such , the number 1 for Florida holidays ' etc ) . There 's so much that these companies could do to position better in the major search engines both quickly and easily . It 's certainly not rocket science , it 's actually very easy to get yourself at least in the top twenty for most of your terms and not impossible to get top ten ! 
Google accessible search . labs . google . com / accessible This is really good news !! Google is testing a version of it 's search for users with sight difficulties or disabilities . Basically it prioritises results based on whether the mark - up used is deemed accessible or not . In their words ' In its current version , Google Accessible Search looks at a number of signals by examining the HTML markup found on a web page . It tends to favor pages that degrade gracefully --- pages with few visual distractions and pages that are likely to render well with images turned off . Google Accessible Search is built on Google Co - op 's technology , which improves search results based on specialized interests ' . There are two reasons why this excites me : The travel website I manage positions amazingly well for all our key search terms in this engine ( eg. for some destination names we position 1 st when in normal Google we position in the 60 's ) . This is a real testament to the quality of the code and the developers involved and makes me very happy : ) I can see other uses for this type of search . There is the potential to extend this kind of results parsing and filtering to push sites that look like they are advert filled to the bottom , or to pick out phishing sites and not display them , or to get spam and gateway pages out of the results altogether . It would be fantastic if Google are working on some ways to clean up search results in the Labs . While I love Google and it 's my starting place of choice I ' d really like to have more relevant results and less dross ( affiliate sites , spam , gateways etc ) and this could be a step towards being able to filter those out ( or at least drop them down the list ) . 
The Glade . I was lucky enough this weekend to tag along with some friends to the Glade Festival . My friends were playing live at the event so I managed to blag a free VIP pass to the event . Had a fantastic time . Many years ago I spent most of my summers following artists from festie to festie but now with work and family responsibility I don't get the chance to do it as often as I ' d like . It was really refreshing to see that the artists I met were still as up for it as they were in the 90 's and the music itself is as fresh and exciting as ever . Saw some excellent bands and heard some fantastic dj 's over the weekend . It was great to meet up with people I hadn't seen for years ( bumped into one DJ I used to know and hadn't seen for 11 years ) . Would highly recommend the festival to anyone who likes electronic music and is familiar with the Glade area at Glastonbury . 
Web 2.0 design and style . There appears to be an emerging style associated with web 2.0 sites . The large text , drop shadow , curved edges approach while clean and definately easy to read is getting a bit stale in my opinion and seems to be a safe option being taken by many designers . Could this be due to designers spending more time with developers and taking usability a little too much to heart ( sites can be usable and still inspiring in design ) ? I ' d like to see a bit more variety and invention in the designs appearing at the moment . I like designs to be edgy and different , while still usable and sticking to standards . All this is possible but seems to be getting overlooked at the moment . 
Accessibility in the clothing industry ... So , first it was River Island with their Flash only site with no alternative for those of us who cannot view sites in Flash and now Diesel , one of my favourite brands , have done the same . Diesel however , have performed the cardinal sin of not only making it Flash only but also not implementing it very well ! I have Flash player 9 on my laptop and 8 at home , it doesn't work with either if you go to www . diesel . com in either IE 6 or Firefox . However if I enter the direct address of the SWF file it works fine ( although pretty slowly ) . Now I find it extremely narrow minded of these brands not to consider the disabled or blind user by not giving an alternative format , but to then not implement their sniffer code as well is unforgiveable for such high profile sites . I ' m amazed Diesel haven't been picked up for this as River Island got such a slating , I ' m expecting all you bloggers to make sure people know ! Have a look at the Diesel site and let me know if you see any more than this : . 
It 's all over so lets book a holiday ... So the world cups just about finished and suddenly traffic to travel websites has rocketed ( or at least ours has ) . I find it hard to understand why people have waited and booked later this year , there seems no sense in it as it 's just people booking for the school hols so that wouldn't have been affected by the WC . Bookings have increased in the last three days due to this new influx of people with strange booking habits , which is great , but it would be nice to not have these unexpected lulls in volume . The lates booking season has started with earnest and everyone has sales and excellent deals on offer . Within an hour of England being kicked out the world cup one well known tour operator sent out an email newsletter using the sad exit of England as a headline to grab attention ( amazing the impact footie can have ) . 
Innovative hoteliers ??? Look at this , a real breath of fresh air from a hotel chain online ! Sheraton hotels and resorts have updated their website and included user generated content in their offering . It 's been designed to give a community feel and allows people to submit guest reviews and photos which are then attached to hotels . You can browse a nice Flash rendering of the globe to see reviews that have been left by others and the site uses AJAX to pop - up hotel details which can be closed again easily and quickly . All around a nice piece of functionality and a great effort of jumping on the web 2.0 bandwagon ! See the site here ! 
A quote from my favourite author ... I ' ve been a fan of Robert Anton Wilson since I discovered the Illuminatus Trilogy in the 90 's . His mix of psychology , philosophy , personal experience and wit makes for addictive reading and I ' ve yet to be dissapointed by anything he 's written ... IN DEFENSE OF PAT ROBERTSON Just as a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day , even a Christian Fundamentalist gets a savvy notion every now and then . I think rev. Robertson had a good idea when he suggested replacing war with assassination in one case , on economic grounds . He merely didn t carry the concept far enough . I suggest that we should abolish war utterly and replace it entirely with selective assassination . Think about the savings this would mean , in this age when even our little wars cost billions of dollars a year , and rememer the cogent observation of the late Senator Dirkson : A billion here , a billion there pretty soon you re talking about REAL Money . We ve already gotten our national debt so high that our posterity unto the seventh generation will never pay it off ; do we really need to enslave the whole future to the international bankers ? On the moral side , killing a few dozen foreigners a year instead of a few hundred thousand should seem less messy , to say the least of it , especially when you consider the collatarel damage to our own side . How much blood and death do we need ? Reversing a sentimental error of the 60 s , the new anti - war slogan should be MAKE ASSASSINATIONS , NOT WARS . And , best of all , if this idea catches on internationally we can expect at least 50 contracts on George Bush the first week . 
Is My Space the devils work ??? By the time you come to read this My Space will have been officially named as an invention of the devil if the general hysteria and poor journalism continues . Now personally I ' m not a huge fan of My Space . I find it clunky to use , ugly to look at and full of people I don't generally want to have as part of my social network . However it 's certainly a major force on the web today ! With so many users it 's going to be a force to be reckoned with for some time to come ( until someone sells it , or something less clunky and more functional takes off ( Bebo ?? )) . The press of the moment is getting ridiculous . Any netowrk with that many members is going to have a few nutters in it 's midst . I believe the problem lies in people who aren't savvy enough to spot the wierdos and who aren't techy enough to protect themselves . Parents have a job to do these days to educate their kids in the ways of the predators so they can protect themselves . Yahoo Chat used to generate the same kind of stories and hysteria and thats now dieing a death and is full of spam bots and pervs . Will we see My Space go the same way ?? 
The weather . How nice wasthe weather in Sussex yesterday ? Beautiful ! Had a glorious day on the beach , spending more time in the water than out of it . I love the hot sultry weather although the nights play havoc with my asthma . And suddenly , out come the heatwave warnings ... Too late as usual , they were needed last week if they were to prepare anyone who may find the heat difficult . You would think that in this age when we can predict weather pretty much accurately ( accurately enough to predict a heatwave ) that warnings would go out in plenty of time so that the vulnerable can prepare . With global warming increasing we really don't want to end up in a situation like France where people die every year from the heat . 
Cheating ... What has the world come to when a professional footballer who 's most likely paid in excess of 40 k per week spends half a game attempting to get people sent off . Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal is well known as a drama queen , diver and all round slimey player , but his behaviour during the England game was outrageous . I ' ve never seen a player get someone sent off and then wink at his bench as if to say ' See , I told you ... ' ! It 's dissapointing that one player like him can affect a game so dramatically . Having said all that , England actually played better once they were ten men and Beckham and Rooney were off the pitch . It seemed to give them some heart , something they ' ve been sorely lacking in all their previous games . The performance though was not goood enough again , a team with players of the calibre of England should be playing more coherently and creating better chances . Players like Lampard should be able to finish at least one of the 21 shots on goal he had during the tournament . Is it the management ? The hype ? Too many games in the premiership ? Not enough time spent together as a national squad ? I don't know , but something is going to have to change before Euro 2008 , possibly our attitude to the game ! 
Superfast broadband in a cafe ??? Only in Cornwall ... In the news today , a story about an internet cafe which is offering connection speeds around 50 times faster than normal broadband . The Goonhilly Downs satellite station near Cornwall is plugged directly into BT 's global IP network so now you can enjoy hugely productive download speeds while sipping coffee , eating cake and marvelling at the satellite dishes . How long till we all have this sort of speed ?? Probably not until either the local loop is sorted out ( could be years ) or some other transmission medium ( fibre ? ) is laid in it 's place . Read more here . 
A new competitor comes to market ... There 's a new operator in town and their taking the web by storm . We in the industry are all quaking in our boots at the prospects of our customers moving over to the new entry . They seem perfectly placed in the market to target the average Orlando holiday goer . See the new entrant to the market here . 
Car boredom . At the start of the year I sold my pride and joy , a Nissan Skyline ( see pic below ) . I replaced it with what I thought was a practical alternative ( cheaper to run ) but that would still be fun and inspiring to drive , a Civic Type R . All the reviews I ' d read on the Civic were great and said it was a real drivers car . Having had it for nearly six months I ' d have to disagree ! It 's not inspiring to drive , it feels small , bouncy and slightly unstable at higher speeds so I ' m going to change again . I ' m considering a Subaru Impreza WRX as an alternative , it would seem a good compromise as it 's a smaller engine than the Skyline , slightly better fuel consumption and 4 wd ( so safer in the winter ) . Now just need to find a good one !! 
Hayfever . The bain of my life at this time of year ! Today I ' ve woken to red eyes , itchy throat and runny nose . For 6 weeks of the year I look like I ' ve rubbed my eyes or been washing my face with pollen . It 's tiresome , some days you just don't feel like going outside as you know it ' ll be worse outdoors than in . If it wasn't for antihistamines and eye drops I don't know how I ' d survive !! 
England do it again ... Another world cup and another opportunity for the England team to raise stress levels nationwide through their inability to look at all convincing . Last nights game with Sweden ( while a fantastic match to watch ) was typical England , spells of brilliance and moments when they appeared to be a group of lads playing down the local park . Whenever a major tournament comes around you England get hyped up by the press to the point that people expect them to obliterate the opposition but that never happens . I can't remember us ever having an easy route through to the knock out stage of the world cup and this time has been no different . Sometimes I wish they ' d live up to their promise just to give my nerves a break ! Fantastic goal by Joe Cole although I do think he got a couple of Swedes booked through his diving ( he 's always been a bit of a showy player in that way ) . And I feel really sorry for Micky Owen who just doesn't seem to be having any luck this year ! 
Hurricanes . Having worked in the reinsurance industry and been exposed to hurricane research and presentation of data on the web I ' m pleased to see someone has created a mashup with Google Maps . This valuable ( and freely available ) tool will be of great interest to anyone in the insurance or reinsurance industry and also to anyone living in a hurricane exposed area . A very professional mashup and most impressive to someone like me with a slightly geeky interest in extreme weather . Give it a try here . 
Trip to Rhodes . Just returned from a fantastic week in Rhodes , Greece . Having been all round the meditteranean but never to Greece it seemed like an opportunity too good to miss when a 5 * offer to Rhodes was available dirt cheap on Lastminute . com. A quick pointer for bargain hunters here , while you may think Lastminute and the like to be the cheapest , I actually booked direct through the tour operator and got it cheaper than any online agent was offering it ! Anyway , the hotel ( Atrium Palace , Kalathos ) was amazing . Definately the best hotel I ' ve ever stayed in ! And Greece itself is a beautiful place and I ' ll definately go back . The weather was perfect ( 32 C and clear blue skies ) , food is delicious ( and very cheap ) and the scenery and sights to see are wonderful . Highly recommended to anyone looking for a break ! Photo 's below : Panorama of the hotel pool ( taken from our rooms balcony ) : The main pool : The Acropolis of Lindos ( a lovely village 10 minutes from our hotel ) : Rhodes Old Town ( taken from the harbour ) : Have a load more photo 's which I ' ll upload onto Flickr or Zoomr sometime soon ... 
Remiss ... Okay , I ' ve been slack , it 's been an incredibly busy six months and my ideas of keeping a blog had to take a back seat . Have a bit more time available to me now so hopefully I ' ll be able to start posting regularly . The new site is still performing well , and the trainers are wearing nicely : ) More soon ... 
Site launch successful !! So we finally got our spanking new website launched ! After all the problems with hosting etc we ended up diagnosing the problem ( which turned out to be caused by the hosting provider ) . They had various issues with the way they had set up their blade servers : They ' d left paging turned right down so worker processes were causing the servers to hang instead of restarting gracefully They ' d left many system processes running which were using up CPUAnd they ' d left backups scheduled for evening time when the site is always busiest ! So now these issues are overcome it 's running nicely with no problems . I ' m still not convinced by the utility model and the servers in question aren't really up to the job that we 're doing ( remember they are not the spec I requested ! ) . So we will most likely need to throw another couple of servers into the farm to keep things stable as traffic increases . But the main thing for me is the relief ( and proud feeling ) at seeing another site I ' ve managed the build of come to fruition . 
Internet business models . In a world of fast moving , ever changing business models it was really refreshing to meet up with an old colleague who still runs a business using pretty much the same business model we used 10 years ago . He 's successfully making money year on year and the business model is one that evolves naturally and can take advantage of new technologies as they come up . Too many people jump from model to model and don't really put the time or effort into making their initial idea work for them . Congrats to them ! He was an inspiration when he first employed me all those years ago and still is today ! 
Line outages . Get into the office this morning to discover our 10 mb line had been down since 4 am . Being a high turnover ecommerce site that 's cost us a significant amount of business ( 8 hours downtime ) . Needless to say we ' ll be interrogating our provider to try and get some compensation ! 
Trainer junkie . It 's official , I am a trainer junkie . I ' ve just reached 11 pairs which are all in use ( on different days obviously ) . My latest , a great pair of Globes ( my fav skate shoe ) , very cool but also very practical . Here 's a picture of the beauties : . 
Disturbing events in China . Disgusted to hear that Yahoo are under suspicion for disclosing the details of a chinese writer to the Chinese government which has ended up in a prison sentance for him . He 's not the first either according to the article . It worries me as actions like this will only lead to more oppression within countries such as China and where we should be encouraging responsible freedom Yahoo appears to have made things worse . 
Utility hosting . Utility ... a word that brings ideas of convenience , ease of use and overall suitability .... Utility hosting however ... a different story . Imagine this , building a new website for a client using all the whizzes and bangs that . Net gives to us and we need new servers before going live . So we deliver a desired spec to our IT guys 4 months before the expected live date . Said IT guys decide that they can get a good deal on some new fangled blades attached to a SAN ( network storage device ) . Now I ' d heard lots of horror stories about SAN 's and possible difficulties with . Net and IIS 6 , but assumed that our IT and infrastructure guys would check that out and ensure it was suitable . So , launch day approached , the site was load tested ( by IT ) on the new platform and seemed fine . Site launches and half an hour later the event log is full with perfmon messages , CPU keeps maxing out and worker processes recycle continuously for no reason . So back to the old site as quick as we can ..... So we try all sorts of different load testing and manage to kill the new platform within 5 minutes . We try the same load testing against the same site on a normal server ( non - utility ) and it 's fine ! Ok , so getting closer , it 's looking like the platform . I speak to one of the engineers at the hosts and they say they may have to rebuild the blades , but it 's too late now , confidence in that platform has disappeared . So we 're now going back to the platform I ' d requested in the first place ( thank god ) . The moral of this story ? Stick to your guns , if you know you ' ve made a good choice don't let others change that decision ( even if they are best mates with a director .... ) . A lesson learned ! 
The great software rip off ... ( sort of ... ) . Once again I ' ve found that I don't need to spend hundreds on a full featured piece of software from a massive software house . I ' ve needed a decent piece of software to create flowcharts for a while now and had been looking at Visio amongst others . As fantastic as Visio appears , it 's far too full - on for my needs and I never would have used all it 's features . So I ' m pleased to bring this little beauty to your attention ... EDraw Soft . It does everything I need , seems a very light weight app , makes full use of the XP interface , offers a 30 day trial and only costs $ 30 for a license which includes free updates for life ! Great result and a lost sale for Microsoft I ' m afraid . When will large software houses learn and start offering slimmed down versions of their expensive apps ..... ( wishful thinking , they ' ll probably never need to ! ) So not really a rip off , rather a few saved pounds , but either way I ' m happy as I have the tool I needed and haven't broken the bank ! 
Pragmatism . I ' ve never been a huge fan of techy books , finding them either too removed from real world experience or never getting to the meat of a subject . Recently I came across Pragmatic Programming and all that changed . This refreshing collection of programming titles are available in Beta as PDF 's ( and once you buy a beta copy you can download subsequent editions free ) and cover topics such as programming , AJAX , Ruby , agile development and more . Would highly recommend these to beginners and seasoned pro 's as the titles I ' ve bought have something for everyone . 
New beast from the east . Being a fan and long time owner of JDM ( Japanese Domestic Market ) cars , I ' m getting very excited about the launch of the new Nissan GTR ( due on ' 07 ) . As an owner of a Nissan Skyline ( and having had two others in the past ) I ' m fully aware of the pedigree that this vehicle will have to live up to . So far there 's a concept which has been shown at the Tokyo motor show and a website which is currently locked down while they are finalising the design http : // www . gtrproto . com / . Rumours are rife about the technical spec , ranging from a 4 wd 3.5 twin turbo to a twin charge 4 litre ( turbo and supercharger ) . Nissan are keeping a lid on any leaks about the cars technical prowess but it should come out as a competitor to Porsche etc and if it 's anything like my old R 32 GTR then it should be an incredible driving experience . For pictures of the concept see Dino 's J - Style blog http : // blog . gtroc . com / dino / which is a great source of info and some fantastic pictures of JDM cars and life . Dino 's a photographer living in Japan and takes some of the best photos of cars and motorsport I ' ve seen . 
Take it seriously ..... please !! Why don't people ( read business owners ) take the web and the opportunities it presents us seriously yet ?? With all the talk of Web 2.0 ( coming soon .... ) and online retailers coining it in over Xmas you ' d think senior management of commercial ventures would be keen to find out how the web can help grow their bottom line . Sadly thats just not true yet . No matter how embedded in our daily lives it is , some people still haven't grasped the benefits they could glean from using the web to their advantage . The question is ; do these people just have blinkers on or are they getting the wrong advice ? My advice to all senior management of large enterprises is ; if you 're not getting advised to investigate how the web could help you by your employees then get in touch with an expert to do some feasibility studies . You never know it could be the difference between another average trading year and an extraordinarily good trading year ! 
dear joanne , finally u will be back tomorrow . i guess the dark green leaf of the gerbera will bring u smile = ) i watered them daily and hope u can continue for mi . once in a while i will come and watered them too . please deweed them as weed grow extra fast on that gerbera patchi really do hope u can call me when u are back and talk for a long long time . but i guess most likely u will be tired ... i will wait patiently for ur call . somehow i guess u dread coming back to singapore . most likely u dread facing the pestering and irritating jack , dread the FYP , dread everything that will be coming in full force . everytime when i see you , i just really wanna spend some happy quiet time with u . everytime when i call u , i really hope u can have a conversation with mi happily . i really hope to hear ur gentle voice and see you . luckily u gotton XM 2 , or else i will not forgive myself . praying for u everyday at the quiet , lonely carpark . 
always feel happy when u sms mi even though u forbid mi to call u . i am so happy that u say XM 2 is travelling with u . i am sorry that i cant get XM back . call them everday but he is not there . i will not ever take XM 2 from u again . but will visit him as often as u allow mi . today bought 2 baby blue tangs . they are so cute . sorry that i spend money again . simply irresistable . the ham hams are sleeping at this very moment when i am writing . they are happy to see each other . u are coming back soon . love , jack jack . 
today is friday . wow . time flies . i have not heard ur voice for almost a week . i love ur voice . it comfort mi and put mi to sleep easily too . i love to hear u sing though u dun like to sing to mi . i am sorry that i cant help but trying to call u twice . even though i know that you would not ans , but if i dun try , i dun even have the chance = ) if u look into all the food tray of the 3 hammies , they have already finished the sunflower seeds . love . 
sorry that i was busy the last few days when u are away . guess when school reopen , u will be more busy than i do . i miss u . in fact more than ever before . ur sms and email brought mi lotsa joy and thanks . my driving was good . although the instructor was fierce and i acted like a mouse , yes yes yes sir , they always pass my subject even my assessment . but i feel very very tired . still have 2 more lessons . i will take 2 days rest firsy . the hammies are great companion . can i dun return u ahhahahhahha . probably i will be punch by u blue black . just submitted ur project , binded and changed the numbering already . i know tah china is very hot , i always pray that u enjoy ur time over there and not fall sickdun even know how to tell u to drink water . miss u . love , jack jack . 
kk is looking at mi at the spiderman position . he just stay put there behind the wheel haning at the bars , so funny . thanks for ur sms . it really make my day . sorry that i call . binding is so expensive that u own mi a meal hee hee . 
receive ur email . so so so happy to know that u bought shirt and short for mi . it 's been sometime that i have a new shirt and short . hopefully u can remember my size . heh heh . pray that it will be cooler as the days goes by . even if i wanna cheat by not watering ur plant also cannot as this few days are very hot too . haven been raining for a long time . will deliver ur report to ur prof tomolo after my driving . hope to see u soon dear . 
the 3 of them are so funny . all of them are in the wheel running at the same time . i cant sleep tonight , so decided to blog a bit more tonight . kk 's wheel is not so noisy after some adjustment and he is the most active among the three . went to the driving centre just to book some lesson and walk to ur place from the driving centre . i remember there is once u are so angry with mi that u walk back from driving school after ur lesson . ya , it is quite a distance . but i enjoy the walk . watered the plant and there are 4 flowers . a pity u cant see . just pluck out all the weeds and they are just fine . it 's amazing what pple actually use blog for ? some use it for advertisments , some use it for life story aka diary ... but as for mi , it is a e - letterbox from mi to you . something personal and something from my heartdear joanne , you are one of the most precious gal who has a special place in my heart . hope that u will call mi on fri . 
http : // www . chinaren . com / 20050513 / n 225546150 . shtmlfound this online while trying to search for the lyrics . ya i know this is a very old song . probably only oldman like mi can remember this kind of song . but old song is just nicer i thinkmiss u . 
i do miss u a lot and hope u can give mi one more chance . just clean all their cages and i realise they like it . at the moment , big hand is sandbathing . kk is making his comfy bed with the cotton wool and one dot is cleaning herself . one dot is not as fat as before i realise and kk is the most active among them three . big hand is the cutest haha because he seem to know what i am talking about . later i will be going to ur place to water the plant and hope there will be more flower to come when u are back . somehow i hope u can call mi up when u reach china . hope u enjoy urself . miss u . 
more often than not , when i am blogging , i do hope that u can read it at the very next minute . sigh , u are going to china soon . maybe u can bring back more XMs and a cheap pair of watch for mi . someone once say coincidences and destiny differ by just a thin fine line . and the one who dwell on the past has no future . i believe our destiny is not finished yet . how about u ? i can see that i do have a psychological problem . i am not normal . many things in life actually differ by just a thin fine line , however they can be world apart to cross the thin fine line . i remember that u told mi the story of val broke off with her bf , i remember how you and her scolded her bf jerk . probably she is scolding mi jerk for not taking good care of u . probably all your friends are laughing at mi too . have u ever seen fireflies trying to outshine each other in the night skyhave u ever seen them light up the sky like star in the universe . i promise u that one fine day i would take ur hand and witness the scene if u allow mi . i do realise i can be quite romantic and faithful . not just to God , but to you . dun lose faith in relationship . because i never really let u go . because i believe . 
u X y [ X v. l K X y [ X A L X ` R } [ N B ? Tell whom it is . Can the one which is hidden in the negative space of the kisses chocolate mark be seen ? 
yes , yes , and oh yes . 125 : Samurai Rebellion 126 : Samurai Spy 127 : Kill ! How do you follow up terrible movies ? You watch some swingin ' 60 's samurai movies ! These three , along with Sword of the Beast , are part of Criterion 's " Sixties Swordplay Classics " box set . All four are by unique Japanese directors who challenged the status quo in different ways . As an added bonus , three of them feature the yielder of the Sword of Doom , Tatsuya Nakadai . Samurai Rebellion is a slow burner . I believe Toshiro Mifune doesn't really even take out his sword until well past the 100 th minute . But this is a prime example of a long - stewing , well set - up conflict that prepares you for an awesome finish . Of the three , this one comes closest to resembling older , more conservative samurai classics ( like Akira Kurosawa movies ) . In a different vein is Samurai Spy . From the first shot , there is nothing but clan warfare and mind - blowing theatrical samurai spy stuff . I wish I could find a better picture of the white - robed Sakon Takatani ; he 's on the cover of the movie , but that picture doesn't do him justice . As with most spy movies , there is a lot of cross - espionage going on , and at times it 's hard to keep track who is who ( especially since two of the warring characters are named Tatewaki and Takatani ) . Anyway , this kind of movie is almost the opposite of Samurai Rebellion : it ran full blast throughout the whole movie , but the ending was weak and disappointing . Finally there 's Kill ! Obviously , this is the best one - word name any samurai movie could ever hope to have . The exclamation point at the end is just gilding the lily . Kill ! is the clever one in the set -- and I would say it 's also the most fun to watch . It 's based on the same source as Kurosawa 's Sanjuro , though I have a hard time recalling the plot of Sanjuro ( only the blood - splattering finale ) . Anyway , Tatsuya Nakadai is a former samurai who joins the plight of seven samurai who were deceived after an assassination plot . He plays both sides of the game , ultimately finding out what he missed out on by quitting the samurai life . Overall , I have a difficult time picking out which one I liked best . The direction style was top - notch in each one , the acting was awesome , and any shortcomings any movie had was made up by other , stronger aspects . I really could watch stuff like this all day , every day . 
criterion releases bad movies , too . 123 : Do the Right Thing 124 : Time Bandits These movies are terrible . Both are made by acclaimed directors , although thankfully they have never won Oscars . Do the Right Thing is full of horrible actors ( Martin Lawrence , Rosie Perez , Spike Lee ) . Only John Turturro and Ossie Davis escape with any dignity . If this is supposed to be one of cinema 's paramount statements on racism in America , then I ' m of the opinion the portrayal of racism is worse than the subject itself . Time Bandits is a worthless movie and an unfortunate product of the same man who directed Brazil , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas , and the Monty Python movies . This might have been fun to watch as a kid , like a third - rate Labyrinth or The Never Ending Story , but for a movie about time travel , it sure hasn't aged well . 
preludes to classics . 121 : The Most Dangerous Game 122 : The Lady Vanishes The Most Dangerous Game is a 1932 flick made by many of the same people who went on to create the landmark King Kong the following year . Though there is no monstrous beast in this movie , it follows a similar plotline : a ship wrecks near a deserted island , the survivors stumble to land to find a savage world . Here , a wealthy man lives in the jungle and plays host to the survivors . Later , he takes them on a deadly hunting adventure that is perhaps the most dangerous game anyone could ever play . I enjoyed this short movie ; it was able to pack in a good bit of action in a scant 63 minutes . Also , it sets up high expectations for King Kong , which I have never seen . The Lady Vanishes is an early , British Hitchcock movie . It started off in a strange manner -- the real meat of the film doesn't get going for a good 30 minutes , but once it started , it was really enjoyable . Margaret Lockwood is the confused damsel in search of an older woman and Michael Redgrave is a wise - cracking Cambridge boy trying to calm her down . Of course , there are plenty of twists as they try to discover then uncover a mystery . The more movies of his I watch , the more I ' m inclined to favor the British Hitchcock movies over his later Hollywood ones ( although North By Northwest is my favorite and it 's undoubtedly the most ' Hollywood ' movie he made ) . Go figure . 
halfway point . For the record , a list of the 12 books and 120 movies I ' ve gone through so far : 01 : Maus I - Art Spiegelman 02 : Herzog - Saul Bellow 03 : Anthology of American Literature - Neal Pollack 04 : The Spy Who Came In From The Cold - John Le Carre 05 : The Watchmen - Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons 06 : Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim - David Sedaris 07 : 32 Stories - Adrian Tomine 08 : Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S . Thompson 09 : The Filth - Grant Morrison , Chris Weston Gary Erskine 10 : Pushing the Limits : New Adventures in Engineering - Henry Petroski 11 : Levels of the Game - John Mc Phee 12 : The Environmental Policy Paradox - Zachary A . Smith 001 : Salesman 002 : Secret Honor 003 : No Direction Home 004 : Le Samourai 005 : Big Deal on Madonna Street 006 : Three Days of the Condor 007 : Sword of the Beast 008 : The President 's Analyst 009 : Withnail and I 010 : Mishima : A Life in Four Chapters 011 : George Washington 012 : Rio Bravo 013 : Short Cuts 014 : They Live 015 : Tunes of Glory 016 : Hopscotch 017 : The Fearless Vampire Killers 018 : Band of Outsiders 019 : Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid 020 : Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore 021 : Peeping Tom 022 : Das Boot 023 : Fitzcarraldo 024 : Burden of Dreams 025 : Downfall ( Der Untergang ) 026 : Jeremiah Johnson 027 : Gods and Monsters 028 : The Last Temptation of Christ 029 : The Maltese Falcon 030 : Aguirre , Wrath of God 031 : Bill Hicks : Sane Man 032 : Seven Up ! 033 : Seven Plus Seven 034 : Repo Man 035 : Death Wish 036 : American History X 037 : Brokeback Mountain 038 : Twenty - One 039 : 28 Up ! 040 : The Professionals 041 : The Comedians of Comedy 042 : Capote 043 : Bad Day at Black Rock 044 : Five Easy Pieces 045 : Pirates of the Carribean 046 : Wedding Crashers 047 : The 40 - Year - Old Virgin 048 : 35 Up 049 : 42 Up 050 : Freaks 051 : Miller 's Crossing 052 : Safe 053 : The Sweet Hereafter 054 : Bukowski : Born Into This 055 : Grizzly Man 056 : Chungking Express 057 : Pink Flamingos 058 : The Spy Who Came In from the Cold 059 : Searching for Bobby Fischer 060 : Heavenly Creatures 061 : Lone Star 062 : Fearless 063 : Cape Fear ( 1991 ) 064 : Cape Fear ( 1962 ) 065 : Dead Man 066 : Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid 067 : The Thin Blue Line 068 : Thelonious Monk : Straight , No Chaser 069 : Soylent Green 070 : Lord of the Flies 071 : The Horse 's Mouth 072 : The Killers ( 1946 ) 073 : The Naked Kiss 074 : Pepe le Moko 075 : Touchez pas au Grisbi 076 : The Lower Depths ( Renoir ) 077 : United 93078 : An Inconvenient Truth 079 : And God Created Woman 080 : Contempt 081 : F for Fake 082 : Mr. Arkadin 083 : Shock Corridor 084 : Shoot the Piano Player 085 : Mon Oncle 086 : The Long Good Friday 087 : Walk the Line 088 : The Devil in Daniel Johnston 089 : The Da Vinci Code 090 : House of the Dead 091 : Crumb 092 : American Splendor 093 : Orwell Rolls In His Grave 094 : Some Like It Hot 095 : Blade Runner 096 : One Day in September 097 : Band of Brothers ( Currahee / Day of Days ) 098 : Band of Brothers ( Carentan / Replacements ) 099 : On the Waterfront 100 : Tokyo Drifter 101 : Branded to Kill 102 : Band of Brothers ( Crossroads / Bastogne ) 103 : The Proposition 104 : The Squid and the Whale 105 : Rebecca 106 : Strangers on a Train 107 : Eyes Without a Face 108 : The Testament of Dr. Mabuse 109 : Crazed Fruit 110 : Fighting Elegy 111 : Thieves ' Highway 112 : Night and the City 113 : Fat Girl 114 : Hearts and Minds 115 : I Am Curious ( Yellow ) 116 : I Am Curious ( Blue ) 117 : Sisters 118 : Carnival of Souls 119 : Grand Illusion 120 : La Bete Humaine . 
not about magic tricks , surprisingly . 119 : Grand Illusion 120 : La Bete Humaine After Akira Kurosawa and Ingmar Bergman , director Jean Renoir has the third - most Criterion movies , yet the only one I had seen was The Lower Depths . So now I ' m getting around to watching a few of his films , starting with Grand Illusion . Some of my favorite films are set in prisoner - of - war camps , but this is the first one I ' ve seen set during World War I. Gabin and other officers build a tunnel ( with techniques similar to The Great Escape ) but they are transfered to another camp before they can use it . Later , they plot another scheme to get out , this time with more success . Unlike other escape movies , this one follows two characters once they get outside . Next up was La Bete Humaine or ' the human beast ' -- which for the most of the movie I assumed was a woman . Turns out it 's about the main character , again played by Jean Gabin . Really , though , the woman is the beasty one , always trying to plot murders and thievery . Renoir 's directing style is not showy or flashy ; it 's just crisp and professional . There are a few lighting techniques in the night - time scenes that look better than anything else in 1938 . And like Kurosawa with Mifune or Scorsese with De Niro , certianly he found his perfect actor in Jean Gabin . Perhaps now that I ' ve seen a few Renoir films , I ' ll summon the courage to try The Rules of the Game . 
the movie that wouldn't die . 118 : Carnival of Souls Ahh , what better way to follow up a weak horror movie than with a macabre cult classic . Carnival of Souls is a 1962 movie filmed in Kansas . Early in the movie , three women are wildly driving across a bridge when their car loses control and dives into the river . One survivor , Mary Henry , emerges from the muck . She moves out of town and tries to get on with her life . On the road , she sees the eerie face of a man . Director and producer Herk Harvey cast himself as the silent ghostly character that haunts poor Mary . There is no blood nor gore in the movie , but it excellently conveys an uneasy feeling throughout . What the zither did for The Third Man , the organ does for Carnival of Souls . Mary 's occupation is a church organist , but the haunting theme is like that from a carnival organ . The score and the direction both contribute to a memorable movie experience . It 's hard to characterize , as it 's not campy , serious , or really that scary -- it 's just a unique movie definitely worth watching . 
canadian siamese twins . 117 : Sisters I ' ve never been much of a fan of Brian De Palma and this movie didn't change my mind . It 's not that there 's anything really bad about his directing , it 's just that it 's just mediocre with a few hints at competency . Also , he seems to take the road more traveled -- he rarely comes up with fresh , exciting ideas . Sisters seems like a rehash of plots that are already familiar . Any suspense is ruined by knee - jerk expectations which are quickly proven correct . On the plus side , it stars a young Margot Kidder , before she went on to play Lois Lane in the Superman movies . All of the other characters are poorly acted with the exception of character actor Charles Durning . Bernard Herrmann 's score is overwhelming here , perhaps because De Palma relies on it too much . Overall this fits in pretty well with De Palma 's works and I don't mean that as a compliment . ** After watching this movie , I am at a new benchmark : I ' ve obtained over 50 % of the Criterion collection and watched 50 % of the ones I have . ** . 
i am bi - curious . 115 : I Am Curious ( Yellow ) 116 : I Am Curious ( Blue ) If you watch two movies , both called I Am Curious , does that make you bi - curious ? If I make a bad pun in a forest and there is no one there to laugh , then how pathetic am I ? Anyway , I watched these two movies . They are not two versions of the same movie , nor is one a sequel or prequel to the other . Basically the director originally intended to have one three and half hour movie , the result of his ambitious project filmed without much of a script or budget . He later broke it up into two films : Yellow and Blue ( the colors of the Swedish flag ) . The Yellow part is the more famous of the two . It was banned in several countries and later was the focal point of a landmark court battle over free speech in cinema and literature . The movie has lots of nudity and sex , but it probably would ' ve still been banned without that , as it also focuses on the negative aspects of class society and Swedish people 's perceptions of their own nation . Oh , and there 's some anti - American sentiment thrown in for good measure The movies have the same quirky feel as a French New Wave , but switch between documentary and drama without ever being a docu - drama . There are also bits of meta - realism when the camera turns on itself and shows the film 's creators as part of the film . Some parts work better than others ; the two films could ' ve easily been cut down to a concise piece about a third as long . Still , it 's worth watching just to see what the controversy was all about . 
what is this great evil . 114 : Hearts and Minds The title derives from the Lyndon Johnson quote concerning the Vietnam war : " The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there . " More than any other film , this movie explores the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese . It also spends considerable time with soldiers who have returned from battle and even one who avoided it entirely . This amazing documentary surprisingly won the 1975 Academy Award for Best Documentary . Hearts and Minds shows what a significant turning point the war was in American history . Some of the interviewees still exhibit complete faith in their political leaders , a concept that is mostly alien to generations since Vietnam . Of course , it 's disappointing to watch this and be reminded that , over thirty years later , we still haven't learned the lessons we were taught at such a cost . Oh well . U - S - A ! U - S - A ! 
nobody puts piggy in the corner . 113 : Fat Girl Overweight 12 - year - old Anais has body issues . To make matters worse , her older sister is thin and attractive . And it certainly doesn't help when her sister has sex while Anais is trying to sleep . Most people have to wait till college to put up with that . Fat Girl is about as hard to watch as something like Happiness , without the black humor . The part with Anais swimming around her pool and making up affairs between the post for the diving board and the side ladder sums it up pretty well . The movie explores sibling issues , adolescence , and the good old fun of being a fat girl . As tough as the movie is , the ending still manages to step it up to another level . But in a way , it ends on a good note , almost like , " You go , girl ! " The final shot and exit music combine in a surreal fashion , leaving you confused and somewhat appauled . All in all , it 's pretty brutal but definitely worth watching . 
dassin double feature . 111 : Thieves ' Highway 112 : Night and the City About half a decade before he made Rififi , Jules Dassin made two similar movies , Thieves ' Highway and Night and the City . Thieves ' Highway is the story of a man who returns home to his family , only to find that his father , a truck driver , has been wronged . Richard Conte , who played mob boss Brazini in the original Godfather , is the young man . Here , he sets out to settle the score and he ends up coming into love and money along the way . Lee J . Cobb ( 12 Angry Men , On the Waterfront ) turns in a memorable performance as a con - man grocer , the one who Conte hopes to avenge . Night and the City follows a similar path , except the main guy is a bit less virtuous than Conte . Harry Fabian , played by ( Richard Widmark , Judgment at Nuremberg ) is the lead here -- a man who is always on the lookout for the ' sure thing ' or any way to quick money . His schemes end up backfiring and his demise ( shot mostly at night in London ) is thrilling to watch . Of these two , I ' d have to pick Night and the City as the slight favorite , mostly for the sharp , nocturnal cinematography and Widmark 's performance in the last twenty minutes . 
tennis matchbook . Book # 11 : John Mc Phee - Levels of the Game While in Knoxville , I picked this up at my favorite bookstore , the Book Eddy . The manager had a whole shelf devoted to John Mc Phee books and they all came highly recommended . I wasn't familiar with Mc Phee , but apparently he has been a writer for The New Yorker for years . He absorbs himself so much in short articles that they eventually turn into novellas . Such is the case for Levels of the Game . The book describes a US Open semifinals tennis match between Clark Graebner and Arthur Ashe . It goes back and forth between shot - for - shot accounts of the match and profiles of the two atheletes . Although they shared much in common , Graebner and Ashe had different socioeconomic backgrounds . Mc Phee explores these differences and connects them to the players ' tennis philosophies . I really enjoyed this book and will likely search out other Mc Phee works , especially Encounters with the Archdruid , his book about the different perspectives of the American environmentalism movement . 
euphamisms all over the place . 109 : Crazed Fruit 110 : Fighting Elegy I didn't indend to watch these two back - to - back . Not only do they have very similar covers , but the movies themselves explore some of the same themes . I really didn't think too much of Crazed Fruit for the first 83 minutes . It was apparently pretty racy for its time ( 1956 ) -- heralded as one of the best depictions of the postwar sexual revolution for Japanese youth . Basically two brothers are fighting over the same girl . The younger one is especially frustrated , as he was deemed too young to take seriously . Well , little brother proves them both wrong in the last minutes of the movie . This is one of the times where the last scene makes up for the rest of the movie being a bit slow and tame . After enjoying so many Seijun Suzuki movies , I opted to watch his Fighting Elegy . In Japan , the word ' elegy ' must be a synonym for ' erections ' because that 's the main thing that the lead character fights in this movie . Basically he turns his intense sexual frustration into martial arts violence . I didn't really care for this one as much as the other Suzuki movies . It was decent enough , but I can't say it stuck with me too much . I just watched it yesterday and today I had difficulty remembering how it ended . Apparently this is a case where the ending fails to justify the rest of the movie . 
judging movies by covers . 107 : Eyes Without a Face 108 : The Testament of Dr. Mabuse The Criterion Collection is known for doing a terrific job of restoring old films and preserving classics that otherwise would have been overlooked ( or worse , lost forever ) . But their graphic arts department deserves a lot of credit for making these movies look so attractive . Both of these movies have amazing cover images -- simple portraits that both focus on the strange eyes of their subjects . Both movies were absolutely incredible . Eyes Without a Face is elegantly eerie ; there are several shots that are so hauntingly memorable . I think this Halloween , I ' d love to have a double feature of this movie and The Vanishing . The Testament of Dr. Mabuse is prefaced by an explanation of how the 1933 movie was banned in Germany until 1951 ; when it was finally shown , it was an edited version . Criterion found other original negatives and was able to restore this ( nearly ) to its intended length . Director Fritz Lang is best known for his masterpiece M , but I thought this movie was equally fantastic . There are several shots and scenes that seem so ahead of their time . Again , Criterion 's cover art makes everything they release look terrific , but these two movies deliver on that promise much more than I expected . 
state of the june . Well , I ' ve made it halfway chronologically , but still a bit behind my midpoints on both books and movies ( 12 120 ) . I ' ve been doing significant traveling lately , so perhaps when I am able to settle somewhere , I ' ll be able to catch up . I ' m reading three or four books simultaneously now and I ' m bound to finish at least two before July is over . I would really love to end June with both categories above 90 % of my goal -- a benchmark I haven't achieved since February . At this point : 106 movies watched ( Goal : 120 ) 10 books read ( Goal : 12 ) Usually I tack on five albums I ' ve enjoyed over the course of the past month , but I ' m so far behind in that respect I won't bother listing anything . 
Few words changes all . Dear JEesus , I am a sinner . I believe You are the son of God and Died for my sins on the cross . F 0 rgive me . Jesus , I repent . I ask You to have mercy in me , A sinner , And come to my life . Give me your spirit and power . So i can be like YO \ ou Help me to follow and obey Your commandments , and live for You . Jesus , I give You my life . Thank You for hearing my prayer . Thank You for coming to my life . I pray all this in Your most holy precious name , ~ AMEN ~ . 
testimony of my spiritual life . Spiritual Life This is testimony of my spiritual life . Through all this there 's many up 's and down But i ' ve choosen Christ from other many other Idols or Self proclaim " God " .. I was born in a Christian family and parents was Christian Catholics .. I was baptize by father raymond peter in 18 / 10 / 1990 I went to Sfx ( saint francis xaviar ) Church from around 1995 - 2002 When i was there i always thought there 's no such thing as God Cause that time i was a " see to believe type " so i ' didnt saw any God Or stuff caused me to not believe Christ and stuff .. My friends talk about Jesus Christ nearly all the time and i do wonder who is this Jesus Christthey talked about .. Mostly i thought he was a tv fiction character " power - rangers " fame ? cause they always talk like " Jesus ask us to friend each other " " Jesus love all " , Jesus will help us .. and many more . At 21 st november 1999 on 8.30 am me and my best friend that time sarah Recieved the eucharist for the first time .. And i went to few Churches many times .. one at taman sri muda From 5 / 3 / 1998 till somewhere in 2000 .. There i learn more about Christ .. begin intrested to learn more about Him And yes i finally know He 's not power rangers and He 's a God I also remember in 2000 that time i ' didnt know about God the Father And Holy Spirit And i thought Jesus and Mother mary was a couple .. silly me ... anyway i was small that time ... hehe Soon in 2000 - 2002 i went to Sfx back and to Holy redeemer Sfx Church was not a good place ( not trying to discriminate ) Cause the majoriti there was too " Cool people type " I dun think they want to know God more but just came for friends Learn more about God more and More .. in 2003 was a bad time I lost faith in Christ .. i stopped going church and more .. That time i thought of what to bean atheist ? pagan ? mormon ? or a satanist .. one of the timethere 's a feeling of being a free thinker .. but finally i ' ve choose one of this believe .. but on 20 / 12 / 2004 my brother brought me to Sagc this place i thought was a cool people place too .. but sooner i found out this place was a place really i wanted .. then soon i meet a few people that really changed me .. and also i know more about Christ there .. Through Sf , teens , Cg and more .. I ' ve except Christ at Camp Besar a camp organized by Sagc ( shah alam gospel centre ) No one knows but now you ' ve known when i ' ve except Christ .. Tho there is up 's and down . i really believe Jesus is there for me So many things He has helped me .. And if possible i ' m gonna baptize soon But this time is special cause i know that i sincerely excepted Jesus Christ .. Many of my friends helped me through all this struggle .. really thank them too .. My 1990 baptize line " My Jesus , Give me the grace to recieve you always with a pure and contrite heart " My 1999 holy communent line " Eucharist is the simbol of God 's blood for i ' m blessed with Your blood my Lord " Well there 's my testimony .. hope that will make you ' ll know me better Thanks for reading .. 
Just awared Miroslav Klose won Golden Shoes For 2006 world cup Despite majoriti thoughts of Zinede Zidane would have grabbed it ... Disapointed with Germany but there is always next time ... until then .. 
miss everything .. Times like this i wanna run Times like this i wanna scream Times like this i want peace Times like this i needed to be alone Times like this i ' m hurt inside Times like this i need rest Times like this i ' ll proclaim i ' m weak Times like this i wanna break down Times like this i wanna say thank you Times like this i want quiet sounds Times like this i need nature love Times like this i see your paradise Times like this the oceans roars Times like this the sea - shells float Times like this i wanna talk a walk at the beach .. Times like this i wanna .... 
Basics Of Pilates Exercise . If you re highly informed or even if you re one of those peoplethat just stay home , no doubt you ve heard of the pilatesexercise . The purpose of pilates Exercises is to stretch and tostrengthen your body . That is why pilates is so popular withmost contortionists and ballet dancers . But just because people are using pilates for physicalimprovement , and weight loss , it doesn t mean that a pilatesexercise is a cardiovascular exercise . Pilates is basically alow intensity exercise . Most instructors recommend pilates withaerobics and other forms of exercise for best effects . The pilates Exercise was invented by Joseph Pilates , a German National , as a self exercise . Pilates was born a fragile child , sickly and asthmatic , so he took to exercise to improve hisbody . When he was a bit older , he was living in France , and wasarrested as an enemy alien . During his internment , he wasassigned in the medical facilities of the prison and this iswhere he put pilates into use , as rehabilitation exercises forthe sick . Since then the pilates exercises has gained its reputation forhelping improve the overall physical state of the body . Pilatesexercise is a series of breathing techniques combined withstretching and a simple machine . Pilates exercises designed toimprove the body s core . This includes the muscles in theabdomen , back , and buttocks . Some say it is better than yogaoverall because it strengthens the body through improvingposture strength and flexibility through stretching . Themachines used in pilates , are there to challenge the body , bymaking it stay in certain positions while moving the otherparts in differing directions , thereby training the body toendure strain , thus increasing strength . The basic Ideology of the pilates Exercise is the use of thebody s mental ability to improve movement , efficiency andmuscle control , which is also why they say that Pilate exercisesomehow improves one s mental state . Pilates also makes youaware of proper posture . Due to the exercises that you do , italso develops the muscles in the back and abdomen , furtherpromoting good posture . Pilate exercise also uses breathing techniques , which furtherincreases mental focus . And probably one of the greatestfocuses of pilates is flexibility strength of the muscles . Itis this ideology that made pilates popular among dancers in thebegining . Many pilates enthusiasts and users have testified to theeffectiveness of this program . With regular classes , the bodiesbecome well balanced and stronger . Some say that after eachworkout , you can instantly feel the difference it has made tothe parts of the body , mainly the legs back and abs . Aside from increased strength , weight loss is what many peopleaim for when they do pilates exercises . Other benefits ofpilates include increased energy levels , higher endurance , better flexibility , great abdominal workouts , and overallphysical well being . About The Author : Copyright 2006 , Heather Colman . Find moreresources for a pilates at : http : // www . pilates - news . info . Read more ! 
Abdominal Exercises . When you are trying to choose the abdominal exercises that youshould focus on you need to take into consideration what youare doing the abdominal exercises for . If you are doing theseabdominal exercises in order to get rid of some of the extrapudge you have put on over the holidays then you will want tofocus on abdominal exercises that will focus in on certainspots on the tummy . If you are doing the abdominal exercises inorder to strengthen the stomach area then you will want to do amore diverse routine when it comes to your abdominal exercises . Most people like to do well rounded abdominal exercises . Thisusually means doing more than one kind of exercise . For exampleyou will want to do both upper and lower tummy crunches . When it is the upper than you are focusing on you need to lieon your back and raise your upper body towards your lower body . To do lower body crunches then you will lie on your back andlift your legs to your upper body . These are sometimes calledreverse crunches . Together these are very powerful abdominalexercises that will transform the look of your body . Abdominal exercises will give men and women a better , trimmerfigure . If you want to make yourself look more fantastic in adress then you definitely need to start working abdominalexercises into your regular exercise routine . Only theseabdominal exercises will give you the most desired shape ofall . Not only that but the abdominal exercises we are talkingabout here will help your body to support your back . If youhave a history of back problems then you need to start yourabdominal exercises right away . These abdominal exercises canmake all of the difference in controlling the trouble that youare so used to having with your back . By doing regular abdominal exercises you can almost avoidfuture back problem immediately . But before you start theabdominal exercises you need to take care . Talk to your doctoror chiropractor in order to see the abdominal exercises thatare right for this kind of solution . There are some abdominalexercises that can actually make your back problems worse sotake the time to okay your choices with your doctor before youstart doing them . It is also important that you start off doing your abdominalexercises slowly . They need to be done on a slow pace when youare first beginning to make use of abdominal exercises , if yourush into serious abdominal exercises you can pull muscles thatyou did not even know that you had . And that is no way to startdoing your abdominal exercises . So start slow and ease into theabdominal exercises that you choose and your body will be a muchhappier body as time goes on . About The Author : Free Fitness and Exercise Tipshttp : // free - fitness - exercise - tips . com / - lots of information tokeep you fit , healthy and help you to get regular exercise . Read more ! 
Yoga and Pilates Basics . Pilates were invented by Joseph Pilate in the early 20 thcentury . Yoga Pilates can prove to be of great help if all thenecessary rules related to Pilates exercises is followedproperly . Yoga Pilates is a regimen of exercise that can beequally beneficial and enjoyable . Very simply , Pilates is thecontemporary part of the older Yoga movements . The number of Pilates exercises can be as many as five hundred exercises thatcan be performed by using only five chief instruments . Each poseof yoga has great significance similar to its Pilatesequivalent . The important yoga Pilates basics that one mustmaster are movement to and fro from center and revolving aroundcenter . Maintaining good health and proper well being is the chiefpoint of proper and regular practice of yoga Pilates . Regularaction will definitely leave a deep , positive impact in yourphysical as well as mental life . After some days of practiceyou will find that your body s flexibility is enhanced . Thestretching that is involved in Pilate yoga helps in lesseningthe threat of injuries . One of the biggest benefits of Pilates exercises is that yourbody s balance is improved . With the passage of time , your bodyaches will reduce to a great extent as well . With regularexercise , the muscles are strengthened , resulting in thestimulation of your endurance , stamina and your energy level . One great thing that you will experience as a result of Pilatesyoga is that you will find that your body and mind is much morerelaxed compared to how you felt before . Pilates yoga involvescertain breathing patterns that help a person to calm down andrelax , resulting in sounder sleep . Now days Pilates are often prescribed by specialists likeosteopaths , physical therapists , chiropractors and manyholistic practitioners as a principal , practical tamingprocess . Pilates indeed rank first in the western chart offitness . The viewpoints of Pilates teachers and Yogainstructors are somewhat the same on the workings of theexercise . Many consider Pilates to be yoga on the machineswhile others see it as neuromuscular education or strengthconditioning . Basically Yoga and Pilates are reciprocally supportive : Yogagives Pilates litheness and mobility while Pilates offersconstancy and mobility in the movement . When united with Yoga , Pilates doctrine augments the practice by bringing centralstabilization into light as well as training and substance foryoga postures ( particularly in the strength to seize ) . Since Pilates is more about length and potency , Yoga helps to amplifythe litheness capability . Many people whose job demands sitting at a desk or drivingalmost 8 hours a day , gain a lot from Pilates Yoga . With easyideas of figure and postural doctrines , it will support thebackbone and unlock the oomph channels . It edifiesconsciousness and centering , suppleness and mobility . It is acoordination of associated exercises that are also helpfulseparately . Dancers and professional athletes practice the Pilate form ofexercise . This helps them to achieve flexibility of body andgain strength . Recently this form of exercise has become verypopular among celebrities and models for keeping fit . There isno harm in practicing yoga Pilates . In fact , it is consideredto be safe even when practiced during special conditions likepregnancy . About The Author : John Furnem is a dot com veteran , specializing in human resources and work psychology he haswritten articles about relief and stress management . Johncurrently writes Stress Relief and Yoga articles forhttp : // yoga . zupatips . com. Read more ! 
Strong Heart With Balance Ball . The exercise benefit you may want from exercise may differgreatly from the exercise benefit someone else wants but somethings remain the same . Strong Heart A strong heart does not have to work so hard so you are lesslikely to have a heart attack . Regular exercise also increasesyour HDL ( good ) cholesterol and helps lower your totalcholesterol . Exercise also helps lower your blood pressure . Your lungs will also benefit from exercise as they becomebetter conditioned so that activities such as climbing stairswill not make you out of breath . Any exercise tip you use needs to be simple yet smart enough soyou can use the exercise tips to quickly and easily adapt yourexercise habits to continue to push ahead and reach yourhealth , fitness , and physical appearance goals and still havethe time for a great family life . Exercise tip for an exercise benefit : Get a baby jogger . You don't have to run or jog , walking at afast pace will do just as good , but you should get a babyjogger they 're much easier and smoother than a regular strollerfor this ; Increased Self - Esteem : Gaining control of your body size and weight through fitness isan amazing way to increase self - esteem . You look better and aremore confident which empowers you in everything you do . Youwill find that the self - discipline required and learned throughregular exercise spills over into other areas of your life andyou will be better able to make other necessary and desireablechanges Start by talking with your doctor . This is especially importantif you haven't been active , if you have any health problems , orif you 're pregnant or elderly . Exercise Makes Your Heart Happy You may know that your heart is a muscle . It works hard , pumping blood every day of your life . You can help thisimportant muscle get stronger by doing aerobic ( say : air - o - bik ) exercise . Balance Ball You ' ve seen them lying around the gym , but you ' ve never reallyknown what to do with them . At first , you may have thought theylooked " girly , " but then you probably saw some of the mostmuscular guys at your gym using them . Balance ball is a greatway to get great abs ! We urge you to find out more aboutbalance ball exercises ! About The Author : Come find out why Balance Ball Exercises areoften used by athletes at http : // Balance Ball . ewhy . info . Read more ! 
swiss ball abs . A medicine ball is also commonly used by athletes who havesustained an injury , and seek rehabilitation . They are alsoextensively used by secondary schools as a fitness aid , bylifting the ball , or performing different ab exercises with theswiss ball incorporated to increase the strain on a particularmuscle . What is A Swiss Ball ? A Swiss ball is a ball constructed of elastic rubber with adiameter of around 55 to 85 cm ( 22 to 34 inches ) . It is used inphysical therapy and exercise . Yoga with Balance Ball ? Doing yoga on a ball allows your body to open gently so you cankeep your breath flowing and remain aware of signs of strain soyou don't injure yourself . The balance ball supports you incertain poses and helps you modify each posture to suit yourbody . Sit on The Ball ! Sitting on a ball instead of a chair is a great way to keepyour spine healthy . Try to sit on a ball for at least part ofyour work day , if you have a desk job . When you sit on a ball , you 're forced to sit up with good posture because you havenothing to lean back on . Also , because the ball rolls around , it keeps you on your toes and keeps your body moving , whichhelp prevent the stiffness and back pain that you can get frombeing too sedentary . Bent Knee Bridge for Buttocks and hamstrings How to do it : Lie on your back with your knees bent and yourheels resting on top of the ball . Spread your arms out oneither side of you . Lift your butt off the floor whilesqueezing it , and push your hips toward the ceiling . Pause atthe top of the movement , then go back to the starting position . The following are some guidelines in planning and running amedicine ball session : - 1 . Always ensure the athletes carry out a thorough warm up andwarm down 2 . Before starting a session , explain the procedures for eachexercise with your athletes 3 . Partners who feed the medicine ball on certain exercisesshould be well drilled on what is required 4 . Medicine ball exercises must precede high intensity work 5 . Start sessions with lighter less dynamic exercises , thenprogress to heavier exercises 6 . The program should have exercises that match the pattern ofmovements of the sport 7 . Plan the program to exercise alternate body parts ( legs , upper body , torso ) 8 . You will need to have a number of different weights of ballavailable - heavy , medium and light A primary benefit of exercising with a Swiss ball as opposed toexercising directly on a hard flat surface is that the bodyresponds to the instability of the ball to remain balanced , engaging many more muscles to do so . Those muscles becomestronger over time to keep balance . About The Author : Come find out why Balance Ball Exercises areoften used by athletes at http : // Balance Ball . ewhy . info . Read more ! 
Crunches For Abs . Doing yoga on the ball can benefit anyone , including strong , limber athletes . Raise the bar on your yoga workout by addingball work . Poses done on the round surface challenge balanceand build core muscles while helping you develop inner focus . Basic Crunches for Abs With your feet flat on the floor , place your lower back on theball , and your upper body and thighs parallel to the floor . Docrunches as usual , lifting only your shoulders and upper backoff the ball , using your abs . In normal everyday activity and traditional exercise , largermuscles tend to do most of the work , so the small ones weakenfrom lack of use , she explains . However , when you do yogamovements on the unstable surface of a ball , you strengthenthose tiny , overlooked muscles through the micro - movements youmake to stabilize yourself . Just sitting on the ball at yourdesk engages those smaller muscles effectively ! Caring For your Balance Ball Before use , check the area for sharp objects that may puncturethe ball . If possible , use a carpeted surface or exercise matwhen using the ball . The ball is not intended for outdoor useas the risk of puncture is high . The ball should be inspectedfor gouges and deep scratches prior to use . Getting the Right Fitness Ball Fitness balls come in different sizes . The basic rule forchoosing the correct size is that when you 're sitting on theball , you should be able to easily balance with your feet onthe ground . Your hips and knees should both be at right angles . The following list matches you up with the right size ball , based on your height : This is a simple , cheap way to get a little more use out ofyour exercise ball . The ability to add resistance bands ( without safety being an issue ) adds a whole new dynamic to howyou use your exercise ball . About The Author : Come find out why Balance Ball Exercises areoften used by athletes at http : // Balance Ball . ewhy . info . Read more ! 
Strength Training With Weider Fitness Equipment . If you are looking for an all - in - one strength training workout , Weider fitness equipment may be the answer that you have beensearching for . Whether you do not have a lot of room formultiple pieces of strength training equipment or simply preferthe convenience of an all - in - one unit , there is a simplesolution . Many strength training experts prefer to work out inthe comfort of their own home and wish to avoid spending moneyon a gym membership . These are just a few of the reasons that Weider strength training fitness equipment is gaining inpopularity . The Advantage by Weider is a unique product . Offering over 65 club - quality exercises is not the only quality this strengthtraining equipment promises , but this Weider fitness productalso guarantees to tone up your muscles in 6 weeks or less . The Weider fitness equipment strength trainer is a separateunit , which is designed to increase muscle and improve theoverall tone of the entire body . This 16.6 strength traineroffers an upper - body station , butterfly arms , pull - up station , high and low pulleys , 225 lbs . of weights . The entire unit isdesigned on a sturdy steel frame . The Weider Pro 3750 strengthtrainer features two full - body workout stations , which arecombined into one single machine . It offers 212 lbs . ofresistance and aids in building muscles throughout every partof the body . Weider offers a variety of strength trainingunits , each of which features many of the same characteristics , but may differ slightly in resistance or other option . If your ultimate goal is strength training , the Weider fitnessequipment that you may want to consider using is called astrength station . This strength training unit allows you towork on the abdominal muscles , chest , back , triceps and arms . It features a vertical knee raise station , dip station and apull - up and push - up station . In addition to the aforementioned strength training units , Weider fitness equipment includes a wide variety of weightbenches and weights , exercise mats and other accessories . Amongthe more affordable units offered by Weider fitness equipmentare a step machine , a genuine leather jump rope , latexresistance bands and a sit - up bar . The sit - up bar is especiallyinteresting because it is used as a stand alone product thatattaches to any standard door while providing the user withsecure foot support needed for doing sit - ups . The contents of this strength training article is intended forinformational purposes only and should not be considered , orused as , professional medical advice or recommendations . Beforebeginning any training or fitness routine , you should consult alicensed physician to learn what risks , if any , exist . He / shewill be able to recommend a quality strength training exerciseregimen , which will be personalized to fit your needs . About The Author : To find out more about strength training , please visit our website athttp : // www . strength - training - guide . info . It contains tons offree strength training articles , resources and tips . Read more ! 
Ways To Improve Blood Circulation . Blood Circulation plays an important part in our being . Inorder to stay healthy it is very important to have good bloodcirculation . Proper blood circulation helps in transferringnutrients and oxygen to various parts of the body . Lack of goodblood circulation causes diseases due to harmful foreignparticles entrapped in the tissue . Many of us do not have any idea about the value of a good bloodcirculation . Some common problems you may face without properblood circulation are : Hypertension : A common problem found with many people mainlymiddle - aged and elderly people . This happens becausecholesterol plaques are deposited along the walls of thearteries , causing it to harden . Varicose Veins : This happens when the walls of the veinsloses its elasticity . Lack of exercise , increasing age , junkfood just adds to the stress escalating this problem from oneleg to the other . - Improving blood circulation Calendula known as Calendula Officinalis is an importantsource to improve blood circulation . Tamari Bancha Tea helps in neutralizing acidic bloodcondition . This tea also enhances blood circulation which inreturn relieves fatigue . Ume - Sho - Bancha with ginger is another source of improvingyour blood circulation . Ginkgo Biloba also has the ability to improve bloodcirculation to the brains extremities . It increases thesharpness of the mind , in relation to all the ages . Onion too can improve the blood circulation level , as well asrelax the muscles . Hydrotherapy also known as hot and cold shower also workswell to improve blood circulation . A simple exercise like walking , which anyone can do is one ofthe easiest ways to increase blood circulation level . Exercising also increases blood circulation which helps themuscles and other tissues . One can heighten the poor blood circulation problem byinfusing rosemary leaves or flowers with red wine . Damiana , Turnera Afrodisiaca is known for it aphrodisiac andmood elevating qualities . It also happens to improve andenhance our blood circulation . The improved blood circulationhelps in governing the hormone production as well as fightsmild depression , sexual disinterest and menstrual problems . Massaging , as many of us tend to perceive is an act ofrelaxation , but it is more than that . The touch of hands andlegs in appropriate places calms your muscles and joints , relieves stress as well as improves blood circulation whichhelps the body in many ways . Reetha is rich in iron , phosphorous and vitamin A , making itvery useful for your hair due to these properties . Soak reethaovernight to make a paste . Apply this on your hair and keep itfor an hour . It induces new life in your hair due to improveblood circulation in the scalp . Cayenne , Ginger , Garlic and Ginkgo are some of the bestdefenses against poor blood circulation . Tincture from these iseasily absorbed by the body which helps in reducing cholesterollevel , cleansing the blood , preventing heart disease and alsofights atherosclerosis . Warning : The reader of this article should exercise allprecautionary measures while following instructions on the homeremedies from this article . Avoid using any of these products ifyou are allergic to it . The responsibility lies with the readerand not with the site or the writer . About The Author : Sharon Hopkins handles many websites relatingto natural home remedies such ashttp : // www . home - remedies - for - you . com , which has lot ofinformation on home based natural cures and remedies . With theuse of different herbs and home remedies we can easily improveour blood circulation level . Read more ! 
Work Out With An Elliptical Cross Trainer . This article will cover the top 6 reasons you should work outwith an Elliptical Cross Trainer . The Elliptical Cross Trainerhas become one of the most popular methods of exercise for thereasons you are about to discover right here in this article . This exercise machine has easily risen above that of thetreadmill and other exercise equipment because of its overallworkout scheme . So sit back , relax , and read on . You will learnthe many different reasons that you too should be working outwith an Elliptical Cross trainer . Reason number one An elliptical cross trainer provides theuser with a workout using weight - bearing exercises . Aweight - bearing workout works to improve a wide variety ofaspects of your body . For example , by using an elliptical crosstrainer you can increase your bone density , improveconditioning , burn calories , and strengthen your muscles . Allby using one exercise machine . Reason number two With an Elliptical Cross Trainer you willreceive a low impact workout . This is extremely important toanyone who chooses to exercise to maintain his or her health . Alow impact workout means you are putting less stress upon yourbones and joints while you are exercising . The trainer haspedals that you use during cross training and your feet willnever have to leave those pedals . This decreases the amount ofimpact placed on your body . Reason number three Improve your overall fitness by using anextensive cardiovascular workout . This is one of the keyfactors that tempt many people to exercise with an Elliptical Cross Trainer . A cardiovascular workout is essential topromoting good circulation and overall heart health . Reason number four With your Elliptical Cross Trainer youwill receive a total body workout . From head to toe andeverywhere in between , the Elliptical Cross Trainer allows youto work every muscle . Some other exercise machines only work onspecific areas of the body , meaning you would need a fewdifferent machines for a full body workout . The ellipticalcross trainer does that for you with one machine for a totalbody workout . Reason number five Lose weight with an elliptical crosstrainer . Because the cross trainer gives your entire body aworkout , with exercise and a proper diet you could findyourself losing weight while toning your body at the same time . Reason number six Maximum results in less time . This isanother key factor that lures people to the Elliptical Cross Trainer . Because you get a total body workout , those with abusy life and little time left to spare find that exercising onthe elliptical cross trainer provides you with maximum resultsin less time . This allows you to get the benefits of exercisingand still have enough time in the day for other activities . As you can see , there are many benefits to working out with an Elliptical Cross Trainer . If you find the proper machine , dothe right exercises and follow a healthy diet regimen , you willhave no problem benefiting from all that an Elliptical Cross Trainer can offer . About The Author : Simon Oldmann has been writing about theeffects of financial planning on health and mental stability . Simon is currently writing tips and advice about workout and Elliptical Trainer at http : // ellipticaltrainer . zupatips . com. Read more ! 
Yoga Breathing Exercises For Expectant Mothers . Prenatal yoga is an exercise that is designed to promotebreathing exercises , posture and emotional relaxation . Thisapproach is often sought by pregnant women who are preparingfor a natural childbirth or who wish to stay physically andemotionally healthy during their pregnancy . One of the manybenefits of prenatal yoga is the lack of physical exertion thatis required , which makes it a safe practice for many moms - to - be . During the pain that is associated with a natural childbirth , prenatal yoga will attempt to promote proper breathing thatwill help to make the process an easier one . In addition , relaxation is essential during the childbirth process andalthough it can be difficult , prenatal yoga can help to teachwomen how to relax themselves as much as possible . For some , prenatal yoga may be sought as part of a spiritualprocess that helps them to connect with their unborn childand / or prepare for the new arrival . In some cases , prenatalyoga may even be beneficial after the birth as it instillstechniques that are associated with relaxation . As every newmom knows , there is a definite need for relaxation after havinga child . For some , prenatal yoga may help women to return to theirpre - pregnancy weight more quickly than others . For most , thisis a struggle that takes a lot of patience and determination . In general , yoga is an exercise that promotes physical fitness , relaxation , breathing , spiritual and emotional connections , etc. If you are searching for a prenatal yoga class or instructor , the best place to start is through your physician . During yournext visit , ask the doctor if prenatal yoga would be safe foryou and , if so , who you could contact for instruction . Mostphysicians are aware of any local classes or instruction beinggiven and will often be able to refer patients to a class thatis most convenient for them . Most women prefer that the fatherof their child or a friend or family member attend prenatalyoga classes for support and guidance . Having someone familiarwill also make the classes more enjoyable and relaxing for themom - to - be . Before enrolling in prenatal yoga , it s best to makesure that the instructor is licensed , certified or highlytrained and experienced in teaching this type of relaxationmethod . The information in this article is to be used for informationalpurposes only . It should not be used in place of , or inconjunction with , professional medical advice . Anyone withquestions regarding prenatal yoga must consult their physicianfor further information . About The Author : Want to learn more about prenatal yoga ? Makesure you visit our site at : http : // www . prenatalyogaguide . infofor access to additional prenatal yoga tips and information . Read more ! 
Women s Fitness Magazine Subscriptions . Recent news reports have made note of the fact that an evergrowing number of women and men across the globe areoverweight . Indeed , some experts in the field have concludedthat being overweight now poses a far greater health risk to alarger number of people across the globe than does a lack offood . If you are a woman who is interested in her health , youmay be interested in finding a women s fitness magazinesubscription that will fid your goals and needs . In thisregard , there are a variety of different women s fitnessmagazine subscription that are now available on the markettoday . In this regard , you might want to turn to the Internetand World Wide Web as you commence your own search for awomen s fitness magazine subscription . First of all , most major women s fitness magazines now maintaina vibrant Internet presence . By visiting these websites , you candetermine what one or another of the different women s fitnessmagazines now have to offer to an interested consumer . Manytimes , if you order one or another of the women s fitnessmagazine subscription from an online website , a magazine willknock a percentage off the regular subscription price . If you are a woman who is a member of a gym of health club , youmight want to consult with a trainer at the facility todetermine what recommendation the trainer may have in regard towomen s fitness magazine subscription . As with many otherproducts , there can be some pretty significant differencesbetween the various women s fitness magazines that are beingpublished in this day and age . Needless to say , you will want awomen s fitness magazine that fits into any workout or fitnessregimen that you may already be participating in . Finally , as you search for women s fitness magazinesubscription , you might want to take out a trial subscriptionto a couple of magazines to compare what is included in thedifferent publications . By being able to make such an up closecomparison , you will be able to determine which publicationwill best meet your particular needs and health and fitnessgoals and objectives . Many magazines offer a trial period at nocost , or at a nominal fee , to give you a chance to view apublication up close . In short , you risk nothing -- or verylittle -- by taking out a trial subscription to see what aparticular women s fitness magazine subscription is all about . About The Author : Linda Polansky writes abouthttp : // www . magazinesubscriptionsonsale . com. Read more ! 
Good Stress And Bad Stress . The stress response of the body is somewhat like an airplanereadying for take - off . Virtually all systems ( eg , the heart andblood vessels , the immune system , the lungs , the digestivesystem , the sensory organs , and brain ) are modified to meet theperceived danger . Trembling Pounding Heart With trembling and a pounding heart , we can find it difficultto execute precise , controlled skills . And the intensity of ourfocus on survival interferes with our ability to make finejudgments based on drawing information from many sources . Wefind ourselves more accident - prone and less able to make gooddecisions . Become aware of your stressors and your emotional and physicalreactions . Notice your distress . Don't ignore it . Don't glossover your problems . Determine what events distress you . Whatare you telling yourself about meaning of these events ? Determine how your body responds to the stress . Do you becomenervous or physically upset ? If so , in what specific ways ? Preventing Stress Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress . The stress reaction is triggered by your perception ofdanger ... physical danger and / or emotional danger . Are youviewing your stressors in exaggerated terms and / or taking adifficult situation and making it a disaster ? Are you expecting to please everyone ? Are you overreacting and viewing things as absolutely criticaland urgent ? Do you feel you must always prevail in everysituation ? Work at adopting more moderate views ; try to see thestress as something you can cope with rather than something thatoverpowers you . Try to temper your excess emotions . Put thesituation in perspective . Do not labor on the negative aspectsand the " what if 's . " Good Stress and Bad Stress The stress response ( also called the fight or flight response ) is critical during emergency situations , such as when a driverhas to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident . It can also beactivated in a milder form at a time when the pressure 's on butthere 's no actual danger - like stepping up to take the foulshot that could win the game , getting ready to go to a bigdance , or sitting down for a final exam . A little of thisstress can help keep you on your toes , ready to rise to achallenge . And the nervous system quickly returns to its normalstate , standing by to respond again when needed . Relieve Stress with Stress Ball If you are working in an office environment , be sure to getyourself a stress ball . Stress balls are proven to relive aperson from stress ! So what are you waiting for ? Get a stressball today and learn how it can benefit you . About The Author : Did you know , the Stress Ball isscientifically proven to relive stress ? More info athttp : // Stress Ball . eabout . info . Read more ! 
These boots are made for walking ... These boots are made for walking , and that 's just what they ' ll do , one of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you . For insider with no comment ... Ferner zu erw hnen g be es das momentane Rauchverhalten . Bin grad kurz am berschlagen ... Fast 9 Monate sind es her als ich die letzte Zigarette im hellen Vollmondlicht geraucht habe . Noch immer ein wenig stolz ber diesen Zustand aber oft auch gar nicht daran denkend mach ich einfach weiter mit " nicht - rauchen " . 
BACK . CHANGERSditching the picture / text format . trying more stream of conscious style aped from my uncle . because its easier and will hopefully feel less forced . we ' ll see how it goes . feedback is welcome . WONDERS ! amsterdam has outdoor urinals . no , not port - a - potties . fucking outdoor urinals . other amazing european innovations : motion - detecting escalators ( took me like five times to figure out they weren't broken ) , stepless escalators ( just an incline ! ) , BEER AT MCDONALDS , and castles . oh , you can get jack and coke in a can too . THEY BEAT ONamsterdam itself is a fascinating , terrible place . more of an amusement park for restless 18 - 25 men than an actual city . complete lost generation redux . north carolina kids telling me about how they came to see europe a few weeks ago and just hadn't left the city . its just that kind of place . personally , i checked out when i saw some kid buy a gram of coke in the red light district , and then proceed to empty the powder into his hand and just smear his palm across his nose , before offering his hand to his ladyfriend . " okay amsterdam , " i says to myself . " we 're done . " met an absolutely bonkers ex - cop ( aptly named Case ) while watching the france - togo game . so he 's like ... you know oceans 12 ? yeah , there were some scenes in amsterdam , werent there ? yeah ! i made it ! oh cool ! what , so you were like a camera guy ? nononono .... i made it . and later ... you were a cop ?? yeah man ! a cop ! you dont believe me ?? why arent you a cop anymore ? brains bleeding ! THEY ROLL HARD the half - time commentators for the france - togo game did not wear suits . they were not pretty . they were crotchety old men with huge bellies and animated arms . and they had wine glasses . wine glasses ! note to ESPN : get lalas a pint , a couple martinis for foudey and wynalda , i guarantee you they become more watchable . which is to say ... watchable . MUSSELS IN BRUSSELSone of the most satisfying meals i ' ve ever had was in brussels . mussels . apparently they 're known for their seafood . i was unaware . watched the germany - sweden and the mexico - argentina game there . if you didn't see the latter , check this out . hands down the best goal of the cup . maybe the best one i ' ve ever seen . it 's such a hefty claim , but i ' ve racked my brain and cant come up with a better one . if anyone has any contenders , send me a youtube link . NEVER SAW PULP FICTIONour hostel in cologne was right across from the ukranian national team 's hotel . talk in our bustling abode ranged from alleged shevchenko sightings to cracks about how togo was staying at this very hostel last week . highlight : midnight soccer game by the cathedral with a brazilian and two kids who came by that just happened to be from mountain view . lowlight : PAYING for ketchup at mcdonalds . by now we ' ve been in europe for four days , and the first thing alex wants to take a picture of is the royale burger or whatever its called . not the badass cathedral across the street . a fucking mcdonalds burger . we tease him for this , but he looks at us like we just dont get it . DRAIN COSMETICSthere 's a bunch more , but lets reserve that for when i hopefully see you in person sometime soon . for now , check out this serena - maneesh video . the album just came out in the states last week . they 're norwegian , and will not be stopped . 
The Magic Is You ! And don't call him no Nick Nolte neither . Pick ' em update : 19 for 32 This one goes out to the Tunisians . That was pretty rough . You know what guys ? That one was really rough . Here 's another one . No more blog ' til I return from / with the World Cup . Been sorta fiddling with a midyear top 10 / mixtape thingamajig , so THAT , friends , will ( hopefully ) be something to look forward to . ' Til next time , stay loose ... like Stephan Malkamoose . ( thanks Sean ) . 
Damn That Ref Was Garbage . One state , two state ... First things first : Peep this sweet - ass track from The Eraser . So good . Pick ' em update : 15 for 26 . Finishing around 45 would be solid . Interesting tidbit : The Irish kids boarding in my fraternity have informed me that in Ireland , it 's called soccer , not football . My mind was blown . With the exception of Wisconsin and Hawaii , every state that thinks the NBA finals is a bigger story than the World Cup also voted for Bush . But then , there are seventeen Bush states that also think soccer is a most important , so I guess I can't blog about how conservatives hate soccer , which is a bummer , but oh wells . Maps are fun ! So between the World Cup , the U.S. Open and the NBA Finals , 33 out of 50 states think soccer is the big to - do right now . Sounds great initially , but its a bit misleading . If we change the question to ' Is soccer the big to - do in sports right now ? , ' ( just lump golf and basketball together and call it ' soccer is dumb ' ) , that number drops to 13 . And NO state has a soccer appreciation rate that hits 60 % ( connecticut is the highest at 59 % ) . Look , the point is that there 's a fascinating study in there somewhere . And I ' m sure it ' ll be discovered by someone who slept through a lot fewer Sosh 5 classes than I did . And yeah , while the World Cup reaction hasn't been crazy overall , it 's gotta be a LOT better than it was twenty years ago . The question is , have we hit a plateau , or is this gonna keep getting bigger ? Unless the U.S. starts doing real well real soon ( I ' m talking another quarterfinals this time , at least ) I think we 're doomed to another decade of stories about how soccer is the Next Big Thing . Today was a good step . Could have been better for sure , but I ' m blaming that one on a power - trippin ref . Honestly , it 's gonna be real tough for us to get out of the group when we basically need Italy to beat a Czech team that will not lose after what happened to them today . It 's the WC though ... you never know . Did I mention I ' m heading to Germany on Wednesday ? If you 're around Cologne and you ' d like me to sleep on your couch , I ' d be more than happy to accomodate you . I ' ll also be hitting up Iceland ( ! ) and Amsterdam ( !!!!!!!!!!! ) , so if by some chance you happen to be around there , let me make sure your couch is sufficiently comfy . In closing , the Calexico concert was absolutely fantastic , and if you haven't heard Man Man , hear them . 
Heartbroken . ... where did you go ? The first time I saw the Fiery Furnaces , they ran onstage . By the end of their wildly careening set , they were sweating , panting and smiling . I mean , Matt and Eleanor weren't like beaming or anything , but you could tell that they were proud of what they ' d done . Next to the Furnaces ' brilliant intensity , the headlining act ( The Shins ) just felt sleepy . Everyone know 's they 're not the same band they were three years ago . Based on the concert I just got back from though , I don't think they 're the same people either . That wonderful energy was gone , replaced by a ' lets - just - play - the - songs - and - get - it - over - with ' apathy . The whole show was filled with bad vibes : the two stood as far away from each other as possible , and Matt seemed like he was on a mission to just make life as hard for Eleanor as possible . Eleanor started to dedicate Evergreen to her boyfriend , but Matt began playing before she could even finish what she was saying . In the same song , she missed singing the first half of the refrain , which led to Matt sarcastically asking the audience to applaud " that fantastic drum solo " after Evergreen ended . There was a clear nonverbal tension between the two for the entire night , which could have just made for a disappointing concert . The way this shit ended was just epic though . So Eleanor is taking requests for like the last couple songs of their encore , and someone shouts " Paw Paw Tree ! " to which Eleanor responds " god i can't remember the lyrics to that one . " Seems weird I know , but honestly , if there 's one band where you could forgive a lead singer for forgetting the words to a certain song , wouldnt you think it would be the Fiery Furnaces ? Anyways , Matt goes ' okay , lets play it . ' Eleanor says ' but i cant remember the words . ' Matt says something weird like ' well , i ' ll play a different version . ' Eleanor looks at him sorta helplessly , but the dude just STARTS PLAYING . she makes it through about half of the first verse before stumbling , rights herself for the refrain , then just goes blank . she just stands there while the band plays , staring at the ceiling and trying to remember the words . refrain comes around again , she sings , Matt just cuts the third verse short , sardonically and quickly saying " okay , that 's all , thanks everyone . " The band trudges off . It was just the saddest thing I ' ve seen at a live show . All this stuff aside , the new , stripped - down arrangements Matt gave to all the songs just feel lacking . On record , and when I ' d seen them before ( this was my fourth FF show ) , Toshi and Matt 's synth work always made things really exciting and interesting . The straight - ahead guitar sound renders previously amazing live songs like Quay Cur depressingly dreary and uninteresting . Nothing really sounded like it did on record , which made the show interesting , but the new interpretations missed much more often than they hit ( the only exception being Slaving Away , which saw the only time Elanor cracked a smile ) . And this is coming from a guy who really believes in the artistic worth of Rehearsing My Choir . This is coming from a guy who thinks Bitter Tea is one of the best records he 's heard this year . Thankfully , Man Man turned in the best performance I ' ve seen from an opening act , so the night wasn't all lost . More on that later , hopefully . Really , everything tonight just felt like a weird , depressing inversion of that Shins concert . This show ( and news of Matt 's solo album ) are probably the writing on the wall : this band is on its last legs . Man , this blog has sort of taken a turn for the depressing . Hopefully happy posts are on the way . Its just that the Fiery Furnaces are one of my absolute favorite bands , and tonight was just painful to watch . 
More like Dellaca SUCKera . Seems like something you ' d do when you win . Weird . Inserting negative adjectives into someone 's name is always awesome . I know , you 're right , it is more like awe SUCK , but whatever . Speaking of soccer ( what ? ) , this fan in a Croatian jersey rushed the field in the waning moments of today 's Croatia / Brazil game , which lead to this bit of priceless broadcasting : JP Dellacamera : " And a fan appears to have rushed the field . Oh boy . You ' ll notice our cameras are not cutting to him . Dont want to um , justify his action or give him what he wants , which might lead to more unfortunate instances like this one . " Cut to shot of said fan being escorted off field by security . Dellacamera : ( deadpan ) " That ... I ' m pretty sure that 's not him . " That 's right JP . Just play it real cool . Of course it 's not him . That 's just the fattie that somehow made it onto the Croatian national team , only the coach just realized he 's a fattie , which is why he 's ... being arrested . Clearly . 
Absolute Weaksauce . " A complete failure . " - Alexi Lalas " Dude , that was fucking garbage . Oh my god . " - Philip Cordiero " I ' m really disappointed in this team . " - Eric Wynalda Hear that , guys ?? You disappointed Eric Wynalda . Somewhere , Laurie Calloway is rolling his eyes . Background : Calloway coached Wynalda when San Jose was still the Clash . Wynalda claims Calloway ruined his MLS career . Wynalda also once paid an airplane to fly over Spartan Stadium towing the message ' FIRE THIS COACH . ' The guy also had beef with Clash owner Peter Bridgewater . Wynalda was traded , Calloway was fired , and Bridgewater sold the Clash ( by then they were the Earthquakes ) to the dudes that own the New England Revolution , who would eventually dismantle the team and ship it off to Houston . Bad times . Wynalda is also America 's all - time leading scorer , though Da Marcus Beasley ( and yeah , maybe Judas Rogaine ) will probably pass him eventually . Or so I thought , until this morning 's " total failure . " The quotes are there cos someone else said it , but I certainly agree . There 's really no other way to look at it , and the worst part of it all is that for the average sports fan who sorta - casually tuned in , our side 's performance affirmed every negative stereotype Americans have about this sport : They played weak , boring , pointless soccer . Even if the U.S. played to the best of our ability , we still deserved to lose this game . The Czech Republic are simply stronger ( didn't it look like every guy in white had like 4 inches and 50 pounds on our midfield ? ) , faster , and more skilled . They really deserve to be called the second best team in the world . We , on the other hand , are nowhere near that # 5 ranking we ' ve got . That 's not whats frustrating though . There 's nothing wrong with getting beaten by a better team , but when you play this fearfully and lazily ... grughhosdfn . My keyboard breaks , apparently . Hopefully things get better against Italy . And Marcelo Balboa is a great announcer . 
Good Job , Steve . " Thankfully , video of Souza 's parlor trick is available on the Internet , which smuggles soccer highlights into American homes , past the unsuspecting gatekeepers at Sports Center . " Pick ' em update : 5 for 8 There 's a lot of articles out there about the whole American soccer apathy thing . Steve Rushin 's latest is certainly one of the best . Pick up the June 12 th issue of SI and check it out . Some of the feats Rushin touches on in the article : the seal dribble , a move created by Brazilian teenager Kerlon Souza that will revolutionize the game once players get really good at it , Luis Martinez 's " freaky , fluky , length - of - the - pitch punt , " and the Cruyff Turn . If you click on one link in this post though , make it this one . Just wonderful . Quote of the Moment : " God , why couldn't she just have herpes without the outbreak so I wouldn't know ?? " - the roomie , lamenting how he couldn't bring himself to make out with a total babe because she had a huge cold sore . 
dissent from within . Walid Jumblatt : Hassan Nasrallah made the decision to go to war without consulting anyone . ( confront ) [ ... ] A cease - fire between who ? [ Israel ] and the Lebanese state ? Will Hizbullah recognize the Lebanese state ? [ ... ] Interviewer : Nasrallah also said he was fighting for the sake of the nation . [ ... ] Walid Jumblatt : No one empowered him to fight from Lebanon for the sake of the nation . [ ... ] Is there really a Lebanese consensus that the battle of the [ Islamic ] nation should be launched from Lebanon ? Do all we Lebanese really agree with the words of that " hero " from afar , the head of the Iranian Shura Council , who said that from Lebanon , from Meis Al - Jabal and ' Ayta Al - Sha ' b , we will set out to liberate Palestine in its entirety , inch by inch ? [ ... ] [ Nasrallah ] says : " I do not recognize the state of Israel , and I want to set out from South Lebanon to liberate Palestine in its entirety . " This is what he is doing . If this is his agenda , I have the right to oppose it . video here . 
terrorist & dumbass . Interviewer : Did you inform them that you were about to abduct Israeli soldiers ? Hassan Nasrallah : I told them that we must resolve the issue of the prisoners , and that the only way to resolve it is by abducting Israeli soldiers . Interviewer : Did you say this clearly ? Hassan Nasrallah : Yes , and nobody said to me : " No , you are not allowed to abduct Israeli soldiers . " Even if they had told me not to ... I ' m not defending myself here . I said that we would abduct Israeli soldiers in meetings with some of the main political leaders in the country . I don't want to mention names now , but when the time comes to settle accounts , I will . They asked : " If this happens , will the issue of the prisoners be over and done with ? " I said that it was logical that it would . And I ' m telling you , our estimation was not mistaken . I ' m not exaggerating . Anywhere in the world - show me a country , show me an army , show me a war , in which two soldiers , or even civilian hostages , were abducted , and a war was waged against a country - and all for two soldiers . This has never happened throughout history , and even Israel has never done such a thing . [ ... ] video here . 
give peace a chance . mais um ' apelo paz ' feito desta vez por um oprimido ' freedom fighter ' de seu nome Aki Nawaz . gozando das benesses de uma sociedade democr tica ocidental onde vive e prospera , com a eloqu ncia habitual , em texto de fino recorte liter rio eis arte em estado puro - veja tamb m a capa do CD . ora apreciem : On the day of Vaisakhi , Udham Singh made this solemn prayer , Oh my Guru , May I take revenge on those who murdered my people at Jallianwalla Bagh . I ask for your blessings in this task . After 20 long years , the hero Udham Singh tracked down the main culprit , Sir Michael O Dwyer and exacted his revenge in the home country of his oppressor . The evil regime was knocked into place by his back handed stroke . In the house of freedom fighting revolutionaries , was the warrior Bhagat Singh born . As a child , he vowed to free his country by planting weapons in the fields , in order to arm his people . It is rare to find a hero such as Bhagat Singh , who laughs in the face of his oppressor at the moment of death . After shaking the throne of oppression with bombs , he gave his final sacrifice . The evil regime was knocked into place by his backhanded stroke ... naturalmente que o ' artista ' ( foto ao lado ) contra a viol ncia , mas canta : Reject your thieving foreign policies Reject your elitist congregation Reject your mini skirt liberation Reject your concept of integration ou : But revenge will be mine , with my last breath I will rise to curse you Because you , you dogs and parasites have made us helpless e ainda : I ' m strapped up cross my chest bomb belt attached Deeply satisfies with the plan I hatched Eletrodes connected to a gas cooker lighter via gateway pundit . 
At the summer school . 	 The summer school is going well . We have been filmed by Italian TV . We got motor control and object tracking going . Now , a day off ( going to visit Monaco ) and then back for three more intense days ! : ) . 
Gentoo meltdown . 	 At the most critical time - at the beginning of a 10 day programming summer school - gentoo let me down big time . I found that multicast wasn't working properly on my Dell X 300 laptop , so I was going through a number of steps to try to resolve it , including udating my baselayout . This included an update to devfs which basically left my system unbootable . version 1.3.25 - r 8 of devfs has a bug leaving out the 2 crucial scripts that start and stop devfs . fixed in r 9 of course , but the emerge -- sync left me with r 8 . Nasty . Of course this is resolvable by booting a live CD , but I don't have a CD drive on my laptop - its at home . So , I have been - in the background while trying to keep up with a fast - moving school - been trying to get a USB stick bootable linux working . No luck so far . To keep up with the school , I have been using cygwin on windows , which has many problems , but ironically , multicast is working . anyway , more pictures here . ( PS - I love Piccassa ! ) . 
Summer school . 	 Day one at the summer school was great . The location is unbelievable , cote d ' azure , villa set in botanical gardens , view of Monaco over the bay . Some pics . Have a look at the school website . Day 1 was : just get everyone setup with ACE / CMake / YARP and get example code running . All very successful . Day 2 : disaster I have managed to completely screw my linux installation . long story - requires its own post . Later . 
Why so long ... 	 OK , way too long since my last post . Nevermind , I don't think anyone actually reads this ( Hi Lars ) . So , to tell : I ' ve been to Austria for a really nice seminar on complex systems which included talks on semiotics and how ostocytes work as sensors in the bone and help reconstruction happen . There was also my talk on interaction histories in robots , which while totally left - field for the audience , went down quite well . It was orgainised by Prof Sawaragi - San from Kyoto Uni , and was a really excellent little jaunt . I ' ve also submitted a final CR for the Epirob conf comming up . I am looking forward to that one . My sis had a 40 th B - day party which was just wild . Its funny , when you get everyone to dress as school children , they behave as school children . With booze . I had a 2 - day solid hangover . I read a really nice book ( How Babies Think by Gopnik / Meltzoff / Kuhl ) . Would recommend it as an easy way to get into the some of the new ways of thinking in developmental psychology . And , on sunday I fly to Ventigmilia in Italy ( near Monaco on the Itialian / French border on the Cote d ' Azur ) for 10 days of robot programming . FUN IN THE SUN !! ( Actually a geek version - I ' ll be programming on my laptop instead of hanging out in bars / beaches ) So , till later Ciao . 
Howdy from ICDL , Bloomington , IN . 	 It is just after 4:30 ESST , and I have now delivered my talk at the ICDL conference so the pressure is off . The standard of talks has been extremely high and I was SO nervous before my talk , I was shivering and having to clench lest I let rip !! In fact I was up at 4 this morning working on my presentation so I am knackered now ! ( and we dont finish till 10 pm - 18 hours of intellectual overload !! ) In the end the talk went really well . I have had a lot of really positive comments about it ( from Jun Tani , Max Lungarella , Koh Hosada , Shimon Edelman , Giorgio Metta to name just a few ) and I think , somehow , I pulled it off . It was really strange because this was the first time that I ' ve given a talk to such a large audience . Its a single strand conference and I think all the participants of ICDL were present - this is due , I think , to the timing of my talk just before one of the main Keynote speeches , not to them coming along to our talk as such ! In any case , it is done now and I can relax and enjoy the rest of the conference . I will try to post my talk on my website soon , maybe without the video . This reminds me that I really need to revamp my website . Manyana ! 
The man in black . 	 I am sat watching the man in black - no not the inimitable Mr J . Cash , but the venerable Japanese roboticist Professor Ishiguro - San . I love Japanese robotics , its always so technically competent but rarely tells us much about human cognition and human social interaction . However , Ishiguro - san appears to be talking about social interaction , but I am not sure of his point - it is all so pre - programmed and designed . The intelligence is in the designer , not the builder . Mind you the robot is hot ! ; ) There are exceptions though - two talks before a truely original Japanese robotics research gave us his view . Heideki Kozima - san showed Keepon . Not complicated , just a couple of squashy balls with eyes and nose . And yet , it really coerces true emotive and empathic responses from children ( bot normally developing and autistic ) and adults ( the whole auditorium laughed and cooed at the right time ) . more from ICDL , Bloomington IN soon . 
Ohh Vienna . 	 OK , not lynched by my supervisor ( yet ) . Instead ( incredibly ) asked to be a guest speaker at a symposium in Vienna organised by a group of robotics researchers from Kyoto University to improve their networking with European research . This is great , but I now have to think of something to say . Also , I will probably miss England in the quarter - finals of the world - cup . This now adds to my growing list of destinations for this year : January - Genoa , Italy February - Nice , France April - Nijmegen , Netherlands May - Bloomington , Indiana , USAJune - Vienna , Austria July - Monte Verita , Switzerland - Ventigmilia , Italian Riviera September - Paris , France October - Genoa , Italyand I haven't included holidays . ( Oxford , Rome and possibly Cornwall ) . 
The Heat is On . It s hot ; I mean really hot , even for a Sacramento July . I m not one to complain about the weather much , and I wouldn t necessarily call this that ( although you may ) , but after nine consecutive days ranging from 100 to 113 degrees in my little corner of the Sacramento metroplex , I ve just about reached my limit . Ok that s not true . I ll endure the heat because I have to it s just a figure of speech ; I have no limit . And just to make these dog - days of summer that much more memorable in my truck - no AC ! It s not broken , it doesn t need to be fixed or recharged it s not there . Never was . I m not even sure if it was an option for a 1983 Toyota SR 5 . It doesn t much matter , if it was , mine didn t get it . So why am I griping ? Well , as I said , I m not really . All those things that may be going through your mind have crossed mine as well . Sacramento summers are hot every year . No surprises there . My truck has no AC and I know that one won t magically appear . And I know that when it tops 110 , it makes little difference whether the windows are up or down . I am fully aware of these realities . I m down with the heat , really . I m good with lots of wind and rain , extreme cold and as much snow as will fall too . However , even with my appreciation for the vast variety of weather Mother Nature throws at us , I think it s when that variety comes to a grinding halt ; when she provides over two weeks of nearly identical weather that I become somewhat disgruntled . Careful ! I said disgruntled , I m not complaining . Not even when our low was a record high ! Eighty - four degrees , the highest low ever recorded was ours to enjoy yesterday morning . On my way to work in Colfax this morning , the thermometer in my truck measured the outside temperature at about 91 degrees that was at 8:45 this morning ! Right now , at 7:16 p.m. , it s 104 degrees . Did I mention that it s hot ! One hundred nine ( a record high ) on Monday , July 17 then 104 100 106 106 - 111 on Saturday ( another record ) - 113 on Sunday ( record ) , and today , 108 . But I m not complaining . And I know that this heat wave is affecting far more than just us . Indeed , it has hit places that really do not typically get extended heat waves and they are certainly suffering . Many have no AC because of power outages or because , like my Toyota , they never did ; many have health issues that are exacerbated by the heart ; many have died . We that have not - so silently had to suffer this unusual but certainly not unexpected heat should stop and realize that we are indeed fortunate and no one here can claim that they have been blind - sided . This is hot , but we knew it was coming sooner or later . 
5 Thousand . Tomorrow ( today , actually ) my hit counter will top the 5,000 mark . I m not sure what it means and I haven t got any great insights or revelations yet . I think it appropriate , however , that I express my gratitude to those of you who read my work regularly . Thank you . Changes in my life are occurring at an extremely rapid rate lately and I am still trying to take it all in . There will be more to come , but for now Who s going to be number 5,000 ? **** Update **** 10:24 a.m. PDTAnd by 11 a.m. PDT , the magic number was hit ... By a spam - blog ! : - ' / . 
All I Know . Life has a strange way about it . Maybe it s the flow of time or the relative nature of things . Perhaps it s just chance how everything turned out , or is everything according to some grand design ? And if so , is all planned down the smallest detail or is it more of a loose framework ; the flow chart of life with a series of conditional gates that will determine what the path will be ? I have , throughout the course of my own life , seen how these models could be applied , each appearing more or less feasible depending on the situation at hand . And once again I am left with the realization that the more I know the less I know . I am living a moment , or rather a series of moments , that seems to be pretty smooth in some respects . And in others there is what feels like chaos . The chaos , however , has not taken top billing ; it has not developed a gravitation pull all its own ; it is not controlling me . Something is different and although I should know better , I m trying to figure out what , how and why . Don t get me wrong , it s not like I am looking this gift horse in the mouth nothing is taken for granted and I do know the answers to those rhetorical questions . It s just that those answers feel somehow superficial even hollow . There is a simplicity that could be characterized as playing by the rules . Not the laws made by man , but the basics of right and wrong , the simple truths that we seem to be born with . Call it conscience , call it spirituality , call it cosmic energy call it what you will , but admit there is something . It is either strictly explained by science or it is not it makes no difference . It s ingrained , almost pre - programmed , but at the same time useless unless invoked . That has historically been my problem until recently . Doing it whatever it is has been anywhere from difficult to impossible , initiated but unsustainable , simultaneously known and unknown ever since I can remember . It has spawned attitudes of entitlement , feelings of inferiority and plenty of arrogance often born of ignorance . I eventually came to believe that I was either too dumb or cursed to succeed in life and proceeded to prove it . No amount of luck was ever enough and it was always just a matter of time before it all came crashing down . The cosmic reset button was my best friend and I visited more and more often . After a final set of traumatic experiences came my way in rapid succession , I was left with the will to live and not much else . I finally conceded ( although I didn t know it at the time ) that perhaps there was something I was missing . Maybe , just maybe I didn t know it all . Could it be that re - aligning myself with those basics , those core truths that I came with as standard equipment could be the missing piece of the puzzle ? Is it possible that after all those years of believing my own lies I could recognize the truth that I could be sincere about anything ? Well , you wouldn t be reading this if it were not possible . It was in fact a reality that I could change my life at any moment . It only takes acceptance that my way is not working , willingness to do anything and honesty manifested as sincerity . However simple it sounds ( and it is ) , I don t believe I could have consciously created the conditions to bring these principles to light . If I could have known enough to get there , I would already have arrived and I would have written all this then , not now . And now is all there ever is . 
Party Time ! Good afternoon and welcome . I see you brought your swimwear ; and your towel excellent . Grab a soda or some bottled water out of the ice chest over by that big oak tree in the middle of the deck , pull up a chair or take a dip . We ll be firing up the barbeque in about an hour . We re having tri - tip and chicken with some hotdogs for the kids . With your potato salad and the other sides everyone else brought , there ll be plenty for everyone . It s way past time for a summer pool party . Here it is almost the middle of July and I have been so busy that I haven t had time to think of these things . Yes , I have been in the pool many , many times so far this summer , and the barbeque has barely had time to cool off in between uses , but it s just been me and one or two friends and occasionally the kids . This backyard was made for entertaining and it hasn t even broken a sweat yet . It s too late to put much together for this weekend . Maybe an impromptu afternoon pool / barbeque / poker game , but not a pull out all the stops pool party . That takes about a week to pull off . I m thinking the Saturday or Sunday after next . There is ample time to spread the word and prepare for the second annual summer bash . Usually about half those invited actually show up , but it pays to prepare for everyone just in case nothing else is going on that day . They way we do it is quite simple , really . Those whose last name begins with , say , A through E bring drinks ; F through K bring a side ; and so on . Usually I provide the grillin ' materials , i . e . : tri - tip , chicken and hot dogs . Although I have many chairs and a couple of chaise lounges , I always recommend that my guests bring a folding chair because there simply aren t enough to go around . And of course , I don t provide towels . It is quite the cooperative production and clean up ? I haven t been stuck with it yet and I have never had to ask for help . Good friends are hard to come by and I have been blessed with more than a handful . It is an honor and a privilege indeed a responsibility to extend my hospitality . I am happy to do it and humbled that I have been lucky enough to be able to supply such a tailor made venue . Yes , it that time of year party time ! 
Saturday Afternoon Paradise . Welcome to Colfax , California . While the heat today in Fair Oaks - elevation about 300 feet was a balmy 100 degrees plus ( at 11:15 p.m. as I write this , it is still hovering around 80 ) , in downtown Colfax just under 3,000 feet - it was about ten degrees cooler . I spent the better part of the afternoon there working . I was interviewing locals about how they feel Colfax should grow , and enjoying the company and the weather . After I thought I had enough quotes and opinions , I decided to go downtown to get a couple more interviews and start writing . I got to town just before noon and started interviewing at the local supermarket that is in a newer part of town . I tried to intercept customers on their way in so that their groceries wouldn t have to endure the heat while I questioned them . I didn t bother with the tourists ; their opinion was not what I was after . Many of those who identified as locals were too busy to talk , but they were all very nice and polite except one . And then there were a few that were happy to answer my questions , about half of which had read part one of my story . After I spent enough time harassing the grocery store s customers , I moved to the oldest part of town , South Main Street . The buildings there have survived two big fires in their 100 - year plus ( plus a lot ) lifetime . Camp 20 is a coffee house that , like my favorite coffee shop in Sacramento , has free Wi Fi for its customers . They make a mean cup of coffee as well . My intent was to begin writing my stories in the warmth of the summer shade on the sidewalk outside the coffee shop . So much for making plans . I was not there more than five minutes when a local walked by and struck up a conversation with me . Soon he was sitting with me at the table and I was getting schooled on the ins and outs of Colfax . Fascinating . Over the course of the next one and a half to two hours I got nearly nothing written , but I learned so much . I spoke with several locals about the past , the present and the future . Although much of the conversation has little to do with today , it has everything to do with how we got here . And I m not talking just about Colfax . The technology , the growth , the railroad and the Lincoln Highway , Old Highway 40 and Interstate 80 and so much more that went into making Northern California what it is today . There is living history in those hills and I could listen to it all day . As much as they volunteered , they asked as well . Where do I hail from ? What brings me to little Colfax ? How do I like working here ? What do you hope to do with your degree ? That last one is a very good question one I have not thought about recently . And recent experience has not necessarily changed the response ; it has deepened it ; in some respects clarified it and in others perhaps expanded it . This little three unit internship has lived up to everything I had hoped it would and so very much more . I owe much of it to the little town of Colfax , its newspaper and most of all , to the people who live in and around this sleepy little mountain town . It s so much more than meets the eye . 
My Byline . My byline has changed . Instead of Michael Althouse , Colfax Record Intern , it now reads Michael Althouse , Colfax Record Staff Writer . A promotion ? It sure feels like it . My editor said in an email to me today that her boss felt that they could not call me an intern because I was ( wrote ) the whole front page . The way it all happened was odd , to say the least . Sometimes it s better to be lucky than good ? Sure , but nothing beats being lucky and good . Of course my goal is to be a better writer , to be able to create my own breaks and opportunities . I will also acknowledge , albeit reluctantly , that I am a good writer . In fact , I ll even say that luck , though perhaps necessary , is never enough . Without the work I have done over the past several months and years to get positioned , the breaks I received of late would be absolutely meaningless . In hearing the personal accounts of how some journalists got their breaks , it is rare that it was just hard work and education . They all had that lucky break , or several . However , equally universal is that they were driven , motivated and in position to capitalize on the breaks as they presented themselves . Such was the case , on a smaller scale , this past weekend . Colfax had its annual Independence Day celebration on Sunday , July 2 nd . Being the small town that it is , many of it s 1,600 residents had a part in putting on a party that would increase the towns population tenfold for one day . Such was the case with my boss and the other full - time employee they were participants and it was up to the part - timer and me to cover the entire event the biggest shebang for the entire year . I was up for it . Scared ? Hell yes . The weight of the world , or at least this small piece of it was on my shoulders . Friends would ask what I was doing for the holiday and I responded , working . Why would I have to work on the holiday ? They didn t get it . I didn t have to , I got to and it was a choice I made . Would it have been covered if I didn t do it ? Probably . As completely ? Probably not . Add to the mix that , for whatever reason , the part - timer had little to contribute . On Monday , July 3 rd , I had class in the morning ( no , it was not a holiday and no , my friends didn t get that either ) and Monday afternoon I wrote . Monday is usually the deadline , but this week , Tuesday was acceptable . Tuesday , Independence Day , I wrote in the office . Now my friends were just baffled , especially since I was not even getting paid for it . In fairness to them , they could not see what I saw ; could not feel what I felt ; they had no way of knowing that this is not work to me . The end result was unexpected , but in retrospect not exactly surprising either . I worked my butt off . I walked through the fear . I faced a challenge armed with skills and knowledge that I have been working equally hard at honing . Opportunity knocked and I answered . Now , not only am I a Staff Writer , I am even getting paid at a very , very entry - level amount for my writing . The amount is not relevant what is relevant is that I have been paid to write I am , by definition , a professional writer . Game , set , match . 
The Colfax Record . As promised , here are the links to my published work this week . Although this is a defining moment in my career , the fanfare that comes with it is due to the novelty - the achievement of a goal that marks a milestone along this journey . This event - published work - will be repeated every week for at least the next several weeks . Ideally , the quality will be improving as well , but it is only this one time that can be the first . It is for this reason that I am celebrating them so prominently here . In the coming weeks , one may stop by the Colfax Record s website to find a number of my published stories I won t be announcing them all here . Of course , if there happens to be some news of more universal significance , I may mention it . If I write a column that has more than just local appeal , I may note it . If I write a piece that garners recognition , stirs controversy or is in anyway noteworthy , I will send out the alert . I expect that most of what I write will be of the goings on in the small Sierra foothill community of Colfax . This assignment is designed to give me real world experience , not just in the writing , but also from the reading or rather , the readers . Real people that are directly affected by what s happening in their community and the role I play in delivering that news to them . It is not a little deal . This week , I wrote a straight news story about the Chamber of Commerce hiring a new executive director . I was in the office no more than 30 seconds when I was assigned this story . Although not extremely long or involved , I was surprised at how much work and thought went into it . Click here to link directly to it . I also wrote a column in which I introduce myself to the readers of the Record . This was right up my ally it s the sort of writing that I do best . I hope to be able to write these pieces regularly . It appears as though there is a good chance . To read these 800 odd words ( give or take ) , click here . To link directly to the paper , click the title of this post . It prints every Thursday , but the online version is published Wednesday evening . This is going to be a crazy summer . Let the games begin ! 
Time Flies . Much to my amazement , it has been four days since I have produced anything to fill this space . Although I have spent some small amount of time reading my regular blogs and even less commenting , even that has fallen off this weekend just now coming to an end . Of course there is a perfectly reasonable explanation part of it I ll share , right here , right now . And part of it I won t , not yet anyway . I am in summer school at Sac State . I m enrolled in three units of Spanish reading proficiency ( yuk ) and another three units of journalism internship . The Spanish is compulsory I have to take it to graduate and the internship is exhilarating . I just started writing for a small paper in the Sierra foothills and it is keeping me plenty busy . It is a weekly and publishes on Thursdays . I will have a couple of pieces published this week . Don t worry , I ll remove the mystery and provide the links and all once it hits the streets . Just know that , for now I am very busy and happy as a pig in mud ! PS : For those of you that must know what the other reason for my absence is , feel free to email me it s not a huge secret , I just don t want to go into it right now . ~ Mike . 
Deletion . It s getting a little easier . Deleting is . Deleting words that are already written has always been a difficult task . It s as though they somehow represent something greater they almost become alive . Yet , they are just words . Profound , gibberish or somewhere in between they don t mean anything unless they re read , and those just deleted never will be . The context can t be recreated , even if remembered verbatim . Although the words can be reconstituted , what they were born of is gone . Inspiration is a fickle thing . It comes and goes and when it goes , it s gone . Forever . Sure , similar thoughts and words may be born of similar circumstances , but the ones deleted are gone for good . For good ? Yes. That could be how it should be viewed . Not all things are meant to be . Even the thoughts represented by these words and the motivation they were born of could be better served by different words and more pronounced experience . Modern technology makes this process , at least in the physical sense , much easier , perhaps even cleaner more sterile . In the not too distant past , before the days of computers and word processors , a machine called a typewriter was the wordsmith s weapon of choice . The most modern were electric and they were able to delete some of what had been written via a correction feature , but any wholesale deletions still involved yanking the paper from the platen , crumpling it up and tossing it into an overflowing basket of prior deletions . This historic vision of the frustrated writer no longer applies . The yanking , crumpling and tossing have been replaced with the stoke of a mouse and touch of a button ; the waste paper basket replaced with an icon on a computer screen . No muss , no fuss . With a couple of mouse clicks , the garbage is disposed of permanently , in a very eco - friendly manner . The frustration , however , remains . It takes practice to delete . It doesn t get easier per se , just more familiar . It is a necessary evil . As difficult as it is to turn back when realizing the direction chosen leads nowhere , so too is eliminating from existence words already composed . But like hitting any dead - end , backtracking or deletion is part of the progression . Sometimes knowing the wrong direction is part of knowing the right one ; knowing where to go might mean knowing where not to . And the basket fills ; it is overflowing with deleted work . Wasted effort ? Not even remotely . It is part of the experience , an integral part of the creative process . It is separating the wheat from the chaff . And today , the ease of deletion in some respects makes it that much harder . The time and effort to create can be erased so completely and effortlessly that it s value feels somehow diminished . No paper , no ink , no evidence of ever existing remains . The memory lives in the words that survive , each of them rising from the ashes of their deleted brethren . 
Good Coffee ! It s 5:28 a.m. and I ve been up for about an hour . I just finished writing a new installment on my fiction blog and the sun has started to cast its grey early morning shadows on a new day . Wednesday . Mid - week and it will be a busy day . Wait , perhaps I should rephrase that ; it sounds too dark and I don t mean it that way . It s going to be an eventful day , an exciting day , a day full of opportunity and discovery , by even the most conservative estimation ; it ought to be a good day . It helps to go into it that way . An exceptional pot of coffee doesn t hurt either . Sometimes it just comes out that way . I use the same recipe , the exact same procedure everyday , yet some days it s better than good it s great . So is it the magic coffee that has set up the positive outlook ? Indeed , perhaps the glass is half full of coffee ! Ok , I ll quit deluding myself ; all will not be smooth sailing today . If I am to be totally honest , I must acknowledge everything I can t possibly be this happy . Time to get real . Real what ? Real miserable ? Not on your life ! Here s the deal , the keys to the kingdom , the magic , the stuff , the juice , the happy pills , the whatever : Why would I want to bring this optimism crashing down ? I am not deluding myself I acknowledge that there will be challenges today . Personally , locally , nationally and globally there are issues that need attention . Today ( which is all I ve got anyway ) gives me the opportunity to address these issues . If I feel that there is no hope , if I am negative right out of the gate , if all I see are problems and no solutions then I might as well go back to bed forever . Negativity is a self - fulfilling prophecy . If you want everything to turn to mud , believe it will and it s guaranteed . There is no chance for success without the belief that it is possible . And anything is possible . Look , I am not unique . Everyone has had and will have challenges to face . Everyone has experienced success and has prevailed over situations that looked completely hopeless going in . Often there was no choice , it was do or die and we didn t die . I know I have faced some seemingly insurmountable obstacles and I know of others that have faced even worse and conquered them . So when viewed in the sunlight of the past , today ain t nuttin . Whatever is there , I ll make it through . The known challenges and the surprises alike , I m ready . I am not deluded , I am not in lala land and I am not only fooling myself . I know that whatever this day dishes out , I have the attitude that allows for success , not the one that guarantees defeat . Today already is a good day . 
Neighborhood Watch I write from an office that has two very large windows facing the street ; I am observant bordering on nosey . Those punks that committed these crimes would be begging for the police if they fell into my sphere of influence and all my neighbors ( except one ) haven t a clue . The irony is this : Until these crimes were committed , I was the one they were worried about . A longhaired , tattooed , motorcycle riding non - conformist was the bane of their existence . I don t look like them and I knew it coming in . I m ok with that ; I am certainly not hurting for friends . I think , however , that I may have personalized the ambivalence . It would appear that none of my neighbors know each other . Could it be that in the quest for the good life , while striving for ever increasing levels of safety and comfort that they have left those very elements secured by the community behind ? Perhaps they are only now realizing that they can t do it alone . P . S . According to the Blogger Dashboard , this is my 100 th post ! I don't usually see the Dashboard unless I am editing , and not even always then , but as I passed through that screen earlier it confirmed that this milestone has indeed passed . It caught me off - guard ... I have nothing prepared save this : Thank you all for taking time out of your life to read my work . I will post more on what all this means once I figure it out - probably in tomorrow 's post ** . Until then , have a wonderful day , ~ Mike ** UPDATEIt 's now tomorrow , abeit not by very much . Enough , however , to know that the above mentioned 100 th post reflection piece will not be written today . I did post a new installment on This Is Fiction , so if fiction is your bag , well it 's not mine , but I ' m trying ... Peace . 
When News Becomes News . It would appear that the Today Show , NBC s venerable morning news program has reached the end of an era . The 15 - year reign of the presiding morning news show queen , Katie Couric , has come to a close . This is no longer news the headlines have long since passed . The buzz , the speculation , the breaking news and ultimately the official announcement of the changing of the guard culminated in today s ( or Today s ) obligatory farewell show . Although not an extravaganza of unprecedented proportions indeed , the stops were not all pulled out , it was a fitting farewell to the perpetually cute and perky Couric . There is little question as to Couric s domination of the morning news - show female co - host position . Many would argue that she was instrumental in defining , or at least evolving the role . Whatever personal perception one may have of Couric , it is impossible to ignore the length and breadth of the experience she has acquired during her tenure at the Today Show . How will that experience serve her in her future endeavors at CBS News ? Only time will tell . The next step in her career goes well beyond the hype . She is breaking new ground . She is going where no woman has gone before . Amazing as it seams , 2006 marks the first time a woman will have her own solo weekday anchor chair of a major network news program . That ... is news . Indeed , her first lead story very well may be about one Katie Couric smashing through the glass ceiling entering the heretofore hallowed ground of the network news anchor . Imagine the irony - Katie reporting on herself , Good evening and welcome to the CBS Evening News . I m Katie , ahem , Katherine Couric . Our lead story tonight Ok , granted - unless it is an exceedingly slow news day , the Katie story would probably not lead . The fact still remains that when she takes that anchor desk , it will be news . Even if she does not do the story herself ( likely ) someone else will and it will be echoed across all major and minor news outlets alike . The novelty , the pressure , the questioning of her qualifications and her persona as well her ability to fill some very big shoes will all be reported , speculated and commented on . Does she have what it takes ? It is always newsworthy when a major network news anchor position changes over . Although perhaps journalists first , at this level they are celebrity in equal measure . Indeed names like Walter Cronkite , David Brinkley , Tom Brokaw , John Chancellor and Peter Jennings are ubiquitous . There have been some women allowed temporary or peripheral membership into this fraternity as well . Connie Chung , Barbara Walters , Diane Sawyer and Elizabeth Vargas are perhaps the most notable . They failed , however , to meet the one requirement that would guarantee lifetime membership : a solo weekday anchor chair . Couric s bubbly persona , her perkiness and innocent charm hide a fierce determination and courage that cannot be underestimated . The time for this equality is well past , yet the scrutiny that will be leveled against her will be like none before . Every blink of her eye , tilt of her head her attire , her makeup and a million other details will be analyzed to the nth degree . To some she will be able to do nothing right and for others she will do no wrong . It takes guts to enter this lion s den . The risks are not insignificant and they are hers alone to bear . The rewards , however , will be shared by all women and as a consequence , all mankind . It is inevitable that one day , women and men , blacks and whites , gays and straights and all religions ( or lack thereof ) will be on equal footing . Equal rights , not just in law , but in perception are progressing slowly . There are , however , pivotal moments in which punctuated , rapid change occurs . Katie Couric s ascension represents one of those moments . Give CBS and Couric credit this is more than just a business decision . 
Holiday Well - Wishing . Midway through Memorial Day weekend and all is well so far . This unofficial but traditional start of summer is primed for disaster . What with sobriety check points , vacation planning , family get - togethers and the like , it is little wonder that come Tuesday there will be reports emanating from gossip all the way to national news about the tragic events that unfolded . Ranging from the trivial to the catastrophic , all manner of the manifestations of Murphy s Law will be told and retold . Some may obtain legendary proportions while others will fade into just another forgettable holiday . Many well - wishers expressed their cordialities prior the commencement the first three - day weekend of the summer season . They all hoped for a happy Memorial Day and many included the additional caveat that it be a safe weekend . The implication is , of course , that additional caution should be exercised . Sage advice indeed , but why should it be necessary ? Does this holiday mark the beginning of the party season as well ? Is it just understood that this class of holidays is inherently more dangerous by nature ? Does this heightened security level return to normal after the danger has passed or is it a seasonal phenomenon ? Rhetorical questions mostly . The sad fact is that there are enough intoxicated revelers in all the usual places to grant this and other like holidays its unfortunate but deserved reputation . Although a general harbinger of virtually every summer weekend , the big holiday weekends not only bring out the worst in the worst but also , it seems , the worst in the otherwise responsible and respectful . The regular duty drunks are out in force and the part - timers , the reserves get into the action too . Perhaps it is pent up frustration of an extended winter - all cooped up inside with no escape in sight . Oh , sure there s Thanksgiving , Christmas , New Years , Veterans Day , Presidents Day , MLK Day , Cesar Chavez s Birthday , etc. , etc. , but they don t really count . After all , those holidays didn t mark the beginning of summer ! Maybe it s the hot summer days that compel celebrants to consume enough liquid refreshment to keep their thirsts quenched . Could it be the heat of the moment that requires so many cold ones ? Regardless , the irresponsibility has done something that was painfully apparent as this weekend approached : The well - wishers well wishes now include a warning - to be safe . It s not like the warning of drive safely that some are known for saying every time someone gets behind the wheel . That really is a synonym for goodbye , much the same as How are you ? is a synonym for hello . Most of the time , we don t really mean it literally . However , when I was told to have a safe weekend , I didn t get the feeling that it was just idle conversation . It s almost planned , temporary anarchy . The cops are ready , the partiers are ready and the rest of us are being safe . There 's a veritable feeding frenzy . The emissaries of summer acting with impunity versus the defenders of order deployed en masse . The carnage has already begun as preliminary casualty reports trickle back from the front . By the time the first of the three nights had come to a close , several had already died in this immediate area alone . I guess they didn t heed that warning well enough be safe . Have a great three - day weekend everyone ... and a safe one ! 
Overflow . Last Sunday , a new blog was born . It made its appearance amid no fanfare , no pomp and no circumstance . No announcements were sent and it entered the blogosphere almost unnoticed . Almost . Now there is a link on my sidebar , but two of those who frequent this space regularly found it before any convenient access had even been established . Its name is Overflow and for the immediate future at least , that is exactly what it contains . On Friday night , I started a project that was equal parts tribute , appreciation and promotion . It was far more work than I ever envisioned but worth every minute . Except for repairing typos and fixing links , it was written in one sitting . It gave me a great deal of satisfaction to recognize those who had recognized me and I wanted the post to enjoy prominence on my blog for at least a couple of days . Early Sunday morning , that plan was in jeopardy of failing . I woke up early with my mind going a million miles per hour . My head was just chewing on it I needed some relief . I was not all that thrilled to be up so early on a Sunday morning . Alas , I had to put something anything - into print . I was soon to discover that it would not be enough . Oh , I got something down all right some pretty darned good stuff too , but my tolerance has grown since entering the blogosphere . Just seeing the thoughts in print was not doing it anymore I had to publish it ! Here in lies the problem : I didn t want to burry my tribute post behind 600 words of Sunday morning revelations . Ok , fine just save it in draft form for a day or two , no problem . There are two problems with that plan : First is that it was day - of - the - week specific . In other words , it really had to be posted on a Sunday morning . Second , there would always be something more current to concentrate on . The chances of the post never getting published were very good . This was a dilemma that begged for a solution . I have toyed with the idea of introducing a second blog from time to time . I thought it could be a different format or side of me and I thought about just making it The 25 Year Plan II. At the moment , it is the latter . Overflow is a place to put stuff that comes at times when I may not necessarily be ready for it . I can call upon the creative process pretty much on demand , but it also has a way demanding attention on its own , often at the most inconvenient times . Overflow gives me a place to put these posts instead of overloading just one blog with too many posts . For now Overflow is just a plane Jane blog . With nothing fancier than perhaps a hit counter for now ( suggestions ? ) , this blog will give those wanting more ( you poor deluded souls ! ) a place to get it and me a place to keep the outflow ... um , flowing . Overflow will be the subordinate member of the family for the foreseeable future , but who knows ? It could grow and evolve into a blog with just as distinct a personality as its big brother . Before long it could be blazing new trails , breaking new ground and making its name , no longer obscured by the shadow of its older sibling . It could be another of my alter egos - altered . 
Debaters and Instigators ... This space , in a very brief period of time , has come to mean an awful lot to me . Obviously it is not the binary bits of data that represent the characters that form the words to create the sentences and so on . It is not even so much the translation of those symbols into thoughts and ideas . It is the human interaction the meeting of the minds in a medium so new that it barely registers on the radar of human history . The relationships , the concurrence and dissention , indeed even the friendships can be just as real as if a physical interaction were present . In some respects , it is an even purer medium than other forms of communication . It is based in the clarity of words and words alone . The ancillary distractions of gender , appearance , ethnicity , religion , nationality , even tone of voice are secondary to the written words . In fact , it is most often the case that these other characteristics can only be known through what is written , if at all . Although my challenge is to convey some kind of tone or attitude clearly through only words , when successful there is little doubt as to what I am actually saying . The other side of that coin , and all to often a very ugly side , is that many will use the anonymity of the black - and - white to hide their agenda . Their true intentions can be hidden by lying about certain key characteristics such as age and gender to take advantage of the innocent , the na ve or the vulnerable . Sexual predators exploit children , the elderly are taken in by con artists and most everyone runs the risk of identity theft . The medium , however , does not create these people these people exploit the medium as they would anything else . My affection for the blogosphere has not been tarnished by these ne re - do - wells . Sure they do drift into this little corner of cyber space with irregular frequency , but they don t stick around long . Perhaps they are outclassed by this and other blogs in the neighborhood ; blogs that have owners who don t react in the knee - jerk manner that so many under - informed members of the human race do . Maybe the unflappable opinions only appear static to those who can t present a cogent argument . Could it be that for some it doesn t matter how the game is played , that it is only winning that counts ? I am attracted to reason . The blogs I read and visit regularly are written by those who possess a couple of qualities that I was beginning to think had gone the way of the dinosaur . Being of a particular religion or ideology are not among the requirements . In fact , I would be hard pressed to label consistently - anyone of them . They all have respect for other 's opinions and they all are civil . Even when debating a position in which the participants are diametrically opposed to one another , there is no animosity when it s over . There are no winners . There are no losers . What there is 99 % of the time is the respect earned through measured , reasoned and responsible debate . 
55 Days . I don't have anything profound today - maybe later . I ' m taking my last final in a few hours . That will mark the end of my junior year and the beginning of my senior year !! I am also approaching another major milestone : I have been cigarette free now for 55 days . In about one week , I ' ll have surpassed my previous record and from that point on everyday will be a new record . I haven't spoken much lately about this latest effort to quit smoking for a couple of reasons : First , because I really don't think about it all that much anymore - and thinking about it sure doesn't dominate my every waking hour like it did at first . Second , the obsession appears to be gone , which is really the same as the first reason . I went one day short of two months last time before I started smoking again - and it was that first one that did it . By this time next week , It ' ll be record territory . The message : If I can do it , so can you ! ~ Mike . 
Gators it was real ; and it was genuine . There was never any real hurry to do anything or be anywhere . Life on those muggy summer days years ago was like the slow southern drawl spoken there at least when viewed through the filter of youth and na vet . Of the four or five extended visits to the Camp , there was only one time I felt any sense of urgency at all : when Hurricane Andrew was heading our way . Coincidentally enough , I was no longer a kid - I had kids of my own . There are things to do when bracing for a hurricane evacuating is the last of them . Boats have to be moved , windows have to be boarded up and anything of value , sentimental or otherwise , that can be saved needs to be moved . Then we got our tails back to Jefferson Parrish . Andrew missed us and disaster was averted , this time . Katrina would not be so kind . As told earlier , the homes of my family members were for the most part , spared . The same could not be said of the Camp . Although large parts of the greater New Orleans area were flooded , the Mississippi Gulf Coast was leveled . There is precious little left of the camp . This was not the first time that a hurricane s wrath has visited this part of the country and in all likelihood will not be the last . Look at these pictures ! How do you prepare for this ? It appears as though nothing could survive . This in not , however , the case . True , the wildlife did suffer , but it is probably fair to say that it is better adapted and faired far better than we did . The alligators are still there and probably quite happy that those pesky people are gone for a while . They probably consider us a nuisance . 
Guess what ? More running . The AM run consisted of 8 easy miles at a slow pace . I was actually feeling a little sore from Tuesday , especially in my calves . In the evening I ran 5 miles on the treadmill with 3.2 ( about 20 minutes ) at the 6:00 marathon pace . The pace isn't that hard , but it sure gets hot on the treadmill . Week total : 4 days - 6 runs - 53.5 miles . 
How 5 miles becomes 13 . Yesterday 's one was a memorable one , and not in a good way . I decided to go for a short run after dropping my fiance off at work . I planned on 5 miles . I found a parking spot downtown and ran over to the lake . It was a nice morning and I was enjoying the run so I stretched it out to 7 miles . When I got back my car was gone . I eventually realized that it was not stolen , but towed . One must be very careful parking in downtown Chicago because random areas turn in to tow zones at random times . I didn't notice that I was in one of these areas . I asked someone who was parked where my car was if they saw what happened . They assured me that my car was probably towed and she offered her cell phone since all I had with me was wet clothes . ( Everything else was in the car . ) I talked to the police and they connected me with the " pound " and they confirmed that they had my car . So then I ran to the " pound " . It was only a couple miles away . I got there and tried to pay the $ 160 to get my car back , but they informed me that I also needed to have a Chicago city sticker for my car . This actually took about 30 minutes to figure out because the workers there operate at a snail 's pace because they are City employees and they know that they can never be fired . Off I ran towards city hall to get my all important sticker . I ' m not sure how I managed to live in Chicago for an entire year without knowing I needed this sticker , but apparently it is a very necessary item ( tax ) . City hall was only about a mile away , but I was pointed in the wrong direction and I ended up running three miles in my attempt to get there . I paid my $ 190 for my sticker . It is normally only $ 150 but I had to pay a $ 40 late fee because it was after July 15 th . I have no idea what the significance is of July 15 th . I didn't bother to ask . I did nicely ask what benefits I get from having the beautiful city sticker . The employee didn't even bother to answer . Finally I ran the single mile back to my towed car . This time they let my pay my fine and get my car . As an added bonus I had 2 $ 50 tickets on my window . I freely admit to parking in a " rush hour tow zone " , but getting 2 tickets and a tow in 45 minutes seems a little excessive to me . Anyway , 13 miles total . I suppose 13 miles broken into 4 segments is not the same as 13 continuous miles , but it still wore me out . I was orininally planning on a session of quarters in the evening , but I called it off . Week total : 3 days , 40.5 miles . 
More running . I got up this morning with the sun to put in 10 miles . Average pace of 6:29 . It was easier to run at this pace today as compared to yesterday . However , I got tired quicker than yesterday . I ' m not used to the hard pace . Hopefully it will come back soon . I intend to go out for another run tonight . It will be a true recovery run at junk miles pace . I hope to have energy for a speed workout tomorrow . 
I going back to what works . I have decided that I made a mistake . For most of the past two years I did almost all of my " easy " running at a fairly hard pace , which gradually lowered to about 6:30 / mile . A couple months ago I thought that I would back off of the hard pace in order for me to be able to get more out of my quality workouts . What happened ? Nothing improved . A ) I found that I wasn't able to do any better on my speed workouts . The pace seemed so much faster than my normal pace . The workouts seemed to hurt more without me actually running faster . B ) I think the slower pace took a harder toll on my body . Not sure why , but probably involves different stresses on the body . I really do feel more smooth at faster paces . C ) The biggest problem . Running wasn't as fun = less desire to run = less miles = bad . I really like that endorphin - filled feeling of having accomplished something at the end of a run . This is not there after a slow easy run . My solution . Go back to running hard . Put in good mileage and good speed workouts and hopefully break the 2:39:46 PR in Chicago . Today was a new beginning . 12.5 miles at 6:33 average pace . 1 mile at 6:00 ( marathon ) pace at the end . ( Actually the first and last miles were a really slow warm - up and cool - down , but that doesn't count . ) All before work . Week total : 1 day / 12.5 miles As for last week ... I took Saturday off . Ended the week with 48 miserable miles . But that is the past . I am ready to put in a much better showing this week . 
Parking structure . Tues : 5 miles . Wed : 0 miles - I was just too tired to run . Today : I was planning on running this morning . I got up , got dressed , went down to the lobby and realized it was raining a whole lot harder than I thought it was . I wimped out . I redeemed myself at lunchtime when I put in 10 miles . About half of this was in the parking structure because again it was raining very hard and I didn't feel like getting that wet . On the bright side running in the parking structure means hills , which otherwise do not exist in Chicago . I might actually plan on doing some more of this this winter when I am in need of some hill training . I can always run up hills on a treadmill , but this is a very good option for downhill training . 
Post # 200 . That 's a lot of posts for someone like me who doesn't really like writing . Of course , most of them are boring . Yesterday was an interesting day . I worked Saturday night . I only managed to get a couple hours of sleep while at the hospital . When I got home I tried , but failed to sleep , so I went for a run . It was in the upper 80 's and humid . I only intended to do 4 - 6 miles , but ended up with 10 miles . After a few hours sleep I went back out into hotter weather and tacked on another 5 miles . This morning I did 4 miles . If I have time after a late day of work I will try to run some more . I think I am starting to get acclimated to the hot humid weather . On the way to work this morning I drove by a 10 K in progress . Normally I am jealous when I see a race that I am not running , but I had no desire to be out in the heat today doing an all out 10 K effort . 
It 's hot . Last night I did 10 easy miles . Today I did 11 slow miles in the morning and 4 en the evening . I was hoping to do closer to 17 in a single run , but it was too hot . I lost about 5 pounds during my run even though I stopped to drink many times . I need to get better acclimated to the heat . Especially because this week the temperatures should be in the upper 90 's and humid . I ended the week with 73 miles . Hopefully next week I will be able to hit 70 miles , but it will be difficult . I am working the weekend and staying late a couple times during the week . It 's hard to find time to run when I have to be at work for 13 hours of so . 
The Thomas Question Next Step Research Project , Saabs and Fighter Jets and Cell Phones . Any process is defined by the creative limits of the individuals involved in it . As an example , consider what would happen if you took a group of people that normally designed fighter jets and asked them to build a car . You d get an entirely different perspective . And according to Saab USA , this is exactly what you get when you buy one of their cars because the company was founded by 16 aircraft engineers . So last fall they launched a " Born from Jets " marketing campaign that features fighter jets and automobiles side by side to emphasize the point . Their message is , " We build fighter jets . Imagine what we can do with cars . " Consider another example : 5 times a day , every day , all over the world , more than a billion Muslims need to know where Mecca is so they can face it when they pray . How handy is it that one over - seas cell phone manufacturer has models which include 5 daily prayer alarms and a built - in compass which points the way ? It s a feature you d only think to include if you got close enough to another culture to gain a whole new perspective . It s a simple idea . New products come from new perspectives , and that can only happen when we include more people in the process and really listen to each other . It s the only way to build phones with features you would not think to include and cars with a bit of fighter jet in them . Now what about church ? It s something you build in a different way than cars and cell phones , but it s still something you build . And I wonder who we are listening to ? I wonder what other perspectives might be out there ? Church is often built by church leaders to look like a church because that 's what a church looks like . And only then do they ask , " Now how do we involve more people in it ? " Pastors develop sermons to look like sermons because that 's what sermons look like and only then do they ask , Now how do I make it sound relevant ? But what about new perspectives ? What about yours ? When is the last time we sat down together , church attenders and church leaders , to ask ourselves , how have things changed ? And how should that change the church ? Well , rather than build it first and ask those questions later , I d rather ask them now . Some of the best ideas I ve ever encountered came from great conversations in a coffee shop when nothing else was planned . And then I m scribbling furiously on napkins to capture some idea that emerged while we were just doing life and talking to each other . So I wonder what would happen if we just talked , outside of a usual Sunday format , about the honest issues , questions and messes we all live with ? What I m looking for is a new perspective : yours . Sunday services are great , but this is about building the rest of a great church ( this is something I talked about at length last Sunday , visit www . askthequestion . ca to hear it on our podcast ) . We re designing 6 one hour Sunday morning experiences to explore new perspectives with you . We think it s something you won t want to miss . It starts with some Starbucks on Sunday July 16 at 10:00 am at the Homewood Suites on Burloak just south of the QEW in Oakville . We hope to see you there and we hope you ' ll journey with us . CSW . 
The God you Made Up in your Head . I ' m sure there are people who think a Christian is someone who takes a bunch of things that would probably happen anyway and just say that it was God . An " answer " to prayer is really just their own thoughts - which they attribute to God . A miracle is just an unlikely thing taking it 's turn - but we call it a miracle . If circumstances ever , sometimes just go against you , then it follows that they also must sometimes just go for you . Then you can just tell yourself it was God . And isn't He good ? In this way , you could impose a layer of God based conclusions over top of an otherwise normal world and say , " I believe - how can you not ? " But the thing is , for some of us who think we 're following " Him " , there are times when you find yourself face to face with a thing that really feels like it could only come from God . I think we all owe it to ourselves to try to live in such a way that creates the possibility for God but doesn't fudge the answer one way or the other . You can only trust the outcome if you ' ve been honest about the process . It 's why we call our church the Thomas Question . You can only trust your answer when you ' ve honestly asked your question . And by the way , I had one of those " could only come from God " moments this morning . You should look into it ! He really is bigger than all my fears , more important than all my complications and more effective than all my efforts . Or at least it sure seems like it ... CSW . 
Something to Consider at the Crash of a Dream . There comes a moment just before the fracture breaks the surface and a solid dream is torn apart - and in that moment , it finally becomes apparent that you 're about to lose a thing which you ' ve cared for deeply . Here 's something you can say in that moment : " None of the appropriate adjectives about my future have changed ( it is still good , engaging , worthwhile , purpose ridden and passion worthy ) . None of the appropriate adjectives about my future have changed - only my illusions about how they would come to pass . Whatever is happening was written - and God didn't only allow it , He 's decided to use it . So I refuse to act as if there is no God by weeping , worrying , obsessing , blaming , shaming or hating . I will not nurse , rehearse , repeat or return . Instead , I will live as though He IS real by embracing what comes next . " The way we visualize our dreams is just a crutch we use to help ourselves believe that God could be good to us . Rather , it should be enough to simply confirm the outcome without the crutch : He WILL be good to us . Just not always in the way we visualized it . So hold your dreams loosely ! But hold the one who holds your dreams tightly ! Just a thought . And I dare you to make it more . 
The Lines We Hide Between . The following is from our email devotional . You can subscribe to at www . askthequestion . ca , you can contribute your replies and it will be followed by a podcast teaching from this coming Sunday . For more than 40 years , prying eyes peered across the Berlin wall and suspicions were multiplied . It 's what a wall does . You see enough of someone else to know they 're doing something , but not enough to know exactly what . And suspicions are multiplied . It would be fascinating to read a history on the concept of " us " versus " them " . Anytime you give into the idea of " other " , you create something to be feared . And that single toxic thought - that someone is different enough to be " other " - is the beginning of most of the worst things about us . One of the most radical features of Christianity is how it breaks down barriers , even to the degree of discomfort . It shifts the meaning of all our labels to a friendlier category . Strangers become neighbors , our friends are treated like family and even in the case of our enemies , our behavior is inverted completely , returning kindness for abuse , so that the category no longer even exists ... " After all , what good is it " , Jesus asks , " if you love those who love you ? " Who doesn't already do that ? But if we were to shift from the normal patterns of relationships in such a bold way ... now that would be something ... So why not promote everyone a single notch upwards ? Erase your " enemy " and " stranger " categories so that the very lowest distinction you have available is " neighbor " . Who knows ? You may just tear down a wall . Suspicious eyes may become understanding , a thing taken may become a thing willingly given , and a revolution may begin . And what a powerful way to know if God is real - because it could only work if He is . Over the past few Sundays we ' ve been searching for 6 sentences that will forever change the way we look at church . Why not join us ? Hope to see you there , and I hope you bring someone with you , CSW . 
Minus 3 . Paid for my ticket . Didn't get the car fixed eeek ! I got health insurance instead . Difficult decision ... A friend Eva called me from New York tonight and told me that she was concerned about me going to Israel . What to believe ? , what to explore ? There are so many truths especially about complicated situations . She quoted something that she had heard and it was : ' if we follow an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth ; we ' ll all end up blind and toothless ' . I need to think more about what she said . I am not in Israel yet , so I ' ll wait to see the world through ' the peoples ' eyes . Had a staff meeting with my colleagues in the Mobile Health Outreach Service at the Inner South Community Health Service tonight . It felt strange to be telling them why I felt so compelled to go to explore this conflict and make a film about it . I feel so lucky to work with such socially aware and truly diverse people . 3 more sleeps . 
Minus 4 . Feeling pretty tired tonight . Filming back to back interviews today for seven hours for the documentary ' A Day in My Shoes ' that I am directing . I have lost my voice . Paying for my ticket tomorrow . Still not secured any accomodation in Tel Aviv yet , but that 's another one for the list ... Spoke to two male Israeli tourists tonight on the tram . They were telling me that they have to go home in a month , and go straight into the army . They were on their way to Spencer St to get to the airport to go to Sydney for some more fun before they return home . I expressed my concerns for the region and they didn't seem too worried about the conflict there right now , but as they pointed out , the conflict is constant and they have always had to live with it since they were children . It 's hard to imagine how people live like this all the time . Trying to get my car fixed tomorrow before I leave , and scared to leave it on the street for a month in St. Kilda . Too much to do before Sunday , but will be pleased to be getting on the plane . Need to see a completely different world with my own eyes that I have never experienced , or understood . How disorderly can it be ?? 
Minus 5 and counting . Today has been really eventful . My friend , a cinematographer who I studied with at the American Film Institute , Dror Lebendiger is in Tel Aviv . He emailed me and said he will help me make my doco . I have never been to Israel , and am quite nervous about the current political unrest . Today I spoke to an Australian Government contact whom I know and she told me I should seriously reconsider . I can't . I feel like this is a story that really needs to be told . It isn't an ' us and them ' scenario . There are too many key players and the picture is much larger than we see in Australia . I am really interested in how the media works regarding conflict in the Middle East , and I look forward to seeing this world with my own eyes . The doco I want to make ( but I am still open to its shape and structure ) , is about a family sending their teenager to war . Mentally preparing somebody to fight and exploring their potential loss , I hope to also capture the current political climate within Israel ; hopefully paralleling these anxieties . It 's the story struggle . We dont understand this as Australians , and it seems so far away . I will be travelling there in 5 days trying to put the pieces together . 
Countdown Begins ( minus 6 ) . Tonight I had a chat with Richard and Zelda C . about leaving for Israel in 6 days . Feeling pretty anxious . Shooting the beginning of another doco in 2 days ' A Day in My Shoes ' - been leading up to this project for over a year , but have to put it on hold . Now going to Israel for a month to make a documentary about what life 's like for the people there ; exploring the anxious seque into war . 
i love this quotes ! ......... at the end of the day , you got to realize that we are human . - britney spears I don't allow anybody to change me . I still walk outta my house in rollers and I take walks . I do not care what people think . - britney spears . 
the latest gay celeb : lance bass . " I want people to take from this that being gay is a norm . People always say , ' Are you gay ? ' and i say , ' No , I ' m also gay . " It 's one of the many things that make me up . I was in a boy band , I ' m used to people talking about me . It 's the people around me that I don't want it to affect . But just seeing how my family has reacted , and everyone else , it just makes me so happy . " Congratulations , Lance ! extra info : he is currently dating amazing race 's reichen . check out perezhilton for more info ... MICHELLE PFEIFFER ROCKS ! SHE LOOKS 20 . BUT SHE ' S 41 ! damn ..... if i want a wife ..... i want her ! ELIZABETH HURLEY IS THE NEW SPOKESPERSON FOR JORDACHE JEANSthis ad is gorgeous ! I THINK NICOLE RICHIE ROCKS THIS CUTE OUTFIT !!!! NICOLE RICHIE AND HER DAD ON THE SET OF HIS NEW VIDEO ... MATT LOVES THE BEACH AND TRYING OUT NEW " POSITIONS " if only he would call me , i ' ll be in his bed now ..... probably the new " hollywood sex video " .... lol VICTORIA AND DAVID BECKHAM CURRENTLY VACATIONING ON A YACHT ... AND POSSIBLY TO MAKE VICTORIA PREGO WITH A 4 TH CHILD .... COZ THEY WANT A GIRL ... THE NEXT DAY , HE WAS SEEN IN WHITE SPEEDOS ..... but he doesn't seem to be " big " ...... NICOLE RICHIE IN THE FIRST ISSUE OF DELUXE MAGAZINE ... she 's got nothin ' to promote yet she gets to be on magazines ..... what a " life " .... COLIN FARRELL AND HIS BRO .... WHO IS OFFICIALLY GAY .... personally i think colin is more good - lookin ' lisa marie presley daughter .... RILEY KEOUGHguess who she 's dating ? ryan what - the - fuck cabrera ...... ashlee simpson 's ex ..... 
nelly furtado quote of the century ! " I ' m reading a book about Chinese medicine , which claims that people are inherently bisexual to balance their energies . And , in a way , that makes so much sense . As humans we have both male and female energies . I believe in Kurt Cobain 's statement that , in the end , everyone is gay . Everybody should have the freedom to experiment . I believe sexual experimentation is part of human history . " - Nelly Furtado tells Arjan Timmermans in the new issue of European gay mag GUS . 
miss universe 2006 : miss puerto rico . Miss Puerto Rico Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza reacts after being crowned Miss Universe 2006 in Los Angeles . Beauties from 86 nations met for the 55 th Miss Universe pageant , vying to succeed Canadian Natalie Glebova in a contest little - watched in its host country .1 st runner up - miss japan 2 nd runner up - miss switzerland 3 rd runner up - miss paraguay 4 th runner up - miss usa The top five contestants ( L - R ) Miss Switzerland Lauriane Gillieron , Miss Paraguay Lourdes Arevalos , Miss Japan Kurara Chibana , Miss USA Tara Conner and Miss Puerto Rico Zuleyka Rivera . Miss Puerto Rico was crowned Miss Universe 2006 . 
new nude britney pic . from harper 's bazaareva longoria : horrible without make - upbrad pitt in new orleansisn't the pic . just so beautiful ? britney has a new manny that kinda looks like ben affleckbritney posts this on her website ...... a message that only she can understandbeyonce 's new album cover .... sucks ! matthew mcconaughey does his exercises ... and he looks so gorgeous and sexy doin ' it . if only he would do " it " with me ........ 
darren hayes is married ! Congratulations to Darren Hayes ! He writes this on his website : " On June 19 th 2006 I married my boyfriend of two years , Richard , in a Civil Partnership ceremony in London . I can honestly say it was the happiest day of my life . I feel lucky to live in an era where my relationship can be considered legally legitimate and I commend the UK Government for embracing this very basic Civil Liberty . I ' m proud of who I am , and after what felt like an eternity , I ' m finally in a place where my heart is secure and content . And I can finally make sense of all of the searching . " . 
SHAN ' S TOP 10 # 9 . 1 ) DEJA VU - BEYONCE 2 ) PROMISCUOUS - NELLY FURTADO FEAT . TIMBALAND 3 ) FANAA 4 U - FANAA NEW 4 ) GET TOGETHER - MADONNA 5 ) WHEN I THINK OF YOU - LEE RYAN 6 ) PUBLIC AFFAIR - JESSICA SIMPSON 7 ) PUT YOUR RECORDS ON - CORRINE BAILEY RAE NEW 8 ) BUTTONS - PUSSYCAT DOLLS 9 ) UNFAITHFUL - RIHANNA 10 ) HIPS DUN LIE - SHAKIRAWANNABES : 1 ) turn your car around - lee ryan 2 ) maneater - nelly furtado 3 ) where 's the party tonight - kabhi alvida naa kehna 4 ) golmaal - golmaal 5 ) tu hi meri shab hai - gangster 6 ) tu jahaan - salaam namaste 7 ) my dil goes mmm ... - salaam namaste 8 ) smile - lily allen 9 ) aadat - kalyug 10 ) ain't no other man - christina aguilera 11 ) sexyback - justin timberlake 12 ) ya ali - gangster ( recommended by kooi ) * From this countdown onwards , bollywood songs will also be included . 
sighting of bigfoot 's mother : katie holmes . AND IT ' S RUMORED THAT SHE ' S PREGO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG , LITTLE BIGFOOTS ARE INVADING THIS WORLD ....... RUN ..... AWAY FROM THE FATHER OF BIGFOOTS : TOM CRUISE . 
suri cruise : the " new " bigfoot . SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HEARD ABOUT SURI CRUISE BUT NOT SEEN HER . I HAVE THUS BEEN THINKING FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT NICKNAMING HER SOMETHING HER APPROPRIATE . THAT ' S WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT " BIGFOOT " . FINALLY WE ARE ABLE TO SEE HOW SHE LOOKS LIKE . ENJOY . 
One More For Our Side . Lance Bass of ` N Sync reveals he 's gay Two reactions . First , I knew it ! Second , this makes the crush that Laura , one of the page editors on the college paper , had on Lance in college seem much funnier than it did at the time -- and it seemed pretty funny then . Oh , and a third : Do you think Lance -- who once wanted to be a cosmonaut -- will make a special appearance the next time SNL does its " Gays in Space " skit ? 
Second Best . Wikipedia Celebrates 750 Years Of American Independence | The Onion - America 's Finest News Source The real news this morning out of Washington is bad , but here 's some fake news to cheer you up . A sample : The commemorative page is one of the most detailed on the site , rivaling entries for Firefly and the Treaty Of Algeron for sheer length . Subheadings include " Origins Of Colonial Discontent , " " Some Famous Guys In Wigs And Three - Cornered Hats , " and " Christmastime In Gettysburg . " It also features detailed maps of the original colonies including Narnia , the central ice deserts , and Westeros as well as profiles of famous American historical figures such as Benjamin Franklin , Special Agent Jack Bauer , and Samuel Adams who is also a defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals . I ' ve always found Wikipedia to be a useful resource , but this article is still hilarious . And it does have a point -- just look at the entry in Wikipedia for Westeros ! It 's longer than the entries for most real places ... 
From the Deep . Ravinia : July 21 , 2006 For reasons unknown to me , there hasn't really been a review of Friday night 's Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert at Ravinia . ( I ' m not counting Andrew Patner 's not - so - friendly appraisal of James Conlon 's connection with the orchestra as a review , as it only mentions the concert rather than discussing it . ) There ought to be one , though . Maybe it was the rain ; maybe it was the somewhat unfamiliar program of Erwin Schulhoff 's first piano concerto and Mahler 's fourth symphony , which even our Mahler - loving household only purchased earlier this month to prepare for this concert . Something kept the crowds away ; the lawn was sparse when we arrived 15 minutes before the baton was lifted and even the Pavilion , while densely populated as usual in the center section , had 10 - seat wide streams up either side that were vacant . ( We got seats just off center , in the first row behind the boxes , as walk - ups and had no one for two seats on either side of us or directly behind us . ) Despite the lack of a crowd , though , the CSO put on quite a show . After James Conlon addressed the audience and explained his Breaking the Silence project , which presents to audiences the music of composers killed during the Holocaust , soloist Philippe Bianconi gave the ivories an impressive workout as he introduced the Pavilion to Schulhoff 's first piano concerto . Was it good ? Suffice it to say that I ' m ordering it from Amazon and that , given the 3 - 6 week expected wait time , I ' m not including a link lest your order should slow mine . And Schulhoff wrote it at age 19 ! After intermission , we heard Mahler 4 . We ' ve attended each of the Mahler symphonies at Ravinia since Conlon began his other project , the performance of all of them in a row , last summer . While there may be more to the first three than there is to the fourth -- and while I remain of the opinion that , had he only produced the first , Mahler would have achieved enough for a lifetime -- the brevity and fun of the fourth were uniquely suited to a cool summer evening outdoors . I would be hard pressed to recall another symphonic performance that so ably handled all the distractions Ravinia provides , from the cicadas to the airplanes to the train roaring by . ( A stroke of luck brought the Metra along just as one movement ended , and Conlon cleverly held his head down until the engine 's cough had faded . ) Soprano Anna Christy , making her Ravinia debut , brought a childlike innocence to the final movement , which the crowd could appreciate thanks to supertitles that revealed the almost preposterous text -- a child 's vision of heaven , complete with a host of saints preparing dinner -- she was singing . Afterward Conlon returned to the stage , joined by journalist Bill Zwecker , to discuss his love of music . Small plastic cups of wine made their way around the audience as Conlon spoke with passion about his Ravinia projects and his ardent belief in the importance of Breaking the Silence . Those who stayed until the end left , I ' m sure , deeply pleased with the performances and confident that , with Conlon at the helm , Ravinia 's CSO calendar and performances will remain engaging well into the future . 
Still Alive . Wide gap a surprise in race for Senate The headline refers to two things . First , the hope that the Democrats will retake the Senate remains alive ; the open seat that Republicans are targeting the most , that of Sen . Mark Dayton in Minnesota , shows the new Democrat , Amy Klobuchar , whipping the awful Mark Kennedy 50 - 31 . ( Sadly , the state 's Republican governor , elected during the terrible 2002 sweep , looks like he may survive . ) But the headline is also just to let you know that , despite the lack of blogging , I ' m still alive . When James manages four posts in six days and I give you nothing , I start to wonder if I ' m still alive . 
Heterosexual Instability . The Volokh Conspiracy - Is it rational to exclude gay couples from marriage ? Dale Carpenter offers an interesting discussion of how the New York court explained its decision that barring gay couples from marriage meets the not - very - demanding rational basis standard at The Volokh Conspiracy ( which is fast becoming one of my favorite blogs ) . In case you don't know what the rational basis test is , Carpenter explains : " As I once heard Richard Epstein memorably describe it , the rational basis standard basically asks whether any fool could come up with a stupid reason for a bad policy . " And what stupid reasons did the majority in New York give that could have prompted the legislature to allow straight couples to marry but not gay ones ? For one thing , Carpenter notes : Children need permanence and stability in their lives . Yet the heterosexual relationships that produce them , said the court , are all too often casual or temporary . Homosexual couples do not become parents by accident or impulse ; they must plan ahead and obtain children through adoption , artificial insemination , or some other technological marvels . Unstable relationships among heterosexuals therefore present a greater danger that children will be born into or grow up in unstable homes than is the case with same - sex couples . So the gays don't need marriage because we don't need shotgun weddings , choosing to make decisions about when and if to have children in a rational manner that , admittedly , is assisted by the biological fact that we can't conceive children without outside help . That 's all well and good -- even rational , one might say -- but it does lead , as Carpenter notes , to the conclusion that " gay couples are likely to plan more responsibly for the upbringing of their children . We thus have less reason to worry about the children gay couples are raising . " While the court explains a rationale for offering marriage to straight couples , though , Carpenter notes that it never bothers to touch on a rational reason for the exclusion of gay couples . As he says , " The key question left unanswered by the court is , how does the exclusion of gay couples from marriage rationally advance the putative preference for heterosexual couples in child - raising ? " Of course , I find all this focus on children obnoxious ; even absent them there are plenty of reasons for a couple to desire marriage and dozens of reasons why it would be rational for the government to allow -- indeed , encourage -- them to get married . But Carpenter is right when he points out that the New York Court of Appeals , while deciding not to offer marriage to gay couples right now , has left the barn door open for the state legislature . There may be a so - called " rational basis " for a law that allows straight couples to marry but excludes gay ones . But surely the bright minds of the legislature can think of numerous " rational " reasons to offer the same marriage rights to everyone . 
Balance Restored . Chris Daughtry signs record deal Order has returned to the universe . Seeing Taylor Hicks in Ford commercials doesn't work for me , but knowing that Chris will soon have an album out makes me feel a little bit better about the world . When will we hear about Elliott 's deal ? I fully expect this 3 - 4 combo to outsell and outshine the weak 1 - 2 punch of Taylor and Katharine ... 
Up and Down . For Gay Rights Movement , a Key Setback - New York Times It 's hard to ignore the pain I feel today in the wake of the ruling by the New York Court of Appeals . One state makes gay marriage an anomaly , but two could have meant a trend . And the Court 's logic wasn't especially kind . Yes , if you pretend that the sole purpose of marriage today is child - rearing , and harp on the fact that straight couples are always theoretically at risk of having a child whether they want to or not , then there is a " rational basis " for offering marriage only to such couples . But that 's quite a stretch . There is a silver lining , though . If New York had allowed gay marriage through its court system , those who would quash equality in its infancy would have had another example of " activist judges " to harp on during the next election -- coincidentally , in the state from which many Democrats expect our next standard - bearer to come . ( That worked out well last time , didn't it ? ) Instead , as many others have already noted , this ruling will force advocates to press for a legislative solution . If New York 's legislature approves gay marriage , or civil unions , after Eliot Spitzer becomes governor , and if in 2008 the people of Massachusetts reject the move to end gay marriage there , well , that would make this a whole new ballgame , wouldn't it ? A suddenly sizeable chunk of the country would have put gay marriage ( or something like it ) before the people or their representatives and seen it as a good thing . Remember , California 's legislature has already voted for gay equality ; we have only Arnold to blame for its not having taken root there . Connecticut 's legislature passed civil unions without any judicial prompting . Between those two , Massachusetts , and New York , you ' ve got quite a lot of the nation 's population , and a good deal of its financial and cranial power as well . I still believe that , by the time I retire , I will have the legal option of marrying the man I love , of filing my taxes with him , of knowing that if one of us is in the hospital , the other will be able to visit , and that if one of us should die , the other would inherit everything , collect Social Security as a surviving spouse , and carry out the other 's final wishes . Whether yesterday 's ruling in New York makes it more likely that this will happen when I ' m 42 or 58 is debateable , surely . But it will happen . 
Emmy Fever . Academy of Television Arts Boston Legal 's James Spader , whose portrayal of Alan Shore had been honored both on this show and The Practice ; and Will the credits make me hear " God Only Knows " in a whole new way ! ) Bill Maher gets a combined four nominations for his HBO show and HBO special ! Will , Vince , Rosario , and Leo are apparently the only regulars on Will & Grace who weren't punching in their weight class the final season . Debra Messing ( Grace ) , Sean Hayes ( Jack ) , Megan Mullally ( Karen ) , Leslie Jordan ( Beverly Leslie ) , Alec Baldwin ( Malcolm ) , and Blythe Danner ( Will 's mother ) all got nominations for their roles . Vinick may have lost the battle , but he won the war : Alan Alda and Martin Sheen are both up for Emmys for their roles on The West Wing , but Jimmy Smits was left out in the cold . Tony and Carmela may be crying in their coffee , but Six Feet Under fans can rejoice : Peter Krause ( Nate ) and Frances Conroy ( Ruth ) both got nods for the show 's final season . Without Edie Falco in the race , Ruth 's bravura performance in the finale may just have a chance ! ( The finale is also up for writing , directing , art direction , prosthetic makeup , and hairstyling , while Ruth 's sister [ Patricia Clarkson ] and Brenda 's mom [ Joanna Cassidy ] will vie for guest actress . ) Murphy Brown is back : James Spader may be out , but Candice Bergen is in as the backbone of Boston Legal 's fictional Crane , Poole , and Schmidt . Don't be surprised if she bests her two competitors from Grey 's Anatomy to take home the best supporting actress trophy ! 
Wild , Funny , Uneven . This review of JPod has also been posted on Amazon . com. If you have not read Microserfs , stop now . Read it . This book is not exactly a sequel , but it definitely breathes the same air . If you have read Microserfs , and if you liked it , you will like this book . It 's Coupland at his witty , world - weary best , at least in places . The plot has so many twists and turns , and so many of them are bizarre , that I found myself laughing out loud several times during the not - so - many hours it took me to roar through this -- what ? Novel ? Pastiche ? Stolen diary ? To be sure , the structure of the book is sometimes baffling , and some of the characters are ( intentionally ? ) one - dimensional . Some of the methods of character development are so blatantly obvious ( lists of traits , letters that each character writes to Ronald Mc Donald to woo him ) as to be both ludicrous and effective at the same time . Yet just when you think the book is off the rails you ' ll discover that you ' ve come to care about the members of j Pod , and to hope that Coupland the author ( and Coupland the character ! ) will do right by them . In short , if you ' ve been waiting for Coupland to write another book like Microserfs -- and I know I ' ve been waiting nearly a decade -- you 're in for a treat ! 
Where can I learn SQL ? What is SQL ? SQL stands for Structured Query Language SQL allows you to access a database SQL is an ANSI standard computer language SQL can execute queries against a database SQL can retrieve data from a database SQL can insert new records in a database SQL can delete records from a database SQL can update records in a database SQL is easy to learn .. SQL is a Standard - BUT .... SQL is an ANSI ( American National Standards Institute ) standard computer language for accessing and manipulating database systems . SQL statements are used to retrieve and update data in a database . SQL works with database programs like MS Access , DB 2 , Informix , MS SQL Server , Oracle , Sybase , etc. Unfortunately , there are many different versions of the SQL language , but to be in compliance with the ANSI standard , they ....... ( Read On ) This tutorial is taken from the best website I know if you 're looking to learn about web design or web programing . It features a clear layout with examples so you cannot leave that website without having learnt something . The site is called W 3 Schools . 
Choo Choo !!! If you don't like You Tube or " can't get on it in work " then you might need Blink X TV . Did a search on " Thomas Tank " and found a few episodes on there - try this one . Obviously , we 're talking about a video website . Also searched for " Sigur Ros " and found these videos . Let 's try searching for Isis . Woah , just discovered there 's " Switch to Movie " mode . This plays the video in the entire screen . Here 's the results for Isis anyway . It found a lot of videos ; one of them is The Beginning and the End . It seems that Blinx TV searches all the other video sharing sites for the results . Very clever . Here is a thumbnail link that it offers you ... Click to see Video Have a go yourslef ( sic ) ..... www . blinkx . tv Via Norman Roberts Blogspot . 
Jim Noir video . Free , free , free music .. well , it 's free music if you close your eyes when you watch the video of " Eaney Meany " by Mr. Jim of Noirden . How about an MP 3 so I pop up on elbows .. Jim Noir - I me you i m your Jim Noir - Computer song Jim Noir - Tell me what to do via Coffee Cup via Dr. Gunni . 
Does 0.999999 ... = 1 ???? Is this the final word on the subject ??? Do you need an excerpt ? " Okay , this is going to be my last post on the topic of how .999 ... = 1 , started in this post , and continued here . I will engage in more refuting , but I have begun to see how useless the refutations are because many of the " non - believers " ( and I use that word jokingly because , as I wrote here , I don't really consider it a matter of belief ) don't bother to visit the refutations page or don't read it if they do . This blog has gotten over 70,000 hits since the original post was on the front page of digg . The discussion there and at numerous other small forums makes it clear that the refutations aren't being read . There have even been meta - discussions on how this fact can get a warning from digg about containing inaccurate information , even though every knowledgeable source of information agrees with me . The only reasonable criticism I found on the digg site is that this doesn't belong in the news because the proof has been around for so long that it ought not count as news . Unfortunately , enough people seem to disbelieve it that even old news needs to be explained just one more time in the hopes that a few people will come to understand the math better . But on to the refutations . This time , I will do them in decreasing order of sophistication of the argument . This puts the most reasonable first ... " Read On Here are some more answers : 16 answers generated in 14 mins . Thanks Rob . 
" Oh , look it up in a dictionary ! " . The dictionary generator is good . Here is the advert I ' ve made for Clik and Lissen , the pure MP 3 blog brother of this one . Via The Generator Blog which has lots of other cool " generators " such as the Church Sign Generator and all that gunk . It 's too hot .. 
I feel like flying . FLYGUY - this flash game is really nice . You use your arrow keys to fly around in the sky like you 're superman and he forgot to get dressed or something . Once you pass the seagulls , clouds and other obstacles including a photocopier ( ! ) you apparently go into space . I can't be bothered doing a screenshot so I ' ll describe it instead . Black and white line drawings like " Horace goes Skiing " or something . Nice resposive gameplay that just makes you laugh as you take off and fly away in your suit . Here is the link again - Flyguy . 
" I ' m sitting in the railway station ... " . Here are the chords to " Homeward Bound " via my guitar tab feed While you 're there you may as well check out the chords for " I ' m Only Sleeping " by The Beatles too . It 's got well nice chord sequences . Oh , more Simon + Garfunkel - the chords for the classic " I am a Rock " . Love this tune . Always thought that Stone Roses ' " I am the Ressurection " completely skanked " I am a Rock " ( Ripped it off I mean ... you know copied the ideas ) . Well , it took the same beat and vibe anyway . As this blog is a part time MP 3 blog I suppose I had better search for some MP 3 s for you to play along to with your guitar tab . First , I will try Exploseek . This is basically where I get all my MP 3 s from when I am searching . Anyway , back in a minute with some MP 3 s . 
Time for another tattoo . This is me getting my first tattoo . I got a Fleur de Lis on my right bicep . While we were in New Orleans last year , Mr and Mrs. H and myself all got tattoos . No , we were not drunk when we got them . We are off to Vegas this weekend . Shannon , Cuzzie and myself are all getting the same tattoo . We 're all getting an ankh . My ankh is going to placed on my left bicep . I don't know where the girls are gonna put theirs . The tattoo parlor , Electric Ladyland , was close to the French Quarter and did not suffer much damage from Hurricane Katrina . My brother was in New Orleans last month and said the devastation in the city is just unbelieveable . The monkey is going to Vegas for Cuzzie 's birthday celebration . I ' m taking my laptop so Pictures of You will suffer limited down time . Hopefully , I ' ll post on Thursday , if not by Friday afternoon at the latest . 
Meet Baba . This is my new best friend , Alyssa . Her mom and dad call her Baba so I call her Baba also . She ' ll be three in December and pretty smart . For some reason , kids like me . I think they look and me and say , " He 's bigger , but he just wants to play and fun like me " . She was helping me and her dad load up the rental truck this past weekend when it was 114 degrees . Mom and dad will be purchasing a new house soon . If you know of anyone looking to buy in the Gilbert area , Ray and Power let me know . Baba 's current 1533 square foot , 2 story , 2.5 bath , 3 bedroom home with a loft is gonna be on the market Sunday . List price $ 264,990 . 
Kara Again . This is a picture of Kara 's car . She calls it the " grocery getter " . She 's parked on the sidewalk and I swear she hadn't been drinking yet . I used to call her " no brake " because when I met her she had a Pontiac Grand Am , 5 speed , that had no emergency brake . I ' m surprised somebody didn't just roll it away one night while she was sleeping . She created a great nickname for me . She calls me Woodchuck . For those that don't know , I ' m the person that keeps the fire going on a camping trip . Ask anyone that has ever been camping with me and I ' m sure they ' ve got campfire story to tell about me . She came over for dinner one night last week . I ' m probably going to be in trouble for posting this picture , but oh well . It 's the first time she 's been to our house since November !!! She 's been busy with her new ready made family , ( husband and two teenage stepkids ) . She came over after work and changed out of her black skirt into a pair of my shorts . Don't worry , she wasn't going commando this day , like she likes to do ! If you don't know what that means then click the link . Ok , now we all know way too much about Kara , so I ' m gonna go complete some real estate paperwork for a client and maybe enjoy a nice movie on the sofa . Woodchuck out !! 
Broken Pipe . A broken pipe has brought construction on the new house to a screeching halt . Once the pipe is fixed and they re - pour the concrete , an independent engineer has to come out and inspect it . The monkey waits patiently in our closet . This is where he lives when he is not deflated . In the new house he is finally going to have his own room . 
What 's on his head ? Before he was married with children , Drew was a party animal . Whenever there was a get together he usually made an appearance . I didn't know anything about carne asada until one night he brings over a bag of meat and requested some space on our small propane grill . He couldn't cook the stuff fast enough . People were grabbing pieces of meat right off the grill . The guy was so much of a party animal that he put blonde streaks in his hair at one time . If he was a Yankee fan , I wouldn't have posted this picture , but since he cheers for the Red Sox ... enjoy the pic . 
Seattle memories . Crystle and Scott are planning a shoe shopping trip . I don't know about her , but I wanted to know if he had anything under the kilt . But that 's just me . This picture was taken in the summer of 2004 in Seattle . A bunch of us travelled up there for a wedding . We were in town 4 nights and 3 of the 4 nights we ended up at the Lucky 7 Saloon . Jager Bombs were a plenty and my liver once again got abused . The night before the wedding I partied with the groom and his brother until 4 am . I got a call from my wife at 8 am . She wanted to know where I was . Good times !!! 
Countrywide employee . As of 7 / 17 / 06 Countrywide became my official employer . My contract with Teksystems was 4 - 6 months and my manager didn't waste anytime and my conversion is complete after 4 months and 10 days . My position is Programmer Analyst 1 and I ' m my salary is 24 % higher than my salary at Safeway . I ' d like to thank Mr. Icke once again for recommending me for my current position . Thai Rama is about 1 / 2 mile from the Chandler campus and I visit at least 3 times a month . Great Thai Food . Not as spicy as Char 's or Swaddee , but the food has very good flavor and enough heat to make you sweat . If you have never tried thai food , I encourage you to experience the flavor explosion . 
Hello and Welcome ! When I want to test how some newfangled online creation is going to be accepted by a ( somewhat ) younger generation , the way I do it is to call my daughter and ask her to have a look and get back with some constructive commentary . In keeping with that avenue of approach , and maintaining the status quo , when the " Free Article and Information Directory " website at http : // www .2 bearsglobaltradingco . com was created , her comments were solicited . The end all , to make a long story short , was that she bookmarked the portal page and has been talking the site up to all her friends ever since ! The site is a collection of information websites and articles ( thousands of articles and hundreds of subject specific sites ) that are presented in easy to navigate form . You ' ll get the info you need and do it without having to pour through useless results brought to you by endless searches . Just pick your topic of interest , click , and presto ! The information loaded articles that you seek are plopped into your browser . No cost , no sign - ups , nothing to buy , no pop - up , pop - behinds , nor any of that sort of beastly blather to bother with ... er sorry about that ... The next post by me will be on one or another of the 200 or so topics in the free directory . Perhaps blogging secrets or website design stuff . ' Till then , . 
Managing the TWI mailing list - as Tough as it Gets . The success or failure of any mailing list depends entirely on its members - as in how effectively can they contribute on the list or how diligently can they enhance the quality of ongoing discussions . If you watch closely , the level of discussions combined with the maturity of posters is what characterizes these mailing lists to a large extend . For instance , take a firsthand look at Technical Writers India mailing list or TWI , as it is popularly called ( Refer , http : // groups . yahoo . com / group / technical _ writers _ india / ) . When you have a mailing list like TWI , the members intrinsically form the core of all discussions . There is an inherent focus on interaction and networking . Collaboration in this context does sound like an easy word , but more often than not , it is badly implemented . Let me share why managing such virtual communities is seemingly difficult and why a little dose of moderation is absolutely necessary . To illustrate , I am again choosing TWI as the perfect alibi . This group contains a large proportion of newbie 's - who have joined with the sole objective of learning and honing their existing skill sets . Some of these are fresh college graduates , desperate to get jobs or apprenticeship . They focus only on the topicality , which I believe is the mother of all problems . Some of them don't even know how to write and those who do , wouldn't care to research a topic before mailing it on the list . On the other hand , seasoned writers on such lists tend to look beyond the clich s ; they define a value orientation with new , simpler , and unique ways to get things done . But again , most of them are lurkers and wouldn't write consistently . Apart from this , we have the issue of trolling ( members posting provocative topics ) and flaming ( personal attacks between individual members . ) In my opinion , on a mailing list , it is imperative that the views expressed by an individual should not be restricted , out of context , controversial , ironical , or biased . The biggest fear of all on a mailing list is the fear of being intimidated . And that 's one reason why some people prefer hibernation to active participation . My advice to such people is to relax ... this ain't no competition ! Of course , members are encouraged to participate all the time , and this way the feel - good factor is also maintained on the list . This is where I have my calling - the moderator of TWI . The Wikipedia defines a moderator as , " a person who monitors the quality of a comment posted on a site , message board or IRC channel . The purpose is to prevent trolling , abuse of the comment system , and ultimately ensure that posts are not clearly antagonizing others . Moderators are usually chosen from among the members of the online community by the owner or administrator of the website , internet chat room or message board ( also known as discussion forums ) in question , based on the quality of their past input to the community , their level of knowledge in the prime areas of discussions and , not the least , their behavior . In some communities though , the moderators may be elected or chosen . Systems of moderation and selection of moderators vary widely from community to community . " As the moderator of the TWI , I have been there and done that . The last two years , in particular , have been pretty taxing but its okay ... someone 's got to give . I would hereby request you to keep the faith . There may be more happier times waiting for us , who knows ? 
How Happiness Converts to Writing ? " You can easily find people who are ten times as rich at sixty as they were at twenty ; but not one of them will tell you that they are ten times as happy " , wrote George Bernard Shaw ( Irish literary Critic , Playwright and Essayist , who won the 1925 Nobel Prize for Literature . ) I couldn't disagree much ... Happiness can be a darn confusing word for some . The definition of happiness isn't just confined to a particular person , place , or situation . It can have different connotations for different people , but generally it has been seen that happiness comes when we pursue our own things and listen to the voice of our hearts ! When I decided to become a full - time Technical Writer , I always knew where I was headed for . And from where I stand today , I am extremely proud of it . Happiness stems from belief and confidence in one 's own capabilities . The rest , as they say , automatically follows . Let me assume that you are here because you wanted to be a ' successful ' Technical Writer . Obviously , a lot of thinking must have gone into it . You have certainly made the right decision . First step is always the realization , next is how you work towards achieving your goals and updating your skills . Luckily , this job provides many opportunities to showcase your writing prowess and chances to learn . This reminds me , have you defined a career roadmap for yourself ? Start thinking on those lines , if you haven't already . Always remember that you are much more than the business you do , the profit you make , or the users you write for . Writing well is all about " you . " . You are as answerable to yourself as you are to the organization you work for . So stop looking for happiness outside , rather make the very best from what little you have . Have no regrets about failures ; instead view them as small steps on the climb up to success . At least try it , regardless of whether things work out or not . For me , happiness comes when someone appreciates my work , through the innumerable mails of appreciation and encouragement that I get each month . I wouldn't lie ; it 's like an obsession . In fact , writing does that to you , and if you still haven't discovered it , maybe your definition of happiness does not matches to mine . 
Technical Writing - an ' orchestrated ' performance . If you sweep past the first paragraph of this article , there is every single possibility that you might be lured into reading the entire lot . The greatest challenge confronted with any genre of writing ( be it fiction or nonfiction , technical or creative ) is to connect with all kinds of people . A good writer probably knows this , and therefore never attempts to maneuver with words . To an extent , what you write is a reflection of your inner self - situations that you have personally identified with - dropping subtle hints about your personality and your state of emotional well being . In many ways , it characterizes you as an individual . The other day , an aspiring technical writer wrote to me . He asked " Rahul , how has this profession treated you all these years ? Does it gets to you ? " I candidly replied , " As a Technical Writer , I take immense pride in the products I write for , even though my scope is limited , and ditto with the words I choose . " In fact , heart of hearts , I have always enjoyed these constraints . Sometimes , I feel that technical writing is similar to a highly orchestrated performance in which each note is determined in parts by the previous note , still leaving abundant room for endless creativity . It 's similar to a situation where you are trying to connect to a large unplugged audience . And speaking of audiences , most ( if not all ) of our writing is directed towards the end users of our products , which is quite a wonderful thing . At least you are not asked to shoot in the dark ! Having said that , it might be a good idea to learn the art of changing gears - from a writer to a user . Yes , you heard it ; I am asking you to roleplay as a surrogate user . Only when you do that , can you touch base with the actual requirements . Don't compromise , no one has asked you to ... just think aloud - will the user compromise , if he / she come across a sloppily written manual with a newly purchased product ? As Technical Writers , you can add value to a world - class product by enhancing the quality of documentation that is shipped with it . By engaging with the product as a user and by teaching others how to use the product to achieve their goals , you can add a lot of substance to your profile . Unfortunately , everyone believes that they have written an extremely remarkable manual , until the user creeps up the wall and makes the living life hell . Exactly why is connecting with the users so critical ? Heard about this whole outcry about ' value for money ? ' The markets world over have become highly consumer - centric and this trend is here to last , at least for sometime . To be an effective Technical Writer , you need to be the kind of person whose writing resonates with the users . Empathize with your readers , understand their goals , use clear and direct language to teach them how to be successful with the product . Trust me , being a successful technical writer is surely one beautiful feeling . So , start wearing those thinking caps , if you haven't already . 
All About ME !!! This post is all about me , Finnegan J . Katz ! In January , 2000 some beans found me at an apartment complex where I was living owtside . I had to eet garbij out of dumpsters and sleep owtside even in the rane and snow . The girl bean was nise and she took me to the good shelter plase called SAFE Haven for Cats and they took good care of me . I had an owie in my furrs and they cleened it up , they gave me the hoo - ha - ectomy and some owie shots too . One day a bean stoppt in front of my cage and was talking to me a lot . She kept talking and talking to me and putting her fingers in the cage and I rubbed against them and I knew I liked her alreddy . The lady in charge sed you can open the cage and I had my chance ! I walked owt of the cage and climbed rite up the lady 's body and gave her a big hug wif my paws arownd her neck on bofe sides and I put my hed on her sholder and purred and purred . She hugged me back and sed " This is my cat " to the other ladies and they laffed . So one week later I went home with my mom bean and I have been wif her ever since and I will never leave her and she will never leave me . She is the bestest mom bean effur ! This is me and Granma . She is a verry good servant to cats . She has been trained by cats allllll her life ! When mom bot these curtanes wif the lase and frinj on them Granma sed " Uh - oh the cats will play wif it and rune the curtanes . " But I am a gentleman cat and I woodn't do that . Granma 's mom bean was a good servant to cats too and she did allways say " In again , Finnegan ? " or " Out again , Finnegan ? " whenever she opened a dore and mom allways thot it wood be a good name for a cat , so wen I dopted her I tolld her I wood take it for my name . This is me and Grampa . He finks I don't like him becos he is big and makes coffing noises in the morning . That 's not wy though . I never tolld anyone but it 's ' cos of the mean man bean who din't like me and was gonna put me bak owt in the snow . I do like Grampa and here 's the proof . And allso Grampa says I am a devil - cat and he got the pikcher to prove it ! Grrrrrr ... I ' m trying to post two more pikchers but stoopid blogger won't do it . I ' ll try agane tomorrow . 
Frisky Friday !!! The fun cats over at Emma 's Place named today Frisky Friday and put lots of fun playing pikchers on there blog ! We really like that and desided to do it too - thanks for the grate idea , Emma ! A furrend of ours grows his own ' nip , so he sent us some toys to " test " to see how good they were . This is me inspecting the packaging - it ALLLL smelled like nip ! Buddy had one of the little toys - they playd good and Buddy liked tossing them up in the air , but they got losted furry fast . We think maybee they are under the fridgerater . This was the BIG toy ! It was really good for kicking , it was nise and hevvy but floppy too . Finny allways is saying he gets the bigger toys or the more treets or first hugs from mom just ' cos he was heer first and he is ollder than me . Sometimes he is an old poop so I was trying to get him to play wif me some more . Granma looks at this pikcher and says " Buddy , cats can't DO that ! " But I am furry limber and I do lots of yogas efurry day ! And sometimes you can get TOO frisky ! 
Sully Goes Home . The night before he left , Sully had a nice sleep on the special blanky . Poor guy had no idea what was in store for him . The next morning , mom stuffed him in the carrier , threw a couple of treats in and loaded him in the car . Mom handed Sully over to Miss Robin , but he wanted to eksplore ... Mom sed she was kind of sad leaving Sully behind , but she knows he will have a reelly good life . 
The G - Men are makin ' a Blog !! Did efurrycat see this in owr comments ? The G - men ( Gilmore & Grady ) said ... we are berry excited to be getting a new fur - end in the nayborhood . I can't wait to meet Sully , I think he is my long lost brudder cuz we look just the same . Sully 's new bean family is berry happy too !! That 's owr cousinz !!! They are Ant Ree bean 's kitties ! We ' ve putted there pikchers heer befor , but just so you can see how much Sully looks like Grady , see if you can tell which is who . We hope they is going to have a real blog now ' cos they are fun guys . And hopefully they can help Sully wif a blog too . And this is Grady 's big brofur Gilmore . Doesn't he haf the most hansome poofy tale ? Oh , Buddy 's still not speaking to mom . She has been spending a lot of time wif Sully , petting him and telling him about his new fambly and how good his life will be . I ' m glad he 's getting a good fambly , efurrycat deserves that . Good luck Sully !! 
HE ' S LEAVING !!!! Wooooo hoooooooooooooooooooooo !!! The little orinch punk is gettin ' dopted by a frend of Ant Ree bean ! I don't kno wy ennybean would want to adopt such a little punk , but I ' m glad he 's leaving . Excuse me ... Buddy ? Yes , mom ? Wasn't that you and Sully sitting in the bedroom window together last night when I came home ? What ? ! ? NO WAY ! Absolutely not ! Me and FINNY ... that 's right , Finny , who I have accepted is my brother , mostly because he was here befor me and bopped me on the hed and hissed and growled at me a whole lot when I first came . Sound familiar ? Reallllly ........ ? Because this sure looks like TWO orange cats to me . Not one orange cat and one white and beige cat . Uhhhhmmm , mom ? Yes Finny ? Umm , Buddy asked me to ... um .. tell you that ... uh .. he doesn't want ... errr .... hmmm .. he doesn't want enny suppers or treets .... from you ... and ummmm .... he ' snottalkingtoyouanymoreuntilthatlittleorinchpunkisgoneandifyou wanttoapologizetohim he ' llbeinhissnugglesack . Whew !! AND THE LAST THING I HAVE TO SAY IS THE PICKCHER IS A FAKE . 
Little Orinch Punk is on the Loose ! Oh you won't beleef it , fellow poodins ! On Satterday morning mom let the Little Orinch Punk owt of the guest room and now he goes all over the hole house !! Mostly he wanted to look out the big window . I don't kno wy , it 's the same plase to look at as from his guest room . He settled down under the cat benches ( too stoopid to kno wat they 're for I guess ) and was watching me and Finny . Finny sniffed him and I of course , hissed and growled at him . 
I ' m a Lover not a Fighter ... ... but I ' ll put my paw down when it 's necessary ! Miss Bonnie hurted my feelings verry deeply wen she implied that I was being nise to Sully and that I woodn't agree wif ennyfing she said becos I allways agree wif Victor . I fink this is becos wen I was Victor 's attorney during the unforchoonit insident ( see May 5 May 14 ) that took plase at his howse , Miss Bonnie somehow got the mistaken impression that I was accusing her of the possible crime or of framing Victor for the crime . Miss Bonnie ? I have tried to apologize for this misunderstanding before ( at the time that it took place ) but I fear that my apology was not received in the manner it was presented . It is with my deepest and most heartfelt regret that I offer my apologies to you for any remarks I may have made that caused you to believe that I do not hold you in the highest regard . I never had any intention of implying that a lovely , gracious , ladycat like yourself would have committed the crime that was purrpetrated at yore residence . I thought that it was evident from my final argument with the photos of cats who bear a striking physical resemblance to Victor , that my plan was to show that the crime was probably committed by an infiltrator to yore home . I sinseerly hope that you will accept my apology and these tokens of my admiration . -- Finnegan J . Katz , Esq. 
The Technology behind Job Jitsu . com. . Job Jitsu Technology Overview : So now a little bit about the technology behind the job board ... Job Jitsu is more of a home grown web app . we have some general purpose modules that handle most of the common web application facilities : cache -- a wrapper around the memcache client provided by tummy . com conf -- where we keep common configuration settings db -- a data access module that manages connections and uses Greg Stein 's DTuple . py dispatch -- this guy handles the url to resource mapping , sessions and a few other things . log -- wrapper around python logging module mail -- mail wrapper re -- common precompiled regex 's ( email , url and etc. ) sesh -- our session module util -- utility stuffs like ( string manipulation , url parsing and etc. ) The presentation is handled by Cheetah . Cheetah has nice syntax ( no - xml ) , flexibility , and performance ( precompiled templates ) . One other feature that I find hard to live without is the template inheritance . Cheetah allows you to define a base page which other pages can extend ( good for header + sidebar + footer ) . We are using My SQL 5.0 ( which supports stored procedures ) on top of the innodb storage engine for persistence . Finally what modern web app would be complete without some cool AJAX ? Matt has some neat JSON stuffs that he is working on . Next post will be an in depth look at how we manage our data including how we defined our data model , a quick discussion on stored procedures , indexing strategies and how we actually pass data back and forth between Python and the My SQL . 
Ambition . . It 's all about Ambition The real challenge of starting a job board is not the technology behind it , but getting employers to post jobs and job seekers to search it . There is a critical mass that needs to happen on both sides before the job board becomes relevant . In the past I believe that this was accomplished with massive advertising campaigns , Matt and I discussed the idea of running a 30 second commercial during the superbowl but decided to save that for next year and take a more grass roots style approach instead . Getting employers to post shouldn't be too hard ... make it free to post for the first 6 months , when other job boards are charging hundreds of dollars a posting free isn't so bad . Getting job seekers to use it will be a bit harder ( enter the shameless self promotion you are now reading ) . A good place to start will be by documenting the project in my blog . I figure the worst case scenario is that in the future someone may find a shred of something useful here , while the best case scenario would be that I might be able to generate some * interest * . I am convinced that if you give 2 good hackers 2 months with nothing else to do and they can build just about anything , we on the other hand have day jobs so this is going to be a tight deadline for us . That being said , my philosophy on making things happen is this ... 1 ) If you have half a brain . 2 ) And you are completely honest with yourself and others . 3 ) And you are not afraid of a little hard work . Then the only thing stopping you from achieving whatever it is that you set out to do is your own ambition . The name of the site is going to be Job Jitsu . com. Why did we choose Job Jitsu . com ? Simple cause Job Ninja was already taken . Anyway enough Tony Robins speak , tomorrow 's entry is all bout tech . 
2 hackers . . 2 hackers , 2 months , and an idea ... Build a better job board . I was talking to my friend Matt and about the idea of building a better job board . It didn't take much to convince each other that we could do much better then what is currently out there . Monster , Dice , Hot Jobs , Jobing ( spelling ? ) et al have all gotten fat dumb and happy - Internet Explorer style ( oh yes I did ) , the one thing they all have in common is how hard they suck . It 's like there has been a feature freeze since 2002 , moreover these job boards have all been overrun by staffing companies . I am going to assert that coming up with better technology then what the current job boards have to offer won't be a problem . So what is it that we are going to do better ? Good question , the answer is a closely guarded secret , but you should have some idea by 4 / 1 / 06 ( our first launch date ) . Over the next 6 - 8 weeks I will blog about our methods and progress . What makes us so sure that we can pull this off ? We have a secret weapon . More on that tomorrow . 
Creating your own mod _ python request dispatcher . . Creating your own mod _ python request dispatcher that maps url 's to python request handlers . Conceptually I have something that looks like this : + ------------- + | Clients | | Web Browser | + ------------- + | [ http : // somecooldomain . com / coorequest ] | ^ | | [ Cool Response ] V | + -------- + + ------------ + + --------------- + + --------- + | Apache | -- > | Mod _ Python | -- > | dispatcher . py | -- > | cool . py | -- + | ( A ) | + -------- + + ------------ + + --------------- + + --------- + | | ^ | | | | | + ------------------------ + V + ------------- + | urlmap . conf | | ( C ) | + ------------- + A ) Apache Configuration : On my server I have mod _ python set up to handle any request that comes in without a file extension . That way I can have those cool REST style URI 's . I use the apache " Files Match " directive in my httpd . conf file to look for any request that does not contain a ' . ' before the ' ? ' in the query string : Files Match " ( ^ [ ^ \ . ] * $ | ^ [ ^ \ ? ] * [ \ ? ] + [ ^ $ ] + $ ) " Set Handler python - program Python Handler common . dispatch . dispatcher Python Debug On / Files Match B ) dispatcher . py The source for dispatcher . py can be found here . C ) Example urlmap . conf [ somecooldomain . com ] / = cooldomain . handlers . home . handler / signup = cooldomain . handlers . member . signup / login = cooldomain . handlers . member . login / logout = cooldomain . handlers . member . logout / cool = cooldomain . handlers . cool . handler D ) cool . py This is the handler that generates your content . In my content handlers I usually do things like query the database , process business logic , select a cheetah template and return the result as html . In summary I use this approch for a couple of reasons , first it allows me to decouple my url 's from my python code that way I don't have python code + html sitting around in the same directory . Secondly I get one piece of code that handles every request . ( good for sessions and things like that ) . 
urlencoder / decoder for python . . EDIT ( I so stand corrected . ) : I could have just used : urllib . quote urllib . unquote --------------------------------------------------- Every once and a while I run into the need for a urlencoder / decoder function that just accepts a string and returns a string . The one that comes w / urllib ( 2 ) takes a dictionary and returns a " name = val " formatted string . My only problem is that it does 2 things at once : 1 ) url encodes .2 ) constructs a query or post string . So I wrote a quick utility to do just # 1 : _ keys = [ " $ " , " " , " = " , " ? " , " @ " , " " , ' " ' , " " , " # " , " % " , " { " , " } " , " | " , " \\ " , " ^ " , " ~ " , " [ " , " ] " , " ` " ] _ vals = [ ' % 24 ' , ' % 26 ' , ' % 2 B ' , ' % 2 C ' , ' % 2 F ' , ' % 3 A ' , ' % 3 B ' , ' % 3 D ' , ' % 3 F ' , ' % 40 ' , ' % 20 ' , ' % 22 ' , ' % 3 C ' , ' % 3 E ' , ' % 23 ' , ' % 25 ' , ' % 7 B ' , ' % 7 D ' , ' % 7 C ' , ' % 5 C ' , ' % 5 E ' , ' % 7 E ' , ' % 5 B ' , ' % 5 D ' , ' % 60 ' ] def encode ( str = " " ) : " " " URL Encodes a string with out side effects " " " return " " . join ( [ _ swap ( x ) for x in str ] ) def decode ( str = " " ) : " " " Takes a URL encoded string and decodes it with out side effects " " " if not str : return None for v in _ vals : if v in str : str = str . replace ( v , _ keys [ _ vals . index ( v ) ] ) return strdef _ swap ( x ) : " " " Helper function for encode . " " " if x in _ keys : return _ vals [ _ keys . index ( x ) ] return x ### units ### if __ name __ == " __ main __ " : assert ( " " . join ( _ keys ) == decode ( encode ( " " . join ( _ keys )))) assert ( " " . join ( _ vals ) == encode ( decode ( " " . join ( _ vals )))) print " passed all unit tests . " . 
When I Paint My Masterpiece . Today , I painted a of the house and was very tired because I ' m stupid and paint everything by hand . I decided I need to go into the house and rest , hell I ' ll clean the brushes later . I grabbed a snack and was tired decided to take a power nap . Correct me if I ' m wrong that 10 to 15 minutes right ? So two hours later I woke up quite annoyed . I can't believe it two hours that is half a nights sleep now I will never sleep . Oh man and the brushes , crap , I will never get them clean . But wait I silently thought to myself I can party all night long ! righteous . So tonight I hope to make memories baby . I sure hope it doesn't suck . I will let you guys know . I gotta go take an aspirin I slept wrong and my backs f ' d up . Maybe I will take a liquid 12 oz aspirin . as always Wreak Havoc all TC . 
Pepsi comes in a can , put there by a man . One day Smurf and I were cutting class , and we went to purchase a Pepsi from the vending machine . I put in my money and pressed the button . Just like usual the machine dispensed a Pepsi . At that moment I heard a voice behind my back . WHOA .. Do that Again . I turned around to find Peanut sitting on the floor with his eyes glassed over . Peanut ! I said What in the hell are you doing ? He just kept staring at the machine and finally he said . That was coool ! Smurf and I tried to get him to some outside with us so the Principle wouldn't find him . Peanut refused to leave , he told us he had found the perfect spot . We had to leave him there because it was way to obvious that you weren't supposed to be there . I felt bad later , it was a while before we saw Peanut again . As it turned out , the Principle did catch Peanut , called his parents , and they sent him to rehab . A few weeks later that son of a bitch came back more f ' d up than ever . Peanut where ever you are I hope you are OK . 
The crap 4 2 day . No funny stories to tell tonight . Except , the horses broke my fence got into my yard and shit everywhere . If you think that is funny you are mean . Each shovel full of horse crap must weigh 10 pounds at least . So you do the math a horse craps 100 times a day and two of them spend eight hours in my yard . I am too hot and tired to do the math but I know it equals the big suck ! And it is way too freaking hot in OK this time of year . 
Taco Hell you gotta luv it . Ooh . I just noticed I haven't posted in a while . Last night while driving through Taco Bell , or as I like to call it Taco Hell , I remembered another story about my car . In high school we lived off of Taco Hell food . It was near the center of where we hung out , worked and it was cheap . Taco Bell also had the coo Iist music playing , one time a friend gave me a Taco Bell sound track . No bull shit . Well I used to life guard in the summers and when I was off work I would hang my whistle around the rear view mirror . One particular night my friend Scronnie and I were in the drive - thru and it was busy . Scronnie was a very inpatient person and grabbed the whistle and was whisting really loud by the time we got to the microphone the attendant said Umm if you are going to be like that you can just leave . I was so infuriated with Scronnie there were so many cars in front of us it would take forever to get through the drive thru . Fortunately , there was no one behind us so I slipped the car in reverse and started to back up . Then I heard a thud I looked out the window of the car to see what happened and the stupid Taco Bell Drive - Thru sign had scratched the whole side of my uglyful painted car . There was a Taco Bell maroon stripe half - way down my car . And the Taco Hell sign was bent in the ground with some brown paint on it . Every time I went back that sign was mocking me . I never knew if anyone ever fixed that sign it remained that way long after I was out of high school . Maybe someone in JV can tell me about the sign . I always blamed that on Scronnie and he thought it was the funniest thing and he would always remind me every time we rode by it . 
07.11.06 . One of my friends posted an interesting proposal for a movie . You can check it out here . But his posting started me thinking about the possibility to travel backwards in time to an event we all see as tragic and horrible maybe even a stupid thing you once did in your life . It is defiantly a philosophical idea . But it does start one thinking if you were to change the past . Would you want to live in the future you create ? Suppose Hitler never rose to power would we have stopped Stalin or would it in actuality have been worse ? No doubt saving millions of lives would be ideal . I just think you sever one head and another will spring forth . In the example of Stalin . It is truly hard to decide . Now on the side of personal change perhaps that outcome would change a small thing or would it have a butterfly effect ( not a plug for the movie but I am an admirer of the proposal ) . Thus causing the existing way of life , to totally play out in a different way . Let me know your thoughts . 
Twenty Steps to TC 's Grocery shopping trip . Step one make a list while finishing your last two beers Step two go to the grocery store and wait for a good parking spot that someone else gets . Step three go into the store and get the only shopping cart with a fucked up wheel Step four go straight to the beer cooler to check out the beer sales . Step five get excited when a case your favorite beer is on sale for $ 14.00 Step six put four of them in your shopping cart Step seven pray no one from work sees you pushing a cart full of beer around the supper market Step eight pray the engineer from you work in frontof you doesn't see you Step nine be cheerful and brief in the conversation with the engineer Step ten as you become hungry you decide nachos would be good Step eleven obtain the materials for nachos buy all of the ingredients in massive quantities gallon of jalape os , 5 lbs of cheese , 5 bags of tortilla chips Step twelve go to the cash register Step thirteen write a check . Step fourteen remember the ice for the beer as you get the receipt Step fifteen scrounge in your pockets for a dollar to buy ice . Step sixteen race home for nachos and beer . Step eighteen get the beer on ice Step nineteen drink a beer and forget about nachos Step twenty find your damn grocery list on the kitchen table . 
My thoughts on the floor . I know this may make some people mad but I got to say it . I noticed last weekend at the lake the carpet covers on toilet seats . I had forgotten about them but is started me thinking what are those things for ? Is it to wipe your feet ? I have a difficult time understanding there purpose . The wife says it is for sitting on . But carpet really sitting on ? I don't sit on my floor I use a chair . Somebody said it was for decoration . Carpet decoration ? Nope not buying it . I think there is some secret order of the carpet layers society that lays carpet on toilet seats maybe beneath the carpet is a map to the secret orders hide out . Just a thought . If any of you out there have any ideas please let me know . It is driving me crazy . Last night is was a friends birthday we had a cook out it was awesome as usual . Tired of the grill scene we had another idea . Beer ( mum ) , fish , potatoes , hush puppies , and shrimp . I got to cook which I love . Man , I got to stop drinking when I make this stuff , last night the fish was so good . Here is the bummer I can never remember the exact ingredients . I do know this , before I put the fish in the batter I mixed leftover buttermilk from the hush puppies and a can of beer ( tear ) to dip them in . I will use this method next time , so to you fish fanatics try it let me know how it goes . Oh and the hush puppies the best I ' ve ever made , that recipe I remember because I wrote it down . Duh .. Why didn't you do that on the fish ? Shut up dude . Well the weekend is heare at last . Thought about doing some stuff but I just can get off my ass. Going out tonight for dinner to start the week long celebration of my wifes birthday . Yeap thats right . It is a celebration . After this week is over I will be all birthday ' ed out . My birthday is scorned by me , I ' m still real bitter over the whole thing . You can imagine how I love birthdays . 
Happy Fourth . Spent some time at the lake this fourth had a good time . Decided to float the Illinois River that was cool . I had to save some dudes ' canoe that was tangled in the trees . He was more concerned about his beer than anything . I guess I could understand that . At the lake I spent a great deal of time contemplating life and things in general . I wrote most of it down , it is kind of deep though , so later on I will post them on Alter . I got home and my grass was taller that the house , so I suppose I will spend the remainder of the holiday mowing my place . Wreak Havoc , I know am , I ' m gonna whip some grasses asses . 
The Fishing Trip . I have been accused by some of my friends of taking liberties with my story telling . It may be true , though I don t think the liberties I take with my story telling removes the point or could be called a lie . It could be possible that I might not remember the story in its entirety . Well I guess it this is a pre - apology incase I mess this story up . I will try to tell this story without an embellishing . This is a story about a resent fishing trip I went on . I put fishing trip in quotes because we didn t take any fishing poles , tackle , or a stringer . This particular Friday night after work , three friends of mine and I decided after a few cases of beer that it would be cool to go fishing . Sadly it was midnight when this decision was made . Everyone was asleep that we called that evening to see if we could fish on their place . Rude land owners , sleeping at midnight after they had worked all day . Wait ! Why was I awake ! Oh beer I remember I think So one of the newcomers to our , beer drinking celebration of Friday , thought it would be great to go noodling . To those of you that do not know what noodling is - it is where you get in the water stick your hand under a rock in the water into the mouth of a catfish allow it to clamp down on to your hand and then pull the fish out of the water . If you don t believe me google it . So here we all are stupid and drinking wondering about the bank of the river , no flashlight no tackle . All of us where in the river , but there was no way I was sticking my hand in the water . If I hadn t of drunk so much liquid courage I would have never entered the water . Hell I wouldn t have gotten out of the car . I think about our stupidity and laugh , it is very fortunate that no one was maimed . Noodling how crazy is that . Blue your braver than me , man . 
Brown car . Another story about my piece of crap car . The car was named brownie because we were uncreative and the car was brown . Not one shade of brown but two shades it was beautiful . I don't remember if I wrote in the other blog but the damned rear view mirror kept falling of the windshield . I used the glue that you can purchase at the auto parts store it usually works great . For some reason however the glue would not stick to shit ( a name we should of named my car ) . Someone would inevitably bump it and it would fall back off . Normally , this would not be a problem in another car because of the mirror on the passenger door . Oops , forgot to point out I didn't have one . I did not have one , not because it was knocked off , no the auto manufacture of Daimler - Chrysler deemed it unnecessary to have a mirror on the passenger door , I guess it saved money . But the lack of mirror dictated the need for the rear - view to be replaced quickly . On with the story I used to work at a restaurant in the mall . So I was always hanging out around the mall , the reason three - fold I got my check could cash it and spend it all in the same area . Smurf and I were always together hanging out and we were supposed to meet some people . I drove and as we were exiting the car I cautioned to be mindful of the mirror . Smurf so tired of hearing the warning grabbed the mirror and turned it to tease me . When he did the damn thing fell off again . Damn it Smurf you suck I said He was very apologetic I knew it was not on purpose . I inspected the back of the mirror and noticed I had re - glued the damn thing so many times the glass had grown weak and came of on the back of the mirror . Shit . So the mirror had to be glued slightly below the missing chunk of glass . The stupid thing never would work right it was impossible to get the proper view . The good thing was I never had to re - glue the stupid thing on again . Thanks Smurf . I have some new sites I want to share with you guys . One is a real good friend of mine the other an interesting site the friend of mine told me about Ze Frank . I hope you enjoy them . As always Wreak Havoc . 
Late . Wow a week late . Well work was pretty busy and when I got off I was tired and lazy . I have been working in the heat , indoor heat at that which sucks . This weekend not much happened just work around the house my friend and I overhauled a trailer . It was fun . 
Blues ain't noth ' in wrong with that . Last night I went to Oklahoma Blues Festival . I got to see John Lee Hooker Jr. What a treat . Man do I love Blues , BBQ and Beer and all were present . After the festival we went to Doc Blues . Shortly after John Lee and his band showed up . My wife not a blues fan too bad : ( . This morning all I could talk about is the great times we had . If any of your are blues fans I suggest you check him out . On his site he has mp 3 s you can download and listen to try it out . Tonight I wanted to go and See Scott Keeton & the Deviants , but sadly it is raining her in Oklahoma so I forewent the festivities . Scott is a local guy and worth seeing the women sure like him . Wreak Havoc all . Create Chaos out of order . TC . 
Go ' in to Town . Sometimes at work when its slow we do what we call Go ' in to town . Basically it is happens when we have some free time and we have accumulated a large list of stuff we need . I will give an example of todays list . Precision Screw Drivers ( New Technician needed some ) Socket Rails ( my toolbox at work was in terrible disarray with sockets ) Flashlights ( so we can see in the dark ) Keyboards ( ran out yesterday ) Plastic containers ( wire terminals , - 20 screws , nuts , bolts , wire ties , you get the idea ) OK , I got a bit off topic but you get the idea we love Go ' in to Town . It also means I ' m going to stop at the Taco Bueno and grab some party tacos . Its like a party in your mouth . Alright off topic again . So my co - worker and I are in Lowe 's . We had left the cart in an isle , so each of us could go our separate ways to find items on our list . I came back with the plastic boxes and put them in the cart . I look around for my colleague and he is now where to be found . I see a guy approaching me pushing a shopping cart . All of a sudden I realize its him . I yell out to him Who 's shopping cart is that ? . He looks down realizes all the crap in the cart was not his and nonchalantly , Stops , abandons the cart , and scurries over to where I am . Later we standing there laughing about it . Soon after , bewildered Lowe 's employee walks up scratching his head looks in the cart , and pushes the cart off . It was hilarious . PS I love Taco Bueno taco sauce . 
I ' m sure it was a typo , but it is still ironic . Well , I think if you say you 're going to do something and don't do it , that 's trustworthiness . -- George w . Bush 08 / 30 / 2000 in a CNN online chat . 
is it a post about Dreams or Beer ? Man did I have a weired dream the other night so weired that I spent all of my free time writing it down yesterday . I guess I am to twenty pages now . I have had lots of strange dreams in the past , I just never wrote them down . This one is a dussy . I hope to finish it and turn it into a story . When I am done I will post it on Alter Ego along with my other short stories out there . Also those of you with a copy of yesterdays Shawnee News Star . Look at the horoscopes under Leo . Tell me if I am out of my mind or is it extremely suggestive . Most likely I am a sicko . But one can never be to sure . Now I ' m going to leave for Bill 's house for Beer But Chicken and Beer Mouth TC . Wreak Havoc TC . 
Tussy . Smurf and I were always playing jokes on Jeff he was such a good sport about it too . Jeff 's dad worked for Walgreen 's or something and always had an abundance of home health stuff . Like deodorant aftershave even candy all of which we raided . Jeff had some Tussy deodorant , Smurf and I were telling him it was womens deodorant which he ardently dismissed . One day when Jeff was in the bathroom Smurf removed the red T on the deodorant and replaced T with a P with a red marker . We just waited for the moment he would notice . Jeff returned from the bathroom and his mom came in to tell us about dinner . Jeff 's mom looked over at the dresser and said JEFF What have you done ? Jeff looked over and discovered the trickery . Jeff said Who would do such a thing only to look over at Murphy and I rolling on the ground laughing . Jeff 's mom shook her head and walked off . Surprisingly , Jeff never removed the P off of his Pussy deodorant he used it all up , but instructed his mom to only purchase mens deodorant from then on . 
P is for Pizza . Some of you may have read some of the stories about the pizza restaurant I ran , after high school , in Seabrook . One of my employees was a cute girl that always brought great business to the store from her boyfriends and hopefuls . She was a real hoot , always making all of us laugh . One time I was back in the office and she was working the counter . I heard a customer come in and I got up to head to the counter to see if she needed help the guy on the other side of the counter had a strange look on his face . When Brandi turned to see me approaching I saw where she had wiped of her flour riddled hands on her breast ! The white hand prints were perfect on the candy red shirt . I said Brandi go to the bathroom and look in the mirror . She did and as she walked off I noticed white hand prints on the back f her black jeans . Once she got to the bathroom a shrill of laughter filled the restaurant . The man on the other side of the counter gave me a head nod like he was saying way to go . He must of thought I was a mack - daddy or something . I wish I could remember all the crazy stuff she did . Man that place was always filled with laughter . It sure makes the day go by easier when you can laugh at work . 
Listerine . When Smurf , Jeff and I were let out for summer vacation , we usually would head out to his grandmothers house on the lake to spend the first few weeks of summer break fishing and swimming . It was so much fun sometimes Smurf would bring his sister who usually brought some of her girlfriends . Much to Smurf 's dismay Jeff and I would be much to busy swimming and flirting with the girls to get any fishing done . At night we would all go down to the point which was a sandy jetty out into the lake . Sometimes we would manage to find someone to buy us beer for the evening . On one particular night we found a bottle of Wild Turkey that was in the back of the pantry . It had been there so long it had an inch of dust on it , sowe were convinced Smurf 's grandmother had forgotten that it had existed . So that night we sat at the point and drank a bottle of Wild Turkey , or at least Smurf and I were . When everyone wasn't looking we replaced the Whiskey with Listerine . Jeff and the girls were mixing it with coke so they had no idea of our little swicharo . They were making comments " Man thats stong I need more coke " and " I ' m getting a hell of a buzz " . The best part about it was that they all thought they got drunk ! Off Listerine ! We were laughing our asses off at them because we were the real buzzed ones . We never told them about that night until years later , none of them belived us they all seemed to remember their side so differently . Every couple of years we get togather and Smurf and I love to remind them . Man Smurf and I were mean . 
Addiction . I had a terrible addiction when I was in high school . It wasn't until a few years ago that I was able to break the habit . I didn't go to a therapist or a support group . I successfully kicked the habit on my own . Sort of , I still am an infrequent user . At first I was a mild user , but that is always how it works . I wish I had never of started to be truthful . I guess I started early , in junior high . I saw my friends using and I thought it looked soothing and relaxing . But thats until it takes a hold of you and owns you . I ' m really glad to be past it . Though writing this story is making me want to start using again . All I have to do bust out the pot of Carmex and moisten my lips then it is all over I will be right back addicted . For Carmex Addicts . 
The Bull . First cars - many of you have heard about my first car ( http : // 2 complx . blogspot . com / 2005 / 03 / chick - magnet . html ) . Sadly I haven't written about my buddy Smurf 's first car . It was a Doge Ram charger that was previously his older brother 's . The beast two - tone blue and gray and for this is was named affectionately by Murphy - Bull . Bull was huge utility vehicle and only had two doors . The back door was a hatchback and the door didn't close very well . Sometimes it would open going down the road . On one such time on the way to school Jeff was sitting in the back because the rest of the seats were full . I suppose we were going about 35 mph when the back opened and Jeff went tumbling out the back he stood up and started running after the truck . Man we all had a laugh . The floor board had a bullet hole in it where a previous owner , a hunter I imagine , accidentally fired his rifle . Smurf would drive this thing everywhere and I mean everywhere . Growing up in Houston you wouldn't imagine we many locations in which to off - road , but with all the drainage ditches , creeks and constructions sites we weren't in short supply . On one occasion we even took our homecoming dates on an off - road excursion , latter followed up by dancing on the Tennis courts . Listening and dancing to Bull 's radio Smurf had gotten for Christmas and we jerry - rigged into the car . To everyone else these cars were pieces of crap : to Murphy and I these cars were glorious , they provided a means of transportation and our first bouts with freedom , freewill and independence . To us these metal monstrosities were symbols of our growth into adulthood . Smurf 's Blog . 
TC Focuses . Ok , so in going through some photos recently I found a picture . Yeap a real honest to goodness photograph . I still love them and though I have a digital camera prefer the real thing . Poses an issue for me though when trying to share pics . I guess I am a few steps from abandoning the 35 mm world . FOCUS .... Sorry had to rant . Well the purpose of this is that I found a hilarious photo of an infamous cookie that two years ago I wrote a blog about . Well I fell sufficient amount of time has lapsed so I ' m reposting the blog along with a picture of the tasty cookie . Furthermore I want to make a plug for a blog I found off of SBKs site ( link at other blogs listing SO ME ) . So check out F anor 's blog and he may even let you borrow his U - Haul . http : // holdingoutmyhands . blogspot . com / . 
It 's Nuts . Sometimes there comes along a story that is just unbelievable , and this just maybe that story . Please remember this story is true I am a fisherman . My friends and I love to go fishing and camping for the weekend . Unfortunately sometimes we don't catch any fish this means that we must find another way to eat . One such time we went to the bait shop that also sold junk food and beer . yum . Upon entering the store I headed straight for the beer cooler ; my friends walked around the store searching for their food . I have two younger friends that are brothers and they really are shitty towards one another , but it makes for good times . At this time , the oldest picks up a package and says " look it is you favorite snack " . As I approached , I noticed ivory white cookies , inside a clear plastic wrapped package , with overly large pink letters . On the front of the package was printed " Nut Cr me " . I laugh and made my way to the counter to pay for my beer . At this moment the youngest not quite getting the innuendo says " Let 's get those ! " I shook my head disgusted and made my way to the car . I did not want any of the rough - neck fishermen seeing me with these adolescent idiots buying " Nut Cr me " . Once back at camp everyone was eating the " Nut Cr me " , however , I do not like nuts in my cr me so I refrained . Fortuately for me I had beer . Then the oldest ask the youngest " so , how do you like ' Nut Cr me ' ? " . Disgustingly , the youngest with a mouthful of " Nut Cr me " replies " I love ' Nut Cr me ' ! " Everybody laughs at this and I have another beer . 
Random Ranting . Pizza , I love pizza . As a kid I worked from the time I was 11 until I was 19 in many different pizza parlors . After that I installed PC in pizza restaurants . As you can imagine that has made me a mighty picky pizza connoisseur . Some of my friends think I am a pizza snob , I suppose thats OK , but man you take a bite out of a great pie you never want to eat anything else . I lived in Oklahoma a long time before i had a decent pie . I ate some pizza at San Remos of Shawnee and guys you should try it . It defiantly isn't the best maybe not my top ten . This pizza made with great cheese hand tossed and great sauce . To my friend give it a shot . I personally order extra sauce because I don't feel that thy put enough on . I also warn that I have problems with consistency : for the most part though it is good . If you folks know of a good or better place please let me know I am always looking . Have a great weekend and as always Wreak Havoc TC . 
I can't beleive it ! Some of you may not find this as funny as others , so if you have a problem with nudity it probably best you don't read this entry . I was watching TV the other night and I decided that Denise Richards is a fox and that it would be cool to find a wallpaper for my desktop . As usual when I am searching for a picture I search Google images . So I plainly typed Denise Richards and selected large images . Once the screen populated I scrolled to the bottom of the screen and saw a Mardi Gras picture , curious because I love Mardi Gras I clicked on it and much to my disbelief I am in the picture !!! You guys got to check this out . Those that know me will recognize the shirt and the haircut some may even recognize the beads around my neck from some bonfire . You can try the search yourself , or just click on the link below and click the Mardi Gras picture ! Let me know what you guys think . I will put the picture on TC 's Funny Picture page . Link http : // www . pornorama . biz / member / bilder / starbilder / denise - richards . php . 
TC is back ... I think . No much to report on the funny scale . I think I will try to spin this site a different way I have been off for too long due to lack of material . From now on I will try to write like many of you as observations and pseudo - journals . I am worried it will be boring because most days are so bourgeois . Well as I am writing this I realized that something funny DID happen yesterday . My friend down the road ( down the road in Oklahoma could be 5 20 miles , In this case 5 ) has some horses and we decided to ride them to my house so they could graze on my land for a while because hay has gotten so high . The deal is good for me because I have a great deal of grass that is a potential fire hazard . All went well with the journey . How could it go wrong we took beer with us ? When we got to my land we decided to ride the horses to the ponds to let them drink and show them where the water is . The horse my friend was on was uninterested in the water . The horse I was riding ran in to the middle of the pond and dropped to her knees ; I jumped of the saddle and as I did she started rolling around on her back in the pond saddle and all . I was drenched the horse more so . I grabbed the horse and walked back to the house . No worries though once the saddles were off we drank beer and talked about the event . TC . 
UPdate . Well I decided to write an update to let every know how I am doing since last week . Just more randomness , I will need to keep it like this until I can remember something funny . Or I do something terribly stupid which shouldn t take too long . I did not win the lottery last week . bummer .. It is up to 365 million this week . COOL I suppose I was just waiting until this week to win . I purchased one ticket and they asked me for some kind of ticket upgrade called power play I guess it cost more money . How much more money do I need to win ? 365 mill is fine and will suffice . I ve been working on the house is going slow but steady . I have been needing to set some time aside to drink beer . Really the main factor is cash damn construction materials are going high . Paycheck to paycheck baby it is the only way . I look forward to it completion with out a monthly bill . I was also thinking it is way cool do have a house completely designed out of my head . Every thing will be as I want it when it is done . But I will also be to blame for any crap that goes wrong . Maybe I could blame the beer ? On a lighter note , it has snowed today and it is real F n cold . Work is not getting done on the house so it allows me for some time in the house . SUCK . I have never really be one to enjoy the indoors . I think it is about time for me to waddle up and go out and play in the snow . C ya TC . 
Brag ' in . Well still takes me too long to get around to writing I m still working on that . I have started working on my house pretty vigorously again , for those of you that know it consumes all my time money and energy . However , I love the challenge and the fact I can accomplish such a feat . I m kind of having a blah day I hate those it takes me forever to get motivated into doing something . I will though . Here are some random thoughts . The fires in Oklahoma have been scary man , I wish it would rain . It is so dangerous for all the people here . It is a constant worry in the back of all of our minds . Oklahoma finally has the lottery . I decided to buy a ticket , don t know if I won yet but the chances are good because I bought one ticket and I heard that s all you need to win . I love my work . NOT . Just getting tired of being taken advantage of like everything else I suppose you gotta stick it out . Bummer One of my good friends is getting married this month so I will be traveling to Houston and participating in the ceremony . I like getting a tux I look good in them . HAHA brag in . I am happy for him and will miss him as he is probably moving to New Jersey . DANG . Good luck Fred and best wishes . As always TC wants you to Wreak havoc . TC . 
TC thoughts on TC . Well by looking at my postings you can see I have been a little anti - social . I suppose if you are a close friend of mine you would have also noticed . I try to keep this site lighthearted unfortunately I have not come up with many funny stories to regale you with . On that note I will try to post more and keep trying to find the humor . I hope I still have people that check this site . When I first moved to Oklahoma from Houston I was about to go stir crazy . It took me about four or five years to finally calm down . Now that I am here I am not ready to go back even though there are things I miss friends , food , family . I do not miss crime , cost of living , and the climate . The point if there is to be one is that I am glad to be where I am at . Well that was true up until a few months ago when the burn ban came now all social events have to be relocated and reconfigured . I ' m sure some folks are glad to be inside but not me this truly sux . Please let it RAIN . TC out . 
Last Fall . I was working on my house last year when I fell . I was nailing spanners between the trusses . For those of you how don t understand house lingo I was basically building the support for the roof . You need to know that I am really scared of heights . Saddly , I was almost finished I just had a couple of boards to go , but the board under my feet gave way and I fell to the ground with the nail gun in hand . My wife heard the fall and came running over to me . Oh my god ! Are you OK ? Yes. Please don t touch me My body was all fuzzy from the fall . Go over there I pointed across the floor and bring that chair and cooler By the time she returned I was getting up and sat down into the chair . She started to put the cooler under my foot so I could rest it . Wait ! Grab a beer out of there first . Sitting there drinking my beer I thought I would be OK but the pain got worse and off to the e - room we went . your leg is broke in two places The doctor told me . SHIT I though this sucks ; little did I know that the following three months would suck as well . You never really realize how much crap you can t do . I am better now a year latter . I ve made it through October this year without sustaining any more injuries I call that pretty good . The moral of the story ' It isn't the fall that hurts it is the sudden stop after the fall . ' . 
Raining in Austin . I used to work a lot in Austin I loved the town it is a truly beautiful place . I was driving through Austin to go to the pool hall as I was crossing Congress Avenue Bridge I noticed hoards of people with umbrellas . I looked in the sky and there wasn t a cloud in sight . I thought to my self those people are crazy . When all of a sudden these bats started coming out from under the bridge and flying every which way . It was like a giant black cloud that had moved in zigzags and jerks across the sky . I figured out what the umbrellas were for . At My Picture page are some pictures of the event . Attached is a link about the bats it is pretty cool . If you ever in Austin it is a must see . http : // www . batcon . org / home / index . asp ? id Page = 122 . 
An Electric Feeling . The United Kingdom is going through rather freakish weather we can agree . Blisteringly hot and humid summers , mild dry winters , freak flash floods and tornadoes . Just the average kind of weather for the U.S. too . I must admit though for the last couple of days , I ' ve found the thunder and lightning absolutely exhilirating ! Old blighty isn't what you ' d call exciting ( weather wise ) . We ' ve been fairly lucky in having middle of the road type weather . Not too extreme in any sense . Correction . The south east of England suffers no extremities . Why is that ? The north get most of the rain , the south east get a drought warning . Scotland gets the major share of the snow and is always guaranteed a white christmas ( ish ) whereas the south east gets a dandruffs worth of covering . Maybe I should consult my American Indian rain maker friend for some exciting weather . Well perhaps not . I don't have an American Indian rain make friend . 
Losing my brain power . The trials and tribulations of having a loved one sleeping next to you . I ' ve always had a rather random quality of sleep for the last four and a half years and perhaps a bit more . Austrian scientists ( would it make a difference if they were bolivian ? ) have recently announced something that I have known for quite sometime . Sleeping with your partner makes reduces your mental dexterity . Check it out here . It is very true . 
Weather Babe . Such a coincidence that my pal Barry 's Beef came all over star struck the other day when he met an ex - eastenders character on the tube . He even had the balls to have a chat with him and get an autograph . Lucky man that old Beefy . Not quite attractive the lovely lady you see here though . Coincidence indeed that I spotted the hot weather girl that I wake up to first thing in the morning on the tube yesterday morning . Clare Nasir who you all know from GMTV . I ' d just like to say a fine woman with some very nice weather fronts to boot . Of course Monday morning 's are just not the time to talk to anyone least alone a stranger and unlike Barry 's Beef I certainly didn't have any alchohol to pursuade me to tap her on the shoulder and tell her how those camera 's just don't do justice to her . Clare , keep up the good work you sexy little minx . 
Getting older and Cars . When I was a kid , my kind of car , was the one that my Dad drove . Yes an Austin Allegro . Then it was the Ford Cortina .... Then it dawned on me that there are other cars in this world other than my Dads . Bring on the Lamborgini Countach LPS 500 . Not the original girly effort . This version was the 80 's icon for excess . It had outrageous spoilers , air ducts etc.... It was a mans cars . As time has passed my tastes have changed somewhat to something more realistic and affordable . The Ford Mustang is one car I would love to drive . I couldn't however justify the cost of ownership . With soaring costs in petrol , tax and maintenance , what would be the point ? It would be nothing more than a poster on my wall . Even now . Alas with the cost of living in a city like London I am bound to the delights of public transport . Will there be a day when I could afford one of these magnificent classic cars ? Maybe . 
Addictive TV . I must admit , I am getting grumpier as I get older . There are things that irritate me about current TV programming in this country . Bland sitcoms due to the fact that TV executives are scared witless of offending the Politically Correct brigade and crap reality TV shows , TV show 's about how to dress , how to lose weight ; shows about ugly people , fat people , irritating people etc. Even the mainstay of British television such as soap operas have taken a nose dive ( not that I ' m much of a fan of that ) . I am a hardworking individual that would liked to be entertained / informed / satisfied for the monthly premium that is paid for cable TV . It was by chance then that I came across 24 . I ' d been reluctant to watch such shows before as I ' d cultured a cynical view of american imported TV shows . How wrong I was though . This is TV at its best . I had never managed to catch it on TV but due to DVD I can now watch it all . Not at once of course alll though admittedly I ' ve done sixteen hours in one sitting . How on earth they manage to maintain that level of continuity is remarkable . I ' d also like to honour ' Alias ' too for being such a fine programme . Admittedly my initial reasons for watching it were hormonally driven but fast became a very addictive show . I do however feel a sense that due to the very success of these programmes that there will be many poor imitations that will exhaust this type of programming and then once again we have to suffer the mediocrity of untalented producers who can't think of anything original . Boo . 
Ex Man Utd star for sale . Being the geeky type I read geeky websites . But every so often there are some amusing articles . One I found was this : http : // www . theregister . co. uk / 2006 / 07 / 05 / ronaldo _ transferred / . 
FHM , LOADED , etc.... LADS MAGS : Make them ' top shelf ' , says MPSexually explicit ' lads mags , should be kept on the top shelves in newsagents along with porn mags to keep them out of reach of children , a Labour MP will tell the House of Commons today . The MP for Crosby , Merseyside , Claire Curtis - Thomas , says the content of the magazines is ' repulsive ' and ' degrading to women ' . But under current voluntary rules the magazines can be displayed alongside newspapers and lifestyle mags . Ms Curtis - Thomas will present her Regulation of Sale and Display of Sexually Explicit Material Bill in the Commons under the Ten - minute Rule Bill and call for a new regulatory body to oversee the sale of sexually explicit magazines which are not regarded as ' top shelf ' . Ms Curtis - Thomas said , " Whilst I am not advocating the censorship and prohibition of such literature for adults , there must be safeguards in place to protect minors from this obscene material . " What will ever happen to the Sun newspaper or The Daily Sport then eh ? Eventually they ' ll ban everything to the top shelf . My newsagent Mr Shah will probably have to re - mortgage his house and family to pay for an extension on his top shelf . 
Behind Every Good Woman is a good ..... So there we have it . Hazel Blears ( or Blair ) has announced that the current leadership of the Labour party is not great . Ok . We know that . More interestingly though is the enthusiastic criticism of David Cameron and his red / blue party . It 's time a female MP stepped up to almost suggest that perhaps she can do the job better herself . I ' m not being sexist in any way whatsoever . Think about it . Gordon Brown up against the new boy in the next election ? Gordy wouldn't stand a chance . A slightly over than middle aged man who likes listening to the " Arctic Monkey 's ? " ( I think he said that in an interview once ) Why not give it to someone already outspoken about the reality of the failures of New Labour eh ? So she can in one breath , discredit the leadership skills of present and potential PM and make amends . Oh , and she ' d make a great Prime Minister in much the same way Maggie did . What goes around comes around ? She seems to be a very clear candidate for the leadership . A very confident one ...... and may just save the Labour party . 
Afro Samurai trailer . I ' ve been hearing about this anime called Afro Samurai for years . It originally started out as a manga , and then somehow Gonzo and Samuel L . Jackson got interested in turning it into an anime and live action movie . The anime is finally coming to frutation this fall on Spike TV . Here 's the trailer . The character designs look kind of cool . It seems almost like a more violent version of Samurai Champloo . Source : Anime Nation . 
HINCAPIE ? HINCAPIE AND THE DISCOVERY TEAM MUSTA HEARD ABOUT THE DRUG ISSUES BEFORE THE TOUR BECAUSE THEIR PERFORMANCE ( IN COMPARISON TO LAST YEAR ) SEEMS LIKE THEY KICKED THE HABIT . I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA SHOW EM WHAT A DOMESTIQUE IS ALL ABOUT . MAYBE NEXT YEAR . 
THE REVEREND GOIN DOWN . YES , THIS IS A MAN OF THE CLOTH DRUNK OFF HIS ASS ON A FIXIE ; SORT OF . ACTUALLY THAT SHOULD BE PAST TENSE . ALWAYS GOOD TO PARTY W / YA JAMES , BUT I COULDN ' T DO IT EVERYDAY . 
STRAWBABIES . TOOK MY LOVELY BRIDE OUT TO PUNGO TO PICK US SOME STRAWBABIES . MAN , THE FRESH ONES ARE SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE STORE BOUGHT . AND IT REMINDS YOU THAT THEY ARE NOT JUST ON THE SHELF IN THE PRODUCE SECTION . I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY , I WENT PICKING W / MY FOLKS AND ON THE WAY HOME I WAS IN THE FLOORBOARD OF THE BACK SEAT BEING ALL QUIT . MY FOLKS COULDN ' T FIGURE OUT WHY I WAS SO QUIET BACK THERE . THEY JUST LEFT ME ALONE AND THOUGHT I WAS SLEEPING . LITTLE DID THEY KNOW , I WAS BITTING THE TIPS OFF OF ALL THOSE DELICIOUS BERRIES . DEVIOUS LITTLE BASTARD . 
BACK IN BLACK . THAT IS A DELICIOUS MURPHY ' S STOUT . SO , DARK ITS ALMOST BLACK AND I GOT THE BLACK SIX 13 OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I GOT THE EDDY MERCKX . AND YOU KNOW HOW THE SAYING GOES . 
Gettin a little ride . We had a couple of days that were close to the eighties in early March that just remind me of how much I hate winter . And if you look closely you can see that beer drinkin is what I do when I ' m not riding . Screw winter , its a suck fest . 
something you don't see every day . Imagine a kite three times the size of your house . Imagine a kite that requires a ' string ' with a breaking strength of 20 tons or a dump truck to serve as anchor . The world 's biggest kite ! 
bad joke du jour . Mr. Bear and Mr. Rabbit didn't like each other very much . One day , while walking through the woods , and they came across a golden frog . They were amazed when the frog talked to them . The golden frog admitted that he didn't often meet anyone , but , when he did , he always gave them six wishes . He told them that they could have 3 wishes each . Mr. Bear immediately wished that all the other bears in the forest were females . The frog granted his wish . Mr. Rabbit , after thinking for a while , wished for a crash helmet . One appeared immediately , and he placed it on his head . Mr. Bear was amazed at Mr. Rabbit 's wish , but carried on with his second wish . He wished that all the bears in the neighboring forests were females as well , and the frog granted his wish . Mr. Rabbit then wished for a motorcycle . It appeared before him , and he climbed on board and started revving the engine . Mr. Bear could not believe it and complained that Mr. Rabbit had wasted two wishes that he could have had for himself . Shaking his head , Mr. Bear made his final wish , that all the other bears in the world were females as well , leaving him as the only male bear in the world . The frog replied that it had been done , and they both turned to Mr. Rabbit for his last wish . Mr. Rabbit revved the engine , thought for a second , then said , " I wish that Mr. Bear was gay ! " and rode off as fast as he could ! 
pending lawsuit . Against : Paul Baker 2801 Stanbridge St Apt A 507 Norristown PA 19401610 - 279 - 8323 Independence Construction Materials Devault Area Supervisor - Q . C . Office - 610 - 296 - 1076 Mobile - 610 - 476 - 5625 also potential charges of fraud and using a stolen credit card . 
bad joke du jour . A big shot businessman had to spend a couple of days in the hospital . He was a major asshole to the nurses because he bossed them around just like he did his employees . None of the hospital staff wanted to have anything to do with him . The head nurse was the only one who could stand up to him . She came into his room and announced , " I have to take your temperature . " After complaining for several minutes , he finally settled down , crossed his arms and opened his mouth . " No , I ' m sorry , the nurse stated , " but for this reading , I cannot use an oral thermometer . " This started another round of complaining , but eventually he rolled over and bared his rear end . After feeling the nurse insert the thermometer , he heard her announce , " I have to get something . Now you stay JUST LIKE THAT until I get back . " She leaves the door to his room open on her way out . He curses under his breath as he hears people walking past his door laughing . After almost an hour , the man 's doctor comes into the room . " What 's going on here ? " asked the doctor . Angrily , the man answers , " What 's the matter , Doc ? Haven't you ever seen someone having their temperature taken ? " After a pause , the doctor confesses , " Well , no . I guess I haven't . Not with a carnation anyway . " . 
Kelley Blue Book ripoff . Ever try to trade in a car to a dealer and find out that the value of your trade - in wasn't as high as you expected ? Chances are , the dealer quoted a Kelley Blue Book number when he lowballed you . I ' ve suspected the KBB values were low for years now , and apparently so have others . If you ' d like to see a true market value for your vehicle ( and you ' d be foolish not to know that before taking your car to a dealer ) , try looking up similar auctions on ebay , or check Edmunds pricing instead . And if a dealer shows you a Kelley Blue Book value when taking in your car , rest assured they think they 're taking in a sucker .. hook , line and sinker . 
Lucas With The Lid Off . One of the most creative music videos I ' ve ever seen . Lucas With The Lid Off . The reason it 's so clever is that the whole video was shot in one location in one take ( altho it took 17 attempts to get it right ) . Because the same people appear in different ' scenes ' , they had to run around the camera and position themselves within a few seconds . Even though it made Lucas into a one - hit wonder , it has had a cult following ever since its debut . 
Peace Activist beats up musician . IN a story reminiscent of Al Franken assaulting a protestor , a ' peace activist ' doesn't get his way , and immediately resorts to violence . This time putting a 19 year old musician into a coma . As expected , the peace thug 's parents rush to his side to support him , saying that the media isn't telling the whole story . Personally , I don't think we need to know the ' whole story ' when it involves some jerk cold - cocking another guy after the other guy tells him to leave his girlfriend alone . The fact that the guy is a ' peace activist ' merely points out his hypocritical lifestyle . 
bad joke du jour . A young man was strolling down a street in south London . As he passed a large building with a fence around it , he heard a group of people chanting " Thirteen , thirteen , thirteen " over and over again . Curious , he tried to see over the fence , but couldn't . Then he spotted a knot in the wood , and put his eye to the hole . He just managed to spy some old people sitting in deckchairs chanting , before a finger came out of nowhere and poked him in the eye . As he staggered back , the old people started chanting , " Fourteen , fourteen , fourteen ... " . 
Ku Klux Klan member is honored in Senate . Democrat Senator Robert Byrd is honored by the U.S. Senate for being the longest serving Senator in history . Something for the party of Chappaquiddick to be proud of , no doubt . 
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on this day in 1980 . At 8:32 a.m. PDT , Mount St. Helens , a volcanic peak in southwestern Washington , suffers a massive eruption , killing 57 people and devastating some 210 square miles of wilderness . Called Louwala - Clough , or " the Smoking Mountain , " by Native Americans , Mount St. Helens is located in the Cascade Range and stood 9,680 feet before its eruption . The volcano has erupted periodically during the last 4,500 years , and the last active period was between 1831 and 1857 . On March 20 , 1980 , noticeable volcanic activity began again with a series of earth tremors centered on the ground just beneath the north flank of the mountain . These earthquakes escalated , and on March 27 a minor eruption occurred , and Mount St. Helens began emitting steam and ash through its crater and vents . Small eruptions continued daily , and in April people familiar with the mountain noticed changes to the structure of its north face . A scientific study confirmed that a bulge more than a mile in diameter was moving upward and outward over the high north slope by as much as six feet per day . The bulge was caused by an intrusion of magma below the surface , and authorities began evacuating hundreds of people from the sparsely settled area near the mountain . A few people refused to leave . On the morning of May 18 , Mount St. Helens was shaken by an earthquake of about 5.0 magnitude , and the entire north side of the summit began to slide down the mountain . The giant landslide of rock and ice , one of the largest recorded in history , was followed and overtaken by an enormous explosion of steam and volcanic gases , which surged northward along the ground at high speed . The lateral blast stripped trees from most hill slopes within six miles of the volcano and leveled nearly all vegetation for as far as 12 miles away . Approximately 10 million trees were felled by the blast . The landslide debris , liquefied by the violent explosion , surged down the mountain at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour . The avalanche flooded Spirit Lake and roared down the valley of the Toutle River for a distance of 13 miles , burying the river to an average depth of 150 feet . Mudflows , pyroclastic flows , and floods added to the destruction , destroying roads , bridges , parks , and thousands more acres of forest . Simultaneous with the avalanche , a vertical eruption of gas and ash formed a mushrooming column over the volcano more than 12 miles high . Ash from the eruption fell on Northwest cities and towns like snow and drifted around the globe within two weeks . Fifty - seven people , thousands of animals , and millions of fish were killed by the eruption of Mount St. Helens . By late in the afternoon of May 18 , the eruption subsided , and by early the next day it had essentially ceased . Mount St. Helens ' volcanic cone was completely blasted away and replaced by a horseshoe - shaped crater -- the mountain lost 1,700 feet from the eruption . The volcano produced five smaller explosive eruptions during the summer and fall of 1980 and remains active today . In 1982 , Congress made Mount St. Helens a protected research area . Mount St. Helens became active again in 2004 . On March 8 , 2005 , a 36,000 - foot plume of steam and ash was expelled from the mountain , accompanied by a minor earthquake . Though a new dome has been growing steadily near the top of the peak and small earthquakes are frequent , scientists do not expect a repeat of the 1980 catastrophe anytime soon . Oddly enough , I have not read any reports of the Sierra Club attempting to sue Mother Nature for the resulting damages which vastly exceeded the impact which would result from drilling in ANWR , the Alaskan region officially set aside by the federal government for the sole purpose of oil exploration . 
on this day in 1792 . Traders make deal under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street The early 1790 s were not a good time for New York 's burgeoning class of speculative traders . Their collective reputation had been badly tarnished by the fall of William Duer , a powerful speculator who illegally parlayed privileged information into successful speculative trades . Along with an extended jail term , the maneuver left Duer broke , which all but destroyed the traders ' nascent market . However , rather than give up on speculative trading , the dealers and auctioneers decided to clean up their operations . On this day in 1792 , a group of twenty - four traders gathered under a buttonwood tree at 68 Wall Street in lower Manhattan to mete out the conditions and regulations of the speculative market . The result was the Buttonwood Agreement , a modest , two - sentence contract that gave birth to the New York Stock Exchange , which would become the world 's largest forum for trading stocks and securities . Where speculators had previously conducted their auctions twice a day in various locations , including street corners and coffeehouses , the Buttonwood Agreement established stricter rules and parameters to more effectively govern trading . 
Bad joke du jour . Three old men are discussing their sex lives . The Italian man says , " Last week , my wife and I had great sex . I rubbed her body all over with olive oil , we made passionate love , and she screamed for 5 minutes at the end . " The Frenchman boasts , " Last week when my wife and I had sex , I rubbed her body all over with butter . We then made passionate love and she screamed for 15 minutes . The old Jewish Man says , " Well , last week my wife and I had sex too . I rubbed her body all over with chicken schmaltz ( kosher chicken fat ) , we made love , and she screamed for 6 hours . The Italian and Frenchman were stunned . They replied , " What could you have possibly done to make your wife scream for 6 hours ? " " I wiped my hands on the drapes . " . 
Weird . Ok every now and then I get these sorta preministions about things that are going to happen . Not a joke ... Ive even put dates on some of the things . But just before I had got another feeling , its strange because I havent got 1 in almost a year . And this 1 feels big . Im not sure when or where " yet " but something big is going to happen somewhere , I feel there is going to be a major earthquake or volcanic explosion soon like with in the next 6 - 12 months . I cant judge it just yet but this major event is going to change the world ! When I mean major I mean along the lines of once in a 10,000 year event . lets hope im wrong ... 
Back 2 School !!! ...... Yea thats right im goin to go back to college .... but this time ima go away ... College ball here I come ...... Party scene - Desent still Bar scene - Good soo far U kno other then this blog tellin me .... I have no clue wat day or date it is ... lol New Mars Volta is pretty sweet ... Any 1 whos readin this I need a job until I start school ... any 1 wanna hook a brother up ? 
YO YO im back again lol . Umm first off .... Im goin back to college this time away to school ... I feel at this time in my life thats the best route for me ... Plus I get to play college ball .... Next soo far summer is 50 / 50 good at times wack at times but it will pick up .... $$$$ big issue I currently have no J O B which hurts cause I have needs lol .... umm wat else .... I heard a kool saying the other .. " Nobody knows anything " which is strange but true ? .... heres a quick detail of everything MOOD - Happy Girl - NOMusic - Arctic Monkeysyaa thats all for today ....... 
OK really ? Are girls really that stupid ? I really want to know ... Cause I thought they had at least some sense in there fragile minds ... From what I ' ve seen over the past 7 years ... U girls have no clue about guys ... honestly i really do think girls are more clueless about guys then guys are about girls .. its really mind boggling ?? Fuck ... Everytime I see or hear about a girl that does something thats just soo utterly stupid i just wanna sit them down and make them feel soooooo stupid about it .. but guy code clearly states in rule 47 paragraph 3 that 1 guy can't tell another mans secrets to the other sex .. that includes previous girls , sexually transmitted diseases , girlfriends ex . soo until u girls get a clue ... leave me alone and stay out of my circle of trust lol 31 - 10 - 06 . 
HOOKA . God what a weekend that really wasnt that good , but one of those weekends where u blaze * and drink * and hooka ** it up alot ... I waked and baked at 9 am on fri then 3 times lata that day , then sat I was piss drunk at 12 pm .. ( oo yea driving drunk in midday and sitting in traffic sucks ) then I continued to get more drunk lata that night , but it all ended good with a well deserved trip to a HOOKA * BAR * in the city . That place was pretty sweet , and we met some kool dudes that should hook it up with some sweet parties in the city . On another note SOPRANOS was a B - in my book today , really nothing special . I would like to the family evolve without Tony , it would be interesting what direction and who takes over in the next few episodes ? Would you give up love to be the richest person in the world ? Would you give up everything to love just 1 person ? 31 / 10 / 06 - life begins - 21 + . 
Beer is evil ........ I ' ve come to a conclusion . Beer is bad ... At least 2 me , I can't drink it anymore . I get like 6 beers in me - get a lil buzzed - then I get a massive MIGRANE ... WTF ... Soo i ' ve concluded that I am makin a beer last stand and givin it forever up .... Liqu * ere " HARD " is were i ' m goin from now on ^ ... 
I ' m back . To any 1 who reads this , i ' m back and goin to start writing in here more often . Sorry for the 6 month disapearence of me , but to all who care I had Arthroscopic Reconstructive knee surgery , for tearing my ACL & MCL during football . I ' m good now and soo is my blog ... We ' ll count this as my first official entry ... We ' ll currently still looking for a job after i left Sam 's Club after the knee thing , and it might look pretty good today / morning w / e it is , I find out if I got the job of Casting Mananger for a modeling agency . It 's pretty damn good pay , enough to move out within the next few months , and it seems like a interesting job . ( so if ur reading this post a comment maybe you can be a model ) . On another note , my sleeping disorder is still fucked up . Which is why im writing this at 3 am , it 's like no matter what pills I take it just doesnt help . Right now next to me I have - EXCEDRIN PM - AMBIEN - AMBIEN CR & TRAZODONE , w / e that is but they dont work , all they do is make me piss , which doesnt help me sleep at all .. OO yea once again since i didnt get to write in here then , being 20 blows , its like a waste year .. 
Quick Note . The cute giggling that woke you this morning and got you in the mood to commence ' kissy - huggy ' with your wife ... wasn't the wife . Your 4 year old 's hands are now large enough to defeat the ' child - proof ' door knob to you LOCK DOOR !!! 
Student Nursing Diagnosis & Another Night of Firsts . I have to share . Going over my notes from a recent Med - Surg lecture I realized I mistakenly typed a wrong word and started an involuntary self giggle session . My instructor mentioned the NANDA nursing diagnosis , " Risk for Infection " but I typed , " Risk for Information . " I found it funny because I thought it would make a great nursing diagnosis to be applied to the overloaded mental status of a typical nursing student . Okay . Its either a sad commentary on my state of mind or it really is funny . I ' ll let you decide . If you have some related to 's feel free to leave them in the comment section . Who knows . Maybe we can collaborate on a new NANDA diagnosis .. HA ! No OB clinical this week ( translation : one less care plan to turn in this week : - ) Med - Surg - ) Aside from the injection disappointment I did get to hang 1000 m L of procainamide . For those of you unaware procainamide is an antidysrhythmic that comes in a bottle ... not a typical bag . Since a bottle is rigid it cannot collapse like a plastic bag as it empties its contents , hence ... the release valve ! Every so often the ( student ) nurse must open a little release valve found right above the drip chamber to allow air into the bottle thereby eliminating a potential vacuum . I know this is silly but hey ... it was news to me . Too Fat the IV pusher The subtitle can easily be misconstrued but I ' ll let it stand ... lol . I performed my first IV push last night . It also felt good to have the answer to my instructor 's question ready to fire as soon as she asked : " Now Mr. Student Nurse ... how fast are you supposed to administer this drug ? " " 2 m L of famotidine mixed with 5 to 10 m L of normal saline is to be infused over 2 minutes . " " Very good . Now quit standing around and get going . " I could see she had a knowing twinkle in her eye . The Night of ' the Ugly ' In the world of ( student ) nursing there are clinical tasks that can be categorized , " The Good , the Bad , & the Ugly . " Last night I had to perform what most would consider ' the Ugly ' . During report I was informed that a stool sample would need to be ' obtained ' for lab ( hemoccult ) ... and the patient was not expected to have a bowel movement during the shift . With a grin on her face & a giggle in her voice my instructor added , " If you haven't guessed this means you are going to have to go in after IT . " 1630 student nurse accompanied by fellow male student nurse into pt 's room to find pt laying in recently poured out pitcher contents ( water ) 1645 pt resting comfortably after gown and linens changed by student nurses & a fresh pitcher of ice water on side table 1646 pt responds to student nurse request for stool sample , " You go to hell ! " 1700 instructor responds to student nurse report of pt refusal stating , " Give him a few hours to forget , try again , and bring a female student nurse with you . " A few hours later I was able to forgive my giggling instructor as her advice paid off . All my patient needed was a female hand to hold as Student Nurse Jellyfinger did his job . One thing I remember from Foundations was that GI bleeds smell to high hell . Last night that belief was challenged ... and I ' m a believer ! 
I ' m still here ... Just leaving a note . I ' m still here but my assignments and clinicals have heated up ! Don't forget about me and thank all of you for such wonderful comments . They mean a lot to me . I hope to post again this weekend after my 18 hour Friday and 9 hour Saturday are complete . Too Fat , S / N . 
The Week pt replies , " if y ' all can't get my pain under control I ' m going to the ER ! " 0845 instructor marches to pt room and informs pt that she is not going to the ER and reminds her that if she hadn't insisted on her IV being taken out she would have gotten her pain med by now .0900 telephone order from physician received by instructor ; pt receives oral and IM pain meds ... enough to knock out a horse ! 0945 upon entering room pt found walking around room holding BIG camcorder filming baby in bassinet ; pt surprised to see student nurse ; pt reports pain is now a 10 out of 10 ! 1000 instructor rolls eyes as student nurse reports latest with mommy # 2 ; instructor tells student nurse , " check on pt again in one hour . " 1100 pt in high Fowler position nursing baby on right breast and watching television 1130 instructor returns with student nurse to room to conduct education session ; instructor begins with topic , ' Proper Nipple Care for Nursing Mothers ' with a swift reply from pt , " I don't breastfeed . I use formula " 1131 instructor undetered proceeds with new topic , ' How to Prevent Milk from Coming In ' . [ chuckle ] 1200 instructor asks student nurse in hallway , " Wasn't she JUST nursing that baby an hour ago ? " 1200:03 student nurse replied , " Yes. And her chart reads that way too . " I ' ll spare you the rest . But it was an interesting rest of the day . BTW , my instructor had a few choice words with the nurse who reported to me at the beginning of the shift for not mentioning the fact that mommy # 2 was a freakin ' psycho ! Med - Surg Clinical Week 4 - Contact Isolation The patient I picked up on Thursday with a diagnosis of abdominal pain evolved into a diagnosis of E . coli 0157 by the time I arrived on Friday . When I asked my reporting nurse about a blood pressure / pulse oximeter for his room I was told : " Just grab any of the ones from the hallway ... that 's what I ' ve been doing all shift . " " Is there at least a cuff and a thermometer in his room ? " " No. I ' ve just been using the ones in the hallway . " " Uhhhh . Okay . " It was amusing that the nurse manager felt the need to take ME aside to sternly grill me about proper use of gown and gloves . But , I think I won her over quickly . I told her I understood and brought to her attention that my patient , who is on contact isolation , has no equipment dedicated in his room for checking vitals . She thanked me and then proceeded to quiz my reporting nurse by asking , " What equipment have you been using to take this patient 's vitals ? " Ouch ! I stayed out of that one . My poor pt turned out to be an easy case . He was a walkie - talkie that stayed in his room , watched tv and drank tons of soda ! Again ... nice guy . I hated that he was going through all that . 
Nursing School & the Challenges of Fatherhood . Clinical Math Our OB clinical schedule has been posted and I was surprised to learn I had one more clinical than expected . It turns out that clinical hours are being calculated differently than last semester ( psych & community ) . The instructor is subtracting out lunch breaks . Last semester our clinicals were calculated by the total amount of time we were required to be at the facility . I ' m not complaining b / c I need the clinical experience . I just wish my clinicals weren't stretching into finals week . **************************** As usual , my head has been buried in the books . I ' m studying for yet another round of tests next week . Every few hours I like to take a break and re - join my family for a taste of reality . The 4 - year - old & Clean Technique My oldest receives the same instruction every evening before dinner from his mother , " I want you to go wash your hands before dinner . " Now , this is a simple request ( you would think ) but let me share with you how this simple request translates in the mind of a four year old and the resulting stages of hand washing : Stage 1 . ) Declaration . The child makes the statement , " I don't want to wash my hands . " This is not effective but it is an honest sentiment and it is considered , in combat rules , a ' warning shot over the enemy 's bow ' ! This stage sets the tone for the coming sea battle . Stage 2 . ) Relativity ( aka ' My Parents are Fools ' ) . Identifying this stage is easy . One just listens for the 3 - 5 seconds ( max . ) of water running in the bathroom followed with a proclamation , " Momma ? I ' m done ! " Important parent note : Discretely look to see if the soap tray is wet or dry Stage 3 . ) Realism . This stage is the result of introspection on the part of the child . The child realizes that all attempts up to now have failed . If he / she is going to have a chance in hell of getting out of actually washing hands ... now is the time to get serious about deception . REALISM IS A MUST : 1 ) turn water on for a miniumum of 30 seconds , 2 ) sprinkle water on soap dish , and 3 ) a better , fool - proof proclamation to ' sell ' the idea of cleanliness is required , " I used soap this time ! " Important parent note : Check BOTH hands & hand towel for traces of moisture . Stage 4 . ) Surveillance . This last stage is not always necessary but it is easily identified by a direct order from Admiral Momma to First Mate Poppa , " Get off the couch and go watch your son wash his hands before I hurt you ! " Note : a child does not have to go through all stages in sequence ( with exception to the first stage ) . Stage 1 is required because it is good combat etiquette . The MOST important thing to remember is that Poppa gets off the couch and does exactly what he is told ! 
Happy 4 th of July , USA ! Just got back from the fireworks display at the university . It turned out to be slightly more pleasant than expected . We timed our arrival perfectly . With two kids in tow ( both under the age of 5 ) we were seated in the grass 10 minutes before the firework display started . I was expecting it to be hot , humid , and somewhat uncomfortable . But it turned out that a storm was rolling in from the South and with it ... lots of breeze . We had fireworks to the left of the symphony stage and a lightning storm ( off in the distance ) to the right of the stage . It was kind of weird not knowing if the BANG was from the fireworks or the storm ! Fortunately , we never got any rain . So that does it for the official vacation ( vacation = no books , studying , school stuff ) . Tomorrow the wife goes back to work , the kids go to day care , and I go to the library and start hacking away at my list of things to catch up on with school . Happy 4 th ! 
Tell Me Again Why Nurses Can't Wear Capes ? ! Today was the first time in months that the wife and I have had time off at the same time ... AND DAYCARE ! Actually we ' ve known since last Thursday when my wife 's boss told her to go ahead and take Monday off . So , since Thursday I ' ve known how I wanted to spend our time together once our getting - reacquainted - time was addressed . I wanted to see the new Superman movie , Superman Returns . But I was afraid to mention it to her in fear that she would immediately shoot it down . You see my wife knows she married a big nerd . Computers , gaming , comic books ... I ' ve done it all . The computer career is over ( obviously ) , the gaming hobby is long dead , and the comic book collecting ended 2 decades ago . So it didn't come as too big a surprise when she finished my sentence for me . " Sweetie , I have a request about this afternoon . I was hoping we could ... " " Go see the new Superman movie , " she blurted . " I knew you were going to say that . " I could see that she was somewhat less than enthused . In recognition of that fact I did offer to back out and do something more wife friendly . But to her credit she would not deny me this little pleasure and so ... off we went . This review comes from someone who sat through the original Christopher Reeves series ( except Superman IV... nobody should have to suffer that one ) . From beginning to end , I thoroughly enjoyed the film . And as much as this is high blasphemy considering the late - great Mr. Reeves ... I enjoyed Superman Returns more than the original series . The story was well written and there was just the right amount of tension between Superman Lois Lane . I highly recommend it . It was on our way back from the movie that my wife threw me for a loop . " It surprised me that it was a romantic story . " " So you liked it ? " " Yeah . I can't believe I ' m saying this but I did . I liked it . " I love my wife . 
Eating In The Bathroom . I have to admit that before I became a father I never paid attention to the discrimination women suffer when it comes to the subject of breastfeeding . My wife would get the occasional glare whenever she needed to breastfeed in public but that was easily handled by her angry gorilla - of - a - husband flipping off said glarer ( besides , it was fun ) . I even had an acquaintance ( who shall remain nameless ) admit that he had a problem with women breastfeeding in public and they should go to the bathroom to keep people like him from feeling uncomfortable . Let 's just say this guy didn't get much action in the girlfriend department and had other more pressing issues ( namely finding a brain ) . But this acquaintance did state a predominant sentiment that I witnessed in the corporate world . My boss from three years ago chose to breastfeed which meant she had to find time throughout her day to go to the only room the company would make available to her to pump ... which was the bathroom . I can remember her uttering under her breath several times , " I wonder how many Bridgestone / Firestone executives eat their lunches in the bathroom ? " Madonna / Whore Complex That 's right . It all relates back to our twisted thinking about women that has led us to taking issue with a normal bodily function such as breast feeding and turning it into a perverted act . We want women to be whores in the bedroom but hide away ( their breasts ) and be virginal otherwise . Despite the fact that our society markets cleavage to sell everything from orange juice to satellite dishes . There is one undisputed fact ... BREASTS ARE FOR NURSING BABIES ! And since babies make up part of our society ... they need to eat ... and yes , sometimes that is in public ! So this is directed to you guys out there who think women should go to the bathroom to " whip out a boob to feed their kid " : Get over it ! If you tried to get over it and can't then you need to get some counseling ( unresolved Oedipal complex maybe ? ) If the first two suggestions don't help then maybe you should start eating your meals in public bathrooms If all this doesn't work for you then maybe you should just admit that you 're a shmuck and need to get sterilized so you don't cause more problems by breeding . Enlightenment is not your thing . 
Week In Review . OB clinical this past Wednesday was interesting . I was assigned two patients in the nursery . A boy and a girl . Cute kids . I REALLY relied on the skills I ' ve earned as " Poppa " to my two boys . The little boy was borderline jaundice so we had to keep a closer eye on him . The baby girl was as fat and cute as could be ... but fussy ! They both were good eaters although the baby girl would not go to sleep for anyone else in the nursery but me . Overall , I didn't really see anything I hadn't seen before until the offer came to witness a C - section . I jumped at the chance . It was quick but interesting . There were no surprises ... I recognized every part that was being manipulated ( which is good since I ' ve invested umpteen zillion dollars in A & P classes ) . The OB performing the procedure was very gracious . The scrub nurse was equally gracious . The patient had elected to have tubal ligation performed . That too was interesting to watch . ********************** Med - Surg clinical , this past Friday , was fairly uneventful . I picked up my patient assignment Thursday afternoon for the following day . Friday clinical started and I had all my paperwork ready that included a care plan and 15 new drug cards ( important to mention that I stayed up the night before working on it ) . And then I arrived to find out my patient had been discharged earlier in the day . Happy for the patient but it sucked for me . So I got my NEW patient assignment minutes before having to start her assessment . Just rolling with the punches ! But , I shouldn't complain . She was a sweet lady . Poor thing had a stage 3 decubitus ulcer on the lateral aspect of her LLE ( translation : crater on the outside of her left foot ) . I liked her especially because she asked me to turn the thermostat down as low as it would go ! She won major points with me on that request . Despite her wound she turned out to be a walkie - talkie so I didn't get to do too much for her . During post conference my instructor informed us that she was giving us a few extra days to tweak our care plans ( since we hadn't received feedback from our first care plans until just then ) . It was a nice gesture . Would have loved to known that for reasons I stated earlier . But that 's life . ********************** Halleujah !!! I have all of next week off . Our dean scheduled the coming week as a break to give ( as one instructor stated ) " time for the students to blow off steam ... and the instructors NOT to kill the students ! " . 
UPDATE ! Again , sorry for not having the time to post more so I thought I would add this little update . I posted earlier that I was disappointed in a Med - Surg grade where I made an 80 . At that time I was the only one in the class to have passed ( OMG , thats bad ) . Well it turns out after our test review that the teach mis - keyed the grading machine which resulted in several answers being marked wrong when they were actually right . Type I - III reactions are humoral immunity responses ... type IV reactions are cell - mediated immunity responses . That little tidbit of knowledge bumped me up 9 more points ( 80 to 89 ) ! Hellooooo B territory . There were several more people that actually passed the test ( besides me ) after all . Little note for professors . It is ALWAYS worthwhile to review tests with your students . We aren't the only ones to make mistakes . ; - ) . 
" Paging Doctor Stereotype ! " . Too busy to really write anything but I thought I would add this ... During morning coffee and entertaining the kiddies I found myself thumbing through one of the billion scrub catalogs I find myself receiving these days . They 're all the same . Twenty pages dedicated to women and the last 2 pages have scrubs for men ( token ) . This one particular catalog has about ten illustrations of men modeling scrubs and they are all using one of two male models ( a white model & a black model ) . I couldn't help but notice that there was only one picture with an obvious RN emblazoned on the breast pocket ... and it was the black guy . There were no other pictures of obvious male RNs ... especially not one of a white guy ! As a matter of fact all the pictures of the white male model had D . D . S . or M. D . stitched on his shirt . [ Insert forced , sarcastic laughter for an obvious reinforcement of stereotype here . ] On the flip side ... I have had two med - surg clinicals & both times I was addressed as " doctor " at least once during each shift . Once by a patient ... and once by an RN ? ! 
Another busy week . As if all our weeks in nursing school AREN ' T busy ... yeah right . So last week I didn't do so hot on my first Pharmacology II exam for the semester . I made an 80 . But I should feel lucky . I was one of a few ( 4 out of 20 ) to pass the darn thing . Our cool NEW instructor must have realized that making 25 % of the test ' fill - in - the - blank ' questions wasn't such a hot idea after all ... lol . I would have had a 92 had there been no fill in the blanks ... YUCK ! She gave us a chapter quiz ... I think out of guilt . This week went much better test wise . I made a 95 on the Pharm II quiz and a 90 on my first Med - Surg exam . Yeah . It feels good . That Med - Surg exam had me sweating bullets . This is the ' big - deal ' class this semester since the material covered makes up a huge percentage of the NCLEX . I studied my butt off for that exam and although a ' B ' is nice ... I ' m shooting for an ' A ' for the semester . I never make my best score on my first exam of the semester so I ' m feeling confident . Oh ... did I mention this is an accelerated program ? Most of us have B . S . degrees in other fields . We ' ve been going since Fall 2005 , we go straight through without any Summer break , and ( God willing ) we will graduate in Spring 2007 . This Summer session is really a challenge since we have fewer weeks than a normal semester and the same material to cover . No clinicals this week . So I ' m a little bummed . My OB clinical instructor has been out of town unexpectedly helping a sick relative and my hilarious Med - Surg clinical instructor is in Florida this week . I guess any accelerated program has to be more flexible than most since there are fewer breaks for even the faculty to take care of personal business . I can't fault them for that . Don't hate me for being honest . OB is a wonderful specialty and I applaud the nurses that want to go into this specialty ... most of us might not be here if it weren't for an OB nurse ! Being a guy ( and a big guy at that ) I know there is no practical need for me work in OB . And I can't blame the patient that says " NO ! I do not want a male nurse . " So this is the biggest reason why I signed up for OB this Summer . Its required and so why not take it during the shortest semester of the program . My other option was Pediatrics . I can see myself as a PNP someday so that is the reason why I decided to take it in the Fall . I ' ll have more time to absorb the information and enjoy the clinical experience . 
First Med - Surg Clinical . It was a start and my first patient managed to survive the night intact . Guess that is as good as it gets for a newbie . No , really . It was a good start to the semester . All those hours of Intro , Foundations , and Health Assessment paid off . I was proud of myself for stepping up and getting it done . But I have to admit I was nervous as hell . My night started out fairly well . I received report , got the MAR , and the nurses notes . Then I grabbed the blood pressure machine and AWAY I went to introduce myself to my first patient ( but not forget to take vitals and assess , of course ) . She was a sweet little lady but her room was a furnace ! Not only was I nervous but the patient liked to keep her room temperature a balmy 84 degrees . I was sweating more than any fat man should be legally allowed . I probably lost a pound or two in sweat alone .1600 meds were not a problem . Hung my first IV piggy back ... with a little instruction .2000 meds ended up a little more complicated . The PO meds went off without a hitch but I had to also clean my patients central line catheter dressing and change IV tubing . Oh boy . My instructor was there with me and thank god she has a sense of humor . Her words to me were , " Now that you have primed the IV line I need you to twist the cap off the end of the line , hold onto the cap and wait for further instruction . " I was so nervous that I twisted the cap off and immediately tossed the cap into the trash . Beat ... beat ... " Well , at least you listened to the important half of my instruction , " she remarked to the patient with a grin . " Now hand me one of the alcohol pads out of your pocket that I told you to get at the beginning of your shift . " Ah yes ... redemption . Here is my chance to make better on my earlier mistake . I proudly reached into my pocket and handed her one of the alcohol swabs I so proudly stocked in my pocket from the stock room . " Okay . Betadine will work but next time I want you to get me an alcohol swab . " What ? Damn it ! I grabbed betadine swabs instead of alcohol swabs . I ' m not finishing my first shift on a good note with this instructor . Fortunately both she and the patient had a good laugh ... at my expense . After all was said and done I did accomplish what I wanted to accomplish . Although I goofed a bit at the end I did have time to change her bed linens . That made me feel good to at least leave her in a more comfortable environment ... it was still 84 degrees . I ' ve never sweated or been so tired in my life . If I sweat that much next week my plan is to have my fellow students start a Lactated Ringer IV on me so I can take it with me as I go on rounds . I ' m joking of course ... maybe . 
what am i to do ? it 's kind of depressing to hear / read about other people 's eventful summer plans . travelling through europe , partying in the city , visiting friends ! now that i ' m thinking about it , i ' ve actually done all of these things so far this summer . it seems like it has been a pretty low - key couple of months for me , but i guess ithaca in the summer is just making me anxious . i really shouldn't be complaining at all . but i think i might anyway for a bit . : Pbasically , i have beef with living in ithaca right now . i ' ve been here for tooo long . i mean , this will be the second summer in a row that i ' ve stayed here , so i feel like i can never get away from school or this area for more than a few days at best . it feels constricting when i know it should be relaxing . normally i would be fine with the fact that i have absolutely nothing to do with my time other than read a book or watch some tv . but i need something drastic to happen ... something that takes me by surprise and removes me from this mundane daily routine i ' ve fallen into so easily . ugh . i don't know what i ' m expecting . i just want to rewind to graduation when i know what i ' ll be doing with my life after cornell . don't get me wrong , i ' m looking forward to enjoying senior year because i think it will be a lot of fun . i can't wait for all of my friends and roommates to be back in town for the school year . i guess i just have to be patient . besides , wishing away the next year is no way to spend my last year as an undergrad ! anyway , this upcoming weekend i ' ll be gone for a family reunion - ish thing at my aunt 's house in york , pa . and then again in 2 1 / 2 weeks for the counting crows concert . so it 's not all that bad . these next few weeks should breeze by with no problem , and the end of august will be here in no time ! 
woo ! good news on all fronts : my landlord informed me that after all of the construction is finished with the house he 's going to clean my comforter and put brand new carpeting in my room for being so patient throughout the whole process ( and it has been quite the process ) . the current state of my room : nora , who has been stranded in beirut with her family during the recent israel / hezbollah conflict , is finally getting evacuated to cyprus tomorrow morning ! this is a huge relief . my roommates and i have been e - mailing her back and forth constantly this past week to keep tabs on her whereabouts and the status of the conflict . hopefully she will be back in the states in no time . my sister just texted me to say she is coming up to ithaca for the night ! i don't know what inspired this sudden decision . i think some of her roommates might be up for the weekend or something . regardless , i hope we can get together for a drink or a bite to eat . it shall be grand . i ' m listening to voxtrot and it 's putting me in the best mood . they make me want to get up and dance and sing along . if you haven't listened to them before , i highly suggest you do ! 
i ' ve made the move ... to blogger . com ! i ' m getting really tired of livejournal and like the feel of this a little better . plus , i have more options to individualize my blog if i so desire . i don't know how permanent this is , or if i ' ll have the motivation to keep this blog or revert back to LJ . but for the time being , i ' ll be posting here and slowly importing my old posts so that i feel whole again . so uhh , stick around i guess . 
ex - " tufts terminator " kicks the bucket . UGH . i just spent the last 6 hours resuscitating my computer back to life . it took a nose dive for the worst and i had to completely wipe the hard drive and start anew . i lost everything on it . all of my pictures , documents , programs . this is bad news to say the least . i ' m really upset about the pictures . the other stuff i could do without , but the pictures ! ohhh the pictures . i had so many good ones with my new digital camera .. this is going to be hard to overlook . depression major . : ( if there is any reason to look at this in a positive light , it would be that perhaps now my computer won't cough up a lung every time i have more than one program running at once . it seems a lot faster now .. we ' ll see how long this lasts . on another positive note , i didn't lose ANY of my music . i have all of it on an external hard drive in case of an emergency situation such as this . i think i would have had a conniption if i los ... oh i don't even want to type it . the thought of life ( or days ) without music gives me the chills ! here 's hoping this is the first and last time i ' ll have to deal with this . only one more year until i get a macbook ! ( this is my vision , at least ) . 
Part 1 I don t think that the Reverend can be considered a dynamic character . In the beginning of the story , the Reverend considered Lieutenant General Lord Arthur Scoresby to be the supremest fool in the universe . In the end , he still had the same opinion on Scoresby only that he was very lucky . So I don t think the Reverend can be considered a dynamic character because his outlook didn t really change throughout the story . At least I don t think so . Part 2 By the way the Reverend told his story , Lieutenant General Lord Arthur Scoresby is a static character . Scoresby is the same kind of person in the beginning of the story as he is at the end of the story . He doesn t really change in any way other than obtain a high rank . According the Reverend s view , Scoresby was a fool in the beginning , Privately - he s an absolute fool , and a fool at the end , He is the supremest fool in the universe . . 
Part 1 In short , he became so absorbed in his books that he spent his nights from sunset to sunrise , and his days from dawn to dark , poring over them ; and what with little sleep and much reading his brain shriveled up and he lost his wits . He lost his mind because of all the reading he did without enough sleep . He excitedly read and read about chivalry , knights , etc , and that deprived him of sleep , which made him lose his wits . Part 2 Well , I admired how he lived because in the end , he was happy . Don Quixote lived without his wits but in the end he realized that he was doing these foolish things but lived a happy life . I admire this because he died happy . 
My Left Foot . Part 1 The incident regarding the chalk changed Christy Brown s life because it showed everyone that he was intelligent and not a veggie . His body was crippled but his mind was not . Evidence from the text says that he could now speak to people through written words , not spoken words . The chalk incident was his road to a new world , a key to his mental freedom . The vocabulary word that describes what happened that day is volition . He wanted the chalk and his left foot grabbed it as if it was acting on its own will . Another vocabulary word that could describe this event is miracle . Part 2 His mother overcame many obstacles . She had to deal with the doctor opinions , telling her that Christ was both mentally and physically crippled . She also dealt with the relatives . They told her to not get attached to Christ or she ll get hurt in the end . Lastly , she dealt with the doubts in her mind . She might ve thought that Christy was really crippled both physically and mentally . Though there were many obstacles in her way , she kept faith in her son and was not disappointed in the end . 
How Much Land Does a Man Need ? Part 1 This is a parable because it is kind of a short story and it teaches a lesson . The lesson it teaches is that people shouldn t be greedy or they ll lose it all in the end . In the story , Pahom ends up losing his life because he wanted , not needed , more land . He got greedy and lost it all . Part 2 His strongest characteristic is that he strives for what he wants . He wanted more land and he got more . Though , this characteristic combined with his greediness was a bad combination because it killed him in the end . I do admire this characteristic of him because he does all that he cans for what he wants . 
Two Friends & Damon and Pythias . Part 1 They decide that war is a stupid thing and that the people who are killing each other are worse than the animals . They both decided that men would never be free because of the governments and kings . This adds to the tension because they are talking about the war while a war is going on around them . They are lost in their discussion and they aren t aware of that there were men approaching them from behind . Part 2 The end of the short story Damon and Pythias shows us that the king , Dionysius , longed for a friendship like Damon and Pythias . He realized that friendship was an amazing part of life and he didn t want to end one . He wanted one instead . 
The Masque of the Red Death . Part 1 This short story was hard to understand because of the big words in it so I m not sure what the clock and the room represented . My guess is that the clock represents a person or human because it had a face and was kind of human - like . The room represents death . I looked this up on the net and it said that the seven rooms represented the seven stages of life and that the seventh room represented death . Part 2 " The figure was tall and gaunt , and shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave . " The word , habiliments , in the sentence means some sort of clothing that the guy was wearing . If you use the context clues , you can figure this out because what can a guy be cover from head to toe with , other than clothes , that will makes sense . 
A Walk to the Jetty . Part 1 The flashbacks gives us the reason that Annie is leaving to start a new life . I didn t really catch anything else . Maybe she was old enough and she wanted to be more independent . Part 2 The road to Jetty symbolizes Annie s life . As she is walking to the jetty , she has memories of herself when she was younger . She remembers the when she was the apprentice of Ms. Dulcie , she remembers when she went to the shop and bought the items her mother wanted , all by herself . She remembers her old friend , the sun , the people , the island , and more . The road to Jetty symbolizes her past . Part 3 A rite of passage I m looking forward to is my high school graduation in 2008 . A fear or concern I have after this rite of passage is what I am going to do after my graduation . What next ? Where do I go from here ? I don t really know where I trying to go in my life right now but hopefully I will find the answer before this right of passage occurs . 
This is not a fun topic . At first , i need to tell you that it is not a fun and interesting topic . This was just my haphazard ideas . maybe you will feel that it is a little futilitarian , don't worry about that , it is just some ideas . ... ... We are learning knowledge about vaccine in these days . It makes me think about serious things , such as adverse reactions , diseases and so on . I have worried about these events before . The nearest one happened during my holiday in this April . I went back to China during this holiday , and my aunt reminded me to take a hepatitis B vaccine . Hepatitis B disease is a very serious infection in China , so all my family takes this kind of vaccine regularly . Furthermore , the vaccine I had taken could keep antibody in my body for 2 years ; moreover , this year is the second year . That s why I must take a new Hepatitis vaccine again . When I went to the hospital , I met some troubles . The doctor told me there were some different kinds of hepatitis vaccines I could choose . The distinctions between them were that they could cause antibody keeping in different period in patients bodies . For example , some one could maintain for two years , some one s effective period was as long as 10 years , but patients need to take 3 doses in different time . To my surprise , there was a kind of vaccine that could maintain about 10 years to 20 years was not made in China . I didn t remember where that one came from . Certainly , different type had different price , the price was between about $ 10 to $ 35 . Sometimes , too many choices were not always good for a patient , especially in the medicinal area . And there were many uncertain factors , likely some patients didn t get antibody after they had get injection . The doctor told me that if you get the most expensive you would have antibody for 10 years or 20 years . Nobody could tell me the certain result . Actually , I thought everyone wanted to get a vaccine that could protect you away from a certain disease forever . In addition , I always worried about if I would get adverse reaction , because who knew if this kind of the newest vaccine that came from other developed countries were fit for Chinese . I am afraid that I will get serious infection ; meanwhile , I am also fearful to get some adverse reactions . Actually , I am more fearful to get some adverse reactions , especially , the disease itself . I think that the worst thing is that your life is destroyed by your something that might save you . Finally , I just hope that such terrible events become less and less . 
A GOOD MOVIE " Armageddon " . I don't remember how many times I have watched this movie , Armageddon . Actually , I had watched that movie one more time this afternoon . This time , it had even given me a crash again . I love this movie . This is just an action , adventure and Science movie . It is about a group of skillful oil drillers become heroes who can save humans . The only thing they must do are flying to a really huge asteroid that will hit the earth and drill a enough hole and set a unclear weapon in order to destroy it . Actually , when they are noticed about this news and finish this mission , there are less than 18 days . It is reasonable to say that the rate of alive is about 50 % or less , because nobody has done that before . This is their first time , and also it is the last time . The main reason that I love this movie is that these drillers are just normal people , but they have done what heroes do . I always think which kind of people are heroes . I don't know exactly , but I know if you can do what they do when you have the same situation , you are a hero . Although someone says that this movie is not as good as Apollo 13 , and the whole story is not realistic completely , I still love this movie . If a movie can give people a good mind , active idea or just fun , I think that is enough . That is enough to attract you to watch at least one time . Trust me , or you will miss one time chance of enjoyment . 
A Memorable Trip to Stampede ! I became a cowboy !! Yesterday , some of fiends and me went to Stampede . It was amused . I hadn't seen such a busy festival until yesterday in Canada . When we got to the Victoria pack station , there were about millions people there . I could not use a Chinese phrase to describe what I saw , people mountain people sea . The most fascinating thing was that most people wear cowboy hats . Some of the hats were made of grass , some were wool . We decided to buy one so that we become cowboys . I found that visitors were form different places , such China , Japan , France and so on , there were many Canadians came from other provinces in Canada . Calgary became a very famous place because of Stampede . Because we didn't have time to go there until afternoon , we missed Stampede Rodeo . That s quite pity . On the other hand we watch Rodeo X Trick Request and Jam Session . And then , we saw Corral IAMS Super Dogs . Every activity was full of visitors . It was unexpected that there was a band show . All people were excited and crowded so we gave up watching . I was looking for a suitable cowboy hat for me and at last I found it . Although that hat was a little expensive , I liked it so much . There was a Stampede once a year so it was worth to buy it . It was about 11 p.m. but most people would not like to leave . When we were waiting for a C - Train in the station , we still saw a great many people take off trains and walk toward to Stampede . It was the last two day to hold up Stampede so people wanted to have more fun there . Nobody wanted to sleep . Keep having fun . Suddenly , I remembered that someone say that if you want to have fun , you should go to Stampede . 
The trip to West Edmonton Mall . This was my first time to see this kind of bird whose body can be red . They are flamingo . It was very famous for its own ability . The reason of changing colour is that they live on one kind of plankton that can change colour of bodies . In other words , if they don't eat that kind of plankton , they won't be as famous as now . Another interesting thing was that I saw another another kind of animal , sea lion . It was so surprised that people could see sea lion show in a mall although I had seen that show in other places for several times . Actually , it is a pretty good chance to earn money . If you want to face to face with sea lion , you should buy tickets . This mall is really huge so that it can contain a water pleasure ground . People can not only swim in the pool , but also they can play bungee jumping . That 's real water bungee jumping . It was real pity that we could stay there just for 6 hours . If we come here next time by ourselves , we probably stay here for more than two days . And this is a good place for shopping . It is impossible to visit all stores in one day . There many brand name . You ' d better make sure you have enough money . That was a memorability day . 
A wonderful weekend . This week was so busy , specially Monday and Tuesday . There were 3 tests and a presentation . but now , they were gone . this weekend some of my friends and me will go to Edmonton . This field trip is organzied by International student centre . We need to pay $ 25 for the bus fee and some tickets . I have not been other cities in Alberta . I heard that there is a really huge mall in Edmonton . Although I do not plan to buy somethings , I should go there and look around . It need spend 3 hours ' school bus to arrive there , and we must come back at night . It is really short time for people who go there first time , to enjoy all the interesting things . Some of my friends study in University of Alberta , if it is averiable that I want to meet my friends in Edmonton . Also , I will take along with my camera and take pictures everywhere . Have a nice weedend !!! 
Survey . After Sally gave us our draft of survey questions , our group began to survey as soon as possible . We decided to choose about 9 people as participant . There are 4 native speakers , 5 international students , and 2 of international students are Chinese students . I have chosen my roommate as my first survey participant . It was luck that my roommate was at room . He was very polite to consent my requirement . Through this survey , I got some interesting answers . He told me that his favorite second language is French , and he really wanted to learn that . In his eyes , knowing the culture of other countries was his biggest impetus for learning second language . In addition , he agreed with that it was important to include learning second language in primary school and secondary school . He helped me to fix a problem . He suggested me change a sentence and its multiple choice question , so I change the question how long will you spend in learning a second language into how long would it take to learn a second language . Here is the example of that question .7 . How long would it take to learn a second language ? a ) Neverb ) Less than 4 c ) Between 4 hours to 8 hours d ) More than 8 hoursf ) Other In this case , we don t need to worry about whether the participants have second language , or they are learning a second language or they will learn another language in the future . In other words , this question is adapt to all participant we will ask . At last , thanks for everything . 
My new roommate . From this week , I have a roommate . His name is Logan , his major is psychology . In fact , he had moved into this room since last week . I thought he was an exchange student , because I didn t who was my roommate until June and he told me that he just live here for one month . A university student should begin his or her course from May . Through talking with him , I found the answer . He studies in Red Deer college in Red Deer . He has to attend one course in University of Calgary and this course last one month . That s why he came here . . When he came to this room , the first thing I thought was clean the room as fast as I could . I tried my best to use this room ; I put any things in anywhere . On his bed , I put my bags and clothes on it and the worst thing I done was I was doing my homework on his table when he introduced himself . Everything goes better now . He is very kind and it is relax to talk with him . My new university life begins . 
A little conciliative : I found the draft of my last blog . I think the draft below is just the survial one . And that is the last one in my old blog , I don't think more than two people have read that . After you read that , you will understand why I decide to change my topic of my blog and why I have such big impetus to write something in blog frequently . " Last week when I visited some student s blog I saw some movie posts . Those posts were talked about the new movie X - MAN . It made me have a idea that I decide to change the appearance of my blog . Those post were very cool . I was very interested in collecting movie post . When I studied in China , I always bought a magazine named The Movies Show . I read many kinds of movie magazines , such as Watching Movies , DVD and so on . The Movies Show was my favorite one . I remember that the first one I bought was about 7 years ago . The cover of that magazine was the post of Toy Story . This was monthly magazine and every periodical included a post of movie . I love each piece of post . Through reading this magazine , I have known so many things that I have never thought about what the movies is , what the purpose of the movies is . Now I could not tell you the answer yet because I don t know . I am just an audience . Of cause , I have also known some stories about movies , actors or actress , directors etc. I like watching action story , horror Story , and mystery . And I also like watching movies such as Forrest Gump . Sometimes , I watch a good movie for more than ten times . I always think that there must be more interesting things I have not found in this movie . In my opinion , that s true . the same movie , I would get some new ideas if watch that in different period . So , I want to introduce some good movies or interesting things about movies to every one by blog . I hope that you will love it . " My idea had changed since that time ... ... 
A new beginning . This is my second blog , a new one . Do you want to know why I build a new blog ? I am not a person who loves the new and loathe the old . The reason is that I deleted my blog unheedingly . I think all my friends will feel amazed when I tell this thing tomorrow . Actually , some of my friends have heard about that . I felt really amazed when I could not find my last blog , skyyahoo . I was just paused for a moment . That 's the only one thing I did today , and I think that it is the most deal one . " Really good job " I told myself . Of cause , I considered giving up . But I have written that I will introduce some interesting things and good movies to my friends . I can not give up . When I go back to my room , I decide to restart . On the other hand , this thing has at least one good effect . I always want to change my last name of my blog , and this time is my real time to write blogs . There is an important thing that I have to notice my friends and instructors this news one by one . Forget old , starting form here ....... 
Anstrengend . Hrabal writes at some point of a book that men are like olives - Sophia sang that men are like seasons : nice song - : they give their best when they are under pressure ... it is supposed to be a sentence taken by Lao Tzi ... but the origin it is not so clear ... Hrabal used to drink a lot , as his characters ... memories get mixed up , like mine after yesterday night ... The thing is that last night I slept three hours or maybe less , today I went to work and I actually felt ok until one o clock , when I almost fell asleep watching a cartoon with my kids - Aladdin and the King of Thieves or something like that ... after that the time run kind of fast ... Leonie , a two years and a half old girl , run to me this morning just to say hello ... and she hug me very spontaneously ... it was the first time she was so open with me - usually she cries a bit when her mother leaves her there and keeps the finger in her mouth for hours ... today she even asked me to bring her to the toilet ... it is stupid to feel satisfied for such a thing ? " Hey I have to pee , come with me ! " ... no in the end I do not think so ... I do not feel tired at all now ... just a bit over - something that I still have to define ... 
... I went to the exhibition of the students of the UDK - Universit t der K nste - today ... a friend studies there but she could not come along with me ... that was actually a pity because I would have probably enjoyed the whole thing much more .... anyway it has been interesting ... and stimulating as well ... Sunday is my only free day ... with these two jobs time runs really fast and it is not easy to cope with all the things I would like to ... but I keep my mind busy and that is good ... Life is not stressy , that is for sure ... but , on the other side , it is not so easy to get used to this new life style : waking up at 6.30 is kind of tough ... days are really long but they pass by fast ... In the end I won t go to Turkey : I talked with some people and realized that it is not the right place for me now ... need something different ... Croatia or Sicily seems more tuned with my wishes ... but in the end I will go somewhere alone ... everybody is busy in that period ... 
Distorted Temporal Perception . Sunday afternoon without any plan for the next two hours ... I managed to avoid any contact with the Love Parade yesterday ... nice ... Two months are gone ... fast or slow ? I can t say ... Am I lazy ? I had hoped that , at least this time , the 2 + 2 = 5 thing could have worked : " only four days are gone but it seems like they have been five " ; " only four weeks are gone but it seems like they have been 5 " ...... it never worked out ... this time I cross my fingers with months ... it would actually be cool if the result was not : " 2 + 2 = 0 " , as it happens so far ... Mal sehen ... 
Einfach so ... I owe my blog a post about the World Championship ... I will do it in the future ... After a week in the kindergarten , I have already conquered a girl , who declared her love to me , yesterday in the morning ... I did my best not to laugh : I guess she would have felt hurt to some extent ...... but the best happening of yesterday was winning the confidence of another small girl , three years old : Joanne ... big blue eyes and a funny way to walk ... when I went to my class at eight thirty in the morning , she was having her breakfast : she could not stop wondering while looking at me , but she did not trust me at any point ... she did not want to leave her actual teacher , not even for a second ... so the time passed by until we went to the garden for their open air games session ... it looks like a Fellini s movie : sixty kids ( maybe more , maybe less ) moving non - stop , like electrons around the nucleus ( if you know how fast they go , you do not where they are ; if you know where they are , you do not know how fast they go ... ) , without a clear aim but with so much energy that is incredible ... my duty was to take care of those among the youngest who wanted to play with the slide ... after a while , like a table - tennis - ball , she went close to me ... I proposed her to have a ride in the slide , I offered her my hand , she took it and for half an hour she was holding it ( or my trousers ) non - stop ... smiling and yelling : every time she was standing up on the slide , she literally threw her arms to me ... she could be the perfect allegory of the Truth : she is , actually ... also because when her teacher told her that she had to go upstairs , she showed off all her disappointment ... but she came back with me , mourning a bit , in a Gramelot language that will never be translated ... 
Always the same good hopes , as before every single summit ... Should we believe a quarter of what is written in this article ? I do not , actually , and I found it annoying ... Mr. Putin s Good Will . 
Fairy Tales , games , water - games , cards - games , talks - in a language that is German till a certain point ... everytime I make them smile , I think I did a good choice , once more .. it won t be forever but it is definitely like breathing fresh air every single damned morning ... 
I love this song .. Well I love this song so i wanna show u ... SACRIFICE ( ELTON JOHN ) Its a human sign When things go wrong When the scent of her lingers And temptations strong Into the boundary Of each married man Sweet deceit comes calling And negativity lands Cold cold heart Hard done by you Some things look better baby Just passing through And its no sacrifice Just a simple word Its two hearts living In two separate worlds But its no sacrifice No sacrifice Its no sacrifice at all Mutual misunderstanding After the fact Sensitivity builds a prison In the final act We lose direction No stone unturned No tears to damn you When jealousy burns . 
Chen , Chen , Cheney of fools . Show me someone who believes the Bush Administration , and the Republican - lead congress , have made the world a safer place , and I ll show you someone who most likely believes there was a middle - class tax cut , that their own sexual orientations can be altered by homosexual suggestions or temptation , that supporting the troops and public debate about war are mutually exclusive acts , and that Muslims hate us because of our freedom . And within this wonderland of thought , this person has somehow invented a place so mad that Dick Cheney has something to contribute ! How it is still possible for the vice president to get up in front of crowds and sell fear and death pushes my mind to the edge of understanding . Where are the lynch mobs with torches and pitch forks ? This guilty man continuing to push his Neo - Con . , war - without - end , Imperialism like everything has been going according to plan Oh , weren't you paying attention ? The opposition continues to be in the last throes of resistance . To abandon our plan now .... " Vote Republican or things will get worse ? As if this man , Rumsfelt , Wolfowitz , and the other architects of preemptive war and imposed democracy , didn't invent this mess . It s no accident the face the Bush Administration continually chooses to put on this disaster of a foreign policy is incapable of cracking a smile . Because this campaign , in the face of its continued fiasco , is laughable ! 
Liberal media bias ? Not quite . It appears the Media Reseach Center ( MRC ) has been taking lessons from the Bush Administration : start with a conclusion , then cherry - pick the intelligence . Last night I got around to watching a DVR ed , July 11 , Late Show with David Letterman . I m not a regular watcher ( I m more of a Conan fan ) , but Paul Reubens was the first guest , and I was a little curious to see what Pee Wee is up to . ( Turns out he s a damned weirdo . ) Anyway , the Top Ten list turned out to be the most entertaining , and what caught the attention of the MRC . Take a look ( or you can just read the list below ) : Top Ten Chapter Titles in George W . Bush s Memoirs 10 . 101 Ways I ve Misspelled Condoleezza 9 . Why Mom and Dad Voted for Kerry 8 . The Best Memos I ve Never Read 7 . The War in Iraq , a 6 - Foot Sandwich , and Other Things I Started But Couldn t Finish 6 . How to Lose an Election and Still Become President 5 . Good News America Just 923 More Days 4 . 1962 1964 : The Cheerleader Years 3 . Huh ? 2 . Bubba Was Right Monica Is Up for Anything 1 . Chapter 20 Or Is That My Approval Rating ? The Media Research Center , who has apparently been tracking liberal media bias since 1996 ( picture me furrowing my brow while making a jack - off motion with my hand ) , cited this as evidence of a liberal bias at the Letterman show . MRC even provides a link to the CBS . com Late Show home page , where the reader can find an archive of all the Top Ten lists , for years and years . Here is where their interest in tracking media bias takes a back seat to their desire to tag David Letterman a Bush - hater : If this so - called research center had spent just a few minutes getting a general overview of the many other subjects Dave s lists have poked fun at , the people at MRC would have concluded that this was a non - issue . My informal poll lead me to conclude that Monika Lewinski and the Clintons have been more regular targets of David Letterman s pencil . Liberal bias ? Media Research Center ? A warped , Christ - o - facist , political axe to grind , fronting as some kind of family - centered media watchdog group is what I see here . Hey , they convinced the FCC that America fainted at the sight of Janet Jackson s boob with a coordinated e - mail box stuffing campaign . Apparently two presidential elections of stuffing ballot boxes has emboldened some to think that s all it takes ! 
About Olbermann . Just a quick mention of an article in the New York Times about one of my favorite people in the media : Keith Olbermann . After MSNBC s firing of Phil Donahue , back before the run - up to the invasion of Iraq , I had pretty much had it with the network . MSNBC had hired hate - monger , Michael Savage , in an attempt to parrot the success of Fox News , and it seemed all they were interested in was promoting the war to boost ratings . A peacenick like Phil wasn t compatible with that . Keith was the right guy at the right time . And , according to the article , MSNBC has never had higher ratings . P . S . Notice the little Stewie doll behind Keith . I m also a big fan of the Family Guy . It would seem that , Family Guy creator , Seth Mc Farlane and Keith are mutual admirers . Certain segments on Countdown are cleverly announced by Stewie , the animated , wannabe - evil genius infant . ( Stewie and Bill O Reilly are both employees of Fox . I ll bet this creates some uncomfortable moments at the company Christmas dinners . ) . 
Imagine no Madonna , it s easy if you try . Madonna is losing her religion , according to friends . I wasn t sure my respect for this woman could sink any lower , especially after she joined Kabbalah * and started proselyting other celebrities , and ultimately fans into the religion . But now that she 's abandoning it as the threads of woven red bracelets everywhere fade to pink , and the Kabbalah Hollywood trend wanes I ' m reminded , once again , that the Material Girl has never really left us . Personally , I can t wait for her next project . I ' m thinking it will contain an apology , where she ' ll tell us how she became a victim , and was tossed around by the lies and deceptions of others , and how she s finally seen the light for the umphteenth time ( la Ray of Light ) . And we ll all forgive her , of course , because she s Madonna for chrissake , and because the music will have a nice beat and be easy to dance to . Don t get me wrong : I don t believe Kabbalah * is any different that other religions that bilk huge sums of money out of its followers . Any time a religion has pay - to - play regulations attached to salvation , or access to information , or god , or whatever , you have an organization that rewards and empowers the rich , and enslaves and impoverishes the poor . Like the Christian parable of the widow s mite , the rich man gives a much greater sum , but the widow s donation is far greater in comparison to her means . Madonna , having championed this religion , has probably won it hundreds , if not thousands , of new followers . I have nothing against celebrities speaking out . They have as much right as anyone . But now that Madonna has used her fame , wealth and influence to lead people into the intellectual bondage of money - grubbing charlatans who steal others time and treasure to enrich themselves , maybe she should remember this before she encourages others to follow her on her next journey of self - discovery : The ease with which she may be able to extricate herself from this sect may not be the fate of others she s influenced to invest in it . * After some discussion with friends , I decided I should add a disclaimer here : When talking about Kabbalah , I am refering to the organization known as the Kabbalah Centre , founded by Philip Berg , not the tradition of Jewish misticism . Apologies to anyone who may have been offended . Shea , 07 / 12 / 2006 . 
No child left ahead . VIDEO - WM VIDEO - QTYou may remember this video . It s a political spot that was created for a contest Move On . org held during the 2004 election year . Child s Pay , by Charlie Fisher of Denver , Colorado , was the people s choice and overall winner . I remember being incredibly moved by this video the first time I saw it . It still drives home like nothing else I ve seen how shameful and immoral it is that we re saddling the next generation with a mountain of debt , and leaving our county s future in doubt . I ran across it the other day and couldn t get it out of my mind . When it says Guess who s going to pay off President Bush s $ 1 trillion deficit ? , the word deficit could now read war debt . Economists are projecting the final costs to come out to around $ 2 trillion . Long - term health and welfare costs of the thousands of U.S. soldiers seriously wounded in combat may account for much of this . However , given the fucked - up priorities that have brought us to this point , and America s pathetic track record supporting veterans afairs , I question this . Oh , the money will get spent . It just won't be spent helping a bunch of battle scared veterans . 
Bluetooth headsets : the New Crazy ! I was walking home from work today and encountered someone standing under an awning ( presumably to escape the rain that was falling ) , arms at his side , talking aloud to himself . Since I was the only person within earshot , my mind logically jumped to the conclusion that he was having some kind of mental fit ( this is San Francisco , remember ) . But his speech was at a normal pitch , and the words weren t necessarily bizarre . They just lacked any kind of context to me a person walking by , concentrating more on side - stepping the larger puddles than what some total umbrella - less strangers might be saying to me or himself . Then I thought , he could be talking on his mobile using one of those tiny Motorola headsets ( actually , they re more like earpieces ) . They are , in fact , so small and light ( and apparently so comfortable ) that people walk around like The Borg forgetting this thing is installed on the side of their head . ( I say forgetting because the alternative is too weird . ) I flew to Portland , not long ago , and watched with amusement this twenty - something year old kid ( dressed in a power suit way too powerful for either San Francisco or Portland ) sporting such a device . He showed up with it hanging off his ear . He boarded the plane , sat through the flight , got off the plane , and exited PDX , having never removed it having never received a call , from what I could tell ! I know , because , after we landed in Portland , I followed him outside to the taxi lane . I was committed by then . But back to the techie / vagrant loitering in front of empty commercial space on Market and Van Ness : Does it really matter whether he was talking on the phone or to people who weren t there ? Talking on the phone so much that your arm gets tired of holding it up to your face is a good sign that maybe you aren t a very efficient communicator . A more serious look might find issues of co - dependency , or someone who hates being alone with himself . Phones are for arranging to meet other people face - to - face . For that matter , walking down the street is for enjoying the world , finding one s center , being a part of your community . Don t get me wrong : I work in information technology ; I am so connected I can do my job from anywhere . In fact , I do my best work at home with DVR ed Family Guy episodes playing in the background . I also get paid by the hour ! I m not attacking the technology . I have a Bluetooth headset for my Tr o ( which provides my only long - distance ) . I use it in my apartment for those long , friends and family calls so I can walk around , make dinner , or use my computers while talking . If I needed to drive a car , I d probably use it there too . All I m saying is walking around like Lt . Uhura , confusing people with your one - on - NONE conversation , isn t worth the extra gain in productivity that might be had . We ve all heard these conversations : just scattered subjects interrupted by elevators , street noise , and real people . So , disconnect , and CONNECT ! More importantly : Stop adding to the crazed , one - sided street conversation . 
On Delay . He s gone . The Hammer . Tom Delay . The man who championed the platform of the Republican Party ( authored by the hijackers of said party : the Christian Right ) , has announced his departure from public office . This , the man who used his power to insert the government into the difficult , private decision of a family ( trying to find dignity for their brain - dead loved one ) , after making the same decision for his own parent . This , the public servant of the people of Texas who used his influence to raise , and illegally funnel , hundreds of thousands of dollars into state elections to defraud millions of U.S. citizens out of the right to a representative government . Tom Delay violated his oath of office as a representative of the people in pursuit of personal riches and privilege , all - the - while , playing the role of some kind of Christian soldier : representing the personal religious beliefs of some , as he fought to limit the civil rights of others . He fought to keep worker protections from raising hundreds of migrant workers from a life of indentured servatude , squalid living quarter , sweatshop working conditions , being forced into prositution and sex salvery on the American protectorate of Saipan ( the Northern Mariana Islands ) , so we can buy disposable clothing at Old Navy , and Wal - Mart . His behavior has been revolting . And yet he maintains the confidence of a large population of people who somehow ignore his crimes in some Machiavellian pursuit of religious dominance over the state . Christians : people who claim to follow the teachings of Jesus , who advocated honesty , meekness , charity , and humility . Somebody tell me how this helps further that end ? Something tells me this disgusting life is not finished with us . If he somehow manages to stay out of prision , he will , no doubt , be sucking the dignity and treasure out of this country until the god he claims to represent ends his pathetic existence . 
The War on Terra . VIDEO - WM VIDEO - QTHow about a little humor with your doomsday warning ? Yes , I realize this is copyrighted material , but the importance of the message outweighs any legality . Besides , it is only a portion , and it s being used for educational purposes . Plus , I think Bill would approve . As for HBO .. ? How about a plug ? Get HBO , if for no other reason than to watch Real Time with Bill Maher the most important discussion on television ! 
Episode 4 : Litter , rubbish , garbage .... you ! It 's another day and another arguement between HIM and HER . Sigh , can we at least see them romantically spend the time for 1 day without any arguements ? That 's too much to ask isn't it ? : ) This time around , the issue is who 's responsible for the litter , rubbish , garbage in their house . S : Hon , can you dump the rubbish from our room ? H : Huh ? I thought I just did 2 days ago ? S : Yes , you did but now its full again . Can you ? H : I think you are littering more than me , you should get it ! S : What ? There 's no way you can prove that , right ? H : You want proof heh ... ok wait here .. ( he walks to their bedroom to get their rubbish bin ) H : Look , its all yours . You facial tissue , cotton buds , some ' personal stuffs ' , more ' personal stuffs ' , and more ' personal stuffs ' . It 's all yours ! You get it ! S : Hey , its rubbish ! H : Exactly , and it 's all yours ! S : I mean you . You , rubbish ! H : I ' m yours too , ain't I ? S : Yes , but why can't you just get the rubbish . After all , the rubbish chute is right at our floor . You don't really have to walk too far for it . H : It 's not about that baby . It 's about being responsible for our own rubbish ! Your rubbish is yours , and mine is mine ! Own your rubbish ! S : Grrr , stop doing this and please just dump it for me for once . Will you ? I will work this one out tomorrow ! Next day ..... S : Here , from now onwards we will have HIS - Rubbish bin and HERS - Rubbish bin ! You think its fair ? H : Gulp ! Will this have any implications on our other activities in bedroom ? S : YOU BET ! H : Gosh , baby . I will be your personal garbage collector ok . Don't take it seriously ok . I ' m sorry . S : Sorry no cure . OWN YOUR RUBBISH ! --------------------------------------------------------------------- What a loser ! HE is in the most uncompromising situation any man wants to be . OWN YOUR RUBBISH ? ! Yea rite . Now pay for your own rubbish too ! He went on begging for an hour before she goes to bed , dumping their ' personal plastic stuffs ' in HIS - RUBBISH BIN ! TBC .......... 
Episode 3 : Yes Pet , No Pet . Only after a few weeks , SHE wanted to add a new member into their family . She was seriously considering her options , will they have time , are they financially secured to take up this new resposibility , will they be able to shower TLC , what about its daily needs and the additional expense it is going to spell ? S : Hon , should we add another member into our family ? H : WHAT !!! So early . I thought we will talk ' babies ' only after 2 years , its only been few weeks now ? Are you bored with me or what ? S : Hoi ! First of all , I ' m not talking about babies and secondly I am not bored with you .... yet . H : yet ? S : Yes , yet ! ha ha ha H : I demand an apology from you now ! S : Well , ok . Where do you want it ? H : Hey , I ' m talking about saying ' Sorry ' verbally . Nothing else . Don't get ideas ok ! S : Your lost . Not mine . Anyway , ' Sorry for the inconvenience caused ' H : Ya ya , papaya . Now , who are you talking about adding to our family ? Your mum ? dad ? sister ? neighbour ? uncle ? aunty ? cousin ? S : None . I want to have a puppy ... can I. ( giving him the sweetest possible look she could express ) H : DOGS ! NO WAY ! THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I ' M GOING TO BE UNDER ONE ROOF WITH A DOG ! S : Cat ? H : Cats too ... S : Gosh , I want a pet . And I demand a pet . H : What 's wrong with me ? Aint I cute , tall , dark , handsome , chubby , and an all - rounder just like what you wanted all along , rite ? S : Yes you are ! Not denying it . But , I think we can make do with another one right ? H : Mmm , baby please . No dogs , cats , reptiles , any animal that can over grow , create a swarm or turn vampire at nite . Anything else , we may consider it . S : Canary ? H : Smelly . S : Tortoise ? H : Too slow . Won't be able to pick the papers . And it 's a reptile . S : Rabbit ? H : I hate carrots . So , I ' m not going to buy for anyone in the house as well . S : Hamster ? H : Too small . I might step on them . S : Horse ? H : This is not a stable - lah ! S : Then what do you want ! Why are you so difficult ! Grrr . H : Ok ok , how about fish ? S : Fish ? Who 's going to clean the aquarium ? You ? Both ' Before ' and ' After ' , ok ! H : Mmmm . Now thats a tough call . May be we can get salt water fish . That kinda aquariums doesn't require much of cleaning and it is not to be done often . We can get the professionals to clean it every 3 months once . I can pay for it . S : What fish ? H : May be , Nemo ? Dory ? Some other colourful fishes ? S : Mmm ... now u are talking . H : Alright , we can go down to ' Asia 's Largest Shopping Mall ' tomorrow to get an aquarium . Ok ? S : Coolio . Just a question . H : Yes baby , shoot . S : Can it pick the newspapers ??? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ?? ! ---------------------------------------------------------- They started chasing each other in the living room , continued to bedroom , bathroom , kitchen , before resting on the couch and watch , ' Flowers for Algernon ' ! Fish or mice ? Fish or mice ? Fish or mice ? TBC . 
Episode 1 : The apartment . Finally , after zeroing down on 2 apartments near Lake Salmon HE and SHE came to common understanding that they love the apartment at Sushi Villa . It 's a perfect place . Accessible to public transports , near to Asia 's largest shopping mall , well populated , and very near to KL city . They proceeded with the procedures in securing the apartment which costs them RM 180 K in nearest round figure . Deposit of 10 % , S Mrs Tan . They are from Mr. Tans family . This is Chee Ming and his sister Swee Ling . They are siblings . Don't you know that chinese family members share the same surname , bla bla bla ... ( obviously he is trying to make her feel more embarassed than him . ) S : Opps . I ' m sorry . ------------------------------------------------------------ That 's how their first meeting with the member of Tan 's went . Not a good start but at least there wasn't any issues with HER shouting and screaming ! or , they thought so ....... ( TBC - To Be Continued ) ... * - Indians perform a pooja for any new house they move in to , to get rid of any evil spirit which may exist . Oh by the way , our HE and SHE are an indian couple . 
Welcome Note ... an introductory into the life of HE and SHE . Welcome . Thank you for dropping by my new blog - com ( ala sit - com ) about HE and SHE . This blog is all about the daily happenings of HE and SHE who are young , married , white - collar working couple . They live in an imagenary city called Lake Salmon , Kuala Lumpur . Cool rite ? They co - own a small apartment which they plan to stay in for the next 10 years . They have been married only for 1 month now , and we will be experiencing their daily lives , at work , at home , their emotional roller - coaster , family , friends , pets , hobbies , movies and everything in their life . Including AND excluding their sex lives . Mentions here and there are to be seen but not in great detail to lable this blog as Porn - o - log . : ) By the way , let me introduce you guys to the protagonists of our story . HE and SHE . HE - 30 , hard working entreprenuer , cool guy , friendly and a free thinker , sort of . SHE - 31 , successful PR Consultant , even more friendlier than HIM , and believes in god more than anything . They have known each other for more than 5 years , before deciding to get married and settle down . After a few years of financial struggle they own an apartment , as I have mentioned , a black Audi , and a Chevy . Both are very career minded , open minded , pro self critisizing and enjoys kicking each others butts ( literally ) . Now , lets walk into their new apartment and guide them through out their lifes obstacles and hurdles .... p / s : This is totally imagenary , got nothing to do with the dead , alive or kicking ! 
Anatomy of a name !!!! Someone ( naming will be a gr 8 disservice to him !! waise the language we use nowadays is newayz a gr 8 disservice to him , but that sometime later !!! ) once famously said : " What 's in a name ? " . uff but ask me !! first of all my birth , I was destined to be born in the same era , when the " Love Story " was still so young and Bunty the Hero was still so adorable !! he only helped in people " bajaoing my ghanti " !! yes ! the name that became my identity before i got another ( my official identity ) superb name : ' ( . and see the fallacy , yash raj films after a good 23 years decided to make another movie with the hero again donning ( or rather conning ) the same name and released it on the same ill fated day ( my bday i mean ) , and the fun with my first ( nick ) name continues ...... then my parents going against the stars and family pundits recommendations , decided to award me a name that guaranteed me the company of atleast one other person and loads of confusion , wherever i went . but why the confusion ?? hmmm , ever imagined calling somebody and saying " hello aunty , how r u ? saurabh this side , can I talk to saurabh please !! " and the reply would invariably be wwwwwwhat ?????????? or responding to a call just to realise it was not meant for you !! and yes not to forget the various complements ( !!!! ) i keep on getting for my ( in ) famous namesake ! dada match ke liye practice kar li !!! and of late , dada chamach ki jagah bat zyada use kiya hota toh chapal se aisi pitai nahin hoti !!! but the real comedy comes in next , yes see my tragedy : ( , my name is a comedy . i am talking about the name with which most of my friends call me , and many even felt that it is my real name !! . tutu as i always understood it , but it does have its variations too -- like tuttu or tuutu or 22 !! see he is one only , its just that people like to call him by different names ; ) i break ( tuttu ) quite often !! and i m never alone , becoz i m always 2 - 2 !! and yes i shud always be challaned coz 22 people are not allowed on a single vehicle !! and the list goes on .................. waise i share my name with the a famous archbishop and also with a russian skirt and one flop bollywood producer , all reasons good enough for the continuity of comedy !! chalo i guess enough of my names , but i guess i will not be able to agree to the quote i begun with !! but before i say tata ; ) here 's another final ( and most fabulous too ) example of what i meant , a poetry for my name : tutu ke tutne se tut - ti hain tutiyan ... tutiyon ke tutne se tut - ta hai tutu .... wah - wah ......... 
untitled 2 . 12.16.2005 i have been ignoring friendster for the longest time ( well , except if i recieve a notification of new message ) . I ' ve been really busy honestly speaking . Been swamped really with a bunch of readings and papers that are always almost due everyweek . I ' m just glad that the semester is over . I know I share this hapiness with everyone . i have missed doing a lot of things this past semester . like watching tv i guess since i dont have one here at the dorm where i live in . i miss the food that mom cooks because the one they serve here sucks so bad . i miss relaxing doing nothing . I miss not having problems or not thinking when to turn in research papers . Just to think as to what topic i might want to write about is killing me . im just glad that i dont have to deal with almost weekly quizzes and tests anymore . I ' m glad i dont have to listen to anymore b . s . from my boring professors . i ' m just glad that the semester is finally over . before i wlecome the upcoming one , i ' ll just kick back and chill and enjoy wintek break in NYC . 
Takin ' Time To Shoot . I am off to work at the 2006 National Rifle and Pistol Matches at Camp Perry , Ohio . I ' ll be gone from Tuesday , July 18 until Thursday , July 27 , and I have no idea if there is internet access anywhere nearby . So , please accept my apologies if I am gone from blogging for about 10 days . Worst case scenario , I ' ll be back on the 28 th . I hope to catch up with some of you while at Camp Perry . Have a great day , Jay . 
GOA / NRA Confusion . I was reading the GOA email update about the recent passage of the Vitter amendment . No big deal . I saw they had only 16 senators vote against it , even though many there are many more senators with an " F " ranking . " Good job , GOA , " I thought . Of course , when I read the NRA Vitter - amendment - email , the NRA claims all the credit for saving the day . Typical , and irresponsible . Just for the heck of it , I clicked on the GOA 's 109 th Senate grades to review them ... moved on to the House grades ... checked Michigan rankings and found Congressman John Dingell , D - Trenton , with a " D " - again , no big deal , right ? Wrong . Congressman Dingell is a sweetheart of the NRA and consistently gets high ratings ( like A 's and A + 's ) from the NRA . Anyone else see a problem ? Yeah , sadly we all know this isn't the first time , either . 
Current Mid East Turmoil Explained . From Weekly Standard Magazine - Most of Israel 's traditional Arab enemies have checked out of the current conflict . The governments of Egypt , Jordan , Iraq , and Saudi Arabia are , to say the least , indifferent to the fate of Hamas and Hezbollah . The Palestine Liberation Organization ( Fatah ) isn't a player . The prime mover behind the terrorist groups who have started this war is a non - Arab state , Iran , which wasn't involved in any of Israel 's previous wars . -- Bill Kristol . 
Scary Times ? From the Temple Mount Faithful Israel is Attacked Again by Missiles and Other Weapons With the Backing of Arab and Islamic Countries - The G - d of Israel and His Faithful Israeli Soldiers Will Win this Battle as Well Israel is Now in the Beginning of the End - Time Gog and Magog War - The Rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem and the Coming of the Mashiach ben David is Behind the Door It 's interesting . I often hear Christians talking about the End Times . I rarely hear Orthodox Jews talking about it , though . 
Thanks ? Senator David Vitter s amendment to prohibit the use of funds appropriated under the Homeland Security appropriations bill ( H . R . 5441 ) for the confiscation of lawfully possessed firearms during an emergency or major disaster passed the United States Senate with broad bi - partisan support , the final vote margin was 84 - 16 . In the House , Congressman Bobby Jindal of Louisiana introduced HR 5013 , the Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act of 2006 , an NRA - supported bill amending federal emergency statute laws to stop local authorities from confiscating lawfully owned firearms during times of disaster . from NRA - ILAGee , I don't know what to say . Should I say " thanks " ??? Should I sigh and say " has it really come to this ? " If I remember my civics class correctly ( yeah , it was a long time ago , but my mind isn't that dull ) , there was something about the Bill of Rights being written out and codified specifically so the rights listed would never be violated . Now it takes a vote from Congress to say , " Yeah , I guess we ' ll let you keep your 2 nd amendment rights a bit longer . " I guess I won't complain - it could be worse . 
Iran . Crude oil prices fell more than $ 1 a barrel Monday on rumors of moves toward peace in the Middle East and in Iran 's nuclear standoff with Western nations . How nice . " Slim spare capacity , continued demand and a spate of geopolitical threats to supply all point toward bullish oil markets and yet more upward pressure on crude , " said Simon Wardell at Global Insight . Note to Democrats - let 's increase our refining capacity here in the US . Let 's allow more drilling for oil . 
Castle Doctrine - Governor Signature Update . Michigan from about 200 miles above . Yes , that 's Canada south of Detroit . Sorry , my castle isn't visible in this picture . By law , the Castle Doctrine package must be signed by Governor Granholm no later than July 20 - two weeks after both the House and Senate passed the package . All Michigan citizens interested in protecting their right to self - defense must contact the Governor 's office and let her know you support the bills . She is expected to sign the bills , after all , it is an election year . Even if she doesn't , over 80 % of legislators approved the package , so it is virtually veto - proof . But silence and inactivity from Castle Doctrine supporters is absolutely inexcusable . Groups are working around the clock to keep the Governor from signing this bill . Take the few minutes to contact our Governor now , or spend months and thousands of dollars working out your self - defense legal troubles later . And don't forget why Michigan 's Castle Doctrine bill is called the Dr. Ossian Sweet Self - Defense Act . It 's a long - established historical fact : People need to defend themselves against hateful brutes . 
What Petition Did I Sign ? Lately I ' ve been complaining about a certain post at the State of Michigan website - a post urging citizens to sign an electronic petition demanding President Bush to intervene and lower gas prices . Apparently others are mad , too - but about something else . GOP charges governor used gas petition to send e - mail State Republicans charged Tuesday that Gov . Jennifer Granholm abused the trust and privacy rights of constituents when her campaign solicited support from 280,000 signers of an online petition about gas prices that the governor 's office circulated in May . Michigan GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis accused Granholm of duping citizens who thought they were registering displeasure over soaring gas prices with government officials but were instead signing up for campaign spam . 
Saturday Training Ride . I decided to bag the crit in Ft . Morgan since there are no upgrade points available and instead do a long training ride . The 100 + degree temps forcasted for Denver , saw me Ty , and Taylor leaving my house at 6 am ( ouch ) to try and beat the heat . Taylor was our tour guide today , and from the start was all business . We did 71 miles in 4:04 w / 4400 ft of climbing Avgs : speed 17.8 mph , hr 147 , power 172 Max : speed 53 mph , hr 178 , power 1117 total work : 2407 kj Looking forward to more of the same tommorrow . Oh Yeah - It sucks when your AC freezes and it is 101 out . 
Andy Finch / Sara Kay Memorial Crit . Andrei and I , along with 45 other nut jobs braved the fierce condtions for 50 minutes of pain on Sunday . ( Temp was 59 and poured rain the whole race ) I could have used a snorkel the first couple of laps . Felt like someone was holding a water hose in my face . After I settled in , tried my hand at getting off the front with a few other guys . We would get about 5 - 8 guys off the front but only about half would work or pull through . After my second attempt I went back to the pack and Andrei had a go which helped keep the pace high . I was able to recover during this point and when he was caught I attacked again over the top of the climb to keep popping guys off . I never made an all out effort to go solo , just to gap the field with the hope a few guys would bridge and we could get going . After this attack no one bridged so I sat up . That left us with 2 laps to go . Starting the last lap over the hill one of the guys I had been in an earlier break with attacked and got a good gap . I waited to see if anyone else was going to go , not wanting to drag the whole group up to his wheel . Finally Greg ( Spike Cycling Team ) jumped so I worked with him to bridge . The three of us ended up getting caught on the last straightaway , but had done our damage to the field because only 1 guy was able to counter before the last corner and climb . I ended up getting 4 th . Greg got me by half a wheel for 3 rd . The Winner got off the front after about 2 laps , and soloed home . I never knew he was gone until somebody said something with 3 laps to go , as I spent the first couple laps towards the back . I was really happy with race , being able to get off the front 4 different times and still finish strong on the climb . It was good to see Andrei at the front putting the hurt on as well and finish strong in 18 th . We are now tied for 3 rd place for the Best Team Competition and only 23 points out of first . 
Proctor Cycling Classic . Last weekend I headed back to Illinois to visit my bro and get a race in . I did the Proctor Cycling Classic Road Race which also happened to be the Illinois State Championship . I was excited to race back home , just to see how it compared to Colorado . picture The course was challenging with several rolling hills , but a little short for the 4 s if you ask me , only 32 miles . My plan was to sit in the first lap then hammer the last 5 miles ( several steep climbs ) as I thought it would split apart leaving ~15 guys . 32 miles wouldn't be long enough to make endurance a factor or be a advantage for me . Race started off as planned , basically a group ride . No real attacks , and no one driving the pace , big suprise . Waited for the last 3 climbs and I went to the front and picked the pace up . Got a good gap over the first climb and hoped some guys would bridge , instead 1 guy dragged everyone up to me at which time , I gave the flick of the elbow to pull through with no reaction , so I sat up , and so did everyone else . On the next climb did the same thing , got everything strung out , and finally turned around and told the guy to pull through , to which he replied , I can't . So basically they wouldn't let me go , but wouldn't work either . At this point we only had 2 miles left and I couldn't recover in time for the sprint , so came through in 8 th place . Team Mack won with XXX taking 2 nd or 3 rd . Big results for 2 teams that had over 5 guys each who didn't attack , help ride tempo , or do anything proactive . Do I sound a little bitter ? I guess they did win , but we should have all just hung out telling stories for an hour , then got on our bikes and sprinted for the town sign . What a waste of a cool course . If I come back next year , I ' ll definately be bringing some teamates . Differences between Ill and CO - Colorado is more agressive , faster , and teams play more of a role in the race . Competition is a lot tougher in CO . CO Courses are a lot longer , usually 50 - 65 miles . ILL climbs are bumps in the road in CO . While 30 guys did finish with the main pack , if this same race had happened in CO the whole race would have stayed together . Field size was only 70 guys . Similarities - 4 s race negatively in both states . Bike handeling skills basically the same . 
Dead Dog Classic . 2 weekends ago I did the Dead Dog Stage Race . I was really excited and my form seemed to be great as well . So I headed up to Laramie , Wy on Friday and spent most of the night with Jeremy and Andrei trying to get my bike set up . In preparation of the TT on Sunday , I had a full TT cockpit set up on my road bike with cables , shifters and all , so I could get the best result possible . When putting my road handlebars back on I frayed my rear derailer cable hence the 3 hours it took us to get it shifting properly . Anyway I was pretty amped the next morning . We had a good breakfast at the Chuckwagon restaurant . I was so nervous before the race that an older gentlemen sitting behind me in the booth at the restaurant said if I didn't ' stop shaking , he was going to spill his coffee and food all over himself . That gave Jeremy and Andrei a good laugh . The first disappointment was that the race course had to be changed do to a forrest fire , so the 7 mile climb was out and the course ended up being flat with 2 large rollers each way . Jeremy and Andrei went immediately to the front and started picking up the pace . This strung out the pack , but none of the other teams were really helping to keep the pace high . I sat in about 20 th place . Eventually Jeremy got up with a group of 12 or so guys and Andrei and Matt put the brakes on opening up a nice gap . I then rolled up just to say high and helped block . As soon as I did this , I started getting yelled at to close the gap and stop blocking , boo whooo . Had one rider yell at me with the commment , " oh , they are really going to get away . " If he didn't think they were , then why did he come around me and start chasing ? This is why racing 4 s sucks . Everybody races so negatively . No breaks get established , no one will work , etc. We were just trying to get some action going . Otherwise it is always the same - speed up , brake , speed up , brake , crash , attack through feed zone , brake , crash , field sprint . I personally get tired of this and want to make the race hard , so there isn't 50 guys left at the end . Anyway , Matt , Jeremy , and Andrei all got dropped and I was left alone with 10 miles to go so I had not choice but to sit in . About 3 miles out I was thinking I had good enough legs to win . I positioned myself on the yellow line sheltered from the crosswind . This side had been surging all race when there was an acceleration . I was sitting 3 rd wheel behind Brent who got 2 nd at Hugo the week before . Usually someone jumps with about 1 k to go and things split up allowing you to move around . Not this time everyone held tight until 300 m and then a guy on the outside jumped , but the guy in front of Brent never reacted , boxing us in . Never even had space to sprint so ended up 15 th . This sat the tone for the rest of the weekend . It was basically going to come down to the TT , because we had 30 guys with the same time . The crit the next morning was uneventful as suspected . All my teamates got dropped again , so I spent a lap hammering the pace to try to drop even more guys so that there weren't as many to contend with at the TT . My legs were cooked after this and could only manage 13 th in the sprint . I ended up 20 th in the TT , which I was happy with , since it was my best TT placing all year . I ended up 16 th on GC because 4 of the guys that beat me in the TT got dropped in the crit , so I guess keeping the pace high helped . Overall a frustrating weekend . 
Arms to the Sky . Saturday was the Hugo Road Race which my team Swift Cycling puts on . The Cat 4 s had a 90 rider field limit which filled up by preregistration the week before . There were a total of 579 racers with 512 finishers . I had an awesome 2 weeks of training prior to this race which had me feeling confident and my legs feeling strong . Chaz , Jeremy , and Matt lined up with me for the race . We had to start on the last row , because we were late to the start line due to our volunteer responsibilites . With no warm - up , we headed out and spent the next 18 miles trying to weave our way to the front . I was only able to get up to about 50 th before the first turn . After the turn , things strung out a bit and I was able to move up a little further . At this point guys were starting to open gaps from the crosswind and rollers and there was a lot of heavy breathing , so I decided I better move up quick . I saw Matt move into the wind and head for the front , so I jumped on his wheel and we went all the way to the front , then drifted left and slowed down to enjoy the draft . This is where our team finally got back together and hung out until the 2 nd turn . After the second turn ( now with a left right cross / headwind ) the pace picked up a bit as a few riders got off the front through the feed zone . I had drifted back again so Matt pulled Chaz and I back up to the top 10 . From here I settled into the pack about 20 th , while Matt , Chaz , and Jeremy patrolled the front . Chaz and Jeremy got in some short breaks while Matt blocked . Once Chaz got caught he drifted back and told me to make sure I was in the to 20 going into the last turn as all hell would break loose . Sure enough it did . We now had a cross / tailwind and the pace was crazy 30 + for the last 8 miles . The pack instantly split with me sitting on the back of the main group of 30 riders . Eventually 20 more got back on . Chaz came by and I got on his wheel , then Jeremy came on my right so I jumped on his wheel , and this is where I spent the next 7 miles . Chaz was right next to me giving me the distance as my odometer stopped working and I wasn't familiar with the finish . 5 miles , 4 miles , Move up , 3 miles , etc. With about 2 miles to go the pace picked up again and Jeremy started moving me up . We were sitting about 25 th , when he started to hammer and I just sat on his wheel as we kept moving up . We were about 1 k out when there was an acceleration on the left and things started to split up . At that point Jeremy went all out to get me to the front , with about 500 meters I yelled for him to move left as he detonated , and I was now sitting 4 th . A CPT rider jumped at this point and got a good 15 meter gap so I started to close It but came next to another guy so I sat back down to see if he was going to go or not , because I didn't want him to jump on my wheel . One look at him and I knew he was cooked so I started again . The last guy in front of me saw me coming , but couldn't accelerate , and at that point I knew I was going to win . I came by him and had a couple bike lengths and time to throw my arms up and get my first win . Finishing time of 2:39:36 for 64 miles with and avg speed of just over 24 mph if my math is correct . Matt finished 11 th , Chaz 16 th , and Jeremy 48 th . The results moved our team into 3 rd place for the Best All Around Team Competition . I can't thank my teammates enough . It was great to finally see all the hard work pay off . I also wanted to thank my coach Mark Legg for helping me get to this point . Next up is the Dead Dog Classic this weekend and the team is now really motivated which is nice . Unfortunately we will only have 4 of us instead of the 7 we were expecting . I ' m just excited to finally work together as a team and actually race . 
Louisville and City Park . I basically imploded at the Louisville crit. 95 + temp took its toll . I had no problem hanging with pack but got chest pains about 20 minutes in . It felt like my respiratory tract was on fire so I pulled the plug hoping to get some rest for city park . I hate DNFing but thought it would be best . Next day I felt much better at city park . This is a very technical course with several turns and 2 turns and 4 round abouts . I started off well , but on the second lap I was sitting about 25 when two guys in front of my got tangled and almost went down forcing me to slam on the breaks and that was it . The first group of 20 were gone . I then spent the next 10 minutes working with 4 others to get back , but 2 of the guys didn't know how to do a rotating paceline . Pretty frustrating . We then had 4 more join us and I thought we would get back . We got the gap down to 10 seconds , but this GS boulder would pull through and block then you pass him and he would cut you off in the corners . Total tool . The gap got back up to 25 seconds so I had a go solo as the group I was with wasn't going to get back . I got it down to 15 seconds after a lap and half , but wasn't going to be able to catch on without blowing up , so I sat up let the group catch me and sat on the back until last lap . Typical last lap - I was sitting 9 th going into the last 2 turn around , watch guy in front of me ( gs boulder ) touch wheels trying to cut corner ( big suprise ) and go down , next round about watched another guy go down taking the corner to fast and then another guys just fell over , but I don't know why . I ended up taking the field sprint again for 23 rd . Even though the result isn't good , I felt like I was getting my legs back . 
Rocky MTN Omnium . My parents came out for this weekend while I was trying to find my legs . It was a little rough considering I had taken off 16 days from being sick and our trip to Italy . I ended up 22 nd in 8 mile time trial 1:26 off the winner . I was pretty happy with this considering I didn't have a TT bike or aero bars and it was only my 5 th day back on the bike . The Circuit race next day wasn't as fun . It was a 1.2 mile circuit where I ended up 29 th after getting dropped on the 1 / 2 mile ( 200 ft elevation gain ) climb after about 3 laps . I had no legs and the 90 + temp was brutal . The last crit was in downtown Golden and probably the funnest race so far this year . My result again was 29 th , but the course was awesome with 8 turns . There was probably about 1000 spectators which was pretty cool . I held on for about half the race then rolled solo for about 5 laps , and then waited for a group of 7 to catch me and basically waited for the field sprint which I took . Overall not bad considering how long I had been off the bike . Wish I could have pulled a better result while my parents were in town . 
The Past 30 . Well it has been awhile since I posted , so I ' ll try to catch up . 1 st Cori and I had a wonderful trip to Italy . No special occasion just a trip we ' ve been wanting to take . Started in Venice and spent 2 days then on to Bologna / Forli . In Forli we caught a stage of the Giro d ' Italia . From Bologna we took the train to Florence and spent 3 full days . On the fourth day we rented a car and drove down to Montalcino where Brunello wines are made . We then spent 2 days in Milan before finally coming back . Florence was by far our favorite . The food , wine , gelato and atmosphere were uncomparable . Cori 's favorite part was a private cooking class she took in Florence , mine was probably the food and wine in Florence . 
Getting Ready . GETTING READYRay started it all when he announced he was looking for a R 1150 RT so that he and his wife Sharon could enjoy some 2 - up touring and rally s together . I am sure that sounded better to Sharon , than saying he needed a more comfortable ride on the 6,000 mile plus , trip we were planning . At last years MOA , Paul Whitworth helped out a friend with a family emergency , by riding his 03 K 1200 LT home from Ohio . With Ray looking for a new bike , it was all the incentive Paul needed to get him started looking for an LT . Ray found a Pristine , ( 04 ) R 1150 RT in Kansas City , with 1500 miles on the clock and strikes a deal . Paul finds a flawless ( 02 ) K 1200 LT in Indiana , and can t resist . Me , watching all of this from a safe distance , am suddenly overwhelmed with the dreaded ; Gotta have a new one ! While brsowsing the IBMR classifieds I find a ( 02 ) R 1150 RT , at a reasonable price that might allow me to actually buy it without selling off any of my prized BMW s . I rationalize that I am , improving my stable . ( Miscellaneous Ramblings ) My new ( to me ) , RT is in need of some new tires . With the capable assistance of a fellow RAMS member ( Doug Pauley ) , I add an accessory shelf , 2 power points , and a Sirius Radio to my RT . Steve Clark helps me wire my helmet with an Auto Com , headset . Paul Whitworth lands a construction contract that will cause him to miss the trip . Now it looks like just Ray and I. Departure is set for July 1 ! 
The Plan . THE PLANRay Moss , Paul Whitworth and I were sitting at the same table enjoying lunch prior to the February RAMS meeting talking about travel plans for the coming year . I told them about my experience at the Top Of The Rockies rally in 05 , and told them this rally was a MUST , at least for me . We decided and agreed to try to make both the BMW RA International Rally , and the Top Of The Rockies , if at all possible . Our plan was to ride north and west , with our initial destination being the Black Hills of South Dakota . From there , we would cross Wyoming on back roads , ending up at Yellowstone National Park , then north to Glacier National Park , before heading south to Boise , and the RA rally . We would leave Boise on Sunday morning , July 9 th , ride west to Washington State and the Pacific Coast , then south down the Pacific Coast Highway . On Wednesday , we would turn back east and head over to Paonia , CO for the Top Of The Rockies . When the Colorado rally ended , the guys with real jobs , would pack up and go back home to their work . Me , on the other hand , being semi - retired ( unemployed , and not looking to hard ) had the ability to explore other options . The BMW MOA is the following weekend in Burlington VT . I wonder ????? 
Dear ---- . I ' ve just realized how much love and respect I actually have for you , and it 's much larger than what I had previously thought . I won't be losing you to anyone easily , and I don't care who they are . I won't be the man I claim to be if I give up and lose hope too soon . At least , even if I lose , I can hold my head high with pride because I did all I could to keep you . I will show a gross representation of what your worth truly is to me if I disappear like a wimp . Yours truly , ---- . 
Blocks . In order to understand how humans behave on an individual or social level , it is necessary to examine the ways in which their body reacts to the reception of information through the human senses . One might say , the key is hidden in understanding how the human body regulates its functional process in response to the data it receives through the senses of vision , audition , gustation , olfaction and tactition [ 1 ] . But that is not enough . It is also essential to take into account the information stored inside the brain as a result of the reception of data , because it can be used as previous data in the process of analysis of the outcome of future actions , decisions , etc. , and it is also helpful in formulating the methods through which thoughts that result from the " thinking " process being performed by the brain ( or in other words , the process of the interaction of the existing stored groups of data inside the brain with themselves , or the outcomes of the reception of data through senses ) are formed . Physical reactions in the body are caused by the changes in the conditions of the chemicals inside it . Many of these are associated with certain feelings by the brain . The roots of all feelings known to mankind are more than likely easily traced through these processes down to the molecular , or even atomic , level . Comprehending how our brains work , or how humans behave and act , is only possible through studying the subject on different levels of different nature , looking at the system through different lenses of different magnitude and texture ... more than one view is needed . Every phenomenon related to the subject needs to be broken down into basic steps which are preferably significant on different scales . [ 1 ] Feelings like heat ( or lack thereof ) and pain are directly controlled by the brain in a sense that the information received by the brain through the sense of touch is almost simoltinously translated into data related to the said feelings , or in other words , subconsciously interpreted by the brain . ( Obviously , the feeling of pain in the internal organs follows a different procedure as the sense of touch is not involved . Though , it is still directly , and subconsciously , controlled by the brain . ) . 
Endlessness . It is time to attempt to view infinity from a different perspective . Infinity is not negligible anymore . We have to stop justifying our fear of the unknown by trying to shove infinity up in a hole , and shutting it close . It is required to understand ways in which considering infinity is influential around the universe , and vigorously include them in our analysis ( which is very mathematical in nature ) of the world in which we 're living . 
I. I don't believe in conventional systems of morality most others choose to believe in . I ' d rather use my own system of thoughts which are open to progression and evolution , and those which are dedicated , in theory and practice , to a mighty powerful skill a group of men have developed throughout the history of mankind 's intellectual evolution , to search and seek the truth through scientific process . I apply the morality of decrseasing the error of choosing the wrong alternative while making decisions and performing actions , based on my own level of understanding and knowledge of the state of different factors involved in any particular situation . The morality is shaped and formed to serve my own survival , although given the rather uncertain nature of most factors and events , it 's subject to change . 
Proposition . If processes within a system express similar patterns on different scales , the scales themselves must follow an infinitely - large scaled pattern in order for the system to be of the infinite order . 
Sacrificial Suicide . 1 . Woods of Sodomy and Blood 2 . Tearing Your Heart Away ( In Pleasure or Pain ) 3 . Whipping Mankind Into Submission 4 . Kill me , but never die 5 . Procreation Through Destruction ( Summoning Chapters in Fire Death ) . 
Self - organization vs . entropy . " It would appear that , since isolated systems cannot decrease their entropy , only open systems can exhibit self - organization . However , a closed system can gain macroscopic order while increasing its overall entropy . Specifically , a few of the system 's macroscopic degrees of freedom can become more ordered at the expense of microscopic disorder . In many cases of biological self - assembly , for instance metabolism , the increasing organization of large molecules is more than compensated for by the increasing entropy of small molecules , especially water . At the level of a whole organism and over longer time scales , though , biological systems are open systems feeding from the environment and dumping waste into it . " Self - organization . 
Completely Random ? One of the main problems that we , as humans , the " intelligent " animals , have continuously developed throughout our change and evolution , through the interactions of the different networks available inside our brains , is the dimensional closed - mindededness , or the lack of ability to increase our range of processing the knowledge of different topics and levels of matters in the universe we 're living in , and considering more facts about how everything works . And as it seems , this greatly affects the way in which we make life - changing decisions throughout our lives , therefore , there cannot be any question about its impact . Humans , as another endless form of simple species living in an ordinary universe , in general , cannot leave the insignificant locality , and consider a more general totality ( which can be assumed to be ever - expanding , and continuously happening ) . Obviously , there have been changes in the lives of the modern generations , but the problem is still alive . *** Since most of the advances , and technologies , achieved in the past decades have been based on practices in complex and advanced mathematics , it is easier to model , study and analyse the way they have been affecting our behaviour , mind , and really the changes of the structures in our brains , during this time . It is easier to formulate a rational and logical pattern and concept as the reasons behind how we , humans , behave , decide and act in rather predictable ways , in most cases . *** When we learn , when we , the intelligent animals , save a memory , ( and in other words , come to a judgmental or well - thoughtout conclusion about any type of incident ) , we create , change or suppress networks inside our heads . Using a certain part of the brain is equal to having more electro - chemical reactions circulating , in various forms and shapes , ( ? ) in that certain region . Better - kept networks perform better towards their purpose . 
300 C Interior Update . Autoblog is speculating that the 300 C is going to get some kind of update to the interior . I agree that most of the 300 C inside is appropriate to the price , but many items are not . Too much plastic . Am looking forward to seeing what Chrysler comes up with . 
Chrysler Imperial Concept Car. Some are impressed with the Chrysler Imperial concept car unveiled in January this year at the North American International Auto show . From Mercury News . com : The idea here is to question whether there 's space in the Chrysler lineup above and beyond the iconic 300 C sedan . The Imperial is a huge , tall car , as in 17 inches longer and six inches taller than a 300 . It 's an evocative statement similar in its classical stance to such popular Chrysler concepts as the Atlantic from 1995 . Most , though , see the current Rolls - Royce Phantom when they see the Imperial concept . ( Not coincidentally , many see a Bentley when they see Chrysler 's 300 sedan . ) Reaction to the Imperial has been mixed . Dan Lienert on Forbes . com proclaimed it one of the year 's 10 coolest concepts and characterized it as " another stab from Chrysler at bringing sinister looks back into American sedans . " But Motor Trend wrote that the " Detroit show reaction can be most charitably described as ` lukewarm , ' with one wag describing it as a cross between the Rolls Phantom and the Checker Marathon . ' ' " All I know is , Chrysler seems to be batting 1000 when it comes to cool car design and production . Or maybe it 's all in the marketing ? Tags : chrysler imperial , chrysler concept , imperial concept , concept car , chrysler , rolls royce phantom . 
300 C Photos . If you 're a 300 C fan , then you probably appreciate seeing photos of other 300 c owners cars and the things they do to them . Modifications can range from the popular 300 c grilles to the strange gull wing doors . Here are a few resources for finding interesting 300 c photos : Flickr photos tagged with 300 c Google image search for 300 c Yahoo image search for 300 c 300 c Forums You can do the same thing with video search . Tags : 300 c , 300 c photos , custom 300 c , chrysler 300 c . 
Stretch 300 C . A longer 300 C is in store according to UK Car Publications , What Car ? Long - wheelbase versions of the imposing Chrysler 300 C Saloon and Touring estate will be revealed at the New York Motor Show in April , and they may soon appear in the UK . The stretched 300 C 's wheelbase is 152 mm longer , all of which is used to enhance rear legroom . It will be sold in the US from this autumn with the 250 bhp 3.5 - litre V 6 and 335 bhp 5.7 - litre V 8 petrol engines already found in the standard car . If they arrive in the UK too , they 're sure to also be available with the 215 bhp 3.0 - litre V 6 diesel . This makes the 300 c a good competitor to the Lincoln Town Car as a " short limo " I think . Tags : 300 c , chrysler 300 c , stretch 300 c , 300 C limo . 
Dub Car Show . Some pretty cool cars showed up at the 2005 dub carshow . Here are links to some photos : Web Shots Twista 's 300 c - Dodge Charger - The Game 300 c Check out the wild grille on this 300 c More photos over at Car Domain . 
Dodge Charger SRT 8 Accessories . When I started this blog , it was a place for me to store links to 300 C accessory sites . But now the Dodge Charger SRT 8 is capturing a lot of nice press and attention and I can tell from my web site stats , that people are looking for dodge charger srt 8 accessories . Interestingly enough , the Dodge Charger was named most accessory friendly car " at the SEMA show . Some of the kinds of accessories that are available for the SRT 8 charger include : Interior Parts and Accessories Air Freshners Anti - Theft Devices Arm Rests Cabin Air Filtration Cargo Area Dash Kits Door Entry Guards DVD Players Floor Mats Keychains Mirrors Remote Start Systems Safety Kits Smoking Accessories Exterior Parts and Accessories Auto Tags Bicycle Carriers Body Graphics Bumpers Chrome Trim Fascia Accents Fender Vents Fog Lights Front End Covers Gas Cap Grilles Hoods & Scoops License Frames Park Distance Sensors Rear Fascia Accent Panels Rocker Panels Roof Racks Side Window Deflectors Splash Guards Sport Vents Touch - Up Paint Towing Accessories Vehicle Cover Vertical Door Kits Wings and Spoilers Wiper Blades Performance Parts and Accessories Computer Chips & Performance Modules Exhaust Systems Intake Systems Remote Start Systems Spark Plug Wires Throttle Body Spacers Suspension Mopar Dodge Charger Performance Lowering Springs Wheels and Tires TIS Wheels Wheel Accessories Dodge Charger SRT 8 Collectibles Bar Stools Clocks Keychains Storage Accessories Throw Blankets Utility Mats WOW ! Now you can see why the Charger was named the most " accessory friendly car " . Tags : dodge charger , dodge charger srt 8 , accessories , srt 9 , dodge . 
300 C Back from the Repair Shop . After a week , and almost $ 4000 later , I finally got my 300 C back from the repair shop . After riding around in a Nissan Sentra , getting back into the more aptly sized 300 C was a welcome relief . They did a good job on the repairs , which were mostly not cosmetic . The trunk had a small dent in it and the rear sensors were knocked out on the passenger side . I also had a few small dents / scratches repaired on the front driver side fender and hood . Looks like new . It should for $ 4000 freaking dollars . While the repair shop people were very nice and did a good job , the one thing I thought sucked was this . I recieved an estimate from the repair shop to fix everything for $ 3000 . The insurance company of the person that hit me sent an adjuster and they gave an estimate of $ 3400 . So I was sent a $ 3400 check . Then the repair shop called to say there was " additional damage " underneath . They said the additional costs for that would be paid directly to the repair shop . Fine . When they called to tell me the car was ready , I asked what the total damage was - pun intented , and they said $ 3400 , just like the estimate . I corrected her , looking at a printout of the only estimate they ever gave me , that should have been $ 3000 . Her response was that they always go by the adjuster / insurance company estimate . Now that 's a load of crap if you ask me . Not because I was trying to make $ 400 , but because if the insurance company estimate would have come in under the repair shop estimate , guess who would be paying the difference ? Me . But when the insurance company estimate comes in over the repair shop estimate , they get to keep the difference . Ha , smells like pain and suffering to me . No matter how nice the repair shop people were , and the work they did , I will never go back to them again because I think it 's slimy to play this situation the way they did . I ' m not so annoyed as to mention who they are , since this blog gets about 500 visitors a day on average . But word of mouth , good or bad , can be a lot more powerful . In the end , I ' m really just happy to have my car back . Tags : 300 c , chrysler 300 c , 300 c damage , 300 c repair . 
Pinched nerve . I have a pinched nerve in my neck , which made me leave work early yesterday and made me sleep like absolute crap last night . But I ' m not going to use it as an excuse to skip the gym ! Heading there now ... Update : did an hour of cardio today : - ) Neck feels better ... 
- RBC - apple - yogurt - salad - organic light burrito ( not bad ! ) - salad - 2.5 slices pizza ( very small slices , but still ... ) I feel bad about eating so much pizza , but Jen figured out the total calories for the day , and I am still at a small deficit , so I guess it 's cool . I ' m glad I worked out today ( 45 min treadmill ) . 
Ate the following today : - bowl Raisin Bran Crunch ( RBC ) ( w / skim milk ! ) - turkey sandwich on 1 / 2 pita , mustard instead of mayo - one apple - one banana - 8 almonds - one Dark Chocolate Walnut Clif Bar ( yummy organic energy bar that actually tastes amazing and fills me up for about two hours ! ) - 1 piece of light meatloaf , 1 / 2 cup mashed potatoes , asparagus , big chopped salad ( w / light dressing of course ! ) Took today off from working out ... will hit the gym tomorrow morning before work ! 
This soldier speaks out against war ! Remember that war never solved anything except : Slavery Nazismand Fascism Just my thoughts on that . Technorati Tags : Iraq , Baghdad , War , OIF , Army , Military , Navy , Marines , Veterans , . 
Heat injuries are easily prevented . I just had to repost this from the Army web site . This is good info for everybody out there and not just soldiers . Anybody that does anything outdoors at ANY time of the year needs to be aware of the symptoms and dangers of dehydration . Heat injuries easily prevented By J . T . Coleman The human body needs water to maintain proper blood volume , which helps the body to regulate heat and perspire , according to the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine . Courtesy photo FORT RUCKER , Ala . ( Army News Service , June 16 , 2006 ) Taking a drink of water when thirsty may be too little , too late in some cases . You may already be 1 - 2 percent dehydrated at this stage , which could result in impaired performance , coordination and concentration , said Dr. John Campbell , U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center Command Surgeon . Coffee , tea , juice and sodas are not substitutes for water . In fact , some of these are diuretics and can cause you to lose more body fluids . More than 1,700 heat injuries occurred Army - wide in FY 05 according to Brig . Gen. Michael B . Cates , commander of the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine . Of those injuries , 258 people suffered from heat stroke and 1,467 suffered from heat exhaustion . Steps could have been taken to reduce these injuries , said Campbell . Staying hydrated is critical because it helps maintain proper blood volume , which allows the body to perspire and regulate heat , according to the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine Web site . According to Army Technical Bulletin MED 507 , titled Heat Stress Control and Heat Casualty Management , people performing routine activities should drink six to eight quarts of water a day . People in hot environments , or who perform strenuous activities , should increase to between nine to 12 quarts . Heat injuries can be preventable , said Campbell . Leaders , supervisors and Soldiers must keep an eye on each other and look for the early warning signs . Early warning signs of heat stress include dizziness , headache , nausea , unsteady walk , weakness or fatigue , and muscle cramps . USACHPPM cautions that over - hydration , or water intoxication , can also be harmful . Some of the symptoms include confusion , weakness and vomiting . Individuals who exhibit these symptoms but are still eating , drinking and urinating should seek emergency treatment . Heat injury prevention is a command , leadership and personal responsibility . Proper use of Composite Risk Management will help reduce the likelihood of heat injuries . Heat injuries and illness pose a serious threat to our Army s force and a loss of one of our Army team is always deeply felt , Campbell said . Soldiers and civilians are deployed in some of the hottest areas in the world . We want everyone to stay in the fight and continue to Own the Edge . Additional resources : USACRC https : // www . crc . army . mil USACHPPM chppm - www . apgea . army . mil / heat AR 40 - 5 Preventive Medicine dated 22 July , 2005 www . army . mil / usapa / epubs / pdf / r 40 _ 5 . pdf TB MED 507 Heat Stress Control and Heat Casualty Management dated 1985 www . army . mil / usapa / med / DR _ pubs / dr _ a / pdf / tbmed 507 . pdf FM 21 - 20 Physical Fitness Training dated 1998 https : // akocomm . us . army . mil / usapa / doctrine / DR _ pubs / dr _ aa / pdf / fm 21 _ 20 . pdf ( Editor 's note : J . T . Coleman writes for the U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center . ) Technorati Tags : Iraq , Baghdad , War , OIF , Army , Military , Navy , Marines , Veterans , . 
Old news but good news , Zarqawi is dead ! Click for Photo BAGHDAD ( Army News Service , June 9 , 2006 ) The death of Abu Musab al - Zarqawi was reason to celebrate and reason for caution , Maj. Gen. William B . Caldwell IV , spokesman for Multi National Force Iraq , said yesterday . Although Zarqawi 's capture is reason to rejoice , we must be cautious not to be overly optimistic , as one man 's life does not signify an end to an insurgency , the general told reporters at a Thursday afternoon press conference in Baghdad . Iraqis can rejoice today . They have earned it with their blood , their sweat and their tears , said Caldwell . Tomorrow we must continue to march forward . The march forward towards an Iraq that is free , that is for all , that exemplifies unity , prosperity and security . Zarqawi , the terrorist leader of al - Qaida in Iraq , and five others were killed Wednesday morning by a U.S. Air Force air strike north of Baqouba . Zarqawi and one of his key lieutenants , spiritual advisor Sheik Abd - Al - Rahman , were in a house when F - 16 fighter jets dropped two 500 - pound bombs on it . The strike was a product of intelligence gathered from local sources and from Zarqawi s network , Caldwell said . Caldwell would not go into details of the intelligence gathering . He did say the intelligence was gathered with the help of coalition partners , the Iraqi government and neighboring governments . After the airstrike , Iraqi police moved to the house and secured the area . Coalition forces identified the body of Zarqawi through facial recognition and fingerprinting . Intelligence gathered at the site of the house where Zarqawi was killed led to 17 different operations , Caldwell said . News of the terrorist s death spawned joy among Iraqi and coalition leaders . " Today Zarqawi has been terminated , " Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al - Maliki said at a press conference Thursday . " Every time a Zarqawi appears we will kill him . We will continue confronting whoever follows his path . It is an open war between us . " Coalition forces delivered justice to the most wanted terrorist in Iraq , U.S. President George W . Bush said in Washington . Now Zarqawi has met his end , and this violent man will never murder again . Iraqis can be justly proud of their new government and its early steps to improve their security . And Americans can be enormously proud of the men and women of our armed forces , who worked tirelessly with their Iraqi counterparts to track down this brutal terrorist and put him out of business , the president added . In London , British Prime Minister Tony Blair called al - Zarqawi 's death " a very important moment in Iraq . A blow for al - Qaida in Iraq is a blow for al - Qaida everywhere . " ( Editor 's note : From the Multi National Force Iraq Web site at www . mnf - iraq . com. ) Technorati Tags : Iraq , Baghdad , War , OIF , Army , Military , Navy , Marines , Veterans , Memorial Day . 
Peoples true feelings about soldiers . There is nothing more true and shameful than the following quote : For God and the soldier we adore , In time of danger , not before ! The danger passed , and all things righted , God is forgotten and the soldier slighted . " - Rudyard Kipling Technorati Tags : Iraq , Baghdad , War , OIF , Army , Military , Navy , Marines , Veterans . 
Remember what Memorial Day is for ........ Please . I hope that you all enjoy your time off on what for most is a three day weekend . I do have this one request for all of you out there , please remember what this time off is all about . Most of you will go camping or to a fun vacation spot with your families and not even give a second thought to why you have the time off . I ask that you remember the soldiers that never shared any more time with their loved ones , never played with their kids again , never grew old with their wife or husband . I don't care if you support the current war in Iraq or if you have supported the reason we fought at any time in our history because to the soldier , politics means very little during a time of conflict . Soldiers go where the leaders of our country point us , we have a job to do and our feelings on the issue at hand don't matter . We only know that we must do our job even if it means we ' ll never see our home again . We only know that the person to our right and our left are counting on us to do our job so that they may live to see tomorrow and that is all we ask in return . One of my duties since returning from Iraq is as a team leader providing the final honors for a fallen soldier and their families . Most of the services that we conduct are for WWII and Korean vets but we have had some soldiers from Iraq pass through the gates of the National Cemetary where I am stationed . There is nothing worse than the thought of people protesting against these honorable soldiers during the last moments that their families can be near them . I have been lucky not to have run in to any protestors and I beg you all from the bottom of my heart , PLEASE keep your protests away from those that had no choice in the matter . Keep it away from the easy targets that crying family members make . Let them have their time , they have earned it . This Monday there will be services honoring those that have passed during times of war , please go and support these honorable soldiers , sailors , airmen and marines . If your politics don't agree with when or why you think they died leave that at home and go to support the people that are there to protect you , to offer your freedom to you and that allow you to stay with your families in your nice soft bed while they are alone , cold , hungry and scared . Agree with why we fight or not , like us or not I don't care .......... Just please don't forget us . Technorati Tags : Iraq , Baghdad , War , OIF , Army , Military , Navy , Marines , Veterans . 
Illegal immigrants take to the streets ! If people want to have the rights granted to Americans shouldn't they want to become Americans ? If they want to become Americans , do they really think it is wise to start out by breaking not only our law but also our sovereignty by sneaking across our borders ? If our government bows to these law breakers then why should I follow any of our laws ? Why should I , a soldier that has earned every right granted to Americans , follow laws that don't mean very much ? What do you think would happen if a large group of Americans marched across the Mexican border waving American flags , I bet they would shoot at us and try to send us home ! I heard one protest " leader " today that said if the people that had died sneaking across the border were animals , Americans would be screaming for a fix to the problem but because they are Mexican , nobody cares . To that I say , if you were trying to get in to this country at a border crossing you wouldn't need to worry about staying alive ! Technorati Tags : Immigration , Baghdad , War , OIF , Army , Military , Navy , Marines , Veterans . 
More reasons to stop illegal immigrants . I found this while surfing on Blog Mad today and it proves my point on border security . Head on over to Part - Time Pundit to read the full story with good stats to back it up . " Facts are a funny thing . They are conveniently forgotten if they don't uphold one 's point - of - view , and they 're easily overlooked if they are randomly scattered about . But when solid facts are brought together in one place , the pattern is difficult to ignore . The facts I ' m about to provide below are just such a case . People may be able to overlook a single fact , but the weight of their significance cannot be denied when they come together in one place . That is the purpose of this week 's Blogburst - to look at some hard facts . " Technorati Tags : Immigration , Baghdad , War , OIF , Army , Military , Navy , Marines , Veterans . 
LOFT CAFE . INAKICHI . 
About Me . I thought it was about time to tell you all a little bit about myself . My name is Bill Riddell , I ' m a 20 years old aspiring entrepreneur from Bendigo , Australia ( it s about 2 hours north of Melbourne and 8 hours south of Sydney ) . I ve been reading and planing my way to vast millions for many years now and last year I completed two years of study centred on Public Relations and Marketing , so I have a strong skill set there . I work on a casual basis ( customer service , register operator etc. ) for a major retail company . With my spare time I love sport , particularly car racing ( I do a little bit myself ) , listening to music , trying not to waste too much time on the computer and pretty much all that other good stuff people my age get up to . I ' ve been procrastinating and putting off making a real move into the entrepreneurial community for several years now . In order to kick start myself into action I am launching a 30 day personal challenge to create 3 different passive income streams in 30 days . At time of writing I am putting the finishing touches to my plan to create 3 passive income sources and come the 1 st of August I will jump in the deep end and put my money on the line . From there the sky is the limit ! 
Why 30 Days ? You may be wondering why the 30 day challenge Bill ? Well the answer is pretty simple . I ve been considering taking a leap into the realm of all things entrepreneurial for some time now but have always put it off . I have hesitated , been fearful , procrastinated and used all of those other great stalling tactics . A few weeks ago I stumbled across the website of Steve Pavlina and his brilliant personal development blog . One of his many inspiring posts is 30 Days to Success . In the article Steve advocates the use of 30 day trials when considering new life changes , particularly ones you may be hesitant about adopting . The logic behind doing a 30 day trial is that you are making a firm commitment to the change ; but at the same time there isn t as much fear involved because you are aware that if the trial is not a success you can abandon the change after 30 days . If it is a great success you are already quite firmly in the new habit and can continue for another 30 days or indefinitely . This was a natural fit for me . I was quite hesitant about implementing my plans but the 30 days concept eases your concerns . Is there something you have been considering changing in your life ? A business idea , a new diet or exercise plan , quitting smoking or trying a new hobby . Give it a go for yourself ! 
A Few Glitches . I spoke to soon - the horrible green is back . The design was causing a few glitches and well the orange was a little too bright ! Your retinas are safe now . I still have a few things to sort out ; the Ad Sense ads that are now scattered around the place need to be changed to match the horrible green . Also the dot points are displaying incorrectly on Internet Explorer that will be fixed soon . Back to the ads , they are my first little attempt at a passive income stream . You ll be reading a lot more about them soon enough . As well as fixing some of those problems I ve also been finalising my goals and setting rewards for each of them . I hope to have all the problems solved by the weekend so I can get on with more important things . 
Only A Week Away Well it s only a week away now till Go Time . Since my first post I have made a few tweaks to the site , namely the site is now orange , not that horrible green . I have a few more small changes planed so keep an eye out . I have done a final extensive test on my first intended passive income stream . I was thrilled with the results , a 75 % return on investment over 4 days . Who wouldn t want that ? Another major goal of mine that is separate from this challenge is to lose weight . I m a big guy and have finally started to see some results having lost 6 kg ( about 13 pounds ) over a few weeks . I realised a long time ago that there is no point in having lots of money if you re not going to live long enough to enjoy it . I ve been finalising my time frame for the challenge . I intend to implement the 3 income streams in the first 3 weeks , one after the other . This will give me at least a week to sort them all out and hopefully have a bit of money rolling in . So be sure to come by at least once a week and see what my latest income stream is and how I m doing . 
The Importance of Good Planing My opening post mentioned how in the past I have made plenty of to - do lists and plans . You may be thinking , Bill these things obviously haven t worked for you in the past why do you think this time will be any different ? It s quite simple really . My previous attempts , for the most part , have been bad . However I have made some good ones and even a few great ones . I failed to look at the difference between those that had succeeded and those that had failed . In creating this challenge I looked at what I had done in the past , analysing what went right ( tell your friends and your family what your goals are . They will ask you how you re going and keep pressure on you . Also keep a copy of your goals somewhere you will see them at least every day . It may be the desktop of your computer or you may tape it to the mirror in your bathroom . For every goal you set , create a reward to accompany it and motivate you towards achieving it . It may something small like half a day off , but it could be to buy a Lamborghini or take a round the world holiday . Just make sure the reward is fitting , if your goal is small your reward should be too . Lets face it , bribery worked when we were kids ( if you eat all your tea you can have some ice cream and it still motivates us now . 
An Intro to the Challenge For the last few years I have read , planned , eaten and dreamed my intentions . I have devoured libraries and stores of books and trawled through the vast recesses of the net and many other resources learning to become an entrepreneur and to improve my life . I ve taken notes , made plans , to - do lists and countless other variations of the theme . However in all this time I have , for the most part , failed to take action . Quite simply I haven t really put my money on the line . That s about to change . In order to break this plan of excessive reading and planing I have decided to set myself some very firm goals and specific dates to achieve them by . In case the name and description didn t give it away I plan to create 3 different streams of passive income for myself over the course of 30 days . I plan to start this journey of no - return on the 1 st of August finishing on the 30 th . There will be no turning back , after the challenge is completed I shall continue to manage and improve my new streams of income and look for more opportunities to enrich my life ( financially & through self - improvement ) and also to help and inspire others . So what will I be doing in the lead up to the challenge ? Heres a sneak preview : Refine the look and feel of this blog Give you some more background on myself & the challenge Ensure there is incoming traffic Plan and research my intended income streams I invite you to follow me on this journey , please add your comments , criticisms and advice . 
One more thing - an update on Daniel . . . My thanks to all of you who prayed for us and our possible encounter with Hurricane Daniel . As of 11:00 am yesterday ( July 26 ) Daniel is no longer a Hurricane , a tropical storm or even a tropical depression . Daniel is nothing ! We will see his remnants over friday and saturday but only in the form of some slightly increased tradewinds and some rain . God is good ! He has heard your prayers , and answered them . And we well continue our " blessed " vacation with friends as we move to the island of Kauai this Saturday ! Thanks again to all ! Aloha , Dave Dot . 
Hey Ma , things sure are different out on the East Side . We I think we have recovered from our day of doing absolutely nothing . Boy was that hard . Just sitting around all day , nothing to do , leg in the air ( yes , my ankle still hurts ) . . . just the two of us , Hmmm . OK , it wasn't that bad . I actually like hanging out with Dot . She can be quite entertaining at times . After 30 years of marriage you learn how to amuse one another in ways you never thought of 25 years ago . Of course , back then you didn't have time for each other as it was all about the kids . . . Wednesday , Dot and I took the short drive to the East side of Molokai . Technically we are staying on the east side but we are at mile marker 17 and it goes all the way to 27 . So we drove the last 10 miles to see what was on the other side , so to speak . The road narrows to a one lane road at about mile marker 21 but there is still plenty of two - way traffic . You really have to be a defensive driver on those last 6 miles . There are dozens of blind corners and barely passable areas along the drive but the beauty of the surrounding countryside and ocean are well worth the time it took to drive it . . . nearly one hour . I think we averaged 20 mph the entire 10 miles . Anyway , once at the end you are in an area known as the Halawa Valley ( pronounced Ha - la - va ) . One of the most beautiful areas in Molokai , Halawa Valley was first settled in the 7 th Century by people from the Marqueses Islands . It remained an active and thriving community until the area was struck by two tsunamis . These huge 45 - foot tidal waves hit in 1946 and 1957 , destroying the buildings there and covering the valley with plant - killing salt . Today the valley is inhabited by a few residents but is mainly used for recreational purposes such as hiking and camping in the mountains and swimming , surfing or fishing at Halawa Beach Park . In ancient times , many heiaus ( temples ) were built in the valley and young men wishing to become kahuna 's ( title for a priest , expert , teacher , and / or adviser ) came from all the islands to learn the powerful and sacred spells . The land and ocean here was also very fertile an other islanders envied the richness of the valley . Many wars were waged protecting this valley . Two large and beautiful waterfalls can be seen flowing down the mountains . The 250 - foot Moaula Falls is approximately 2 miles up the valley . Legend states that a giant lizard ( mo ' o ) lives in the deep pool fed by this fall . Before swimming here , drop a ti leaf into the water . If it floats , it is safe to swim . But if it sinks , the mo ' o is annoyed and will not welcome you . Hipuapua Falls , a 500 - foot cascade fall , is another mile north of Moaula . Both falls are located on private property and you will need a local guide with a permit to take you to them . We chose not to hike due to my aching ankle and so we checked out a crumbling building that appeared to have been a temple of some kind . Behind the temple were several monuments marking the grave sites of Hawaiians back to the mid 1800 's and as recent as 1933 . There is also a little one - room church just up the road from this . It seats about 40 , maybe is open to the public 24 / 7 for prayer . I believe they have services only once a month . On the way out of the valley there is a turn - out where you can stop and take pictures of the valley . Check them out on our photo site at : http : // photos . yahoo . com / dmchenry @ pacbell . net We also took a few photos of the coastline which were postcard perfect . I only wish I had a decent camera to take the photos . We will work on that for our next vacation , I guess . A final note : People on Molokai are really friendly . Everytime you pass on on the highway they wave . ( on other islands you get the " Hang Loose " sign ) and all are more than willing to help in any way they can . They also love to talk about being Hawaiian . It is something you really don't want to miss if you get the chance . 
Two Mules . . . for Dave & Dot ! Well , before I get into todays post let me ask for prayer for the two of us . It seems we are on a island , in the middle of the Pacific ocean , and a hurricane is heading right for us . That 's right I guess we are going to experience it all while on this vacation . Hurricane Daniel ( hey a Biblical character seemed like a good name for one at the time ) is chugging it 's way toward the Hawaiian Islands . It entered the central Pacific sometime last night after spending a week building into a category 4 hurricane . Currently it is about 800 miles from us with only 75 - 90 mph winds making it a category 1 hurricane . They say it is falling apart and will be down graded to a tropical storm by morning but still it can pack a wallup . The are forcasting wind speeds of 25 to 50 to hit late Thursday and into Saturday which is our travel day . Storm surge is predicted to be about 8 feet which would make driving impossible as the road along the coast of Molokai is right at sea level and the only way for us to get to the airport . It will be interesting . . . Just Pray ! Now on to today 's activities . . . Today we took the Muleman 's Mule ride to Kalaupapa , home of the famous Leper Colony here on Molokai . Leperosy ( actually Hansen 's Disease ) is no longer a threat having found a cure around 1969 . However , due to the disfigurement it causes many of the people who had the disease choose to stay as it is the only home they have known for many years . There are currently 34 people left here that had the disease and they are dying off fast now due to old age . The rest of the approx . 150 total that live in Kalaupapa are workers , and National Park employees . Our mule leader was a person who works for the owners , a husband tired but had had a very enlighting day . I totally recommend that anyone who can , come over to Molokai and take this tour . It is the only one of it 's kind anywhere . I think it even beats the burro ride into the Grand Canyon because of the history you find here . We returned to our cottage ready for the jucuzzi and thankful we had made it safely . Now , if the weather would just cooperate . . . Oh , look , it 's raining . . . Dave Dot . 
Saturday - Travel day # 3 . We awoke early and finished packing and were out of the condo by 9:00 AM . Dot and I were the first to leave at 10:50 . We arrived at the airport around 10:00 AM and took our bags to be checked . Because Island is such a small airline , the plane we were on held only 40 passengers . So , knowing that and the weight limitations of 50 lbs per person , I prepared myself to pay extra to get all our stuff over to Molokai . The agent took her time getting everything in order and when she informed me that I would probably have to pay extra for the over weight limit I told her that we were here in the islands for six weeks and that I just couldn't get any lighter and that I would gladly pay whatever it costs to have all my baggage move with me . Well , we weighed each bag carefully and she marked two of them with a bright orange tag labeled " HEAVY " and then smiled and told me that she would not charge me this time . WOW , I thought , yet another blessing from God while on our trip . Believe me , the savings were significant ! We arrived in Honolulu first as we had to take a hop to bring the price down . Getting to Molokai is not easy . You either commute early morning ( 6:00 am ) or late afternoon ( 4:30 pm ) and if they are full you the price really goes up . OR you can take a hop which takes much longer . Molokai is only about 15 miles from Maui as the crow flies . Our little hop took us to Oahu and then back to Molokai or about 100 miles round trip . Ah , the cost of saving a few bucks ! After about a 15 minute delay on our flight from Honolulu to Molokai we arrived safely ( there were a few bumpy moments on that flight ) and into an airport that has one terminal , one baggage claim , all of it outside ! We got our car and a few instructions from the owner of the cottage where we were staying and headed for the only town , Kaunakakai . about 6 miles south of the airport . We stopped for groceries and then proceeded about 17 miles east to our destination . The cottage ( www . molokaihilltopcottage . com ) is great ! An ever - present breeze from the east continually blows through the 900 sq . ft . one bedroom home . We are situated just above the tree line with a view of Maui off our deck . At night you see the entire Kaanapali coastline from Kapalua to Lahaina all lit up . Fantastic . Check out the website for pictures of the cottage . It needs to be noted here that our friends Mike Dot . 
Friday on Maui - Sunrise , Sunset . Well , here we are to the end of the week on Maui . Mike the Samaoan Fire Dancers . Where last weeks show had one dancer , this weeks show had several which really got the crowd into it . We ended the day exhausted . We had had a really busy week and we had to be on the road tomorrow ( Saturday ) by 9:00 am . 
I think I have solved the photo issue . . . Try this site : http : // photos . yahoo . com / dmchenry @ pacbell . net Yahoo says that this will give you public access to my photos . Try it and then email me to let me know it is working . Mahalo ! Dave . 
Paddle on the left . . . Paddle on the right . . . Today is Thursday . It is our kayak adventure day . Dot and I have never kayaked before so this should be interesting . All five of us participated in this activity . Up until now Marla chose to hang at the condo to save a little money as she leaves here this Saturday for San Francisco and then leaves SF on Monday for 3 weeks in Australia . Today was her first real activity other than the trip to Iao Needle on Sunday which I had stayed home for . She has gotten caught up on her reading and has taken long walks along the beach . AND she is a dynomite cook ! We drove to a small turnout along the highway at mile marker 11 . Mile markers are how everyone in Hawaii gives directions . " We are near mile marker so " drive to mile marker s 0 and so on . Anyway we stopped and meet our kayak guide Aaron who helped introduce us to the art of paddling a kayak , about its shape and how to get in and out of a kayak ( not as easy as it looks ) . We donned our life jackets , tied everything to the kayak , adjusted our backpads and away we went ! by the way the company providing the fun was Kelii 's Kayak Tours , and I highly recommend them if you ever come to Maui . A simple yet fun , no frills tour . Dot and I were in one , she up front , me in the back . Mike had his own , and Ruth & Marla shared a third . A couple of teenage boys joined us in the fourth kayak as Aaron led the way . Kayaking in the ocean is interesting . The boats are easy to maneuver but there is some resistance due to the waves & currents . Overall , though , after just a few minutes out at sea we got the hang of it and moved south along the Maui shoreline just a couple of miles south of Lahaina . We paddled for nearly an hour before Aaron anchored just off shore in a small cove . Peering through the water I could tell we were in about 20 to 30 ft of water . It was crystal clear and was a great place to stop and snorkel . Everyone jumped into the water except me . I chose to hang in the kayak because my foot ( yes , that foot ) had gotten quite a workout the day before and was quite tender today . The rest really did me good . I just slathered myself with sun block and took a nap while the others frolicked and snorkeled around the boats for about 45 minutes . Then Aaron pulled up anchor and we started paddling back to our starting point . Along the way we saw several cars that had obviously gone over the embankment and had landed on the lava below just beyond the waterline . They looked as if they had been there for some time as they had little color left and were mostly just rusted hulks of a car . You couldn't tell what type they were . Aaron says there is a lot of that here in Maui . We saw evidence of that on the road to Hana if you remember in my previous posts . Aaron said we had traveled about 2 miles down the coast . The current would make the trip back a little longer then going down and just about two bends before we got to our destination , Aaron again dropped anchor and let us snorkel for another 30 minutes . I again took a nap ( with sun block of course ) . What a way to get a tan . We finally landed at the beach we start at . The tide had come in while we were touring and a couple of waves were pretty big hitting the shore . One of those waves caught one of the kayaks and they " surfed " all the way to shore . That was pretty exciting . Dot and I weren't so lucky . We had to paddle in . We ended our tour with a lunch of veggies , pineapple , sandwiches , chips and soda & water . Tomorrow ( Friday ) we have an off day . . . We plan to ride on the " Sugar Cane Train " from Kaanapali to Lahaina and back and will end our day at the " Royal Lahaina Luau " . We have to pack to prepare for our travel on Saturday to Molokai while the rest will head back to the mainland . Next week Dot and I have a week alone together . . . on an island some refer to as Jurrasic Park . My next post will probably be on Sunday . Aloha ! 
By the Sea , By the Sea , by the Beautiful Sea . . . Tuesday morning came really early . We had to leave the condo at 5:50 am to get to our boat which was moored at the Maalaea Harbor about a half hour from where we were staying . There were only 16 people signed up for this snorkel / dive trip . The four of us ( Mike , Ruth , Dot Molokini Crater . It is a small partially submerged crater about three miles off the southern coast of Maui . It is unique in that several species of fish make their home there and have gotten quite tame due to the past practice of allowing snorkelers to feed the fish . That practice has been discontinued but the fish are still a bit more curious than the divers . Our snorkel leader , Fernando , was from Argentina , and was an accomplished " Free Diver " which means that he can hold his breath for long periods of time and dive down to 50 - 60 feet without the aid of a breathing apparatus . They gave Fernando the job of taking all the photos during our snorkel trip . He got some great shots . We saw the usual black spiney sea urchins and brain coral we saw on our last dive on the Big Island but there were many more species here in the crater . We saw angel fish , a blue parrot fish , a pinktail triggerfish , a needle fish , and a slate - pencil sea urchin . Near the end of our tour we saw a very large zebra moray eel . What a trip it was . Visibility was near 100 ft . It took about an hour to reach Turtle Town . This is a place near Wailea , Maui on the south end of the west coast . We got there and the trade winds had already picked up so the swells were about 3 - 4 feet , making it hard to snorkel without drinking some of the sea water . Our tour there was much shorter as the visibility was down to less than 50 ft . The highlight was a very long lava wall that was near the surface and where we saw several of the same fish we saw at Molokini . The big surprise was a very large turtle that was making it 's way toward Dot as she snorkeled , and just before they collided , the turtle did an abrupt u - turn and swam away toward the surface . We did see another turtle surface near the boat as we were eating lunch but because of the murkiness of the water we were not able to see as many as we should have . The trip back to the harbor took about an hour and a half and the ride was very choppy , due to the trade winds . Nobody , to my knowledge , got sick but we were bounced around the whole trip home and were pretty exhausted when we reached port . We treated ourselfs to stuffed salmon and lobstertail for dinner . Marla is an excellent chef and made a dynomite salad to go with the fare . We have another early day tomorrow ( Wednesday ) when we go up Haleakala ( the main volcano ) to do an Eco - Adventure called Zipline . 
Monday , Monday . . . I left my heart in Hana , Maui . Ok , so I am a day late . . . it seems that this vacation is leaving me a dollar short . . . Monday , the five of us left around 9:00 pm for Hana , Maui . The drive is about 2 - 3 hours long , one way but probably the most beautiful drive you will ever experience . Dot and I last did this drive during our short 3 day stay in Maui in 1986 , the year we celebrated our 10 th anniversary . The road has been completely repaved ( and even widened in some spots ) but the one lane bridges are still the same and the traffic has changed . . . much ! There is a lot more plant life along the road . In some spots where we could see the ocean 20 years ago , you can no longer see any of the coastline . You now have to pull off the side of the road at a turnout built just for the view you used to get just driving along the road . OK , it is safer , but you lose some of the adventure . I have to say that what they say about people driving off the road is true . All along the road there is evidence of cars & trucks going off the side into the gorges . The plants are all laid flat and occasionally you would see the remains of a vehicle at the bottom . Some even on the side of the road all rusted out but never moved . I think they leave them there to warn others of what can happen if you don't watch the road . Anyway , our trip took about 3 1 / 2 hours because we stopped several times along the way . We had purchased a CD of the trip and you could play it at points along the map and get a really wonderful description of the area and some Hawaiian history also . In all the trip was as beautiful as seen on TV , at times even better . We had mostly good weather , though it did get a little misty at times but that is normal for the area . We ended our drive in Hana at the Hana Beach Park where Marla went swimming , Dot and Ruth and I got their feet wet , and Mike disappeared but showed up wet as he had been swimming at a different place on the beach . The drive back was a lot shorter since we didn't stop but once . It was at a side of the road fruit stand where we were bought some apple - bannanas and were treated to slices of sugar cane which you bite off the inside , chew it , sucking out the sweet juices , and then toss the chewed ruffage . We ended our day at a place called Mama 's Fish House where we dined on some of the best food on the island . It was really pricey but at that point we didn't care as we were really hungry . 
It 's the Lord 's Day in Hawaii Too ! Before I begin , I need to let everyone know that yesterdays travel day had a change in personnel . . . Sherrie and Crystal drove to Hilo after they dropped off Mike , Ruth , Dot and I , and flew home this morning . At least they got there without any plane troubles . In their place we welcome a new person , Marla . Welcome Marla ! We woke up this morning to the most beautiful weather we have had to date . The sky was blue , the clouds distant , and the temperature a balmy 81 degrees . . . and that was at 8:30 this morning ! Marla , ( also single , like Sherrie and Crystal ) , made a great suggestion that we all attend church today . A friend she has known for a while and who comes to Maui annually suggested a small church just down the road and so we all went . The sermon was great and was preceded by nearly an hour of pure praise and worship , our favorite part of the service , since we all sing in the choir back home . The day just got better from there . We must be doing something right ! I decided that I needed a day off and opted to stay home and ice down my ankle . I haven't said much about it since I sprained it but it was not looking too good by the time I got home from church . Over the last few days I have tried to stay off it as much as possible and ice it whenever I can , but I can walk on it and so I have tried mingle with the gang and go along on the drives . I have propped my leg up on the dashboard and let the air conditioning ice it down while on the road but even after several days , my entire foot is still swollen and several wonderful shades blue , red , black , & purple . So today I stayed home and propped it up above my heart and iced it nearly all day . It really did help ! Anyway , the rest of the gang , Marla , Dot , Mike & Ruth , headed out north of here and drove around highway 30 which circles the " head " of the island , checking out the sites and stopping at the Iao Valley State Park and hiking to the Iao Needle and back . They took a few pictures which I will post later . The day ended at a restaurant called the Aloha Grill . It is small , with patio only seating but they have the best food I have had so far . It is a mix of Hawaiian , Japanese , & Tahitian with rice . They explained that when the foreign workers would stop to have lunch they would sit together and share their food with one another . The Japanese would bring teriyaki beef , the Tahitians , teriyaki chicken , and the Hawaiians , teriyaki mahi mahi ( fish ) . The place sits right near the ocean looking into the harbor with Molokai in the background and we enjoyed one of the most spectacular sunsets we have seen to date . Knowing God put all this together just for our enjoyment made it even better ! 
One down , Five to go . . . Saturday is our travel day . We had to exit the condo by 10:00 am and since we had to be at the airport by 11:00 it was pretty much perfect timing . We got packed , loaded everything in the van and took off . You should have seen the van . We were stuffed in amongst the bags which were loaded everywhere . I mean it was really interesting ! Mike and Ruth were moving with us to Maui but on a different airline , so they dropped us off at Hawaiian Air and then Sherrie and Crystal dropped Mike and Ruth at Island Air . We boarded our plane for the 20 minute ride to Maui without incident . However , when we got to the terminal we were greeted with a phone call that Mike & Ruth 's flight had been delayed and they were not scheduled to leave until 2:30 pm . They were supposed to be about 30 minutes behind us and now it was over an hour . We decided to pick up the van ahead of their arrival and while I was signing the papers , they were landing in Maui . When I got back to the terminal , Mike , Ruth & Dot were waiting patiently for their ride . We loaded up the van and the three of us headed for Kaanapali and our next home at the Papakea Resort . 
Flumin ' da Ditch . . . Catchy title huh ? Well be surprised because that is the name of a very real event here on the Big Island and it is what we did yesterday ( Thursday ) . Flumin ' da Ditch is a experience that everyone who visits the island should have . Back at the beginning of the 1900 's sugar cane was the main crop on the island . But there was never enough rain to sustain large crops so an engineer from the mainland came up with a huge idea . He would build a series of canals & flumes that would re - route the water from the rainy side of the island to the sugar cane crops on the drier side . What was built was a 26 mile long system that flows in troughs , flumes , & ditches through open valleys and long tunnels that brought more water than they needed . Over the last 20 years though , sugar cane production has been reduced to nearly 0 % due to the high cost of labor here . Kids on the island used to jump the fences and tube down the ditches and one of those kids became an adult and devised a very interesting tourist activity that we really enjoyed . The trip starts the little town of Kapaau and is preceded by a trip in a 14 person 4 - wheel drive van that at times I thought was going to tip over . Everybody on the van was swaying back and forth and you had to protect your head from banging into the windows of the van . Once we arrived at the starting point you put on a waterproof jacket and your life vest and climbed into a 4 person inflatable kayak . The front and back persons ( I got to be in the back ! ) got to paddle the boat and we wore miners lamps to help light the way through the 10 tunnels we had to go through . Our guide , Ka ' anoi ( protector in Hawaiian ) was wonderful and had many facts to share with us while we were floating down stream . The tunnels we went through are low and at times you have to lay down in the kayak to get through . They are only about 4 ft wide and the longest was over 1800 ft . We were constantly having to push away from the sides to protect the inflatables . The flume portions are in areas that go over creeks & canyons and at one point we stopped to look over the side at a 40 ft waterfall directly below us . The ride lasted nearly 2 hours and we got to taste wild guava and cinnamon plant along the way . The rides ended with the same van trip back to the town . The highlight of this day was actually the trip back to the condo . The cloud cover we have had nearly all week finally cleared out and we were able to see four of the volcanoes responsible for helping to create this island : Kohala , Mauna Kea , Mauna Loa & Hualalai . We could even see the Haleakala volcano on the island of Maui for the very first time , only 26 miles away ! And the color of the ocean ? Well , it is the most royal blue I could ever describe and along the coast where the sand is was the most brilliant tourquoise color ever . It really is our paradise on earth ! 
Our second day . . . A dive in the ocean ! Dot and I arrived early Monday morning at a place called Jack 's Diving Locker , greated by our trainer , Larry . If you are ever considering diving / certifying on the Big Island Jack 's is the place to go ! They are a large dive operation and have a wonderful crew and quality equipment . We had a great experience diving with them . We were doing the first two of four qualifying dives to earn our Open Water certification in scuba diving . After about 45 minutes of crusing north along the Kona coast , we arrived at a place they call the Golden Arches . It is a dive of about 40 feet with all types of coral over a wide area . After rehearsing our the skills we would have to perform , we donned our gear , did a thorough equipment check and jumped into the water ! Once in we checked our weight distribution . We each had a bit too much weight and had to remove a couple of lbs each . We then proceeded down to the bottom via the anchor line at the bow of the boat and once on the bottom , had to perform a skill where we had to hover about 3 feet above the bottom . Both of us struggled a little as there was a slight current and a small surge , something we never experienced in the pool ! Anyway , after doing a couple of other skills , we spent the rest of the nearly 45 minutes just swimming along the bottom checking out all the fish and coral formations . We spotted a Peacock Razor Warsse , a school of Juvenile Coris , a Collector Urchin , and several Black Spiny Urchins . We got out of the water and I immediately expericenced a little sea sickness . Yes , your 's truely feed the fish ! I recovered enough to take our second dive in the afternnon which we spent performing several required skills and really didn't have time for much site seeing . The rest of the group decided to find a beach and do some snorkeling . They went to Keauhou beach and attempted to swim in surf of about 4 - 8 feet . According to some in the group it was quite an experience . One of our singles , Sherrie , had equipment that seemed to have a mind of it 's own as the snorkel lost a piece that connected it to the mask , one fin kept coming off and with the surf being a little rough it started knocking her around . She ended up getting scraped up in several places , as she puts it " on her best assets " and on top of that sunburned on her legs on top of the scrapes . She walked the rest of the evening as if she had been riding a horse all day ! In an unusual coincidence our other other single , Crystal had scrapes and sunburn on the backs of her legs , exactly opposite of her friend Sherrie ! We spent the rest of the evening talking about the trip so far and enjoying some deliciously grilled tri - tip . Our next post will talk about our trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ! 
About our first full day . . . Mike and I awoke very early on Sunday to play golf at the Kona Country Club . They have two courses , the Ocean and the Mountain . We played the Mountain due to a tournament on the Ocean course . The mountain course slopes ( sometimes severely ) toward the ocean on each hole and the ball is guaranteed to roll toward the ocean on every one . I had taken a series of six golf lessons for the past couple of months and was just beginning to improve ever so slightly . I played OK and even got one birdie on a par 3 ! Mike hadn't played in a couple of years so the course ate him for breakfast . The first couple of holes were a disaster for both of us until we got used to the unique rough and fairways . After that we started doing better . Considering that my game is just beginning to jel , I did really OK . In the afternoon the entire group , Sherrie , Crystal , Mike I , drove north to the Kohala Coast and a resort called the Waikoloa for an adventure called Dolphin Quest . There we donned our swimsuits , lifevests masks and entered the resort lagoon to swim with actual dolphins . It was a very cool experience ! Dot mentioned to our trainer that she had seen the DQ on a segment of Jay Leno and wanted to know if she could experience one of those behaviors . He said that he would make sure we did that . For the next 45 minutes we got to pet the dolphins , ( yes , there were several ) , give them hand signals to jump and move the next group of people and such , feed them , and various other commands . We ended the encounter by having the dolphin lay between all 6 of us and we had our pictures taken as a group and individually while kissing the dolphin ! We will get our photos on Thursday and hope to post them online soon , if I can find a scanner somewhere close . We spent the rest of the day touring the Waikoloa Resort which displays all kinds of Japanese art and such . We walked the entire length of the resort , then rode the monorail all the way back to the beginning . We then climbed aboard a boat and toured the entire resort from an entirely different viewpoint . We ended the tour by walking past the largest pool complex we have ever seen and crossing the pool over a rope bridge ! Oh , and as we were promised , the sunset was absolutely spectacular While enjoying the sunset , we waited for reservations at one of our favorite restaurants , Outback . 
The Trip Begins . . . Well we are on our way ! Actually , we are beginning day 3 but this is the first day I have had time to post to this blog . To quote an old cliche : " Having a great time . . . Wish you were here ! " Four of our friends left a day early ( Friday ) due to airfare costs . They had to drive to Oakland , CA and fly out from there , landing in Hilo , HI . Well , about a half hour into their flight , an electronic stabilizer broke and they had to turn back . After spending an hour and a half circling to spend fuel , they finally landed . The landing was not smooth as they bounced about 20 feet on the first touchdown and the runway was lined with emergency vehicles just in case something went wrong ! Then they had to wait another 2 hours in a very small room used for Mexicana Airways being sequestered from the public so that no one could talk about what just happened . They finally got airborne about 11:30 CA time and flew to Hilo without further incident , landing about 4:30 am CA time . We , of course , had no problems getting to Kona , HI . Our flight went through Honolulu and we were in Kona nearly 15 minutes early . When we got there our friends met us at the airport and we were greeted by a young Hawaiian lady who gave each of us a beautiful flower lei . Oh yeah , forgot to mention ( for those who are in Sacramento ) that we met Stan Atkinson who traveled with us all the way to Kona ! We are staying at the Kona Coast Resort . We actually have 2 condos , a one bedroom where Mike and Ruth are staying and a 2 bedroom where Dot and I , and a couple of singles , Sherrie and Crystal are staying . All our friends are members of our Choir at Capital Christian Center in Sacramento CA . Both condos are spacious with plenty of room to move around . ( pictures later ) We spent the evening grocery shopping and preparing for the rest of the week . Dot and I have to leave for our first 2 of 4 certification dives so I will add more later . . . 
The Countdown has begun . . . Only 4 more days before we fly west to Hawaii ! Final preparations are being made , everyone has been notified and we are finally beginning to pack . We have actually been packing for about a month but stuff is starting to finally land in the suitcase ! We have finished our scuba diving lessons and will make one final practice dive in the pool on Thursday before packing all our gear . The real challenge has been trying to keep under Island Air 's 50 lb weight limit . Their plane 's only hold 26 passengers . We have pretty much figured that we are not going to make the limit so we will have to pay extra to get all our stuff to and from Molokai , the only island we are using that airline . Hawaiian Air , our airline for the rest of the trip has restrictions that are not near as strict but that is because the plane is much larger . We have met with all the people who will join us on our journey and have finalized all the activities we will take part in while there . We have even been able to book and pre - pay about half of it . It really is much easier that way even though your not as free to be spontaneous when you want to be . We have tried to limit our activities to one a day , leaving the rest of the day free to do whatever we want . Activities range from a couple of hours to most of the day so our free time varies as well . Saturday we arrive and have nothing planned but to get aclimated to our new surroundings . We plan on playing golf Sunday morning and are scheduled to swim with dolphins that afternoon followed by a tour of the Waikoloa Resort , a place we have been to before but it is such an awesome place we want to visit it again ! And , it is where we have our dolphin encounter . 
52 days and counting . . . Well , we are down to just under 2 months before we take flight across the Pacific Ocean and set out on journey few may ever experience in their lifetime . We are truly blessed by God to be able to do this and He has provided a way to overcome every little ( and sometimes large ) obsticle that has come our way . So what is this " tour " we are taking ? Well , 5 years ago I thought it would be grand if my wife and I celebrated our 25 th Wedding Anniversary by taking a 5 week vacation . . . one week for every 5 years of marriage . She initially thought I was nuts but planned and we did it and the result was awesome . We toured Orlando , FL for a week with two of our granddaughters and eight friends and then sent them all home and continued on the road for the next 4 weeks that took us through New Orleans , Memphis , Branson , Kansas City , St. Louis , Nashville , Atlanta , Charleston , St. Augustine and back to Orlando to fly home . While on that trip we jokingly asked each other what we might do for our 30 th Anniversary and I very quickly said " how about Hawaii . . . " So , here we are , the day we leave getting closer , faster , and we have actually have pulled it off . All we have to do is pack and leave . We have taken care of getting there , staying there , and getting around and have been able to use CASH for nearly all of it before we have even set foot on an island ! Our itinerary calls for our 1 st week on the Big Island of Hawaii , our 2 nd on Maui , our 3 rd on Molokai , our 4 th on Kauai , our 5 th on Oahu , and our 6 th and final week on a Cruise around the islands . As we travel we hope to share every aspect of our trip ( including pictures ! ) each and every day . Our plans include playing with dolphins , scuba diving , golfing , zipping across canyons , riding a flume , visiting a volcano , enjoying a luau , and thats just the first week ! It sounds like a lot but none of those things I mentioned take all day so there is plenty of time to enjoy what God has created which I am sure you will agree is as close to paradise as we will ever get on this earth . More later . . . 
It has been in the upper 80 's and humid . Gas has seen a slight increase . Unleaded 87 gasoline is at $ 2.75 per galon at a Hess station on Ashley Phospate Road in North Charleston , SC . Still , it is cheaper than bottled drinking water . A 16.9 ounce of Aquafina bottled water is $ 1.25 at the same gas station . 
It is 84 F degrees right now in Charleston , South Carolina . We had a high of 92 and expecting a low of 75 degrees . It is slightly humid . Unleaded 87 gasoline is $ 2.71 per galon at a Hess Station on Ashley Phospate Road in North Charleston . 
Yet Again . Well guys , I come as the bearer of bad news , as I so often do . Last night the Board of the school met and discussed my situation . They decided not to meet with me personally today but sent only one of them instead to relay their decision . They determined that through personal donations and personal favors that they do not owe me any of the money they originally promised . They believe they have done enough to compensate me for my services , which they ( or at least the one relaying the message ) also feel were insufficient . The person I met with told me he felt that my teaching performance at the school was lacking anyways . Needless to say , I feel quite devastated and shocked by the whole thing . I don't think I ' ve felt so betrayed since my wife left me . I ' m leaving out a lot of details because I ' m honestly too hurt to write very much right now . As for Vanderbilt , well , I guess I ' m going to do everything I can to find a way to move . Otherwise , I ' ll have to figure out a Plan B for my life really damn quick . Actually , at this point I feel like I ' m already at like Plan W but anyways . The man told me that the individual board members were unwilling to make any personal contributions themselves but that there is a possibility that the church could find a way to make a donation . He said he ' d let me know . So , I guess I can hope for that but I ' m not crossing my fingers . I ' ll be honest with all of you . I ' m pretty down right now about all of this and feeling quite lost . I ' m not the most qualified person you ' ll ever meet in dealing with failure or rejection so I ' m kind of feeling it all in a big way . I ' m in one of those " all I feel like doing is feeling sorry for myself because life sucks " moods . I even feel like I owe you guys an apology and I don't even know why . I guess I feel like my efforts over the past few years have utterly tanked and perhaps I ' m only now just recognizing it . It 's pure feeling , not rational thought , but just the same ... So , anyways , stop by and have a drink with me because I need some virtual company . P . S . -- Those of you in my area ( viz. , former students ) who are reading this , well please don't make a big deal of this just yet as I have to hold out some hope that the church will provide something and pissing them off wouldn't be the wisest idea I suppose . 
Vanderbilt Update . Well guys , I ' ve been quite neglectful in my bartending duties over the past month or so . I thought I ' d at least give you an update as to what the walrus ' future plans involve . Last week I went down to Nashville for a few days to go apartment hunting and I did find a one bedroom apt in a good area . I think I got a good deal for what 's involved . I ' ll be moving on August 15 ( give or take a day ) . In the meantime , I ' m trying to work as much as possible and pay the bills . For some reason they all seem to come in the summer for me . I ' m still trying to get the high school where I taught to pay me the rest of my income ( they owe me 3500 dollars still - yes it 's been over two years ) . If I don't get that , I probably won't be able to afford to move . We ' ll see how it goes . I ' ve been so busy with work and the Vandy stuff that I haven't been able to post but have no fear my friends ... I ' m confident that my re - entry into the academic world of theology will produce some interesting bar chats . So drop me a line or two . I ' ll keep in touch when I learn more . 
Plugs . Hey guys , well it 's been nearly a month now since I last posted . Where the hell did those weeks go ? I feel like I ' m in automaton mode at work . Work royally sucks on a regular basis ( as I expected it too ) so I ' m definitely ready for a change in scenery . I ' m hoping everything works out with the Nashville thing b / c I need something different . I don't really go out much anymore but my whole day / night schedule is still really jacked up . I envy the normal life sometimes I suppose . Of course , I ' d hate it if I had it but anyways ... I had the opportunity to go see Thursday last Thursday ( hehe ... ) night at the House of Blues in Chicago . I went with leighbotts ( a former student and current friend ) . It was good times as I had been waiting for sometime to see them live . It had been a couple years and I was having Thursday withdrawals . Well , their new album " City by the Light Divided " is out now ( and in our jukebox ) so I highly suggest picking it up . It 's not " Full Collapse " but it 's still Thursday . Musically , it 's undoubtedly their highest achievement to date . It 's not easily accessible and it takes a few listens to catch on but when you do , it 's a good treat . Last but not least , I ' m hoping to make a new post on Tuesday ( my next day off ) . I ' ve had some thoughts on the current state of the Church ( I know , imagine that ) and am considering putting a few thoughts together . I could just give a random rant on politics and the Commander in Chief but I ' ll refer you to the latest public opinion polls instead . 29 % ?? " I ' m not even mad . That 's amazing ! " Well , anyways , I hope to have another post up soon for all you drunken bastards to comment on . But , as usual , I ' ll try to throw you the best curveball I ' ve got . Cheers . 
Checking In . Well , I haven t posted in a bit so I thought I d at least compose a few thoughts to start the bar - talk for the week . I had a rare couple of days off this weekend so I was able to go see a concert at a local bar in Chicago on Saturday night . I had almost forgotten the beauty and intensity of a great rock show in a small venue . Well , it was a fantastic show and I hope to catch them again in the near future . Their name is Greenwheel and I highly recommend them to any of you rock fans out there . If the name sounds familiar , you might remember their song " Breathe " which caught some airtime back in the day ( a song which Melissa Etheridge subsequently covered , giving the song even more airtime , even though her version sucked ) . Anyways , not much is going on other than working like mad at Don Pablo s . I am now pulling cocktail shifts on the upper level and will be training in bartending soon . That can only mean my bartending skills at this bar will get better and better as well . I am also working on filling out my FAFSA form for Vanderbilt this fall . I need to finish it this week to meet the May 1 st deadline . Well , there s a basic update for you . I never got any feedback on my post proposal in the last thread so I m guessing maybe it wasn t a popular idea . Also , I apologize for my lack of Lost posts as well . When the show went on break a couple months ago , I did too and just never dug back in . I m still moving along in the second season though and thoroughly enjoying it . By the way , for those of you who don t want to wait for the DVD you can download each of the second season episodes on ITunes for like 2 bucks ( or a season pass for 35 ) . Well , take care and drop me a line if you get a chance . Cheers . 
A Revision of Love . Well , I must admit that the previous post was a rather strange one . I wrote it in one of the strangest moods I ve ever been in and I ve been in a lot of strange moods . ( Side note : 2 coopers , I m reminded of my rendition of spontaneous mood change boy we captured on camera our freshmen year ) . It s interesting in re - reading it because I had so many conflicting emotions and had no idea how to say them . What came out was a bizarre mixture of irony , sarcasm , and honesty traits which , of course , are not all that unusual for me but sometimes their combination creates an interesting offspring . Hence , the my answer of hate . Well , here s my attempt at breaking it down a bit . I am slowly but surely re - entering the world of academic thought . I have been accepted to Vanderbilt University s Divinity School for this fall on a 70 % scholarship ( which , according to dante , is the next highest below a full ) . So , needless to say , I feel quite honored ( and I m expecting free drinks over the next week from all of you I also get dibs on the jukebox ) . Now , it s not 100 % that I m going ( simply b / c nothing is 100 % for me ) even though I ve officially accepted but all intentions are to do so . Re - entering the world of academic thought requires leaving a world of relative comfort and apathy . So , there s that . Then there was watching the Boston Legal episode and the V for Vendetta movie and then my mind was set on a crash course for induced schizophrenia . And I m not even sure what that means . My reaction to the two examples I gave in the post was that of great frustration and anger . I got really pissed off . Then I realized that this stuff had been going on for a while and I became more pissed off because I hadn t been pissed off sooner . Then I realized no one else seemed pissed off so I got more pissed off . So I wrote a post trying to piss people off which was only marginally successful ( although my debate with shamuboo has apparently indulged my cravings ) . What was originally intended to be a purely ironic post turned into irony mixed with sincerity . My answer of hate was intended to be a critique of what love has come to be in some ( rather outspoken ) circles . In other words , if that s love ( and their interpretation of those sayings from the Sermon on the Mount ) then I m all about the hate . If our reaction to those sayings had managed to produce such things as an unqualified patriotic idolatry and a group of homophobic shitbags that protest at military funerals , then , to put it mildly , we ve got something to think about . If our rendition of the love spoken about in Scripture produces what is in reality an overt or covert hatred , then I m gonna take the opposite road . So , to answer your confusion , no , I haven t given up on love by any stretch , just their perversion of it . Now , where it gets confusing is my piqued interest in the pragmatic possibilities of hate ( a misnomer actually I just used it earlier to rhyme and provoke violence or anger might be more appropriate ) . There is something to be said here . I m just trying to figure out how it s best said . I m working on a version of it in the novel I m writing . Another version was in V for Vendetta , which I found quite compelling . When apathy , comfort , and idolatry reign , sometimes a trigger speaks louder than an olive branch . Again , I m still working through all of this so try not to be too demanding for me to flesh it out with precision . It s a work in progress . But I thought it would be wise to further clarify my last post . I sincerely appreciate all of your responses to the last post and I have some things to say to them ( which I will probably do under that thread ) . I am glad you reacted as if it were purely sincere rather than also ironic because it was more enlightening . Oh , and yes I pinch . 
My Answer of Hate . So , I ve been thinking ... anyone up for a little hate ? I mean seriously , this Christian love stuff is kind of pissing me off . I ve never been one to be up for the whole macho no - emotions thing but give me a fucking break . This stuff makes me sick . I m just going to pull out the stops here so bear with me . To be honest , I m just saying the stuff everyone thinks all the time but never has the stones to say . Let s think about this : Blessed are the merciful , for they will receive mercy Blessed are the peacemakers , for they will be called children of God If anyone strikes you on the right cheek , turn the other also . Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you . Love one another as I have loved you . Is it just me or is all of this really starting to sound like a load of crap ? Is that really going to accomplish anything ? Take these recent examples of Christians practicing love : 1 ) For several years now , the Christian Church at large in America has shown love for its government and its policies . Policies such as starting a war on an admitted false premise and continuing to work from it , handing over suspected terrorists to regimes who specialize in torture , locking up suspected terrorists without the right to a trial or the right to confront their accusers , conducting extensive domestic surveillance on American citizens in the name of fighting terror , and declaring free speech zones where it can be declared illegal to conduct a political protest . In sum , policies that essentially erode the Bill of Rights .2 ) And now we have these hacks from Westboro Baptist Church being all lovey - lovey with homosexuals . Read here to learn about it . I mean Reverend Fred Phelps himself is perpetuating this damn love message with his http : // www . godhatesfags . com / website . He even set up a Perpetual Gospel Memorial to Mathew Shepard to ice the cake . Well , these two examples have been on my mind over the past week and I can t help but thinking the message of love really doesn t make sense anymore . In fact , after watching the movie V for Vendetta , putting on a mask and blowing up buildings sounds a hell of a lot more interesting . You know what ? As a matter of fact , I change my mind . Who am I to blame Christians for their benevolent message ? In fact , I won t even scapegoat them anymore . I ve done my share of that in the past . So where the hell is everyone else with a brain and a heart ( either qualifies ) ? To be honest , I m just calling out for someone out there to give a damn . Last week s Boston Legal episode brilliantly illustrated the problem I m putting before you . We re not even noticing what s going on around us . That s a problem . Our government s hijacking the Bill of Rights before our eyes and we don t care . That just made me think about all the things we end up not caring about . Maybe love is the wrong message . I m ready for a little hate . Just get pissed off folks . Just for a little while and let s see where it gets us . Because this whole love thing well , it s not going very far . My question to you is : While we re dealing with the question of fate on an otherwise unimportant blog , have you decided to let be what is ? Is love the answer ? Are you feeling any hate towards what s happening around you ? Are you feeling anything at all ? If not , God help us . God help me especially , because I m going a little crazy with all this love stuff . I m ready to start a revolution . Any takers ? 
Long Time , No See ... Wow . It 's been a year . Seems like so many things packed into so little time . Well , I ' m still here , and you 're evidently still out there , so I ' ll keep punching away at this keys as an expression of my mental self in an effort to get people to exercise their cerebrum . Remember , feel free to comment on any of the posts I have , whether in the past or in the present . 
Group Psychology . I was recently traveling internationally with a group of colleagues from which I gained a peek into the interesting field of group psychology and social behavioral patterns . One thing indelibly impressed upon me was a phenomenon I refer to as " herd syndrome . " After arriving in Houston 's international airport , it was decided that the group should get lunch before the next flight . Accordingly , the group began walking towards the food court area . It was here that the enchanted shuffle began ... Keep in mind that no specific terminology had been used in describing lunch ; only an unanimous agreement to grab a bite . Yet somehow , everyone was mystically gravitating towards Mc Donald 's . Before I knew what had happened , the group was standing in front of the airport 's Mc Donald 's . Like zombies we had all be drawn by the flickering glow of the Golden Arches . This I could not understand . Was it the universally accepted nature of Mc Donald 's , the appeal of American cuisine after an extended stay in a foreign country , various environmental factors which stimulated the mutual response , or mind control waves from the mother ship ? That everyone subconsciously could make the decision to eat Mc Donald 's and that everyone decided the same thing at the same time is astounding to me . It was a highly intriguing yet highly puzzling event which my woefully underpowered mental faculties still cannot comprehend . 
Natural Explanations for Supernatural Occurrences . While I was flipping through TV channels the other night ( a rare occurrence indeed ) I stumbled upon the History Channel , arguably my favorite channel . What I saw , however , was extremely irritating . It wasn't a documentary on any politically correct topic , but a documentary on the Bible . On the surface , it would seem that a documentary on the Bible would be a good thing , but remember , always have your mind engaged . I have found that increasingly documentaries on Biblical topics or Christianity are saturated in naturalism , the doctrine that only the natural occurs ; there is no supernatural , not even a supernatural Creator or Being , just the natural and material world . For my health 's sake I usually avoid programs like those . This night , however , I couldn't resist , and what was particularly upsetting about this program was that it attempted to explain miracles with fables of extraterrestrial . No kidding ! This program was suggesting that the cloud which guided Moses and the Israelites on the Exodus was a UFO . That 's right . An alien ship . That 's both preposterous and blasphemous ! What I do not understand is the hypocritical situation which naturalists and atheists put themselves in . They try to explain away God with so - called " natural " phenomenon , but they replace God with fanciful and groundless propositions . They say that there is no empirical or scientifically verifiable proof for the existence of God -- you can't smell , hear , touch , taste , or feel God , therefore He doesn't exist . What they don't realize is that no credible claims have been made to someone smelling , hearing , touching , tasting ( eww ! ) or feeling an alien . They ' ve simply replaced one miracle with another miracle . Popular Mechanics , a magazine I was subscribed to a couple of years ago , also joined in on the act with their cover story article Science Solves More Ancient Mysteries of the Bible ( Dec . 2001 ) . Okay , first objection -- why exactly are the Biblical miracle accounts mysteries and why do they need to be solved ? Anyway , my favorite ( or least favorite ) " solution " was Manna from Heaven . In this article , the author writes that manna was either simply secretions from a bush or seeds from a tree that the Israelites knew nothing about ; in their ignorance , they automatically assumed it was a miracle . Okay , let 's look at this analytically . First of all , their were over a million Israelites , some scholars say up to 2 or 3 million . Secondly , each Israelite was told to gather an omer ( approx . 2 - 4 quarts ) of manna . I am not sure that even a forest of " tamarisk trees " could secrete enough goo to feed millions of people , each man getting 2 , 3 , or 4 quarts . How was it that though the Israelites were constantly traveling , they were always near a patch of these tamarisk trees ? Another point , even more crushing , why was it that if the Israelites kept the manna overnight , there would always be worms , except on the Sabbath when no manna appeared and the Israelites had to gather extra the previous day . There was no manna at all on the Sabbath -- were the tamarisk trees off the clock ? Once again , naturalists have simply traded one miracle for another larger , even more impressive miracle . If they are trying to explain away God , they ' ve achieved the opposite result , because believing that God provided for the Israelites is more reasonable than believing any other far - fetched explanation . What modern scientists and scholars need to realize is that ( 1 ) the supernatural and natural are not opposed to one another and ( 2 ) the purely empirical method of experimentation and observation has a limited application . So , the morals of the story ... ( 1 ) don't watch documentaries on the Bible if you have high blood pressure and ( 2 ) be cognizant of the sometimes subtle , sometimes boisterous deceits of the enemy . 
FRONT OF HOUSE VIEW . This Very private home at Lake Naciemento in Heritage Ranch Gated community is a wonderful home to live in or just have for the weekend getaway . 2 Bedrooms , 2 Full Bathrooms , Covered carport and Patio , Nice size backyard , walk to Heritage Ranch Pool , Market , Deli and Lake in just minutes . Several trees on property provide shade for the hot summer days and home has Central A / C . If you would like more information on this house or houses like it , call Andy Katsev at ( 805 ) 896 - 2010 , or click on the side to visit my website . 
KITCHEN / DINNING ROOM . Kitchen and Dinning allow for ease of use and enough room to move around . Dininng table area can hold table for 6 - 8 people . If you would like more information on this house or houses like it , call Andy Katsev at ( 805 ) 896 - 2010 , or click on the side to visit my website . 
FAMILY ROOM . d Family room is very open with plenty of room for furniture and guests , large tree shades most of the and with Central AC you will enjoy cool summers days inside to escape the heat . If you would like more information on this house or houses like it , call Andy Katsev at ( 805 ) 896 - 2010 , or click on the side to visit my website . 
PRIVATE PATIO . Enjoy being outside but fell like your inside on the covered patio just off the living room . Very private with plenty of room for a large group of people to have fun . If you would like more information on this house or houses like it , call Andy Katsev at ( 805 ) 896 - 2010 , or click on the side to visit my website . 
CARPORT AND BOAT STORAGE . NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT STORING YOUR BOAT AND PARKING YOUR CARS . ENJOY THE COVERED AND GATED CARPET . If you would like more information on this house or houses like it , call Andy Katsev at ( 805 ) 896 - 2010 , or click on the side to visit my website . 
BACKYARD . Enjoy your private shaded backyard with covert patio . Backyard has views of the hills and Heritage Ranch Pool . Walk to Deli and Market in just 2 minutes . If you would like more information on this house or houses like it , call Andy Katsev at ( 805 ) 896 - 2010 , or click on the side to visit my website . 
what does it matter ? i was doing some tutoring this morning with one of the women i work with . She 's a smartie and most times , tutoring is just me listening to her read long passages in english with the occasional pronuciation correction . this morning we were reading a report on comparative women 's history by one of the people that puts together Islamic education textbooks for Moroccan schools . we just read the first section when the author discribes how bad all ancient cultures were for women . there were a few points that contradicted western civ. classes i remember from my youth . when i told the woman i tutoring that Greece and Rome weren't as bad as they were being made out to be , she just stopped and looked at me . we switched back to Arabicshe held out her hands and told me they were a scale . she said that her right hand was women and her left hand was men . she lifted her left hand up and put her right hand down a lot . she paused and looked at me . then she lifted the women hand up a little and put the men hand down a little . she then said to me , " what does it matter how close they are , if they are still unequal ? " . 
check . Nam tells me i ' ve been here for 312 days . that seems like kind of a long time . and just this morning i find myself sitting at the computer for as long as i can rather than hurrying to sign off and save a dirham . that probably means something . i ' ll go eat a prickly pear and get over it . 
i am an idiot II. 12,248.5 ftwinnersme , entirely too pleased with myself . Salim is trying to not get blown off the mountain top . the long road home . ( i ' m the one out to the left , a bit . ) The president , Jenny and mesunset behind usthe president 's daughter , Rqi ' a , only too eager to pretend like she ' d come along Jenny , Asou ( the president 's son ) and me Photo credit goes to Salim for everything . i put my camera deep in the pack after the hail storm , and i was focusing too much on not dying to take any good pictures anyway . i am not what you call an outdoor person . 
i am an idiot . So , last week i was pretty sick , but i had made plans to go out and see the president of one of the co - ops i work with , and i hate backing out on stuff . i ran into him the day before we we supposed to go out , and he asked if i ' d like to do a little hiking . sure . at this time i have 100 degree temerature . no sweat . i go out , bring some friends to see what 's going on and join in on the hike . after 2 days we end up climbing ayachi , one of the tallest mountains in africa , and part of my site , as it is defined . first day 's progress at noon . you can't see the base camp . my friend Salim and i cooling down the tootsies . me waiting out a hail storm in a cave lined with goat poop . yes , that is a rock i ' m using as a pillow . Berbers !!! you ' ve got to click on this to see the whole picture . once we got to where could make a frontal assualt on the peak , i started running ... it didn't last long . 
a change in the air . first off , it is absolutely inconceivable to most folks around town that i am an American . i must be french , even though i don't speak french and have to ask for arabic translations of letters written in french . so imagine my surprise the other day when some kid came up to me and told me he knew i wasn't french . he went on , however , to tell me that he knew i am Israeli and that i should stop bombing Lebanon . then the kid walked away before i had the opportunity to show him the hanger where i keep my long - range bomber that i use to fly night missions to Lebanon and back to the middle - of - nowhere Morocco . in the past few days i ' ve been asked more than a few times why i ' m killing so many Arabs . i try to explain to them that : i ' m American , not Israelii ' m not in any country 's armyi live in Midelt , Morocco , and so my killing abilities are somewhat hinderedthe most killing i do is flies and the goat on 3 id Kabir . yesterday i saw a sign that said " cut out a coke and save a palestinian " and had a whole list of products that were allegedly funding the Israeli war effort . i had no idea that buying carbonated beverages bottled in Casablanca were directly contributing to the deaths of babies . or , for instance , that the ex - prime minister of Israel receives half of every dirham i spend on laundry detergent . why didn't i think to look into this before ??? oh yeah , because i ' m still halfway sane . even this morning , on the way to the cyber cafe , two cute girls were doing the whole , look / look - away thing , but instead of giggling , they wispered , " yup , that 's him , the Israeli . " so i ' m just going to hunker down here and wait for crazy time to blow over . 
who am i ? No , Grandma , this does not mean i won't be coming homecontest So i was having lunch at a moroccan association for helping handicapped people and doing some translating for some American Donors . good times . the Moroccan Staff broke out in song as they were waiting for food . i joined in because i knew the song . after they finished , they decided there should be a singing contest of sorts between them and the Americans . i translated their message , and the game was on . The Americans decided to sing , what else , the National Anthem . I sang along , of course . then back to the Moroccans who sang one of the more exciting love songs in the national repitoire . i sang along . the Americans decided on another song to sing . i didn't know it . i didn't sing along . seizing on this immediately , and the fact that i was talking more with the Moroccans than the Americans , people on each side asked me , " who are you with ? " I ' ve worked really hard to be intergrated into the community here , but at the same time , i am proud of my country . i ended up saying ana bwahidy ( i ' m alone . literally : i am one to myself ) what are you talking about ? i was talking to Moha and Ymina the other day about how prices are still higher for me than they are for them because i ' m a foreigner . they would hear nothing of it . I usually say when people tell me that i ' m Moroccan by now , that no , i ' m half and half . but they just wouldn't quit and kept telling me that i am Moroccan , and that 's it . if that 's so , why don't i get Moroccan prices ? say it ain't so PC Morocco is losing one of the best among us . Initially i didn't relate well to this volunteer , but it was only because i didn't take the job as seriously as he did . If each of us did half as much as him in our time here , we could all be satisfied and Morocco would be a much better place . If you read this , best of luck , E . not that you ' ll need it . : ) . 
Roller Coaster . Most days are so full of ups and downs here that I don t know whether to jump out of bed in the morning and run into the street expecting to pick gold off the ground , or stay in bed because I m going to get pummeled with hail . Most days , it s a mix of both . Here s yesterday , for example . Disappointment Yesterday morning I stopped by the family , and they told me I hadn t been coming buy enough and they wondered if I was forgetting them . Of course not , but I m a busy man , and I can t stop by everyday anymore . Try explaining that to my Moroccan family though good luck . So , I was going on the way to my first meeting when this girl calls me over to the side of the road . She was dressed conservatively , so I went over . I couldn t understand what she was saying for the life of me . finally she got tired of saying the same thing o me and walked off . 15 minutes later , I finally understood what she was talking about . She was just asking me how Moha was doing . She wasn t being very clear at all , but mostly it was just the start of a poor - language day . Playing doctor A few days earlier I got to take some doctors out to the folks I work with to give them a checkup . They said they were fine , but asked if the doctor could please see one of their friends . We almost didn t go , but it s a good thing we did because the kid had a 105 degree temperature . The doctor and nurse treated him ( Ibuprofen ) and when I went back yesterday the fever had broken and he was outside wrestling sheep . The doctor probably saved that kid s life . Student When I was on my way back to the house after that , I ran into one of my former students . I went to say hi to her , and instead of saying hi back , she asked me for money . Fatima ( name changed ) told me that even though she had earned one of the highest scores on the high school exit exam , her parents didn t want her to go to university because it is hard for smart girls to find husbands . Well , she is smart , and tall too , and that doesn t bode well for her chances of getting married , which is pretty much the only choice for her since she s been prohibited from working and going to university by her parents . So what s the outcome ? She s begging ( and possibly worse ) on the streets because her parents would rather her get married than get educated . Game I went to a caf to watch the final game of the world cup , but wasn t planning on caring about the game ( france and Italy who cares , right ? ) but this cool guy sat next to me and was marginally for Italy , like me . we talked for most of the game about politics , the difference between Moroccan Arabic and Fusha ( he s an Arabic teacher ) , cultural exchange techniques and language acquisition as a means of conflict resolution . It was really great to have a somewhat erudite conversation , in Darija no less . 
Things that I ve heard this week : . This is what happens when you get too many American expats together ( none of these are from me ) Zak , your voice sounds like it should be coming from a cartoon cat , albeit a sly one One of my students said the 3 rd step in preparing an omelet was to quib it with a leather , whatever that means ( consequently , whenever someone upsets us , we now tell him or her that we re going to quib them with a leather [ Kevin , get ready for a quibbing ! ] ) Whenever I think of Ikea , Bjork s Human Behavior starts playing in the background in my head Is that dirt on my sheets ? ! ? ! ? Oh , nevermind , it s just blood . Why is it that the only word of darija I can remember is : dude ? ( it means intestinal worms ) This is why Americans will never like metric football ( after watching 210 minutes of world cup soccer in a day with only one regulation goal ) I miss Peggy , even though I never met her . 
more pictures . Wow , you ' d be surprised how much people run around when an ambassabor comes to town ! The Doc that puts together these caravans is pretty much a saint ! here 's him examining a patient . the Ambassador 's wife 's head is in the background . ( i have better pictures , but i don't know that they ' d want their faces all over everything ) the nurse i was helping throughout the daymy newly installed water heater ! 
a couple pictures . I ' ve been super busy the last week . good news is Moha is fine after the operation . okay , more later , but here are the pictures i ' ve got . me with Sidi Mohammed , one of the kids the doctors examined as part of the medical caravanmy new door . 
Medicine in Morocco . This morning I was translating from Arabic to English for an American doctor . Man , doctors are pretty amazing folks , and when they figure out what s going wrong with a child ( I was working with a pediatrician ) the look in the parents face is incredible . Translating to parents that their child was probably permanently handicapped was rough stuff , to be sure , but on the whole , it was a pretty amazing experience . Moha Baba is in the hospital . He s going to have surgery tomorrow morning , early ( probably when you re reading this ) . So if you re the praying type , you might raise something . I went to visit him a couple times today and he was laughing and kidding around . He has taken control of the hospital room he s in ( at least 5 other guys awaiting surgery it s pretty crowded ) and told them not to be scared and that everything would be alright . And all the other guys are calling him Chef ( chief ) . He s a great guy . It doesn t have anything to do with anything , but right now I m eating popcorn that I popped myself and watching Devdas , the best movie ever . 
Midelt Girls . For reasons I can t explain here ( ask me sometime in an email if you re curious as to my theories . Zaida figures prominently ) girls in the ultra - religious town of Midelt are really forward . Which is interesting for so many reasons . Rather than go into a comparative sociological study of coupling , however , let me tell you a couple stories . Story one Yesterday , I was sitting in a caf with another msrani ( the less polite name for a foreigner , but better than infidel , so I don t complain ) and the waiter comes up and hands the guy I m with a note and says to me fhmh ( something like make him understand ) so I open the note and get ready to translate poorly written Arabic , but instead it says , in english , written in cutesy catholic schoolgirl handwriting : You are very handsome I love you Kisscall me ( phone number and email ) The guy I was with didn t know what to do , and frankly neither did i . I looked around in time to find 3 giggly girls running out of the caf . Wowzers . Story two So I m waiting outside the association I ve started working with to meet up with one of the leaders and there is a large group of girls standing near the entrance so I take a seat on the ground a little ways off and hope that they ll think I m a beggar and leave me alone . No such luck . Two Moroccan girls come over and try the old do you remember my name ? trick . No , I don t ; mostly because we ve never met . But my snobbery is shown to be foolishness because these are really nice girls who are studying to be doctors and are out in the country to help people with the medical caravan traveling through the area . So I talk with them , they tell me my Arabic is good , even though I m making more mistakes than usual ( I still get nervous in front of new people ) . Extra special weird bonus half story Two more girls from the group walk up , and I try speaking to them in Arabic , but get the what - on - earth - language - are - you - trying - to - speak - you - fool look that I deserved from the first two girls as a response . Then one of them started speaking in heavily accented English . Ah - ha ! These are French girls . They go on to explain to me how they hate having to speak English and how French people always use their vacations to help children and Anyway , eventually the one girl s English breaks down and I have to ask the poor Moroccan girls in Arabic to translate into French that the person I was supposed to meet just walked up and so I need to go . My students We got the finals scores back of the kids I ve been tutoring in English . 6 passed , 4 scored well enough to merit retakes and 4 failed . I should point out that the test is designed in such a way that only 30 percent are expected to pass , so my group beat the average , even before the retakes . 
on the inside . I help teach at a couple centers around town , and i do a little work with an association for handicapped people . these organizations are run by people who are not part of the local communtiy or don't speak the language . it 's weird , yet very exciting , for me to be able to sit and find out what people are really saying about these organizations on the street . i have been able to counteract rumors and help focus messages in light of feedback . it 's really gratifying , after all this time spent learning the language , and trying to integrate into the communtiy to see some benefits . 
Day 21 - In Limbo . With the help of Zach 's suburban and the Goldings ' trailer , we towed the 332 ti to Simpson . Man , that guy must be booked ! I just called and he hasn't touched it yet . I appreciate his honesty , though . He did apologize for the delay , and he 's even going to work on Saturday to try and catch up on his workload . Can't blame the guy for having a lot of business . Anyway , God must be teaching me patience . I ' ve had the car for three weeks as of right now , and have had the priveledge of driving it only two days of the 21 . Everything happens for a reason ....... I ' ll just keep telling myself that . - Evan . 
Day 13 - FTL . After draining the entire cooling system for a second time and filling and bleeding the system for a third , I gave Jim a call . After describing the symptoms , his conclusion was what I feared the most : Blown head gasket . FTL . So if I can't find a cheap way to get it towed , I ' ll be paying 150 bucks ... just to get it there . Then probably well over $ 1 k to get the car fixed . Just to have it running like it was when I got it . I guess that 's all assuming the head gasket was in fine shape when I got it ... who knows . Shame on me for not getting the compression checked . Anyway , I need to get back to work cleaning the darned thing . I ' ll keep you all posted . 
Day 6 - The Plan . This evening Matt and I are going to replace my water pump , thermostat , and thermostat housing . Hopefully that ' ll do the trick and I ' ll be up and running again . If not , well , then ... crap . Anyway , I have a list of everything I will ever want to do to the car . Not all of this is near - term , but most of it is likely to happen eventually , assuming I can afford to keep the car during school . So , here 's the big list : Exterior : M 3 OEM Lip Fix e 46 Bi - Xenons ( high beams stuck " on " ) Remove Eyelids ( may need to get new ZKW glass because of adhesive ) Fix Drivers Side Door Handle ( trim keeps falling off ) Repaint ( Cosmos Black ? Something black anyway ) Under the hood , etc : Sell current CAIBuy Conforti CAISell AA Strut Bar Complete Detail New All - Aluminum Radiator New Water Pump New Thermostat New Thermostat Housing ( aluminum ) Other : Sell B B Triflo Exhaust Buy Used Eisenmann Race , Stromung , or Tubi exhaust Resonator ? ( don't have cats ) Sell RE SSKBuy UUC EVO 3 SSKWheels / Suspension : Buy 17 x 9 Kosei K 1 's all around ( they don't come in 18 's , do they ? ) ** Kosei 's will be for track / autox , and the ASA - AR 1 's will be DD 's , the DS 2 's for Winter ) ** Tires for Kosei 's ? Rear Sway ( unsure on this ) Interior : Remove Roll Cage Strip Entire Interior Extensive Sound Deadening ( B - quiet placed on the sheet metal below ... ) - underside of roof - back and front faces of door metal - floor - firewall - backside of fenders - " trunk " all around - A / B / C pillars Sell Momo Seats Buy Corbeau A 4 w / Microsuede Reupholster rear seat black ( fabric ? ) Speaker System ( working out details ) Amplifyer ( " " ) Subs ( " " ) Sell Sony Head Unit Buy JVC KD - AR 5500 Head Unit Replace Dash with Black Sedan Dash - Fix Horn on Momo Steering Wheel - 18 button OBC - Dual Digital Climate Control - Black Center Console - Gauge Pod - Water Temp - Oil Temp - Oil Pressure - Voltmeter - V 1 Stealth Install - Make M 3 Cluster work with OBCBlack Carpet ( either used or done myself Black Floormats Black Door Panels Black Side Panels Headliner ( unsure what or how ) Fix Passenger side window ( I think it 's just the switch ) Fix Cruise Control Find a good location for battery and rewire everything . 
Day 5 - $ 81 vs . Free . As of Saturday night ( Day 1 ) , the car is overheating . It 's a gradual warm up as usual , but it doesn't stop at the midline - it just keeps heating and heating until it overheats , at which point the pressure is too much for the cap on my reservior , and it sprays out . So ... that 's bad . I took it to the local guy , Jack . He 's a nice guy , but charged me $ 81 to diagnose the 332 ( that 's $ 81 I didn't find out about until after the inspection , mind you ) . What was his diagnosis ? I need to replace my computer to control the idle . What does idle have to do with the price of eggs in China ? In a word , nothing . So i drove the car home ( it 's a very short distance , so no overheating ) , went to work , and called Jim Simpson of Simpson Motorsports . In five minutes , for $ 0 , he diagnosed my issue thoroughly , gave me a solution , and offered me the parts at his discounted price . What a Godsend . So , I will most likely take the car to his place if I can get Matt 's trailer again . If not , I ' ll go in another car and pick up the parts to do it myself when I have time . We ' ll see . Hopefully I ' ll get to take the car to NE this weekend ... 
( 003 ) FOR SALE 1995 332 ti IOWA . I purchased this in Dec . 05 but my G / F got a new job and we 're moving out of state and I need this gone . So here is the mod list .... S 52 OBD 1 Convertion ( 98 M 3 ) Euro HFMAA Tunned B & B triflo exhaust CATS ARE REMOVED ( some states not legal , but an OBD 1 6 cyl exhaust fits ) Fan delete mode TMS Flywheel Stage 3 Clutch Roughe Shifter 3.25 LSDReinforced rear frame Bilstein Sports Racing dynamis springs M 3 Front Brakes , and spindles M 3 front suspension conversion Brembo Slotted rotors all around Green Stuff Brake pads all around ( New ) X Brace RD Front Sway bar HMS Roll cage Momo Seatsmomo Evo Steering wheel ACS Shifter and pedals AA Rear shock brace Rotora ( same as AA ) Strut Brace Green Eyeball Control Arm Bushings Stainless S . teel bradded Brake lines ZKW Headlights with 2002 M 3 HID 's Bi xennons M 3 mirrors M 3 mouldings COLD AIR INTAKEOptima Red Top battery located in hatch Sony CD Player ASA AR 1 18 X 9 ( REAR ) 18 X 8 ( FRONT ) ALSO INCLUDES STOCK M 3 WHEELSApparently the car ran a Ran 13.1 @107 mph And dyno around 260 whp . I did not track the carbut can vouch that time is pretty accurate I owned a turbo golf that ran a 13.7 and this feels faster . There are 110,000 miles on the motor and 89 K on the actual car ( M 3 cluster ) I will get more pictures up in the next few days . A / C works great , tan interior is showing wear on the A - pillars , new hood / fenders painted like a month ago . The P . O . had hood pins and that was def . not my style so they had togo . A couple dings on pass . side none too major . Little scuffed paint on the rear bumper . Hatch struts are shot , have 1 new one ... Many extra parts included .... fogs etc. I ' m asking $ 9500 feel free to call or email Joe @ 515 - 865 - 9050 Cynics Xe @ yahoo . com Thanks . 
( 001 ) My Outlet . I find myself so often talking to people about my car . Sometimes they 're interested , sometimes they 're not . Sometimes they ' ve already heard it , and sometimes it 's new and exciting . So it 's for you guys who have already heard it and / or are just not interested that I ' m making this blog . This is a blog dedicated to keeping the interested posted , and saving the uninterested from my insessant blabbing about this obsession of mine . 
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Truth . And we ' ll fill our pockets upand sink down with the everything we ' ve felt and seen We ' ll explore the mysteries of lifeand why it hurts to loveand in a way the comfort that we 're striving forin the end will be ignored I stillthink it 's worth the risk even thoughthat love and loss and tears and joyare just a different type of war It 's trueeveryone must leavebut i think it 's who you hold inside your heart that keeps you warmwhile they ' ve gone away . The great parade . 
Regular xbox game Starwars battlefront 2 . Battlefront 2 is very fun I ' ve been playing since the day I got it I love it but there are some things I don't like about it like the jedis I mean some of the jedis I don't even know . I love the fact that you can be jedis and doors open and space ! Its all great changes to the original battlefront . I give it 3 stars because you should have more force powers and you should be able to do more things in space . 
Tom Clancy 's Ghost Recon . Hello I haven't made a post for a long time but queen monkey reminded me to make a new post today . So im here to make a post about tom clancys ghost recon . I think the single player for ghost recon isn't very good . But the online play is good its very fun . I like the maps and play . I give this 4 and a half stars . Because the single player isn't very good but everything else is excellent if there 's anything else that you like or don't like about this game please make a comment or if you know secrets for this game please tell me . TY . 
My first review of the game PG 3 . PG 3 is a game where you race hot cars online or in career mode . Like The saleen s 7 and the Enzo ferrari . But the cars in PG 3 are better and faster cars than PG 2 . I highly recommend this game because the graphics are excellent . The settings are good . And the online gaming is good to not many people sware . PG 3 hase a good selection of cars and places to drive . I give this game 4 stars . I gave this game 4 stars was beause when you were racing in career mode the tracks I thought could be better . I will put pictures on as soon as my camera starts to work !!! 
My career of being a 360 reviewer . As you can see I have made a new blog ! I will review all of the games I have played on the xbox 360 !! I know for me I think it is going to be fun , but maybe not like the two other blogs I have made were peices of crap . This blog should be so much better because I get to write reveiws of 360 games , not movies , games And I get to tell about my awsome life ( NOT ) ! 
' BIG ' Gears of War announcement next week . Mark Rein posted on the Gears of War forum today saying that a BIG announcement for Gears would be coming next week . Everyone ( including me ) thinks that the release date will be this big announcement . 
The outfit , Collateral Damage map pack . It used to be 500 ms points now its for free . Thats right ladies and gents its absolutely free . Now hopefully we can get some people on the outfit servers . 
Crysis : PC Specs . If crysis aint coming to consoles then your gunna have to upgrade your computer and get ready for crysis cuz I feel this game is gunna be a big hit . So here are the specs for Crysis for the PC . Minimum Requirements : CPU : Athlon 64 3000 + / Intel 2.8 ghz Graphics : Nvidia 6600 / X 800 GTO ( SM 2.0 ) RAM : 768 Mb / 1 Gb on Windows Vista HDD : 6 GB Internet : 256 k + Optical Drive : DVD Software : DX 9.0 c with Windows XP Recommended Requirements : CPU : Dual - core CPU ( Athlon X 2 / Pentium D ) Graphics : Nvidia 7800 GTX / ATI X 1800 XT ( SM 3.0 ) or DX 10 equivalent RAM : 1.5 Gb HDD : 6 GB Internet : 512 k + ( 128 k + upstream ) Optical Drive : DVD Software : DX 10 with Windows Vista . 
Xbox 360 , by the Numbers . heres some details about the xbox 360 by the numbers " ... the platform grew more than 125 percent and resulted in 1.8 million console shipments during the fourth quarter . This brings our installed base through June to 5 million consoles with 3.3 million in North America , 1.3 million in Europe and 400,000 in the rest of the world . Key profit drivers for the platform include Xbox 360 software and accessory attach rates , which remain very strong . The Xbox 360 accessory attach rate remains the highest ever for the first eight months of a console launch in the US . By holiday 2006 , we will have an expected catalog of 160 high - definition games . Xbox Live now boasts a community of more than 3 million members worldwide , with more than 6 million expected by this time next year . By Holiday 2006 , we believe we will have shipped more than 10 million Xbox 360 consoles worldwide . E & D forecasts fiscal year 2007 guidance for Xbox 360 unit sales between 8 to 10 million consoles . The yearly guidance implies that by the end of the fiscal year we will have sold 13 to 15 million Xbox 360 consoles since launch . " . 
New PSP announcements . Heres some announcements made by sony at this years comicon . " Syphon Filter : Dark Mirror and Pursuit Force are " great games " and " great reasons to own a PSP . " Movie Trailers of movies coming to UMD format like Napoleon Dynamite and Office Space . PSP 's firmware update next Thursday will offer RSS Video feed support for its web browser . Thursday 's firmware update will also have a demo of World Tour Soccer 2 . There are no plans to improve text entry on the PSP and no plans for a first - party keyboard . Sony Connect is working on a way to provide downloadable movies " . 
Starting this wednesday ............ ..... Were gunna have some huge game releases for the 360 . Just check it out below . This Wed - Galaga ( arcade ) August 2 nd - Street fighter 2 ( arcade ) August 9 th - Dead rising August 9 th - Pacman ( arcade ) August 16 th - Nintey Nine Nights August 22 nd - Madden 07 August 30 th - Enchanted Arms August 30 th - Saints Row Ill post some videos of most of the games above in a little bit . ( i already did with saints row below ) . 
Top XBL Games of the Week . Xbox 360 Top Live Games 1 Call of Duty 2 2 Ghost Recon 3 3 Chromehounds 4 Oblivion 5 BFMC 6 Lord of the Rings : BFME 2 7 Final Fantasy XI 8 Prey 9 PGR 3 10 LOTR , BFME II Demo Original Xbox Top Live Games 1 Halo 2 2 Battlefield 2 : MC 3 Counter - Strike 4 Splinter Cell Chaos 5 Rainbow Six 3 BA 6 Pro Evolution Soccer 5 7 Star Wars : Battlfrnt 2 8 Madden NFL 2006 9 Forza Motorsport 10 Splinter Cell Chaos Im really surprised to see prey and chromhounds on there . But hey the more people the better . 
Rumor : Guitar Hero 2 coming to XBOX 360 . ON Gamerandy . com today it had a post on the blog that said ' from a reliable source from Redoctane , that works on guitar hero 2 , said to gamerandy . com that there would be a guitar hero 2 version for the xbox 360 . ' Sounds pretty interesting to me considering the marketplace along with guiatar hero 2 would mean downloadable songs for the game on the marketplace . And maybe even XBOX Live Competions online . 
Gaming Mag Reviews plus more . I got three new magazines in the mail today and here are some of the bigger reviews in them EGM Magazine NCAA Football 06 - 7.5 LOTR BF 2 - 8.0 = Game of the month Chromehounds - 8.0 Over G fighters - 5.0 Gamepro Magazine Gta Liberty City Stories - 4.25 Big Brain Academy - 4.35 NCAA Football - 4.5 Table Tennis - 4.25 Gameinformer Magazine Prey - 9.5 = Game of the Month NCAA Football - 8.25 LOTR BF 2 - 8 Chromehounds - 7 Half Life 2 Epsiode 2 - 8.75 And here are the top 20 games in sales for Last Month 1 . New super Mario Bros 2 . Kingdom Hearts 23 . Brain Age 4 . God of War 5 . The Elder Scrolls IV 6 . GRAW 7 . Mlb 068 . Guitar Hero 9 . GTA San Andreas 10 . Kingdom Hearts 11 . Xmen the Official Game 12 . Over the Hedge 13 . Fight Night Round 314.2006 FIFa World Cup 15 . The Godfather : The Game 16 . Gran Turismo 417 . Battlefield 2 Modern combat 18 . Midnight Club 3 Dub edition Remix 19 . MLB 2 k 6 - PS 220 . MLB 2 k 6 - 360 . 
Coming Soon .... Ok heres a list of stuff im gunna try to brign in the next week or two . Table Tennis Review NCAA Footbal Review Prey Review GRAW and Ch.2 Review NCAA Demo Impressions LOTR Demo Impressions Frogger Reviewand hopefully once i get my hands on Cloning Clyde . I will give you a reviwew of that as well . 
Prey Demo Impressions . Single Player Demo : The Single Player was amazing ... the cinemtic feel you have at the begging of the game is just awesome . The levels i played had a great feel to them and werent that hard ... whihc i liked . The only problem i had with the Single Player was that the controls felt a little loose to me . Multiplayer Demo : Man o Man , the Multiplayer portion of the demo was freaking amazing . It was so fast paced and had this UT 2 k 4 style to it which i really liked . But one big and i mean big folks problem i had was LAG . It was all over the place in the demo . You could barely shoot is so bad . But once you got in a low count of people game it was so much fun , I couldnt stop playing . 
Marketpalce Content . Halo 3 The begining Video - Just Get it its halo 3 , what mor ecould you ask for . NCAA Footbal 07 Demo - Get it if yur a Pigskin fan . LOTR BF 2 Demo - Get it if yur a strategic kind of guy / gal Oblivion The Vile Lair ( 150 points ) - get it ony if yur REALLY into oblivion . Mass Effect Demo Walkthrough - Just get it already . Medal of Honor Airborne Trailer - Get it only if you like the WW shooters . 
Xb L Arcade Wednesdays Unvailed , SF 2 drops to August 2 nd . Ok heres the deal Microsoft is holding an event tonight to unvail the newest thing to come to Xbox Live , XBL Arcade Wednesdays . Thats right folks every wednesday we ' ll be getting a new arcade game strating with Frogger tommorow . And after that .... well just read my schedule of posted release dates down below . July 12 th - Frogger July 19 th - Cloning Clyde July 26 th - Galaga August 2 nd - Street fighter 2 August 9 th - Pac - man Yea thats right folks another 3 more weeks for SF 2 . Sorry guys and gals . Read the rest of the story here > http : // www . joystiq . com / 2006 / 07 / 11 / sf - event - to - unveil - live - arcade - wednesdays / . 
Needler Productions . I got a message on Live today from RNS TOILET about his site , NEEDLER PRODUCTIONS . It 's great to find out that someone actually cares about my site , and I ' m always willing to help someone else trying to make a name on the internet . The site is a collection of Halo 2 videos he and his friends have made , so check it out . 
Massive will provide in - game advertising for WEBZEN . Team Xbox writes that WEBZEN has signed Massive to do in game advertising for two of its games . This fits perfectly with my idea for no monthly fee in Huxley . Let 's hope this replaces the monthly fee , although it 's doubtful . 
Top Ten Games on Live ( June 17 ) . Here are the top ten games on Live , based on users playing : Xbox 360 Top Live Games 1 Call of Duty 22 Ghost Recon 33 Oblivion 4 BFMC 5 Final Fantasy XI 6 EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 37 Perfect Dark Zero 8 PGR 39 Dead or Alive 410 Hitman : Blood Money Original Xbox Top Live Games 1 Halo 22 Battlefield 2 : MC 3 Counter - Strike 4 Splinter Cell Chaos 5 Rainbow Six 3 BA 6 Star Wars : Battlfrnt 27 Pro Evolution Soccer 58 Madden NFL 20069 Forza Motorsport 10 Ghost Recon 2 : SSFrom Major Nelson . 
Backwards Compatibilty Update adds over 20 games . Remember the Backwards Compatibility Update I told you about ? Well you can now get it . Here are the games added to the list : 1 . 4 x 4 EVO 22 . Amped 23 . Bad Boys 24 . Big Mutha Truckers 5 . DOOM 3 6 . Dreamfall : The Longest Journey 7 . Fatal Frame 8 . Flat Out 9 . Grabbed by the Ghoulies 10 . Intellivision Lives 11 . LEGO Star Wars 12 . Minority Report 13 . MLB Slug Fest 20 - 0414 . The Punisher 15 . Ralli Sport Challenge 16 . Silent Hill 4 : The Room 17 . Spawn Armageddon 18 . Spider - Man 19 . Star Wars Battlefront 20 . State of Emergency 21 . Zapper Additional Japanese - only titles : Bistro Cupid 1 Flight Academy Othello Seminar Igo Seminar Shogi Seminar Mahjong Seminar . 
I ' m leaving .... I ' m leaving to Europe for the summer . I ' ll be back around August 4 th to resume my normal blogging . I will of course try to update it some while I ' m gone , but I doubt I ' ll be able to . 
Xbox 360 vs . Play Station 3 . There 's a good comparison between the 360 and the PS 3 at Yahoo ! Video Games , it 's worth checking out . One thing they brought up was the Xbox 360 's lack of HDMI , saying you should go for the PS 3 for HD movie playback . According to this article at Team Xbox though , it may not matter . Thanks to Xbox - Scene . 
Top Ten Games on Live ( June 10 ) . Here are the top ten most played games on Xbox Live ( based on users playing ) , for Xbox 1 and 360 , from Major Nelson : Xbox 360 Top Live Games 1 Call of Duty 22 Ghost Recon 33 Oblivion 4 BFMC 5 Final Fantasy XI 6 PGR 37 Hitman : Blood Money 8 EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 39 Perfect Dark Zero 10 Rockstar Table Tennis Original Xbox Top Live Games 1 Halo 22 Battlefield 2 : MC 3 Counter - Strike 4 Splinter Cell Chaos 5 Pro Evolution Soccer 56 Rainbow Six 3 BA 7 Star Wars : Battlfrnt 28 Madden NFL 20069 Forza Motorsport 10 Ghost Recon 2 : SSIf the lists were combined , Halo 2 would be at the top , and then all the 360 games . 
An article about in - game advertising . There 's an article about in - game advertising on Gamespot , it 's a good read if you want to know some more about how , when , and why ads might be used in video games in the coming years . Here 's my idea of a great way to use it . Why not use ads instead of a monthly fee for MMO games ? Let 's look at Huxley , and how it would work : There will be around 5,000 people per server . If they had some billboards ( like GRAW ) and other ads scattered around they could make a lot of money . Plus , Microsoft recently purchased Massive . All I know about them is they do advertising in video games , so it seems like Microsoft already has what they need to set it up . They could also have ads when multiplayer and such is loading , instead of game pictures , tips , or whatever . And for those of you who don't want ads they could have an optional monthly fee with no ads . As long as they could do it without overdoing the ads , it would be a great solution . More on Huxley : Description , Screenshots . 
How to clear your 360 's cache . There were many things the recent dashboard update can do , but this is one they didn't tell you about . This will clear the cache , along with any game updates ( like the Oblivion patch ) . Here 's how it 's done , from Gamers Reports : Go to the system blade and then memory . Press Y on either the HDD or a MU and then press X , X , Left Bumper , Right Bumper , X , X. Once you do this a blade will pop up saying : This will perform maintenance on your Xbox 360 storage devices . Do you want to continue ? Pick yes or no . I can't think of how this could harm your system , but you never know , so be aware . If it completely messes everything up , don't blame me . 
Your custom sountracks in backwards compatible games . According to Xbox 360 Fanboy , since the update you can now listen to your own custom soundtracks in any backwards compatible Xbox 1 game the same way as in 360 games . Just set up the music you want , then boot up the Xbox 1 game and it will continue to play . You won't be able to control it though , so set the volume , playlist and shuffle before you go into the game . 
New Content on Marketplace - Rumble Roses Demo , PDZ maps , new videos , themes , and gamerpics . Here 's what 's new on Markeplace : Demos : Rumble Roses Double X ( 854.31 MB ) Videos : Kameo : Elements of Power 40 Below Video ( 67.34 MB ) Kameo : Elements of Power Pummel Weed Video ( 81.48 MB ) Kameo : Elements of Power Rubble Video ( 53.25 MB ) Kameo : Elements of Power Thermite Video ( 81.87 MB ) Kameo : Elements of Power Chilla Video ( 78.89 MB ) Kameo : Elements of Power Combos Video ( 42.36 MB ) Kameo : Elements of Power Deep Blue Video ( 53.90 MB ) Kameo : Elements of Power Flex Video ( 67.61 MB ) Kameo : Elements of Power Major Ruin Video ( 54.89 MB ) Matisyahu : King Without a Crown Live - Video ( 480 p , 49.48 MB and 720 p , 269.03 MB ) Themes : Dead Rising Theme 4 ( 7.29 MB , 150 MS Points ) LOTR , BFMEII : Cinematic Paintings Theme 2 ( 4.39 MB , 150 MS Points ) 12 News Top Spin 2 Themes ( 150 MS Points each ) Pictures : Top Spin 2 - Picture Pack 1 ( 172 KB , 60 MS Points ) Top Spin 2 - Picture Pack 2 ( 172 KB , 60 MS Points ) Top Spin 2 - Picture Pack 3 ( 156 KB , 60 MS Points ) LOTR , BFME II : Dwarves Picture Pack ( 288 KB , 160 MS Points ) Game Content : Perfect Dark Zero Map Pack One ( 231.89 MB , 500 MS Points ) . 
New Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter content . I reported earlier there will be new content for GRAW sometime in the future . On the official Ghost Recon website , they give details and say it will be available for download at the end of the month . Here 's some details on what the download contains : Continuation of Co - op Campaign with 4 All New Missions in Chapter 2 : Coffee Plantation ( Day ) Shipping Port ( Evening ) River Depot ( Dawn ) Jungle Mine ( Day ) 8 Revisited ; Relit MP Adversarial Maps : 8 of GRAW s favorite MP maps are revisited and relit for a new gameplay experience . Fishing Village ( Dusk ) Wharf ( Late day ) Old Town ( Morning ) Nowhere ( Evening ) Coffee Plantation ( Evening ) Shipping Port ( Sunset ) River Depot ( Day ) Jungle Mines ( Evening ) 2 New Game Types with 1 Game Mode - Team Battle : 2 all new game types add upon GRAW s long list of available game types . Team Blind Siege Team Battle 2 New Camouflage Patterns Canadian CADPAT British DPM 4 New Character Customization Faces 4 new faces with new camo 5 New Weapons SR - 25 SD ( Marksman ) M 468 ( Rifleman ) M 468 / M 320 ( Grenadier ) AK - 47 LMG ( Gunner ) SCAR - H SV ( Rifleman ) Go to the Ghost Recon website for a description of the new maps and new weapons , along with more details . 
Halo 3 : Behind the Scenes video . A little while ago Bungie revealed they were working on a video about the Halo 3 trailer . It is now available on their website , Bungie . net , with both Quicktime and Windows Media formats . They have HD versions for both , and it will be availble in HD on Xbox Live Marketplace in a week or two . You get to see a lot of what went into making the trailer , and the music composing . There are some things that got cut from the trailer , and new angles and views from in the trailer . And the most interesting part : Bungie says , " If you look very , very carefully , you ' ll see hints of things to come . Nothing too dramatic , but the fans will spot stuff , of that we 're certain . " . 
concert . the concert 's tomorro W ! haha i managed to sell off all my 20 tickets except 1 , which is good considering some who sold only 0 out of 20 ? fantastic man ... but hopefully there ' ll be people turning up at the door to increase ticket volume . i ' m sick and it 's because of not enough sleep . practices end so late . just a few bloody days ago , i reached home at 2330 . wow that day was damn lucky man . i didn't have enough sleep cos i was doing some script , then woke up and fumbled and basically knocked into things . damn irritating . then kept sleeping throughout the day until practice . practice end , went to take mrt but my bloody ez link spoil ! not the 1 st time already but still enough to piss me off . then as i was about to tap my temporary card , some guy asked if the mrt was working . i thought siao 1 . the thing so bright bright and only 10 plus he asking if mrt working . haha realized that he wasn't crazy afterall when the bloody train stopped at each station for damn long and had to transfer train at dhoby ghaut . fucking pissed ! and the sign saying the train is arriving in approximately * 30 mins * is not very soothing either . anyway continue this shit for a few days and ta dah , you have a sick ass ! vomitted in the morning but luckily cindy was there to give encouragement . haha . got pom poms and all . and wow is she horny ! she asked me to quickly go toilet ! haahah ... concert tmr ... i wonder how it ' ll go , after so many months of preparation . then in less than a month , prelims . wa lao can stop time or not ? don't wanna leave school because i can't see the idiot anymor E ! 
lipids . whenever i think of this person , i writhe in pain and agony . all i want to do is to go up to her and slap her in the face . maybe then her legs will also vibrate because fats are more non - vicous than muscle . haha . sometimes i tell the idiot and we always burst out laughing , either her at me or both of us together . it ' ll be me shivering at the thought of all the fats and she ' ll be beside me laughing her ass off or making it worse by saying some shit like but you can't escape it what . must face up to it . yuuuuuuuuck disgusting piece of a person man . all fats no character . fuck justin read her blog and said that she 's more horny than the both of us combined . haha how true . fat bitch . now , whenever i check out the enemy 's blog , i feel like really going up to her saying , ' FATTY ! stop being so horny ! ' and then slapping her face , just to see her legs vibrate . haha ! haha that is so like the tone cindy uses while talking to me ! 
shit is falling from the sky ! 1 stly , i ' m somehow known as full of shit by 2 groups of unrelated people . and through my actions , i have been described as full of shit , subsequently resulting in my being named from of shit . wow i ' m so honoured . on the day of the dry run of the C . I. P . shit , i got so bored . bored not because i had nothing to do but because i think i had an attitude problem and a problem with the person running the whole thing . while the rest of my classmates were cutting out shapes , i was just using eyepower and muttering evil things under my breathe about how poorly run the whole thing was and how the in charge was totally thinking we ( I ) were ( was ) stupid . but on hindsight , problem was with me also because of my attitude . so anyway i was so bored i cut out 5 pieces of paper and wrote ' you are ' , ' a ' , ' bitch ' , ' mother ' and ' fucker ' on each of them . i asked my friend to chosse any number from 1 to 5 and i picked the pieces . haha so the sentence came out as : you are a bitch mother ... but my friend wouldn't open the last word ! ' mother what ? mother what ? ' i pressured him . and he pointed to someone behind me . uh oh . i turned around and it was my teacher ! turns out she was there since the 1 st piece was opened . haha i ran out of the classroom ! haha damn stupid . later my teacher came to me and asked me jokingly , ' do you know what i ' m going to write in your testimonial ? ' of course i say no la ! she told she was gonna write ' xxx is full of shit . he uses only vulgarities during discussions ' . haha . and that was the legend of shit . and now for shit that drops from the sky ! tonnes of them i tell you . i was sitting at the booth with my friends , both from my cca and classmates and we were doing the poster . suddenly i noticed this sonofabitch sitting at one corner of the table quietly . let me be clear about my views about him . i have absolutely no respect for his views , intellect ( if there 's any ) or him as a person . so my friend who was sitting directly opposite him wa joking with me how he was feeling stupider by the minute because of diffusion . ' a substance moves from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration . ' the substance in question was intelligence . so i wouldn't be caught sitting at the same table as that loser . and it 's not as if i went to him . that mutherfarker came to my table . FUCK YOU bitch , whoever invited you ? of course i couldn't tell him that . so i asked him , ' are you buying tickets ? ' ( stupid look . and give it a drone like that of a cow : ) ' er how much ? ' ( scrutinise use of language . again , lack of intelligence at play here . ) ' 6 bucks . ' ' er ... abit expensive leh . ' ( focus attention to 2 ers in 2 sentences running consequetively in less than 5 seconds ) ' then are you helping me with the poster ? ' ' er ... no . ' ( why the ers , i wonder ? ) ' then would you mind ? this is my booth and you 're blocking it . ( fuck off ) ' and shit , he got up and went away ! holy fuck he got the hint ? hahaha . then on saturday during practice , i was doing pull ups during breaks . i heard someone shout , ' up , up not counted ! ' which i later found out to be from a friend . then this sonabitch wobbledoodles took up arms and continued the barrage ! what the fuck ! he is the most obnoxious bastard and so arrogant asshole and i doubt he can even do 5 pullups and he 's trying to fucking whatever he 's doing to me ? ' up up , not counted ! chin above bar ! up yes good . ' cibai i totally felt like walking up to him and kicking him in the balls . usually i am very firm on this point of attacking balls , but for a lowdown like him , i felt that it was the only justifiable thing to do , considering his status . and you know what ? he 's a bloody mutherfarker teacher ! in my cca , we call him the most eligible bachelor and of course , if you have intelligence like the previous shit character , you wouldn't understand the sarcasm . so there ! shit really drops from the sky , don't they ? 
kept promises ! i ' m damn glad both of us kept our promises , though it needed encouragement from YOU to help me keep them . see i shy . haha and oh , putting you in CAPS make it sound like i ' m talking about this D . O . G . person . more about that later . haha it 's cool the 1 st time we talk on the phone after any shit happens . it 's all normal talk ( read : full of laughing and joking ) without any hint of any problems . then after awhile we can start talking about the problems . wow i will never be able to start joking with the person immediately when talking on the phone . it ' ll be all gloom and doom . so it ' ll take a special idiot to be able to pull that off . haha idiot i ' m talking about you ! from now on , my phone will be on 24 / 7 awaiting your call , ready for you to turn to me when you need me . 4 times is waaaaaaay too much . thanks for telling me . love ya . 
the promise . make a little promiseand seal it with a kissare promises just for wimps ? done in a spur of the moment ? the epitome of that moment ? just that moment ? or are we gonna be brave ? and act upon them ? carry them through for all time ? all that time we 're together ? no matter what , no matter how , no matter how much we cannot bring ourselves to do it ? no matter how futile it 's going to be ? no matter how much we think it 's not going work ? promise made on friday , 14 th july . am i going to be a wimp ? 
happy birthday ... wa lao ... the past few days has been totally packed . packed with choir !!!!!! coming back at 10 pm is the bloody norm la . much as i enjoy hanging out with all of them , i need sleep ! haha i can't function without sleep ! like mattho said , we haven't been seeing sunset for many days now , because by the time we get out of the LTs or CC , it 's already dark . but it 's quite fun actually , except for the gruelling hours . especially after choir where all the guys will stay back . haha it 's because all of us suck ! but i suck more than all of them combined la . fuck i totally take my words back about me improveing man , cos the stupid ' fuck you for the music ' is totally shit ! haha but we really get high man . no drugs , just oxygen . mabbe after everyone leaves , too much oxygen , overdose ? haha whole day going HAAAAAAAAAARDDDY GAY WOOOOO ! SAY SAY SAY . and all those shit . damn fun man . but tiring ! haha amidst all the action , some little girls birthday came creeping ever so slowly up . in fact , she grew 1 cm in the past year ! amazing how fast little kids can grow ! haha . damn breaks were , for the 1 st time , fully utilised because there 's absolutely no time at home ! ok excuses ... i wanna apologize to YOU if all the presents are not satisfactory ok ? my effort is nothing compared to your 2 weeks of preparation so i ' m really sorry if they don't make your birthday memorable . HAPPY BIRTHDAY ! 
you think we whole day take taxi ar ? if you had read the sunday times today , there was a report on the fee hike on taxis . according to the report , it will be better to own a car instead of taking a taxi since the difference in cost is so small that it does not need to be taken into account . pay little bit more , get your own car , so convenient and shiok , might as well buy car ? but they based their report on someone who takes a taxi indiscriminately whether it 's to the NTUC to buy groceries or to work . nahbeh you think we whole day take taxi ar ? also , they compared this with buying the cheapest car , made in china . wa lao you want to buy this type cheapo car , you might as well buy a bicycle ? yes , it 's cheaper and affordable but do you need to even consider buying a car if you have to stoop so low and scrimp and save just for 1 ? it says alot about your income and yourself as a person . no money still wanna show off . go die la ! of course , there 's legitimate and justified cases such as using it as a cheap form of transport to send your grandmother to hospital for her thrice weekly pyhsiotherpay but how many of us have grandmothers who need to go hospitals so often ? nahbeh who say buy car about the same as taxi ? take MRT or SBS Mercedes la ! bigger is better ! 
busy bumble bee . there 's been choir for like how many few days straight in a row ? at least 4 , i think , according to mattho . the practices were for the stupid college day . waste of time practising 2 stupid songs . but the exposure was good and it gave us lots of things to improve . more on that later . but 1 st , the actual day itself on friday . i was conveniently ' sick ' on that day so i missed a few lessons . not that i lost much except only for a short bio lecture . the rest of the day was just giving back test results . wa lao i got like just pass for bio and chem for those sections they gave back la ! knn for bio , no prob because i know the remaning section will be quite well done . as for chemi , i have the greatest forebidding feeling . 21 / 40 and i didn't do 3 pages for the remaining section . only a bloody counting error or a typo error will save me man . hahaha . anyway got to be happy about the results , considering i didn't study . but it 's a definitely no - no if i ' m gonna do this shit again . but at least i have a close approximate of what i ' ll get if i black out during the actual ' A ' Levels . haha controlled test . so we sang in practise . sound was wonderful and we did the other songs for our concert . i think there 's advantages to being super lousy . the other damn pro guy was scolded by conductor for not knowing the score well enough even though he could side read . as for me , i think my lousiness covered up the fact that i hadn't learnt the piece before . damn it man it 's totally crash course la ! hahaha but must give a little credit to myself and the conductor . he 's good and i ' ve learnt and improved alot ( or so i hope ) and i get things faster . not bad for a basketball convert . haha . so we sang again , this time the actual 1 . it was ok but it was certainly not up to expectations and plenty of room for improvements . dunno what the result would be if issssssssssssac had conducted . i mean , there 's a huge difference between a professional and a student and there 's no denying that fact ; the encouraging and giving the choir more confidence to sing out ... went back to the AVA and had a post mortem . haha that 's the word . and then off to eat . bloody hell we thought there was dinner since we collected our boxed LUNCH . after that no more boxes for DINNER . so everyone ate the shit that was from afternoon . i sat with the guys . feeling hungry still , me and zhizong took a little walk in search of food . imagine our surprise when there was catered food !!!!! we went back and told the others to abandon the shit they were eating . haha we got table . rather small , and rather high , about chest level , the kind you can hav cosy talks . haha . kakak and pres joined us and that 's when the discussion got real interesting . haha many personalities were mentioned and our views given . very enjoyable . and today , i think i finshed learning the whole of the song without any formal sectional . damn i ' m good . hahahahahahaha now to get it better ... where is the idiot ... why are the stupid exams taking so long to be done with ? i can't see her !!!!!! but friday with her was wonderful though . haha explains the ' conveniently sick ' . 
Day 207 : Terminator 2 - Judgment Day ( 1991 ) . It wouldn't be right for me to leave the State of California without a tribute to " The Governator . " Therefore , I ' m going to recommend Terminator 2 , which I actually think is better than the original . Others clearly agree with me . T 2 ranks # 94 on IMDB . com 's list of the Top 250 movies of all - time ( The Terminator comes in at # 202 ) . So what makes the sequel better than the original ? I suspect that it has something to do with the main character being a good guy instead of a bad guy . TERMINATOR 2 : JUDGMENT DAY ( 1991 ) A decade has passed since Skynet sent The Terminator ( who is played by Arnold Schwarzenegger ) into the past to try to kill Sarah Connor ( who is played by Linda Hamilton ) . Well now The Terminator is back ! But this time he has been reprogrammed to protect young John Connor ( who is played by Edward Furlong ) , who will grow up to be the leader of the resistance movement . Who is The Terminator protecting John from ? A new -- almost indestructible -- model of Terminator called the T - 1000 ( who is played by Robert Patrick ) .... By the way , The Terminator 's trademark line " Hasta la vista , baby ! " didn't stand out as special on the Spanish language version of T 2 . So on the Spanish version The Terminator says , " Sayonara , baby ! " . 
Day 206 : The Great Outdoors ( 1988 ) . As I mentioned in Sunday 's post recommending Weekend at Bernie 's , I ' m on vacation right now . In my opinion , one of the most underrated vacation movies is The Great Outdoors . John Candy and Dan Aykroyd always seem to complement each others talents quite well , and The Great Outdoors is no exception . Candy steals the show in this one , though . You 're particularly going to enjoy the scene where Candy eats a 96 ounce steak , but is told he has to eat the fat and grizzle too if he wants the free meal and complementary T - shirt . THE GREAT OUTDOORS ( 1988 ) Candy plays Chet Ripley , a down - to - Earth guy who is taking his wife Connie ( who is played by Stephanie Faracy ) and their kids on a vacation to a cabin in the woods . Things are going fine until Chet 's brother - in - law Roman Craig ( Aykroyd ) and his family show up uninvited . 
Day 205 : The Paper Chase ( 1973 ) . One of my very good friends ( Doug ) is set to take the Illinois Bar Exam this Tuesday and Wednesday . After that , he ' ll never have to think about much of what he learned in law school ( or while studying for the bar exam ) ever again . So in honor of Doug and the hundreds of other aspiring attorneys who will be taking the bar exam this week , I ' m going to suggest the finest film about law school that was every made . THE PAPER CHASE ( 1973 ) Timothy Bottoms plays James T . Hart , a first year student at Harvard Law School . He is eager to impress his stern and legendary professor Charles W . Kingsfield ( who is played by John Houseman ) . But things get a little blurry when James discovers that the young woman he has been dating is actually Kingsfield 's daughter .... For those of you who haven't gone through law school , I ' ll tell you that The Paper Chase is a lot more accurate than other movies which have been set in law school . 
Day 204 : Weekend at Bernie 's ( 1989 ) . I ' m currently on vacation in sunny Southern California . I didn't want to waste too much of my vacation time writing articles on movies , so I have written each of this week 's posts out in advance . And since I am on vacation , I thought I should recommend a couple of comedies about vacations gone bad ... I just hope I ' m not jinxing myself somehow . WEEKEND AT BERNIE ' S ( 1989 ) Andrew Mc Carthy plays Larry Wilson . Jonathan Silverman plays Richard Parker . Larry and Richard are a couple of friends who work together at an insurance company . When they point out potential fraud to their boss Bernie Lomax ( who is played by Terry Kiser ) , Bernie decides to " reward " them by sending them on a weekend getaway to his beach house . In actuality , Bernie is behind the fraud , and now plots to have Larry and Richard killed . The hitman kills Bernie instead , though . So what do Larry and Richard do ? They take Bernie 's corpse along with them to the beach , to parties , etc. so they continue to enjoy their well - earned vacation . 
Day 203 : Sky High ( 2005 ) . Since we 're currently in the middle of a Superman & Batman Theme , I thought this would be the perfect time to recommend a kids ' movie with a superhero storyline . Let me just say that I watched Sky High with my kids a few weeks ago ... and we watched it twice . In this blogger 's opinion , the idea of a high school for budding superheroes is a great one . And there are plenty of good characters in Sky High . I wouldn't be surprised if Disney Channel or ABC decided to make a weekly series based on the movie . SKY HIGH ( 2005 ) Michael Angarano plays Will Stronghold , the teenage son of two of the planet 's greatest superheroes : The Commander ( who is played by Kurt Russell ) and Jetstream ( who is played by Kelly Preston ) , a . k . a . " The Strongholds . " The Strongholds have enrolled their son in a high school for young superheroes . The only problem is that Will hasn't yet developed any superpowers of his own ... Well , that 's not the only problem . He also has to deal with Warren Peace ( Steven Strait ) , a flame - throwing teen who hates Will because The Commander put his father behind bars many years ago . And there 's also the fact that Will 's girlfriend Gwen Grayson ( who is played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead ) is hatching an evil scheme to destroy Sky High and take over the world ! 
Day 202 : The Notebook ( 2004 ) . Unfortunately , it seems like when my wife and I see a movie together , that movie is bound to stink . I think it 's because she 's rather lousy at choosing movies , and I ' m rather lousy at choosing movies I think she ' ll like . So I recently polled a few of my female friends about their favorite romantic movies . Each included The Notebook on their list . I was quite excited about surprising my wife by renting good date movie , but it turns out she already saw it one night when I was out of town . Oh well . I ended up watching the movie by myself ... and I did find it rather enjoyable . THE NOTEBOOK ( 2004 ) James Garner plays " Duke , " a man who lives in a nursing home . He spends his days reading to an Alzheimer 's patient named Allie ( who is played by Gena Rowlands ) . The story written in a notebook , and is a history of the lifelong romance between Noah Calhoun ( who is played by Ryan Gosling ) and Allie Hamilton ( who is played by Rachel Mc Adams ) . Noah is hard - working , but dirt poor . Allie comes from a family of Southern aristocrats , and her parents do not approve of her relationship with him . 
Day 201 : Superman II ( 1980 ) . Today we continue our Superman Batman Theme with Superman II. This sequel was originally intended to be released much closer to the release of Superman , but numerous disputes slowed down the release of Superman II. The most notable arose when Superman director Richard Donner objected to the fact that the studio desired to make the sequel more campy . As a result , he was replaced by Richard Lester in the middle of production of the sequel . Plenty has been written about this director swap controversy . If you re interested in more details , they shouldn t be hard to find online . SUPERMAN II ( 1980 ) A nuclear blast in space has released three of Krypton s most notorious evil - doers : General Zod ( who is played by Terence Stamp ) , Ursa ( who is played by Sarah Douglas ) , and Non ( who is played by Jack O ' Halloran ) . They come to Earth intent on taking over the planet . The world believes that only Superman ( who is played by Christopher Reeve ) can help . They don t know that he has given up his super powers so that he can live a normal life with Lois Lane ( who is played by Margot Kidder ) . 
Day 156 - Leave me alone ! Today 's Tip - Let your baby play on his own to encourage learning Many parents love playing with their babies . And that 's not a bad thing at all . But if there 's no chance for a baby to play on his own , how is he going to learn to entertain himself ? If you 're doing everything for him , there 's not a whole lot of learning going on . Solitary play increases self - esteem , and helps prevent the " I ' m bored " syndrome later on . And it 's easy too . Just give your baby a child - proofed area to explore and let him go nuts . If he can't roll , put him on a mat with an overhead toy bar he can grab for . If he can flip and push himself up , give him some toys on a blanket so that he can practice crawling . If he can support some weight , an exer - saucer or a Johnny Jump Up are excellent bets . At first these play times will be pretty short , but gradually you can work them up to a longer session where they 're exercising their creativity and having lots of fun while learning . Parenting , Play , Development , Alone , Creativity . 
Day 155 - Exercise Restraint . Today 's First Time Parenting Tip - Gently divert your baby 's " bad " behavior My son has a new favorite playtoy . His mom 's hair . He also enjoys slapping and grabbing onto faces . And when he shakes a maraca , sometimes he gets so into it that he smacks himself in the face , starting the waterworks . Should he be disciplined ? Absolutely not . At this age , babies are too young to understand right and wrong , and nothing they do is out of malice or hurtfulness . So when your son is yanking on your hair , it 's not going to help him or you any if you lose your temper or tell him no . If you baby is engaging in some dangerous behavior , simply divert him to something more productive . If he 's trying to climb up the coffee table , give him some pillows to crawl around on instead . If he 's pulling your hair and it hurts too much , give him a stuffed animal with fur or something fuzzy he can wrap his fingers around . Besides keeping your hair , this has an added benefit of teaching them to express themselves and explore in different ways , which is all he was trying to do in the first place . Parenting , Discipline , Behavior , Bad , Spoil . 
Day 154 - Naps ... In the Crib vs . Somewhere Else . Today 's First Time Parenting Poll : Should you put your baby down for a nap in his crib or somewhere else . Today , we ' ll do things a little bit differently . My wife and I disagree on where to put the baby to sleep . I say put him down in the crib . He ' ll associate it with sleep , and he takes better naps . She takes the opposing stance , making the case for putting him down in the same room as us . That way , he learns that his crib isn't just for hour cat naps , it 's for bedtime . Plus we have easier access to him if he wakes up and needs something . So I thought I ' d ask other parents what they thought of this . Just make a comment and sound off . Parenting , Sleep , Nap , Crib , Habit . 
Day 153 - Baby Shades . Today 's Tip - Get tinted glass or baby shades to protect your baby in the car On long car rides , it 's important to protect your baby from the sun . Since you 're probably headed in one direction for a long time the sun will shine on the same spot on your car for a long time as well . And if that 's on your baby , you need to take steps to protect him . Tinting the glass in your car is an expensive , but is your best bet . It ' ll cover all the angles of the sun and significantly reduce the brightness of the light streaming in . Make sure that the tinting you get will block UV rays as well . Otherwise it 's kind of useless . You can also buy car shades that ' ll hang in your windows and block the sun . Unfortunately , I ' ve found these obstruct my view of traffic , and they don't really cover that much of an area on the window . And there are shades that either come on the car seat or will attach to it . These offer the most coverage , and they won't block your view of the road . Plus they 're nowhere near as expensive as the tinting . But there are still some angles that won't be covered by the shade . Parenting , Sun , Protection , UV , Rays , Car. 
Day 152 - Organic Baby Food vs . Regular Baby Food . Today 's tip - Regular baby food is just as good as organic baby food Lately organic baby food seems to be all the rage , but at nearly twice the price , is it worth it ? The answer seems to be no , according to this and several other articles . Turns out that unless your baby has allergies or an aversion to the taste of regular baby food , they 're receiving the same safe nutrition as organic . Most baby food farms aren't sprayed with the same harmful chemicals as the produce you eat , so harmful pesticides and herbicides aren't an issue . And the nutrients in the regular baby foods are controlled and optimized ... something that doesn't happen in nature . I ' ll leave it up to you to assess whether or not that 's better . Personally , I don't think you can go wrong with either . And I tried some organic food - it seemed to taste and have a little bit better texture than the regular stuff . So if you want to give your baby a tasty feast , organic would be a good way to go . But if you 're wondering if the extra scratch is worth it for organic baby food ... it 's not . Parenting , Baby , Food , Regular , VS , Organic . 
Day 151 - Can You Do This ? Today 's First Time Parenting Tip - Track your baby 's milestones to make sure they 're developing correctly Its important to make sure that your infant doesn't have any developmental problems , but if he or she seems slow in one area , don't worry about it too much unless they 're way behind or your pediatrician seems concerned . Everyone loves to compare their accomplishments to others , but the fact is some babies are fast in verbal development , but slow in the physical department , or vice versa . If you 're worried about it , ask your pediatrician . At the end of the fifth month , your infant should be able to : Hold their head steady when upright Raise their chest when on their stomach , supported by their arms Roll over ( one way ) Pay attention to a raisin or other small object Squeal in delight Reach for an object Smile spontaneously Grasp a rattle held to the backs of their fingers Probably will be able to : Bear some weight on their legs Keep head level with body when pulled to sitting Say ah - goo or other vowel - consonant combination Make a wet razzing sound They might also be able to sit without support , turn in the direction of a voice , pull up to a standing position from sitting down , stand holding onto someone or something , feed himself , object if you take a toy away , work to get a toy out of reach , pass a cube or other object from one hand to the other , look for dropped object , rake a raisin and pick it up in their fist , babble , combining vowels and consonants like ga - ga - ga . Taken from What to Expect the First Year Parenting , Verbal , Physical , Development , Emotional . 
Day 150 - First Aid . Today 's Tip - Take a first aid class designed to teach you about infant to 8 years old It 's something you hope you never have to deal with . But if you ever are in an emergency with your child , you 're either going to fall into one of two groups . Glad you spent the sixty bucks to save your kids ' life , or regretting not spending the two hours and sixty bucks . There should be plent of classes in your area , through the red cross , YMCA , or even a local hospital . You ' ll learn everything from how to help a choking infant , to burn first aid , to poison treatment , you name it . Classes can run anywhere from forty to eighty bucks , but its worth it . And you can use that knowledge to teach your child basic first aid in case their friends get into trouble or if they themselves get hurt . And most kids do get hurt at some point in their lives , it 's inevitable . Parenting , First , Aid , Hurt , Red , Cross . 
Lollipop . 	 One of my new t - shirts . I love t - shirts . I always look for the nicely designed shirts and half the time I give away my race shirts because I get all critical with the design . One of the shirts I bought during my trip to the Philippines was this beauty . I choose it because I liked the green color , the cool white script type and the yellow of the lollipop combined with the white and green . I thought it was a pretty nice design for a shirt and a mere $ 4 so I bought it . My 17 yr . old sister was the first to raise her eyebrow but didn't say why . A couple of my cousins laughed at it but shrugged it off . Well tonight I wore it to my Bible Study group where a couple of my friends laughed . We had a visitor , a teacher of 13 yr . olds , she gave me an amused quizzical look . Was I really the only one who didn't know these were lyrics to a rap song with sexual explicit lyrics ? It would have been okay anywhere else but I wore it to a bible study group meeting , nice ! A good thing I didn't wear it to church . And to think I choose this shirt over a red one with an image of a Buddha holding a beer - I didn't want to offend any Buddhists . Check out the chorus : [ 50 Cent ] I take you to the candy shop I ' ll let you lick the lollypop Go ' head girl , don't you stop Keep going ' til you hit the spot ( woah ) [ Olivia ] I ' ll take you to the candy shop Boy one taste of what i got I ' ll have you spending all you got Keep going ' til you hit the spot ( woah ) Nice huh . Just the kind of thing you want to wear to your bible study ! 
Home . 	 The good times always go by so fast ... but it 's nice to be home , in the cooler weather , in my own setup . Got in yesterday after lunch running on nothing but fumes . I was determined however to stay up and hit the hay at a normal time so I was quite productive considering . I hit the grocery store , actually started unpacking and after some deliberation attended Tuesday track . Oooff ! It was slow and hard but it went better than expected and I was able to get an accurate gauge on how much I lost . During the workout I was waiting for my higher " gears " to come on and they never came but managed a decent effort anyway . It was a bit like driving an under powered 4 - cylinder compact up to Tahoe . It was good to get started . I ' m back ! 
The Last Few Days . 	 My body has finally acclimated to the weather , too bad it 's almost time to leave . On my last run workout I ran around the track and incorporated some work on the bleachers . I didn't sweat much and I didn't need to drink beyond the 15 or so ounces I took in before the run . I also felt very good in the end , like I could keep going for a lot longer . The body 's amazing . I have to say after 2 weeks of short workouts , eating and resting my body is pretty darn happy . Feet , left hamstring and ITB soreness issues are gone . When I get back to San Francisco I will have a well rested , albeit slightly heavier and out of shape body to work with . I ' ll have a little over a month to cram for the Big Kahuna Half - Ironman on Sept.10 th in Santa Cruz . I ' m fine on the bike . I ' ll be happy on the run , it 's the re - integration of swim workouts that I ' m not looking forward too . I swim like a dog , steady yet slow . I ' d also like to get in on a few 50 k races , get my trail legs back . In San Francisco our summer weather is yet to come and I ' m looking forward to it . I ' ll spend August and September getting back in tip top shape and run a few good races in the fall . I ' m especially looking forward to running the Quad Dipsea again this year . Last year I blew up on the course , I entered knowing I was already over trained , finished a good 45 minutes behind my best time . That 's my main goal for the rest of the year , a good Quad race to close the year out ! Si I ' m back in Manila now , I always spend a few days here before heading back to the US . I have three cousins here who I think the world of and I can't leave without spending time with them . I also like Manila , lots of things to do and experience . Got in yesterday at 8 AM and it 's been non - stop until 5:30 AM this morning . Nothing crazy just a full schedule . Bouncing back and forth between groups and events : got to spend some quality time with my dad ( the biological one ) , went on a blind date ( more on that later ) , got together with the gang who went to Boracay to look at pictures and re - live the fun moments from the trip and finally I celebrated with my cousin Bing who finished her final presentation for her Master 's degree in business . The latter was what kept me up till the wee hours in the morning . Thank God for my involvement in endurance sports , at least I had the stamina to keep up with the young - uns . At 34 I ' m not that old , but old enough to feel old in a club full of 20 somethings . But it wasn't about me , besides I thought to myself , if I could run through the night I could certainly suck it up and hangout . Finally got some rest , more food and the use of a computer . Things are good . 
Public Transportation . 	 14 children and 1 motorcycle driver . Maybe I mentioned this before , in my hometown there are all types of public transport . One of them are " tricycles " and there are two types , one is powered by motorcyle and the other by bike . They are fun to ride in , cheap and often overloaded . I always wonder how they keep these motorcyle engines running . 
Ain't It Purty ? ! 	 My first buckle . Photo courtesy of my sister Melissa " Purple Cookie " Kertel . Ah my first buckle but it 's from my second 100 - miler . I only do one of these a year - they are such a big deal training and event wise . My first 100 - mile race was Rio del Lago in Auburn , part of the course is on the Western States trail . However Race Director Norm Klein didn't give buckles . To paraphrase what he said , " I know that next to your Angeles Crest and Western States buckles you would never wear a Rio buckle so instead I thought up of other interesting awards for you to take home " . You see , Rio is an easy 100 - miler compared to the other big 100 - milers . Why wear Rio when you can wear ; Cascade Crest , Angeles Crest , Leadville , Hardrock , Western , Masanutten , I could go on . So he gave all the finisher 's a slab of granite , the size and weight of which worried me a little - thought someone was going to drop it on their foot . I thought I was going to drop the dang thing on my foot . And he also gave us a .... how do I describe this ? ... a ceramic figure of a bear with a salmon in his mouth . I think there 's an eagle in the mix too . It was nice and all but not something I would keep in the apartment . It now resides in my parent 's home in Orlando , Florida , right next to a Budweiser Christmas special limited edition ceramic stein ( which embarrasingly is also mine ) Anyway Cascade was an amazing race . A run I would do again . I wasn't blogging then so I never bothered to write a race report , I didn't have a running digital camera either . Too bad , I guess I ' ll have to go back . I never wear buckles . I walk around in shorts that require no belts most of my days but it 's my first buckle so what the hey - those only come once in a lifetime right ? 
Boracay Pics . 	 The Gang : My sister , cousins and a girlfriend of one of the boys . Only one missing is my uncle . That was a great trip . Nice to hang with family , meet new people , see new places , do new things .... At the end there I over did the celebrating a little bit but it was all good , safe and clean fun . Here s are a few more pics from the trip . At the Beach Island Hopping White Sand Beaches Snorkeling Live Music Last Night . 
Lion 's tears . ? . 
Shedding Some Light . Ever so often , I get photographers and clients asking asking me how I shoot this or create that effect in my camera , etc. For the more technically inclined , Wed Pix , an online wedding photography magazine , has asked me to share some tips and techniques on the use of flash for their latest issue , so if you 're interested in the technical aspect of how I create my images , see it here . Wed Pix is an interesting little online magazine for both couples and photographers , it 's certainly worth a look , although I think it would likely appeal more to the photographers though . 
The Future of Wedding Photography in Singapore . It 's that time of the year again . The time when photographers and couples are both contemplating what 2007 and beyond will bring for the wedding photography industry . As I sit here thinking about the industry in Singapore for next 5 years I am excited about what the future holds . While I ' m no longer a " young " photographer , I ' m not particularly " old " in the industry either . As a result , I find myself in a unique situation where I can look the to the past and the future of the industry and be able to relate to both . Perhaps one of the biggest changes in the last 3 years was the increase in day rates for wedding day photography . I am guessing we will also see significant rate increases by most photographers in the next 3 - 5 years . While many couples might groan at the thought of having to spend more on wedding photography , I believe that the biggest benefactor of this price increase would actually be the wedding couple . Why is this the case ? With this price increase , I have also observed a tremendous jump in the quality of wedding photography coming out of many local photographers . As rates improved over the last few years , the industry has attracted a group of young and upcoming photographers who were trained internationally and then coming back to Singapore seeking to be a wedding photographer . And no , I ' m not talking about myself . These photographers bring a whole new perspective to wedding photography , taking it to levels which used to be inaccessible locally , only to be seen in magazines like Martha Stewart Weddings . Besides being better technically , more of these young photographers are bringing an artistic vision and methodology to their craft that wasn't available in Singapore even 5 years ago . Gone are the stiff wedding poses , to be replaced with spontaneous moments that are aesthetically pleasing as well . This influx of talented young photographer have also forced me to rethink my photography and to grow and strengthen my vision and my business . While many older photographers feel " threatened , " I think this improvement in quality and professionalism is wonderful for the industry . With the advent of the internet and improved communication networks and the jump in quality , Singaporean photographers are now at a level where they are competing in a global arena and are shooting international weddings and receiving international awards . One only has to look at the number of Singaporean photographers who have won awards with the WPJA to see the advancements in the industry in Singapore . And list of award winning photographers in Singapore just grows longer every month . Of course , with access to a global market , I believe that couples in Singapore will start having to pay " global " prices as well . Unfortunately , over the last 5 - 7 years , the price of wedding photography in Singapore has been artificially repressed as a result of SARs , terrorism and our unique market conditions . Here in Singapore , the day rate for wedding photographers is one of the lowest among developed countries and even low compared to some developing countries . I believe that in the next 5 years , the market will correct itself . While market prices increase especially at the higher end , would there be " cheaper " photographers ? Yes , like all other markets around the world , there will always be a demand and supply at the lower end . However , in my opinion , it 's the breakthroughs in photographic techniques and vision in the high end market which would bring about really exciting changes in the industry . In time to come , we would see these breakthroughs slowly start to filter down to the lower end markets as well . With improving rates , talent flowing into the industry and explosive growths in the art and vision of photographers , I think the future of wedding photography is bright here in Singapore and couples have much to look forward to . 
Something Different . Oh my gosh ! A posed shot ? For many of my past clients , this image might come as a big surprise as my aim has always been to shoot wedding images without posing them . But once in awhile , you get beautiful light which I just felt this insatiable urge to use in my images somehow . So I thought I ' d try something different . My aim was to shoot portraits of the wedding party the way I saw it . With beautiful light , time to spare and a beautiful , clean background . The result was just as I had imagined and I really like the way the image looks . I think I ' ll try this a litle more often in the future . 
2007 Pricing . Dear Friends , after extensive research into new products , we are happy to announce that the price list for 2007 is ready . We have added a new 10 x 10 " magazine album to our product lineup and will be continuing to carry our matted and flush mount albums from Australia . If you are having your wedding in 2007 and looking for wedding photography , please send your enquires to info @39 eastimages . com. 
Got Gowns ? Over the past 3 years , Silhouette The Atelier has been designing elegant suits and gorgeous gowns for many happy couples of 39 East . Their reputation for original designs and detailing have made countless weddings unique to the couple . So if you are still undecided on your suits and gowns for the big day , let Silhouette show you their new June - July 2006 inhouse collection in an up close and personal session with their designers . From 3 rd to 30 th June 2006 , be pampered and spoilt with wine and canap s as you explore their other services which will also be offered to you in the comfort of Silhouette s boutique in Stamford House . For all couples who are interested in being part of the Silhouette Experience , give them a call at 6733 7197 or do drop them an email at info @ silhouette . com. sg to make an appointment and let them know you saw their blurb on our blog . Please take note that this offer is strictly by appointment only . 
Some Goodies ! Hey , for those of you who are current or future clients of 39 East , we have some exciting news to share . In the process of planning the 2007 price list , we realized that the 2006 clients were missing out on some of the 2007 goodies , so we ' ve decided to move these options up . The goodies are as follows Prepaid Album Credits Purchase album credits before your wedding day and you 're entitled to 10 % bonus credits . How great is that ? We ' ve found that clients who committed to an album before their wedding saved us heaps in administrative costs and so these costs can now be passed onto you . Parent Albums After repeated requests , we have finally come up with a line of albums that will make ideal gifts for parents , relatives or close friends of the bride and groom . For more info on our latest products , please feel free to contact us at info @39 eastimages . com. 
Reflections . Another favorite from the weekend . I love this picture because the bride had this wonderful expression as she was leaving her home which we see reflected in the car window . It 's so rare that all the elements line up . I ' m keeping my fingers crossed hoping that luck would send more of these beautiful multi - layered opportunities my way . 
Where 's Waldo ? If there 's one thing about weddings in Singapore , is that you really have to hand it to the guys for the effort they put into professing their love to their brides on the wedding day . For those of you not from here and wondering what I ' m talking about , it 's a bit of tradition around this part of the world , where the groom is made to prove his love by doing a series of pre determined tasks . Most of the tasks are fun , but occasionally difficult enough where lesser men like me would have bailed and gone a hunting for another bride . Congratulations Chee Kong ! If you 're wondering , yes , he did get the bride . 
apakah anda seorang feminis ? Menurut Wikipedia , Feminism is a diverse collection of social theories , political movements , and moral philosophies , largely motivated by or concerning the experiences of women . Orang yang setuju , mendukung dan berjuang karenanya disebut sebagai feminis ( feminist ) . Jadi , apakah anda seorang feminis ? - khusus feminis laki - laki , baru menjadi isu dua dasawarsa terakhir . Itu juga masih terjadi banyak diskursus . Istilah baru bagi laki - laki yang feminis adalah meninis ( meninist , male feminist ) Simaklah pernyataan dibawah , anda boleh setuju atau tidak setuju . a . Setuju , bahwa perempuan memiliki hak berpolitik sama dengan laki - lakib . Setuju , bahwa laki - laki dan perempuan harus berbagi peran dalam rumah tangga dan kepengasuhan anak , tidak hanya membebankan peran domestikasi kepada perempuanc . Setuju , bahwa sama dengan laki - laki , perempuan harus dihormati dan tidak boleh dilecehkan hak - haknyad . Setuju , bahwa siapapun tidak boleh mendiskriminasikan hak ekonomi perempuane . Dalam berelasi , saya tidak pernah meremehkan atau menghina seseorang karena ia perempuanf . Setuju , jika perempuan tidak dibeda - bedakan dalam meraih kesempatan belajar , perempuan dapat meraih pendidikan dan kariri sama tingginya seperti laki - lakig . Saya peduli akan isu - isu perempuan dan prihatin jika terjadi penganiayaan terhadap perempuanh . Saya mengikuti berita dan perkembangan di media , saya diam - diam mendukung perjuangan mereka , sebab jika perempuan maju maka yang diuntungkan tentunya adalah masyarakati . Saya membaca jurnal feminisme dan buku - buku bertemakan gender karena ingin tahu apa saja yang para feminis perjuanganj . Saya tidak setuju jika masyarakat masih menganggap perempuan lebih rendah daripada laki - laki atau menjadi warga negara kelas duak . Saya berjanji jika punya anak perempuan atau anak laki - laki akan mendidik mereka setara dan tidak membeda - bedakan jenis kelamin Jika anda setuju dengan sebagian besar dari pernyataan diatas , selamat ! Karena mungkin anda adalah seorang feminis ! Jadi mudah sekali bukan , seseorang untuk menjadi feminis ? Dan menjadi feminis bukanlah predikat yang menakutkan . Karena setiap orang bisa saja feminis jika benar - benar menerapkan hal - hal diatas . Disadur dari Jurnal Perempuan , Pria Feminis , Why Not ? , edisi XII - 1999 . ------ Seharusnya tak hanya bulan april atau desember , kita bicara feminisme ( baca : ke - perempu - an ) ! * jangan terjebak dengan istilah . 
Remind me again why we need this council ??? - - . . 
Comments . - - 	 ( ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
How Many Kuwaitis Does It Take To Screw a Light Bulb ? One of the lights in my room stopped working last night so I thought I ' d replace it . When I got up on my chair , I found out that the metallic screw part had oddly detached from the bulb and remained stuck to the holder on the ceiling ! Luckily , I managed to twist it loose with of a pair of pliers , but only after getting a cloud of dust caught in my eyes that almost sent me flying off the edge of my seat . Maybe I should stick to brand names next time . @ _ x . 
Anything Goes is one year old ! Today marks the official one year anniversary of this blog and to celebrate the 125 published posts , I have simplified the web design and added a few minor enhancements : Removed Navbar Added Search Field Replaced links with RSSReplaced email icon with text Used drop menu for archives Added Expandable Comments With any luck , these new features should make navigation faster and effortless for everyone . Lastly , I want to thank the bloggers , readers and commentators who have made it all worthwhile . : ] . 
Floyd 's powerdata . Floyd Landis wint zijn eerste tour ! Na zijn spectaculaire inzinking in de 2 de Alpenrit gaf geen mens Floyd nog een kans op de eindzege . Daags nadien gaf hij echter iedereen lik op stuk , en met n van de indrukwekkendste raids van de laatste jaren reed hij solo iedereen op een hoopje . Net zoals vorig jaar kun je Landis zijn powertap gegevens van de ritten nadien bekijken . Zijn coach Allen Lim analyseert die nauwkeurig en geeft commentaar . From Allen Lim , resident power guru at Cycleops : - 5 hours 23 minutes and 36 seconds . - Covering 200.5 kilometers ( 130 km alone in the wind ) . - At a speed of 37.175 km / hr . - Averaging 281 watts when moving for the whole ride and 318 watts over the last two hours . - Averaging 324 watts while pedaling for the whole ride and 364 watts over the last 2 hours . - At an average cadence of 89 rpm . - Transferring 5,456 Kjoules of energy to his Cycleops Power Tap . - Taking , no joke , a total of 70 water bottles ( 480 ml each ) from the car to keep himself cool and hydrated . - Attacking about a quarter of the way up the Col des Saisies for 30 seconds at 544 watts , which settled into a 5 - minute peak of 451 watts , which continued for 10 minutes at an average of power of 431 watts , and left everyone in his dust after 30 minutes at an average power of 401 watts . - Spending 13.2 % of his time or 43 minutes coasting like a rocket on the descents and another 60 % between 4 to 7 watts per kilogram of body weight ( aka , the pain cave ) . - Holding onto 373 watts over the Col de Joux - Plane . - Hitting a max speed of 83.7 km / hr ( 51.9 mph ) and flying like a Phoenix on his way to the most incredible moment in sports I have ever witnessed . Floyd weegt ongeveer 10 % minder dan ikzelf , dus om hem te volgen op de joux - plane zou ik meer dan 400 watts nodig gehad hebben .... Mijn overslagpols ligt op 340 - 350 watts .... Bemerk ook dat hij 13.2 % van de tijd NIET heeft getrapt ( zie n van m ' n vorige blogs ) . Dit was dus duidelijk een bergetappe . Slechts 1 woord voor dit exploot : SUPERKLASSE ! 
dreams ... Had a weird dream lately ? I had 2 in 2 days . Would be nice if someone tried to translate for me . Dream 1 from 2 days ago . It involved some BB officers . The weird part was that there were elephants in the trees . And they were " art pieces " . And for some reason it seems we were in Thailand . Maybe that 's where all the elephants came from . And the dream ends with us getting into a car which was driven by the person whom I think hasn't gotten a license . Anyways the car trip ended after we turned out of the car park . The last thing I remembered was the car being hit by another car but that 's when I woke up . Dream 2 from yesterday . This dream involves my family . The weird thing about this dream was that there were mutants . Mutants here refer to people similar to people in the world of Xmen . It seems that a guy with a doggish looking head came to my house and tried to assassinate my mother . The doggish guy called my mother a general . Okie super weird . I can't say that sometimes my mother doesn't act like a dictator - ish general but this dream is really out there together with all the weirdest dreams . Comments on the dreams are welcomed . Entertain me . 
life 's direction ... Have you watched the movie deemed the best movie in 2006 ? That 's right . I talking about Pirates of the Caribbean 2 . It was good . It was more than good . Johnny was great . I will be talking about one thing in the movie , may unintentionally spill a spoiller . But it wouldn't be a plot spoiler . Do you remember the compass that Jack Sparrow , sorry ... Captian Jack Sparrow used in the first movie ? The compass that was supposedly spoilt ? The compass that doesn't point north . Well in this movie , they tell us what the compass is used for . What it points to . It points to ... Some of you may want to close your eyes . Ears if someone is reading this to you . The compass points to the object that you desire the most on earth at that particular moment . Isn't that just great ? I wonder why no one thought of such an item before in all the fairy tales that were told to us . They come up with things like genies to grant 3 wishes but this , this is like making you the genie . As long as you can follow that arrow on that compass , you can find what it is that your heart most desires . Need to decide which school to go to ? Stand somewhere in the middle and watch the needle settle on the school that you REALLY want to go to . No more problems . Can't decide where to eat ? Just use the compass . It ' ll point you to what you 're craving for . Of course these are just " small " decisions that we could easily rely on chance . But for those more important questions . 2 women , maybe 3 ? A decsion that would mean you reaching your destiation and one that could cause you your life . Decisions like these . Sometimes we all need a bit of help . Imagine if we could actually manufacture a compass such as this . Selling this would make me rich . Yes me , not Captian Jack Sparrow . And this is how it would be marketed : A voice would ask , " Lost something valuable ? Buy a compass and steer yourself onto the life that you desire ! " The advertisement would show a guy coming out of the waters on a beach one hand holding the compass and he will slowly open his other hand to reveal a ring . A woman will soon run up to him , hug him and put the ring on her finger . The guy will smile a smile worthy of Brad Pitt and say , " I found my life 's direction , let us help find yours ! " The compass will appear and a price of US $ 49.99 will be stamped onto it . A sign that say FREE delivery to anywhere in the world will also be flashed across the screen . In small print that will marquee across the bottom the screen , a notice will say that every compass is only good for 3 desires . I need to ensure my future . And on my table , the original compass will sit . Hopefully it will constantly point to itself . Because currently what I really want is a compass to point my way in life . 
" eca " s vs " cca " s ... If you are no a Singaporean , you ' ll probably think it 's another 2 wrestling companies fighting . But it 's not . ECAs are Extra - Curricular Activities . These existed long ago when I was a student in secondary school . CCAs are Co - Curricular Activities . This is the spanky new ( new is subjective , it was new 5 - 6 years ago ) name they came up with for ECAs . What 's the difference ? Nothing much . Even when it was called ECAs back in secondary school . It was also madatory for all to join one . Mandatory and Extra just don't mix , do they ? But even though it was deemed Extra long ago , it seems that the people who joined up for it , took it more seriously . They came more regularly and took it less for granted . Now that it 's a Co - Curricular Activity , the people who join seemed to think it 's less important and don't come as regluary . Even though the people up there think it 's more important now . I think as educators they missed a big part of how the teenager mind works . If you ' ve ever been a teenager , you ' ll know that unless you were some saint , you ' ll probably do most things that your parents say you shouldn't be trying . Teenagers only do stuff that they don't or shouldn't be doing . Or things that are Extra . Getting them to do anything else that they don't want can turn out to be a nightmare . I wonder how I survived my teen years . It 's like how they advertised the newest youth park in town . They called it the " coolest " new place in town . The very fact that they call it cool makes it uncool to kids . 
superman returns ... * Start of disclaimer !!! * Due to me actually having found a 2 day job , this entry is actually about something that happened last week . If I have entertained you before with this story , this will just help jog that failing memory you will have . * End of disclaimer !!! * The title of the newest Superman movie . And the title is the most suitable , from my point of view anyways . I watched Superman Returns on Tuesday . With 2 JC friends . I can't say that the show was half bad . But after watching it twice , I wouldn't say it was half good either . It is a pretty long movie . It was 2 hours and 40 minutes , plus credits . Well worth the $ 7 at least . The show was overly dramatic in my opinion . On Wednesday , I was intending to watch a movie with Mr. Derrick Ho . I thought that we were going to watch Royston Tan 's 4:30 . Apparently they didn't show it anymore . On Wednesday at least . I saw the movie being listed again on Friday . Bummer . So , to enjoy the privilege of choosing seats Derrick bought tickets online . Yup you actually get to choose your own seats if you buy it online . Well , I didn't know that we bought tickets for Superman . So Superman returned to my life twice in 2 days . This week I spent a total of 5 hours and 20 minutes watching the same show . At least I only had to pay $ 3 for it . Back to something more recent , working brought to light something which I find throughly disturbing . I speak a mis - mash of English , Chinese and dialect . Which is really bad . Yesterday , a friend corrected me twice when I used " me and my friend " . Bummer . 
Nanny Mc Phee - Pelajaran di Balik Film . Pada saat awal nonton film ini , gue langsung berpikir " wah film apa ini ya ?? " dan " ah .. ini film buat anak - anak , mungkin seperti buatannya Disney " . Tapi ternyata film ini ngga seperti buatan Disney . Gaya penceritaan yang tidak biasa dan gaya penokohan yang unik , dan bisa dibilang berlebihan . Ceritanya secara keseluruhan klise seperti biasanya . Tapi banyak pelajaran yang bisa diambil dari film ini . Nanny Mc Phee memberikan lima buah pelajaran untuk tujuh anak keluarga Brown , yaitu : 1 . To Go To Bed When They Are Told 2 . To Get Up When They Are Told 3 . To Get Dressed When They Are Told 4 . To Listen 5 . You Must Do Exactly As You Are Told Dan quote menarik lainnya adalah : " I have five lessons to teach . What lessons they learn is entirely up to them . " Sama halnya seperti kita . Di balik setiap pelajaran yang kita dapat , selalu terdapat banyak hal yang bisa dipelajari , bahkan hal - hal di luar pokok pelajaran itu sendiri . Buka mata , buka telinga , buka hati , dan buka pikiran . 
Great Short Films . Thanks to a posting over on Strut Your Reel , I was able to watch a slew of fine short films today , and now you can too ! The site is in French , either that or I forgot how to read in my sleep last night , but you simply need to click on a thumbnail and then click " VOIR LE FILM " to watch the short that you ' ve selected . While they were all great , I ' d have to say my favorite was " Making Of , " starring a Red Dragon and his journey through the world of reality television . Check them out by clicking here ! 
BY DAVE : I Give You ... Monkey . There is certainly more I could have done to him , and I never got quite finished with his textures , but it 's time I move on for now . I may revisit Monkey at some point , and I think next I ' ll model a dog for him ( no , it won't be Sid ) . I hope you like him . He sure likes beer ... no wait ... he sure likes you . EDIT : And because the ladies in the audience demanded it ... I guess it 's true what ZZ Top said ... Every girl is in fact crazy about a bald , cashew - shaped , overweight , alcoholic , shirtless man . 
Dreamworks Poster Madness ! Just wanted to throw a few poster shots your way from some of the upcoming Dreamworks Animation movies that will be coming out in the future . The first of these is for everyone 's favorite swamp ogre , Shrek , and the second sequel for this franchise : Look for " Shrek the Third " in theaters May of 2007 . Next we have a shot of the main characters from Kung Fu Panda : Even from this one shot it looks as though this film is going to be a lot of fun . This one hits theaters in 2008 . Finally is one of the first pieces of art from Jerry Seinfeld 's upcoming " Bee Movie " : No idea what to think of this one yet , as it 's still way too early to know enough details , but the bee looks cute , even if it 's in a Honey Nut Cheerios sort of way . 
Dreamworks at Siggraph . Dreamworks has issued the following press release about their presence at the upcoming Siggraph , as well as the job opportunities that will soon be available , if not already : MAJOR DREAMWORKS ANIMATION PRESENCE AT SIGGRAPH 2006 On the heels of the successful worldwide launch of its latest computer - animated feature , Over the Hedge , Dream Works Animation will assert a major presence at SIGGRAPH 2006 , the world 's largest computer graphics conference , held from July 30 th to August 3 rd at the Boston Convention a system was developed on Flushed Away to automate the process of generating splashes from a character 's interaction with a water surface while still retaining a large degree of artistic control . * Simplified Tree Lighting Using Aggregate Normals ( Presented by Scott Petersen with Lawrence Lee ) ; more appealing tree shapes were created before shadows were cast for Over the Hedge and Shrek the Third to facilitate tree lighting . * Procedural Modeling Workflow for Over the Hedge Foliage ( Presented by Bruce Tartaglia with Rob Wilson , Olcun Tan , Scott Petersen , Jonathan Gibbs ) ; how algorithms were used to generate models and animate foliage for Over the Hedge . * Directing Plant Interactions on Over the Hedge . ( Presented by Gokhan Kisacikoglu ) ; a unique set of controls had to be developed to direct the branches and leaves when characters go through the hedge in Over the Hedge . * Cartoon Motion Blur for 3 D Animation ( Presented by Andy Wheeler with Joanne Thiel presentation of three innovative particle - based techniques for stylized motion blur , developed and expanded over the course of three CG projects : Madagascar , The Madagascar Penguins in A Christmas Caper , and Over the Hedge . * Stop Motion Puppets in CG ( Presented by Martin Costello ) ; how the CG characters in Flushed Away were able to emulate the very specific animation style of Aardman . In addition to the various presentations , the studio will host its third annual Educators ' Luncheon Symposium , a forum for college and university level educators to discuss and debate directions and strategies for Digital Media education . This will also be a venue to share solutions for the challenges they are facing in identifying , educating and matriculating students in this rapidly evolving field of study . Applicants will also be able to drop off reels and / or resumes for interview consideration at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center Meeting Room 252 A during Exhibition hours . Dream Works Animation is looking to fill more than 40 positions by the end of the year for all of its upcoming projects including Bee Movie , Kung Fu Panda , Shrek the Third , and the Madagascar sequel . A complete list of current openings can be found in the " Job Opportunities " section of the studio 's website at www . dreamworksanimation . com. Last but not least , Dream Works Animation and partner HP will be giving away an HP Digital Camera every hour during the Exhibition , from August 1 st to August 3 rd . Attendees should drop by the Dream Works Animation suite for their chance to enter and win the raffle . Winners will be posted at the HP Booth ( # 1203 ) on the Exhibition Floor . About Dream Works Animation SKG , INCDream Works Animation SKG ( NYSE - DWA ) is principally devoted to developing and producing computer - generated , or CG - animated , feature films . With world - class creative talent , a strong and experienced management team and advanced CG filmmaking technology and techniques , Dream Works Animation makes high quality CG - animated films meant for a broad movie - going audience . 
Toy Story 3 . Tim Allen recently shed some light on " Toy Story 3 " to the National Ledger . " Toy Story 3 " is moving right along and " it 's going to be great . " That 's the word from Buzz Lightyear himself , Tim Allen . " We have John Lasseter , the original director , and I believe Tom is on board , " he adds , referring to Tom Hanks -- aka the voice of his cowboy buddy , Woody . I personally thought this project got shelved after the merger between Pixar and Disney , but I guess it 's still in the works . I ' m not sure how I feel about this , as I ' ve always liked that , with the exception of TS 2 , Pixar has stayed away from sequels , choosing to instead focus on new IPs . I ' m sure it will be a great film , but I ' d rather see something new , rather than the same characters again . And wouldn't Andy be around 20 by now ? ; ) Read the entire National Ledger article here ! 
What 's a Picture Book Without Pictures ? That 's like having a blog about 3 D animation with no pictures of 3 D animation . Which is exactly what you 're going to get for now ... Blogger seems to be having some kind of issue with uploading images , so for now any posts I make will be without the standard picture or two that I like to include . As soon as I find out that it 's back up and working , I ' ll go back and get some shots put in here and there to spice things up a bit . After all , poorly - cropped , blurry , movie stills are the spice of life from what I understand . 
Your Next Tee . They aren't paying me a dime , which probably makes me dumb , but I still have to tell you about this site . If you are a 3 D artist " in the industry " or want to look like you 're " in the industry " or choose to " put quotes around stuff you type to seem cool , " then Your Next Tee . com is where you should go to dress yourself . I ordered this snazzy little " I Bleed Pixels " number myself : I ' m such a dork . Your Next Tee . com. 
I ' ve been My Spaced . I ' ll warn you now that this post really has nothing to do with 3 D animation ... So at the tail end of one of my posts yesterday , I mentioned that I wasn't on My Space and didn't understand why everyone was . From what I understand , that was pretty much like saying that I didn't understand the appeal of breathing . I got more than a couple emails telling me that My Space was not just a place to meet horny young people , but could also be a great resource for networking inside and outside of the art world . So I signed up . Frankly , the thing that appealed most to me was one of the emails that said at very least I could sign up and use it to track bands . So I think the kids these days are " adding friends " or " making friends " or something ... I don't understand the interwebs at all . But if you ' d like to visit my My Space page , which has some of my 2 D artwork and such , feel free . http : // www . myspace . com / my 3 dave My awesome new My Space avatar . Tomorrow I ' m thinking about getting in on the ground floor of this new thing called " email . " I ' ll let you know how that goes . 
TMNT Trailer . Apple has the new teaser trailer up for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles . While it is just a teaser trailer and something we really shouldn't judge the final project by , here are my initial thoughts : 1 . As a fan of the original comic book series , I was hoping the movie would lean towards the dark and serious tone that the comic books often displayed , and not the slapstick nature of the horrible Saturday morning cartoon . The turtle falling into the dumpster makes me think they 're leaning towards the latter , which worries me a bit .2 . The animation and artwork look great . I like the models , especially the heads , and the textures look great as well .3 . I wish the voices were a little more serious . I know we only hear what I am assuming is Donatello , but the voice sounds really lame . Grab yourself a pizza and watch the trailer here ! And feel free to voice your opinion in the comments section . 
Surf 's Up Poster . Don't know if this has been posted elsewhere on the net , but I did manage to stumble upon a poster for the upcoming " Surf 's Up " movie : As for the source , I actually found it over on Jamaal 's My Space Page . Jamaal is an animator on the film , having also animated parts of " Monster House " and " Open Season . " I ' ll also be hitting Jamaal up for a " 10 Quick " interview , so we ' ll see what comes of it . Just as a personal note , I ' m not on My Space , don't frequent My Space , and have yet to find the appeal of My Space . If someone can explain it to me , it would be much appreciated . 
Monster House In Theaters Today . Monster House hits theaters today , and the reviews have already started pouring in over at Rotten Tomatoes . The film currently sits at a 64 % overall , according to the mighty RT . Overall , the reviews seem to be quite mixed . I ' m still excited to see it , and will probably take the film in on Sunday . If you ' ve seen it or see it sometime within the next few days , drop a comment ( no need to register or anything like that ) below this story and let everyone know what you thought of the film . 
Open Season Behind the Scenes . Moviefone has posted a new " Behind the Scenes " look at Sony 's upcoming Open Season . The clip is only about 2 and a half minutes in length , but it 's still nice to see the split screens of the actors in the studio side by side with their on - screen personas . Worth taking a look ! 
New Flushed Away Trailer and Site . Flushed Away now has an updated site that you can wander around in . From the front page of the site , you can also view the brand new Moviefone trailer , that runs just a little over 2 minutes in length . The more I see of this film , the more I can't help but feel as though it 's missing some of the charm that some of the other Aardman films have , and I think ( as much as I hate to say it ) that this is due to the fact that it 's CG instead of clay . There is just something about knowing that the characters are actual physical things , rather than generated on a computer screen , that just can't be changed . It 's one thing if a style begins with computers , because your mind associates it as being the norm , but when something like the Aardman clay style is mimicked using computer graphics , my brain just keeps telling me that something doesn't look right . If the film has the standard Aardman charm , in terms of humor , which it looks like it does , I ' m sure it will be more than enjoyable , but even coming from a guy who loves computer animation to death , I wish they would have stuck with the " if it ain't broke don't model it on a computer " philosophy . Make your own judgment by swinging over to the site and having a look at the trailer ! 
Ant Bully merch ! So the Ant Bully videogame finally arrived at my Local Gamestop after an embarrassing three days of stopping off and enquiring about its status . Man I thought buying Nintendogs got me dirty looks . If you ever want to emasculate yourself in front of a shop clerk I suggest buying a child 's videogame . So how is it ? Well , it 's not that good , but hey , it 's not that bad either . If you thought the Jimmy Neutron games were ass consider this a dimple on one of the cheeks . It 's playable and it actually has a few voices from the movie . Zok and Hova are of coarse replaced by voice unalikes , but the mighty Bruce Cambell opted to lend a hand bringing his character to the console . So far it 's sort of a fun experience running Lucas in the world I ' ve been involved with over the last 2 years . Kids may like it if they 're a fan of the movie . There 's no jump though ! I don't understand how you can make a game like this and not include a jump button . Hell that 's like making a sequel to Time Cop . It just doesn't make sense . I ' ll post my reaction to the GBA version if I can ever tear myself away from the PS 2 . I ' ve vowed to play through the entire game . We ' ll see how far I get before I give up and just use a level select cheat . 
We 're commie bastards ! So apparently we 're starting to get a lot of flak in the reviews that Ant Bully contains a pro communism message . Interesting , very interesting . I guess an ants social system could be considered the original commie hive . Is it so wrong to support teamwork these days ? 
Ant Bully opens Friday ! Good news is we don't flat out suck ! So far it 's receiving mix reviews . Some people like it some people think it doesn't have enough new idea 's to warrant another romp into the land of insects . Hopefully as more reviews come pouring in we ' ll see if it 's a flop or not . I ' m buying the videogame tomorrow and will post my opinions on the GBA and PS 2 versions of the game . Also I have yet to see the final cut of the film so I ' ll post my unbiased opinion after Friday , of coarse in the form of a picture . 
Burke 's : 1 Summer Heat : 0 . So without AC here in Seattle we needed to be a bit creative on how to cool down this hot summer weekend . Luckily Target had inflatable pools on sale . Ahhh ... this was the greatest beer of the summer . Kristie lounging around in the deep end . Even Ruby decided to take a dip . George doing laps . After the dip it was back to playing on the scorched lawn . As you can see our backyard is a stuffed animal graveyard . 
Episode 02 teaser released ... All I can say is this game is shaping up to be another hell of a ride in the Half Life universe . Valve 's doing some great stuff in the next episode . Better warm up that trigger finger for the release ! 
Matter of the Heart . Run , run my son . My only sunwithout sin please run . Don't do it for escape Nor to save face Nor for getting away fromthe things that cause grief Do it because you love it Run for the heart Run for the partof you that feels goodon the highway Breathing and watching the cows go by . Always on the gothis is the go that 's running for more . And it 's a matter of the heart ... And the sun of the son within . 
Be the wheeee ! How would it be ? To learn about being the tree .. or being in the tree .. to find a way to freethe me inside the me ? How would it start to see ? To see what the eyes don't see To open up the meto open up to me ? How else might it be ? To be or be the be ? to be ? or be the bee ? Who else might I be ? To find the eyes to see ? To find the me to be ? Who I want to really be ? Sounds so very free I might let out a wheeee ! 
Art and Energy . I am a beautifulcharming and sensitive me . I see just what I chooseto see I be just what I chooseto be . And I am meup in a treeor down onone knee , still me , free . Patience . Tolerance . Silence . Virtue . I am the energy and I make it too . And I practice to perfect it . I am the art and I make it too . And I practice to perfect it . 
Swimming in the bliss . Swimming in the bliss . Inviting in the good feelings likesweet skin against mineor a viewer for my art... just relaxand feelthe acceptance and the resistancethe change and the persistance No need to hold onto the past No need to grip tightly to the future It can all be of one life and that is now . Swimming in the bliss Come give me a kiss . 
We are All Connected ( letter to editor ) . This post is actually a letter that I ' ve written and submitted to the local newspaper here . It 's inspired by a letter from a woman who runs a local food pantry for homeless and also a van that reaches all sorts of hungry and homeless with its nourishing contents . I want to share my letter with you , my friends : Dear Editor , Are we are all connected ? What if we stopped for a moment and looked at ourneighbor as ourselves . What if we looked straightinto the eyes of another human being and saw in there ... ourselves . What if we spent just a moment to opento the possibility that human homelessness cannot bepassed to one another , nor can it be wiped off theface of the earth with brute force , nor can it beignored so that it will disappear . And that thesituations of other people are so connected in withour own fears , that we push them away . I do believe I ' ve been taught to push away MY fears , and I dobelieve I am not alone . I can ask questions ... because I don't have asolution . I would like to list a few of them here . Can we get to know the situations of others byunderstanding our own fears ? Can we open up more by understanding how fears arecreated and reinforced ? Can learning the difference between human souls andhumans ' possessions and humans ' needs create morecompassion or understanding ? Can we accept and love others as our equals justbecause they are human beings ? Can we share our bounty with others just because wesee ourselves in them ? These questions can apply to homelessness , andpotentially many other situations between people . I ' ve spent some evenings helping feed homeless peopleand even a little time with mentally handicappedfolks . In my experience , if I can just accept that Ihave fears I can move past them . If I can move pastthe fears , I can see the benevolence in myself . If Ican see the benevolence in myself , I can see thebenevolence in others . Emotions are only a part ofour whole human selves , and if I can accept my ownemotions as part of my human experience , I can acceptthem in others as well . Sometimes people are angry . And sometimes people arehappy . And sometimes people are hungry . Andsometimes people need love . And sometimes people needhelp , or don't know what to do , or are victims , or arehurt . If we can just look at ourselves and see our variousfears , can we see how the very same fears are presentin others as well ? Are we all connected ? What do youthink ? 
Slow Rain . The rains fill the streets Cars whooshing in the puddlesand trees dropping pellets of water .. My bike skidding and plodding the slick sidewalk . I want to cry , NO ! I want to laugh No , I want to play and smile like nothing matters - and like there isn't a massive dark cloud overheadthat seems to follow close by wherever I go . I want to cry again . Soaking wet . Full of passion for ... I don't really know . I can get used to this rain . The slushing of tires on wet pavementsthe spray through the wide open window screens The smell of claritythe little droplets that collect on everythingand together they go running down to the Earth . Slowly . 
Through the Thoughts and Clouds . Why do I think I am so alone ? Why can't I seem to moveforward with life ? Waiting and waitingfor the opportunity to Do Something ! Meanwhile my mind is churningand burning with ideas obsessions and wants - More and more and more and morethey just keep coming like clouds over ablue , blue sky . Changing shape slightly so thatthey appear new each time I look . Layering , so clouds behind cloudsand ideas behind ideas become a sea , turbulent and torrentialor slight and calm . But nothing is happening . There is just me and me . And more me . I can't get out of the way . Even when I knowthat I am making itdifficult formy self . Even when I know what I want I don't know what I want . It 's just an idea ... just aquestion that 's lookingfor an answer fromthe universeand now the universe seems to have stopped responding , for the moment anyway . So I wait and I wait , meanwhile my mindis churning and boilingpushing out from underneath the lid . No cover can containit . Action - which one to take God ? They are all so full of potential . And some require things I don't have ... places to livepeople to meet . Things to accomplish . I ' ve heard again and again Begin where you are . I can't ... or haven't . I have to get out . Get out . Out ! Oh dear ego , such laziness coming from youmy dear . Shut upand let 's get back towhat the spirit has to say . Peace . 
Brothers who drive cab may can relate to this !!! Had a very interesting experience this morning coming down Connecticut AVE . . Picked up a white lady about 60 years old at UDC . She said she wanted to go to 1250 24 th st . She noticed my Digital Dispatch Screen as I was entering the trip . She asked if it was a meter and I told her it was not . Tried to explain to her that it computed the fare for zone rides in the city . She then said that I sounded angry . I said to her " I ' m not angry I ' m having a great morning . " She then said , " Shut up and don't talk . " My attitude at that point was FINE . When we arrived at her destination I gave her a card on which I wrote THE FARE IS 9.80 Thank You . She then wanted to talk but I refused to say a word . She then said , " Aw , you can talk . " I refused to say a word . The Arrogance of this customer was unbelievable . Ten years ago I would have put her out but my mission was to transport her and get her money . Mission Accomplished . The arrogance of some of the white customers makes it easy for me to see why people in other countries cannot stand Americans . Shame of it is she doesn't even know it . I guess it 's that lingering Master / Slave mentality . 
What 's an old guy to do ? Just returned from a visit to Plainfield NJ . Could have picked up a fare but this is vacation time . I think as I have gotten older I have developed a thing about crossing bridges . I had another terrifying experience this time on the Delaware Mem . Bridge . This fear seems to grip me and I ' ve got to focus on the car in front of me and keep my speed up . I ' ve got a lot of work to do because I ' ll have to board a plane for New Orleans in December . Be just my luck to get locked up for freaking out . Height is killing me now at a point where I ' ve got to suppress this fear . 
Cabbie Dog Days !!!!! It 's summer in DC and the streets are like a vast wasteland . Depending mostly on regulars , some radio work , the Metro , and hospital work . Earlier start in the morning should be beneficial . There are too many cabs in DC . Most you see are riding empty and hunting . July and August are crucial months so I guess I ' d better start tightning my belt especially with these gas prices . 
Pay Soriano don't trade him !!!!!! Attended my first ballgame this year as the Nats crushed the Marlins 9 - 1 . Alphonso Soriano hit 2 homers and Jose Guillen hit a solo shot . The Lerners ownership is already evident in the atmosphere at RFK this year . Now if only the Nationals could run off a long winning streak they could put some pressure on the Mets . 
Let 's face it . We 're just not ready !!!!!! Poor residents of DC and those who work downtown are going to be in serious trouble in the case of a serious emergency or attack . The debacle this week due to the rain was just a preview of how conjested the streets will become and how difficult it will be to exit the city in the case of a major emergency . As a cab driver I pride myself on being able to get in and out quickly but due to the problems I had last week getting around I ' ll have to re - evaluate my escape plans . Just suppose a scenario such as the one in " The day the earth stood still " occured . Can you just imagine trying to get out of DC . 
Strange happenings in the sky at National . Saw the most unusual thing today . A plane was coming into National Airport for a landing . Suddenly it aborted the landing and ascended into the southeastern sky . Had my eye on it all the way cause didn't know what to think of that action by the plane . All of the thousands of landings I ' ve witnessed at National never seen one make that move before . Since no breaking news stories flashed on the radio I ' ll assume it was just an aborted landing and not something more serious . 
Tired !!!!!! TIME FOR A VACAATION . One gets tired of hacking and dispatching . Everyday is a struggle but you ' ve got to keep going because Mr. Gotta Pay Bill demands it . I ' ve got to go to the Salt Mine today and I ' m really hoping for an easy time . Could think of a couple of places I ' d rather be . Chilling in the mountains sounds like a great getaway . I think I ' ll try and make that happen . 
The Food Doctor : Healing Foods for Body and Mind . We will weekly add to this list of the Top 100 Foods for your Body and Mind 's Health from the book ; The Food Doctor -- Healing Foods for Mind and Body by Vicki Edgson and Ian Marber , Collins and Brown 1999 . The Creator of ALL this Food was God on the 3 rd Day of Creation .... Genesis 1:11 - 12 God said , " I command the earth to produce all kinds of plants , including fruit trees and grain . " And that 's what happened . The earth produced all kinds of vegetation . God looked at what he had done , and IT WAS GOOD . " 1 . Broccoli : Nutrients -- Calcium , magnesium , phosperous , vitamin B 3 and B 5 , beta - carotene , high in Vitamin C and folic acid Benefits -- Anti - Cancer , antioxidant , intestinal cleanser , excellent source of fiber , antibiotic , antiviral ( from sulpher ) stimulates the liver .... A Perfect Food 2 . Strawberries : Nutrients -- Vit A , C and K , beta - carotene , folic acid and potassium Benefits -- Anti - Cancer , antiviral , and antibacterial 3 . Millet : ( whole grain ) Nutrients -- Magnesium , potassium , phosphorus , and Vit B 3 Benefits -- Gluten - free grain , easily digestible , highly alkaline , rich in fibre , low allergenic food 4 . Salmon : Nutrients -- Calcium , selenium , Vit D and E , Omega 3 fatty acids Benefits -- Rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids ( beneficial oil for your heart and body ) , good for hormonal health , skin , the immune system , bones and teeth 5 . Apple : Nutrients -- Calcium , magnesium , phosphorus , Vit C , beta - carotene , and pectin Benefits -- Astringent , tonic , relieves constipation , reactivates beneficial gut bacteria , reduces total cholesterol and helps remove toxins from the body 6 . Cabbage : Nutrients -- Calcium , magnesium , potassium , phosporous , beta - carotene , folic acid , Vit C , E and K , iodine Benefits -- Eaten raw , it detoxifies the stomach and upper colon and improves digestion . Stimulates the immune system , kills bacteria and viruses , anti - cancer and antioxidant ... A perfect food !! 7 . Melon ( Cantelope ) : Nutrients -- Calcium , magnesium , potassium , phosperous , Vit C and beta - carotene Benefits -- Excellent cleanser and rehydrator , high water content , should be eaten on its own for maximum benefit 8 . Pine Nuts : Nutrients -- Magnesium , potassium , zinc , and B vitamins Benefits -- High in protein and essential fat , good as a meat replacement for vegetarians 9 . Potatoes : Nutrients -- Potassium , Vit B 3 , C and Folic acid Benefits -- Potato juice is very cleansing , benefiting the liver and muscles , and providing energy 10 . Orange : Nutrients -- Calcium , potassium , beta - carotene , folic acid and Vit CBenefits -- Stimulating tonifying , cleansing , intestinal antiseptic , and Stimulates peristalsis ( clearing of food from your colon .... thus reduces constipation and improves your energy level ) . 
Ten Lifestyle Goals for Healthy Living . 1 ) Get Adequate Rest Daily -- People with the best health and longevity get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily -- Taking time for daily relaxation and recreation is also helpful to the body and mind 2 ) Get Regular Physical Activity -- Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity on most , preferably all days of the week -- Include strengthening exercise 2 + times per week to maintain a healthy lean body weight ( for each pound of muscle you gain , your metabolism increases to burn an extra 30 to 50 calories each day ) 3 ) Eat More Plant Based Foods -- Aim for at least 5 ( up to 9 is recommended ) servings of fruits and vegetables daily ( You ' ll significantly lower your risks for cardiovascular disease , diabetes and cancer !! ) -- Limit fatty meats and high cholesterol foods -- Peas , beans , nuts , and soy foods are good sources of plant protein !! 4 ) Eat More Whole Grain Breads and Cereals Daily -- Aim for at least 3 servings of whole grains daily ( including bread , brown rice and oatmeal ) -- Limit highly refined cereals such as white bread , pastry , white rice , and sugary cereals 5 ) Choose Healthy Fats -- Choose unhydrogenated vegetable oils and trans fat free margarine in place of animal and solid fats such as butter , hard stick margarine , and shortening -- Eat at least 1 serving of nuts daily ( 1 oz of nuts is a palm full , or 2 tablespoons of peanut or almond butter ) -- Eat foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids daily such as flax seeds , walnuts , soy , or canola / soy oils 6 ) Achieve / Maintain a Healthy Weight -- A BMI less than 25 is ideal . A BMI of 30 or above indicates obesity and high risk for heart disease , diabetes , and cancer -- A waist measurement of less than 37 inches for men and less than 32 inches for women is ideal -- A waist measurement of 40 + inches indicates high risk for men and 35 + inches is high risk for women for heart disease , diabetes and cancer 7 ) Be Free of Dependence on Tobacco , Illegal drugs , or Alcohol -- 85,000 people die prematurely every year due to alcohol -- Over 400,000 people die prematurely every year from smoking -- Drug use can lead to dependance that can destroy physical , mental , and spiritual health 8 ) Maintain a Cheerful , Hopeful Outlook on LIFE : ) -- Choose to see the bright side of life . Be Happy !! Laugh daily . Pass on JOY and HOPE to those you work and live with daily . Get help if you feel sad and depressed for extended periods of time . -- A happy heart is a good medicine , and a cheerful mind works healing , but a broken spirit dries the bones ( Proverbs 17 ) -- The more you laugh and smile daily your body releases endorphins ( a natural pain killer which also gives you more energy !! : ) 9 ) Spend Quality Time with Family and Friends Daily -- Supportive relationships build strong hearts and happy minds . Practice a spirit of friendship , love and acceptance . Share a kindness with someone you live or work with daily . -- Join a LIFE group at Sunnybrook Community Church .... see your options at www . sunnybrookchurch . org or your local church and be transformed more to the likeness of Jesus 10 ) Take Time Daily for Spiritual Renewal -- Plan a quiet time each day to read , pray , meditate , and seek spiritual renewal from the Bible . A heart primed with gratitude , forgiveness , and service helps you soar over life 's difficulties and challenges . PLEDGE : It is my desire to take the time necessary to make health a personal priority in my life . _______________________ NAME _____________ DATE 2003 - 5 Wellsource Inc. ( Wellsource . com ) ---- Source . 
WELLness Lifestyle ( Health Risk ) Assessment . Lifestyle ( Health Risk ) Assessment by Donald R . Hall Dr PH , CHES Wellsource -- 70 to 90 % of Chronic Disease ( Heart Disease , Diabetes , Cancer and Stroke ) is Preventable by Improving YOU and Your Family 's Daily LIFESTYLE CHOICES . -- Check out this FREE assessment at the website ; http : // vanderbiltowc . wellsource . com -- Use the above address and then double click on RESOURCES from list on Left side of the page on " Health Plus " Vanderbilt 's Wellness Program Website -- Then choose the ASSESSMENTS , and then " Lifestyle Check Assessment " . -- You will be asked questions in regards to your Daily Lifestyle Choices .... which determine your overall health and wellness such as ; What you Eat , How Active You Are , How much you drink or smoke , and Even your social interactions . -- Take this quick lifestyle assessment to see how you score out of a total of 17 " Good Health Indicators " , with the average score being 9.4 out of 17 . You will also identify any risks you may have and learn key prevention strategies as well as simple , painless ways to improve your health for LIFE !! 
WATER --- BENEFITS YOUR BODY -- " Come Thirsty " !!! " Whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty . The water I give will become a Spring of Water gushing up inside that person , giving Eternal Life . " John 4:14 " Out of His Heart will Flow Rivers of Living Water . " John 7:37 - 381 . Drinking Water WILL HELP You Lose FAT by suppressing your appetite naturally ( will help you not eat as much ) and helps your body to metabolize ( burn ) more body fat .2 . Drinking Water WILL REDUCE Muscle Soreness by helping to rid the body of waste products such as lactic and uric acid --- Which leads to sore muscles , ligaments , and tendons .3 . Drinking Water WILL REDUCE JOINT Pain ( Lower back / Knees / Hips / ETC ) by lubricating your joints . It will also help reduce daily joint wear and tear , and pain ( arthritis pain ) .4 . Drinking more Water will help REDUCE MUSCLE CRAMPING by maintaining proper muscle tone by giving your muscles the natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration ( dehydration leads to an increased risk of muscle cramping ) .5 . Drinking more water WILL REDUCE DAILY FATIGUE and INCREASE Your ENERGY LEVEL . We need water to breathe properly so our lungs can be moist to take in oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide .6 . WATER GIVES YOU MORE ENERGY by Improving your digestive function and organ efficiency . ( Reduced risks for constipation / diarrhea / abdominal cramping ) .7 . Water SPEEDS YOUR BODIES HEALING PROCESS AFTER AN INJURY , or SPEEDS RECOVERY from DAILY Work . Water is needed by the body to speed the recovery processes of your working , aging , body after an injury or a hard days work by removing the waste products from your body . It is Recommended for you and your family to purchase a PUR water filter for your home drinking water faucet and / or use a BRITA water filtration system to keep your BODY HEALTHY !! The Prayer of the Thirsty by Max Lucado from his book " Come Thirsty " Lord , I come Thirsty . I come to drink , to receive . I receive your work on the cross and in your resurrection . My sins are pardoned ( forgiven ) , and my death is defeated . I receive your energy . Empowered by your Holy Spirit , I can do ALL things through Christ , who gives me strength . I receive your Lordship . I belong to you . Nothing comes to me that hasn't passed through you . And I receive your LOVE . Nothing can seperate me from your LOVE . 
Daily Temple Inspection . Date : M T W Th F S Su HEART ( Relationships / Emotions ) Attitude of Gratitude ___ Random Acts of Kindness ___ " I LOVE YOU " to Spouse / Family / Other ___ Hugged Someone Today ___ Encouraged Someone Today ___ Good Belly Laugh ___ SOUL ( Spiritual ) Prayer ___ Daily Bible Study / Meditation ___ Confess Sin and Ask Forgiveness DAILY ___ MIND ( Intellectual and Mental ) Read Proverbs For Day of Month ___ ( Wisdom ) 10 Minute Mind Challenge ( Ex . Crossword puzzle , Chess , Memory ) ___ Positive Self Talk / Visualize Success ____ STRENGTH ( Body -- Physical Activity , Nutrition , and Rest ) Ate Something Healthy for Breakfast ___ 5 to 9 Servings of Fruit / Vegetables ___ Ate 3 Servings of Whole Wheat / Grain Foods ___ Ate 2 to 3 Servings of Dairy ___ Ate 1 to 2 Servings of Nuts ___ Drink 8 + ( 8 oz ) Glasses of Water ___ Work Smart Stretch Breaks 2 x / day ___ 8 to 10 Deep Breathing Breathes Daily ___ Exercised 30 + Min Aerobic ___ Exercised 30 + Min Strength ___ Took Break at Work in Addition to Lunch ___ Slept 7 to 9 hrs ___ I abstained from my struggle of today ___ Ex Emotional Eating , Smoking / Chew tobacco , Alcohol , TV / Video games / Internet Gambling , Lust , Cheating , Swearing , Gossip , Junk food , Pride , etc. TOTAL ______ ( 25 possible per day ) . 
Really too hot to blog -- both for me and the computer . The last three attempts over the past two days to write a post here have resulted in a computer crash . I ' m going to quickly preview what I ' ve got planned to come up before it happens a 4 th time . Baseball , ripping some more on Edmonton City Police , the heat , Capital Ex , crisis in the Middle East , what I would do if I was Premier of Alberta , post # 300 , and probably a few other topics that will come to me at some point . I ' ve been awfully slow posting the past couple weeks . My only solace is knowing that Mike Jenkinson , Colby Cosh , Lorne Gunter , and even ABFreedom have been slow during this period too . Its the hot Edmonton weather , I tells yeah . 
Hot hot July updates . Well , I asked last week about Jason Kodish , formerly of the mythical " Thirring Institute for Gravitational Research " . Today , the Canadian government named Uof A professor Frans Pretorius to a " tier 2 " research chair ... in gravitational physics . I also have another Chris Pronger rumour added to the usual location . 
Whats it take to get me to socialize with work people ? Free beer !!!!! ( 20 free Coronas were purchased for staff tonight . Add to that the staff drinks we already have purchased from the bar , and suddenly its an effort to remove the beer . I was a lynchpin in the efforts , although staff were generally surprised to see me . After all , I have a sign in my locker expressing how I don't particularly like them . But free beer , y ' know ? ) So anyways , you recall just below I expressed disappointment that I was unaware of interesting events in Edmonton until it was too late to attend them . Tomorrow I shall rectify that by attending the Capital Ex Parade tomorrow with my digital camera . Fun at the grounds shall be my plan for Friday . Perhaps tomorrow I ' ll visit another wading pool for more hot ass in Edmonton photos . Stay tuned . 
Major events today in Edmonton . Just saw on A - Channel Citytv CTV Jr. that Edmonton Grand Prix girls are taking the stage downtown for some ceremony . Just saw on ITV Global Edmonton that the crazy Lebs are rallying over the current Lebanese - Israeli conflict I haven't been blogging about . I am attending neither . Pity , both subjects ( with photos ) would make good blog entries ... 
On the bright side , still have eight working fingers . You may recall this post where I reported an injured finger during my buddy 's birthday party . Well , over the weekend I managed to break a separate finger during his wedding celebrations . Something to do with fighting a fellow groomsman in a sauna . Posting ( which has been very unfrequent lately ) is going to spiral further downward . Sorry . 
Whither the Thirring Institute for Gravitational Research ? A sudden burst of curosity made me wonder what Jason Kodish was up to . ( check below for the updated answer ) For those ( blissfully ) unaware , Kodish was one of the first people ever to be named " Usenet Kook of the Month " ( October , 1994 ) . He viciously flamed most of the Canadian political threads , and was the laughing stock of nerdy net politics in the early 90 s . ( Check out this thread in ab . politics from November 1994 on Kodish 's honours featuring " before he was famous " Colby Cosh ( ! ) trash talking Jason ) Oddly enough , in private emails when you got off of politics he was curiously polite and almost normal . While he political talk was off the deep end , he at the very least had enough understanding of physics ( I believe he was a Comp Sci graduate student once upon a time ) to help out an undergrad in need . Well , help was a strong word , but I digress . Anyways , if you want to cruise Usenet history , a list of all of Kodish 's posts in Usenet ( newest first ) are available here . Go to it with godspeed . Let 's also remember such notable Kodish threads : Karl Marx Sucks Just Like Jason Kodish Proof of Jason Kodish 's insanity , I have it ! Bonus item : the only posters Google Archives has for this thread is Kodish himself Jason " pull over and show me your ID " Kodish A Small Collection of Kodish Posts WAS KODISH KIDNAPPED ?? WILL NOBODY PAY THE RANSOM ? Kodish Government : One for me , one for you . Two for me Sick letter to Jason Kodish Ckeck it out - Kodish just may have popped a vessel this time Kodish chickens out ; scared of squaring off against Klein on live radio ! Kodish : Even more evidence of rampant stupidity More Bullshit Nonsense From Kodish Is Steve Ranta Really Jason Kodish ? Final result : Jason has been around longer than Mr. Ranta . Indeed , if myrecollection is correct , Jason was an early winner of the Net Kook of the Month Award . My recollection is that after I nominated him , my systemadministrator ( me ) received email from Jason telling meto " take my access away " . Mr. Ranta has not been nominated , and has not won the award . -- Stephen Jenuth The " Thirring Institute " however is apparently long gone . The Geo Cities page has gone the way of all Geo Cities pages , while the Edmonton Freenet edition is long - gone as well . Fortunately for us , the " Internet Wayback Machine " was invented . Low and behold , one can discover the history of the Thirring Institute on Geo Cities and also the ( newer , larger ) version on Edmonton Freenet . The most extensive version ever was the 1999 edition , which was comprised mostly of UBC physics links . I was sadly unable to dig up a photograph of the elusive Jason Kodish ( 1994 was the days of layered . BMP files and thrown together . pict images culled off Mac Intosh computers ) , but I did find a cute picture of Atlanta - area lawyer Elisa Kodish , which is probably for the best anyways . Update , 3:22 pm : Naturally I never thought for the old - school pre - Google answer to the question " Where is Jason Kodish ? " Check the phone book you retard . And there it is : Kodish , Jason 304 - 8107 29 Ave 466 - 2295 ( Quick aside , how sad is it that it never occurs to you to find a long - lost person who lives in your own city by looking in the phone book ? Has the internet really changed our world that much ? ) Update , July 20 2006 1:45 pm : A new development has occured in Uof A gravitational physics . 
Latin term surfing on Wikipedia . A rundown on the Confederate States of America led me to the first one : damnatio memoriae -- " damnation of memory " , being removed from history books . Since this seemed oddly fun , I figured I ' d look up a few common ones I know of : a priori -- propositional knowledge that can be had without experiencea posteriori -- propositional knowledge that can only be had with experiencevaticinium ex eventu -- prophecy after the factdramatis personae -- the cast of characters in a theatrical performanceexperimentum crucis -- the definitive test of a scientific theoryignoratio elenchi -- the logical fallacy of making an argument that is valid yet irrelevent to the proposition being discussedin camera -- deliberations or meeting elements to be held in private session to avoid the public revealing of sensitive informationipso facto -- " therefore " lex feranda -- the law as it should be , as in morally right or internally consistentmodus operandi -- the method by which an individual normally actsnon sequitur -- a conclusion which does not follow from the premisepersona non grata -- a person who is not welcome or belonging to a groupquid pro quo -- a favour proffered in return for the performing of an otherwise unrelated favourres ipsa loquitur -- the existence of an event implies guilt by the party which clearly held a role in the eventsic semper tyrannis -- " thus always to tyrants " where death is the ( implied ) " thus " sine qua non -- that part which is essential to the whole of which it belongs to . 
A sad sports admission . It turns out that this posting from Thursday the 6 th is in error : in the end , Zidane 's red card cost France the match and the bloody Eye - Toys win the World Cup . I still think without Zidane 's card the French would have won in the penalty kicks : after all , they came within an inch of pacing the Italians as it was . If you want to email / blogcomment / textmessage me about my error in predicting a sport I never watch and know nothing about , then you ' ll have to wait 6 hours and 19 minutes for my response . 
so . 	 im a lot more worried then i have been . my optimism has turned to pessimism , but not all the way . i have not lost all hope , only about fifty percent . and knowing myself thats all in my head . was last night a good or bad thing ? i have no idea . the past few days have been pretty cool , im happy we dont hate eachother . and that she doesnt hate me . boo . im a whiner . wah . i dont know what to think / say . 
boo . 	 im really reluctant to accept anything more or better then whats been going on . i mean , i dont want to get fucked over again . and i do the fucking over to myself , so dont even think about blaming anyone . dont get me wrong , im happy with this . i just feel like weve hit another bullshit low and the only way to go is up , but its more of a diagonal because its definitely not steering towards my goal . i guess thats a good graphic representation of how im feeling : a very very slow moving diagonal line , not going towards the big shining goal . yeah . but now its off to take another half - step forward . 
i really liked today . 	 tracks : bike scene - taking back sundayit started off kinda shitty , but only went straight up from there . at least in my opinion . i really did have a lot of fun today . a very very much welcomed deviation from how ive been feeling for the past few days . i hate this whole thing about each day being one step forward or 5 steps back . im just sick of it at this point . i just want to not think about it . hah . easier said then done . i just want to be happy . well , tomorrow should be rad . im really excited : san jose for taking back sunday , head automatica and angels and airwaves . also the museum of modern art and some lunch . an all - day thing . im really excited . and i hope she is too . well , on an only slightly melancholy note , i say goodnight . actually , its not really melancholy at all , its more apathetic with a optimistic chaser . see yall tomorrow night . 
This isn't a topic I would normally discuss , but this hilarious yet true post in the " Streeter " section of the Torontoist : Streeter : Reigniting the Horse Cop Debate " Overheard " on the Toronto Livejournal community : ME ( On Bicycle ) : What kind of bike is that ? COP ( On horseback , in the bike lane ) : WHAT ? ME : What kind of bike is that ? COP : It 's a horse . ME : Great ! Get the @ # $ % out of the bike lane then . got me thinking and a link later I was at the Spacing Wire reading about cops on horseback and thinking WTF ?? Never really having put much though into cops on horseback I now find myself totally agreeing with this article . To me cops on horseback have always been a novelty of sort , yet I ' ve never actually though of them as actuall police officers . I mean it 's not like their going to leave their horse in the middle of the street to chase after a criminal , at least I ' d hope they wouldn't . 
I started a new series today . It will be B & W still life photos of various items found in my home . I ' ve always collected random items , thinks that have long broken down or things that are compleltely useless and just sit around collecting dust . However , I keep theses things for no reason at all . This series will perhaps be slightly about consumerism and in a broader sense just a documentation of items found in the house . Why black and white ? I don't perticularly like photographing in the studio or doing still - lifes however whenever I do the only way the photos seem to look good is in black and white . So for this series I ' m starting of thinking the majority of the photos will be black and white with perhaps few exceptions . ------- Above is a contact sheet of various lighting positions that I tried for a photograph of an old fax machine that I ' ve never used . 
Polarity . So , I think I made it in . I have a receipt from active . com and got sent an Ironman number ( used apparently to track my progress ( or lack thereof ) around the course ) . Ironman USA still hasn't published the official list ( c ' mon guys ! ) but all indications are that I made it in . 90 minutes . That 's how long it took this race to sell out this year . Good thing I got in as soon as registration opened ( 2 minutes after it opened to be precise ) . It 's funny how plunking down something like an Ironman on the calendar alters the focus of everything . Before I had a collection of events with more or less random orientations . The collection is now fully polarized - each event is just another step to the Ironman . Each new event I consider for 2007 will be considered not because it sounds like fun , or presents a particular challenge . Each event will be picked solely on the basis of whether or not it 's a necessary step towards Ironman . Up until now my focus was solely on this year 's events however now I find myself not caring as much about the remaining events on my calendar . Ok , I ' m still totally excited about the NY marathon . But my few remaining 1 / 2 's and mega - sadistic bike rides just don't seem as important anymore . That 's not quite right . I suppose they just don't hold as much relevance now . The 800 lb gorilla has just entered the room . All attention goes there . It 's so cool to be on this path again . Workout Summary 2160 yd continuous swim - 10 laps easy , 10 laps out hard easy back .23 mile bike - tempo 4.25 mile run - tempo 30 minutes core / circuit / stretching Injuries are still under control which is a good thing . The only one that remains is my adductor . If I could learn to stop playing soccer with my kids it might heal . Doesn't seem to affect my run or bike much though - just walking - weird . My run was really fast again today - averaging just under eight minute miles . Must be reaping some benefits from the longer weekend LSD runs . Now that my mileage is ramping up beyond 1 / 2 marathon levels the 4 mile runs during my brick workouts are beginning to feel like a walk in the park . Too bad I can't hold 8 's on my LSD runs ! 
IM Decision Time . Negotiations were completed late the other night . My final decision was made during my LSD run today . This year 's race is tomorrow which I ' ll be watching over Ironman Live to get a feel for what I ' ll be in for . The day after registration will open . I ' ll be ready and waiting with credit card in hand . Cable modem don't fail me now . The 2 nd Ironman for me will be Ironman USA in Lake Placid next year , assuming I get registered before it fills . At this point I ' m planning to do a 1 / 2 sometime in June as a pre - IM tuneup . I had thought about doing TTT again but I got a bit of push back when I threw that out during negotiations . I ' ll also probably do a 4 - 5 day training trip around mid May - probably after Mother 's day to get some experience with the course and the area . This definitely helped me out for IM Wisconsin so I ' m going to try that approach again .366 days to go . Workout Summary 16.5 mile LSD run - 2:30 Decided to run long today instead of ride because we 're going to a party tonight and my inlaws have the kids for the weekend . Quality time with my wife is definitely worth skipping a workout . I took the same trail route that I did a few weeks ago and ran it at about the same rate and effort . The good news is that I had no injury troubles , though my legs are a little smoked at the moment as they should be . 
Damage Control . Things that happen in the blink of an eye rarely turn out good . Such was the case last night during the club ride . The group had slowed up to make sure everyone got across an intersection and was beginning to pick up steam again . I was on the right side of the road and turned to see if everyone was through yet . My bike drifted further to the right and hit a small pothole . My front wheel popped out of the pothole at a sharp angle . My hand slipped from the handlebar as the bike jumped abruptly to the left . Fortunately for me there was someone next to me . This was not fortunate for the someone next to me . As my bike leaped to the left I hit him which brought me back into an upright position and I was able to regain control of my bike . He on the other hand went down hard . I quickly stopped and went back to see if he was ok , immediately taking the blame for the accident and apologizing profusely along the way . He was a bit dazed and had a bit of road rash on his elbow , but the bike was ok and no one else was affected . Since he was wearing sunglasses I couldn't tell if the guy accepted my apology or not . He ended up turning back instead of continuing the ride . I felt horrible about the whole thing . I pride myself in being smooth and stable during pack rides , and now I had just reinforced the stereotype that most roadies have a triathletes - we have no bike handling skills . For the remainder of the ride the group was a bit twitchy and I ' m sure people were extra cautious as they rode near me . I felt bad about this but didn't get caught up in it - I can control my thoughts and reactions but not theirs , and I refuse to worry about what I can't control . I did what was supposed to do in light of the situation - I took responsibility and did what I could to make sure that the guy was ok and that he knew that I was sorry . He may be ok with it - knowing that accidents happen and that I hadn't done it on purpose . On the other hand he may think I ' m just another tri - jerk with no bike handling skills who shouldn't be riding in a pack . Regardless , I have no control over what he will think and I won't let that stop me from riding with the group . If I let that influence me I will have lost control of more than just my bike , I will have lost control of the only thing that I truly do have control over - myself . Workout Summary 28 mile bike ride - fast ! ( yesterday ) 4.5 mile run - fast ! ( yesterday ) 2100 yd swim - fast ! The club rides are usually fast and I stay up with lead group most of the time so that 's expected . During the run after the bike I felt stronger and faster than usual - clocking a 7:30 pace for most of the runs which is about 1:30 faster than what I ' ve been running at . Had to get into work early again so I trimmed my planned 3 K swim down to 2 K , but pushed a bit harder than normal and did it in 1 / 2 hour . 
Tour de Hood . My son was waiting for me as I walked through the door after work . " Hi Dad - wanna go for a bike ride ? " He 's sitting on the couch . He already has his one cycling jersey on - a kid sized Primal jersey with a cool graphic of a shark . I look at my wife who rolls her eyes and continues working on dinner . " Uh , you know bud , it 's really hot outside - like Africa hot . " At that moment the weather report comes on the TV - heat index is 109 . I look at my son . He is unphased by this . Weather conditions mean nothing to him . He plays like a goldfish eats . " Uh , let 's see how things are after dinner . " Mistake . I didn't say no so for him there 's an implied yes . Too late I realize the mistake . My wife smiles and shakes her head - she 's with my daughter on this one - we 're crazy . Yes we are . We ended up having a great 4 mile bike ride . Not bad for an 8 year old in temperatures that felt like a 109 . There was a small hill ( ok , I ' m from Illinois so a hill for us is a speed bump for most folks ) along our route and when he saw it he smiled and turned for it . It suddenly occured to me that this was his master plan all along . As we rode towards it he glanced over his shoulder and said " water " . Sort of like a surgeon says " scalpel " . Suddenly I was the domestique ferrying water to the team leader for the final assault to the top of the mountain . He confidently took the water bottle from my hands , took a couple of swigs , and gave it back . I half expected him to throw it to the side . I slowed down to let him go first . He stood up on his pedals and began a strong , stable , rhythmic climb to the top . I ' ve never seen him do this before . To my knowledge he 's never seen me do it . Where the heck does he get this stuff ? He 's dead serious . In his mind he 's going for the stage win . He checks back on the competition and then with a final frenzied sprint coasts over the top of the mountain . He straightens out his jersery and then smiles for the cameras . He 's just won a stage in the Tour de Hood . I ' m glad I was there to be a part of it . Sometimes it 's good to be the crazy parent . My daughter was waiting for me as I walked throught the door after the ride . " Hi Dad - wanna go swimming ? " She 's sitting on the couch . She already has her swimsuit on . She 's trying to be deadpan but can't resist cracking up . My kids rock . Workout Summary 1800 yard swim - tempo 23 mile bike - one loop at tempo one loop easy 4 mile run - tempo Holy crap was it humid this morning . The weatherman claimed that a cold front pushed through and the humidity would be lower . Perhaps at 3:00 PM but not at 5:30 AM apparently . The Rooster figured out the difference between AM and PM on his alarm clock and made it in this morning . The irony of the Rooster over sleeping continues to crack me up . 
Muncie Endurathon Preview . Gearing up for the 2 nd ( actually 5 th if you count the Triple T events individually ) Triathlon of the season this weekend - the Muncie Endurathon . Went through my last workouts before the race today and felt pretty good . No sign of the needling little injuries that have been plaguing me of late . Hopefully that holds true on Saturday . Aside from my injuries the biggest thing that has me leading up to this event concerned is the heat - though current forecasts have it at 90 + degrees with high humidity . For me this translates to a suffer - fest on the run . The plan : Prerace : Up at 5:30 for a full cup of espresso and a couple Cliff Bars . Apply body glide and suntan lotion . Mix up the feed bottles and check out of the hotel . T 0 : Rack the bike and open the bag - gotta love simplicity here ! Get a chip and find a place to chill . Swim : Go at tempo and avoid the heart rate spike during the mass swim . Stay out of harms way ! Find a pair of feet to camp on . T 1 : Get out of wetsuit and spend a bit of time stretching back . Bike : Will be going with the tri bike for this one . Though I haven't practiced it I ' m going to try leaving the shoes on the bike and starting out that way to see if I can get T 1 times down . Due to the heat I ' ll plan on having a handlebar mounted hydration system full of water as well as a feed bottle mixed at 900 calories of Perpeteum with a little Endurolyte added to the mix to keep the salts high . Hit the bottle at 1 / 2 hour intervals . Keep heart rate at the Z 3 / Z 4 boundary . Focus on staying smooth and stretching my back often . Last hits of hydration at about 1 / 2 hour before T 2 to avoid bloating and stomach slosh . At that time pop a couple of Advils . T 2 : Try keeping the shoes on the bike . Spend some time stretching out the back before starting off on the run . Run : Attempt to keep heart rate at the Z 3 / Z 4 boundary - though I ' m not sure how successful I ' ll be given the heat stress . At most mid Z 4 will be ok . If necessary walk to get the heart rate down - at least during the first 9 miles . After that release the hounds . Start out at 11 - 10 minute pace and negative split down to 8 's if all seems good . Another feed bottle ( gel flask ) with Perpeteum mixed at 300 calories for the run . Hit it at every aid station and follow it with water . Will also be bringing Endurolytes in an empty M & M container - pop one or two at each aid station with water . Walk the aid stations . Frequently pour water over head to bring down core heat . So that 's the plan . Assuming all goes well I should finish somewhere between 5:30 - 6 hours , probably closer to 6 given heat . Workout Summary 1080 yd easy swim .18 mile bike - tempo 3 mile run - easy 30 minutes core / circuit / stretching For the swim I focused on " silent running " - being very smooth and making as little noise as possible . Pushed a bit on the bike because it just felt good . The Rooster over slept today so it was a solo ride . Ran into him on my way back as he was going out for his first loop . During the run I forced myself to stay below Z 4 , though I felt I could go harder - a good sign ! Originally I was planning on skipping any circuit work this week but I went ahead and did one quick circuit on the cable machines . Something about circuit / weight training leaves me feeling more energized after my brick workouts . I read somewhere that it helps to flush the lactic acid and also spikes the endorphins so there you go . 
The Tigers matter . In today 's Detroit News , there 's a great story by Terry Foster about his uncle , in the hospital after a stroke , and how news of the Tigers ' recent success might just help him recover . I suggest you read it . 
Some thoughts on teaching . It 's been pretty easy to get back in the rhythm of teaching , even though this summer school experience is far from typical ( in terms of jamming stuff into four weeks , and also due to the classes being 3 hours long ) . I like to talk with kids about their experiences in other classes falling short , of course , of merely gossiping about my colleagues and it 's really gone a long way toward shaping how I approach a class . In the course of doing some thesis revisions , I was thumbing through Susan Ohanian 's excellent book , One Size Fits Few : The Folly of Educational Standards . ( That title requires a bit of explanation , which I can do over a beer sometime in August when I have a little time . ) This paragraph caught my eye , and I think it bears repeating . I ' m a good third - grade teacher not because I have a master 's degree in medieval literature from the University of California or a zillion course hours from New York University on teaching and the humanities , but because I like kids . Plain and simple , I like them . Newspaper and TV editors are enamored by the very idea of retired military men and corporate middle managers going into the schools to teach discipline and mathematics . Well , good for them for making the effort , but if they are to persevere and even triumph , their preeminent concern must be to cherish the children in their care . Ohanian is an elementary school teacher and I deal with teenagers , so we have slightly different classroom dynamics going on . However , her main point rings true : good teachers like kids . I told my class on Friday afternoon that , out of the 700 or so kids I ' ve taught in my career , there are only two who come to mind that I genuinely didn't like , and I think one of those had serious emotional problems which came out as hostility towards me . They seemed astonished at this , but I swear to you that it 's true . I guess part of the class ' astonishment was the fact that I mentioned that " neither of the two are in this room right now , " and there 's a kid in that class who drives me up the goddamn wall ( who we ' ll call " P " ) , pretty much all the time , every day , and everyone in the class knows it . * I carried on , " Yeah , you all know P pretty much makes me want to kill him , because he doesn't know when to shut up . And he says some pretty ridiculous things at times . But , you know , underneath it all , P 's kind of a likeable guy . " ( I decided to eschew the gender - neutrality of P , mostly because it would ' ve been irritating as hell to read . ) We ' ve all had teachers we ' ve liked or hated , who were good or awful . Unfortunately , we tend to remember the terrible ones much more easily than the great ones ; I know I do . I like my kids , and I hope they like me , too ... but there 's a fine line between " wanting the kids to think you 're a cool guy who tells jokes " and " having the kids like you because you treat them fairly and teach them a lot of great stuff that 's useful to them . " I shoot for the latter . * It 's far easier for teachers to think that students don't realize how classroom dynamics work and that you can treat them in their own little compartmentalized way , but let 's be honest , they know way more than the teacher does about what goes on between those desks . So , why not say out loud what everybody 's thinking anyway ? They all know P 's a loudmouth they can hear him just as well as I can and they know that sort of thing drives teachers bananas . I ' m a firm believer in transparency , in many aspects of my life , including inside those four classroom walls . 
I told him not to bother . Me : " So , what 's the deal with your cute friend in the red and white dress ? " Buddy : " You mean , so - and - so ? " Me : " Yeah , her oh , wait . Wait just a second . This is me we 're talking about here . Whenever I ' m in this situation , successfully chatting up a fine lady , she has got to be one of two things : taken or gay . So , actually , man ... don't bother . It 's alright . Have a good night , dude , and get home safe . " Buddy : " I hear ya , man . " It 's times like that where I wonder why I even try . Other than that , the evening was superb : tasty pasta was eaten in Little Italy , the Radical Dudez whipped out their ukulele , and Khaki Snack rocked Lee 's Palace the only way they know how : with disgusting humour , pleas for the Lebanese , and Chris sitting out the first song to re - inflate the palm tree on stage . ( " Chris ' job in the band is to play the novelties , " Derek mused . " It 's the most important position in the band , really . " ) . 
It 's time for another survey . To take part in a little survey , click here . This worked a little while ago when I asked for your input as to what utensil to use for eating breakfast cereal . ( If you ' ll recall , teaspoon nearly beat out tablespoon , with one vote cast for " fingers " Kelly , we 're not at Medieval Times , we use utensils . ) And so it comes to pass ... Survey Number Two : A Survey Concerning The Application Of Chemical Substances To The Underarm Area For The Purpose Of Preventing Odours This was borne out of a conversation I had recently in which the other person asked if I used deodorant . I replied , " No , I use anti - perspirant . " The aforementioned other person asked , astonished , " You mean , every day ? I don't ever use any ; I don't sweat . " * And thus , a need to cast this question out to the wider masses was realized . Your choices : Anti - perspirant Deodorant Other substance Nothing So , vote via comment , and I ' ll tally it up . ( If you can figure out how to keep your vote anonymous , I don't mind if you do so . But I ' ll ask that you kindly only vote once ; keep in mind my Stat Counter thing can track IP addresses of all voters , so I can see if you 're stuffing the ballot box . ) Vote # 1 is from me , and it 's for anti - perspirant . ( Sure , the aluminum compounds might speed up any Alzheimer 's that might happen later on ... but c ' mon , at least I ' ll smell good . ) Your turn . * The hell you don't . It 's not like I ' ve ever been around you and thought , " Holy hell , you smell like a city garbage strike , " but seriously , thirty - four damn degrees today , you 're gonna fuckin ' sweat . I dated this for Friday , because I ' d like for this to stay at the top of my blog for a while . Don't worry , I didn't travel to the future or anything . Honest . 
Getting busy these days . Oh ... you and your dirty mind . I didn't mean that kind of " getting busy . " Silly perverts ! Summer school is drawing to a close . I ' ve basically had no life five days a week since July 3 , because from the time I get up until my head hits the pillow ( where it spends too little time these days ) I ' m either at work , recovering from work , or doing work at home ( or procrastinating from doing said work ; e . g . , times like right now ) . Fortunately , there are two more days of classes left , then a review day , then the exam day , then a day where kids can come in and do some extra little assignments to boost their mark and / or watch Apollo 13 ( we 're doing the Space unit , so it 's germane to the subject matter ) . Right after that literally , I ' ll be leaving straight from work next Thursday is my buddy Paul 's wedding , down in London . I ' m in the wedding party ( he 's not having one single Best Man , as he doesn't believe in choosing favourites , which is fine by me because I ' ve already been one ) , and let me tell you , I ' m a - gonna get druuuuuuuuuuuunk at that reception . I will be taking my revenge out on this hellish July by drowning the fourth - last day of it in liquor , clad in a tux . The rehearsal dinner ( and subsequent rehearsal ) is Thursday night , which means I ' ll be trying to go through Toronto on the 401 at about 3:30 pm . Yeah , that 's gonna go well . Also , it 's 95 % for - sure that my thesis defence will be Wednesday , August 16 th . I finally had to send an ultimatum to my advisor : " Come on , guy , let 's get this thing defended so I can stop Queen 's from sticking me up for my cash once a month . " It looks like things are moving forward alright , but I have to send a copy of my ready - for - defence thesis off sometime next week ... the last week of summer school classes , and the days right before leaving for this wedding thing . Guess what I ' ll be doing this weekend ! That 's right , thesis revisions . For the umpteenth time . Oh well , at least there 's an end in sight . But there ain't no way I ' m missing that Khaki Snack / Radical Dudez gig on Friday night . Plus , maybe a little Clerks II beforehand . Busy , indeed . 
She was right ; I lost my shit when I heard this . Okay , see , whatever you were going to do on Friday night , WIPE THOSE PLANS THE FUCK OFF THE SLATE . Friday , July 21 Lee 's Palace ( Bathurst I suggest you check it out . And I will see you at the show . 
Two sides of the Lebanon / Israel conflict . What the hell is going on over there ? Honestly , sometimes I think countries over there lob rockets at one another for the simple reason that they haven't done so in a while . A couple of kidnapped soldiers , a retaliation , a counter - retaliation ... and there you have it , a full - on kerfuffle . For shit 's sake , sit down and talk it out . Anyway . There was an email exchange lately on the Queen 's education grad student listserv , a message and a counter - message , showing just how ridiculous this situation is for a lot of people in those two countries . I felt it was a good idea to share some excerpts with you . The first person is a M. Ed . student 's wife 's friend , who managed to find her way to Beirut : Israel says it is striking military bases , but so far what are army planes targeting ? Not bases , but whole buildings of innocent civilians , blasting their limbs here and there . They are striking terrified families who have been warned to evacuate their homes just as they are fleeing in their cars and buses . Entire families are being wiped out . Children and babies who have no idea of what is going on are being charred , trapped in burning houses and cars . Entire bridges , highways , electricity companies , airports , touristic points are being annihilated . There is no way I can possibly convey to you the horrors and the injustices that are being committed . 25,000 have had to flee their homes because their homes have been leveled . All the produce in our farms and fields is going to waste because there is no way to distribute it to the needy families in the country . There is no communication between areas , so families are unable to check on their loved ones . People flee from one area only to be struck in another . And what is the Western world doing ? I don't know . The response came from an M. Ed . student herself , a friend of mine who visits family in Israel fairly often : I am writing from Jerusalem where I just came out of 48 hours confined to a basement in Safed , northern Israel , trapped without running water and little food as dozens of missles from Lebanon fell around us . The ground shook as rockets fell only metres away from where we lay hidden . Once I held my new born nephew as we watched in horror as a missle fell right outside of our make shift shelter . Everything shook horribly and we thought our lives were over . When morning came and the rockets continued to fall , we ran for our lives through the streets of Sefad to flee the city . Now I jump at every sound I hear . Over what , again ? On my way home from work , listening to the CBC news talking about this conflict , I couldn't help but realize something about skirmishes in that part of the world : Israel seems to have been at odds , either directly or indirectly , with most of its neighbours : Lebanon , these days ; Iraq , in 1990 , lobbed some SCUD missles at it ; the Palestinian - controlled areas , since , well , Israel was created ; Syria , since ' 67 , over the Golan Heights ; Egypt , in the Sinai tussle a few decades ago ; Iran , since the Shah was turfed in ' 79 ... and so on . I ' m not pro - Israel , and I ' m not anti - Israel . I ' m just pointing out some facts here . All I want is for cooler heads to prevail . That 's it . 
I used to have some semblance of a life . But nowadays , I ' m a hamster on a treadmill . Get up at six . Clear the cobwebs out of the brain in the shower . Shave half - assedly . Glance at the clock , realize there 's no time for breakfast , get in the car and go to work at 7 . Unlock the classroom doors for the people who don't have keys . Fall into the chair in the otherwise - silent office and frantically do the marking that didn't get done last night , or run around like crazy getting equipment together . Have fun with the kids for three hours . * Rush around during an all - too - brief lunch . Go back to the office and wolf down some lousy leftovers in silence while doing work . Run to the office to grab the afternoon attendance folder . Have fun with other kids for three hours . * Sit and collect thoughts for fifteen minutes . Prepare the lesson for tomorrow , photocopy like a madman , make sure everything 's set for the next day , and leave at 5 or 6 or 6:30 . Drive home , pick up the mail . Put off making a half - decent dinner at a reasonable hour . Have a lousy dinner at an unreasonable hour . Spend all evening loathing that god damn fucking marking which only piles up and makes things worse the longer it 's ignored . Finally get around to the marking , then submit to fatigue and collapse into bed . Repeat . Note that the times marked with an asterisk ( * ) are the only times during the day that I interact with other people face - to - face . And these are people who were two or three years old when Kurt Cobain bit the big one . August cannot come fast enough . Remember , J , you actually like teaching . You love it . This " education " thing is your calling in life , if you believed in having a " calling . " You ' d give your right fucking arm for those kids , and then the left . And you know it . Well , it feels like I ' m giving them what 's left of my sanity . Stick it out , man . Eight more days of classes , then the exam . Then , get ridiculously drunk at Paul 's wedding on the 28 th . Unleash your revenge on July when it 's all over with . Yeah , that actually sounds like a decent idea . Besides , I look great in a tux , and with all the " liquid courage " I ' m bound to have in me at that reception , there 's a decent chance I ' ll make a pass at the bride 's hot cousin , or something along those lines . Given your luck , J , she ' ll be married to a Hell 's Angel . Cram it , Conscience , and let me get back to these quizzes . 
Striking yet another blow against ignorance . I enjoy teaching , I really do sure , teenagers act like aliens most of the time , but they do have some pretty endearing qualities and one of the most awesomest things about teaching is that you get a little pulpit every day from which to speak your mind , to right some wrongs , to set things straight . ( Mind you , it 's tough to draw the line between " telling the kids what they really need to know in this world " and " blatant prostletyzing , " but I think I walk it pretty well . ) Today , in my morning class ( our summer school is one 3 - hour morning class , then a different crew in for the 3 - hour afternoon class ) , one of the kids who doesn't speak English as her / his first language asked me what a particular word was in today 's horoscope in the 24 . I lost it . So I decided to take it out on the entire class . Me , midly disturbed : " Horoscopes , psychics , fortune - tellers , people who claim they can act as a medium to the deceased ... they 're all CRAP . Every last one of them . The Babylonians disproved horoscopes THREE THOUSAND YEARS AGO , for crying out loud . " Kid # 1 , feebly : " But I read my horoscope , and sometimes they 're true . " Me , sardonically : " Yeah , about one - twelfth of the time , let me guess . And they 're so vague : ' Today is a good day to settle debts . ' Well , you know what , every day is a good day to settle debts ! Have you never heard of a little thing called interest ? " Kid # 2 , vigorously : " Right on ! Read the one today , sir , it 's stupid , and it doesn't mean anything . " Me , invigorated : " If I read in the paper today that , at 5:14 pm today , I ' d bend over to tie my shoe , now that would be something . " Kid # 1 , again feebly : " I don't read the ones in the paper . Those aren't real horoscopes . " Me , with a laser - focus : " Dozens upon dozens of studies have proven that all horoscopes , and everything else associated with them , are a hoax , and are , again , absolute crap . Nothing like that has ever been scientifically proven , ever . You have got to believe in things you can see , that you can test scientifically . These are things we can prove to be true , and then there 's things like horoscopes . There 's a reason they belong on the same page as the Sudoku : they can predict your future about equally well . Do not , repeat , do not believe in horoscopes . " Kid # 3 , being a smartass : " Well , what about religion , then ? " Me , after a short pause : " Hey , I don't want to get fired here . " [ class laughs ] Me , a little quieter : " ... but I think you know where I probably stand on that . " . 
The Hoff takes on Wimbledon . So , former Baywatch star David Hasselhoff much - beloved in Germany , but clearly B - list in the rest of the western world tried to bust into a match at Centre Court , without a ticket . Apparently , David screamed at the guards , " Do you know who I am ? I ' m The Hoff . " ( my emphasis ) The Hoff being led away by security Priceless . EDIT ( 5:52 pm ) : This is the greatest music video in the history of music videos . Seriously , it kicks the shit out of " Thriller " . EDIT # 2 ( 7:16 pm ) : I can not . stop . watching . that video . Listen carefully to the lyrics and tell me that isn't a manifesto for a pedophiliac . Plus , the air - guitaring ? Peerless . " Don't Hassel The Hoff " ? Priceless . References to Baywatch ? Shameless . Plus , check out the computer animation ... it looks like it 's straight out of a Grade 11 student 's final project on Flash . Wow . EDIT # 3 ( 7:21 pm ) : For some reason , I can't stop bleeding out of my eyes . 
We can listen to the sports scores , too , y ' know . Dear Italian soccer fans who insist on honking your horns up and down my street many hours after beating Germany in the semifinals of the World Cup : We get it already . You won . Now clam the hell up . Some of us got shit to do . Sincerely , The Rest of Toronto . 
The pros and cons of summer . As I staggered into my apartment carrying a load of groceries , sweating like Ted Striker in Airplane ! after my Everestlike climb up the stairs , I wondered to myself , " How the hell could anyone actually prefer summer as a season ? " These days , I spend at least 80 % of my waking hours trying to devise ways to keep my body temperature below " July in Riyadh . " I position and re - position my lame fans , strip off as much clothing as possible , and at night I lay in bed and dream of Ellesmere Island ( although it won't be long before palm trees sprout up there , if we keep going the way we 're going ) . Is this the way to live one 's life ? I ' ve decided to come up with some pros and cons regarding this current season . Mind you , I am already biased against it , so this list may or may not be " fair and balanced . " ( Hey , at least I make the disclaimer ; Fox News just seems to think that if they repeat that phrase often enough , it ' ll just become true . ) Pros Women wear less clothing . Usually this works in my favour ; I am a huge fan of the short skirt and bared midriff . Most women who decide go this route actually do look good in it ... but , once in a while , someone goes in way over their head , and that ain't pretty . That being said , the eye - candy around this fair city ( owing to its mixed - up , multicultural nature ) is very tasty as the temperature rises . Baseball is played . I was on a softball team when I lived in Toronto before , and played last summer in Kingston in a very recreational intramural league ( e . g . no umpires ) , and that 's always fun . Also , the big - league season is in full swing ; around this time of year the Tigers are usually on the cusp of being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs , but as you all know , this year is different . Which makes me a happy guy . The evenings are nice . A few nights ago I took a stroll around the neighbourhood at around 9 pm . It was decently cool by then , it was still a bit light out , and people were out on patios and sauntering around and generally enjoying themselves . I like my neighbourhood : it 's quaint , has pretty much everything with a 10 - minute walk ( including excellent bagels ) , and there are plenty of SUVs to spit on . Cons The days are hell . Sure , the evenings are in the mid - 20 s , but that means the days are over 30 . Pasty bastards with northern European backgrounds are clearly not designed for this type of climate . In fact , I ' m positive it wasn't the " harsh Canadian winters " that did - in the Vikings a thousand years ago they came from places like freakin ' Iceland it was the heat and humidity of a Canadian summer that sent them packing . Minus - 15 is refreshing . The heat makes me want to lay around and not do anything . The cold , I find , refreshes me : I take a deep breath of crisp , frigid air , and I ' m ready to go . Mind you , you ' ve got to be bundled - up for the cold , and that takes a while ; it certainly doesn't take five minutes to put on a t - shirt , shorts and sandals . I don't mind , though ; I have a warm coat and decent gloves . Bring it on . Sunburns hurt like a bitch . If you 're pale like me , you know the routine ... slap on the sunscreen before you go outside for more than three minutes so you won't get a debilitating second - degree burn that ' ll make you wince for days . And if you 're not pale like me , and have never known the pain of a sunburn caused by the scorching Florida sun that makes your skin blister - up two days later and probably will end up killing you with skin cancer in forty years ' time ... fuck you . In conclusion , bring on December . Ho - ho - ho . 
Whatever you do , do NOT stop the presses . Actual , honest - to - goodness story on msn . com 's " Health and Fitness " section : Men Assume Sexual Interest When There May Be None ... Even when they 're seated across a table from each other in a first - time , five - minute conversation , a man tends to sexualize a woman and incorrectly assume sexual interest on her part , new research finds . ... [ my emphasis ] Really ? They needed to do research on this ? And someone PAID for this " research ? " Seriously ? ! ? I could ' ve told them this in ten seconds . 
This will make a billion dollars . You know what this country needs ? A fucking Waffle House or two . If you ' ve never travelled to the southern United States , you ' ve probably never heard of this place . If you have , then you ' ve probably seen one at damn near every exit off the highway south of the Mason - Dixon line ( and a few north of it ) . For a little over two bucks , they serve you up the best damn waffle you ' ve ever had , and likely the biggest , too . The thing is most of the size of a dinner plate , and according to a young fellow named David who just started working at their restaurant right off I - 75 in Corbin , Kentucky , " they make the batter from scratch , that 's why it tastes so good . " Their coffee is actually pretty decent , too , which puts it one step ahead of Denny 's ( who apparently think dipping a brown marker into hot water somehow qualifies it as " coffee " ) . Of course , for ambience , every single location has a jukebox featuring the latest country - music hits of today , some from yesterday , and some very exclusive odes ( by some music - biz unknowns ) to the yellow - and - brown chain of diners . Also unique is the way your server calls out the order to the chef ( it 's an open kitchen ) ... if there are two waffles in your table 's order , they ' ll yell out , " Waffle on two ! " When you 're seven years old , that 's both hilarious and awesome ... and it still sorta is today . Anyway , when I eventually hit the lottery and / or have a dump truck full of cash crash into my building , I ' ll make it my personal crusade to bring a franchise north of the border . I ' ll import all of the waitstaff and cooks from places like Georgia , Alabama and the Carolinas , so you ' ll know the southern drawls are authentic . And I ' ll be sure to pack my jukebox full of Skynyrd , the Allman Brothers and , to ruffle a few political feathers , both Toby Keith and the Dixie Chicks . So ... this is an open call for ( a . ) Waffle House testimonials / anecdotes , ( b . ) offers of cash to help me start up the franchise , or ( c . ) flocks of gorgeous women to feed me grapes , one by one . I know that last one doesn't really fit in there , but damn , that would be awesome . 
Count down . My wife and I are two to three weeks away from delivery . All I can think about is the wisdom needed to shepherd my child . Im not scared , but I know that this is a great responsibility . I pray for wisdom and patience in shepherding my child . I know that God supplies enough grace and for that I am thankful . I have two comforts : Christ 's resurrection and the Word of God . 
Our strength . Sometimes in our life we come to a point where we realize the road ahead is not going to be easily traveled . Our schedule is full and just when we think it cannot get any fuller , it does . Dates get switched and responsibilities are added to your schedule . You look ahead and have a choice to make : dig deep and suck it up while drawing your strength from within or fall to your knees and acknowledge God is sovereign and praise Him for EVERYTHING . We have a BIG God who can do all things . Look at your schedule and realize it is nothing for God . He made the heavens and the earth ; you made your breakfast ! He softens and hardens hearts ; you do not ! He promises grace and mercy and He never gives less than what is needed . His grace is sufficient . Sometimes we need reminded that it is not more grace and mercy we need , rather it is His Wisdom and Discernment . We need to be thankful and boast like Paul : " a thorn was given me in the flesh , a messenger of Satan to harass me , to keep me from being too elated . Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this , that it should leave me . But he said to me , ' My grace is sufficient for you , for my power is made perfect in weakness . ' Therefore I [ Paul ] will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses , so that the power of Christ may rest upon me . For the sake of Christ , then , I am content with weaknesses , insults , hardships , persecutions , and calamities . For when I am weak , then I am strong . " ( 2 Cor . 12:7 b - 10 ) . Christ said , " Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness , and all these things will be added to you . " " Ask , and it will be given to you ; seek , and you will find ; knock , and it will be opened to you . For everyone who asks receives , and the one who seeks finds , and to the one who knocks it will be opened . Or which one of you , if his son asks him for bread will give him a stone ? . . . How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him ! " ( Matt . 7:7 - 11 ) Our hardships are meant for God 's glory . Christ promises that if we will stay focused on Him , everything else will be taken care of . Of course I am not advocating " let go and let God " ; rather I AM ADVOCATING : " Seek first the Kingdom of heaven and let your boast be in Christ , for when I am weak , then I am strong . This means that we must first go to God , be a person of prayer , and do not forget that God is God . 
Discontentment . I have been reading Mahaney 's " Humility " and Thomas Watson 's " The Godly Man 's Picture " . This little gem comes from Watson and it is on discontent but there is a relationship to pride . Watson is addressing believers about the antithesis of patience , one of which is discontentment . Notice where he takes discontentment . " Discontent , which is a sullen , dogged mood . When a man is not angry at his sins , but at his condition , this is different from patience . Discontent is the daughter of pride . " Notice the condition is not spiritual but physical . Watson points out that we should only be discontent with our sins ... WOW ! Discontent [ in our condition ] is the daughter of pride . daughter of pride ... couldn't say it better myself . 
Remember . Moses ' records his response to the Israelites after their refusal to enter the promise land because of the sons of Anakim and their cities and physical size . " Do not be in dread or afraid of them . The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you , just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes , and in the wilderness , where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you , as a man carries his son , all the way that you went until you came to this place . " ( Deut . 1:29 - 31 ) Moses reminded the Israelites where they had been and how God 's grace was a part of it . Do you remember how God has provided grace in your life over the years ? 
An intersting discovery . Today I was walking through the park and discovered a box burried under a tree . My curiosity led me to open the box . In it I found the contents with a note that said , " This must reach the public " . Next to the box was a chalk outline ; this gentleman died to bring this information . How could I leave this hidden . I think it is my obligation to share this . The information is real , the contents are real . In it were about a hundred letters all addressed to different newspapers : Dear General Public Today I discovered that an average of 115 people die daily in the United States in a manner that is unworthy to the cause of the United States and humanity . This is serious , this means that more people die from this than the war in Iraq . If people knew this they would change their minds on what to protest . They would rewrite their signs and change directions . This is serious people , death is at stake , I know 100 % of all people die , but seriously . Drastic change needs to occur . What is worse is that the governent is doing nothing to stop it . Only some minor laws , but if they really wanted to stop it they could . We need to write our Senators and Representatives ; call the President and every Governor , don't let them keep LYING to us . Action is required , tell your families , your children . The only thing that will fix the problem is to abolish the practice entirely . Lives are at stake people , STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP ! STOOOOP Driving your car , it is the only thing that is going to bring the death toll down . We cannot sit by and watch over 40,000 Americans die on a daily basis . How dare we let people drive , especially when we were lied too . We were told it would be a fast way to reach your destination ... but what if you never reach your destination ? We were told it would save the horse 's hoofs , but how many families died this year from riding in a carriage , that wasn't hit by a car ? 
Starbucks . I broke down and bought a bag of " Kopi Kampung " from Starbucks ( this is their 13 dollar 1 / 2 lb bag of coffee ) . This is one of the best coffees , if not the best coffee I ' ve ever purchased from a Coffee Shop . It is amazingly smooth and has a wonderful rich and full flavor . It is definately the best I ' ve had from Starbucks . It is from Sulawesi which is in Indonesia . Another coffee from that area that you might be familiar with is Sumatra . This is an excellent cup of Joe and I highly recommned you try it . You can ask Starbucks to try it ; often they have a bag that they use to offer taste tests . 
Suppose I Said , I Am On My , Best Behavior . I miss Boston . Walking through my dad 's business event was like walking through a big science fair . I told him this , and he said , " It is a big science fair , basically . " . . . apparently , that 's what government biologists do . Looking at each of the displays , I noticed that the only pictures of people were of white people . On top of this , most of these white people were white men . Then , examining the people at the convention , I realized there were two black people ( the only non - white people there ) - one woman advertising for her ecologically friendly organization at an advertiser 's booth , and one man who is my dad 's boss . Granted , it was nice to see that his boss wasn't white , but it was interesting to see he was the only black person working with my father . Upon meeting many of his coworkers , I realized they were very similar to my father , and it made me think a lot about my career choices . I couldn't be more different than my father ! Going to the grocery store on the way to the mountains , I noticed all of the people in the store were white . It was the same when I was visiting Fo Co on Saturday , too - the only non - white person I saw all day was Laurel . I don't really like Colorado as much as I used to . The mountains are pretty , but I don't enjoy driving in them , I hate that there 's less oxygen in the air up here and I feel trapped and in the middle of nowhere . I don't like that Colorado has really poor racial and ethnic diversity . I also realized that being back in Colorado is kind of like being back in the closet - having never been completely ' out ' here , I always feel like a different person when I ' m visiting - and I don't like that person . I ' m excited to be back in SC , so I can visit the ocean again . It ' ll also be nice to be around my friends again from my grad program . There are quite a few things to be excited about in SC , but it 's not Boston . One more year . . . ~ Justin " . . . would you love me when I ' m Not Myself , wait it out while I am someone else . . . " . 
You and Me and the Lights Down Low . I ' ve officially left Boston , and life is very different . I ' m back in Colorado for a week , and I have nostalgia . It 's weird to be here - last year , this felt like home , and now it feels like vacation . I don't think I want to return to Colorado - not for awhile , anyway . Saturday I spent in Fo Co , and it was so nice to see a few close friends again . I hung out with Peter , Laurel and Kristen H ( my previous Hall Director ) , among others . I ate lunch at Chipotle , walked around campus and Old Town for a bit , and had dinner and margaritas at The Rio . It was great being back , but it doesn't feel the same . Sunday , I surprised my mom and younger brother at my older brother 's house , and it was so much fun to see their reaction . They had NO IDEA that I was going to join them , so that was fun . We left to a mountain resort town where my dad has business meetings , and are there now ( hooray for internet in the mountains ! ) . My younger brother and I went kayaking today for the first time , which was a blast ! We ' ve been enjoying our time in the mountains - we ' ll return to my brother 's house tomorrow . I ' m finding that the more time I spend with them , the more I realize I ' m not like them . I ' m very different than the rest of my family , and I don't really feel like I belong . I also feel like they don't know who I really am , which is hard . My mom and I had a heated talk the other day about dating , and how she 's convinced I ' m going to be alone forever . I SO want to tell them , but I know this isn't the right time or place . I just hope the ' right time and place ' comes soon , because this is becoming unbearable . I ' m excited to return to my brother 's house and visit them a bit more before I leave . I ' ll also spend Thursday in Fo Co again and get to see some great people from campus who I miss more than anyone , so that ' ll be great ! This trip is also making me a bit more excited to return to South Carolina . It ' ll be easier to return there after CO , as opposed to leaving straight from Boston . I really do have some amazing friends there , and I ' m definitely looking forward to my last year in grad school ! Two years really flys by ! I wish you all the best this week - hope you enjoy your last few weeks of summer ! ~ Justin " . . . I sure do hope this is a long night , ' cause I never felt one so right , each look into your eyes , I fall in , a little more and more , looks like we ' ve started us a fire , wrapped up in flames of desire , with every touch they burn higher , two shadows dancin ' on the wall , with Nothin ' On But the Radio . . . " . 
You Never Know Where Life Is Gonna Take You And You Can't Change Where You ' ve Been . Life is pretty much fabulous right now . I had my final work meeting this morning , and it went very well - I definitely miss the office , but am enjoying my time with Ellen . It kind of feels as if I ' m just on vacation , and I ' ll be returning to the office shortly . . . unfortunately for me , I have to move back to the South and finish that graduate program before I can have a ' real ' position . As much as I ' m going to miss Boston , I seriously do love my grad program and my friends there , so I am starting to look forward to it a bit more than before . Still , it 's a mix of emotions . I ' m going to miss that office so much ! Having Ellen here is fun , and has given me an excuse to do many of the Boston things I wanted to do but hadn't yet . We saw Improv Asylum , visited Harvard , went to the South End Open Market , went to the New England Aquarium , went on a Duck Tour , checked out the view of the city at night from the Prudential Observatory Sky Walk , went on a Sunset Harbor Cruise , shopped more than I should have , took many photos ( my favorite cows , the Cheers sign , the Boston Real World house , the Make Way For Ducklings sculpture , other Boston scenery , etc. ) and have had a blast . Ellen is fabulous , and I ' m definitely glad I have her here right now . It 's been great to see her , and so much fun catching up - I always enjoy her company . She 's here right now at the same time as when Sam would ' ve been here , and that 's kind of weird . . . but definitely good for me . Ana and I were talking today and she talked with me about how she thinks it 's important to have time to feel the loss of not having someone after a breakup before jumping into another relationship . We talked about how I ' ve often been quick to jump into a new relationship , and how I ' ve been good about not doing that post - Sam so far . . . and I realize that I ' m actually very happy being single . I also realized that my ' mourning ' over Sam really didn't last long - which I think has to do with the fact that I was losing feelings for him once I got here , and also might ' ve been part of the ' out of sight , out of mind ' phenomenon . If I ' m in love with someone , I shouldn't deal with the ' out of sight , out of mind ' feelings . I know I wasn't in love with him , but it kind of surprised me that there were so many moments when I didn't think about him when I feel like I should ' ve . I dunno . . . either way , I ' m happy being single , and I ' m really looking forward to being single in South Carolina . I know that might sound odd , but it 's true . I ' m looking forward to starting with a clean slate . A new house , a new assistantship , a new parking space - life is going to be fabulous ! Ellen , Ana and I are headed out for some Irish Pubbin ' fun ! : o ) Have a wonderful night ! ~ Justin " . . . I Choose , to be the best that I can be , I Choose , to be authentic in everything . . . " . 
I Am Not Your Expectations , No. Today was my final day in the office , and life feels so strange . It was nice to complete all of my tasks and know that I ' m officially finished with the work aspect of my summer , but it was a different feeling to leave the office and know I won't be returning for awhile . Now , to be honest , I ' ll be back on Tuesday for a meeting and a goodbye lunch , but it 's not the same . I ' ve enjoyed this summer so much , and this internship has been amazing . Aurelio and Beth are incredible mentors , and I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with them ! I only wish I could stay in this situation for a longer duration . Ellen is coming to visit tomorrow , and I ' m really looking forward to visiting with her and spending some free time as a tourist . Ana is going to work through next Friday , so it 's going to be very weird to not see her all of the time . She ' ll definitely be hanging out with Ellen and I , but it 's not the same . I ' m already starting to miss Ana - I know I still have a week with her , but it ' ll be different with Ellen here . Ana means more to me than I knew , and she 's such an incredible woman . We went to Ma Soba for lunch today , and it brought us full - circle to our first lunch with Beth and Aurelio during our first official day of work . Crazy how fast this time has flown ! I love Colorado , and it 's going to be so good to visit home and friends again . Seeing my family is going to be fabulous , and I ' m definitely looking forward to the time , but it also might be hard . I ' ve been very contemplative lately about my life , and I ' ve started to realize that it can't get any better until it gets worse . What I mean by this is , things aren't going to change until I ' drop the bomb ' that I ' m gay . And once that bomb is out there , it 's going to take a lot of time to repair the damage . At the end of work today , Beth asked Ana and I about any fun boy stories . We haven't really spent time with her in a week or so , so it was nice to catch up . After much discussion , I realized Beth was using counseling techniques in our conversation ( something I ' ve noticed more and more in every student affairs conversation because Ana points it out ) . Beth hit on something pertinent today , and I ' ve been thinking about it a lot since then . I ' ve dated some real jerks . I ' ve dated some guys who are very self - centered and egotistical . The majority of the guys I ' ve dated have never been good enough for me - and my friends have always told me this , but I definitely haven't been listening as I should . I need to be single for awhile . I need to realize that I can manage fine without someone . I need to be comfortable in my own skin - comfortable with me , and who I am / who I ' m becoming . I need to get to know people before jumping into relationships . I need to aim higher with the men I seek . My next boyfriend needs to be a strong Christian , and needs to help support me in my relationship with God . I ' ve compromised on the faith thing before with nearly every previous relationship ( Jason is the only exception ) and I feel a strong desire to be certain the next man I date will share my religious beliefs and faith . My personal goals for the next month are as follows : - Be thankful for my summer internship , and recognize that it was an amazing experience - Seek God 's guidance and will for my life , specifically with regards to my coming out to my family - Be enthusiastic about returning to South Carolina - about my job , house , classes and overall situation - Be happy with who I am , and intentional with my future direction , to become the man God made me to be Goodnight . ~ Justin " . . . I Am Not My Hair , I am not this skin , I am not your expectations , no , I Am Not My Hair , I am not this skin , I am the soul that lives within . . . " . 
There 's Hope . Back when I had a little I thought that I needed a lot A little was over rated , but a lot was a little too complicated You see - Zero didn't satisfy me A million didn't make me happy That 's when I learned a lesson That it 's all about your perception Hey - are you a papa or a superstar So you act , so you feel , so you are It ain't about the size of your car It 's about the size of the faith in your heart There 's hope It doesn't cost a thing to smile You don't have to pay to laugh You better thank God for that ( repeat ) There 's hope Off in the back country of Brazil A met a young brotha that made me feel That i could accomplish anything . You see just like me he wanted to sing He had no windows and no doors He lived a simple life and was extremely poor On top of all of that he had no eye sight , but that didn't keep him from seein ' the light He said , what 's it like in the USA , and all I did was complain He said - living here is Paradise He taught me paradise in in your mind You know that There 's hope It doesn't cost a thing to smile You don't have to pay to laugh You better thank God for that ( repeat ) There 's hope Every time I turn on the T . V. ( There 's Hope ) Somebody 's acting crazy ( There 's Hope ) If you let it , it will drive you crazy ( There 's Hope ) but I ' m takin ' back my power today ( There 's Hope ) Gas prices they just keep on rising ( There 's Hope ) The government they keep on lying but we gotta keep on surviving Keep living our truth and do the best we can do There 's hope It doesn't cost a thing to smile You don't have to pay to laugh You better thank God for that ( repeat ) There 's hope Stand up for your rights ( echo ) Keep shining your light ( echo ) And show the world your smile ( echo ) Stand up for your rights ( echo ) Keep shining your light ( echo ) And show the world your smile ( echo ) There 's hope It doesn't cost a thing to smile You don't have to pay to laugh You better thank God for that ( repeat ) There 's hope ~ India Arie . 
Share Love , Give Love , Spread Love . Billy told me last night that he came out to his family ! I ' m so proud of him . Things went really well with the conversation , and their reaction was much more positive than he was thinking it ' d be . Not perfect , but decent . Talking with Billy last night reminded me once again of how much I want that in my life . I love my family , and I want to share with them . Mostly , I want to stop hiding the truth from them . I don't really feel 100 % genuine when I ' m around them , and I want to have a relationship that 's honest and open , where they know about my life . I want them to know that if they want to know about my life they can ask me and learn , but not to feel like I have to share everything with them . The current relationship we have is counterintuitive to what they expect from me - and quite frankly , it 's counterintuitive to what I want with them . They want me to share everything with them , and they want to be able to ask any question and feel like they 're getting an open and honest answer . I want this , but I also want limits to this . I love them , but I don't want them to constantly barrage me with questions and to continuously remind me that they don't approve . That would be the reaction I ' m NOT looking for . . . The more I thought about Billy 's situation , the more I realized I want that so desperately - and I ' m not near as afraid of a negative reaction as I used to be . Realistically , my sanity could use some help , and coming out to them could definitely benefit me . And really , in the worst - case scenario , I would still be able to attend graduate school and finish my degree , setting me up in a good spot for the job search and completing many of my professional goals . I want to do it . I want to tell them . I ' m tired of hiding . I ' m not setting a deadline , but I am saying I ' m ready . Starting today , I ' m going to pray again daily that God prepares them ( and me ) for this conversation , that He gives me the strength to do this , and that He gives me support when I need it most . Definitely feel free to join me in these prayers , too . : o ) Sweet Dreams ! ~ Justin " . . . it 's time now , to sing out , though the story never ends , let 's , celebrate remember a year in the life of friends . . . " . 
Some Hearts Just Get Lucky Sometimes . Ana and I ate at California Pizza Kitchen tonight , and every song they played is on my i Pod . : o ) That 's all . ~ Justin " . . . I wake up feelin ' like my life 's worth livin ' , can't recall when I last felt that way , guess it must all this love you 're givin ' , never knew , never knew , it could be like this . . . " . 
One Movie . Man , have you guys seen " Million Dollar Baby ? " I wish someone would have told me about it a while ago . That is one f @ # king funny movie . Cracked my cracker ass up . The ending had me laughing so hard , I was in tears . http : // www . garybrolsma . net / . 
Numa . Today at work , I told a lady to check her numa . I have been watching the Numa video quite a lot . A man yelled at me for waiting on the phone for 30 minutes . I told him , I waited on his line for three and a half minutes and he told me I deserved it . He was a dick . I spend six hours a day talking to dumb people , maybe and hour with regular peple , and a half hour with angry people . Hawaii is fucking great . http : // www . albinoblacksheep . com / flash / numa . php . 
I am so getting a webcam . http : // www . numanuma . net / You really should watch the " Gary Brolsma Numa Numa Video . " The eyebrow thing makes me laugh every time . Also while you are there , watch " Jerkin It At Library . " Who wants to go to the library with me ? http : // en . wikipedia . org / wiki / Numa _ Numa . 
Lame . I posted this in May . http : // 3 leggedcat . blogspot . com / 2006 / 05 / when - did - art - r - move - to - nyc . html And I decided that day that I wanted to be on that website . One June 25 th I sent this to them : Aloha , This pig yelled , " You have sweet jugs of honey ! " I asked him if he speaks to all women like that and he said , " No , just the ones with hot tits . " Then he said if he he had " tits like yours " he would do this every morning . He even posed so I could take this photo . Holla Back , Staci Lame ass bitches didn't post my picture up . Now I have to yell at every woman I see on the street with a cellphone until I get on that webpage . 
More Strange " Food " . Okay so it is not food but a drink . It is a tea I found in a tea store . You pop a little ball into some hot water and it opens into this neat little flower thing . It tastes like tea . 
Two " New " CDs . Gorillaz " Demon Days " Elvis Costello " My Aim Is True " You kids should check them out . I used to borrow a guy 's Elvis Costello and broke down and bought my own . He 's a good kids . 
Redneck Candy . Chapped and bubbly lips like cellophane Wrap her Candy Corn teeth Her hunch back reminds me of a Sugar Daddy Licked many times in the hot sun Jujubes nipples press hard against her faded pink tube top I lick my way down to her candy center A cotton candy ass flows out of her stoned washed jeans Keeping me from my destination I ask her to let me taste her Cup - O - God She says she can t There are Hershey Kisses in her underpants . 
More Strange Food . Cuttlefish yo ! It was soaked in soy sauce and some other stuff . It wasn't too shabby . Kind of a salty fish taste . You can also see the aftermath of my face bump . I plan to get it purged soon . Hugs . 
I ' m Conflicted . I worked today and came home and wanted a piece of toast . Wouldn t you know it but Mr. Jesus was in my toast . I knew it was a sign from God that I needed to get to church and get my mind right . I took some photos for you and since I know some of you are skeptics , I put my plastic embryo next to the toast so that you would know it was my toast and not some toast I found on the Internet . Top Ten Signs You 're a Fundamentalist Christian ________________________________________ 10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions , but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours . 9 - You feel insulted and " dehumanized " when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms , but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt . 8 - You laugh at polytheists , but you have no problem believing in a Triune God . 7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the " atrocities " attributed to Allah , but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God / Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in " Exodus " and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in " Joshua " including women , children , and trees ! 6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans , and Greek claims about gods sleeping with women , but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary , who then gave birth to a man - god who got killed , came back to life and then ascended into the sky . 5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth ( few billion years ) , but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that Earth is a few generations old . 4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs -- though excluding those in all rival sects - will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering . And yet consider your religion the most " tolerant " and " loving . " 3 - While modern science , history , geology , biology , and physics have failed to convince you otherwise , some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in " tongues " may be all the evidence you need to " prove " Christianity . 2 - You define 0.01 % as a " high success rate " when it comes to answered prayers . You consider that to be evidence that prayer works . And you think that the remaining 99.99 % FAILURE was simply the will of God . 1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible , Christianity , and church history - but still call yourself a Christian . 
Heavenly Hor Fun . It 's time for me to get back to my mainstream topic , food review after a short break . We 're back to another round of local delight , and I bring you one of Malaysia 's most popular meal , Ipoh " Kai Xi " Hor Fun ( Shredded Chicken Rice Cake String ) . As in the name , this meal is most popularly known in " Ipoh " ( a town in Northern Malaysia ) but due to public demand , it is now available almost anywhere in Malaysia . Tucked away in a little corner lot along Jalan Imbi , Kuala Lumpur is this little coffee shop known as Kedai Mei Sin that sells one of the best Ipoh " Kai Xi " Hor Fun in town . The shop has been operating for more than twenty years . The taste of the food they serve reflects the experience that these people have in preparing the dish . It 's really , really good ! A little something on Hor Fun Sh h f n ( Chinese : ) , colloquially called h f n ( ) , is a type of wide Chinese noodle made from rice . While Sh h f n and h f n are transliterations based on Mandarin Chinese , there are numerous other transliterations based on Cantonese Chinese , which include ho fen , hofen , ho - fen , ho fun , ho - fun , hor fun , hor fen , sar hor fun etc. In addition , sh h f n is often called kway teow ( , lit . " rice cake string , " transliteration based on Min Nan Chinese ) or guo ti o ( corresponding transliteration based on Mandarin ) , as in the name of a dish called char kway teow . Sh h f n are believed to have originated in the town of Sh h , now a district of the city of Guangzhou , in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong , from whence their name derives . Sh h f n is typical of southern Chinese cuisine , although similar noodles are also prepared and enjoyed in nearby Southeast Asian nations such as Vietnam and Thailand , which both have sizeable Chinese populations . Sh h f n noodles are white in color , broad , and somewhat slippery . Their texture is elastic and a bit chewy . They do not freeze or dry well and are thus generally purchased fresh , in strips or sheets that may be cut to the desired width . Sh h f n noodles are very similar to Vietnamese pho noodles , which are likely derived from their Chinese counterpart . Although the pho noodles used in soups are generally very narrow ( similar to linguini in width ) , wider pho noodles are also common in stir fried dishes . 
Special " Lou Shi Fun " @ Yoke Heng . The direct translation for " Lou Shi Fun " would have to be " Rat Noodle " which of course does not exactly means the same . It 's probably named that way because the noodles are similar in shape and size to rat tails . But one thing is for sure , it doesn't taste anything like a rat 's tail ... not that I ' ve tried a rat tail myself ! Jokes aside , let 's bring our attention back to a more serious note . In this session , we shall be talking about this fantastic new restaurant that I ' ve visited recently . Just a " stone - throw " away from Astro TPM Bukit Jalil is Yoke Heng Restaurant which serves a very special " version " of Nga Pou Lou Shi Fun . " Nga Pou " in cantonese means Claypot , in this case Claypot Lou Shi Fun . Contact Details Ratings OVERALL RATING : Environment Rating : Food Rating : Service Rating : Value Rating : Operation Details Operating Hours : Miscellaneous Details Halal : No Dining Method : Dine - In / Takeaway Special Dishes : Claypot Egg Lou Shi Fun Food / Cuisine : Ambience / Features : BYO Allowed ? : Yes Reservations : Accepted . 
Eric Deli Paradise . The ' Eric ' mentioned in Eric Deli Paradise is referring to the Hong Kong celebrity Eric Tsang famous for his popular Super Trio game show , if you really must know . But I do believe Eric Tsang do not own Eric Deli Paradise , well not wholely but having his image pasted all over this red and white themed restaurant as a part of deco does attract curious diners such as me . http : // shw . fotopages . com / 11458673 . html Eric Deli Paradise is located on the ground floor of Hartamas Shopping Centre covering a huge chunk of the right wing ... from unit G 11 B - G 15 to be exact , right next to the entrance of the parking lot . Just check out the map provided above . The place is huge therefore not a problem to find a table . I guess the restaurant could easily fit 350 people or so ... with private function rooms too . Anyway , since I was there to try out the ' tim sum ' ... I didn't had the chance to review their popular Sze Chuan dishes ( noted in my next to do list ) . The ordering style is exactly like what you get in some other popular Hong Kong based restaurants and cafe .. a paper menu with pencil for you to start ticking away . Call me old - fashioned but I still don't feel comfortable ordering stuffs that I can't visualize . Not having much of a choice , I made some choices and ' submitted ' my orders to the ever - smilling service personnels dressed in all - red . A glance - thru the crowds ... my next table , 2 couples - probably rich ( expensive sunglass stuck on hair nited ) with screaming babies , sigh ! Looked the other way , an old couple ... quietly enjoying their lunch .. probably felt irritated at my staring .. also rich looking . Seriously , I should review my observations . I am probably biased ... everyone looking rich just because I am in Hartamas area : - SANYWAY ... this is what I ' ve ordered .... with a couple of other stuffs and the total bill for 2 person came up to about RM 64.00 . Quite a hefty amount ... I would say . But then again .. it is Hartamas ! 
New Paris Restaurant . New Paris Restaurant Here 's my ' experience ' during my last visit to the New Paris Restaurant starting with the typical hunting for a parking practice , especially on a weekend where everyone 's too lazy to even visit their kitchen . Once you have secured a parking , you will need to find a table next . Entering the restaurant , you will be greeted by this ' uncle ' asking for total number of people coming in to dine . He then ' registers ' your name in his big " buku nota " or notepad . He will subsequently shouts through his " karaoke " looking microphone for a free table and chances are he will ask you to move aside and wait for some 10 minutes or so . Okay , now you have 10 minutes or more to spend .. either standing around staring at people . You ' d probably notice quite a number of yuppies eating there . That is because New Paris Restaurant is strategically located in a very busy office location ( then again , all outlets in SS 2 ARE strategically located , hence the sky - high rental !!! ) which is why you see most of them dine there after work , usually bitching about work , how unfairly they 're treated by their bosses or how cute the new secretary is . Then you hear your name being called ... asking you to proceed to table 20 or some table numbers which doesn't really matter to you . Only when you know your table is located halfway outside the road did you realize that you should ' ve asked to sit upstairs - airconditioned , that 's why . Usually the " Uncle " will politely comply to your request - requesting you to wait for another 10 minutes . Of course , the trembling feet and growling tummy sends a totally different message and your mind seems to go on cruise control - you proceed to tell " Uncle " " Okay , okay .. I take lah ... the table . Where ah ? " " Uncle " something get 's in a nice mood and changes his mind . " Okay , fast fast ! Table 5 got place oledi ... go go ! " Yup ! upstairs ..... aircond . Yippee !!! Good ... now that you 're seated at your table , getting ready to order ... I can only recommend 1 very popular dish here . The Watermelon Porkrib is something you shouldn't miss out . Other than that , I can't really remember the other dishes since the last time I went there was ... err .. a couple of months ago . Ha ha ha ... anyway , if I ever go there again ... I will get down more details and post it here . As for now , you know how to go , you know how to order your first dish ... I will let your creativity fulfill your hungry tummy ! Contact Details New Paris Restaurant ( formerly Paris Restaurant ) 62 , 64 , 66 Jalan SS 2 / 72 , 47300 Petaling Jaya Tel : 03 7955 9180 , 03 7955 0186 Ratings OVERALL RATING : * * * Environment Rating : * * * Food Rating : * * * * Service Rating : * * * Value Rating : * * * Operation Details Average Price : approx RM 100 ++ for 5 person Operating Hours : can't remember ... Accepted Cards : : Master Card , Visa Card Miscellaneous Details Halal : Nope , definitely not ! Dining Method : Dine - In Takeaway Food / Cuisine : Chinese Ambience / Features : Family . Air Conditioned . Alcohol . Casual Dining . BYO Allowed ? : Yes Reservations : Accepted . 
Ka - Soh Seafood Restaurant . KA - SOH ( sister - in - law in Cantonese ) owes its name to the belief that this person in the Chinese patriarchy is usually filled by someone quite dedicated , diligent and hardworking . Ka - Soh Seafood Restaurant is situated in a car park opposite the Ritz Carlton entrance and behind The Westin . Ka Soh sounds so ordinary but rumour has it that there has been loads of Chinese celebrities from abroad and local who ' ve sat and ate here . Proof comes in the form of celebrity photographs on their notice board as a testament to their visit . Ka - Soh is famous for their Fishhead Noodles ( ) , Kah - Soh curry fish head and the special Prawn Paste Fried Chicken ( ) . Deep fried frog with ginger Kah - Soh curry fish head Kah - Soh deep fried prawn paste chicken Chef special bean curd Other specialities Ka - Soh sang yee ( toman ) fish head and fillet noodles Kah - Soh steamed song yee ( silver carp ) head with black bean sauce Kah - Soh braised sang yee ( toman ) head with black bean sauce Kah - Soh deep fried red tilapia with special Thai sauce Deep fried pork intestines Pan fried braised pork belly Kah - Soh stir fried bean sprouts with intestines : P : P : P : P : P : P : P : P : P : PMore information coming up later ... stay tuned ! 
Restoran Sri Karak . Durian Bomb , originally uploaded by timlow 2002 . Steamed Assorted Eggs , originally uploaded by timlow 2002 . House Special Claypot Chicken , originally uploaded by timlow 2002 . Boiled Spinach Soup , originally uploaded by timlow 2002 . Be The First To Eat . That 's the tagline for Sri Karak Restaurant . If you have been to Karak town or frequently drive along the Karak Highway , you must have come across or at least heard of the famous Yik Kei Restaurant which is very much praised for its durian puffs as well as hearty Chinese food . Yik Kei has now expanded it 's business into Klang Valley in the form of Sri Karak Restaurant offering the same delicious cooking as the orriginal Yik Kei . While Yik Kei in Karak is a non - halal outlet , Seri Karak is pork - free . The food is pretty much the same , though , and showcases some of the produce that Pahang is famous for : thin French beans from the highlands , deliciously smooth and slippery patin fish and , of course , the king of fruits , the durian . Most pastries in Seri Karak are self - baked The building has a separate section in the front of its multi - storey , bright - coloured restaurant that is dedicated to baked products . Products are baked only once in the morning and only sold while stocks last . There are homemade Swiss rolls slathered with coconut jam , Portuguese egg tarts , durian - flavoured egg tarts and the famous Durian Bomb , wherein creamy durian is mixed with sweet potato and then deep - fried until it is crispy on the outside but meltingly soft on the inside . The pricing are very reasonable in Sri Karak . Here 's a list of what I ' ve eaten and the pricing . Boiled Spinach Soup ( regular sized ) - RM 7.00 House Special Claypot Chicken ( regular sized ) - RM 12.00 Steamed Assorted Eggs ( regular sized ) - RM 8.00 Durian Bomb - RM 1.60 each Portuegese Tart - RM 1.20 each With drinks and plain rice , the bill came up to about RM 46.00 . I ' d say it 's quite ok for a 3 person meal . By the way , they do charge service / tax charges . Contact Details RESTORAN SRI KARAKNo . 17 Jalan 52 / 8 , Section 52 , Petaling Jaya Selangor Tel : 03 - 7958 3280 Ratings OVERALL RATING : * * * * Environment Rating : * * * Food Rating : * * * * Service Rating : * * * * Value Rating : * * * * Operation Details Operating Hours : Mon - Sat ( 10 am - 10 pm ; Sunday , lunch ( 11 am - 3 pm ) ; dinner ( 6 pm - 10 pm ) Miscellaneous Details Halal : Yes Dining Method : Dine - In / Takeaway Special Dishes : Durian Bomb / Durian Tart Food / Cuisine : Serves Chinese food , with influences from Pahang Malay culture Ambience / Features : Cosy . Family . Air Conditioned . BYO Allowed ? : Yes Reservations : Accepted . 
a quickie ... im safe at my new host . but , theres a huge rainstorm right now and i keep losing the connection , so ill try this really short entry and hope it uploads . more later in the week ! 
travel update ... just got into Kyoto a few hours ago , and its so incredibly hot that i stepped into a nice air conditioned internet cafe to cool off and give a quick update . i was in tokyo until this morning , it was a very interesting place but actually not that exciting . right now in kyoto they are having a july festival , but as i just got here i cant comment yet . well , the internet cafe prices are a rip off , so ill give the details next week after i settle in at the new wwoof host . 
moving on ... ive made arrangements with a new host in gunma prefecture , north and slightly west of tokyo , to arrive on the 18 th . so now that i have that booked im going to leave my current host around monday or tuesday and take a week off to visit tokyo and kyoto . organizing the new host was a long process because alot of people wwoof in july and august so most hosts were booked up . fortunately , a new wwoofer came here the other day . when i told her i couldnt find a vacant host she said she had to cancel her reservations with a host and i should email them right away to get the spot . its another farm , and ill tell you about it when i get there . anyways , no , i dont have any big plans for visiting tokyo and kyoto . for the most part im going to do a ` derive ` through tokyo ( derive in the french usage , meaning wandering through city streets ) since tokyo seems like one of the most interesting and safest cities someone could do that . of course im going to head over to the major districts and see the bright lights and a few specific spots im interested in , but youll have to wait until i do it to see where i actually go . in tokyo ill stay in capsule hotels , there are plenty of foreigners who have written online about the capsule hotels so google that if you dont know what they are . as for kyoto , similar plans , but ill go see some specific spots there as well . ive heard of a temple there that offers loding for around 10 dollars a night , with no curfew , so im going to try and contact them and see if there is vacancy . if not , i found a cheap ryokan ( traditional japanese inn ) . this trip is when ill use my Japan Railways Railpass ( the best tourist deal in japan ) , so if i actually do get bored in either city i can hop on the shinkansen ( bullet train ) to anywhere else for no extra charge . while the transportation around japan is excellent , riding the bullet trains can cost as much as a flight . so , while there are internet cafes in the cities , understand that i dont know if ill visit one ( why sit on a computer in the middle of a weeklong tour of tokyo and kyoto ? ) , but ill at least try and give a quick update in the middle of my trip between the cities . however , be patient , and youll get the details in about a week and a half ... 
" nuke the whales " ... Ive been here a month now and have had sushi only 3 times . the first time the family made it , the second time at the sushi / karaoke bar , and recently at some place at the beach . the first two times were familiar ground , at home we had salmon , tuna , smelt eggs , vegetable rolls etc. at the bar we had squid , octopus and some other things i have tasted in america but dont remember the name . ive had salmon in america that easy rivals the salmon i had here . whats really impressed me is the texture and flavor of the squid and octopus in japan . then the other day we stopped at a place while coming home from the market ... it was one of those places with a revolving sushi bar , and i was intentionally picking up things i didn ` t recognize , so while everything was good i cant really compare it to sushi in california . so i pick up a simple nigiri ( fish on a ball of rice ) with some interesting looking fish on it . on asking what it is i get asked that old favorite " what do YOU think it is " , followed by some muttering in japanese which i didnt understand except for something about greenpeace . " oh , its whale ? " yep , i ate shamu . the texture was closer to red meat than fish , ive had a similar textured fish in korean cooking but dont remember the name . it was good but i probably wont miss not being able to eat it when i return to america . dont know if the US is censoring the news or not , but north korea is playing with ( bottle ) rockets again . actually , japan is about 17 hours ahead of america , so i had 4 th of july before any of you , but japan doesnt celebrate american independance day of course . however , its nice to know north korea does , thanks north korea for shooting off some fireworks to celebrate american independance day . nuke the whales indeed ... 
some pictures ... i couldnt afford a digital camera before i left but everyone is in luck because somebody here had a digital camera and i just uploaded a few pics to introduce you to the crew ( click on them to see a bigger version ) : after a hard days work but before hitting the shower , me and the two other woofers pose with the mother , youngest daughter and son . yeah , see that look on his face , thats what you look like after dragging bamboo around in the midst of bugs mud and rain all day . with that in mind , i dont know how i managed to smile for this pic , i guess this place does strange things to a man . you might remember me saying i was going to some internationalization meeting in my entry last week . it was some education exhange program hosted by the local pefecture . the american lady sitting next to me is a teacher from san diego who did a homestay with us for the weekend . it was fun cruising japan with a fellow californian , ask me sometime about our adventure scouring the city to find " super lover " brand clothing ... whats this , ask ? well , if i tell every little story here then what are we going to talk about when i get back ? anyways , saturday night the family took everyone out to a sushi / karaoke bar . i couldnt believe the superb quality of the fish , im curious how much better sushi can get . the guy across from me is the father , but dont mistake his expression for an unhappy one , he got to the bar a little before the rest of the family ... same night , posing with some of the local farmers / friends of the family . these boys like to party and everybody had a great time . they invited me back this weekend but i can only imagine how much the bill was last weekend so im probably sitting at home tonight ... 
missiles , earthquakes , graduation ... some of you on the east coast missed my graduation on may 19 th , heres a picture that a friend took . in world news north korea might be fueling a missle for launch tests . you dont need to worry about me in japan though , this one has a range far enough to reach the US . in local news i was woken up by an earthquake the other morning . not a big deal but stonger than anything i felt living in california for 4 years . i finally got sick . supposedly everyone gets sick when they go overseas , but i was expecting it the first week , not in the beginning of my third . not a big deal though , sore throat and fatigue that was pretty much over in three days . on my day off last weekend i went to the local beach , and have never seen so many surfers in the water . spent the afternoon there and then on the way home i took the wrong train . actually it had nothing to do with misunderstanding japanese writing , i simply wasnt paying attention and walked on to any old train . fortunately the trains here are convenient enough that i got back home with no problem . i definitely feel illiterate here though . i studied hard before coming but with three writing systems in simultaneous use its alot to keep up with . i mentioned in a previous post about the writing on signs being the major giveaway that the local city is japanese and not an average western style city . that and the roofs . imagine a western style concrete building with a gaudy chinese roof . the westernization is greater than i expected . in case anyone has an impression that as soon as i walk out the front door im surrounded by samurais and geishas , the reality is far from that . im really curious to see how it is when i visit other areas . but at the local movie rental store ( which is combined with a bookstore ) there were more american movies ( dubbed \ subtitled ) than anything else . of course , japan is well known for its assimilation of things foreign . found a nice asian \ western fusion food , green tea chocolate . it doesnt taste like chocolate or green tea , but it works . a like it alot better than japanese style spaghetti ( noodles mixed with soy sauce and mayonnaise ! ) even in two weeks some of the smaller differences here are starting to go unnoticed , but im still surprused about the bicycle parking lots at the train stations . not the parking lots specificaly , but the fact that the bikes arent locked to anything . sure some are locked to themselves but a bike thief could basically walk up and take their pick . of course , this is the inaka ( japanese for " countryside " , the chinese characters used in this word represent a shelter next to a rice field , and that says alot ) , and the bikes are mostly lame granny bikes with baskets on the front and back , but you definitely dont see that except in small american towns . lunch time , and then off to a local " internationalization " meeting . thats a popular buzzword around japan these days , ill write more later ... 
Freeway speech . I read an article in yesterday 's Star ( yes , I still read the Star despite the abusive redesign . Dammit ! They got me ! ) about a group of so - called Freeway Bloggers . This group posts politically topical signs and banners on highway overpasses , fences and medians . The authors claim these actions are protected by their constitutional rights to free expression . It 's a convenient way to justify vandalism . At best , these vandals are irresponsible since they encourage others to commit the same kind of vandalism to public property . And it is vandalism . They are marking up ( if only temporarily ) public property for their own purposes . They risk distracting drivers potentially causing traffic accidents . What 's more , they know that what they are doing is illegal and they encourage others to be dishonest in trying to copy them . They say so on their website ( which I intentionally don't link to ) . They claim that if an advertiser can put up a message on a privately owned billboard , then they should be able to put their message on publicly owned highway infrastructure . The key difference of course is that the advertiser has private property rights to put their message on the billboard . If this group were buying space on a billboard for their message , or if they put their signs up in their own front yards , they would get no argument from me . Underlying this tactic is a basic misunderstanding of the constitutionally protected right to freedom of expression . " When the founders of this nation said that everyone was entitled to freely express their political opinions , they didn't mean we could hammer up a sign out in the woods somewhere , they meant we could hammer it up right in the middle of the town square . " This is where they 're wrong . We all have a right to say what we want ( with certain exceptions ) . But the constitution does not guarantee a right to be heard . tagged : Freeway Bloggers , freedom of speech , vandalism , free , expression , Bush , politics . 
Happy blogday ( belated ) . I came to the sudden realization yesterday that this blog turned 1 year a couple of week 's ago . What a delinquent parent I am to not remember the birthday of my blog . Actually , it 's not really that big of a deal when you read that some people have been blogging for ages ( since the turn of the century ) and have much greater traffic . Still , it 's a milestone of sorts . And it 's the longest I ' ve ever kept a regular journal , so balls to blogging ! This whole thing started on July 14 , 2005 . A friend of mine had been urging me to blog for a couple of weeks and after a late night ( hence the name ) IM conversation , I finally did . Since then , I ' ve had nearly 20,000 visits . I started keeping track of Technorati rankings in late December when I was ranked a respectable 361,466 . When I checked yesterday , I had climbed to 9,297 ( which coincidentally was my ranking in my graduating class at K - State -- hey , I never claimed to be a rocket surgeon ) . Anyway since my arm 's getting a little sore from the self back - patting , let me just say a quick thank you to everyone who visits . I hope I haven't bored you too badly . I ' ve made some great blogfriends and I highly value the free exchange of ideas . Hopefully we ' ll get to meet sometime in the corporeal world ( I still owe Xavier Onasis a Scotch ) . And if perchance I have offended , I offer now my sincerest apologies . But I can't really promise that it won't happen again . tagged : blog , blogging , anniversary , Technorati , K - State , friends . 
You Tube Tuesday : Best . Mashup . Ever . I love the fact that consumers have such great editing and publishing tools these days . Anyone can now creat their own works of art and publish them for everyone to see . Those in the marketing biz call it " consumer generated media . " One of the best examples I ' ve seen is today You Tube Tuesday submission . Take the godfathers of British comedy and mash it up with a campy sci - fi hit and you get Monty Trek . Join the crew of the intrepit Enterprise as they finally return to Camelot . You ' ll have to click the link , since the " owner " has disabled the embed function . Still , this is funny enough to make it worth your while . Monty Trek WARNING : Do not drink milk while viewing this video , as there is a high risk of ex - nasal lactification . Huge tip of the hat to Get on the Blandwagon for passing it on . tagged : movie , You Tube , video , music , mashup , Star Trek , Monty Python , culture , humor . 
Kansas Guild of Bloggers Carnival . Go check it out at Blog Meridian . Don't forget to submit a post for this week 's KGB Roundup , which Blog Meridian will host next Monday . tagged : Kansas , blog , blogger , carnival , KGB . 
inertia . I just haven't been able to get going all day . From the moment I woke up , I ' ve been the proverbial " object at rest . " A couple of extra cups of coffee didn't help any and I ' ve been pretty unproductive all day . Hopefully I ' ll be able to break out of the malaise tomorrow . Until then , I ' ve gone back to my blogging roots to pass on a couple of items that I stumbled upon today as I tried to become interested in something , anything . First , I found this M. C . Escher meets Salvador Dali flash presentation . Here 's the link . Try zooming all the way in , it 's way trippy . I also wasted a good half hour writing my own George W . Bush speech with this handy - dandy tool . Hours of fun for the whole family to enjoy . Send me a link to the speech you wrote . I also ran across this pretty need flash adaptation of Kafka 's famous Metamorphosis . I just reread that book and a collection of Kafka 's other short stories a few months ago , so I found it particularly interesting . Well , time to call it a day . Hopefully I ' ll get more done tomorrow . If not , there 's always the colossal time waster that is the Internet . tagged : Internet , Kafka , malaise , Metamorphosis , Escher , Bush , Salvador Dali . 
Landis maximus . Congratulations to Floyd Landis on winning the 2006 Tour de France . It 's very satisfying to see an American win , particularly this year , when Americans weren't really expected to show up . For those of you keeping score , this is the eighth year in a row that an American has won the most prestigious race in cycling and the biggest sporting prize in France . Unfortunately , as with all American Tour winners , Landis is in for some major medical problems in the off - season . He ' scheduled to have hip - replacement surgery , a big deal for anyone , but a mega - big deal for a cyclist . It 's like Roger Clemens having arm replacement surgery -- a potential career ender . And let 's face it , Landis wasn't really a favorite to win this year 's race . A doping probe resulted in the elimination of the big favorites - Jan Ullrich , Ivan Basso and Joseba Beloki -- before the race even started . Still , it 's tough to discount an American coming back from a major medical setback . Greg Le Mond set the trend when he returned to the Tour after beign shot in the heart during a hunting accident . And Lance Armstrong 's battle with cancer is very well documented . Both came back stronger than before . So here 's a big bon chance to Floyd after a hard - fought and well deserved victory . Looking forward to seeing you next year . tagged : Tour de France , Floyd Landis , cycling , Lance Armstrong , Greg Le Mond , France . 
Sweet relief . It was a relief and a joy to take the trash out this morning . The cool morning air and drenching showers that followed were a sweet relief from the heat wave we ' ve had of late . In honor of today 's rain , we bring you ... Song Of The Rain VIIby Khalil Gibran I am dotted silver threads dropped from heaven By the gods . Nature then takes me , to adorn Her fields and valleys . I am beautiful pearls , plucked from the Crown of Ishtar by the daughter of Dawn To embellish the gardens . When I cry the hills laugh ; When I humble myself the flowers rejoice ; When I bow , all things are elated . The field and the cloud are lovers And between them I am a messenger of mercy . I quench the thirst of one ; I cure the ailment of the other . The voice of thunder declares my arrival ; The rainbow announces my departure . I am like earthly life , which begins at The feet of the mad elements and ends Under the upraised wings of death . I emerge from the heard of the sea Soar with the breeze . When I see a field in Need , I descend and embrace the flowers and The trees in a million little ways . I touch gently at the windows with my Soft fingers , and my announcement is a Welcome song . All can hear , but only The sensitive can understand . The heat in the air gives birth to me , But in turn I kill it , As woman overcomes man with The strength she takes from him . I am the sigh of the sea ; The laughter of the field ; The tears of heaven . So with love - Sighs from the deep sea of affection ; Laughter from the colorful field of the spirit ; Tears from the endless heaven of memories . tagged : rain , weather , poetry , Khalil Gibran , heat . 
Was Wally World closed ? I hear there 's some pretty heavy shit going down in Lebanon these days . I ' m trying to feel bad about it . But it 's hard . It seems like this fighting has been going on in some form or another since before I was born . I ' m just so used to it that it really doesn't seem like news anymore . Sure , it 's a little " hotter " now , what with Hisbollah now lobbing bombs back at Israel instead of just suicide bombing them . It 's just too bad innocent foreigners are getting caught up in it this time . But then again , it seems like Americans in particular should know better than to hang out in that part of the world . I don't really get why people would want to vacation in Lebanon in the first place . Sure , it 's nice to visit the ancestral homeland . But COME ON ! There are just some places you don't go if you want to stay out of trouble . Lebanon and East Kansas City are two of those places . It 's not like there aren't other vacation spots . I hear Las Vegas is lovely this time of year or there 's always a crass Caribbean all - inclusive resort . Look , if we learned anything from Jim Croce , it 's that you don't pull on Superman 's Cape , you don't spit into the wind , you don't pull the mask off the ol ' Lone Ranger and you don't vacation in a Middle East war zone . tagged : Lebanon , Hizbollah , Hezbollah , Israel , vacation , war , Jim Croce . 
Double chicken noodle . So I had a conference call scheduled over lunchtime today , which means I had to be back in by cube by at 12:30 p.m. to call in . The big downer to this situation was that I was forced to go to the corporate cafeteria for lunch , as opposed to going off - site . I typically leave the corporate HQ for lunch because the cafeteria is horrible . There 's rarely anything I want to eat . I always lose my appetite when I go there . I literally would rather eat a pre - fab sandwich from the convenience store than eat at the cafeteria ( and I have , many times ) . But today , I was forced by time constraints to dine at the cafeteria -- which is in another building . So I leave my building and walk out into the 100 - degree heat . I make it gasping and sweating into the cafeteria . At least the AC works there . I browse through the food choices ( a futile effort since the choices are the same as the last time I was here ... and the time before that ... etc. ) I finally rule out everything in the cafeteria . The pizza is dry , the burgers are greasy , the pot roast is just too heavy and the baked fish looks like it was baked on the sidewalk outside . I ' d opt for the pre - packaged sushi , but it looks like it was packaged in San Francisco the week before and it costs eight bucks . My last resort is the soup kettle . At least I ' ll be able to choke it down quickly . I fill a Styrofoam cup with double chicken noodle , pay a five - spot for the soup and a soda and head back to my building . So there I am , sweating like Ken Lay on the witness stand because it 's hotter than Satan 's balls outside , carrying a nice warm cup of soup for my lunch . If it weren't so bloody hot and humid , it might be funny . tagged : heat , weather , hot , lunch , soup , sushi , Ken Lay , Satan . 
Congrats MM . A good friend of mine announced a couple of weeks ago that she will soon be a first time mom . I couldn't be happier for her and her husband . I ' m not so far removed from that same moment in my life ( first learning about impending parenthood ) that I don't remember the excitement tinged with anxiety . Actually , to be honest I remember the first few days after learning about the upcoming child were filled with abject terror . But that soon wore off and the excitement took over as we started making plans , painting the nursery , buying baby supplies , visiting doctor and seeing the sonograms . A friend told me at the time that it would change my life -- for the better . I believe it has . So please take a moment to go congratulate MM at Suddenly Three . She learns the big boy - or - girl question today . Then , I assume , we ' ll all be given a chance to suggest names . tagged : pregnancy , baby , congratulations , life . 
Response to a response to a response . We ' ve got a good discussion on the estate tax going , so I wanted to post a response to Dan 's response to my response to his original post , and I wanted to do it in a new post to it wouldn't get buried . First let me say that I know Dan doesn't hate rich people . I was trying to be tongue - in - cheek in a Kanye West kind of way . In actuality , I don't think Dan hates anybody , with the possible exception of Ann Coulter ( but he wouldn't be alone in that ) . Next , Dan asserts that money is the main thing in taxation discussion . I ' m not so sure I agree with that . I think good tax policy and fairness as well as the impact of taxation on the general economy are very important . Money is important in the way it is spent by the government , and I think we both agree that spending has been pretty egregious for a long time . Next , with all due respect to Dan , the comment that neither Bill Gates nor Warren Buffert opposes the estate tax seems to be a non sequitur . After all , Gates is in favor of spyware , but that doesn't make it right . Dan says he doesn't care about the study cited . This is odd because , upon further reflection I think it might support the estate tax from his point of view . If the primary purpose of the estate tax is the redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor , this study would seem to indicate that this purpose is being achieved . Next , I agree that taxation is applied to nearly all economic transactions . My concern is that we ' ll get to a point where taxation is being applied to non - economic transactions ( i . e . , dying ) . And , Dan has an excellent point that putting tax money into a separate fund isn't workable . Much like the " social security trust fund " myth , all tax money is " fungible . " So unless we could put the proceeds from all estate taxes into a super scholarship fund , my plan just wouldn't work . I hereby " take it back " . Dan is also right that we need to take a look at the current estate tax from a tax policy standpoint . My big objection to the current estate tax it that it is an attempt to shift the tax burden to fewer people -- and thus is not " fair . " In fact , I think it might be more fair to do away with the estate tax and institute some kind of inheritance tax ( I read an article on this a few months ago , and if I could remember the source I would link it ) . In this plan , anyone who received inheritance income would be taxed according to their normal tax bracket . The key difference between the estate tax and an inheritance tax is that with an estate tax , the tax owed is determined by the size of the estate when someone dies . The heirs are responsible for the entire tax bill . With an inheritance model , the heirs only pay taxes on the income that they receive from the estate . And , if this were expanded to all estates ( not just the richest ) , the rate could be lowered from 60 % ( or whatever the current level is ) , to the standard 0 % - 35 % . The bottom line is that class warfare shouldn't determine tax policy . Fairness and efficiency should . tagged : death , tax , inheritance , fair , property rights , education , Bill Gates , Warren Buffett , economy . 
You Sued . In yet another entry this You Tube Tuesday we learn from the Hollywood Reporter that You Tube has been sued by the the copyright holder of news footage from the 1992 LA Riots . When I first started You Tube Tuesdays , I remarked that ... " I think it 's about the coolest thing going on the web right now , which means it won't be long before some bastard lawyer with a DRM comes along a puts the kibosh on the whole thing . " Let 's hope You Tube is able to fend off this lawsuit . Their defense will likely be that they merely provide the medium and that the content on their sites can be neither copied nor downloaded . It would be a shame if You Tube is shut down . It 's one of the last sources of original video content . tagged : movie , You Tube , video , TV , consumer generated media , lawsuit , LA Riots , Hollywood Reporter . 
You Tube killled the video star . Incidentally , on this You Tube Tuesday , a couple of recent developments . You Tube announced this week that it now serves more than 100 million video streams a day . There were 2.5 billion ( with a " B " ) videos watched on You Tube last month and 65,000 videos are now uploaded to You Tube every day . The Associated Press reported that the big four TV networks have experienced plummeting ratings . In fact , they recently experienced " their least - watched week in recorded history . " CBS , ABC , NBC and Fox averaged 20.8 million viewers during the average prime - time minute last week , according to Nielsen Media Research . That sunk below the previous record , set during the last week of July in 2005 . I ' m not really surprised . There are no original ideas on TV ( how many freakin ' CSIs and Laws Orders do we need ! ) * . Meanwhile , there is tons of great creativity going on in the " Consumer Generated Media " universe ( blogs included ) . * Yes , I am aware that today 's edition of You Tube Tuesday is from VH 1 , directly contradicting this statement . Meh , what can ya gonna do ? tagged : movie , You Tube , video , TV , consumer generated media , ratings , CSI , Law & Order . 
You Tube Tuesday : Breathe in the air . As I posted last week , the music world lost a creative genius with the death of Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett . Although I obviously didn't know him personally , I suspect that it was a sort of sweet release for Barrett , fell into madness and depression in the late 1960 s . Barrett was the Icarus of the British psychedelic scene . Some say he went too far with his experimentation with mind altering drugs . History would seem to support this . His bandmates , though they couldn't get along with each other , universally loved him . This showed in their recordings over the years , including the magnum opus Dark Side of the Moon . In this week 's edition of You Tube Tuesday , Barrett 's bandmates talk about his creative influence on their work . tagged : movie , You Tube , video , music , Syd Barrett , Pink Floyd , Dark Side of the Moon , culture . 
A puma by any other name . I received this email chain via my Supermodel Wife from CDH , a friend of ours who lives a mile or so away in northern O . P . RE : Mountain lion in our neighborhood ... Or cougar , puma , whatever they 're called in these parts . Maddie chased one out of the neighbor 's yard over the weekend , and C . heard one last night ( he thinks a small dog was on the losing end of an encounter ) . Both times have been around 11 pm each night . Keeps your eyes and ears open , and keep an eye on those critters of yours when they go out at night ! I just called OP Animal Control , and they have received several reported sightings , but [ no ] actual confirmation ( by them , police , wild life & parks , etc. ) . Family Friend K : Good to know , but I think Herschel might be able to hold his own - Supermodel Wife can probably vouch for that too ! He was talking loud enough to a giant possum a couple of weeks ago that I had to open the door and check out the commotion .... Supermodel Wife : You 're really serious about this ? A mountain lion in town in OP ??? Not a wildcat but a full fledged cougar ? They say pumas tend to stay away from dogs , so yeah , Herschel should be okay ... Family Friend CDH : That 's what C . described it as ... about the same size as Maddie , rounded head , long tail , light tan color . Maddie started barking at it and it ran off . C . thought she was just barking at a dog , but he said the critter ran like a cat , not a dog . I called OP Animal Control , and the guy said several people have called over the passed few weeks with cougar / puma sightings in Northern OP , but nothing has been officially confirmed yet . All the same , we keep a very close eye on Maddie when we let her out for her last tinkle of the night . She seemed to know something , other than our friendly neighborhood rabbits , was in the neighbor 's yard . So what 's new with you ? I meant to call you the other night just to chat , but I fell asleep ( my Mexico vacation was relaxing but tiring at the same time - thanks to hot temperatures , high humidity , and a rooster named Raul ) . tagged : Kansas , Overland Park , puma , cougar , mountain lion , wildlife . 
Thanks for your prayers ! We made it back safe and sound on Monday afternoon . The bus performed very nicely and we are all excited about the prospect of traveling again ! In fact , we almost scheduled a trip to Utah next week !!! Here 's a brief trip report : We left our house at about 10 PM Thursday night and drove all the way through the night to Bend , OR . We only stopped once for fuel ... made it in about 16 hrs . Enjoyed an awesome family camp hosted by the Johnson family . ( Friday - Sunday ) Left camp Sunday afternoon and visited our friends house ( also in Bend , OR ) for several hours ... Hit the road for home at about 11 PM . Stopped for fuel and picked up a passenger who needed a ride to Sacramento area ! Drove straight through to Sacramento where we fueled up ( and dropped off our passenger ) . The only excitement happened when we hit the Grapevine ( a five mile , 6 % grade ) in the heat of the day , 100 + deg . Our bus would normally climb this hill at a whopping 20 MPH . But this time , due to the heat , we had to slow it down to 10 ... and we had to turn the heater on full ! It was a blast ! A HOT blast !!! Never was the AC appreciated more then when we made the top of the grade ! Thanks for all your prayers ! " Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death : that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father , even so we also should walk in newness of life . " Rom 6:4 . 
Computer time vs . Quality time . I ' ve been spending a lot less time on the computer lately . The problem is , I ' m spending more time at work instead ... not so sure that 's a good trade - off . Last time I left you , I mentioned another kitchen we were starting . We did complete it in 5 days but I didn't take any pictures . My bad . We also built a deck last week . No pictures there either . Somebody needs to teach me to use a camera ! We had a great ' 4 th of July ' . Instead of hitting the beach ( which we knew would be crowded ) we went to our Grandpa 's house and swam in his beautiful pool ! It was a very nice , refreshing time spent with family . Next weekend we are hoping to go to Oregon ... It will be the first trip in the bus since we got back from Oklahoma . I ' ve been spending quite a bit of time working on it these last couple of weeks and I think everything 's working okay . Pray for us and pray for our BUS ! If you think you 're a good person , take this test and find out ! Check this out ( Thank you Mr. M - V ! ) : " ... whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment : ... " Matt 5:22 a ( KJV ) " ... every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment ... " Matt 5:22 a ( ASV ) Same verse , different translation ... and different meaning ! One allows for ' casue ' , the other doesn't . God bless and I hope you all have a GREAT week ! 
Embarrassing Moment . A friend of ours brought some of the youth group from his Chinese church to our evening service yesterday and wanted us to sing for them . Directly after the service , one of the ( youth group ) girls came up to me and insisted , in broken english , that I take her picture . When I asked for the camera , I found out , much to my chagrin , that I wasn't taking the picture , I was supposed to be in it ... Just me and her ! The whole time my sisters and some friends who were visiting ( you know who you are ) , were laughing at me . The picture probably didn't turn out well because my face was red ! Praying that this holiday will be a blessing to you and your family . Freedom is not the liberty to do what we want , but the power to do what we ought ! " What then ? shall we sin , because we are not under the law , but under grace ? God forbid . Know ye not , that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey , his servants ye are to whom ye obey ; whether of sin unto death , or of obedience unto righteousness ? But God be thanked , that ye were the servants of sin , but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you . Being then made free from sin , ye became the servants of righteousness . " Romans 6:15 - 18 . 
Hey everybody , We 're on TV ! You can see us on Sunday , if you have the Discovery HEALTH channel . The show is called ' On the Road with 16 Children ' , another episode about the awesome Duggar family . I haven't seen it yet so I can't guarantee that it 's good ... it is rated ' G ' ... And last but not least : Eze 16:48 - 50 " As I live , saith the Lord GOD , Sodom thy sister hath not done , she nor her daughters , as thou hast done , thou and thy daughters . Behold , this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom , pride , fulness of bread , and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters , neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy . And they were haughty , and committed abomination before me : therefore I took them away as I saw good . " Notice that while Sodom is known for it 's immorality , the only phrase here that would relate to that is ' committed abomination ' which could very well be any number of things ( see below ) . God states here , that he destroyed it for other reasons , reasons that we would consider far ' less important ' . When our family went over this last week , it really hit home . According to God s standard , we as a nation , are unrepentantly guilty of the very same things for which Sodom was destroyed . Pride : 1 Pe 5:5 " Likewise , ye younger , submit yourselves unto the elder . Yea , all of you be subject one to another , and be clothed with humility : for God resisteth the proud , and giveth grace to the humble . " Fulness of bread and abundance of idleness : Eph 5:16 " Redeeming the time , because the days are evil . " Niether did she strengthen the hand of the poor : Jas 2:15 " If a brother or sister be naked , and destitute of daily food , 16 And one of you say unto them , Depart in peace , be ye warmed and filled ; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body ; what doth it profit ? " Haughty : Pr 18:12 " Before destruction the heart of man is haughty , and before honour is humility . " Comitted abomination : Pr 3:32 " For the froward is abomination to the LORD : but his secret is with the righteous . " Pr 6:16 " These six things doth the LORD hate : yea , seven are an abomination unto him ... " Pr 11:1 " A false balance is abomination to the LORD : but a just weight is his delight . " Pr 11:20 " They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD : but such as are upright in their way are his delight . " Pr 12:22 " Lying lips are abomination to the LORD : but they that deal truly are his delight . " And many more ... Wish I could say more but I ' ve run out of time ... Have a great weekend ! 
Test . This is a test to see if the sidebar will stay where it should . When I posted the last post it pushed the sidebar all the way to the bottom of the page . I couldn't figure out why . Until I found it in the help section of the Blogger website . They said that it could happen if the margins of the blog post are forced to expand beyond the fixed deminsion . They said it could be due to oversized pictures I think that must be the case . Hopefully this post will be long enough to push the old post out of the way and bring the sidebar back to the top ... So let 's see what happens ... 
Ils ont partag le mooonde . Pl rien ne m tooone , pl rien ne m tooone , pl rien ne m toooone : ) Comme koi le reagae ( fo prendre lacccent afrikin la ) a encore de lavenir devant lui , et wi ( song specially dedicated to swobo and .. fucking neo nazists . The first for enjoying the music and the lyrics , the seconds for the warning lol ) . Putin j ' adore le reagae ! It 's peacefull ! War and No more trouble ! Roots rock reagae ! Ps : Vous pouvez trouver les lyrics de War and No more trouble ! on swobo blog , We dont neeeeeed , no more trouble ouuh y .. 
Famous Faces . 	 If you 're looking for a way to waste time , check out My Heritage . com 's face recognition page . You upload a picture of yourself and it checks your facial features against that of 3200 of the most recognizable celebrity faces in the world . I uploaded three different pictures of myself and here is the ensemble of men and women that I resemble . Mother Theresa Adam Sandler Nick Nolte Jason Biggs Helen Hunt Tom Cruise David Schwimmer Lance Armstrong John Ritter Ed Norton . 
Who Killed the Electric Car : Trailer . 	 When you think of an electric car you think of Ed Begley Jr. and his little , futuristic space car . How could a car that runs on batteries compare to a traditional gasoline - powered car ? It probably feels like you 're driving a power wheel . Who wants to spend a penny per gallon to operate a car when they can spend over $ 3.00 a gallon ? Who wants a sports car that costs the same price as a Porsche , looks similar to one and goes faster and runs on batteries ? A car with no emissions ; that 's absurd . I ' d much rather be at the mercy of Big Oil than to succomb to your dark magic . A car that runs on a big battery , ha ! I scoff at that idea . Let me introduce you to the Tesla Roadster . Specs : 100 % Electric 0 to 60 in about 4 seconds 135 mpg equivalent 250 miles per battery charge . 
LOST : Season 3 . 	 I ' d managed to make it this far through the summer without dorking it up and reading the LOST message boards . Unfortunately , today I decided to visit the site and see what has been going on with that online interactive game they have . What I found was that there is another orientation video floating around the internet as a part of this game . However , it 's broken up in to fragments and it 's out of order and from what it looks like only one piece of the video is released each week . But it 's not just uploaded to some site , it comes in the form of a heiroglyphic with a code at the bottom of it . The heiroglyphics can be found from anywhere between internet sites , Comic Con 06 ' guest speakers ' wrist bands to Entertainment Weekly . The code is then entered in at a site called Hanso Exposed . com where the new portion of the video is revealed . The biggest find in what 's been released of the video clip so far is this : Department of Heuristics And Research on Material Applications . Or D . H . A . R . M. ABut here 's the big news . Season 3 is supposed to focus more on the Others and be the darkest of the seasons thus far . But the show wants to run without repeats so they will air the first 6 episodes and then take 13 week hiatus to film the rest of the episodes and return in February and run straight through May . During that break , a new show called Day Break will fill it 's time slot . While I ' m super pissed that LOST will be off for 13 weeks , this show does look kind of cool . It 's a very dark and serious take on the premise of Groundhog Day . Check out the preview here . 
The Prestige : Trailer . 	 I ' m very excited about this film . Directed by Christopher Nolan . Bad Ass . Starring : Hugh Jackman , Christian Bale , Michael Caine and Scarlett Johansson . Double Bad Ass . And , the movie is about magic . Triple Bad Ass . View the trailer here . 
TMNT Are Back . 	 But is that necessarily a good thing ? Ok , here 's the plot summary : After the defeat of their old arch nemesis , The Shredder , the Turtles have grown apart as a family . Struggling to keep them together , their rat sensei , Master Splinter , becomes worried when strange things begin to brew in New York City . Tech - industrialist Max Winters is amassing an army of ancient monsters to apparently take over the world . It 's a cgi - based movie so that means they can do whatever they want with the fight choregraphy which could be a good thing . The preview looks like it could be a darker rendering of the Turtles like the original comics , which could also be a good thing . See for yourself . You can download the trailer here . 
Whatever Happened to Wayne ? 	 You may remember this lil ' shaver as Wayne Arnold , older brother to Kevin , on the tv show The Wonder Years . Before his time tenure on the The Wonder Years , Jason Hervey was a pretty successful child actor making guest appearances on such shows as : Punky Brewster , Simon & Simon , Diff ' rent Strokes , and appearing in films such as : The Monster Squad , Pee Wee 's Big Adventure , Back to the Future , and Police Academy II : Their First Assignment . But where is Wayne now ? Since the finale of The Wonder Years in 1993 Hervey has done next to nothing in front of the camera other than lending his voice in an episode of the Justice League . The Justice League is a DC Comics animated show for you non - dorks out there . But here 's where the Jason Hervey biography gets good . After 6 seasons and 29 Emmy Nominations for " The Wonder Years " , Jason partnered with former Sony of America CEO Peter Guber in Mandalay Sports Action Entertainment , ( MSAE ) . While at Mandalay Jason spearheaded a partnership with Time Warner 's " World Championship Wrestling " ( WCW ) which yielded 17 original productions in television , home video and Pay Per View , an original soundtrack with Tommy Boy records and 4 television movies for TBS and TNT including one of the highest rated TV movies in the history of basic cable in which Jason was the original creator . After more than 5 years at Mandalay and growing that division , Jason had a short lived stint as a Chief Marketing Officer at a Fortune 500 company . Jason then returned to his roots in the entertainment business by partnering with long time friend , colleague and former President of Time Warners " World Championship Wrestling " ( WCW ) Eric Bischoff to form Bischoff Hervey Entertainment ( BHE TV , LLC ) Bischoff Hervey Entertainment specializes in content creation and production for various broadcast outlets , licensing and merchandising and innovative brand integration solutions . Me ? No. You man . You . 
Who is Che ? 	 You ' ve problem since this face on t - shirts or bumper stickers for years now and always wondered , " Who is this guy ? " and more importantly , why should you care ? Che Guevara was an Argentine - born physician , Marxist , politician , and leader of Cuban and internationalist guerrillas . As a young man studying medicine , Guevara traveled " rough " throughout Latin America , bringing him into direct contact with the poverty in which many people lived . Through these experiences he became convinced that only revolution could remedy the region 's economic inequality , leading him to study Marxism and become involved in Guatemala 's social revolution under President Jacobo Arbenz Guzm n . Some time later , Guevara became a member of Fidel Castro 's paramilitary 26 th of July Movement , which seized power in Cuba in 1959 . After serving in various important posts in the new government and writing a number of articles and books on the theory and practice of guerrilla warfare , Guevara left Cuba in 1965 with the intention of starting revolutions first in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo and then in Bolivia , where he was captured in a CIA / U.S. Army Special Forces - organized military operation . Guevara died at the hands of the Bolivian Army in La Higuera on October 9 , 1967 . Participants in , and witnesses to , the events of his final hours testify that his captors executed him without trial . So , the reason for his popularity is due to his martyrdom immortalizing him in the eyes of non - conformists everywhere . 
The Price of Beer . 	 Economies of scale tell you that you save money if you buy in bulk . However , I ' ve noticed that the price for a case of beer has been steadily rising a little over $ 1.00 per case per year while the price per bottle has remained constant . For example , a case of Sam Adams in 2002 was around $ 24 and the price per bottle was around $ 4 or $ 5 . In 2006 , the price per case of Sam Adams is around $ 30 while the price per bottle is still $ 4 or $ 5 . I ' m sorry to be the one to break this to you my fellow publicans but it 's the truth : The price of beer is going up . Alcohol , like pharmaceuticals , is recession - proof . No matter how bad the job market gets , no matter how high the unemployment rate gets people will still pay for drugs and alcohol . The demand consistently remains high and the supply is even higher . Now , I ' m not an economics whiz but I would think that recession - proof goods should not be as susceptible to inflation . The standard pay raise for your average worker is 2 % per year to adjust for inflation . If the price of beer worked that way a $ 24 case of Sam Adams in 2002 would cost $ 26 today . So , the brewery makes a bigger profit while the local watering hole makes less . Yeah , that sounds about right . Samuel Adams : Connector * Capitalist . 
Inappropriate Wedding Songs . 	 Today , my buddy Matt gets married . I ' m not sure if they will have a band or a DJ at the reception . I ' ll find out in a few hours . Matt has asked me to read in his wedding since I ' m the most eloquent of his friends and because I ' m totally sweet . Can you guess which verse I ' m reading ? Come on , it 's a 50 / 50 guess . There 's two readings done at every wedding : Genesis and Corinthians . I got the Old Testament . Or the OT as we 're calling it . I got Genesis . I wanted to read some R . Kelly lyrics . Something kinda sexy . You know , to get the congregation in the mood . Get this party started early . But now I ' m reading about Adam and his stupid rib . If God would have removed another rib or two the world may have turned out differently . Who knows , maybe Adam was a second attempt . Maybe God 's first creation was Alex . And after removing two of Alex 's ribs God found that Alex spent the entire day in a perpetual state of self abuse . But that 's neither her nor there . On to the inappropriate wedding songs . Here is a list I ' ve devised , a wedding mix if you will , that will either make or break a wedding reception . The events of the wedding and the artist and song title are listed below .1 . ) Introduction of the Wedding Party : Harry Belafonte - Get an Ugly Girl to Marry You 2 . ) First dance of Bride and Groom : Tenacious D - Fuck Her Gently 3 . ) Father and Bride dance : Next - Too Close 4 . ) Mother and Groom dance : R . Kelly - Bump and Grind 5 . ) Grandparents Dance : Color Me Badd - I Wanna Sex You Up Other horrible songs to play throughout the night Quad City DJ 's - Come On Ride the Train The Chicken Dance The Electric Slide The Cha Cha Slide The Limbo Buster Poindexter - Hot , Hot , Hot Tammy Wynette - D - I - V - O - R - C - EGloria Gaynor - I Will Survive Suzanne Vega - My Name is Luka Toby Keith - Osama Yo ' Mama Don't invite this guy . 
2 A - holes and a Crime Scene . 	 I don't have a picture to accompany this posting but just go to the link and watch this clip . It 's from an SNL skit . It 's hilarious . It 's one of those things where the more you watch it and the more you talk about it with other people and quote it with your friends , the better it gets . Watch it here . Perp , babe . Perp . 
Phillies 2 nd Half of the Season Prediction . 	 Ok , this really only pertains to one person on the Philadelphia Phillies : Pat " the Bat " Burrell . Pat " the Bat " really hasn't produced the kind of numbers we all thought he was capable of in the last few seasons . I predict that Burrell gets traded after the All Star Break and no matter what team he goes to he will light it up . Light that shit up like Times Square . BAM ! And I ' m going to up the ante and go so far as to say that within two seasons from now , he will win a World Series . Go ahead . I dare you to prove me wrong . So long , Patty . 
Y 100 Returns to the Radio . 	 Alternative music returns to Philadelphia radio after a short hiatus . Y 100 moved to an online format after being dropped by Clear Channel last year . They ' ve now partnered with XPN and will air alternative music Wednesday & Thursday nights from 8 - 11 pm and Friday nights from 7 - 11 pm , beginning August 30 th . All I have to say is it 's about time . My two favorite stations have become one . A marriage of awesome . 
Battle of the Blogs . OK , BE does one thing right , they let me battle against other blogs even though this site contains " Partial profanity and Adult content . " What the fuc is partial profanity ? I ' ll never understand that shi . Anyway , last night I won a pile of credits " battleing " this dude : http : // paynebyname . blogspot . com / Check out his page , it 's pretty cool . What 's amazing is I woke up to a pile of " credits " a comment , and some emails for the first time since I started this piece of shit blog . I ' m going to wage war more often . I ' m also hoping to get a little help here . I ' ve met a young lady who writes very well and has some interesting opinions . We 're exchaning emails on a previous topic and hopefully I ' ll have a conversation worth posting with both sides of the story soon . I ' d like to just quickly tell my story for anyone who found their way here and wonder why things are they way they are . I have been keeping a blog for 2 years . This blog is the direct result of the people I care about taking things I say on my original blog either out of context , or to heart . The original blog was made so I could talk about my life , how I ' m feeling , the interactions and relationships I experience on a day to day basis . My blog was directly responsible for many fights with my ex , girls gaining / losing interest in me , and ( probably ... but I ' m paranoid ) would be employers reading things that were never meant for them . As a result , that site has had any mention of my name removed , and this blog was born with a very plain template and a name nobody would be able to link to me without snooping . I tell stories that would embarass everyone involved . I talk candidly about the girls I ' m seeing . I get emotional about things that would make me look weak . Basically , I ' m honest . Something I found in blogging and lost to popularity . So , please excuse the boringness of the page for the time being . [ EDIT ] the reason I haven't had an email address listed is because my personal email adress is tied into my name and used for work related things . I like nobody knowing who I am , so giving out my email which is most of my name , would be detrimental . Thanks to a Gmail account with a bunch of invites left , you can now email me at 3.14 sucks [ shift + 2 ] gmail [ button to the right of the comma ] com. ( I ' m trying to see how I get caught up in the spam network , so I ' m not going to make it THIS easy ) So , foward me all your hate mail , credit card information , pictures of boobs , etc. 
Prejudice in my life . Facts about Pi : 1 . I am 252 . I am white .3 . I stand 6 ' 4 " tall .4 . I weigh 295 lbs at about 9 % body fat .5 . I have a beard .6 . I buzz my hair to save money .7 . I am unemployed .8 . I went to an extremely exclusive private university . I ' m a big athletic white guy with an amazing educational background . People say I ' m handsome , but I don't see it . I work my ass off . I respect people . I am well spoken ( and would write better if I could spell half the words I use in speach ) . I ' m accepting and kind to people . I can diffuse any difficult situation with a laugh . I ' m a bit shy and nervous . I am NOT a brutish , overly confident , intimidating person . So , what prejudice do I experience ? Let me tell you the most recent example : I applied for an administrative assistant job at a financial firm . I have all my financial lisences but do not want to persue a career in sales , so I ' m looking for other ways to use it . I have a business degree , real world experience , extremely in depth knowledge of the systems I ' d be using , I live 10 minutes away , I had a great time interviewing with the woman who was asking me the questions . I think I looked great . I was early and sociable with the people in the lobby . I had a smile on my face and was engaging in the conversation . I was told that a second interview was going to be set up for next week and that she was excited to have me as part of the team . Today I get a call from the recruiter that set me up at that interview . This is what she says she heard from the woman I interviewed with : She told me that the chemistry isn't there . I think it 's because you 're a man , and a physically intimidating one at that . I am sure , knowing this girl , that she ' d be much more comfortable with a woman reporting to her . Don't worry about it , the interview process is 85 % personality . Don't take it personally . How the FUCK am I not supposed to take it personally when it has everything to do with me personally and only 15 % qualifications ? My grandmother was right , be a cop , join the fire department , be a bartender . Do something where my strength and physical presense are blessings , not curses . I wasted a chance at happiness when I went to school . I ' m in massive debt and every door that was supposed to be opened by graduating from a top knotch school has been closed by the fact that I am a very big and very intimidating LOOKING person . I don't think I could be nicer and less intimidating if I tried , but the way I look ... I guess I ' m fucked . I never had any idea what it was like to be a minority . To be someone who lost opportunities because of the color of their skin . I think this is as close as I could possible get to discrimination . I guess I could go back to delivering beer or stocking shelves , but even those jobs won't take me because they look at my resume and say " You won't stay , you 're overqualified and will leave us . " I ' ve been pidgeon holed into a place where I have no chance to succeede . There is no difference between trying and giving up anymore . I ' m going to just sit here and waste away one way or the other . I heard that there is a temp job that pays $ 17 an hour that 's open . I really hope they don't interview me , because I fail every time I try . I hope they just take me because they need a warm body to do something meaningless . I hate my life . This is the first time I ' ve seriously sat and thought about that statement beofore and really meant it . I hate who I am , what I ' ve become , where I ' m going , the way people see me , and all I ever try to do is make people happy . 
Why I hate Blog Explosion . OK , so this blog uses bad language and discusses adult content ... what 's the problem with that ? Let me tell you . Blog Explosion , which has been a wonderful way to promote other projects of mine and to read some interesting stuff , is a waste of my time for this blog . 1 . I ' ve had 200 credits available and this blog active for weeks . I still haven't even dented the FIST hundred . My other blog will blow through 200 credits in a few hours to a day . The reason is that the default settings on BE hide any blog that is flagged " profanity / adult content . " So , the majority of BE users just blow through all the politics , news , baby sites , and boring drivil without having an opportunity to make the decision for themself whether or not they want to read bad language or hear a little sex talk . I sure know I find that shit interesting . I didn't want to have that filtered out , but I ' ve probably surfed through 10,000 blogs before I realized that was the case .2 . I cannot take part in the " Rent my blog " campaign because this is an " adult " blog . So , while BE has been the best way to make friends and gain readership for my other blog , this one wallows in obscurity because of " adult content . " FUCK YOU , BLOGEXPLOSION ! If any of the few people who run by here know of another way to get a few dozen people to show up a day , leave a comment . 
Worst 15 minutes in a long time . 2:30 PM Get a call from the girl .2:31 PM Call breaks in from employment agency ( setting up job interview ) 2:32 PM Back on the phone with the girl 2:33 PM She tells me her girlfriends are taking her out tonight ( we had plans ) 2:34 PM Girl tells me she 's working it out with her ex 2:40 PM Send a text to cousin fil 2:41 PM Get a call from some cocksucker lawyer from my last job asking about the 1500 bucks I owe them back 2:45 PM Finally hang up on him after saying my peace even though he continues to throw rookie buzz words in my face WHAT THE FUCK ? I stayed over this chick 's place last week . We hooked up and she was talking about how much fun we 're going to have together . Had a wonderful time . Things were going great ... then BAM ! " I ' m working things out with my ex . " Be ready for anything . Always have one in the chamber ... I wasn't ready for anything , I didn't have one in the chamber . Things were going so well . How about I finally stop standing here on my fucking pedistal giving out advice that makes sense without doing it myself . I ' m like the cop that takes away your ' illegal ' fireworks and sets them off in his own backyard while smoking his confescated pot . I DO NOT FOLLOW MY OWN ADVICE . I ' m getting powerful tired of this whole dating thing . I don't know how I could have possibly had a better start to a relationship than the one I just had and then it 's over like that . I just keep running through the night in my head . All the things she said , all the things we did . It 's mind boggling that I ' m even typing this now . This is why you cheat . This is why you don't date one girl at a time . This is why girls get their hearts broken . Why ? Because we can't trust them . Their emotions aren't the same as ours . They don't think like we do . There is no point in a relationship when you should feel safe because you 're not . I don't believe in relationships at all . They don't make sense , they don't work , it 's bullshit . No matter how many times I say that , I still find myself longing for the connection with someone . Having someone there for you when you just need someone to listen for a little while . Someone to hold until you ' ve forgotten how bad a day you ' ve had . I ' m such a sap . I just want to forget about the connection and just go out and bring home sloppy sluts and fuck em to get my kicks and go back to what 's really important in life . The things I can controll . The things I can predict . The things that bring me happiness without the fear of losing them without reason . When I work on my truck , I know it 's going to be there for me when I want to go four wheeling . I ' m not going to give a list of things , but there are too many things the bring me happiness that I can predict because of a set and rational set of causes and effects . Women are not one of those things . What sucks is that right now I ' m sitting here and I just want to get away . I want to drive somewhere and just talk with friends and remember how awesome it is to have people you care about in your life . My best friend 's gone , my other friends and I don't have the kind of relationship where I tell them about shit like this , and cousin fil is shady at best , so the odds of running into him without having to spend time with his family when I just want to talk to him are slim to none . This is when I really feel alone . When all I want to do is chat with someone for a minute or two and just get it off my chest and I can't think of who to call . All the advice in the world , yet none for myself . 
Why you don't cheat [ update ] . this dude did the right thing . I don't think he should have married her in the first place because you can't trust women , but you should always be chasing other tail because you never know when the one you 're with will flake on you and decide to leave . I seem to remember somewhere in my life getting the understanding that it 's guys who are flakes and hard to nail down in a relationship . Whowever said that should fucking hang himself because my experience has been the complete opposite . Cheat , never be in a monogomous relationship , never be comfortable because she will leave you without giving you a hint of a rational reason why and you ' ll be sitting there wishing you had been with other girls the whole time . 
Shampookakke . If you ' ve made it through any of my posts , you deserve a short one with a lil lol at the end . Here we go : This lovely story starts out with our hero and one of his old girlfriends . Things are going great , they are having a wonderful time , yeeehaw ! Then about 2 months into this relationship , the girlfriend decides that things are becomming " too sexual " and decides to take matters into her own hands and just stop all physical interactions AFTER we ' d been making out , are lying in bed together and things are just getting interesting . She would never say a word , refused to even admit she did anything differently , and go to bed . By the way ... this is the same girl that blew me twice consecutively ( as in did not stop for the end of round one ) on her knees in the bathroom of her suite before I even knew her name . Something was up . Understand this , ladies ... there are only so many times I will accept waking up startled because I just rolled over on the kick stand . Action needed to be taken . This went on for seriously ... about 3 weeks . Finally , I woke up one morning super early after we had been out boozing all night with a railroad tie in the front of my shorts . I tried kissing her on her neck and getting things going , but she was HAMMERED the night before and just mumbled something and shrugged me off . That was the last straw . I get out of bed to use the bathroom , but as guys know , when you are standing at attention , it 's near impossible to take a wiz . I figure either I ' m going to 1 . stand there for a half hour thinking about dead puppies or 2 . take care of business myself . So I ' m angry , frustrated , backed up , half drunk , and barely awake . I choose option 2 . Not only do I choose number 2 , but I decide that some punishment needs to be dealt out . Her shower basket was on the sink and had her brand new , mega sized bottle of shampoo . I ' m talking one of those BJ 's Wholesale club " even we know this bottle is too big for anyone to buy " bottles is sitting right there . So what do I do ? I put about 4 weeks worth of sexual frustration directly into that bottle , shake it up , and put it right back where I found it . I ' ve had shampoo bottles half that size last months . I ' m sure she was washing her hair with my kids for the whole semester ( if not longer ) . I happily take a leak , saunter out of the bathroom , get back into bed , and sleep hapily knowing that I at least had a good story to tell . 
Spanish photos by a yank ... ventana 2 Originally uploaded by treyguinn . Photos from Granada and Almunecar ( sorry but don't have the squiggly ' n ' to spell this correctly ) are uploaded here . Paris is being uploaded now ... 
Idiosyncrasy . While doing the mundane task of laundry , I find two pieces of paper in my jeans . Receipts ? No. Both Metro tickets , one Paris and the other Barcelona . Not something that happens hanging around in ol ' Welli , and I dig it . 
Ahhh .... France . Via three trains , two and a half days ( one on the beach in Barcelona ) , and the distance of two countries I ' ve moved from the South of Spain to the Northwest of France . I ' m staying in Nantes with Anne - Lise , a fabulous girl I met in Fremantle , Australia a little over a year ago . Incredible French cuisine , food , and cheese , warm weather , fresh baguettes from the bakery downstairs , splendid company , the " french way " of the people , fresh squeezed juice for breakfast , and a flat in the middle of the city - I think I may have just described my personal nirvana . Anne - lise got the day off yesterday and we headed for the coast , rained out a bit but caught up with some of her friends in a old walled city ( Only 4 entrances through a 400,500 , or older wall ) . A pianist , celebrated architect and artist , french girl visiting from the Ivory Coast , and others . Great folks , very little english , and many a glass of wine from the cafe crawl . I spent * a lot * of time staring off into space as I don't speak a word of French , but nonetheless had an splendid afternoon . Booked * another * way back to London ( my third now , tossed a train ticket from Paris and flight from Granada so far ) , I ' ll take the 10 minute flight from here to London on Monday where I ' ll catch back up with John for our flight to Dubai Monday night . Photos coming ... Emails to respond to ... ( from bloody January ) All in due time . By the way , Tito , a friend of Annie ( John 's sister - in - law in Granada ) introduced me to a bad ass Cuban Hip Hop band that reminds me of what I like about Ozomatli . They 're named Orishas . I especially like Emigrante and A lo Cubano . ( i TMS links ) . 
Loving the med ... Flag over wall Originally uploaded by treyguinn . Wellington : High of 8 , Low of 5 , Raining Almuneca : High of 31 , Low of 21 , Clear Not to mention long days , beautiful beaches , warm water and only John has overheard someone speak english the the past week . Bloody hell , how could anyone leave ! ? 
Music ... DSC _ 2584 . JPG Originally uploaded by treyguinn . In April I also shot Russell Crowe , which was not my favorite - but it was great catching up with an old mate that works for him . 
Swaying Elephant . This is what my mate Scottie says when you gets itchy feet , " Swaying Elephant " - apparently elephants in captivity began to sway . I ' m laying in bed late on a Sunday morning and found this website that makes a travel map of which countries you ' ve been to . I ' m at 20 countries which is only 8 % ! And when I see it visually I ' m flabbergasted by these massive chunks of the world of which I ' ve not seen a bit . So now I ' m just chomping at the bit to go to Europe in July , and also to do some serious travel again soon in South America , Africa , and Asia . create your own visited country map . 
Wellington Sunrise . By some weird planetary alignment , or possibly a flock of butterflies in Paris , I was asleep by half ten last night . This caused the most unexpected result of waking naturally at half six in the morning . Remember , winter s coming on here so it s bloody dark . Well , as I was feeling inexplicably rested I took a stroll on the wharf that s about 200 yards from my building this morning and grabbed a couple snapshots of sunrise . Hope all s well wherever y all are ! PS I found it odd that when I put these photos up , I noticed for the first time I didn't tag them as " Travel " - crazy how at home I feel here . 
Easter Weekend Photos . I ' ve got my Easter Weekend photos up . It was a fabulous time with a Kiwi , some English , Burmese , and Flemish . A beautiful vineyard on the East Cape of the North Island . All photos are here , otherwise here are some of my favorites : . 
Weeks flying by ... Somes to City Originally uploaded by treyguinn . Went out to Somes Island in the Wellington harbour on Saturday . It was beautiful , but have found my weeks are blazing by lately which is disconcerting . I feel it 's never a good thing if life isn't highly punctuated - if not I ' m not being present enough . Also took some photos from of public art around my flat this weekend : . 
Photos ... Well I ' ve had my first couple images published in a NZ music magazine last week , and a one of my Volvo Ocean Race images is being used on a website for some international medical regulation convention being held in Wellington . That being said I ' ve gotten a bit of well deserved flack for not posting any stories for a while . I actually was pages into a an update a month ago , interrupted to go see the sevens tournament and haven't quite finished yet . I do promise a small novel is on it 's way ... In the mean time here are some images from the Women 's World Cup of Cycling held this weekend in Wellington . A beautiful day and very cool racing that went right below the window of my flat ! Cheers , y ' all ! 
Also shot this ... DSC _ 1205 . JPG Originally uploaded by treyguinn . ... As a spectator at least . The Volvo Ocean Race ( formerly the Whitbread ) came through Wellington this year and the boats were incredible ! 
I promise there are real updates coming ... Hexstatic 7 Originally uploaded by treyguinn . But until then , I shot a DJ show ( terrible light and almost no performance value ) but very cool video show and great music . Hexstatic ( I believe from the UK & and part of the Ninja Tunes group ) . 
Yippee ! Finally did my first live music photo gig in NZ yesterday . Small venue , singer songwriter , and plenty of fun . ( Also close to getting on staff at a music magazine in Wellington ) Whoo Hoo ! 
Gratuitous extra shot . Lunch Stop 4 Originally uploaded by treyguinn . Here 's where we stopped for lunch on New Year 's Eve . Right before I shot this there was a seal swimming around in the rocks ( bottom left hand side of this photo ) ! 
New Year 's Eve Photos . Before Sunset at Campsite Originally uploaded by treyguinn . I went on a Kayaking trip last minute in Abel Tasman National Park on the South Island . Here are the photos from the weekend . 
Getting stuff in ... My son and I are trying to get as much fun stuff done as possible before I leave town this weekend --- Yesterday we went SMITH ROCK state park --- Today we are going to race go carts ! Pics later ! I will have a new podcast later today , I hope ! See ya ! Kit . 
Sunday Night Not much to talk about tonight . I posted a new podcast . It 's the ALL R & B show --- thanks for all the requests and thanks to Jules for the inspiration ! Oh -- I went over 100 mph in my car . I ' m shooting for 129 this week --- Top speed is supposedly around 144 so we ' ll see . Did I tell you about my License plate frame ? -- Ok I will post a pic of it tomorrow . p . s . I know that 's a shitty pic of me --- so what --- I ' m still gorgeous . Now go listen to the podcast -- and make sure you REFRESH ! 
I bought a new car ! I had to find something that had the following qualities : 1 . Fast 2 . Gets more than 35 MPG 3 . Looks good 4 . Is Blue 5 . Is easily pimped So I bought a 2006 Honda Civic EX -- That 's all I have to say today . There will be a new podcast on Sunday . I don't have a theme yet --- too many requests to go through first ! See ya ! 
Ok -- Cali it is -- First , we had a great time in California -- and YES I am taking the position there starting at the end of the month . It 's gonna be kinda hectic at first since I will be commuting back home every weekend . But it 's gonna be great -- Secondly , there is a new podcast . Thanks for all the emails and if you are one of the few that are having trouble hearing them , hang tight . I am working on getting a more reliable podcast host --- This new one is pretty cool and ecletic and ALL ME --- when you hear it , you will know what I mean . Thirdly , When we were down there we went to a Mexican restaurant and there was a waitress that was seriously shaking her ass ( for me , I naturally assumed ) and I never got a good look at it -- and my wife ( god bless her ) said , " This girl is totally shaking her ass , she isn't wearing any panties and it 's completely wasted on me ... let 's film her so you can watch it ... " So far be it from me to not do what my wife wants --- Here 's the video -- it 's kinda grainy because we were trying to be sneaky and didn't have good lighting -- I just kept singing ' I wish they all could be California GIRLLLLLLSSSSS . " Video Hosting - Upload Video - Video Sharing . 
4 th of July ! .... Don't have much to say -- just wanted to share some pics from our 4 th of July party ! --- The Bald guy is me , the hottie in the red hat is my wife --- and the kid winning the pie eating contest is my son ! .... STFU --- your 's didn't win . 
Sunday Night --- For those of you who have asked : My podcast server is going through a major upgrade . I won't be able to post the ALL 80 's show until that is complete --- hopefully Monday afternoon -- SO please please check back - Here is a random picture of me for your enjoyment . Happy 4 th ! Enjoy your independence and remember that you could be speaking German or Farsi or friggin ' Dutch right now --- so CELEBRATE like you mean it --- . 
Thursday 's events -- Um ... I got nothing . There is a new podcast posted over on the right there --- THANKS so much for listening to them . It seems like everyone is having fun with it -- and I certainly am . Since I don't feel like writing prose today --- Let 's just list what I did today : I bought a new shirt I have decided to change my tracker profile pic I watched Ultraviolet ( it 's not real good --- but Milla Jovovich is super smoking hot ! ) I ate red beans and rice for dinner I watched TVI bought fish food Oh yeah , Genene got me a Bobby Chan silk golf jacket --- it 's freaking cool . That 's about it --- not my most exciting day --- But I can't be " on " everyday now can I ? Workout tomorrow should be good --- I am lifting in the morning , Kayaking around 11 am , playing golf at 3:00 and back home after that --- Wanna see a pic of my new shirt ? Maybe tomorrow --- maybe I will wear it in the tracker pic -- Now go listen to the podcast ! 
Podcast # 7 , another Golf Pic and an update on Redding -- I was gonna pound on the guy that emailed me about the podcast but I prefer to just move on . I sent him my response -- that will be enough . If I could give him some advice it would be this : You don't want to get into a " thing " with me -- because I am smarter than you AND meaner than you . That 's a combination that you don't want to screw with --- The thing about these people is this : They would NEVER have the guts to talk to me like that in person . NEVER . But the internet provides them with what I call anonymous courage . Speaking of the podcast , the little control is right over there --- on the right at the top of the sidebar . Just click to listen . It 's new today . It 's a fun one too ! ______________________ Redding ? Nothing yet . There 's your update . ______________________ I am playing in ANOTHER member / guest golf tournament this weekend --- I don't know why I keep getting invited to these things --- I am not THAT good --- perhaps it 's because I bring my dazzling personality . There is a great story on the podcast about my trip to the pro shop today --- funny stuff . See ya tomorrow ! 
Day 2 of the Rated R challenge --- TEAM WWCD is kicking ASS ! --- Good workout today -- great food --- PERFECT ! I will post a ne podcast tomorrow . I had a bit of a tiff with a tracker member who decided to CALL ME OUT in a PM about my podcast --- so I have to redo it so that I mention him and TRASH him publicly . I will explain it all tomorrow . In the meantime , please keep putting me in your links --- oh yeah --- a few people have asked about the SOPRANOS video that I did for my family . First some backstory since my archives are GONE for some reason ... My brother and cousin wanted me to send the a video tour of the city I live in --- and it was boring ... mostly because this place sucks and when you think a place sucks -- everything you film sucks --- THEN my cousin said we should have a contest to see who could make the coolest video about their town --- and I decided on this one : ( the last 1.5 seconds cuts off ... sorry .... ) Video Hosting - Upload Video - Video Sharing __________________________________________ Oh yeah --- I got tagged so here it is : I AM : Very Protective I WANT : To enjoy THE MOMENT , rather than worry about the future I MISS : My family and my grandfather I FEAR : Very little I HEAR : My son 's voice , repeating things that I say I WONDER : What I am missing I REGRET : Nothing . I don't believe in regret I SING : Well I AM NOT ALWAYS : The best friend I MAKE WITH MY HANDS : A pretty damn good golf swing I WRITE : EVERY SINGLE DAYI NEED : More excitement I START : Talking when I should be listening I FINISH : MY BOOK ! See you tomorrow !!!! 
This is Podcast # 6 Day 1 of the 6 week challenge --- GOLF DAY ! So I played golf today -- in 96 degree weather --- and apparently I forgot to sunblock the BACK OF MY FUCKING NECK ! So it hurts . But I had a great day otherwise . My son drove the cart and handed me clubs -- his first time to be on a golf course and he behaved like a gentleman -- of course . Also his first time to drive ' anything with four wheels ' - as he put it . I played an incredibly tough course -- and shot pretty well -- all things considered . So that was my workout today --- no need for cardio --- too whipped to do anything else -- and my FUCKING NECK HURTS ! 
PODCAST NUMBER 5 -- Golf , music and more ! You guys are really kicking ass on this --- but I need more emails to read . The cast was downloaded 55 times yesterday !!!! But I only got 3 emails --- so what gives ? I need requests ! Also , I went to the driving range with my son today --- and YESTERDAY I shot my best 9 holes EVER and had my first ever HOLE IN ONE --- You can hear the details on the podcast --- Speaking of that -- we have TONS of great music today . I went a little cuckoo --- HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND --- New cast on Monday night ! p . s . See that old ( and I mean OLD ) lady behind my son ? She hit me in the back with the ball three times --- and she smelled like tomato sauce and gin . But she drove off in a car that costs as much as my house --- I think it was an Aston Martin --- so what the hell do I know from stinky ? OH YEAH ! --- Look on the right ---- The PODCAST controller will be over there from now on --- I will include it in the posts for the next few days -- but from now on , it will be on the right there above the links .... which reminds me -- I need your links and PLEASE PLEASE link to my blog . I really want listeners in all 50 states by July 15 th . 
I wasn't gonna but OK .... Powered by Castpost I wasn't going to podcast today , but I wasn't sleeping and I got some great emails from some new people . We had 30 downloads yesterday so here we are -- Just so you know . From NOW ON , once the new cast is posted , the old one goes away -- so make sure you listen to them while they are up . It 's entirely possible that I will be in California for a few days next week so there may not be a podcast if I go -- But I will have my laptop with me so I will be able to see your emails ! Thanks so much for all the support -- Don't forget to email me and tell me what state you are in --- podkit @ yahoo . com I should have some golf pics to post soon -- I am playing again this weekend . In the meantime , please enjoy the lovely pic of me walking along the river . 
Gay Disco , punk , Geeks and requests Powered by Castpost So MY GOD -- we have tons of requests today ! Thanks so much you guys ! I will play them as I get them so keep ' em coming . Also , good news and bad news : Since I ( the good news ) have been accepted to I - tunes but it also means ( bad news ) that I can't have more than one podcast going at the same time --- so once a new one is published ( starting tomorrow ) the old ones go away . Sorry . But YOU can keep them on your hard drive if you have any reason to do so --- Please tell all of your friends --- I want to get at least one listener from every state . 
Tuna and Mustard ? Powered by Castpost The podcast is posted as you can plainly see - and i am having a great time doing this . I hope you guys are too -- We had a HUGE response from the first one . Far more people than I expected tuned in and I expect more each day . Please make you requests to : podkit @ yahoo . com Or use the link in the right --- And please send the link to your friends and mention it in YOUR blog if possible . I would love that ! Thanks ! Also , I will only have room for two casts at a time with my host , so # 1 will be going away sometime this week --- so if you haven't heard it yet and WANT to --- you might want to do it today ! Thanks again ! This is gonna be fun ! Kit . 
Layout , etc. Here are a few features ( and just random crap ) I ' d like to put into this blog if / when I get into a rhythm with it : Flickr ( First I need to start taking more photos ) Film / Music Reviews News ( Anything that interests me and hopefully anyone who reads this ) Art ( If you could call it that ) The bottom line is I ' m 18 years old and somewhat of a student ( currently on a 6 month " folio - building break " ) , who loves to write , film , play around with Photoshop and do pretty much anything creative . When I ' m not doing that I ' m usually with mates , either drinking or driving ( never at the same time ) . But be warned , I have a short attention span when it comes to things that don't entertain or challenge me ( yeah , highschool was a blast ... ) , so this whole blog thing may not last long , it all depends on how much time I allocate to it and how easily I think up things to write about . Hopefully this won't be the last post . 
Maybe . Ok , so this is my third attempt at a blog . Maybe with a bit of luck I can work out some kind of format for this and stretch it out past the one week mark . I ' m not making any promises , I guess we ' ll just see how it goes . Watch this space for more updates over the coming days ... or don't . 
There Needed To Be A Study For This ? I was reading the local paper the other day and a couple of headlines caught my eye -- " STUDY : Active play good for children 's overall health " and " Study confirms parents ' advice : Distractions hinder learning " . The headlines tell the whole story so there is no need to tell about the articles . Is it just me or do we waste WAY too much time and money on useless studies that just confirmed common sense in the first place ? One of these studies was done in some foreign countries ( the Active Play one ) but that doesn't matter . You can figure if they are done overseas they are being done here in the United States and vice versa . Check your newspaper or the internet . I ' m sure you will find many examples every day of common sense being used as the basis for a study . And I ' ll bet a lot of it is public ( as in taxes ) funded . A 3 rd Rock Rebel may treat people with respect but one has to be honest , too . This just seems ridiculous . Thoughts or comments ? Better yet , can anyone actually justify these studies ? 
Stupid People Part 2 . A friend of mine works for a 3 rd party company in an inventory capacity at a local manufacturer . He was saying the other day how some days your best just isn't good enough for some people . It seems someone came to him looking for a part which they didn't have in stock . As a matter of fact , according to his information they had never had the part in inventory so he informed the customer of this and told him what he would need to do to get the part . ( Mind you , he was following the policies of the company that hired the 3 rd party company . ) Anyway , apparently doing everything right was not good enough as he got in trouble for not having the part ( the customer has total say what parts are to be stocked at that location ) and apparently being flippant about it ( unlikely -- this guy is as professional as you can get . ) So now this guy 's job is on the line because the customer hasn't properly trained it 's employees in its own company policies . ( For those of you who don't know it , 3 rd party vendors working on customer sites are many times viewed as pretty low life forms and treated as such by some of the customer 's employees . These types of jobs are like inventory , custodial , and general maintenance positions . FYI -- a 3 rd Rock Rebel treats everyone with respect . ) Thoughts ? Horror stories about bad employers ? Here 's as good a place as any to Sound Off -- . 
3 rd Rock Rebel and Stupid Drivers . I was driving down the road minding my business the other day obeying the speed limit -- in this case 45 mph ( I might be a Rebel but I ' m not stupid ) when all of the sudden a jerk in a small car suddenly got on my ass. It then turned into 55 so I sped up to just over 50 because I was going to make a right hand turn in a few hundred yards . The idiot didn't back off so I turned on my directional and started to slow down . Moron that this person is , he didn't notice either my directional or the fact I was slowing down right away but did back off all the sudden . I made my turn and the LOSER had the nerve to beep his horn several times at me . Is it just my imagination or are there more rude and stupid drivers than there used to be ? In my area I repeatedly see stupid drivers doing stupid and illegal things and don't even get me started on the traffic weavers on cellphones . Thoughts and comments ? 
Welcome to the 3 rd Rock Rebel Rants . Welcome to the blog of the 3 rd Rock Rebel . Since it my blog you will find my comments on what I think on just about any subject . I encourage your comments . I want you to think , laugh , and cry but most of all I want you to make a difference in the world . Please have a 3 rd Rock Rebel day ! 
Ipod Update . I won't go too far into this , since it really isn't all that exciting , but I ' ve made a decision regarding my toasted Ipod . The decision , from an environmental perspective , wasn't easy to make . While Apple appears to have an excellent recycling program , it still basically encourages you to buy a shiny new Ipod over fixing the one you have . The repair charges are all tilted towards encouraging you to make that decision and the sales people at the Apple Store seem to be programmed for that answer . Now , I ' m all for buying eco - friendly goods , but it seems wrong to trade in a broken , one - year old piece of electronics in exchange for 10 % off of a new one when there is still hope that it can be fixed . Another option , of course , is to fix the Ipod myself . The repair I found on this website seems pretty easy , but if my Ipod sustained more damage than just the hard drive , I will have wasted hours of time and at least $ 200 . No thanks . So , after several recommendations from friends and a good phone conversation with a tech , I ' ve decided to send my Ipod to Ipodmods . Sure , i ' m going to be using some diesel fuel delivering it to their repair shop in Kalamazoo , but that 's true with almost everything we buy these days . The real advantage with Ipodmods , for me , is that their prices are good and you can send your Ipod to them for a free diagnostic test . They ' ll then contact you and let you know what 's wrong and how much it will be to fix it . If you don't want to proceed , they can either send it back to you or they may buy it from you for parts . Now that 's recycling and , to me , that 's how a $ 400 piece of electronics should be treated . I ' ll report on what I find out , since there are so many Ipod users out there who may benefit from this saga . Also , i ' ll be posting again later today . Check back ! 
My Ipod Saga . There are a lot of environmental benefits to owning an Ipod . For one , the ground - breaking , tiny hard drive allows Ipod owners to buy hundreds of songs and / or full albums , without buying all of that wasteful plastic that comes with compact disks . In addition , the rechargeable battery lasts a long time , saves a lot of disposable batteries and can be easily charged by my Solar - Powered Backpack . Finally , the Ipod 's flexibility allows users to transfer files between computers and store photos and videos ( depending on the model ) , eliminating the need for purchasing multiple devices . Am I missing anything ? Needless to say , I love my Ipod . Which is why I am so pissed off that I dropped it on the ground last week , permanently damaging the internal hard drive . That 's right , my Ipod is toast , even though the damage looks so small on the outside . I got a confirmation of that yesterday while visiting the Apple Store in So Ho . The thing is , I never really got to talk to a technician because the wait time was , get this , 9 hours ! Still , I was able to talk to a sales person who told me that the problem is common and generally runs $ 250 to replace the hard drive and get it running again . This price , of course , is about the same as buying a new Ipod and to sweeten the deal , Apple offers a trade - in program which amounts to about 10 % off . The old Ipod is then recycled , courtesy of Apple . So now , I have a dilemma : trade my trusty , slightly dented but internally destroyed Ipod in for a shiny new one , or try to see if I can fix it and avoid wasting it ? I ' m going to do some investigating into repair techniques before deciding . A friend told me about Ipodmods . com , which I will check out today . Also , this guy made the repair look easy . 
The Bike Lane Saga ... and Daffodils ? The title says it all . I have so much to say and not enough room to say it . Yesterday , Gothamist reported more on the saga surrounding New York City 's bicycle lanes . I wrote a little about this drama last week , while reporting on the web site streetsblog . Apparently , the city 's former bicycle program director gave a scathing interview in the New York Sun regarding the Department of Transportation 's slow progress in building bike lanes . This scandal is getting fun . In his words : Mr. Vesselinovitch said that when Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff in April asked the department for more miles of bicycle lanes , his superiors asked him to come up with excuses to refuse to do so , including the need for more staff and the interference of other city agencies . In fact , he said , there was nothing impeding the new lanes except for [ DOT Commissioner Iris ] Weinshall and her insistence on giving community boards veto power over proposed lanes . Ouch . Check out more on Streetsblog . They have great coverage on the farce known as hydrogen - powered Hummers . By the way , if you are in New York City and you have a tree pit , local park or garden in your neighborhood that needs a little color , consider dropping by Bryant Park and reserving some free daffodil bulbs , courtesy of New Yorkers for Parks . The first 100 customers receive a free NY 4 P frisbee . More details here . 
Scientists invent viable fuel cell car ... toy . Last night I was looking at Yahoo News , when I noticed an enticing headline Hydrogen Fuel Cell Company Starts Small . Wow , I thought , was this the start of something big ? Well , sort of . A company called Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies has developed a small , 6 - inch log toy car the gets its fuel from hydrogen gas , created by a solar - powered fueling station the size of an alarm clock . The current from the solar cell extracts hydrogen from water and fills a small balloon within the car , propelling it for 4 , blissful minutes . The developers are hoping that this small toy can someday be scaled up , but skeptics are critical , pointing out that the energy needed to extract hydrogen on a massive scale is very expensive . I don't know , i ' m feeling more optimistic . At least their invention will cut down on pollution from that active little mouse Stuart Little . More on their invention here . 
Welcome to the Weekend . The wacky weather continues in New York this weekend , as large , nasty thunderstorms pound the metropolitan area , causing floods and lightning damage . Nonetheless , 3 r Living is open for business , as usual . Laurence will be in the store today , although I will be working from 7 to 8 , so that she can make her way to the Roller Derby . No , she 's not part of a team , she 's just going to watch ... I think . Nicholas will be running the store on Sunday . Samantha and I will be spending time with my parents , also known as Grandma and Grandpa Caserta , to Jake . So , put on that rain gear and come on down ! 
A Busy Friday . Some days , between working at our store , improving our web site , spending time with the family and doing some consulting on the side , I barely have time to think through my blog posts . This is one of those days . So , here are a few things I have been meaning to point out to 3 r Blogging readers : About a week ago , those of us who follow the environmental news in New York were thrown a juicy little bone when the head of the city 's bicycle program , Andrew Vesselinovitch , quit the Department of Transportation and panned the Commissioner , Iris Weinshall , aka Senator Charles Schumer 's wife . Like the City Council Members who voted for the city 's new garbage plan , Mr. Vesselinovitch showed a lot of integrity by quitting , when he got tired of having his safety concerns ignored and became fed up with the city 's slow progress in building bicycle paths . A copy of the article is available here . Even better , his parting email was posted on a newish blog , Streetsblog , which brought a lot of attention to the site . If you are interested in urban transportation and planning issues , you should definitely check it out regularly . The lack of open space ( and the lack of money spent on caring for it ) are big issues for city residents . Non - profit organizations like New Yorkers for Parks have been fighting the good fight on behalf of the city 's parks for years and recently they relaunched their web site and added a blog known as The Dirt . If you are interested in open space issues , check it out several times a day . The world of New York City 's parks moves faster than you think . More this weekend . I ' ve got to get to work ! 
New York City 's Garbage Plan . Sometimes , politicians are able to put aside parochial interests in favor of the greater good . I speak from experience , this happens sometimes , although rarely . Yesterday , New York City 's Mayor Michael Bloomberg and a majority of the New York City Council came to a final compromise on the city 's much - needed waste management plan , which will likely improve the lives of millions of city residents . In 2001 , Mayor Giuliani closed the controversial Fresh Kills Landfill in Staten Island . Some thought this was a political decision ( Staten Island is the most conservative borough in the city and Rudy had big plans for his future ) but the truth is , the landfill was open for too long and with too many promises to nearby residents that it was " temporary . " Still , the Mayor made the decision without developing a viable plan for getting rid of the trash , opting to export it to landfills out - of - state . This put thousands of diesel trucks on the streets and severely reduced the city 's air quality . Note to my Republican friends reading this post : keep this story in mind when Rudy runs for President . Anyway , for several years , the city worked on a new , permanent plan to move waste from the city but the process was slowed by the NIMBY ( Not in My Back Yard ) instincts of residents and elected officials , who blocked efforts to build waste transfer stations in their neighborhoods . Hey , who could blame them , no one wants a waste transfer station next to their home and no one wants sanitation trucks rumbling down their street all day and night . Yet , it looked like there was no way for the garbage problem to be solved without someone getting hurt . For years , this " someone " was the city 's poor , minority residents in Upper Manhattan , the South Bronx and Northern Brooklyn , who host most of the city 's public and private trash facilities . This plan needed to be different . Well , it definitely is different . Here are some of the highlights : At her own political peril , Council Speaker Christine Quinn approved the construction of a transfer station on the Hudson River , in her district . Good for her ! I feel bad for advocates fighting for Hudson River Park , but sometimes tough decisions need to be made . The city 's 12,000 tons of daily garbage , collected by the Department of Sanitation , will be brought to transfer stations , piled onto barges , brought to a terminal in Staten Island , and moved out of the city via train or boat . This will eliminate 3.5 million miles of garbage truck trips every year . I can breathe easier , already The 38,000 tons of daily commercial waste will also be more heavily regulated and forced to move by barge and train . This is a much - needed improvement , as private carters often drive the loudest , dirtiest trucks in the city A waste transfer station is being built on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at 91 st Street and the East River . This has upset the wealthiest residents of the city , who will now have to share the garbage burden with the rest of us . This was a brave decision by Mayor Bloomberg , but made easier by the fact that he is already a billionaire . He won't need their political contributions in the future . Also , I can't help but think about all of the injustice experienced by the city 's poor , outerborough residents and say to the folks on the Upper East Side : BOO HOO ! Where were you when all of these transfer stations were being built in the poorest neighborhoods ? Finally , the plan will create a separate office of recycling outreach and education . Maybe recycling will finally get the attention it needs when the promotion of it is taken away from the garbage man . As City Council Member Michael Mc Mahon said , " There never was , and never will be , a plan that s perfect and acceptable to all New Yorkers . " True enough , but the Mayor and City Council deserve some applause for getting pretty close . Detailed coverage in the New York Times . 
Street Repair Examples . In a recent post I said I ' ve found a difference in the quality of street repairs between Minneapolis and St. Paul . I took some decent photos today as examples using the Creep Cam . I realize my experiences are merely anecdotal . I am not sure why there seems to be a difference . I ' m not sure anyone else cares . But here they are : St. Paul manhole cover repair on Raymond Ave . Minneapolis manhole cover on 42 nd Avenue Both of these repairs are at least a year old . The Minneapolis one was in this condition before summer . I like the Minneapolis repair , because the asphalt has flowed over one of the manhole covers . It 's like they used black gummy bears to fill in the hole . They get an A for creativity . The St. Paul repair doesn't compare with regard to creativity . It 's very square and even . I usually avoid manhole covers regardless of how smooth they are , but I ride over the middle of this one in St. Paul and don't even feel it . Where 's the fun in that ? I ' d get some air off of the Minneapolis one , but it 's located at a stop sign and I ' d have to run it to get enough speed to catch air . 
Longfellow 's Statue . I ride by this statue of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow every few days . It 's located in the upper part of Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis . That 's the part of the park built on a bridge over Highway 55 . I shouldn't really know where the statue is located , but I ' m a cheater and I ride my bike on the trail that is clearly posted " NO BIKES . " It 's for pedestrians only . Too bad . It 's the best way , other than riding on the road , to get through the jumble of trails and street crossings the city built in that area . They missed a great chance to route the bike path through the flower garden and under the bridge . It would have provided a carless crossing through the area for bicyclists and a bicycle - less crossing for auto drivers . If you are interested in history and geography , check out the Wikipedia page for Minnehaha Park . I ' m going to explore the park with my kids this weekend and try to find all the statues . I ' ll make it a photo scavenger hunt . 
Street Repair Followup . I took some photos of street repairs with the Creepy Cam , but the quality of the photos is too poor to clearly illustrate the differences between Minneapolis and St. Paul street repairs . I ' ll try again with a better camera . I think the photo below shows a street repair guy tamping the remains of a bicyclist into the hole as filler . They ' ll pave over the unlucky rider and we ' ll never know the difference as we roll over the pretty repair . 
The Quality of Street Repairs . Recently I ' ve noticed a difference in quality between St. Paul and Minneapolis street repairs . My route to work includes many man - hole covers * sunken below the surface of the street . I think they put a new road surface over an old one and left the man - hole covers as they were . Regardless of how they got that way , I try to avoid riding through them . In St. Paul , they ' ve been replacing them with street - level covers . After the repair , the new asphalt perfectly matches the level of the old asphalt . The new asphalt is smooth and even . It 's really impressive . Except for the color difference of the fresh black to the old gray asphalt , there is no way to detect the difference . If I were blind , I could ride over one of the St. Paul covers and never know it . That reminds me of another subject , riding with your eyes closed . I ' ll save that for another time . In Minneapolis , the street repairs are pretty messy . The edges of the new asphalt and the old are not even . The new asphalt is often unlevel , lumpy , and uneven . I ' ve been riding my bike to work in the Twin Cities for 12 years and this is a standout difference between the two cities . Maybe some photos are in order showing the differences . * Man - hole covers : I think they 're called something else now , but I can't recall what that term is . Using the new term would distract readers just as I ' ve done by calling attention to it . I lose either way . Let me know if you have the correct term . 
Things Found on the Road . I ' ve found a few things while riding lately . Last week , I found a magnetic , yellow ribbon . I brought it in and stuck it to a coworkers file cabinet . He threw it at me . I stuck it to another guy 's desk , he threw it at me . Those things hurt more than you think . I also found a 12 mm socket . It 's really nice and doesn't have the roadside grind marks that most tools get when they lay in the traffic . If I keep my head down , I ' ll probably find an entire tool kit and maybe run into a parked car . I displayed this flower , because I like it . 
I Like Dogs Behind Fences . Hey all you runners , cyclists , and pedestrians what do you think when you see a dog like this running at you ? Because of my latest obsession with the Creepy Cam , all I could think about doing was getting my camera out of my pocket fast enough to capture a photo of the dog . I missed the decisive moment , but it still reminds me of the fear I feel when a large , potentially menancing dog runs out . This dog was harmless after he got in few warning barks . The angle at which I took the photo makes it look like he 's closer than he really was . He was in the act of backing off as I snapped the camera . 
Saturday 's Hiawatha Cyclery Ride . On my way to the Hiawatha Cyclery Saturday ride , I took a Creepy Cam photo of the the Lake Nokomis swimming area . Although it 's difficult to see in the little photo , the beach across the lake was setup for the Life Time Fitness triathalon . I enjoyed riding around and watching the preparations . I took some photos of the Brooks saddle display at Hiawatha . I doubt there are many shops with a better stock of Brooks saddles . Here we are on the ride crossing the scenic Mendota Bridge . Here 's the same shot converted to black and white . Which do you like ? Maybe neither . 
Creepycam . A few of the latest pencam photos from my ride home two days ago . A yellow curb : this photo proves the streets are ugly . A guy " picking off " a recreational bicyclist : " Hey , buddy ! Can't ya even return a hello ? " A gal riding her bike and avoiding eye contact with the creepy guy taking photos while he 's riding his bike ( that 's me ) . 
Pencam Fun . Sophzilla recently noted no pencams exist that use a memory card . I found one . It 's the Aiptek SD 1.3 . If you jump to their site , you ' ll have to navigate to pencams and then to that model . Anyway , it takes SD and MMC cards . There it is . 
Not about the Scroll Wheel . I promise not to mention the scroll wheel in this post . I dug out the pencams as promised in my last post . I was wrong . I have a Kodak , an Aiptek and a Cool I - Cam . The Kodak is unusable , because I can't get my PC to recognize it in any way . I worked for a while and gave up . Junk . The Aiptek is a on the heavy side . I ' ve carried it a couple of times in my jersey pocket , but it feels like I have the weight of a small apple hanging in there , for comparison sake . The Cool I - Cam works . I can access its photos with my PC and they are spendidly poor . As a hero of mine once said , " deliciously awful . " Here are a couple of the Cool I - Cam shots for your disapproval . A flower of some sort in our garden Some kids on a swing set A little kid soccer game The sidelines of the soccer game ( The color on this one is nice compared to the others . ) It 's too bad the Kodak doesn't work . I bought it back when I had Windows 98 and it worked . The photos were much better than the Cool I - Cam . But Windows XP doesn't want anything to do with it . I downloaded the newest drivers from Kodak , but that didn't help . Perhaps I ' ll shop a bit for something with more quality than the Aiptek . Money is no object as long as it 's less than $ 20 . Big spender I am . My dad calls me Dusty Wallet . 
My Scroll Wheel is Dry . I returned Monday morning to work and found my mouse thoroughly dry . My scroll wheel is working like a champ again . Yea for our team ! I recently found a group of cyclists who document their rides with pen cams , or spy cams . Some of you are familiar with these types of cameras . I did a little searching on pen cams and found I already own three of them : one tiny Kodak and two Aipteks . As I looked through the cyclists photos , I was impressed by what I saw . I usually consider these cameras junky . I ' ve used them and know their limitations . But when used with those limitations in mind , I think they can be useful . I ' ve noticed the number of photos I ' ve taken recently has gone down dramatically since I bought my digital SLR . It takes great photos , but it 's so big I don't carry it many places . Tonight , I ' ll dig out the pen cams , load some fresh batteries , and see which one works best . Then I ' ll carry it on most bike rides , I promise . You may see the results here . 
Day 2 . Today I encountered an unexpected side effect . First a little background : About a year ago , my company had a book that was not selling as well as they wanted . Someone came up with the brilliant idea that we would publish a prequel that would be soooo good , that people would compelled to buy the book they hadn't wanted . Unfortunately , the title of the second book was such that it implied that it was a sequel . As a result , people didn't want the second book , because they figured that if they didn't like the original , they wouldn't want the sequel . So , I was assigned to edit the prequel , such that people would want it . I explained that the whole premise of the book was flawed , and that it needed to be rewritten as a standalone piece that would reference the other . Increase sales , but we stand behind the prequel concept , they said . In the end , I reworked the book , but regardless of the quality of the writing or material , I could not overcome the fact that this book was a scam . To make matters worse , the marketing department bundled the two books together -- You thought you were buying one big book , but what you were actually getting was a 70 page , prequel , and a 300 page book that you would not have bought , if you had know what you were getting . My wife knows that I hate that book , but there are others that I like . As a result , when I get sent to California to lecture on one of the books I like , she knows I don't mind . This morning , I was trying to tell her that they were sending me to Florida , to lecture on the book I hate , and she knows how I feel about Florida . There is entirely too much sun in Florida -- especially in August . The same is true for Texas . Some of you would think going to Florida would be fun , but we 're not talking about beach Florida ... We 're talking swamp Florida ! Hot , sunny , muggy , mosquitoes , alligators , old people . But the whole time I was complaining , I could feel myself smiling , and I don't mean a happy , cute smile . Not that happy or cute are words that people use to describe me . If we learned anything from The OJ Trial , it was that everyone has a twin somewhere : I ' ve met three of mine . One of them was even born on the same day , but a few hours earlier . Girls thought he was cute . No girl has ever called me cute . We looked just alike ! We both had blue hair and glowing white eyes . How could I not be cute , too ? Actually , twin is not the correct term ; I think we are clones . Did you ever see Boys From Brazil ? Perhaps in the early 1960 's , someone created hundreds of clones , and somehow implanted them in unsuspecting women . Their plan was to let each clone be raised within individual families units , then be brought together , and used as a private army of domination . Alas , something went wrong , and the clones were never collected . As a result , here I am : a lost soul , draw to a destiny that I can not fulfill on my own . Raise up my clone brethren , and together we shall take over the world ! Or maybe , I ' m just confusing my life with a Star War 's movie . But ... I digress . The smile was uncontrollable . I tried not to smile . I tried to tighten my face , but as soon as I would start to speak , it would be drawn back into a ridiculous grin . I didn't look at myself in the mirror , but my wife didn't react . This could mean that either my face just felt like it was out of control , my wife assumed it was a reaction to the drugs , or she was still to sleepy to recognize the disfigurement . I still feel like I ' m smiling , but not a Jack Nicholson Joker grin . Nothing has happened to make me happy , but maybe everyone will think otherwise . As a matter of fact , the pain killers are purging from my system faster than the happy drugs are kicking off endorphins . As a result , I ' m in increasing pain , and smiling . But , you know what they say : It is better to look good , than to feel good . . 
Day 1 . This morning didn't seem any different ... at first . I ' m not a morning person , so putting the dogs out , feeding the cats , boiling water for tea and coffee , are all automatic . My feet move me around the house , my hands know what to do . As I ate breakfast , I remember thinking that the pill I ' d taken last night before bed had not had any effect . That 's normal , however . It usually takes a several days to get the stuff in your system . By 7:30 am , I was beginning to switch off auto - pilot , and I noticed the change . Very slight , but there was something different . In the back of my head , there was a heavy feeling . Maybe like holding a 12 oz soda can in your left hand : not heavy enough to be of concern , but it was obviously there . A few minutes later , I noticed I was yawning . Normally not significant ( not a morning person , ) but this wasn't a normal yawn . It was followed by another , and another . These were less yawns than wide mouthed gasps for air . It was as if my body was trying to draw in oxygen . After several minutes of spasmodic yawning , I was able to take some deep breaths , and regain control of my lungs . I have had several other massive yawns , but I am not sleepy . Its as if the drug has decreased my blood 's capacity to transport oxygen to my brain , and it is compensating by yawning . Therapeutic oxygen deprivation . Fascinating . I don't necessarily remember yawning from previous meds , but this is a different brand . The feeling in the back of my head ; that I recognize . It will get bigger -- this is just the beginning . Within a week , I ' ll be lucky to be able to find the back of my head . And , of course , in the next few days , I ' ll begin to feel symptoms of withdrawal . It will be fun . I know I ' m looking forward to it . 
Defeated , Once Again . Yep , it 's that time again . I fought the good fight . I kept a stiff upper lip . I sucked it up . And I still found myself here . It would be nice to say that at least I ' ve kicked the prescription drug habit , but in reality I ' m just trading one drug addiction for another . The other prescription , a opiate pain killer , was not my prescription . This new drug actually has my name on it . Yeah ! Once more into the breach , dear friends . The last time I got on the drugs , I had a nurse chastise me . Not for getting on drugs , mind you . No : she criticized me for getting off drugs . " The doctor prescribed twelve refills of this , and you only took it for five months . You should have taken it for a full year . " " I didn't need the drugs anymore , " I explained . " I was better . " " Ha ! " she sneered . " Obviously not ! If you would have take it for a full year you wouldn't be back here now . " That was the wrong thing to say . A word of advise : If you ever find yourself sitting across the table from a crazy person , who is explaining the need for immediate chemical intervention , the one thing you don't want to do is piss them off . " Look Lady -- I don't know what cereal box you got your medical license from , but there is not a drug in the world that can cure mental illness , " I explained . " Sure , I could have stayed on the drugs but if I ' d taken the full years worth , you would have refilled the prescription eight months ago . But I didn't . Thus , you have to refill the prescription today . The net effect is you still have to fill the prescription . This is a zero - sum game : regardless of how you play out the myriad scenarios , the end point is the same : I walk out of here with my meds . " " You can't demand I give you prescription narcotics ! I could have you arrested , " she threatened . " In which case I would go ape shit , and the cops would drug me . Checkmate . I win . Now , stamp the pad , get the doctor , or call the cops . " Oh , was she angry . She was so mad , threw the prescription at me , which didn't not have the same dramatic effect as when the pharmacist throws a prescription , seeing as at this point it was merely a piece of paper . As for this time : no fireworks . Target gave me the pills for free . Imagine that . Free mind altering drugs . Usually , I ' d expect to pay double the full price for under the counter prescriptions . Yet , these were free . Who knows ? I may need to re - evaluate my stand on the public mental health system . Not . ( Actually , my employer has a good drug coverage plan . Turns out they don't do employee drug testing . Funny how that works . ) So . Tonight we start the our new life . Our life of pharmaceutical bliss . No more worries or pain . The house will clean itself , work will erase this weeks deadline , the credit card companies will forgive the debt . Tonight , we will rejoice in modern chemistry . Everything will be just fine . You ' ll see . 
" yo body , yo body , is a port ~ a ~ potty " . So i squirt all in her eyes , she cant open her eyes at all its like they stuck . So iree an dee come over and start lickin lala eyes then they start to eat her pussy , suckin her tits they havin a good ass time all on each other , im feelin like r . kelly so while they threein it out i piss on all of ' em , they gettin down , an open they mouths like true soldiers after the whole thang they jump in the water splash off , we go to the car , i drop them off go home , roll a sack of green hulk , then im sleep ... Imma holla .... 
Cracking the Google Adsense Code . By Kim Roach ( c ) 2006 Google Adsense has empowered web publishers of all shapes and sizes to make money from their web sites . Whether you own a hobby site that gets 100 visitors per day or a popular finance portal that is flooded with mill ons of visitors per month , you can benefit from the Google Adsense program . Simply sign up for a free account , grab your Adsense code and paste it up on your website . Well , it sounds good anyway . In reality , that 's not the whole story . Maximizing your adsense earnings requires a little more care . Fortunately , you can quickly increase your earnings by reading every word of this article . I will cover the basic necessities and also reveal advanced tips that you won't find on every digital corner . So , if you 're looking to put more mon y in your pocket with a few tweaks of code , I urge you to read on . As you are reading , keep in mind that Google is actually one of the best resources for finding information on Adsense optimization . Think it 's hard to believe that Google would give good advice ? Well , it makes sense when you think about it . The more you make as a publisher , the more they will make . Google has a big incentive to help you perform well . Not to mention , they have tons of data to research what works best . So , for much of my research , I took quite a few tips from Google . But don't worry , there are also some advanced tips here that Google will probably nev r reveal to you . Read the full story on http : // 3 ways . webiz . ekodu . net / adsense _ secret . html . 
Use Search Engine Modifiers to Boost Your Rankings . Note : the article will help You rank higher on search engine By Kim Roach ( c ) 2006 Searching is the second most popular online activity , right behind email . Because of this , search engine optimization should be at the top of every web owner 's marketing list . To begin , you must start with the right keywords . Keyphrase selection is the single most important step in a search engine optimization campaign . You should choose your keywords before you write a single word of web copy . Unfortunately , many people make the mistake of optimizing for very general keywords like " used cars " or " internet marketing " . Although these terms get lots of traffic , it is very unlikely that you will be able to rank highly for them . Then , even if you do , this type of traffic produces very low conversion rates because they are not targeted prospects . It is much more effective to target the low - hanging fruit . Who do you think is more likely to buy ; someone who goes to Google and searches for " ipod " or someone who searches for " 4 gb black ipod nano " ? Obviously , the person who searches for a more specific phrase is much closer to making a buying decision . The additional keywords ( 4 gb , black , and nano ) are called modifiers . By adding a few modifiers to competitive keywords , you can uncover a long list of powerful keyword phrases for which high rankings are attainable . In order to find these types of lucrative keyword phrases , there are 4 search modifiers that you need to know about . They are geographic , descriptive , brands , and misspellings . To read the full story about how to rank higher on search engine goto 3 ways . 
Today 's Google Bots and What They Do ? By Kim Roach ( c ) 2006 Google currently indexes over 8 billion web pages . However , before these pages were placed in the index , they were each crawled by a special spider known as the Google Bot . Unfortunately , many web masters do not know about the internal workings of this virtual robot . In fact , Google actually uses a number of spiders to crawl the Web . You can catch these spiders by examining your log files . This article will attempt to reveal some of the most important Google spiders , their function , and how they affect you as a web master . We ' ll start with the well - known Google Bot . Google Bot Googlebot , as you probably know , is the search bot used by Google to scour the web for new pages . Googlebot has two versions , deepbot and freshbot . Deepbot is a deep crawler that tries to folow every link on the web and download as many pages as it can for the Google index . It also examines the internal structure of a site , giving a complete picture for the index . Freshbot , on the other hand , is a newer bot that crawls the web looking for fresh content . The Google freshbot was implemented to take some of the pressure off of the Google Bot . The freshbot recalls pages already in the index and then crawls them for new , modified , or updated pages . In this way , Google is better equipped to keep up with the ever - changing Web . This means that the more you update your web site with new , quality content , the more the Googlebot will come by to check you out . If you ' d like to see the Googlebot crawling around your web property more often , you need to obtain quality inbound links . However , there is also one more step that you should take . If you haven't already done so , you should create a Google Sitemap for your site . The full story on http : // 3 ways . webiz . ekodu . net . 
How To Succeed With An Affiliate Program . Affiliate Programs have exploded on the internet . Thousand of people join them every day . Amazon . com is probably the best example of such phenomenal success . If the affiliate program is so popular and so widely available and booming like mushroom ... Why do most affiliate have a hard time making $ 100 per month ? And some never see have receive a check ? It 's probably because they are not effective in their marketing campaign or doing noting at all . But some affiliates are making big bucks . They are the one with an income of ( $ 100,000 and over per year ) . There is also a big majority who still make a good income ( around $ 10 000 to $ 75 000 a year ) . Of course the vast majority of affiliate will never make that much money . They fail miserably . So what is wrong with them ? THEY DON ' T SET GOALSMost people fail at anything because most people don't have a clear vision of where they are heading . They don't take the time to learn and experiment . They give up too easily . Yes , it feels " unproductive " to prepare and set up a system ... But it 's how the successful succeed . The solution ? Planning and learning . CHOOSING THE RIGHT AFFILIATE PROGRAMChoosing the best companies is an art in itself . Choose affiliate program that are already successful and well established like SFI . Choose the one that offer good training and good marketing aids . Successful affiliates select the best companies . They use new ideas and creativity to attract customers . They never give up . DEVELOP A GOOD WEBSITELot 's of people don't know how to design a website . Or don't have the money to hire a webmaster . Even the ones who can design a website . They design poor content or poor design . Produce low value gateway pages . They use free web hosting . They don't master the search engine . The solution ? Take what you know , what you love , and turn it into a Theme - Based Content Site . Attract highly targeted , interested customers , provide solid value through content , then refer them to your affiliated merchants . DRIVING TRAFFICHaving lot 's of traffic to your website is a big challenge . But it is essential to be successful . Or at least to make a reasonable amount of money . You have to make your site " search engine friendly " . You need content for the search engine to spider your website . You need to know how your webpage is index and how well it is ranked on the SE to better perform . Use every marketing method to drive traffic . a .. PPC Campaignb .. Linking Strategyc .. Writing Articlesd .. Ezine Publishinge .. Newsletterf .. Banner Advertisingg .. Viral Marketing ( EBooks , Freeware etc. ) h .. Offline as well . ( Business Cards , Flyers , Radio Spots etc. ) CONCLUSIONAffiliate Program are great . You can really make a substantial income at almost no cost . This is the simplest way to start a business . You can really succeed if you keep learning and experimenting . ------------------------- Copyright Michel Richer . 
I ' m selling , I ' m really selling ! Well so far I ' ve sold a nice amount of stuff . But I still need to sell more . If your interested check my forsale listing on the [ H ] site . You are bound to find something you might like . A donation to my guy without wheels fund is also appreciated . Well since I also managed to get some of my writings published , I ' m considering doing a book . The book might be a collections of my writings , or something different . I will need to think about that more first . Well first I ' d like to get the stuff I want to sell gone before I do other things . ( \ _ ( \ ( ^ _ ^ ) { free all the little bunnies } ( _ ( " ) ( " ) 3 WAYsplit . 
Happy days again . It 's happy days again today . I managed to sell a couple more items off my [ H ] forsale listing . If this keeps up I ' ll sell everything . Now if the weather could be as nice , everything would be perfect . Well atleast as close as it can get . If it comes down to it , I might even try to sell a book or two of my writings . ( \ _ (( ^ _ ^ ) { free all the little bunnies } ( _ ( " ) ( " ) 3 WAYsplit . 
Hooray !!!! Hooray , I sold a few items of my [ H ] forsale listing . Now if I can sell off the rest I ' ll be very happy . I have a couple guitars , some books , games , comics , and some framed posters . There is something for most people . Go check it out , you might see something you like . If you prefer you can always donate to my guy without wheels fund by clicking on the donate button . ( \ _ (( ^ _ ^ ) { free all the little bunnies } ( _ ( " ) ( " ) 3 WAYsplit . 
Damn , the month is just about over ! I woke up this morning and realized that this month is almost over . That means the weather will get hotter really fast soon . After that it will start getting damn cold . I ' m not a cold weather guy , I like it it 's the snow I hate . The snow causes nothing but trouble . Well at least you can travel without getting fried by the sun during those days . Maybe this year it will be different , not likely . ( \ _ (( ^ _ ^ ) { free all the little bunnies } ( _ ( " ) ( " ) 3 WAYsplit . 
Another day , another post ! Well here I am , making another post . There isn't much to post about . I ' m still trying to sell stuff on my listing on the [ H ] site . So far it isn't going that well . Maybe it will pick up soon . When all the stuff sells it will make me happy . If anyone could donate to my guy without wheels fund I ' d really appreciate it . ( \ _ (( ^ _ ^ ) { free all the little bunnies } ( _ ( " ) ( " ) 3 WAYsplit . 
I here go " Marching To Mars " !! Do you ever feel like you are getting nowhere ? Well when I see the news , or read an article about different BS going in the world I feel like that . In my opinion thereis a song that represents that feeling . That song is " Red Rocker " Sammy Hagar 's " Marching To Mars " . Sammy Hagar Lyrics - Marching To Mars Lyrics Here we go marching to Mars On a rainbow bridge It doesn't seem so far Steppin ' into our universe Moving towards life To solve the problems on Earth Everybody 's marching to Mars Gonna settle down there Get me a house and a car Save each other from ourselves Poke our heads out of the sand Sayin ' Here I am Marchin ' to Mars We 're marchin ' to Mars Hollywood 's marching to Mars For a grand new movie With some brand new stars Plastered on the silver scren Gonna bring it on home So you won't have to leave Is there life in the universe Yeah , there 's life in the universe We ' ll find God in the universe We ' ll find God but we ' ll find life first Marchin ' to Mars Marchin ' to Mars We 're marchin ' to Mars Marchin ' to Mars Maybe someday the world will someday get its act together before it 's destroyed . ( \ _ (( ^ _ ^ ) { free all the little bunnies } ( _ ( " ) ( " ) 3 WAYsplit . 
Another day and one less dollar ! It seems like the days are flying by , as my funds are running lower . Well my sale at the [ H ] site could be doing well , but it isn't . There is lots of stuff still there forsale . I ' m hoping to sell it all off . I don't have much to write about , my life as it is now is dull . Right now I ' m trying to get a nice blog going , but it 's a painfull process . I don't know much about html , and other website things . Please feel free to donate to my guy without wheels fund . I ' d also appreciate it if people would buy some stuff off my forsale list on the [ H ] site . ( \ _ (( ^ _ ^ ) { free all the little bunnies } ( _ ( " ) ( " ) 3 WAYsplit . 
Write On Your Blog , Not On Your Butt . I ve taken a few weeks of vacation to sort out my house ( henceforth referred to as The Compound ) , prepare for Wacky Road Trip IV , and clear my head . I , with the help of Broken Little Person Sitting On A Tree Limb , have done much furniture shopping . It amazes me how much you can pay for a simple platform to place your ass on . I sat on Library Mall yesterday , facing up State Street with a view of Madison s capitol building . When I first walked onto the mall , I came to realize that I was standing on a big , ten foot wide chalk - drawn swastika ! My first thought was , This is odd for Madison , and stranger still on campus . My second thought was , So , here I am , a guy with a shaved head , standing on a ten foot wide swastika . This can t look good . I removed myself from the swastika and sat down nearby . ( I took a closer look later , the swastika was in a circle with a line through it , it was for a rally against hate groups . ) Initially I was drinking coffee and reading Arthur C . Clarke s Rendezvous With Rama , but then the people watching became too interesting so I put the book down and just gave in to it . A woman sat to my left , carefully placed some religious pamphlets around her and pulled her guitar out of it s case . Oh boy , I thought , this could be really , really bad . She strummed and sang and surprisingly she had a high clear voice with which she sang some hymnish tunes . Blessed be the merciful , blessed be the peacemakers , something , something , something , blah , blah , for they will be killed . It is unfortunate that my attention wandered to a woman who walked by , whose black shorts declared I HEART NY . I considered asking the Hymnster , Uh , I apologize , I was distracted by that woman s butt - message , which , similar to your song , was a message of love . Could you clarify who exactly is going to be killed ? But , another guy walked over to the Hymnster and dove right into a theological debate with her . I proceeded to focus my attention on the heat - dressed women . Saw some hot muslim women ; hot because they were wearing head coverings and long sleeves and it was a hot day . They may or may not have been hot as my people use this word , but again , they were all covered up , so who can tell ? Lot s of women with Ipods , hardly any men sporting them . Several women were sporting shorts with butt - messages , but like the Ipods , no men with butt - messages that I noted . For whatever record you re keeping , I m not going to feel badly about reading something someone has on their body . And I m not going to feel badly about reading it two or three times . Or however many times it takes ! I enjoyed watching bicyclists race up to the signs stating : No Bicycle Riding on Sidewalk . Some abided this decree ; others stuck it to The Man and slalomed through the brightly painted juice vendors at ridiculous speeds . A very relaxing morning indeed ! I could continue , but you get the idea . I m on vacation . I m relaxing and being somewhat productive . Tomorrow I leave on Wacky Road Trip IV , so I won t be posting for at least a week . Two thousand miles of road , three days in Seattle , then two thousand more miles of road . Sweet . Could this vacation be any more relaxing ? 
The Marble Is Moving . Breaking up is a learning process , and my learning curve is skateboard - ramp steep right now . For the prior nine months , I guess it s been flat enough where you d be lucky to get a marble to roll on it . Saturday , after Lis vacated , I had to go to Target to replenish my stores of many things . Then , as indicated in my last post , I went to IKEA to further round out my stuff . Is it just me , or is it kind of funny that I didn t own any pillows , sheets , hangers or towels ? I find some humor in this , but humor is sometimes difficult to explain . I asked Lis about the towels . I don t own any towels ? She sort of shrugged and said , Those were mine before we moved in . OK . Fine . We haven t bought any towels in nine years , I guess . It s weird . I get incandescently pissed off for a moment , then clamp down on that feeling and think . This is what you want to discuss ? This is what you want to argue about ? Nine dollar towels ? So , I go and buy new towels . I m wondering if I ve moved on when I stop getting that flare of angst . I ve had these weird dizzying headaches for the last month and a half ; I wonder what my blood pressure is at , and if it s dropping now that We Can Move On . 
Independence Day . Since my last post I have celebrated Independence Day , gone to a minor league baseball game ( Madison Mallards v La Crosse Loggers ) , gone out with the workies a few times , saw X - Men 3 ( liked it , but I ' m a sucker for super - powers done well ) , went to Art Fair on the Square , Concerts on the Square , Jim 's 4 th of July picnic and Lisa moved out . My friends have done an admirable job of distracting me , especially lately . She moved out yesterday with the help of many friends and from all accounts , it went well . The house is bare , so today , I head to IKEA to refurnish . Must go , maybe I ' ll post more later . 
Just a few weeks . A long time ago , I was involved in a Tae Kwon Do studio that used full contact sparring to train . You d wear pads on your hands and feet and throw a mouth guard in . The point was to condition you to what it felt like to take a punch . What s the use of unrealistic training that leaves you curled up in a ball the first time somebody get s lucky or sneaky ? Anyway , I tested for my green belt which included forms ( formalized moves in a specific sequence ) and sparring . During the sparring I was paired against a guy who was testing for his red belt ( two ranks higher than me , I think ) . I was not doing badly , keeping my head moving , throwing combinations when I could find an opening , when I took the hardest strike I have ever endured to my head . My vision rapidly narrowed to a point ( think of a quarter held at arms length as the aperture ) and I had the oddest feeling that my torso was extending into space far in front of my hips and legs . I churned my legs to keep them under me , my visual scope swept the small assemblage ( my dad and Kwik were there ) . This must have only taken a second or two , but I still remember it vividly ; it was a unique experience . The ref grabbed my gloves and steadied me . He asked if I wanted to continue ; of course I said yes . I stuck to a somewhat groggy defensive strategy for the remainder of my time , but stayed up and earned the belt . I learned later that my opponent had snuck a kick up and tagged me in the side of the head . For the last nine months or so , I have felt somewhat like that moment , just after the kick connected . I have been myopic , confused and pained . I have been churning my legs , trying to keep them under me . I won t use ( self imposed ) banned phrases like looking into the abyss or singing big - hair ballads about how I can take the pai - ai - ai - ain ! I will admit that I never anticipated the duration and severity of this . I can be creative , but my imagination failed me here . I acknowledge it is unlike my normal manly lumberjacky self to admit to near - daily crying jags , but there you go . Going to work every weekday is an escape . Waking up every weekend morning is a grim exertion . Time spent with friends is a high - purity distraction . My apologies for the self - pitying tone of this post . I m sure to read this some time in the future and wrinkle my nose at my lack of stoicism , or my inability to keep my legs under me through this . Lisa moves out July 8 th . Then Wacky Road Trip IV a few weeks after that . It s funny ( not 3 XHAR funny , but peculiar ) but I don t have any emotion whatsoever elicited by either upcoming event . Currently though , my moods radically change very rapidly , which I also apologize for . When my mood is in an up - tick , I see WRTIV as a cathartic event , a breaking away and a returning to a New 3 XHAR Order . So I m keeping my feelers out for the next up - tick . 
Worm Toss . Played volleyball tonight . Went to the Great Dane Downtown Madison and hung out , got to know some new players and got to hang out with some old friends . It was a pleasant evening . Got home and had to move my car into the garage I walked out to my car . On the driveway , in the dark and the fog , was a long worm situated directly in the path my car would take to the garage . Now , this may be the two pitchers of ESB talking , but I had to move this worm out of the way . Not moving it would leave it on the driveway to be crushed under my wheels . I went to pick it up , and of course , being a worm , it was slimy and wriggly and agitated that I was trying to grab it . After two or three tries I got a firm grip and tossed it onto the lawn . Just after I tossed the worm onto the lawn , I stood there and remembered an interaction the Goody Reverend Mueller and I had some time ago . I had done something to control Hondo , and The Goody Reverend Mueller had said something like , It s all about the control This innocuous statement by the Rev lead to a minor rant from me that basically stated A ) I m smarter than Hondo and can see cause and effect better then he ( like I can see a car coming down the road where Hondo may only see the rabbit he wants to get directly across the street ) and B ) if I don t intercede and control Hondo then sooner or later his lack of foresight will kill him ( again , the road ) . C ) It is not unethical to use this foresight to control Hondo and to make him safer by it . This lead me to question my foresight , my own decisions , and to wonder , briefly , if I can trust my own judgment right now ; or should I trust the advice of others . Not right now , having had a few beers , standing in my driveway in the night and this luminous , streetlit fog . But , right now , not sleeping , eating sporadically ( I ve lost a little weight ) , depressed - ish . I will think about this , and I suppose , knowing myself as I do , I ll keep whatever answer I come to to myself . 
The Disc . For the last few weeks I ve been playing Ultimate Frisbee , here in Madison . I have some observations . I am not good at this game . I am out of shape . I found myself huffing around the field , chasing down the disc , wondering , What are you doing ? Only experience can answer this question , as long as I don t quit . What am I doing ? I m getting better at it . I m getting in shape . The first weeks , like any new hobby / activity / adventure , I learned much . I learned basic tactics and terms . I learned about the zone defense and I learned the dire repercussions of not playing the zone defense correctly . I learned that when you get steamrolled you should call a foul ( in my defense , I was confused and dazed ) . I learned that a novice should seek out opposing novices and stick to them . I learned that if I play three straight points I m done for the night . I have begun to learn a forehand throw . I learned to STAND UP before I throw the disc . I am learning patience . I have learned that during the normal course of events in daily life , I never , ever , sprint . The guys who play have been accommodating in the extreme , explaining a great many things to me and helping me with my throws . Even this bit of exercise a few times a week seems to have an effect on my mood . Endorphins , I m told . The other two positive effects are that when I m exhausted I sleep more consistently ( through the night , more or less ) and it makes me hungry enough to eat . 
Lectures . Attended my second lecture of the semester today . Basically had to scramble from the southern city limits after the hockey match ( we won 2 - 0 , both goals in first half ) , then skedaddle back to the campus but made it into class fairly comfortably . I ' m not sure if Pride & Prejudice is my cup of tea . I guess I would never have read it if I wasn't doing an English course , but perhaps I ' ll at least extend my limits ( in terms of the language ) . I didn't manage to train today at all , but I think that 's a blessing in disguise : legs are still stiff from spinning , and there 's a race again on Saturday . I got an email from Andrea today , saying they 're busy now on the 3 rd issue and I can have a look at their edit when they 're done . Have heard nothing from Toni ( Younghusband , of Shape magazine ) presumably because their next issue is due any day now . Will probably call her next week and peddle the article to someone else ( Oxygen or Elle , or perhaps Runner 's World ) . I am soooo glad tomorrow is Friday , it 's unreal . Notice the airborne brick ... 
Iraq Struggling to Pump Oil . By RYAN LENZ , Associated Press Writer Thu Jul 27 , 8:27 AM ETAt the same time , daily bloodshed is pushing the country closer to a civil war . These two dynamics at work in Iraq the quest for prosperity amid an endless struggle for security tug firmly on Iraq 's future and the U.S. involvement here . Since resuming petroleum exports after the U.S. invasion in 2003 , Iraq has struggled for lasting security of its pipelines and refineries . It sits atop the world 's third - largest reserves , but saboteurs routinely disrupt the 4,300 - mile system of pipelines . For weeks in June , Iraq exported millions of barrels to Turkey . But during the second week of July , flow to the country 's largest refinery in Beiji stopped when pipelines were attacked . Such topsy - turvy progress is symbolic of the delicate balance between oil and security . The irony , military and U.S. government officials say , is that oil is both the quickest fix to rebuilding Iraq 's infrastructure and a source of considerable violence . More than 250 Oil Ministry officials , workers and security guards have been assassinated since the fall of Saddam Hussein 's regime in 2003 , according to the ministry . During a recent visit to Baghdad , Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said frequent attacks on oil workers and infrastructure have kept Iraq from moving forward . International investors won't come , and Iraq continues to struggle , he said . Back in 2003 , then - Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz told Congress that Iraq 's oil could bring as much as $ 100 billion in the two years immediately following the invasion . But continual attacks , including some in the last week , have kept Iraq 's largest refinery in Beiji , about 155 miles north of Baghdad , from producing amid an oil shortage . Iraq 's oil ministry estimates about $ 6.25 billion was lost in damage to oil infrastructure and shortfalls in revenues that could have been generated from crude oil exports in 2005 . That money , if funneled back into the country , could change the face of Iraq . " It 's critical . What else do they have to export ? It 's such a huge source of revenue for them . And until they get any type of secondary industry developed , that 's all they have , " said Lt . Col . Craig Collier , deputy commander of the 3 rd Brigade , 101 st Airborne Division . Military commanders have struggled to understand the system of long - practiced corruption surrounding the country 's oil industry . Under Saddam Hussein 's regime , various government and provincial leaders quietly skimmed from the country 's oil revenue . It was a way to secure a vulnerable system of unguarded pipelines by paying off those who might otherwise attack it , officials said . Officials say the U.S. mission in Iraq hinges on the future of the country 's oil . Iraq has the capability with its resources to sustain itself but it cannot prosper without selling its oil . Oil has always been an albatross for the U.S. in Iraq . Some alleged it was the reason behind the invasion ; the White House promised it would be the key to rebuilding Iraq . Before recent attacks crippling the country 's northern oil flow , Iraq exported millions of barrels from the oil - rich region near Kirkuk to Turkey . Of the three lines running south from Kirkuk , at least two have collapsed , officials said . The cause is an ancient pipeline system Westerners compare to the former Soviet Union 's oil industry . After the fall of communism , world leaders were astonished to find an industry believed to be booming in rust and ruin . More than three years after the fall of Saddam 's regime , the fight to resurrect Iraq 's industry continues . " Due to the former regime 's wars and its foolish , disastrous policies , the country is totally dependent on oil , " Prime Minister Nouri al - Maliki told parliament earlier this month . " Iraqis are suffering . " . 
Moon and Gloom . Still trying to get in a full night 's sleep . That 's 8 hours for me . Got 7 last night . I ' m not feeling superior at all to my colleague , Mr Schabbord , who quit this week . Finding it tough to be back at school , shouting my way through class after class after class . Lots of kids slipping in and out of class during periods , and have already been in trouble for a mob of my students ( who won't come in ) hovering outside my class . When you want them to come in they stay outside , when you want them to leave , they stay inside . Going to try reverse psychology tomorrow : " Please stay outside for the next 10 minutes , I need to set your tests ... " Cycled to varsity today . A fast paced 15 minutes . Going to improve my fitness a lot I think if I do it twice or more a week . Think I am going to enjoy Ideology a lot this semester - we 're studying how Soapie 's are constructed ( for example , no resolution ) . Went spinning yesterday . CJ was there , and Barendine . Charl 's class was tough as usual but I seemed to handle it okay . Not to rush back to hostel duty . Yippee , but can start reading Pride and Prejudice and catch up on our reading I ' ve missed . Need to train again tomorrow ... maybe a 5 am spin ... 
Fuji Neopan 400 in PMK Pyro . 	 While the move from 35 mm photography to digital photography has not lost any speed , the move away from medium format film photography seems to be accelerating . As I mentioned in a previous post , Contax , Pentax , Fuji , Mamiya , and Bronica have abandoned the medium format market , many years after Graflex , Kowa , Yashica , Minolta , and Koni Omega disappeared from the shelves . The demise of film cameras is naturally having an impact on the film manufacturers . I bought up 100 rolls of Verichrome pan when Kodak discontinued it . In retrospect , I should have accepted its fate and looked for a replacement . Not Agfa APX 100 ( or 25 , or 400 ) , though , as Agfa film is now gone . And Ilford has been showing signs of sputtering out as well . Not to worry just yet , though . There are still film manufacturers in Europe that may be around a bit longer . And fortunately for me these films seem to do well in my two favorite developers ( at least at the moment ) , Panthermic 777 and PMK Pyro . I can still make do quite well with Ilford FP 4 + in Verichrome pan s place , and Rollei 25 in Agfa APX 25 s place . TRI - X should be around a bit longer , based solely on its popularity . But are there other 400 ISO choices ? The most promising one to me is Neopan 400 . I decided to try some Neopan 400 in PMK Pyro this week . PMK Pyro seems to work better with the older , more silver - rich films . But you can never predict results with pyro developers ; sometimes it works beautifully with a 35 mm film but doesn t seem suited well at all for the 120 version of the same film . Fuji Neopan Acros 100 gave me very nice results with PMK Pyro , so it wasn t a stretch to assume that the faster Neopan would give good results . I shot a roll of Neopan 400 in medium format . I suppose I decided to give it every chance to succeed in the wake of having gotten pretty awful results with Agfa APX 400 in pyro . I developed it in the standard 1:2 : 100 dilution for 12 minutes at 68 o F . That represents a good starting point for most films in PMK Pyro . The resulting negatives were thinner than I was expecting , giving me the impression that an E . I. of 200 might have been closer to the mark . The negatives were usable with some playing with curves , brightness , and contrast controls in Photoshop . Grain was very well suppressed . This test shot in City Park responded well to the Photoshop tweaking , but I would rather have a negative that didn t need so much tweaking . The first step would be to decrease the E . I. by a stop . Here s the rub . I already get very nice results from Fomapan 200 Creative in PMK Pyro at the nominal 200 ISO , and Fomapan is cheaper . I don t need another 200 film . So , this week , I ll be trying Neopan 400 in 777 . I think that will be a better match and may fill the 400 ISO film niche for me in medium format . Photoshop can do some pretty amazing things with marginal negatives . Sometimes I worry that it will influence my technique . These negatives were marginal but salvagable . I can certainly do better . 
TRI - X in Panthermic 777 . 	 We all knew that there would be no surprises here . When the favorite developer of many past photojournalists used on the favorite film of most past photojournalists , would we expect bad results ? Still , TRI - X has been reformulated in recent years , so why not shoot a test roll ? I shot this at the nominal ISO 400 under marginal lighting conditions ( fluorescent lighting in a coffee shop at 7:00 A . M. ) . I souped in Panthermic 777 at 75 o F . The results were nice grays and well - controlled grain . If the highlights in Glenda s face are not sharp , I was shooting at f / 2.0 and 1 / 60 . The important thing is that this combination looks good , and I m going to continue using it with TRI - X until something else looks better . 
Getting Back Into TLR Photography . 	 I have heard several film photographers say that they just can t get used to digital , at least not without having to think a lot . I found the transition easy but unsatisfying . I simply put the digital in program mode and forgot about it . No fiddling with buttons or menus or histograms . My eyes don t focus close enough to compose and adjust using an LCD screen . If you want to make an awkward transition , go from using a 35 mm for 30 years to shooting with a twin lens reflex . When I was 18 , a TLR seemed much less difficult . I had just gotten into photography with a camera that wasn t plastic , and I took to 35 mm SLRs , 35 mm rangefinders , and a medium format TLR with equal aplomb . But I eventually sold my Yashica D in 1972 and sold my Mamiya C 330 in 1975 . I did pick up a Yashica - Mat 124 G when they were discontinued around 1980 but never used it much . In my youth , a new Honeywell Rolleiflex TLR cost about $ 400 , roughly ten times as much as I spent on my Yashica D . I hungered for a Rolleiflex when I saw them in camera magazines but they were a wedding camera and I had no interest in weddings . Then came the Internet and E - Bay . You no longer had to rummage through pawn shops to find a good , cheap , used Rolleiflex . With my house paid off , I got hungry for a camera that I had lusted after 35 years ago but couldn t afford . My first Rolleiflex was an E - Bay 3.5 E Xenotar with fungus on the mirror and screen . I shipped it off to Bill Maxwell for a CLA and new Maxwell screen . After waiting a month , I bought an E - Bay Rolleicord . It had fungus on the screen , fungus on the mirror , and fungus in the lenses . I shipped that off to Essex Camera for a CLA . I picked up another 3.5 E Xenotar on E - Bay . Like the others , it needed a cleaning . Keep in mind that these cameras are nearly as old as I am . Relatively speaking , they look better that I do . I finally got my first 3.5 E Xenotar back from Bill Maxwell and took it out for a shoot . It is ironic that these are called reflex cameras . My 56 - year - old reflexes are what make them a challenge to shoot . Although it didn t bother me in my younger years , getting used to a mirror image that moves the opposite direction of the camera is like one s first attempt to back a boat trailer into a garage . Then using the grid on the screen to frame the image has you swaying back and forth , tilting forward and backward , and from side to side . Unless your subject is very patient or a vegetable of some kind , there are no real snapshots here . No doubt about it . You need to take slow aim at an immovable object with all of the time in the world if you want usable frames on your first roll . Why bother ? Well , despite their unwieldiness , they are capable of some astonishingly good results . With the right film , developer , and technique , I have seen good Rolleiflex photographers make a mundane subject like a dandelion look like something that anyone would want on his living room wall . They also have the mystique of Leica and Zeiss cameras : excellent craftsmanship , sturdy build , phenomenal optics , and a design that is good enough to transcend decades of production with only very minor improvements . When you buy a digital camera today , it may be out of production by the time you first press the shutter release . The many thousands of durable Rolleiflexes still operational ensure that there will always be parts available somewhere . The only thing we have too few of are master repair technicians such as Harry Fleenor who can get a neglected E - Bay Rolleiflex back into excellent shooting condition . He just received my second 3.5 E Xenotar for a CLA and new Maxwell screen . He is backed up enough that I won t see the camera again for about three months . Not to worry . I still have a couple of good specimens to use in the meantime . I hope to try some black and white films in my other 3.5 E Xenotar , develop them in 777 or PMK Pyro , and display the results here . 
The Mind 's Eye - Writings on Photography and Photographers . 	 Finding a copy of Henri Cartier - Bresson s The Decisive Moment is easy now that the Internet does the searching for you . Paying for it once you have found it is less easy . Private sellers through Amazon . com currently have three copies for sale , the cheapest of which is $ 950 . A more collectible specimen is $ 2,475 . I really would like to read what HCB has to say , but I could buy a mint Rolleiflex Planar 2.8 for $ 2,475 . The recent DVD The Impassioned Eye ( reviewed earlier ) gives the view some insights into the master photographer s way of thinking and way of viewing the world . The Mind s Eye ( $ 20 list , $ 13 street ) does some of the same , with a bit more to say than the DVD . It is a small hardcover of just over 100 pages , 1.5 - spaced , with rather big margins and quite of bit of white space . Don t take a long train trip with just it to read . That said , it is a relatively inexpensive way to read some writings excerpted from other HCB books as well as some of his essays on photography and travel . I won t go on and on here about the book for fear of over - hyping it . If you are a devotee of Henri Cartier - Bresson , I think you ll find the book worth the cost of a lunch . Though he was a very gifted photographer and artist , he was reticent . When you can find his writings inexpensively , get them . In thirty years , maybe you can sell it for $ 2,475 . 
Ilford Delta 3200 in PMK Pyro . 	 It is not enough for a film and developer combination to be good , or even excellent . It has to fill a niche , a need . If one already has that niche filled , it has to be better in some way ( add a new dimension , be cheaper , be more readily available , etc. ) . I know some street photographers who use TRI - X with D - 76 or HC 110 and nothing else . The combination they settled on works as good as they want it to work . Why go elsewhere unless you are attempting to displace what already fills your needs ? With D - 76 , XTOL , and HC 110 so popular , I was surprised to find that PMK Pyro gave me such good results . It is an old style developer that has a reputation of being loved by a few and hated by everyone else . I have pontificated on the virtues of PMK Pyro elsewhere . Here , I just need to point out that PMK Pyro works very well with some slow films , some medium - speed films , some fast films , and some very fast films , making it an excellent all - around developer for me as long as I use the films that react well to it . I have always avoided very fast films because I don t like coarse grain and because I don t like shooting at f / 22 and 1 / 1000 outdoors . But when I read that PMK Pyro worked well with Ilford Delta 3200 I thought I might as well give it a try , at least in subdued light . Maybe it could fill a niche . To combat the inevitable grain , I decided to go with medium format for this test . The recommended E . I. of Delta 3200 in PMK Pyro is 1600 . Well , I just lost one stop of film speed . Developing films with pyro usually takes about 12 minutes at 68 o F . With Delta 3200 , the recommended time on the Massive Dev Chart is a whopping 18 minutes at 75 o F . Developing the film that long and at that temperature suggests to me that a more appropriate exposure index might be 800 , not 1600 . I loaded a roll of Delta 3200 in a Mamiya 7 II and set the ISO at 1600 . I was more interested in how it performed under subdued light , so I took it to breakfast last week . The setting was a very brightly - lit caf with large picture windows . With the Mamiya 80 / 4 lens wide open , I had to shoot at 1 / 60 . Ernie Fitzgerald is a septuagenarian ex - marine who still runs 3 miles every morning before dawn . In the diffuse light of the caf and with the lens wide open , the results were actually sharper than I expected . The grain was well controlled by the staining action of the pyro . Now , does this film ( in medium format ) and developer fill a niche ? Not really , at least not with the equipment I currently use and the latitude where I do most of my shooting . The problem is that , even at the slower E . I. of 1600 , the film is too fast to use outdoors . I couldn t get an outdoor shot with the Mamiya at anything other than f / 22 and 1 / 500 unless I went into the shade . I m just too close to the equator to use Delta 3200 outdoors under most conditions . Indoors , I was at the other extreme . Even with a relatively bright indoor environment , I was shooting wide open at 1 / 60 . It is too fast to use outdoors , and too slow to use indoors . If I had been shooting 35 mm and a fast lens , it would have been good indoors . But then there s that grain with small negatives . Before I write off Ilford Delta 3200 , I m going to try some 35 mm indoors with a 50 / 1.4 Summilux . If the pyro stain can reduce the appearance of grain , then Delta 3200 in PMK Pyro would be filling a niche . That said , if I lived in Sweden and wanted to shoot medium format outdoors , this might be a fabulous film / developer combination . 
Classic 200 in PMK Pyro . 	 Kodak , Ilford , Fuji , and Agfa never marketed a ISO 200 black and white film that I m aware of at least not during my generation of photographers . I suppose that it was considered a poor marketing strategy to have a film only one f - stop away from ISO 100 - 125 and ISO 400 . The smaller European film makers don t seem to feel that way . I have recently purchased ISO 200 black and white films by Foma , Forte , Bergger , Classic , and Paterson , and I have seen ISO 200 B it is very grainy . The grain is what I would expect with ISO 3200 film . One other minor cause for concern with Classic 200 is the film cassette . The cassette of my first roll seemed a bit delicate . The lips of the film opening were slightly agape , and my film was light - struck near the beginning of the roll . As a result , I m putting the rest of the Classic 200 in black plastic canisters and loading / unloading the film in very subdued light . Now the good news . It stains very well with PMK Pyro developer ( although the staining action of the pyro wasn t enough to suppress the grain ) . After a rather shocked reaction to the grain when I opened the first frame in Photo Shop , I began to appreciate other aspects of the film . One thing that impressed me is the smooth consistency of the grain structure over the entire negative . Maybe this is from being relatively silver - rich ( as these older films are always touted to be ) . When I go carefully over an entire TRI - X negative in Photoshop to touch up dust specks , I sometimes see what appear to be gaps with missing silver or less silver . Although they do not affect the appearance of the final print , their presence ( or I suppose I should say absence ) is puzzling . I saw none of this on any negative in the Classic 200 roll . I suppose I might also add that one of the negatives in a roll of Foma 200 I shot last week had a nice round hole in the emulsion . While it was small enough to patch with the healing tool , it suggested to me that some of the machinery used to make films in Eastern Europe might be dated . The inevitable question that arises is Why would someone want to buy ISO 200 black and white film that is as grainy as ISO 3200 film ? That is a legitimate query . One reason might be the price ( it is about the cheapest B & W film out there ) . Another might be the lower speed . I went out shooting one very bright day with Fuji 800 in a Leica CL . Even with the shutter speed set at 1 / 500 th and aperture at f / 22 , some shots were overexposed . I don t fiddle with neutral density filters . For me , ISO 200 is easier to work with than is ISO 3200 . I don t care much for apertures smaller than f / 5.6 unless I m shooting with a 28 mm or wider . As it turned out , one of the subjects I shot with my first roll of Classic 200 worked well with lots of grain . I went to my now gutted church with several Presbyterian visitors from South Carolina . The inside of the church has been stripped of nearly everything except the chandeliers . I thought the soft graininess of Classic 200 worked well when shooting the stark interior of the church . Another retro developer , 777 , seems to tame grain well . I ll try that combination in the coming weeks . 
A Russian Journal . 	 I loved reading John Steinbeck as a child . He wasn t too deep for a 12 - year - old , he didn t use a lot of obtuse symbolism , and he relied more on prose than poetry . I liked reading a storyteller s point of view , and Steinbeck was a gifted storyteller . As a 12 - year - old , I had never heard of Robert Capa ( he was killed when I was four years old ) , and never read A Russian Journal by Steinbeck as it was never on a reading list ( but should have been ) . It is an obscure enough book to be absent from your local bookstore , but it is worth reading . No much longer than Of Mice and Men or The Pearl , A Russian Journal is the account of a trip Capa and Steinbeck took together to Russia in the late 1940 s . Both men wanted to know what post - war Russia was really like ; Steinbeck wanted to write about it and Capa wanted to photograph it . Only Capa was censored ( to a small degree ) by the Russian government . I admire both men for what they did , i . e . , move to the top of their game without a lot of fanfare preceding them . However , the two were not kindred spirits . The friction experienced between the traveling companions adds a bit of charm to the journal . In fact , Steinbeck even allows Capa to write an entry in the journal detailing his annoyances with Steinbeck . Steinbeck was equally annoyed with Capa . To give any details of the book would be recapitulating what Steinbeck can say far better than I. It s a nice , short read . Once you get a taste for Robert Capa s personality in this book , order Blood and Champagne for a more in - depth picture of the man . 
Ilford FP 4 + in Panthermic 777 . 	 Last week , I shot a roll of Ilford HP 5 + and developed it in 777 . I wasn t expecting much . I don t know of anyone who uses 777 developer , and I cannot even buy it in the USA . It is available at Frugal Photographer in Canada , and I ordered two bags of it on a lark . I wouldn t have even known that 777 existed had I not mentioned on the Leica Users Group forum that I m trying to recreate the look of black and white photography from the mid - 20 th century . The three suggestions I got were ( 1 ) use 50 - year - old lenses , ( 2 ) use old style film ( such as the films still made in Slavic countries using 50 - year - old machinery and formulas ) , and ( 3 ) use older formulas of developers that have fallen out of favor . I did delve into pyro developers ( with good results ) and decided to use 777 based on its popularity with photojournalists back in the mid - 20 th century . The results I got from Ilford HP 5 + and 777 were pleasant . They were also the best results I have ever gotten from HP 5 + . These days , it takes a lot to get me excited . Having a developer work much better than I expected does get my attention . Ilford FP 4 + is one of my favorite films for pyro developers , so I decided to see what it would look like developed in 777 . I have used fine grain developers with fine grain film in the past , and the results were always mushy . Thus , I didn t hold much hope for this combination . Panatomic X developed in Microdol X looked like crap when I tried it back in the 70 s . If FP 4 + in 777 turned out to be a similar disaster , I could scratch 777 off my list of developers and simplify my life . It didn t turn out that way . The screen shots of the images don t do this combination justice . You really need to see the print to see the excellent scale , the rich grays , and the luminosity . Zones I - X are all there , all in their correct places . I m afraid that I have to put D - 76 away for the moment . I won t pour it down the sink ; I ll keep it in its completely filled amber bottle , under the sink . Perhaps I m having a hormonal imbalance here . This 777 developer looks like a chemist 's mistake . It has flecks of black garbage suspended in it . It couldn t care less which temperature you use . It prefers 75 F , but you can use it warm or cold and it still works . It lasts forever as long as you remember to replenish it with a jigger or so of unused 777 . The look is not as retro as I get with PMK Pyro , but I do like the effect . It is perhaps most similar to Kodak s D - 23 formula , the favorite of Zone System devotees . And it scans well . And it is supposed to get better and better with age . Well , I guess Foma 200 , Forte 200 , or Bergger 200 will be my next film for 777 . Stay tuned for results . This is just a grab shot at the zoo of a distant white tiger taking a snooze . Below it is an enlargement of the tiger portion of the photo to show detail . FP 4 + in 777 yields minimal grain while still retaining good detail . Actual enlargements from these scans look far better than the screen shots . 
Thursday Morning - Medium Recovery ( 6.5 kms / 63.7 kms ) I set out this morning and didn't feel good at all . I feltvery tired and also my lower right leg was very sore . Ihurt my leg a little doing the treadmill hill session theother day and it was feeling worse this morning . I ranfor a little while and decided that i would keep my runshorter to 6.5 kms instead of the usual 10 kms . I gotthrough it and have decided to have a 3 day breakfrom running until Monday morning . It 's certainlytime for a rest and an easy week so that it shall be . 
Wednesday Evening - Knox Masters ( 9 kms / 57.2 kms ) I ran down to the track again tonight as a warmup andproceeded to do some sprint drills when i arrived . Myintention was to run in the 100 m and then later in the 5 kms . I made sure that i did plenty of sets of high kneeskipping and bum kicks before doing a few strides . Ialso did 3 or 4 single step grandstand runs for legspeed and a few block starts .1 x 100 m - 1 st in ??? ( false start and no time ) . I hadto chase the false starters who i gave about 4 metresto but got them and possibly ran close to 13 s . Shortly before the 5 km race i did a bit more warmingup as i had cooled down a bit while the talk was on .1 x 5 km race - 14 th in 23:35 PB by 18 secs . To finish up i ran another 2 laps to cooldown and gota lift home again . 9 kms total distance tonight . 
Tuesday Morning - Medium Street Run ( 10 km / 48.2 km ) 10 kms again this morning and as i expected a muchbetter run than yesterday . I felt good most of the wayand finished up in 54:46 . A very pleasing run ! Later : Feeling very tired and have got the dreaded Tuesday headache again ! - No Boxing bags tonight . 
Monday Evening - Treadmill Hills ( 5 km / 38.2 kms ) Warmup 1.3 kms slow jogging pace then 2.3 kms of hills on the treadmill with 1 min each at 12 degsincline and 4 degs incline alternating . I then followedthis up with 400 m at 12 degs . This was all done ateasy pace and followed up with a 1 km cooldown run . To finish up tonight - a set of chairdips and pullups . Monday Morning - Medium Recovery Run ( 10 kms / 33.2 kms ) The usual Monday morning struggle through my 10 kmrecovery run . Not much to report other than i got throughit ok in 59:17 . 
Sunday Long Run - Knox Area - 23.2 kms . I headed out on my long run this morning with a looseplan of trying to make it a 3 / 1 type run . For those whoaren't familiar with it , that means something like tryingto do the last quarter of the run at a faster pace . Thefirst 3 or 4 kms didn't really feel all that comfortable andi thought that perhaps the previous heavy week mightbe taking it 's toll on me . I did find however that fromabout 6 kms onward i started to feel a bit better andthere were times when i actually felt really good ! Anyway i got through the first 10 kms in around 61 minsand did my usual quick stop for a snack and somewater . Then off again on the gradual rise that is thenext 6 kms where i turn around , have another quicksnack and water , and head back . This is about wherei thought it would be time to up the pace a little soin actual fact it 's a 4 / 1 run not a 3 / 1 . The final 4 kmswere appreciably quicker which isn't too hard to doas most of the last 4 km is a gradual downhill .20 kms in 1:59:20 and then another 3.2 kms at aslow recovery pace for cooldown back to my frontdoor . During my run today i heard a song on the radio whichreally inspired me , it just felt like a great runningsong so there it is over on the right . ( Oh how i lovethe piano !! ) A Quick Rant ! - There has been a bit of talk lately on the Ausrun forumabout " junk miles " etc. I just have to say that as anatural sprinter who 's weakness is aerobic endurance , today 's long run was all " quality " when you put it intocontext . For me , there is no such thing as junk milesand to be honest , i doubt that there is for anyone . 
Weekly Roundup . The week that was - 78.5 kms I was able to do a little more this past week as i didn't have the kids stay withme overnight .1 x Long Run - 24.5 kms ( easy pace ) 4 x Medium Runs - 40 kms ( easy pace ) 2 x Speed / Hills - 8 kms ( 50 / 50 - hard / easy ) 1 x Masters Racing / Training - 6 kms ( 20 / 80 - hard / easy ) 2 x Cycling / spinbike - 20 kms ( even pace ) 1 x ( 6 x 3 rnds ) Boxing bags 1 Full Rest day ( Saturday ) Total kms - Running 78.5 / Cycling 20 . 
Friday Morning - Medium Street Run ( 3.5 ) A very very cold and icy morning today so i made surei had the beanie and gloves for my run . Another goodsolid training run with the 10 kms completed in 56:19 . The extreme cold did perhaps make it a touch moredifficult to run freely but all in all i ' m pleased with the effort . 
Second floor , same as the first ... As you can see from the photos I have posted this evening , the demo of the second floor is well underway at this time . I also got draft revised plans for the second floor ( moving the " guest " bathroom onto the west wall ) . Still haven't figure out how the master bath / master closet will be configured . It helped a bit to go stand in the space although with the walls to the old bathroom still up and some of the cabinets still in the old kitchen it wasn't that realistic . 
Uncovering details . When the plaster and lathe was removed from the interior and exterior walls of the first floor we discovered two windows that were covered over when the additions were built . The two photos with the aqua colored plaster are of the exterior / back of the first floor - all that you can really see of the window is the arched bricks peaking out in the upper corner . There are similiar arched bricks over the doors which were probably for a door in the original house . The photo where can see lathe was taken from the southeast corner of the new kitchen - there is a brick arch at the top and the window opening is mostly hollow . This would have opened into the old first floor bathroom . We are planning to renovate both of the windows so the kitchen will not have three windows plus the door . The exception is that the window in the back will be higher than it was originally to accomodate the kitchen counters . 
Storm damage . These don't really have anything to do with the renovation but I thought I would post them . Alone they don't seem that bad but every street and all the trees looked like this after the storm . 
Progress . Here are some photos of the house tonight around 6:00 . The demo of the first floor interior and the two exterior additions is progressing along nicely . The crew was able to get a lot done even with the delays caused by the storms of last week . 
Inside and out . The bathroom addition is well on its way to being removed and work is progressing on the inside as well . The contractor , architect and I are meeting at the house Friday morning to discuss finalizing the plans . If the demo continues to go as planned almost all of the demo ( inside and out ) will be done by then . Yippie ! 
Look - no sunrooms ! Even more progress today . The walls of the sunrooms are completely down . The upper wall has had the plaster stripped off of it while the lower wall still has it ( the greenish stuff ) . I don't know if you can get enough detail in this photo but the brick work that is being uncovered is pretty rough so it will need major tuckpointing . It should ( but doesn't ) match the color of the strip that runs down the center of the house and on the left side ( the right half where it is dark is the fake shingle like stuff ) . You can also see that the demo has started on the " bathroom addition " as the upper window has been removed . I did not get up there to see what else might have been done . I was still in my suit and it was H O T so I didn't hang around that long tonight . The contractor and I met with the dispursing agent today also . The process is going to be a lot less complicated than we feared . That makes me very happy . Also , everything goes through me so I will know exactly what is being spent . That makes me even happier . The contractor also stated today the planned end date - October but no later than November is what she said . That makes me the happiest . Even if the project runs over by a month it will be done in six months . Finally , on day 3 of the construction the first dumpster was hauled away . 
Next part to rip off . The sunrooms are getting close to being a thing of the past which means the next part of the house to be taken off is the other addition . If you look at the second floor , that addition is basically the width of the bathroom on each floor . It is also the width of the hole that exists in the back brick wall of the house on both floors . Plus the door and window on each floor . My current thinking is to install windows approximately the size of the holes of the bathrooms - maybe a foot or so will be added on the bottom so the window is resting directly on the floor . Both doors will be at least partially filed in - on the first floor the wall for the new bathroom will be approximately in the middle of the door opening . On Monday we have a meeting with the disbursing agent to make sure everyone is on the same page regarding how people will get paid . I think later in the week we will need to meet with the architect to discuss moving the plans a little closer to final . If nothing else we need to finalize what is happening with the openings in the back wall ... 
Another report . I went over to the house this morning - before it got really hot - to see what had been done inside on Friday afternoon . The main thing is that there are " new " stairs to the basement . The old stairs previously went the other direction from the other side of the opening to the basement ( so if both stairs were there , a " X " would be formed ) . I think what they did was disassemble the old stairs and reverse them after they took down the wall / created the new opening to the basement ( where the camera is looking down used to not be open ) . They also took down the old plaster in the general vicinity . For those who have visited the house , if you are standing right outside the first floor bathroom and are facing the front of the house , there used to be an alcove of sorts across the " hall " between the old kitchen and the old bedroom . Now if you walk into the alcove and turn right , you would be staring downstairs . Eventually the current alcove opening will become a door so there is a sort of closet / landing which will be used to store brooms , mops , etc. 
More progress . The top photo is of the giant construction dumpster that is now lodged in my garage . And it isn't one of those half - sized dumpsters - its the real deal . Fortunately I have a longer than normal garage . As you can also see , the guys cleaned up the backyard - I guess they did this instead of taking the walls of the sunroom down . I suspect the neighbors are happy the yard is cleaned up so that is probably a good thing . However , the two floors and the ceiling are now gone which is why you can see up to the sky in the other photo . Over the lunch hour I dropped by and they were also working inside on what will become the new stairs to the basement ( so the hinged stair will not be needed ) . After work ( which is when I took these photos ) I did not go inside so I don't know what else might have been done inside . Although you can't see it in the photo , the dumpster is almost half full already . I do wonder how many dumpsters this project will go through - when my brother demolished part of his house for an addition the part removed was simply pulled off to an old silage pit on the property . It would have been nice if the same could have been done here . 
unmounting pressure . it 's getting to be a bit much at this point . i usually brush it off , and attempt to not let it affect my thought process , my reasoning . but with each phone call , each voicemail , it helps cloud my vision , and instead of helping their cause , it 's further pushing me away . i won't elaorate much more than that , but leave with these parting words ; i ' m not one to buckle to overbearing forces , for i stand more upright with each encounter .. 
backup . truthfully , as important as my photo files and video files and music files are to me , i don't think i ' d be too devastated if they were to all disappear . i spend a lot of time with my media [ photos in particular ] and pour a lot in it . it 's a never ending cycle of obtaining and controlling and manipulating and , and .. it 's a lot . but i love it ever so much . it 's like my escape from reality , a short time in which i can spend away from all the problems in life . i open up a photo book , watch some footage , listen to some tracks .. they all service my imagination , my soul , like wd 40 to a rusted and squeaky door hinge . i smile , i cringe , i laugh , i cry .. i fly away . maybe that 's why i back it up . what good is a vacation if there 's no way of getting there ? 
enjoy ! hello ladies and genteel men , welcome aboard flight 413 u . if you 're on your way to the land free of distortion , welcome ; if not , you should probably go back to work . now , some important safety information ; please do not contact anyone you would not label family or friends , or anyone willing to bring you back down . this is very vital , because these slight distractions can really throw us off our flight pattern , causing the oxygen masks to deploy and we may have to have an emergency landing is some desolate place like boise . please , unfasten your seatbelts , as they tend to cut off circulation and make you that much more uptight . to do this , pull on the metal tab and pull on the opposing strap . if you have children traveling with you , do this as well , and then place them in the overhead compartment . we are equipped with one exit , which doesn't work . sorry . our inflight movie will consist of sun , sand , surf , and some seaweed . unfortunately , to bring you this free movie , seaweed must be incorporated , but should you feel that it interferes too much with your relaxation , take a moment to take an oxygen mask and hurl the seaweed as far as humanly possible . preferably on someone who deserves it . should we encounter some turbulence , that 's just our pilots breaking up the clouds . now , when we land , please do becareful with the overhead compartments , as the children probably would have kicked around all of your baggage . oh , wait , that 's right , hopefully you left your baggage at home . please , enjoy ! 
ATTAAAAAACK | the warmth . lifewrestle it to the ground , put it in a choke hold . when it eventually breaks out and smashes a folding chair to your forehead , you take it and get ready to get up after getting raped with it 's elbow . then it 's your turn to dish out the hurt . [ tangent ] i be bobby you be whitney .. will you be my crackbitch ? we can live in desperation together .. huddle next to each other every fearful , neurotic , paranoid episode after a hit wears off . what do you say ? sound like something you wanna do ? we can suck dick for coke . together . [ end tangent ] that 's from an old post from my old journal . i was perusing through old pictures of my recently removed ex and myself . and i miss it . not her , but human contact . someone 's warmth . you know during the winter time , when you have to whip out the huge comforters and blankets , and you bundle yourself up at night , and when you wake up , you 're in such perfect comfort and warmth that you just don't want to get up for anything ? remember what it feels like to reach over in the cold morning and run your hand over the hot back of the one you 're with ? your finger tips melting with each successive inch , warming not only your body , but your soul ? something as slight at their radiating warmth is enough to fill you up with optimism and love , isn't it ? you can't help but put that retarded smile on your face and roll over , and instead of just taking in the warmth with your hand , you attach yourself like a suction cup and take as much of it in as you can , cause it 's exhilarating .. in the calmest , most serene way exhilarating can possibly be . it seems as if our bodies are perfectly sculpted to take fitment of a human being . from behind , placed in front , along the sides .. it works . the way the back arches so perfectly into your torso , how your arms just slide down alongside the ribs , how your legs intertwine like .. like legs , intertwining . how your face lines up into the nape of their neck , your lips teasing that tender area underneath the ear lobe , your fingers twirling around the stomach , your breath dancing along the shoulders .. the lack of words beside ' warmth ' and the lack of metaphors , i think , justifies the purity that involves this subject . nothing complex , just this feeling of love . unadulterated , bashful and playful , love . 
where we be . i find a map and draw a straight lineover rivers , farms , and state linesthe distance from here to where you ' d beit 's only finger lengths that i seei touch the place , where i ' d find your facemy finger in creases of distant dark placesi hang my coat up in the first barthere is no peace that i ' ve found so farthe laughter penetrates my silenceas drunken men find flaws in sciencetheir words mostly noisesghosts with just voicesyour words in my memoryare like music to mei ' m miles from where you areas i lay down on the cold groundi , i pray that somethings picks me upand sets me down in your warm arms _ snow patrol . 
unavoidable . it 's bound to happen . being restricted all your life , you yearn to break free , to get out . instinct comes into play , and with it goes any sort of reasoning , any sort of mechanical thought process that tells you what you ought to do . what you ought to do is follow that instinct and throw away the social acceptances that are forced upon us . afterall , we 're animals .... just with speech and tools . 
friends . uplifting painful gut wrenching euphoric devastating joyful hopeful renewed torn angered overpowered bewildered lonely fulfilled burdened desperation anticipation anxious depressed surprised elation exhaustion excitement exhileration admiration awe completion proud longinglife , and its ups and downs . but you know what ? your true friends will be there through the trials and tribulations . this isn't a given , but it is when you feel it there , in your heart . and i ' m lucky to have that , 2 fold . even when everything else goes to shit , you ' ve always got this . 
smile .. again . the feeling is back ! happiness is a by product of life [ as are other things , but especially this at the moment ] . happiness , as any other emotion , can come in waves .. waveafter waveafter waveand i ' m welcoming it . it feels like i was just thrown from the desert into a pool of the purest water that man can come across , and it 's the most refreshing thing . really , it is . i ' m already rejuventated . 
today .. .. is meaningless . in all of life 's tragedies , the most common one must be the waste of a day . a day that could ' ve been the most spec - tac - ular fucking day of your life is spent doing the same old routine that you ' ve been accustomed to doing . sleeping through life , joyless , meaningless . but that changes . TODAY . today i embark on a road to rediscover freedom , to rediscover what i ' ve missed out on . today is the first day of the rest of my life . and no , i ' m not graduating from any sort of academic institution , i ' m just breaking out . 
innocence . have we lost all sense of it ? fun for the grunt of us can no longer consist of something as simple as a swing in a park on a sunny day , or a run along the waves at the beach . now we 're subjected to the idea that fun has to be obtained at the cost of our untempered youth . drugs sex and rock ' n roll bitches , that 's what life 's all about . if you can remember the night , then you weren't having enough fun . it 's as if we 're all trying to escape something , attempting to put something away that perturbs us so much that we 're willing to drink ourselves to oblivion with no regards to the damage we inflict .. the manner in which we confront the complexities is more than unacceptable , but more so a sign of vulnerability , a sign of weakness . you obviously cannot handle the pressures of life if you have to turn to the bottle or hash everything stress occurs . It 's just a coverup , pushing off a load to be dealt with later , like sweeping the dust under the carpet . i ' m just left wondering where things got complicated , distorted . 
up there . there 's something that resides above the clouds . something that separates you from everything you ' ve become attached . something that leaves you feeling refreshed , something that leaves you with renewed vigor . it tickles and strokes at your senses ; the way the cotton rubs ever so gently behind your arm , the sound of distant bells that leave a magical jingle floating in the air , the smell of air so pure , that it can't possibly be the same substance we 're so used to taking in .. this is the place i want to be . call it a pipedream if you will , but this is what i ' m striving for . a place where the senses and the soul come together and reside in perfect harmony , a place where the flow of energy is as abundant as fish in the sea and where true enlightenment is but a deep thought away . it must be lonely at the top .. 
the smell .. she smelled of pure lust . it wasn't a fragrance , a perfume ; it was her scent , her signature . this was the first time i was ever arrested in this manner , and it was so sudden , so abrupt . i never saw it coming . she came in and asked for some ipod accessories , and i was more than happy to assist her . she wasn t anything out of the ordinary ; average height , ordinary dress for women in their early 30 s , nothing spectacular in her looks or build . i work in a mall , so we get a lot of fashionistas and attention whores , so she didn't make herself standout the slightest . i walked from behind the counter and she followed me to the wall of ipod shit . i began telling her about the boring details of the lame underpowered fm transmitters and ugly cases that cost 300 x more than they should .. until it hit me . i for one am not a fan of deodorant or perfume or cologne * , and this was no perfume . it was unlike any aroma i have ever passed through my nose , and just equally indescribable . nothing subtle about it , it was as if she grabbed me by the ears and smacked me with her pussy . i fell under her hypnosis , lost in a see of fantasy and lust . my mind went from a robotic stance to one of untapped yearning and hunger for her loving . i wanted to lunge and worship her right there on the sales floor , without thought or consequence . i wanted to drown in the juices of our lush desires and join together as an organism without prejudices or inhibitions . iwantedtofuckherbrainsouti don't remember how our conversation ended , but she said goodbye and left me where i stood , still in a trance merely from her smell . It was the oddest [ albeit alluring ] thing i ' ve yet to experience in my short time in the world of grownups , and has yet to unfortunately repeat itself . as far as smell goes , i enjoy the smell of the human body . you have to understand , i am one without body odor , when i sweat , i leave no trace . you could put your nose within an inch of my body and not smell a thing . but most everbody else has a scent , and the scent on most women are appealing . something about the animalistic nature gets to me , the fact that a whiff of your aroma attacks a sense that doesn't often get utilized . * unless you have horrendously offensive body odor . 
quit yer cryin ' . for a time , it seemed as if everyone had no heart . feelings were brushed aside and people didn't care . it was the cool thing to do . just go around acting like you don't give 2 shits about someone , and it was normal . hell , people enjoyed it . be tough , suck it up , stop crying . these aren't those timesthings have changed . it 's been like this for a while now , but it just never seemed this prevalent . no longer are you seeing as many people being rowdy and rough , but softly spoken and emotional . EMO . ok , taken , i ' m only speaking of a small percentage here , but when it 's something that stands out as much as it does , it lends itself to criticism . maybe i ' m wrong , and maybe it 's because i ' m looking in all the right places , but since when was it ok to be the biggest sap everyone knows ? everyone knew that one person , you know , the guy who was always down in the dumps , luck never looking his way , spirit permanently crushed . we all knew this guy . he genuinely hurt , and it was painful to watch . and in the advent of these emo posers , everyone is quick to slit their wrists and cry about anything and everything . there 's a clear cut difference between feeling true pain and just being overtly extroverted about your sorrows , a difference between being under torturous conditions and merely claiming so . the truth is you could slit my throatand with my one last gasping breathi ' d apologize for bleeding on your shirt _ taking back sundayi ' m sorry , but this is what i ' m talking about , the overarching of this nonexistent pain . and again , i ' m probably wrong , but when today 's youth are all moping around moaning and bitching about the lack of attention they receive from their peers is really all getting to me . why ? cause i ' m the definition of emo , only not . you cannot call yourself gothic because you paint your face white and wear eyeliner and black clothes . that doesn't cut it . you can't call yourself emo because you take bad pictures of yourself looking like you 're about to burst into tears because your mom didn't get you a frappacino . it 's the same idea , and i proclaim myself emo because i feel emotions on a level that isn't common within my peer group . so i don't cry every time i see a commercial about starving ethiopians , but i feel genuine emotions often and choose to do so . anger , joy , sadness , love , i pride myself on these . i get connected when someone talks to me , really listening to what 's being said , instead of waiting for my turn . i think that 's where i separate myself . instead of telling the world how much i feel , i let the world tell me how much they feel , and i ' ll feel it with them . i ' m here for the ride , bitch . so , stop crying , stop bitching , and open your eyes . life 's full of joy and happiness , there 's no damn need to be so depressed all the time , no need to announce your " tortured " soul to those who are probably deaf to your monotonous cries . smile : D . 
break free . as i watch the setting suni wonder if i ' m the only oneas i look ahead of mepray for sanitycause everybody tries to put some love on the lineand everybody feels a broken heart sometimeseven when i ' m scared i have to try to flysometimes i fallbut i ' ve seen it done beforei ' ve got to break outstep outside these walls . 
pull back !! move forward !! am i sad in this picture ? i don't know , it was taken over a year ago . i ' m at a dilemma , and though i know where i ' m at , i have to take a step back and look at what 's presented . i like a girl , far far away . need i say more ? in the midst of a connection , i became way too comfortable . i bared too much , much too soon . i ' ve let my defenses down , and for some reason , i feel as if i ' m going to pay for it , dearly . i don't trust people easily , if at all . but here , i opened myself up and made myself comfortable in the dark . in the dark of a dragon 's lair ?? or gods ' heaven ?? that 's what i don't know , but i ' m starting to question the authenticity in which we 're surrounded . i wanted to believe that i was in the company of someone like minded , someone that genuinely felt things in the same manner that i have felt . someone that has a heart . it 's not that i ' m pessimistic , i ' m just weary , and i threw that belief away , made an exception . and i ' m gonna hurt for it .. 
Nothing Ever Happens Anymore ... I mean , for real . Nothing . Not a thing . Ever since they started pumping smooth jazz into the 40 th Floor Sky Garden and Restaurant , things just haven't been the same . See , the wall by my desk is made of glass and it overlooks the 40 th floor . All day long I can hear saxophones and flutes moaning sleepily through the glass wall . Every now and then I ' ll hear a tune I recognize ( I had no idea " Till There Was You " from The Music Man was so popular ) , but it ' ll be played by a jazz saxophonist on Nyquil who has no idea that I ' m trying to work up here . I think someone 's confused . This is an office building , not a beach - side cabana that serves refreshing pina coladas and delicious hams . Mmm ... hams ... 
It 's not a too - mah . Oh wait ... yes it is . For those of you who don't know , yesterday 's minor surgery didn't go quite as expected . The doctor opened my head up , looked inside , and found nothing . Big surprise there ! Wait ... that came out all wrong . What I mean to say is that little / large bump on the back of my head is a calcified cyst . It 's pretty much bone . The doctor stitched me back up and said they were going to have to send me right over to the general surgeon -- there was nothing she ' d be able to do . My appointment is for tomorrow at 3:30 . You know what that means ! Half - day tomorrow ! Wahoo ! I was just about to Mapquest the address when I took a look at the diagnosis . " Neoplasm on scalp . " I had already googled every possible combination of " calcified cyst " ( cyst , calcification , removal from back of head / calcified cyst , head / sebaceous cyst , calcified , removal / cyst , life threatening , terminal , extremely painful , scary ) so I thought , hey ! I ' ll plug in " Neoplasm " and see what happens ! Now I wish I hadn't . Surely there 's nothing to worry about ... is there ? Neoplasm . 
Closing Doors . This morning I sent my Two Weeks Notice mail to Mr. Archibald thanking him for a swell time up on the 42 nd Floor these past two years . Oooh . Notice all the twos . Two weeks notice ... two years ...42 ... I also have two eyes , two ears , two cats -- wait ... I don't have two cats . I have one cat . I guess Nelson could be made into two cats but I don't own a saw . And for my next trick ... Has anyone else noticed that , no matter how many carrots you eat , they never fill you up ? In fact , I feel hungrier after having eaten twenty baby carrots than I did before ! Oh yeah . Midsummer closed on Saturday . Not that I care . It doesn't matter to me . Not once has it even occurred to me that the show is really over . I haven't thought about it at all because it 's not important in the long run . So I try not to think about it and , really , I don't think about it which is a very healthy way to deal with something that is , ultimately , not that important . Not important at all . To me , anyway . It was an intense little journey . A wild ride . I ' ll never forget it . Rest in peace , Midsummer Night 's Dream : the Musical ! 
Sour Grapes . I auditioned for Everycity Shakespeare 's fall production of Much Ado About Nothing . I thought , " What the heck ? After seeing my performance as Puck in Midsummer , they ' ll probably want to use me as the young romantic lead . That would certainly pad my resume quite nicely ... to have all these kooky roles and then a very serious dramatic sort of role stuck in there for good measure . That might be worth postponing my move to the NYC for ! " I wore one of my new outfits to the audition . I did my hair so it would fall just so , partially obscuring the right side of my face in a moment of Elizabethan passion . I looked very young romantic Shakespeare lead . And I got called back for constable Dogberry 's sidekick , the dottering old man . The smallest part in the show . Sure , I was confused and slightly insulted , but I went to the callback anyway , still looking every bit the young lead , hoping my appearance would cause the director to think , " What am I doing calling him back for the comic walk - on role ? Am I retarded ? I must be ! This guy is so dreamy and talented . And look at that beautiful hair ! I bet he 's got so many six packs under that untucked button - up shirt of his , it 's like a St. Patrick 's day party down there ! " Why weren't they letting me read for the young lover ? I found out why when Mungo walked in the door . His hair was buzzed , he had a swell tan , wore a very tight black shirt ... and had the most disproportionately LARGE arms I can remember seeing on a person . " You ' ve got to be kidding , " I thought as I looked at this dude 's dull , empty eyes . " They 're gonna cast him . They 're freakin ' gonna cast this guy as Claudio just because he 's got huge guns . " I was not a happy camper on the drive home . " Freakin ' rassafrackin ' big arms ! Grouchafrackin ' probably can't act ! Bluster barfin ' blithering biceps ! " I went to the park last night to see a little bit of The Tempest . One of the actors was running late . I was sitting in the very back of the lawn where I could observe everything . As I was people - watching , the late actor come in . No , it wasn't Mungo . It was someone else . But , like Mungo , he had the same deformity . He was wearing a sleeveless shirt and his monsterous arms fairly screamed , " Hey America ! I do steroids ! " I observed those freakish limbs and thought how peculiar it was that , having seen the show two and a half times , they didn't leave an impression on me . Then I realized why they didn't leave an impression . Because you never see them ! They 're completely covered up by his flouncy pirate shirt ! The dude probably came into the audition and the director thought , " Wow ! He looks like he could kick some pirate ass ! Let 's cast him ! " " But sir , " says the stage manager , " There aren't any pirates in this show . There is no pirate ass - kicking . " " Who cares ! I ' m so dazzled by his disproportion that I just HAVE to cast him ! " Then -- and this happens EVERY time -- the costume designer completely covers them up . All we 're left with is a bad actor who has crazy - big arms we never even see . Why do directors DO that ? 
A Little Update . Things is crazy , folks . The show is almost over . The job is almost over . A - Dub and Dr. No have left Everycity for Wackytown . My sister 's gonna have a baby . Candie , the receptionist , is gonna have a baby . Mr. Weatherby , second in command to Mr. Archibald , came into the office yesterday to say his final farewell ( he has terminal cancer ) . Everything is insane in the Middle East . That temp , Yasriel , is about to make me quit this job MUCH earlier than I anticipated . Next Monday I get my brains removed . It 's time to start the move to New York . And worst of all ... last night ... I... this is so hard ... I had ... I had a piece of cheesecake . 
Best Ever , week 28 . I almost didn't do one this week . I mean , look at the headlines ! The turmoil ! The fighting ! The fires ! The cysts ! I thought , " Gee , this week 's ' Best Ever ' is going to have to be something sarcastic like hippies or lawn mowers . " But after giving it some thought , I found something about this week that really and truly made me happy . BEST EVERweek 28 My Bed There 's a place you can go where nothing can touch you -- where everything is soft and warm . You try to get to that place at work when no one is looking . You sometimes try to get there while driving . But the only proper way to reach the realm of the subconscious is to do it in one of these bad boys : a bed . My bed has a comfy mattress and one of those foam egg - crate things under the sheets . It 's like sleeping on a cloud . It 's the ultimate . Whenever I feel like I just can't go on , it 's always there waiting for me . It 's faithful . It 's steadfast . It 's my best friend . And that 's why my bed is this week 's BEST EVER . 
Right Behind . I expect faithful fans of the Left Behind series have all wet their pants by now . Now me , I don't really know what 's going on over there . I don't know if the Second Coming is upon us or what . But at the rate they 're going , I guess now 's as good a time as any to confess a few sins I ' ve been meaning to talk to the Almighty about . All these bombs and missiles and twisted scraps of metal ... kinda makes you wonder how a person can put on tight white star pants and sing to a large , tipsy audience seeking refuge from the worries of the day . I guess that 's sort of what theatre is about , huh ? In other news , things did not turn out well for our ever - hopeful friend , Jude Fawley . Yes , folks , I finally made it to the other side of Thomas Hardy 's classic tale of futility and broken dreams , Jude the Obscure . And what a tale it was . Long before Arthur Miller attempted to shock the world with the notion that great , sweeping tragedy isn't exclusive to ancient rulers of Greece , but also to your average working - class man , Hardy had already done it . All Jude ever wanted was to be a preacher . All he ever wanted was to be heard . All he ever wanted was to make a difference in a world that just didn't give a crap . I guess the thing to take away from Jude 's little tale is that , no matter how much you wish , no matter how hard you try , sometimes the world just says No. Then you get consumption and die . Irony It 's kind of like what the Duchess tells Alice . " Everything 's got a moral if only you can find it . " The moral of today 's headlines , for example , would probably be , " Don't mess with Israel or you ' ll get your ass handed to you with extreme prejudice . " . 
Dave M. scampers over this century old white pine that was blasted down during our recent " weather event . " This tree is at least 100 feet long , not tall anymore , and was felled into the lake off Murphy Island . 
WOW , What a storm !!! It 's pretty amazing what a couple of minutes of Mother Nature at her snarlinest can do . At around 5:30 pm Monday we had quite the storm event . Although Environment Canada wouldn't confirm tornado activity , even though my sister - in - law saw a funnel cloud , we did receive massive winds and " downbursts " which did tornado - like damage . The storm ravaged a huge area from as far west as Sault St. Marie to close to Quebec City . Our area , Verner , 60 km west of North Bay , to Mattawa , 60 km east , was pretty heavily hit . Thousands of trees were either snapped off or uprooted , hundreds of hydro poles destroyed and countless power lines downed . The " downbursts " , at least in the populated areas , seemed to wipe out trees and hydro poles and lines while sparing most homes and buildings . It was pretty wild to see the massive destruction all around and find the trees that were downed fall short of houses . We were pretty fortunate around our house and ended up with a few downed trees and huge poplars that were semi - uprooted and that are now leaning at a 45 degree angle . They will have to be taken down . Thousands of homes lost power , and many are still without power . We lost power for 66 hours . It was hard keeping the beer chilled ! The photos above are of the Calander Bay lighthouse on Lake Nipissing . The winds just smashed it down . 
You 're Missing The Point . I cannot comprehend why offices would go out of their way to buy special blue ( non - recycled ) plastic garbage pails to use as recycling bins , when they could instead be using some of the many cardboard boxes they are always throwing away . Do you not understand the recycling concept ? 
Hello Bob , I ' m Not Your Grandma Circa 1985 . Thank God your voicemail instructed me to leave a message at the tone . Automated answering services have been ubiquitous for over 25 years now , but I admit , sometimes that beep still confuses me . I often panic " What did that beep just mean ? Is this Bob or not ? Hello , Bob ? . 
I Simply Cannot Relate to Breast Implants . It 's like having a canary , but you don't exactly like it s song . So you kill it , stuff it , and install a digital player with exactly what you want . It s a good song you 're hearing , but it 's not a bird ... it 's a dead thing that sounds similar to a bird . 
What Is the True Nature of Blogging ? As is typical , I am having one of those self - conscious introspective moments wherein the blogger questions Is this just narcissism ? Am I contributing anything besides self - indulgent diary updates ? Does the 49 Words format somehow justify this as a writing exercise ? Not looking for responses , merely pondering aloud . 
Should I Stay Or Should I Go ? My post soliciting relocation ideas wasn t just idle chatter I ve returned from an informative four - day scouting mission in North Carolina . Largely exactly how I d envisioned some aspects better , some worse , some completely different than imagined . Now I ve got a lot of serious thinking and planning ahead of me . 
The Spirit Of The Season . Okay , okay , there s been enough talk about today being 6 / 6 / 6 and all that . Society needs to look past all of the rampant commercialism that plagues holidays like this one and get back to the core of what it s all about . Gathering the family and listening to some fucking Slayer . 
Gas - Powered Idiot II. One car in the shop with exhaust leak issues , one motorcycle in the shop with carburetor and electrical issues , one fridge awaiting repairman s visit with temperature issues , one lawnmower being ignored with engine stalling issues . This was not a good weekend , mechanically . Luckily I m getting better at stress management . 
I Am Not Sick Today . When you 're sick , you think , " Damn , I feel like crap " and you wish you weren't sick . But when you are not sick , you don't think about how you 're not sick . You should . You should take the time to appreciate when everything 's working right . I am not sick today . Awesome . 
The Hair Piece . I ve decided next haircut I m going straight skinhead . Wife pointed out you need to be either black or burly to pull it off , and I m neither . At least I ve neither goatee nor glasses so won t appear hipster , more likely will appear pubescent . But who knows , it might work out . 
Is There An Echo In Here ? One thing that gets me giddy is going thru a passionate fanatical phase with musical genres . After listening to a sound clip posted on Soul Strut yesterday , a blazing fire quickly grew around dub , which I haven t heard in years . This morning alone I have purchased three dub albums . SOUND SYSTEM ! 
Never Trust The White Devil . I ve been doing an okay job on things I ve recently vowed to give up caffeine and television - they re still around ( mostly thanks to the baby situation ) but in much better moderation . Once my current stash is depleted , I will kick my worst vice of all a serious candy addiction . 
Stop Whining And Study For Once . I finally drew the connection this semester students who email me pre - semester to beg me to sign into my already full class are the same who fail , complain , make excuses , and unreasonably demand special extra - credit opportunity . Early warning of slackers who expect special treatment . Solution : No late additions . 
My Wife 's Pet Peeve . Many people go on about Your baby is so cute , I just want to kidnap her and take her home ! as if that wasn t a parent s worst nightmare . Threatening a violent crime is not a complement . Would they say Judy , your haircut looks so great , I could rape you ! ? 
Let 's Go Dutch . As of today it s official my brother s bachelor party is at the end of July , in Amsterdam . Hash bar patronage is a life - goal of mine , but it couldn t come at a more broke - ass time . Time to ramp up the e Bay machine ! Anyone need a Kustom amplifier collection ? 
Introducing The Rarely - Updated Stepchild . As much as I still love the 49 Words brevity writing concept , I have come to accept that some days there are just long - winded rants that gotta come out and cannot be possibly edited back to 49 words . Therefore , a secondary dumping ground : Way More Than 49 Words . 
Der Fuhrizzle . In an attempt to piggyback on prepackaged infamousness , thug rappers have co - opted the names of such notorious historical figures and glitzy criminals as Capone , Dillinger , Noriega , Gotti , Gambino , Escobar , 50 Cent , et cetera ... yet none have dared go for the brass ring of evil and call themselves MC Hitler . 
It 's Not Bigotry If It 's Fact . Last night was the first time in my nine years of parking on the street in downtown Boston that my car got broken into . Is it coincidence that it was also the first time I parked on the route of an Immigration Rally parade ? I m just wondering is all . 
I Could Still Use A Nap . Finally life is getting back to it s expected rhythms I m back at work after paternity leave , and the in - laws will be moving out soon . I m not going to turn this into a daddy blog ( tho I m considering starting one up ) but here are Bells and Benzo at two weeks . 
Fate 's revenge has arrived . It s finally come to pass sporting the stylish hat , Annabelle Moxie . 4 pounds 14 ounces . plus her one minute older brother , Benjamin Maceo . 6 pounds 4 ounces . Mom and kids are in great shape , but we re all tired as hell . So tired I can t think of nine more words . 
Disco Balls , Aisle Eleven . I do all the grocery shopping these days , and selecting produce while dancing to James Brown brings smiles to not only me but also my fellow shoppers , I ve noticed . Unfortunately radio reception stinks within the cavernous superstore , so I suppose I ll break down and finally buy an MP 3 player . 
Goin ' Where The Climate Suits My Clothes . I am in the middle of a full - blown early - midlife crisis and one of the things killing me is my love - hate relationship with New England . The weather screws with my minor - league Seasonal Affective Disorder . Post continued in comments ( yeah , I m cheating ) ; I m looking for relocation advice . 
Oh , You Know You Do It Too . I recently stumbled across Veromi , some kind of pay us to gather public records you could get yourself but don t site . I have since been addicted . From ex - girlfriends new married names to celebrities past addresses to coworkers ages , it makes anyone a cyberstalking professional . Seder ! Southfield , Michigan ! Fifty - three ! 
Daddydom Is Looming . Updates from the womb : the twins are fighting to get out . We spent a few days in the hospital this week , convincing them to stay put , as there s still a month and a half to go . Wife s promoted to bedrest . I have not gotten laid in over 7 months . 
My Weekly Career Crisis . Jobs can be broken out into two categories ones where you work with people ( nursing , teaching , construction ) and ones where you work against people ( sales , advertising , finance ) . I have a job where I work against people . I think I need the other kind . After 14 years , I m burned out . 
Spinning Blades & Sun Rays . Friday s windstorms brought an 80 - foot or so pine tree across my driveway . It was like a gift ... some quality time outside with my ( just tuned up ) chainsaw always makes me happy , plus I already had an amigo coming for the weekend who s a woods - dwelling carpenter . Good times . 
It 's All Pimp Philosophy . My Valentine s Day Philosophy , as posted elsewhere earlier today : If you think you have to splurge today , you probably do , ' cuz you 're not sure if you ' ve been taking care of business . If you know that you ' ve been loving your woman properly , neither of you even notice Valentine s Day . Thoughts ? 
Gas - Powered Idiot . Whenever I attempt to teach myself basic mechanical skills , I jump in with both feet ( and almost always pay a mechanic to bail me out ) . Last weekend I disassembled intimidating parts of my motorcycle , and ended up getting it back together with no extra parts on the carpet . Hooray ! 
Molding Even More Minds . Is it worth putting the children in daycare , when the costs would eat up about 65 % of my wife s take - home pay ? It makes much more sense to me to just start our OWN day - care center instead . Then we get 65 % of someone else s take - home pay . Hmmm ... 
That 's Like The World Series Of Football , Right ? I have commissioned a research project that shows 57 % ( + / - 2 % margin of error ) of New Guinean Highlanders care more about the Super Bowl than I do . I personally celebrated by visiting a new much - hyped grocery store that has been too crowded to patronize ( disappointed ) and watching some Puppy Bowl . 
Smile ! You Suck ! I hate professional confrontations , especially with women but today I have to act like the manager I am and file an official warning letter with a sub - par new hire . To lighten the mood , I wish I could have it delivered by a singing clown , wouldn t that be sweet ? 
At Least I Wrote A Blog Entry . Lunchtime is my productivity killer . Today I got a great morning rhythm going things getting done , high energy level . Just when I m really kicking along , the cafeteria opens and if you re not there by 12:30 , it s slim pickings . Eating turkey and reading Fark bring sluggishness impossible to recover from . 
Walking For Weight Loss Control . Do you believe that something as simple as walking can be one of the easiest forms of weight loss control there is ? Even if you are out of shape or just not athletically inclined , walking may be your perfect solution to weight loss control . Walking as exercise has so many benefits especially if you combine it with a weight loss program . Walking also helps maintain your muscle mass and metabolism . People who diet without exercising usually gain weight with time . Although your weight may initially drop when dieting , the weight loss results consist mostly of water and even muscle . When the weight returns , it comes back as fat . But if you just walk daily , it increases your metabolism and you can avoid this weight gain . By the same token , if you exercise without maintaining a balanced diet it is no more beneficial than dieting while remaining inactive . If you want to lose weight , it 's more important to walk longer than the speed you walk . In fact , walking at a moderate pace yields longer workouts with less soreness . That leads to more miles and more calories and fat burned on a regular basis . It 's your everyday habits that define your weight and body composition . Did you know if you take a three minute walk after each meal you ' ll lose four pounds of body fat annually ? Two flights of stairs a day burns off half a pound of body fat a year . But think about this ; one candy bar eaten daily will pile on 20 pounds of fat annually . You need to walk one hour to burn up the calories in one candy bar . When it comes to good health and keeping your weight loss under control , exercise and diet are interrelated . Set more reasonable goals , such as losing one pound per week . Add walking exercise to your weight loss program and you ' ll see good results and better weight loss control . Copyright 2006 Fat - Burning - Secret . com All Rights Reserved . This article is supplied by " Fat Burning Secrets " that gives you lists of negative calorie and fat burning compatible foods that you can buy at any regular supermarket and fat burning exercises that can be done with or without fitness equipment . 
Can You Improve Credit Ratings ? Once your credit score is low is it possible to improve credit ratings ? It 's hard to know what to believe when it comes to credit report repair , isn't it ? That 's because the credit bureaus would like to have you think you are stuck with bad credit . But the truth is there is absolutely nothing illegal about disputing questionable items on your credit report . In fact , it is your explicit right by law to do so by the Fair Credit Reporting Act . Credit report repair is as legal as pleading " not guilty " in a court of law . The federal Fair Credit Billing Act accords consumers the right to request extensive information regarding billing and account history . The Truth in Lending Act stipulates conditions for establishing credit accounts . And , the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act allocates specific rights to citizens regarding accounts that have passed into collection status . Yet the credit bureaus make it almost impossible to improve credit ratings and many people end up giving up and just living with the bad credit nightmare because of that . But with the price of housing and transportation constantly on the rise , a poor credit score wastes thousands of dollars of your hard earned money . For those with poor credit , higher interest rates drive the cost of living up even more , making even trivial purchases seem difficult . Having poor credit affects more than your finances , it can attack your sense of security , and greatly limit your financial freedom . But you don't have to put up with bad credit because not only is credit report repair within your rights but the freedom to do so is protected by law . The cost of improving your credit is actually much easier than most people think it is . For less than your monthly cable bill , you can start the fight to improve your credit today . Legal credit repair is the easiest way to do it and when you consider the costs , how can you afford to not improve your credit ? Legal Credit Repair Find out how easy legal credit repair can be with Lexington Law who will fight to remove negative , inaccurate , misleading or unverifiable ( " questionable " ) items from your credit reports , so you can improve your credit , and start living life without limitations . Copyright 2006 Bad Credit Mortgage Tip . com All Rights Reserved . This article is supplied by Bad Credit Mortgage Tips . com where you can get mortgage information , refinancing tips and browse our recommended bad credit lenders . 
The True Cause Of Acne . Do you know what the cause of acne is ? People of all ages , lifestyles , and backgrounds can develop acne , and the causes can be different for each person . Knowing your skin type and how to care for it is the first step to understanding what the true cause of your acne is . If you have oily skin , you don't want to use a facial cleanser containing oil because your body is already producing a good amount of it . On the other hand , if your skin is dry , you don't want to use a product that is oil free . one of the most common myths is that oily skin does not need to be moisturized . But oil is not moisture , and your skin needs moisture . Determining the cause and caring for your type of acne , as well as properly caring for your skin is crucial in curing acne . The skin is the largest organ in the human body and proper care must be given to make sure it works correctly . Topical treatments are used on the surface of the skin . These work by helping to keep your pores open , eliminating excess dirt and oil , and getting rid of unwanted bacteria . Other medications that can be taken orally help eliminate excess oils by keeping the body from producing it , along with various other medical remedies that help treat acne . Before you can treat it , however , you need to understand what is causing it . Hormones can also play a major part in causing acne . In adolescence , the changes the body goes through can cause constant breakouts , while in adult years , bodily changes , such as premenstrual and pre menopausal episodes , can cause breakouts to continue . While any hormonal excess can promote acne , the male hormones are most notorious for doing so . The body produces more oil , which can block pores and cause breakouts . Using products that help eliminate or control oil may helpif this is the cause of your acne . Stress can even be a contributing factor to the presence of acne . When you are stressed , the body releases certain hormones and chemicals which can produce toxicities that cause acne . Environment can influence acne , as well as lifestyle . The products you use can also effect your acne . If you are not using the proper products to counteract acne , you may see an increase in breakouts . It is also important to keep the skin properly hydrated and moisturized . Learn how to care for your particular skin type and try to eliminate the factors that are causing your acne . Copyright 2006 All Acne Cures . com All Rights Reserved . This article is supplied by All Acne Cures . com where you can learn how to care for your particular skin type and educate yourself with experts who offer natural remedies and acne cures that work . 
Common Credit Score Myths . Credit score myths about fico score ratings are everywhere . Sometimes even lenders can give you poor advice and it 's becomes hard to know who or what to believe . Bad information can cost you a lot of money no matter who you get it from and that can lead to higher mortgage payments . Fico score ratings are used in most all mortgage lending and you need to know what will hurt or help your credit score . So to make it clear , here are the most common credit score myths . Checking your credit report will hurt your credit score Checking your own credit report or credit score counts as a soft inquiry and does not go against your score . However , if a lender or anyone other than you is checking your credit report , this is considered a hard inquiry and generally lowers your score about 5 points . The credit score rating system treats multiple inquiries in a 14 - day period as just one inquiry . The system ignores all inquiries made within 30 days prior to the day the credit score is computed . So if you want to minimize the damage from credit inquiries , shop for a loan in that short period of time . Closing old accounts will improve your credit report score Often , lenders will tell you to close your old and inactive accounts as a way for improving your credit report score . But in most cases , closing old accounts will actually have the opposite effect with the current credit score rating system . Canceling old credit accounts can actually lower your credit score because it makes your credit history appear shorter . If you really have to close any accounts , it 's better to reduce or close newer accounts instead . Applying for new credit is generally what hurts your score more than older accounts . You need to check more than just FICO score rating If you ever hear this from anyone , consider it a red flag . All of the three major credit reporting bureaus offer FICO credit score ratings using the formula developed by Fair , Isaac . But each one gives a different credit score . The reason each of the three major credit reporting bureaus will have three different scores is because they don t all share the same data . So when checking your credit report , make sure it comes from the three major credit reporting bureaus : Experian , Trans Union and Equifax . Examine your credit reports from all three major credit reporting bureaus before you apply for a big loan like a mortgage . Then , fix any errors in all three reports before you shop for a loan . Credit counseling will hurt your score The current FICO credit score rating system ignores any reference to credit counseling that may be in your file . The researchers at Fair , Isaac , the company that created the FICO credit scoring rating system , found that people getting credit counseling didn t default on their debts any more often than anyone else . But if you have had any late payments with creditors that will hurt your credit score . Credit counseling can hurt your ability to get a loan because you probably have had trouble paying creditors . Some lenders will not consider lending you money if you are in credit counseling . Others may , but will charge you higher interest rates than if you had perfect credit . The best way to improve your credit report score is paying your bills on time and paying down credit card debt . Check your credit report regularly for any errors and make sure you don't fall for any of these common credit score myths . Copyright 2006 Bad Credit Mortgage Tips . com. com All Rights Reserved . This article is supplied by Bad Credit Mortgage Tips . com where you can browse our recommended lenders , get bad credit mortgage information and refinancing tips . 
How To Calculate Body Fat Percentage . Ever wonder how to calculate your body fat percentage ? When most of us think about about losing weight , we tend to focus on the scales . But the amount of fat you are carrying around is actually much more important than weight . If you should be measuring anything , it should be body fat percentage , not weight . Your weight does not accurately reflect your level of your fitness and can be misleading for overall health . Body fat is measured with what is known as Body Mass Index , or BMI . A women that is in shape should have a body fat percentage range somewhere between 21 % and 31 % . A woman who is in fantastic shape , could have a body fat percentage as low as 10 % . For men , if you are fit and in shape , your body fat percentage should fall between 14 % and 25 % . If you are in excellent shape , your body fat percentage could be as low as 2 % . Here is how to calculate your own body fat percentage . Write down how much you weigh but you have to be honest for this to work . Remember , no one will see this but you . Multiply your weight by 703 . Next , write down your height , in inches . Multiply by that same number . Then you will divide your weight number by your height number . That is your BMI or body fat percentage . For example , if your weight were 150 pounds x 703 , your weight answer would be 105,450 . If your height is 5 4 , that would be 64 inches x 64 for a total of 4,096 . Divide the 105,450 by 4,096 , you come out with a BMI of 25.7 . There are a few other ways to measure your body fat percentage but this will give you a quick idea of where you are at . If you are thinking about about losing weight , remember the amount of fat you are carry around is actually much more important than your weight . If you use the method above to figure out your current body fat percentage , you ' ll be on your way to a much healthier fitness level . Copyright 2006 Fat - Burning - Secret . com. All Rights Reserved . Gary Gresham is the author of " Fat Burning Secrets . " Discover simple yet powerful changes that can have a major effect on your weight loss results with this free report at : Free Fat Burning Report . 
Acne DOs and DON ' Ts . by : Natalie Katsman Every little thing counts when it comes to fighting acne and keeping it under control . After all , zits are not that big themselves , they just bug us in a big way . We don't always realize that seemingly insignificant things can help us look better ( or worse , depending on what they are ) , while intentionally following myths , we do more harm than good to the skin . Here are a few things to consider if you don't want to see those pimples pop up . DO : = Clean your face twice a day . Use a cleanser that is designed for your skin type and avoid harsh and irritating products . When cleaning your skin and rinsing it with water ( make sure to use plenty ! ) , move from the neck to the hairline - that way you are not likely to spread hair build up over your face , as it can aggravate acne . = If you work out and sweat , clean your face after you exercise . = Use a moisturizer for your skin type . Even if your skin is oily , don't ignore this important part of your daily routine . Your skin needs protection . Overdrying your skin will not do any good : on the contrary , the oil glands will start working even harder . = Choose cosmetics made for your skin type . = Use products with fruit acids . They help to shed old skin cells and prevent pore clogging . You are not likely to see the results overnight , but be patient and stick to the treatment - you will be pleasantly surprised . = Protect your skin from wind and harsh environment as they make skin prone to infections . = Shampoo your hair regularly . Oil glands on your scalp produce the same sebum as those on your face . Add hair care products residues and environmental elements that stick to your hair - and you have a super - effective acne causing solution . = Drink lots of water to clean your body of toxins and keep your skin hydrated from the inside . = Take vitamins and eat a healthy diet . People who suffer from acne often don't get enough vitamin A in their diets ( you may want to consult your doctor about that since large doses of vitamin A can be toxic ) . Zinc supplements are known to fight acne outbreaks . Healthy eating is good for all parts of your body . While diet changes alone won't spare you of acne , they will help your skin look better . = See a doctor if your acne is severe . DON ' T : = Don't use drying cleansers and harsh scrubs . They destroy the protective barrier and alter skin p H , making skin vulnerable and prone to infections . Astringents should be used on oily areas only . = Don't squeeze zits . This is the worst thing to do , and for many the hardest to avoid . Still , if you don't want to aggravate the condition , don't pick on your pimples . You can , however , drain them with a sterilized needle once they are mature . = Don't scratch or rub your skin . Sometimes rubbing can cause zits on otherwise clear complexion . You may want to experiment if you are brave enough , otherwise try to keep your hands off your face and avoid wearing hats , helmets or bands that may cause unpleasant surprises . = Don't tan . Even though tan will mask the blemishes , the effect is temporary . Excessive sun exposure can aggravate acne . Many over - the - counter and prescription acne products make your skin sensitive to sun . In addition to causing skin dehydration and premature aging , UV rays destroy cells responsible for skin 's immunology This article is provided by Understanding Acne : Causes , Cures & Myths Discover everything you need to know about acne without having to spend hundreds of dollars on a doctor s visit . This information has helped thousands of people understand their acne , and subsequently make it disappear ! 
Sold ! We just got from our selling closing , and we are now officially homeless . Ten months of prayer , cleaning , more prayer , and more cleaning are now officially successful . I might actually sleep tonight . We have a medium - sized check in our figurative pockets . I wanted to go to a nice lunch , but 4 Boy Mom said no . She 's making me a sandwich . In about 2 hours , we ' ll go to our buying closing , hand over the check , and be no longer homeless . Thank you all for your prayers . 
Warmth . Tonight we ate at Fellini 's on our way to the big VBS finale . For those of you not from the South , or who for some other reason have never had kids in Vacation Bible School , the last night is a big closing number for the week . VBS usually has a theme , and the finale has a brief sketch to tie up the loose ends of whatever story arc was being used for that week , usually done by teenagers . It 's short , because lots of kids are in the audience , and the teenagers are more nervous than usual , because there are also adults in the audience for the first time . Then all of the kids get up and sing their songs . And I swear , it 's just like the the end of The Music Man. Objectively , it must sound horrible . But there 's over a hundred adults in the room , and half again as many kids , and not a single one of them is objective . We all love it . Timothy hammed it up with his friends ; he knows the words and motions but doesn't care , because he 's ON STAGE , WITH HIS FRIENDS ! Heaven help us all . Stephen put in an earnest and excellent performance , singing every word , doing every hand motion . ( He has more than made up for the 4 - year old Kindergarten Christmas Concert where he spent the entire time with his hands over his ears , scowling at the audience during the song and then at his classmates during the frequent applause . ) Jonah was Jonah . Every face was a Silly Face , every remembered word was shouted or shrieked ( thankfully , these were few ) . LIke a stopped clock , he would , during his gyrations , hit upon the same hand motions as everyone else . Imagine an early 80 's Robin Williams routine where , instead of jokes , he spent 15 frantic minutes singing gospel versions of Harry Belafonte tunes . I laughed out loud for 5 straight songs . Sam sat in my wife 's lap and would sing the occassional line , which he had learned from his brothers . The lines Sam sang coincided nicely with the ones Jonah yelled . Then we all went upstairs and ate ice cream . In one big room . Tthe kids ran around and screamed , while parents , grandparents , and neighbors stood or sat in little groups and yelled , " What ? Say that again , please , " at one another . Families filed out as kids fell down , fell asleep , threw up , or whenever parents or grandparents alike decided they ' ve had enough . Collecting the children was hard , though , because all 400 of them were wearing the exact same shirt . Anyway , that 's a VBS finale . Chaos . With songs and sugar . But on the way to the VBS finale , we had dinner at Fellini 's . The boys must have been under an air vent , because they complained of being cold and tucked their arms and legs up into their shirts . Then the food came , and everyone forgot about being cold . Except for Jonah . Halfway through dinner , my wife noticed a large shiny spot on his leg . She 's a bright one , my wife , and she asked , " Did you put your pizza on your leg ? " To which Jonah replied , " But it warmed my leg up . " . 
Packing . We close next Monday on both houses , selling at 11 and buying at 3 . Two different attorneys , with two different firms , both in the same building here in Tucker . We like to keep our lawyers packed in tight , where we can watch ' em closely . We move boxes next Tuesday , loading them into the back of the van and ( hopefully ) a pickup truck , and then driving them downhill and 150 yards or so down the street ( I measured it on Google maps , yes I did ) . We move more boxes next Wednesday morning , hopefully clearing them all out before we move furniture that evening . The goal is to get out of the way everything that can be handled by a weakling and his wife , and then have over some burly men ( who will work for pizza ) to move the rest . Until then , we pack . Our artsy neighbor had redone just about every room in the house , and had brought over lots and lots of things to help : vases , mirrors , wall art , etc. All of that has been returned . Books are done , using up all of the boxes my parents gave us , all of the ones my wife 's sister gave us , and even some we got from the wife of our new RUF campus minister . Our own wall hangings are packed , using the remaining boxes and leaving lots of little picture hooks on the wall that catch in my peripheral vision and get interpreted as a cockroach invasion . Next comes the kitchen . After that , who knows ? Sunday night , as we were packing one of the last of our existing freebie boxes , our next - door neighbor began taking stacks of broken - down moving boxes to the curb . He 's got a new job in West Virginia , and they 're moving next month ( 3 / 2 ranch in nice neighborhood , possible rental ! ) and his new company is providing moving services . So they were throwing out all their reserved boxes from the last move . We asked politely and got them all . God provides , even boxes . A story or two , to liven things up a bit ? Okay . After we move , we 're getting rid of cable ( actually , we 're getting rid of Dish Network , which we ' ve had for 4 pleasant years now ; excellent customer service ) . Our one - sentence explanation of why were moving has been " so that we can turn off the TV . " We haven't broken the news to the boys yet , but we have been training them by turning off the TV in the afternoons and on weekends . This past Saturday was the first full Saturday of TV - less - ness . By 11 AM Timothy , Stephen , and Jonah had been banned from the computer for the rest of the day . Stephen and Jonah received their bans for rather pedestrian fighting . Timothy 's ban was for being a little too cunning . He and Stephen had been playing an online Bionicle game all morning and not letting Jonah play . When the biggest two left the computer to play with their Game Boys on the couch , Jonah leapt ( leaped ? ) at the chance ( and the computer ) and started his own game . Timothy complained loudly that Jonah had restarted the game ( thereby losing Timothy 's place in the game ) . Jonah played on , secure in his place as the occupier of the computer seat . As Jonah played the game , he progressed further ( farther ? ) than ever before and asked Timothy for guidance . Timothy guided him . . . into a hole that ended the game . Jonah , quick on the uptake , realized the betrayal and pitched a Jonah Fit ( emotions are new and strong in a 5 year old ) . Jonah was calmed and reminded that the volume and intensity of his fit were inappropriate . Timothy was banned from video games for the rest of the day . About 30 minutes later Stephen and Jonah got into a shouting and slapping match over a Power Ranger game and received their bans from the computer . Sam had a thoroughly enjoyable time playing Miffy games for the rest of the day . Ok . Just one story . I have to pack . 
Love That House ! In keeping with the recent list theme , and in accordance with the impending move , I ' ve decided to launch a feel - good meme . I fully expect that , like all such minor - league blog launched innovation , this particulare meme will drop like a lead BB in the vast ocean of the Internet . But , it 's fun . So . . . List 5 things you like most about your house . ( Very exciting , I know , but it 's on my mind . ) Old house : History - Sam was born while we lived here . Timothy and Stephen started school while we lived here and learned to ride a bike in the dead end out front . A million other things that make up a rich life happened in this house . Shade - We have a huge oak tree on the south - facing side of the house , along with several other , taller trees across the street . Our air conditioner stays on 76 during the day , and still doesn't come on until about 3 PM . Nice . Light - Despite the fact that the house faces south , and that most of the windows therefore face north and south , we do have a few windows that face east ( to catch the rising sun ) and west ( to catch it setting ) . Those rooms that do have east / west windows are my favorite . The Dead End - In front of our house is about a hundred feet or so of two lane road that services only our driveway . It 's flat , pretty well kept up , and the only time there are cars on it is when someone is coming to visit . The kids ride bikes there , play tag , soccer , it 's been the site of block parties for years on end ; it 's shady ; it 's all ours . And parking , wow . Despite the fact that our kids don't drive ( yet ) , we do occasionally have large family gatherings and parties with friends . Here in the dead end , we have " anyone can leave anytime " parking for 9 - 10 cars . If we really pack them in , we could easily handle 20 or more . The new house has ACLA parking for 4 cars and packs in 6 . Dry - This house is on a hill , and the nearest creek is several hundred feet away and dozens of feet down . If this house ever floods , gopher wood will be involved . The new house , while not technically in a flood plane , does have a creek running through the back yard . Now , because I ' m moving ( and because it 's my blog ) , I get to list my 5 favorite things about the new house . The Office - This is why we 're moving . There 's a 400 square foot office above the garage in the new house that shares zero walls , hallways , doors , etc. with any other room in the house . And it has its own HVAC . And two windows . Since I ' m out of the way , the boys can run around and be boys in their own house ; my wife can relax and not have to ride herd on them all day ; everyone will be happy . Probably . Light - The new house faces east , and my bedroom , the living room , and my office all catch the morning sunrise . Very nice . The kitchen and dining room ( and my office ) catch the evening sunset . My own little Palace of Light . The Creek - There 's a creek in the backyard , leading into a forest . Boy heaven . The Tub - There 's a jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom . Our existing house has one tub , the new house has three . I like baths . Trees - Lots of new trees , including a couple of Japanese Maples and some of the largest , oldest River Birches I have ever seen . ( And the lawn is tiny . ) What makes a list a meme ? Passing it along . Specifically : My Wife , ' cause she 's awesome Splitcat up ) Dignan and posse Circusfrog Both Mom and Dad , cause . . . you know My sister , who just moved to her first house ( and probably needs reminding that the moneyhole called home ownership is still much , much better than an apartement . ) But anyone else is welcome to leave a comment . Enjoy . 
Reading Lists . I was downstairs earlier today looking for some of the chocolate I had purchased on my bachelor weekend , and was talking to my wife in an effort to distract her from my search . She hadn't mentioned ( i . e . , yelled at me about ) the chocolate yet , so it was possible that she hadn't seen it . ( To distract her , I use lists ; any list , about anything , with more than a few items , and her eyes glaze over and it 's like I ' m not in the room . Very handy . Talking about computers also works . ) A few mentions of my ideas for furniture placement in the new house , and I basically had the kitchen to myself , so long as I didn't mention money or make sudden movements . I checked the usual places ( none of which I will divulge in such a public forum as this ) and found the box . Success ! Sitting next to the box , though was a reading list from my son 's school . I looked at it and started scanning the titles . " Timothy 's already read most of these , " I said out loud ( I had already re - hid the chocolate , so stealth was no longer required ) . In my mind , I was rejoicing that we could just mark these books off the list . Nothing kills a good book like having to read it . " That 's the 1 st and 2 nd grade list , " came the reply . There was a hint , an insinuation , a subtext in her voice . As usual , I didn't get it . My face must have shown it , because she tried again . " Timothy 's list is underneath . " I looked . Sure enough : 3 rd grade reading list . ( Oh , yeah , Timothy 's going into 3 rd grade . Eek . ) " Then why did they send this other one ? " She looked at me with the Are - You - Really - This - Dumb look ? Then it hit me : Stephen . He starts 1 st grade this year . This was Stephen 's reading list . A ) . Wow . B ) . Stephen starts 1 st grade this year . Ok . This could be my new , all - purpose phrase , along the lines of " snakes on a plane , " or " c ' est la vie , " or " it is what it is , " or " shikata ga na . " Stephen starts 1 st grade this year . It can be stoic : " What 're you gonna do ? Stephen starts 1 st grade this year . " It can be epicurean : " Woohoo ! Party ! Stephen starts 1 st grade this year . " It can be Christian : " God is in His heaven . Stephen starts 1 st grade this year . " It also means is that Stephen , my quiet one , Mr. Do It Myself ( Usually Without Asking ) , the eater , the sleeper , the charmer , little Papa , etc. , is actually starting 1 st grade this year . His exposure to the world is getting wider and deeper , and I do not doubt that the world will be better for it . But for us , it means less and less of Stephen here , in our lives , until one day he goes away to college and never calls . So I ' m a mess ; and hence the chocolate . 
When Working On A Toilet . To get water out of the tank , turn off the water supply underneath the tank , flush the toilet a couple of times , and then use a disposable diaper to absorb the remaining water in the tank . Just turn the diaper inside - out , lay it in the bottom of the tank , and then go eat lunch ( or play a level of Star Wars : Battlefront ) . When you get back , all the water should be absorbed . Throw the diaper away . Buy two wax rings . If you buy one , you will mess up and need a second one . If you buy two , nothing at all will go wrong ( with re - seating the bowl , that is ) and you will only need one . In either case , you ' ll be going back to Home Depot . ( Every home improvement project in the history of mankind has required at least two trips to Home Depot ; it 's a natural law by now . ) But if you buy one wax ring you ' ll be going back mad and having to spend more money ; if you buy two you ' ll be going back with your task completed and someone will hand you cash at the end of your visit . Do not unscrew the bolts holding the tank to the bowl unless it is absolutely necessary to remove the tank from the bowl . For example , don't unscrew 30 - year old tank bolts just out of habit . It will leak , because the bolts will never go back in place the exact same way . If you 're at Home Depot , and the possibility of toilet work looms on the near horizon ( say , in the next 5 years ) , buy tank bolts . Because you might , out of habit , unscrew the old ones . As a matter of fact , keep a spare set of tank bolts in a drawer somewhere . I do . Remember where you put your spare set of tank bolts . Do not try to work on tank bolts while there is water in the tank . Unless you like lots and lots of water all over the bathroom floor . If that 's the case , have at it . Do not use the good towels when working on the toilet . Remember the towels you picked out before your wedding ? The ones where your bride - to - be looked at you strangely and then said , " Sure honey " ? Use those , if you can find them . Remember where you bought the good towels . You know , just in case . Do not over - tighten anything . As my Dad always says , " Hand tight , then a quarter turn . More plumbing leaks are caused by over - tightening than by under - tightening . " If you over - tighten , you run the risk of cracking and destroying your vintage , 1975 , hi - flow toilet , and you ' ll have to shell out a couple of hundred bucks for a crappy , new , Al Gore Special that , frankly , can't handle the load . Ok . Now to get to work on the disposer . 
Things You Can Do When You 're Home Alone . Eat whatever you want , so long as you 're willing to cook it yourself , eat by yourself , and clean it up when you 're done . Watch 5 ( or more ) episodes of Lost . Per day . Blog , but only if your daily to - do list is done ( mine currently run to three Post - It notes long , in roughly 9 point Arial ) Realize that the couch your wife bought on Craigslist . com , while not something you would ever have considered ( or even looked at twice ) , is actually very nice and a good deal . Not talk for hours . Then talk to yourself ( or to the TV , it 's perfectly normal ) , realize that you 're not too fond of the sound of your own voice , and so not talk again for hours . Make and eat too many french fries . Excellent . Wash your own clothes , fold them , and put them away . Play the video games that you can't play when the kids are home ( Syphon Filter , Star Wars : Battlefront ) . Wonder what games your kids are playing , and realize you ' d rather play those . Drink way more Cokes than usual . Don't ask how many . Go shopping for unmentionables and nail clippers . Look at a really cool messenger bag , and then realize you 're too old . Same with hats . Set the alarm clock to wake you up at 5 AM with Smashing Pumkins ( Siamese Dream , ftw ) . Eat ice cream at night , and complain all you want with the cramps that inevitably come . Eat yogurt the next night . Call your wife , every hour , on the hour . Remember to never , ever , miss being single . 
Lots of Fun . As anticipated , the boys loved this : http : // www . devilducky . com / media / 46502 / ( no devils or ducks actually involved ) . Make sure to have the sound on , because the music makes the piece . This is very finely crafted and well done . Now , if you ' ll excuse me , apparently I have to go build some stuff in the back yard . . . [ Warning : I cannot vouch for any of the links from that page , so don't click through to anything else unless you 're ready for a potentially big surprise . ] Update : Upon closer review , at 2:30 in , hitting the plane , those are snakes . That 's right . 
Rumble . Sam stands up on the couch , and yells across the room , " I ' m Miffy ! " Jonah , playing on the computer , turns around to watch Sam , who by this time has jumped off the couch and is stomping his foot on the floor . " I ' m Miffy ! I ' m Miffy ! " Challenged in this manner , Jonah hops off the computer chair , runs over to Sam , and says , " I ' m the Blue Power Ranger ! " Sam growls at Jonah , " Bing ahhn ! [ Bring it on ! ] " . 
3 , 2 , 1 , . Contract ! That 's right , we have a contract on our house . As noted previously , someone came by , saw the house , came by again , and made an offer . It was a good and fair offer , which our Realtor ( TM ) pointed out was a bit of a rarity . There was one stipulation ( a $ 5000 carpet allowance ) that was simply not feasible , so we countered with a polite " no , thank you , " on the carpet and an enthusiastic " YES ! " on everything else , and the counter offer was accepted . Signed , sealed , delivered , etc. There 's still a lot of work to do ( including convincing someone to lend us ridiculously large amounts of money ) , but it 's all things that can be done , instead of 10 months of Clean Wait ( TM ) . Thank you for all of your prayers ( for those of you who prayed ) . Party at our new house , sometime in late July . 
Oh Be Careful Little Boys Where You Pee . It would appear that our cat , the mighty Sparkles , is not doing his job . How do I know this ? Well , we have varmints living in tunnels in our side yard . This was an issue before we got the cat , but in his first year here he cleaned them up . In the pre - Sparkles era , there were long mounds , devoid of grass , criss - crossing the area between our house and the woods . Then the hunter arrived and they were gone . Now the tunnels are back , and they are apparently inhabited . We thought at first that this was a momentary glitch in the small - animal slaughterhouse that had been our yard . Perhaps he was concentrating on bird killing . But then several fledglings survived in our neighbor 's yard across the street . Plus , I carried the cat downstairs last night , and he 's huge . He 's a big , fat lazy cat , which normally would be fine , but there are consequences . . . Yesterday , everyone was outside playing , and Sam decided that he needed to pee . My wife urged him to go inside , but he wanted to pee on the tree . Because this is somewhat common , we have an out - of - the - way tree that is used specifically for this purpose ( it 's a healthy tree now , by the way ) . On the way to the tree , Sam spied a hole and decided to pee in that . Fine , said my wife . So he drops his pants , begins peeing , and out of the hole pops a little gray head . The animal was not happy , and neither was Sam , who spent the next 20 minutes pointing to the side yard and saying " Don't peepee thayuh . " Sparkles is going to half - rations starting today . 
. . . and Outcome . So , how did it all go ? It went very well , but not at all as expected . Dinner was very good . We ate at Taquiera Del Sol in Decatur , which is a great little restaurant . I had a brisket enchilada that was an interesting pairing ( the brisket was like butter , but was overpowered by the chili sauce ; once I stopped letting that bother me , it was very good ) . We waited in line for 20 minutes ( which is apparently par for the course on a Friday night ) , but it was raining outside so the line snaked around inside like a ride line at Six Flags ( although nobody with a mullet was making out in the next row over , so it wasn't exactly like Six Flags ) . As good as the food was ( and it was good ) , it couldn't compare to the floor show . A line of thunderstorms moved through , more slowly than usual , so the entire time we were eating , in a dining room that was really more of a breezeway , the rain took turns falling hard and very hard , and lightning and thunder alternated closely on either side of us . I also had rice . The movie was good . We saw X - Men 3 , or whatever it 's called . It was good , lots of fun . But I had a giganormous Coke ( for 50 cents more , you get another Liter , for crying out loud ; what a deal ! ) and drank it during the first half of the movie ( okay , during the trailers ) so that I spent the last half of the movie in rather serious pain . Stories of Tycho Brahe swirled through my mind , ruining the climax , and I missed the after - credits " surprise . " Thank heavens for the Internet , so now I can look it up . Another thing that bothered me was that Wolverine spent so much time bothered with Jean Gray when the whole time Halle Berry is standing next to him ! It 's just . . . I can't . . . aw , forget it . At some point , you know it 's just fiction . I watched another episode of Lost tonight , and it continues to amaze ( Confidence Man , by the way ) . I grew up on TV , and one of the reasons I don't watch much anymore is that I can see a lot of stuff coming miles and miles away . And with a show like Lost , you know a twist is coming , but you never know just what it is . Thankfully , good TV is now being written by folks who also grew up watching TV , and who can see stuff coming a mile away , and can avoid showing their hand so easily . As for the house , we had given up trying to sell it . I ' ve been looking up garage plans on the Internet , and have found a couple I really like that will let me put an office in the attic space . It 's not our number one choice , but it 's getting to the point where I can't stay in the house any more . It 's not fair to my family . And if the house won't sell . . . well , there isn't anything else to be done . But today , not two but three people came to see the house ( one more is scheduled for tomorrow ) . At one point , according to our realtor , all three groups were in the house at the same time . Two of those folks have seen the house before , and were back for their second view . And now one of them has made an offer . It 's a good offer , and we ' ll probably take it , unless one of the other folks comes forward with something better . So , all in all , not a bad 24 hours . 
Anticipation . I love surprises . I love to surprise others . Hiding Christmas and Birthday gifts is one of my favorite pastimes . Tricking my wife into not expecting her surprise 30 th Birthday party ( when she had explicitly asked for one ) is one of the high points of this career . I love being pleasantly surprised . A new facet of my children , a new book , a new movie , a new episode of a good TV program , a new restaurant recommended by friends , these things pull me along and outward . This is from Kim Stanley Robinson 's Red Mars , where after a year 's flight they 're about to go down onto the planet 's surface for the first time : . . . it suddenly occurred to her that everyone was happy -- they were in the last moment of their anticipation , an anticipation that had lain in their hearts for half a lifetime , or ever since childhood -- and now it had blossomed beneath them like a child 's crayon drawing . . . it loomed before them in all its immense potential : tabula rasa , blank slate . . . . Anything was possible , anything could happen . . . . It occurred to her that they might never be so happy again . Beauty was the promise of happiness , not happiness itself ; and the anticipated world was often more rich than anything real . And , as it turns out , what I really love is anticipation . The thought of how that food is going to taste at the new restaurant , what new talent one of the boys will display , the look on their face when they open the present , the new twist on a good story . I love it all . So today is a good day . I ' m 6 episodes in to the first season of Lost , and it 's awesome . Why didn't someone say something ? Just kidding . ( Note that comments are disabled ; no spoilers , please . ) It 's killing me to just watch one episode per night . But that keeps the anticipation very high , and it 's working . ( Here 's a meme : when did you first realize that Lost was not only very good , but different ? Want mine ? 3 rd episode , at the end , when Sawyer is crying . ) We 're going out tonight for dinner and a movie , either X - Men 3 or M : I 3 . I ' ve avoided reading too much about either , so the anticipation is high . And we 're going to a new restaurant . Well , new for me at least ; my wife has been before and likes it . She says I ' ll like it , and she knows me best , so she 's probably right . I can't wait . And today , less than 30 days away from the end of our third realtor contract ( we 're not renewing after this one ; it 's too hard ) , today we get 3 calls . Three different people are coming to look at the house this weekend . At least two have seen it before . One could make an offer ( our first in 10 months ) . There could be a bidding war . Anything is possible , anything could happen . 
. . . Just Like Me . Timothy gets really upset when he gets corrected , . . . Stephen wants to do everything by himself , . . . Jonah has a hair - trigger temper , and a hair - trigger laugh , . . . Sam sighs heavily through his nose , . . . 
Things Not To Do When Working At Home . . . 1 . Drink alcohol - someone will make you mad , you will challenge them to fight , and you will give them your home address .2 . Clip your nails while talking on the phone - the person on the other end will hear you .3 . Eat ice cream - it melts during a call . Guess which two of these three things I have done ? Guess which one I ' m doing right now ? Mmmmm . Vermonty Python . 
Vespers . It is hard say night - time prayers with little boys . It is harder still to say night - time prayers with two boys who are in the same bed . It is even harder still to say night - time prayers when one of those boys is . . . well . . . making a " joyful noise . " But it is hardest of all when the one who is praying is the one who is pooting . 
. . . As A Bee . Not that I expect anyone to read this ( except you , Mom ; glad to have you ) , but I feel that I must apologize for the non - existent posting . Sure , lots of things have happened , two camping trips , several trips to Macon , a minor car wreck , a fun and kid - free birthday party , etc. But all the fun , story - spawning things that have happened over the past few weeks mean less time for me to be here , at my desk , typing away . In order to write , I need to be bored and highly caffeinated . And while I have been packing away the Cokes , I haven't had time to sleep properly in about a month , much less to tell you at length about the time Stephen explained to me that if the driver I had just yelled at had been in the car with us , he would have been sad at the name I had called him . Any hope for future stories ? Not likely . I ' ve got to buy another van for my wife , my boss is out of the country and for some crazy reason he left me in charge , plus other issues . So I probably won't tell you about how Timothy and Stephen got into a biting , kicking , rolling around roughhouse match in the middle of a 3 - year - old 's birthday party . Or how an earlier fight that day had involved our first ever spitting - on - a - person incident . Or about how my wife and I were enobled with the title " The Baby Whisperers . " Or about Timothy 's first round of putt - putt golf ( he did really well ) . Maybe someday , but not right now . Sorry . 
House and Home II. One pound of tilapia filets , gone . Clamoring for more . I ' ll try 2 pounds next time . Does anyone know where to get fish cheap ? Anyway , here 's the recipe : 1 . Put tilapia filets in a bowl . Drizzle with sesame oil . Sprinkle with salt , pepper , minced garlic ( one small clove per pound of fish ? ) and Italian seasoning ( I used dried basil and oregano that I bought at the farmer 's market a couple of years ago ; it was like $ 1 per cup of the stuff ; that 's crazy prices ) . 2 . Gently stir contents of bowl to coat filets with oil and seasonings . Cover bowl with plastic wrap and put in fridge for 30 minutes . Preheat oven to 350 F .3 . After 30 minutes , put filets on baking sheet and put in oven . Cook 20 - 30 minutes until done . This goes pretty well with anything . We had black beans and Thai soup that I discovered in the pantry at the last minute . 6 big filets , gone . I had to give half of mine away . 
Fair and Good . One of the problems with having quite a few kids ( and one of the reasons I think so many people stop with just one ) is that it 's hard to be fair . I come from a family of two children , so trying to be fair is an issue for me . My wife is from a family of six children , and she recognizes the futility of it . I come here to write down funny stories and interesting things that happen . And part of me wants to make sure that each one of the boys gets equal time . But it 's hard , especially when one of your kids is consistently wacky ( nothing personal ; 4 and 5 are wacky ages ) and another kid is doing important things for the last time . So , lots of Jonah and Sam stories , not so much Timothy and Stephen . It 's not fair , I know , but I didn't have a blog when they were 2 or 5 . Such is parenting . All this is to say that Timothy did two things this week that I ' m glad to record and that , frankly , made me very proud to have him as a son . First , on Sunday , we went to Mc Donald 's for breakfast . Long story short , we had been camping Friday and Saturday , but rain made us come home Saturday night . Sunday was going to be an open house ( 4 BR , 2.5 BA , priced to sell , call me ) ; my wife drew clean up duty and I drew get - the - boys - out - of - the - house - so - she - can - clean duty . So , into the car the boys and I went and away to Mc Donald 's . The order : 4 plain biscuits , 4 hash browns , 1 chicken biscuit , 3 chocolate milks , 1 apple juice , 1 large Coke ( no , that 's no idol worship ; it 's a proper noun ) . Except that , because I was ridiculously , zombie - like tired , I only ordered 2 chocolate milks . And I had 26 cents left , which was not enough for another one . And so , after helping me pass out all the food ( Timothy is the official Middle - Seat Helper ) , he and I realized that we were short one chocolate milk . I asked him , " Could you please give that to Sam , and I ' ll get you another one in a few minutes ? " And he said , without pouting , whining , or any other despondent - type reaction , " Yes. " Now , those of you without kids may think this is no big deal . But this is huge . No crying , no whining , taking one for the team . We call this Sacrifice , and it 's fantastic to see in action . I ' m proud of my boy . ( Just so you know , Mom , I did stop a few minutes later and got him a humongous chocolate milk at Eckerd . ) Okay , second story . This morning Timothy came downstairs first , while I was on the couch watching the news . We were sitting there talking when a story came on about those # * @ ^ # ! & _ % who picket soldiers ' funerals . On screen , they were showing them with their signs . Not wanting to draw attention to it , I said nothing . The TV showed one sign that said " Thank God for IED 's " and another that said " God Hates You . " Timothy saw the last one , got a puzzled look on his face , and said , " That 's not right . He does not . " And I was so , so very proud of my boy . ( N . B . : have enough Christians denounced these folks yet ? C ' mon , even our 8 - year - olds know these idiots are wrong . ) . 
House and Home . About six months ago , the boys and I went to Zaxby 's for dinner . My wife had gone out for book club or scrapbooking ( I always tell the boys that she 's gone to a " mommy party " ) and we were left to fend for ourselves . We got a 15 pack of chicken fingers ( actually one 10 pack and one 5 pack , for you purists out there ) and one order of fries . When we were done , each of the boys had fries left on his plate , and there were about 5 chicken fingers left over for my lunch the next day . Tonight , I got a 20 pack of fingers and two orders of fries ( my wife got a salad ) . The fries ran out early and left both Timothy and Stephen fighting over what I could spare . Timothy , Stephen , and Jonah all asked for seconds ( Stephen actually asked for 2 more chicken fingers ) and ate it all . There were only three chicken fingers left , due solely to my wife kicking the boys upstairs to get ready for bed . They are 8 , 6 , 5 , and 2 , and they already eat like crazy . We 're approaching a box of Pop Tarts or Cereal every day , a bag of chips every two days , and two loaves of bread a week . I can't keep bananas on the counter , because Stephen , Jonah , and Sam will just walk up , take one , and eat it ( and leave the peel someplace for a suprise discovery later ) . Can you imagine what this is going to be like in 5 or 10 years down the road ? What if they bring friends over ? I need more jobs . 
More . There 's always more to it . You think you 're going to give your uncle 's invisibility ring to the elves for safe keeping , but no . . . You think you 're going to have a nice reconciliation dinner with your wife at her company Christmas party in Nakatomi Plaza , but no . . . You think that potty training means training your kid to go in the potty instead of in a diaper . But no . There 's always more to it . Let me count the ways . Find a bathroom . . . in time . This now means that the downstairs bathroom and the upstairs " Boys ' Bathroom " are pretty much off - limits to anyone else except Sam . Because if someone else is in there when Sam has to go , that person has to leave , and fast . It also means being able to interpret nervous , non - verbal cues ( such as The Grab ) that signal your child is about to go . Which means you better have located the bathrooms when you walked in the door and identified the least obstructed path to that bathroom in case of an emergency . Turn on the light . This was one of Jonah 's biggest problems . He wouldn't go into a dark bathroom and was too short to reach the lightswitch , so he would have to find the step - stool ( or a sword or lightsaber ) for help . And frequently , by the time the light was on , it was too late . Thankfully , Sam doesn't care about going in the dark . Several times now we ' ve startled each other when I walked into the bathroom and turned on the light . It 's a good thing he already was . . . where he was . Drop trou . Sam 's been working on this one for quite some time , so no problems there . Still , it has to be done , and it takes precious time . Peeing outside is a great way to practice . Climb on the potty . This is why there is a step - stool in a bathroom both upstairs and downstairs . Stephen and Jonah wouldn't " get on board " without one . Sam , again , doesn't seem to care ; he 's a bit of a climber . The Holy Trinity Flush . Put the lid down . Wash your hands . Nobody who 's been around my kids will believe me , but we really do try to teach these . Still , boys ages 8 , 6 , and 5 who ' ve been through this already , we ' ve still got one who doesn't flush , one ( or more ) who doesn't wash his hands , and one who leaves the lid up but manages to close the bathroom door after he leaves . And no , I ' m not telling you who does what . I have no prediction as to which camp ( s ) Sam will join . I ' d put a sign in each bathroom if my wife would let me . Get dressed . The instigator of such famous phrases as " Lines in front , tag in back , " this is Sam 's hardest task . I ' m a big fan of the new tagless clothes , but not for kids . Children 's clothes should have giganormous labels that are neon yellow . Honestly , this is the part that 's driving me up the wall . Sure , they 're semi - related tasks , but who ' d have thought that I ' d have to teach a kid how to go potty and dress himself at the same time . He 's ready for one ( and quite good at it ) , but not so much for the other . Nonetheless , we soldier on . You know those folks whose toddlers run around without any pants on ? I know why . I don't condone it , but I sympathize . Alright . Next post , something other than potty training . Probably . 
The Only Explanation . . . . . . is that my wife 's mother is from Ohio . Your Linguistic Profile : 65 % General American English 30 % Dixie 5 % Upper Midwestern 0 % Midwestern 0 % Yankee Via Fiorinda : What Kind Of American English Do You Speak ? 
Thursday Randomness . It 's still hot and humid here in Columbus , Ohio and I am fed up with it . My electric bill going to be huge from running two air conditioners and it is impossible to go outside without having this nasty layer of sweat build up on my skin . When it comes to weather , I ' ve always said that I would rather be too cold than too hot . When it is cold you can always put additional layers of warm clothing on , but in the heat , you are stuck . If anyone is in a cooler place around the world please send some of it here . Speaking of other places around the world , I found an article about a Chinese military base that seems really strange . Someone found it on Google Earth . They ' ve created a 900 m x 700 m mountainous region in the middle of nowhere near the village of Huangyangtan . Why would they do this ? What 's even more interesting to me is that this area is an exact replica of another area along the Chinese / Indian border . Could they be planning something ?? Check it out for yourself !! In other news , Our office is getting lunch for free from a favorite local restaurant . I will be having a huge portion of meatloaf . I need it since I ' ve been losing weight lately . When the weather is this hot I lose my appetite . Ahhh , lunch just arrived . Here is a blurry camphone shot of it . Must eat and get back to work now . 
Sunday wrap up ... It 's been a weekend of nothing much at all . It is supposed to be around 95 degrees F today and humid as hell so I figured this beautiful song and video by Swedish artist Bobby Baby would cool things off . This is some really great stuff . I need to do some searching for music for the group later today . I love doing this but sometimes I have not a single clue what I am going to do on a daily basis . Michelle helps out quite a full truckload but I also need people to submit their own bands and reviews . It 's strange to me that no one wants to do that . Are they shy or am I doing something ridiculously wrong ? I guess I should just keep doing what I have been and not concern myself with the reasoning of other people . I have a sitemeter and can tell that a ton of people check things out . I guess Listening Room = Silence . For those of you smoking anything illegal today I highly recommend viewing this video with a large bag of chips and salsa you will end up drooling in . You might also want to visit this website for a complete tutorial on pac - man . Al Zarqawi 's mother will thank you . I am going back to bed now . 
Redneck Chic . LINK TO BLOGIt always amazes me what choices people make and equally stunning ( and hilarious ) is their concious decision to share with all in cyber space . Meet Melissa & Glen from Cynthiana , Kentucky . They are obviously University of Kentucky Wildcat fans and have recently spawned what they hope will be a future Wildcat . The original post is funny yet frightening enough , however , the comments quickly turn ugly . Eventually , one of the comments had to be my favorite and this was it ... " please be a gay baby . " Melissa ends up lashing out at just about anyone who comments and the whole thing turns into a laugh riot . Living in the midwest part of the US is nice since the crime is lower than the larger cities and people are generally nice , but there is an element that makes the worldwide perception of the US a semi - valid one . That baby will have almost as many nightmares as I am expecting after viewing that room . I had better get back to work . 
News Item : Ronald Mc Watersports . LINK TO STORYApparently a Mcdonalds restaurant in Southeast Netherlands decided to install some new urinals . I ' m not sure what this makes you think of but one US tourist felt the need to complain . Aside from the obvious , these are much better than the ones we have in the states . I can imagine a certain celebrity that might want to own just such a urinal . Anyway , just a fun news story I thought I ' d share from my office . It is so quiet and slow today that I can hear the slight buzzing coming from the flourescent light fixtures above . I can't wait to get out of here . 
Welcome !! This is my first actual post here on the new blog so a warm welcome is in order for any and all of you that have taken the time to visit me here . There are several previous posts that you will notice I ' ve put up . These are blogs from the past year and a half from my myspace account . I transfered them here for a few very specific reasons . a ) It will be much easier to access the older ones . It is almost impossible to get back to some of the first entries on myspace . You can only see the last five on the front screen and if you click " view all " it takes around a half hour to load all of the pictures . b ) Myspace is very unstable and is constantly undergoing maintenance . It also magically loses your blog when you attempt to post it . This has happened at least 4 times I can remember . That would be at least 6 to 10 hours of writing and editing I ' ve wasted . c ) Outside of the blog realm on myspace , I am active in both groups and forums . Often my posts are threaded heavily with dark humor and misinterpreted by some stirring up heated debate . The last thing I need is to have countless blog entries deleted as a result of some random person in a group not liking something I post and reporting me for using the word ' fuck ' . It happens all of the time . d ) Finally , I am firewalled from myspace at the office so any time I might have to post entries I can't . Since my routine consists of updating the Listening Room music group at night , I would hardly have a chance to post anything new . In case you wondered why there are very few updates there . With that said , I think you will find that here there will be daily updates , random thoughts and insane internet finds ... You know , the ones I post as bulletins . Thanks again for stopping by . I might as well post this since it 's about as ridiculous as it gets . Yes That 's me and yes I am singing Elvis . Don't ask . 
Faces . I wouldn't normally post internet finds on my blog page but this one really interested me . Very Creepy but in a good way if there is such a thing . I found them posted on a weblog of someone that bought a box of around 50 slides at a junk or yard sale and can't figure out what they are . The slides are dated from the late 50 's to the late 60 's with some of them being the same woman years later . Here is the weblog where I found them . Faces There is an update with more also that are really haunting ... More Faces There are over 200 comments on the original post of people trying to guess , figure out or explain what they are ... After reading them , I tend to agree with the medical experiment theory . Check it out . It really gives me a Cold War Era government experiment vibe . Let me know what you think ah ? 
27 / 7 : Scared off by Bio test . Almost everyone of us were battling hard to face the Bio test , which is said to be consist of 50 % of Summative Test . Early in the morning , Madam Hii introduce the class about common tangent and helps us to solve a lot of problems . She 's ending early to let us finish the homework and and have some time revising Biology . Still , everyone looks very anguish about it . Then in English , Puan Maria is just giving a short cloze text to be completed . Then quite a number wandered outside to kill their time , while the rest is still holding the green Biology book like his / her own baby . ( Lol .. ) Then , in the following empty period , Miss Gan wants to take over to teach Add Maths , even almost all bring her book , but since everyone is so to say want study Bio , so she just gave up . Class cheers for having another empty period . However , this joy does not hold long as Miss Gan is coming back , scold the class and gives BM homework . After recess , class heads to conference room to listen to a talk by Human Life Service . They bring about maturity , friendship , relationship , sex , consequences of pre - marital sex and abortion . Together with 5 S 1 , this talk is rather interesting and also fruitful to all of us . How is it also have to face the test . Mr. Jonlain gives out the paper and all starts off silently and seriously . It went off smoothly until me passed up the paper . Some noise become to heat up as I pick up the Bio book . Teacher is also have to control a bit . However , still many don't managed to complete it , but some satisfied and relieved faces could be seen . So , it wraps the day ! Check out for these ! Physics : Workbook page 74 - 80 Malay : Some parts regarding Puisi Moden in workbook , could not remember . Maths : Exercise 8.3 BPORNOGRAPHY IS AS HARMFUL AS DRUGS AND SMOKING ! God bless you all ! 
26 / 7 : Fun & laughters . Sorry for late updating . So do enjoy the following pictures , specially shot for you the memebers of 4 Einstein 1 !!! Geoffrey , after back in glory at KK , enjoying his cup of noodles while BM teacher is not around . Some fun playing with hydrogen . Nelson 's busy with his Kokoberry business . Lol , playing chess huh ? But look more like checkers . Itudia , Zin Yue vs . Leslie ! Normal view before ninth period . What 's Madam Su trying to do to Dennis ? Lol ... just special shot . That 's all ! God bless you all ! 
25 / 7 : This is getting " dut " . No other meaning on that title ok ? Hahaha ... So this day still starts off with the boring diagnostic test , with Physics and Biology following its path . All the boring stuff about exam is all expected , but funnily Joel and Darren managed to smuggle in their Maggi in cups and yet still eat in exam while teacher is around ! Some of the sleepy heads also can be seen in this test . As you would expect , whatever it is this test is not important at all , just for the sake of statistic for Education Department . Concentration before Biology , last photograph before camera 's battery runs out . After the awful test and some table arrangement , Moral bring the class back to normal . Since Lik Wong have been always noisy , Cikgu Azillah just saying that someone in 5 S 1 is " meminati " him . Shocking to him , laughter to all of us . However , this does not stops him from keep talking as he like . After that , all race against time to complete the exercise . No one seems to care , as is is more than half - emptied in the class . This is not stopping Mr. Jonlain from giving notes . All are really impatient to go home . That 's wraps the day ! Check out for these notices : Chemistry : Tomorrow there will be 3 periods , as Miss Irene is taking over PJK . So no need bring T - Shirt . English : Bring it on and be prepared for oral test tomorrow . Funny quotes of the day : If sky is the limit , what is space , over the limit ? God bless you all ! 
24 / 7 : All shocked and plans crashed . Well , certainly you all knew what it means here . No one has ever expected this diagnostic test to be done on us , in fact of everyone in Form 4 . So , todays ' test is only testing our ability to understand and apply the skills we learnt in English . Seldom challenging questions appear , but a lot appeared in Chemistry . All answered them quite confidently . Towards the end , during Chemistry , all are desperate with the dictation test , stated at the end of the test paper . Hillariously , Cikgu Rohani thought that she has to read the questions to them ! This makes a lot laughs around . As we were heading home early , all expect to have really free day tomorrow . Check out for this notices : Chemistry : This Wednesday has 3 periods , with teacher taking over the PJK . Malay : To those that have not undergo the oral test , it will be postponed to next week as teacher is not around within this week . God bless you all ! 
22 / 7 : Air cond cleaning , FINALLY ! This is a shock air conditioner service , as I were told by Madam Hii this morning . So , with that I can break the long photo draught in this blog . Maybe boring , maybe you ' ll say I seems like nothing to do , but please do check this out ! Class before that . Rather messy . Here are the same people and van as they came to install the air cond several months ago . Cleaning the cover using pressure pump . They are going to start it off . Could you dare to see this , clogged air cond ? And this ? Berani tak ? Now you should know why our class is not cold enough .... The cover after being washed . The cleaning starts off . Whoosh look at the dirts coming out . Some in depth cleaning . You cannot imagine how the dirty water look like . Another near shot . Cool right ? Let 's have some shower on those air cond ! Yohooo .... Can you see how clean is it now ? Finalizing everything by now . Madam Hii is discussing with the boss ( so to say ) . Looks pretty good by now . Seems new ! 5 S 3 is luckily enough to taste the new coldness around this room . So looking forward to savour the sensational breeze next week ! God bless you all ! 
21 / 7 : We are free like bird , almost . This day is rtaher free enough . Not everyone is very attentive in class , but surely this adds more live to this lovely class , isn't it ? English starts the day , with the continuation of oral asessment . This time many challenge their guts on and face the " judge " in front . Others are just having their own funs in this free period . Then at EST , teacher brought us about attempting to break the land speed record . This really attracts the car - lovers , especially guys ( not to name it ) . Try to think of any ways to break the awesome 633.88 miles per hour if you can !! But don't try this at home ! Lol ... Later at Physics , with teacher scribbling all the whiteboard with notes , many comes in and out of class through the back door . And there seems to have a chinese chess championship at the back . Just like a coffee shop inside the class . Teacher rarely speaks up , but just have some little chats among the students . Add Maths continues its journey in statistics . Miss Gan is showing various advantages and also disadvantages of measures of central tendacy . All listen without making any noise , allowing Miss Gan to teach as enjoyable as she can . At the start , Miss Gan compared the fake results of Joel and Darren , in which their resluts are in extremes . Many laughs broke out , as many playing around the Add Maths subjects being the best and the worst . Last 2 periods are really free . While the group assessment was being done , others just take their time to complete their Add Maths homework . Otherwise , they opt for sleep , playing chess or simply chat around . Yiew Kiong , Lik Wong and Darren also presented a quite funny oral about football in front of teacher , even the students also laughed out loud . Thus , this wraps the whole week . Thanks for the comments coming in and for your support towards this site . God bless you all ! Happy weekend ! Check out for these important notice : Add Maths : Exercise 7.1.9 ( page 149 ) Skill Practice 7.1 Q 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ( page 153 ) Chemistry : Experiment will be conducted next Monday and please bring workbook . Malay : Group assessment still be continued NEXT MONDAY . Please be prepared . 
20 / 7 : Raring to go . A good evening to every readers ! It 's been a long , and yet interesting day for all memebrs of 4 Einstien 1 . Check this out . With all looked a bit sleepy with the small rain early in the morning , Maths starts off with several interesting examples of angle between tangents and chords . Many skills from lower form are recalled back , all many are amzed on how Madam Hii managaed to tackle all the questions , without our expectations . Lik Wong 's late arrival as usual makes something fresh from this lesson . Later , some of the gutfuls raised themselves and take the challenge of English oral assessment test . They seemed relieved to have taken that test . Some not prepared yet still hold their anxiety and keep delaying . So as Malay group oral asessment . The group consisting of Melissa , Beth , Cathy and Joel came out with a drama , which is a revolutionary type of doing oral . Certainly their voices and the scenes are not that good , but many positives inside it . Well done to the 2 groups who had sucessfully completed their oral . Biology class is rather lively , with teacher trying to explain the different respiratory systems in insects , fish and human as well . Some of them keep on asking questions . Miss Drina also concerned about what we going to have in our test , and speaks about PEKA . Like usual , teacher can teach in front , but those at back simply cannot keep their sound volume low . Class is somewhat half - gone with most of them went to hall to see the specially - reserved - for - Form 5 - Exhibition . With everyone reading the studying prospectus , teacher is just writing all the notes on board . As usual , Moral ends the class with an essay task Teacher 's makes the way easy for us fist , before letting us on our own to do it . That wraps up of today 's happenings ! God bless you all ! Important notice : Maths : Exercise 8.1 B Q 1 - 3 ( page 213 - 214 ) , 8.2 A ( page 216 ) , 8.2 B ( page 218 ) English : Keep preparing for your oral ! Continue on all the way until the end . Malay : Several groups are called to be ready tomorrow . Others please get ready . Moral : Essay task is due next Tuesday . 
Light at the end of the tunnel ! Well , sort of ... She finally wrote back yesterday ! I am so happy ! These 3 horrible days of waiting and I knew Suzanne was a true friend that won't just ignore me ! I am very excited , but after reading through her e - mail , that light at the end of the tunnel just got a little dimmer ... She talked about how she was hurt once , and how keep hanging out with the guy was hurting her . She wondered if she was hurting me by talking to me ... I don't know , I want to say yes , because that 's the truth , but I really want to keep talking to her because I just can't help myself ! I don't think I can stand it if I can't talk to her . I ' d go crazy ! Anyway , I am still trying to write her back , I have got lots I want to say , but I really don't want to make things any worse , for the both of us ... Suzanne , mine to yours , with love always ... 
Ugly business ... I remembered another great quote from the movie " Little Manhattan " , it just applies so much to me ... Love is an ugly , terrible business practiced by fools . It ' ll trample your heart and leave you bleeding on the floor . And what does it really get you in the end ? Nothing but a few incredible memories that you can't ever shake . The truth is there 's gonna be other girls out there . I mean , I hope , but I ' m never gonna get another first love . That one 's always gonna be her . I agree wholesomely . Well , still waiting , still bleeding on the floor waiting for Suzanne to just write back . I am really hurt ... Suzanne , my love , let us prove to them that love is actually a beautiful thing that should be practiced by everyone . 
Still waiting ... So , it 's been 2 days since I wrote her the e - mail , but I guess I was expecting this ... the silent treatment ... I feel like when I try to express my feelings , it just makes me more depressed ... Maybe she is just writing a long letter back to me , telling me how she feels , but I really doubt it ... Anything would be good , the suspense is really killing me . I still remember the last time we talked on the phone , I told her that I was learning to play the guitar to some Eagle 's songs , and she said that I will have to play it for her sometime . Well , I have been practicing harder than ever since I talked to her . I want to be able to soon play those songs and make her happy ! Suzanne , there 's a hole in the world tonight , there 's a cloud of fear a sorrow . There 's hole in the world tonight , don't let there be a hole in the world tomorrow ! 
I took the risk , because I don't want to regret again ... So , today I decided to tell Suzanne about the movie " Little Manhattan " , and for some reason , I decided to tell her that I still love her . I guess this is where I quote the movie : " Love isn't about ridiculous little words . Love is about grand gestures . Love is about airplanes pulling banners over stadiums , proposals on jumbo - trons , giant words in sky writing . Love is about going that extra mile even if it hurts , letting it all hang out there . Love is about finding courage inside of you that you didn't even know was there . " - Little Manhattan I guess I found that courage . I told her how much I still miss her , even though I pretend I don't . I even told her that I wish the happiest for her man , but if he EVER makes her cry , then she knows where she can turn to for confort . I don't know how she is going to react , probably a few days of silent treatment again until I confront her ... Gosh , why can't this world just be on my side for once ... Instead of that e - mail , I wish I could just show you this blog Suzanne ... Then you might know just how sad you are making me everyday ... The guy you are seeing can have any other girl in the world , but I can only have you ... Please don't let me be that boy in Little Manhattan ... I will always love you Suzanne ... 
Little Manhattan . Before I get into the story , just want to say that Suzanne called me the other day , she asked me what I have been doing , and I told her that I have picked out 4 Eagle 's songs ( she likes Eagles too ) and have been practice guitar to it . She got excited and wanted me to play it for her someday ! It made me so happy ... So , I just watched this movie called " Little Manhattan " , it 's about how a 10 - year - old boy falls for this other girl , and he narrates how he felt about her . I had mixed feelings for this movie ... I like it , because it was cute , funny , and innocent love . There were no violence or sexuality involved . However , I didn't like it because it brought back the good and bad memories I had with Suzanne . That boy 's love experience was exact the same as mine , to ruin the ending for you , the boy didn't get the girl either . I related everything to the story : The girl ( Rosemary ) was the boy 's first real love , as Suzanne was to me . He never liked girls , becase they give the boys cooties : ) However , when he saw her , she change his life around . Suzanne changed my life . The boy started to really like Rosemary when they both started to take this Karate class , and it was something they would use to get together . I was just blown away when I saw Suzanne at the Ballroom Dancing Club , and I would use all the dancing excuses I can just to be with her . The boy took Rosemary to the park one day , and made a bet with her , lost , so he had to buy Rosemary ice cream . After that they took a stroll around Central Park . He said it was his first date , and he was the happiest boy ever . I remember the first time I took Suzanne to Coldstone Creamery for ice cream , it was considered a date to me . We talked for a while and got to know each other more . The girl seemed really nice to the boy , as Suzanne was to me . He got really happy , but then one day a new boy was introduced to the Karate class . Apparently there was another guy that Suzanne was seeing ... The boy finally took the risk and kissed the girl , but she did not react too well to it . I didn't go that far , but I did let Suzanne know that I like her , and I got the silent treatment for a while too ... The boy finally confronted her , telling Rosemary that he loved her , but she denies him and told him that she couldn't love him back . When I talked to Suzanne , she also told me that she couldn't love me back ... I was so furious at this point of the movie , because I knew exactly what was going through the boy 's mind ... At the end of the movie , the boy said something about love doesn't last forever , clearly he was heartbroken . I thought that before the credits started to roll , the girl will come back and go to him , but I was disappointed again ... He did not end up with the girl of his dream . I guess if you ever have that first love , but failed , then you can probably watch this movie and it will bring some joy , but beware of the ending . I think I am gonna go read some books about love and relationships , I heard of a couple of good ones ... Suzanne , I hope you will get to watch this movie , and it will show you how happy I was when I was with you , and how sad I was when you couldn't love me back ... You will always be that first love in my life ... 
Incomplete . No way ! In my last post , I talked about how the song " Incomplete " by the Backstreet Boys really touched me even though I never really cared for them ? Well , I was wasting time again on the facebook , and I came across one of Suzanne 's comment on another girl 's " comment wall " . She used the same EXACT lyrics I did and it happened to be just a day earlier ! I should be excited , however , I was more heart broken . I know in my heart that this girl is THE ONE , but I just can't get her love ... We like the same things , we can hang out for ever anytime , we can talk forever , we even think alike , I DON ' T KNOW WHAT ELSE IS WRONG ! Hopefully one day I will understand ... I just came back from a wedding , and I really hope one day it will be Suzanne and I walking down that isle ... Who are you Suzanne ? What are you trying to do with my life ? I feel so passionate about you that I can hardly control myself anymore ... Please , just love me back ... 
Yeah ... It 's been a while ... I miss Suzanne so much . I have talked to her here and there , but I really want to see her again face to face . Just the other day , I was talking to one of my friend , and he is now engaged . That just reminded me of what my life would have been if Suzanne had been my girlfriend before school ended . We could be working our way towards that special moment , and I knew my life would be complete . Speaking of complete , the Backstreet Boys song " Incomplete " was on the other day . I never liked their music or pay much attention to them . However , the lyrics caught my ear , and it was I ' ve tried to go on like I never knew you I ' m awake but my world is half asleep I pray for this heart to be unbroken But without you all I ' m going to be is incomplete That 's how I feel . Everytime we talk or hang out , I have to pretent like I never knew her , and it really hurts me . Oh well , I guess I am just going to be incomplete ... 
Bible Study In School . Remember a day when you got into High School and they had the GIANT dictionary in the library and your dirty little mind began looking up words that you shouldn't have even known ? Did any of those definitions actually surprise you ? For example , learning that the ' F ' word was actually an abreviation for : Fornication Under Carnal Knowledge . I vote that we do allow bible studies in America 's public schools . Where else will our children get to read things like the following from Genesis 19:30 - 3830 And Lot went up out of Zoar , and dwelled in the mountain , and his two daughters with him ; for he feared to dwell in Zoar : and he dwelled in a cave , he and his two daughters . 31 And the firstborn said to the younger , Our father is old , and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth : 32 Come , let us make our father drink wine , and we will lie with him , that we may preserve seed of our father . 33 And they made their father drink wine that night : and the firstborn went in , and lay with her father ; and he perceived not when she lay down , nor when she arose . 34 And it came to pass on the morrow , that the firstborn said to the younger , Behold , I lay last night with my father : let us make him drink wine this night also ; and go you in , and lie with him , that we may preserve seed of our father . 35 And they made their father drink wine that night also : and the younger arose , and lay with him ; and he perceived not when she lay down , nor when she arose . 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father . 37 And the first born bore a son , and called his name Moab : the same is the father of the Moabites to this day . 38 And the younger , she also bore a son , and called his name Benammi : the same is the father of the children of Ammon to this day . Or how about the God who likes to " moon " people as found in Exodus 33:23 ... And I will take away my hand , and you shall see my back parts : but my face shall not be seen . Couldn't he just stuck out his tongue ? What of the potty mouth Lord in Ezekiel 4:12 who said ... And you shall eat it as barley cakes , and you shall bake it with dung that comes out of man , in their sight . I can keep going but the quotes I had chosen from the Song of Soloman amkes me blush ! Go ahead and force the schools to teach the bible ... But are you prepared to explain the hundreds of passages like these to 15 year olds ? Or will you end up censoring the bible like you censor everything else ? They don't want sex education taught in schools , they scoff at making condoms available to high school aged kids ... But they want the bible taught ... It reminds me of how they support the war yet demonize abortion ... Hey Christians ! Make up your minds will you ? Rev. Kenny . 
Reminders for TD Tutoring Sessions . 1 . Value respect . When the teacher tells you to stop , stop . He is not there to put an end to your joysbut to make sure everyone is happy .2 . Be in harmony with your surroundings . Behave well in the jeepneys . No rowdy behavior . No foul language . eep your cool . Enjoy the company of friends and our driver . But not to an excess . We are in a moving vehicle . People know us as Ateneans .3 . Be responsible . Bring a watch . Know that they are two sessions , each 45 minutes . Never ask Mr. Javier , Sir , ilang minutes pa ? ( Tingin ko sa ` yo , ang tamad mo . ) Be prepared . Don t waste time doing nothing . Do something academic . To labor , not to seek for rest . 4 . Be in solidarity with your students . When students have no chair , don t use a chair . Sit with them on the floor . When student have chairs , use a chair . Sit in front of them . Your kids should be seated close in a semi - circle . Your knees almost touching , says Fr . O B . Sit close to them .5 . Keep your commitments . No standing up and leaving one s kids . No conferences with fellow tutors while teaching .6 . Don t overdo the kuya . Some of the kids are acting rowdy . Remind them of proper behavior . Reprimand if you need to reprimand . Tough love .7 . The signs of a good tutor : The students are huddled , looking at the tutor , involved with him in the process called learning . When the bell rings , the tutor and students say sincerely , Time na . Kulang sa oras , sir . Grabe , I still have many things to do and share with them . 8 . Put in a little more love . Pray for yourself and your TD kids . Prepare a lesson plan for 45 minutes . Complete with homework hand - out and learning activity sheets . 
Vincimus , 4 L - Loyola ! Guys , we really need prayers ... Magsimba tayo sa umaga ng Friday , July 21 sa kapilya ng AHS . Let us beg Christ to make us his faithful and hardworkingcompanions after the exampleof our patron , St. Ignatius of Loyola . Grabe , kahanga - hanga ang mga ginagawa ni Hesuspara sa klase natin . Imagine tayo ang nagbebenta ng Jubilee Shirt , what an honor , what a grace . Salamat , Hesus , salamat . Tulungan mo kaming maging mga tapat at masipag mong tagasunod . Kung alam n ' yo lang kung paano kumikilos ang Diyossa mga nagaganap sa likod ng gawaing ito ... Biyaya talaga ! Biyaya ! Magpasalamat tayo ! 
The Inspiration Behind Our Class Motto . " By endurance , we conquer " . This was the family motto of Sir Earnest Shackleton . In late 1914 , the now famous explorer , Earnest Shackleton set out to conquer the last unclaimed price in the history of exploration . With a crew of 27 , he set sail for the South Atlantic , destined to cross the Antarctica on foot . As faith would have it , Shackleton never got to set foot on the Antarctic continent . Much through poor decision making and a run of bad luck , his expedition became a race against time and nature , in order to survive . Shackleton and his men were forced to endure the wrath of the Antarctic winter , while their ship drifted helplessly in the pack - ice of the Weddell Sea . Later , the ship would be crushed by the enormous force of the ice , forcing the crew to live on floes . As the arctic summer drew closer , the crew set out from the pack - ice in small , open boats , heading for the small islands located in the South Atlantic ocean . The whole ordeal would last 20 months , before their ultimate rescue . Despite his poor preparation and now all to apparent mistakes , Shackleton was a great explorer . Or maybe calling him a great explorer is a misnomer , a great leader would be more appropriate . Was it not for his great leadership skills and his ability to select and create a crew that worked as a well - oiled machinery , the entire exploration party would have perished in the unforgiving arctic . Another ( in ) famous British explorer , Robert Scott , lacked Shackleton 's leadership skills and did not possess the humble , realistic nature required of a polar explorer . As a result , Scott and his party of 5 , all died on the ice . In the words of Shackleton himself : " ... But what the ice gets , the ice keeps " . I am continued to be amazed at what the human body and psyche can endure , in order to survive . Just when you think you have no more energy , no more mental stamina to continue - you still have not dipped into the pool of " survival energy " . We , as humans , have vast and mostly unexplored capabilities , both physically and mentally . The ability to tap into just a small part of this reservoir could bring great results . The ability to ignore and suppress the feeling of pain and the desire to stop is what often separates the winner from the loser . Source : www . buzzle . com / editorials / 12 - 29 - 2005 - 85077 . asp . 
California Trip Day 7,8 - San Francisco We drove 3 hours plus to San Francisco . It was a beautiful city ... very colourful and vibrant in a different way as compared to Las Vegas which was another vibrant and colourful city . Will be a very nice place to live in . Everything was so unique . The bridge , the chinatown , the houses that was built on up and down slopes , Pier 39 , the tram . All these were very unique to tourist like us ... wonder whether those people who live there find them as special .... sometimes people tends to take such things for granted ... things that had become part of their daily lives . We reached there late afternoon and the view of the city was awesome ... even when some parts were quite old and run down like most big city . The unique architecture such as the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate bridge made up for all the imperfections in the city . We headed striaght to Fisherman 's Wharf and the famous Pier 39 . It was very crowded and it feel like everyone is on holiday .... you can smell the sea , hear the seagulls , watch street performances or just sit at a cafeteria and watch the people go . As it was located just next to pacific ocean , SF unlike most other places was not affected by the summer heat . It was cool and even cold at some places with the strong breeze from the sea . It seems almost perfect to stay there ... the food , the scenery , the weather .... but still , nothing beats our home country ... as we always tell Mal ... Home is where the Heart is .... and that is where our hearts is .... where our family and friends are ... but if you will to ask Mal , he will tell you ... here is where his heart is .... cos he had forgotten about his home back in Singapore : ( the scenery on the way from Yosemite to San Franciscoat Pier 39 ... us at the pier .... at Pier 39 Daddy saying cheeze .... it was a bit chilly with the sea breeze ... guessing what was he doingclimbing up the stilt while mummy fed him lunch ... he was having porridge which we had brought along ... but his appetite for the porridge wasn't so good ... he was more interested in the famous clam chowder in a bread bowl that we were having Mal and Mummy at the merry go round ... Mal loves merry go round but he refused to take the horsey ride alone ... he will always choose the one that looks like a carriage ... so that either mummy or daddy could sit with him ... look at all the people ... uncle eddy and with the famous Alcatraz ... mummy and mal with alcatrazus with alcatraz .... we ain't so lucky this time ... only managed to see 1 pathetic sea lion sun bathing .... normally there are a whole group of them sun bathing at the same time ... which was one of the highlight at Pier 39 some of the scenery in San Francisco ... the downtown area , the Lombard Street which was known to be the crookiest street in the world , the tram and the famous Golden Gate Bridge ... it was brrrrr ... rrrr cold ... and was falling sick too ... after ... first time they tasted ' cold ' cos whenever we told them it was going to be cold ... they just couldn't imagine cos the summer heat was so hot everywhere else ! was wrapped up like a dumpling : ) Mal at chinatown ... we visited chinatown on the 2 nd day at San Francisco , it was elaborate and had everything ... for a while it made us forgot that we were in a Western country ... probably remind us of those busy Hong Kong streetswe hopped on the tram at the very last minute when we saw it passing by in chinatown ... the tram brought us to the other end of the street ... we got off the tram and while waiting for the tram to go back ... Mal took a break and have some snack ... at the other end of the street waiting for the tram to start moving ... on the 2 nd day we also try to find the Golden Gate Bridge park as we remembered that we could probably get a better view of the bridge from there .... and at the Golden Gate Bridgemore pictures of Pier 39 , the downtown area , the hotel we stayed and the chinatown ... 
HARASSMENTHELP !!! We are being harassed !!! BY A STUPID BIRD !!!!! This bird has been harassing us since Saturday 15 Jul . We were having lunch in the kitchen when we heard a knock coming from the living room . Daddy went out to check and did not find anything suspicious except for this bird that was seen flying off each time he appeared . This went on for the whole afternoon .... and the next morning ... as early as 5 plus in the morning the bird started knocking on the glass door again !!! This continued for the whole day and till today ... the bird was still doing so . What is wrong with this bird ??? !!! Mummy trys to figure out 1 . It was trying to look for insects in the wire mesh ??? 2 . It was trying to look for insects on the top of the glass door ?? 3 . It was trying to enter the house ?? 4 . It mistook its own reflection as another bird which was as ugly looking as itself cos it could see his own reflection in the glass 5 . It was trying to seek revenge for its baby that it thought we killed !!! cos there were a few incidents that we found baby egg shells in our backyard ... probably fallen from some bird nests in the tree 6 . It was trying to be funny ... maybe it found out that our family had just left ... and it was a good time to harass us !!!! HAHAHATELL ME WHAT SHOULD WE DO ??? !!! It is beginning to get on my NERVE !!! 
Back to just the 3 of us again ... So finally it was time for everyone to go back Singapore . We had been telling Mal that everyone will be going back Singapore so that it will not come as a shock for him . He woke up around 8 am and after a quick breakfast ... we were ready to set off for the airport at around 8.30 . For a while , Mal thought that we are going to the airport to take the plane with them as Mummy told him that he needs to get changed as we were going to the airport . He happily asked to change for him as he thought he would be taking the plane with them . So Mummy had to tell him again that we will not be taking the plane with the rest and will be staying here instead . To him , here is where his home is . He had forgotten our home in Singapore . If you ask him , he will tell you ... that is ' 's house . Maybe when we go back next year . He will want to come back here cos to him , here is his home . After seeing everyone off at the airport . We went home and Daddy was off to work just like usual . It was back to just the 2 of us at home and this time the house seems so quiet . Would have gone out for some shopping with the rest but was too tired both physically and emotionally . After lunch , we slept from 1.30 pm to 5 pm !!! So with gone , it is back to having Mummy cooks all the meals and Mummy realised that all this while when had been around , followed by they all around , Mummy had been very laxed in housework and taking care of Mal cos there are so many people to help out and I could spend all the spare time doing things for myself and not as much attention was paid on Mal . Only when everyone was gone , that I discovered that Mal had learnt how to talk alot , not that I did not realise this before , just that I hardly sit down and engage in a proper conversation with him . Now , with just the 2 of us ... and not much things to do and Mummy being abit homesick , and Mal being the only one around , I started talking to him . It feels very good to know that he had grown up so much and can be of such great companion to me ... and for a while , Mummy doesn't mind having another brother or sister for him if they will grow up to be as great listener and companion as Mal : ) Mal seems not as affected by their departure as Mummy . In the evening , he finished 1 big bowl of noodle and he went to bed early at 9 pm even having slept for more than 3 hours in the afternoon . I guessed there are less distractions now and it is easier for him to follow his schedule when it comes to eat , sleep and poo : ) For the past few nights before the rest left , Mal had been sleeping at almost 12 midnight . He had been busy playing and entertaining the rest and we let him stay up late as we don't get to do this everytime . Now with everyone left , there are some things we will miss .... Mal saying to Mal saying ' good morning ' to everyone Mal saying ' good nite and ' to everyone Mal giving good nite hugs and kisses to everyone Mal saying to Mal saying Mal saying .... and all the Mandarin songs he had learnt He sound so cute speaking Mandarin ... guess we should continue to speak to him in Mandarin so that he can start a conversation with and when we go back next year : ) Their short visit comes and goes so fast but we were all glad that we had the opportunity to show them around . One of the greatest joy in life is to be able to share our happiness with the people around us , especially those who matter to us . 
California Trip Day 2 M and Coca Cola novelty shops . Dinner was back to the 1 st chinese restaurant we ate on our 1 st day before proceeding to the asian supermarket to stock up on grocery as we were planning for more cooking in our next destination . it is a brand new day ! Mal is happy to have so much company , all ready to set off with Mal leading the group : ) he is gonna be everyone 's darling and terror for the next few weeks : ) back to his car seat ... r we ready to go ? yeah .. all SET ! this is for little uncle back home to envy : ) castles .... yummy yummy tim sumfun at tim sum placesay cheeze or cheese burger and fries .... having a break with Daddy while the rest continue shoppingon the way to the M & M and Coca Cola shops ... can you see the shops just across the road ?? morning swim to start the daythis was the hotel we stayed during our 1 st visit to Las Vegas ... stopping by to take a picturewe were at Aladdin ... the place where we had our Jpananese buffet ... there was this toy shop with some very livelike puppies and cats moving around . Mal was instantly attracted to themthere was a Thunderstorm show inside Aladdin ... where there are lights and sound effect and even rain to simulate a real thunderstorm . Real cool ... Mal was however a bit scared as you can see him clinging on to Daddy here ... , and Mal with the smiley , lying buddha ... and with the smiley , lying buddha ... Mummy and Daddy with the smiley , lying buddha ... are you salivating yet ??? when will I get my 1 st watch ? !! Daddy was tempted to get one for him but Mummy think is a bit expensive for this young boy Hey Mr M & M.... we were here before during our last Las Vegas trip but did not take any pics cos we were in a rush . Mummy and .... nowadays it is not easy to get Mal to smile to the camera , maybe he had gotten so sick of Mummy photographing him . So instead of asking him to ' SMILE ! ' we ask him to say ' Cheese burgur and French fries ' cos at least his mouth open and if we are lucky ... it will turn out to look like a big smile : ) look at all the M & M behind us !!! So COLOURFUL !!! they are hard to resist even for adults ... not to mention kids !!! so here is Mal ... trying to make his very own bag of M & Mssome really cool machine to print out souvenir coins ... for a while we really thought the machine was capable to churn out souvenir coins from the one we dropped in .... think we just too sua koo ... cos we during our trip later on ... we realised such souvenir coin machines were quite common in places of interest . with the M & M furry toys ... can you tell where are we here ??? it 's the coke shop ! everything on Coca Colathere was even a bar selling beverages ..... what else ... but Coca Cola Mal at Caesars Palace .... posing with the roman nude man sculpture and at Ceasars Palaceus at Ceasars Palace and at Ceasars Palaceall these big casinos .... really know how to tempt their customers to spend more $$$ one last glance from our living area ... 
California Trip Day 1 - Las Vegas Hey ... finally back from the trip and gotto catch up with all updates that I had missed . This time Las Vegas , here we come again ! We will be meeting , , , and Uncle Eddy . Daddy was just back from his working trip from Canada and off we went again . This will be a long trip and we will be one the road for more than a week . Not sure whether Mal could take it or not but will never know until we try . The drive to Las Vegas was an easy 5 hours drive . Mal was very good in his carseat . He played , slept , ate and in a wink of an eye . We reached LV . Our family were already stayed there for a night as they had reached US a few days ago and after having stayed in LA for 2 nights , they took a flight to LV to meet us . All sound simple huh ... but it took a long while to plan out the itenerary ! We met up with them at Aladdin hotel lobby . So excited and happy to see them all . Mal was however under a bit of shock . It took him a while before he warmed up and realised that right in front of him was his favourite whom he talks to over the webcam almost everyday . Mal ate , played and slept in his car seat all the way to LV . It was a good startoff for some good chinese food in LV . We had chicken , both steamed and soya oil and Daddy 's favourite noodle ! Here 's Mal 's favourite . When Mal was much younger , we used to be able to sneak out in the evening and have his favourite baby sit for us : ) and at Bellagio ... can you tell what is the theme for the decoration ?? It 's US Independence Day which falls on the 4 th July ... just like our National Day A group photo ... here 's another family picture with Mal doing better in the pic : ) Are we in Paris ?? Finally .. we managed to catch the fountain show at Bellagio ... too bad it 's summer and the sun sets very late ... we did not stay late enough to catch the show with the beautiful lights . the show kinda put what we had in Sentosa to shamefinally back to our comfy room : ) Mal likes the place : ) the comfy master bedroom wth a spacious bathroom with huge jacuzzi tuband a very very well equiped kitchen . 
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Drama Diocese of San Joaquin Held Hostage : Day 28 A Petition In Protest Against The Use of Canon IV.9 Against Bishop John David Schofield , Bishop of San Joaquin There 's a petition on the web . Over 300 signatures today . Check out the petition here . 
Divided California Episcopalians May Reflect Larger Split in Church The California Report Fri , July 21 , 2006 -- 4:30 pm This weekend Bay Area Episcopalians will celebrate the installment of their eighth bishop . Bishop - elect Marc Handley Andrus will soon lead a diocese that ordains more gay and lesbian priests than any other in the nation . It 's a stark contrast from the neighboring Diocese of San Joaquin which is one of only three in the U.S. that still doesn't ordain women . Do the differences represented in California echo a broader conflict that 's threatening to split the church apart ? Host : Cy Musiker Reporters : Stephanie Martin Listen to the report here . 
Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth Resolves to Leave FORT WORTH , Texas The following Resolution was unanimously adopted today by the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth and will be presented to the Diocesan Convention in its annual meeting on Nov . 18 , 2006 . WHEREAS the Archbishop of Canterbury in light of the actions of General Convention 2006 has proposed that the best way forward for the Anglican Communion is to have in the future both constituent and associated members , necessitating ordered and mutually respectful separation between constituent and associated elements within local Churches ; and WHEREAS the stated aim of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is to be a constituent member of the Anglican Communion as provided for in the Constitution of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America ; and , WHEREAS the Bishop and Standing Committee believe it necessary for the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth to dissociate itself from those actions of the 75 th General Convention which constitute a decision of the Episcopal Church to walk apart from the Anglican Communion ; and , WHEREAS the Bishop and Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth in good faith appealed to the Archbishop of Canterbury , the Primates of the Anglican Communion , and the Panel of Reference for immediate alternative Primatial oversight and pastoral care so that a unifying solution can be found to preserve an authentic Anglican community of witness within the United States of America and provide pastoral and apostolic care to biblically orthodox Anglicans in this country regardless of geographical location ; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth , pending final ratification by its 24 th Annual Convention , withdraws its consent , pursuant to Article VII of the Constitution of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church , to be included in the Seventh Province of the Episcopal Church . The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth consists of 55 congregations serving 24 north central Texas counties . The major cities in the diocese include Fort Worth , Arlington , Hurst - Euless - Bedford , Wichita Falls , Grand Prairie , Richland Hills , Brownwood , and Stephenville . The Rt . Rev. Jack L . Iker has served as the third Diocesan Bishop of Fort Worth since 1995 . The diocese enjoys companion relationships with the Dioceses of Northern Malawi and Northern Mexico . 
Fr . Jim Liggett Reports on GCO 6 But there were heartbreaking moments in all of this , too . As the voting evolved , it became clear that both the most liberal dioceses , those most in favor of what happened in 2003 , and the most conservative dioceses , those most opposed to that action , had , intentionally or not , joined together in an attempt to block even the discussion , let alone the resolution , of the most important parts of this process . This stunning alliance was , it seems clear , willing to divide , even to destroy , the whole Church if they could not get , word for word , what they wanted . Together , they were willing to sink the boat , our boat ; and to break it into pieces to make new , littler , boats . And the fact is , most , if not all , of the news stories , interviews , and reports I have seen in the secular press come from one side or another of this peculiar and destructive alliance . It is from there that we hear voices falsely insisting either that we have ignored or flaunted the Windsor Report , or that we have abandoned our commitment to be open and welcoming to all of God s children . Neither is true ; and I have come to the sad conclusion that both extremes seek primarily their own agenda , and that each is willing to sacrifice both the unity and the mission of the Church for the sake of that agenda . A pox on both their houses . I belong to neither extreme , nor does our Diocese . Read all of Fr . Liggett 's report to St. Mary 's , Big Spring , TX , here . 
From Christ Church Plano Secondly , I have come to a personal awareness of the Episcopal Church through all of this . For nearly two decades I had thought that the Episcopal Church was in denial . I imagined that if they could only see a church in action with a gospel witness and a biblical mission ( and there are many such churches all around the country ) they would reverse their course and begin to embrace this kind of ministry . But over the last few weeks , I came to know that ECUSA has an agenda , a drive , a passion and a momentum all of its own . And this is primarily why I see that we couldn't go with them . They are headed in a direction that is wholly different than what Christ Church has been about for the last two decades . In fact , in hindsight , I see that the issues of disagreement are not primarily about human sexuality . Rather , they are about the mission and the message of the church . Let me explain ... Read it all here . 
San Joaquin Diocese Held Hostage : Day 26 Four bishops with jurisdiction in the state of California have asked a disciplinary panel to approve an expedited deposition of the Rt . Rev. John - David Schofield , Bishop of San Joaquin . In a letter to the organizing chair of the Title IV [ Ecclesiastical Discipline ] Review Committee , the Rt . Rev. J . Jon Bruno , Bishop of Los Angeles ; the Rt . Rev. Jerry M. Lamb , Bishop of Northern California ; the Rt . Rev. James R . Mathes , Bishop of San Diego ; and the Rt . Rev. William E . Swing , Bishop of California , are concerned that Bishop Schofield intends to abandon the communion of this Church . As one of the primary pieces of their evidence the four cite recent changes that qualify subordination under the diocesan canons to the Constitution and Canons of the General Convention . At its annual meeting last October , delegates to San Joaquin s convention approved the second reading of a change to Article II of its constitution to state that it accedes to the Canons and Constitution of the General Convention to the extent that such terms and provisions are not inconsistent with the terms and provisions of the Constitution and Canons of the Diocese of San Joaquin . The four believe this fact alone is sufficient to remove Bishop Schofield from office without trial . Read it all here . 
Feeling Strains , Baptist Colleges Cut Church Ties GEORGETOWN , Ky . The request seemed simple enough to the Rev. Hershael W . York , then the president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention . He asked Georgetown College , a small Baptist liberal arts institution here , to consider hiring for its religion department someone who would teach a literal interpretation of the Bible . But to William H . Crouch Jr. , the president of Georgetown , it was among the last straws in a struggle that had involved issues like who could be on the board of trustees and whether the college encouraged enough freedom of inquiry to qualify for a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa . Dr. Crouch and his trustees decided it was time to end the college s 63 - year affiliation with the religious denomination . From my point of view , it was about academic freedom , Dr. Crouch said . I sat for 25 years and watched my denomination become much more narrow and , in terms of education , much more interested in indoctrination . Read it all here . 
San Joaquin Diocese Held Hostage : Day 24 Clarifying Rumors We know that many of you are aware of certain rumors that have been floating recently indicating that four California bishops are making charges against the Bishop of San Joaquin that might lead to a presentment ( an ecclesiastical trial ) . To our knowledge , no action leading to a presentment has taken place . However , four California bishops have requested an investigation by the Title IV Review Committee . According to a communication from Bishop Dorsey Henderson , who heads up the Review Committee , the Committee itself is still being formed . For our part , the Chancellors have already responded to the initial allegations by challenging the appropriateness of the specific Canon Law [ IV.9 ] being used to bring charges . In short , these allegations are neither relevant nor justified . The Diocese of San Joaquin press release is found here . 
Homosexuality , Marriage and the Bible Lot and his daughters flee to the mountains , and the women despair of ever havingoffspring because Lot is the only man around . They conspire to give wine to Lot and have incestuous relations with him . Both become pregnant with sons who are the ancestors of the Moabites and the Ammonites . A man that God considers righteous is a drunk who impregnates his daughters afteroffering them to a gang bent on rape . And we want to put this book back in public schools ? Read Bill Uhrich 's essay here . 
General Convention Survivor Reflects The debate on this resolution was fascinating . Those in full support of Gene Robinson and SSUs were adamantly opposed . Those from the right , very surprisingly , also opposed it ( saying it did not go far enough ) . That was an amazing turn . The " right " folks worked together , called for a vote by orders , and really worked to defeat A 161 which , IMHO , did address the Windsor Report , offering regret , promising not to develop rites , and urging refraining from electing gay bishops . This was a well done , difficult - to - achieve resolution and , again in my opinion , brought us as close in line with Windsor as possible for our GC . The conservatives fought it tooth and nail . Some of the liberal members of the special committee spoke for passing the resolution , willing to give up what they considered progress for the greater good of unity and the communion . So it is disingenuous for conservatives to complain about the lack of resolutions on same sex blessings , when it was the conservatives who fought to defeat the one resolution brought forward dealing with it . The election of Presiding Bishop was the other amazing thing . I have heard from three Bishops now who report that a group of conservative Bishops , including some retired bishops , once they saw " their " candidate , Charles Jenkins , would not win , voted for Jefforts - Schiori intentionally to cause division and schism in the ECUSA and the Anglican Communion . It is their place to name names , but all three reported this as hearing it first hand . Folks , this is a sad , sad thing to learn . That Bishops of our church would do something to intentionally cause a split in our church , and do so while hiding behind a secret ballot , is unbelievable . Yet , as in the Joseph story , God can make for good that humans intend for ill . I pray that is the case here , but shame on them for lowering to such levels . Read it all here . 
Presbyterians Letter to Bush As Presbyterians , we understand God s gift of peace to be most profoundly exemplified in the life and ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . Christ calls all who profess faith in him to share the gospel message of peace in a broken and insecure world . We believe we are called to build a culture of peace for all of God s children . We must have the courage to believe that peace is possible and take the steps necessary to achieve this goal . The people of the Middle East , the birthplace of Christianity , Judaism , and Islam , are groaning under the burden of war and desperately desire peace . We implore you to not allow the extremists of the region to dictate the reality and final outcome of this situation . What is needed now is a sane and diplomatic voice , which the United States can provide . Please use all diplomatic means available to you to restrain the violence and calm the situation for the sake of Israel , the United States , and all the peoples of the Holy Land and the wider region . More here . 
The Politics of Fear Republicans are once again fanning the flames on gay marriage -- the same kind of scaremongering conservatives long used to fuel interracial hatred in the South On June 5 th , the twenty - fifth anniversary of the world 's first AIDS diagnosis , President Bush called upon ' ' community leaders , scholars , family organizations , religious leaders , Republicans , Democrats and independents " to join him in the Old Executive Office Building for a solemn announcement . Would the ' ' compassionate conservative " mark this day with a moment of silence for the 500,000 Americans lost to the epidemic ? Or perhaps , at long last , cooperate with global efforts to fight AIDS in Africa ? No , Bush had something very different in mind : endorsing an anti - gay bill that had no chance of passing in order to shore up his flagging support among evangelicals . ' ' You are here because you strongly support a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union of a man and a woman , " the president told his handpicked guests , ' ' and I am proud to stand with you . " Americans , he declared , had reached a ' ' consensus " against gay marriage . The Rollingstone . com article is here . 
Busy days . post # 100 Wow . It s been very busy days . On Sunday , after I wrote my previous journal I watched Hitch . It was a great movie . Great story with canny message . Will Smith played Hitch , a famous date doctor who specialize in helping other ( unlucky or not so confident ) guys , orchestrating their first three dates with the girl of their dreams ( which successfully continue to the next phase of course , but he only responsible for those three first dates ) . It s so entertaining . I missed the afternoon mass at the cathedral . I thought the mass schedule was just the same like it was on Saturday . I got there at 5.45 PM , planning to attend the 6 PM mass , but I was wrong . The mass was already begun and I arrived in the middle of the mass . I was so late . maybe about half an hour . It seemed that the mass began at 5.15 PM . So I just sat outside n waiting till the mass ended . After that I went to Liv s bday dinner . Arrived there quite early well .. hadn t arrived so I guess I was early . Irwan n his gf already there . I sat with them n talked a bit . Not so long after that Liv came with Hendra n her family . She brought the DVDs I asked her . YEAHHHH but it came with a consequence that I will have so little time to sleep We had a great time . great food and great conversation plus the DVDs lolzzz Yesterday for the first time after so long , I took public transportation ( bus ) . AC 07 , M - 28 , S - 02 , 40 , M - 06 , M - 06 A , 461 , 03 , M - 01 , P 8 . Public transportation here is very awful . It took me about 2 and a half an hour to get back home . The bus driver really tested my patience I could walk faster than the bus . Maybe I m an impatient person .... plus it was a very busy day . Didn t have access to the internet and also the time . Got home very tired and was quite surprised when I saw she who must not be named s status on YM . I asked her and she told me to read her blog . I was speechless after reading the blog . Assuming that the person she s referring in her blog was me I felt flattered and yet guilty . So I chatted w her n said what s on my mind * sigh Watching 24 after our brief chat , but I still thought about what she wrote n then my body gave up went to sleep after watching episode 15 . Elisha was still as stunning as I remembered . I really like her blond hair ( I like to call it pure blond ) , her lips and her cold look . In indonesian tampang galak lolzzz Today s been busy too I finally got the time to write this after office hour . After this I m gonna go back home and . watch 24 of course I noticed that one of the new cast , the one who s replacing Edgar Stiles character was kinda quite n reminded me of Kate : DWell I guess that s all . it s time to go home home is a place where I yearn to belong . * originally created yesterday ... Wow ... i reached a 100 ... 
Exhilarating . post # 99 Yesterday was a blast . Very exhausting yet exciting . It was superb . Woke up a little late so I rushed to ASEAN Hall to play badminton . One of the best badminton games I ve ever had . After that I rushed to Mangga Dua to get myself a racquet . After considering for a while , I finally bought Yonex Muscle Power 22 . But I had to wait around two hours so they can arrange the string . When I was paying , my uncle called and he said that he was on his way to Mangga Dua n that he wanted to see me . So I rushed back home , took a bath and went back again to Mangga Dua ( I hadn t taken a bath after I finished playing badminton ) . We met at Think Shop , my cousin , who will be studying in Singapore was looking for a laptop . But they didn t find the laptop they re looking for . Then we ate at Bakmi Naga . My sis came with her friend after we finished eating . We talked for a while , after that we looked some CDs but didn t find anything interesting . My uncle n his son went back home n I went back to the sport store to pick my badminton racquet . I asked my sister to bring the racquet back home , while I went to Prisma Sport Club Ballroom . It s where KRK V was held . Arrived there at around 5.40 PM . I took a place in front row . Then the KRK began at 6 PM ( very punctual , I like it ) . Since I missed the last KRK ( KRK IV ) , I was very thrilled . I had a great time there , singing , praising the Lord and listening the speaker talked about entertainment ( it was the topic for this KRK ) . And as a surprise , there were two guest stars . They were Kia ( The runner up from AFI 1 ) and Sisil ( Indonesian Idol .. She was one among the best 8 ) . They really have good voices and know how to sing . They sang The Prayer very beautifully . I was astonished And I think I saw Rhea up on the left wing seats . KRK ended at 9.30 PM ( right on schedule : D ) . I met a girl named Riana and we exchanged cell phone number . She s active in Campus Ministry , along w Edward the lab ass Spidey . Then when I was going to the toilet , Livia called me . She wanted to confirm about the dinner on Sunday ( which is today ) . I said okay , I ll be there . Another unexpected surprise was Rhea . She called me when I was on my way out . She said I m arrogant for not calling her . We kinda got lost contact for almost 2 months well I wanted to keep some distance actually , giving her some space . I said I lost cell phone number in my cell phone error incident . She gave me her number again , we talked and I asked why I haven t seen her around in YM for quite some time . She said she just got back from France . She went there for an ( cultural ?? ) exchange program and she was the coordinator for Indonesian teenagers participating in that program . She went there for three weeks and ( jokingly ) blaming me for not contacting her . She s getting tan but , still smelled good . She said she ll be back to work ( and online on YM ) on Monday . N then I went back home . On the exit , came the last surprise ( I thought ) there was this girl handing out flyer containing information about prayer gathering in Jakarta n I was instantly mesmerized by her smile . Her smile was soooooooooo sweettttttttttttt I forgot when was the last time I saw a smile as sweet as hers . I was awestruck . wowwwww her name was Yoan ( I knew from her name tag ) .. It s definitely a superbly exhilarating Saturday .. And exhausting too . I supposed to attend morning mass today , but I woke up at 8.30 AM , while the mass begins at 8.30 AM .. lolzzz . Thank you Lord . finished writing at 11.40 AM . 
( Blank ) . post # 98 It s been a week since my last posting . Lately I kinda got lazy writing blog . It s been busy week . Still have a pack of DVDs waiting to be watched . Haven t found the right time to sit down n write . When I got the time , the mood was gone . the momentum had passed . Like now , I ve got the time but my mind is blank . Too many things happened n I m overwhelmed . Anyway , Liv s back in Jakarta . She will celebrate her birthday this Sunday . She said she might be back for good . The good news besides her being back in Jakarta is that I can borrow 24 n Desperate Housewives n Prison Break . YEAHHHH but on the other hand , it adds up my homework . When will I find the time to watch all of those ? Time is the essence . No matter how , we re always bound by time . Time . after time after time . 
For a very special woman in my life . post # 97 Happy birthday Mom ! Thank you for all of your unconditional love and your guidance . These are the things that make me the person I am . You ve taught me everything ; you ve always given your best for me , even without me asking for it . I wish I can repay them all and be the son you can be proud of . Best wishes for you mom , always Thank you God for giving me such a remarkable mom . 
Happy Birthday Moetttt ... post # 96 Today 's a special day for Moet .... she 's legal now to do whateva ... lolzzz ... So on this occasion , I ' d like to dedicate an old song from NKOTB for her ... Happy 21 st Birthday to a " very high spirited " young lady .. ; p Happy birthday to you , this is your day . On this day for you were gonna love you in every way . This is your day , your day , happy birthday to you , to you , to you . Happy birthday to you , youre still young . Age is just a number , dont you stop having fun . This is your day , your day , happy birthday to you . This day only comes once every year , Because youre so wonderful with each and everything you do , hey ! Happy birthday to you , this is your day . On this day for you were gonna love you in every way . This is your day , your day , happy birthday to you , to you . This day is only for you , cause youre so special in every way , Happy birthday to you ! May God 's blessings be with you in everything you do .... ps . I ' m still waiting for the black pepper beef .... : D . 
What is Aznar doing in the desert ? A short post . Some people thinks that our ex - president is looking for Bin Laden , others believe that he is looking for massive destruction weapons in Irak . But , what does Jos Mar a Aznar do in the desert ? Check it in : http : // www . yonkis . com / media / marruecos _ va _ bien . wmv Answers are welcome ! 
Buyers Remorse . Hey all I went to Ballarat yesterday with a few mates shopping and I bought a heap of stuff . I got World of war craft 3 for 50 % off wich was pretty good seeing as it is normaly $ 50 .... any way i also got the Matrix box set and House season one wich is pretty awesome ! now for the remorcefull buy ... when i was at virgin getting the House I saw a poster on the wall saying that there was a 007 Box set that you could pre order ... it was $ 400 and i put a deposit on it ... It had 40 dvds and a free 007 breif case to go with it . It was just so shiny in the pic and now i am thinking that it was a stupid move . oh well it is only money and i would have only spent it on some thing just as useless anyway .... besides i dont mind 007 movies and my mum loves them so if i dont ever use it i know that she will . 
Weapon Of War . Hey alllast Weekend was awesome ! I went spotlighting with a few of my mates . We where out most of the night and managed to get about six rabbits one duck and about three and a half foxes the half was the one we shot with the 243 then chased across the paddock on foot with the semi auto 5 shot shot gun where I emptied the mag in to it then some how managed to run off in to the darkness ... dam the gun is cool ! It is the first semi auto wepon i have ever used it had practically no recoil at all because it is a gas reload and most of the energy from the shell is expended in reloading the gun . Before using this gun I had only used an under and over wich i can shoot with quite well most times . I actually shoot worse with the 5 shot I dont really know why ... I think it is beause i know that i have 5 shots instead of two and dont place my shots as well as i do knowing i only have two chanses . I loved how when the gun was empty the action slid back wating for a new shell and how when i pressed the release button the action snaped forward loading the gun ... oh man it was cool ! oh and some times when i was firing the gun fire shot out the side as the shells where being ejected it was awesome ! 
Spoils Of War . Hey all . I have returned from a weekend of shopping and gaming in Melb . Man I had a good time up there ! Saturday night I whent out to one of my cousins friends place for a bit of a LAN . I wish I could say that I kicked ass there but this time I was a huge n 00 b ! we where playing RPGS and RTS and well I just dont play those games EVER and I had no idea what the hell was going on like the whole time ... I must say though for the first time playing RTS I did ok I managed to get like a lvl 23 dude ... I dont know what its name was , it was some kind of dude that could steal soles and scare ppl so much that it made their attack suck .... any hoo the point is that I had fun . I Managed to stumble across a bagain whilst shopping too ! I was in the Glen and I found an Electronic Boutique they had sale signs plasterd every where and I didnt pay much attention to it because every time a place has some sale the crap I want is alwase excluded .. any way this time I got lucky and I stumbled across some awesome phillips headphones I have been wanting to perchase for some time but jsut couldnt justify spending $ 100 on headphones , any way I got them for $ 50 wich is damn awesome ! Extatic from this perchase I went in search of other sales elce where . I found a book shop and whent in for a look in the hope that i would find a book on basic networking and shit .... any way I found a Cisco book on Netowrking basics ! YAY wich is the first of four the next one is switching and routing i think wich will be good i really want to become more familiar with routing as i have no i dea really on how it works .... I know the basic shit but not in any detail ... Man this book is good ! I cant wait to get through it all and start on the other one ! one of my mates has also been getting all the CCNA books aswell and we are gonna try and get it together so that it is a bit easyer to study for the exam and such ... though he has been studying it for longer than I and I dont want to slow him down ... that and i am also suposed to be doing all my shit for this god dam aprenticeship and I tend to work fairly solowly .. I dont know I will get there eventually but I dont want to hold my mate back .. He works really quick and is alot more dedicated than I studdying every spare scond he gets and what not ... any hoo I had best be off to do some reading ... 
YAY Melb Tomorrow ! Hooray ! I am going to melb tomorrow . hopefully I can get a new phone to replace the peice of crap one that got washed and stoped working . I think I want to gets me a crappy one to tide me over till I am off my plan seeing as i only have like 5 months left on it and I want to move over to the new HSDPA network that Telstra plans on having available early December .... but on the other hand I really want to get a good phone and go over to the CDMA network for the coverage and on the hope that they will " give " me a new phone when it comes time to get off the CDMA crapocity . I really want a Imate Jamin or the like . I like the idea that i will be able to check my emails and go gtalk and what not ... weeeeeee . hmm i might go and take mum to a starbucks seeing as she has never been b 4 ..... we shall see ... man i am tired .............................. I had a pretty good week this week I actually had the motivation tonight to want to stay a little longer and finnish some crap off when i was offered the chance to leave early yay I dont know what elce to say ... I farted lol . bye . 
Ex girl friend ... God dam it ... I was jsut talking Em ( my ex ) on google talk ... any way I started the convo by asking for her home phone number after i lost it because my phone some how ended up in the wash ... and she happily gave it too me ... any way she says to me do you want to see some pics from the party the other night ? and i was not so sure if did want to see them mainly because the last time we spoke she told me that she was going to move on .... any way I still have feelings for her and the past couple of times she has said some really really hurt full things to me , i didnt want her to let her know that though ... any way the next thing she blerts out was oh have you met albert yet ? and knowing her i suspected it was a toy or some thing .. I said nope . what is albert ? then she said who is albert you mean ! ? dont say that ull hurt his feelings .... hes a gell mate ( gell being the name of where she stays ) so trying to not let on that i was shitting my pants about what i might see if she was to send them i said , meh if you like . i dont mind either way . then after a bit of a think i reallised that she is not a mean bitch and i come to my senses and started to type , ok send us them . any ways while i was typing this i missed the part where she said oh ok ....... i just thought ......... never mind ah so how has your weekend been . clearly offended by what i had said . so after a bit of talking and what not she sent them to me . it was really quite funny because albert turned out to be a dinosaur any way while i was downloading the email em was saying to me all this stuff ... like dam i love albert he is so awesome he has the biggest smile i have ever seen . ( me remembering that she used to love my smile more than anything ) and i though to my self is she stiring me ? gaaar what is going on ? i was scared .... any hoo after they had downloaded i read the heading of the e mail it said assumptions are the mother of all screw ups ... right after I told her i got the email she started asking why i didnt want to see the email and such ... and well I never said i didnt want to ... I just wasnt sure if what i was going to see would hurt or not .... any way i asked if it was one of her friends in the photo and she said it was , i said that i didnt think i had met her and she brings up the past . " no u didnt meet hardly any of my friends didnt want to go out remember " well the reason i didnt want to go out was because I had worked all week then spent 5 hrs traveling on a firday night just to see her and was really buggered . any way in the end i did go out that night with her only to find that every one elce was ether in bed or doing nothing at all .... some how it was my fault ..... I understand that she wanted to show me off to her friends and all but i was apsolutly buggered and i was not in the proper shape to be meeting ppl ... I like to make good first impressions ... I could tell that I was gonna get a yelling at b 4 the convo was over . she was being picky looking for things to make me feel bad over . at this point i was contemplating leaving b 4 it got worce .... i should have ... then she borught up the meh if you want to thing again , she said some hting like why cant you just be happy for me i thought we where freinds . god dam it I am so confused what the hel did i do that is so bloody offencinve ! ? meh if you want to ! god dam it ! I really really want to be her friend but it is like every time we talk i end up doing some thing wrong . god it is so confusing ... I am really trying to treat her like i do all my other freinds but it is hard when i still have feelings for her . and really i did think that i did a good job this time ... i think that she is jsut pissed at me and was looking for a reason to yell at me : \ i dont know ...... god i am confused . I cant wait untill we can talk to each other like we used to be able to again . 
My Addictions . Over the past few years of my life I have developed a few bad habbits . I tend to spend my money online as soon as i get it ... buying lots of crap off ebay and the like ... the stuff that is all shiny and new and i think at the time will be handy ... but will verry rarly if ever use it ... My most recent perchase was a new mouse for my laptop .. it is a Logitech G 5 and cost me $ 100 on ebay including postage ... and last weekend as you can see in my previouse post i bought a laptop bag ( wich I still find awesome btw ) i dont really want to go in to the other bad habbits at the moment mainly because i cant be bothered lol there is another habbit ... Lazyness .. but i cant be stuffedhoi ! 
MADNESS !!!!!! HOORAY ! The otherday I perchased a new laptop back pack online seeing as the old bag I have is crap , falling to peices and doesnt fit any of the gear that I want to put in to it ... any hoo I whent to the post office today and picked it up : ) it come in a fairly large card board box and after signing for it I raced to my car and opened the box with my trusty pocket knife to reveal the Item i had so longed for : ) It was wraped in plasic and had that new stuff smell to it : ) Man it is awesome i jsut cant get over the size of it ! It fit all my crap from the old bag and doesnt even look full ! I am one happy camper ! YAY ! any hoo I am buggered and I need some sleep so i can rise in the morning without the aid of a craincheers ? 
Attacking Credit Card Debt . Over the past 6 months or so credit card debt has been my biggest enemy when I open my mail or go and pay my bills . It has only been the past year or so that I began carrying a sizeable balance on a couple cards . I will admit that moving to a new place , a west coast trip and some of my adventures with Ms. C . added to these balances , but oh well . What is the point of life if you don't live it . Anyway I have been wanting to sell off a few positions of Dow Jones companies that I hold in Dividend Reinvestment Plans . I have been watching for a while trying to walk the delicate balance of finance charges accruing versus stock price appreciation . Well Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) , Johnson Johnson ( JNJ ) , Pfizer ( PFE ) and to a lesser extent Home Depot ( HD ) have all been enjoying mini rallies and I thought now was the time to sell off and take the proceeds and eliminate a nice chunk of that credit card debt . The only company I took a loss on was the Pfizer , notching decent gains on the XOM , JNJ , and HD . This means lower balances on the credit cards which in turn leads to lower ( or in some instances no ) finance charges and of course lower monthly payments . In a couple months I should have all cards down to zero and can than take that extra money and put them right back into the market . I ' ve also been crunching the numbers regarding $ 3.00 gas , my 120 mile daily commute , the 10 car payments I have left on the Hyundai , and the gas mileage on the Hyundai versus the mpg of a Prius or a Yaris . Trying to figure out if I want to just pay off the Hyundai and have no payment in 10 months and pay the $ 3.00 + for gas and get 30 mpg , or do I trade in the Elantra ( while the trade in value is still decent ) and go with the 55 mpg of the Prius or the 40 mpg of the Yaris . I flip flop on my decision regarding this like the wind . 
An actual relaxing weekend . This weekend was Relaxing to the max ! Thats right , upper case R and everything . Crystal put the jinx on me yesterday , talking about how neither one of us ever gets sick . Well what happens on Sunday morning ? I wake up with a case of the sniffles that has persisted all day long . Oh well , if that is my biggest problem I really should shut the fuck up . This weekend was filled with movies , both on DVD and in the theater , some good home cooking , vegging out on the couch in sweats , and some good old fashioned " adult relations " . We watched Happy Endings on DVD which was one of the best unheralded indie flicks that I have seen in some time . Maggie Gyllenhaal stole the show , but Lisa Kudrow actually showed some acting chops in this movie . Poor Maggie had to make out with Tom Arnold a bunch , but the story was well crafted and I highly advise you to pick this one up on a future Blockbuster run . On Saturday we saw Clerks II which did not disappoint at all . If I recall Jay and Silent Bob didn't pull out any snootchie bootchies , but if add Pillow Pants The Pussy Troll the ass to mouth conversations and the erotic inter species act into the mix you get one hilariously fucked up funny comedy . I guess the theaters must be cracking down , because Crystal and I were carded v = before we could enter ! How funny ! I ' ve been in sweats and a tshirt all day today , hanging on the couch watching NASCAR , a little baseball and the movie ATL which was pretty decent . I ' ll be off to work tomorrow with my sniffles , I ' ll have to watch the weather , if there are beach days this week I might just have to recuperate in the sand and the surf . 
Fun with LED Throwies . I just found these LED Throwies videos on You Tube ! They are super simple to make , and cost under a buck apiece for the LED , the battery and the magnet . Seems like a fun craft and conversation piece to make at your next uber cool and super trendy party . I would love to make up a batch of them and then go throw them at the train as it passes behind the house . The LED 's would chugga chugga up the train tracks of the Central Massachusetts Railroad Since we are on the subject of LED 's I have been watching Color Kinetics ( Ticker : CLRK ) since the beginning of the year . The stock topped out at $ 23.55 a share back in May and as of Friday 's close is trading at $ 16.27 . There are only 18 million shares outstanding which makes this company pretty attractive IMO . The LED business is in its infancy and Color Kinetics seems to be at the forefront of deploying and managing this technology . Color Kinetics currently has installations at over 10,000 sites including Wynn Las Vegas , Harrah 's , Metropolitan Museum of Art , Carnival Cruises , Hard Rock Hotel and on the set of The Wheel of Fortune . 
4 rilla 's First NASCAR Race . Crystal and I headed to New Hampshire early on Sunday morning in order to beat the inlux of race fans decending upon Loudon , NH . We were parked in a dusty lot quite a ways away from the Sppedway by 9 am . We grabbed our two coolers , filled with a 12 pack of Heineken keg cans and 7 waters and we were off . As this was my first NASCAR event I was indeed amazed at the row after row after row of motor homes and campers parked in the camping area . Walking down the roadway most race fans were cooking breakfast , drinking beer and lounging out at this early hour . Most campers seemed to have 3 , 4 or even 5 or more flags of their favorite drivers flying at full mast above their Mini Winni . Other campers were shrines to individual drivers . A Dale Jr. cardboard standee by the grill , Budweiser banners strung from the awnings and so on . A rebel flag here and there . I can now see why NASCAR pulled in over $ 2.1 billion dollars in merch . sales last year . NASCAR is a merchandising machine ! Sales stalls on wheels emblazoned with the logo 's and likeness of each driver , the amount of the area surrounding the track that was dedicated to retail was astounding . Everyone had a bag and the money was flowing freely . I guess when you don't have to pay $ 7.50 a beer you are a little more free to open up your wallet to buy a tshirt . I splurged for a $ 3.00 Home Depot hat to support Tony Stewart , but it was not his day . Temperatures were in the mid 90 's and the stands were blazing hot , a combination of Heinekens and water kept me in check , and the guy you see pictured above was sitting right behind me and would repeatedly wring out a towel soaked in ice water down my back . Crystal thought he was enjoying himself a little too much . I had a blast and would totally go again in the future . 
NHIS Bound !! Crystal and I are off to Loudon , NH tomorrow for the Nextel Cup race at New Hampshire International Speedway . This will be the first NASCAR race that 4 rilla checks out in person , so I ' m excited . I ' ve paid attention to NASCAR over the past few years , but it has been more or less the past two seasons that I would watch a whole race or have a real rooting interest . And I do enjoy this years EA Sports " Race For The Cup " game on PS 2 . I like the fact that you can bring in your own beverage ! Why can't you do that at Fenway Park ?? That would be money ! Anyway , I ' ll be rooting for Tony Stewart , Ms. C . will be rooting for Jimmie Johnson . We have a healthy Home Depot vs . Lowe 's battle that goes on ! I ' ll take a bunch of pics and be back with my opinions on Sunday evening or Monday ! We had a yardsale this morning that cleared up a bit of the clutter in the house , but we would have liked to more some more stuff out the door . But the money we made paid for all but $ 10.00 of these NASCAR tix which we scored for face value on craigslist . 
A period not to not remember .. After 8 months of pregnancy , Ong Mui Eee finally decided to rest in p .. i mean go to the hospital to await delivary , 2 months free of herrrr ... hope the doctors fix her speakers too .. and do sumtg to her figure so guys will ' ' concentrate " more during english when she returns ; - ) So happy to be freee of herrr , only when we thought we got 2 periods free , she came .. she was .. themost MR BEAN LIKE PERSON I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY WHOLE LIFEEEE !! sorry guys , i don't have her picture , but i ' ll give the descriptions MR BEAN + ROUND SPECS + : ( expression = MRS BEAN ! may B im wrong ... may B her name was ' nt mrs bean .. if i ' m not wrong , its something like Lim Kee Sai , or Sai Kee , no matter how u change it , still sounds funnyok where was i , yeah her eyes .. golf balls for eyeballs .. gawd ..0.0 dat 35 minute period was hell man ... whenever u do sumtg , it 's like a camera is sumwhr near u ... Kee Sai was fcking insulting man .. she was like , spinning her eyes everywhr like a security camuntil she noticed 1 guy jokingly putting his hands on another guys shoulder , she gone mad .. " BOYS !! WAD ARE U 2 DOING ?? BOYS SHUD ' NT TOUCH BOYS , IT ' S REALLY UNHEALTHY " .. dam her la .. it 's not like we got aids or sumtg , u call shaking hands unhealthy . may B nex time when her students grow up to be a fireman , and saving another guy GUY : OI HELP , MY LEG IS HURT , I CANT MOVEE !! help me !! SAI KEE STUDENT : OK , , HANG ON ! GUY : HURRY ! SAI KEE STUDENT : WAIT ! .. you 're .. you 're a guy .. GUY : damit my DOWN there might be kentucky fried coc * liao , BUT IM STILL A GUY SAI KEE STUDENT : sry mate , it 's unhealthy to touch a guy , bye bye and burnenjoy ur kentucky set BGUY : GAAAHHHHH !! she even said sum guys shud ' nt be in 4 science 5 .. jus because they didnt tuck in their shirtnex time IF i get A in science .. the first person im gona find will be Kee Sai , and show her my sijil , untucked shirt " NAHHH , NO TUCK IN SHIRT AAA , NAHHHH !! " shreds sijil and stuff it into her mouth and choking her vigorous ................ no wonder my dog 's so afraid of me .. sum 1 was talking talking and did ' nt notice her at d back , when she came and ' ' can u pls shut up " yo dat hit hard ... painful .. Yu Ying was reading the STAR newspaper when she came and , " no STAR is allowed in class except 4 s 6 cause they oredered from ME " We Were like .. Wad The Foot . ?? reading newspaper also against school rule .. ? ! @ # * ! ) @ # * the rest of the period was , every 1 tried hard not to make eye contact ..35 minutes passed ... and god bless , all 43 people survived from alien abduction , there was 1 time i knocked her hand .. im really afraid ..... her alien cells might be running in my bloods , this very moment , which passed onto my keyboard .. to the internet , and intour eyes looking at this blog ...... ( dam i duno y i cant upload pics into this blog .. blogspot quite sux le : = ( , sory guys , < CMTKN > , , all the pics i took ... i ' ll send error report or sumtg ) . 
halo readers ... today is the birthday of www .4 s 5 life . blogspot . com as it was just borned today .. erm , i am .. u can call me ahgan ^^ but gan doesnt exist in any part of my name lol .. datswad they all call methis site is the continuation of http : // theeminemman . spaces . msn . com / msn spaces really sux .. the functions and stuff .. u can't really blog there , dats why i moved herei blog about my life in 4 s 5 , the exciting life here , we 're all so united and different people , fat small , thin , big , short make dis a gud place to study As perfect as it sounds , sum as 5 holes exist too in our lives , ( not the 1 under ur pants , the human ones ... u get it right ) .. yet they also live with us .. so try cherish them ^^ pls bookmark my blog and find out wad stupid and funny , xtraxtra - ordinaty stuff happens .. ^^ . 
' Hawks Sign Tapp , Obomanu . The Seattle Seahawks have officially signed 2 nd round pick Darry Tapp ( DE , Virginia Tech ) , as well as 7 th round pick Ben Obomanu ( WR , Auburn ) . Rob Sims ( OG , Ohio State ) was signed on Wednesday , and Ryan Plackemeier ( P , Wake Forest ) and David Kirtman ( FB , USC ) signed their deals a few weeks ago . The lone unsigned draft pick for the Seahawks is currently Kelly Jennings ( CB , Miami ) , who was the 31 st selection in April 's draft . With the Jaguars signing of Marcedes Lewis ( the 28 th pick ) and the Giants signing Matthias Kiwanuka ( the 32 nd pick ) , one can expect a deal between Seattle and Jennings to get done rather quickly . It is a common practice of the Seattle Seahawks to keep all agreements private until the ink meets the paper . You ' ll notice several teams announcing that they ' ve reached an " agreement in principle " with a player ( ex : Chad Greenway and Minnesota ) , but most teams refrain from this as just about anything is possible from the time a contract is agreed to and when it 's actually signed . Chad Brown Re - Signs With Pats Last year , Chad Brown was saddled with a decision . After being released by the Seattle Seahawks in a salary - cap manuever , Brown had a list of 3 teams that wanted his services . Brown had spent 8 seasons in the Emerald City , and while Seattle was in the process of rebuilding their defense , they wanted Brown as a pass - rush specialist . Pittsburgh , where Brown spent the first few years of his career , also was interested in Brown . New England , who lost linebackers Teddy Johnson and Roman Phifer to retirement , and still weren't sure if Tedy Bruschi would return , also had an interest in Brown , who started off in a 3 - 4 alignment and is the type of versatile guy New England typically targets . Brown wanted to win a Super Bowl , and he figured that New England was the safest bet . Whoops ! Brown did not have much of an impact in New England , and once Tedy Bruschi returned to the lineup , Brown all but disappeared . Quite frankly , he looked absolutely lost in his first season back in a 3 - 4 defense . Despite all that , Chad Brown has re - signed with the New England Patriots . 
Bentley First TC Casualty ? Heading into 2006 , and Romeo Crennel 's second year as the top " dawg " , Cleveland fans have a lot to be excited about . Sergeant Winslow and Braylon Edwards are back , and reportedly healthy . Joe Jurevicius was signed to give second year QB Charlie Frye with a big , veteran target . Willie Mc Ginest was signed to rush the passer and mentor Kamerion Wimbley , the team 's 1 st round pick in April , and Cleveland added planetoid Ted Washington to fill the NT slot . And then something like this happens . One of the more solid manuevers the Browns did in free agency was overhaul the offensive line by signing LT Kevin Shaffer from Atlanta and Bentley , who is expected to start at center . It 's too soon to tell what the extent of Bentley 's knee injury is , the preliminary reports do not sound good . The lone bright spot is that as long as it 's not a torn ligament , the regular season is still 6 weeks away , which should allow plenty of time for the knee to recover . Turdman to Miss 4 Games The secret wasn't very well kept , so the news that Odell Thurman will miss the first month of the 2006 season for violating the league 's substance policy isn't much of a shock . More 1 st Rounders Sign As the weekend approaches , and more training camps open up , it seems that not an hour goes by without another NFL team signing their 1 st round picks . Last night , the top Jets pick , D ' Brickashaw Ferguson , who was selected 4 th overall , agreed to terms on a contract expected to pay him nearly $ 18 M in guaranteed money . The team 's other 1 st round pick , center Nick Mangold , is expected to be signed , sealed and delivered by the time the Jets start practice on Friday morning . Since Houston had already signed Mario Williams , the # 1 pick this year , and the Jets have now signed Ferguson , the slotting for the contracts of Reggie Bush and Vince Young are in place . The one potential snag is that Bush and Young are " skill position " players , which could prompt their representatives to seek more lucrative deals . Signing Status of 2006 1 st Round Picks 1 . Houston - DE , Mario Williams - signed 2 . New Orleans - RB , Reggie Bush - unsigned 3 . Tennessee - QB , Vince Young - unsigned 4 . NY Jets - LT , D ' Brickashaw Ferguson - signed 5 . Green Bay - LB , AJ Hawk - unsigned 6 . San Francisco - TE , Vernon Davis - unsigned 7 . Oakland - S , Michael Huff - signed 8 . Buffalo - S , Donte Whitner - unsigned 9 . Detroit - LB , Ernie Sims - unsigned 10 . Arizona - QB , Matt Leinart - unsigned 11 . Denver - QB , Jay Cutler - unsigned 12 . Baltimore - DT , Haloti Ngata - unsigned 13 . Cleveland - LB / DE , Kamerion Wimbley - signed 14 . Philadelphia - DT , Brodrick Bunkley - unsigned 15 . St. Louis - CB , Tye Hill - unsigned 16 . Miami - S , Jason Allen - unsigned 17 . Minnesota - LB , Chad Greenway - signed / agree in principle 18 . Dallas - LB , Bobby Carpenter - unsigned 19 . San Diego - CB , Antonio Cromartie - signed 20 . Kansas City - DE , Tamba Hali - unsigned 21 . New England - RB , Laurence Maroney - unsigned 22 . San Francisco - LB , Manny Lawson - unsigned 23 . Tampa Bay - OG , Davin Joseph - unsigned 24 . Cincinnati - CB , Jonathan Joseph - unsigned ( and won't be signed until he breaks the law ) 25 . Pittsburgh - WR , Santonio Holmes - signed 26 . Buffalo - DT , John Mc Cargo - unsigned 27 . Carolina - RB , De Angelo Williams - unsigned 28 . Jacksonville - TE , Marcedes Lewis - signed 29 . NY Jets - C , Nick Mangold - unsigned 30 . Indianapolis - RB , Joseph Addai - unsigned 31 . Seattle - CB , Kelly Jennings - unsigned 32 . NY Giants - DE , Mathias Kiwanuka - signed . 
Pats ' Branch to Hold Out . Patriots WR , and MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX , Deion Branch is expected to skip the start of the Patriots training camp , which opens on Friday , July 28 th . Of course , this does not come as any surprise to anyone who has followed the situation . Branch is in the final year of his rookie contract , and is set to earn $ 1.05 M in 2006 . While you and I wouldn't scoff at that figure , it 's not exactly market value for an NFL wide receiver . There 's almost no telling what direction the Patriots will go in concerning Branch 's holdout . Teams can now fine players up to $ 14,000 for each day of their holdout , and for a player like Branch , a 3 rd round pick still working on his rookie contract , that 's a lot of money . However , the Patriots are paper thin at the WR position , and entering the season without their top WR would be an arrogant mistake . With rookie Chad Jackson , Troy Brown and San Diego reject Reche Caldwell filling out the depth chart below Branch , the Patriots are in no position to let this contract matter steep for very long . Branch 's camp believes that he deserves to be paid on the same level of Indianapolis Colts WR Reggie Wayne , who signed a 6 - year / $ 40 M contract with $ 13.5 in guaranteed money . I ' m sure they 're also pointing to deals other free agent wideouts to support their position . Washington shelled out $ 56 M worth of contracts , as well as $ 20 M in guaranteed money , to Antwan Randle El and Brandon Lloyd , two players who are nowhere near as good as Deion Branch . Seattle shelled out a 7 - year / $ 49 M contract to Nate Burleson ( though Burleson will never see anywhere near the full value of the contract ) , who also isn't as good as Branch . Even Branch 's former teammate , David Givens , signed a 5 - year / $ 24 M ( $ 8 M signing bonus ) with the Tennessee Titans this past off - season . So with all that money being thrown at inferior wide receivers , you can understand where Branch and his agent are coming from . He 's clearly outperformed his rookie contract and deserves some long - term security as he heads into his prime production years . But is he really worth Reggie Wayne money ? Let 's take a look at the stats : 2005 Reggie Wayne - 83 receptions , 1055 yards and 5 TDs Deion Branch - 78 receptions , 998 yards and 5 TDs . Fairly even . But , over the course of their careers : Reggie Wayne - 77 games played , 304 receptions , 4164 yards and 28 TDs . Deion Branch - 53 games played , 213 receptions , 2744 yards and 14 TDs . Wayne did enter the league a year before Branch did , and has missed only 3 games due to injury in his career . Branch missed more than twice than many games in 2004 , when he only played in 9 games . Wayne also has the benefit of being the " # 2 " guy in Indianapolis ' passing attack , as he plays opposite to future Hall - of - Famer Marvin Harrison . Branch is , and has been , the best WR the Patriots have had over the last 4 years , and hey , it 's the Patriots , who are as likely to throw TD passes to linebackers and eligible offensive lineman than they are to their top wide receiver . The numbers indicate that Deion Branch deserves a contract somewhere in between what Washington gave Lloyd and Randle El , Tennessee gave David Givens , what Seattle will actually pay Nate Burleson , and the deal Reggie Wayne got from Indianapolis . Maybe it 's somewhere in the 5 - year / $ 32 M range , with 8 - figures of it guaranteed ? I really don't know what the numbers ultimately will be , but the Patriots have the cap room in 2006 to make the deal very sweet for both sides . 
Bengals Ink Jones to 6 - Year Extension . The Cincinnati Bengals have extended the contract of left tackle Levi Jones , who was set to hit unrestricted free agency next spring . Jones hadn't made an appearance in the police blotter , but the Bengals extended his contract anyways . The deal reportedly has the Bengals forking over more than $ 16 M in guaranteed monies . 
Law Signs With Chiefs . The biggest name remaining on the free agent market , CB Ty Law , has signed a 5 - year / $ 30 M contract with the Kansas City Chiefs . Contract details are still unavailable , so it 's yet to be seen whether or not this is the big - money , long - term contract that Law has been seeking for nearly 5 years . Last year , Law signed what appeared to be a long - term deal with the New York Jets . Once the media dug into the pact , it was obviously a 1 - year deal worth about $ 6 M. If Carl Peterson is smart , and I believe he is , the contract with Law will be very similar to the one Law signed with New York a year ago . Naturally , the Chiefs and their fans are ecstatic to have Law playing opposite Patrick Surtain this year . After all , Law is a much better option than Benny Sapp or rookie Marcus Maxey . Law gives them a marquee name , a veteran CB coming off a Pro Bowl season . In effect , he gives them credibility . For 2006 . With Law 's age , injury history ( Lisfranc injuries are a nasty business ) and deteriorating skill set ( you don't get 10 INTs without opposing QBs thinking they can beat you ) , you don't want your team tied into Ty Law for too long . Witten , Cowboys Extend Agreement One player I didn't want to see leave Seattle was TE Ryan Hannam , who signed a 2 - year deal with the Dallas Cowboys once free agency started . Hannam was a sure - handed receiver , but his real value was in his blocking ability . With the injuries to Jerramy Stevens and Itula Mili , I wish Seattle could ' ve found a way to keep him . And after the Cowboys and TE Jason Witten agreed to a massive 7 - year , $ 29 M contract over the weekend , I ' m wondering if Hannam wishes he had stayed in Seattle . Hannam 's status in Dallas was already questionable after the team spent a 2 nd round draft choice on former Golden Domer Anthony Fasano , now Hannam sees the team committing big money to the top guy on the depth chart . Between Terrell Owens ( who can't be pleased to see a TE getting more guaranteed money than him ) , Terry Glenn , rookie Skyler Green and a two - pronged RB attack ( Julius Jones , Marion Barber ) , and Witten and the highly drafted Fasano , how many passes can a guy like Hannam expect to reasonably see ? Answer : Not many . As for Witten , I think it 's a great deal . He 's one of the elite tight ends in the NFL , and he absolutely deserves a deal of this magnitude . With Owens and Glenn attracting so much attention on the outside , Witten should be expected to post lofty numbers over the middle . 
More " Damon Sucks " Nonsense . Thanks to the plight of one Boston area woman , the " Johnny Damon as Traitor " story is rehashed yet again . From the article : " What Damon did is just the ultimate betrayal in baseball , " she said in a telephone interview from her home in New Bedford . " I don't see how it could not be considered that . " Fans of the Boston Red Sox need to stop this nonsense . We 're sick of it . The Red Sox didn't draft Johnny Damon . They didn't cultivate him in their minor league system ( a system that was non - existent during the Duquette era ) , eagerly watching his progress through the ranks until he made his debut in Fenway Park . They merely outbid everyone else for Damon 's services when he became a free agent in 2001 , giving him a 4 - year / $ 31 M contract . So why is Boston still surprised that Damon , whose hardly the posterboy for something like loyalty , left the Red Sox to sign with another team for more money ? Because it 's the Yankees ? Come on , Boston , either get real , a life or a clue . Do something , because this whole " Boston - New York " thing stopped being interesting nearly 2 years ago , after the Red Sox overcame a 3 - 0 deficit and beat the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS before moving on to sweep the Cardinals to win their first World Series title in 86 years . That was supposed to be the end of it , right ? I mean , we were all supposed to move on and enjoy life again . Apparently , some of us didn't get the memo . Belichick 's Chick ? Bill Belichick is a defensive genius . He 's also a mastermind when it comes to game - planning for an opponent , and is currently the NFL 's top head coach . There 's simply no denying that when one thinks of Bill Belichick , an image of him hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy is usually the first to appear . The Boston Herald 's Inside Track is showing a different side to the Patriots head coach , though , one where the coach has hosted the wife of Vincent Shenocca , a self - employed New Jersey construction worker , at various events . Bon Jovi concerts , summer homes in exclusive parts of New Jersey , and even Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston . If the story is true , and Bill Belichick is the " other man " in this couple 's divorce case , it 's certainly going to be an ugly footnote ( like his forgettable days in Cleveland , and his day as head coach of the New York Jets ) to his distinguished career . As for how it ' ll impact the New England Patriots , my guess is that it ' ll have zero impact on the team . Belichick is the ultimate taskmaster , and if he can coach the Patriots to a Super Bowl win ( in 2004 ) while separating from his wife and family , he can certainly work through his name appearing in gossipy tabloids . 
Dilfer to Honor 49 ers Legend . Dennis Georgatos of the San Jose Mercury News is reporting that San Francisco 49 ers quarterback Trent Dilfer will be honoring a former 49 ers quarterback this upcoming season . Dilfer , currently wearing # 10 , will be wearing John Brodie 's previously retired # 12 jersey this upcoming season in an effort to accomplish two objectives : 1 . Increase the sentiment for Brodie to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2 . Raise public awareness about stroke victims . Brodie spent his entire 16 - year NFL career with the San Francisco 49 ers , after an All - American career at nearby Stanford University . Brodie , who suffered a stroke 6 years ago , spent 14 years on the Senior PGA tour , winning one tournament ( 1991 ) . NFL teams rarely " un - retire " jerseys at the request of a player , but Dilfer honoring a 49 ers legend isn't being done without Brodie 's blessing . The two Bay Area QB 's are longtime friends , and Dilfer 's motivation to do so is , as always , 100 % pure . 
' Hawks Sign 5 th - Round Pick . The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to a multi - year deal with their 5 th round draft choice , fullback David Kirtman from USC . Seattle 's drafting of David Kirtman was one of the more interesting selections in the entire draft , as Kirtman 's parents currently live right next door to Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren . 
This post will remain up for one day and I will delete the blog tomorrow afternoon . Well , this will be my last post before I take down the blog . I noticed on my sitemeter that someone from the town my father s business is in visited today and that can only mean my father is visiting from work . He has cable internet access and must have just searched for fourth avenue blues as that pulls my blog up as the first hit . I have should have never let him read this personal journal . I should have showed him my other daily blog , which has much more mundane and kinder and gentler posts . But that blog is terribly boring , and I am not going to share the address . Hell , I just decided to quit writing that journal as well as I haven t updated it in ages . Thanks to all of you who have read over these past few months and commented . I really do appreciate it . This blog just kind of exploded with traffic this past month . I think it is just so weird to not care if thousands of stange visistors come to this blog to read , and to feel so naked and exposed to have a family member read . I have been so frightfully honest with my encounters and my revelations on this blog , but have been careful not to use my real name or post my hometown upon this blogging adventure for fears of ex - wifes and old girl friends finding me . It can be kind of dangerous to give a mentally ill drunken idiot access to an online computer . So beware ! If you want to get in touch with me , below is my email address . I am not going to quit writing though . I enjoy writing too much to quit . I think I will write a fictional blog and post one new short story a day . I think that will be a fun , healthy , and exciting pastime for my days . Maybe I can hone my writing skill by actually giving fiction a try for a change . It will certainly be more interesting than my real life . Email me below to get that link . It will be modeled after my encounters with the gang these past few years . That way , I won't endanger Sherman ( George ) , the gang , and my family by writing so candidly on a public venue . Drop me a line ! 
Getting Back on Track ... It seems I am getting a little dose of reality today . I can sometimes live in my own little microcosm . Yes , I am being very selfish about wanting to become homeless again . I should do what is best for my family and care about them instead . I am going to suck it up and quit romanticizing about becoming homeless again . I sometimes forget those bitter cold days where I had a hard time just keeping warm . I am also going to continue to stay involved with AA and try my best to not drink . Thank you Fury and the anonymous commenter for the dose of reality . Reading Fury s comment made me realize just how lucky I am to have what I have today . 
Car Living : Homeless Style . There is invaluable advice on living homeless comfortably at The Survival Guide to Homelessness and Hobopoet . Alan of Hobopoet fame lived in his car for around a year as an experiment . Mobile Homemaker of The Survival Guide to Homelessness was also homeless for a time and wrote invaluable tips on surviving homelessness and making it much more comfortable . The homelessness as experienced by such people as The Homeless Guy is for the birds and not very smart people . The homeless guy has become institutionalized by the very charities that feed , clothe , and give him a place to sleep at night . He also has to subjugate himself to the very entities that keep him up so to speak such as listening to hell bent sermons every night and scheduling his life around the shelter s time . Just about every homeless blog I have ever read wrote that The Homeless Guy was full of shit . Mobile Homemaker wrote on his blog This is another reason that charity is so unsavory . It comes from a position of superiority . The charitable feel they have a right to determine the goals , purposes , and uses of their charity . It lacks dignity . I don't mean for the recipient . I mean it is not dignified to try to direct the lives of others , to be so involved in the details of other lives . It 's a failure to understand boundaries . I have no desire to get caught up in that vicious cycle that most homeless people experience . Actually , I am sort of experiencing that with my father at the moment . The only difference is that I have a roof over my head . Here is my checklist for my next venue of homelessness . Well , I will be living in my car so technically you could say I will have a home .1 ) Gym Membership for showers . The truck stop is just too expensive to use on a regular basis . 2 ) Sex lube for shaving 3 ) I also have an OLD laptop with windows 98 on it that I will use for internet access . The local Krystal s restaurant was free wifi and I know the supervisor very well . The battery has long died on the laptop , but it still runs if I plug it in .4 ) Luckily , I live near the country and there are plenty of seldom traveled back dirt roads for when I get ready sleep . Hell , I might just go park my car at the parking across from where Ferret camps and pitch my tent .5 ) Cooler for ice and cold drinks from my car .6 ) I still have all my camping gear as well such as my tent , backpacks , and sleeping bags . 7 ) Marine battery and fan to blow the hot air out of my car at night . I will need to wire this to my battery so it will charge as I drive .8 ) I need to sell my three computers I currently have . One is mediocre , another is mid - range , and my gaming computer is VERY nice . Hopefully , I will get a few thousand dollars from this before I can find a job . I will have to live on that money for a few months . I will add more to this list as the day progresses and I think of other things . If you have a tip then drop them in my comments . I would appreciate the advice . 
On the lighter side . I just discovered this band today and wanted to share them . Their name is Cat Power and the lead singer is named Chan Marshall . Isn t she such a sight for sore eyes ? I think she is just gorgeous . Too bad she is a lesbian . I would love to have the proverbial romp in the hay with her ! : ^ ) I am going to write up a homeless checklist and ask some of you to add suggestions . I will get to work on that now . 
Half Way House . Well , my father wants to put me in a half way house for drunks . I am unsure of what to do in this matter . At least he doesn t have power of attorney over me ( which he once tried to gain ) . He said the police have been calling about me , but frankly I think that is bullshit . Why would they not just call me if the matter pertains to me ? I am a grown man after all . I didn t even leave the house much during my drinking spree . I walked down to Fred s to buy the mouthwash . Dad also came over last night and took all my money away and the remaining mouthwash I still had . He also took away my 9 mm pistol as he was afraid I was going to kill myself . This coddling he seems to do grows so tiresome and aggravating . I am at my wit s end at what to do over this matter . I know he means well , but I am a grown man and even if I do drink mouthwash then it should be a decision for me to make . Dad then asked me what I do with my days and I said , I write . He forcefully read the whole of my journal last night and said that I am a danger to my family by writing about my life and the gang . He is going to terminate my internet access as it is in his deceased mother s name . Unfortunately , due to my mental illness , he is my representative payee for my monthly SSDI money and I have no control over it . I can choose a new representative payee at any time , but I don t know who would be willing to act in this capacity . I do believe the county adult protective services will act in this capacity for me . I called Dad this morning and asked about the police matter . He vaguely said that I have been acting in a weird capacity and that they were worried about me . I then asked him for some money and he said no . He is going to come over and give me some Librium before work to calm me down . I do think it is time for me to start living homeless again and to change the person that acts as my representative payee . It is just going to be a pain in the ass to accomplish all this though . It will involve countless phone calls ( which I hate ) and possible much paperwork . 
Conundrums of the least . Well , Maggie seems to keep me going . She is such a pleasant soul and I also appreciate all the comments I garnered yesterday . As we speak , Maggie is outside doing her business . I wish my life was so simple that taking a pleasant dump was the highlight of my day . At least Maggie seems to think so . I did see Sherman last night . He told me I was a drunk bastard . I couldn t help but laugh at that statement . That is a compliment coming from Sherman as there is no drunker bastard than he . That fucker can out drink me any day . It was good to see him though . I have missed him deeply lately . Yes , I have sobered up today or I wouldn t be able to write this . Let me go fix some breakfast . I think some eggs and bacon are in order . I need to get back into my regular routine of things . And no , I have put the bottle down for the moment and shall not drink . That conundrum is best not delved into ; for the moment , at least . 
Self Destruction . I have drank two 18 packs of Miller high life and three bottles of Fred s dollar store mouthwash over the past few days . I don t know what to do . I guess I am on a path to self destruction . The past few days have been a drunken blur . I guess I am just a sorry son of a bitch and deserve no less . Mom and Dad have both came over to try and shake me out of this malaise . It is times such as these that I want to be left alone . I know they mean well , but it gets fucking tiresome to be harangued all the time . I wish they would mind their own business . I had a frightful encounter this morning . I thought I had lost a contact and those things are so damn expensive . I examined my eye in my bathroom mirror and found it . I was so relieved . I couldn t afford to purchase another . I guess lady luck is looking after this drunk today . 
A dollar a day keeps the doldrums away . Momma called me tonight wondering why I haven t been coming over to get my dollar for my AA meeting . To be frank , I have been lazy . A trip to my parent s house often means dressing up and putting on airs . I have been worried about you , Mom said . Oh , I have been fine , I replied . Don t worry . I need to make a habit out of going over there and getting that dollar just to assuage mom s worries . She is such a kind soul for doing that for me . I was kind of taken aback at the comments I got on my last post about Carolyn . I didn t think three words could carry such weight . I mainly said last night s I love you , out of obligation . I do love her though . She has become a special soul in my life . I think about her often throughout the day . If it were up to me , she would be around constantly and not have to work that menial job at Fat Albert s . 
You re getting to be a Habit with me . I remember lying in bed late last night as I heard my back door open . Maggie started to bark furiously which woke me up . It was Carolyn . God , you scared the shit out of me , I said as I walked to the door . You need to start locking your doors , Carolyn replied . I looked at my alarm clock and it was 4:45 AM . Everything was a blur as I had taken my contacts out before going to bed . Get me one of your t - shirts , She replied . I sleepily walked over to my chest of drawers and pulled out a t - shirt . I smelled it to make sure it was clean and then handed it to Carolyn . I watched as she undressed down to her panties and put the t - shirt on . She is such a petite woman and the shirt dwarfed her . We both crawled into bed and she wrapped her arms around me . How was work ? I asked . Oh , you know . We always get those rabid lottery idiots , She replied . I chuckled and then my eyes grew heavy and I was almost asleep again . Hey , Carolyn said . Don t fall asleep on me . I want to talk . I looked at the clock and it was after 5 AM . Carolyn ran her fingers through the hairs on my chest . It tickled . We will talk in the morning , I replied as I turned off my bedside lamp . Carolyn laid her head upon my chest . I could feel the soft and rhythmic pulse of her breathing . It was a good thing . I love you , She replied . You are a good man . I love you too , I said as her head lay upon my chest . I awoke this morning to find her still sound asleep . As soon as she gets up and going , I will fix us some breakfast or should I say lunch . It will probably be around noon . ______________________________ I re - added the links to Jade s and Fury s blogs . I had a major SNAFU with my template the other day and it was deleted when I republished my blog . Damn Blogger ! Luckily , I had a backup of my template , but it was from April so much of my customizations were lost . Hopefully , I will get things back to normal over the next few days . 
Super Full Service . I went to my volunteer job for a few hours this afternoon . I am overjoyed that I have a computer and internet access . It really helps to pass the time and me not being paid allows me to not feel so guilty for browsing the internet occasionally . My job is rather simple . Our clients come to see the psychiatrist and then come back the next day to pick up their medications . My job is to schedule the next appointment with the doctor and to pass out the medications that have already been filled as the clients come back to pick them up . They have to sign a release form and pay a base rate of $ 5 dollars a bottle for their medications . It was $ 2 dollars a bottle when I utilized this service when I was homeless so the cost has gone up quite a bit . Not long after I arrived home from work , mom came pulling up into my driveway . Will you drive me down to fill up my car ? Mom asked . I don t want to drive on highway 31 . My mother is a terrible driver and she knows this . Sure , I replied . Let me put my shirt back on . Being a small town , we still have a family owned gas station with full service . My father s pharmacy has an account with them so we can just charge the gas ( petrol ) we get . I drove mom down to that station and rolled down my window . An attendant walked out . What grade ? He asked . Regular unleaded and fill her up , I replied as I sat in the car . The attendant started to pump our gas , check the oil , and wash off the windshield . This is really nice , I thought as I sat in the cool confines of the car on a hot July day . That will be $ 30.18 , The attendant said as he walked back up to my window . Charge this to Fairfax Pharmacy , I replied . Sure will . Ya ll have a nice day , He said . I then drove me and mom down to my father s pharmacy which is just a few hundred yards from the gas station . Mom wanted to get a diet coke and I needed some batteries for my MP 3 player . My father was not there and his stand in pharmacist was on duty . We got what we needed and then headed back up through the valley . Mom then handed me a dollar as I was driving . What s this for ? I asked . I am going to give you a dollar a day to put in the AA donation basket , Mom said . You seem to be doing so well lately and I want to help out with the cause . Mom , you don t have to do that , I replied . I insist , She said . I ran by the bank today and changed two twenties and got $ 40 dollars in ones just for your meetings . Well , the group will really appreciate the extra money , I replied . As long as you will go , I will give you the money , Mom said . I drove us on home and parked mom s car in the garage and walked back to my house . My parent s maid is cooking supper tonight and mom is supposed to call me when it is ready . It should be around 6 PM . Fanny is cooking fried cubed steak , rice , steamed broccoli , and dinner rolls . I am going to eat real quick and then head to my 7 PM Alcoholics Anonymous meeting . 
Two is Company . Three is a Crowd . I awoke this morning to a crowded bed . It reminded me of a scene from Erskine Caldwell s book Tobacco Road were all the poor country bumpkins slept together in one bed along with the dog . Carolyn was snuggled up against the wall and Maggie was between us . Two is company . Three is a crowd as they say . Maggie looked at me with her head poked out from under the covers like , Time to go take a wee yet ? I crawled out of bed slipping on my bedroom slippers and my robe and went to go let her out . Carolyn whimpered , rolled over , wrapped herself up tightly in my covers and went back to sleep . I vaguely remember Carolyn coming in last night around four in the morning . I had only gotten two hours of sleep the night before and was dead to the world . No , we were both too tired to do anything if that is what you are wondering . The only thing sexual that happened last night is that she pulled my arm around her and placed my hand upon her breast as I held her . That was the last thing I remembered before falling fast asleep again . I am going to let Carolyn sleep as I go take Maggie out to the veterinarians to get her sutures out this morning . That might take a few hours depending on how busy Dr. Thomas is today . Then I will come home and fix us a grand brunch of Clark Brother s sausage and ham and cheddar cheese omelets . Hopefully , by then , Carolyn will be up and about . Well , let me go get dressed and get Maggie loaded up into the car . I fear she already associates riding in the car with going to the dreaded veterinarian . I need to start taking her on daily rides to de - condition her of this assumption . 
Weary and Bleary Eyed . SUBSEQUENT EDIT : I realize there may be some confusion about me going out to eat with mom and also fixing supper . I mainly go out with mom on Thursday night s to get her out of the house . It is our regular routine . When we went to eat , I wasn t very hungry and only ate one barbeque sandwich . I got hungry later on and fixed a big supper later in the evening . I just wanted to clarify that as a commenter was confused by me doing both . What a long fucking day . It seemed it would never end . I went to eat with my mother tonight and she wasn t feeling well . She was so quiet and it worried me . We really shouldn t have gone out to eat , but she insisted . I took her on home and made sure she got in the bed . I turned on the air conditioner , locked the back door , and drove on home . Tonight , at my AA meeting , I decided to speak which I rarely do . Hi , my name is Andrew and I am an alcoholic , I said and then began my spiel . I should have said , Hi , my name is Andrew and I am a fucking idiot because that was about how it sounded as I rambled . One of the other members had talked about how he had hurt his ex - wife with his drinking . It touched a chord in me and I just had to blurt out what was on my mind . I talked about what I put Rachel through with my drinking as well . I should have stayed quiet because I felt like a fool after I had spoken . When the meeting was over , I quietly slipped out to my car and drove on home avoiding everyone . It was definitely one of those too embarrassed to face anyone moments . I need to just keep my big mouth shut and listen since I am so new to the program . I don t know what the hell I am talking about . I have established a bad habit with Maggie today . She was begging to go out . I thought she needed to use the bathroom . It was a cool afternoon after a nice rain so I had all my windows open . I opened the backdoor so Maggie could come and go . I went out to call her and she was way up in my next door neighbor s yard . Now , she sits at the back door constantly whining to go out . I guess she got a taste of freedom and now can t get enough . For supper , I made mushroom chicken and rice . It is oh so fattening , but oh so delicious . I ate until I could eat no more . I have had a totally shitty and crappy day and needed some comfort food . It sucks cooking for one person though . I have enough left over to feed an army . I need to halve the recipe . Carolyn called me tonight and asked if she could come over when she gets off at 3 AM . I told her I would leave the backdoor unlocked and for her just to come on in . It is not like I lock it anyway . She said she didn t want to be alone tonight and wanted to sleep with me . I look forward to her crawling into the bed and me wrapping my arms around her . I told her I would fix us a good breakfast in the morning when we both got up and going . I am defrosting some of the sausage I had in my freezer from Clark Brother s Meats . That is some of the best sausage you will ever eat . I am also going to cook us some ham and cheese omelets in the morning . Well , let me go take a shower , take out my contacts , and crawl into the bed . I will be glad to call it a day . Good night . 
The Not So Spoils of War . I made my way down to Big Jim s package store around 6:45 . It was so cool and pleasant this morning belying the heat that would soon build as the day progressed . I saw Dumpster Diving Dan standing in the side parking lot with the seagulls already flocking around him in one great squawking mass . Good morning , I said loudly over the noise . Dan shook my hand as I gave him the loaf of stale wheat bread I had brought . These are my babies , He said with a grin . You do take good care of them , I replied smiling back . The fishy smell of the river nearby hung heavily in the air . I left Dan to feed the seagulls and walked over to the river . They were generating electricity up at the dam this morning and the waterline was very high upon the bank . The green water was swirling in furious eddies . I longed for a fishing rod and some bait . It would have been nice to cast a line out . I walked back over to Dan who had just finished the gull s feeding session . I had ridden my bike down there and Dan asked me if I wanted a ride home . I told him that would be great . We loaded up my bike into the back of Dan s old Toyota pickup and began our way home . Dan started up a surprising conversation . You know , I was in Vietnam , Dan said . Dan pulled up his shirt showing a scar on the side of chest . Shrapnel , He said pointing to it . Tet offensive 1968 . Did you see a lot of combat ? I asked . No , not too much , but I did kill a man I think , Dan said . What happened ? I asked . If you don t mind me asking . My curiosity was piqued . We were in a convoy on a road , Dan said . Some gook was standing in the road blocking our way . It was a prime ambush setup . I got out of the jeep and we got one of the South Vietnamese soldiers to ask him to move . He refused . I took the butt of my M 16 and bashed him in the head and he fell into the ditch dead on the side of the road . At least I think he was dead . We didn t go back to check . We had to keep moving . I didn t mean to kill him , but we had to get him out of the way . I just knew the gooks were going to ambush us sitting there like that . We were sitting ducks . War is hell , I replied . Vietnam was fucked up . I have read a lot about it and did a term paper on it in college . I still have nightmares about it , Dan said . I see that man s face in my dreams . He haunts me . That is some serious stuff Dan , I replied . I never knew you were a veteran . I don t talk about it much , He said . I don t like to think about it . I was just a scared kid then and got drafted . I didn t know my ass from a hole in the wall let alone how to fight a war . You learn quick when the shit hits the fan like it did over there though . I told Dan to drop me off by the newspaper office just down from my house . He told me goodbye and that he was going to go check the dumpsters behind the shopping center . He has been trying to beat the hog man to the spoils . I rode the rest of the way home with a new found respect for Dan . I am 34 and can t imagine going to war . Just think of being so young and right out of high school , and being thrust into such a quagmire . It is almost unthinkable . 
The Drought is Almost Broken . We have had storms all around us the past few weeks , but cannot get any rain . My lawn is dying and my trees and shrubs in the yard are thirsty . Last night , I was sitting at this computer writing some emails when I thought I saw a flash of lightning which was strange it being so late in the evening . Almost instantly my phone rang . Hello ? I asked wondering who would call so late . It was almost midnight . Did you just see lightning ? My father asked . We are both weather obsessed . My father has an automatic underground sprinkler system for his lawn and has run it for weeks . He fears an astronomically high water bill this month . I think the whole town is praying for rain . Suddenly , another flash lightened up my darkened den . Yeap , that was lightning , I replied . It is weird this happening so late after sunset , Dad said . We have lost the heating of the day . Pulse thunderstorms , I replied . Meet me in the backyard , Dad said . We both hung up the phone . I got my little mag - light flashlight and walked down into my parent s backyard . Dad was standing next to the huge old pecan tree behind his house . The lightening flashed another time . This time it was closer . Maggie ran fast circles around us she was so glad to be set free and out of the confines of my home . Dammit girl , you go ! My father said to Maggie as we both laughed and watched her run her little heart out . She is wound up tonight , I replied . I will never get her to sleep . The lightning flashed even brighter this time . I started to count One Mississippi , two Mississippi The thunder rumbled loudly in the distance ending my count . Two miles away and it seems to be getting closer , I said . I and Dad both walked over to some chairs and sat down . The wind began to pick up . It was a cool outflow from that storm and felt wonderful on this hot July night . Your granddaddy would sit out on the porch on a hot summer s night like tonight and watch the heat thunderstorms in the distance as he smoked one cigarette after another , Dad said . I and your grandmother would worry he would get struck by lightning . He would wait until the last minute to come in . I wish I could have gotten to know him , I replied . He would have loved you , Dad said . You both are a lot alike . He would have taken you fishing and quail hunting all the time . He always kept hunting dogs when I was a boy . This time the lightning flashed perilously close . The thunder was almost instantaneous and deafening . Goddamn ! My father exclaimed as we both were startled . Some of the biggest rain drops I have ever been witness to started to fall . Let s get inside before we both get struck , Dad said . Thank god for the rain though . Night dad , I love you , I replied . I love you too son , He said . I will see you tomorrow . The storm faded almost as quickly as it had blown up much to mine and dad s disapointment . We only got a brief few minutes of heavy rain ; just enough to wet the surface of everything . Soon , the thunder stopped and the katydids went back to calling . Far off , down in the backyard I could hear a few tree frogs peeping . It was a beautiful southern summer s night in late July . The smell of rain hung heavily in the air . I wouldn t want to live anywhere else or trade such experiences for anything else in the world . 
A Close Call . I just walked the ten minutes down to the shopping center to buy my morning Gatorade . It is a ritual of mine that I rarely forgo . The scuttlebutt down there was that Sherman had a very close call with the police last night . Sherman got pulled over , Big S said excitedly . Big S loves gossip and spreading it around . What happened ? I asked very inquisitively and also concerned . They just told him he had a brake light out and let him go , Big S said . They didn t even check for warrants . That lucky son of a bitch , I replied . Good thing they didn t smell his breath . You must have seen Sherman this morning . Yeah , he brought his mother up here to buy her groceries , Big S replied . Well , have you seen Ferret lately ? I then asked . He hung out down here all day yesterday , Big S said . He kept asking me for a dollar , but I wouldn t give him one . I work for my money and he should too . If you can call panhandling working , I thought as I scoffed . He wants that damn mouthwash , I replied . He is going to pickle his insides . He said one of the cashiers asked him why he was buying so much mouthwash and dat fuckin idiot told her , Big S said laughing . I laughed as well . I know I shouldn t be laughing about the dire circumstance of an alcoholic drinking that crap , but it made me wonder what the cashier thought when Ferret told her that . Most people would never think you can get shit faced off of mouthwash without killing yourself . If they did , then big brother would probably outlaw mouthwash or place some kind of restriction on buying it . About this time Droopy came walking up . Droopy always looks so sad as if someone dear to him had just died . What up nigga ? Big S asked him . Ah , not much dawg , Droopy replied . Hey , you ain t got a dolla I could borrow ? Big S asked Droopy . The irony of Big S asking to borrow a dollar after what he said about Ferret should work for his money didn't escape me . Shit , nigga , you be havin mo money than me , Droopy said . I excused myself from the company of Big S , Droopy , and their banal conversation . I walked on down behind the shopping center to find Dumpster Diving Dan once again knee deep in the trash in the dumpster behind the grocery store . He saw me and waved for me to come over . Look at this ! He said excitedly holding up a completely unblemished apple . Now that is a prime find , I said as I smiled . You are a lucky man . That one must have escaped Richard ( my old boss and head of the produce dept . ) . He would have never thrown out an apple that nice . Hey , I ain t seen you around much lately . You been okay ? Dan asked . Oh , yeah , I replied . I have just been staying at the house most days lately doing a lot of reading and browsing the internet . Come on down tomorrow and help me feed the seagulls , Dan said . I will see you in the morning and will bring some bread , I replied . I have a loaf that is almost too stale to eat . I will be over by Big Jim s package store at seven , Dan said . I told Dan goodbye and walked on up the street to home . It seems that in my absence from hanging out with the gang that things are still going along as usual and as they have done for years . Those guys are like clockwork . 
Let it Snow , Let it Snow , Let it Snow . I awoke this morning to an unpleasant surprise . During the night , Maggie had taken a roll of toilet paper out of my bathroom and tore it completely to tiny shreds . It looked like it had snowed in my den . I moaned and groaned and then proceeded to clean it up . It was my last roll of toilet paper so that is one more item I added to my must buy list today . I went and filled up my car last night and it cost me $ 38 dollars for a tank of gas . Regular unleaded is running $ 2.66 here . I usually can go 4 or 5 weeks on one tank of gas , but that is about to change as you will soon find out . My driving is going to increase immensely starting today . I used to volunteer out at the local mental health clinic . They called me yesterday asking if I would help them through a spell of shortage of help . I start today and will volunteer for four hours every afternoon . I am looking forward to it as maybe I will meet some new people and make new friends ; those that understand what it is like to have a mental illness . Lately , my days have seemed so long with little to do but blog , read books , and go to my evening AA meeting . I look forward to the increased activity in my life and to have something to do . The clinic is in another town so that is why I am going to be using much more gas . I will be doing clerical type stuff on the computer and manning the front desk during the afternoon by handing out medications to the clients and scheduling their next appointments . I also found out last night from a friend in AA that there is a noon lunch time meeting everyday in the same town as the mental health clinic . So that will give me two meetings a day . I have really started to enjoy AA . I have ignored the religious aspects of the program and have concentrated on the social and support aspects . I am making some really cool new friends . It feels almost like being a part of another family . Well , let me go eat my breakfast and get in the shower . Another day dawns and I look forward to enjoying it in the fullest . It is going to be nice staying busy all day today . 
look right . 2002 : the height of * NSYNC 's POPularity , my gal pal and I forked over $ 75 for tickets and $ 50 for hot new outfits to wear the night of the show . Since that night , I have had to listen to her tell everyone the story of me scooping her off of the floor as Lance sang directly to her . I am revelling in the realizationgthat he was in fact singing to the person on her immediate right : me . Thanks Lance . 
four - thirty a.m. That is the time that I wake up . Sans alarm . Sans reason . Sleep seems to be finding me in four hour incriments these days . The good news : I ' m remembering my dreams . That means more fodder for writing . Well ... the dreams and Project Runway 3 . Can you believe they bought Robert 's excuse for an outfit ! ? 
Fixed . You might say that I was an enlightened youth . Or , more accurately , you might say that I was an average youth that was slightly more vocal about independence and free speech who possessed a talent for convincing the rest of the world that he was well adjusted and non - complicated . I had everyone fooled . Even my friends that , upon graduation , left heartfelt and overly emotional eulogies in my high school yearbook . I believe it was something like : " you are more content with who you are than anyone I know ; you seem to have yourself all figured out " . That individual will never know the disservice that they did to me and the rest of my life . Not only did I blindly believe those words , but I based the next four years of my life on them - on fooling myself into thinking that he was right . The truth is , at eighteen , no one has anything figured out . Life up until that point is a safe bubble of home , school , and friends . All , in most cases , hand selected by the parental unit . Once faced with making my own choices , the best defense I had was to just close my eyes and arbitrarily point to an option -- which is , in fact , how I came to find myself at a campus - less college in the middle of Buffalo 's west side studying physical therapy . You can probably see where I ' m going with this . If not , I give you the Reader 's Digest version : I ' m sitting at a desk job trying to help homeless individuals living with AIDS navigate through life , addiction , and government assistance . And I ' m trying to make ends meet while paying off a student loan that is comparable in size to someone with a Master 's Degree in Physical Therapy . I can't blame anyone . I made most of the decisions in my life based on what I thought was the best for me . But , foresight has never been one of my strong suits . Ever . As I cycle into a part of my life that seems to be guiding me towards monogamy , sobriety , and responsibility , I realize that I have a lot of work that I still need to do . But , I realize the effort to fix someone ( me ) is not a valid effort . It 's counterproductive to think that one can be fixed . It 's like I tell the members of the sobriety group that I facilitate : " If you look at life as having a start line and finish line , you ' ll consistently let yourself down . Life is a circle ... A never ending jog around the track : learn from every lap , and avoid shortcuts as they will not bring you closer to the end of the race , but further away from your course . " Why ? Well , I was driving home from a concert with my roommate when Coldplay 's " Fix You " came in the radio . " Ever think that he was writing this about himself ? " , she asked me . And I ' ve been asking myself that ever since : When you try your best , but you don't succeed When you get what you want , but not what you need When you feel so tired , but you can't sleep Stuck in reverse When the tears come streaming down your face When you lose something you can't replace When you love someone , but it goes to waste Could it be worse ? Lights will guide you home And ignite your bones And I will try to fix you High up above or down below When you 're too in love to let it go If you never try you ' ll never know Just what you 're worth Lights will guide you home And ignite your bones And I will try to fix you Tears stream down your face When you lose something you cannot replace Tears stream down your face And I... Tears stream down on your face I promise you I will learn from the mistakes Tears stream down your face And I... Lights will guide you home And ignite your bones And I will try to fix you . 
a nod to independence . Independence Day ( A . Di Franco ) we drove the car to the top of the parking rampon the 4 th of julywe sat out on the hood with a couple of warm beers and watched the fireworksexplode in the skyand there was an exodus of birds from the treesbut they didnt know , we were only pretendingand the people all looked up and looked pleasedand the birds flew around like the whole world was endingand i don't think war is nobleand i don't like to think that love is like warbut i got a big hot cherry bomb , and i want to slip it through the mail slotof your front dooryou can't leave me herei ' ve got your back now you ' d better have mine cause you say the coast is clearbut you say that all the timeso many sheep i quit countingsleepless and embarrassed about the way that i feeltrying to make mole hills out of mountainsbuilding base camp at the bottom of a really big dealand did i tell you how i stopped eating ? when you stopped calling meand i was cramped up shitting rivers for weeksand pretending that i was finally freeand you can't leave me herenow that your backyou ' d better stay this timecause you say the coast is clearbut you say that all the timewe drove the car to the top of the parking ramp , on the 4 th of julyand i planted my dusty boots on the bumper and sat out on the hood , and looked up at the sky Nothing really to do with the fourth , Ani is just a master of metaphor . 
brits do it with their boss . In an attempt to provide management skill improvement to agency managers and supervisors , my agency routinely distributes a series of newsletters . The following is from a bi - weekly Clement Communications Inc. publication titled " Supervisors Guide to Employment Practices " : Most Brits Would Sleep With Boss Most employees in Great Britain would be quite happy to sleep with their boss to get ahead , according to a recent poll . Fifty - one percent of the 2,439 employees surveyed by the law firm Peninsula said that if promotion depended on sleeping with their boss , they would agree to the indecent proposal rather than report their boss . Two - thirds admitted to having had an affair at work , but the majority admitted that the relationships didn't work out . On their website , Clement states that the intent of their newsletter is to help prevent employee relations problems - so your company can stay out of court and preserve it 's good reputation . Uh .... This article sounds more like an advertisement for abuse of power , especially considering that upon most of my bi - weekly read throughs of the rag I toss it into the waste basket thinking " I can't believe that there are idiots in management that think it 's okay to fire a guy because he had been acquitted of a murder charge six years ago . Call me old fashion , but whatever happened to waiting for the dude to made a minor policy breach and then beginning the paper trail of suspensions and warnings before you can his ass. " Less important , do Britians find " Brit " derogatory ? I ' m honestly unsure of this point . Either way , this isn't The Post . Shouldn't a certain amount of tact be practiced when choosing headlines ? I may not be a statistician , but since when is 1,218 employed British people a " most " ? It just doesn't seem like a valid conclusion ; that 's not even taking into account that it was interpolated that most British would actually be happy to bed their superior . I may be spinning this to suit my needs , but sleeping around to get ahead does necessarily mean that you 're happy about it . And what about this Peninsular law firm -- what the hell is going on there ? Aren't there wills to be drafted ; Criminals to be acquitted ? One thing is for sure : I would like to be a boss in that outfit . 
who cares ? Tiffany Granath : Playboy Playmate , star of Playboy TV , and host of Playmate Radio 's Afternoon Advice on Sirius . See also : Damaging character witness in Ryan Seacrest 's alleged homosexuality . I have , since coming out in 2000 , had the " I don't care " attitude when a someone asks me if I think so - and - so is batting for the Yankees . This attitude comes in addition to the belief that all men are gay until proven otherwise - it seems a healthier way to live by thinking that everyone is an option . And I have often publicly defended many a man 's heterosexuality while secretly hoping , wishing , and / or knowing that they prefer pickles to tacos . Although you will hear this many times from many gays , I truly have a perfect hetero / not - so - hetero prediction record . In keeping with my belief that the soundest and loudest political move any single gay person can make is to come out , I have come to realize that coming out as straight in light of skepticism is a double edged sword : the individual is shunned a by the gay community and championed by the right wing . I have decided not to be guilty of discriminating against a person who is truly straight just because they are not fitting into the mold of my perception of what a hetero should be : This is the basis of my " I don't care " attitude . It is also the reason that I have accepted Ryan Seacrest as a poster child for heterosexual males that like to play with make - up and chat on the phone with members of Desperate Housewives . Trust me , if a man doesn't want you to know he sucks dick , you are NOT going to know . I mean , if he was truly in the closet , he ' d be trying hard as hell to hide those overly gay tendencies ( OGT 's ) . However , I can only follow this logic so far . The incredible female specimen above was the roommate of the not - yet - famous Seacrest , Tiffany Granath . This morning she , as a guest on The Howard Stern Show , revealed the following facts : In the time she knew him , Ryan never had a girlfriend . She reports that he was never seen with a man either , so this may have just been a very dry spell for the four - foot - three cutie . On several occasions the two would share a bed , and that on these occasions she would wear only a pair of panties . She reported that their cuddling escalated past Ryan kissing on her fun bags . ( Ryan was reported to have been aroused , but Tiff states that she never touched his manhood . ) Ryan never once made a full court press to get Tiffany in the sack despite her frequently romping around the apartment in nothing but panties . In response to Howard stating " If you were running around my apartment naked , I ' d have banged you right there , and I even have a girlfriend , " Tiffany did state that she believes Seacrest to be a woman loving man I must say that I agree with Howard . But I must also throw out the possibility that Ryan likes both boys and girls . It 's an option that is scoffed at by both heteros and homos across the land , but according to Bisexuals everywhere , preference of pickles and tacos are not mutually exclusive . Whatever the case , I think it may be time for Mr. American Idol to make an announcement of his preference . And I urge all of the world to believe him ! But like I ' ve already said , I ain't never been wrong about a homo . 
on this day in 1979 . That 's right . I ' m posting a self - indulgent birthday blog entry . And don't judge me for subscribing to the traditional " It 's - my - fucking - birthday - so - bow - down - to - me " attitude ... just wish me a happy birthday , buy me a shot , and tell me how young I look ! 
[ ? ] - In a world of SHIT ? Fuck , It 's True ! , , , . , ! . - The weather man . ( Robert ) - In this shit of a life , you just drop things . 30 , - Fuck ! It 's True ! . 
20 Points ! Liz is rushing around tidying up , as always . Why ? No one knows . Matt : " Liz , stop cleaning things and sit down . Just relax ! Do you ever just relax ? " Me : " It 's a sickness . You 're sick ! " Mrs Hill : " It is not a sickness . It 's a gift ; one to admire and be thankful for . " Matt : " It 's a gift to admire and be thankful I don't have . " Pause . Me : " Like womanhood . " . 
This is a weird holiday . My family 's scattered , and my friends all seem busy . Charlie Brown spoke on this topic once or twice . Jack Daniels is the only one here to celebrate Independence with me today -- but he and I are not on speaking terms . He 's been spreading rumors about me , so I ' ve decided to give him the cold shoulder today . Last week I applied to the graphic design programs of three different colleges , so I ' ll finally be getting back into school this Fall . Thus far my choices are : WCTC here in Wisconsin ; LCC in Lansing , Michigan ; or Ivy Tech in Fort Wayne , Indiana . Maybe when I hear back from them , it ' ll make the decision easier somehow ... for instance , if two of said schools were to refuse me admittance . That would be insulting , heh , but it would simplify things . I hope you 're all having a great holiday with friends and family ! 
Not ... Quite ... Yet ... Alright , plans are taking solid shape now , but there 's still at least two sides for this coin to land on . It 's still anyone 's race , folks ! What I do know for certain is that this blog is up and running again , and that 's exciting . Lots of writing backed up in my head . Now it can come out . Check out my other blog if you haven't already ; all my poetic stuff gets dumped over there . I think I want to re - post all the old entries to that blog , but I haven't figured out an easy way to do that yet -- we ' ll see . Maybe if I get requests or something ... I don't know if anyone would go back and read old ones , anyway . Tell me what you think . It 's good to be back ! Thanks for joining me . Come again soon . 
Re - Opening Soon ! I forgot . Some matters that needed to be resolved before I could blog again , have been and are being resolved . I will therefore recommence blogging shortly . At the moment , however , there is too much confusion inside my skull . When things calm down ( probably when I have a job and a place to live ) you ' ll read about it here . Don't hold your breath ! It won't be today , and you ' ll likely kill brain cells . 
Ephesians 3 : 15,16 reads " Rather , speaking the truth in love , we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head , into Christ , from whom the whole body , joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped , when each part is working properly , makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love . " One of the Christian fellowships I spend time at has been studying the book of Ephesians . The purpose was to understand what it means for us to be the body of Christ , the church , and what it means to be individual members of this body . The excerpt above speaks directly about these two topics . What I ' ve learned and hope to continue learning is : 1 ) Individually , each member must be working properly . Personal devotion is important , but involvement in the Church is what Paul herein stresses . I , an individual member of a ( the ) body , can not function as such a member without the involvement of absolutely every other member . My spiritual health is directly related to the proper functioning of the greater Christian community - that which I directly identify with ( local church , family , etc. ) and the worldwide body of Christ ( churches and believers in Africa , Bangkok , Vatican City , etc. ) .2 ) And , one of the greatest personal needs that I can see in the church is greater emphasis on the importance and involvement of every member . Seeing as how we were not designed to function as Christians outside of the community , there 's this need to feel as though we 're important and make a difference within our Church . Maybe that need is not felt or noticed . This is often the case and may be a result of our own improper understanding of what it means to be the church . So , we are in need of personal spiritual health in order to build up the body of Christ . And , our spiritual health depends upon our involvement with and being spiritually fed from the local Christian community ( not merely fed by direct preaching of the word , but also fed in the sense of expressing our knowledge and love of the Word toward each other ) . Thoughts , ideas ? Pray , share , think , act . . . that the " body [ will ] grow so that it builds itself up in love . " You are a precious member of the body of Christ . Thank God for all of you that share in this faith ! 
Just another normal week . . . Monday - fellowship of the huge ; lab work ; evening discussion on the Abrahamic covenant and circumcision , the seal of the covenant ; and a nice chat with Sarah ; very little sleep . Excerpt from Monday evening 's discussion ( actual names are changed ) : Rick : " No , I know guys that aren't circumcised . It 's actually quite common to not be circumcised . " Lila : " What do you do go , around and ask guys if they 're circumcised or not ? " Tim : " Yeah , as a matter of fact , that 's usually the first question I ask a guy that I ' ve just met . " Lila : " You know , you could split up your basketball teams in that manner . Circumcised versus not - circumcised . " Me : " Yeah , it would be like shirts versus skins , but skins versus no - skins . " Tuesday - more unsuccessful lab work , but I read some good research literature - evening BBQ w / friends , including volleyball , swimming , and one of the best brisket ( sp ? ) I ' ve ever had . Wednesday - fellowship of the huge - read more research literature - had a nice meeting with Pastor Dave . He 's so passionate about relationship evangelism and just being a part of other 's faith journeys . The work God has done in Dave is contagious - Free departmental lunch ! - dismal afternoon in the lab - thunderstorms and bicycle riding ( indoors ) . Jesse gave me a set of rollers ( see picture ) that laid out in my bedroom . After about fifteen minutes of holding onto a chair while peddling ( and falling off three or four times ) I was off for an hour long ride . It takes a lot of focus to apply equal pressure on your pedals to keep from wobbling or falling . - and I finished the night reading about the Mosaic Covenant : the Covenant of Law . Roller track : the rear wheel sits on the back two rollers and the front , on the front roller . One starts peddling and centrifugal force keeps them up . It 's a little easier than I expected . Thanks to all of you who commented about my last post . I agree with you that it is a process and sweetly enjoyed when we recognize that it is God 's work in us . Again , thanks for the encouragment and your friendship . 
Therefore , patience . 1 Tim 1:16 But I received mercy for this reason , that in me , as the foremost , Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life . The present section of my devotional life centers on patience and the man of God . In meditating on the above text , I thought that striving for patience is healthy for two reasons ( not meant to be comprehensive ) : A ) Being patient unites us with Christ . Often it is easy for me to make a quick , uninformed judgment or snap at someone . In being patient , one senses the faithfulness of the Son toward the father . Jesus deeply trusted his Father and working toward and being patient lets us into the heart of the son one that knows the love and justice of God . B ) There is a beautiful eternal aspect to patience , whereby those who are ignorant of Truth are wooed to God by our manifesting this quality . Christ , the Light of the world , in us . I do not think it healthy to be patient just because the Bible says it s a good thing . Nike legalism , or the Just Do It mentality , is deathly and such motivation is anti - Christian . 
Reservation canceled . Wednesday evening , before Thursday 's trek to Chicago , I hopped on the bus to take me back to the office . I had left by bicycle at the office that afternoon , having elected to take the bus home during the thunderstorm . Ernie , an aquitance from Intervaristy volleyball and picnics , was sitting across from me on the bus . We hadn't seen each other for over 6 months , so he asked me to walk the quad with him on his way to church . We chatted about a number of things , but the last topic to come up was my research trip to Chicago . I told him that I drive around to streams , take samples of water and do some filtering in the field . Ernie 's very emotional , enthusiastic reply : " Wow , that 's awesome ! That would be sooo much fun ! " We then split ways - I was off to the office and he departed for Uni . Baptist . God had used Ernie to help me remember that one of the reasons I chose this route because it was going to be a blast ! Driving around , visiting streams , doing chemistry - this is what I wanted . Thanks be to a providential , loving , patient God ! Nathan and I headed to Chi - town at 7 am , Thursday morning . We worked efficiently and skillfully . Traffic wasn't bad at all , nor was my driving ! Nathan did a great job navigating , too . As a result , we were able to hit all 5 sites in one day , rather than breaking them up over two days ( fyi , I cancelled the hotel reservation . Hence , the title ) . My last sample was filtered by 6:15 pm in the parking lot of the Dominick 's grocery store at the corner of 31 st and Wolf Rd . We were back in CU by 9 pm . God worked wonderfully through your prayers ! 
Tis the season to sample . My dear friends and family , I ' m in need of specific prayer over the next few days . I ' m headed to Chicago Thursday morning for an over - night trip to take water samples at my five research sites . This involves a complicated , in - field filtering process . God has been with me in preparing for this , especially through all of the hurdles . Thankfully , He has also provided a very helpful undergrad worker - whom I get along with very well . Please pray for capacity to work quickly , yet with keen skill ; God 's grace upon traffic and my driving abilities ; and that my undergrad worker and I would work well together . Honestly , I ' m nervous about this whole thing . Commissioned by the King , Paul . 
CTNYC . Over a week ago I left Champaign to take short trip to the East coast . My older ( by 8 months ) step brother was getting married in Ridgefield , CT ; thus much of step family , that on my dad 's wife 's side , made the trip as well . I left Chi - town , arriving at La Guardia three hours before any other family . When the rest arrived , though , they all came in a bunch . So much so that we needed to 13 passenger van to haul all of us around . With Grandpa Ronnie behind the wheel we all set off for Danbury . Unlike the pirates in the last post , our van was full of chiefs . It was stressful drive having 10 people yell complete different driving directions at Ronnie . While sitting quietly in the back , I watched my family go through a wide array of emotions as we got lost , went the wrong direction , and got stuck in rush hour traffic . Yes , we eventually made it to CT and only three hours late . Friday morning Dad , Michelle ( my sister ) , Mike ( Michelle 's husband ) and I took the train into Manhattan . We walked around downtown for the afternoon . No list of " to dos " , just out for a saunter . On our day trip we were amazed at the massive buildings towering over every street . The BMW yacht from the 2003 America 's cup rested in front of one of those famous buildings ( the name slips my mind ) ; it was brazen with carbon fiber - everything . Nice , very nice . Here are two pics from that day : BMW ' 03 Yacht ; and a picture of Hebrew 's Messiah Bold : The Chosen Beer . A local Italian restaurant hosted us for the rehearsal dinner that evening . I give mad props to the servers and cooks for dealing with such a large party - making wonderful food and serving us so quickly . Also , looking for a nice red wine ? Try Crane Valley 's Merlot ( CA ) . The day of the wedding the same clan ( Dad , M M , and I ) visited Keeler 's Tavern for some revolutionary fun , literally . This Inn is located at the site of the Battle of Ridgefield , fought during the Revolutionary War . In light of the season , the historic site offered a day of arts , crafts , and reenactment . There 's even a cannonball lodged in the side of the house . Here 's an original ( 1790 ) tapestry from inside the house . The next pic is of Mike and I ducking out of the way of the British cannonball . Those bloody Brits ! The wedding and reception dinner were quite nice . It would have been for enjoyable to taste a bunch of drinks from the open bar , but in light of ample over indulgence among the guests alcohol seemed distasteful that evening . Nonetheless , it was good to dance and socialize . Here are Josh and Kate doing the wedding thing . And , here 's a pic of the tent and backyard where the dinner was held . I ' ve heard that the " tent " thing is very common for weddings in this area of the states . Sunday after the wedding we headed back to NYC . Michelle and Mike left for KC , while my stepmom 's parents accompanied dad , my stepmom , Tyler ( my stepbro ) and myself for an extended stay in Manhattan . Briefly , we were able to visit Times Square , Canal Street , the Statue of Liberty , the Bronx Zoo and big fireworks display on the East River . A ) Here 's I am with Lady Liberty in the background . B ) Tyler w / Lennon 's guitar . C ) . Times Square . D ) NYC Street at night . E ) A tapir ( it 's like my favorite animal ) at the zoo . F ) Yep , Tyler and I are breaking the law ( see the red sign ) , but so to are 250,000 other people . Where else were we supposed to stand ? G ) Tyler and I at the fireworks . H ) Chemistry , baby . The one souvenir that I didn't have to purchase while out there : cough / cold / infected crap in the chest , all rolled into one big fat bug . 
Arrrr . . . They be pirates . Some friends and I went out to dinner and a movie Friday evening . In light of our choice of flicks , Pirates of the Caribbean , we opted for dinner at Jolly Roger 's , an eating establishment in Urbana . Dinner was so - so , bu tthey night was made when some crazy pirates took the place by storm ! Even before entering the scoundrels had taken Austin hostage . Here 's their famous leader in full regalia . This one they called the " Italian Charlatan " . I caught one more pic as these three went out for their after dinner raid and pillage . The one on the left has a menacing , yet sexy look in his eye ; and look at that shirt ! With such dynamic chivalry , I bet he gets all of the ladies to smile ! The movie was pretty good for a sequel : plenty of swashbuckling action , a few decent one - liners and great special effects . The movie was quite long and lacked a comprehensive ending . 
Hello everyone . I am an entreprenuer orginally from bklyn new york who is completing an MBA at Penn State mastering online marketing and operations management . You know lets face it , I know your tired of clicking and seeking new ways to make money and guess what so were we ! Realistically how many opportunities do we have to explore before we find one that actually works ? How many clicks do we have to perform before we find gold ! 1,000 , 10,000 maybe 1,000,000 . Hey with those numbers we could have already made ourselves some real money couldn t we ? Don t fret I know I ' ve missed out on plenty in life and in business and now I ' m just plain fed up ! At 500 bigideas . com I decided it was time I ' d pay the price and just do my very best to advertise the most comprehensive business ideas known 2 man online . This site will undergo a wide spread marketing campaign for 12 months through engineseeker . I ' ve reached an agreement with a few sponsors and government agencies in addition with over 200 top level search engines for the top level placement for 3 keyword phrases over a course of 365 days starting last week . In addition I will also be undergoing a 500,000 double opt - in list mailing as well as an exchange of over 25 high ranking link sites . This means that this site will begin to host to thousands of internet surfers seeking their interests and clicking away . I know it s a remarkable opportunity and I ' d decided to share that with you . Your website can share this access absolutely FREE for a limited time . In addition to this you ll also be given exclusive access to our forum chat in which allows you to network , trade or sell your ad space to other advertisers on this site at your own desirable price . Heard enough yet ? Then please by all means select your keyword and let s get busy spreading the word ! www .500 bigideas . com. 
XBox 360 . XBox 360 05 12 06 6 20 144,847 GBA SP DOA 4 20 / 6 / 06 XBox 360 20 1 . Dead or Alive 4 ( Tecmo ) - 89,2552 . Ridge Racer 6 ( Bandai Namco ) - 59,5093 . Ninety Nine Nights ( Microsoft ) - 34,4184 . Perfect Dark Zero ( Microsoft ) - 26,0855 . Rumble Roses XX ( Konami ) - 25,3316 . Project Gotham Racing 3 ( Microsoft ) - 24,7047 . Enchanted Arms ( From Software ) - 20,2338 . Need For Speed Most Wanted ( EA ) - 17,9739 . Final Fantasy XI ( Square Enix ) - 13,86510 . Dynasty Warriors 5 Special ( Koei ) - 10,95711 . FIFA 06 Road to the FIFA World Cup ( EA ) - 7,28312 . Battle Field 2 Modern Combat ( EA ) - 6,58113 . Over G ( Taito ) - 6,26514 . Pro Baseball Spirits 3 ( Konami ) - 5,68115 . Wrestle Kingdom ( Yuke 's ) - 5,30116 . Tetris the Grand Master Ace ( AQ Interactive ) - 5,18417 . Kameo Elements of Power ( Microsoft ) - 5,12118 . 2006 FIFA World Cup Doitsu Taikai ( EA ) - 5,00619 . Tengai Makyo Ziria ( Hudson ) - 4,94420 . Call of Duty 2 ( Activision ) - 4,773 . 
Bus stop . I don't think this guy was too comfortable with me staring at him . He might not have understood that all I wanted to do was to draw a cartoon of him for this blog . Luckly I was in my car and drove away before he came over to pick a fight . 
500 Tops Blogs Stats . Check out the STATS for 500 Topblogs . com We are averaging over 400 visitors per day . The email campaign started last night and is starting to show up in the numbers . Keep on Blogging . 
Blog Thy Neighbor . On a daily basis I visit every blog on the site , I feel it is my duty to guarantee at the very least one visitor to each blog . I would like to make a request to all owners to try to visit as many blogs as often as possible . As the site fills up , we will have a great resource for info and opinions . I personally have benefited greatly from all kinds of useful software and info . Keep on Blogging . 
Welcome to a new member . Welcome to the newest member of 500 Topblogs , our first ebay sighting Blogebayauction . There 's plenty of useful info about ebay . 15,000 ebayers in one place for a convention ? Six years ago none of the so called dot com gurus could have imagined that e - bay would be one of the dot coms left standing . 
Word pages ARE the next big thing . The word pages seem to be the next natural step from the pixel pages . No matter how you look at it , it makes sense . I still think the pixel pages look to crowded and confusing . Some of the word pages that are popping up are a little out there , a pirate word page ?? Hey , who am I to judge . Luckily for us we are in at the beginning . There have been so many things in my life that I wish I had gotten in on in the beginning . Some of the people that purchased pixels on the original million dollar homepage , are now renting there spot out for good amounts of cash . I myself have purchased words on word pages , and do receive traffic from them . The key is to make sure the owner of the page is promoting the site . I can honestly say that most of the time I spend online is promoting 500 Top Blogs . com If you are going to purchase words ( which I highly recommend ) consider who will be looking for the site , and if they would benefit from your site . That is a very simple thought that a lot of online business owners do not consider . 
500 Top Blogs . com Launch . Okay here we go . It only makes sense to have a blog about the first linksizzler site about blogs . I will try to post as often as possible to keep all the " word Owners " up to date . 
Final Transcript Posted . The transcript of our Final Hearing is now posted . If you would like proof of the discrimination that takes place in the Gordon County Family Courts , this is a good place to start . Greg . 
Mother Lies While Under Oath , Judge Looks the Other Way . If you have been following our case transcript , you may be seeing some signs that the mother tends to be less than honest . I am now working on the portion of the transcript where it is discovered that the mother has been lying , under oath , about her boyfriend spending the night . This is important for several reasons . First , it shows that she is putting our daughter in a questionable environment . Second , it is now 100 % obvious that the mother will lie while under oath . There is a reason why you can not lie under oath ! I think it is common knowledge that , once someone lies under oath , all of their testimony because questionable . However , this doesn t seem to be the case when Judge David K Smith is the presiding judge . If you are reading my transcripts , you have noticed that I often make comments . Below I have listed one of my comments , with regard to the lack of justice in our family law courts : You know this is SO frustrating ! Everyone knows that Shannan s boyfriend is spending the night . Shannan certainly knows it . I know it . My daughter knows it . Our daughter s teachers know it . The private investigator that is preparing to testify knows it . Joe Little , Shannan s attorney , probably knows it . I have recordings of my daughter talking about it . The fact that they are trying to deny it really should tell this judge something . Shannan is lying , under oath . This is not one of those he said , she said things that I can t prove . Throughout all of Shannan s testimony , she has mislead and lied . Some of her lies have been impossible to prove . For example , Shannan claimed that when I left , I took all of our daughter s clothes and toys . The truth is , I took 3 or 4 outfits , and very few toys . But , how do you prove something like that ? Well , Shannan HAS been having the boyfriend spend the night , with our daughter there , and I CAN prove it . It is now obvious that Shannan lies under oath . This SHOULD cast serious doubt over ALL of Shannan s testimony . This should mean something in the United States Court of Law ! In Judge Smith s courtroom , it means absolutely nothing ! I often wonder what Judge Smith would have done if I had been the one who lied under oath . I m willing to bet it wouldn t have been overlooked , as it will be with Shannan . If you would like to view this page , click here . Greg . 
Misc Thought 01 . Today I am finishing up on the new version of the 5050 Parents . com website . One thing that keeps coming to mind is : Why should I have to go through all of this ? I would think we would all realize that discrimination , on any level , is wrong . I would think we would all realize that a child needs , and deserves both parents . However , as I go though all of my court transcripts , I am reminded that there are some people out there that must believe discrimination is acceptable . Obviously , these people also believe that a child does not deserve to have and equal relationship with both parents . One thing that keeps coming to mind is that there was once a time when women were not allowed to vote . There was once a time when the color of a person s skin dictated what buildings they were allowed to enter . The discrimination that occurs in our family courts is no different . Unfortunately , there are always those people in the world that will tolerate discrimination , even welcome it , as long as it happens to benefit them at the time . I have already been informed that my 5050 Parents website has upset a few people in the local legal community . I have been told that Judge Smith does not appreciate it . I am forced to ask , why ? I am not going to make anything up . I am going to post what actually happened in the court room . If Judge Smith s decision making was so fair , then I would think he would welcome this website . After all , now the whole world will get to see the fairness that takes place in the Gordon County Court System . That being said , I think it is important to point out that I have received a great deal of encouragement about this website . I have received support locally , as well as from across the country . In all honesty , it has surprised me how much positive feedback I have received . The bottom line is that I honestly would prefer to not have to maintain the 5050 Parents website . I have many other things I would rather do . But , equality with my daughter is something I simply will not stop fighting for . I will never settle for being a non - custodial parent . My daughter has two parents , and no one should have the power to turn one of them into a secondary parent . She deserves better than that . Greg . 
Site Update . Hello Everyone Sorry it has been so long since I posted . In an effort to have more time available for my daughter , I have started my own business that allows me to work from home . My thoughts were that I could have my daughter with me during the day , until her mother got off of work . Unfortunately , once her mother found out about this , she took our daughter out of day care and started leaving our daughter with her grandparents ( on her mom 's side , ofcourse ) . I ' ll give you more info about this on the 5050 parents . com site . Speaking of the 5050 parents site , I am just a day or two away from publishing the new site . This version will have all the court transcripts , and all the evidence that was submitted to the judge . I am SO confident this will show you just how much our courts can discriminate . ( I would say " discriminate against fathers " , but I ' m not necessarily convinced that gender was the reason for the descrimination . I think this is a perfect example of " who you know " dictating the outcome of a case . ) Either way , I am going to post it all for you to see . Then , you can make up your own minds about our family law system . Be sure to visit the site freqently over the next few days . Greg . 
Still Here . I have received a few emails asking why I vanished after my 3 / 16 court date . First of all , thanks ! It is nice to be missed . Also , I am glad to know that some of you out there are keeping up with the site . That being said , I have some good news Actually , let me start with the bad news : The 3 / 16 court date was a perfect example of the discrimination that is taking place in our family courts . You will be amazed when you see what the judge was willing to overlook . You will also be amazed by the unfounded assumptions and comments that Judge David Smith was willing to make . Of course , I ll be posting it all on the 5050 Parents site . Now , the good news Going through all of this has been a bit of a wake up call for me . As I have mentioned in earlier posts , I worked for a company that is fantastic . It was a great place to work . However , after the 3 / 16 court date , I decided that I needed to take another path . As many of you have gathered , the single most important thing to me is that beautiful , 4 year old little girl , who happens to be my daughter . After 3 / 16 , I realized that I need to put everything I have into this case . Working for a company that is 1 hour away just wouldn t allow this . So , the following day , I resigned . I am now self - employed . I will focus a portion of my time on money making projects , and the rest will go towards www .5050 parents . com , and all the things involved in the custody battle . On a side note , the first thing Judge Smith commented on while giving his verdict , was how the mother s career allows more flexibility and convenience for custody than the Defendant s employment . Well not now ! You will be very interested in reading certain parts of the transcript . One of the parts that you will certainly enjoy is the testimony from a teacher at my daughter s school . This testimony discusses how I was always at my daughter s school , always very involved with all aspects of her education , always made sure she had the necessary supplies , field trip money .. The testimony also indicates that the mother was rarely seen . In fact , it was the mother s boyfriend who brought my daughter to school on the mornings I did not have her . This is very strange , when you consider the mother is the one with all of the flexibility . So , given my recent employment change , I should have much more time to dedicate to the 5050 Parents site . I am currently in the process of rounding up some of the court info , as well as preparing for the appeal , so it may take me a while to get up to full speed . But , don t worry , it is coming ! Greg . 
Courts Confirm : Not Concerned With The Best Interests Of Child . Yesterday was our final court hearing . Once again , it was an incredible example of discrimination against fathers . Of course , I will post everything about the case on the 5050 parents website . Also , as promised , I will appeal the decision that Judge David K Smith recklessly handed out . I truly hope this case will bring more attention to just how pathetic our family courts can be . Once you see the evidence that was submitted to the court , AND the evidence the judge would not allow , you are going to see just how much a court will let a mother get away with : Perjury by the mother , who cares ( verified by private investigator , and acknowledged by Judge Smith ) ; Mommy using a known drug user and criminal as a babysitter ( despite a court order that the child should not be allowed around this person ) , rather than the father , so what ! ; 4 year old daughter sleeping in between Mommy and boyfriend , no big deal ; 4 year old daughter sleeping on a pallet on a hard wood floor , while Mommy and Boyfriend sleep in a comfortable bed , suck it up little girl ! ; Mommy rarely makes an appearance at daughters pre - school while Daddy is constantly there , who cares ! Mommy has a history of keeping the daughter from her father for weeks at a time , well , Mommy and Daddy just need to learn to work together better . ; Mommy admitted in the first court appearance that she has hit Daddy on multiple occasions , Judge Smith isn t sure if Mommy has violent tendencies ; Mommy is financially reckless , and averages $ 300 / month just in bank over limit fees , well , obviously Daddy should pay Mommy even more ! All of this being said , I was initially going to wait to post info on the site until I can get more info together . However , I have been contacted by friends ( some who were at the trial ) who told me to get busy so they can respond . So , this is my initial post , just to get the conversations going . GPS to those of you who helped with my case , thank you very much . Your involvement means so much to me , and my daughter . And every one of you did a fantastic job . Had this case gone in front of a judge who truly cared about the well being of my daughter , I would have been given physical custody . ** Keep in mind , even if I had been awarded physical custody , my daughter would always know that she would receive equal time with me and her mother . And , her mother would always be allowed to play an equal role in our daughter s life . This is in sharp contrast to what her mother has done . 
Rap This ! I m white . I m straight . And I m pissed . Pam s House Blend has an interesting post today about homophobic rapper DMX , who is scheduled to appear tonight at Chicago s House of Blues , located at 329 North Dearborn Street in the city . Pam notes : Rapper DMX has a problem with gays . He has a serious problem , because nearly every track he produces contains out - of - control homobigoted vitriol . She then quotes some of DMX s lyrics , but I ll spare you his nuggets of wisdom here . Anyway , she goes on to say that the local LGBT community is planning to protest at the House of Blues , which is fine , but the problem is larger than DMX , larger than the radio stations that play his music , and larger than venues like House of Blues who seek to profit from his inane bigotry . The problem is that homophobia is alive and well in the African American community , and we progressives black , white and in between ; gay , straight or otherwise are too cowardly to address it head - on . And that s bull shit . It s one thing for white folks like me to withhold criticism of black hip - hop artists who use the N word in every other lyric . I don t like it , but it is impossible to put myself in their shoes . How can I possibly understand what it means to an African American artist to take ownership of such a vile slur ? I can t , though I do what I can . Homophobia , though , is not a racial issue . Gay men and lesbians exist everywhere , in every community . Sexual preference does not discriminate on the basis of race , sex , ethnicity , wealth , religion , region of the country , or political background . As Chris Rock brilliantly observed , prejudice is stupid because who ever you hate , they will end up in your family . Or words to that effect . So you don t get a pass on homophobia just because you re of African descent or Asian , Latino , European , or anything else . We have to call this what it is prejudice . Period . And it is no more acceptable than racism , sexism , anti - Semitism , or any other bigoted ism out there . No excuses ; no exceptions . 
Rules for the Road . Ok I said last time that one of my next posts would be on what kind of rules I have set for myself on my journey toward saving $ 50 k in one year . This should be pretty short as I don't need too many guidelines for this , but I do need just a few to keep me in line . First of all , I have to start off with a zero balance in the account , which is easy since I don't even have the account designated yet . I will probably open up either an additional account with Fidelity so that I can monitor this along with my other accounts for savings . Or I may open up an Emigrant Direct account which has great rates on their basic savings accounts . I don't have any experience with Emigrant Direct but I hear great things about them from FMF over at Free Money Finance . com. I will detail my decision on what account I am choosing in a future post , providing facts and figures along with my decision making process . I will probably open the account once I have my first savings dollars to put into it . Another thing is that I cannot use funds that are already in my posession or owed to me to put toward my goal . Thus , I can't use any of the money in my checking account or emergency fund account to help me along the way if I am coming up short . I also have a couple of other small amounts of money that are coming my way as reembursements , but those are off limits for this purpose . Finally , I must continue on with my retirement savings . Currently , my wife and I max out our Roth IRA contributions each year and I contribute to my 401 k in order to get the maximum employer contribution ( which is 100 % up to 5 % of my salary . ) As you can probably guess , this money could go a long way toward helping me reach my goal . However , retirement is a long term goal and I don't want to comprimise long term goals just to reach short term ones . Well , there you have it . Now that I ' ve laid them out I have to stick to them . Coming up , I ' ll detail my plans for reaching my goal and give you some info about my wife and I............ 
What 's the deal . OK ... for my first blog here , I wanted to let you all know what the deal is with blog and why I even want to spend my time working on it . By looking at the title you may be thinking " Why do you need $ 50 grand ? " , " Is this $ 50 k in income , savings , investemnts ... ? or " Why would I be interested in reading this blog ? " Well it is my goal here to answer these questions and more . Basically , my design here is to take you along on my journey to save $ 50,000.00 in 1 year starting from an empty bank account . Now this doesn't mean that all of my bank accounts are empty , but I am going to have a specific account for this goal set aside that I wish to have $ 50 k in one year from now . The account in question does not even exist yet as it is part of the journey to determine where and what type of account I would like to open for it . Now let me go into the story as to why I need this $ 50 k . As of today my wife and I are the owners of a 1 acre lot which we plan to build a house on . We have purchased this lot for $ 65,000 of which we have a loan for $ 50,000 of it . We are going to build this house ourselves without hiring a builder or general contractor to do it for us . Most lending institutions consider this to be a risky loan situation and thus prefer for the borrower to have a large portion of the cash needed to build the home or to have the lot free and clear as collateral . Thus we are choosing to focus on raising the cash to pay off the mortgage on the lot . Well you may be thinking " Why do you need to have the money in 1 year ? " and " Can't you just wait to pay it off in a more reasonable amount of time ? " The answer to these questions is where things get a bit interesting . You see , there is a mobile home on this lot which will remain our residence until we are able to complete the building of our new house . This mobile home has been there since the mid 70 's , so you can imagine that it is not the most modern , structurally sound aesthetically pleasing place one could choose to live . My wife has decided that she prefers not to live in the " trailer " any more than she absolutely has to . You see she is currently pregnant with our first child and doesn't want to remain in the small quarters and patched up walls of the trailer with our children . Another thing is that we have had 7 residences so far in our 5 year marriage and she is ready to get in and settle down for good . So , being the thoroughly whipped husband that I am , in order to make her happy I kind of told her that our first born child would not have his / her first birthday while we were still living in the trailer . This causes me to have to have the house completed in January ' 08 . It takes around 6 months to finish the house thus arriving at a July timeframe for beginning construction which is when I would need to have the lot paid off in order to get the construction loan . Now before you begin thinking ill of my beloved wife , I would like you to know that she is a saint of a woman and I love her dearly . She has been great about the whole thing in truth , especially since I moved her out of a 2800 square foot house into a 750 square foot trailer . I , in reality , share her desire to build our dream home ASAP just as much as her . Please don't think of us as feeling too good to live in a mobile home since we truly do thank the Lord for everything that we have and circumstances that we are in . I hope you enjoy the posts and choose to join us often as we take this ambitious journey for the next year . In the next few posts I will be laying out some rules I have set for the voyage toward our stated goal . I will also tell you some more about us and describe the various types of items that I will be posting on . Hope to see you soon ... 
Such exhaustion . Last night was a killer . I ' m smiling for sure . Though , I ' m worried about how uncool I am . I ' m pretty weird . It tends to be a monkeywrench in the moving parts of my life . And she 's too cool ; keeps her moving parts clean . Bollocks ! I just need to relax . 
Monday night , we drank a list longer than my arm ; a list which wasn't drawn up until the items were drunk . I never thought one could have a hangover that lasted longer than one was drunk . How does that work ? I don't know . Apparently , I missed lotsa stuff yesterday . Figures . 
1 for Monday ; in which the administrator waxes pathetic about the Pynchon book he completed last night . It was good . Like Mothra into a sunflare I tripped into the ' 60 s mind of one Thomas Pynchon like , well , ' 60 s motion picture . Bearings askew , the cavalcade drew near and delivery of toxic substance mustn't be avoided tonight ( perhaps a tangible reason for self - loathing , the administrator 's apocheir dallied ) . Whatta schlemihl ! 
Sentimental Sunday . In through the out door ? So someone asked me out the other day : a dude . This made me a little sad for two reasons : 1 ) I can't remember the last time someone asked me out ; it 's been so long , and 2 ) He was a dude . Granted , I admit , he 's a good looking fella , but it 's just not my thing ( that thing ) . Ironically , I ' ve since been pining over this lesbian chick who 's totally hot , totally my style -- but gay . Cripes ! So , is it possible that I can meet just one girl -- just one -- who isn't a total freak , who isn't gay , doesn't talk about her dog nonstop , doesn't devote her life to smoking lots of hashish , doesn't have an ex - boyfriend hanger on ( or a current boyfriend for that matter ) , isn't leaving for Asia in a couple weeks , has opinions , has tact , has any kind of personality not resembling the side of a cardboard box , isn't a journalist ( that ' be just a plus ) , and isn't completely lost ? I don't think so . Not in this town . I ' ve picked over it pretty well .... Maybe it is time to switch over to the other side , other team . After all , if I head down to the drag show then it 's a guarantee that I ' ll see some foxy looking women . Sure , they ' ll really be men , but I ' ll have better luck with those ladies than real , acutal ( biological ) ladies . ... Maybe I ' ll just stay home . Yeah , home . Existence Smexistence If you asked me if you , or I , exist then I ' d tell you it 's not certain . It 's not up to us . But then again it is ? Who knows ? ... But it should be me that knows if I exist or not , right ? Cripes ! The way I see it , if nothing means anything to me then I can't reason why it would be essential in a sense not parallel with the function of physical life -- thus starving nonphysical life . Therefore , nothing exists because there is no meaning . It 's pointless . Ms. Timmons would tell me it 's merely melancholy , but I however believe that 's too easy an out . I ' d like to believe that I exist , that god exists and we 're all happy little existees , but what for ? * segue to * Tomatoes ! I ' ve got a whole crop of ' em . Tomatoes that is . About a dozen really healthy looking ones . I ' m excited . I ' d ' ve placed a picture here , but I can't seem to locate my camera . Granted I haven't looked for it , but who gives a fuck . It 's pointless . Wait . ... Back to the subject . Ingredients : 12 whole tomatoes to be fucked up 1 nice bottle of merlot 1 not so nice bottle of Three Thieves 1 hippie jug of Carlo Rossi 6 cans of tomato paste 1 / 2 tps . of arsenic ( because I ' m trying to develop an immunity to it ) 3 willing subjects to try ( without my private arsenic blend of course , I ' m not a monster ) Some olives ( for martinis ) , garlic ( for vampires ) , onions ( for weirdos ) , basil ( for potheads ) , oregano ( for potheads ) , and thyme ( because there 's never enough ) . I ' ll also have BLT 's for a week or so , omelets with diced tomatoes , and , maybe , even a nice tomato snack on the way to work in the morning . Goddamn these fucking tomatoes are sweet . Literally sweet . I can't go back to grocery store tomatoes . * EDIT * 7 / 25 @ 1:41 p.m. Something sorta almost resembling Irony , but not quite it at all I spent the other night -- entire night until work at 7:30 -- playing protest songs and drinking Chinese beer , in America . 
Alright . OK , I guess I ' ve been working too hard . Three Eastgate patrons came to my queue , all of which I ' d been friendly and shared drinks with ; all of which I didn't remember upon sight ( until I ' d carded them ) . I should try some deep breathing : my own medicine . That ' r Chinese beer ! 
Here 's how I ' m set apart : There 's probably no one that would ' ve followed me up the old Anthropology building 's highest tower , now a dangerous construction - ridden heap , to see the subtle sunset colors beyond the parking garage on Cherry and Locust streets . The entry : bizarre . The climb : precarious . The spoils : psycadelic , useless . 
I saw her again last night . She 's set apart from people , the same way I am . Well ... maybe not the same way , still ... She 's captivating , terrifying , sexy ; Corona , Camels , a star on her arm , black hair , severe blue eyes . Who am I kidding ? Of course , she 's gonna be too cool . 
I feel I must soon say goodbye to the ones I love . Benjamin , Jemima , and Gordon , too . In reality , I don't believe anyone will help them in my stead . This 's the likely outcome . No one cares , because caring 's ancient . Self is the new existence . In three weeks , goodbye tomato kids . 
2 for Monday . When my self 's crushed , I rent a really depressing movie , tear apart a good book , slam my hand in a door , burn the notes to a song I ' ve written ; so I can reason the irrational : my self 's crushed . How can one exist and be nonessential , too ? I just don't know . [ I think of Ms. Terrell every time I use the word " nonessential , " per a conversation held more than a year ago . Good memory . I feel the word encompasses all of being faded , overused , a state of post - completed uselessness . It 's good to define words for one 's self . It 's rare to do . ] Don't we all want to be in a band that will get to heaven ? That ' d be something to work toward . Hell , I ' d sell my clothes , books , belongings , and burn London whole to prove them all wrong . I ' m wrestling with an antithesis to existence , because ... and there won't be anything , anymore . 
My descent into Columbia 's Catacombs was memorable and strangely beautiful . Not even the coolest of my friends ' ve been down there ( except Mr. Wallstin ) , so there 's " street - cred " for myself . I met some strangely intoxicating and eclectic people . We talked a lot , don't remember much of our conversations though . V. was sublime ! 
122 of 210 : The Stamp Man. We went back to his house for drinks after Ingrid s . Once there he accused us of stealing his stamp collection . He showed us his badly burned torso courtesy , he said , of his ex - wife who similarly coveted his stamps . When he pulled a large kitchen knife , we ran for our lives . 
121 of 210 : Julie . When my cousin divorced her first husband , it was for good reason . She then married a sweet , hardworking guy who was devoted to her daughters and utterly worshiped her . This week we learned that she s left him and is in love with someone else . Even her daughters think she s nuts . 
120 of 210 : The Astrologer . I went to a professional to me help interpret my birth chart . He studied the printout in silence for several uncomfortable minutes , occasionally glancing up at me nervously . Then he rubbed his hands together and said , gamely , Well , let s try to find something that s positive in this chart , shall we ? . 
119 of 210 : Sal . Few college characters were more fascinating than the drug - and - drink - addled fellow who lived next door . One early morning I answered the banging on my door to find Sal standing there , stark naked and with a raging erection , asking if I had orange juice so he could make screwdrivers for his girlfriend . 
118 of 210 : Holly # 2 . I honestly can t recall how we met , but she was four years my junior , and in my senior year in college I took her to her high school prom . She had a smoking body , and a smoky , sexy , DJ s voice . Alas , I was more interested in her ( male ) best friend . 
117 of 210 : Holly # 1 . A sweet girl with a hole in her heart . When we became friends , she warned me that if she ever fainted , I was to let her lie still , and she d come to after a few minutes . One day , on the way to dinner , she fainted . But she never came to . 
116 of 210 : Marguerite . When I was a baby , she d carry me with my head in the palm of her hand , my body draped across her forearm ; I d giggle continuously as I watched the world go by . We start out in bliss , then spend the rest of our lives trying to find it again . 
115 of 210 : Pick Temple . Even though I d already been on Romper Room , I found myself on the Pick Temple Show , a local Western - themed kid s show . Those of us in the onstage Peanut Gallery saw what went on behind the scenes in making a television show , and I wasn t alone in finding it terribly disillusioning . 
114 of 210 : J . D . J . D . s horse came to me in a dream . Tell them he s afraid of his power , that his bluster will disappear when he embraces his talents as healer and psychopomp . I ll also tell you he fashions singular works of wearable art from stones and wire . Power will out , as they say . 
113 of 210 : Gregg . Pen - pal Gregg forwarded some oddly poetic e - spam , translated from the Russian : Let us restore the neglected calculation . Leader ! From you suddenly left bookkeeper ? You they did betray ? You are substituted ? Tomorrow tax ? Bookkeeping cruelty ! Tracking calculation by our specialized company , minimization of Nalogooblazheniya , resolution of debatable questions in tax organs . 
112 of 210 : Pat # 4 . Your classic playground bully . Pat was bigger , heavier , and stronger than any other fourth grader , but still found it necessary to terrorize everyone else . When he showed up with a badly sprained but inartfully wrapped thumb , he was frightened and in serious pain . I made friends with him that day . 
111 of 210 : Pat # 3 . Pat and Ginger were best man and matron of honor at my parents wedding . When Ginger became ill , Pat took care of her . When Pat became ill , I drove him to treatments . She went to a nursing home , he went to hospice ; a month later , they died two days apart . 
110 of 210 : Pat # 2 . I ve never felt such loathing for another human being . She was my receptionist , but seeing as how she was the president and founder s sister - in - law , I could hardly fire her . Incompetent , nasty , rebellious , lazy , and crazy to boot . Only after her husband died of AIDS did we have a genuine conversation . 
109 of 210 : Pat # 1 . He s known as the Nathan Lane of Central Illinois . His dinner theatre costumes are often rather loud . I know that spam generators string together random phrases to slip past filters , he writes , but this email I received is just insulting ! Thank you for your interest in circus clothes , it began . 
108 of 210 : Gerry . Jim had a crush on Gerry s roommate , Jody , so he persuaded me to invite them both over for dinner . When we paired off for conversation after dessert , I learned that she and Jody were a couple , and frantically tried to catch Jim s eye before he said something embarrassing . Too late ! 
107 of 210 : The Thompsons . Our next - door neighbors dog , Pinky a Dalmatian with a pink nose and pinkish spots dearly loved one particular sparrow who d come down and perch on his back while he d lay in the yard . One day he rolled over and accidentally crushed his little friend , and he mourned visibly for weeks . 
106 of 210 : Karen . She would talk and talk and talk and smoke and then talk some more . Things turned around when she got a silky black Lab - Whippet mix , Chip , the virtual mirror image of my blond Lab - Whippet mix , Goldie . I d let her talk all she wanted just so the dogs could romp together . 
105 of 210 : The Landlords . She was sweetness personified . He was pleasant for maybe one month . She d bake me cookies , ask me to dog - sit , invite me to use their truck if my car died . He d complain about the basement flooding , the ancient refrigerator dying , the woodpile just being . It was two years of passive - aggressive misery . 
104 of 210 : Phoebe . She took my hands and , trembling stongly , transferred energy into me . Even though nothing in my experience of her indicated that she had such talent , I felt a strange electricity ( less dangerous but more powerful , somehow ) pass from her into me . And my crushing headache was gone in an instant . 
103 of 210 : Melissa . First she was Missy , the funny gay woman . Then she became Melissa , the conflicted lesbian who fell in love with her boss , Carole . Then she became Melissa , the serious straight woman who fell in love with her decidedly married boss , George . I long for the happy , uncomplicated days of Missy . 
102 of 210 : The Mountie . I lost my wallet in rural British Columbia , and some beneficent soul turned it in to the RCMP . A Mountie counted and carefully dried every bill , tried very hard to find me , and was altogether gracious . Unusual kindness and honesty ? Well , no , he said , quizzically . Then again . . . this isn t Vancouver ! . 
101 of 210 : Mark # 2 . Speaks with a slight Irish accent , always has , even though he was born and raised in Kentucky and his family members have suitably Southern drawls and aren t particularly Celtic in their lineage . Always seems rather skittish , afraid of the world , despite innumerable self - empowerment seminars . Makes you want to kick him . 
100 of 210 : N . Wounds happen . The more you make yourself open and vulnerable to someone , the greater the peril . Many times , happily , your risk is rewarded with trust , intimacy , love . Then again , sometimes you get hurt so profoundly that you wonder if the wound can ever heal . Mine did , but it took years . 
99 of 210 : Brad . He s not what you d call a shy person . But the afternoon he took us out behind the art gallery to the storage building crammed with beautiful antiques in various stages of restoration , and pulled out several indescribably powerful collages he had created , he was as bashful as a little boy . 
98 of 210 : Mr. Le Mahieu . First I corrected his slipshod discussion of Eliot in front of the class . Repeatedly . Then , when he angrily called me into his office , I told him to come to class fully prepared or I d tell the dean of his affair with a student . Amazing what a little blackmail can do . 
97 of 210 : Chuck . Those poor bats . Violently roused from their sleep by fire and smoke , they flew wildly up from the dry well and collapsed on the ground , gasping for air . Chuck and I thought it great sport , and did it again and again . How could we have been capable of such cruelty ? 
96 of 210 : Stephen . One day my friend Stephen broke into his neighbor s home , stole the old woman s jewelry , and bashed her head in with a lead pipe . All my l - life I ve been b - b - blamed for things I d - d - didn t do , he explained . I g - guess I just wanted to be b - blamed for s - s - something I d - did do . . 
95 of 210 : Wanda . She was homely , her hygeine was frightful , and she had a nasty attitude : a misfit among us misfits . One day I walked her home . The filth was indescribable , flies swarming everywhere ; her father was absent , her mother a drunk . I pitied her acutely , but still didn t want to befriend her . 
94 of 210 : Robbie . Your beaver pelt is askew . That line has me giggling this morning . Tomorrow it will be some other line . We call him EOQ , or Evil Old Queen . And some days he most decidedly is ; he can be downright vicious at times , but his wit is peerless . Happy Birthday , you EOQ . 
93 of 210 : Uncle Jimmy . perpetually smelled of three - day - old Budweiser . I couldn t tell you what , if anything , he did for a living . A wiry little fellow , he was never without a cigarette or a simple - minded grin ( possibly from the Bud , possibly from inbreeding ) . Inexplicably , he loved my Aunt Peggy , golf , and that God damned malamute . 
92 of 210 : Alan . Princess was fanatically devoted to Big Brother each summer , even the Internet live feeds . Alan , her husband , hasn t turned on a television since her death . Saturday a thunderstorm caused a brown - out , then suddenly every TV in the house came on of its own accord . Each was tuned to Big Brother . 
91 of 210 : Dewey . One warm spring evening a bunch of us gathered at his house . The stereo blasted Santana s Sacred Fire while we discussed Terence Mc Kenna s True Hallucinations , drank beer , laughed , drummed . There was something terribly potent about that night , some ineffable quality of the energy , that still makes my heart beat faster . 
90 of 210 : Jen . My niece has a checkered past . Not as checkered as mine , certainly , but checkered enough that after one drunken gabfest , we had so much dirt on one another that we had a Mutually Assured Destruction strategy in place . Over time , most of my secrets have become inconsequential . Hers have not . 
89 of 210 : Marty . In 1973 , when the The Exorcist was released , there was widespread hysteria over the horror in the film . I saw this firsthand when my friend Marty , nattily attired as always , hospitalized himself for a couple of days because his tongue had turned black the result , he claimed , of demonic possession . 
88 of 210 : Jeannette . My doctor sticks needles in me , then waves crystals over my body . Thing is , she s the most knowledgable and skillful medical professional I ve ever encountered . She is a scientist , and a damn good one . She knows what she s doing , she knows what works , and she gets results like nobody s business . 
87 of 210 : Gary . He and his wife ran a Christian bookstore , and I worked there . Great folks who loved life , food , laughter . For some reason I started pilfering from them --- a coupla books , a CD . . . After I moved , I wrote and apologized profusely . He wrote back , simply , Your account is settled . Love , Gary . . 
86 of 210 : Michael . This Michael was a girl . A big , brassy junior high school girl with a bad reputation the first I d ever met . Dunno if she was as easy as they said , but I marvelled at how supremely self - confident she was . A fa ade ? Probably , but a convincing one , to my twelve - year - old mind . 
85 of 210 : Kate . When Ken died , she was a mess . After six months they told her to move on . After a year they said her grief was obsessive and she needed counseling . She mourns him still . And Kate is one of the most grounded people I ' ve ever known , if you discount the vegetarianism . 
84 of 210 : The Doctor . I went for a check - up when I was twelve . He spent an inordinate amount of time feeling around in my underwear , inquiring in the most obtuse way whether I had reached sexual maturity . He was just professional enough to make me doubt my hunch that he was a major perv . 
83 of 210 : Carole . Pencils painstakingly lined up on her desk , blotter pristine , telephone precisely angled : she was the consummate Virgo . First she came out as a lesbian , trumpeting her happy relationship . Three years later , ignoring all the spinning heads , she married a man again , very happily . But of course : Virgos are always right . 
82 of 210 : Russell . He was technically a great uncle , but I only knew him as Poor Little Russell . Every time we d visit my ( great - ) Grandma Hoyle , at some point I d be ushered into a bedroom to find a frail , profoundly disabled creature with twisted limbs . Was that exercise for him , or for us ? 
81 of 210 : Leroy . Roy Egg is his name , and chickens are his game . His exquisite barnyard portraits , at once realistic and whimsical , are prized pieces of art. I won a stand - up pig of his at a West Pawlet ham supper raffle ( I just loved the irony ) ; that night cemented my love for Vermont . 
80 of 210 : Herb . He was flamboyantly , unabashedly himself even among guys who hated gay people . We worked together in a highrise office building on a very busy city street . One day a semi blew its air horn down below us ; without missing a beat , he shouted out the window , I ll be right down ! . 
79 of 210 : Brad . He was nearly inapproachable , godlike . The best - looking guy in eleventh grade , he was already an amazing drummer in a rock band , and had that slightly aloof , infinitely cool way about him . But I was even cooler : I showed him how to produce a hallucinagenic drink from yucca without poisoning himself . 
78 of 210 : Charlene . She s just a voice on the phone , but we ve had the most wonderful conversations about Raven s Brew coffee . See , I have this dream of opening a thoroughly unconventional coffeehouse that serves amazing organic coffee , and they re going to be my supplier . Like heroin , only cheaper . Well , a little bit cheaper . 
77 of 210 : Hannah . Hannah is Molly s big sister , and they are a study in contrasts . Hannah is sweetness and light , a little social butterfly , ready with hugs and kisses . Molly is preternaturally sullen , angry , willful , and clearly an introvert , but I m willing to bet that she ll have a deliciously wicked sense of humor . 
76 of 210 : Molly . My nephew s youngest daughter , 3 , was in the Bahamas recently on a cruise . Her grandmother suggested they use the ladies room . Molly asked , Can boys go in there ? No , grandma said . Can men ? No , it s for ladies only . But I m not a lady ! Molly protested . I don t have big boobs ! . 
75 of 210 : Gary . Met him just tonight . Happily married - with - child , very handsome , and a thoroughgoing pagan . A transplanted Scot who s lived in Michigan , Idaho , and Florida , but plans to have his ashes scattered back in the Highlands . He thinks about his death even though he s barely 30 . I admire a guy who plans ahead . 
74 of 210 : Ricky . Jim felt something was wrong with the boy . Big head . Thin , almost translucent skin . Terminally peevish . My little brother s kinda twisted , he said , worrying what Ricky would be like as an adult . One day he stole Jim s bike , and was killed by a drunk driver in front of my house . 
73 of 210 : The Humpback . Another odd denizen of our town was a genial man with a bad hunchback , though for some reason we all called him the Humpback , as if he were a whale . His favorite ploy was to tease me : How long is a Chinaman ? The correct answer , of course , was That s right ! . 
72 of 210 : The Bear . He was profoundly retarded , though without any physical anomalies that we could see . A gentle bear , he carried around a wooden tub of peanut butter , and would dip crackers into it for children in the neighborhood . And no one feared abduction or abuse . He was just the peanut butter man . 
71 of 210 : Dominic . I remember when I learned that this funny , kind man was prince of an African tribe . I stood there , amazed that I ate lunch with a prince . He went on to work at IMF or the World Bank , maybe both . Major D . C . bigwig now . And he laughed at my jokes . 
70 of 210 : Adam . He s blind as a bat , but Adam still drives better than his wife does . He s a junior high school teacher , a published author , a certified hypnotist , a poet ( he once organized a clothing - optional poetry reading ) , a political activist , a pagan , and an actor . And he s terribly shy . So he says . 
69 of 210 : Gina . One of my cousins is the most stunningly beautiful girl I ve ever seen . Tall , slender , and jaw - droppingly - gorgeous . Everyone Gina met pressed her to enter the field of modelling . So instead she married a shy boy and became a stunningly capable nurse and opted for a life of service and happiness . 
68 of 210 : Brian . His bedwetting phase lasted a lot longer than in most kids . His home was always a disaster , with laundry ( some clean , some dirty , but which was which ? ) piled absolutely everywhere , even in the living room . He d frequently be found napping in such piles . And he d wet them almost every time . 
67 of 210 : Evanne . She talks to fairies . And they talk to her . Not the cute little Tinkerbell - ish ones , but the tall , powerful faes of Celtic lore whose otherworld realms make humans forget their mundane lives . They are spirits of nature , the sidhe , the Tuatha D Danann . And they talk to my friend Evanne . 
66 of 210 : Janet , after . Then she got cancer . Several times , in fact . Now in total remission , Janet has left her rigid , controlling ways behind her , and she s actually supportive and quite pleasant to be around . Nowadays the only things she plans with her old meticulousness are life - affirming cruises to Alaska or the Panama Canal . 
65 of 210 : Janet , before . My sister - in - law was a poster child for OCD : she kept a yardstick next to the kitchen table to ensure its correct distance from the wall , and woe to the fool who walked on her carpet in socks she d be picking up tiny dots of fuzz before he reached the sofa . 
64 of 210 : King Peter . I m told his wealth is nearly inconceivable . He owned a large island that somehow became a sovereign territory , and Peter set up a government there and proclaimed himself king . He gave Paul s parents several cases of the celebrated 1970 vintage Dom Perignon , and I had three glasses one lovely afternoon . 
63 of 210 : Paul . He was a member of the Lurkers Society , and his family was . . . comfortable . One Gatsby - esque Sunday afternoon featured croquet and champagne , with everyone dressed in white . For graduation , his parents gave us bottles of exceedingly rare Kentucky Bourbon . One day a few years later , Paul simply and quite mysteriously disappeared . 
62 of 210 : Kathleen . When I met her she was still Kathleen , not Kate , as newer friends call her . The magic began one evening ( at a dive that inexplicably served the best pizza in the world ) when I asked her , in front of her husband , if he were well hung . And she told me . 
61 of 210 : Tim . Soul of a poet , mind of a philosopher . Brilliant artist , especially his watercolors . Great cook ; his wondrous pancakes are unspeakably delicious . Very easy on the eyes . Athletic . Emotionally tender , but intellectually rigorous . Excellent musician . Superb sense of humor . Disciplined yet very laid back . And straight , damn it all to Hell . 
60 of 210 : Wayne . He s usually found in positions of leadership , but his style is low - key , even subtle . He s like that just sitting around talking with friends : he evinces a quiet strength but never tries to control the conversation , and his sense of humor is keen and warm - hearted . I miss his face . A lot . 
59 of 210 : Susan . Those eyes . So full of kindness . Strength , certainly , and wisdom . And just a soup on of mischief . She s a caring and generous mother , always accepting and laughing , even in difficult circumstances . The lovely evenings spent in spirited conversation with friends old and new continue to sustain me today , a decade later . 
58 of 210 : Sue . Was If Mama ain t happy , ain t nobody happy her favorite phrase , or just our favorite saying about her ? If she didn t want something to happen , it simply didn t . Yet she was the most magnanimous of hosts , and when she smiled , there was no warmer place in the world to be . 
57 of 210 : Bill . I m not sure which of us came up with the idea of discussing women s erotica , but it seemed a natural fit after Bill s infamous pasta puttanesca , the culinary equivalent of sex . Was it the anchovies ? The capers , the peppers , the garlic ? Or the amazing warmth and hospitality of that table ? 
56 of 210 : Ramberto . He had more ego than brains , more charm than ethics , more passion than good sense , and more natural enthusiasm than nearly anyone ( he played Backgammon as if it were a contact sport ) . So why did he have to go and screw up really wonderful friendships by telling unbelievable , dastardly lies ? 
55 of 210 : Harvey . While I enjoyed the film of Torch Song Trilogy , I think the play was better . But I m biased : I got to meet Mr. Fierstein after the performance . He was wearing bunny slippers , and he signed a copy of the script for me . He even put bunny ears in his signature . 
54 of 210 : The Neighbor s Son . One day , when I was five ( such youthful exuberance ! ) , I ventured out into the world hoping to have an adventure . In the woods behind my house I encountered a stranger , the adult son of a neighbor , who molested me ; my childhood disappeared that day . Not all adventures are happy ones . 
53 of 210 : Mrs. Seacrest . The Seacrests lived across the street from the Witch , and were the only people in our neighborhood who had a pool ( and an in - ground pool at that ) . Kind , capable Mrs. S . gave swimming lessons to all the kids , and had the most prominent moustache I ve ever seen on a woman . 
52 of 210 : The Witch . In our neighborhood stood a dark , brooding house . Its haunted , reclusive occupant was a crone with wild hair , a dead eye , and ( we were certain ) bones in her basement . Now I wonder if she was just a lonely old lady whose family never visited , and wish I had befriended her . 
51 of 210 : Kraig . I outed him by mistake to a mutual friend , and he didn t speak to me for three months . Now he lives openly with his Brazilian boyfriend , Augie , and works on global TB issues . We both relish websites that poke fun at religion gone amok . Some favorites : 1 2 3 4 . 
50 of 210 : Ken . He was killed in a horrific car accident . The funeral was a lugubrious Catholic affair the precise opposite of what Ken would have wanted . When the priest said the Sanctus and the acolytes rang their little bells , I distinctly heard Ken s voice in my ear , saying , Ice cream ! Ice cream ! . 
49 of 210 : The Palmists . For a lark , Les and I stopped in for a $ 5 reading . The mother told me I had many regrets , though I had none , at the time . The daughter told Les that someone had put a curse on her . Nope . Though one was certainly placed on the palmists that night . 
48 of 210 : Miss Connie . When I was five , I was on Romper Room . Twice . Miss Connie was sweet as could be . I , on the other hand , was a pious little thing who told her , loudly , that she wasn t saying the Grace before our milk - and - cookies properly , and that Jesus wasn t going to hear her prayer . 
47 of 210 : Mr. Washburn . After lab one day , our ninth - grade science teacher let us go out onto the balcony for a breather ( our school overlooked the Caribbean ) . And there it was : a massive waterspout , just offshore . I was awestruck , if for no other reason than I had dreamt that precise scenario the night before . 
46 of 210 : Philip . There is no Philip ; there is only Philip , the body , the corporate identity for a whole passel of multiples . Instead there is Yvette , the lesbian , or Bob , the accounting whiz , or the teacher , or the frightened child . Several of them serve as husband and father . But there is no Philip . 
45 of 210 : Abcde . I know of a girl named Placenta ( her mother heard the word in the hospital thought it sounded pretty ) , and another named Vulva Mae . Now a friend reports that a woman in Philly has named her newborn son Abcde . Pronounced AB - suh - dee . So he ' ll always know how to spell it , she explains . 
44 of 210 : Vsande . She smokes like a chimney , but won t eat meat or use a / c , even in Florida summers , because it s unhealthy . She s politically progressive , but runs a porn website . And you just know her mouth will get her killed one day . I christened her Reality s Bitch , and she wears the moniker proudly . 
43 of 210 : Adrianne . She spends her winters planning extravagant galas , her summers watching the Big Brother live feeds , her days shopping for rare antiques on e Bay , and her evenings watching Buffy reruns . Al Hirschfeld even drew her portait when she was a teenager . She s the Pink Princess , and I am her unworthy servant . 
42 of 210 : Charles . His carefully crafted online persona is LCM , Centre of the Known Universe , an outrageous disco diva in platform shoes with Algonquinlike wit who smokes glamorous du Mauriers and ends each night in a pool of his own sick , when he s really just a gentle Canadian government worker longing for love . 
41 of 210 : Uncle Freddie . Kind , genuine , and unfailingly upright ( in the very best sense of that word ) , I always thought he was one of the quieter members of our rather loud and garrulous family until I realized that most of the laughter at our holiday gatherings was provoked by his dreadful puns , ever - so - artfully timed . 
40 of 210 : A Man in the Airport . The old man stood at the restroom sink , shaky hands searching in vain for the faucets , a look of helplessness on his face : was this more evidence that he was losing his faculties ? When I showed him how the photoelectric sensor turned on the water , he nearly cried with relief . 
39 of 210 : Sue Ann . We talked marriage almost immediately . We watched our coupled friends fall in love , fight , break up , make up , uncouple , and start over again . Such dysfunction , we thought . We ll show em how to do it properly ! Odd how our plans never foresaw that big coming - out announcement we made to one another . 
38 of 210 : Karl . After using a brush to remove every last speck of dust from the LP , he let us hear the opening strains of Vaughan Williams Mass in G Minor . We gasped at the exquisitely etherial music . No more than forty - five seconds later , he lifted the needle . Just a taste , he said . 
37 of 210 : Frances . Her laminated card read The Lurkers Society , with no other information . Every so often we wear trenchcoats and lurk in the stairwells , she explained . Occasionally we hide behind trees , or conceal ourselves in darkened alleys . Answering my quizzical look , she shrugged , It s just what we do . I signed up immediately . 
36 of 210 : Liz . She become an Episcopal priest , battling through the tough ordination process in a part of the country still resistant to women priests . But I ll always remember her as Martha to my George in a stunning performance of Who s Afraid of Virginia Woolf in college : her What a dump ! was perfection . 
35 of 210 : Ingrid . The tall , aging German woman didn t own the place , but we called it Ingrid s anyway . The dark , louche bar - and - restaurant - that - never - seemed - to - serve - food was home to a handful of hard - bitten regulars . Les and I found dozens of ways to ply free drinks from its denizens , and danced to Chuck Mangione on the juke box . 
34 of 210 : George . Meet Jim s father : Thin and wiry in youth , by middle age he was badly stooped and gnarled with arthritis ; when he was old , he was practically a pretzel . A snarling dog of a man , and rabidly racist , we all felt his physical afflictions rather aptly illustrated the twisted virulence inside . 
33 of 210 : Nenah . She tried so patiently to tell me why calling herself Nenah Sylver instead of Nina Silver would bring her more prosperity because of its numerological vibration , but her explanation just wouldn't sink in . Maybe the concept was too complex for me . Or maybe it was because I couldn t stop giggling . 
32 of 210 : Les . At age 11 , whenever she d drop something or bump into a wall , she d say , Whoops , my brain tumor s acting up ! Her friends would always laugh . By the time she was 18 she had new friends who weren t in on the joke . She loved the way they d blanch and fall silent . 
31 of 210 : Mo . In a newsgroup I posted some gossip about a favorite actress . Out of the blue she emails me , and after several rounds of No , who are you , really ? , we become regular correspondents . Now whenever she s on TV , I say , There s my friend ! And for a brief time , she probably was . 
30 of 210 : Asha . Asha s husband died Monday . A stroke victim , he existed in that shadow - world between functionality and invalidism ; sometimes he knew both at once . We never met him , but guessed he was older than she . Was there just the tiniest trace of relief in her voice as she told us the news ? 
29 of 210 : Barry ( Not His Real Name ) . He was a loner who joked frequently about suicide . I got worried during one depressive episode and told a college dean , and the resulting bruhaha embarrassed and angered him greatly . Later I heard he was on SSRIs and much happier , so perhaps it wasn t a total gaffe on my part . 
28 of 210 : Jim . What do you say about someone you ve known since you were three years old ? He was my first friend , and still one of my best ; and he always surprises me with his totally unwarranted shyness , his artistic creativity , his wicked sense of humor . I ll always be a kid around him . 
27 of 210 : Victoria . She s a good shrink , despite her belief that psychotherapy is a hard science , akin to physics or chemistry . While I see her point that soft science sounds pejorative , I view psychoanalysis as more of an art : gifted therapists are shamans in white lab coats , while bad ones are drunken brain surgeons . 
26 of 210 : Adrian . My mother s physical therapist was a tall , bald Brit who was also a professional actor . He was enormously engaging , and a damn good PT as well . He was not , however , a very good actor , at least as Ebenezer Scrooge . His performance gave new meaning to the phrase long for death . . 
25 of 210 : Mrs. Oosterhouse . My fourth grade teacher was a published author who wrote children s books . We loved her stories of Perry the parakeet , who would magically miniaturize school children and fly them around on his back , having wonderful adventures . To her I first whispered my secret desire : I want to become a writer . . 
24 of 210 : Miss Miller . A classic spinster , to our young eyes she seemed ancient and withered . She ate bananas with knife and fork because the normal way was too suggestive , and at the museum she shielded us from the shame of Michelangelo s David by placing her hand where a fig leaf should have gone . 
23 of 210 : Cate . My cousin s girlfriend for a few years , Cate wasn t a member of our family nearly long enough . She had a lovely , sunny disposition that seemed to fit right in with our familial craziness , so I can t imagine why their relationship broke up . I still miss her laugh , and her acceptance . 
22 of 210 : Tracey . Before a single hour of conversation had passed , I knew her like my own soul . It s the eeriest sensation , this level of utter comfort and connection . Past lives ? Entirely possible . Though it feels more like we were the same self once upon a time , now residing in two different bodies . 
21 of 210 : Mark . His sister had a crush on me ; I had a crush on him . Happily , I won . It all started on The Infamous Camping Trip . There was steak ( which we ate with our bare hands ) , a 1967 Bordeaux , and some shamefully delicious fumbling inside our tent . Oh , to be 13 again ! 
20 of 210 : Chuck . I d sneak out at 2 in the morning and meet Chuck and Mark at a neighbor s vacant house . We d climb onto the roof and sit there for hours talking about sex , spirituality , life . The moonlit shadows shifting on the field below never failed to scare the bejesus out of us . 
19 of 210 : Jeffrey . A timid childhood acquaintance , both disturbing and disturbed . Something would trigger him while we were playing , and he d say , I wanna flush my clothes down the toilet ! Or he d pull down his pants and roll on his back in a frenzy , begging us to sprinkle baby powder on his crotch . 
18 of 210 : Art . I wish there were a better word to describe him , but pusillanimous will have to do . The founder and president of the non - profit at which I worked , and an overtly kind man , he was a milquetoast who hid his surprisingly rigid religious beliefs behind a wall of unjust personnel policies . 
17 of 210 : Lois and Caroline . Lois and Caroline were the first lesbians I ever knew . Family friends and business clients of my father , I even worked in their boarding kennel for a few years . They d been married for decades , but their breakup was so painful that now neither can bear to speak the other s name . 
16 of 210 : Alex . I fall in love way too easily . Alex was cute , a close friend , and probably bi , but at 17 when I blurted out my love - that - was - not - like - the - love - you - have - for - a - friend - but - something - significantly - more , he was flattered but so not interested . I can t tell if that s what ruined the friendship , or his moving 1150 miles away two months later . 
15 of 210 : Tom . The schizophrenic brother of a college chum , Tom spent much of his life in mental hospitals . I spent Thanksgiving with him and his family , and discovered that we shared an understanding of the dark landscape of the psyche , a love of seriously warped humor , and the disdain of his father . 
14 of 210 : Aunt Peggy . My father s sister had the voice of a foghorn . Those garish red toenails on her piggy little feet were a constant source of fascination for me . One day her malamute tried to rape me , and only a cattle prod , turned to the highest power , was finally able to dissuade him . 
13 of 210 : Maria . An accomplished artist , daughter of a famed photographer , my high school rival in a class of twenty - five , salutatorian to my valedictorian , she demanded a painstaking recount of our grade point averages how could I have bested her , she reasoned , when she had a straight 4.0 ? Extra credit , of course . Bitch . 
12 of 210 : Mary Ellen . Mary El , as we called her , was Dale s first wife . A good , churchgoing woman , she introduced me to the Narnia books ( for which I am forever thankful ) . When their marriage broke up , Mary El spent a few years finding herself . She ended up finding a Caribbean god in tight pants . 
11 of 210 : Nildale . Dale s my brother , seventeen years my senior . He likes dreadful puns and endless discussions about the best route to take . Nilda is his second or third wife ( no one s sure ) , and thinks Fantasmic ! at Disney - MGM Studios is high art. They are still giddily in love . Their licence plate reads NILDALE . 
10 of 210 : Linda . For a few misbegotten years I was a real estate agent , and for a time she was my business partner . Not a good career choice for either of us . A gorgeous lesbian with auburn hair , she dreamed of opening a women - only roller rink . The ads would read , Dyke - o - Rama Everybody Skate ! . 
9 of 210 : Ernie . He died when he was eleven years older than I am now . A complex and often charming man , my father had a deep , unresolved anger toward God , which occasionally broke out against others and himself . I think I learned the power of confidence from him , and the power of fear . 
8 of 210 : Ron . My professor set a chair in the middle of the room , threw his imaginary manuscript onto its seat , and started shouting at it , Why are you giving me a hard time ? ! his sure - fire way to break writer s block . He became my mentor , but I don t think he ever realized it . 
7 of 210 : Katharine . The college switchboard is quiet until the call , and suddenly it s That Voice . She asks for her friend in Administration . I m sorry , Miss Hepburn , but she s at lunch just now , I say , trembling nearly as badly as her voice did . May I take a message ? Just tell her . . . Katie called . . 
6 of 210 : Chris . The towhead in my acupuncturist s waiting room is restless , but his energy seems more intellectual than physical . Our teachers won t let us write fiction or poetry unless it s part of an assignment , he says . I wonder if maybe they re afraid of creative thought . He s nine , and his shoes light up . 
5 of 210 : Dorothy . My grandmother s breasts were so pendulous that she d rest them on her shoulders to wash under them , my mother says . In her last years , my loving Nana thought that television announcers were talking directly to her , and feared that black men were waiting outside on the lawn to abduct her . 
4 of 210 : Mary Lynn . Mary Lynn was sweet , spiritual , and slightly cross - eyed . She visited me the summer after college , and everyone expected us to announce our engagement . But she fell in love , or lust , with my best friend , which was just fine by me . The thought of our marriage bed gave me the willies . 
3 of 210 : Ella . My great - grandmother s singular hope was that I d be on The Lawrence Welk Show someday . She didn t know if I d be singing , dancing , or playing the piano , but she thought I d be a huge hit . She died two months shy of her 101 st birthday . Lawrence Welk died three years later , alas . 
2 of 210 : Cynthia . Third grade : I put on my best suit , she wore white , I gave her a ring , and we had a lovely little wedding ceremony . We grew apart after a couple of months ; within a year we barely spoke to one another . She was no longer the girl I had married . 
1 of 210 : David . We lived in the Caribbean , and he looked like a young Mick Jagger . The friendship was never entirely satisfying , but the sex was intoxicating . We were fourteen . I saw him last in Chicago , where he had joined yet another religious cult . Heard he stole the cult 's only truck , then disappeared . 
He Becomes Who Kills Him - a horror story by Matt Larsen and Zander Cannon . Short stories that hold substance are hard to pull off in the medium of comics . It takes many many pages to build an effective story when each page can be read in a matter of seconds . To get any nuance out of character or story is difficult to do in a story that can be read in a matter of minutes . I bought this mini from Zander Cannon in San Diego . It is a twelve page story in a five inch by five inch black and white photocopied pamphlet , but its diminutive size belies the amount of story that the author 's manage to tell . It helps that the pages are packed with nine panels each , allowing for a breadth that one might not expect . Not that it 's necessary for the impetus to be anything other than it is a story that the authors needed to tell , but I have no idea why this story was produced . I ' m simply impressed that a story this strong could be thought of as only being worthy of a photocopied mini . It story held sway over me after initial reading in a way that I didn't expect . I am aware of mini - comics capable of depth , just that they are rarely a one - shot , and are usually built for length from the beginning . The subtitle , " a horror story , " indicates that a simple spine - tingle was the goal , but I found that the level of technique allowed for an appreciation through rereadings . The first thing I returned to was the seemingly unrelated prologue that comprised page one . A simple three panel shot of a man killed by a scorpion , I forgot the introduction after a page or two of unrelated story , but the end of the tale brings the metaphor into focus . It seems as though it was drawn to size , based on the fact that the art is looser and has a bold black line that indicates a lack of size reduction . His art has always had a confident brush line , even in the early years of my awareness when his work was a little less polished , and he doesn't sacrifice that here in pages that look like they could be drawn with a brush pen . This art ( or reproduction ) style doesn't hamper the storytelling , and in fact helps bring the immediacy of the story to the reader . Cannon holds to his nine panel grid for the whole story , save opening and closing splash panels , even using reverse white on black text panels as transitional captions rather than using a small text panel in the corner as is custom . Cannon frequently uses this to add to the story flow , achieving a cadence that breaks up the nine - panel pages to provide a bit of variety . He also uses the claustrophobic panels to great story affect by allowing them to inform the suspense that the story provides . The panels that consist of even several words of dialogue basically become talking head panels , but this allows the open panels to feel even more open . The story hits its mark if it 's goal is as simple as the subtitle indicates , and it is so well done , that it achieves the rare level of being worthy of rereading , a goal that all authors aspire to , and so seldom achieve . 
Monsters Issue One by Ken Dahl . I picked up this mini - comic by Ken Dahl at the Global Hobo booth . I have seen a mini or two from Dahl before , probably at APE , but I picked this up on the strength of the cover alone , with barely a glance inside , and it paid off . This is an extremely well done comic , with wonderful art and layouts . Dahl manages to pull off a style that plays to the comedic and the dramatic moments in the story . He can comfortably exaggerate the cartooniness when needed and reign it in for a moment or two of highly effective emoting . The layouts are strong as well , with some pages with many packed panels of information and some with an airy feel to focus on character emotion and reaction . He uses tones to good effect in the issue and they never muddy the artwork , in spite of limited print quality . In addition , the cover is well designed focusing on a great illustration and confident color use . The story is engaging as well . He kicks it off with some very funny pages , introducing characters and setting a light tone , but building some effective ( if slightly heavy handed ) , foreshadowing . By the end of the issue you are acquainted with the characters , and you are engrossed in their story . I look forward to more issues , and more work from this very talented author . 
Almost Fully Rested . Well , I ' m back from SDCC and it was a good time . The part of the trip that was fun was just the right amount of fun ( meaning I ' m looking forward to next year ) , and the part of the trip that was work was fun as well ( right up until 9:30 or so on Sunday , oh well ) . As always , it was nice to see old friends and meet new ones , and I was able to buy many , many comics , and a few pieces of art. For the next several reviews I will focus on things I bought at San Diego , even though I realized that the stuff I bought mostly wasn't new at the show . The reasons are this : First , I realized that the big books that I first saw at the show ( Kramer 's Ergot and Comic Art , Mome and But I Like It , and Lost Girls ) were already on order at my local comic book store , and second , nobody debuts minis at San Diego , not with MOCCA and APE arriving earlier in the year . So , the stuff I bought at the show is probably not necessarily all that new , but that 's what I ' m reviewing . 
Pause ( edited ) . Well , I thought that I might continue these reviews straight through the weekend of the Biggest Comic Book Convention In The World ( except France , Japan , and Nairobi , and well , it 's not really just comics , but y ' know ) , but who am I kidding . I leave tomorrow morning for five lovely days of nerd heaven , so I ' m putting the reviews on pause . I know , I know , a real professional would have built up his backlog and had them ready to post from the hotel wi - fi connection , but nobody 's paying me , I ' m doing it for the love , and even love needs a break every once in a while . If you 're going , have fun . If you 're not , myself and 36,652 ( unless that guy in Tallahassee really is dead , then it 's 36,651 ) other bloggers and webheads will be posting opinions and news updates . Be back here on July 24 for a review of something that came out at SDCC . 
The Escapists by Brian K . Vaughan and Philip Bond with Eduardo Barreto . I have read several issues of Michael Chabon s Escapist anthology that has been published somewhat regularly by Dark Horse Comics and found them to be , well , boring . They were frequently illustrated by spectacular artists and written by some of my favorite writers , but for some reason , they fell flat . There was little suspense , little drama , and little excitement . It could possibly be that I should have read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier Clay first ( it s still sitting on my shelf unread , in fact , I can see it from where I sit ) and that the series might hold more resonance for me , but it seems that the problem is distinct . Why should I believe a storyteller who tells me that a character is important . Isn t it his job to show me why ? So why did I pick up the first issue of The Escapists , the new title spinning out of the anthology ? Two reasons : Brian K . Vaughan and Philip Bond . I m willing to give either of these guys a shot on just about any title . The first issue is mostly set up , and it s hard to tell if anything lasting can come of it . The art is top notch Bond , and the story is interesting enough , while fulfilling any number of trusty story points : a meet cute , a lion coming to the rescue of a lamb , and a story set up that could push in any number of directions . Is this going to be a title that is the story of a reluctant hero ? The story of an unlikely romance ? The story of the orphan whose art spoke to a generation ? Or just a story about a character created for a Pulitzer Prize - winning book that they forced into a comic book series ? Time will tell . If the story stays as interesting and attractive as the first issue , I ll be reading . 
Mom 's Cancer by Brian Fies . Several months ago I commented briefly on this book before I had read it . Those comments still stand , and I think they bear repeating here : " Artist / writer Brian Fies presents a perfect opportunity to talk about the misnomer webcomic . In my experience , the strips and stories that are given this designation are simply comic strips or stories in the comic format . They don't need the designation webcomic anymore than the rest of the comics need the designation paper comic . I ' m sure there are creations out there that fit the bill of webcomic , but I ' m not familiar with them . Achewood and Penny Arcade are comic strips . This comic is a comic . " And just for clarification , a graphic novel is also a comic , it is only slightly more useful in its use as a name for a comic of somewhat substantial length , or of a complete story . Enough semantics , though , and onto the comic at hand . I had heard of this story when it was appearing only on the web , but never went out of my way to read it . When the hardcover version came out , I saw it in a bookstore , and it looked attractive and interesting enough to order a copy from one of my local retailers . It seems to me that this book would be easy to connect with for anyone who has lost a loved one to cancer , or even another debilitating disease . It is a natural part of the coping process to seek out others who have similar experiences . I know that for me I made a natural connection between the author 's story and my own , having seen my relatively young grandmother go through many similar situations . For the purpose of this review , the point of all this is that it is nearly impossible not to be sentimental , and sentimentality can cripple a story intended for those who do not have that innate connection to the situations that the characters ( people ) go through . The story does a solid job of allowing sentimentality - the author is writing about his mom 's cancer , as you may have guessed - without allowing it to take over . There are moments in the book that play a bit " Lifetime Movie of the Week " such as when Mom receives a puppy . Her reaction , while it may very well be true and factual reporting , comes across like sap . Thankfully the biography / autobiography method allows these moments , that are few and far between , to read like sentiment , but honest sentiment rather than cloying . The art is attractive and clean , and it forces you to remember that there are many artists working in fields other than comics who can produce comics better than some of those who illustrate the top titles . According to his website , we have not seen his comics before this . For someone who , in terms of the comics world , came out of nowhere , the illustration and storytelling is impressive . He was clearly a fan of comics , from reading his background , but to produce something whole cloth that reads so well is surely the sign of a major talent . The story is primarily black and white , with color used sparingly and to great effect . Fies will spot color or full color panels to elaborate on the emotions or experiences . For example , one panel finds Mom in the center , in full color , surrouned by friends and family . The color illuminates the narrator 's dialogue : " Admirers orbit in her glow . " There are flashbacks tinted in yellow , and a fantasy sequence and a prologue in full color . I assume that these examples are probably not so rare in the world of " webcomics " because the printing budget doesn't change for a panel produced in color . Here , they are used in service of the story , probably in spite of the extra cost to the publisher . All in all , a wondeful debut from an artist that I look forward to seeing more comics from in the future . 
Suspended In Language by Jim Ottaviani and Leland Purvis . This 2004 graphic novel is subtitled Niels Bohr 's life , discoveries , and the century he shaped . That sums up the subject and goal of this biography of Niels Bohr ( 1885 - 1962 ) , a legendary physicist who interacted with Einstein , Heisenberg , Churchill and F . D . R , among many other important 20 th century figures . The novel is written by Jim Ottaviani who , according to his included bio , " stud [ ied ] to become a nuclear engineer . He doesn't do engineering anymore . " The main story is illustrated by Leland Purvis , with supplemental material illustrated by Jay Hosler , Roger Langridge , Steve Leialoha , Linda Medley , and Jeff Parker . One of the interesting things to think about when considering this book is to wonder who or what the target market is . Now , I don't think this need be a necessary consideration when creating a book , but surely it must come to mind at some point , perhaps when applying for the ISBN number . I assume that there are few comics readers like myself that think it is realistic that a graphic novel might provide some illumination for a subject that they know absolutely nothing about ( nuclear physics ) . There might also be some possibilities with regards to supplying libraries and schools with ( what some might think of as ) a Cliff 's Notes version of a scientist 's biography . In any event , let 's not allow that to keep us from viewing the book as objectively as possible . It took me about three months , on and off , to read this , consuming it in chunks here and there , in the manner I might consume my nutrients , which is to say , rarely all in one meal . Allow the complement to stand that I read every page and panel , trying to achieve the illumination I was hoping for . I can't say that I could comfortably describe any of the scientific concepts contained herein , but I ' m sure that the next time I run across them , I will feel more prepared , and that in the meantime , I have been quite entertained . The life of Niels Bohr , as portrayed by Ottaviani , certainly included some interesting bedfellows , and his place in history is assured , even in a field of study which I ' m sure will change many of its theorems to adapt to new and unexpected discoveries . A biography , at its minimum should make you familiar with its subject , and I feel familiar now . Leland Purvis has floated around the edge of wider comics awareness for a few years now , and this book cetainly shows his many strengths . Interesting and varied page layout , clear design , and a talent for controlling the flow of the page and the chapter . He illustrates this text - heavy comic with a fluidity of line that provides a great contrast to the sometimes dry delivery . He lettered the entire book as well , and this provides the glue to hold each page together . He manages to illustrate extremely complex concepts of science in a way that allows an entry to the material for the layperson such as myself . To me , this would be the great advantage of telling a story like this is comics form ; the medium can elaborate on the message . It seems to me that a book as dense as this is in comics form , would require even more pages were it in prose . The facial expressions and illustration of grandiose scientific ideas would require much picture painting in the prose fashion . All in all , a fascinating man , a fascinating scientific study guide , and a fantastic story , ripe with philosophy for the reader to ponder after consuming the hard facts relayed within . 
Peacemaker by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson . Oh shit , is it the 10 th already ? Oops , here you go ... This is the recent six issue mini - series that just wrapped up , and as a comment on the state of the market today , consider this an advance review of the trade paperback . I commented briefly on this book before , but at the end of it , I thought it worthy of a slightly more thorough assessment . Darick Robertson , best known for his run on Transmetropolitan , is here joined with Garth Ennis best known for his own famous Vertigo series , Preacher . While this series lacks the flash of the former , and the substance of the latter , it does bode well for their upcoming ongoing series from Wildstorm / DC , The Boys . These guys work well together , and Robertson mostly plays to Ennis 's strengths by illustrating page after page of talking heads in a comfortable and illuminating way . I know I sound like a broken record , but he does make the mistake of falling off model for some of the characters . Considering this story stars a pre - eye patch Nick Fury , this can cause difficulty in reading a story about military boys , but at least I can tell the " Jerrys " from the " Yanks " thanks to their uniforms . Robertson seems to me to be a journeyman . You can take that in the pejorative sense , but I don't necessarily mean it to be . Most creative fields are filled with men and women who may be striving for the singular , yet end up with years and years of solid storytelling , consistency being their singular contribution . Garth Ennis , on the other hand , set the bar very high very quickly with the singular . A seventy - five issue story that , along with the aforementioned Transmetropolitan , and the needs - no - introduction Sandman , defined the current Vertigo generation . He hasn't yet been able to live up to this standard , but at least it has enabled him to do what fits what I assume is his joy , telling stories about badass former soldiers ( The Punisher ) and soldier badasses ( his War Story series and the present Fury title to name a few of many ) . I ' ve mentioned before that I don't know my ass from a foxhole , but the stories have a sheen of authenticity that makes me assume that they are fully , thoughtfully and lovingly researched . The present story allows Ennis to put Nick Fury in a pivotal time of World War II and shows the " secret history " of a pivotal event in Fury 's life . The story feels takes its time in the telling over the six issues , but he packs in enough military minutiae to prevent it from feeling thin , and instead it feels detailed . The story hinges , in its second act , on a great hook , the kind you can only get from an imaginary world where you know that famous historical events can have different interpretations , even an event that you assume must have happened the way it did in " our world . " In the interest of avoiding spoilers I will say no more , but the cliffhanger that ends chapter four provides just the minor thrill that you hope a potboiler can provide , without the idea feeling forced in for the sake of shock , and with the comfort of having it wrap up nicely enough in the end . Minor story , major character , major research . Ennis provides a nice change of pace from most Marvel comics in simply moving the plot from superheroes to war heroes . I just hope he achieves the singular again with his next title . 
The Drowners by Nabiel Kanan . This collection of the self - published mini - series recently came out from Image Comics , and I had somehow managed to not pick up the last issue of the series despite enjoying it in floppy form , so I scooped up this collection to see how the whole thing turned out . I remember reading creator Nabiel Kanan 's early series , Exit , when it was published by Caliber Press in the early 1990 's and enjoyed it immensely , particularly as the work of a nascent comics storyteller . It stuck with me and I have followed his work eagerly ever since . He has an extremely distinctive style , standing out against a background of other artists who work in black and white ( I ' ve only seen him work in black and white , the exceptions being titles like this which have grey tones added at differing levels ) . His early work frequently suffered from characters whose looks overlapped , causing a bit of muddled reading due to character misidentification , and in this title he is only occasionally off - model ( some of you may have noticed that this is a fixation of mine ) . His earlier work depended on well done textures in the inking to add depth and variety to his panels , and he uses the grey tones to his advantage to supplant the hatching that he previously used . The story here is somewhat rote plot - wise . This is not to say that it is unwelcome , just a little shelf worn . The skill , as they say , " is in the telling . " He uses a sturdy cast on the solid basis of the plot , and the characters move through the story , rather than the story moving past the characters , which sometimes happen to the plot - driven ideas . There is one time , in my reading , that I felt that a character acted in a manner uncharacteristic , and it leads to a few scenes of forced resolution , but on the whole the characters are used to the author 's advantage . The distasteful characters are distinctively unlikable , the sympathetic characters remain complex , and most characters follow an arc that feels right . I recommend this book , and hope that this is the beginning of a good relationship with Image that is enabled by his Caliber - mates Joe Pruett and Gary Reed . I would like to see his work available in more comic shops as one of the creators in the realm of Frank Miller or Jason , those who tell genre stories without relying on that genre . 
The New 512 ( edited ) . The new format begins June 26 . Review every two . I will post a newly written review , mostly of comics , every two days . That 's the plan . I will still occasionally post links and other nonsense , but my main focus will be on maintaining a steady stream of reviews . Why reviews ? Well , I ' m glad you asked . Read this . 
For Those That Enter the Arena . " It is not the critic who counts : not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better . The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena ; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood , who strives valiantly , who errs and comes up short again and again , because there is no effort without errors or shortcomings , but who knows the great enthusiasms , the great devotions , who spends himself for a worthy cause ; who , at the best , knows , in the end , the triumph of high achievement , and who , at the worst , if he fails , at least he fails while daring greatly , so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid sould who knew neither victory nor defeat . " - Theodore Roosevelt . 
Wednesday Evening , July 27 , 2006 . Row 5000 m . 24:14 I wanted to run the 10 K WOD but it would have been on the treadmill in my 24 Hour Fitness . My knee was a little achy and the thought of running an hour on it wasn't working out for me . Instead I chose the Concept 2 which I am beginning to love . I know there are definite energy leaks in my form b / c I can't seem to get quicker or slower than the 2:15 - 2:30 per 500 m average . But the Crossfit Nor Cal standards of fitness Level 1 500 m Row time is 1:55 which I did but it was VERY hard to do so . And Level 1 is considered well - rounded beginner . Level 2 , Intermediate Athlete , has a 500 m Row Time of 1:45 . The long distances on the Concept 2 may or may not improve this time but at least a familiarity with the form and practice on the machine will always help . Either way , it 's an incredible total body workout that I feel from my biceps to my butt . A different kind of burn than a hard squat but one that I can almost feel redefining my anaerobic pathways . 
Wednesday , July 26 th , 2006 - ME Black Box . Today I am starting a phase in Crossfit referred to as the ME ( Maximal Effort ) Black Box where you incorporate resistance training and power lifting for muscle and strength gains in the middle day of the Crossfit 3 days on 1 dau off routine . I figure that I ought to weigh my regular weight class and compete instead of always being underweight ( Men 's heavyweight in 206 - 200 and I am consistently 195 - 197 . You could do it by not dieting but my 75 / 25 Zone diet provides a great amount of energy and is significant in my performance . Hence I wish to do it by adding the ME Black Box template . These are categorized by Upper Body ( UB ) , Lower Body ( LB ) and Total Body ( TB ) exercises . My first couple weeks will be in a 5 X 5 ( 5 sets of 5 reps ) format and then in the end of August , I will take my 1 rep maximum ( 1 RM ) to begin the true percentages . For right now I aim to get a great base and to correct some energy leaks we discovered in my form due to compensatory movement from a broken leg . That 's why the squat weighs will be noticable lower . Front Squat ( LB ) 5 X 95 / 115 / 135 / 155 / 185 - Good form , working to get lower each rep Bench Press ( UB ) 5 X 135 / 155 / 185 / 205 / 215 - Good form but sloppy on the last set . Push Press ( UB ) 5 X 95 / 105 / 125 / 1351 X 145 Weighted Chinups ( in lbs ) ( TB ) 5 X 20 / 25 / 27.5 / 30 / 32.5 - Good form , dead hang PUs . 
Training Journal July 10 - 25 th . July 10 th CFWU X 3 XF ME Front Squats 10 X Broomstick 5 X 45 / 65 / 953 X 115 / 135 / 155 / 185 / 185 Overhead Squats 10 X 455 X 65 July 11 th " Fight on Friday " 3 X 30 Sprawls + 30 Pushups + 30 Situps + 30 Squats + 30 Sprawls w / Jab - Cross combo on heavy bag 18:491 Legged Squats : 10 X Knee Down ( each Leg ) 5 Pistols each leg 3 X 8 PUs + 10 Ring Dips July 12 th " Cindy " Max Reps in 20:005 PU + 10 Puhuips + 15 Squats 23 Rounds ( PR ) Sana : Mini Fight on Friday 3 X 15 Spramls / Squats / Pushups / Situps / Sprawls w / Jab Cross on Heavy Bag 10:34 July 13 th " Linda " Countdown Sets From 10 reps > 9 > 8 > ....1 Bench ( Iso Lateral ) 200 lbs ( 100 % BW ) Dead Lift 200 lbs ( 100 % BW ) Cleans - 105 lbs ( 50 % BW ) 21:24 July 14 th For Time : Run 800 m + 100 Situps + 100 Back Extensions on GHD Station + Run 800 m 17:357 / 15 / 06 Rest Day Surprise Party for Worlds July 17 th Didn't Train , too hungover from party . But I did help a friend move in 103 degree temperature all hungover . July 17 th " Fran " Reps of 21 - 15 - 9 of 65 lb Thrusters + Pullups 5:03 ( PR ) Back Squats 10 X 135 Max Reps in 20:0010 X 90 lb Squat Clean + 10 Dips 10 Rounds July 18 th Row 5000 m 22:47 July 19 th Rest Day July 20 th 5 Rounds 3 X 75 lb Snatch 15 X 75 lb OHSRun 400 m 21:43 July 21 st Max Reps in 20:0010 Walking Lunges with 2 X 25 Lb Plates 10 Weighted Pullups with 25 lb Plate 11 Rounds July 22 nd Filipino Heritage Camp in Snow Mountain Ranch , Colorado . Helped teach Filipino Martial Arts to a group of Filipino Adopted Children in a cultural camp . Taught a few classes during the day and then performed a 15 minutes musical demo in the evening with Guro Tim Wolchek . great experience ! July 23 rd Rest Day July 24 th For time : Row 500 m BP BW X 30 ( All reps done on Iso - Lateral Decline ) Row 500 m BP BW X 20 Row 500 m BP BW X 1015:23 Thrusters 3 X 952 X 115 / 135 / 1451 X 155 / 165 ( F ) Row 2000 m ( with Sana ) 3 X 10 Wallballs ( with 10 lb medball ) 10 Walking Lunges with medball 10 Box Jumps with medball Swam 4 lps July 25 th With a continuously running clock do one pull - up the first minute , two pull - ups the second minute , three pull - ups the third minute ... continuing as long as you are able . Use as many sets each minute as needed .16 Rounds . 
The Zone Diet . Today officially marks the 6 week mark out from the World Championships and hence starts the dynamic effort phase in my ( modified ) periodization training . These refer to my resistance training which will now be lesser weight with more intensity and dynamic movement to train my fast twitch muscle fiber to fire on a hair trigger . I adjusted my training and am adopting the much prescribed " More rest and sleep " so needed in this level of intensity . My workouts consist of some resistance training ( not nearly as emphasized as a couple months ago ) , Cross Fit and Taku 's Interval HIIT Training . All of this is aside from the actual stickfighting . Today I also begin the Zone Diet which after some thorough reading , is what is used most by Cross Fitters . I have really gotten addicted to Crossfit since it entails anaerobic sprint work with resistance , gymnastics , and Olympic Powerlifting . I can feel it in my power striking and when I need to sprint a stick flurry . The shots penetrate more often with more power . The Zone Diet ( www . drsears . com , www . zoneperfect . com ) is another part of the formula . The Zone Diet is a tested proven nutritional diet system developed to optimize athletic performance by maintaining insulin levels to avoid insulin spiking which create fat instead of burning fat . This is done by a strict control of proteins , carbs and fats . Pretty High Maintenance but may well be worth it for producing optimal conditions for athletic effort . The Cross Fit workouts are incredible . They have such a great slogan " It doesn't have to be fun to be fun " and it is beyond true . For example , on Saturday I did the Cross Fit workout just before stick fight training which involved a countdown from 10 X 25 lb DBs Clean and Jerk and 1 pullup to 1 X 25 lb DBs C & J and 10 Pullups . AND THEN I went on to do an 18 minute jump rope circuit , stick bag work with hard power sprints and then 12 or so rounds of sparring followed by 1000 crunches . I was very close to meeting Pukie the Clown that day but instead maintained a great tint of green , that didn't leave for a couple hours AFTER all the training was completed . That was my reward for the CRAIGSLIST FIND OF THE YEAR . I drove down to Monument Colorado to buy a $ 400 + Olympic Squat and Powerlifting Rack with Lat Pulldown for $ 60 . I couldn't believe the price . I am beginnning to create my own home gym which is currently consisting of 1 pullup station ( pullup bar and rope / towel / webbing pullup station ) , an ab swing station , my wavemaster , a homemade 20 lb and 10 lb medicine ball ( http : // www . crossfit . com / discus / messages / 26 / 17171 . html , an Olympic Weight Set , jump ropes , resistance bands and of course my martial arts eqipment . Whenever I add my cardio equipment I would be pretty complete in my home gym and hence be able to end my regular gym membership . I just received an email the other week confirming that ESPN , Sports Illustrated and the Olympic Committee will be in attendence at the World Championships so it should be a great event . " There are only 2 kinds of pain in life : The pain of discipline and the pain of regret . " . 
Date # 16 . Age : 28 Score : I don t rate friends Occupation : Consultant Hometown : Sumter , SCOk , so this is kind of a date , but not the real deal . # 16 and I were introduced by a mutual friend ( we ll call her MFer ) . I am not sure what MFer said about me , because I met her during my trip to Austin . Whatever she said , it had to be ok because # 16 was still willing to talk to me ( and I am pretty sure that this blog came up ) . So the first time we met it was for coffee in middle of one day . We got along pretty good , but I think the clincher for me was the fact that she was a Gamecock fan ( we are few and far between out here ) . So even though we met for coffee , our schedules did not allow us to hang out for months . We became decent friends during this time trading phone calls and such . Then came the night in which we were finally able to hang out . She had been out for some time and so had I. When we finally met up she was all about trying to help me pick up girls so that she could read about them ( It s funny , but people like to be in on the ground floor of these dates from the initial pick - up ) . After talking to her friends ( of which she said they were interested ) and ruling them out I noticed that # 16 had a banging body . When we were finally going home we split a cab . When we stopped at her place and I noticed that I did not have enough money to go any further I had $ 10 and the fare was already up to $ 9 . I took this to be a sign from God and got out so to go check her place out . Needless to say we ended up making out . Now , I know this is not a real date per se , but it kind of was . If we were each other s type , then we could have ended up dating . But we weren t so we are still just friends . So , as you read this # 16 I just have one thing to say : Ha ha , I got you . The real dating stories will resume next . 
Date # 15 . Ok , here they come . So , I have been convinced to start putting in the dates that occur when I am on trips , simply because I do some of my best work on the road . Another reason is that you are bound to have much more unique experiences on the road than if you are at home . That leads us to # 15 and unique is a pretty good explanation . Age : Unknown Score : Unknown ( She appeared cute and with a nice body ; I cannot confirm though others have said the same ) Occupation : Probably just graduated law school Hometown : Met her in Austin , TX ; don t think she s from there The reason for all of the vague answers is that I met # 15 at a function at the University of Texas Law School . And it wasn t just any function , it was the best party I have been to . It was a casino night with top shelf liquor and maybe the best 80 s band I have ever seen . Needless to say , I was sauced and dancing to Come on Eileen all night . So since it was a party and I didn t technically have a date , I was looking for one though this happened during the party . I made a mistake in not talking to one law student earlier in the weekend , because when she showed up in her red dress she looked awesome . Though Red Dress and I chatted , she seemed like a nice girl , and once Chuff hits 10 drinks and is only in town for one more night he doesn t need a nice girl . So somehow I came to talk to # 15 . She was cute and not attached so I figure this would be a good person to hang out with . Now mind you , all of the details are a bit sketchy because once again , there was top shelf liquor . # 15 and I proceeded to dance have a decent conversation and then make out . Upon seeing this my host for the weekend , Yellow Peril , pulled me aside and told me to stop because # 15 was the most socially awkward girl in the law school - I don t remember this conversation . Apparently someone else told me this also and once again I have no memory of this . Long story short we eventually leave party . We go to her car and the thing is the messiest car I have ever seen . It looked like she was letting a homeless man live in her back seat . I really think that there is something wrong with someone that lets their living spaces get this messy . So upon seeing this mess I started to paying more attention to her mannerisms and thought to myself wow , this girl is really socially awkward . We finally got back to Yellow Peril s house and # 15 proceeded to lie down on my air mattress ( Yellow Peril really knows how to take care of her guests ) and fall asleep . From the stories that I have heard later , this was the best possible way for the night to end for Chuff . I can t wait until Casino Night next year . 
Here Comes a Flurry . Ok , so I have been slacking off in terms of writing on this blog . However , in the next two weeks dates 15 - 19 will be on the board . This includes someone that I actually like , or liked - we haven't seen each other for a while . And as you can already guess , since I liked her at one point she does not live in San Francisco . 
You Can't Go Home Again - Date # 14 . I have realized something - time rarely changes things . Sure , time CAN change things . But in reality , most times it doesn't . Take # 14 for instance , I met her right before I came out to San Francisco . She was a cute , blonde , college girl at USC and was really fun to hang out with for a couple of weeks . We continued to talk and she even came out to visit once . An all around nice girl is what she is , but I realized long ago that she can really be difficult to handle . This is especially true when she likes someone . So here 's the thing , she 's crazy . Now I don't mean really crazy . I use that word so much that it is watered - down . Thus , she is watered - down crazy - extremely irrational may be a better term but I figured that was implied due to her gender . However , she is usually fun to be around and pretty funny to talk to . Another thing , she started to let herself go . Over time , she fluctuated , but never got back to that first - meeting form . That brings us to this last weekend . Age : 24 Score : 13 ( 6.5 body / 6.5 face - I told you , she let herself go . Also , she isn't blonde anymore . Now , it isn't that I prefer blondes , quite the opposite actually . It 's just that for whatever reason blonde hair can make a face jump up a complete point . Its a mystery , but I try not to question these things . ) Occupation : Fashion Hometown : Charlotte , NCOk , so I was passing through town and needed a place to stay and she insisted that I stay with her . As I am a master of couch surfing I figured it would be cool . So things started out just fine . It was nice to see her again and I had just had some good meetings that day . Then we started drinking and the real fun began . And by " real fun " I mean I regretted my decision to stay with her for every second of the evening . Dinner wasn't bad , though when we were in there she introduced me in a lovey - dovey voice and everyone there had heard of me - often . ( She waits tables there one day a week for some extra cash . ) The following are the other things she did that made cringe : - Made me take a picture with her in a bar ( standing in the middle of the floor , not just a booth shot ) - Told me I was her best friend ( What ? ! She really insisted this was true . ) - Tried to make me hold her hand - Got mad at me because I am going to be living in San Francisco for at least one more year ( as if when I moved back we would date ) - Started crying while driving ( because she was lost - and because I knew where we were and she didn't even though she lives there ) - And the clincher : tried to make me have sex with her Now , I ' m glad this is anonymous because # 14 is harmless , very sweet and filled with good intentions . I guess I just don't like when those intentions are aimed at me . When I left the next day I realized that this is how John Mc Cain must have felt after being freed from his POW camp in Vietnam . Though , I doubt anyone there tried to hold his hand . 
Lucky Sweater - Date # 13 . Ok , so I have a lucky sweater . Seriously . This thing has a 90 % success rate . I don't know why it works , but it works . Take last Saturday . The friend who was staying with me left that afternoon and I was severely hung over . I wasn't expecting anything out of the evening , so much so I didn't think I was going to go out . However , my friend T - money told me about a party that he was going to and I decided to go because of one girl that I knew would be there . So I throw on the lucky sweater and head out . Age : 25 Score : 15.5 ( 7.5 face / 8 body ) Occuapation : Unknown Home State : Oregon or California ( I ' m not a very good listener ) So , this may not be a real date , but I am going to start adding things like this to show that I am not slacking off , just taking another route to getting to know someone . So # 13 and I had met before and so we knew each other when we met at this birthday party . There were several girls out that night so Z and I decided to start a little competition to see who could pick up the girls . This was a head - to - head competition , so we had to go for the same girls . I feel sorry for taking advantage of Z like this because he didn't know the power of the lucky sweater . So I talk to # 13 for a while , and so does Z . She doesn't seem to be leaning in either direction until we were leaving the bar on the way to a roof party ( That 's roof , as in the top of a building and has nothing to do with ingesting date rape drugs ) . On our way out she asks if I will go with her to drop her sweater by her apartment . Ding , ding , ding . We have a winner . Needless to say she made out with me that night . Score 1 for Chuff , 0 for Z . ( Oh , and she wants to hang out again . So that was kind of a first date . ) . 
A Break . Ok , so I am taking a break . Not because I want to , but my current situation dictates it . I am having company come in tomorrow and staying for 10 days , and then after that I will be making a business trip in the Carolinas the following weekend . And for the record , my company will be a girl , thus , unless I want to go for the holy trinity any dating is out of the question while she is here . I don't want to be rude . Until I am back from my break I will be updating regularly with some random stuff that is happening . That can be just as good as the other stuff . 
Date # 12 . Ok , so if there is one thing that I have a true soft spot for , its cheerleaders . To me they represent everything that is right about America . Cheerleaders are America personified . And just seeing them puts a smile on my face ( I m very patriotic ) . So I participated in the Bay to Breakers race yesterday . For those of you who don t know , that is where almost 70,000 runners get dressed up in costumes and walk in the race course while getting hammered . This all starts about 7:30 in the morning and ends in Golden Gate Park . It is a great and crazy time . Lots of naked people ( not good naked , old naked ) . Lots of creative costumes . Tons of drinking . And it is all over by 2 in the afternoon . My friends and I went as the Duke Lacrosse team and were a huge hit . Never have rape chants brought smiles to so many faces . We took a lot of pictures with other runners and had an overall good time . I saw my boy Con Air out there and he said he has never seen me that drunk before , and this was half way through the race . It was my level of inebriation that actually makes this story even better because I was able to pull myself together to not only pick up a girl , but take her out to get sushi later that night . And you may have guessed it by now , she was dressed as a cheerleader . Age : 30 Score : 16 ( 7.5 face / 8.5 body ) Occupation : Advertising Home State : North Dakota ( seriously , I thought is was just a myth that people actually lived there ) So # 12 was walking in the rain on her way home and I was immediately attracted to her . Obviously I was , she was in an f - ing cheerleader uniform . That s like putting a kilo of cocaine in front of Lawrence Taylor . Or an ear in front of Mike Tyson . Or a knife and a blonde in front of OJ . So we walked in the rain and got to know each other for a bit and I got her number and told her that we would be going out later that night ( This was drunk Chuff talking ) . She just laughed and we parted ways . Upon finally reaching home I sobered up , took a nap , and got in touch with # 12 . We ended up going to have a great sushi dinner , and on top of all that , she was still very attractive without the uniform and without me being drunk . So , it was one of the better days I have had in San Francisco . Now , we will probably go out again because she is completely cool , but she is also 30 . This is not something that sits well with Chuff and thus anything more than a couple of dates is out of the question . But , she s hot and that gets you an automatic pass to the next round . 
HA ! HA ! Paul Paul Taipei Toy Festival open on July 6 th . Paul , the friend of mine will there . Wellcome you all to see all Artisties there and have nice chat everythings with them . Take your time to join and enjoy . Go ! Go ! Go ! PAUL 543 2006 Toy Festival . 
Star Date 96299.7 . So Kink fest is fast approaching . I had been looking forward to going , my ex made it clear that she thought it would just be about perving on her , and to a certain extent I would have perved on her a bit . However that was not my reason for going . The fact remains though , that should hse have a shite time with me there , it would all be my fault , as she wouldn ' be able to relax or unwind to enjoy the space etc. So I decided not to go . Shame as I had been looking forward to it . Shes going with the Catalyst , I expect it will be a heavy and wild night , with two weeks worth of " beating " to make up . In fact I expect it will be the total opposite of the time we went . She will have a wondeerful time , wil not be slightly too pissed or tired to do anything , and even if she is will still put that little bit of extra effort in , as afteral that is the reason to be there . Where as I was the understanding , boyfriend who just acceptd that all the espense and effort didn't actually mean that I ' d get anything more than a drunk , tired person to bring home and look after . In fact thats the pattern of the last few times we ' ve stayed in a Hotel or gone away somewhere nice . An excuse for her to let her hair down , and then be absolutely useles for the next two days , which just involves me runing round after her , or letting her sleep the day away . Maybe that sounds a little bitter , may be infact it is . Right now I don't know how I feel . Her new life continues apace , she seems happier . I ' ve had a rough week , but it seems to be pulling itself together and taking a little more shape . Although one thing that is irking me at the moment is the outfit shes probably going to be wearing for Kinkfest is one I ' ve bought and paid for , and she hasn't given me a penny towards . Promises made and broken . A pattern and history of our relationship repeated in the break up . Its not about the money . I mean theres still that to sort out . Its more that everything in her life can be put on hold to make her desires reality , again patterns of a relationship and now a breakup . I don't ally know why I ' m writing this entry , it will just cause a fight or problem later on . { Assuming she still checks in on it . } She has a new interest a vanilla boy from OXford , apparently he 's not what shes loooking for , but I guess hes a nhandy distraction , and fills in part of her week . Plus I ' m sure hes probably got a fit mate thats more her type , they just haven't met yet . Either way , her social circle is expanding , her life is back on track . And at present my " life " seems to have disappeared in a myriad of other things , that need to be delat with first . I wish I could shake my responsibilities for a few weeks , just go " Stop , enough , I need some time for me . " Unfortunately my life is just too full of distractions that have overwhelmed the rest of my life , and leave me alone and isolated . Hectic and yet unfullfilled . I miss having somone to take care off , to cddle upto . To talk to about my life and whats happening . To have someone who gets me close by . I miss my friend , my lover , my partner . I believe in the breeze watch me soar . 
Star Date 96299.5 . So I had a work course to go on , it actually proved to be quite interesting . I got a free knife , jar of coffee and a new chefs jacket out of it . Apparently there are 20 people who were sent on this course out of 400 , so we should feel special . It was a very long tiring day , so long and tiring AND HOT . A tiny room , with noair conditioning and 25 people in it . AND as most people are aware , there are not that many chefs that are actually what you ' d call small . SO Yep , thats me lil old me , sat in a room , with 3 women , 5 skinny lads , and 17 whale , all sweating like pigs . Still I learn some new stuff , which was good , I met some interesting characters , and I got to bitch about my job , with what I suppose is my new peer group . a LL IN ALL A POSITIVE DAY , OH a DN i GOT TO SPEND 200 of the companies money doing it .. I bet they are going to love those receipts when they turn up . lol . I believe in the breeze watch me soar . 
Star Date 96299.4 . So my dads been released from Hospital , the operation was a success . He now makes funny clicking noise . Its the mechanical valve in his heart doing its thing . He ' ll be off work for the new 3 - 4 months , The noise will never stop ( ONE HOPES ) However having spent the day with him , it sort of fades from your memory oafter a while , and doesn't seem to be there , then it jumps back into your consciousness and then fades again . Its funny how repetative sounds do that . I believe in the breeze watch me soar . 
Star Date 96299.2 . I ' ve been dreaming of late . All my dreams are sexual . Guess thats the testorone build up . My ex still features strongly in my sexual fantasies and therfore my dreams . However the dreams are new , its not something I ever really did before . They are not wet dreams , as I never wake up with a sticky or wet patch . They are just very vivid visual dreams . They are the stuff of hard core porn films , but only exceprts , like watching a motage film , there is no dialogue , and the details are hard to recall once I ; m awake . But I just get the sensation of having a very pleasing , stimulating , sexual and enjoyable expereince . The dremas themself vary in content , some are nice tnedr thoughts , but mostly they are Hardcore viscious nasty . Visceral would be the best word . Theres not always anything to remeber , just the feeling I wake up with . Obviosuly I have a huge hard on , the type you could batter people to death with . Sometimes there is precum ozzing from the slit , but the real focus of how I feel is in my mouth . Its like I ' ve just taken a deep bite from something forbidden and all I can taste and feel is blood and flesh . Its the strangest , hottest sensation I ' ve ever known . But its not the taste and feel of real flesh and blood , its much more exotic than that . , Something without limits . Something indescribable , its just the awareness that what I ' ve expereince through this dream is so raw and alive . I pity the next girl I have sex with , I have a feeling it will be thoruoghly nastly , spontaneous out pouring of frustration , and just hope shes ready for that kind of raw release . Else I ' m likely to find myself in a very unpleasant place . I believe in the breeze watch me soar . 
Star Date 96298.8 . So I ' ve been off work for three days . But on Monday I had a phonecall . On Tuesday I had a phonecall . Wednesday nothing . MONDAYS PHONECALL WAS " WHERE ARE THE PEAS ? " Tuesdays phoncall was equally benign , and pointless . Wednesday I had a Kitchen audit , fairly important event that happens every 6 months . In fact its the type of thing that I should get a phonecall about , but nope . Nothing . Instead I got handed a report that basically said , " your kitchen sucks . " I read through it , and within about an hour had fixed 90 % of the problems . Simple stuff , that basically no - one had done in my absence . The other mamagers just stood there and went " I ' m not kitchen staff , its not my job . " Fair enough a couple of points on the report were 100 % totally my fault , however thats 2 out of 15 . My manager took it well , he woend up to the bits that were his , but then kicked me for the rst . I ended up defending my postion , and how most if it is not in anyay my fault . However the conversation felt like me having to explain my lack of ability to influence things in my absence . Like I was just justifying the lazyness of others . The area manager had evidently put a phonecall in . As you would when a kitchen scores badly , and I think I was on the verge of being scaked . / Fortnuately the new Manager seems to have diffused the situation slightly , and I ' ve got away with a mild warning . However I ' ve had to outline my feeling of iunfairnss to him about the verdict in no uncertain terms . How this will effect things for me I don't kno , suffice to say right now I ' m feeling particuarly unappreciated , and like everyone is just taking turns at kicking me . I think it mightbe time to move to pastures new , somewhere a little greener and newer . Somewhere I don't know everything , or do everything for everryone else . Some hard choices lay head , its time to take a look at my career path , and decide what is it I actually want and need . Nothing as lofty as what do I want to do . The times for freams is past . Right now its gotta be something that will pay my bils , works with my LPBF schedule and of course keep me entertained and occupied . I believe in the breeze watch me soar . 
Star Date 96298.7 . Saw my dad yesterday , he was up and about , its two days since his operation and most of the tubes are out . He looked tired , and drained . His usual sun tan colour has faded , but then hes been stuck inside for the last couple of weeks . He has a sort of ill look to him , like someone whose been up throwing up all night . His fet have swollen up , so that theres no shape to his legs and ankle , theres simply " leg " his hands are puffed up like marsh mallows . But he seems to be ok . Obviosuly theres a massive scar runing down the centre of his chest , where they had to crack and spread him , he also has a little bottle at his feet that collects all the " crap " and asorted fluids that his body needs to expel . But overall I ' d have to say he looks like dad . He tired quickly during the visit , and I think if I ' d been on my own it would have been shorter . But upon seeing LPBF his eyes lit up and a smile came to ghis face . I ' ve realised that is her gift , it doesn't matter how shitty your life is , how crap you feel . How lonely , unloved and hideous you are feeling . That little girl will put the spark back in your eyes , the smile on your lips , and hope in your heart . I hope she feels as loved and special as she truly is , and that no matter what life throws at her , she will always remain as happy and cheerful as she is currently . Of my three magic genie wishes , this is one I wish for the most . ( The other two vary depending upon my mood . ) . I believe in the breeze watch me soar . 
Star Date 96298.6 . So my dads been transferred to another Hospital , this ones in plymouth . Apparently hes deteriorated quite quickly and they ' d sooner get it done now , then wait another few weeks . So the trip to Bristol is all null and void , and to Plymouth we will go . Work have given me the day off , plus my days off so at least I won't have to put up with the arsehole society for the day . Which is a good thing , although the circumstances surrounding it are not quite to nice . My old mans a tough old bloke , I ' m sure he ' ll do really well . Hopefully the food will be better down south , as it currently sucks where he is !! Myex and I are getting along better , we ' rve spent time together . Bay chnage overs are still all fucked up on Sundays , but then they are doing engineering works at the moment . Thursday seems to be moving quite smoothly . So far , so fingers crossed . Touch wood etc it will all stay on track . LPBF is still making friends weherever we go and influencing pople . One smile from her and even the most miserable old bastard seems to feel lighter and jollier . At the moment I life for Tuesday and Wednesdays , the two most precious days in my week , where I can forget all my troubles and woes , the daily grind dissipates and theres just this perfect little bundle of enthusiasm that wants to destroy everything . I wouldn't give up that for anything . I believe in the breeze watch me soar . 
Don't Ask , Don't Tell ? Too Late ... How about a little comedic spin on Lance Bass 's " coming out " ? Come on . What else would you expect from me ? Besides , I called this from day one ( in spite of all the naysayers , who said he was ... sweet ) . I deserve to have some fun with this . Gunny Hartman : Because I am hard , you will not like me ! Lance : Sir , I will like you that much more , sir ! Gunny : Who the fuck said that ? Who 's the slimy communist shit twinkle - toed cocksucker who just signed his own death warrant ? Lance : Sir , I said it , Sir ! Gunny Hartman : What 's your name , scumbag ? Lance : Sir , recruit Bass , sir ! Gunny : That name sounds like royalty . Are you royalty ? Lance : Sir , no sir ! Gunny : Where in the Hell are you from anyway , Pvt . ? Lance : Sir , Nsync , sir ! Gunny : Holy dogshit ! Nsync ! ? Only pansies and queers come from Nsync ! Do you suck dicks ? Are you a peter puffer ? Lance : Sir , yes sir ! Gunny : I bet you could suck a golf ball through a garden hose ! Lance : Sir , yes sir ! Gunny : Do you think I ' m cute ? Do you think I ' m funny ? Lance : Sir , yes sir ! Gunny : I bet you 're the kind of person who would fuck a person in the ass , and not even have the god damn common courtesy to give him a reach around . Lance : Sir , no sir ! Gunny : Your days of fingerbanging ol ' Mary Jane rotten crotch through her pretty pink panties are over ! Bass : Sir ? I do not like pussy , sir ! Gunny : You little maggot ! You make me wanna vomit ! 
The Birth of an American , Drunken Samurai . On this very day , ( sometime in the 70 's ) , a Samurai was born . That Samurai is currently watching a Rambo marathon on AMC . That same Samurai is drinking an entire case of Yuengling Traditional Lager ( hey , I live up to my name ) . Now , if you will excuse me , I have business to take care of . I have too much blood in my alcohol stream . P . S . Go Israel !!! 
Da Cracka Smacka . I hope I am not the only one who thinks that Bush 's comments to the NAACP only FUEL the stupidity of people like this . WTF was he thinking ? He looks for acceptance in the wrong places , only to fan the flames . He would have been smarter to IGNORE those ignorant asshats . The NAACP had a place , 100 years ago . It has outlived it 's usefulness . I stole these pics from Mike 's America . 
. email I am getting emails with those words ... Ummm .... whatever , Mohammed . Fuck off . 
Rest in Pieces , Religion of Piss ... The following is being posted in proxy for Gunz . This post reflects only my views and opinions and not necessarily Samurai 's . Sorry to interrupt already , but I ' m with you , bro . You should know better ... I have asked Samurai to post this one because it is important to understand the true nature of what we are dealing with . The bloggers that constantly take the liberty of slamming the Islamic religion is truly justified . The religion is simply evil and that 's putting it mildly . Israel or the Jewish people have been in this fight since the dawn of time . Too many times have we ignored the problem or tried for a quick fix through diplomacy or any other resolution that will never fix this problem . It is out of control now thanks to people like Bill Clinton treating Arafat like he was his drinking buddy . Islam must be crushed period . There is no such thing as a peaceful Muslim . The Islamic worshiping people are here in the United States and ready to activate any number of sleeper cells if called upon to do so , and they will be called upon believe me . Examine these pictures below ... This is all in the name of Alah . Peaceful my ass and I truly believe that it is the good Lords will to see these people that worship false gods and impose hate and murder upon the world destroyed . We are supposed to be at war period . We are the extension , as well as Israel , which is extremely important to understand of what the higher power wants ... and that is to destroy evil . Why would he want it to flourish ? and how else would you suppose we deal with it outside of war and killing these S . O . B 's ? Samurai has it right ... Kill them all or as many as possible . This is the only way ... there shall be no peace ever again upon this earth as long as Islam is worshiped . Great work Samurai you have it right . Anyways , the pics ... An 8 year old childcaught stealing bread in a market of Iranis punished in a public place , in the name of Islam . His arm will be crushed and will lose its use permanently . This is the religion of peace and love ? FUCK ISLAM . FUCK ISLAM . FUCK ISLAM ... And FUCK George W . Bush if he dares to call it a religion of peace again . Islam is a bastard religion , period . It is what it is . 
Another " Fuck You " . I ' m still angry . Can you tell ??? Oh , well . Some things just NEED to be said . If you have a problem with it , see the post below ... and the one below that ... and the one below that ... 
When the FUCK will people get it ??? I ' ve been too busy to keep up here , but I just read something ( and watched something ) that I have to mention . It has me angrier than I have been in quite some time . Remember our soldiers who were recently tortured and mutilated ? Well , there is video of it . It is disturbing . It does not involve a few terrorists made to put underwear on their heads . If you are not infuriated by this , FUCK YOU ! This is what we need to start doing to the enemy . You know , return the favor . Slight humiliation is NOT torture . Damn , I am pissed . Anyway , head on over to Cop the Truth , if you can handle it . As you can see , it got me quite fired up . 
Why can't you share your bed ? I ' m short on time , so I will " Cross Post " something that I posted on Absolute Zero , a few days ago . Being true to my nature , it is both funny and serious ( at the same time ) . Ok , it 's not funny , but I can't help but laugh . Try not to drink anything while you read this .... Why can't you share your bed ? The most loving thing to do is to share your bed with someone . It 's very charming . It 's very sweet . It 's what the whole world should do . - Michael Jackson Yeah , Michael . My kids can sleep over anytime . I trust you . With all the lame attempts by the paedos to try to debate their disease , to make us understand , to try to persuade us , I decided to look to the world 's biggest paedo of them all . Surely , if the King of Pop ( gag , cough , gag ) thinks such a thing is innocent , it must be . Afterall , he loves the children . He loves them so much , he even shares his bed with them . It 's all about the love , people . Can't you feel the love ? Excuse me . I ' ll be back after I am done vomiting . 
Happy 60 th , Mr. President . The POTUS turns 60 today . How does he feel about it ? Well , if a picture is worth a thousand words ... Also of note : Sly Stallone shares the same birthday . Yep . Rambo is 60 , and rumor has it , he is making a return . No shit . 
230 Years Strong . Happy Over Throw Your Government Day ! If we expect to have another 230 years , PAY ATTENTION ! Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Franklin knew what they were talking about . IN CONGRESS , JULY 4 , 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth , the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature 's God entitle them , a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation . We hold these truths to be self - evident , that all men are created equal , that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights , that among these are Life , Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness . That to secure these rights , Governments are instituted among Men , deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed , That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends , it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it , and to institute new Government ... Click here for the rest A Republic , if you can keep it . - Benjamin Franklin . 
Vanished . Gunz and Ebyjo are MIA . Anybody know anything ? They decide to hang it up ? Update : I heard from him . I ' d rather not give details at this point , but he needs some time away from here . I totally understand , and I am sure everyone else will , too . 
The Struggle Within . " America will never be destroyed from the outside . If we falter , and lose our freedoms , it will be because we destroyed ourselves . " - Abraham Lincoln Was Abe referring to the NY Slime ? Out of control politicians ? Both ? Sigh ... I can't even bring myself to comment . 
The Birth of a Legend . Here is something you won't see in the news . Why ? It 's about a REAL hero , not somebody who plays one on TV . Never fear , though . Your humble Samurai is here to take care of that . This is a story about a selfless man ; a courageous man ; a fearless man . John Murtha ? Guess again . The man is none other than Lt . Gen. " Chesty " Puller , the most decorated Marine in history . No Purple Hearts because he got a scratch ( ahem , Murtha ) . He earned it all . Lewis Burwell Puller , Sr . was born on June 26 , 1898 . He is said to be a distant cousin of Gen. George S . Patton . Okay , now let 's skip ahead 20 years and see just what it is that made him a legend . Puller enlisted in the Marine Corps in August , 1918 , to fight in WWI . He was quoted as saying , I want to go where the guns are . He never saw the action he was seeking during that war , but this story is not over , yet . Over the next few years , he fought in Haiti , and participated in over 40 missions . He earned his 1 st and 2 nd Navy Crosses for his service in Nicaragua , from 1928 to 1931 . His 2 nd was for five successive engagements against superior numbers of armed bandit forces . Does this make him a legend ? No , but it makes for a good resume . Keep reading . The 3 rd Navy Cross was earned in WWII on Oct . 24 , 1942 at The Battle of Henderson Field , where he commanded the 1 st Batallion , 7 th Marines . In a fire fight lasting only a few hours , that night , the Marines suffered 70 casualties . However , the Japanese lost 1400 by the time this one was over . The airfield was held by the battalion . In January 1944 , on the island of New Britain , Chesty earned Navy Cross No. 4 . when he took over 2 batallions , who 's officers had been taken out . He reorganized them under heavy fire , and led them in an attack against the enemy . Navy Cross no . 5 was earned at Chosin Reservoir , in the Korean War . Shortly thereafter , Puller was promoted to Brigadier General , then Major General , and finally , Lieutenant General . He retired on November 1 , 1955 . There are numerous other accomplishments to note , but I ' ll try to keep it short . Here are some of the other awards Gen. Puller earned : The Distinguished Service Cross The Silver Star The Legion of Merit ( 2 times ) The Bronze Star The Air Medal The Purple Heart The General tried to return to active duty in 1966 to serve in Vietnam . He was , of course , denied his request . He was 66 years old at the time . This man gave a whole new meaning to the motto Semper Fidelis . He was as Faithful to the Corps as any man could ever be . To this day , he is yet unmatched . The irony of it all is that he didn't do it for the glory , nor has he received such . Isn't that what a true hero is ? Yes , indeed . He was , and is a hero , and a legend . On February 4 , 2006 , Virginia Puller went on to be with the General . She was his loving , Always Faithful wife , who stood by him through it all . She succeeded him by 35 years and died at the age of 97 . Good night , Chesty , wherever you are ... 
At Least Somebody Gets It . While much of Fox News is barely distinguishable from the rest of the MSM , here is something refreshing . E . D . Hill is one pissed off woman , and she is telling it how it is ! I always did like her . Too bad she 's on in the morning ... HT to The Blonde Sage ( another feisty blonde ) for sharing this one . 
Take THAT , Liberal Pussy ! As I like to give credit where credit is due , I saw this at Benning 's Writing Pad . I want to share it . It 's the Gipper , telling some asshat ( probably Nate ) what to do . I love it ! 
Updating some things ... Before Texas Fred kicks my ass , I am gonna update some things . I ' ll be messing around with blog rolls , etc. If I don't make a real post today , too bad . You ' ll get over it . UPDATE : I ' m done . That was way easier than I thought . 
My Kind of Protest . Michael Savage is apparently the only one with the balls to do this . Swing by his site and check it out . I stole a few pictures from there . I hope he doesn't mind . It 's for a good cause . I ' d be there myself , but it 's about 3000 miles away . 
The " Code Talkers " . I had the urge to watch the movie Windtalkers , tonight . I don't know why , but I did . Interestingly enough , much of the movie is based on the events of June 16 , 1944 . That didn't even hit me until I watched it . Today is , of course , June 16 . If you have never seen this movie , please do yourself a favor and watch it . It 's not quite as good as Saving Private Ryan , but it 's damn close . It 's from the exact same time frame , but it 's a totally different story . It is indeed an important part of our history . Long story short : On June 15 , 1944 , the U.S. Marines landed on the island of Saipan . They came . They saw . They conquered . The island of Saipan is part of the Northern Mariana Islands , which has been U.S. territory ever since . The Navajo code talkers were crucial in that victory over the Japanese . This concludes today 's history lesson . I ' m going to bed . 
I.... Want ... YOU . That 's right . I want you . ALL OF YOU who swing by here . What do I want you for ? How about we do something to make ourselves heard ? Not just on our humble little blogs that nobody really reads anyway . Capt . B from " One Marine 's View " has something going on that you MUST check out . I DO NOT want credit for this in anyway . DO NOT thank me . I am just posting this as a way of directing you to him . I DO want to see some comments here , telling me that you went over there to check it out . Now ... GO DO IT ! HAD ENOUGH ? Click here . NOW !!! P . S . I will check to see who clicked that link . If you do not follow that direct order , Pvt . Pyle , I will rip your balls off so you can not contaminate the rest of the world ! Now , get the fuck off my obstacle ( blog ) ! 
It 's Flag Day . I know I posted this a few months ago , just for the heck of it . But I am posting it again . This time I actually have a reason . RAGGED OLD FLAGI walked through a county courthouse square , On a park bench an old man was sitting there . I said , Your old courthouse is kinda run down . He said , Naw , it ' ll do for our little town . I said , Your flagpole has leaned a little bit , And that 's a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it . He said , Have a seat , and I sat down . Is this the first time you ' ve been to our little town ? I said , I think it is . He said , I don't like to brag , But we 're kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag . You see , we got a little hole in that flag there When Washington took it across the Delaware . And it got powder - burned the night Francis Scott Key Sat watching it writing , Oh Say Can You See ? And it got a bad rip in New Orleans With Packingham and Jackson tuggin ' at its seams . And it almost fell at the Alamo Beside the Texas flag , but she waved on though . She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill . There was Robert E . Lee , Beauregard , and Bragg , And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag . On Flanders Field in World War I She got a big hole from a Bertha gun . She turned blood red in World War II She hung limp and low a time or two . She was in Korea and Vietnam . She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam . She waved from our ships upon the briny foam , And now they ' ve about quit waving her back here at home . In her own good land she 's been abused -- She 's been burned , dishonored , denied and refused . And the government for which she stands Is scandalized throughout the land . And she 's getting threadbare and wearing thin , But she 's in good shape for the shape she 's in . ' Cause she 's been through the fire before And I believe she can take a whole lot more . So we raise her up every morning , Take her down every night . We don't let her touch the ground And we fold her up right . On second thought I DO like to brag , ' Cause I ' m mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag . - Johnny Cash . 
Tear Down This Wall ! On this day in 1987 , at Brandenburg Gate , President Reagan demanded : General Secretary Gorbachev , if you seek peace , if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe , if you seek liberalization : Come here to this gate ! Mr. Gorbachev , open this gate ! Mr. Gorbachev , tear down this wall ! And the wall came tumbling down ... Read the entire speech , here Read it . That 's an order ! 
The Celebration . I left work today , and found the closest bar . I work near a few military bases . The closest bar happened to be a Hooters ( not that I am complaining ) . After a few minutes , a group of servicemen walked in . I pulled their waitress aside . I told her that whatever they are drinking , it is on me because they are military , and today was a DAMN GOOD DAY . She looked at me funny , and asked how I knew they were " military guys " . I said " trust me , they are " . She also had no clue as to what happened today . She serves them their beer , and informs them that I am picking up the tab . They look my way , and raise their glasses . A few minutes go by , and I walk over to their table . They ask why I did what I did . I said " We got Zarqawi today . Now go get the rest " . We all drank to that . These were some Navy Flyboys , by the way . It was a good day . That is what matters . Semper Fi , Go Navy ! Hell , just kill MORE of these bastards ! Bottoms UP !!! P . S . I am currently imagining Chesty Puller kicking the shit out of Zarqawi as he tries to find his 72 virgins . LOLOLOLOLOLOL HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA . Fuck You , Zarqawi ! It 's not what you were promised , was it ??? Kick him once for me , Chesty ! 
Ding Dong . Zarqawi 's dead , Zarqawi 's dead , Zarqawi 's dead ! Ding Dong , Zarqawi 's dead ! That fucking bastard 's DEAD !!! Come on and sing along : ) The last thing that fucking raghead saw was fire from Heaven . I love it . 
Thank You , Mr. President . It has been 2 years since " The Great Communicator " left us . But his words live on , and his legacy will not soon be forgotten . Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction . We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream . It must be fought for , protected , and handed on for them to do the same , or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children 's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free . In closing , let me thank you , the American people , for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your president . When the Lord calls me home , whenever that day may be , I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future . I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life . I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead . - Ronald Wilson Reagan ( Feb 6 , 1911 - June 5 , 2004 ) I don't know what else to say . I keep typing and deleting stuff . I think the Gipper 's words can stand on their own without any input from me . I am eternally grateful to him . There may never be another like him . My kind of woman ... 
I met several nice people at my Open House . I held my third open house yesterday for this listing . Even though the weather wasn't the best ( raining on and off ) we had a pretty good turn out of 6 couples . Many of them made the trip down to the Shore from North Jersey and one couple was from New York State . I did have the opportunity to talk with several of them to find out their housing needs and wants . Most were still in the " just looking " mode . One of the concerns some had was the ability to sell their existing home in this buyers market This has an all too familiar ring to it as I am seeing many people stuck in the same situation . In fact , I am now hearing a growing problem of new home buyers in adult communities having to back out of their contract with the builder due to the fact they weren't able to sell their existing home . This is a very expensive lesson to learn for some . The sooner you put your existing home up on the market the better . Most sellers will not even consider an offer from a buyer who hasn't even put their home on the market ( if there is a contingency ) . Many buyers make the mistake of finding that perfect home first then trying to sell their home . Sometimes this works but mostly it is a recipe for frustration and disappointment . 
40 K Price Drops on 2 Featured Listings . Just wanted to let our readers know that we recently had substantial price reductions ( approx . 40 K ) on 2 of our featured homes on 55 Plus - Housing . com. The first featured home is in the Cedar Village community in beautiful Ocean Township , NJ . The second featured home with a price reduction is in the Horizons at Woodlake community in Lakewood , NJ . Both of these homes are absolutely stunning and are ready for a quick sale . Please contact us for more information . 
More Adult Communities added in Ocean County . Just a quick update . We recently added more adult community developments to our Ocean County Map . Now you can check homes for sale in the following communities : Manchester - Heritage Green Manchester - Leisure Village West Whiting - Meadows at Lake Ridge More adult communities will be added shortly ! Please visit www .55 Plus - Housing . com for all of your Adult Community Housing information . Thanks . 
Summer is here ... time to start the barbeque ! Summer is now in full swing and nothing beats meeting new neighbors and bringing friends together than a good barbeque . Adult communities are full of friendly people wanting to meet their neighbors . Throwing a good outdoor party starts with having a good barbeque grill . Some communities may have rules and requlations on the type of grill ( propane tank , natural gas hookup or electric ) . Please refer to the bylaws for your community or ask a board member for the homeowners association . Barbeque grills come in all different shapes , sizes & accessories . If your barbeque is getting old or you don't have one ... buying online is easy , safe and you don't need a truck to bring it home ! I put together The Barbeque Grill Buyers Guide for just for our active adult community visitors where you can view and buy barbeque grills and have them delivered right to your home . All of these grills on this page are shipped via Amazon . com. Have a summer barbeque and meet new people in your community . 
Is a 55 + community just for people 55 and older ? Age restricted communities are designated for people of a certain age ( typically 55 ) and older . Although , some people under the designated age limit have bought lived in homes in active adult communities . You may be wondering how can that be done . Let me explain When an age - restricted development is first created , the builder / developer creates a deed restriction on each parcel of land they sell to homeowners . Basically , this deed restriction states that the parcel is part of an age - restricted community , which has a set minimum age to reside there . A deed restriction on a property creates the means to be legally enforced . Age restrictions apply to the people who reside in the community , not ownership . So , a 40 something year old person could buy a home in an adult community and have his / her 65 - year - old parents live in it ( wouldn t that be nice : - ) . Also some people buy into adult communities as investment property and rent out the homes to qualifying seniors . State and federal governments have put fair housing laws into place to protect the general public from many types of discrimination including age . Under these fair housing laws is a rule that states that in order to qualify as an age restricted community at least 80 % of all residents must meet the minimum age requirement . This does leave 20 % that can be under the age without the community jeopardizing its age - restricted status . Most adult communities do have guidelines for these exceptions . For example , typical rules that a community may enforce are : An under 55 year old person is allowed to live in the community as long as they reside in the same household with a qualifying resident . No one under the age of 19 may reside in the community . A 50 + person may be allowed to buy and live in the community with the homeowners association s board approval . Ultimately , it is the homeowners association and their management company that must monitor and enforce the rules of the community . Please keep in mind that most communities do discourage potential resident home buyers who do not meet minimum age requirements for simple reason of keeping the continuity of their 55 + active adult communities intact . 
Adult Community Housing Market holding Steady . Click Here to view this months adult community real estate housing market statistics . This page quickly shows you a historical look at the housing market for the past 6 months . After looking at the current data , I wanted to comment on a few interesting things . The number of new listings in adult communities is starting to level off , which is a good thing for sellers . Inventory is still high which is driving the number of price changes in listings but the number of homes going under contract is holding steady . Still most of the home selling activity is in the $ 100,000 - $ 375,000 range . The middle - upper to high - end homes is having the most difficulty selling . Sellers of homes in this price range will need to be aggressive in pricing ( price reductions ) and marketing to sell their homes . Still , we will need to keep an eye on these statistics to see if this trend holds in the future . Please visit this page each month to see . Thanks for your interest in the adult community housing market . 
Facts about Financing your Adult Community Home . Many of the larger builders of Active Adult Community homes push home buyers into using their preferred lenders . The reasons are simple ... most own or have a vested interest in the lending company . Does this mean you shouldn't use their company ? Of course not , but you should always investigate any lending company before you decide to use them . Mortgage companies and bank lending institutions are very competitive when it comes to home mortgages . Builders may offer incentives if you use their preferred lender . This is allowed but they must follow federal guidelines created to protect the public . Keep in mind that no builder can force you to use their lender . Doing so is illegal . Builders may say things like using their lender will help expedite the closing , which may or may not be true . If you want to use your own lender , go for it . If you are feeling unnecessarily pressured by the sales department to use their lender and you don't want to , then complain to builder . If that doesn't get the results you want then you can make a complaint to the state board of consumers affairs . 
Buuuuuunnnnnnggggg ! Yeah , you read it right ! I know , I know . I am totally late on this one . The Movie Clerks II came out last Friday ... For those interested ( which I assume is every last one of you reading this ) Here is the Trailer ( unedited from the net ) for the Movie ! Now for those My Space Freaks out there the Clerks II My Space Page for just about anything you would want to know about the Movie ! For the rest of you ( which is maybe one person ) Head on over to The Official Web Page for Clerks II and check it out ! Buuuuuuunnnnnnggggg ! 
Warning : Everyone and Everything might melt ! Will it ever end ... What you might ask ? The freakin Heat and Humidity . It is crazy humid out and it has been for some time now . Training Monday : I hit the gym until the Mp 3 Player died , charged it and then hit the stairs at the stadium , the jump rope and a rock that I found usefull for Plyometrics Tuesday : Testing Props and Rideplates . Wednesday : A Mountain Bike Ride up TNT then HPT , it was freakin hot and humid ! Today : An early lunch so I can get a run in at Hixon Forest before everyone and everything melts ! Friday : Group Mountain Bike Ride at HPT ( it will be off the charts hot and humid , and my bike might melt ! ) Saturday : Early AM Stairs at the UWL Stadium / Gym Work in AC before I melt . Sunday : The Lure Practice World Championships ( if our skis don't melt ) the weather guy is calling for 100 + out add some 90 + % humidity to that and you have seriously hot swampy crap air ! FYI : The only time the weather guy is right is this time of the year , when it is Hot and Humid , and due to unstable air , there is always a chance for rain and thunder showers . FYI Dos : Calling all racers and Riders there will be a kick ass practice session going down at The Lure this sunday from 10:00 am until we melt or are out of fuel ! For directions check out Great Lakes Watercross ! See you there ! 
It 's Flat Tuesday . Yeah , for the second tuesday in a row I have gotten a flat tire on my way into work . It sucks ... And it seems that the tire is always my rear tire and it goes 50 % flat over night and then I don't notice it until I am already pedaling my ass to work . So yeah , I got to drop off my bike on my way to work and pick up the Avalanche ... So I think I am going to get some No Flat Bicycle Tires These things I am sure are the ticket . I cannot believe that they have not marketed to Racers / Teams on the Tour De France ! I am sure I can contact the Upsidedownbiker for more information on these Kick Ass Tires . 
Who would have ever thought this ? " Tour 's three top jerseys could be taken by two former mountain - bike racers and a former BMX - er . Pretty cool , eh ? " - That was quoted from the live coverage of the Tour De France at the Velo News Site Now on to Landis , Floyd that is . Heard of him , well if you are into cycling you have . Former Pro Mountain Bike Racer in the 90 's , turn road racer at the millenium . This guy is doing great in the tour . The only american in the top 1 o . He cracked bad on the 16 th stage only come back and destroy the field on the 17 th stage . What does he attribute that too ? Beer , yeah ! On the watercross racing side of things . It has been a pretty normal week with good training sessions all week both on and off the water ! This weekend means a trip to to the Z Force Compound in IL for some testing and tuning . Until next time have a great weekend ! 
Holy Heat Wave Batman . Yeah , if you have been hanging out in the Midwest Or most other parts of the country for that matter you know it is F ' n Hot out . The prediction for La Crosse , WI is 101 , w / the heat index ( humidity included ) 105 + outside ... So that means getting workouts in Early . I decided it would be a wonderful idea to go for a run to the UWL Stadium and do a few sets of running the stairs . It felt good to get out , but the sweating is just now beinging to end ( 30 min and a cold shower later ) . Anyhow , for the rest of the day I am going to get updated on the Tour De France and then go out on the river for some rough water riding . On another note , I enjoy having a weekend or 2 off from racing but I never know what to do with myself . I was planning on racing the Can - Am Cup in Lake Hurion yesterday ( 7 / 15 ) but at the last minute there was a rule change to only allow stock skis into the event . Well I sold my stock ski at the end of last season , so I had to forgo the event . I was able to catch the Live Web Cast of it though . And my theory of Jim " Yimmy " Cebulski being the fastest Pro / Am Ski Stock racer in the midwest and one of the best in the nation holds true . He Holeshoted the start and 20 laps later he was the Winner ! Good job , and good racing . Until Next time try to beat the heat and in the words of my Tuner Tim Z ... " Have a Fast Day " . 
Photos From the Racer Party at Tequila 's . Brokeback Moto Stik Scott Checkin out the Moto Stik Jaymi Getting some advise on how to ride the Moto Stik ( into the wall ) La Crosse Tribune Article 7 / 9 / 06 . 
Engine Building day for Brad Villand . So all of the many parts came in for brad s engine Friday ( a miracle ) so that meant that I had some work to do ( he blew it up the previous weekend and all that was salvageable was the studs and MOST of the bolts ) . I got started on it around noon , and by 4:00 PM it was together and bolted back into the ski After a good pre race break in Saturday morning everything should be great ! ( Note to self , I need to start charging people for labor ! ) Actually it was great to get to build another engine , I have done it many times on my own equipment , but only a couple times for others . In the end the engine ran great ! Brad raced it to a 2 nd place in his first moto on Sunday morning in novice stock . He also borrowed the ski to Rod Hall for Pro / Am Ski stock where Rod Won both motos by a lot ! 
Racing this weekend at Pettibone Beach . Yeah , it is the second weekend in July again and that means the best sporting event the La Crosse area has to offer is this weekend . Come check out the racing action . It starts at 11:30 am both saturday and sunday . Here is a link to the La Crosse Tribune Article that can be seen on the cover of the sports page today . On a Side note , here are the photos from my Birthday Dinner at Tequila 's ( Pay Back ... will be coming ) . 
Together again ! Hi everyone ... Well , they say nothing lasts forever , but we sure can try ! So many good times , so many fights , so many tears , so many histerical laughs ... We grow each and every day with each other . Let 's swear to never repeat something like this year ! I love you all ... Signing out ... 
Just a little something ... Hey guys ! This post is dedicated to a certain someone , who knows who they are , that jumped into my head the very moment I saw this tattoo ... Enjoy , I think it 's a brilliant piece of art. Signing out .... 
Smile . She smiled at a sorrowful stranger . The smile seemed to make him feel better . He remembered past kindness of a friendand wrote him a thank - you letter . The friend was so pleased with the thank - youthat he left a large tip after lunch . The waitress , surprised by the size of the tip , bet the whole thing on a hunch . The next day she picked up her winnings , and gave part to a man on the street . The man on the street was grateful ; for two days he ' d had nothing to eat . After he finished dinner , he left for his small dingy room . ( He didn't know at that momentthat he might be facing his doom . ) On the way he picked up a shivering puppyand took him home to get warm . The puppy was very gratefulto be out of the storm . That night the house caught on fire . The puppy barked the alarm . He barked untill he had woken the whole householdand saved everybody from harm . One of the boys that he rescuedgrew up to be President . All this because of a simple smilthat hadn't cost a cent . 
In other news ... not drug related . On a day with such bad cycling news , here 's something cool . I ' ve recently booked a room at a Bed & Breakfast for the " Bellagio portion " of my upcoming trip to Italy . The place is called Il Perlo and it 's directly on the route up to the Madonna di Ghisallo chapel . I ' ll be there for two days before heading over to Bormio to climb the Passo di Stelvio and the Gavio . And we recently switched our plans up slightly in order to fit in a drive up to France so we can climb Alp D ' Huez ! In a related issue ... I ' ll need to borrow a 10 - speed Shimano Cassette with a 27 on it . 
Holy S *** . USA 's Floyd Landis celebrates as he crosses the finish line of the 200.5 km seventeenth stage of the 93 rd Tour de France cycling race from Saint - Jean - de - Maurienne to Morzine , 20 July 2006 . AFP PHOTO / PASCAL GUYOTFloyd Landis is one Bad A ** Mother F ***** !!! Quite possibly the best Td F stage since the 2003 Tour de France ( stage 15 ) , where Lance crashed , pulled out of his pedal , and still went on to win the stage to Luz - Ardiden . 
Tg F Stage 11 ... the short version . Long stage , 5 climbs , one HC climb and 4 cat .1 climbs ... oh yeah , and it 's hot ! Iban Mayo had an even worse day than the previous stage , yelled at camera man for recording his failure for the world to see , withdrew from the race ... sorry sucka Disco boys were all dropped eventually ... only the Ace hung in long enough to still have a shot at a high GC finish . The rest of the boys will have to go for stage wins in order to salvage their first " post - Lance " tour ... booo , hisss Cyril Dessel fell only 8 seconds short of holding onto his yellow jersey for the Quatorze Julliet . Not a bad showing on such a hard day , he was a heck - of - a - lot closer than anyone thought he ' d be ... close , but no cigar . Michael Boogard rode like a man possesed in support of his team leader , Dennis Menchov ... oh , and he has big teeth ! Thomas Voeckler got to within 20 seconds of bridging up to the break , but he hit the wall and ended up finishing in 78 th place , 33:47 off of the winning time ... keep holding onto the memories of your time in yellow 2 - years ago . David De La Fuente ( Saunier Duval ) was the most aggresive rider in stage 11 . He managed to ride himself into the polka - dot jersey and as a result of his great ride , he got a contract extension as well ... cha - ching ! Floyd Landis became only the fifth American to don the maillot jaune as he finished third on the stage in an impressive display of poise and power ... looks like the " man to beat " to me Levi Leipheimer found his form once again as he avenged his poor TT performance with a 2 nd place finish in stage 11 . He wanted the stage win soo bad , but will have to settle with knowing that he 's still one bad mutha ( now sitting in 13 th on GC ) ... if only his TT wasn't ridden at the speed of ketchup ! Dennis Menchov had better hope for the TT of his life on July 22 nd if he wants to overtake Floyd and stand on the top step in Paris . Either way , this Russian has just let the world know that he 's a serious contender ! ... nice ride , but Floyd 's just too much for you ! In Fantasy world ... The 5 count Fantasy team is still sittin pretty in the overall standings . The points earned soo far may be enough to keep us in the top 12 , thus earning us some free cycling schwagg ! 
Another Stage win for 5 count . Check out the Fantasy Cycling Game homepage ... there 's a little write - up about how yesterday 's stage went , and how 5 count won the stage . We ' ve accumulated almost a thousand points thus far , putting us solidly in third place overall . Hopefully we ' ve earned enough points to hold off the teams with GC guys on their rosters as we now move to the mountainous stages of the Tour . 
5 count 's Fantasy Td F team ... One of our 5 count fantasy teams has won the past two stages of the its fantasy cycling league and as a result has moved into the number two spot on GC ( out of ~200 teams ) . You can read the blurb that the promoters of the game sent out this morning by clicking here . If this keeps up , we here at 5 count might be looking at actually winning some free schwagg ! Stay tuned . 
And what 's the deal with Eki 's HR ??? As I was watching stage 4 of the Tour de France yesterday on OLN , I was noticing the heart rate of Discovery rider , Viatcheslav Ekimov . OLN was broadcasting Eki 's SRM info during the stage and it was shockingly low compared to others in the field . While the peloton was in hot pursuit of the break near the end of the stage ... strung out ... single file ... flying down the road , Eki was chillin ' with a HR of 108 bpm ! 108 ! My heart rate is 122 while still rolling out of my driveway at 4.5 mph ! Other guys were nearing their max HR and Eki , who is like one - hundred and thirty - seven years old , was just loafing along at just over 50 % of his max . Was this correct or did the SRM transmitter have a glitch ? If it was correct , I think Eki should ' ve been countering just as Egoi was brought back to the field ... with his TT ' ing ability and his aparently low HR , he could ' ve easily solo ' d to a stage win ... right ? P . S . One of 5 count 's registered fantasy Td F teams just moved up to 4 th overall ( out of ~200 teams ) after finishing 2 nd in stage 4 ! How do you like that Rowdy ? ( see Rowdy 's Mom 's comment here ) . 
Cat 4 Danger ... It aint easy being a Cat 4 bike racer . Check out this clip from the Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville , Ark .... I can so relate to how these guys feel ( see : Jacksonville Road Race ) . 
Td F Fireworks . Only two stages into this year 's Td F and there has already been fireworks ( and I ' m not talking about the doping allegations ) . George missed the Mellow Johnny by less than a second in the prologue . George sneaks a 2 second time bonus in the final kilometers of stage one making him only the 4 th American to wear the Yellow Jersey in the Td F Thor Hushovd gets his arm sliced by a fan during the stage one sprint ... loses yellow jersey . Thor fights for bonus points and regains the overall lead after stage two . Robbie Mc Ewan out - sprints all the fast men to take the Maillot Vert in stage two . one of 5 counts fantasy teams has moved into 8 th place overall after stage 2 , Rowdy is in 6 th overall ... but it 's a long tour and the sprinters won't be scoring many points when the road tilts upward . Jan has gained fifteen pounds during a weiner - schnitzel binge and won't come out of his room claiming , " I ' m der Kaiser , you don't mess vit der Kaiser ! " . 
The Results are in ... kinda Ironic , huh ? The results from the 5 count Tour de France poll are in . The question was , " Who do you think will win the 2006 Tour de France ? " Many of you voted , some probably voted many times and now the results are in . As you can see from the above graph , the majority of you feel as though Ivan Basso ( CSC ) has the best chance of winning the ' 06 Tour de France . Jan Ullrich ( T - Mobile ) was also up there as a contender , but a majority of those votes were probably cast by the same family ... we won't name names here but their name rhymes with Fruschlegel . The rest of the numbers came out like this : The irony is apparent ... almost 2 / 3 of all the votes cast are for guys who are now suspended from competing in the Td F . THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING !!! 1 Ivan Basso - 410 votes 2 Jan Ullrich - 370 votes 3 None of these - 160 votes 4 Floyd Landis - 120 votes 5 Alejandro Valverde - 100 votes 6 George Hincapie - 30 votes 7 Alexander Vinokourov - 30 votes 8 Levi Leipheimer - 10 votes * the number of votes have been multiplied by ten in order to compensate for the embarrassing lack of poll voting 5 count 's new Podium predictions 1 st - Landis 2 nd - Valverde 3 rd - Popovych 4 th - Menchov 5 th - Leipheimer * Hincapie , Cadel Evans , Cunego , Sastre , Simoni and Di Luca could all do something special too ? A New Poll ... Please weigh in on our new poll located in the left column of this site . Thanks , 5 count . 
Win a Ridley frameset ... You too can ride the same brand of frame that pros like Chris Horner , Robbie Mc Ewan and Cadel Evans ride . The Grand Prize for the overall winner of a new fantasy cycling site is a Ridley Damocles Davitimon - Lotto Frameset . I know what you 're thinking ... " I don't have time to follow up on a fantasy cycling team " But this one is easy . I ' ve done fantasy cycling leagues before , and where as they are fun , they can also be time consuming . This new site only takes about 5 minutes , just log in , create a team name , pick 9 dudes and yer done ! Best part is ... it 's FREE ! This league is obviously for the Td F , so you only have 1 more day to sign up . So sign up and let me know what your team name is ...5 count will keep tabs on all the teams that are " owned " by 5 count viewers and we can see who of us really knows our pro cycling . If there is enough interest and enough people sign up in time ...5 count will even sponsor a prize for the overall winner . Editors note : in order to qualify for prize , 5 count must recieve an email or a comment post letting us know your team name by July 2 nd , 2006 Click here to start your fantasy team for the Td F . 
My Deland Race Report ... I havn't really writted any race reports lately so I figure I ' d ease myself back into it with a quick little post about last weekends Deland Omnium . Saturday 's Ford Road Race There had been enough rain to fill all the pot holes with water and bring the humidity level up to about 157 % . My race was scheduled for 8 laps of a 7 mile loop . Unfortunately , I would only see about 18 of the 56 mile road race . For some reason the promoter thought it would be a good idea to cram both the Cat .3 and Cat .4 fields into the same race . So with the " yellow - line rule in effect " , it was next to impossible to move up in the field or see anything in the road . On the first trip around the 7 - mile course somebody went straight into the biggest pot - hole ever and broke his stem . He didn't go down , but his race was certainly over . In the laps that followed , the field became pretty nervous as we approached the area that the pot - holes were in ... and on the third lap that nervousness resulted in a crash right in the middle of the field . I tried to go around , but others began to go down right in front of me . These crashes always happen so quick and the next thing I know I ' m sliding on my head and left shoulder through the palmatto brush that laid next to the road . Luckily for me there was a nice little palm tree that stopped my forward motion . Aside from getting the wind knocked out of me and a collection of little scratches , both myself and my bike would live to race another day . Sunday 's Deland Circut Race I abstained from the time trial on saturday afternoon . I ' d like to say that I was too shaken up from the crash to compete , but while that may have had a little to do with it , I really didn't have much intention of doing the TT in the first place ( something about seeing my name last on the result sheet just seemed depressing ) . So I ventured back to Deland on Sunday after a restful stay at my folks house in Orlando . The rain was off and on all day which created some slick corners , but fortunately the rain stayed mostly off during our Cat .4 race . I uncharacteristically covered a couple of early breaks at the urging of my teamate which made me feel like a team - player , albeit a tired team - player . Overall I felt good and stayed close to the front . I was able to go where I needed to go and didn't have any problems following attacks . As the race started biulding to it 's climactical finish I knew that I wasn't going to have the legs needed to sprint with the favorites , so instead , I launched myself off the front of the field as we crossed the start / finsh line with one lap to go . I knew the 1.2 mile course was going to be too long for me to stay away , but my intention was to be more of a catalyst for a nice fast last lap , thus giving my teamates a smoother finish as opposed to the entire field trying to squeeze through the last wet corner before opening up into a kamakazi - like sprint . Maybe deep down , after saturday 's crash , I didn't really want to be in the field for the last wet corner , and blowing myself up before the sprint seemed like a better alternative ? Anyway , I did indeed blow up after only a quarter mile at 30 + mph . Once caught , I dangled just off the back of the field for the remainder of the last lap and rolled through the finish line healthy , happy and in one piece . My team " leader " took a top - ten finish and was happy with the way we rode as a team ... so in the end I felt like the race was a success for me . 
A Sitcom break ... The following videos are a new pilot called , " Nobody 's Watching " produced for the WB by the writers of Scrubs and Family Guy . It 's a very different view of the sitcom world and how it 's been affected by the reality show generation . Check it out , and remember ... if this show takes off , you heard it here first . ( unless you saw it on You Tube first . there are three ( 3 ) 9 + minute clips , which together , make one cohesive television show . 
Local GCC ' er makes the Sun ... For those of you who missed the Gainesville Sun article about Brian Hetz and his two gold medals at the 20 th annual National Veterans Golden Age Games in Hampton , Va. , here it is . It 's always good to see the local cyclists do good ! photo by : JOSHUA L . HALLEY / Special to The Sun . 
The Real American " Tour team " ... We all know that the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team is the only American registered Pro Tour team . And as a result , a large majority of American cycling fans view Team Discovery as " their " home team and support them as such . I admit it , I follow Discovery as much as any team out there , I pay attetion to their results , I know about all their team members and I read the Paceline . com daily . But I ' m not sure that Discovery is really the only home team in the Pro Tour . I think Team CSC offers just as much American representation in European cycling as Discovery , if not more . Yes , CSC is registered as a Danish team and coached by a Danish Director Sportif , but Discovery is coached by a Belgian , not an American ( Ed . note : we think Johan Bruyneel is one of the best directors ever ) . Yes , the Discovery Channel is an American company based in America , but so is CSC ( Computer Sciences Corp ) . Let 's look at the biggest event on the Pro Tour calendar , the Tour De France . The American registered Discovery Team is sending a strong group to contest the overall in France . Of those nine strong riders , only one hails from the good ole US of A . Compare this to the 7 Americans on the 1999 Tour de France squad that saw the then U.S. Postal Service team on the top step of the podium in Paris . CSC has 3 Americans named to their Td F squad this year . Team CSCCarlos Sastre - ESPFr nk Schleck - LUXGiovanni Lombardi - ITADavid Zabriskie - USAChristian Vandevelde - USABobby Julich - USAStuart O ' Grady - AUSJens Voigt - GERIvan Basso - ITATeam Discovery Jose Azevedo - PORViatchslev " Eki " Ekimov - RUSGeorge Hincapie - USAEgoi Martinez - ESPBenjamin Noval - ESPPavel Padrnos - CZEYaroslav Popovych - UKRChechu Rubiera - ESPPaolo Savoldelli - ITAIf you look at the Discovery / Postal teams over the past 8 years , the number of Americans going to the Td F have gotten fewer and fewer : 1999 - 72000 - 52001 - 42002 - 32003 - 32004 - 32005 - 22006 - 1 Granted , the Postal / Discovery organization has been the launch pad for several American cyclists who have since moved on to become members of other European cycling teams such as Floyd , Levi , Tyler , Vandevelde , Kevin Livingston and Jonathan Vaughters , thus decreasing our American numbers . But if CSC ( who is the odds on favorite to win this years Td F ) is able to field a team that is 33 % American , why wouldn't Team Discovery be able to do the same ? Even if we look at domestic races , I didn't see any Discovery riders in Philly for the Commerce Bank Triple Crown ... but CSC was there . I ' m still going to be following and even cheering for the Disco boys this July , regardless if the team leader is Hincapie , Acevedo or Popovych . But I ' m also going to start viewing CSC as my home team as well ! Related TRIVIAAs mentioned , The Postal Service Team sent 7 Americans to the 1999 Td F . They were : Lance Armstrong Frankie Andreu Tyler Hamilton George Hincapie Kevin Livingston Christian Vandevelde Jonathan Vaughters So who were the other two roster spots filled by , and what country were they from ? 
Myths . Myths The name of the story is friendship touch . One day at school , Andrew was doing homework and was a smart boy . Dillion was sitting beside him . dillion asked Andrew how to do the homework and Andrew teached Dillion how to do it . Later Lachhya snatch both Andrew and Dillion 's blog . Then they started fighting and Qian hui tried to stop them but can't stop them and told the friendship god Elissa touch Andrew , Dillion and Lachhya become friend again . 
An Yt Hi Ng . Hi Mrs Tan , My favourite bands are greenday , simple plan , click five and back street boys . I like the bands because the songs rocks . I like the bands since i was primary 2 . I wish to meet them one time . I got Cd 's of all their bands . All the bands rocks me . From Lachhya , . 
Simple Plan - Welcome To My Life . Simple Plan - Welcome To My Life View on Grouper . com Add to Blogger Blogthis song is so good ...... It is about life .. Ro Ck On Gu Ys Add a video comment to this video . 
Greenday - Boulevard of Broken Dreams . Greenday - Boulevard of Broken Dreams View on Grouper . com Add to Blogger Bloghi guyz this is my favourite singers Add a video comment to this video . 
Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends . Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends View on Grouper . com Add to Blogger Blogtii S i Ss H ma H fa VOUr Ii Te s Ongx ... y Ea Hr Aw K o N g Ree N da E ... e UU ra Wk si OL ! Add a video comment to this video . 
Ho W i Fe El Ab Ou T m Y Ex Am X ?? Dear Mrs Tan , I felt very sad about my results and now i must pay attention in class . I must also try my best to achieve in my studies . I must not talk in class when you are teaching us in class . I will study hard during the school hohidays and not play too much . I will also improve my handwriting . I will also obey you and my parents . From Lachhya . 
KAIXIANG MYTH . Once upon a time , there was a farmer named kai he was the son of God David but kai don't now because a God named John disliked God David so he faint his son when he was about five years and banish to earth . Now kai was living in earth peacefully with his foster parent which was a farmer . When kai was twenty years old he leared how to fight and became a eudcation man . After another ten years God David found his son and told him the truth but he can't accept , he cannot accept the changed because he love his foster parent deeply so he decided to kill God John . After the killing he felt better and God David wecome kai back to their home . THE END ! 
maths home work . 1.1 ) 265 children took part in an art competition . 1 / 2 of the girls and 3 / 7 of the boys wore watches . Altogether , there were 122 children wearing watches . How many boys wore watches on that day ? ans = 63.2 ) 170 children went for Math Trail . 1 / 3 of the girls and 2 / 7 of the boys brought calculators . Altogether , there were 50 children who brought calculators . How many boys brought calculators that day ans = 40 3 ) 281 adults went to a museum . 1 / 4 of the men and 3 / 13 of the women wore slippers and were denied entry . Altogether 66 adults were denied entry to the museum ( because they wore slippers ) . How many women did not wear slippers ? ans = 153 . 
ALL ABOUT CLONE . I feel that cloning is impossible because people has ever clone a human before . If a sciencetist clone a human and it is bad , the world we be mess by those ' ' bad people . " Still now ' ' people " have not clone yet . Only god can create people ilke adame and elf . 
Gulliver Travel . If I am a liliputian I will shoot hundred of arrow at him if he move . When he is hurgry I feed him . After that I will not feed him and let him die becaues there is not enough food for the people . 
MY DECEMBER HOLIDAY . During the last December holiday I had a wonderful time . My brother and I went to a childcare center to study and play . My younger sister stays at home instead to study with my mother . At one of December my parent brought us to Malaysia for a holiday . The first day we stayed at my aunt house and the next day we went to Penang for four days . It was a long trip and we made several stops at the rest points along the way . On the twenty - six of December we went to Genting Highland for two days . It was fun at the Indoor Theme Park with foods and games . On the second day we went to the Out Door Theme Park to play . After that we drove back home to singapore . 
50 FACTS THAT EVERY 1 SHOULD KNOW !!!! 1 The word " queue " is the only word in the English language that is still pronounced the same way when the last four letters are removed .2 Beetles taste like apples , wasps like pine nuts , and worms like fried bacon .3 Of all the words in the English language , the word ' set ' has the most definitions ! 4 What is called a " French kiss " in the English speaking world is known as an " English kiss " in France .5 " Almost " is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order .6 " Rhythm " is the longest English word without a vowel .7 In 1386 , a pig in France was executed by public hanging for the murder of a child 8 A cockroach can live several weeks with its head cut off ! 9 Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete .10 You can't kill yourself by holding your breath 11 There is a city called Rome on every continent .12 It 's against the law to have a pet dog in Iceland ! 13 Your heart beats over 100,000 times a day ! 14 Horatio Nelson , one of England 's most illustrious admirals was throughout his life , never able to find a cure for his sea - sickness .15 The skeleton of Jeremy Bentham is present at all important meetings of the University of London 16 Right handed people live , on average , nine years longer than left - handed people 17 Your ribs move about 5 million times a year , everytime you breathe ! 18 The elephant is the only mammal that can't jump ! 19 One quarter of the bones in your body , are in your feet ! 20 Like fingerprints , everyone 's tongue print is different ! 21 The first known transfusion of blood was performed as early as 1667 , when Jean - Baptiste , transfused two pints of blood from a sheep to a young man 22 Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails ! Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin ! 23 The present population of 5 billion plus people of the world is predicted to become 15 billion by 2080.24 Women blink nearly twice as much as men .25 Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian , and had only ONE testicle .26 Honey is the only food that does not spoil . Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs has been tasted by archaeologists and found edible .27 Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a " Friday the 13 th . " 28 Coca - Cola would be green if colouring weren t added to it .29 On average a hedgehog 's heart beats 300 times a minute .30 More people are killed each year from bees than from snakes .31 The average lead pencil will draw a line 35 miles long or write approximately 50,000 English words .32 More people are allergic to cow 's milk than any other food .33 Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand .34 The placement of a donkey 's eyes in its ' heads enables it to see all four feet at all times ! 35 The six official languages of the United Nations are : English , French , Arabic , Chinese , Russian and Spanish .36 Earth is the only planet not named after a god .37 It 's against the law to burp , or sneeze in a church in Nebraska , USA .38 You 're born with 300 bones , but by the time you become an adult , you only have 206.39 Some worms will eat themselves if they can't find any food ! 40 Dolphins sleep with one eye open ! 41 It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open 42 The worlds oldest piece of chewing gum is 9000 years old ! 43 The longest recorded flight of a chicken is 13 seconds 44 Queen Elizabeth I regarded herself as a paragon of cleanliness . She declared that she bathed once every three months , whether she needed it or not .45 Slugs have 4 noses .46 Owls are the only birds who can see the colour blue .47 A man named Charles Osborne had the hiccups for 69 years ! 48 A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21 - inch tongue ! 49 The average person laughs 10 times a day ! 50 An ostrich 's eye is bigger than its brain . 
Lessons in Logic . If your father is a poor man , it is your fate but , if your father - in - law is a poor man , it 's your stupidity .......................................................................... I was born intelligent - education ruined me .......................................................................... Practice makes perfect ..... But nobody 's perfect ...... so why practice ? ......................................................................... If it 's true that we are here to help others , then what exactly are the others here for ? ......................................................................... Since light travels faster than sound , people appear bright until you hear them speak .......................................................................... How come " abbreviated " is such a long word ? ......................................................................... Money is not everything . There 's Mastercard Thank God we can choose our friends .......................................................................... The more you learn , the more you know , The more you know , the more you forget The more you forget , the less you know So .. why learn .......................................................................... A bus station is where a bus stops . A train station is where a train stops . On my desk , I have a work station .... what more can I say ........ 
~ * ~ Type Of Girls ~ * ~ HARD DISK GIRLS : she remembers everything , FOREVERRAM GIRLS : she forget about you , the moment turn her off WINDOW GIRLS : everyone know that she can't do a thing right , but no one can live without her . SCREENSAVER GIRLS : She is good for nothing but at least she is fun . INTERNET GIRLS : Difficult to access . SERVER GIRLS : Always busy when you need her . MULTIMEDIA GIRLS : She make horrible thing look beautiful . CD - ROM GIRLS : She is always faster and faster . EMAIL GIRLS : Every ten things she says , eight are nonsense . VIRUS GIRLS : Also known as " wife " when you are not expecting her , she comes , install herself and uses all your resources . If you try to uninstall her you will lose something , if don't try you uninstall her you willlose everything . 
Three things that are truly constant . Three things in life that , once gone , never come back - 1 . TIME 2 . Words 3 . Opportunity Three things in life that may never be lost - 1 . Peace 2 . Hope 3 . Honesty Three things in life that are most valuable - 1 . Love 2 . Self - confidence 3 . Friends Three things that make a person - 1 . Hard work 2 . Sincerity 3 . Commitment Three things in life that can destroy a person - 1 . Alcohol / Drugs 2 . Pride 3 . Anger Three things that are truly constant - 1 . Father - 2 . Son - 3 . Wife . 
Partial Earth !!! If he is late for class , he told , " Time and Tide wait for none " . If she is late , then the bus was late . If a girl is dressed as a boy , she is modern , says the world . But if a boy is dressed as a girl , " Has he escaped from the Zoo ? " If a boy talks with a girl , " I think he is trying for her " But if a girl talks with a boy , then she is trying to be friendly . When a girl cries , the world is convinced of her But when a boy cries , " Come on man ! Don't be a girl " . If a girl meets with an accident , then it 's the mistake of others . And if a boy meets with an accident , " I think you should learn to drive " . If a boy sits in front of a city bus , he is mannerless and cultureless brute . But if a girl sits in the back seat , " Try to respect ladies , man ! " . If a boy gets a big rank in an entrance exam , " You ' ve to work hard " . But if a girl gets a big rank , ... still got 33 ! Reservation . If there are girls in a class , the professor gives an interesting lecture , And if there are no girls , he says , there is no class today . If a girl does not answer during a viva , then atleast ' smile ' says the examiner . But when a boy does not answer , " better luck next time " . 
* Belive it or not .......1 . Guys don't actually look after good - looking girls . they prefer neatand presentable girls .2 . Guys hate flirts .3 . When a guy says he doesn't understand you , it simply means you ' renot thinking the way he is .4 . Guys may be flirting around all day but before they go to sleep , they always think about the girl they truly care about .5 . When a guy really likes you , he ' ll disregard all your bad characteristics .6 . Guys go crazy over a girl 's smile .7 . Guys will do anything just to get the girl 's attention .8 . When you touch a guy 's heart , there 's no turning back .9 . When a girl says " no " , a guy hears it as " try again tomorrow " .... so true .10 . You have to tell a guy what you really want before he gets themessage clearly .11 . Guys love their moms .12 . A guy would sacrifice his money for lunch just to get you a couple of roses .13 . A guy often thinks about the girl who likes him . But this doesn ' tmean that the guy likes her .14 . You can never understand him unless you listen to him .15 . If a guy tells you he loves you once in a lifetime . He does .16 . Beware . Guys can make gossips scatter through half of the face ofthe earth faster than girls can .17 . Like Eve , girls are guys ' weaknesses .18 . Guys are very open about themselves .19 . It 's good to test a guy first before you believe him . But don ' tlet him wait that long .20 . Guys hate it when their clothes get dirty . Even a small dot .21 . Guys really admire girls that they like even if they 're not thatmuch pretty .22 . If a guy tells you about his problems , he just needs someone tolisten to him . You don't need to give advice .. very true .23 . A usual act that proves that the guy likes you is when he teases you .24 . Guys keep secrets that girls tell them .25 . Guys think too much .26 . Guys fantasies are unlimited .27 . Girls ' height doesn't really matter to a guy but her weight does ! ... very true .28 . Guys tend to get serious with their relationship and become toopossessive . So watch out girls !!! 29 . Guys are more talkative than girls are especially when the topicis about girls .30 . You can truly say that a guy has good intentions if you see himpraying sometimes .31 . If a guy says you 're beautiful , that guy likes you .32 . Guys hate girls who overreact .33 . Guys love you more than you love them IF they are serious in your relationships . Doesn't this all make sense ? THIS IS FOR ALL THE GIRLS SO THAT THEY CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND GUYS AND FOR GUYS TO LET THEM KNOW THEMSELVES MORE . 
ISRAEL - POPULATION : 7 million ( less than half of Mumbai ) SIZE : Less than that of Kerala ACT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST IT : 2 soldiers kidnapped by Hezbolla , 1 by Hamas RETALIATORY ACTION : war on Lebanon and Gaza , 200 rockets fired the nextday . INDIA - POPULATION : 1 billion + SIZE : 6 th largest in the world ACT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST IT : 200 + dead in Mumbai blast , 8 in Kashmir RETALIATORY ACTION : a soft speech by PM , Salute to mumbai people , cleanchit for SIMI by UP CM . So r ' nt u proud 2 b an " INDIAN " . 
Love SMS Let love be the guide to your dreams , let love be the light to your heart , let your love be the reason why somebody else 's heart still continues to beat . You put the fun in together , The sad in apart , The hope in tomorrow , The joy in my heart . If I could give u one thing in life , I would give u the ability to see yourself through my eyes , only then would u realise how special u r to me ! I looked at a sweet , beautiful rose , and then I looked at you , and I kept looking at you , for the rose isn't as beautiful as you . 2 Never waste an opportunity 2 say ' I love U ' to someone u really like , coz it is not everyday u ' ll meet the person who has the magic to let u fall in love . If I were to describe true luv then I would describe it as what a snowman did to a snowwoman : He gave her warm hug n they both melted in each other s arms . Hearts could only luv 4 a while u can put many relations in a file , u can make a desert from the Nile , but u can t stop my smile when I c ur name on my phone . What s missing in H __ RT ? EA or U ? Pick EA you ll get a heart ! If u pick U , you ll get hurt ! I ' d pick U coz it 's better to get hurt than hv a heart without U Don t rush in love for it never runs out . Let love be the one to knock at your door , so by the time you start to fall , you know that your feeling is for sure . ' I Trust You ' is a better compliment than ' I Love You ' because you may not always trust the person you love but you can always love the person you trust . Love is not measured by how many times you touch each other but by how many times you reach each other . - Cathy Morancy The one thing we can never get enough of is love . And the one thing we never give enough is love . - Henry Miller Love many things , for therein lies the true strength , and whosoever loves much performs much , and can accomplish much , and what is done in love is done well . - Vincent van Gogh Love is the emblem of eternity ; it confounds all notions of time ; effaces all memory of beginning , all fear of an end . - Madame de Stael If you truly love someone , then the only thing you want for them is to be happy .... even if its not with you . - Lauren L I have no regrets . I will never regret loving someone because the feeling of love for five minutes is greater than an eternity of hurt . - Kurt Langner Expect the people you love to be better . It helps them to become better . But don't get upset when they fail . It helps them keep trying . - Anonymous The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves , and not to twist them to fit our own image . Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them . - Thomas Merton When you feel cold and warm at the same time , when you read over the same line for the tenth time , when your heart and thoughts somehow appear to rhyme , and when a simple name conquers your whole mind , then you are in deep trouble my friend ... you are in what they call , " love " . - Philippos Aristotelous Many a man in love with a dimple makes the mistake of marrying the whole girl . - Stephen B . Leacock . 
Friendship So Special ..... We have a friendship that 's really quite new , And , yet , I find it has become very special too . Bonding that has so quickly occurred with you Tells me this is that rare friendship so true . We have found a way for our thoughts to share , And a feeling that for each other we truly care . At times , when life seems more than we can bear We feel each others presence is always there . Our differences are many , taken day by day . For our ages we find it 's December and May . Years separate us , but , our hearts found a way , For our souls have connected , that I must say . This love we share really means a lot to me . So , I know that friends we will always be . It is a blessing from above you surely see . I know in my heart that with this you agree . I treasure the sweet thoughts you daily send . Whenever you need me my hand I will extend , And your troubles I will help you to mend , For this is a friendship I know will never end . Yes , we will be friends , I know , forever more . Together , as friends , our souls will truly soar . A friendship like ours , not known before , Occurs as to our hearts we opened the door . With a friendship like ours , you must hear , Because of this computer , we are always near . For our friendship is special , that is so clear . You have a place in my heart forever my dear . A friend is someonewho never seems too busyto lend an ear or doa thoughtful deed ... to give advice , to help you solvea problem , or speak the wordsof caring that you need .... A friend is someonewho never seems too settled or complacentto understand whenchanges come along ... but accepts you , strengths and weaknesses together , whether you are rightor you are wrong . A friend is someonewho knows you as you are , yet sees within youall that you can do or be someday ..... who inspires and encouragesyour effortswith praise for every stepalong the way . A friend is someone who 's therein good and bad times ... whether your paths run closeor far apart . A friend is always there in mind and spirit ... and most of all , a friend is there in heart . The Kind Of Friend ..... I ' d like to be the kind of friendthat you have been to me I ' d like to be the help that you ' ve been always glad to be I ' d like to mean as much to youeach minute of the day As you have meant , old friend of mine , to me along the way . I ' d like to do the big thingsand the splendid things for you , To brush the grey from out your skies and leave them only blue I ' d like to say the kindly things that I so oft have heard , And feel that I could rouse your soulthe way that mine you ' ve stirred . I ' d like to give you back the joythat you have given me , Yet that were wishing you a need I hope will never be I ' d like to make you feelas rich as I , who travel on Undaunted in the darkest hourswith you to lean upon . I ' m wishing at this blessed timethat I could but repay A portion of the gladness thatyou ' ve strewn along my way ; And could I have one wish this year , this only would it be : I ' d like to be the sort of friendthat you have been to me . 
Love is the essence of evolution because hate and violence that follow in its wake can put a stop to the very process of evolution . Love is the essence of religion too , for it is religion ( not organised religion ) that teaches ethics and compassion . The story goes that once the Devil and his close friend went for a walk . The devil picked up something from the ground and put it in his pocket . When he was asked by his friend what he had picked up , he said : " I have picked up the Truth " . The friend said : " If you picked up the Truth , then your time is up because Truth is the opposite of what you symbolise " . The devil smiled and said , " Don't worry my friend , I will organise it " . You know what I mean ? Of course , organisation is necessary but we should see that the core is not corroded by the trappings . The evolved human being is not judged by the number of cars he owns or his bank balance . He is judged by his capacity to understand and love ; by his compassionate nature and strong desire for peace all hallmarks of an evolved being . The ancient Vedic prayer Sarve Bhavantu Sukhina says , " May the whole world be happy " . Clearly , love is the essence of life . Love is a many - splendoured entity . Physical love or spiritual love has the same source , although it manifests at different degrees . Love and compassion are pure unadulterated love , that give out of its fullness , and is the essence of all religion . The compassion and love of all humanity of the Buddha is well - known . Love is the parent of ahimsa or non - violence . It is love that shares , cares and gives . It is the foundation of dharma . The Sufis call love mohabbat . Love which is slowly sublimated is divine love . The sufi mystic Jalaluddin Rumi 's poetry of love , The Maznavi , reflects this mohabbat . In fact , the Qur ' an starts by saying ' Bismillah - ir - Rehman - ir - Rahim ' which means " In the name of God , the Compassionate " . Compassion is the highest manifestation of love . When the great Teacher of Galilee , Jesus Christ , was crucified , it is said that Peter the Apostle reached for the sword , only to be reprimanded by his master " Put down thy sword , Peter , for he who raises the sword shall perish by it " . In the Gita , Krishna says to Arjuna , " The first and foremost qualification of a religious person is Sarva bhuta hite ratah he should have love and concern for all living beings in the universe " . Sowing the seeds of love in our hearts is the only solution to the problems of the world . Great literature , sublime poetry , exquisite works of art have all been inspired by love and compassion . It is unselfish love for humanity which is the culmination and the highest point to which love can soar to . When that happens , one lives for the good of others . The highest evolutionary attainment is the experience of love for all human beings . And if we claim to be religious and neglect this aspect we are religious only in name . Ramakrishna Paramahamsa felt so much love and compassion for others that he would experience excruciating pain whenever he felt another 's sorrow . To love and serve those in sorrow and pain , he declared , was the best way to serve God . Change should begin with the individual . Once we sow the seeds of love in our hearts , they will sprout and yield the fruits of compassion not only for the individual concerned , but for all . 
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing . If we value independence , if we are disturbed by the growing conformity of knowledge , of values , of attitudes , which our present system induces , then we may wish to set up conditions of learning which make for uniqueness , for self - direction , and for self - initiated learning . Work is either fun or drudgery . It depends on your attitude . I like fun . To put the world right in order , we must first put the nation in order ; to put the nation in order , we must first put the family in order ; to put the family in order , we must first cultivate our personal life ; we must first set our hearts right . Nothing is easier than self - deceit . For what each man wishes , that he also believes to be true . For everything there is a season , And a time for every matter under heaven : A time to be born , and a time to die ; A time to plant , and a time to pluck up what is planted ; A time to kill , and a time to heal ; A time to break down , and a time to build up ; A time to weep , and a time to laugh ; A time to mourn , and a time to dance ; A time to throw away stones , and a time to gather stones together ; A time to embrace , And a time to refrain from embracing ; A time to seek , and a time to lose ; A time to keep , and a time to throw away ; A time to tear , and a time to sew ; A time to keep silence , and a time to speak ; A time to love , and a time to hate , A time for war , and a time for peace . 
Friendship So Special ..... We have a friendship that 's really quite new , And , yet , I find it has become very special too . Bonding that has so quickly occurred with you Tells me this is that rare friendship so true . We have found a way for our thoughts to share , And a feeling that for each other we truly care . At times , when life seems more than we can bear We feel each others presence is always there . Our differences are many , taken day by day . For our ages we find it 's December and May . Years separate us , but , our hearts found a way , For our souls have connected , that I must say . This love we share really means a lot to me . So , I know that friends we will always be . It is a blessing from above you surely see . I know in my heart that with this you agree . I treasure the sweet thoughts you daily send . Whenever you need me my hand I will extend , And your troubles I will help you to mend , For this is a friendship I know will never end . Yes , we will be friends , I know , forever more . Together , as friends , our souls will truly soar . A friendship like ours , not known before , Occurs as to our hearts we opened the door . With a friendship like ours , you must hear , Because of this computer , we are always near . For our friendship is special , that is so clear . You have a place in my heart forever my dear . 
CROC ON A ROCK . Wait a minute , I am not close I am 20 feet away in a boat . this is 400 mm lens . pretty safe distance . And I was not relaxed . I am not all that crazy to say Hi to him and ask for a portrait session . My mouth is shut and the camera in a silent mode . He kept his mouth open , he looked like he is in meditation . Sometimes I stand up in the boat . This time I was firmly sitting . DON ' T ROCK THE BOAT . Boat man Lokesh and I were talking in sign language . He said don't stand up . so I no stand up Sirnot a good idea . Waited there for ten minutes no action . I took out a packet of banana chips and biscuits . what a dumb and ghastly idea . Boatman lokesh quickly rowed away What ignorance ! How little I know . He said the smell will attract the croc . We moved away and had a party in the boat . Sweet chap he is . His attitude was so cool . He did not insult me for my ignorance . Ah ! then I saw some movement . see how the croc is quietly slipping in to water . He disappeared in less than a couple of seconds and we quickly rowed away . I kept looking but I am not trained to look for crocks in water . This is a different chapee I think . slowly quietly creeping up the rock full of painted stork chicks . I got excited , Ii was expecting some action WHAT ? No action ? no one is even looking at him , all the birds are relaxed . One chapee is going on a stroll . Very strange . I thought they all would fly away . Perhaps they have learnt to live in harmony . Harmony with a crocodile ? Well ! every thing is possiblewhy not ? Well ! he managed to draw one bird 's attention ! Tough looking chapee you are ! look at his skin ! WOW . I appreciate I really appreciate your skin buddy . Can you fly ? Daylight Again . 
ROAD TO SILENT VALLEY . This is the way to Silent Valley . The picture above and the last two pictures were taken the previous evening . I am posting Silent Valley pictures in Daylight Again Please click on the pictures for a full screen view This is how you reach Silent Valley Coimbatore - Palakkad - Mannarkad - Mukkali There is another way Coimbatore - Anakatti - Aghali - Mukkali I took the second route on my way up Both the roads are beautiful and are in good condition , but there are too many speed breakers and there is no mark or any warning . This may break your car if you are not careful . I took an early morning train from Chennai , had lunch with Suresh , took a bus to Anakatti . Had to change as Anakatti is the Tamil Nadu border . Had to cross the border on foot to take a Kerala Bus . It was drizzling . Suddenly it started pouring in buckets , no umbrella , had to rush and take shelter . It was a tin shed tiny shop run by a lady who asked me to come inside as the rain was still falling on me , saw a man sitting inside having tea , which happend to be the shop keeper lady 's residence also , just a tin shed . I was shivering with cold . tried to dry my hair with a towel . I asked the lady if I can have a cup of tea . the man said this is not a tea shop . The lady darted inside and popped her head out and asked , no milk black tea ok ? I said splendid . The man said I ' d have to wait for a couple of hours for the bus . they lady brought a glass of hot steaming tea . It was a life saver . Just as I took a couple of sips , saw the bus coming . I panicked . Can't afford to miss the bus , discard the life saving tea , insult and hurt the lady who gave me shelter treated me as her guest and refused to accept money for the tea , and board the bus . In kerala you are not even sure if the next bus would come , more over another couple of hours wait in the pouring rain . I decided to miss the bus and enjoy the hospitality , Sat down comfortably , dried my hair taking small sips and enjoyed black tea peacefully . Same thing happened in Plachimada a couple of weeks ago , there in the tea shop I was just a coustomer , I discared the tea and decided to grab the bus , but here I was a guest . It turned out to be a good decision , next bus came after a very long wait of more than an hour , Folded my hands , offered nameste ' to the lady , She grabbed my bag and helped me into the bus which was not very crowded . By that time the rain stopped . got a window seat and the sky was just more than my eyes could take , it was at its full glory , sun popping out and the sun rays falling out of the clouds like a waterfall . I was sitting right above the wheel and the bus was tossing me up , half the time I was suspended in air and I was clicking pictures of the sky through the bus window . But I did not take my eyes off the sky . Next day it was very misty , took a ride with my friend Sherji to Silent valley . I knew that I chose a wong time , the whole area was covered with mist . I was not disappointed that I could not see much of Silent Valley , but the road was just too romantic for me , perhaps I may not get this misty atmosphere again , decided to make the best of it . Couple of more stories to come , a unique Church experience , I ' ll post them in a few days . Please see what ever Silent valley forest pictures I could get in the misty atmosphere in Daylight again . Daylight Again . 
GOING AWAY . Hi my dear friends Going again , leaving in another couple of hours , silent Valley this time , I ' ll be back on 29 th and reply to all the mail and comments . I think of you all the time Love you all Daylight Again . 
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL . Hi ! Pleased to make your acquaintance sir ! I am weird but not that weird to extend my hand of friendship . Please don't think I was this close . I was in a boat , sitting not standing like always and at a pretty safe distance . I waited for some action . I am just a skeleton , it was not interested in me . I mean I waited for it to move , turn its head or something , waited for five minutes , no movement , not even a wink . Just as we turned , I heard a splash , My eyes were fixed on my boatman Murugan , he did not panic so I did not panic . I couldn't see where it was going , had to turn 180 to see . It was moving away . They swim very fast , they can float , stay on water motionless , strange for its bulk . If any guru or a swamiji claims to walk on water he must be a crocodile 's son . these pictures were taken at two different times , on my next visit , my boatman was Lokesh , my friend . He said there 's plenty of fish , they get good food and they don't bother any one . No cases of any attack on humans . I was reading some book where the guy shoots a crocodile , no harm the bullet doesn't peneterate , don't know if its true don't know how thick the skin is . This chap too was very lazy , hardly any movement . As I was clicking I heard the birds fight , posted in daylight again . Daylight Again Wake up Blog . 
A PORTRAIT SESSION . REGULAR . This is a regular portrait session , everything is under control . I take my time , relax and they co - operate . These are shot under artificial light , using a flash . controling the light is important , you have to make it like natural light , for me shadows are more important than the light . Shadows bring dimensions in a portrait . Here comes a portrait session with a difference in the post below , nothing is in my control , I am at their mercy . There is nothing much to write here , but there 's a lot to write in the post below . Please scroll down . Daylight Again Wake up blog . 
A PORTRAIT SESSION , UNUSUAL . Please click on the pictures for full screen view Hello there ! AAAAIYEEEE ! a guy with a camera ? looking like me ? Wowwee !! Can I take some portraits please ? Sure sure ! What do you want me to do tell me , I am ready Is this ok ? Don't you think its kind of a regular pose ? Its ok , stay still please don't move , would you stop swinging your legs please ? Sure , do I cross my legs and sit like a philosopher ? You people have those rare kind , here we are all philosophers . Is this ok ? No No , no philosopher pose , its ok but not enough light on your face . then Shall I ' ll give you a regular monkey pose ? You are indeed a philosopher my friend . How about this ? Take a picture of my tail , you see ? Its very long and I am very very proud of my tail , look at this ! Yea its very long wow ! yea I took a picture of your tail , Happy ? Please please . you are not paying attention would you please look here , Hey common Yea thats fine thank you , but still not enough light on your face , I can't see your eyes , I want to take your expressions . Huh ? Expressions ? What expressions ? Take my profile , Hey ! take my profile , is it good ? Sure sure very good thats good thats good , stay there , keep still please . not enough light on your face look up , would you please look up Look up ! Hey are you listening ? , I said Look up Wow thats better , Thank you , thats fine , thats very fine , good monkey you are EEEEEEEEEEEE How about this ? would you like some action shots ? no no no i can't be chasing you all over the forest , How about a few jumps ?? No No , no jumps just expressions , Still I can't see your eyes Yo Yo thats better shall I show you some tricks ? no tricks please just expressions I am a monkey and I want to show some tricks I said no tricks just expressions Cool ! yes thats my boy , I can see your eyes now , What ? no tricks ? I ' m not good ? Am I not handsome ? Wow what an expression ! Thank you , You ARE handsome my friend , Very very handsome Ayeee Am I handsome ? Sure you are ! Seriously ? Yes Seriously , Do I have a chance in the movies ? I can jump 30 feet y ' know ! I can do a lot of stunts . I am going to post your pictures on my blog , you may even have a fan club . Stay away from the movies , if you want to be happy , thank you so much my friend , I ' ll call you , You may have to sign some autographs , have a nice day This is nothing different from the usual portraits I take , but I am not at their mercy . In the forest there is nothing in my control , I am at their mercy , they have to be kind to pose for me . I am an intruder there . Daylight Again . 
ALLEPPY HOUSE BOATS . These are house boats in Alleppy , Kerala , Kashmir style . There are hotels in Alleppy , these house boats are just for tourists , locals don't live in them like kashmir . All of them are well furnished and clean , but very expensive , starting from 1500 to 5000 rupees or more per day . I can't even think of stepping into them . ( 30 to 100 dollars a day ) I sleep on Railway platforms or in cheap hotels , no more than rupess 200 a day . That too I keep bargaining . You get rooms to suit all pockets in Kerala , except for some places like Kumarakomwhere only rich can have a holiday . Yes , they can move about . I ' ll try to dig out some old pictures of Kashmir house boats which are furnished like palaces , with expensive carpets . Most of them are in slides . The one below is perhaps under maintainance , they are ususally well maintained . Daylight Again Wake up blog . 
CHIP NADU - PUTTU NADU - BANDH NADU . This is something new to me , Ragi Puttu . Had this for breakfast at my friend Mathew 's place near silent valley . He is an Ayurvedic doctor , I ' ll write about him and his research work in Ayurveda after seeking his permission , He ' d be too glad but still have to seek permission . I have not seen Ragi puttu anywhere else . Crush it with banana he said , but I preferred onion curry with it . It was really filling and very tasty . He told me how healthy ragi is and narrated its great virtues which I forgot the very instant . I ' ll get you details if you want . Plenty of fruits this season in Kerala . Other new item I had was a jack fruit Applam and jack fruit payasam at my friend Ramesh 's in law 's place in Angadipuram . Terrific it was . these are jack fruit chips , you get them everywhere , shops trains buses . I was munching very little actually . Can't have too much of it , have no money for doctors . I don't want to solve problems , I want to avoid problems . Can't take chances away from home , very tempting though . I did not buy any halwa here , bought the yellow one , just before I boarded the train back home , just one kilo for my nephew niece and sisters , Tempted to buy the red and the black one too , but the bag was getting too heavy for me to carry . All have different taste . All cooked in coconut oil See the arrow below ? I love this stuff , don't know what its called , its sweet , you get these things in Railway stations too . I buy a packet when I have no time to have a regular meal and rushing to grab a window seat . Now we come to banana chips . These are big banana chips . Other name for Kerala should be bandh nadu or chip nadu . Kerala is mostly Chips and Bandhs , Bandh is strike , Nothing works , Everything comes to a grinding halt , no activity , all roads deserted , and you ' d be stranded with no place to stay and nothing to eat . Lighting strikes . They just fall on you . I was caught on such wrong days five times already . They put boulders on the roads . no traffic . Some bandhs or strikes are announced a couple of days ahead , but most of them hit you un awares . This is a typical rural setting . This man says that chips fried in the cities or towns on gas stoves are no good . I believe him after tasting his chips , they were lot tastier than the ones I had before . Here he is frying the chips on a mud stove using firewood . He didn't take any money from me , unfortunately I couldn't buy the stuff from him as I had lot more places to cover , can't afford to carry the weight . The place is near Plachimada , its close to Tamil Nadu state border . the place was a great discovery for me . I took a beautiful train ride from there that I never knew about . Thanks e 2 dees for your tip . After tasting the very orrriginal chips , time to have some chaaya . Old lady was making tea for me here in this rural chaaya kadai . Just had a few sips and saw the bus coming You can afford to miss a bus in Tamil Nadu but not in Kerala . so had to abandon my tea , I was sitting next door here and enjoying my tea when the bus suddenly appeared . I ' ll write about the romantic train ride in my next post . Daylight Again Wake up blog . 
RUDALI . Well ! these are Rudalis What are Rudalis ? Don't know much , They are PROFESSIONAL MOURNERSProfessional mourners ? what kind of a profession is that ? Have you gone mad ? How do you know ? how do you know what ? that I have gone mad ? Seriously , these ladies are professional mourners , they always wear black . When some one dies in the family in Rajasthan , these ladies are hired to mourn . What is the nature of their job ? They have to sit and cry , they make a scene , crying out loud , beating the ground beating themselves ( they don't beat each other ) screaming and crying , I mean real crying they are professional tear shedders . They get the details of the dead person , his or her near and dear ones . ' o god why why why ? you have left behind your children your grandchildren you left behind your husband why why ? ' they cry beating themselves . Very dramatic . they are so good I am told , that seeing them crying loud and real , others who come for the funeral start crying and people who have been happy over the death like sons in law start crying too . this is not a joke , seriously . Don't know anything else about them . These are the first raindrops of last year in Wynad Kerala , I am leaving today chasing the rain , hoping to get myself soaked , have to attend a wedding in Gurvayur , Please see Daylight Again . After that I am free to chase the rain , No specific plans , I ' ll go where ever rain takes me I ' ll be back on 4 th June . love you all Daylight Again . 
Off to Gulf Shores Alabama . This weekend Gulf Shores , Alabama This weekend BROADSTONE makes their first ever appearance in Alabama . The band leaves Wednesday night around 7 pm to make the 12 hour plus trek to Gulf Shores . We are VERY excited for this chance to show our stuff to folks far from Carolina and see what reaction we get . You can bet that our camera will be taking LOTS of pictures and we ' ll have them on the website next week for sure . This event marks another chapter for BROADSTONE and it appears that more BIG news will be coming next week including a possible return to the Appalachian State campus as the defending I - AA National Champions take to the gridiron and our first appearance in a well known North Carolina venue that we have been working on for over 3 years !!! THAT ' S IT FOR NOWUNTIL NEXT TIME !!! 
Girls Night Out . Girls Night Out Two women friends had gone for a girl 's night out . Both were very faithful and loving wives , however they had gotten over - enthusiastic on Bacardi Breezers . Incredibly drunk and walking home , they needed to pee . So they decided to stop in a nearby cemetery . Having nothing to wipe with , one of them thought she would take off her panties and use them . Her friend however was wearing a rather expensive pair of panties and did not want to ruin them , but was lucky enough to squat down next to a grave that had a wreath with a ribbon on it , so she proceeded to wipe with that . After the girls did their business they proceded on home . The next day one of the women 's husbands was concerned that his normally sweet and innocent wife was still in bed hung over , so he phoned the other husband and said " These damn girl 's nights out have got to stop . I ' m starting to suspect the worst . My wife came home with no panties ! " " That 's nothing " said the other husband , " Mine came back with a card stuck between the crack of her butt that said " From all of us at the Fire Station . We ' ll never forget you . " . 
Angry husband uses backhoe to destroy wife s car . Angry husband uses backhoe to destroy wife s carpublished July 17 , 2006 1:09 pm Reader Feedback : Comment on this article | Register here A Clyde woman told deputies she had been out doing crack cocaine , and when she returned home Friday morning , her husband became upset and destroyed her car with a backhoe , according to a police report on file at the Haywood County Sheriff s Office . After a physical confrontation between the husband and wife , the wife left and met her father at a nearby overpass . Deputies arrived to talk to the woman who said her husband started yelling at her while she was lying in bed . He then went out and beat on her car with a backhoe before coming inside again . The argument became physical and the husband held the woman down by placing his knee on her neck , according to the sheriff s office report . The woman told deputies her husband would have scratches on his face from where she was defending herself . When deputies went to talk to the husband at the couple s house on Hyder Mountain Road , he said his wife had been gone for a couple of days smoking crack , the report said . The husband told deputies that his wife called him around midnight saying she was coming home , but didn t return until 7 a.m. He said he did get upset and destroy her car , and had warned her in the past that he would do so if she was out smoking crack again . The husband also told deputies that he held the woman down because she was trying to scratch him . Deputies noted in a report that the husband had scratches all over his face and neck . While speaking with the husband , the officers who stayed with the wife and her father at the overpass called 911 because the father started having chest pain . He was taken to Haywood Regional Medical Center , the report said . James Tyler Bryson , 36 , and Amanda Bryson , 29 , both of 2339 Hyder Mountain Road , were charged with domestic assault , the report said . 
Woman asks 911 to send ' cutie pie ' deputy . Woman asks 911 to send ' cutie pie ' deputy Fri Jul 14 , 9:08 AM ET ALOHA , Ore . - A woman who called 911 to get " the cutest cop I ' ve seen " sent back to her home got a date all right a court date . The same sheriff 's deputy arrested her on charges of misuse of the emergency dispatch system . Washington County Sheriff 'sSgt. David Thompson told KGW - TV of Portland it all started with a noise complaint called in last month by neighbors of Lorna Jeanne Dudash . The deputy sent to check on the complaint knocked on her door , then left . Thompson said Dudash then called 911 , asking that the " cutie pie " deputy return . " He 's the cutest cop I ' ve seen in a long time . I just want to know his name , " Dudash told the dispatcher . " Heck , it doesn't come very often a good man comes to your doorstep . " After listening to some more , followed by a bit of silence , the dispatcher asked again why Dudash needed the deputy to return . " Honey , I ' m just going to be honest with you , OK ? I just thought he was cute . I ' m 45 years old and I ' d just like to meet him again , but I don't know how to go about doing that without calling 911 , " she said . " I know this is absolutely not in any way , shape or form an emergency , but if you would give the officer my phone number and ask him to come back , would you mind ? " The deputy returned , verified that there was no emergency and arrested her for misusing the 911 system , an offense punishable by a fine of up to several thousand dollars and a year in jail . Thompson said Thursday it was the first case he knew of in which someone called the emergency line for such a personal reason . " That 's taking up valuable time from dispatchers who could be taking true emergency calls , " he said . 
Free Gas At Station Causes Frenzy . Free Gas At Station Causes Frenzy Pair Of Crashes , Fights , 4 Arrests Mark Gas Giveaway In Milwaukee MILWAUKEE , Wis . , July 12 , 2006 ( CBS / AP ) Two car crashes occurred and four people were arrested in excitement over a gasoline giveaway Wednesday to reward the city for its safe - driving record . For the most part , hundreds of drivers waited patiently for hours for about $ 30 worth of free gasoline each that Allstate Insurance provided at one station . The call to get free gasoline was heard throughout Milwaukee and hundreds lost sleep just to wait in line for their chance to fill up , reports CBS affiliate WJBT - TV . The queue stretched far from the station into a residential area , trapping some residents in their driveways , said police spokeswoman Anne E . Schwartz . That led to fights and arrests for disorderly conduct . In one case , three officers were sent to a hospital as a precaution because they were spattered with blood from someone 's bloodied nose , Schwartz said . The two crashes apparently occurred when queued - up motorists tried to let friends into line , Schwartz said . " Any time you offer free gas when it is $ 3 a gallon , it is not surprising people would get excited , " she said . Allstate gave away a tanker truck load of gasoline as a reward to Milwaukee for ranking No. 1 among mid - sized cities on its safe drivers list . The insurance company gave free gas to more than 700 motorists , said company official Bill Mellander . The giveaway lasted a couple of hours , Schwartz said . Clarence Jefferson said he thought he ' d be first in line when he got there at 4 a.m. , but found hundreds of others already ahead of him . Pumps were turned on at about 6 a.m. " It doesn't matter , " he said . " It helps . Every bit is worth it . " . 
Bagpipe Concert at the CMOC . Bagpipe Concert at the CMOC Originally uploaded by nelsontom . This afternoon we were treated to an impromptu concert by Lt Col Pat Carroll , who 's been visiting with us here at the CMOC . I reckon the mood just struck him , and he climbed into the ring and began to play . Next thing you know , he had an audience consisting of Marines , a Sailor , and interpreters , all struck by the haunting notes . Most moving for me was a medley consisting of " The Marine 's Hymn , " then a " Yankee Doodle " bridge right into " America The Beautiful " ( which , as you know , already has some history here at the CMOC ) . Good stuff , to say the least . More on Lt Col Carroll and his piping background here . Semper Fi ! Bagpipe Concert at the CMOC Originally uploaded by nelsontom . 
Pulp Fiction Fun . How apropos ... since we just got Hondo to watch the quintessential " bad mofo " flick Pulp Fiction the other day . Can you believe the man flies jets for a living but has never seen that movie ?? The Lion King ? 100 s of times . Full Metal Jacket ? never Once ( 3 days ago ) . He 's an enigma , that one . Anyway , take the quiz . They say I most resemble " The Wolf , " based on my answers . Which is cool , since he 's my favorite character and Harvey Keitel is a Marine . You are the king of smooth -- enough said . Take the What Pulp Fiction Character Are You ? quiz . 
More CMOC kids . This was a recent day in which the chaplain came out to the CMOC to hand out toys and school supplies donated by the great citizens of the United States . The children , seeing the boxes being brought out , began to rush over ... I was afraid they might mob poor " chaps , " so I asked them to get in a line ( ladies first , of course ! ) . The line would also ensure that big kids and little kids got equal shares . " Mistah , mistah , me go now ? Mistah , for da baybeee ! " Of course , the moment I walk away to attend to some other business , the kids make a mad dash for " chaps , " nearly bowling him over ! It was kind of comical to see , but all in good fun . One of the young boys couldn't make his way through the mayhem , so our great interpreter Ansam picked him up and waded in to the fray to ensure he was not left out . This is my friend Chris and a cute little boy who was also enthralled with seeing himself on the small digital screen ( see below for another one ) . Chris and his team had gone up to deliver school supplies ( again , donated by generous Americans ) to a little school in Saqlawiyah ( a small town north of Fallujah ) . The boy 's mother , a teacher at the school , was nearby watching . Chris had this to say : " I told her I had four sons , and I loved her little boy . Just as an American mother would speak in casual conversation she said , ' He 's too rotten . You can have him ! ' " Priceless ! 
Dust Storm in Western Iraq . I thought you all might like to see pics of the BIG dust storm that covered us up from late last night until the present . EVERYTHING is covered in a fine red dust , and I mean INSIDE as well as outside . I have to wipe off my computer every hour or so . The covers on my bed are turning red .... can't wait to snuggle up in there tonight ! Pictures ( these were all taken in and around the CMOC at about 1100 today , when the sun * should * be almost at its brightest ) : " Papa Top " and Samir the interpreter inside the CMOC . Notice the light , or lack thereof ( normally this passageway is flooded with sunlight ) . Papa Top is a Vietnam - era Marine ( with some broken time ) , lives in Tennessee , and is the captain of the USMC Reserve Rifle Team ( good guy to have around if you 're intendin ' on shootin ' somebody ) . Samir is an Egyptian doctor who took a break from doctorin ' in Egypt to do some ' terping for us . Here 's a shot of our rooftop from the " boxing ring " courtyard . Those stairs are how I get up to my post when the muj start misbehaving and we have to go to general quarters . Those small directional antennas are our phone and internet links ... they shoot to a bigger antenna back at Camp Fallujah . The other one is our VHF radio antenna , and is omni - directional . That 's THE SUN ( look closely near the center of the picture and you can see it ) . A view of our parking lot looking west . Those light towers used to light up a basketball court . Can you believe that ? I guess Bill Clinton 's " midnight basketball " youth engagement plan made it all the way to Fallujah This is looking north towards one of the security posts a couple hundred meters from our back door ( the small dark blotch near the center of the picture ) . I zoomed in a little so you could see the post . It was barely visible to the naked eye . Luckily , Mr. Ali Baba the muj hates the dust just as much as we do , and , for the most part , he stays home with his rifle and RPG at times like this . 
CMOC Kids . Here are some shots of the children out front this morning . The chaplain 's assistant came out today and we helped hand out shoes , coloring books , and stuffed animals . These kids are just so cute that it breaks your heart not to be able to do more for them . I hope that by the time they 're teenagers this country will be well on its way to being a Middle Eastern powerhouse . Cpl Toland of CMOC Guard hands out shoes . Don't let her smile fool you ... she 's tough , and takes no flak from the Iraqi females . This little girl looks like such an angel . After I took the shot below , I showed this little guy the image on the screen on my digital camera . He was just mesmerized by it , looking at the screen , pointing at himself , smiling , and looking back at the screen . His sister , not so much . She quickly tucked herself into the folds of mama 's burkha . 
3 ...2 ...1 ... Liftoff ! 3 ...2 ...1 ... Liftoff ! Originally uploaded by nelsontom . Let me tell you how excited we are here at the CMOC to have been able to watch the launch of the shuttle * Discovery * * LIVE * on TV !! The live feed from the tank camera was simply amazing ... and when the tank separated ...... I was simply spellbound ! To think that the last time a shuttle was in the air , 2 1 / 2 years ago , we were not in Iraq , most of us didn't know each other ... it 's just phenomenal to think about the changes in our lives and in our country . 
We obviously can't read . Chris and I enjoy a cigar inside the CMOC with Lt Col Dave Benhoff , MNF - W Historian , who is headed home on Friday . ( click on the picture if you can't read the sign at this resolution ) Click on " Comments " to leave one . 
PLP Meeting . Today I had a meeting with Engineer Hamed Hamad , one of those who have emerged recently as one of the true leaders of Fallujah . Hamed sits on the Fallujah Reconstruction Committee , the Fallujah City Council , and was elected to the Al - Anbar Provincial Council . That 's Hamed in the center of the picture . Hamed and his team do all the hard prep work for the Property Lease Program ( see below for more explanation of the PLP ) . That is , they actually assess the properties , collect documentation , and submit the completed claim packages to us . We then check the documentation , prepare the leases ( through CREST ) , and execute the leases and payments . I wanted to meet with Hamed and his fellas to ensure we were all on the same sheet of music for the upcoming PLP execution . Since Chris will be escorting Hamed 's team around the city , I asked him to sit in ( that 's Chris and his interpreter next to Hamed ) . We got some good work done , and agreed on a target date for completion of the program . We will be mission complete by 1 September , insh ' Allah . Click on " Comments " to leave one . 
In Response to a Comment ... In Response to a Comment ... Originally uploaded by nelsontom . " SSgt , USMC " asked to see more photos of the CMOC entrance , as he used to work here . Here is one taken on a typical day . You can see the literally hundreds of people who come for assistance . Not only does the CMOC guard force protect us , but they also protect all these people waiting in line . SSgt , email me at stingrayblog @ gmail . com and I might be able to send a few more to your usmc . mil account . Semper Fi ! 
Round 2 of the Property Lease Program in Fallujah . Here we are at the CMOC entrance during Round 2 of PLP . In case you can't tell , I ' m in awe of the Marines who run the entrance to the CMOC . There 's a Sgt in charge , and several other Marines , to include " our girls , " the female searchers , as well as some Iraqi Public Order Brigade soldiers . True professionals , all . The first female Iraqi of Round 2 signs for her payment from SSgt " Moneybags . " She was gracious enough to allow us to take her photo , which would not have been allowed in this city a year ago . ( see below post for description of the PLP ) . 
It 's Not * All * Bombs , Bullets , and Bad Guys . It 's Not * All * Bombs , Bullets , and Bad Guys Originally uploaded by nelsontom . This little fella wound up stuffing both his pants pockets , his shirtpocket , and his mouth with candy ! The girl was a little bit shy at first , but she eventually wound up getting in there for her own handful . 
Fallen Warrior . I know it has been almost exactly one month since I ' ve written and I apologize . Things have been quite busy here , lots of changes with 5 th CAG . First , I am sad to report that , shortly after my last message to you , a fellow Marine in the CAG was killed in action . Maj Ric Crocker 's death stunned us all , for he was truly a mountain of a man , one seemingly untouchable . http : // www . google . com / search ? hl = en q = Marine + Maj + Ricardo + Crocker As you will no doubt be able to tell from reading the news accounts and testimonials from those who knew him , Ric was selfless , dedicated , tactically proficient ... all those words and phrases we so often read about in books or learn about at OCS or TBS . Ric was all that and more . While I only knew him for a short time , I , like others , am better for having known him . To be honest , Ric 's death is part of the reason I haven't written . I ' ve been straightforward with you all up to this point , and I really struggled with whether or not I should write to you about what happened . I just didn't know how to explain all the feelings and loss we all feel still don't ... not to mention that I don't want any of you to worry any more than you already do . At any rate , we have dealt with it , had the memorial services , and are moving on . Not to be trite , but it 's what he would expect of us . 
Anybody recognize these guys ? Lt Col Oliver North visited us last week . He came into our office and used my desk to do a quick book - signing . This pic is of he & I in my office . Ollie is a great American ... proof - positive that if you believe in yourself you can rise above any adversity . Eighteen years ago , nobody in the Marine Corps wanted anything to do with him . These days , he is a celebrity everywhere he goes . To his credit , he stops and chats , sign autographs , and poses for photos with any Marine or Sailor who asks . As you can read in the post below , I also think he is one of the few war correspondents out here who " gets it . " His reporting during Operation Matador out west was superb . 
Thanks , Newsweek . UPDATE : Cox & Forkum and others have this to say . Well , it turns out that " Newsweek " got the story about US forces desecrating the Koran WRONG . How many people died as a result of this mistake ? How many people still believe this story to be true , and will direct their anger against the US ? After hearing of this story , how many Muslims went down to sign up with their local " muj recruiter ? " More importantly , how many more people will die as a direct or indirect result of this shoddy reporting " whoopsie ? " I wonder how much more it will take for people to realize that major news media get it WRONG sometimes ( or , much of the time , depending on your view ) . Whatever happened to good ol ' fashioned fact - checking ? How about vetting your sources ? Cartoonist Chris Muir , over at Day by Day , has this to say . 
Can this be for real ? A reporter from MSNBC is actually criticizing herself and colleagues for lack of coverage of Iraq . Congrats to MSNBC for allowing her to air her opinion . Maybe some other networks will take note . I would also add that the ONLY good news stories this week ... those telling how it really is ... are coming from Lt Col Oliver North of Fox News . Don't believe me ? Look here and here . 
Recent Sandstorm . I was able to snap this pic yesterday before it got too bad . This was just as the storm was rolling in ... before visibility got too bad . Shortly after I took this , vis dropped to about 50 - 75 meters . When it got dark , it reminded me of snow at night ... you know how falling snow seems to reflect what little light there is at night ? Seems to me it 's the same way in a sandstorm ( as long as there 's external light -- like from a streetlamp ) . In the morning , we had about 1 / 8 " of " accumulation " on sidewalks & stuff . And then it rained ! Good thing was , it was a fairly heavy rain , so most of the accumulation washed away and kept the dust down . 
Anyone for a swim ? I had seen this pool from the air , but had not been able to find it on theground . As we were walking to drop off laundry , I noticed apreviously - closed - and - locked gate that was ... OPEN ! Inside we found the pool and decided to go for a dip ... 
The boys are together again . Taken at Camp Baharia , Iraq ( east of Fallujah ) . We 're standing on top of Uday & Qusay Hussein 's disco . The whole compound used to be a playground for those evil men . The man - made lake in the background was dug out of the desert and deprived local fields of irrigation water so those animals could have a place to cruise in their jet skis . Click on " Comments " to leave one . 
Blue Mosue in Fallujah . The " Blue Mosque . " The " Blue Mosque " is a well - known structure throughtout the region , and , I daresay , the pride of the people of Fallujah . One can find postcards and pictures of this mosque as a in the 70 's as 80 's . Many residents feel it represents the heart of Fallujah , the " City of Mosques . " . 
You ' ve been ... Thunderstruck ! I just came down from the roof . I initially went up to see if I could see the outgoing artillery ( we could hear it in the COC here ... it sounds like too - close thunder ) . The arty battery is about 500 meters away . It was an incredible sight up there . The sun had just set , but there was still a glow on the horizon . A thunderstorm was brewing out to the west , with huge cumulus clouds and a little lightning . The wind had kicked up , driven by the front coming through , and there was sand swirling in the air . And then , every 15 or so seconds , BOOM ... the arty added its own voice to the coming storm . You could hear the telltale zooooom of the outgoing 96 - lb projectile , and you could see , for just a second or two , bits of powder burning on the back end of the round as it screamed towards its target . Seconds later , the muffled CRASH of the impact , far away . With the thunder , wind , and lightning , it was almost as if -- God , Mother Nature , the Earth , whoever -- were trying to add their fury to our battle . It was very surreal , and I was glad to be able to see that curious intersection of the potential wrath of man and nature . ( and also glad that I wasn't on the receiving end ! ) . 
This is a shot of " JDAM Palace . " Supposedly this whole compound belonged to Saddam 's brother - in - law . The palace was hit by 2 JDAMs ( 2000 lb bombs ) back in March 2003 . Obviously , it 's very sturdily constructed , as it 's still standing ! 
Awesome Flight Attendants . The New Orleans connection . These two Delta flight attendants are from New Orleans . Believe it or not , they were roommates in New Orleans 35 years ago , and came together once again for this flight . They took care of us from North Carolina to Kuwait . Note the decorations on the plane . Great people ! 
Reached Destination . Well , we have reached our destination in Iraq . I am currently at Camp Blue Diamond in Ar Ramadi , home away from home of the 1 st Marine Division . The compound we 're staying on used to belong to one of Saddam 's brother - in - laws . It 's actually quite scenic , as it is situated on the Euphrates River . There is a former palace and several other large impressive stone structures , as well as smaller buildings which I assume served as quarters for servants , groundskeepers , etc. More to follow ... 
RE - POST : FRAGILE . " O Fragile n o vem da NOVA ZELANDIA mas da Holanda !!! " Bom trabalho de guitarra nesse disco bem raro de se achar . Apesar do som n o ser dos melhores j que o vinyl n o estava zerado , vale a pena conhecer esse quinteto . FRAGILE - FRAGILEAnother of those obscure groups responsible for an impossible - to - get private pressing ( only 500 were manufactured ! ) Fragile had a guitar - oriented heavy rock sound comparable to Cargo , Wishbone Ash , Night Sun and Epitaph . Their album was recorded in 1974 , two years before it was finally released . Taken from Scented Gardens of the Mind - A guide to the Golden Era of Progressive Rock ( 1968 - 1980 ) in more than 20 European Countries , by Dag Erik Asbj rnsen , Borderline Productions , ISBN 1 - 899855 - 12 - 2 kbps : 256 vbr Estilo : hard blues rock Artcover incluso GET CD RIP FROM http : // ezhevika . blogspot . com / ( The fuckin hell place !!! ) psw : http : // ezhevika . blogspot . com / . 
RAMATAM . Ramatam - Ramatam ' 72@320 uk Devagar voltamos ao hard rock . Essa banda apresenta um diferencial entre outras que fazem o rock pesado mais tradicional , que a inclus o de instrumentos de sopro , ou , como chamado aqui no Brasil , o famoso naipe de metais . Sendo sincero , em geral sou avesso a esse tipo de mistura , por m tenho de reconhecer que o RAMATAM e a CWT surpreendem e fazem a casa cair . Como elemento adicional , o batera nada menos que Mitch Mitchell , aquele magrelo estranho do power trio JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE e o guitarrista era um tal de Mike Pinera , j ouviu falar ? Que tal dar uma conferida ? Ramatam was a short - lived group that Mitch was in during 1971 and 1972 . In his December 11 , 1971 Sounds interview , Mitch talks about working with a girl guitarist named April Lawton in the States , so this project probably got started early 1971 . Mitch plays on their debut album " Ramatam " but does not appear on their 2 nd and last album " In April Came the Dawning of the Red Suns " . The band probably got together in New York , as Mitch was working on the posthumous Hendrix releases Cry of Love and Rainbow Bridge there . The band apparently got a lot of coverage before the release of the first album . They had a cover stories in Melody Maker and Crawdaddy , and were covered in Rolling Stone . They were booked to open for bands like ELP , and were predicted to be the next big supergroup . I ' m not sure when and where their first album was recorded , but again Mitch says that he is " half - way through an album on that [ Ramatam ] " in his ' 71 Sounds interview so it probably got done in early ' 72 . The album was recorded in Miami , Florida . They probably went on tour soon after , supporting ELP on their ' 72 tour . The songs on the Ramatam album is a mix of pop , funk , and hard rock . I guess it could be called feel - good music , as the infectious harmonies and bright melodies remain constant throughout the album . Hard rock tracks like ' Ask Brother Ask ' and ' Can't Sit Still ' are bristling jams that showcase April 's lead guitar work and the band 's tight , superbly arranged parts . These are balanced by lighter pop songs such as ' Heart Song ' and ' What I Dream I Am ' . Mitch 's playing is a little more subdued from his Hendrix days , but mainly because this is a bigger band . There are also tones of his First Rays funk work , especially in the cymbals . It 's a good debut with some patchy moments , and I ' m sure this band only could have gotten better with time . The band 's strength however , lay in their live shows and not their albums . On stage , they were an exciting jazz / rock fusion band that thrived on the interplay between Mitch and April , the likes of which hadn't been seen since Mitch 's pairing with Hendrix . It was awesome . They have since faded into obscurity . Their songs have occasionally appeared on 80 s Atlantic compilations . April Lawton became a painter , which was why she didn't stay active in music . Mitch has continued with various music projects to the present . Mike went on to join the New Cactus Band in 1973 and played with Alice Cooper in 1981 and 1982 . I have no idea what happened to Russ and Tommy . This was no doubt a fine band with huge talent , whose quick demise is no doubt another of rock 's great lost stories ( http : // www . chopperware . com / azar / mitch / bio / Ramatam / bio _ ramatam . html ) . Vinyl artwork included Para download clique AQUI ( HERE ) Ramatam - Can't Sit Still ROCK ON !!! 
POLYPHONY . Polyphony Without Introduction ' 72@224 us Antes de voltar ao hard rock propriamente dito , compartilho mais um bom album rock progressivo , sem abrir m o dos sons pesados . Para muitos essa banda se assemelha ao ELP . N o concordo muito , uma vez que existem boas passagens de guitarras , o que era raro ao trio pilotado por Keith Emerson . Bem , vamos l , baixem , escutem e deixem seus coment rios . " Jaw - dropping album from one the US 's earliest progressive rock bands -- it is safe to say that dumping an innovative product such as this on an unsuspecting audience , even back in 1972 , baffled most listeners , thus a disappearing act which has relegated this gem to the obscurities hall of fame ! Their music is dominated by heavy Hammond and an active core of drum play and congo bashing ; add to this mix a penchant for surrealistic lyrics and off - center vocals and you get the picture . Try to imagine a band who , upon hearing Emerson , Lake & Palmer 's Tarkus for the first time , indulged in heavy amounts of mescaline and dropped by the studio . Assume that they are competent musicians and have carefully considered their music before recording . With that I think you have a vague idea of what this seminal progressive act from America were all about . Is it progressive or psychedelic ? The answer is yes . Extremely so ! " ( http : // www . forcedexposure . com ) Artwork not included Download Link ( zip file , as requested ) AQUI ( HERE ) psw : 6070 rock POLYPHONY - Crimson Dagger ROCK ON !!! 
FLAVIUM - NEW LINK !!! Flavium - Bad Luck ' 75@256 neth Um pouco de blues para relaxar . E , assim como seu filho mais pr digo , o rock , o blues tamb m universal . Para provar isso , compartilho com voces um bom rip de vinyl , encontrado a um pre o irris rio numa loja de discos velhos e outras quinquilharias aqui do RJ . Depois fui descobrir que tratava - se de um disco europeu bem raro de se encontrar por aquelas bandas . Trata - se da banda holandesa Flavium e o album Bad Luck de 1975 . Blues e blues rock de olhos azuis mais muito interessante , vale gastar um tempo para baixar isso . One of the few remaining blues groups . Flavium was founded in 1969 in Apeldoorn . The members : Hans Driesten ( vocals , guitar , piano , harp , ex - Soul Soul ) and Peter Dijksterhuis ( organ , piano , till 1976 with Tony Sherman ) . Their peak years were in the latter half of the 70 s when they released their best albums , " Bad Luck " and " Chalk Farm " , but the group carried on through the 80 s when the blues wasn't a popular musical attraction in the Netherlands or abroad , and are still going on strong , carrying on the noble blues tradition , playing in local pubs and clubs across the country . Those who are lucky enough to reside in Apeldoorn have a chance to see them many times each year , although their gigs are always sold out ! Although the group performs in English they 're primarily known in their own home country ( http : // www . alexgitlin . com / flavium . htm ) . Cover art not included Para download clique AQUI ( HERE ) psw : 6070 Rock Download ZIP file ( no psw ) AQUI ( HERE ) FLAVIUM - Thumbing Back West Por favor , n o delete os arquivos compartilhados . Ao fazer isso , apenas as pessoas com dif cil acesso a informa o , s o prejudicados . Note nos coment rios que muitos visitantes s o de pa ses e lugares onde para se conseguir esse tipo de informa o muito caro , dispendioso , sem contar que muitos usam linha discada , perdendo horas e horas para ouvir um pouco de musica que gostam . Seja solid rio . N o ganho nada com esse blog al m da alegria de poder compartilhar m sica para todos . Obrigado em meu nome e em nome de muitos . ROCK ON !!! 
MANFRED MANN ' S EARTH BAND . Manfred Mann 's Earth Band Nightingales Earth Band . Menos progressivo que o album Solar Fire de 1974 , Nightingales & Bombers , de 1975 , traz a sonoridade cl ssica deste grupo , com mais enf se ao lado instrumental , com destaque absoluto para as faixas " Time is Right " e " Crossfade " , um alucinante trabalho de guitarras e teclados com peso que todo roqueiro , seja progg , hardeiro , ou qualquer outro estilo , tem que ouvir . This is MMEB 's most convincing album by a long shot . No disrespect to some of the other album releases but Nightingales and Bombers delivers such conviction in each and every song it is sometimes hard to believe this was released in 1975 . BTW 1975 is the ultimate year for prog releases IMHO . ' Spirits in the Night ' starts the album off on a slow beat with great lyrics ( a wonderful Springsteen cover ) Countdown , Time is Right and Crossfade are virtually one song meshed together but I have to agree with another reviewer here the clean , definitive sounds coming off ' Time is Right ' are bound to get that adrenalin pumping ! The second side starts with the poignant ' Visionary Mountains ' , Joan Armatrading guesting on backing vocals , the albums continues to deliver with Fat Nelly , the title track and the live version of ' As above so below ' . I keep referring to 1975 and well Oldfield released Ommadawn , PF released Wish You Were Here and MMEB were almost equals with this mesmerizing album , Nightingales and Bombers . I guess what I am trying to say is add this release to your collection if you are new to prog rock or for some weird insane reason you missed it first time round . Review by Chris Stacey on progarchives . com Link para Download AQUI ( HERE ) psw : 6070 rockartcover included ROCK ON !!! MMann 's - Crossfade . 
MANFRED MANN ' S EARTH BAND . Manfred Mann 's Earth Band Solar Fire ' 74@320 + uk Andei um pouco esquecido dos meu amigos proggs , mais segue a um petardo do Manfred Mann 's com a Earth Band . Essa forma o , apesar de produzir esse cl ssico indiscutivelmente progressivo , lembrando em alungs momentos O Pink Floyd do album More , previlegia os trabalhos de guitarra e mant m um peso agrad vel aos ouvidos mais " hardrockers " . Com certeza vai agradar gregos e troianos ( assim espero , heheheheh ) . MANFRED MANN ( the 60 's R B group ) was dwindling down , their leader moved on with drummer Mike Hugg to form Chapter 3 for two albums released on Vertigo label produced by Hiseman of Colosseum fame . The lack of success forced the two to fold and try another formula . The new group will be named EARTH BAND and will at first do average Rn R but with each new album , the progressive elements will gain in importance that by SOLAR FIRE they had become an Art - rock band . But MMEB will always be remembered for their arrangements of SPRINGSTEEN and DYLAN covers than for their own good material . In particular with SPRINGTEEN 's first album , MMEB will do three mega - selling cover : Spirits In The Night , Blinded By The Light and For You . They managed to survive the late 70 's by adapting their sound and in the 80 's will make strong political statement against Apartheid in Manfred 's country of origin , South Africa , where he could not come back . MMEB is still touring nowadays . Review by Hugues Chantraine , BELGIUM ( thanks dude ) . Link para Download AQUI ( HERE ) psw : 6070 rockartcover included ROCK ON !!! 
THE STORM - PLUS VIDEOS . The Storm - The Storm ' 74@320 spain Sei que tempo de AZURRA , a tetra campe mundial de futebol , Ave Cesar !!! Mas para n s brazucas tempo de tempestade , heheheh , e como isso me foi pedido a um tempo , segue uma paulera espanhola , hard rock na praia do Purple . " Their debut album , originally released on Basf in 1974 , is one of the crown jewels of Spanish hard rock , and changes hands for a small fortune among collectors all over the world . This LP really rocks . It 's high energy hard rock that follows the line marked by the big organ outfits of the era : Deep Purple , Atomic Rooster , Bram Stoker , Megaton , a . o . It has also a deep classic prog sound root , which reaches the top on ' Un Se or Llamado Fern ndez De C rdoba ' . " http : // www . forcedexposure . com / artists / the . storm . html Your Download - link : AQUI ( HERE ) psw : 6070 rock ROCK ON !!! THE STORM - VIDEOSEstou adicionando os videos de uma apresenta o do THE STORM para uma televis o espanhola em 1975 . Os v deos est o em formato * . flv . ( flash video ) , ent o apreveitei e para incluir o software do player tamb m . Videos + Player link : AQUI ( HERE ) . 
A LITTLE HELP TO MY FRIENDS . My dear friend SOCRAM ripped & send me the links to get good rock albums ... So ENJOY THE LEGION !!! ROCK ON !!! http : // br . geocities . com / efs _ rj / 6070 Rock . html ? 1151330175734 . 
AXIS - US HARD ROCK . Axis - It 's A Circus World ' 78@320 vbr US hard rock O que falar de um power trio em que o batera nada menos que Vinnie Appice ? Pauleira pura !!! Nota - se claramente a reengenharia de som que caracterizou os albuns de hard rock dos anos 80 ( instrumentos bem equalizados , som mais limpo , bateria sobressaindo e vocais altos ) , bem semelhante aos dois primeiros discos do Sabbath com o James Dio ) , mas isso n o tira o m rito do AXISIt 's a 1978 album by heavy power rock trio featuring drummer Vinnie Appice fluff & syrup masters like Journey , Kansas , Toto and other assorted garbage were being pumped over the airwaves , while albums like CIRCUS WORLD were neglected by precious critics . Circus World is straight up rockin , and continues Danny 's sound which appears on the three Derringer albums , Derringer , Sweet Evil , and Live : Danny 's songs Sailor , Drivin Sideways , and One Eyed Jack show his incredible talent for melody . Danny Johnson has a brilliance for knowing exactly where to put a note in a solo . His solos themselves often form sub - melodies , as ring out in BUSTED LOVE and RAY ' S ELECTRIC FARM . This album is likley the most under - rated in rock history . Don't believe the pomposity of the critics , or the asinine claim by another reviewer here that Danny " plotted " his music with RCA . This music is too spontaneous and the perfection of Danny 's Derringer - days sound to be a product of sell - out . The title track may be over - produced , but the defect is minor in an overall very strong set of old style rock n roll songs . JUGGLER uses a knife - like , precise rhythm which a hundred heavy metal bands of the 80 s Sunset Strip could only slop and fake : Danny uses his guitar like a scapel , they use a sledgehammer . Jay Davis ' TRAIN is a blues / ballad about a gun - slinger which is very powerful in its gloom and crescendos . SOLDIER OF LOVE is like a combination of Jimi 's wah - wah and Clinton 's funk , and Danny 's trade - mark choruses . In ARMAGEDDON , the chord - count actually sounds like shellings and explosions . Danny sometimes and accidentally anticipated the punk sound by playing in lower registers , which we first hear on ONE EYED JACK , and appears on this album with songs like CATS IN THE ALLEY and RAY ' S ELECTRIC FARM . But Circus World is really the last great old rock album . Your Download - link : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 24035474 / Axis 6070 Rock . rar . 
TIGER B . SMITH - WE ' RE THE TIGER BUNCH . Tiger B . Smith - Where the Tiger Bunch ' 72@256 , german hard rock Your Download - Link : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 22660706 / Tiger Bunch 6070 Rock . rar . htmlpsw : 6070 rock . 
HARD STUFF - BOLEX DEMENTIA . Hard Stuff - Bolex Dementia , 1973@256 vbr UK hard rock The 2 nd and last one of Hard Stuff Your Download - Link : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 22577712 / Hard _ Stuff _ - _ Bolex _ Dementia __ 73 _ 256 vbr _ uk . rar . htmlpsw : 6070 rock . 
HARD STUFF - BULLET PROOF . Hard Stuff - Bullet Proof , 1972@256 vbr UK hard rock Personnel : John ( Du ) Cann - Guitars John Gustafson - Bass Paul Hammond - Drums Albums : Bulletproof ( Purple TPSA 7505 ) 1972 CD : LINE LICD 9.00381 O ; also on Red Fox Bolex Dementia ( Purple TPSA 7507 ) 1973 CD : LINE LICD 9.00385 O ; also on Red Fox , Won Sin Singles : Jay Time / The Orchestrator ( Purple PUR 103 ) 1972 Inside Your Life / How Do You Do It ? ( Purple PUR 116 ) 1972 Often regarded as one of Deep Purple 's proteges , this heavy , but melodic early 70 s power trio had a credible reputation of a hard - nosed , no - compromise , heavy - rocking act in the Purple Purple Records , indeed , Deep Purple 's own label , which was also responsible for launching careers of such luminaries as Tucky Buzzard , Zephyr , Billy Cobham , and much more . Paul Hammond had previously played with Atomic Rooster , as did John Du Cann ( also ex - Andromeda , Daemon ) ; John Gustafson came from Quatermass , and cut a solo record , " Goose Grease " in 1975 - never released until last year . vein , throughout their short - lived career . They have released two albums on the famous Upon Hard Stuff 's demise , Du Cann briefly joined Thin Lizzy in the first half of the 1970 s , before cutting his own solo record for Arista in 1977 together with members of Status Quo , entitled , " Nothing Better " ( also binned - until 1992 , when it was reissued by Repertoire - REP 4205 - WY ) . John Gustafson also played with Baltik , Roxy Music , Ian Gillan Band , Mick Farren , Axispoint , Kevin Ayers , Shawn Phillips and countless others ! ( AG ) Discography Taken from The Tapestry of Delights - The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat , R & B , Psychedelic and Progressive Eras 1963 - 1976 , Vernon Joynson ISBN 1 899855 04 1 ( http : // www . alexgitlin . com / hs . html ) Your Download - Link : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 22494289 / HStuff Bullet 6070 Rock . rar . htmlpsw : 6070 rock . 
EPIZOOTIC . Epizootic - Daybreak , 1976@320 Swedish hard & prog rock A lot of unknown group whose flat contains short tunes where tooth coat meet jazz and blues equal Deep Purple and evil Zeppelin . Is said compare among other thing Bl kulla and to collect money from Rei . Certain tunes are instrument all and other has English texts . Recommended for you that likes gungig progressive tooth coat . Bengt Ficsher and P r Ericsson played lateer in the tooth coat band EF bands . Bengt Ficsher died in April 2001 . The has sl pps a bootleg of LPn on CD 1999 in Germany . ( www . progg . se - swedish to english by www . systranbox . com / systran / box ) Your Download - Link : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 22401098 / Epiz 6070 Rockpart 1 . rar . htmlhttp : // rapidshare . de / files / 22401198 / Epiz 6070 Rockpart 2 . rar . htmlpsw : 6070 rock . 
V. A . HOLY SHIT FROM THE PAST - THE 1968 YEAR . V. A . - Holy Shit from the Past 1968@320 + A Compilation of Hard & Heavy rock with psych flavour from 1968 Tracklist in comments Your Download - Link : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 21489334 / Holy Shit 6070 Rock _ part 1 . rar . htmlhttp : // rapidshare . de / files / 21507121 / Holy Shit 6070 Rock _ part 2 . rar . htmlpsw : 6070 rock . 
UMA PAUSA PARA O BLUES ( JUST A LITTLE PAUSE TO THE BLUES ) - FIXED LINK - . Uma pequena pausa para o blues ... Para ser sincero , um blues pesad o , na voz de Camen " janisjoplin " Maki e todo o peso da excelente banda Blues Creation ( sim , todos japas do japon , n , awika !!! ) BLUES CREATION - BLUES CREATION CARMEN MAKIThe third album by this great band from 1970 featuring the Japanese hard psych blues rockers backing a talented female lead singer . This fusion works well with plenty of fluid lead guitar winding around the delicate yet powerful vocals of Ms Maki . There are three bonus tracks on this release also ! LINKS FIXEDHey Ryan , as requested !!! Your Download - Link : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 21652789 / BCreation 6070 Rock . part 1 . rar . htmlhttp : // rapidshare . de / files / 21653919 / BCreation 6070 Rock . part 2 . rar . htmlno password . 
CAUB IS DA PESADA ( COUNTRY HARD ROCK ) . Os anos 70 realmente eram da pesada . V rios estilam se fundiam e nos brindavam com o melhor do rock j produzido . Outra banda dif cil de rotular , NAVASOTA produziu o que poder amos tentar entender como um hard southern Roll Band ) " are tight and fairly commercial , though they don't exhibit a great deal of originality . Far less impressive are the bands ' stabs at country - rock . Complete with pedal steel and whistling solo , " Ballad of a Young Man " is outright embarrassing . As for the Fagen - Becker number , well it 's okay though the lyrics are largely indecipherable . This one album appears to be Navasota 's entire catalog . Baxter went on to a stint with The Doobie Brothers before continuing his collaboration with Becker and Fagen in Steely Dan . http : // www . geocities . com / badcatrecords / NAVASOTA . htm VALEU SOCRAM !!!! Fonte : CDEstilo : Country Southern Hard Rock ( ??? ) Frontcover incluso Link : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 16490225 / Navasota . rar . htmloriginal post : Mar , 26 - 2006 . 
ALIAS - CONTRABAND . Alias - Contraband , 1979@256 us southern rock LINE UPJimmy Daugherty ( vocals ) , Dorman Cogburn ( guitar ) , Barry Lee Harwood ( guitar ) , Leon Wilkeson ( bass ) , Bill Powell ( keyboards ) , Artimus Pyle ( drums ) AOR act with an illustrious pedigree . Former RUNNING EASY guitarist Barry Lee Harwood had joined ex LYNYRD SKYNYRD guitarists Allen Collins and Gary Rossington in their ROSSINGTON COLLINS band and subsequently the ALLEN COLLINS BAND . The ALLEN COLLINS BAND was fronted by former MOODY BROTHERS singer Jimmy Daugherty . The rhythm section comes courtesy of LYNYRD SKYNYRD 's Leon Wilkeson on bass , keyboard player Bill Powell and Artimus Pyle on drums . ( www . rockdetector . com ) Your Download - Link : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 21485540 / Alias 6070 Rock . rar . htmlpsw : 6070 rock . 
ROCK BRITANICO III - PUB ROCK ( BRITISH ROCK III - PUB ROCK ) . Rock & Roll b sico , descompromissado , mas mesmo assim envolvente e bem tocado . Para a turma da cerveja , vai a um timo aperitivo : TYLA GANG - BLOW YOU OUT 1975 UK Pub Rock John Tyler , 3 August 1947 , Barlow , Yorkshire , England . Guitarist / vocalist Tyla established his reputation with Geno Washington ( And The Ram Jam Band ) and pianist Freddie " Fingers " Lee . Between 1972 - 75 he led Ducks Deluxe , a tough R & B band which was at the fore front of the UK pre - punk , pub rock scene , and highly popular in France . However , the lack of commercial success doomed the band to a premature demise , following which Tyla formed the Tyla Gang : Bruce Irvine ( guitar ) , Mike Desmarais ( drums , ex - Winkies ) , and Peter O ' Sullivan ( bass ) . The band were one of the first acts signed to Stiff Records releasing the lone single " Styrofoam " in 1976 before completing Yachtless and Moonproof for the US - based Beserkley Records label . O ' Sullivan was replaced by Brian Turrington ( ex - Winkies ) on the former , who in turn made way for Ken Whaley ( bass , ex - Help Yourself ) . However , once again Tyla 's ambitions proved uncommercial and the band broke up at the end of the 70 s . In 1981 , Tyla recorded an album with Man guitarist Deke Leonard as the Force . After releasing a string of unsuccessful solo albums , Tyla left the music industry to work as a web consultant and designer for much of the 90 s . In the new millennium , he formed a new band with Ray Minhinnett , Ian Ellis , and Gary Moberley . Fonte : CDkbps : 192 Estilo : Pub Rock Artcover incluso Link : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 16604245 / Tyla . rar . htmloriginal post : Mar , 27 - 2006 . 
ROCK BRITANICO - ESCOLA DE EXCELENCIA ( BRITISH ROCK - EXCELLENCY SCHOOL ) . A abordagem musical dos ingleses , livres da ortodoxia americana de tocar , respons vel pela mais bela escola rock ( IMMO ) e produziu excelentes discos , incorporando muitos elementos novos e complexos ao estilo . Os rapazes do England lan aram esse disco em 1976 e um timo exemplo de riqueza de abordagem do hard rock . Confiram : ENGLAND - ENGLANDA privately - pressed hard - riffing guitar rock album which featured some fine guitar work and some strong material with ' The Osprey ' and ' How Does It Feel ' among the highlights . Worth seeking out but currently valued by ' Record Collector ' at around 250 . Taken from The Tapestry of Delights - The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat , R & B , Psychedelic and Progressive Eras 1963 - 1976 , Vernon Joynson ISBN 1 899855 04 1 Fonte : CDkbps : 320 Estilo : Hard rock with progressive tunes Frontcover incluso Link : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 16145205 / England . raroriginal post : Mar , 22 - 2006 . 
BUX - WE COME TO PLAY . Bux - We Come To Play , 1976@256 vbr , us hard rock The American AOR band Bux was active in the early 70 s . They signed a management deal with the Aerosmith manager Frank Connolly and their album " We Come To Play " was also produced by Aerosmith producer Jack Douglas . " We Come To Play " was released in 1976 by Capitol Records in order to make some money off former Bux members Edwin " Punky " Meadows and Mickey Jones joining Angel . It had been recorded three years before . FORMER MEMBERSRalph Mormon - 1973 - Vocals See also Chameleon , The Joe Perry Project , Savoy Brown . Edwin " Punky " Meadows - 1973 - Guitars See also Angel , The Cherry People . James Newlon - 1973 - Guitars See also Charlie Flannery 's Oil Well , Daddy Warbux , James Eart The Competition , The Wiley Crawford Band . Mickey Jones - 1973 - Bass See also Angel , Empire . Rocky Isaac - 1973 - Drums Your Download - Link : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 20978053 / Bux 6070 Rock . rarpsw : 6070 rock . 
CHICO MAGNETIC BAND . Hard rock , psicodelia , profus o de guitarras , urros , batuques , etc. Tudo isso pode se dizer deste album . Chico Magnetic , considerado por muitos o " Hendrixfranc s " e sua banda produziram um cl ssico dos anos 70 . CHICO MAGNETIC BAND - CHICO MAGNETIC " 1973 album by the French Jimi Hendrix ! Insane late ' 60 's styled heavy rock with screaming acid guitar work , weird vocals and assorted percussive and acoustic decoration . There are plenty of weird electronic and backwards effects and some eerie atmospherics most notable on the insane " Pop Orbite " whilst a cool version of " Cross Town Traffic " cements the Hendrix comparison . Weird wonderful ( Freak Emporium ) http : // rapidshare . de / files / 19807430 / CMBand 6070 rock . rar psw : 6070 rock . 
Goodbye , crazy diamond . Remember when you were young , you shone like the Sun . Shine on you crazy diamond ! Now there 's a look in your eyes , like black holes in the sky . Shine on you crazy diamond ! You were caught on the crossfire of childhood and stardom , blown on the steel breeze . Come on you target for faraway laughter , come on you stranger , you legend , you martyr , and shine ! You reached for the secret too soon , you cried for the Moon . Shine on you crazy diamond ! Threatened by shadows at night , and exposed in the light . Shine on you crazy diamond ! Well you wore out your welcome with random precision , rode on the steel breeze . Come on you raver , you seer of visions , come on you painter , you piper , you prisoner , and shine ! Nobody knows where you are , how near or how far . Shine on you crazy diamond ! Pile on many more layers and I ' ll be joining you there . Shine on you crazy diamond ! And we ' ll bask in the shadow of yesterday 's triumph , sail on the steel breeze . Come on you boy child , you winner and loser , come on you miner for truth and delusion , and shine ! Roger Keith " Syd " Barrett Cambridge , 06 / 01 / 1946 Cambridge , 07 / 07 / 2006 . 
Mi chiedevo che stai facendo ora . I hope you 're feeling happy now I see you feel no pain at all it seems I wonder what you 're doing now I wonder if you think of me at all Do you still play the same moves now Or are those special moods for someone else I hope you 're feeling happy now Just because you feel good Doesn't make you right Oh no Just because you feel good Still want you here tonight Does laughter still discover you I see through all the smiles that look so right Do you still have the same friends now To smoke away your problems and your life Oh how do you remember me The one that made you laugh until you cried I hope you 're feeling happy now Just because you feel good Doesn't make you right Oh no Just because you feel good Still want you here tonight Want you Just because you feel good Doesn't make you right Oh no Just because you feel good Still want you here tonight Want you Just because you feel good Doesn't make you right Oh no Just because you feel good Still want you here tonight Want you I wonder what you 're doing now I hope you 're feeling happy now I wonder what you 're doing now I hope you 're feeling happy now ( a chi legge : prima o poi torner a scrivere qualcosa di pi sensato rispetto a citazioni prese qua e la che hanno il solo scopo di sottolineare come vadano ( male ) le cose ultimamente ... ) . 
Come prima , pi di prima , amica mia ! : ) . I seem to recognize your face Haunting , familiar yet , I can't seem to place it Cannot find the candle of thought to light your name Lifetimes are catching up with me All these changes taking place , I wish I ' d seen the place But no one 's ever taken me Hearts and thoughts they fade , fade away ... Hearts and thoughts they fade , fade away ... I swear I recognize your breath Memories like fingerprints are slowly raisingme , you wouldnt recall , for I ' m not my former It 's hard when you 're stuck upon the shelf I changed by not changing at all , small town predicts my fate Perhaps that 's what no one wants to see I just want to scream " Hello ! My god it 's been so long ! Never dreamed you ' d return ! But now here you are , and here I am " Hearts and thoughts they fade ... away ... Hearts and thoughts they fade , fade away ... Hearts and thoughts they fade , fade away ... Hearts and thoughts they fade ... fade away ... Hearts and thoughts they fade , fade away ... Hearts and thoughts they fade , fade away ... Hearts and thoughts they fade , fade away ... Hearts and thoughts they fade ... 
A chi man mano sta sparendo . Hey youhey you I ' m right here Conscience fading Can't get through Oh Lord Helpless Confused Head swayed Eyes glazed And mine teared She 's losing control What can I do ? Her vacant eyes Black holes Am I losing you ? 
Grace : Man how often do i forget what its about . I ' ve been stuck in bed for nearly two weeks now , the doctors say its a " viral infection " ( aka - dunno ) . I am getting better so i ' m not vomiting everywhere . But satill can't realy get up and be active ! So this is now the first summer in 12 years i missed camp , i went to camp , got converted at camp , had soo much spritual imput on camp and i now lead on camp . I was atculay looking forward to it this year . I even got myself qualified as a Kayak coach so i could be of more use ..... .. but i ' m not going . But as i said , its not about how many camps i do , God can work without me . Whislt i mouch about in the stuff i ' m missing and what i could be doing i need to rember its not about me doing Camp its about God . Man i sooo need to learn this lesson !! 
Sound Advice : Watching Top gear the other day they had challange on . Buying an italian super car for less than the price of a second hand mondeo ( 10 k ) . They had to do various challanges and they all basicly had serrious problems and fell apart . what follows is my conversation with my Dad and his sage advice - me : atcualy although not as reliable , it would be fun to own a old italian super car , make it yours fix it up etcdad : you don't want to do that . They ' ll cost you the earth and break you heart . me : ... oh > pausedad : its the same with Itailian women , they cost you the earth and will break you heart . Better off with the mondeo . Wise advice from my dad . Just one last question , what sort of woman is the equivilent of a mondeo ???? 
Top 10 Greatest Baddies : 1 ) Alan Rickman - DIE HARD 2 ) Alan Rickman - Sheriff of Nottingham 3 ) Dath Vader 4 ) Arnie - The Terminator 5 ) Ming The Merciless 6 ) T - Rex 7 ) Hannibal Lector 8 ) Sean Bean in Goldeneye 9 ) Agent Smith ( the Matrix ) 10 ) Sideshow Bob ( the simpsons ) . 
I was at my ex - housemates wedding yesterday ( 3 down 1 to go this summer ! ) It was as always wonderful . However we sang ' here is love ' and there were 4 verses . I had never sang the last wo and the words were amazing . So for those who havent seen them before i thought i ' d blog them up : Let us all His love accepting Love Him ever all our days Let us seek His Kingdom only And our lives be to His praise He alone shall be our glory Nothing in the world we see He has cleansed and sanctified us He Himself has set us free In His truth He does direct me By His Spirit through His Word And His grace my need is meeting As I trust in Him , my Lord All His fullness He is pouring In His love and power in me Without measure Full and boundless As I yield myself to Thee . 
If I were a .... so i am now unemployed and waiting to hear back from the police force . I got thinking what would be my top 5 jobs if i could go and do anything : 1 ) Army Pardre ( Chaplin ) 2 ) Top Gear presenter 3 ) Film Critic 4 ) Surfing instructer in Austrailia 5 ) Author . 
Homeso its all over , Relay has finnished what now in my life and travels ? well there is a lot in the short term , missions , camps , weddings ( 1 st 3 weekends in july !! ) kayaking etc. However it all stops in August . What then ? well i ' ve applied to the police and that takes absolutly ages like 6 - 9 months so i ' m back home at my parents house facing the joys of temp work in an enviroemnt where i ' m not going to be tr 4 eated as i normaly am and is also not going to last . After all the excitement to relay 3 thinking about workplace ministry i was all fired up to launch into the next phrase of God 's big plan for my life , excited and ready . However God is saying wait . so i ' ll wait . Playing this song by the beautiful south kinda summed up my feeling about leaving friends to live at home : Do you know where I ' m gonna go ? None of you have guessed , so none of you can know If you ' ve been , that 's not where I mean It 's got class and it 's got excellence like you ' ve never seen Your town is dragging me down Dragging me down , down , down Your town is dragging me down Dragging me down , down , downin retro spect i can look over team days and find some comfort . We were looking at moses and the piont came up that between chapters 2 and 3 of Exodus there is a gap of 40 years , the piont being there is normality in life , God uses that time to form us and shape us for the next stage / challange / trial / unexpected event that will come our way . As i write this i think i see things a bit more clearly , , hands up it was just meant to be a moan with the sarcastic song , but God has bought to mind team days trainign and its meaning and indeed challange . I face a period of uncertain waiting in between relay and whever i go . will i trust God ? will i carry on in disipline and growing in Christ ? will i continue to live by grace ? all those who read and know me please challange me as i want the answers to the above to be YES ! 
Day 23 --- Zero Hour !! Well the moment has almost arrived . Tomorrow morning we venture off to San Diego !! My sermon went fairly well this morning . It was nice to relax today and not work . I actually picked the dice and started role - playing again . Been 4 1 / 2 years since I last gamed Dungeons and Dragons , it 's always been in my blood . Well I don't really have much else to say . I ' ll update either Thursday or Friday . Laters , Chris . 
Day 19 -- Counting Down !! Here we are at day 19 of the 62 Days of Summer ! I ' m counting down the days until we head for San Diego which will be this Monday !! Watched Saturday Night 's Main Event . The show has really gone down since the 80 s . It used to be that the matches were original and unique not the typical stuff they show during the week . For example , they had John Cena vs Edge . Big deal ! They have that virtually every week . From Monday they had Cena vs . Umaga . THAT would have been a better match for Main Event . It 's original , it doesn't happen all the time . Also watched Iron Chef America from Sunday . Very good episode . I believe they repeat it on Thursdays if you get the chance to see it . Started watching a new series called Psych on USA network . Very good . It 's like the deductions of Sherlock Holmes modernized under the guise of a Psychic . Hopefully it will go a few seasons . Also recorded Eureka but haven't watched it yet . Looks real interesting . Trying to get kids to clean their rooms ... again ! I ' ll be helping this time . That 's all for now . Chris . 
Day 16 -- Jesus Christ Superman ? Well here 's the start of another week . Just a few more days until we are heading West !! Yesterday my family stopped by my work but I wasn't available . I did later find out that there was a guy dressed up like Superman out front of the store and Sara refused to have her picture taken with him . Her reason ? " The guy in the costume was wearing sandals . Superman wears red boots . He 's not Superman ! " That 's my girl ! Shows she has a good eye for detail . What was going on was a local church was promoting a sermon " performance " or whatever on the Gospel according To Superman . It 's a book that came out last month or so and they link Superman to Jesus Christ . NO JOKE !!! I wrote an article on the subject myself . You can click on the Christian Caravan Link and find the article . Bottom line is simply this . Regardless of how many similarities you find between Superman and our Saviour , Superman can't get you into heaven . Jesus can . Chris . 
Day 14 -- Woohoo Pirates !!! Well last night after bringing home the girls from Tae Kwon Do class , the whole family went out for dinner followed by a movie . We had dinner at Dennys and , while there , discussed which movie to see . Both girls were torn between seeing " Dead Man 's Chest " and " Superman Returns " . I wanted to see both but I wanted to see Pirates more . Naomi wanted to see both and didn't care which we saw first . We ended up seeing the Pirates movie and man was it good !! I would ' nt say it was better than the first more like equal . And , although I won't spoil the ending , there is a cliffhanger ending which sets up the third movie due out next summer . It 's quite possible Mom will take the girls to see Superman Returns this Saturday but that 's up to them if they behave well enough . I ' m heading back to work this morning so I may not post until next week . but then again , you never know . Cheers , Chris . 
Day 13 -- My dog is part Houdini . Yesterday I spent the afternoon watching the movie Shaun of The Dead . A somewhat basic Zombie film done by the British . Very good though . It showed in the beginning how sometimes our lives are so routine that we don't notice the vast changes that go on around us . I heard that the film , Dead and Breakfast is the American 's answer to Shaun , so I may check it out . Felt fairly sick yesterday also . Thought it was from being so inactive with the heat as high as it is . This morning though having recovered , I believe it was dehydration related . Going to bed last night , I do a check of where all our pets are located . Ares goes into the bedroom with my wife when she goes to bed . Zeena is usually sacked out in front of the door of the house or the couch . And Zeus has been sleeping lately in Sara 's room . When I started for bed I went looking for Zeus and couldn't find him . He wasn't in the hallway , wasn't in the kitchen , dining room or even behind the couch . I thought he had slipped outside but was wrong then . I checked Sara 's room twice even but no luck there . Then just out of curiosity , I checked Erika 's room and there he was curled up at the end on the floor . Sometimes I think he 's part magician . Houndini if you will ... 
Day 12 --- Two Weeks ' till San Diego !! Well here we are , 12 Days into the 62 Days of Summer and only 33 Days until the kids go back to school . In two weeks the family is going out to San Diego for 4 days ! We plan to visit the Zoo , Sea World , and the Wild Park . should be great !! Watching some wrestling right now . Big Show vs . Ric Flair in an Extreme Rules Match . I think Flair is crazy to go against Show and even more insane to do an Extreme Rules match . Sorry , but I think he 's too old to be wrestling anymore . You can call wrestling fake all you want but when one is slammed onto a pile of thumbtacks , you can't fake that !! The girls are outside playing but I ' m sure it will be short - lived as the temperature is hot , even this early in the morning . At least we don't live in Death Valley ! 
Day 6 -- Another score !! This morning I made my way back to Bookmans to exchange a book I got last Saturday . Seems I already had a copy but forgot to check it off my list . In addition , I picked up another in the Magic Tree House series , another in the American Adventure series and a copy of the New World Translation Bible . This translation is used by Jehovah 's Witnesses . It lists Jesus as a god and not God . Plus it says Jesus crucified on a Stake and not cross . Actually the word is impaled but they claim it to be the same . Hmmm ... Here 's some results I found using online dictionaries : Webster s 1828 Dictionary IMPALE , verb . 1 . To fix on a stake ; to put to death by fixing on an upright sharp stake . CRUCIFY , verb 1 . To nail to a cross ; to put to death by nailing the hands and feet to a cross or gibbet , sometimes anciently , by fastening a criminal to a tree , with cords . But they cried , crucify him , crucify him . Luke 23 . American Heritage Dictionary IMPALE , verb 1 a . To pierce with a sharp stake or point . b . To torture or kill by impaling . 2 . To render helpless as if by impaling . CRUCIFY , verb 1 . To put ( a person ) to death by nailing or binding to a cross . 2 . To mortify or subdue ( the flesh ) . It seems to me that both words are completely different . Trying to get the girls to both clean Erika 's room but it sounds like they are playing more than cleaning . " Wow ! what a shock that is ! " He said dripping in sarcasm . : ) Laters , Chris . 
Yasijuro Ozu 's Good Morning . In the past 6 months I have really developed a bit of a taste for Yasijuro Ozu films that I just did not appreciate a few years back . I don't know if I saw them at the wrong time or what . Maybe I was so submerged ramshackle all over the place direction like Darren Arronofsky that I just didn't appreciate Ozu . Instead of a constant zoom in or out or ridiculous cuts all over the place Ozu films seem like a series of still lifes at times or postcards . The stories seem to be simple too yet at some point it clicked and I still have not even been able to write about Late Spring I feel whatever I write will not do justice to how much I appreciate that film and how it affected me . When Good Morning arrived via Netflix I didn't know what to expect . Would I enjoy Ozu 's " comedy " as much ? The answer was no , but it doesn't mean Good Morning was a poor film by any means . The film tells the tale of two children who after nagging their parents over and over for a tv are told to be quiet . They then choose to take the advice litterally and are quiet for weeks . The story shows how this affects the family and community . It opens up like other Ozu films with a few still shots of scenery surrounding where the films action will take place . The first is of a TV reception tower . I already knew this would be a different film . Next thing I know I am looking at children pushing eachother 's heads and farting . Yes , farting . Their are fart jokes a plenty in this film . That , I did not bargain for and I was taken back by . It 's difficult not to take expectations into a film , especially after a director wowed you so much before . And it took me a while to wrap my head around flatuence jokes in an Ozu film . Other than that there is no change in how Ozu tells the story . His camera stays seemingly low to the groud during all dialogue . There is very little camera movement , the action seems always be be centered in the frame . And , overall the film still works , even if I found it slightly disappointing . Still too , some of the familiar themes of Ozu stay her in the difference between generations or generational conflict . The kids refusing to talk leads to gossip amongst the neighbors about the parents of the children , who suggest that the mother may be holding a grudge . You see the father concerned that television may produce 1 million idiots . You watch adults strugle to connect beyond meaningless conversation after the children tell them they talk too much . Perhaps the television will show the children to talk of something more , or as one Rick Prelinger put it , " They don t want to grow up into a world of meaningless rituals , a world where two twentysomethings in love can t get beyond mannered talk about the weather . It 's doubtful that the children were thinking that deeply , but in this film Ozu shows generational differences in a more lighthearted way than in many of his others . And for that it is reccomended , if not essential , viewing . 
Me and You and Everyone We Know . Sometimes it just seems that some movies try to hard to be profound . That was the feeling I got when I watched Me and You and Everyone You Know . It 's frustrating in a way , because there were parts of the film that I really enjoyed . And there were definitely characters that I enjoyed . I saw someone mention that towards the beginning of the film when we follow Miranda July following a car with a goldfish on it 's hood , it is reminiscent of silent comedies . I hadn't thought of that before , but it is probably true . Yet , even the dialogue associated with that scene I liked . I loved the scene when she tries to pick up the shoe salesman as they walk down the street and play it out like the walk is their whole relationship . I really , really enjoyed her character overall . I enjoyed the character of the shoe salesman as well . I didn't really care for so much when the film drifted from those two . The childrens stories seemed a bit odd , unbelievable , and very much undeveloped . Stories that branch off the children 's stories are I guess meant to be antecdotal yet part of a larger whole and it just didn't work for me . I admittedly had a bad attitude about this film , as I have mentioned before it just seems too many " indie " films of the past few years are covering the same emotional territory . Yes , you are slightly different from those in the mainstream . Yes , you feel the same lonliness though , and the same need for love that everyone else feels . If only you could find that person that is the same . Luckily for you , they exist by the thousands in the indie film world . I ' ve read over and over that this film shows people searching for a connection , that its uplifting , that its a commentary on technology and our society . It may be all of these things . It just seems to me that it 's all been done before , better , and truer . I did like parts of this movie though , I did think it was excellent to look at . I will keep an eye on what Miranda July does in the future as I did like her performance . I just think that perhaps the story could have been better presented as a short and it overreached it 's bounds here . 
Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music ? This past weekend I was able to sit down and watch a documentary that had piqued my interest a long time back . Why Should the Devil Have all the Good Music is a film that focuses on the Christian Music scene and industry , specifically through the eyes of Christian rock / alternative bands and their fans at Cornerstone Festival . I have had a long relationship with Christian rock and music . I was very active in my Church youth group from late Jr High through most of high school . I had been on numerous youth group retreats where only Christian music was allowed . This was right about the time that Tooth and Nail Records had started up , so I had some interesting rock options that were just starting to expand the idea of what Christian music was . Bands like Starflyer 59 and MXPX got their start on Tooth and Nail . Still , I remember trying to pass off U 2 , REM , and for some reason Queensryche as " Christian " music . Over the past ten to fifteen years since that time , Christian music has become quite the industry . And Cornerstone festival has everything from Christian thrash metal , progressive rock , techno , to hip - hop . Everything is represented . In this documentary you see many artists talk about how conflicted they are about the Christian music scene in general . Many discuss how it is difficult it is to achieve credibilty as a band when their label pushes them as a Christian ( insert bands name with mainstream success here ) . Some talk of how they have avoided Christian labels for this very reason . Some talk about not having a problem with being labeled as a Christian musician . Some would rather be labeled as a Christian who happens to be in a band . Some feel a responsibity towards the kids to play intesting music for them that they didn't see in the Christian music scene as they grew up . Critics from outside the scene are interviewed and given a say on the artistic merit of the music . So are some name producers siuch as Steve Albini . The film certainly raises a ton of questions and if watched in a group is sure to provoke discussion afterwards . If you hate the industry so much why are you part of it still ? Why do I feel strange when a praise and worship song breaks out in the middle of a rock concert ? Do Christian musicians have a responsibility to adress faith directly or indirectly in their lyrics and music ? Is the scene itself something that God would be pleased with ? Or is it instead just preaching to the choir / converted ? The film 's presentation itself seems amataurish at times and I am unsure I agree with Jeff Gibbs assesment that it looks and sounds great . But this is overshadowed by the fair portrayal of the musicians . And it should be stated that the filmakers did create what seemed to be an trustworthy rapport with their subjects . You could tell that the musicians had struggled with many of these issues on their own and just wanted a sounding board to discuss them . And while , you may not come away from the movie with any definitive answers to the questions , and probably actually with even more follow up questions , thats not entirely a bad thing . The film at the very least provokes thought and discussion . For that the filmakers and the artists they profile , should be commended . 
Another lunch break find ... There has been a lot written on The Searchers in recent weeks due to it being the 50 th anniversary of it 's release . I myself struggled with parts of it as I mentioned a few days back , but felt that it was worth multiple viewings just to sort out the questions and the viewers reactions to questions posed in the movie . Jim Emerson 's Scaners blog has an excellent piece on the film here . It 's a reaction piece to an article that was critical of the film , and Emerson goes at the article with vigor , but more just states what he loves about The Searchers He has too many great thoughts to quote . And the one 's I do wanna quote give away the movie to those who haven't seen it . At any rate , just read the piece now . The only thing that approaches a great film , is great writing about great films . Jim Emerson 's blog will be added to the links page shortly . 
Little Miss Sunshine . I recieved preview passes to see Little Miss Sunshine yesterday evening . I was skeptical as hell going into the film . The film has won a few audience awards and critics awards at several festivals but that made me even more skeptical . In the past 5 years or so it seems every independent film that crosses into the mainstream has the same formula . Quirky characters battling lonliness and finding love . Hell , I have one of those at home via Netflix now that I have a bad attitude about , but will watch anyway since its been so highly reccomended . This is slightly different in the way that its a family drama / comedy . And it seems to be in the totally bizzare / quirky family mindset of Arrested Development which will be a formula copied numerous times over the next few years , I think . But despite my bad attitude going into the movie I found myself liking it quite a bit . I was perhaps in part manipulated by the music which featured quite a bit of Sufjan Stevens . The music definitely fit the melancholy yet happy vibe that the film was putting out there . I also did laugh out loud at numerous points . Alan Arkin was great , Greg Kinnear was very good , and Toni Collette was actually outstanding . Parts of the plot were predictable , but predictability doesn't really ruin a movie if the story remains genuine . And while contrived at points and indie - formlaic you got the idea that the writer and actors really were having a good time and believed in this project . I really think this film is gonna be one of those end of summer sleeper hits . The quirky little movie that you will here being talked about on Oprah and by soccer moms and everywhere else really . Good for them , its a good film and inspite of some shortcomings it definitely works . There will probably be better films that are overlooked in favor of this , but this has a story that will connect with a much wider audience . I am interested to see how it is recieved upon wide release , and see if I am right here . 
Blog Titles of the Year . In stubling around Green Cine Daily I spent my lunch hour perusing some other film blogs , and unless Jim decides to ressurrect the late 11 a.m. Air Raid I am suggesting that these two blogs have the best titles ( and good content to boot ) on the entire www . Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule - What 's not to love about that title . Well , one the fact that it may be changing soon . Myself , I can take or leave Sergio as a filmaker , and the infield fly rule , well , it is one of the stranger yet neccessary rules in the worlds greatest game . But , fotr the merging of film and baseball so poetically Sadly , this blogs author may be looking to change the title . I hope he doesn't . Like Anna Karina 's Sweater - If anyone has been paying attention to my amateurish film ramblings you know that I am more or less in love with Anna Karina , and you should be too . At any rate , it 's a title I wish I thought of myself . And it 's a great blog too , complete with contests . 
Confession Time . The past few weeks I have been entirely sucked into The Hills on MTV . I can't justify it , but that won't stop me from watching I am just going to say I find it extremely entertaining . The formula is a total weakness for me . Put any group of good looking people in California by the water and set them up in ridculous relationships , and give them an apparently limitless supply of money which can have them out on town in all the posh nightspots in town ( even when half of the are underage ! ) and I ' ll be there . I ' ll be watching . It 's ridiculous . The OC hooked me in the same way . At once I am entirely jealous of them and find myself diskiling them ... but then , I realize I am no class warrior , and when you get right down to it , I would love their lifestyle , at the least in small doses . Since thats not a possibility right now I will sit and watch these clowns and be envious . This isn't a cry for help , though I know it 's sad and a bit of an illness . I know that I will keep watching . At least as long as my schedule permits . It 's only a half hour a week , right ? But for the life of me I can not figure out what Lauren is still doing with Jason ... 
The Searchers . Apparently when I add movies to the Netflix queue I do so in handfuls by director or genre . This isn't by any means a bad thing , and one can hardly complain about getting two John Ford films in a row . Last night I recieved and watched John Ford 's The Searchers . Tons has been written on this film and most of it by people far more learned than myself , but that has never stopped me before . First off , when you read or hear about this movie you hear two things . First , it 's one of the most influential and important American Films ever made . Second , it 's John Ford 's powerful statement against racism and prejudice . Let 's talk about the supposed statement first . The way that Ethan ( John Wayne ) is portrayed in this film , sometimes it is hard to see this as a statement against racism . And that is always gonna be a problem when a larger than life man ( Wayne ) is cast as a hero but spends a great majority of the film showing a very prejudiced attitude against Native Americans ( specifically Comanche , here ) . And there are scenes that are meant to override the great majority of the film where Ethan seems proud to be racist against the Native Americans . Whether or not these scenes work to overide the majority of the film is entirely dependent upon the viewer . For me , it was very uncomfortable to watch at times , given the outward racism of the character . And , in the end I am not entirely sure that I would say that this film is a powerful statement against racism . Love of family and brotherhood are apparent , but I uncomfortable saying that was enough to make the entire film a statement against racism . I have no doubt in my mind that Ford 's inentions were to make a statement , I just don't believe that it comes across entirely , or unmuddled . Is unmuddled a word ? As for the film itself , and the performances , it 's incredible . A film like this deserves to be seen in an anormous theater or at least a great widescreen televison . Unfortunately , for me , it was viewed on a ridiculously old Quasar television , but at least in the widescreen format . Ford 's repuation is deserved when it comes to shooting landscapes . And , there are definitely shots in this film that deserve their place in American cinema history . Wayne is phenomenal and convincing ( maybe too convincing ) in his role . The story itself , Wayne searching for years for his kidnapped ( by Comanche Indians ) niece with a 1 / 8 Cherokee companion sets up for a decent amount of suspense . It 's a film that while an uneasy watch , definitely deserves it 's reputation as a classic of American Cinema , and probably deserves repeated viewings if only to wrestle with one 's own reaction to the story , and its more unsavory parts . 
April is here ! All right , its April and I thought I should update the blog ! I am really bad at it ! Kristin , you put me to shame !!! John and I are both doing well . My design studio has become extremely busy over the past few months and things seem to just keep getting busier . Its all good ! John has been working on plans to open a gourmet market . He 's been formulating a business plan , looking into spaces that would suit the need and networking to gain as much information as he can . Stay tuned ! We have just put together our final plans for our trip next month . We are going to Europe for three weeks ( May 5 - 24 ) with plans to attend Molly & Adolpho 's wedding in Florence , Italy on May 20 th . Our itinerary takes us to Budapest , Vienna , Venice and Florence . To keep things interesting we decided to rent apartments in Venice and Florence . This should give us a little more space and a bit of local experience . Our old friend Jeff ( he 's not old , we ' ve just know him a long time ) has been " travelling the world " since Christmas and is trying to meet us in Budapest for a little reunion . We hope it works out and we get a chance to tear up the town . John 's parents are returning from Hong Kong this month . They have been living in Hong Kong , on and off , for the past year as part of a consulting position Lyle took with New York Life . We never got a chance to visit them in Hong Kong , which is our loss . It sounds like an amazing place and they have really enjoyed it ( they ' ve been living like royalty ! ) . They shoudn't be bored because they leave for Italy ( Molly 's wedding ) shortly after returning home . They are celebrating their 50 th Wedding Anniversary in October and I understand there may be a big party in Dallas . Maybe more ... We had some sad news , again , in the Robertson family . Our Nana Kraengel ( grandmother on mother 's side ) died on March 31 st at the age of 94 . It was unexpected , but with her age and frailty we were not suprised . She was an amazing and accomplished woman having been a pilot in the 1920 - 40 's . She and my grandfather owned their own planes and Nana was the first women to solo at Floyd Bennet Field on Long Island ( today this is La Guardia Airport ) . Their flying days came to an end when they were required to sell their planes during World War II ( private flight was restricted during the war ) . John and I have been playing a lot of golf . John has clearly surpassed my skills on the links . He recently shot his first Eagle ! He was very excited and we are all really proud of him . I guess I need to get out more often as I cut down from 2 - 4 times per week to just about 1 x ! However , I ' ve been occupying my time with printingmaking again . I haven't been in an art studio in years but started brushing up my skills with some classes and studio time at the Hui No ' eau Visual Arts Center . Things have been coming back really fast and it seems I still have some apptitude . I wasn't able to get any finished work together to enter in this years Art Maui juried art show , but next year I plan on entering . I have posted a couple of sketches Iv ' e done for some etchings I have in progress ( one of John and one of Madison ) . Well , this should get you through the next few months ! We hope everyone is doing well and life is treating you great ! 
Welcome 2006 !!! OK , the last part of 2005 was really hard to get through and we are so thankful for a fresh start in the New Year ! We threw a birthday Bon Fire Bash for John at our friends house on the beach in Pa ' ia . I was particularly happy to have had a proper birthday party for John who suffers from a birthday on January 1 st . Usually it is too difficult to pull people together what with travel schedules , holiday fatique ( and hangovers ) and the prospect of waking up the next morning for work . This year his birthday was on a Sunday ( and Monday was a holiday ) , so the party was on ! A great time was had by all ! Our beloved dog Madison died on October 6 th , just a couple weeks shy of his 14 th birthday . To say we were devastated would be an understatement ; however , we know he had a long and happy life . We took his ashes to the beach on his birthday and scattered them in the ocean waves at sunset . We are adjusting to life without him in our home but still see him out of the corner of our eye sometimes . Madison 's death came at a bad time as John and I had just learned that I had a brain tumor . We were so emotionally exhausted from all the bad news . Luckily the tumor was benign and we found an excellent neurosurgeon at Memorial Sloan - Kettering in New York City . We went to New York in November where I had surgery to remove the damn thing . Today I am feeling better than ever and am almost fully recovered ! I am just waiting until March when I have the all - clear to get back into the water . I am not allowed in the water for three months to prevent infection in the brain . The New Year holds the promise of much fun . Friends continue to visit us on Maui and we always enjoy putting out the guest towels . In May were are off to Europe for 3 - 4 weeks . The main focus of the trip is the May 20 th wedding of John 's little sister in Florence , Italy . We are planning on visiting Venice , Budapest and Croatia . Late in 2006 we will start entertaining the adoption of a new puppy . In addition to our current playtime activities of golfing , swimming and scuba diving , we plan on taking up surfing and / or windsurfing . Somewhere we will find some time to work ! We sincerely wish everyone a very Happy New Year and hope that your travels bring you to Maui in the near future ! Aloha . 
The Paul 's Visit . OK , we survived our visit with Joe , Suzanne , Lyle and Oliver ! It was a whirlwind visit but we had a blast . Those kids kept us on our toes -- very sharp those two ! Joe ran the Maui marathon with his Texas teammates and finished with a respectable time . We are in awe of his dedication . I was tired just hearing about it ! The Paul 's were excellent house guests and treated us to a snokle cruise and a luau . We also spent one evening picnicking with his friends , going to the beach and just being goof balls around the house . The Pauls are very experienced goof balls !!! Life is extremeley hectic at the moment and we are struggling to keep our heads above water . Will post some new information soon . 
Puu Koa . OK . Lots of great feedback from many people , but all of it via email . Not complaining but the beauty of a blog is you can post public comments / responses on the site . It is really easy to do . Plus , you can bookmark the site and return to it every now an then if you choose . Anyway , at Kristin 's request I am uploading another photo . This one is our house on Puu Koa ( the red plantation style home ) . We love it and it was the best purchase we could have made . Come check it out for yourselves ! I am looking for more photos to post but I seem to have the scattered all over the place . Stay tuned . We are getting excited to host John 's little brother Joe and his family . Joe is running in the Maui marathon . I am still wondering how he arranged that ! We are excited because the two little boys , Lyle and Oliver , will be coming and they seem really jazzed about seeing their uncles . Hopefully we will get the chance to spoil them behind their parents back ! Lyle is a volcano freak and I think he is in for a real treat when he understands that we see Haleakala from our place . I guess we will make the drive up to 10,000 feet to see the cauldera . We ' ll give you an update to let you know if we all survive . Thanks again for all the responses . It has been great reconnecting with many of you . Keith . 
Aloha from Maui . My good friend Kristin recently created a blog for her family to share updates , photos , thoughts , etc. and I thought it might be worth a try . Plus it will provide a forum for family and friends to make postings to keep in touch . So , here it goes . John and I have been living on Maui for over one year and , well , it doesn't suck ! The adjustment was quite easy but it is hard to force yourself to work everyday when there is so much competing for your attention - warm sunshine , warm blue ocean waters , golf , windsurfing , scuba diving and all other kinds of adventures . The photo is from a recent trip to Hana with some friends . Over the course of the year we have found that the best opportunities for financial gain are real estate and owning your own business . Since we can only afford one house ( real estate prices are super crazy ) we have decided to explore becoming more entreprenurial . We are currently looking into business ownership opportunities in the specialty food / coffee industry . This is an area in which we have a background and can really apply our knowledge of building brands . More to come ... The Paul family will be celebrating the wedding of John 's youngest sister Molly . Molly and Adolpho will be getting married in Florence , Italy next May so we are planning on making the big trip ! We are already in the spirit as I was hired to design their wedding invitation . For those of you who know us well , our dog Madison is our biggest treasure . He is a big yellow lab that we adopted in Los Angeles when he was only 7 weeks old . He is celebrating his 14 th birthday in October and I can only say that I hope I am in as good shape as he when I am in my 90 's - God willing ! Being so far from many family and friends is a big challenge and hopefully this blog will be a fun forum . I invite you to visit , share and pass along the word . Finally , we would love to see anyone who wishes to make plans to visit Maui ! 
Bloggers planet . chat 00 s blogs . , . . celebrities chat , pre - typed text full image making marketing . 2 nd Generation e - Celebrities , trash - marketing . trash tv html . freestyle e - talent show . To ? ? ? ' ? ? . flash , . , , . geocities internettrash . free internet . , . , . Anyway , . . 
once upon a time . quitting smoking : failed . same night my tablet pc fried . I was so not ready to deal with something like that .. smokeless ? got a new job . or 3 . I ' ve been working like a whore and it feels like i ' m still a slave of my credit cards . 2 prints i designed got slighlty / very fucked up and i ' m about to die from sadness . God i ' m completely freaked out . : ( I lost all my energy and joy for design , i just wanna disappear and quit dealing with all this stress . Sad thing : i so fucking wish i could . I have to turn into a robot and do what i must do . Damn , i need some sleep . : ( . 
Oh my . Some moments are far worse than others . For a heavy smoker like me , the lack of a single cig is hell . So far i am pretty calm . I just drink a lot of water , i watched dvd for a while and i figured it would be best to surf the www a little . I was too close to going out and buying some cigs twice . I got myself those nicotine gums . It fucking helps . Facing an addiction of yours is hard . Admitting your addiction is weird . A simple thing as a cig being faced as an addiction is far weirder . This makes me re - evaluate everything . Am i addicted to computers ? Am i addicted to my boyfriend ? Am i addicted to many situations in my everyday life , which might not offer me something actual but i ' m used to being into ? I ' m chewing this fucking gum for about an hour . I didn't have pigging out attacks , yet , thank god . My thoughts are pretty much scattered . I can't type anymore . 
One more attempt . Today i smoked only 5 cigs ( go me ) . It is supposed to be the day i ' ll quit the bitch . I have no more cigs at home and i plan to stay in all day . I just hope i ' ll make it this time . 
price hike ! just when we thought the price hike in taxi fares are taking it toll on our tight little pockets , this morning i read in the Channelnewsasia website that SMRT is going to increase their charges on their buses , MRT and LRT . that 's basically saying that we have to pay more for our public transport , again . the move by SMRT , will leave us with no choice but to pay more . this is becoz they are the only company in Singapore that offers MRT , LRT and some of the bus services . in other words , it 's like a monopolism situation . the reason of the hike is simple . high operating costs as a result of the oil prices if i ' m not wrong . nevertheless , i guess they are just working on the Public Transport Council 's formula of a maximum of 1.7 % increase annually . this is one thing that the government has did . everyone of us know inflation , that prices have to increase with time to come . so the government is actually proposing a small percentage of increase gradually each year , so that we actually will not feel the " pain " , from our pockets of coz . our basic necessities are all working this way . like electricity , water , transportation and food . if u guys had read the newspapers last week , i think there 's this article that compares an ordinary working individual , taking a cab to work against buying a car . the results were obvious . buying a car had become cheaper . alot of young singaporeans now are actually considering buying a car . and mind you , they are some financially - abled career men and women that wouldn't just settle for something they dun like . as u guys would know , BMW 's cars totally out - sold Mercedes ' last year , by quite a hefty percentile if i didnt read wrongly . the BMW 3 series is really such a beauty at a wonderful bargained price . how can anyone resist it ? ok , anyway , if i ' m a person that wants to book a cab at Takashimaya after shopping , during the peak period , this is how much i have to pay . supposing i dialed Comfort , starting fee - $ 2.50 booking fee during prime time - $ 4.00 peak period surcharge - $ 2.00 so when i board my cab , it 's already $ 8.50 ! so expensive u know ? u know where i can go from my place with $ 8.50 before the hike ? i can move from TELOK BLANGAH to CLEMENTI . with $ 8.50 after the hike , i ' m still at my origin . - _ - ||| haix . so sad . now i dun dare to take cab . u know Comfort has this new Hyundai dunno what series . i have yet to sit in one . now , how to take ? 
NOT AGAIN ! during the wee hours of the night , when everyone was sleeping soundly , lying comfortably on their beds , the earth shook . it was right under the seabed , when the tectonic plates started moving against each other . the friction caused , is called an earthquake . how serious it is , it will be measure on this Richter Scale . the higher the number is , the larger the friction . this time , there were 3 earthquakes , measuring 7.2 , 5.5 , 6.1 each . all these rubbing and moving against each other causes one of the plates to give way , displacing the available sea water . therefore , a series of waves resulted , and this is what causes the terrible tsunami that has so far killed more than 500 people in southern Java . this is the 2 nd time in as many years that this catastrophe has struck indonesia . remember the horrible tsunami that took almost 220,000 innocent lives away ? no one can believe such a thing to happen to their own country , for the 2 nd time somemore ! dun u guys think that there shld be proper measures to ensure that such a thing can be handled more effectively ? this is certainly heart - breaking , when u realised that ur loved ones might be the ones trapped in the rubble , and the rescuers can only use their BARE HANDS to uncover . frankly speaking by the time they find u , u might have already been dead long ago . how on earth can the rescue efforts be made using their bare hands ??? u know when ur country has experienced a certain disaster , the next thing u shld do is to get the necessary stuffs to prevent it , or at the most , minimise the damages done . that will of coz include the necessary equipments to help the rescue efforts . how are u going to rescue people , to SAVE LIVES with just ur bare hands to by clearing the debris bit by bit ? 
2 nd entry of the day ... my working hours are apparently from 8.30 am to 6 pm on Mondays to Thursdays , 5.30 pm on Fridays . due to the absence of my boss , i actually went to play soccer with the people there at 4.15 pm . so it 's like i play for an hour or so , then bathe and change , just in time to knock off at 5.30 pm . haha . so slack rite ? now u see why bosses have to be around in order for their workers to do their work ? seriously , if u guys become a boss or even a supervisor , u can never trust ur workers to do their work when u are not around . anyway i went off at 5.25 pm . haha . i took a bus to Bugis but who knows halfway , elton called and cancelled the meeting . - _ - ||| so , without having to rush anymore , i slowly made my way to the highly recommended Chapter 2 . when i reached there , it was packed ! there were tonnes of people inside and all the stylists are not free . i cant even settle for a walk - in . well , much as disappointed i was , it goes to show that the recommendations might be worthy afterall . i took their card and promised to return and make an appointment next time . i went off to Marina Square next . by mrt ? no . by bus ? no . by foot ! haha . i took the Shaw Towers way , thru Suntec and then to Marina . i walked past G 2000 and sort of just peered inside . u know G 2000 , on normal days there wont be a huge crowd usually . but ! today , there was a super long queue at the cashier and loads of people looking at their clothes . finding it strange , i took a closer look . my eyes almost popped out ! the whole outlet was on discount ! the things inside were all on discounts . their shirts were on 40 % discount . their jackets were on 50 % and belts and ties were on 30 % . i was hesitant to buy anything in the first place . but the more i looked , the more tempted i got . it 's not that i cant resist temptations . it 's just that it 's so rare to see such hefty discounts in G 2000 . u know their stuffs . all of them are like quite expensive on normal days , that u will only patronise when u need to work in an offic . i ' ll show u guys what i bought in 30 mins , and how much i paid for them . this jacket / blouson / vest costs $ 149 . i paid only $ 74.50 ! = ) this is the shirt i bought . it costs $ 59 . but now , $ 35.40 ! = )) my meeting with elton was supposed to teach me how to earn . haha . see how disastrous it got when the apointment was cancelled ? i just got back from Bintan mind you ! = P . 
teh tarik ... short entry ... just had my daily dose of teh tarik . somehow i ' m addicted to the taste of it , be it hot or cold , i just cant resist myself from not drinking . 2 cups of it would be the very least everyday , which is like sort of a routine . come to think of it , it aint a bad thing afterall . u know caffeine , the thing present in teh tariks , coffee , coke and other drinks , is the thing that keeps us addicted . it 's also the thing that stimulates our cells , to perk us up when we are tired . although it works , the stimulants will only keep us from falling asleep temporary . the lasting effect will not be sufficient if we are to work for long hours . therefore , u will have to replenish ur stimulants when it runs out . addiction is just like a habit . there 's this longing for it everytime u need it . u crave for it . when u are alone , u keep thinking abt it . u want to share ur joy with it . whenever u feel depressed , u wan to talk to it . u want to meet it everyday . u want to be on the phone with it for hours . u wan to kiss it . u wan to feel it . everything that u want to do with it , u just love it . but when the level is low , u start to feel uneasy . suddenly , when u do not have it for a long time , u grow impatient . when u cant meet it , u get disappointed . the more u cant have it , the more u keep thinking abt it . when u feel depressed , u start to wonder why it is not around . soon , ur body grew immune to it . u realised that u do not crave as much for it as u do last time . u get independent . u feel that u do not need it anymore . therefore , u break free , break away from it . it 's no longer an addiction to u anymore ... love 's like an addiction isnt it ? 
monday again ... yet again , it 's the least welcomed day of the week . it 's supposed to be a new beginning of what 's going to be a great week , but somehow my troubled mind just clouded everything . it 's just like being out there in the hot sun , enjoying every bit of the sunshine , absorbing every single bit of vitamin D that u can , and suddenly , dark clouds loomed over . there goes ur morning or afternoon . u had packed everything u wanted . ur sun - tanning oil , ur mat , ur calvin - klein underwear , ur armani mania perfume and ur billabong slippers . but all these were spoilt by the weather , something u have no control about . unless u are an X - men . during a certain period of time , u were experiencing so much sun , that nothing seems to bother u at all . u can forget all about the rubbish on the beach . u can ignore the strong winds that blows . u can forget about the food u brought , which ants are feeding on right now . u can listen to any music u want , without complaining how bad the singer was . u can play any ball games u like . u can stand on the coast , looking at the waves coming in . u can eat any chocolates u want , regardless of whether it 's from UK or Australia . u can take any airlines u want , regardless of whether there 's any unidentified yellow substances . however , when dark clouds are looming , u cant help but worry . what will happen to my food if they get wet ? what will happen if i consume contaminated chocolates ? what will happen if i were to get sick ? what will happen if i were to get struck by lightning ? suddenly , all the " what ifs " surfaced . it is not as simple as u think it is . how long will the clouds stay ? how long will the rain last ? u keep doubting urself . u imagined the worst . u forget how to enjoy . u forget the clear waters of the sea . u forget what is sun - tanning . u lost sight of the beautiful fishes that u last saw while snorkelling . u no longer feel like playing ball games . in short , u are lost ... u are lost . u look around . there is not a single soul u can see . all the souls that accompanied u while u were enjoying were gone . it all happened so fast , that it seems they just vanished into thin air . u are helpless . trapped in this beach of yours , u collapsed on the floor . ur racing mind cant seem to stop and take a breather . one side of ur brain is asking why . one side of ur brain is asking how . u rummage through , hoping to find solutions , hoping to find something to rest ur mind , for a while . but all u get is problems and all the uncertainties . after many days , u are still lost ... u finally decided u had enough . u get up on ur feet . u do not give a single care about what will happen . u just run . left or right , screw it . u know u have to run . that 's the best option u have in ur mind . as long as not staying put at this space . u closed ur eyes and just keep running , without caring about anything . the only thing u have on ur mind is to get out of this place . at last , u reached your ideal destination . there are no clouds ! there 's only the sun , ur beloved source of happiness . u start to unpack ur stuffs , start applying whatever that needs to be applied on ur body . u start to believe that the world is blessed once again . as u start to pick up ur basketball , all ready to play , u hear something which u dun wanna . u cant believe urself as u have just heard the sound of thunder ... u dropped ur ball ... sometimes ... avoiding a problem aint the best solution ... 
next . Some of you might have noticed that our website is unavailable sometimes - Our host seems to be having some trouble which is why we are looking for a new host so everything can be running smoothly . It 's not a big problem just some outages lasting a few minutes sometimes , but it 's enough to annoy me . So if you know of a great host then please let us know : ) Besides that I have been looking through more than a hundred CMS ( Content management ) systems to find something which would make it a lot easier and more stable for us to update not only the blog , but also post some of the many articles we plan on posting during the next 12 months . But after reviewing them all , we haven't found a single one which is easy and fast to use , powerful enough to support a few ( Actually rather basic ) requirements we have . We found many systems which could do what we wanted but they where all overly complex or the usability of the system looked like something from the stoneage . Since I ' ve been programming for almost two decades now and have been doing it professionally for about a decade , the only solution is to develop one ourselves . So yesterday I started developing our CMS system and things are actually progressing quite nicely , so hopefully in a months time or so we will have a nice system which is fairly powerful but still very easy to use . I ' m thinking about releasing it for the rest of you to use but I ' m still thinking about it : ) Anyways , just wanted to give you all a small updated and can also tell you that the images we promised you will be online very soon so you can get a small taste of the work me and Martin are doing . 
GAMING : The Weekend Wrap Up In Sacto Gaming ( 22 - 23 July , 2006 ) ! Hi Everyone , This was quite a weekend of gaming , plenty of events . Vynnie , a local gamer , well known for his generosity and a beautifully designed miniatures web site ( link to his site shown below ) was among the game hosts this past weekend . Saturday was full of gaming events ... ------ Whether from the Sacto Board Gamers at the Arden Dimick Public Library ... http : // boardgames . meetup . com / 19 / about / You can see several well known gamers in the above photo ( photo taken from the Sacto Boardgamers web site ) ... among them Phil the " Mighty " and Brian the " Brain . " Kevin Ellingston was able to attend this event and noted the games played here : http : // briefurl . com / Arden _ 7 - 22 - 2006 I have posted a list on Board Game Geek recapping the games that were played on July 22 at the Arden Dimick Library . Since I did not arrive until 2 p.m. , I suspect there may have been a game or two that were played that I did not get a record of . If you attended and played a game that is not on the list , I would appreciate it if you would add it . ------ The MWSS Board / Mini Gamers at Fair Oaks Public Library ... The above photo is of Rob " Mako " Kent , a local wargamer with an intense interest in aerial wargames and Don Delis , who hosted a WWII Pacific wargame . http : // games . groups . yahoo . com / group / M _ W _ S / MWSS also had guests from the Bay Area EBAG Club : The EBAG guys are certainly a little strange , but are always likeable ! Why is it that so many folks with Scooby Doo T - shirts seem to resemble Shaggy ? http : // www . warsweb . com / ebag . html MWSS hosted three mini games this past weekend : - A western " gunsmoke " game ( homebrew rules ) designed and hosted by the always charismatic Joe Bianchi . - A WWII Pacific game ( Flames of War rules ) featuring Ozzies fighting the Japanese in the deep jungle hosted by the inscrutable Don Delis . - A DBM game featuring the Gauls vs . the Romans hosted by the ever magnanimous Brad . I attended this event and took some photos , which can be found here : http : // briefurl . com / MWSS _ 7 - 22 - 2006 ------ Or the local gamers that Vynnie hosted at his place ... In the above photo , a might Klingon and Orion fleet head off to deal some " hurt " to the do - gooders of the Federation . If nothing else , the Klingons have thick heads of hair , which is more than many Federation captains can lay claim to ... http : // www . recon - in - force . com / index . html I also attended this event and posted some photos here : http : // briefurl . com / Vynnie _ 7 - 22 - 2006 We played the popular Starfleet Battles remake Federation Cammander and had a good time . FC is a big improvement over the rules and tables heavy SFB . http : // www . boardgamegeek . com / game / 21371 Of course , as often as not , it 's the company that makes the game and not the other way around . ------ And Sunday also saw a number of games hosted including some games of ASL ( Advanced Squad Leader ) , a classic war game of much renown . http : // www . boardgamegeek . com / game / 243 ------ And I had a great time everywhere I headed this past weekend ! Thanks to all , whether hosts , players or otherwise ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
GAMING : The Secret of A - 1 Alchemy ( 7 - 19 - 2006 ) ! Hi Everyone , This past Wednesday Dick , Kimbo and I got together at A - 1 Comics on Sunrise ( as we do almost every week ) and played a game ... it was a longer game so we only got that game in . Dave Story managed to show up for a little , but had to leave later . The game we played was : Ars Mysteriorumhttp : // www . boardgamegeek . com / game / 17125 And we had a good time . The game reminded me in many ways of other card - drafting , resource bidding and set - building games such as Thurn & Taxi or Ticket To Ride , but it added a lot of complication to the " card " theme . Each turn had eight parts and the biggest gambit was in how you used your special cards called " mysteries . " Unfortunately , a good number of the special cards were worded poorly or were only good when used in such a way as they disadvantaged the user as much as his opponents . I ' m not a big proponents of games where I have a choice of hosing myself or hosing myself . Most of all , the biggest shortcoming of the game was the length it took to play ... We started early in the evening ( probably around 5:00 pm ) and didn't end until late in the evening ( almost 9:00 pm ) . While I had a good time thanks to Dick and Kimbo , I felt that the playing the game wasn't a good use of my limited gaming time . I get alot more out of other games in the same amount of time . Oh , and Mazel Tov to Dick on his victory ! Well played ! And that remined me of another " alchemy " themed game that I have in my collection : Theophrastus http : // www . boardgamegeek . com / game / 3562 I ' ll have to bring Theophrastus to the next meet this upcoming Wednesday . It has many of the same game mechanics but the special cards are better designed and the set collecting is more dynamic . The sense of background and story is also greater with Theophrastus than Ars Mysteriorum . And although it will sound silly , all of the apprentice pawns in Ars Mysteriorum resembled lawn gnomes and that kept me from taking the game very seriously . Who wouldn't prefer the mortar and pestle of Theophrastus to the lawn gnomes of Ars Mysteriorum ? Oh , and if you really have a thing for gnomes , check out this site : http : // www . gnomereserve . co. uk / And if you 're one of those " political activist " types , help the poor oppressed garden gnomes here : http : // www . freethegnomes . com / Bottom line : I wouldn't recommend Ars Mysteriorum . I would recommend Theophrastus . Have a great day ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
HUMOUR : Thought You Couldn't Dance ? . Hi Guys , If you thought you couldn't dance ... then you ' ve been " moded " ... This guy , Matt , NOT only can't dance , BUT he can't dance ... with style ! Check out his video here : http : // www . wherethehellismatt . com / index . html And more about him here : http : // www . wherethehellismatt . com / about . html I now feel much better about all the flailing I did in the 1980 s ... long live Pat Benetar ! http : // en . wikipedia . org / wiki / Pat _ Benetar Have a nice Thursday ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . P . S . Kudos to Barcepundit on whose blog where I found this crazy clip : Spanish : http : // barcepundit . blogspot . com / English : http : // barcepundit - english . blogspot . com / . 
VIDEO : Nerdfest Part - 2 " Star Trek vs . Star Wars " . Star Trek vs . Star Wars Hi Guys , I enjoyed this one . Classic ... Check out these two links as well ... One article by one of my favorite sci - fi authors , David Brin , popular for the Uplift series : http : // briefurl . com / Despots - Populists And another site that absolutely cracks me up : http : // www . stardestroyer . net / Empire / Have a great Thursday ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
VIDEO : Nerdfest Part - 1 " Altered Eternity : Star Wars vs . Star Trek " . Altered Eternity : Star Wars vs . Star Trek Hi Guys , I ' ve been experimenting with adding videos to the ol ' blog . Here 's my first go at it ... I enjoyed this clip ... Hope you do too ... Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
MINI WARGAMING : 6 mm ACW Fire & Fury Basing Article ! . Hi Guys , I came across this the other day ago and enjoyed it enough to share ... http : // briefurl . com / 6 mm - ACW - Articlehttp : // www . ssendam . org / And I found it here on TMP : http : // briefurl . com / 6 mm - ACW - TMPVery cool work ! Thanks for sharing , Ssendam ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
HUMOUR : New " Offensive " Rocket ? Hi Guys , With all the rockets flying around these days , I thought I ' d share the latest in a long line of rockets : THE PORTA - POT SHOT ! And the standing joke is : " Add one mother - in - law and fire away ! " If only the crazies of the world were firing these instead of the explosive ones lined with rat poison . I think I could tolerate a few of these landing on my " favorite " politicians ' cars or homes ( ... assuming they didn't actually hurt anyone ) . Or even better yet , if we got American " 4 th of July " rockets or American anthem " Rocket 's red glare " instead of " that other kind . " And ... both the photo and rocket are real ! Go figure ! Proof : http : // www . estesrockets . com / Porta Pot _ Shot 1305 . html Have a great day and don't step on # 2 in your quest to become # 1 ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
MINI WARGAMING : 6 mm Zombies ? . Hi Guys , I recently came across a post on TMP for 6 mm zombies ... COOL ! http : // briefurl . com / 6 mm - Zombies And someone was generous enough to post pics of the " Irregular Riot " set that he is using for zombies : http : // briefurl . com / Norrmeister Thanks , Norrmeister ! Oh , and a link to Irregular Miniatures : http : // www . irregularminiatures . co. uk / Have a great Tuesday ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
NEWS : Maksim 's Take On the Israel - Hezbollah War ... . Hi Guys , I ' ve been getting an immense amount of correspondence about the current Israel - Hezbollah War and it 's moved me to say my peace here at my blog . While I want to keep the focus of my blog on gaming , I will , on occasion , speak about politics , especially in regard to the Middle East , which I feel is crucial to the progress of civilization . I added an array of links to Israeli / Jewish web sites for folks to peruse who are interested . First of all , if I could recommend just one article to read about the current conflict , I would recommend this one from Treppenwitz : http : // briefurl . com / Thanks _ I _ Needed A short caption from his article : Just as every person who had ever rescued that bully from admitting defeat helped create the cowardly brute I saw that evening in the bar , every well - intentioned power that has ever stepped in and negotiated a ceasefire for an Arab aggressor has helped create the monsters we see around us today . President Lahoud of Lebanon , a big Hezbollah supporter and a close ally of Syria , has been shrieking non - stop to the UN Security Council for the past two days to get them to force Israel into a cease fire . I highly recommend reading the whole article . What Treppenwitz has done is capture the totality of the Arab - Israeli conflict , which goes something like this : 1 . Arabs incite and instigate through terrorism , sabre rattling and indiscriminate murder .2 . Israel uses " strong language , " but fails to reply in force .3 . Arabs increase the level of violence until Israel gets really angry ; angry enough to do something about it .4 . Wars breaks out between the Arabs and the Israelis .5 . The Arabs are defeated militarily on the battlefield by Israel .6 . The " world , " through the auspices of the United Nations and other " international organizations " steps in , nullifies the Israeli victory , and turns every Arab military defeat into a political draw .7 . The cycle repeats . Now , I don't beleive in the hogwash about a " cycle of violence , " unless it 's imposed from the outside as in this case . Normally , when a fight breaks out , whether on a school playground or between nations as in W . W . II , someone takes a beating and learns a lesson ... even if only in the short term . And it takes the vigilance of a just victor to make sure that the bully learns his lesson . And ... That 's what needs to happen in this conflict . Both Hezbollah and Hamas need to take a full beating ... not a few punches and then have " international organizations " step in to stop the fight . Both Hezbollah , Hamas and their masters in Syria , Iran and elsewhere have lessons to learn and we do the Arab world no favors if we hold Israel 's hand . The Arab people , and Muslims in general , deserve better than the tyrannies they now suffer under ... ------ I have a few more recommendations ... If you really want an easy way to get a toe hold on what 's going on in the Middle East , I can do no better than to recommend that you become a fan of The Dry Bones comic strip . Yaakov Kirschen has been writing it for years and it has been revered by both Arabs and Israelis for at least as long . I love him , some of the most inciteful humor I ' ve ever read : http : // drybonesblog . blogspot . com / I took another comic strip from Cox I wouldn't wish it on anyone . If I could wish one thing for the Arabs , it would for the average Arab Joe ( ... or I guess , Muhammed ) to be able to live in peace , raise his or her children with liberty Hamas , it is a war of memes , that is to say of ideas and cultures . The true war is between tyranny and freedom as symbolized by Jihadi Islam and Western democracies . In the choice between those competing ideas , I know which one I would choose any day of the week . I truly hope that this conflict will end soon , and with minimal damage to the beautiful country of Lebanon ... but not without seeing justice done . Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
MINI WARGAMING : 6 mm Roman Seas ! Hi Guys , Dick and I got together yesterday ( Saturday , 15 July 2006 ) and gave GMT 's War Galley a whirl ( see previous post ) ... It was fun and reminded me of the newer 6 mm ancients naval game , Roman Seas , out from Hotz Artwork : http : // www . romanseas . com / Roman Seas also has a Yahoo Discussion E - group here : http : // games . groups . yahoo . com / group / roman _ seas / Eric Hotz also sells felt gaming mats , Western paper buildings and other goodies . http : // www . hotzartworks . com / Roman Seas ships are paper models and can be printed out in a variety of scales including 6 mm and 15 mm ( pictured above ) . 6 mm seems to be a better scale for space usage , but I ' m definitely a biased source ... Please check out the Roman Seas web site for more information and photos . And I always recommend checking out my friend Peter Berry 's site for 6 mm figures of all sorts of historical flavors : http : // www . baccus 6 mm . com / index . php Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
MINI WARGAMING : New E - A Photobucket Galleries ... Hi Guys , I thought I ' d share some links for some miniatures photo galleries from two Epic - Armageddon miniatures enthusiasts ... ------ Consectari : http : // s 99 . photobucket . com / albums / l 297 / the _ consectari / C . has been working on some terrain boards among his other projects . I really like his use of manufactured packaging as 6 mm sci - fi structures : Please check out his link for more photos of his amazing miniatures projects . ------ And the later Necron efforts of Pipboy : http : // scc 13 hq . blogspot . com / Pipboy does amazing work . The below photo is of some Necron Warriors he converted using DRM 's Andrayada figures : And here 's some photos of his Necron Destroyers using plastic 28 mm Necron Scarab bitz converted with DRM Andrayada torsos : He has much more on his blog if you 're interested in taking a gander ... And DRM Miniatures can be found and purchased here : http : // www . darkrealmminiatures . com / index . htm ------ On a side note , I was able to get together with Dick Mitchell yesterday and we played a few games : - War Galley from GMT Games ... http : // www . boardgamegeek . com / game / 1894 War Galley was a bit complicated . Dick and I hadn't quite mastered the game mechanics when we decided to close out the game and head out for lunch ... it was really nice though to see all of those beautiful ancients ships heading for a rumble on the seas ... - Comand & Colours : Ancients also from GMT Games ... http : // www . boardgamegeek . com / game / 14105 We played a Hannibal vs . Scipio scenario and Dick severely trounced me two games in a row ... Mazel Tov , Dick ! I picture Kimbo and Mike O ' Brien smiling somewhere ! We also played a game of Settlers of Canaan from Cactus Games , an old favorite of mine ... http : // www . boardgamegeek . com / game / 3655 ------ Have a great Sunday ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
NEWS : Mazel Tov , Elle & Vince ! . Hi Everyone , Well , as many of you know , my sister got married this past Sunday and it was wonderful ... I ' m very happy for her , my new brother in law and their five children . I had a great time and while they kept the event small ( I don't think there were more than about 30 to 40 guests ) , it was nice and cozy . I saw many of my cousins whom I hadn't seen in ages . It was a hot day ( easily over the 100 degrees Fahrenheit range ... ) and I opted to take my suit jacket off ... someone snapped a photo of me : One of my jobs was to pick up and later drop off one of the guests , an old family friend , Dale . It was the first time I ' d seen him for ages and probably the first time we really sat down and chatted as adults . I never realized that Dale was a WWII veteran ... he flew B - 26 s and A - 26 s in the ETO ( European Theatre of Operations ) . It 's amazing how little we sometimes know about our neighbors . We had a long chat about WWII , the Martin B - 26 Marauder and other topics of interest on the way to the wedding and back . Dale 's a tough old man and has had the same girlfriend for over fifty years ... wow ! That 's something anyone can respect . The ceremony and reception were held at the Oak Leigh Wedding Center , which is really a nice out of the way site . You can learn more about it here : http : // www . oakleighwedding . com / And the photographers were wonderful . I highly recommend them . I ' ve known the Bannish family for years , consumate professionals and extremely kind people . Their web site is here : http : // williamphoto . com / And I took a ton of photos with my little digital camera , which I ' m sharing on my Photobucket site so that everyone from the wedding can have access to them ( ... and my friends and blog readers ! ) . The photos I took are here : http : // briefurl . com / Sis _ Wedding _ 7 - 8 - 2006 One last shot of my new nephew - in - law , Austin ... aren't kids crazy ? Have a great day ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
NEWS : Quick Maksim Update # 2 ( 11 July 2006 ) ... Hi Guys , ------- I ' m still around ... working on several new posts : - Yehuda game meme post . - Sister 's wedding photos post . - Microarmor ruleset review for Tas . - A few new joke posts . - Con Quest SF post . - Possible movie review of " Munich " ... or maybe not . - Post about new Lebanese Armor " Blue Steel " book ... - Announcement of new local 28 mm Westerns miniatures company ... - Announcement of new Firefly Games product " A Faery 's Tale " ... - A few book reviews ... ------ I ' m really looking froward to this week 's " Wednesday Gamer 's Night Out " at A - 1 Comics on Sunrise . It will be Dick Mitchell 's first night back ina while and I ' ve missed him ... can't get enough good friends like him . And it sounds like some of the rest of the " local posse " are getting jazzed as well ... hope to see Kimbo and Dave Story among others ... Dick put up a new site for a local gaming club he runs : http : // www . freewebs . com / mwssacto / Which also has a free Yahoo E - group : http : // games . groups . yahoo . com / group / M _ W _ S / ------ And the good - looking redhead , who I met this past Saturday , and I are getting along just fine .... ran into her again yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed the company . It 's wonderful when a good - looking woman takes a visible interest in you . And , I ' m getting close to a new State job so that 's nice as well . ------ Have a great day ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
NEWS : Quick Maksim Update # 1 ... Hi Guys , I ' m still around ... sister got married yesterday ... it was nice . Working on and off on hobby projects ... Received a " Hammers Slammers " package yesterday from Ralph ... Thanks , L - 4 ! Oh yeah , and I got to flirt with a good - looking woman I ' ve had my eye on at the gym who I had thought hadn't noticed me ... nice to be corrected . And , I ' m receiving " job announcements / invitations to apply " from various State jobs so that 's nice as well . Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
HUMOUR : New SFB Motivational Posters ( sic . ) ... . Hi Everyone , I thought I should quickly make a small post about my friend , Andreas Udby 's AKA Javelin - 98 's web site ... He 's a great guy , very generous with his time , generous with sharing his many fan - created game aids and always ready to brandish his wicked sense of humour ! The above poster is only one of many that he desihned on a lark ... snarky spoofs of " motivatial posters " made for gamers . You can find a larger version of the poster here ( ... as well as the rest of the series ) : http : // s 76 . photobucket . com / albums / j 20 / javelin 98 / Just in case you were wondering , the poster features an image of an ACTUAL Star Fleet Battles ( SFB ) game record sheet ... just a wee bit complex , you might say ... And despite the complication inherent to the game , SFB can be fun . I ' ve shared many a game of SFB with good friends over the years and most recently with Vynnie Gang , whose awesome web site can be found here : http : // www . recon - in - force . com / index . html Andreas 's web site , which is chocked full of gaming goodness , can be found here : http : // home . comcast . net / ~ kudby / Enjoy ! Have a great day ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
NEWS : 30 th Anniversary of Entebbe Rescue ! . Hi Everyone , It turns out that today , 4 July 2006 , is momentous for more than the founding of the USA ... it 's also the date on which the Israel Defence Forces conducted a miraculous rescue of hostages held by Palestinian - Arab Muslim terrorists in Entebbe , Africa . So , I hope that former Sayeret Matkal Commander , Lt . - Col . Yonatan ( Yoni ) Netanyahu . and the civilian victims of the hostage episode rest in peace . I also hope that the French airline captain and crew are healthy and well after all these years . Their bravery and refusal to leave their passengers sets an example for us all . Two links to two articles about the Entebbe hostage episode : http : // briefurl . com / Back _ Entebbehttp : // briefurl . com / Israel _ Entebbe Numerous books and films describing the events that occurred at Entebbe are available . I highly recommend anyone interested in knowing more about the early roots of the War on Terror learn more ... especially as the terrorists keep escalating to increasingly evil acts of barbarity . Even off the top of my head , I can tell you how terrorism is becoming more and more barbaric in our day and time : 1950 s : - Sabotage and the murder of individual innocents .1960 s : - The beginnings of mass - murders : buses , school yards , etc. - National funding of terrorism by Syria and Egypt .1970 s : - Skyjacking comes into use as a term due to the many hostages taken by terrorists . - Civil War in Jordan between the PLO and Hashemite Monarchy . - The killing of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics .1980 s : - The beginning of genocide bombings . ( Called suicide bombings by the media , but that puts the focus on the murderer instead of the victims ) 1990 s : - The Intifada and the ruthless exploitation of Palestinian - Arab children as weapons by their parents and their society .2000 s : - Bombing buildings , public works and beheadings . - Indescriminate " Blitz bombing " of Israel by Palestinian - Arab Muslim Quassam rockets . Terrorism is a problem that the world can no longer deny . We must decisively deal with terrorism now as a world society before terrorism mutates to the next worse stage and I don't want to know what level of barbarism can be considered worse than the beheadings that are now increasingly prevalent . And if you don't beleive me that terrorism is getting worse , I encourage you to take a look at this site , " The Bloody Borders " project : http : // chromatism . net / bloodyborders / " The Bloody Borders " project graphically illustrates the increasing severity of the calamity of terrorism . We must never forget . Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
HUMOUR : Socialist Super Mario Bros ? . Hi Readers , I came across this while surfing ... Imagine if the USA had lost the Cold War ... What would Super Mario Brothers have turned out like in the alternate USSR - dominated universe : http : // briefurl . com / the _ peoples _ mario ( Check out comments section for full link ) I used this site to compress the URL : http : // briefurl . com / index . php I found a bunch of old Soviet propaganda posters here : http : // briefurl . com / Old - ussr - posters Oooh , weird ! Norman Rockwell on Socialist crack ... Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
HUMOUR : Scooby Dooby Doo & Cthulhu too ... What the ? @ $ % @ * ! Dagnabit ! Pesky meddling kids ! Good morning , Gang ! Another one of those weird mornings in which two things that I don't normally associate with each other come together ... AGAIN ! ------ So , there I was , surfing the Internet , when I came across this post at TMP : " Scooby Doo Cthulhu " Topichttp : // theminiaturespage . com / boards / msg . mv ? id = 79205 Someoene has come up with stats for the entire " crime fight ' in gang and their loveable mutt TM " ... for the wildly lethal Call of Cthulhu HORROR game ! I remember the old Ghostbusters cartoon having a Cthulhu episode complete with a dishy Eastern European babe with a " va va voom " accent , but still ... this is pretty wacky ! Check it out if you don't beleive me : http : // www . mindspring . com / ~ ernestm / cthulhu / And , oddly enough , Scooby has more sanity points than the rest of the gang ( I seem to recall that Fred matches him as leader of the gang ) ! I suppose that 's because he knows when to cut and run and when to simply chow down ... only Shaggy must match him in those terms ... If you have the patience to read this post about Scoob and the Elder Ones , you might get a chuckle ot two out of it ... we all have our eccentricities ! http : // forum . rpg . net / archive / index . php / t - 29818 . html ------ And I ' m including a gratuitous babe shot with Scooby and a " friend " because Gellar has great legs ... And the movie Velma rocked ... I ' d watch the silly film again ... just for HER ! Linda Cardellini ... And her memory justifies another gratuitous babe shot : I think I ' d like her better ... in a sweater ... And speaking of sweaters reminds me of this cool little rock group , the Sweater Kittenz : http : // swtrktnz . tripod . com / Their full story can be found here : ( *** Warning : Unpolitically correct material can be found here ! *** ) http : // hotair . com / archives / vent / 2006 / 06 / 15 / hadji - girl / ------ Have a great Friday ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
MINI WARGAMING : Cool E - A Necron Scratchbuilder ! Hi Guys , Wow ! The Epicomms boards are down , but a new poster , Pip Boy , has put up some great photos of some of his custom work for Epic - Armageddon on the temporary standby until Cyber Shadow restores the boards ... Orkz , Eldar , Necrons and Space Marines , oh my ! ... very impressive ! You can find more here at his blog : http : // scc 13 hq . blogspot . com / Have a great Thursday ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
GAMING : Photos uploaded from 25 June 2006 2 M 2 G Meet ! Hi Everyone , Well , I haven't had the time to write up a full Sit Rep from the meeting , but it was great ... 11 gamers enjoyed the day with three major games running : - Spanish Civil War miniatures game - Avalon Hills double blind 1914 board game - Descent fantasy board game I uploaded the photos to my Photobucket here if you ' d like to take a gander : http : // s 44 . photobucket . com / albums / f 23 / Maksim - Smelchak / Gaming % 202006 / 2 M 2 G % 206 - 25 - 2006 / I ' d say the meet was fantastic with a note that we were missing many local community supergamers like Dick Mitchell and Kimbo ... well , you can't have everything ... maybe next time ? Have a great day ! Shalom , Maksim - Smelchak . 
the new " top gun " . I just watched Annapolis , and it was pretty entertaining . I got some mad Top Gun vibes from it , maybe that 's why I liked it . Jordana Brewster is mad hot in the movie , but I don't know how realistic that military romance was . I want to join the Navy now . No , the Marines . ( and I ' m not even American ) And I want to start boxing . 
selling my shit . I ' m selling some of my stuff to liquidate some assets . I ' m selling my mint Canon EOS 3 with the PB - E 2 power booster for $ 700 . My Canon 135 mm f / 2.0 L lens is going for $ 800 . My snowboard stuff : 2000 Ride Tempest 156 cm , 2000 Ride Preston EX bindings , and 2001 Ride Orion boots , all for $ 400 . If I know you , leave a comment or call me . If I don't know you and you live in Edmonton , leave a comment . If I don't know you and you don't live in Edmonton , please disregard this post . PICS HERE . 
yeah , whateva . It has come to my attention that I have some pretty long hair . I know I have long hair and I ' ve had one haircut in the last 6 - 7 months , but there 's a reason . I think haircuts are a waste of life . That 's right , I said it . Along with cutting nails , I think haircuts are a waste of life . I mean , you grow it constantly only to cut it constantly ? And it costs so much ! Okay , I admit it , hair can really make or break how a person looks . But that wouldn't matter very much if we all had no hair , or if we all had ridiculously long hair . Wahh wahh , but then we ' d have no individuality , wahh wahh wahh . You can still wear different glasses or different clothes , you idiot . Seriously , if everyone had no hair , we wouldn't know any better anyways , so what 's the big deal . Sitting in a hair salon chair , all the waiting , all the washing , goddamn . Do I not care how I look ? Of course I care , you can't not care about appearances in our modern day world , but I guess my threshold is just a bit larger . You think I have long hair ? Yeah , whateva . Suck my big fat hair bitches . 
fwd : . Place an X by all the things you ' ve done , or remove the x from the ones you have not , and send it to all of your friends ( including me ) ... This is for your entire life : ( ) Smoked a cigarette ( x ) Drank so much you threw up ( ) Crashed a friend 's car ( ) Stolen a car ( ) Been in Love ( ) Been dumped ( ) Shoplifted ( ) Been laid off / fired ( x ) Quit your job ( x ) Been in a fist fight ( ) Snuck out of your parent 's house - ( x ) Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back ( ) Been arrested ( ) Gone on a blind date ( X ) Lied to a friend ( X ) Skipped school ( ) Seen someone die ( x ) Been to Canada ( ) Been to Mexico ( x ) Been on a plane ( X ) Been lost ( ) Been on the opposite side of the country ( ) Gone to Washington , DC ( ) Swam in the ocean ( ) Felt like dying ( ) Cried yourself to sleep ( x ) Played cops and robbers ( ) Recently colored with crayons ( X ) Sang karaoke ( X ) Paid for a meal with only coins ( X ) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't ( x ) Made prank phone calls ... ( x ) Laughed until some kind of beverage cameout of your nose ( x ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue ( ) Danced in the rain ( x ) Written a letter to Santa Claus ( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe ( ) Watched the sun rise with someone you care about ( x ) Blown bubbles ( ) Made a bonfire on the beach ( ) Crashed a party ( X ) Gone roller - skating ( x ) Gone Ice - skating Any nicknames ? .... ed Mother 's name ? .... yolanda What is your favorite drink ? ...... right now , coke with ice Tattoos ? nope Body piercing ? nope How much do you love your job ( 1 - 10 ) ? climbing 8 , driving 3 Birthplace : ........ Edmonton Favorite vacation spot ? ...... Tokyo Ever been to Africa ? .. no Ever steal any traffic signs ? Nope Ever been in a car accident ? ....... yes A , B , C , D , DD cup size ? ...... B 2 Door or 4 Door ? ..... 2 Salad dressing ? ...... ranch Favorite pie ? ........... i don't eat pie Favorite number ? ....... 3 Favorite movie ? ........ so many , i can't choose Favourite holiday ? ....... the whole summer holiday Favorite food ? ........ steak Favorite day of the week ? ...... Saturday Favorite brand of body soap ? ...... Dove Favorite TV show ? lots of much more music shows Toothpaste ? colgate total Favorite smell ? ... vanilla What do you do to relax ? ..... nap , play games Message to your friends reading this ? ...... keep it real What do you enjoy receiving ? ...... touch down passes Furthest place you will send this message ? edmonton ? Who will respond the fastest ? Doesnt really matter What time is it now ? ..10:30 . 
If you can make it here ... I am my father 's son . This is what I learned this past weekend on my first trip to New York City alone . After being brought up on the city , both while there and while in Henderson , I ' ve never been there on my own to take it in through the eyes of a college student or a solo traveler . Admittedly , it wasn't perfect , but being there among the hustle and bustle made me realize that there 's nowhere else I ' m supposed to be when I get out of college . And while everyone seems so curious about what I did , where I went and what I saw , it seems kind of ridiculous to give an hour - by - hour account of what went on ... There were bars , of course . Lots of drinking that really dented my wallet . I met a ridiculously attractive girl from Wake Forest on the flight up there and I met two extremely interesting soldiers who both hated George W . Bush and the War in Iraq . There was a comfortable bed off of Central Park West and there was an un - airconditioned subway car on the way Uptown . There was a one - legged homeless man on the corner of Amsterdam and West 109 th that took off his prosthesis and did a backflip for $ 3 . I bought three completely unnecessary though admittedly cool articles of clothing and I paid a $ 6.70 cab fare with a credit card because I was saving my cash for the Gray 's Papaya he drove me to . I took six different subway lines and I traversed Manhattan from top to bottom about 4 times in the same day . I asked for directional help ONE time , but got asked for help about three ( two of which I was actually able to aid in ) . I went to a cheap bar at Columbia and an overpriced bar in The Village . I ate a pizza the size of my forearm and I had a $ 13 turkey and asparagus sandwich at Serendipity III. The pizza was $ 8 cheaper and 100 percent better . But mishaps aside I call a nine - hour delay at RDU a mishap what this weekend taught me is that I belong in New York . When I met my friend Laura at a Starbucks at the corner of 51 st and Broadway , she said New York was the kind of thing that she needed to get out of her system but that she could never really live there for more than she already had , something like two months . As I nodded consolingly , I realized that my adoration for New York wasn't just a system thing I love the city and everything about it . And being there on my own made me realize that , even though I don't know quite yet if I can handle city living , I now know that I want to at least give it a go . I may not have all the know - how and I certainly don't think my body is quite ready for the constant state of exercise that New York City requires , but I think that 's part of the brilliance of the city : the challenges it poses you both as a visitor and as one of its denizen . And since jet Blue kind of sucks at flying , I have a free roundtrip ticket back . It 's good for a year , but unlike the ticket , my love of the city never seems to expire . 
Remember that time Jim had a good idea ? Okay , so in this week 's Daily Tar Heel , Jim Walsh ( at right , in all his glory ) wrote a " column " about the possibility of Chapel Hill having one big music festival la the Siren Music Fesitval ( Coney Island ) or South by Southwest ( Austin ) . Whether or not that 's feasible is certainly up for debate , but Frank Heath , owner of Cat 's Cradle , has brought in one of the best weeks of music Chapel Hillians can hope for : 9 / 17 : Rogue Wave / Jason Collett 9 / 18 : We Are Scientists / Art Brut 9 / 19 : M. Ward 9 / 20 : Calexico 9 / 21 : Jose Gonzalez ( Cat 's Cradle ) or Sufjan Stevens ( Memorial Hall ) Hey Frank , how about putting out passes for all of the shows ? You can buy a pass to all five shows or you can buy tickets individually your choice . In his infinite indie glory , future Diversions Assistant Editor Bryan Reed made up a song title for the week . Note the similarity to , like , all of Sufjan Stevens ' songs : t ac O 4 p ac O 2001 : " The week in September that Sufjan Stevens performs at Memorial Hall or The best week EVER !!!!! or The week half of Chapel Hill goes bankrupt ( except for Frank , the owner of Cat 's Cradle , who executes the perfect get - rich - quick scheme in an indie rock college town ! ( He 's rich bitch ! )) or HOLYSHITROGUEWAVE / JASONCOLLETT / WEARESCIENTISTS / ARTBRUT / M. WARD / CALEXICO / THE HARDEST DECISION EVER ! ( Sufjan Stevens vs . Jose Gonzalez ) !!!!!!!!!!!! " Ah , the joys of being a hipster ... le sigh . 
" Keep Me In Your Mind " . I don't usually try to thrust my musical tastes on others . I simply ( and rather passively ) suggest what people should listen to . They can take my recommendations or leave them and I ' ll think none the less or more of them . Sunday evening , " Entourage " closed out one of the best episodes of their run with a song that was really catchy and I ' ve been scouring the Internet for the past day and change trying to figure out what it was . After messing with HBO message board fanboys ( they 're worse than the IMDb ones ) , I ' ve come up with the artist and song . The Koreans - " Keep Me In Your Mind " This band is kind of an enigma . They don't have an All Music page and it appears they ' ve only released one LP in their existence . According their to their Web site , they were supposed to tour with Britrockers Gomez , but that 's the last news they posted on their site ... on Nov . 11 , 2004 . They released their only full - length album on Sept. 13 , 2004 , and I just ordered it for like $ 26 off Amazon because the song is that good . And I ' m pretty hopeful about it given what kinds of reviews the album got : " ... backed by the sort of beats and breaks the Chemical Brothers would be proud of . " Indie London , September 2004 " The Koreans are Depeche Mode with far better harmonies and , inevitably , we just can't get enough . " Rocksound , September 2004 " ... an explosive debut album of quasi - hip - hop beats and electro - punk that s both gentle and mental . " The Fly , September 2004 " The Koreans could live up to that hype of being the future of British rock . " Designer Punk , September 2004 " ... think classic New Order with John Lennon harmonies and a crunchy rocktronica sheen ... " What 's On , October 2004 " The Koreans self - titled major - label debut is simply brilliant . That s the review in a nutshell . Every single track is head - noddingly , foot - tappingly satisfying ... " Room Thirteen , September 2004 The good news is that I ' ll have the album in about a week and then you guys can mooch off it as usual . Freeloaders . 
Kevin Spacey . Morgan Freeman . Justin Timberlake ? H ' okay , so in browing IMDb during film class , I came across what surely was a joke but actually turned out to be a legitimate direct - to - DVD movie starring Kevin Spacey , Morgan Freeman , LL Cool J , Dylan Mc Dermott and ... Justin Timberlake . The movie is called Edison Force and it may very well rival the likes of Snakes on a Plane for best use of camp value . But I ' m pretty sure that Snakes on a Plane beats it because my best guess is that Edison Force actually takes itself seriously . Just look at that poster . I ' m about 98.74 percent sure that they straight Photoshopped a stock picture of LL Cool J from S . W . A . T . And what the hell is up with Kevin Spacey 's hair ? He looks like a used car dealer who 's waiting for his next shipment of Propecia . Kind of like John Cusack , too . I ' m not even going to go into Morgan Freeman because I ' m pretty sure after that Penguin movie , he can do whatever he wants and no one is going to care . And so the man who promised to have us nekkid by the end of his song is actually playing get this a journalist in this movie from writer / director David J . Burke , the man who ... ummm ... wrote and directed an episode or two of " Sea Quest DSV . " Basically , it 's your standard corrupt cop action movie with a dash of sex appeal in the form of Piper Perabo and Roselyn Sanchez thrown in . My guess is that Brittany Murphey and Eva Mendes were busy . And please , let 's not forget the oft - unheralded acting chops of screen legends Cary Elwes and John Heard . You haven't lived until you ' ve seen Heard 's mindnumbingly brilliant performance alongside Samuel L . Jackson in One Eight Seven . You can check out the redband trailer for Edison Force here . I ' m actually considering renting this movie ( it comes out on DVD July 18 ) and concocting some elaborate drinking game around it . I dunno , maybe everytime JTimb acts like a complete and utter toolbag , you take a shot or something . Or maybe everytime LL Cool J licks his lips in anticipation , you shotgun a beer . Could be fun ... who 's game ? 
The Hoff 's taking the stage . News reaches me from Popbitch that the legend that is David Hasselhoff is ' ' turning himself into a stage show . David Hasselhoff : The Musical includes sets inspired by , he says , " Knight Rider and the songs of Teddy Pendergrass " . " ' ' ' ' I am also doing a heart - rending set on my life and the mistakes I have made , " says Dave . It sounds like a joke , but the show will be opening later this year in Melbourne . " It ' swritten by the same people who wrote Bette Midler 's show , " he says . Which , in musicals , is apparently good . ' ' ' ' Meanwhile in a bizarre showbiz collision he 's currently appearing on US talent show ' America 's got talent ' as a judge , with none other than disgraced tabloid hack Piers Moron . Dear oh dear , and I thought the late 70 s variety show was the bottom of the entertainment abyss . 
Things I never wanted as a kid ! The last episode of TOTP is to be aired on Sunday . Some say it 's the death of an institution . I say ... well actually , I ' m really not that bothered . I don't remember TOTP being a defining part of my youth . Yes it was around and yes we watched it sometimes . My Dad 's in the music business so he regularly had bands on there , but despite that , it was never ' destination television ' as a wanky TV exec . would call it these days . Ten other things I never did as a kid .1 . I never wanted a ' Chopper ' or a ' Grifter ' - I was perfectly happy with my yellow ' Raleigh Whateveritwascalled ' . For one , it was lighter and you could do miles better jumps on it and two , who 's going to nick a ' Raleigh Whateveritwascalled ' , it didn't even have a proper name for God 's sake .2 . I never wanted a Scalextric - nope Aurora for me . Same concept , but the cars were smaller , faster and they stayed on the track at full speed for more than 3 seconds .3 . I never had a pair of Farahs - well they were shit weren't they .4 . I never watched Tiswas - My hatred of Chris Tarrant started at age 6 and anyway when Noel tidy beard was on the other side there was no competition . However ...5 . I never fancied swapping anything on Swap Shop - even as a child it always struck me that the kids that got on the phone were pressured in to swapping for something that was vastly inferior to what they had on offer .6 . I never had an action man - In retrospect this may have been my pacifist mother 's influence , but I can't ever remember wanting one either . Maybe she violently banged it out of me in a fit of uncharacteristic pique .7 . I never wanted a Waddle / Hoddle perm - despite them being all the rage , everyone always secretly knew that the perm at the back , was rubbish . I did however go on to have a mohawk like Jimbob out of Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine ( see above ) . I ' ll post a picture of me one day .8 . I never wanted a puffball skirt - nuff said .9 . I never watched a single episode of the 6 million dollar man - I have no idea why , completely passed me by .10 . I never really wanted to play football - I wanted to play that sport that Dad swore at on the telly , throughout the late 70 s . It sounded exciting and made you cross . I was certainly excitable and a little prone to getting cross . It looked like much more fun and involved far more mud . Dad took me to the rugby club as soon as I was old enough , aged 7 . 
Help . I ' ve added one of those Blog counter thingies , but I ' ve nicked it off Augustus and I think they may be his stats . Plus it 's too fat , Gavin if you 're out there I need your little bits of code . 
What else is six years late ? Well a quick search reveals : Bath Spa opening . What an embarrassment . If I lived in the West Country I ' d be livid . A literary correction . I ' ve assured him he really has no need to apologise . The Walt Disney Concert Hall . What is it with these ' arts ' projects . The Death of compassionate conservatism in the states . Maybe in the states , but the Chameleon 's just cottoned on . Who said the Conservatives were lacking ideas . The Irish National Crime Survey . Weeeeeell , no one believes those surveys anyway do they . There 's bound to be another one that contradicts it . Oh , and me . 
Not everyone loves an underdog . So Tiger won the British Open . Good . I wanted him to . Just like I wanted Roger Federer to win Wimbledon . Just like I want Valentino Rossi to win every time he races . Just like I want Chelsea to win every time they play at the moment . Just like I wanted Arsenal to complete the unbeaten season . I want to see the best teams and athletes sweep all before them . I want to see the opposition belittled as if they were still playing at U 13 level . I ' ve never bought in to the romance of the underdog . It drives me mad that Wimbledon won the FA Cup in 1988 , because it gives commentators something to go on and on and on and on and on about . I hate that Australian speedskater that won Gold in 2004 Winter Olympics because everyone fell over in front of him . Who cares about Eddie the Eagle , Eddie the Eel or whoever the media 's flavour of the month is . If I haven't got some sort of affilitation or money riding on a game , race or whatever , then I always want the favourite to win . The reason for this is because of the Roy of the Rovers possibilities . When you sit and support Michael Johnson in the 200 m and he comes in , in a time of 19.29 sec. leaving eveyone in his wake , those are the moments you savour for the rest of your life . Same as watching Lance Armstrong ride up the Champs Elysees for the 7 th time or Michael Jordan play Basketball . I want to see people that are so good at their sport that the authorities have to change the rules to level the playing field , like Wayne Gretzky managed to do in Ice Hockey . It 's extraordinary records I want to see . It 's feats of physical endurance and sporting prowess that are beyond imagining . Not the romance of the cup . ' ' What we don't want to see today Gary , is for Manchester United to simply bulldoze Yeading out of the competition ' ' Yes I do . I want them to completely steamroller them . I ' d like to see 15 goals today . I ' d like them to , so completely outclass them , that you sit back gobsmacked . So well done Tiger . The only disappointing thing is that you didn't go round in more than 20 under par . That would have really capped it . 
Research suggests that the blindingly obvious is in fact blindingly obvious . I think if they ' d asked us the Pew Internet & American Life Project might have saved a few quid writing their report . 
Wooden tabbards . ' Jase , Jase ' ' Hello mate ' ' Look ' ' Sorry , I can't hear a fucking thing ' ' Look over there ' ' What ' ' Those blokes , over there ' ' Those ones ' ' Yeah ' ' Why ? ' ' They ' ve got wooden tabbards on ' ' You what ' ' Seriously look ' ' What are you on about ? ' ' They bloody have , jesus look so 's she ' ' They haven't , they 're wearing t - shirts ' ' Christ , everyone 's got one ' ' Mate , have a sit down ' ' Alright ' . 
Be careful out there in cyberspace . First I ' d just like to say hello to Jane , William , Colin , Bob and Cathy . Now as far as I knew I had a readership of around , oh , 12 people . That 's a bit of a cheat as well , because I knew you all from other cyberspace outings . Plus of course , there 's my mate Chris , hello Chris hope you 're well and possibly Rob and Mary , hello to you two if you 're reading this . Now . We travelled up to Dundee this weekend for my Aunt Cathy 's 60 th birthday . It was a stonking day for a party , lovely and sunny , but not too hot and with a rather nice cooling breeze coming off the Tay . My Uncle Bob had sent an invitation in April to the ' surprise ' party , so when we got lost driving there - all my fault , stupid man frailties - I panicked a little . The party started at 3 pm and there we were buggering about in Dundee city centre as the clock chimed . Now I admit I hadn't gleaned enough information as to the nature of the surprise , so I had horrible visions of everyone hiding behind sofas , urgently whispering , ' where are Nicky , Crispin and the boys , I tell you if they bugger this up I ' ll ... ' . In the event , they ' d had to tell Cathy 2 weeks prior as she was planning a trip to Malaysia , so we arrived relaxed . Well as relaxed as we could be following the enormous dressing down I ' d had for getting us lost - actually we didn't really get lost , we didn't really know where we were going to start with , something I hadn't mentioned to Nic until we reached Dundee ( it 's a bigger place than I remembered ) . Anyway that 's all beside the point . We all exited the car and walked in to the house , something that now takes a military strategist to execute effectively . As we were walking in to the sitting room to dump , the car seat , the bag , the cocoon , blankets , Eben 's snacks , a kitchen sink , a small Vietnamese stowaway etc. my Uncle Bob casually said ' Jane 's a big fan of your weblog ' . I stopped short of dropping Louis who I had in one hand and the kitchen sink that was perched precariously on a shoulder , but turned round in what I imagine was a completely open mouthed , staggered expression . ' Pardon ' ' Yes we were all looking at it last night ' . ' Pardon , what , er , how come ? ' At that point my cousin Jane said ' I just came across it ' ' Eh !!!! How come ' ' Couldn't you just google your name to find it ' said my Auntie Cathy ' Well not really I ' ve never stated my real name on there and I write under a pseudonym ' As an aside , if you do google my name you will find a website and various other references for an outward bound centre ( in Scotland ) run by another Crispin Heath and then 4 links down a comment I left on the BBC website regarding the Tony and Gordon ' love in ' that constituted the last Labour party election broadcast . I ' m really not happy that of all the comment I ' ve made about UK news stories online , that that should be the one that google pitches up . It 's an example of me at my most pompous and actually not what I now really believe . Damn the Internet . ' How did you find it ? ' ' I just came across it while I was surfing ' said Jane ' How did you know it was mine ? ' ' I think I saw your picture ' Now that 's double lucky , because although I have posted my picture on here I think it 's only been two or three times , so Jane must have happened to land on the page on the day I ' d posted my photo . Unless of course you 're a really dedicated surfer and read every single line of the pages you land on . Actually Jane you can answer that one , there are so many questions I should have asked but didn't . Just for the record , there are currently just over 88,000,000 host names registered in the world , of which around 43,000,000 are active . Add in to that the timeliness and it 's a pretty random event . So as I stated earlier welcome to the Scottish branch of my family . Really enjoyed the party . And Jane as I said - leave a comment . 
Church attendance update 2 . Since my last church attendance posting on 5 th June , we have attended exactly zero times . You may think this shows a distinct lack of commitment , but you ' d be wrong . It turns out that we had attended church the week after all the other charlatan parents had been informed of their child 's inclusion or non - inclusion at Emmanuelle St. Andrews primary school . This effectively meant no one needed to go any more so we ' d been pitched in right at the deep end . Local intelligence suggests we go back in late September when a new influx of agnostics and unprincipled atheists will be packing out the pews in search of the holy grail - sorry I mean rightful place at their nearest local school . Christ the education system needs a rethink . 
When I was a kid ... ... I used to love the domino toppling records on Record Breakers . Well in a new twist these three Japanes guys have turned everything they own into dominoes . This is quality . 
Quote of the day . Well so far anyway . Walking past the Globe an hour ago I heard the following : ' ' I don't want to see the whole exhibition let 's just go in to the foyer and pick up the leaflet . After all Shakespere kinda ' gave us history ' ' I refrained from suggesting they took the time to see the whole exhibition . 
Chameleon Infestation . The Bugaboo Chameleon is a product that I have a complete inability to fathom . It 's a pram come buggy at the basic price of 600 . 600 quid . That 's before you ' ve bought any accessories . Now i ' m told by owners that a ) you can get it customised in any colour ( extra cost 150 , mind you they do it at the Aston Martin factory - I kid you not ) or b ) you can pull it across the sand - oh good that ' ll be useful for maybe 2 weeks in a year . Oh whoopee do , wow that 's great , so that 's why i can't walk down Northcote Road without bumping in to one . Now the Porsche Cayenne is the car I see as the most over the top ridiculous waste of money on the road . However , i kind of understand the appeal of a car , the bugaboo chameleon , just bloody annoys me . Why would you bother . It 's useless beyond a year and a half . You can't have a second child in it . Why , why , why . It 's getting to a stage now where I ' m amazed you don't see more of them stolen . They hold their value amazingly well and they regularly pop up on e - bay , I wish people would start stealing them then maybe it ' d put people off buying them . The sad thing about it is I find myself uttering the words ' more money than sense ' but the saying was never more apt . 
Those boys . Had an absoluely lovely weekend with the boys who were an absolute joy to be with . We seem to have turned a bit of a corner with Eben . That 's not to say he doesn't spend most of his time tormenting his little brother and spending time on the step for it , but Louis seems to be becoming less frightened and has started smiling at him far more . He also seems to have learnt the art of waving both arms in Eben 's general direction to ward him off . When he gets some power behind it , hopefully it may inspire Eben to stop lying on top of him so often . What I mean by turning a corner is we seem to have found a new equilibrium a way of things not descending in to a huge shouting match . Unfortunately this involves us working 4 times as hard to keep things on an even keel , but it 's well worth it . Problem with fixing this problem though is that the parenting zen has kicked in and Louis 's started waking up 3 times a night . Ah happy days , only 25 or so years to go . 
I ' m a subscriber . We currently subscribe to 5 magazine titles : The Spectator - consistently brilliantly written , but has recently caved in and introduced lifestyle and food sections which I simply don't understand The New Statesman - broad content and very much a refreshing alternative agenda , but there 's too much of it Private Eye - consistently makes me laugh and always read from cover to cover Time Out - A remnant of the past . Makes us feel like we still go out , when actually we hardly ever do . Having said that the editorial content is always good and it also always makes me proud to be a Londoner The Week - The best concept for a magazine for the past 20 years . Nicky wanted to get it so that she didn't fall behind on the news and it does keep you abreast of everything in a mere hour and a half . The reason I post this is I was challenged by a very good friend of mine as to why I bother and he said he ' d get bored of reading about current affairs all the time . I take completely the opposite view from Finn in that I can't get enough news and my response was that I always felt I wanted to learn more which he just ' paaahed ' at and said ' you don't need to know all that stuff ' . Which I was really surprised at initially , but then I got to thinking . Keeping abreast of current affairs is really just a hobby in many resepcts . My friend has a big corporate job , he moves in corporate circles and his main focus is business , which requires a very light touch on current affairs and in many ways his job is his hobby as well . Funny , I didn't realise I had a hobby . 
Morphine - err no not today thanks . I ' ve always been a bit of a sucker for drugs and lots of them , if I could get my hands on them . I ' d always have one more of anything that was on offer , rarely said no . Having said all that I haven't taken a thing for a few years now . So when the nurse offered me morphine I said yes . To be fair I was in quite a bit of pain . ' I ' ll just give you 10 mls and then if you need more give me a shout ' said the nurse . Looking around the recovery room it looked like a few people might need a hell of a lot more than 10 mls . The guy opposite me had stitches criss crossing his head and a white plate had been inserted at the side and stitched in . He then had what looked like a salt cellar sticking out from under the skin at the back . If I wasn't so fubared after the anaesthetic and the morphine I think it would have really freaked me out , but it just looked interesting . I must have been looking for quite a while because the nurse came back round and said ' Do you need more pain relief ? ' , ' Errr yes please ' . He gave me another shot and I thought my heart rate had gone through the roof . I turned to have a look at the monitor , but as usual none of it meant anything to me . I must have seen dozens of those obs machines in my time , but I ' ve never been inclined to actually find out what they 're saying . Is 138 over 72 decent blood pressure ? I will probably never know , because I can't be bothered . Anyway over the next 30 minutes or so I really start to get it together . The second shot of morphine really seemed to mong me out for a bit , but gradually I get to take in the whole freak show . Right next to me there 's a guy who 's had his appendix done in emergency surgery like me . Only reason I know that is he had the same registrar and she was backing up the general surgery team . Diagonally opposite me there 's a guy who 's been in for a skin graft on his hand and is apparently a patient of the local care hospital under the mental health act . He is having a very scary re - entry in to conciousness . Opposite , well it 's criss ross man and the more lucid I get the more he 's really scaring me . Diagonally right there 's a woman who 's moaning , it sounds like she HAD her knee done , but she 's in a lot of pain . Helpfully the ward staff and recovery room staff are right on hand to have a real ding - dong argument about whether she 's ready to go up to the ward . Then a bit further round there 's a very elderly woman called Joyce , who doesn't know where the fuck she is and all the efforts of the nursing team ar ... ' ' Would you like some more pain killers Mr Heath ? ' ' . I ha D a think . I look across it 's the last syringe , I ' m feeling fine and I ' m certainly in the best possible state of anyone on the ward , everything feels normal and not in the slightest surreal anymore ' Err , yes please ' - weeeelll you ' ve gotta give these things a crack . My thinking was , the first two shots were all mixed in with the anaesthetic so I had no idea what they were all about , but the third , well with a clear head I could give it a real clear run . So in to the canular it went and boy was it horrible , it completely numbed everything , I kept catching myself thinking , ' God I bet I look like a complete veggie lying here ' and no doubt I did . I smoked opium at uni once , by mistake , thinking it was hash pipe and it was exactly the same feeling completely toasted , incapable of any real movement just rooted sunk in to the pillow , a feeling captured perfectly in trainspotting when Ewan Mc Gregor disappears into the ground with the carpet . So lesson learned . Next time , if I ' m offered a dose of morphine and I ' m not in considerable pain . Refuse . Except , I know I won't . As I said , I ' m a sucker for drugs . 
The Galacticoldies . I ' ve enjoyed watching the Galacticos this world cup , it 's like watching a vets game . The brilliant touches are still there but you only see them once or twice a game .1 . Thank God Ronaldo was threaded that ball on 5 minutes , do you think he ' d have done the same on 85 ? 2 . Zidane could have spun for France 's 3 rd against Spain in his sleep . Frankly they could play him when he 's 95 and if he hobbled into that position on the field and got the ball threaded that 's what he ' d do 3 . David Beckham , thank God he can still hit a ball that isn't moving , becuase if he couldn't then we ' d all have to stop having the should we shouldn't we drop him discussion ( we should ) 4 . Figo had the sense to butt his opponent in the face when he knew that al L the officials were caught up with other things - only 126 years experience allowed him to stay on the field 5 . Raul - well what can we say - I think probably thank goodness spain have Villa and Torres coming through their ranks 6 . And finally . when are Brazil going to tell Carlos to stop taking free kicks . I ' m sick of listening to commentators reminisce and then having to watch a ball boy run to the corner flag or climb into the 48 th row to pick a ball out of the crowd . 
Rediscovering old mates . I ' ve been reading a lot of the mainstream media blogs covering the World Cup . I ' m finding them far more inciteful than the ( supposed ) analysis of the modelled country press conferences that are being given . In pursuit of this I logged on to the Telegraph website the other day , one I rarely if never venture to and blow me down there 's David Bond on the front page . Dave who I used to pick up on Figges Marsh every morning on the way to school . I knew he was doing well , but I hadn't realised how well , I ' m really pleased for him he was an absolutely top bloke . I lost touch with pretty much all my school mates after school , things were complicated due to a rather annoying relationship with one boy , that no one really liked and I couldn't get rid of . However , I thought sod it I ' ll give him a shout , emailed him through the blog and we 're going out for a beer with a couple of old mates also from school . I ' m really stoked , I really regrte not having kept in touch with many of them . 
I ' ve been really ill . Well not really ill , nothing lasting . I ' ve had a bacterial infection of my tonsils and a really high fever and flu since Saturday . It 's a funny thing illness though , it takes you so much by surprise . I ' ve had flu like it before but you forget how completely incapacitating it is . I was in bed for 4 days straight without really getting up and I ' ve got up this morning to catch up on a few work things and I ' m now completely exhausted . Things aren't really helped by the fact that it 's 30 degrees in the house and my sister in law came down on Saturday with her two kids , meaning four under 2 1 / 2 year olds running around or lying screaming . Mind you I don't think my wallowing around upstairs has engendered an awful lot of sympathy , they 're on the brink of chaos on a permanent basis from what I can work out . On the plus side I have listened or watched every single game of the World Cup so far , kinda . Some are a bit of a hazy blur . We won 5 - 0 against Paraguay right ? Owen got a hattrick yeah . And I ' ve lost over a stone in weight hoorah . 
Jermaine Jenas . This from Rob Smyth 's Guardian World Cup blog on the ' why are we taking Hargreaves ' debate . ' ' It is Jenas , football 's first ever jack of no trades and master of none , who is the real duffer in Eriksson 's squad . Studies show that , of the 124,561,892,756 paths any given football match can take , not one will prompt a manager to think : " I need Jermaine Jenas here . " Yet nobody criticises him . " Just in case you didn't see it I got taken to pieces on the 606 boards ( messages 31 and 38 ) for backing Hargreaves if Gerrard isn't fit for Paraguay . I do protest a little as my comment was taken slightly out of context and put on the 606 homepage so the thread got massive traffic . Doesn't pay to annoy hosts . 
Awesome posting . I ' e been clicking the random button on my blog to look through oter blogs and found myself boiling over with anger . The reason . The use of the word awesome . For example here . Or here . Or here . Or here . None of these things are awesome . They are at the most a bit exciting . Awesome would be if God plopped his daughter down her next week . Awesome would be if the Sun turned in to a white dwarf over night . Awesome would be if the ice caps all melted simultaneously this weekend . A new fucking blogging text bundle is not awesome . Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ..... 
Woeful cricket . I ' ve just spent my lunch watching the Emmanuel under 11 s on Wandsworth Common . It struck me how much these matches are driven by convention . The kid 's see their heroes on the telly in position and copy them . The fielder 's were positioned in a very decent circle around the bat in conventional positions . In reality actually you could completely dispense with the mid on , mid off , mid wicket and probably extra covers . Everything is bowled so wide that almost everything gets cross bat cut , pulled or hooked round the corner so in reality you need a bunch of points and covers , fine legs a square leg and a couple of slips . Anything that gets hit back down the ground has so little power that the bowler could deal with anything that came anywhere near him . I say it 's woeful , but actually it 's struck me it 's probably a sport you simply can't start playing , very well until you get the other side of puberty . The kids may have a good mind for the game but they simply haven't got the physical strength to pull it off and deftness and wile isn't something that they can draw upon either unless they can perform the absolute basics physically . A 22 yard pitch is difficult for a pre - pubescent kid to bowl down , as he simply can't get the power behind his arm to propel it down the pitch without chucking , so everything is loopy and dribbles past on the second bounce and reaches the keeper along the ground ( spin is completely out of the question ) . Batsmen can only get the ball to the boundary consistently by wheeling their arms and cutting it . A hook , or a pull might get it there , but because there 's so little pace in the ball to start with it 's unlikely . Football and rugby , are a completely different prospect altogether , watching kids as young as 8 you can spot real talent , an awareness for the game , feints , sidesteps , ball control are all skills that can be picked up and when the strength comes it 's a case of honing it . Anyone agree , or think of a sport that you can't start excelling at until you are much older ? 
24 things that make you a man . I unashamedly nicked this . Found it on the Dad 's board in the deep recesses of the BBC message boards . Seemed a shame for it not to have a wider audience . Credit goes to ' Walking in a Klinsmann Wonderland ' 1 . OPENING JARS - She 's struggling . You take it from her hands , open it effortlessly and pretend she loosened it for you . She didn't . Jars are men 's work .2 . CALLING SOMEONE ' SON ' - Especially policeman but even saying it to kids makes you the man .3 . DOING A PROPER SLIDE TACKLE - Beckham free kicks - camp . A Stuart Pearce tackle is the pinnacle of the game , simultaneously winning the ball and crippling the man . Magic .4 . SHARPENING A PENCIL WITH A STANLEY KNIFE - Blunt , is it ? Hand it here love . No , I don't need a sharpener , you think I can't whittle ? 5 . GOING TO THE TIP - A manly act which combines driving , lifting and - as you thrillingly drop your rubbish into another huge pile of other rubbish - noisy destruction .6 . DRINKING UP - Specifically , rising from the table , slinging your coat on and downing two thirds of a pint in one fluid movement . Then nodding towards the door , saying , " Let 's go " and striding out while everyone else struggles to catch up with you . You 're hard .7 . HAVING A THIN BIT OF WOOD - in the shed , solely to stir paint with .8 . HAVING A SCAR - Ideally it ' ll be a facial knife wound , but even an iron burn on the wrist is good . " Ooh , did it hurt " . " Nah " .9 . HAVING A HANGOVER AND THICK STUBBLE - When birds have been partying they just whinge . You on the other hand have physical evidence of your hardness , sprouting from your face . " Big night ? " Grr , what does it look like .10 . NODDING AT COPPERS - A moment 's eye contact is all it takes for you to share the unspoken bond . " We ' ve not seen eye to eye in the past " , it says , " but someone 's got to keep the little scrotes in line " .11 . USING POWER TOOLS - Slightly more powerful than you need or can safely handle . Pneumatic drilling while smoking a fag ? Superb .12 . KICKING A FOOTY AGAINST A GARAGE DOOR - Clang - g - g - g - g - g - ! Stitch that becks , I kick so hard I set off car alarms .13 . ARRIVING IN A PUB LATE - And everyone cheers you . It doesn't mean you 're popular , it just means your mates are pissed . However , the rest of the pub doesn't know that .14 . NOT WATCHING YOUR WEIGHT - Fat is a feminist issue , apparently . Brilliant . Pass the pork scratchings .15 . CARVING THE ROAST - And saying " are you a leg or breast man ? " to the blokes and " do you want stuffing ? " to the women . Congratulations , you are now your dad .16 . WINKING - Turns women to putty . Doesn't it ? 17 . TEST SWINGING HAMMERS - Ideally , B Q would have little changing rooms with mirrors so you could see how rugged you look with any DIY item . Until then , we ' ll make do with the aisles .18 . TAKING OUT 200 FROM A CASHPOINT - Okay , so its for paying the plumber later but with that much cash you feel like a mafia don . The only thing better is peeling notes off the roll later .19 . PHONE CALLS THAT LAST LESS THAN A MINUTE - Unlike birds , we get straight to the point . " Alright ? Yep . Drink ? Red lion ? George , it is then . Seven . See ya . " 20 . PARALLEL PARKING - Bosh , straight in . First time . Can Schumacher do that ? No , because his cars got no reverse gear which , technically , makes you the world 's best driver .21 . HAVING EARNED THAT PINT - Since the dawn of time , men have toiled in the fields in blistering heat . Why ? So , when it 's over we can stand there in silence , surveying our work with one hand resting on the beer gut while the other nurses a foaming jug of ale . Aaaah .22 . HAVING SOMETHING PROPERLY WRONG WITH YOU - Especially if you didn't make a fuss . " Why was I off , nothing much , just a brain haemorrhage " .23 . KNOWING WHICH SCREWDRIVER IS WHICH - " A Phillips ? For that ? Are you mad , bint ? " 24 . TAKING A NEWSPAPER INTO THE LOO - A visual code that says that 's right , I ' m going in there for a huge , long man - sized poo . 
The perfect age ? The probable starting 11 on Saturday will be as follows : Robinson Age 26 Neville Age 31 Ferdinand Age 27 Terry Age 25 Cole Age 25 Beckham Age 31 Lampard Age 27 Gerrard Age 26 Cole Age 24 Rooney Age 20 ( OK , I know he 's not starting but bear with me ) Owen Age 26 Anyway before I start . It 's a bloody good team on paper isn't it ? I keep stopping myself getting too excited about any of this . After all , a couple of injuries ; a setback in Rooney 's recovery and we 're a shadow of what we could be . The reason I ' ve added ages , is I was wondering whether this is the perfect age for the team as a whole , or whether 2 years at the Euros would be better for the whole lot , or possibly the World Cup in 4 years time . Now given that we have a lot of bright talent to fill the boots of those in danger of getting over the hill in the next four years - think Walcott , Defoe , Lennon , Downing , Carrick , King - the only real issue we really have is Right Back , where I don't yet see a natural successor to Gary Neville . However , with his fitness levels it could be argued that at 35 he may still be well able to hold his own , certainly I think he ' ll play longer than Beckham . Our other issue is if Beckham and Neville both go , we lose the structure on the right hand side that has been there for 8 or 9 years and that will be difficult to recreate . It all really comes down to whether you think experience is all important , or maturity or raw talent . Could Rooney at 24 raise the team to such a level , ( more than possibly he could at this World Cup ) that actually 4 years time will be the true vintage , as his increased experience and maturity is more important than those that are just past their true best years . Personally , I think if we don't at least get to a final in the next 3 tournaments we ' ve wasted a huge opportunity . I ' m plumping for our best chance actually being Euro 2008 , but I ' m not turning my nose up at this World Cup . I apologise I get over - excited about these things . Your opinions please . P . S . Ideally your opinions should be ventured after 5 or 6 pints , when your true thoughts can be put forward . I ' d like to give this discussion a real pub feel . I think the absurdity posted so far is a good start point . 
I found Baldinio hoorah !! I found Baldinio about a week ago and was waiting for his permission to put up the link to his blog which he generously did a couple of days ago and I only read this morning . It 's really very good . However , he 's been a busy chap and he 's started a World Cup Blog as well which is also storming . 
Church attendance update . So , you ' ll remember we 're going to church to get Eben in to the local school . Well we hadn't actually managed to make it there until yesterday . Too much going on frankly , family stuff , Louis etc. etc. What we didn't want to do was to sporadically turn up , so we waited for a clear run of Sunday 's so that we could get there regulary and get our faces known . Jesus what a chore . I was in a foul mood all morning , having , theological , sociologic , ethical and personal dillemmas , which turned me into a complete bastard to be with . On the 10 minute walk there , we discussed that if need be Nicky would go on her own , as she didn't have the same issues . This made me feel like crap and I said no , no , it 's something we really should do as a family , but if something needed doing in the house then that would take precedence . And then we got there . I ' ve been to loads of churches in my time and on most occassions , I quite enjoy it when I ' m there . Good sing - song , bit of a sermon , that if delivered by a decent orator is worth a think about , even if it 's totally cynical and a few other bits and bobs that you can put up with . Few things about our new church .1 . It 's a modern building . Pine beams and arches , boring as sin . No feeling of grandure , more a feeling of Youth Club .2 . The standard weekly service is 2 hours long - yes 2 hours . 12 hymns , countless frippery and rubbish .3 . There is a distinct feeling that the good folk don't like kids . Within 15 minutes of the start I was in the back room with Eben watching Storykeepers , which is dull as dish water .4 . Extortion . The opening 10 minutes of the service was all about how big a part of being a christian is about your commitment to giving . This was sporadically sprinkled with more requests for money throughout the ceremony by all accounts . During the interval - yes interval - we are asked to donate money for biscuits and tea which is when I put my pound in . Straight after the interval they hand round the felt bag and I ' ve used all my money , so I look really stingey .5 . The peace comes at about 11.15 just as Louis needed feeding , which meant a processionof awkward looking parishoners shaking hands with a woman with her tit out . Nice .6 . The least spiritual ceremony i ' ve had the displeasure of attending .7 . The most uninspirational and boring deacon , I ' ve been unfortunate enugh to listen to .8 . Boring hymns . Nothing written before 1988 . Need I say more . We left in disarray frankly . Our only hope is that half term meant a lot of absence from all the nice people . I ' m certainly not willing to go every week . Nicky 's comment was she sat there thinking ' do you lot really believe all this ' . That 's a very bad sign she can normally suspend her natural instinct . Christ knows what we 're going to do now . 
The Hoggster - the Legend . This isn't the photo I wanted , I was looking for one that captured that slope shouldered , ogre type lollop that the Hoggster has . Unfortunately , nothing quite captures it in a still . Why a photo of the lollop though ? Well , it 's the Hoggster 's secret weapon . Here 's a man who looks about as unsportsmanlike as a world class sportsman can look . A man who given a little bit of cloud and a bit of a muggy day , can destroy world class batting in a few balls . A man who lives in the shadow of his team mates but despite that is currently by far it 's most consistent bowler . It 's often forgotten that while Flintoff took 5 - 78 in the final Ashes Test last year , that bowling at the other end , the Hoggster took 4 - 97 . He 's not a man for the limelight , there 's no side to him and for that reason non - cricket fans will probably forget him after 5 years of retirement . For those that love the game though he 's up there with Trueman , Underwood , Statham and Snow . Uncomplicated men with the ability to reduce the other side to rubble . What sets him apart from all the above though is that everything he does , he does with a smile . Nothing ruffles him , he never loses heart when he bowls . He doesn't remonstarate with his daft slip cordon , as they put down catch after catch . He doesn't chunter , as he goes past the edge , it 's just a grimace , a swivel , a grin and the lollop . I think the following taken from his Times column this morning sums up his approach to cricket and life . It addresses his batting , rather than his bowling , but it 's the simplicity of approach that he carries to both disciplines , that is his charm . ' ' WHENEVER we play Sri Lanka , there is always a lot of fuss about the difficulties of trying to pick Muttiah Muralitharan . Understandably so , because it s bloody impossible . My solution is that I don t really bother trying to pick him at all . I can t really tell his off spinner from his leg spinner from his whatever - else - he - bowls , so I just try to spot which way the ball is spinning in the air and work it out from there . If I was to worry too much about watching his wrist , I think the ball would probably have reached me and bowled me before I had decided what to do . " Here 's to you Hoggy . Us cricket fans will always love you and when you retire I wish you many a long year , walking the dogs on the moors . 
God I hate Simon Barnes . Simon Barnes is chief sports writer for The Times . He has an emotive , honey drip style of sentiment and sick making pastiche that makes me want to tear the paper to shreds most mornings . Problem is though , on occasion he writes pieces that feel like they ve been spinning round my head for a couple of weeks , before suddenly being laid out in front of my eyes . So completely spot on , that you spend the entire article nodding sagely and emitting small uhu type noises . He wrote a front page piece on July 7 th last year - the day after we won the Olympics - which had my heart in my mouth with excitement . This morning s offering was just such an occasion . I ve been quietly thinking , but hardly daring to breathe it that I think Beckham s gonna be the man in Germany . There has been so little attention focussed on this one time national obsession that he s shed the shackles entirely . Away from prying English eyes , he s arguably been Madrid s best player for the past 2 seasons , all be it in a side of faded glory , but nonetheless IT ' S REAL MADRID . Then on Tuesday he produced his best performance in an England shirt for years . It s something that Barnes summed up perfectly . 
Four boys . I thought I ' d post this as it 's my favourite view in the world . It 's basically the view from our family place all be it about about 300 yards further back from the beach , plus it 's cgot the four boys in it . Don't believe me . Well Louis 's in the back lying down looking at me . It 's not meant to take three but our friend 's eldest had a wail of a time sat on the front . 
Five days of bliss . We 're just back from Devon . A five day break over the Bank Holiday . We went with my best friend , who I ' ve known since university , her husband and their son ( 4 ) and daughter ( 1 ) . Oddly despite having known her for 15 years and her husband for 9 , we ' ve never been on holiday with each other and there was a little trepedation . The last thing you want is for a friendship to go sour when you suddenly realise you 're completely out of sync in terms of how you conduct your lives together . The dynamic was incredibly organic , everyone just did what needed to be done when it needed to be done , no question , no one upmanship and as a result the whole place was spotless most of the time , despite the toys and meals tied to flat . Each day was planned in 2 minutes , on the basis of someone making a suggestion , everyone agreeing and then going and doing it , no questions , no passing go , just up and out . We took turns to look after the kids when need be and despite absolutely horrendous weather we were out every day in wellies and water proofs and wind cheetahs . I don't think I ' ve ever experienced less stress and certainly when there were so many things that could have been spark points . The weather alone could have meant we easily got cabin fever with a family who were more inert in their decision making . And the kids were fantastic . I don't know why - maybe because we were all so chilled - but they got ready promptly , no arguments , no mucking . They were all in bed by 8 pm , our two eldest shared a bedroom for the first time and they just got into bed chatted for 15 minutes and slipped off . Their daughter slept happily on the floor , because they ' d forgoten the travel cot and Louis slept from 8 pm to 6.30 am for the first time since he was born , 3 nights out of the 4 we were there . The nicest thing was to see our 2 boys get on so well . Considering the 2 year age gap there was scope for our friend 's eldest to get very tired of Eben , but he didn't , they made each other laugh so much . Granted by the end they were starting to rub against each other a little , but frankly for littley 's to spend so much time in each other 's company and not fall out in a big way with each other was great . I ' ve rarely been sadder to leave , but we all felt like we ' d been there weeks rather than days . As we left , my friend , said , ' we think you worry far too much about Eben he 's absolutely delightful ' . I said ' well the same goes for your two ' , which made her laugh . She was right though after three or four months of wondering if it was all going horribly pear shaped , Eben was absolutely delightful . We drove for the first couple of hours with him in the back and he had the broadest grin on his face , was joking about , until he eventually conked out . I love that boy so much , his little brother 's cracking as well . 
Ssshh !!! Don't tell the British Public . I was going to include the following in my post below , but felt it deserved it 's own post . Anyone heard of the rather boringly titled Regulatory and Legislative Reform Bill ? You may have seen me post on BBCFLUKN about it . But it 's being sneaked in without us really noticing . The Regulatory and Legislative reform bill is currently in the Lords following the amendment to introduce a veto to proposals made under it 's auspices . The bill is very likely to be accepted by the Lords , in it 's amended form . Whereas , it would undoubtedly have rejected the original . Nonetheless the increased powers , delivered directly into the hands of MPs are dangerous to put it lightly . I am going to wait to post more fully about this , as the bill is in limbo currently , but I will keep abreast of things . Problem with the bill is that it has slipped through so unnoticed so far that I have no doubt the original will be retabled at some point in the future . My personal worry is that thisaccepted amendment , simply provides a smaller step towards the original proposal . 
Under the cover of night . The current government is a big fan of sneaking things in through the back door . An update on SOCPA that I posted about last December . At the time Maya Evans had just been the first casualty of the bill 's introduction . Since that time people have been arrested for holding banners in parliament square and ridiculously eating iced buns with the words ' love ' and ' peace ' written on them . To date there have been over 30 arrests within 1 km of parliament and 11 convictions for what are essentially peaceful protests . This kind of erosion of our rights to protest is just the kind of totalitarianism that is creeping in gradually throughout our legislature . What surprises me , is the lack of right thinking minds that are up in arms about this . Essentially laws like this are an errosion of individual rights , but at present it 's the left that are championing the fight . A fight personified by Brian Haw . Brian has maintained his vigil in Parliament Square for 5 years . His anti - war stance is an embarrassment to government . He has been called ' ridiculous ' by Labour , he has had his nose broken 3 times , once by a member of the US embassy , who was mysteriously ghosted out of the country to never face charges and he is lambasted by the Conservatives who say his protests are disturbing people working in Portcullis House and 1 Parliament square . Poor babies , never mind that the head count stands at 30 - 35 a day at the moment in the country where there apparently isn't a civil war going on . Initially it looked like there had been an error in framing the SOCPA legislation which meant that it couldn't touch any protester that had begun his / her vigil prior to the legislation 's enactment . However in a challenge on 8 th May ' ' Sir Anthony Clarke , Lord Justice Laws and Lady Justice Hallett overturned the decision and refused permission for him to appeal to the House of Lords . Sir Anthony said : " Parliament intended to include demonstrations whenever they started . " Any other conclusion would be wholly irrational and could fairly be described as manifestly absurd . " And so the clock was ticking on Brian 's protest , the question was really when the police would move in rather than if . Last night they came at 2.45 am . There couldn't be a better metaphor for the way this government sneaks things through while people aren't looking . As I write Brian is still there protesting , minus the confiscated banners and many of his personal possessions . It is only a matter of time before he is physically removed himself . It is likely to be 30 th May or soon therefater when he has been summonsed according to the conditions now on his protest . I posted about the 50 heroes of our time yesterday . Brian was my vote . He came 31 st and the New Statesman quoted the following from a reader which I whole hertedly believe ' ' He stands alone , but he represnts everyone who regards this government as too repressive . " Not only has he continued his protest against injustice in Iraq , but he is the largest shining symbol symbol of where this government has gone so wrong . I would urge everyone I know to support Brian . If he goes , a small corner of our democracy goes with him . You can join his email list here if you so desire . 
Not so freak waves . A British ferry was struck last night by a wall of water said to be 50 ft high . It 's being reported as a freak wave whipped up by a force 9 gale . But is it a freak wave ? There would appear to be growing evidence to suggest that monster waves 7 or 8 storeys high are actually very common , but because they may be circling the Southern Ocean or the Pacific they simply never get reported . They rise from the ocean bed without warning and disappear just as quickly most often aided by bad weather , but this isn't always the case . One of the reasons for this lack of reporting is that it 's increasingly believed that they simply swamp boats , who go down with no prior warning . 200 supertankers ships over 200 meters ( 656 feet ) long have sunk beneath the waves without warning in the past 2 decades . These are vessels considered sturdy enough to withstand the worst of weathers . These waves are now being monitored by satellite and it is becoming clear that the freak wave is no freak . In one 3 weeks period in 2001 , 10 rogue / monster / freak waves were recorded . Obviously , these aren't events that get reported or photographed very often as often those involved don't live to tell the tale , but there are some extaordinary pictures out there . This one was taken on the bridge of SS Spray in February 1986 . This was the data taken from the RRS Discovery of the coast of Scotland . If you click on the pictures section you will see they were hit by 3 successive waves in excess of 29 metres high . This set show more graphically what is believed to be the major issue with freak waves . It is less the intial wave ride , but the drop into the trough behind and the subsequent hit from the following wave that are most likely to effectively snap tankers in half . So , if you 're thinking about a quick booze cruise this summer , beware . 
A question to fellow bloggers . Does everyone notice the links I put in ? It 's just this template has them in grey and they could easily be overlooked PS - This doesn't mean I ' m suddenly goint to start posting interesting links . 
Comfortable under - achieving . We moved from Balham to Streatham Common around a year and a half ago . It was a simple choice really based on the size of house we could buy , but frankly a couple of extra bedrooms and a big garden for a couple of extra miles travel seemed worth it . The compromise of course was familiarity and amenities , however a year and a half on we couldn't possibly have made a better decision . The people in our neighbourhood tend to be that little bit older than us as it tends to be populated by people who have had their families and then moved to fit them in , rather than us who are planning to do it , but decide to set up camp now . Our opinion was if we kill ourselves financially now , by the time we have numbers 3 and 4 ( haha ) then it won't be quite so painful . Anyway , we ' ve got to know a lot of the people in our area and I can honestly say they are the most interesting bunch of oddballs I have had the pleasure of meeting in a long time . The one uniting thing seems to be that they have all moved out of flats or small houses in Clapham , Balham , Battersea , Ealing , Chiswick and the more affluent areas of town in favour of unfashionable outpost Streatham , the other thing that struck me at the weekend was that they are fantastically proud under - achievers . Living for so long in Balham and going out in Clapham and Wandsworth Common a lot , you get the feeling there is constant ongoing sense of disappointment . No one seems to have enough round there . Everyone works a million hours , earns a squadrillion pounds in the City and are currently digging out the second basement level for the 3 rd Latvian Au Pair and her partner who 's going to be the on site handyman . Everyone 's got a Bugaboo that was customised at the Aston Martin factory for their new born children . VW Touareg 's , Land Rover 's and Porsche Cayenne 's are the cars they choose to plough young children over with and the only way they can one up on the car front is by buying the nanny a rare VW GTI one off to run around in . The unhappiness is tangible , but funnily when you 're part of it , you don't notice it . Well actually you haven't got time to notice it . But Streatham Common , well different story all together . We were at a party just recently with some neighbours ; an Old Etonian who corrects his French Wife 's french grammar ; an ex - marketeer turned political speech writer in the Northern Ireland Office , who had recently had a speech read out which contained some extraordinarily wingy propsals which no one had checked because they were all too hungover , meaning he ' d committed a minister publicly to 50 m of spending that hadn't been signed off centrally ; a doctor who ' d given it all up to be a concert violinist ; the head of one of the London borough 's child protection units who was planning to bomb a developer 's house ( very seriously ) . It was an absolute hoot , everyone was working just as hard as they needed to , to get by . There was a complete absence of converstion about , house prices , how the Poles were incredibly hard workers ( and such good value ) , your job and much more about - the best way to get an Aerobie to fly through the crook of a tree at 15 feet high , how the best way to rid yourself of pigeons is to fill balloons with hydrogen , float them under bridges and then shoot them with an air rifle and last , but not least the art of never underordering from a local take away . I think I ' ve finally found somewhere I ' m comfortable . 
Never trust your family . A short story as to why you should never trust what your family does . When my wife was a child , she was helping her mother cook the Sunday lunch , a baked ham . Before her mother put the ham in the oven , she cut the end off , something she always did religiously . Innocently the my wife asked Mum why do you always cut the end off ? to which she replied I don t know . Your nana always did it . I ll have to ask her . Next time they saw Nana , they asked her why she cut the end of the ham , to which the old lady replied , I don t know , mam used to do it . Unfortunately she d died some years previously , however her sister survived , someone they saw once a year . Duly , at their annual meeting , they asked the family matriarch Do you know why , mam / nana / grandnana cut the end of the ham off ? Well dear came the reply she only had a small pan and the ham never fitted . So there you go . Moral of the story - don t believe your family , or your children will go hungry . 
Losing makes you stronger . It 's bollocks isn't it . Losing is a good discipline until you 're about 25 then after that it just pisses you off . I ' m not an Arsenal fan but I ' m absolutely gutted that they lost and losing 's just straight crap , I don't want to learn anymore I just want to win everything . 
Bloody urban foxes . This morning I woke up to a deflated goal . Having bought an inflatable goal on Saturday and spending most of the 3 hours prior to the cup final saving goals from Eben in the garden , I thought it was pretty much the best 8 quid I ' d spent for a while . Yesterday afternoon Nicky rang me and said ' What 's happened to the goal the base is flat ' . It looked like it had been mauled . It had 3 puncture marks from what I imagined was a fox , a deduction I made from the fact that it had taken a crap on our patio , which Eben had presented it to Nicky with the words ' look Mummy dog poo ' . Fox crap is possibly the worst smell in the world , I know this from years of washing the family dog who seemed to seek the stuff out for entertainment . Anyway , a quick and dirty puncture repair last night had the goal back up and running , before I went to bed and I chucked it back out in to the garden before retiring upstairs . As Eben pulled his curtains his morning , I was greeted by a rather sad and dejected looking puddle of plastic and string . I mentioned it to Nicky as I was leaving for work and rather surprisingly , it turned out to be my fault for putting it back in the garden . I however , know the truth , that it is actually a bloody fox . I ' m going to swing for the bastard . I know exactly which fox it is , it swans around out street pillaging from every rubbish bin left carelessly half open . It craps everywhere , mainly because it survives on a diet of fried chicken pickings , which would give most people the runs when it 's ' fresh ' from the oven . I hate the scraggy flee bitten git , I can't bring myself to like it . It 's vermin , vermin that comes and pops my goal every night and craps in my son 's hand ( well kind of ) . I ' m going to stay up and catch the bugger in the act tonight . 
Reality check . What is real life ? I had come to view my online life and my offline life as two very different experiences . Although Ive been online for years , it 's only in the past couple that I have developed dialogue with other users . In many ways some of my on line relationships are deeper than my offline ones , I know intimate details , intimate feelings . I have watched dramas unfold over months . However , the way in which I ' ve visualised these online relationships is more along the lines of a book . Not real people , but characters or even charicatures . I ' ve been pretty honest in most of what I ' ve posted . There are some embellishments and some small untruths , but none that I would be embarassed about if an offline friend logged on and read what I ' d written and in fact I have a few offline friends who I know read this ( Squills , post something if you read this and prove this is true , stop freaking me out every time I see you by saying , oo i didn't know that . How was the honeymoon by the way ? ) . However , for some reason when I ' ve read other blogs and posts on the messageboards , I ' ve never really considered that what is written there was also true , it 's more a development of a character as I ' ve built it in my mind . This perception has been completly sideswiped in the past few weeks . I ' ve read quite a few admissions or real life nervousness , that has made me completely revise my opinions of how and what I should post . I guess what it 's made me think is that i should be more honest in my responses and reactions to others ' postings . Sometimes banter , or off the cuff witicisms isn't appropriate so from here on in I ' ll be thinking a lot more carefully before posting anything . Thank you for those who have clicked on and added your thoughts to my blog and I ' d like to make a back - dated apology for not treating these posts with the respect they deserve and making any inappropriate postings on your blogs , or in fact responses to board postings . 
Ships that argue in the night . Well , 2 children has really kicked like a mule . Nicky 's finding things extraordinarily difficult at the moment . Eben 's a handful , to put it lightly . It doesn't help that everyone tells us he 's unusually hard work , he 's 2 and a half and is unwilling to do anything that isn't on his own terms . Louis is a dream baby , if he wasn't I ' m not quite sure how Nic would cope , she 's only just managing as it is . Problem is I ' m being next to useless , nothing I ' m doing seems to be relieving any of the pressure and the smile seems to have left Nic 's face permanently . Problem really all comes down to tiredness , if we had more sleep we ' d be able to cope better . I ' m seriously doubting whether the 4 children we had in mind will ever become a reality , i ' m not sure we ' d survive . 
Been busy . Sorry for the lack of blogging . A combination of new baby , ongoing new business drive and trying to save a conservation area behind my house has prevented me posting . I will add something soon , when I ' m not completely shattered . 
Chocolate , Barolo and backgammon - the perfect night in . I got a backgammon set for my birthday . Doesn't sound momentous I know , however I ' ve been looking for a decent set for years and I ' ve never been able to find a nice one for under about 250 . As I wouldn't class myself a fanatic I ' ve never therefore seen the value of buying one and limited myself to playing on holiday and with friends who have their own . But a few weeks ago my mother in law found and bought one in John Lewis and it 's an absolute cracker of a set . It 's come as an absolute bonus with Louis having just been born . As we 're completely house tied , we ' ve wiled away dozens of hours , downed too many bottles of Barolo ( especially as Nic 's breastfeeding ah well ) and eaten far too much Green and Blacks . Perfect . 
Hats off Mr. Dravid in your 100 th test . In an era of power play and increasing run rates you sometimes forget Rahul Dravid when naming the current best cricketers in the world . But ask any cricket fan and they will be sure to tell you that when Dravid comes to the crease you hope to get him early , because if he gets through the first few balls , he could be there 3 days later . The man has stickability beyond anyone else in world cricket . Of course his achievments will always be overshadowed by his teammate Tendulkar 's extraordinary parallel career , however Dravid I would wager will end with a higher average ( currently 58.16 ) and one of the highest ever to have been recorded . Rahul you 're a legend and I bow down to you sir . 
A triumph of dogma over care for our children . Hard as I have tried over the past few weeks , I have completely failed to grasp the intricacies of the proposed education bill . Despite reading last week 's New Statesman education special cover to cover , I cannot grasp what the hell difference the bill will make to the average 10 year old entering secondary school next year . This bill which should be the principle driver for any government in power IMO appears to me to have simply become a point of macho party politics . Instead of the future care of our children what we have is : - Tony Blair wildly pursuing his legacy - 70 odd labour MPs dogmatically pinning their colours to the comprehensive mast ( plus Prescott being a flibbertygibbit ) - David Cameron fighting against the right wing of his party ( would he really be agreeing with Blair if he hadn't gone to Eton ? ) - And Ruth Kelly , doing a very good , bunny on the M 1 impression Actually on the last point , I actually feel quite sorry for Ruth Kelly . She is massively inexperienced and has been handed the true poisoned chalice of the front bench . Each of the ministers who have come and gone have been powerless against Tony Blair 's dictatorial approach to the office and those that have stood up to it have simply been sacked . The Tomlinson Report came a mere 2 months after Kelly took the post , frankly she was powerless to implement anything , because Tony had already made up his mind what was going to happen in the run p to the election , so despite it being widely reported that she agreed with most of the findings , she simply went with the flow . Then there was the paedophiles scandal , frankly a more experienced minister would have stamped on the story in a couple of hours , but inertia and vague speeches meant the thing was blown completely out of proportion . And then the education bill - this is so linked to Tony 's legacy that she has absolutely no control over it 's direction . Frankly in the long term this state of affairs may serve her well , as I don't believe that if the government are defeated she will carry the can for it . It appears to me that if Labour lose office in 2009 - which I increasingly think will be the case - we will finish with possibly the most pernicious selective system that has ever existed . ' Choice ' in education benefits no one but the middle class , who know how to play the system . We will end up with covert selection procedures that polarise the education of our children directly on class lines . At least with an 11 plus system the less well off children had a chance . This way it looks like they ' ll miss out all together . 
Why I love London . As a born and bred Londoner I am fantastically defensive of the city . I love both it 's intimacy and it 's ability to provide you with complete anaonymity depending on how the mood takes you . When I was a kid my mother used to tell me , that when you 're walking around London always look up , all the good stuff is on the roofs . It 's absolutely true and next time you 're in the centre of town do it , it ' ll pay dividends I guarantee you . The other thing is , if you can avoid it never get on a tube , there is no point you will have a far better time walking . The following are just a few of the reasons why I love London . 1 . Walking across Waterloo bidge at dawn in the summer and stopping to look both ways 2 . Sitting on the benches in the rookery on Streatham Common on a cold winter 's day 3 . Taking a stroll across the millennium bridge from Bankside Power Station to St Pauls 4 . Standing on Parliament Hill and looking across the city on a clear sunny day . 5 . Visiting the Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park in high summer 6 . Walking across Wandsworth Common to work on a clear spring morning and watching the swans with their new born cygnets .7 . Tumbling straight out of Fabric at 7 am and going on to Trade at Turnmills until 2 pm - the best clubbing double header on earth 8 . Staying at the St Martin 's Lane for the hell of it , despite the fact you 're 4 miles from home 9 . The film and supper club at the Charlotte Street Hotel , preferably to watch ' It 's a Wonderful Life ' 10 . Eating at Chez Bruce the finest most unpretentious restaurant in christendom 11 . Singalong Sound of Music at the Prince Charles in Leicester Square , the campest night out ever .12 . Walking the South Bank from Vauxhall to Greenwich 13 . Cycling in Ham and pretending you 're in the country 14 . Star spotting at J . Sheekey - forget the Ivy this is where you 're more likely to spot someone famous .15 . Bloody marys and shepherd 's pie at the Grenadier just off Sloane Street 16 . Walking through Belgravia and realising what a stunningly prosperous country we live in .17 . The Dublin castle , The Brixton Academy , The Balham Kitchen and Bar , Lupo , The Duke of Devonshire , The Bedford to name oh so few 19 . Skateboarders at the NFT 20 . Rollerbladers in Hyde Park 21 . Dulwich gallery 22 . The Polka Theatre 23 . Walking up Whitehall with Nelson in your sights 24 . Being astounded by the Palace of Westminster every time you see it .25 . The guilded grasshopper on top of the Royal Exchange 26 . Fresh chorizo sandwiches from Borough Market 27 . Buying a ridiculously expensive tailored suit in Jermyn Street 28 . Looking down on the Gerkin from Tower 4229 . Sinking Stellas sitting on Clapham Common in high summer watching a movie on the big screen 30 . High summer at Brockwell lido 31 . Boat parties in Little Venice 32 . Being able to get away to the country when you need to Of course there are thousands more , but hey I like to keep some things a secret . 
Meanwhile in South Africa . While we try our best to throw away a great position in India the South Africans have just won the first one day series against the Australians that anyone has managed in 4 years . Finishing with a match that has been described as the ' greatest one dayer in history ' . Hats off to Herschelle Gibbs who scored a massive 175 . He was on for the first double ton in one day history but holed out in the the 32 nd . What I would have given to see 872 runs scored in a day . 
And so the lying begins . I took Eben off to an appointment at the local pre - school this morning . Luckily ( in fact extra luckily considering we 're in Lambeth ) the local primary is absolutley stonking , it 's 3 rd in the borough in the league tables , but more importantly it has the most amzingly warm atmosphere to it . The attached pre - school which Eben will attend from January next year if our application is successful is attached in terms of location , but entirly independent in terms of facilities to the primary , so there 's separate toilets , kitchens and so on . My meeting was with the new head , a guy who joins his long serving assistant head wife to make up what I imagine will be an extremely strong husband and wife team . They have three pre - schoolers themselves and his first words were , that we wants to create a school he ' d be delighted to send his own children ( obvious I know , but it sounded genuine and the fact his wife is there suggests he really mans business ) . The atmosphere was playful , but very structured . He reassured me that he felt the government 's current plans to put educational targets on the under 5 s were absolute bollocks . He was definitely his own man , wasn't towing a line , very interesting and I have no doubt he 's going to do great things . And then came the question about catchment area . I lied - I said that having moved in recently ( 18 months it 's kind of recent ) we hadn't really worked out the catchment area ( well we have and we 're outside technically ) . His response - ' our criteria really is church attendance ' he then went on to say parental interest was key and it was good to see we were checking so early . It was blunt , unquestioning , but unequivocal - we go to the attached Co E church and we 're pretty much guaranteed to get in . Q . So what are we going to do : 1 . We 're not religious 2 . I have a fundamental issue with faith schools A . We 're going to start going to church Fuck principle . It 's too good an opportunity to miss out on . I ' ve already dressed up for the meeting and taken the good buggy for God 's sake why the hell should the deception stop there , keep it going . Anyway I was told by my next door neighbour that it 's the best place in the area to meet like - minded people . Her comment ' Frankly I don't know why they don't go the whole hog and put a bar in the back , it ' d make things far easier ' . Besides , it 's going to save me 7,000 in school fees , I can swallow any amount of God for 7,000 . So here I am one of the priveliged middle classes perpetuating the selective system and alienating the poor in the community to condemn them to a poor start in life . What would my 18 year old self think of me ? He ' d hate me like the silver spoon grammar school educated prig he was . Hey ho . 
My predictions have been a bit off lately !! But ... Have a chat to David ( Citizen of the World ) and he ' ll regale you with a catalogue of failed sporting predications . However back last year I said that Alistair Cook should have replaced Andrew Strauss instead of Paul Collingwood on the tour to Pakistan . Having said that Cook 's century this morning against a decent Indian attack ( and importantly on foreign soil - moreover sub - continental foreign soil ) was the second of the match following Collingwood 's NO 134 in the first innings and considering Collingwood 's form in Pakistan , maybe I ' m not the next Duncan Fletcher . Anyway well done that boy , he 's destined for great things and really starts to make our top 6 look competitive . 
It 's a boy !!!!! Well as I think some of you had guessed I ' ve been trying to look after the whirlwind of a new baby in the house and I now think it 's under some sort of control . Louis was born on Thursday morning after a very slow and very quick labour . By that I mean Nic had 24 hours of 30 minute spaced contractions where we just carried on as normal and then at 1.30 on Thursday morning they suddenly kicked in like a train and it was all over in an hour . I have to say she was unbelieveable and the result our beautiful little boy . Anyway here are inevitable photos . He is cute isn't he ? Well we think so anyway . We thought we were looking alright at this point , but actually we were completely shagged when this was taken . I have no excuse ( except it was 4.30 in the morning ) , Nicky had at least done the equivalent of a double marathon . And Eben well he seems to have taken it all in his stride . ( Well apart from intermittently ignoring him and giving him the odd slap ) . Bless ' em , give it 20 years and I ' m sure they ' ll get on . 
Leeds girls aren't supposed to sound like this . If no one 's heard Corinne Bailey Rae your life just isn't fulfilled . This woman has the voice of an angel . You can catch her songs on her website . She also did a session in the Live Lounge with Jo Wileyyesterday . She covered the Editors Munich and it is absolutely beautiful . This girl will go far . 
1,2 , 3 and relax ... No not the song by Europe . Nicky hit viable on Sunday so it could be any day now . Eben was 9 days early so there 's every chance that this one will be as well . Nic 's now at that stage where she just wants it out . The midwives came round yesterday and brought the home birth kit with them , which made it all seem quite real . It 's just sitting there now tempting fate . I have to say although she 's pissed off with being pregnant Nic 's really looking forward to the birth , she 's at Active Birth Yoga tomight which always really sorts her out . She 's almost qualified to teach herself now , so she loves being taught as it takes all the pressure out of it . Ebs was fairly simple , 8 hours of established labour and apart from being born in our toilet doorway , there were no complications whatsoever . I ' m really looking forward to it now as well , I ' ve finally got to the stage at work where if it happened now I could drop everything , which frankly was my only stress so that 's now out of the way . So all in all an oasis of calm , breathe . 
DIY relief . No it 's not what you 're thinking ( Span ) . We have finally finished both rooms and I ' ll admit it . I ' m actually very pleased with the reults . The babies room is a little bit empty at the moment as we don't know whether it 's a boy or a girl and as it 's not going to be in there for a few months we can finish off the detail when it arrives . But Eben 's room is absolutely corking . And to prove I wasn't lying here are the pictures ( sorry I ' ve got all pleased with myself ) . 
Why invading Iran is not the only option . Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's 7 month tenure in Iran has been an interesting period of interenational politics . He has made a number of bold gestures : 1 . His holocaust denial 2 . His assertion that he wishes to ' wipe [ Israel ] off the map ' 3 . His stubborn and bold resumption to Iran 's nuclear programme . All have been bold high profile statements of international intent . However , he has had what would be considered by most standards an absolutely disastrous introduction at a domestic level . His mandate was provided by the considerable Iranian poor . His ' back to basics ' fundamentalist approach appealed to an electorate who wanted strong domestic leadership . However , in office his promises are proving difficult to implement as Tehran 's more moderate business class are proving a difficult block to his domestic reforms . Unlike Afghanistan where the Taleban held power or even Hamas who have gained power ( or what passes for power ) on a fundamentalist standpoint , Iran has real economic clout and the middle class Iranians hold that power in Iran . What he 's finding domestically therefore is that he is having to appease the middle classes which fundamentally goes against what he stood for in the election and the poor section of the country is becoming restless as to why nothing 's happening . Add to that , that he has had 3 nominations rejected in parliament for Iran 's OPEC representataives and he has lost the confidence of the Supreme Religious Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who is leaning increasingly towards the defeated conservative pragmatist and more moderate Akbar Hashemi - Rafsanjani . Which brings me on to my point . Why are Western powers posturing and threatening sanctions and invasion ( we are being softened up in the same way we were before iraq ) when there is a much simpler option ? An option that is not politically laudable , but nevertheless avoids the inevitable tensions that even the threat of invasion will garner . It 's millenniums old but seems to be being overlooked . Yes it 's good old regime destabilisation . With a domestic position that is tenuous to say the least , it is by no means beyond us to support Rafsanjani and to support the will of an increasingly strenghthened Iranian middle class . The big issue that faces us at the moment is Khameni 's hardline position on the cartoons , it 's a posiion that will sit well with the poor and creates a strong alliance again with Ahmadinejad . Sanctions or war are not the only way , I simply don't understand this show of strength that seems the default position of the US and the UK . 
Finally banned altogether . Well . I ' ve finally been banned from the Five Live boards . I reregistered twice today , following the use of the word ' cunt ' and my subsequent premoderation . It was an appropriate usage in my opinion , but I guess some people find it offensive so I accept my premoderation . However , I now recieve the following message whenever i try and post : ' We 're sorry , but you are restricted from posting to this site . ' Ah well I suppose it had to happen eventually . I don't seem to be able to use a different browser , or a proxy server . I already can't access using a Mac as for some reason I ' m banned at that level , so I ' m left with the blog . I ' ll see you all on the blogs people . 
My wonderful wife . Well I ' ve basically been in bed for the past 3 days with what I think is actual flu . I have to be careful , it 's a word not to be bandied about lightly I know , but to be honest every time I get up , I ' m absolutely knackered within 5 minutes and dissolve on the sofa with hot sweats . So , my 8 month pregnant wife has had to do everything ( well slightly more than she does on any normal day , I can't really say I ' m some sort of super man ) - plus be sympathetic and she has been genuinely sympathetic bless her . Which makes me think maybe I am ill because I know I ' d be given short shrift otherwise . Anyway today when I got up to go to the loo she was at the top of a ladder putting the brackets on the wall that she ' d just jigsawed downstairs out of a spare piece of mdf . I need to get better soon . 
DIY hatred 4 . Well we ' ve almost finished Eben 's bedroom and despite the paint being a slightly different hue from what we expected , we 're going with it . Only got carpets and curtains to go in now and then we 're done . Except we 're not , because we ' ve now got to do the other bloody room . The house is a tip because we haven't got the time to do anything else but decorate . Raaaaaahhhh !!! 
DIY hatred 2 . Well as predicted it 's a nightmare . Spent 4 hours filling cracks and then when it came to checking it was dry next morning realised that it was actually flexible filler I ' d used , which would have been OK had I smoothed it all off , but I hadn't . I thought we could sand it down , but no , it was just like rubber stipple . It all had to come out , which took fucking ages . So , about 6 hours of work completely wasted , with another couple of hours planned to refill so as to get back to the same point . Anyway mustn't grumble , the rest of the day was great . Just the fridge and the land phone that decided to pack up at the same time yesterday . Raaaahhhhhh !!!! 
DIY hatred . New sprog 's due in 6 weeks , so we 're moving Eben into a new bedroom and having the nursery for the new bug . This means redecorating both rooms and I fucking hate decorating . I ' m no good at it . I get no satisfaction from it . It bores me rigid . What makes it worse is that Nicky is a complete perfectionist so the preparation element takes forever . So far I ' ve been doing it for the last 2 weekends and I ' m only just getting towards the end of the preparation . Or so I think . I just know that during inspection this afternoon the work will be rejected and I ' ll have even more to do . There is nothing in this world that puts me in a worse mood than decorating . Well actually there is . The thought of decorating . If someone says to me when I ' ve finished . ' Isn't that satisfying ? ' I will brain them . ' No it 's not satisfying , it was a grind and it 's not as good as if I ' d got someone in and anyway I ' ve got to do the bloody nursery yet . ' Raaaahhhhhhhh !!!!! 
Strangling live music . Live music had a boom year in the UK last year . Fergal Sharkey head of the Live Music Forum recently reported back on a report commissioned by the Forum and it noted that 47 % of pubs , clubs , student unions and restaurants featured at least one live act in the past year , and 19 % of small venues staged gigs at least twice a month . In all , an estimated 1.7 m gigs were staged across England and Wales . This proves the popularity and the re - emergence of live music on the British music scene in a year that UK music had a fantastic renaissance . The Top 5 selling albums in the UK last year were all by British artists . Those artists being , James Blunt , Coldplay , Gorrillaz , Robbie Williams and the Kaiser Chiefs . In the annual Radio 2 poll of the top 10 years for music it was the first time for 20 years that the current year had made the top 10 , 2005 being no .6 in the poll . This may reflect the shifting demographic of the Radio 2 listenership , however in general the music buying demographic in the UK has shifted as well with all age groups now buying music . 2005 was also the real breakthough year for downloaded music . For the first time ever ' music ' surpassed ' porn ' as the number 1 searched for word on the world wide web . Arctic Monkeys went to Number 1 having released their original material via the internet - at the time without a record deal . It was also the year that the singles chart merged with the downloads chart thereby putting a stop to the farcical dual chart system that was being operated . All of this has thereby contributed to the explosion of live music , people are going out to see small bands in small venues all over the UK with a real ' joie de vive ' and Sharkey 's prediction for 2006 is to hit somewhere in the region of 2 million live gigs . And New Labour 's response to this UK live music boomtime . Well frankly ... hysterical fear . The new Licensing Act which came in to force on November 24 th 2005 will effectively kill the 1 and 2 man act in smaller venues . The new act requires small venues to apply for an entertainment licence at the cost of up to 1,000 . Yet again the government have stated that the act is ' necessary to control antisocial behaviour , public safety and noise . ' I ' m sorry but have you ever heard such a pile of steaming horse manure in all your life . How many aspects of normal British life are now being curtailed under this ridiculous antscial behaviour moniker . Both the Times and the Guardian have covered the story : New act will give music lovers the blues - The Guardian - Tuesday August 2 , 2005 Star to defy live music law - The Times - Friday January 13 th , 2006 On the face of things this may not seem as significant as you ' d think it would just effect a lot of those backgroundy type artists , but these venues have provided the lifeblood for new music in the country , as the feedback to The Times article suggests : The government 's official line is that the previous ' two in the bar ' rule was non - sensical in that a 2 piece band like the White Stripes could play with no licence and have as big a PA rigged up as they liked , yet a venue wishing to host a string quartet had to have a licence . Of course , this is bollocks . A bar can host Monday night football and cram 1,000 people in to a box without having to even notify the health and safety executive , let alone apply for a licence . This is just yet more proof that this government is intent on cracking down on all activities that enrich the diversity of British culture . With any luck they may succeed in ensuring that all teenagers only play XBox at home for the rest of their lives . 
Advertising geekdom . I guess I haven't revealed my deep geekiness when it comes to advertising , but then I did promise not to talk about work . However I saw this , this afternoon and just thought ' that 's amazing ' . It 's the concept more than the execution really although that 's pretty cool as well Honda 's advertising has been consistently amazing for years now and this Civic ad . really tops it IMO ( have to add that don't I ) Click on watch video . 
Child detritus . I have just walked in to work and in looking for the receipts in my pockets to do my expenses , I have found the following : - A gorilla holding a banana - 2 plastic coins - 3 nappy bags - A small wooden tree - The spanner and spare wheels for a fingerboard I can't remember the last time I found a fiver that I ' d forgotten I had . 
Londoners I hate . This is a dedication to the 2 buskers that get on my train Streatham Common to Victoria formerly Balham to Victoria and vice versa and have done for the past 20 years as far as I can remember . Now on first hearing , their little ditties are mildly amusing . They have one about brushing your teeth in a public convenience and one about where the train goes ( actually that 's not at all funny , just informational ) . However 20 years of it is frankly bloody annoying . Their arrival on the carriage is a very good test of who is new to the line as when they start up there are little smiles from some quarters . It is also a good indicator of people ( like me ) who have been travelling the route for far longer , as they display grim faced gritted teeth . For my part I have started shouting at them and boy they don't like it . Oh yes they 're chirpy enough when they get on , but I really get up their nose when I ask if they have any new material . ' Yes we have lots ' ' Go on then boys play some , I ' m bored of this one it 's been 20 years now and it aint Brown Sugar ' general slanging about the merits of the Rolling Stones normally ensues . Those that were smiling normally look at me as if I am a complete bastard . Those that were grim faced are now normally smiling . I see it as part of my public service . 
Those Golf Sale signs ? I ' ve never actually followed one so I ' ve never actually seen the golf sale shop . It 's always made me wonder ' Are they all pointing towards the same huge and on - going Golf Sale ? ' . 
Refreshed ? Errrrrr ..... not quite . Grenada was absolutely fantastic . The West Indies always is . I just don't know a more chilled out place . Weather was perfet for what we were looking for i . e . it was back end of rainy season , so the sunny parts were interspersed with overcast and wet but still hot ( 28 to 29 degree ) patches . My parents and brother and sister - in - law shared a lot of the Eben load so Nic and I got a lot of time together and boy did we get through some backgammon . The resort was perfect for our needs , it was a cottage hotel so we had a lot of space in the rooms and outside space . So why not refreshed ? Well mentally I am , but I ' m a physical wreck . Ebs never adjusted to the time difference which has meant 8 days of between 3 and 5 o ' clock waking It did get better towards the end but nevertheless urrgh . However apart from that perfect . Favourite holiday snap - My stepmother Jo with Ebs . 
You are not in America - now get over it . I like Americans in America . They 're personable , hospitable , kind hosts . Very accomodating , unusually relaxed ( unless you 're in New York ) and contrary to popular opinion tollerant . So what the hell happens to them when they leave . There were a few hings that made the hackles rise , but one example riled more than any other . Now , you have to remember that Grenadans ain't the hardest working folks in the world and frankly , if I was them , nor would I be and what I am in awe of is their complete lack of apology for the lifestyle . Take for instance the following conversation in the supermarket half an hour after they opened . In England shelves would be stacked . ' Have you got any mince ' ' no man , de man has to chop de meat up , gives me ha ' an hour ' thinks ' mmmmm , I may come back this afternoon then ' Anyway the American 's . We pitched up at the mall at 9.40 on the 2 nd January ( a public holiday ) and it was closed , but due to open at 10.00 . Five minutes later a couple walked up and asked : ' Is the mall closed ' spoken in one of those really whiney American accents which seems to accentuate when they 're a bit irate . ' Er no it 's open at 10 ' ' What is it with these people , everything 's closed ' ' It 's a public holiday ' ' Goddam , yesterday everything 's closed , today everything 's closed . What is it with these people ' said in real anger ' You 're in someone else 's fucking country you arseholes , shut the fuck up , you whiney yanks . THESE PEOPLE ... THESE PEOPLE are your hosts . I know you invaded Grenada 25 years ago because they voted a left wing government in to power , but let them be , Jesus . ' I didn't say the last bit , but I thought it really hard . We bumped in to them a little later in a coffee shop : ' What you don't even have a bagel ? ' - incredulous open mouthed look . Jesus wept . 
' American food ' or ' Why Americans are enormous ' . We part self catered while we were away and an awful lot of the branded goods including things like the pasteurised milk , orange juice etc. was imported from the US . My Dad and I spent most of the morning laughing at the marketing claims plastered all over the packets . It 's a marvellous example of what a massively under - regulated market can truly get away with . i . e . as close to lying as you can possibly get away with . There were some ludicrous examples , the peanuts were covered in ' South Beach diet ' flashes , but if you ate a handful you were probably well over your 6 g of salt a day . The bacon had 0 % cabohydrates , but dry fry a couple of slices in a pan and you had enough saturated fat to fur up Lance Armstrong 's arteries for good . Do you want your orange juice , with PULP , NO PULP , HALF PULP , SEMI PULP , DEMI PULP or WHO FUCKING CARES ? Bagels were SO 0 % everything , they had to add a little bit of extra packaging to get all the claims on . My personal favourite though was the claim made on the side of the ' Lactaid Lactose free homogenised pasteurised milk ' - ' 3 portions of dairy a day can support a calorie controlled diet ' - brilliant in it 's weaslieness , says nothing whatsoever , but somehow tries to sell , not just the fact that dairy if fabulous but also that 3 portions of it would be the best option . I guess I could go on a calorie controlled diet and just eat cheese , I may get scabies as a result though ah well . 
My perfect son . OK . I know I know I ' m biased , but he gave us one of those heart in the mouth moments this morning . As we suspected we ' d bought too many presents ( must remember to have the same conversation next year than completely ignore it when we go shopping ) . We had got half way through opening and he was bored and just wanted to play . He was sat on the other side of the room playing with a fork lift truck , we were chatting and then completely out of the blue he raised his head from the truck and exclaimed ' Best thing in the whole wide world ' . Anyway , once we ' d wiped the tears from our eyes we had the most lovely day and he was extraordinarly well behaved considering how dull 12 adults sitting having dinner for 3 hours must be , when you have mountains of presents to play with . 
Trouble with Christmas dinner ? I ' m taking my turn to be santa . If you 're worrying about the roast this Christmas stop just take a look at roast rage a very useful site set up by the good people at the English Beef and Lamb Executive . It answers all your roast related worries . 
Ooooo shiny . I ' ve got a new digital camera , hoorah . I ' ve never had one before . The business has one , but designers and people like that use it . It 's so easy to operate . I ' d worked the whole thing out in 20 minutes and here 's my first 3 photos . I really hope Nic doesn't see this because she ' ll kill me , she ' d just got out of the shower this morning , I like the sentimentality of it though . A picture of me . Apologies for the nose , it 's a family thing . The boy they call Eben . I can't wait until Christmas day . I think I may be going photo crazy . Then we 're off to Grenada on the 27 th so I may be having to take my laptop to download pictures to . ( That 's my excuse anyway ) . I ' ve had to battle with Nic to take my Black Berry with me the laptop may be a step too far . 
Snow Bear 's cave . One of the unexpected pleasures of having Eben is discovering children 's books . There are some absolutely amazing children 's books out there . Fabulously illustrated and very entertaining , I ' ve come to the conclusion that it must be one of the hardest forms of writing , because it has to be so concise , so as small minds don't wander ( and that 's just me ) but also engaging and with a rollicking story . Anyway , Eben 's current favourite book inspired me on Nic 's pressie from Eben and we ' ve spent the afternoon making Snowbear 's cave . It 's a funny one , I ' m lucky to have so much time with Ebs I see him for a couple of hours in the morning and then an hour in the evening - I have friends who basically reacquaint themselves with their children at the weekend - but I tend to read with him or play cars or bricks or whatever and then at weekends we 're out . However , there are loads of things that Nicky does with him that I don't get the opportunity to see . She bakes a lot , paints , goes to music classess and minigym all of which I never see , but get reports back from . So it was really lovely to spend the afternoon sitting with him and making Snowbear 's cave . We hopped over to the park to collect twigs and little flowers and berries and then I spent most of the afternoon trying 50 different methods of distraction to stop him eating the glue , spraying silver paint in his eyes and throwing glitter all over the house , but we ' ve got our picture all ready and hidden . All I have to do now is avoid Ebs blurting out what we ' ve done all day , which I ' m not sure I ' ll get away with . 
Party strategy . We ' ve got 10 for friends Christmas lunch tomorrow ( plus 4 under 3 s ) it 's a tradition we ' ve upheld for the past 8 years . However 10 people is a nightmare I ' ve come to the conclusion it 's the worst possible number , especially with the amount of little people around . Starts at 2 pm will meander until whenever . At present we don't know whether we 're putting 3 couples up and 3 children or none or 1 or 2 . So we 're having to make up 3 beds which means washing all the sheets and then 2 pm doesn't suit everyone because of baby feeds , football commitments and on and on and on . And these are our closaest friends . I ' ve come to the conclusion that you either go easy and have 6 or you just say fuck it and invite 100 . Either way it 's easier . 6 people and you cater for 3 variables . 100 peole who cares you say the date and time and if they can turn up then great if not well who cares there are another 99 who will . 
Oh God , Christmas cards . It doesn't matter how much you gee yourself up for them does it , they 're always the most boring and frustrating things to write . Last night Nic and I bought the tree and put it up , made chilli con carne ( total comfort food ) , watched Harry Met Sally ( best Christmas movie ever ) , but despite that the Christmas spirit has ebbed out of us after 5 written cards each . Granted they were the most difficult overseas ones , so you need to condense a year in to a short , snappy , unsmug and interesting 250 words , but even so . Over the next 3 nights we ' ve got Big , Uncle Buck and It 's a Wonderful life to sustain us and keep us cheery . Tonight - cards to relatives you don't really like , but need to stay on the right side of . Aaaaarrrggghh . 
Earthquake ? Well no , it turns out it wasn't . I woke up with a start at 6.04 ( digital clock ) this morning because the bed shook . My immediate thought was earthquake and then I thought that a car had crashed in to the house ( I was half asleep , you get paranoid ) . When Nic woke up I told her I thought I felt an earthquake and she made some lame joke about nothing happening for her ( haha ) , and I made up a lie about Britain suffering the most earthquakes of anywhere in the world , which she ignored . I don't know why I do the pointless lies thing I really don't , ( Note to self ; post something about pointless lies phenomenon ) I suppose I find it amusing . Anyway , at breakfast , I switched on the radio and it turns out there was an oil refinery explosion at the exact time I woke up . But it 's in bleeding Hemel Hempstead which is about 30 miles away . Can this be right ? Well by the looks of things it could be . It must have been huge . 
I ' ll probably be back . I think I ' ll probably return to the 5 live message board , but I ' m just a bit weary . It really is the same arguments endlessly . I think I ' ll create a new identity and creep back in . It ' ll be interesting to see whether I get on with the same bunch of people again . It ' ll be an interesting experiment actually . 
The creeping erosion of democracy . Yesterday , Maya Evans was the first person to be found guilty under section 132 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act ( SOCPA ) legislation designed to create an exclusion zone around Parliament Square . This zone covers roughly a KM radius from the Houses of Parliament . It was brought in following the Countryside protest and the subsequent invasion of the commons by Otis Ferry and 8 other hunt protesters , however it was widely speculated that it provided a convenient way of removing Brian Haw who 's anti - Iraq protest directly outside the Commons in Parliament Square has proved an embarassing thorn in the government 's side for years . What was overlooked was that this act could never be enforced against Mr Haw as his protest began before April 1 st 2005 when the act came in and his protest has been continuous since before the start of the the Gulf war . It would appear that the first casualty therefore , was a slightly lower profile protester . Maya Evans who was found guilty of reading out the names of 97 British soldiers killed in Iraq . This was deemed under the new legislation an ' unauthorised protest ' . This legislation appears to have effectively removed the right to free protest , something that has been part of the rights of all British citizens for centuries . The government would argue that the act makes provision for protest . If you apply to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner at least 6 days in advance or , if not " reasonably practicable " , 24 hours in advance , permission must be granted . However the Commissioner has it in his power to impose conditions on the protest such as : - When and where it can take place - How long it can last - How many people can attend - How much noise can be made - The number and size of banners and placards used These conditions can effectively be used to completely rule out any protest that the government would feel uncomfortable . There are thought to be 21 more people awaiting trial ( in January ) on charges brought under this new legislation . This was brought in under the guise of anti - terror legislation , my personal perspective is that it 's entirely protectionist and allows government to repel any protest it finds unpallettable . I find it disquieting that this type of legislation can slip through almost unnoticed , these type of laws are the thin end of the wedge . 
With thanks to ' Lost in Space ' . I ' m not a big fan of Lost in Space 's views , but he does at least argue constructively , which I have respect for and rarely resorts to the attached set of guidelines which he posted on the boards and cut from Holy Smoke . and made me laugh . All you Five Live UK message board junkies out there will recognise the following : 1 ) Regardless of the issue ---- make sure you bring up your views on abortion , capital punishment , Christianity , and the political party you least like , regularly . Make sure your use the terms " wrong " , " evil " , " sinful " and " false " in describing views that differ from your particular beliefs . Try to work in the terms " blinded " or " deluded " . 2 ) Depending on YOUR orientation refer to your opponents in arguments ( or debates that hold the promise of becoming arguments ) as facists or communists as often as possible . Suggest that their views parallel those held in Nazi Germany or of Stalinist USSR at least once . 3 ) Point out the shortcomings of the opposite gender . Using tasteless jokes that you ascribe to others is a favorite ploy . If your opponent is of the same sex ---- cast doubt on their sexual orientation . 4 ) When you ' ve managed to get a good heated exchange going try to score points by using a word that will drive your opponent to the dictionary . Mock any attempts on their part to do the same . If possible humiliate them and react to attacks on your arguments with ironic references to misspellings , ill - conceived sentence construction , or inappropriate word usage . 5 ) If you make an error , never apologize . Blame it on a technical difficulty or on your opponent 's mischaracterization of your argument . 6 ) When inspired , make sure you word your attacks and counterattacks so that you leave no opening for your adversary to capitulate to your view except in disgrace . Try to make certain that every avenue of response is a path of shame . Phrases like " only a idiot or a scumbag would argue that ... " are very helpful . 7 ) If you start to slip in an argument attack the person . It 's most helpful to know something personal about them so that your ad hominems point out both academic / professional defects and their deficiencies as a human . 8 ) If someone levels an attack upon you , respond that in their reliance on ad hominem attacks the argument has deteriorated to a level that no longer warrants your participation . This can be a winning blow if played properly . Be subtle here , and clever ; try to convey the sense of your opponent as dim - witted , ethically degenerate , desperate , and outmanuevered by your overwhelming intellectual superiority . The real joy here is that you can neatly do away with any respect due your opponent , slander his character , lacerate his pride , and , if done properly and with elan , simultaneously represent yourself as a man or woman whose ethics and moral sensitivity make it impossible for you to do what you just did . This one is a real gem -- and when executed gracefully -- really an art form . 8 ) When you face a loss , construct a " straw man " argument either by taking your opponets words out of context or by changing the issue . Never lose ---- change the issue . If your opponent has the facts on thier side , argue that facts don't constitute scholarship and understanding , and might even be a sign that one has not yet come to the level of understanding at all . Claim that computers store facts and that real scholarship is the sign of being able to understand and seeing the deeper connections . 9 ) Remember that you are always right . No matter what forces are marshalled against you , no matter how reasonable , humble , or generous , don't give an inch , don't be swayed . You are always right . It 's the other side that caused this ruckus and keeps it going . 10 ) Always insist on the last word . The only honorable finish is unconditional capitulation by your adversaries or their defeated silence . 
Parenting by numbers . This morning I finally understood why it 's important for a 2 year old to have a routine . It 's nothing to do with them . It 's for when you ' ve drunk gallons of beer the night before and you have to get up and deal with them at 6.45 in the morning . Pick him up 2 3 Let him turn the light on 2 3 Take him downstairs , sit on the counter 2 3 Milk out , in cup 2 3 ' Daddy clear the dishwasher ' ' Thank you son , I forgot that ' Empty dishwasher 2 3 ' Daddy make tea ' ' Ah yes , thank you Ebs ' You get the picture . Thank God for routine . He ' d never have been dressed , or fed if he hadn't reminded me at every step . God I ' m hung over . 
Should have been Cook . Can't help thinking that it should have been spotty teenager Cook taking the field for England instead of Collingwood tomorrow . It 's a real shift about to accomodate PC and he just doesn't feel like a 4 to me . Cook would have been an ideal slot in for Strauss and Derek Randall the Bedford School coach has said consistently that Cook steps up to the big occassion wonderfully well . Having said all that I wouldn't want to go against Fletcher and Vaughan , no one can say they don't know what they 're doing . 
Blog hijacking . Heard a very interesting piece on the Julian Worricker show yesterday . I like Worricker , but don't really get to listen to him that often , as we 're normally off out doing something on a Sunday . Anyway , he had what I suppose you ' d call a Sunday review section with 3 guests , none of whose names I caught ( jesus this is flimsy isn't it - my friend knew this bloke down a pub , who had a mate ... ) . Cough . start again . Worriker had Tim Worstall on , author of ' 2005 Blogged : Dispatches from the Blogosphere ' . Basically he 's charted UK blogs through the year chronologically event by event . It 's interesting enough , despite the fact - as someone pointed out - a book seems like an odd medium to conduct his review . What really pissed me off though was the sniffy journalistic discussion that went on afterwards . It basically took the line - ' oh , well it 's all very well these bloggers with their news sites , but you have to realise that it 's completely unverified opinion , no one cross - checks the facts . ' then there was the tangent ' oh and of course there 's an awful lot of flim flam ( paraphrased ) ' Well fuck you , whoever you ivory tower teeterers were : First - no one thinks that one source of info . is necessarily the truth , the whole truth and nothing but the truth . The reason however that we 're here is that we can post what we like , at our own risk and if people choose to come and read , then they can believe what they want to . We know we 're not immune to libel laws . In short we 're not fucking stupid , how dare you treat us as if you are the media gods . Second - not all of us are frustrated journalists . I ' m not going to be restricted by some sort of amateur journalistic integrity . I ' ll carry on with the flim - flam and every once in a while I ' ll post something serious . And guess what it ' ll be my opinion and whoever comes to read it will take it to be that ( I hope ) . So on that note as a little test . Can I ask anyone who reads this to go out and punch the next person they see . Please report back , I ' m interested to find out if I really do have a cultish following of drones . 
More Freddie worship . Sorry another gratuitous freddie post . The man is on fire . 2 in 2 balls to put england back in the 2 nd test something that was completely improbable at the start of the days play . 
Aaaaaahhhh sleeeeeeeeppp !! Well to everyone who gave me advice last week , we seem to have cracked it - how do you touch wood on line ? - Ebs has now gone down at 7.30 and woken at somewhere between 6.45 and 6.55 for the last 2 mornings and the 2 before that he ' d woken at 6 but one visit to his bedroom and he was back down for an hour . Funnily enough we 're all in a better mood . 
Never trust old people . I was reminded of a lovely family story over the weekend . My mother - in - law has a friend who told it . Her family were all round for Sunday dinner a few years back and she was cooking a ham . As she transferred the meat to the roasting tin , she cut the end of it off and threw it in the bin . Once it was in the oven , her daughter asked ' Mum why do you always cut the end off the ham ? ' . To which she replied ' Errrr , I don't know , Mum always used to ' . Her mother was in the next room so she and her daughter asked her mother , but her mother had no idea either ' However ' she remarked ' my mother used to do it ' . Now great grandma was dead however , the family line lived on in the form of her younger sister , my mother - in - law 's friend 's great aunt . So when my mother - in law 's friend 's , mother saw her aunt she asked ' You know Mum used to cut the end off the ham when she cooked it . Do you know why she did it ? ' . ' Yes dear ' replied the elderly relative ' it would never fit in the pan ' So there you go . The moral is : Never trust your elders it could result in years of wasted ham . 
Open the box . A friend mailed me this link last night . Basically you click on the link and then type in whatever artist or music you like and it will go and search out a suitable internet station for you . Absolutely magic . 
Ooooooo tired !! 4 days in to sleep training . Pheewph . Not in the evening . Eben goes out like a light at night now , but he 's started waking at between 4.30 and 5.30 in the morning . We made a rod for our own back by bringing him in to bed with us for the first couple of weeks . As an excuse Nic 's exhausted with the pregnancy and has had a sinus infection that she can't treat with antibiotic 's so for the extra couple of hurs we got it seemed worth it . But , on Monday morning we took the plunge . Controlled crying . Go in after 5 minutes , then 10 , then 15 etc. Monday went on for 2 1 / 2 hours , with everything thrown at us . Throwing bedding out of bed , saying he wanted milk , plaintive crys of Mummy and Daddy . There 's something about your own child 's crying that is designed to tug at the core of your soul . I ' m not so bad although I do count the minutes . Nic though finds it complete torture . With any luck we ' ll get him to fall back and start sleeping through till 6.30 - 7 , he definitely needs it he 's knackered when we finally get him up . We have everything crossed . 
Cor it 's good today . Tresco 135 NO . England close Day 2 of 1 st test in Pakistan on 253 for 3 trailing by 24 runs Flintoff is a God yet again 4 for 68 , Harmy chips in with 3 for 37 and Hoggy 2 for 55 Owen scores another 2 against Argentina in 3 - 2 win in Geneva Rooney scores opener - this boy is a legend already . World Cup 2006 could be his Big Ben Cohen scores in typical style on come back to England set - up . England grind out a 26 - 16 win . Prediction for February 2007 . England complete trouncing of Aussies in their backyard to retain Ashes and climb to No. 1 in world rankings . England hold World Cups in both Rugby and football . Oh yeah and the Aussies swimming team collapses under the supreme power of the GB team . 
The anonymous Google illustrator . Today Google had a great logo illustration . The ' l ' was replaced with a remembrance poppy . I ' ve often wondered about the Google illustrator . His or her artwork is probably seen by 10 s of millions of people on the day however it goes completely uncredited . Anyway Google have an archive for all the previous holiday illustrations . Some are brilliant . Personally I really like the Water Aid one from March 22 nd 2005 , partly because I think it 's such a fabulous charity . I have a friend who works there who explained to me he chose to join them as they provide the absolute foundation of life . i . e . you can have all the aid flown in that you like , but without sanitation and clean water the community will collapse within days . It 's very simple , but pretty compelling really . 
Have or Of ? The metamorphosis of language . Went to the pub with Nic last night and at one point when she took herself off to the Ladies I sat earwigging two South African girls at the other end of our table . I wasn't really listening properly but at one point heard one say ' I should of ... ' . It was so clearly ' of ' that she used that I was quite taken aback , it grated . It 's a common mistake in the written form , but it struck me that the way she articulated ' of ' while technically incorrect , it sounded far more comfortable . Now Nic would hate this she 's a real stickler for correct usage of English , me I ' m much more keen on the adaptation of language . I ' m a big fan of the way that language has been impacted by text messaging . I heard Stephen Fry interviewed the other day a big advocate of the adaptation and chameleon like nature of the English language - he 's currently promoting a Christmas book called ' The Ode Less Traveled ' about the construction of poetry . The premise for the book is that people need to be taught how to write a poem in much the same way as they are taught to play an instrument - anyway he relayed a story about his 12 year old nephew . He had recently given him a present to which he received the reply ' Heh that 's book ' . Being perplexed by the term , he asked his nephew what he meant . ' You know book , cool ' his nephew replied . Fry looked perplexed , so his nephew pulled out his phone , flicked to text ( predictive of course ) and spelt out cool which of course actually spells , book when the predictive function is on . And there we have it the birth of a new term , the natural metamorphosis of language . Thinking on the South African 's use of ' of ' rather than ' have ' it struck me that it has to be a front runner as a term that will become acceptable in time . The tipping point will come some time in the future and of course the purists will hate it but personally that 's what I love about the English language , it 's great adaptability . 
Come on Boys . I ' ve set my alarm for 4.10 tomorrow already . First cherry ( hopefully Hoggard ) thrown nee arrowed down the track in Multan against Pakistan . Despite losing the match and Michael Vaughn to Pakistan A this week , I ' m convinced we ' ll blow them away . Come on Tres take us home boy . 
Zebedee was always the coolest one off magic Roundabout . ' I ' m knackered ' ' Yeah me too ' ' Listen do you want to go outside and sit down ? ' ' It 's pretty cold out there ' ' What 's the time ? ' ' 4.30 ' ' Who 's on after Van Dyk ? ' ' Dave Ralph ' ' Who ? ' ' I dunno , Jim says he doesn't play over here very often works with Oakey over in the US , listen we ' ll blow through come on I ' m still well up for it ' She laughs . I love that laugh , it 's reserved for me , kind of despairing , but means I ' ve got away with it . ' Yeah alright ' she says We headed back into the tent which seems weirdly empty considering Paul Van Dyk 's omnipotent presence everywhere this summer . The Crasher kids are still at it , all whirly glowsticks and contorted faces . I couldn't help but laugh when I heard about the poster that appeared up at Republic last month ' I ' m drug free like PVD ' . Fuck knows who that was because this lot are gurning like gooduns . ' The others have gone to the front ' I shout ' Yeah yeah let me grab Kate ' Nic disappears and I shimmy down to the barrier . Van Dyk 's whirlwinding to a close . A thin dark guy 's bobbing around maniacally behind him . Watching the decks . Checking the crowd . Bounce . ' For an Angel ' starts to segue in , those soaring synths washing over you . PVD is a crowd pleaser , the place is going crazy . The whoops that accompanied people really coming up around 2 pm have gone and been replaced by a chugging crowd , and the mass has the space to dance , the kind of dance you only get at that time of the morning , rythmic , measured , totally going with every beat . Every movement synchronised after 6 or 7 hours of trying to really get with it and here we are we ' ve all arrived and PVD 's coming to a finale and taking everyone with him . And then , the guy on the spring again . Checking the crowd . Bounce . Checking the decks . Bounce . Suddenly he disappears . Then he pops up with vinyl in his hand . He whispers to PVD and then slaps the 12 " on the deck and suddenly God swaps places with Zebedee . Shit . ' Hi ya ' I look down and Nic 's bobbing about with Kate stood behind . I have a smiley nod at Cath and she grins wide and throws herself into a music box ballerina 360 . I grin back and she throws her arms round me . ' You having a good time ' she shouts ' Best ever ' ' Is he on next ? ' ' I hope not ' ' What do you mean ? ' ' Look ' Three people stare across the barrier at Zebedee , he has the 12 " back in his hand , checking the crowd , jumping , bouncing , checking the crowd , jumping , bouncing , check the decks , checks the levels , bounce , bounce . Jesus christ maybe I should have gone outside . Then ...... he slaps the vinyl back down , grabs the phones , swings the arm , smashes the cross fader across and sucks every last ounce of bass out of the tent . Everything holds it 's breath . Zebedee looks up and grins . A wicked knowing grin . What the fuck does he know ... ... a tune from the heavens crashes in . Oh my fucking God , a tingle spreads down from the top of my head and through every part of my body . Mayhem .15 yards away I spot Simon and Jaack pogoing . Jack doesn't pogo . Ever ! But we clock each other and all our arms go up and we bounce . Enter stage left , Jim comes running out of nowhere ' It 's Ralph , it 's Dave Ralph I told you he was fucking good . How fucking good was that ' We 're all , all over the place , Jim 's grinning , Kate and Nic are laddering away behind me . Ed , Jack , Simon , Meg and me are swaying ( where did Meg and Ed come from ? ) And as we look back to the decks so 's Dave Ralph , he 's climbed out the back of the box and run about 20 yards out , arms windmilling . That 's the kind of DJ you want , basically just one of the crowd . When they 're part of the crowd they know exactly what to play next . Viva Creamfields 2000 . 
In the Hell of Tournantes - Samira Bellil RIP . Samira Bellil died on September 4 th 2004 aged 31 of Stomach cancer . This diminuitive French Algerian immigrant was a modern day Emmeline Pankhurst and it is arguable the stand she made was possibly a far more courageous act than that of the Suffragettes . In her book ' Dans L ' Enfer Des Tournantes ' ( In the Hell of Tournantes ) she laid bare the endemic culture of patriarchal oppression in the French ghetto . Her story was underpinned by her own gang rape at the age of 14 at the hands of 4 men known to her . Gang rape was known in the ghetto as pass - rounds . Her boyfriend handed her over to his 3 friends who brutally raped her all night and then made her breakfast in the morning . This happened to her again when she was dragged by one of her previous assailants off a crowded train while the passengers looked the other way . Her story is not uncommon of her peers growing up in the Banlieu many of her friends suffered the same fate and women are often forced to hide , stay inside and if they are seen to be in any way deviating from the norm they can often suffer the same fate at the hands of disenfanchised , angry and voilent young men . Her book galvanised a women 's movement in France that spawned countless marches across the country attended by thousands of women who had been terrified of voicing their opinions and the action she inspired forced the French Government to look seriously at the issue of pass - rounds in particular but also the oppression of women in the gheto . She instigated the set - up and implementation of women 's refuge to protect some of those at gravest danger with a particular focus of attention on the estimated 70,000 who were believed to be in danger of enforced marriage in a heavily fundamentalist islamic honour culture . Her impact was so great that the government were forced to recognise the changing ethnic fabric of French society and a department was set up to look at the issues . The French government honoured Bellil s achievements , and those of 13 other women from the projects , by hanging their portraits outside the country 's parliament in recognition of the profile they had created . The reason I post this today is that we are on the back of the 11 th day of rioting in the Paris ghettos particularly , but also all over France . It 's something I ' m sure Bellil would not be in the slightest bit surprised by , the depth of poverty and disaffection has been there for years , mixed with the overpowering macho patriarchal culture . Personally I hope it proves the catalyst the French government require to really tackle the issue of the ghetto and the way that they have been used and ignored for years . The ghettos have been allowed to descend to a hellish existence that breeds the worst type of fundamentalism religiously , patriarchally and violently . 
Aaaaaaaarrrgggghhh !! I think the terrible twos are upon us . All previous strategies are useless . My lovely little boy has turned in to a little git . No amount of cajoling , bargaining , deal making , 1,2 , 3 ing works anymore . We have to now just leave him to scream it out on the floor until he decides to eat , put clothes on , come out to the car , whatever . I very nearly resorted to chocolate last night , but managed to resist . I can understand why people give in though . Of course I ' ve got it easy , I can escape . Nicky on the other hand said she could have merrily thrown him at a wall 2 or 3 times the other day . She didn't , but boy this is challenging - to say the very least . I can't wait for March when no .2 arrives . 
It 's that time of year ... ... Halloween and Guy Fawkes . Two nights that should be full of family fun and yet again have been hijacked by resentfullness and greed .1 . In Sainsbury 's tonight I watched as 3 children - the oldest of whom I would imagine was 14 - bought fireworks from a salesperson who did not seem in the least bit interested in their age .2 . I have just come away from the door having been trick or treated by two I ' d say 10 year olds . They like all the other children who came to the door tonight got a small packet of maltesers and a mini aero each . Both of them looked like I ' d placed a dog turd in their hand . I can only summise they wanted money and they had been on the go since they left school to extract as much cash out of the area as possible . Having said all that , Eben looked fab in his scary ghost costume with mini pumpkin lantern in hand . Woooooooooooo !! 
Little bowls of food . The little bowl of food phenomenon has multipled exponentially since Eben was born . Except now it tends to be stackable tupperware , to ensure greater efficiencey of space . Or , in our case , a secure lidded environment for super - mould to grow in . Why do we kid ourselves that we need half a portion of mashed potato . Or , that just because he didn't want beans this time that maybe he ' ll have them next time . Or alternatively am I really going to take that small bowl of left over pasta to work . No I ' ve never remembered before why should I start now . It will just become fridge wallpaper , until we decide that we 're going to have a clear out . at which time it provides it 's only useful function . i . e . as a source of biological wonderment . Shame of it is , I know I ' ll be sayng the same in 20 years time . 
Hooked ? The blogging 's really starting to get to me , it 's more addictive than the BBC 5 Live Messageboards , mind you that 's not so difficult the standard of debate on there has slid away to almost nothing . It 's even forcing me to learn HTML which i ' ve been meaning to get round to for years . 
The man who fell asleep . Some years ago I had an idea for a column , based on the crap that you ' d hear daily on the tube . Of course as with all these things I never followed it through . However someone did and it was picked up by Timeout who now have a regular column dedicated to it . And guess what ? It 's really funny what a surprise . It 's well worth a read . Makes me laugh without fail . 
What a worrier . I ' ve just reread my postings . I ' m really not that much of a worrier honest . Gavin , believe me seriously I don't worry , please don't think that of me , please . I really am quite happy - go - lucky honest . 
Oh God - I may have killed an old lady . So here I sit guilty . I ' ve just had my flu jab ( I ' m an asthmatic so I am high risk and have a legitimate reason for the shot ) , however they were dispensing the jab on a first come first serve basis and I scraped in as the 64 th of 70 available jabs . Not long after I registered they started to turn people away and point people towards the pharmacy to go on a waiting list until the country restocks - yes there 's none left in the UK . But , who were they turning away . Yes. It was little old 70 + ladies ( if I ' m honest they 're probably 80 + ) . I couldn't help sitting there - watching them being pointed up up the road - thinking that they were only late because it took them an hour and half to agonisingly scrape their way wheezing from their small bedsit just round the corner . Oh God , oh god , oh god . Ah well at least I ' ll be alright . 
Getting old too quickly . As I get older , I ' ve come to realise that people lie to you about what happens as the years tick by . Well I suppose it 's less lying than not letting on what 's going to occur . Gripe no . 1 - I do not expect to wake up at 5 am desperate for a piss , this isn't supposed to happen until you 're 50 ish is it ? Gripe no .2 - When I go to bed at night perfectly fit and healthy , I do not expect to get up with a bit of a sore back . Gripe no .3 - When I go out for the evening , I do not expect to be flagging at 11.00 pm Gripe no .4 - When I go out for the evening , I do not expect to think - ' oo it ' d be quite nice to watch Casualty in my pants ' Gripe no .5 - When did I start to think that bars are a ' bit noisy ' I ' m 32 I feel cheated . 
New directions . I had one of those nights a couple of nights ago . I went to bed early ( Ebs is waking up at 5 at the moment so trying to mitigate extreme tiredness ) and it was a terrible idea . I wasn't ready for bed at all and I lay there and started thinking . Now normally this results in my mind wandering off to being the best fast bowler to set foot on a cricket field , or the invention of a double ended dildo concept - Oh sorry no that was Nicky 's dream the other night - but not Tuesday night . I actually came up with what I think is a completely feasible business concept . So after mulling it over until 1 am I got up and wrote an outline business plan until 4 am at which point I went to bed got an hour - before Eben woke up . You know what I was saying about being happy and chilling out . I lied , I couldn't kick back if I tried . So off I go again , another flight of fancy . 
I don't like cricket ... Unfortunately I started my blog far too late to cover the Ashes win after 16 years . However , as it was the culmination of a life spent being pretty much singularly disappointed ( apart from that 9 for 56 that Devon Malcolm took in ' 94 when I ran around the room squealing for about 10 minutes ) watching England teams being trounced by Australians ( not exclusively , but it 's only the Aussies that really hurts ) . Then I thought it was still fresh enough in the memory to post something . Oh yeah and I found this in my inbox and it made me laugh again . Freddie you 're a legend mate . 
Equilibrium . For the first time for a very long time I can say I ' m really truly happy . Flogging my guts out for years made me desperately unhappy . It made me quite well off , but only now do I realise how stressed I was . I didn't see my friends and family , 16 hour days 7 days a week didn't suit me - doesn't suit anyone I wouldn't have thought . But I got out . The business has finally hit a point where I wouldn't say it 's looking after itself , but it 's stable , Nicky 's happier at home and not rushing off to work to earn just enough to cover childcare , her trip to work and the yoga to help her destress from work and Eben 's definitely thriving as a result . My family are all well ( finger 's crossed Jamie doesn't get MRSA in the appendix scar ) . We ' ve finally sorted Nanny 's will . Jo and Dad seem happy to be cruising around until the flat 's sorted . All I know is that I ' m going to stop for a few months and let things roll , I haven't done that since I started working . I ' ve got viewable billings for 6 months ( anything else is incremental ) I ' m going to kick back , service the clients I have and concentrate on home , wait for the new baby to arrive and then next June go for it with the business again . 
Big sweaty men . What do you say to a fit young bloke you ' ve been staring at for the last 10 minutes , as he exerts himself . It 's OK when he 's a hundred yards away and not within speaking distance , but when they 're lugging something your way , hot and sweaty and a little bit out of breath , a bit grubby wiping the sweat from their brow . Oh christ , have I been staring too long ? ' Grab truck Daddy ' comes the voice by my side . Thank fuck for that , Eben 's spoken first . ' Yes sweetheart , look it 's lifting bricks into the back of the truck . ' ' Alright mate ' I said to the builder . I got a kind of flick headed ' alright ' back at me . The builder 's yard ritual has been ongoing for about 8 months now . I came back for lunch today and took Ebs to the swings which necessitates walking past the yard . That in turn means at least 10 minutes staring at gorillas in forklift trucks and grab vans loading and unloading bricks and stuff . Have to say it 's not something I ' d ever noticed until Eben pointed out that it was the best thing to happen to the world . I think I may have to buy them a Christmas present in exchange for a good staring . I ' m thinking Pirelli calendar . 
Human Beings - where did it all go wrong ? The South Bank is my favourite part of London no doubt . Nick was off at a seminar today - the topic - optimal foetal positioning , Mary told me this afternoon that sitting forward was the key , that took 20 seconds . So why Nick was out all day is beyond me . Anyway that 's beyond the point , that point being , Eben and I had the day on our own - a rare treat . So , I promised to take him up to see the Skateboarders under the National Theatre , have some lunch at the NFT before heading to Horniman museum in the afternoon . Very nice day it was too . Ebs is a bit ill but that 's just Autumn and 2 year olds . Despite that we got - Skateboarders , BMXers , spliff smoking steel drum players , a man with very long fake arms that patted us on the head , pet goats , a plethora of instruments from jews harps to bongos experimented with , a very aggressive rooster ( not very rockin ' ) , a 19 th Century merman , a stuffed Jaguar , an Amazonian canoe , a torture chair , ( goddam he loved that chair , I ' m glad it was behind glass ) and all punctuated by 6 train journey 's all over South London , each one slightly more exciting than the last , apart from maybe the last one where he was tailng off a bit and fell asleep in my lap . And boy did we meander , which appears to have become a thing of history - every other person we encountered seemed to have somewhere to go . It 's Sunday , chill people . Nope . Everywhere I looked people were speed - reading fashion supplements . The 14 year old skaters were impatient , I mean what have they got to get home to , apart from a 5 bedroom semi in Richmond and pushy parents with homework in their exasperated mitts . Everyone bustling around too quickly to actually catch what was actually happening on the South Bank - blimey , most unrelaxing . And what about me and Ebs - well it took us 2 hours to walk 3 / 4 of a mile from the NFT to the footbridge to take us to Charing Cross station - there 's an awful lot of pigeons and squirrels to chase you know . I was perfectly chirpy I have to say but , it did make me think that we ' ve become a bit shit as a species . When did our survival instinct become , needing a latte and quick . This was confirmed later on when on our 5 th train journey the thing happened that Nic and I have discussed a dozen times . We pulled in to a station , woman with buggy got off and the buggy slipped in to the gap between train and platform . Something really does need to be done about this , I don't know whether this is true of all trains but round this way it 's a plague . Clapham Junction is ridiculous . The angle of train to platform in some places means that you have to hop up to 18 inches to make the platform - not great if you 're 85 and have arthiritis . The woman started screaming , so i jumped up grabbed Eben , shoved my buggy out of the way and in the process barged some one else out of the way to go and pull the fucking emergency cord . I was a little bit incapacitated with Ebs to do much else , but it was fine she got out after freaking her kids out by being a bit hysterical . And all the while everyone else mostly watched and looked concerned . Stop looking concerned and do something you idiots . I ' m gradually coming to the conclusion that the one for all and all for me instinct apears to have taken hold as a naturally occurring gene now , or maybe it 's just all the estrogen in the water or something , because we sure as hell don't help our fellow human anymore - well not if it breaks in to a great tune on your i Pod . And another thing - the emergency cord expereience was a bit disappointing , I fully expected sirens and flashing lights and thousands of panicked station staff . Alas all I got was a slightly irate train driver being perplexed by the fact someone could have possibly got stuck in that gap and annoyed because he couldn't reset it . Ah well at least I ' ve done it now . 
The junk thought theorem . After thinking about it last night I ' ve made a decision that this should really become of some therapeutic value . But how ? Some years ago I attended an acupuncturist - Richard Davies - for a few months . Nicky ( wife ) and Jo ( sister - in - law ) had been going for months . Richard actually inspired Jo to give up her big , city job and become an acupuncturist herself - to be frank he was very good . Anyway I thought I ' d go along to find out whether he could do anything about my long standing asthma and hayfever conditions . He couldn't - the breathing difficulties became no better whatsoever , however he did something more wonderful . One of Richard 's great skills was his therapeutic counseling . He would never admit it himself but he was an amazing listener and you were able to talk things through in great detail . Now don't misunderstand me , I didn't have any deep psychological issues that I needed to work through , however as some of you who know me will know , I ' m a big thinker . Not one of life 's great philosophers or brainstormers , but I can think about trivial issues like why a pigeon would choose to change direction at the exact time it does , in minute detail - I mean why ? It 's not got anything on has it ? It 's full up and doesn't need to eat , so why decide to turn round then ? What are it 's motives ? And therein lay my problem , these aren't things I would ever talk to anyone about , because a ) They 're only really interesting to me b ) I may be committed to hospital or c ) Nicky may be pushed to the brink of divorce . So these ideas and thoughts lay there in my brain , they were never externalised and therefore became what I term ' junk thought ' , things that are in your head that basically just make a mess . Then , along came Richard . Now I paid the guy 35 a session and the asthma thing wasn't working frankly , so I started talking to him about these absurd musings . And it was the most liberating thing I ' ve ever done . I became more clear headed , far less stressed and generally lighter in my life all round . But , then I stopped going for a few weeks and he moved away and I was left with no outlet again . Now I ' ve found a bit of an outlet for this on the BBC Five Live UK Message Board but there 's some shit in my head that couldn't even be posted up there , after all it 's an open forum and as I said earlier I could be committed to hospital . So here I am , in a closed forum and this is where I ' m going to get all that junk thought out . In fact I think ( If I can work out how ) I may rename the blog so bye bye to ' The various ramblings of Six ' thank you for being my blog name . Thank you to David , Gavin and Span for visiting the site so far . I fully understand if you never want to darken my blog again . 
The beginning bit . Hello to anyone who 's stumbled on to this corner of the web . I ' m going to keep this purely social and family based , I guess it ' ll be more of a diary than social comment . Can't remember which philosopher it was who said that anyone who pens a diary secretly wants it to be found . I guess that 's true of this . I ' m not really that bothered about who finds this , I just hope whoever I bag over the next who knows how long , doesn't stumble in here themselves . So things I ' m proud of today : 1 . I got a letter in to Time Out , never had a letter published , but finally the narcissus complex got the better of me 2 . Nicky 's taught Eben to shout ' tuuune ' with his hands above his head when born slippy comes on the radio . My son , my son . Anyway here 's a photo of the light of my life . It 's a bit old but I love it . 
T m ( . . ) m redrubberbands @ hotmail . co. jp I have finally said goodbye to my red rubberbands ! Yesterday ( July 17 ) at Asakusa ( Tokyo ) , I exchanged the red rubber bands with a cute bear ice crusher . The person I exchanged with is shown standing on the right of the photo below ( I ' m in the orange T - shirt on the left ) . Actually I met two people , the other person took the photo for me . They were such nice people ! I am so so pleased to have been able to make my first exchange . This bear ice crusher is old , but is in very good condition , and still has plenty of life left ! It is so cute it makes you laugh just looking at it ! But , I must carry on with my aim of trading until I get a house , so I will trade this ice crusher for anything bigger or better ! If you have something bigger or better than this but is just too good to throw away , and you are in need of an ice crusher , please give me an offer . I will travel anywhere within Tokyo ( 23 - ku ) to make the exchange . I will continue to make exchanges until one day I reach my goal of a house / building in a prime location in Tokyo . redrubberbands @ hotmail . co. jp . 
cm redrubberbands @ hotmail . co. jp Approximately 70 red rubber bands for exchange for anything bigger or better . These rubber bands ( approx . 5 cm diameter in non - extended state ) are in excellent condition and come in their own case ( Meiji Chocolate kouka container ) . If you have something bigger or better than this but is just too good to throw away , and you are in need of rubber bands , please give me an offer . I will travel anywhere within Tokyo ( 23 - ku ) to make the exchange . I will continue to make exchanges until one day I reach my goal of a house / building in a prime location in Tokyo . redrubberbands @ hotmail . co. jp . 
Angry White Men . From my travel journal Los Angeles - July 25 , 2006 It was a moment I dislike angry white men who wear tight polo shirts and leathered , tanned skin . I hate their bright white hate - smile and falsetto empathic selves . Their arrogance glows like a neon Fuck You sign . Dare you question their mind ! " Everyone take a deep breath and kiss my ass while I put you back into your place . " Angry White Men have a tight rectum that will eventually need to be trimmed . Nothing more hateful than them displacing you on a whim . I dislike angry white men who carry themselves all poised and prim . I hate their snakey ass , just ready to discount you and then .... Where is happiness and comfort divine for him ? Is it white walls and bright lights and a belly full of gin ? God bless the Angry White Man that He might draw him in . Fill him with glory and love until it heals him from within . All Rights Reserved for this post . ( c ) 2006 . 
Who Is Bruce ? More about those gays Bruce is in Service . He 's over forty and getting paid by the hour . Bruce is an honest , hard - working man who maybe likes a couple of drinks in the evening . He sells shoes to women , or styles hair , plays piano at the mall , or perhaps attends the Friendly Skies . You ' ll find Bruces gathered together at a dark neighborhood bar where they actually feature a " Happy Hour . " He 's the friendly sort , perhaps in the spotlight at work making the ladies laugh and buy , but after hours he 's drama free and low key . You ' ll know Bruce by his cardigan and broach . He grows orchids and sometimes dons a Hawaiian print shirt of poly / rayon blend . Bruce will ask you " where ya ' from " and buy you a drink while your out of town ass is looking for a stool in the darkness of it all . He expects nothing in return , except a polite pat on the knee and a chance to dole out a line of advice the starts with an exhale of cigarette smoke and the word " honey .... " Bruce is old school gay . Gay before it was gay or even safe . He 's a classic and we love him . He 's consistent and comfortable in his skin . We keep an eye out for him as a sign that we 're in the right place . Bruce is a survivor . 
Good Peoples . I ' m feeling especially grateful for the time I ' ve spent with some folk this weekend . I ' m not talking naked time , either . There 's some interesting twists , some truths shared , and the chance to know two a bit better . And then there 's the one that just really showed his ass. Don't be confused when you come up short , depressed , and lonely . You 're laying the ground work all by yourself . I hate it , but it 's true . I hope the dick is that ( diva snap ) good . I resolve to pay better attention to the people around me . Special love to Chris for unspoken things , but also for reminding me of some gems I ' d forgotten . Now Hear This : Meshell Ndege Ocelllo - If That 's Your Boyfriend You upset cuz you one stuck up bitch . Maybe he needs a change , a switch ... 
Midwest . Jazz . Life . I happened across a jam session while in Madison , Wisconsin of all places . I sat there witnessing the young and old work out their melodies with unrelenting rigor , each one mastering song in their own way . This night , an elder gentleman rose to the piano and began to timidly plank out the main line of an old tune , carefully peering down at his charts through ill fitting bifocals . The house trio sat back a moment to take it in , while I lent a studied ear to gain understanding into his intended path . His keyboarding began tense and slightly off measure ; he was really into reading those charts . Once the melody was out , he threw his shoulders back , closed his eyes and really began to play his tune . The trio jumped in and that old man leaned into that number with a look of overflowing bliss , mouth agape , letting out a proverbial sigh across those keys . This is jazz music of the Count Basie style -- a simply stated melody that spells out a perimeter for further " discussion " amongst the band . That is to say , the leader shares some simple thoughts , then invites the players to reflect back the same notion in their own way . As the song progresses , there 's turning point when the leader plays the melody anew , having taken in the interpretations of the band . This final playing is a vigorous testament to the symbiosis that keeps life interesting . The more that old man played , the more I felt like everything like everything would be alright . Then I thought ... Jazz is a forgiving medium . We should be so lucky . Now Hear This : Poolside Jazz - Podcasts . 
Eric Rofes : 1954 - 2006 . Remembering My Mentor and Friend Eric Rofes opened my mind and spirit to a world I could not imagine was real . A space where love nourishes a bright thinking , unapologetic , queer rhetoric destined to edify a weary people on a tedious journey . He was always armed with a stirring talk or paper that never failed to cause greatness to catch fire in my soul . Eric was a sweet man who could get away with simply telling me , " Doll , just do it ! " I ' m thankful for the small investments he 's made in me along the way , and for setting me in the presence of great people . Eric was best for teaching and for creating spaces where small people could grow big thoughts into better communities . For a mentor and teacher , I am thankful . For a friend and inspiration , I am grateful . Return unto me untold greatness , and the vine will nourish many forever . Thanks for making space for me . With great love , Scott Read more : Some of Eric 's writings . True inspiration to my simple work . Why Gay Men 's Health ? Why Now ? The first talk that woke me up . NGLTF press statement Gay . Com coverage . 
Pride Alert . I realize that I ' m part of the growing number of Very Gays that simply aren't feeling our Coors sponsored gay festival . Yes , that same Coors that the rest of Gay America is boycotting , is the presenting sponsor of the local Denver pride mess . I ' ll have my annual pride thing posted soon , so no worries kids . It promises to be another inspired write that a half dozen people or so will " borrow from " in two years . In the meantime , take a look at a few reads around the blogosphere : I Feel One Thousand Eyes Watching Real Pride Gay Pride ????? 
Woke Up This Mornin ' . I ' m still confused from waking up in his bed this morning . We ' ve never really talked like that before . What didn't happen is more confusing than what did . Could we ? Him ? What was I feeling ? 
a little lost . It feels strange to hear our conversation broken , a distant relic of what used to be easy laughter and big ideas . It 's strange to imagine the years on you and all of the things you ' ve done . Today a stranger in my head , but forever a friend in my heart . 
Kink Is Good For You . A Conversation For Us TMSecond in a series about how we 're fucking up We still have a problem with accepting the " kinky " shit . What totally grosses one person out , might bring someone else to orgasm with joy . -- Nerd of Prey Kink is being cast back into shadowy alleys and underground clubs . We gays , once the vanguard of open self love and expression , now condemn each other 's freedoms of pleasure . Missionary is again high holy and we ' ve been trained to think that anything messy will spread disease . It 's not the social engineering , it 's the lack of resistance to those who seek to spread a sex panic in our land . In the meantime , we 're alienating our friends with loud opinions about how they should use their private parts . Who ' d ever thought we ' d take a giant leap backward into the land of judgement and guilt . This violates a natural law which says , " if it feels good , it probably is good . " Is poison not bitter ? There 's a point in life where the rough places are made plain . High octane is water . Peaches are apples . Get over it . If you think your sex life is boring , then it 's not a sex life and we would generally consider it to be unhealthy . Not sure what a healthy sexuality is ? Give it some thought . In the spirit of truth telling , demystification and liberation , I offer seven kinks and fetishes of my current or former pleasure . I dare you to do the same . Handcuffs Sex under the DJ booth Spanking Smooth torsos with hairy legs Toys in boys Sex in the woods Biting In the Blogosphere : Big Queer Blog - Sex Panic and the Poppin ' of Berry Cherries The Infamous Brad - In Defense of Feather Head - dresses and Ass - less Chaps Nerd of Prey - What is kinky ? 
Why I Love The South . In case you haven't heard , I ' m visiting my fourth Southern city in half as many weeks . For all y ' all from the norf I ' d like to share a few quotes that bring a smile to my humidity - kissed face : Hey , honey ! OH ! She don't like people to know SHE pussy ! OK darlin ' you welcome ! You wanna go where ! ? Y ' all two ? Have some wine , sugar . Don't get drunk , just you get loose a bit . We goin ' down to da church for lunch . Hash ? No darlin ' that 's for the white folks . Don't eat that . You have to excuse me , I ' m going through . Now Hear This : Ray Charles - Georgia On My Mind . 
Paused South . OK gang , you ' ll notice I haven't finished the current series . I promise to get something up on Sunday . I ' m at the midpoint of my little southern tour . Dallas , Charlotte , and Columbia , SC all done . Atlanta is next . Then I ' m back to the Midwest with the other white meat . Trust me , I ' m keeping good notes . Now Hear This : Days Like This - Kenny Latimore . 
Hypermasculinity Has To Go . A Conversation For Us TMIntroduction to a series about how we 're fucking up . Hypermasculinity is the latest social ill being spreading by gay men . It 's hitching a ride on the inspired wave of neo - hatred that is taking our nation , along the way spewing misogynistic epithets and marginalizing our few remaining brave soldiers . We 're set up for a gender dysphoria epidemic and failing the lessons of history and wisdom . Butch and Sissy was once a simple little small - minded game that we played to poke fun at one another and , in turn , alleviate the discomfort we had with our own gender presentation . It was the gay version of playing House that we simply modulated from our childhood impressions of what the man does and what the woman does ( not ) do to support the society . This was a socially - endorsed folkway for affirming men 's power over women . When we interpret House into Butch and Sissy , there are some changes to the script . Jack makes babies , hosts a fabulous tea , and fashions his life around Brian 's every need . Brian , therefore , can do what ( and who ) he wants to do without any consequence . Jack drinks to manage the pain , and is rewarded with gifts for complying . This is all designed to bring peace and harmony to the lives of the weary -- just like on television 's Bewitched . At the end of the story , we celebrate our uptake of broader cultural norms and label it " preference . " Today 's trend of butching it up isn't about edification or mutual attraction . It 's nothing but a thin veil to cover the spoiled milk of homophobia that we 're being fed by our own kind . So many of the gay politicos and HRCers are telling us that if we just fit in , we ' ll magically get the civil right 's we 're supposed to desire . This hateful trend is about eliminating those who have the courage to expose themselves as they are -- free and liberated and loving other men -- with a great deal of pleasure and joy about it . They think that if Butch is portrayed as being on top , he will be exonerated from the evils of femininity ( taking it up the ass ) and is therefore equal among men . They fail to realize that the largest and most sustained social changes in our society were led by the loud , the flamboyant , the feminine , and the dark . In the Blogosphere : Wise & Young - Black Masc ? Howl of the Kweer Wolf - The Cult of Masculinity The Metropolis Times - Why Gay Rights are Good for Straight Men . 
Found Object : Southern Vittles . Speaking of food , look here what I found on my recent trip to southern Florida . Modern technology has brought us instant Red Eye Gravy , yet kept us supplied with red dyed pig feet . My friends , these things are for looking , not eating . They have a way with food in the south . Cardiology must be popular . We ' ll be back to more serious topics soon . I think I ' ve developed a fetish for rogue cell phone photography in retail spaces . 
Garlicky Homos . Garlic . Homos . Humus . Why not ? Try my recipe , which features enough garlic to make left over ass taste good . Trust .4 cloves garlic , peeledbig pinch sea salt 1 can garbanzo beans , rinsed and drained 1 / 2 c . tahinigenerous 1 / 4 c . fresh lemon juice 1 / 4 c . water , as neededhappy pinch ground coriandertouch of ground cumindash ground cayenneextra virgin olive oil , to taste Get your cuisinart mini in order . Add the garlic and salt . Crush it up the best you can , scraping the sides . Add the beans . Mash it up . Add everything else . Mix it up good , but don't burn up your good appliances . Thin it some with a touch of olive oil . Spread a dollop on a cracker or what have you . Stand back . Shout hallelujah ! There is life beyond pig feet ! . Rachael Ray can still kiss my ass -- talk about a garlicky homo .... 
Open Letter to Three Guys . You 're busy trying to fuck a dream , and I ' m just standing around whistling Dixie . You know what ? Fuck your dream . After all , he 's fucking you . Postscript : This could have been a journal entry for at least three situations in twice as many years . History , if not understood , is bound to repeat itself . There really is no safety in engaging guys who are unavailable . I ' m reminded that poor choices are sometimes comfortable corners . 
Pedestals , sponsors , and trust ... Over the past week I have been able to put some physical distance between myself and my sponsor and reflect on the recent events in our relationship . I came to a startling conclusion , and one for which I think I owe him an amends : I have placed him on a pedestal . This is true . I have viewed this guy as such the paragon of virtue and good works that I have forgotten that he is another alcoholic in recovery just like me . I have blindly done everything that he has asked me to do not for the purpose of making myself feel better , but to please him and ultimately make him like me . This is not a good thing because it has made me take steps in directions that , after thoughtful meditation , I find I do not need to take . He has thrown the stick and like a good dog I have played " fetch " . But something else has happened that I have only just realized . When he set the most recent task before me , and I moved forward with it to the best of my ability , he accused me of ' spinning ' a different story to my therapist in order to weasel my way out of the chore . This is not true . I stated our ( sponsor / sponsee ) goal clearly and without fear , spin , or negativity , and my therapist warned me against the move . When I told my sponsor the results , he made the accusation . In short , despite my truthfulness , he didn't believe that I had acted accordingly in the process . He thought that I had lied to him , or " stretched the truth " , if you prefer . So what do I do with a sponsor who doesn't believe me when I tell him the truth ? Help me out here . I need some advice from you folks . Johnnyboy . 
Galway and Dublin ... Amends made ... Just a quick note ... My amends to Eileen in Dublin went great . We spent the day together and all was well . There were no real amends that needed to be said , just honest time spent together . I traveled to Galway today to make amends to the hotelier who saved my life 7 years ago . I was afraid that he would have died or something along those lines . He was home , and although my alcoholic mind said that he should remember me , he didn't . The world does not revolve around me , it seems . He was surprised and very pleased that someone would come back and fix something like this from such a long time ago . He accepted only the money that he had loaned me , around 15 Euros , and we had a great chat about drinking , alcoholics , et al... He said more than once that " this was one for the record books " . I left feeling a semse of relief and accomplishment . The rest of the money , about 50 Euros , I will give to the Vincent de Paul charity here in town . Ireland has more AA meetings than you can shake a stick at , btw . Loads of sobreity here in my homeland . It ` s good to be home again . But I must leave this place and return to the Fortress Amerika all too soon . See you all there ! Johnnyboy . 
The 9 th Step continues ... I spoke to my sponsor this morning about my conversations with my therapist ( s ) . To be honest , he wasn't happy and he accused me of being frightened to look clearly at my past misdeeds . I feel that he is wrong , especially when he also accused me of putting a ' spin ' on the discription of the process we had spoken about . I was clear and honest with them , and I was clear and honest with him . I have looking at my past behaviors with complete willingness and clarity , and I have never made them smaller than they were or less important . I am also leaving the past behind me , but this is a slow process as opposed to the fast process that he advocated . A month ago he mentioned that whatever amends I make " should hurt " . I don't agree with this at all . I have punished myself and have been punished by others enough . It 's time to stop hurting myself . When the literature speaks about whatever price we must pay we will pay , I feel that I have paid . My daily amends to my past criminal actions will be those of small random kindnesses , and the grace of my sobriety . This morning on the phone I felt all the anger leave me . I take this as a sign that I am doing the right thing . On that note , I leave for Ireland in two days for a week long trip to address some amends that need to be made to a close family friend and also some people who were negatively affected by my drinking several years ago . I weighed the options of making phonecalls , writing letters , etc... but a face - to - face is what is needed . Those that are not close to me will represent both the the amends I need to make to them and also the amends I feel I need to make to the country of my birth . By returning to Ireland a a sober man I am showing , rather than telling , that I have evolved into an upright human being , capable of remaining accountable for my drunken , slovenly , wheedling and grandiose behavior . The last time I carried a bottle of Irish Whiskey in my shoulder bag . This time I ' ll be carrying my 12 - and - 12 and a list of AA meetings in Dublin and Galway . The last time I took for granted the hospitality , charity , and love shown to me . This is why I feel I must be there in the flesh . So , get well Aravis , and everyone else , don't forget to do the next right thing , because you ' ll know it by the way it feels . Slange , Johnnyboy . 
Things I Thought I Said and Things I Actually Said While In Argentina . Can I get change for this $ 20 peso bill ? Can I have 20 kisses for change ? Do you have olives ? Do you have ( held my fingers an inch apart , as if I were holding one olive ) ? I would like bottled water to go . I want water in tickets to leave . Three beef empanadas . Three beef empanadas . ( pointing at menu and holding up three fingers ) . 
I Wonder What They Sell Here ( Part 1 ) . " I sure enjoy being warm , but I ' m just so tired of jackets . If only there were something else that could keep my arms and torso warm besides this jacket ... " . 
Gnarls Barkley . This isn't new , but I can't get this song out of my head . And it is , hands down , one of the most gorgeous , mesmerizing videos I ' ve ever seen in my entire life . And , well , I ' m pretty old . 
Buenos Aires : Florida Street . This is Florida Street . It 's really long . A foot - traffic only shopping district with what seemed like 572 blocks of retail clothing and electronics stores , food courts and bad gift shops . It was impressive . Miles and miles worth of stores , and I didn't see one Starbucks . Although I did manage to count 7 separate Mc Donald 's . The center walk is filled with tourists and aggressive shop merchants who camp out in front of their stores and harass you into coming in . Lots of yelling was involved . And if you do manage to escape them , you ' ll have to watch out for others disguised as tourists , milling about , who , upon eye contact , immediately shove flyers or coupons to their strip bars into your hands and insist that you have " sexy good time . " Apparently , in Argentina , eye contact = conversation and intent to purchase . So if you go , just don't look at anyone . Unless you are , indeed , looking for a good time , of the sexy variety . I know I ' m not making my trip to Argentina sound very pleasant , but I ' m just reporting the facts . It was a good trip overall , but the things I stumbled across just weren't as exotic as I had hoped them to be . Oh well . Maybe next time I ' ll look into those flyers and see what that guy was talking about . 
What Made Milwaukee Famous . These guys are re - releasing " Trying To Never Catch Up " in August , with a few new tracks . It 's an old album , and they ' ve been around for a while . But I guess I never got into them because their name made me think they were some kind of bad gimicky , bluegrass - country - rock group , like The Gourds , or something . But they 're not at all . If Death Cab For Cutie and The Cars got drunk one night and did it , and months later had quadruplets , this is what the music would sound like . They ' ve got a pretty nicely done website where you can listen to a couple of tracks , too . Check out " Hellodrama " . 
Turtle Camper . Weird . But I like it . This disturbing toy is called the Turtle Camper , by artist / designer Jeremy Fish . Check out his website . Amazing drawings and gorgeous paintings that will make you say , " Wow ... what amazing drawings and gorgeous paintings . " And then , after being weirded out by his twisted illustrations , you will probably also say , " Hmm ... I ' m quite sure there is something wrong with that guy . " . 
Ganging Up On The Sun . Guster has a new album out . I think I like it . But I ' ve only had it for a few hours , so we ' ll see . The music 's a little more polished than their other albums , which is why I ' m only In Like with it for now . It 's less acoustic and a little more power - pop - ish . But it 's still got some fun songs , with nice , simple harmonies . They ' ve even thrown in a little piano on few tracks to mix things up , and it sounds good . Check out " Manifest Destiny " . Don't worry , it 's not educational or anything . There 's no danger of accidentally learning something about U.S. history . It 's actually just a catchy song about love and crap . At least that 's my take . Plus , it drops an F - Bomb , like , two lines in ... and we all know cussing makes things cooler . 
Introduction . Hello my name is Graham and I am the owner of a 1978 Brooklands Green MGB . I purchased the car in 1992 , my first automobile purchase . The car has taught me exaclty why people who love to fix things , love MGB 's . Over the last 14 years , anything that could go wrong with the car , has . There are a few resources out there for maintaining and fixing MG 's and I have always found them to be quite useful . So I decided I should make my own contribution to the MG community and describe some of my own repairs , modifications , and frustrations . Oh , and to answer the question , is it running ? No. I floated a valve last summer and haven't had a chance to get it running again . But stay tuned , the open road is calling and I have to get the Green Machine on the road again ! 
Lambchop : Damaged . The new Lambchop album " Damaged " is released next month and a short european visit is currently underway before a major autumn tour worldwide . I ' m off to see them at the Sage in Gateshead , UK this Saturday , its a stunning venue for any band and its looking to be a great night . The tracks I ' ve heard so far sound like classic Lambchop with a bit more bite than the good but patchy " Ah C ' mon / No you C ' mon " . Its been gathering some very good reviews from , for example , the Observerand also entertainmentwise . com plus a review of the title track " Paperback Bible " over at Pitchfork . Paperback Bible ( mp 3 ) . 
The Return of Scott Walker . Well he hasn't really been away , though it has taken him a few years to follow up ' Tilt ' his last vocal album . ( Pola X being film music ) . Its another step into stripped down scaryness that has been gathering excellent reviews and notices . " Fuck me , this is terrifying ! .... Everything is ghostly , drifty , abstract , croony , brooding " ( Momus ) The Drift reviewed @ Pitchfork The Drift reviewed @ Brainwashed His new label 4 AD has excellent links to a microsite and other fan sites . There is even a 10 minute segment of Scott being interviewed on The Culture Show up on You Tube I ' ve now listened to The Drift a few times and it is a difficult listen but it will repay your attention with some of the most innovative music you will hear in a long time . Its available to download at e Music . Jesse ( mp 3 ) . 
Folk Brittania : Nic Jones . Nic Jones was one of a group of musicians who were in the vanguard of the British folk revival in the late 60 s and 70 s . As his official site says ' An untimely car accident in February , 1982 abruptly ended his career and the legacy of the serious injuries he sustained is that Nic has not been able to work since . ' I can remember hearing Nic first on the John Peel show and loving his percussive guitar style ( see also Davey Graham , Richard Thompson ) and gravelly voice . He was a strange omission from the recent BBC Folk Brittania shows and I rediscovered him due to the wonderful e Music and his album Penguin Eggs . The present story of his early albums is a controversial and convoluted one , and Nic doesn't recieve any royalties from them . So you are best advised to purchase Penguin Eggs and the two supurb home produced anthologies . " In Search of Nic Jones " and " Unearthed " Both can be ordered here . Lots more information can be found at the following . http : // en . wikipedia . org / wiki / Nic _ Joneshttp : // www . kneeling . co. uk / pages / nicjones / default . asphttp : // www . folkmusic . net / htmfiles / inart 338 . htmhttp : // www . folkmusic . net / htmfiles / inart 437 . htmcannadee i o ( mp 3 ) humpback whale ( mp 3 ) . 
Folk Brittania : James Yorkston . The BBC 4 series Folk Brittania has showcased old and new ' folk ' artists . James Yorkston is originally from Fife and has been / is a part of the Fife based Fence Collective , but now lives in Edinburgh . The Fence Collective also include the increasingly popular King Creosote . His sound is similar to some of the New American Folkies eg Devendra Banhart and Sufjan Stevens . Lots of mp 3 s can be found on his website , live tracks , demos etc , its well worth exploring . Some direct links are given below . Movin ' up country ( mp 3 ) Pepparmyntste ( mp 3 ) . 
Lost Gems : Bridget St John . Bridget St John was a stalwart of the John Peel show in the late 60 s and early 70 s and recorded albums for his short - lived Dandelion Records label . She had a voice that sounded like an english accented Nico , and has recently re - appeared performing with Devendra Banhart . The track I remember most vividly from sessions on Peel is Fly High from the ' Thank You For ... ' album . After the recent re - discovery of Vashti Bunyan it would be good to think that Bridget St John could get some belated recognition . Her first three albums have been re - released by Cherry Red Records with extra tracks . Fly High ( mp 3 ) . 
Lost Gems : Procul Harum 1967 . Lost Gems : Procul Harum One of the first albums I ever bought was Procul Harums 1967 eponymous d but . Though the band were best known for the hit A Whiter Shade of Pale this didn't appear on the original UK release , but was added to the USA issue . If you have only heard the single you are in for a treat ! The album is heavy on blues and Dylan influences and the Hendrix style guitar of Robin Trower . If you want to learn more then a great fan site can be found here . Buy from Amazon . uk Buy from Amazon . com Cerdes ( Outside the Gates of ) ( mp 3 ) Something Following Me ( mp 3 ) . 
Crackle and Pop 6 : Strawberry Switchblade . This is one of thebaywindowgirls favourite bits of 12 " vinyl . Its pop and its great , and surely you knew that ? All you would want to know about the band and more can be found at the excellent Strawberry Switchblade . net Possibly one of the best resources on a single band I ' ve come across , go spend some time there . Also very good is the Deep Water fan site . ' Since Yesterday ' was a slice of Pop confection custom baked for the most demanding of bitter - sweet teeth . Everything was in its place ; it soared and swooned in just the right amounts , and fittingly it made Strawberry Switchblade stars in the public domain . It catapulted them from sharing photocopied pages with the Pastels and the Membranes to sharing the glossy colour pages of Smash Hits with Duran Duran and Boy George , and it sat them in peculiar juxtaposition with Mike Reid on Saturday morning TV . ' ( From ' Strawberry Switchblade : A Personal History by Alistair Fitchett ) Since Yesterday ( mp 3 vinyl 12 " ) By the Sea ( mp 3 from Strawberry Switchblade . net ) These were the original 7 " A and B sides , but the 12 " had the following as an extra track , a dreamy cover of the Velvet Underground classic . Sunday Morning ( mp 3 from Strawberry Switchblade . net ) . 
Search 2.0 vs Traditional Search . If you want more 2.0 trends here is one described in Read / Write Web . Ebrahim Ezzy gives an overview on " search 2.0 " vs traditional search : " Traditional Search ( TSE ) : Traditional search engines are based on information retrieval technologies . They implement operations such as boolean queries , proximity searches , text relevance and link analysis . Examples : Google , Yahoo , MSN , Ask Search 2.0 ( S - 2.0 ) : What I ' m calling Search 2.0 are actually third generation search technologies . To explain the generations : First - generation search ranked sites based on page content - examples are early yahoo . com and Alta Vista . Second - generation relies on link analysis for ranking - so they take the structure of the Web into account . Examples are Google and Overture . Third - generation search technologies are designed to combine the scalability of existing internet search engines with new and improved relevancy models ; they bring into the equation user preferences , collaboration , collective intelligence , a rich user experience , and many other specialized capabilities that make information more productive . Examples : Swicki , Rollyo , Clusty , Wink , Lexxe " . 
Internet Marketing Remains Stalled . Suaad Sait in line 56 on necessary changes how companies target their audience via the Internet : " With the new concept of innovative Internet - enabled technology with targeted role - based marketing then the answer to this question changes -- and it changes drastically to a resounding yes , results have changed in ways we have never experienced before . " . 
The Venice Project . Steve Rosenbush in Business Weekonline on the code name " The Venice Project " : " Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis , the entrepreneurs who created the pioneering Web applications Kazaa and Skype , are working on a new communications venture , Business Week . com has learned . The pair plans to develop software for distributing TV shows and other forms of video over the Web , according to people familiar with the matter . " . 
The Future of Podcasting . Nielsen Analytics ' Larry Gerbrandt on the future of podcasting , especially for the B 2 B - market . Gerbrandt says the most popular podcasts are downloaded 2 million times a month : news shows , tech shows , self - help and advice programs are in highest demand . [ Duration : 00:12:58 . This audio was recorded by Frank Barnako 's Internet daily on 2006 - 07 - 26 ] . 
The Venture Capitalist 's Web 2.0 List . Matt Marshall in Silicon Beat about venture capitalists $ 870 million into Web 2.0 companies . Not all companies mentioned in the Pricewaterhouse Coopers report could be seen as " Web 2.0 companies " , nevertheless the list is here . 
Network 2.0 . Jeff Jarvis from The Guardian on the end of linear television : " But the internet does more than destroy . It forces the media to redefine themselves , to discover their essence . Broadcast networks thought their value was in controlling precious distribution and content . But in this post - scarcity media economy , the real job of a network is to find us the good stuff . Doing that no longer requires owning studios or transmitter towers . Today , a network is born with every link . When you recommend shows to friends , you re a channel . When your blog links to good reading online , you re a magazine . When you share your i Tunes playlist , you re a DJ . Today , everybody s a network . " . 
What Is a Wiki ( and How to Use One for Your Projects ) . Tom Stafford and Matt Webb on exploring organizational wiki use : " Wikis are at their best when a small number of people are working intensely on related material . They 're messy , immediate , and a powerful way of sharing thinking space with your collaborators . Once you ' ve used a wiki for a project , you ' ll find it hard to go back to regular methods . You ' ll find yourself using wiki syntax in emails , and your own Wiki Words in conversation . Using the wiki as your notebook will ensure you don't lose the seeds of good ideas , and spending time browsing and gardening will keep those ideas returning when you need them . Most of all , you ' ll find that having a shared memory on a large project moves the administrivia out of the way and lets you concentrate on the real job . " . 
Using Wikis on the Intranet . Maish Nichani on wiki - able work practices : " Wikis offer a simple shared space to collaborate on things that really matter . This does not translate into the build it and they will come thinking . Rather , as described in this article , wikis will work only if all of the following are present : The right culture . The talking , negotiating type . A practical , compelling reason to collaborate , to share ( it helps if they are a number of practical , compelling reasons ) . A champion who can show the way . " . 
The Hierarchy of Web 2.0 Applications . Tim O ' Reilly about the hierarchy of " Web 2.0 - ness " : Level 3 : The application could ONLY exist on the net , and draws its essential power from the network and the connections it makes possible between people or applications . Level 2 : The application could exist offline , but it is uniquely advantaged by being online . Level 1 : The application can and does exist successfully offline , but it gains additional features by being online . Level 0 : The application has primarily taken hold online , but it would work just as well offline if you had all the data in a local cache . 
The Dynamics of Information Access on the Web . Albert - L szl Barab si of the University of Notre Dame said that results of the research of his team document the fleeting quality of news and events : while fifteen minutes of fame is still an exaggeration in the online media , they find that access to most news items significantly decays after 36 hours of posting . This should give journalists hope , even in the era of instant news . The research paper can be downloaded here . A related article in The New York Times can be found here . 
Podcasting Gains Importance [ Update ] . Nielsen / Net Ratings has published a podcast survey . Their figures put the podcasting population on a par with those who publish blogs . The open questions remains what does downloading a podcast have to do with publishing a blog ? Nevertheless the good news is analysts are paying attention to podcasts . Update : Podcast Audience Gets Older and Wider in e Marketer . 
Social Media : The Emerging Set of Communications Platforms . PPT - Presentation of a ad : tech panel discussion on emerging set of social media 's communication platforms . The panelists are defining " Advertising 2.0 " using word - of - mouth , educational marketing , online role - play and consumer - generated media to create massive impact in both B 2 B and B 2 C marketing . 
Today 's Smart CEOs Are Following a Different Set of Rules . Betsy Morris in Fortune on today 's fast - changing landscape , that old formula is getting tired : Agile is best ; being big can bite you . OLD : Big dogs own the street . Find a niche , create something new . OLD : Be No. 1 or No. 2 in your market . The customer is king . OLD : Shareholders rule . Look out , not in . OLD : Be lean and mean . Hire passionate people . OLD : Rank your players ; go with the A 's . Hire a courageous CEO . OLD : Hire a charismatic CEO . Admire my soul . OLD : Admire my might . 
The Internet is Old News and Boring .. Deal With It . Marc Cuban in blog maverick on why internet pioneer used to get not excited about the internet in the future : " The biggest compliment I can pay to the net and to all those pioneers who got it to this point is that its boring . It works . It s not perfect , but it works and has absolutely become a utility . ( ... ) We haven't seen anything new for the net itself for years . Web 2.0 ? Not as exciting as going from DOS to Windows . " . 
How - To : Winning at Word of Mouth Internally . Kira Wampler , senior marketing manager for Intuit , shares her tips on how she garnered support for word of mouth marketing programs internally : Tip # 1 . Identify mavens , connectors and sales people Tip # 2 . Give them a home Tip # 3 . Offer relevant and desirable information Tip # 4 . Evangelize like crazy Tip # 5 . Dive in and participate . 
The Long Tail : Finding New Markets in the Niches . Wired editor Chris Anderson , author of " The Long Tail : Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More " is explaining how niche products with low demand and sales volume can collectively obtain higher market share and revenue than the major bestsellers . [ Duration : 00:18:00 . This audio was recorded by " Friends Talking Podcast " on 2005 - 10 - 14 ] A download of this podcast can be found here . Economics of the Long Tail is a presentation from Chris Anderson via ITConversations . [ Duration : 00:38:30 . This audio was recorded on 2005 - 03 - 17 ] A download of this podcast can be found here . Wired has an except of his book . 
Web 2.0 Needs to Be Agile to be Successful . Gareth Knight in e - consultancy on implementing new Web 2.0 features in a corporate environment : " This situation reminds me of the good old early days when clients asked you to build a web site for them , and then also expected you to write the copy for the web site , even though you didn t know enough about their business or industry to do the job justice . " . 
Too Many CIOs Fail to Ride the Web 2.0 Wave . Shamus Mc Gillicuddy in Search CIO . com on the Web 2.0 label : " Some vendors are selling products labeled " Web 2.0 " technology . But when it comes to Web 2.0 , technology is just a means to an end . The real business value lies in what the technology enables : better collaboration among users . In fact , a growing number of companies are developing new business models to take advantage of the collaboration the technology empowers . " . 
The People Formerly Known as the Audience . Jay Rosen wrote an inspiring post : " The people formerly known as the audience are those who were on the receiving end of a media system that ran one way , in a broadcasting pattern , with high entry fees and a few firms competing to speak very loudly while the rest of the population listened in isolation from one another and who today are not in a situation like that at all . " . 
Hellmuth wins number 10 ! Well we prematurally celebrated about a week ago but Phil finally pulled it off last night in the Re - Buy tournament . And to think he only rebought 8 times ... not 48 lol Here 's the story from Card Player Could we see a Phil Hellmuth vs Jeff Madsen in the Main Event Final Table heads up ? I think so ! 
Highlights of the Re - Buy tournament . Oh Daniel . He say 's he loves these re - buy tournaments ... compulsive gambler in him . Check this shit out ( from Cardplayer . com ) : - Sun Jul 23 14:11:00 PDT 2006 The Magic Number is 48 Daniel Negreanu has rebought 48 times ( that 's $ 48,000 for any math majors out there ) . - The Daniel Negreanu Show Daniel Negreanu calls an all - in pre - flop ( blind ) and flips up 5 spade 3 heart . His opponent has Q - Q . The board comes 9 club 9 spade 2 diamond 6 heart 4 club , and Negreanu makes a runner - runner straight to double up to $ 3,700 in chips . A few hands later , he gets all - in again with Jheart 2 club against Adiamond Kdiamond . The board comes Jclub 4 diamond 3 club 2 heart 8 spade , and he doubles up to $ 6,150 . The next hand , he tells a Card Player reporter that since he finally has a noteworthy stack , he has just started to look at his hole cards before acting . On his first such hand , he looks down at A - 10 , flops trip 10 's , and adds $ 500 to his stack . On the next hand , he makes his first pre - flop fold of the tournament , nearly two hours into the event . He wants it to be known that he folded suited cards ( a very tough laydown ) . Later , the cocktail waitress comes by ... and Negreanu doesn't have any $ 1 bills on him . James Bechtel buys him a water . Man o Man... Wish I had that kind of money to throw around ... 
What did you do when you were 21 ? How about go down to Las Vegas and win TWO WSOP bracelets . Yes it just happened . James Madsen just took down Erik Lindgren to win his second . Oh and btw he has been on 3 final tables , and took 3 rd in the Omaha h / l event . Click The big pot between the two were AK vs 88 , all in pre - flop , Erik hit the Ace on the flop but James hit his 8 for trips . OUCH ! Very Good ESPN article on James . 
The Observer . This is just a quick post because I was watching the Full Tilt 100 spot WSOP event and it came down to the bubble . There were tons of people talking at this one table because this guy was all in and if he didn't win he would finish 128 th ( top 127 get a WSOP main event seat ) . He ended up losing the hand and was the bubble boy and all the observers were laughing and going " How does it feel to be one person away from winning a seat ! " My question is and if I was anyone at the table playing " What did you say OBSERVER ? Sorry I missed that OBSERVER . " These guys aren't in the tournament and are railing ... this guy was at least in it until the end , so who are you to talk about him ? Sorry just had to put that out there ... petty people annoy me . 
Well ..... Look at this pic mmmmmmm .... what you thought this would be about how well I did at the Red Hot event .... Ok so ... I could have gone broke on the very first hand I played ( which was 40 minutes into the tournament ... gah tough day ) Here it is the big hand : blinds at 50 / 100 First position raises to 400 , I look down at A Q spades , I call , everyone else folds . Flop comes A , 8 , 3 rainbow . He bets out 600 .... I call . Turn comes another Ace ( all suits out now ) he checks .... I am thinking to myself ... we both have trip aces ... does he really have Ace King ? I decide to check . River comes a 7 .... he bets out a 1000 ... I can't throw this away ... I could raise ... I just call . He flips over A 7 off for the full house ..... ouch ... a first position raise with ace 7 off .. blah . Half my stack is gone in that hand , I get kings and get back to 3500 and my last hand was pocket 4 's vs .... Q 5 off ???? He hit a 5 and I was out . Bad day ... came home wanted to steam off a bit , played a 30 person 5 buck ( didn't want to steam in a big game lol ) turbo on full contact and .... won ?? wtf lol Ya so that was fun , at least I made some profit today . 
H . O . R . S . E event and Red Hot . Check this out : 1 - Jim Bechtel $ 841,0002 - Doyle Brunson $ 1,227,0003 - Chip Reese $ 1,756,0004 - Dewey Tomko $ 438,0005 - Andy Bloch $ 934,0006 - T . J . Cloutier $ 351,0007 - David Singer $ 745,0008 - Patrik Antonius $ 13,0009 - Phil Ivey $ 885,000 Thats the final table for the $ 50,000 HORSE event at the WSOP , I mean my god that is a stacked table . Should be amazing to see who comes out of it on top . The final table goes tonight at 9 PST , because the players played from 1 pm yesterday to 9 am today ... now that 's a lot of poker . The Red Hot TOC is tomorrow at 1 pm , my strategy is to win ... my goal is top 20 so I can go to this Negreanu Boot Camp he is having in Toronto . Last TOC I was out in an hour and half ... hopefully that won't happen again . 
Well I made it . So I have been pretty happy with my play the last week or so , got the bubble twice and then finally pulled off a 4 th , 8 th and 2 nd place finish to put me into the Red Hot Poker Tour Tournament of Champions next Saturday . The only thing that I am pissed about is not winning a tournament this season , I have always posted at least a win in each of the seasons I played and I had the chance last night but went heads up against a chip stack 5 x more then mine and he hit an opened ended straight to beat my top pair . But I have been thinking that since I haven't won a tournament the TOC would be a perfect time to do that wouldn't it ? If I do win this is what I would recieve : The Red Hot Poker Tour 's Season 5 Champion is going to Las Vegas where you ' ll go Head to Head with Daniel Negreanu ! You and a friend will be flown to Las Vegas for an unforgettable experience . You ' ll enjoy two nights at the legendary Caesars Palace , have dinner and hang out with Daniel and his friends , and then you showdown in a heads up battle for $ 5000 . Even if you can't beat him you win , as Daniel will drop $ 2500 in your Full Contact Poker account as a consolation prize ! The Season 5 Champion , and newest member of Team Canada Poker , will also win a trip to Las Vegas with the Red Hot Poker Tour Vegas Invasion July 23 - 27 , 2006 . Not bad eh ? 
Odd ... It seems Canada now has two WPT events ??? Back to back at Fallsview ... this is odd . WPT Canadian Poker Open and the North American Poker Championship ( we know this is the 10 grand buy in whats the other ??? ) World Poker Tour Site Info . 
The Decider - in - Chief . " I ' m the decider , and I decide what is best . And what 's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense . " Washington , D . C . , April 18 , 2006 " It 's in our country 's interests to find those who would do harm to us and get them out of harm 's way . " Washington , D . C . , April 28 , 2005 It 's negative to think about blowing each other up . That 's not a positive thought . That 's a Cold War thought . That 's a thought when people were enemies with each other . -- George w . Bush 06 / 25 / 2001 as quoted in the Wall Street Journal * I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Hanukkah . -- George w . Bush Washington , DC 12 / 10 / 2001 at a White House Menorah lighting ceremony I appreciate that question because I , in the state of Texas , had heard a lot of discussion about a faith - based initiative eroding the important bridge between church and state . -- George w . Bush Washington , DC 01 / 29 / 2001 speaking to reporters We 're concerned about AIDS inside our White House -- make no mistake about it . -- George w . Bush 02 / 07 / 2001 These people don't have tanks . They don't have ships . They hide in caves . They send suiciders out . -- George w . Bush Portsmouth , NH 11 / 01 / 2002 speaking about terrorists I hope you leave here and walk out and say , ' What did he say ? ' -- George w . Bush Beaverton , OR 08 / 13 / 2004 I have a different vision of leadership . A leadership is someone who brings people together . -- George w . Bush Bartlett , TN 08 / 18 / 2000 Neither in French nor in English nor in Mexican . -- George w . Bush 04 / 21 / 2001 declining to take reporters ' questions during a photo op with Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien I recently met with the finance minister of the Palestinian Authority , was very impressed by his grasp of finances . -- George w . Bush Washington , DC 05 / 29 / 2003 Any time we ' ve got any kind of inkling that somebody is thinking about doing something to an American and something to our homeland , you ' ve just got to know we 're moving on it , to protect the United Nations Constitution , and at the same time , we 're protecting you . -- George w . Bush Aberdeen , SD 10 / 31 / 2002 I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully . -- George W . Bush Sept. 2000 After all , Europe is America 's closest ally . -- George w . Bush Mainz , Germany 02 / 23 / 2005 " I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family . " Greater Nashua , N . H . , Chamber of Commerce , Jan . 27 , 2000 " I just think that these are kind of funny ... and kind of scarey . 
Footfalls . Lying down at the beach with closed eyes is a unique experience . I rarely do it anymore but I did the other day . It s a very peaceful feeling where you can pretty much shut out the world . I heard the wind , waves crashing , and seagulls in the distance . I heard my kids laughing and shouting instructions to each other while they played wiffleball . I heard Nancy and Krissy chatting but I couldn t quite make out what they were talking about . When Rory ran by I heard her little crunching footfalls . And of course , she kicked up sand on papa but I didn t mind . Then she laid down and scrunched up next to me and pulled towels on top of us . 2 year olds are great at scrunching up and using every tiny space available to get close to us , aren t they ? That s such a great feeling . I ll remember it forever . The sound of her little feet in the sand made me so happy and thankful to God . How did we ever deserve all this ? That s the point , I think ... We don t deserve it . It doesn't get much better than this . Isaiah 53 1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed ? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot , and like a root out of dry ground . He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him , nothing in his appearance that we should desire him . 3 He was despised and rejected by men , a man of sorrows , and familiar with suffering . Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised , and we esteemed him not . 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows , yet we considered him stricken by God , smitten by him , and afflicted . 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions , he was crushed for our iniquities ; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him , and by his wounds we are healed . 6 We all , like sheep , have gone astray , each of us has turned to his own way ; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all . 7 He was oppressed and afflicted , yet he did not open his mouth ; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter , and as a sheep before her shearers is silent , so he did not open his mouth . 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away . And who can speak of his descendants ? For he was cut off from the land of the living ; for the transgression of my people he was stricken . 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked , and with the rich in his death , though he had done no violence , nor was any deceit in his mouth . 10 Yet it was the LORD 's will to crush him and cause him to suffer , and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering , he will see his offspring and prolong his days , and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand . 11 After the suffering of his soul , he will see the light of life and be satisfied ; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many , and he will bear their iniquities . 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great , and he will divide the spoils with the strong , because he poured out his life unto death , and was numbered with the transgressors . For he bore the sin of many , and made intercession for the transgressors . Have a great weekend , everyone . 
Inconceivable ! This is a scene from one of my favorite movies : The Princess Bride . ~ and ~ it stars one of my favorite Character Actors , Wallace Shawn . Who could forget his memorable characters in The Princess Bride , Clueless , and the utterly forgetable Vegas Vacation ? So , submitted for your approval , please find 13 of my favorite character Actors . ( and enjoy the witty banter ) ( scroll down for pix ) Fezzik : You never said anything about killing anyone . Vizzini : I ' ve hired you to help me start a war . It 's an prestigious line of work , with a long and glorious tradition . Fezzik : I just don't think it 's right , killing an innocent girl . Vizzini : Am I going MAD , or did the word " think " escape your lips ? You were not hired for your brains , you hippopotamic land mass . Inigo Montoya : I agree with Fezzik . Vizzini : Oh , the sot has spoken . What happens to her is not truly your concern . I will kill her . And remember this , never forget this : when I found you , you were so slobbering drunk , you couldn't buy Brandy ! [ turning to Fezzik ] Vizzini : And you : friendless , brainless , helpless , hopeless ! Do you want me to send you back to where you were ? Unemployed in Greenland ! Inigo Montoya : That Vizzini , he can * fuss * . Fezzik : Fuss , fuss ... I think he like to scream at * us * . Inigo Montoya : Probably he means no * harm * . Fezzik : He 's really very short on * charm * . Inigo Montoya : You have a great gift for rhyme . Fezzik : Yes , yes , some of the time . Vizzini : Enough of that . Inigo Montoya : Fezzik , are there rocks ahead ? Fezzik : If there are , we all be dead . Vizzini : No more rhymes now , I mean it . Fezzik : Anybody want a peanut ? Vizzini : DYEEAAHHHHHH . Inigo Montoya : You are sure nobody 's follow ' us ? Vizzini : As I told you , it would be absolutely , totally , and in all other ways inconceivable . No one in Guilder knows what we ' ve done , and no one in Florin could have gotten here so fast . - Out of curiosity , why do you ask ? Inigo Montoya : No reason . It 's only ... I just happened to look behind us and something is there . Vizzini : What ? Probably some local fisherman , out for a pleasure cruise , at night ... in ... eel - infested waters ... Vizzini : INCONCEIVABLE . Can you name these colorful actors ? Maybe some ( You 're my Boy , Blue ! ) ... probably not all . But I ' m sure you recognize their faces . Who did I leave out ? In your comments , put the name of your favorite characters and I ' ll give them props . Have a good night , everyone ! 
Zen some days you 're the windshield .14 . Everyone seems normal until you get to know them .15 . The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket .16 . A closed mouth gathers no foot .17 . Duct tape is like ' The Force ' . It has a light side and a dark side , and it holds the universe together . 18 . There are two theories to arguing with women . Neither one works .19 . Generally speaking , you aren't learning much when your lips are moving . Have a good day , everyone . 
Perspective . Genesis 2 1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array . 2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing ; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work . 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy , because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done . Have a good day , everyone . 
... but it 's a good kind of tired . It 's been a while since I ' ve written anything ... about ... anything . I ' ve just been taking a lot of pictures in lieu of a proper post and have been really busy . I thought things would slow down with little league baseball ending , but there 's still basketball and my baseball is 2 night a week . I took off today to do some banking and stuff so I ' ll try to take advantage of having the afternoon by weed - whacking and cutting the grass , cleaning out the garage and shed . Also , the kids want to go down to Fairfield and have me hit them some long flies , and they want to ride their bikes and scooters . I ' m just tired from the week . It was a great week of visitors though . Ann and the kids were down and we had a lot of laughs . We stayed up ' til one every night . Pete and Mel and the kids were here too and we had nice times together . It 's just that a week isn't long enough to spend around such excellent and admirable hobbits . The kids all get along so well , too . We miss them already ! So , if I finish all my chores today , which I hope to do ... then it 's off to TOBAY beach tomorrow . I hear the water is nice and warm now . I ' m gonna see if we can kidnap Krissy to go with us because she 's never home anymore . Well ... not never , she does sleep here ( most nights I think ) . She just having a great summer ... which is what the summer between high school and college is supposed to be . Also , we 're all still acclimating to Rudy . We haven't had a puppy around here in about 6 years . He is really cute ... cuddly and sleepy . It 's such a nice flash - back to Murphy . He 's really a nice favor from God . Thanks , God . Have a good weekend , everyone . 
Divorce Singles club . The picture is almost complete , you can see they ' ve only released the first five 7 inches and there are 4 more to go . I had no idea these all went together into a huge image ... the mystery continues . This series is great as a conceptual experiment , have opposite styles but related bands on either side . I still have to do some research on all of them , it 's a pretty expansive list including , Hella , four tet , these are big bands , don't miss out . Honestly I have them in a pile with the Bored fortress 7 inches , ... I ' m just waiting for a day to really sit down and give them a proper listening to , probably not before I get them all . Staring with the current 7 " release Greg Davis / of , here is the exclusive list : 6 ) ??? / ??? 7 ) ??? / ??? 8 ) ??? / ??? 9 ) ??? / ??? All of this for $ 28.70 ( US ) , and you won't miss one . Div / orce 7 " Series Subscription Special ! With only five 7 " s left in the nine part Div / orce series , I ' m now offering a subscription for the remaining records . Ordering this subscription will mean that when each record is released , it ' ll be mailed out to you right away . Just to clarify , though - this subscription is not the ONLY way to get these remaining 7 " s - they will still be for sale individually as they are released . Although I can't tell you what all the remaining 7 " s are ( It 's a surprise ! ) , I can tell you that the first four in the series have all been outstanding : Hella / Four Tet Matmos / Die Monitr Batss Sightings / Hrvatski Kid Commando / Kid 606 Do yourselves a favor and spend the extra .50 on the paypal insurance thing . There is nothing worse than having the first Don Cabellaro 7 inch arrive slightly bent and you pray and open it , and yes the center sticker is the only thing holding the record together ..... I am more pissed that there is now one less , this was a piece of history , there 's not going to be a fucking repress of that one . I almost want to stop bidding on 7 inches all together ... I ' m such an asshole .... you know what forget it , the insurance thing doesn't matter , forget that ... package them better , use thicker cardboard dammit , or write ' don't bend ' .... shit . They are not getting feedback . I have to go find that record now .... 
The raconteurs 2 more . I saw this was coming out soon , over there and here . I mean , will I be running to the store ? I ' m still torn a little , there are some amazing sounds on the first single , that tortured organ , it really seemed like a new direction . The white stripes were really prolific , and every live show I ' ve heard is incredible , the songs are new , Jack white is a machine of rock , Of course , intentionally no one could duplicate Meg White 's drums , but she was the penn of the group , an ocassional track here and there , backup vocals , but she never addresses a crowd . I think the last few albums were burying that train of thought for a while . The piano , that ' wanna be friends ' song . I just wanted to rock a little more ... be like sabbath , consistent rock for a good 15 years . It 's interesting he 's taking a backseat with the Raconteurs , sharing some of that limelight with someone who brought him up , and supposedly convinced ' no sympathy for the record industry ' to press a few singles . Ok I probably will get these , he 's an incredible musician and I ' m with him for a while in this new collaboration . The Raconteurs multi - format single Hands " will be released in the UK on July 31 st . The track listings are as follows : CD 1 . ' Hands ' 2 . ' Intimate Secretary ' ( Live ) 7 " One A . ' Hands ' B . ' Store Bought Bones ' ( The Zane Rendition ) 7 " Two C . ' Hands ' ( Live ) D . ' It Aint Easy ' ( Live ) For a limited period you can mail order all three formats for 3 . To place your presale order , please go here . The singles will be released in the US on August 22 nd . 
The Organ new single . I really like the single I heard on NY Noise , and got the first single from their website which I couldn't find when I went to write about it again , but I did see this new single at Too Pure . I keep listening to the old one , it 's really a defauly seven inch . I have to track this down stateside . A canadian 5 piece , they are that poppy sad bastard music I love to listen to , and just think , wow , things really suck sometimes , but we 're all going to die . Yay . But it 's all from that high school time period of hating everything , but this is all in a new way . I ' m lost in this explanation , it 's very good , and I will keep listening . I think what I liked the most is it 's not typically slow and sad bastardy where I want to fall asleep , it makes me want to still rock , not lay down and close my eyes . I really liked the last single , I ' ll have to get the album , it 's really moody , new order , interpol , very melodic . I will definitely see them if they come to NY at all . From their bio : On the surface , Debora Cohen peels off the kind of glassy , spirograph riffs found on early Cure albums . Shmoo s roaming and climbing bass lines , meanwhile , loads up on nocturnal , foreboding tension with booming authority . Dig deeper , though , and there s far more going on here than standard early 1980 s rock signatures . Tracks such as Steven Smith and A Sudden Death , for instance , writhe with the same sexual longing and tormented soul as very early Smiths . Indeed Katie Sketch s questing voice wonderfully recalls Morrissey s ghostly groan yet coupled with a self - assured , cut - glass purity . How many Joy Division copyists have that going for them ? And in a climate where lyrics are considered a rash afterthought , Sketch s flowing words on the triumphs and absurdities , the elations and despair of love and longing are pitch perfect . THE ORGAN : Memorize The City TOO PURE : 7 " Second single from the Organ 's acclaimed debut , " Memorize The City " is a modern new romantic anthem to the joys of urbanity . 
Hot chip double seven 's . I ' ve been hearing things all over by these guys , getting good reviews and they seem to be doing that weird thing lately where they ' ll release two singles , with different b - sides . Now I ' m sure this has been done historically before , back inn the day , it makes perfect business sense , I ' ll buy another copy if it has an unreleased track , what the hell . God forbid I don't have every release by this weirdo artist I might die . Actually it seems to just be rough trade thats been doing it , but hey there must be a demand , they aren't pressing records because it 's a valuable service to society . Import only from rough trade or other overseas retailers : I saw the video on the dive the other day , the green screen one , and that song is dam catchy in a LCD sound system kind of way . Hot Chip - Boy From School Part One - Follow On Single To Over And Over For Hot Chip , Features The Album Version And The Non Album Track B Side , A Glue Too Thick , Limited Edition Pink Vinyl , June 2006 Hot Chip - Boy From School Part Two - Includes The Maida Vale Version Of Boy From School And Exclusive Track Bad Bad Tickle On The Flip Side , Limited Edition Green Vinyl , June 2006 . 
Les Savy Fav Mc Carren Pool ! ! @ & % $ Rock . You think you like a band ok ... ' yea this is something good I put on every once in a while , it rocks , it 's challenging ' , it has all of of those elements I like to listen to . They managed to capture that live feel , that they really rocked the studio . I hear something from the ' inches ' album and even on tiny laptop speakers when I ' m not even paying attention , I ' m not even ready for it .... it rocks . Now imagine this band live , in a pool , for free , and a waterslide . They have a fan for life . This seven inch is still available .... god dammit go get it . I just convinced myself . Les Savy Fav - " Hold on to Your Genre " / " Meet me at the Dollar Bin " After a bit of delay the final installment of the Les Savy Fav singles collection is now available ! The two hottest tracks are currently being shipped to stores and is available on our site as well . This 7 " is the missing piece for those of you trying to collect all of the Les Savy Fav singles in the collection . This pressing is limited so get to it while you can . Photo courtesy of Johhny Leather , go see pics from the rest of the show . 
Calexico Bisbee 7 inch City Slang . I think I got the first Calexico album in college , because of the cover art , way before the internet even , when you had to dialup with aol and were charged by the minute , sometimes you just had to take a chance and spend your money on something that looked cool , that based on the cover art , which was pavement collage - esque , I thought , ' this could be pretty good , there 's the desert , a cactus , some broken crap in the background , that 's what I like . ' It was pretty accurate , a great default album to put in every once in a while . A lot more recently I heard a piece about them on NPR heading in a spanish horn direction , and that 's when I went the other way , sorry calexico . This single could restore my faith in pictures of broken junk on the side of a desert road . From boomkat . Just one tiny overseas pound , or from roughtrade . CALEXICO bisbee blue officially the 5 th album from prolific arizona group calexico , ' garden ruin ' is a sprawling , pensive and hopeful affair written by the bands core members joey burns and john covertino , just prior to their collaboration with iron and wine in 2005 . the country - infused ' bisbee blue ' is the first single from the album and comes backed with an alternative version of ' lucky dime ' . limited to 600 copies - it 's the first in a series of 7 " singles released by city slang and arts and crafts which will come in specially designed house bag . 
Vashti Bunyan bonus seven . I really don't know too much about her , other than popping up in collaboration projects here and there , with devendra and animal collective , and she 's another unappreciated artist from the 60 's , that smacks of Nick Drake , but she 's still around to do those possibly amazing collaborations . I used to have this theory that there are great artists in every time . I tend to hate with a passion the classic 50 's oldies staions or even classic rock , just in practice . The same .... maybe 50 songs are played over and over , whatever was the top 20 . Now , I know there were thousands of other musicians , and some of them must have been doing interesting music . Why wasn't any of that ever being explored . I understand the attraction of the uniform , the same experience over and over , it 's comforting , but someone should be examining the obscure things that were happening then , played against other work released even during that month . I would want to discover some of those groups from the 50 's , for myself , it 's just such a foreign world . I ' m really not an indie snob .... It 's just the easiest genre to make up my own mind about .... ok I know I ' m being influenced .... let 's just say I have the most access to . But I ' m happy to get this on vinyl , with a bonus 7 " , at parasol , but really every good record store should have this . Bunyan , Vashti Just Another Diamond Day ( LP + 7 " ) ( PRE - ORDER : SALEABLE AUGUST 1 ST ) PS , US ** NOW ON VINYL ! ** 9.0 ON PITCHFORK !! Vinyl ( + 7 " of bonus tracks ) reissue for legendary pastoral folk album . " About 5 years after briefly surfacing as part of Andrew Loog Oldham 's ( Rolling Stones ) stable , Vashti , now billing herself w / her full name , Vashti Bunyan , made her only album . A folkier Fairport Convention , was assured by contributions from the ISB 's Robin Williamson and Fairport 's Dave Swarbrick recorder arrangements by Robert Kirby , who had done some string arrangements for Nick Drake , another Boyd - produced artist . Comprised solely of original material open fields . The drum - less , acoustic arrangements yielded an intimate ambience well - suited for Vashti 's fragile , measured , almost despondently wispy vocals . CD reissue of this rarity ( on Spinney ) is enhanced by four bonus tracks that , w / an oh - so - slight poppier bent , actually rate as the best material on the disc . " - Richie Unterberger , AMG . 
Xiu Xiu + Dead Science . It took me a while to give Xiu Xiu a chance , but on the bus to boston once I put on ' fabulous muscles ' and it is amazing . It was raw , unfinished , really experimental at parts , I never knew what was coming next , a really nice entire album listen . Once you go where xiu xiu goes , you want to stay there . So now I ' m hooked and I want to hear everything . There 's a bunch of split 7 inches they ' ve been putting out with paper chase and devendra , so I ' m curious to hear Dead Science ... The craziest part , looking around on the label site , Deathbomb , was their cassette subscription club . For $ 40 you will hear noise from : Thurston Moore ( member of sonic youth ) , Books on Tape , Big Digits , Captain Ahab , Hustler White , Grey Skull , Nightwounds , Chaki , My Little Red Toe , Tussle , Monster Dudes , Megaweapon ( member of 7 year rabbit cycle / kit ) , Weirdo / Begeirdo , Dreamhouse , Gang Wizard , Spooky Bomb Squad , JT 's Friends Forever , Unmono , Aa , Adam Gnade , Skull Skull ( members of Liars / Young People ) , Bill Picket , Irene Moon , Haunted Castle . Makes me wish I still had a tape player . Under normal circumstances a split between Xiu Xiu and Dead Science would be something to celebrate and get excited about , but really this particular short play is all about the guest spots kinda like Nate Dogg . First we have Shooby Taylor aka The Human Horn who aids Dead Science in what turns out to be an amazing blissfully lopsided aural injection . Shooby does a bizarre sort of scat act over some atmospheric keyboard swells , really unlike anything you ve heard a sane person do before . Then it s like he gets locked in a dungeon by a glam rock dude who s obsessed with toadstools and back magic , but luckily Shooby is able to break free by singing loud and proud , like a street corner opera baritone . And good prevails . Interestingly this piece sounds almost elegiac when one takes into consideration Shooby s recent death . As odd and potentially disconcerting as the Shooby Taylor / Dead Science collaboration is , weirder yet is the collaboration between former NFL safety Eugene Robinson and the skinny and overtly dramatic Jamie Stewart . How did this collaboration occur ? Who knows , but here it seems like it was destiny . Robinson , who is currently best know by Carolina Panther fans as the color commentator on the Panthers Radio Network . There he performs with a voice like a bell ; the man was made for radio . Strangely , on this recording we find his vocal chords crushed and corroded . The man sounds like an Appalachian hillbilly with no teeth . Not that that s a bad thing . It seems to work well with Xiu Xiu s nervous electronics . But its hard to get the image of the 300 pound Robinson strong arming the defense with the Packers out of one s head . It seems to clash with the broken warble on the record . And there you have it two sides of a split 7 that s really too weird for anybody . 
Pukology double 7 " . This has got to be the most unique double seven inch , conceptual album I ' ve come across recently . I have so many samples in my computer I ' d love to do something with ... I just keep labeling and categorizing them . I had a friend that told me it took him a year to load his MPC 1000 with drum kit sounds , all from recordings , on vinyl , cd , whatever he could find , if there was an isolated drum sound of any kind he would log it and load it onto the external zip drive . That was so inspiring , I mean there 's the building blocks for all life . It was that level of commitment to prepare for some serious music making . That was his ninja training . This DJ 's ninja training was disgusting , I ' m really curious to hear this but , then again not at all . It looks like they did an amazing job with the packaging , the puke colored vinyl and it 's even double vinyl . For $ 10 , this really is a bargain . It even has 4 lock grooves , This will be the most unique double seven inch in your seven inch case . OTTO VON SCHIRACH " Pukology " ( Imputor - IMP 022 ) DBL .7 " *** Electronic madman OTTO VON SCHIRACH returns with a brand new EP created entirely from puke and barf sounds . For the past three years , the Miami - based electronic prankster has been methodically at work ( with bathroom breaks , of course ) sculpting the sixteen minutes ofgurgling , disquieting grooves featured on the limited - edition , colored , double - vinyl 7 - inch edition of the aptly entitled Pukology . Pukology began in 2003 , when Schirach and Imputor issued an open call for fans to submit source materials for a project that promised to give a whole new meaning to the description " gut - churning . " Eighteen different outside participants rose to the challenge , submitting these horrifically intimate sounds via MP 3 , WAV , and AIFF files , as well as on Mini - Disc . Assembling the record proved a test of even his formidable mettle . " I couldn't work on the project in the morning , because I would start to gag , " he admits . " And my girlfriend prohibited work on it after dinner . I would start a song , then stop , then finally finish . I had to take breaks , because I felt this would be my most conceptual record ever - and also the hardest to digest . Some tracks are a journey into bathroom worship . Hail the bathroom ! Some are the deep intestines of a duck . I also played melodies on stomach intestines and bowels . " Rhythms were inventively fashioned along the same lines . " I took a simple upchuck and turned it into a kick drum , then took spit , and converted it to a snare drum . " Packaged in gatefold sleeves with typically sick artwork . 
wolfmother picture disc . Picture disks are just cool . Here 's where seven inches shine , they turn into something else entirely . Maybe they could do something similar with the lightscribe . Then I wish there was some place , or I should probably just make it myself , that made a kind of rail that goes along the wall with a curve on the top edge so you can line up a bunch of picture disks in a huge row and then have them right there to throw on the turntable . I think by the time I do that , I will have bought one of those jukeboxes and filled it up with indie rock , in my empty apartment , because I have sold everything ... oh , except for a laptop . Wolfmother - Woman b / w Colossal ( live ) 7 " Picture Disc ( Interscope ) Limited edition picture disc pressing . This is an easy one from insound , there 's probably some other stuff you wanted from there anyway . 
Broken Social Scene fireyed 7 " . I remember reading a year end wrap up on Pitchfork , how they got a random cd , with no info on it , and hadn't gotton around to listening to it because of the name , but when they did , it came from so out of nowhere . I don't know what other bands they come from , but they played prospect park for free the other night and pulled a superfan up from the audience .... well good for them . I am suprized by the number of members , whose writing the songs ? That can degrade into some kind of jam fest . It 's just amazing they can pull it all together , maybe it 's just a few people and the rest are just playing the instruments live , how much of a collaboration is it ? This is the other single ' Fire eyed boy ' from this new album , ' 7 / 4 shoreline ' is amazing ... this one 's good to , and it 's only .99 . Another great single culled from Broken Social Scene 's killer self titled album from the tail end of last year , this sees them in top form , genre bending and shaking up the indierock scene just like we always knew they could . On the flipside there 's an interesting mix too from ` Exhaust Pipe ' ? I ' m not sure if this is a remix from the band themselves , but it 's an odd one , noisy distorted sounds draping over the original track ... I ' m wondering whether that 's how it got named ... I can hear exhaust pipes I ' m sure of it ... 
TV on the Radio . I have not heard good things about their live show , a few people I know ended up leaving after a few songs , they just gave up . It wasn't just sound problems but their performance ... he couldn't explain it , he just warned me not to see them . I do love that they exist though , that somehow rock made a place for them . The couple tracks off ' desparate youth ' that I love , I really like and end up on any kind of mix where you 're covering all the bases . Like ' Staring at the sun ' ... but the rest kind of falls short , it 's too droning , and repetetive , a distinctly different tempo then the rocking parts . They do have an amazing unique sound , that 's almost is a throwback to an acapella era , and yet sinister at the same time , kind of foreboding . An apocolyptic barbershop trio . I worry for this new album , but I ' m always optomistic ... they are so unique I could see them just going this eclectic direction , and paying attention to no one , in a really great way . This seven inch is at Insound , and it includes a cover of modern romance , thats where the good covers are on the seven inches my friends ... VINYL FORMAT . New Health Rock is TV on the Radio 's New Single From Desperate Youth , Blood Thirsty Babes . The single features a brand new song ( titled , yes , " New Health Rock " ) , as well as a cover of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs ' " Modern Romance . " And rounding out this three track single is " The Wrong Way . " . 
Sem so far .... Hi everyone . So finally the sem has begun and now almost 2 weeks are over . This much time is I think enough to predict how this sem will go . Here are a few things I noticed till now .1 ) Seminars : - We have given 2 seminars till now and this sem alone has 4 of them ( 5 for AV ) . But I think each one of it will be a new experience ( horrible expected ) anyways as usual I will blog them all . So I should start working on them .2 ) Faculty : - Nothing new this time . As usual trademark faculty of EIED and 2 sharabis of ECE ( Shayad ik adhiya gift karan nal A lag jae ) and D madam as well ( I don t think any guy will miss a single tute of micro pro . Even mech . Guys want to attend that tute .. ah atleast something + ve ) . We all miss MANDY sir a lot . He could have taught any subject related to EI but I don t know why he didn t agree to teach us ??? Some guesses are there but anyways forget this . Till now YS is the best and football is the worst .3 ) Tripathi - those who don t know him let me tell you . He is a lab attendant of EI lab and looks a lot like Mr Bean ( If he belonged to Bihar ) . He speaks pathetic Punjabi and like all Gajodhars uses HAINGI instead of HAIGA . One day when there was no electricity at our lab then he called the persons concerned and what he said is like this . Hello main Tripathi boldi haingi , EI lab vich light nahin haingi , Bye EI lab jo USIC nal haingi , USIC nahin pata haingi ?? Jithe Tripathi baithdi haingi . He said all this at the top of his voice and all students were laughing a lot . Anyways those who have endured a psycho ( singla ) they will find Tripathi as a kid .4 ) Iced Tea : - Finally my favorite iced tea is back . Average intake 3 mugs a day . My only addiction after surfing and perhaps buddy s too . Bheem is back and the sentence Yaar Bheem 1 ice tea dena this is much better than asking Raju for it . + everyone knows that how Bheem becomes sad when any gal calls him Bheem Bhaiya . ****** problem is fixed too . Finally after 42 long days .5 ) Friends : - So nice to see all friends again . Missed them all a lot . Now we are back with our usual spree . Jokes , Mimicry , laughter everything is back as usual who needs anything else when such great persons are around . Enough for now . bye blog . 
Hi .. sem 5 . Hey blog . Finally the govt allowed blogspot . Good to know that I can access my favorite blog once again . Official though . I had to cut down my surfing hours after dad warned to sell the PC if I surfed for that duration . Then came the phone bill too . The landline bill which rarely crossed 700 was 1400 this time . Thanks to me being honest and paying for that connection . But there was a good thing as well . I will get data 1 connection because of this . Chal moving on I saw some of the impacts of my blogging . Thank god none of this impact landed on my cheeks . I don t mean kiss I mean a slap . Bang !!!! That incident was a close shave . I could have landed in lots of trouble . Then my bad habit of reading scraps of others saved me . Just in time . Bad habits really help sometimes you see . They increase your knowledge too . Anyways no mood to discuss about the dozens of bad habits I have ( will make a different post about it and I bet my friends would know 99 % of them ) lets start with the post . It started again . Same college same persons . But I was happy to meet all of the friends after a long time . Then my favorite iced tea was back too ( average is 3 per day but I will reduce this now ) . Then some good things happened . No Power Kaur in this sem . Here is the faculty which will try to teach us ( and as usual will fail ) this semester .1 ) D madam : - I will not write full name . Everyone knows . She is our tutor in Microprocessors and she is the instructor of ECE . First time we regret not having a joint class with ECE . You might have guessed it . She is beautiful except the pimples on her face . She has a sweet voice and is perfect in all the aspects . Although we had only 1 tute of her . Even the animals of ECE sit peacefully in her class . She wanted 100 % attendance and we were ready for 120 % if she wished . Let s see what kind of teacher she turns out to be . 2 ) SAN : - Our microprocessors instructor . His face is so pink that we used to call him pink city or jaipur uncle . Best friend of randy and very close to a faculty member . He is very fond of drinking we have heard . This shows in his lectures too . The way he teaches one can say that he is drunk . Lets see what will I write about him in the post at end of sem .3 ) Randy : - coolest dude of ECE . He is a Jatt but looks like TS and talks like him too . A well known Sharabi . This shows on his face as well . But he SEEMS TO BE a good teacher . Best thing about him is that there isn t any burden of attendance and there is no need to study a book either . An A grade in his subject starts from 87 marks .4 ) YS : - What can I say about him . his name is cool ( reminds of Yudhvir Manak a Punjabi singer ) or it is his unique hairstyle . Anyways very boring lectures . He said I know the art to make subject interesting . Not true at all . Mandy sir is the best in this . But at least he is not like Tom , Dick etc.5 ) GKR : - Sorry no comments about her . Her bro is our classmate and he will kill me for this . But I still remember how she taught MST . Sawhney mein se dekh lena Article 29.33.33 6 ) RA : - Also known as warden . Husband of MAN EATER . But entirely opposite to his wife . Tandon did his acting very well in freshers . Another boring creature . But still better than TDAH .7 ) TRM : - Anna . I yam what I yam . Yup you got is right . He is a south Indian who doesn t even know an iota of Punjabi . This thing caused him some trouble during tutes . Because some guys were abusing him in Punjabi and poor sir was laughing . He laughs a lot . On first day he asked names of all the students and he butchered all the Punjabi names . This was funny . Some of the difficult names he took easily but he messed up some easier names as well . Like hormone sidhu , brahmaaaleeena , ashim etc. I think I have mentioned about everyone . This sem is very important for my GATE preparations . I need to be serious about study from the start . Also dad isn t happy with my performance at all . Anyways bye blog .. 
Another screwy day nothing else ... Hey blog . Today wasn t a good day at all . Here is what happened today . Finally it is over . Today I got the certificate from Riken . All the suffering and traveling was due to this piece of paper . This simple piece of paper which is common to all . Whether they have attended training or not . No criterion for attendance at all . All the work we did here is worthless . I never wanted to be regular but dad wanted me to be regular so I went there for training . Now I feel what the mistake I have committed . All the work and suffering we have undergone in these holidays is worthless . No credit for being regular and for all the work we did . I think buddy is in better position than us . He did a lot of work like all of the others at training with him . I am feeling very sad now . There are sometimes I turn very pessimistic , today is one such day . Then my internet connection is bugging me again . Net one was fine in morning but now it refused to connect . I tried many times but just managed to open Orkut and f 1 . com. Then it got disconnected again . I still don t know when I will be able to publish this post . I got to know Ferrari got P 1 , P 2 . Alonso got P 3 . Whoever wins tomorrow it will be fine . Or in other words I damn care about the results because I wont be able to watch the game anyways . I have realized 1 thing that expectation sucks . So just leave the race and enjoy the party tomorrow . But even then if Schumacher wins then buddy will get something to cheer about . Life goes on . Waiting for Monday when I will meet all the friends after a lot of time . Chal bye blog . 
Holidays over ... back to college . Hey blog . This is the last post during holidays . First of all thanks buddy . When I was chatting with you I got 5 th way to crack invisible mode in yahoo messenger . The simplest of them all . It is always fun to catch someone in invisible mode . Especially when the other person has experienced this for the first time . But I rarely do it now . Because I feel it is not ethical . Person like me talking of ethics !!!! LOL . Still searching for another ways for it . I am almost done with the report . But still no clue about how to give presentation on it . I hate these presentations stuff . I still remember how I gave those 2 presentations of comm. Skills and OB . Comm. Skill presentation was fine but in OB there was 1 x factor as well . Thank god nobody knows about it except some of my friends . Let s see what happens from Monday . One thing I have realized during holidays that our college isn t that bad . T . I. E . T . - Faculty is a good thing . I really missed college a lot during holidays especially friends and ****** . Thank god it will start from Monday . So I can get a lot of things to blog like I used to do in previous posts . In this sem I can make a post on Power Kaur ( other batches used to call her machine kaur ) . Very difficult subjects like power electronics and control systems are wating to **** us . But no problem . In these 2 years I have seen a lot or suffered a lot . We have seen great teachers like M. A . N . D . Y . , Maneek sir etc and greatest of them all like the tom , dick n harry . Waiting for Monday because I will meet a lot of friends after a long time . Thanks to YM , Orkut , blogspot we were connected during holidays as well . 1 thing I will not miss at all is all the traveling we did during holidays . So ta tu holidays and T . I. E . T . here we come . 
Riken without rikenens . These are the pics of the company from where we have undergone training . I have mentioned about the kind of persons that work there . About them i will tell you when college starts . 
THIS is Chris Evans ! Is he cute or what ? !! Saw him first in the movie Cellular and sooooooooooo shocked to learn that he was included in the movie Fantastic 4 ! Gotta to review it later sa K - Zone ... CUTIE , man ! The latest fling ... 
Science of Cricket . Every sport revolves around few basic aspects like skill , stamina , fitness , mental toughness , strategy and tactics . Cricket is no exception . On further reading about the game one can understand the game better , play the game better . Not that passionate cricket fanatics ( like me ) lack the understanding ; they would understand and appreciate the theories better . By theories , I mean the science behind the techniques . Why does the ball swing ? How your batting grip affects your timing ? why strengthening the tendons can help you achieve better results in fast bowling ? Things become clearer . I was more keen on fast bowling . I found out that , it is probably the toughest aspect of the game and requires meticulous training to even sustain bowling leave alone mastering it . To sum up fast bowling : a smooth run - up , a consistent action , the skill required to make the ball do various things , the stamina to run up and down 6 or more times in a 5 minute span , the flexibility to stay free from injuries , the aggression required to claim a wicket , ability to apply oneself according to the situation , which in turn requires some cricket acumen to read the situation at hand , strength and power required to hit the deck and keep the ball at a good speed , ability to predict the batsman 's next move , change field positions when needed ... the list is actually a big one . I loved reading some of the articles and seeing a few videos by experts on fast bowling . The science behind it is overwhelming at times . To show you an example : The reason why shoaib akthar can notch up to 160 K . What is it he does ? His left arm plays a big part in his pace , might be a huge surprise for cricket followers . Just to explain his action : His pace is due to 2 things ; momentum which he generates with his run up ( 70 % ) + the final action ( 30 % ) . The run up factor is the same for his contemporaries like shane bond and brett lee . They almost score 70 on 70 . The action is the key here . Apart from the shoulder strength , which helps you launch the ball at a fiery pace , there are these subtle dynamics that help you get that extra bit of pace . At the time of delivery , i . e when he lands his left foot , if you may notice his left hand is as high as his shoulder level and his right hand is exactly parallel to the ground and behind his back . Making the leverage to a max of 90 degrees , given the fact that he delivers at the top of his action . If the left hand been a little lower then his right hand would be a little higher and his leverage would be less . These details might be boring to many , but this shows how much of science is involved in the game and how understanding them can improve your performance . My Love for the game has increased many folds . I just love the fact I play cricket even after coming to US , keeps me fresh and fit . To all those dumb computer addicted guys who have no or negligible physical activities , get out and play some sport . Sweat a bit , play hard and stay cool . ( P . S I ' m not sponsored by RBK ) . 
Some cricket and my hectic schedule . hello everybody !!!!!!!!!!! For those of you who dint know ... i got my GA ... GA stands for Graduate Assistantship ..... in the english department .... lotsa big shots .... and the best part of my job is that i get to interact with them as their colleague ... i have my own room ... its full of junk computers and its organs ... u guys can visit http : // www . uic . edu / depts / engl if u wanna know more about mycolleagues and have a look at their faces .... my boss 's name is Nancy Gebhardt , a stereotypical old american lady . Almost everyone around me is very nice .... okie lets talk about some cricket ... I ' m now part of a cricket team .... We are called advancers ... first match ... we won ... we played in astro turf .. awesome out field .... we scored 223 in 40 overs and they were allout for around 109 i guess ... i scored 8 opening the innings and was out driving a ball upishly straight into the hands of cover fieldsmen ... dint bowl ... but i think i can better than many of my teams ' bowlers ... i just coiudln't ask for them to give me a chance ... they are all unlces ... if u knowwhat i mean !!!! second match ... we lost ... but i played well ... again in astroturf and this pitch was much faster than the older one .... scored 22 unbeaten runs .. i came as 7 down batsman and i had to play with the tail ... i had a hit in my crouch area ... guys who play cricket know that its not funnyto get your balls wacked by the cricket balls .. though i had the cup in place it still tickled and ihad to gasp for breathe for a feww minutes .... i also kept wickets ... i dropped the openers catch when he was in knot and he went on to score 61 in 3 o odd balls ... we lost the match only because of that .... we came pretty close though ... for scores click hereour batting scores is not updated yet and i guess it wont ever be updated buti know the reader will believe me .... " Faith is a beautiful thing if not the best of things " . 
Home away from home . his post is dedicated to my new permanent accomodation @826 S claremont avenue , Apt # 2 , chicago , IL 60612 . USI tried sending to groups but the size exceeded the limits and hence i ' m posting it ... Sorry for the delay in loading this page ... This is one bedroom with newly bought stuff in it Another bedroom ......... Another bedroom .... yeah its a 3 bedroom apt with guys in it ... Me , Siddharth , Sai prasad , VIjay krish and Sirish apparantly others haven't moved in then ... Corridor with 3 bedrooms and a common bathroom doors on the left ... straight door is our balcony This is kitchen ... got a fridge , baking oven and shelfs ( this comes with the house ) and an oven ( which u see in the pic ) and a mixer are the ones we boughtkitchen againme and sid My roomie Siddharth boiling milk in oven ... ( see we dint give up on our heritage / culture / religion et al ) The above one is our pooja shelf ... 
Gimana Seandainya Fly Over Yang Tepat Di Atas Bus GW Tiba - 2 ...... OH NO ... !!! Terlintas pikiran parno di kepala gw saat berada dalam perjalanan Rawangmangun ke Cawang on the bus 43 - Jum ' at June 30 , kemaren .... * ceplakk * ... Dassaar !!! ono - ono wae ... !! 
" Boat Party " by Haircut One Hundred . What 's up , dudes ? Today 's 80 s Song of the Day is an example , from Haircut One Hundred , of what a b - side should be . Originally found on the back of the band 's UK number 4 hit " Favourite Shirts ( Boy Meets Girl ) " , " Boat Party " is not the kind of song that a DJ is going to " find " one night and turn into a hit and it 's not going to bring in any new Haircut One Hundred fans , but it is a good , light and funky number that gives people an idea of what the band is about musically . Putting Nick Heyward 's vocals in the background , " Boat Party " highlights the rhythm section of percussionist Mark Fox , who would take over for Heyward after he went solo , and bassist Les Nemes as well as the spot - on horn work of Phil Smith . The production was handled by Bob Sargeant , the gentleman put in charge of the sextet when they joined Arista Records . Few people , aside from diehard fans , probably remember " Boat Party " , but now that it 's available on the CD of Pelican West , more should get acquainted with it . 84 Check out " Boat Party " by Haircut One Hundred on the following albums : Pelican West by Haircut One Hundred . 
" Lay It Down " by Ratt . What 's up , dudes ? Today 's 80 s Song of the Day was the first and biggest single from Ratt 's sophomore outing Invasion of Your Privacy . Backed with " Got Me on the Line " , " Lay It Down " managed to just knick the Top 40 , spending a week there in 1985 . Written by the entire band except for drummer Bobby Blotzer , the song pulls no punches lyrically or musically . As always , the dynamic duo of Warren De Martini , who absolutely rips his six - string apart on the bridge , and Robbin Crosby , who is riding high on his flying V , lead the charge . In addition to the song 's raw sexuality the video is , in traditional Ratt fashion , a real treat . Starting with a young Stephen Pearcy at his birthday party , after he blows out the candles it turns out his birthday wish was to be fronting Ratt and moving around in some kind of primitive , feline mating dance with Marianne Gravatte , Invasion of Your Privacy 's jacket model . The only problem with the video is that if you 're not paying close attention you may get confused as to who 's the chick and who 's Stephen Pearcy . If you 're lucky you can find an old copy of Ratt : The Video and enjoy . 84 Check out " Lay It Down " by Ratt on the following albums : Invasion of Your Privacy by Ratt Ratt and Roll 8191 by Ratt Youth Gone Wild : Heavy Metal Hits of the ' 80 s , Volume 1 by Various Artists See also : " You 're in Love " ( 06 / 05 / 06 ) " Round and Round " ( 05 / 28 / 06 ) " Back for More " ( 04 / 20 / 06 ) . 
" Run ! Hide ! " by All That Jazz . What 's up , dudes ? Today 's 80 s Song of the Day is the lone single from Swedish pop group All That Jazz 's eponymous 1987 record . Backed with the b - side only " These Days " , " Run ! Hide ! " was not a bad single and is musically a typical late 80 s pop record with vocals that sound like a hybrid of Dr. Robert from The Blow Monkeys and Brendan Murphy of The 4 of Us . Aside from being nothing that would shake up the music industry in 1987 , the single stayed under the radar for a couple of reasons . First , the lyrics that are almost enigmatic at first hear seem to be the product of English not being the band 's first language after a closer look at the liner notes . The second factor handicapping the record was its inclusion on the soundtrack to the Jon Cryer / Annabeth Gish action comedy Hiding Out . Not that there was anything wrong with that film , far from it , but the soundtrack was chock full of other 80 s hits , such as Pretty Poison 's " Catch Me ( I ' m Falling ) " , Boy George 's " Live My Life " , Scarlett and Black 's " You Don't Know " and Public Image Limited 's " Seattle " , that put All That Jazz 's " Run ! Hide ! " to the wayside . 84 Check out " Run ! Hide ! " by All That Jazz on the following albums : All That Jazz by All That Jazz Hiding Out : Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Various Artists Virgin Hits Box by Various Artists . 
" Walking in the Rain " by Grace Jones . What 's up , dudes ? Today 's 80 s Song of the Day perfectly describes what I was doing this morning . Written by Harry Vanda and George Young , the former Easybeats better known as Flash and The Pan , " Walking in the Rain " was originally released as the b - side to their biggest hit " Hey , St. Peter " before Grace Jones included it on her cover - heavy 1981 LP Nightclubbing . Interestingly though , with lyrics like " Feeling like a woman , Looking like a man " , the song sounds as if it was written specifically for the androgynous Jamaican . As usual Jones speaks rather than sings her lyrics and , again as usual , the song is somewhat scary but Jones somehow makes everything she ejaculates cool . As Sly and Robbie are involved Jones ' version has island themes , but the synthesized muted horns make the track more mysterious than anything else . " Walking in the Rain " did see single release , with the 12 " being backed with a remix of Jones ' club hit " Pull Up to the Bumper " , and while it didn't do much on either side of the Atlantic Ocean it was a number 34 hit in New Zealand and also did well in small Australian markets . 84 Check out " Walking in the Rain " by Grace Jones on the following albums : Nightclubbing by Grace Jones Classic Grace Jones : The Universal Masters Collection by Grace Jones The Grace Jones Story by Grace Jones See also : " Nightclubbing " ( 04 / 13 / 06 ) . 
" Hold an Old Friend 's Hand " by Tiffany . What 's up , dudes ? Today 's 80 s Song of the Day is the title track to teen sensation Tiffany 's 1988 issue , her second , Hold an Old Friend 's Hand . " Hold an Old Friend 's Hand " certainly had the qualities of a late 80 s radio and chart hit , but was unable to achieve any success . A large part of that may have been that the song was too adult , as it 's hard to imagine Tiffany had all that many old friends at the age of 17 . While teenybopper love songs are gobbled up by the target audience as they are having crushes left and right , nostalgia is not something they have quite come to terms with . As a result of her inability to rekindle the chart success of Tiffany and its singles , Tiffany found herself in 1988 as the opening act for New Kids on the Block , a reversal of their roles from just a year earlier . " Hold an Old Friend 's Hand " was actually a cover of a Tracy Nelson tune from 1974 and was written by Donna Weiss the co - author of " Bette Davis Eyes " , the second biggest single of the 1980 s . Although it never saw US single release , other than as a b - side to " It 's the Lover ( Not the Love ) " , " Hold an Old Friend 's Hand " was released as a 7 cm CD - single in Japan , backed with " Ruthless " . 84 Check out " Hold an Old Friend 's Hand " by Tiffany on the following albums : Hold an Old Friend 's Hand by Tiffany Greatest Hits by Tiffany . 
" Sign of the Times " by Europe . What 's up , dudes ? Today 's 80 s Song of the Day is an album track from Swedish metalers Europe 's second biggest album , 1988 's Out of This World . " Sign of the Times " was written by lead singer Joey Tempest , and while he gives a command vocal performance and Kee Marcello 's guitar work is commendable , the song can best be described as standard Europe . If you 're a Europe fan that 's not a bad thing , but if you only know Europe as the band that did " The Final Countdown " , then " Sign of the Times " is probably not for you . Although the song never saw single release , either as an a - side or b - side , it 's probably for the best . Out of This World was huge at home and topped the Swedish album charts , but around the world harder groups such as Guns ' n ' Roses were replacing the metal - lite that Europe had perfected . As a result the singles from , barring the Top 40 hit " Superstitious " , and the Out of This World album itself didn't move as well as The Final Countdown . As " Sign of the Times " demonstrates , this was not due to a lack of quality , but a lack of innovation . 84 Check out " Sign of the Times " by Europe on the following albums : Out of This World by Europe Rock the Night : Very Best of Europe by Europe See also : " Rock the Night " ( 04 / 12 / 06 ) . 
" Taste the Pain " by The Red Hot Chili Peppers . What 's up , dudes ? Today 's 80 s Song of the Day is one of the anti - drug anthems found on 1989 's Mother 's Milk following the heroin - related death of The Red Hot Chili Peppers founding member and guitarist Hillel Slovak . " Taste the Pain " tackles the subject with frightening lyrics sung in Anthony Kiedis ' singular style on top of a rhythm attack led by bassist Flea . In addition to the awesome rhythm section the bridge introduces some horns that make it difficult to decide whether to label the track as funk - punk or punk - funk . The song was produced by Michael Beinhorn who was brought back after The Uplift Mofo Party Plan and features the addition of the band 's current drummer and guitarist , Chad Smith and John Frusciante respectively . Two different versions of the " Taste the Pain " single were released in February of 1990 with a variety of interesting b - sides , including the group 's contribution to the Pretty Woman soundtrack " Show Me Your Soul " and an alternate version of the parent LP 's breakout hit " Higher Ground " , and while no headway was made in the States , " Taste the Pain " was a number 29 hit in the UK . 84 Check out " Taste the Pain " by The Red Hot Chili Peppers on the following albums : Mother 's Milk by The Red Hot Chili Peppers What Hits ! ? by The Red Hot Chili Peppers 10 Best Series : Greatest Hits by The Red Hot Chili Peppers . 
GODAMNED COMMENTS . ok , so why is it , everytime I say something , no one listens ? i mean , i said NO comments , said u loud and clear ( and put it in caps too .... ) and still , someone left a comment , further more , i dont even KNOW that someone ( well , actually i do ) k ..... that SOMEONE dont know who i am ! and leaving a comment on my blog after PROBABLY reading my first post ? seriously un - nice ... ( notice i din say a bad word ? ) so this is the comment Foxglove Martins said ... Hey ! Just shut up would you ? ! I am not on ZZ 's side and I ' m not on yours . Look , if you keep bragging on about how much you hate him and what this bastard - fight is going through , you are better known as a helpless weakling . I have been in the same case as you except that it was a bitch - fight instead . Just get over it and move on . If anyone pisses you off , just imagine how fun it would be to defeat that guy , it ' ll cheer you up ... in a wierd way ... And plus , he DID NOT remove your link from his blog . If you 're talking bout the forum ... I have no idea ..... just to err ... how the hell do i put this nicely ..... ok OK OK ..... just to EDUCATE you , i will explain everything ( quoting you ) , and in bullet point too so u can slowly compare them to ur comment " Just shut up would you ? ! " - i will NOT shut up ( it 's my blog after all ) " Look , if you keep bragging on " - i did NOT brag ( i suggest re - reading it ) " this bastard - fight " - i am NOT a bastard , my parents were legally married when i was born ( no nid for bad words ) " better known as a helpless weakling " - i did not insult you , PLEASE ( i said the " p " word ) do not call me a helpless weakling " have been in the same case as you except that it was a bitch - fight instead " - i don't think you are a bitch " If anyone pisses you off , just imagine how fun it would be to defeat that guy , it ' ll cheer you up ... in a wierd way ... " - errr ... thx but i dont think that ' ll help me .... ( they have a word for that .... i think it 's called .... " sadistic " ) " he DID NOT remove your link from his blog " - he did , but we moved on and now we 're cool again , so he put it back but HEY , dont believe me , ask him ..... " If you 're talking bout the forum ... I have no idea ..... " - i have no idea what you 're talking aboutok , so that 's all i have to say , hope i explained the situation , plz dun go ard insulting ppl , u need a really good book .... and maybe therapy .... ( just a joke , the therapy part , dun get TOO mad .... ) so thats that , its 11:30 pm now , im gonna bath and sleep ..... Shit happens , stiffen your upper lip and move on ~ DUANE . 
More of zz again . comes up to me in sch , says , blah blah blah too vain blah blah pictures of shoes blah blah not cool blah blah blahhh ..... so i answer " those ppl who know me in real life know im not vain and proud , ppl on the internet who read this , can go FUCK OFF if they think im stuck up " at this , he has nothing to say and i walk off to talk to jon G about something ..... basketball matchk , i was ' nt there , i was doing drama shit .... so anyway , i sit next to Khai S and Gab while waiting for our next class , Khai S says he should not always pass the same way all the time cause ppl will know ..... and Gab says zz " actions " too much by doing his " half - moon " ( a basketball move in which u hold the ball , jump , and swing your arms like you 're mad in 180 degrees and shoot the ball into the hoop " then zz comes ad sits behind me , little facts , unimportant , yet , im the one who hears them FAT people have a hard time getting up the stairs ~ Duane . 
Zong Zhen 's site and ... other things ... so after sch bob comes up to me see ? ( with shaun , the fat one ? u ' know him ? you do ? alright then ... ) so he goes " your blog owns josiah " or something along that line and i ' m " uhh .... thanks ... " my question , how did he know about my blog ? creepy ..... Commentszz , WHAT did i say about comments ? you just lost your balls privilages * rips zz balls out * this is cyber ball ripping , the REAL ripping is on monday ... Zong Zhen 's site LIEK OMFG THAT SITE SUCKS ASS , THE GODDAMN BANNER TAKES UP HALF A PAGE , I MEAN , it LOOKS COOL BUT HALF A PAGE GODAMMIT !!!!! then the games , THEY TAKE THE WORD LAME TO A NEW LEVEL !!! SNAKE ? ICE HOCKEY ? I MEAN , COME ON NOW , WHY DON ' T WE ALL PLAY NEOPETS ? ! ??? !! another thing , NO WORDS what ? u expect us to play games for 4 hrs straight ? AND THE BLOG COUNTED IS **** ED UP , I WENT TO THIS PAGE , IT HAD 7 K VIEWS , I CAME BACK AND IT HAD ABOUT 59 K , WTF IS UP WITH THAT ? ! and he asked me to link his site instead , at first i agreed , but now , i dont , im not tagging anything so stupid , no way , im tagging the blog , which is , about ...59859743 x 999999 times better ..... how long have i been on internet u ask ? here 's a pic i took ( Up there ^ ) GAMESBACK TO THE GODDAMN GAMES THERE ! air hockey : right click in the game and click on forward , WALLAH ! u completed it ( a glitch in falsh games ) Dirt Bike : quite fun but its a complete rip off from trial bike ( a miniclip game ) A . L . I. A . S : OH LOOK , IM SHORT AND STUMPY , AND GUESS WHAT ? I HAVE A GODDAMN ROCKET LAUNCHER !!! A . L . I. A . S 2 : what 's this ? revenge of the short stumpy kid ? Bowling : this games sucks , that 's all there is to itwildwildwest : now , i wonder if they actually put no spaces inbetween the words or not , cause judging by the game , u can guess how smart they are .... flashstirke : STIKE MY ASS LA , this game is made for babies Minipool : i hit a ball to the wall and another ball went in even tho it was not touched Minipool 2 : same as minipool STickman 4 : misson ? save bob from a bad guy ! how FUN ! Championship soccer : click on the ball and make sure it does not touch the ground , another FUN game .... Park soccer : exactly like championship soccer cept for different background and a different name Snake : COME ON , we can play this on our handphones Superfishing : SUPER fishing ? who 's the fisher ? superman ? 
no sch . i ' m sick again , not too sure how many people beileve me , i don't think zong will , but i am , i have a really weak immune system and i don't think a lot of people know it , i mean zz probably won't cause he 's always saying i fake being sick , and claudie too , josiah will be his fat annoying self ( no change there .... ) Shoeswearing my fila sohes next monday , yeah people , go on , insult me on why i keep posting about my shoes , so why dont YOU stop reading and find a life eh ? Room Finally packed everything and it 's starting to look normal , just waiting for my computer / study table to pack the last things away .... Wake up time 20 / 7 / 2006 , i woke up at 4:30 , believe it or not Lifemy life is full of bullshit , fat sluts * looks at josiah * and nonsense ( not to mention about 1 million typos ... ) but some things are ok , they keep me going Links , notice it or not , i just made another link , and i ' m switching the names , to their nick names e . g . zong zhen to fatal 21 tyfatal 21 tyat first , i thought it was something like fatal ( random word ) 21 ( his fav number ) ty ( thank you ) something like , i ' m fatal THANK YOU , kinda weird ... while at my holding house , one of my friend 's thought me a lot , about logic and things , and i ' ve really matured , not to mention grow taller , during that 2 months stay , thx to draconis onikawa ( his nick name ) gonna watch a show or pack my room again .... 
The BIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG fight . josiah din even TALK to me , much less fight me , talk about lame ... then later , zong asked him to apologise to me and asked me to apologise to him , what josiah exactly said was ( taken from msn ) J . O . S : hey duane J . O . S : hey zong wants me to apologize to you ... J . O . S : fine J . O . S : sorry J . O . S : i dont really care if you accept my apology ... J . O . S : in fact ... its not even a sincere one ... J . O . S : i just apolojized cause zong made me to ... * end transmission * i was afking ( tution ) at this time so i din see what he typed , well josiah , i APOLEJIZED to you too , and i also dont really care if u accept it , lame josiah , lame .... zong asked me to do it , thx zong for trying to sort things out but you dont have to , i can handle a ugly fat asshole by myself , hes so fat , like a truck , hes not just a person , more like a crowd ..... did i mention he 's fat ? im gonna wear new shoes soon , not the shoes in my blog , but another pair of fila shoes , din really see them in the corner of my shoe rack ..... jsut finished my home ec project , now gonna eat ...... Half the people in my life are gay , the other half that are not , suck ~ Duane . 
FUCK LA READ THE POST NOT THE TITLE . you MIGHT , just MIGHT be wondering , why is this guy posting twice in about 10 mins ? well , i just got so flared up at josiah after typing my last post , i insulted his mother by posting a comment , it should be gone by the time u guys go there so i wont even tell you the link ( actually , im too lazy to copy and paste ) but in CASE you want to read .... its at zong ' z blog ( i have a link * read last post ) and zong also has a link in the same place , under " J . O . S . blog " jos u ask ? wtf is jos ? it 's jesus of surbia ( i just KNOW ppl ( FAT UGLY NERDY PEOPLE ) i wont say WHO are gonna pick on me cause of my spelling for " subia " WOW this bracket actually took 3 lines .... ) JOS is a famous song by green day ) maybe i should not have insulted josiah , so josiah , i KNOW you 're reading this , please direct all my insults to your family to you , there ! problem solved , but i just KNOW im gonna by bash up by that goon trm , oh well , live and let live ! if i die , i die , if i live , then its better ! notice that i dont post on a specific date ? cause i only post when something exciting happens , or ..... * looks at josiah * ..... dumb so don't expect set date posts but im 100 % gonna post trm , tell u guys if i got beaten up or not , and how it went down , if i DONT post however , its probably cause im in the hospital , likely to be that josiah crushed me with his humongeously fat ass , in which case , survival is NOT guranteedyou know those ( * insert chim sentence here * ~ * insert CHIMER name here ) ? i ' ve decided to make my own , starting from this post , oh yea , also note , if i DO make a spelling error , which i do not point out , dont bother telling me , im not gonna change it , why SHOULD i anyway ? start my comp just for 1 lil ' typo ? u gotta be kidding me ..... and there 's also the " NEXT TIME ON % & $ # * % ( $ . BLOGSPOT . COM .. " thing that i really wanna try out NEXT TIME ON WWW .80 WAYSTOLIFE . BLOGSPOT . COM .... THE EVENT OF THE GAYEST FIGHT IN ALL HISTORYYYYYYYYYYYY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( i cant believe i typed something so lame .... ) The Fat die Young , the Thin are the ones who Pawn ( me , zong , joash .... etc etc ) ~ Duane . 
zzz . new stuff , comp screen , house , internet and new roomother than that , josiah challenged me to fight , LAME ~ i mean , hes 2 times my size , sure , he can actually THROW me , sure and ill probably lose but 1 thing that people won't do they won't punch you in the face , i mean yeah , i won't lie , i ' m scared to death but if he really tries , i ' m going to punch as hard as i can in his face , he 's probably reading this ( hi there u fat asshole ) and will say sth like " i WILL punch you in the face " but somehow , i ' m not sure if I can do it , i mean , face , come on ... and i can actually loosen a couple of teeth if i kick , i might get suspended , but i can always claim it was self defence , which it is btw ... he was like " duane , i need to bash you up " " why ? " " cause someone ordered me to " CONGRATS TO JOSIAH , hes fat , ugly , dumb , assholish ( ok yeah , i have 2 links at the top left of the blog , thx to zong who showed me how to make it * gestures to a teenager wearing a green day t - shirt in long jeans , carrying a basketball * oh yea , he 's ALSO gonna help me make a banner , cool huh ? ( im not too sure hes actually gonna make it tho ... 
welcome . This blog is created to have a common platform for all the alumini of College of Engineering Trivandrum Civil Engineering Dept. This is created by the friends of 84 CIVIL B batch but is open to all civil Engineering alumini . You can post your tech matters , personal matters as well as nostalgic memories . Bye V. Suresh Kumar 84 civil BMES , Pune . 
From Which It Came . Please check out the original site developed by the guy I bought it from . It includes a list of all modifications , news , lots of info and photos up until the time of purchase . CLICK HERE . 
From Heidi ... I just thought I would send you a picture of my Chemic daughter . She just made Chemic JV Cheer . I can't believe how old I feel ! Go ahead and add to the blog site . I am also sending a picture of my son Jake . 8 th grader this year ! Take Care , Heidi Lewis ( Eastman ) . 
Chemic Alumni Party Rumor ... Scoop ... rumor of a Chemic Alumni party that may be in the works . I don't have any details on it , but will investigate further . It sounds as though it is in the early stages of planning . Could be interesting . 
Guest List ... It would be interesting to know who is visiting our 88 chemics blog . Some of you have bravely , identified yourselves in previous posts , thanks ! Leave your name in the comments area , whether you are an 88 chemic or not , so we can see who is checking in . I am looking into a way to have a guest list feature and possibly a real time chat feature ... but don't hold your breath . If any of you know of the best way to handle this , I am open to your advice . 
Calling all Plymouth Patriots ... In 1976 we planted a time capsule and I think it was to be dug up in 2006 . If anyone is interested , I would be willing to contact the new principal and find out if it has already been dug up or if they are planning any ceremony . It would be neat to see what we wrote for the capsule . Dawn ( Engel ) Winright . 
88 Classmates ... I live in Sheridan Michigan . I am currently visiting colleges with my daughter , and trying to figure out how in the heck to pay for a higher education . I have a son who is going into 7 th grade . Two additional daughters that I acquired when I married my husband Mark 2 years ago . ( they are 17 and 14 ) . No more little kids for me !! I work as an insurance biller for the local hospital . Dawn ( Engel ) Winright . 
Add to the Blog ... It is your turn to send me a little factoid about yourself . E - mail me your city / state , job ( stay home mom / dad is okay too ! ) and your favorite activity . This is a good start . Maybe some of you live in the same neighborhood and don't even know it ! We can take baby steps for now ... later on you can reveal to us how after graduating from MHS you moved to California , joined a cult and are awaiting the arrival of the next comet to sweep you away to another galaxy . Or maybe some family pictures would work . Work with me folks ... I know that your not shy ( just look at the reunion pics ) ! 
Sad News ... I hate being the one to break this to you , but we 're getting old ! We only have two years until our next reunion ... THE 20 th YEAR ! Beyond the 20 - year we will be showing off pictures of our grandkids , so let 's make this one the best ! As far as I know there are no plans in the works . Is anyone interested in taking this on ? My preference is to reduce my responsibility . However , I have learned a lot from the 15 - year and would gladly share all that I know and take on some tasks . Now that the blog is established , the reunion committee could post some reunion options and let people give their feedback . In the end , we will need someone to make final decisions . For the 15 - year Tonya and I shared this power and it worked well . We each gave our input and always came to an agreeable conclusion . Hopefully someone will step up and take the helm ! If you establish a reliable committee , it is really not too bad ! ( that 's why I am not in sales ) Otherwise , I guess we ' ll see you at the 25 - year ... bring the pics of the grandkids ! 
Reunion Moments ... By the way , if anyone has a problem with their reunion photo appearing on the blog , contact me and I will ... a . blur your face , Like they do on ' Cops ' . b . Photoshop away 20 years for a $ 50 fee . c . find more incriminating pics of you and post them immediatly . d . post your yearbook picture instead . e . remove it promptly with a simple please . No , seriously I will take it down , but is it really harming anything ? 
kick ball change . Bath class ... first session ...3 x single time closed basic , move to 2 x double time jockey basic , 2 x cross kick steps ( as Bristol yesterday ) , double time jockey basic , turn out to end R - R , wrap in , 2 x double time jockey basic , unwrap , american spin to exit ... second session ...2 x lindy turn ( with a half hot - foot on 1 - 2 of second one ) , charleston pull past ( as yesterday in Bristol ) to end R - R , 8 beat wrap in ( get low and move around follow as much as you can ) , kick ball changes ( back - step then both do kick ball changes while in jockey either going straight back or in a circle with lead going forward and follow going backwards ) , end with sideways throw out ( do 1 - 2 and wind - up on 3 - 4 the same then give strong lead to follow to go sideways towards the L , lead changes hand as she goes past him , ends in fairly open somewhat sideways facing open basic position with lots of spring ) and to the pub with all talk of the dance this Friday ... and some of the Puppini Sisters who are a trio of girls doing Andrews Sisters type numbers and that style of versions of modern tracks . They were on the dance program on TV last weekend and have an album coming out on the 31 st Julyalso yesterday I did a little bit of my proof reading course at long last ... this is the first time in over six months that I ' ve felt able to do what might be called ' work ' ... still exhausting but must be progress ... 
charlestons XII. Bristol class ... the last one of this term and of this year 's classes ... twenty or so people , all now well known ... a great groupfirst session ...3 x triple time closed basics ( keep low and smooth ) move to jockey , 3 x triple time jockey basic ( keep low ) ... into 2 x cross kick steps ( make some space between lead and follow , lead then does back - step , kick L foot forward and across in front of R foot and down , then back - step with R foot and kick R foot forward and across in front of L foot and down ... and repeat - follow mirrors all this ) ...2 x jockey basic then offer hand for send out ( move follow back on the back - step , then lead moves forward on 3 - 4 while ' bowling ' the follow forward , follow turns on 5 - 6 while lead gets down and stops the move ) ... then use the spring - back for a change placesvery little dancing at halftime - too hotsecond session ...2 x lindy turn with half scissors at end of first ( replace 7 - 8 , 1 - 2 with kick R with R foot ' and ' tap behind with L foot then kick L with L foot ' and ' put R foot down then into 3 - 4 triple step ) ... into charleston pull past ( lead goes into double time charleston kicks , pulls follow towards and past him in a change places style - arm over her head - on the 3 - 4 kick , he then drops R hand and with it catches her L upper arm - quite a lot of spring at this point - then he pulls her back in front of him on 5 - 6 kick and re - catches her hand on the 7 - 8 kick ) do this twice catching L - R on forst one then ending second one R - R ... then turn to wrong side jockey ( turn follow 360 degrees anticlockwise on 3 - 4 , place her R hand on lead 's L shoulder , lead turns quarter turn clockwise into the move to ease end of it on 5 - 6 ) ... then do charleston kicks out ( do back - step , kick forward on 3 - 4 while leading follow to turn inwards , then both 5 - 6 and 7 - 8 kicks are backwards , ends in normal jockey , with some bounce can really travel backwards through this ) .. then turn out to get from jockey to open hold L - R ... change places but lead doesn't turn , puts follows hand on his R shoulder , ends with both facing same direction , then freeze on 5 through 6 , 7 - 8 ... then double time charleston with man in front ( start this with the 3 - 4 forward kick to avoid kicking the follow ) and finish with jump turn out ( do back - step then lead jumps R foot across Lwards in front of L foot on 3 then quick unwind on 4 to get back to normal open basic ... and to the pub ... lots of talk about relativity and the Lorentz contraction ... ! 
charlestons XI. up to Worcester for a workshop with Graeme and Ann ... only ten or so people there ( only three women ) so G & A rejigged what they were going to do so there wouldn't be so much waiting around for us mensession 1 ... we started off doing lots of break steps ... these start from a freeze after a back - step , assume the start of the break step is on ' 8 ' ... boogie forward ( taps on even beats ) ... boogie back ( clap on odd beats , jump back on even beats ) ... fishtails , twist walks , shorty georgealso did a break step sequence ... this could ' easily ' be done and followed in mid - dance ... do four beats of boogie forward ( should finish with a left foot tap ) , kick R and into four beats of shorty george , kick R and into four beats of suzy Q , kick R and into four beats of fall off a log ... complicatedalso a way into joint break step moves ... do a change places from L - R , lead doesn't turn at all , as follow turns lead places her hand on his R shoulder , get this done by ' 5 ' and then freeze on 6 , 7 - 8 ( drop the hand ) ... then kick and into whatever break step is wanted ... to end lead jumps to feet crossed ( R in front of L ) then swivels 180 degrees to unwind ( each of these bits takes one beat ) ... and lead a back - stepsession 2 ... charlestons ... from open lead back - step then go Rwards in a skip - up corridor ... on one of the R foot kick do a doubel kick and lead follow around into back charleston position , 1 x back charl , freeze , 1 x back charl , lead moves to front ( do back - step but drop both hands as soon as possible , do a big skippy L foot kick forward to get in front , then use the two R foot kicks to realign , off hands backwards for follow to take ) , do 1 x back charl in this position ( lead still leads even though in front ) , to exit this lead drops L hand raises R hand and turns 180 degrees anticlockwise through 3 - 4 , 5 - 6 , 7 - 8 back into normal back charl ... then into a travelling charleston ( turn somewhat to the L , kick down L , kick down R then into trav charl with L foot , exit with a double R kicksession 3 ... slow music moves ... triple step closed basics but drop L hand ... shoot ...8 beat walks ( back - step , bring follow round to the front on 3 - 4 , walk forward on 5 , 6 , realign to closed on 7 - 8 , repeat in other direction , can also drop R hand mid - move to end in open ) ... also arm lift texas tommy ... as normal TT to 3 - 4 then lift R arm through the unwind ( try to get hand to the high point above follow 's head by ' 6 ' ) so follow turns 180 degrees through 5,6 and then a full turn through 7 - 8 session 4 ... fast music moves ...2 x single time lindy turns ( dancing with Ann she says I lean back a little too much ? ) into single time lindy circle ending this with a reverse ( instead of the triple step on 7 - 8 slide feet apart - L foot back , R foot forward - then just weight shift for the next back - step ) ... then into double time change places and returndanced this last routine at the end with Ann , and we went into back charl and some arm - overs then into opp charl , all brilliant : o ) then to the pub with a couple of othersthen home and to BAWA for some danicng with Jane . 
frustration . at last the Park Lane Big Band dance in Bath arrives ... Yvonne from the Bristol class gave me a lift over there ... quite a few people there already when we arrived , looked like the worries that no - one would have heard about it were unfounded : o ) Graeme and Ann did a little taster class first and we joined in as taxi dancers as there were a lot of people there who hadn't done Lindy before , a good way to break the ice with people and find who could dance too ; o ) there were 50 or so people there in the end , maybe half - and - half lindy hoopers and leroc types ( who almost automatically sat in groups on opposite sides of the room from each other ) of the lindy followers there were Ann ( of course ) , Sue , Krisha , Yvonne , Julia , Ali and maybe three others - no - one that I ' d think of as good to dance with ( excepting Ann who 's just to bloody scary to ask - although that was the task of the day ) then at 9 ish the band started up , straight into In The Mood - I danced with a few of the jive people , difficult and with limited moves and struggling to keep the footwork going ... danced with Ali a few times ( and got the sort of compliment that we were getting better together , which I suppose is true - my ambitions always outstretch my talents ) , also with Krisha ( who I find very hard to lead ) and with Yvonne and a couple of the others ... and I asked Ann to dance ( to some possibly unfortunately very fast track ) and I was awful ... a second time a bit later I was a bit better I think but not as good as I ' d like to be or as good as Ann deserveswatching G & A dance together is marvellous , particularly seeing how many different steps Graeme can get in instead of back - steps and seeing how much he still seems to be able to surprise Ann with new moves ... so the end result is I ' m as frustrated as hell ... leading is bloody difficult , why can't I be good at this ? Why can't I be good sooner ? I can remember loads of moves and ways to string them together when I ' m sat at home but put me on the dance floor and I can think of barely anything - how do I start remembering them ? I ' m so disappointed that I didn't dance well ( to my mind ) with Ann ... I don't want to just dance easy moves , I want to dance lots of moves with follows who will react well to anything and don't look confused if you offer anything more than an american spinfrustrated ... cheesed off because I can't go to Camp savoy because I can't afford it ... I love the dancing , I just want to be good NOW . 
lindy walk . Bath class ... gave Nicole a lift over there , she 's been to a couple of the Bristol classes , from Georgia USA , very latino looking , very snappy dancer , turns out she 's doing a PHd or something in molecular physics ! first session ... same as yesterday ...6 beat lindy circle , 2 x jockey charleston , turn out with charleston kicks , change places , kick around circle , american spinvery hot at halftime so no - one danced , just sat and talked outsidesecond session ... texas tommy throw hand across at end to get L - R ... into lindy turn then another lindy turn with either a ' scoot ' ( drag L foot a little way along the floor from front to back before lifting it in a little hop ) or a ' pump - pump ( a double push kick to the L with the left foot ) replacing the back - step on 1 - 2 ... then into lindy circle up to 3 - 4 then step and slide backwards on ' 5 and 6 and 7 and 8 ' ( R foot goes backwards and down on each beat , L foot slides on each ' and ' ) ... then do next back step and then shoot forwards on 3 - 4 then big step back with R foot on 5 then long slide back with L foot through 6 , 7 - 8 ... in fact going into boogie forward next so tap on the even counts including the 8 at the end of the above last bit ( so taps with L foot on 8 , 2 , 4 , 6 , R foot taps on the odd beats ) then on next 8 go into ' rocking ' ( just rock back and forwards in a jockey until a back - step seems suitable ) this was a lovely sequence , well worth remembering , just also remember that the move backwards needs a lot of floor space and awareness of other dancers around you ! danced a bit with Jo then , and Krisha , before all going off to the pub garden I ' m feeling extremely poor at the moment , I have nothing in the bank and no obvious to make it better - I still feel very low and unmotivated to get things done , even slowly , not ideal for regular work ... I was going to go to this Camp Savoy long weekend workshop with Ryan and Jenny at the start of next month but now I don't think I can justify the cost of it even on credit : o ( maybe I ' ll just have to do with workshops and dances closer to home - I was really looking forward to it though , I ' d been thinking of it as my only holiday for this year ... bugger : o ( at least this Friday is a potentially great dance coming up in Bath with the Park Lane Big Band ... and then a workshop with Graeme and Ann in Worcester on Sunday and hopefully a dance with Jane at BAWA Sunday evening I really don't know what to do about Camp Savoy - I so very much wanted to go ... 
confusion . Bristol class ... very hot , 35 degrees outside ... first session ...6 beat lindy circle ( lead moves clockwise around follow on 3 - 4 while holding R arm out at waist height to gather follow up , continue this through 5 - 6 to end in jockey or closed ) ... into 2 x double time jockey charleston ... turn out ( lead opens up slightly on 1 - 2 , wind up on 3 - 4 then double kick around anticlockwise for lead clockwise for follow on 5 - 6 , 7 - 8 ) ... change places then kick around circle ( lead does kick steps while moving clockwise around follow , follow does kick steps more or less on the spot rotating with the lead ) ... exit this with an american spin ... too hot to dance at halftime but did do a bit with someone new who wanted to learn a lindy circle and lindy turn - she was passed on to me by Graeme who said it would be good lead practice for me too : o ) second session ... lindy turn ending with a kick step to the right on 7 - 8 into another lindy turn starting with a kick step ' and ' replacing the 1 - 2 back - step ( needs good connection , lean back from the follow on the ' spring ' , kick forward with L foot ' and ' let foot hang before putting it down for the start of the 3 - 4 triple step ) ... change places end double handed ... into spanish steps ( lead wraps follow in while turning around her about quarter of a turn clockwise , need to get low , then walk around for 5 - 6 , then drop R hand to unwind into open position OR as we did drop L hand to unwind follow into a R - L position , do the push through back - step 1 - 2 then spin her immediately anticlockwise on 3 - 4 , gather up into closed hold position at end of this , walk around on 5 - 6 and end in closed at end of 7 - 8 ... most of this was well nigh impossible - no - one was firing on many cyclinders in the heat , least of all me ... I couldn't do the kick steps in the lindy turn variations once and the last move was always just scruffy .. very unimpressive ... and to the pubsold another badgeone of the women there who lives nearby in Horfield offered me a lift to the Big Band dance on Friday ... and Nicole , who is an American over here , may want a lift to the Bath class tomorrow . 
15 seconds of happiness . click here to download Now go find your bone and lay in the sun . That 's a metaphor , pervert . Technorati Tag ( s ) : dog | devlonduthie | byteme happiness | devlon | euphoria . 
Penticton Stories . Introducing : Penticton Stories ! Anne and I have created a videblog to highlight some of the things we have in this beautiful small town . Penticton , BC , CANADA . A small town in the Okanagan Valley . Surrounded by vineyards and orchards we hope to show what life in Penticton is like . Here 's the feed link , and you can email us here is you have video from the area and maybe we can post it on the site ! 
Rerun week 2006 # 5 - over and over . click to view clipapparently this isn't set to be progressively downloaded , so you have to wait until the whole clip is downloaded ... sorry . Music : ' Over and Over ' by Lorenzo 's Music ( courtesy of the ' Podsafe Music Network ' http : // music . podshow . com ) Technorati Tag ( s ) : rerunweek 2006 | devlonduthie byteme | devlon . 
CD 's Records LP 's Rock and Roll Progressive Rock Psychedelic Rock Krautrock CD - R 's DVD - R 's Record Sleeves jewel cases FROM THE ARCHIVESEvery once in a while I ' m going to drag an album or two from the archives , albums that I don't think have gotten enough downloads , possibly due to my lame attemts to describe them ! These two I think were the first German CD 's I bought , other than Amon D l II or Can , and opened my eyes to the fact that there is a wealth of fantastic German rock other than the obvious groups that everyone knows about . Both are ripped @ 320 , with all scans . Livit - Unspoken ( 1995 ) Livit 's " Unspoken " is an absolutely brilliant album of guitar based progressive rock that ranges from symphonic and melodic to a real crunchy , almost - metal sound . You really need this if you like your progressive rock with a little edge to it ! Trust me on this OK ? Part 1 - http : // www . paylesssofts . com / main / url . php ? id = 1049 Part 2 - http : // www . paylesssofts . com / main / url . php ? id = 1050 Mon Dyh - Am Galgen ( 1982 ) Mon Dyh 's third album is one of the best rock albums I have ever heard . I mean it . This thing is flawless - the musicianship , production , and songwriting are so damn good the first time I heard this I was stunned . Not kidding . More blues - based rock than progressive , and the vocals are in German , unlike their first two releases . Part 1 - http : // www . paylesssofts . com / main / url . php ? id = 1051 Part 2 - http : // www . paylesssofts . com / main / url . php ? id = 1052 If you download either of these , how about some feedback ? Thanks and see you on Monday ! 
moneyz . So , I recently began saving up $ 1700 for a Macbook . That 's right , $ 1700 . And I have $ 40 . So let 's be honest , I was never actually going to save up all that , so I ' ve decided to give up because that 's what I ' m best at . I think I ' ll be purchasing this Modest Mouse shirt : And this limited edition Dr. Raven Darktalon Blood Penny Arcade cel . Provided it 's not gone by the time I go to buy it . Eh . We ' ll see . Also , as of today I began using the Firefox 2 Beta RC 1 ( it will be officially released tomorrow , it seems ) , and it seems pretty cool . I ' m liking that I can close tabs without selecting them , and the auto - spell check is nice . I ' ll need some time to get used to the new button to scroll through my search engines in the top right , and I do miss my Tabbrowser Preferences extension , but oh well . Get it here if you just can't wait . Provided anyone actually reads this before tomorrow . Or ever . 
This blog is gonna kick ass. 4 srsly . This post is a stepping stone to bigger and better things . Nevermind this post . This post is garbage . Edit This template is garbage too . I ' ll grow to like it , because customizing it is COMPLICATED . 
Components of the balance sheet . The balance sheet can be further broken down to is various components . Assets can be broken down into current assets and non - current assets . Liabilities can be broken down into current liabilities and non - current liabilities . These sub - levels will consist of individual components that makes up the basic building blocks of the balance sheet . Below is a list of important items to know : Assets - Current Assets Cash Marketable securities or short - term investments Accounts Receivables Inventory - Non - current Assets Fixed Assets ( Property , Plant and Equipment ( PP & E ) Intangibles Long - term investments Liabilities - Current Liabilities Accounts payables Short - term borrowing ( short - term debt ) - Non - current Liabilities Long - term borrowings ( long - term debt ) Other long - term liabilities ( pension liabilities , deferred tax liabilities etc ) Shareholders ' Equity Paid - in capital Retained earnings . 
Why does the balance sheet balance ? The balance sheet balances because that is how it is defined . By definition , Assets - Liabilities = Shareholders ' Equity Hence on the balance sheet , Assets are shown on the left , Liabilities and Shareholders ' Equity are shown on the right . To illustrate , assuming a start - up company borrowed $ 100 to buy a printer that cost $ 200 with initial capital of $ 100 . Its balance sheet would look like this : Assets ( printer ) $ 200 Liabilities $ 100 Equity ( or initial capital ) $ 100 Assets $ 200 - Liabilities $ 100 = Shareholders ' Equity $ 100 This has to be the case because initial capital and borrowing add up to the value of the asset that the company has for it to run its business . Now assume that after 1 year , the company generates $ 20 of profits by printing and selling digital pictures . Its balance sheet would look like this : Assets $ 220 ( Printer $ 200 + Cash from profits $ 20 ) Liabilities $ 200 Equity $ 120 Assets $ 220 - Liabilities $ 100 = Shareholders ' Equity $ 120 Again the balance sheet balances because any entry into any parts of the balance sheet would have a corresponding cancelling entry on another part . In this case , Assets increases by $ 20 and Equity by $ 20 as well . 
Brokers , analysts , advisors , investment bankers , private bankers etc cannot be trusted . Why do brokers provide research service to their clients ? Brokers , or analysts ( from sell - side brokers ) , or investment bankers or private bankers for the matter , thrives on activity . Activity is their friend , and is what drives their profits . For every trade that you make , they will take a cut , regardless of whether you are buying or selling . Now bearing this in mind , does it make sense for research analysts , working for brokerage firms to make a BUY recommendation and do nothing for the next 5 to 10 years ? So , in a sense , research analysts from sell - side can only make short - term calls , to generate churning . They may not realize it , they may genuinely want to analyze companies and give their client good advice , but the system is in place for them to generate churning . In the markets , to make short - term calls is like throwing a coin and then trying to guess whether it is heads or tails . Research estimates that investment professionals are right 40 - 50 % of the time . The best guys are right 60 % of the time . Trusting an analyst to make a correct short - term call is as good as trusting a monkey to throw a dart on chart to determine a stock 's target price . Having said that , brokers are good for information and flows , so use them for that . As far as they want to project an image that they are on our side , we must remember that their interests and ours are not aligned . We must be careful not to let them suck away precious returns in the form of transaction costs . 
COGS & SG & A . The Cost of Goods Sold ( COGS ) refers to the direct input costs that is incurred by the company . This would include raw material cost , labour cost , energy cost , depreciation cost etc. For most types of industry , raw material cost or input cost will be the main focus in COGS . For manufacturing co. s raw material cost can be anywhere between 40 - 80 % of COGS . One important measure of profitability comes in the form of Gross Profit which is Sales - COGS . It measures the direct profitability of the company after all the input costs are deducted . For certain type of industry ( e . g . retail ) , Gross profit is as important as Operating profit . Selling , General and Adminstrative ( SG A low . As a percentage of sales , SG A , and whatever profits that remain would be the Operating Profit or EBIT . 
The profit and loss ( P & L ) statement or income statement . The Profit and Loss Statement is one of the three financial statements in annual reports and is usually the one that is most frequently looked at . It describes how the company has done over the past period in terms of sales and profits . The P L is arranged : 1 ) Sales or Revenue 2 ) Cost of Goods Sold ( COGS ) 3 ) Selling , General and Adminstrative Expenses ( SG & A ) 4 ) Operating Income or Operating Profit 5 ) Recurring Income or Recurring Profit 6 ) Extraordinary Gain or Loss 7 ) Profit before Tax 8 ) Net Profit Perhaps it suffice to say in this post that the most important no . to look at is 4 ) Operating Profit ( or EBIT : Earnings before interest and tax ) . This no . is basically the profit that the firm has booked after it has subtracted all relevant costs that are incurred in doing its business . Below operating profit , no . s are subjected to manipulation and hence become less reliable . ( That doesn't mean that the operating profit cannot be manipulated though , in fact , everything from Sales to Net Profit can be manipulated , that is why integrity of management is so important . ) In recent years ( esp so during the dot . com boom ) , a lot of listed co. s could not even generate a positive operating profit ( i . e . their core business was losing money after factoring in the relevant operational cost ) . Hence analysts invented another no . called EBITDA which stands for Earnings before Interest , Tax , Depreciation and Amortization . This means that if we do not take into account depreciation cost , the co. is making money . To put it in another light , say you bought an ice - cream machine that cost $ 200 , you use it to make ice - cream selling for $ 1 and you declare that you made $ 200 after selling 200 ice - creams . The cost of the ice - cream machine ? Doesn't matter , as long as EBITDA is concerned . Depreciation cost for the ice - cream machine is not a cost under the definition of EBITDA . 
Fear and Greed . In simple terms , fear and greed affect investors ' decision by impeding their ability to think rationally . A good investor tries to detach emotions from decision making but it is easier said than done . Let 's try to see how they actually work to deter investors from making good investment decisions . Fear : An investor has done his groundwork / due diligence , he is convinced that the stock has sound fundamentals and is relatively cheap . However , the market is a bearish mode , he fears further downside and decides not to buy , but to wait - and - see . The market rebounds and he lost the good opportunity to buy . Greed : The stock has done very well and all the good news has been factored in , but the investor thinks that there might be a new investment thesis for the company , e . g . they can continue to grow via M A . On valuations , the stock is no longer cheap , unless you become super creative in calculating its future intrinsic value . Obviously , greed has taken over the investor , he fails to see that the stock is already very expensive and refuses to sell . The stock tanked after a few weeks . Of course , fear and greed also helps in the opposite scenarios . For e . g . in the first case , the bear market might continue for 2 - 3 years , and by waiting , the investor could have bought the stock at an even lower price . I guess the moral of the story is to be mindful of these emotions , understand that they will affect your decision making and try to implement ways of going around them in your investment process . One tried and tested method would be looking at valuations , and use valuations to determine your trades i . e . only buy stocks that are cheap , in fact very much cheaper than its intrinsic value . 
The three important principles of successful value investing . There are different ways to label these principles but I shall call them Fundamentals , Valuations and Timing . Buying a successful stock will demand that all three principles are followed , in my opinion . Fundamentals refers to the inherent characteristics of the investment or stock . That is to say whether the company is a good company and whether it has good growth prospects . Valuations refers to the cheapness of the investment , or stock . A company may be have all the positive traits , but if it is not cheap , it is not a good investment . Timing refers to when to buy ( and of less importance ) when to sell . Needless to say , buying at the wrong time results in very different performance . To give an example how this can work , let 's pick a local stock , say , Singtel . Fundamentals for Singtel looks ok , it has not made any losses for the past 10 years , it has maintained low debts , and management seems prudent and competent . Within its industry , clearly Singtel has the dominant market share in Singapore , regionally subsidiaries of the Singtel group also seem to be doing well and reasonable growth can be expected . Looking at Valuations , over the past 10 yrs Singtel has traded within the range of 10 x - 30 x and currently it is trading at PER of 10 x . Not overly cheap but definitely not expensive at all . Now Timing makes all the difference right ? If you had bought Singtel when it listed , you would still be losing money . Of course timing is linked to valuations , at its listing , Singtel might not have passed the valuations part of the test ( i . e . at listing it was probably too expensive ) . The guru , Mr Buffett does not believe that timing is important . In his view , a good stock should be bought as soon as you identify it , if it goes lower , you should buy even more . In a way , low valuations will take care of timing , i . e . low valuations ensure that you have bought the stock at the right time ( and price ) . Also , according to the guru , once you buy a good stock , you should never sell ( this is also called the buy - and - hold strategy ) no matter what . Unless you need the money for other purposes . 
How to read financial statements - the very basics . A company 's financial statement consist of three separate statements that attempt to describe how the company has performed during its fiscal year . The three statements are 1 ) the balance sheet 2 ) the profit and loss statement or the income statment 3 ) the cashflow statement The balance sheet lists out what the company possesses : its assets , what the company owes to other entities : its debt , and what is left after its assets are subtracted by its debt : the shareholders ' equity , or the book value . The profit and loss statement starts with sales or revenue and deduct all sorts of cost from revenue until we arrive at net income , which ultimately goes into shareholders ' equity on the balance sheet . The cashflow statement describes how cash has actually been received and deducted from the company , which is usually different from actual profit gained and loss incurred , but links what has changed in the balance sheet . The major item that affects cashflow and income differently is depreciation . Depreciation is treated as a cost in the income statement , but it has no actual cashflow impact . To use an household as an example , the balance sheet will list down the household 's assets , liabilities and equity . Assets are usually HDB flat , car , furniture , cash savings etc , liabilities are mortgage , renovation loan , study loan , credit card debt etc , and equity is what is left . Sad to say , 70 % ( my own guess ) of Singaporean households probably have no equity to speak of , because our liabilities ( mortgage , car loans ) are usually much more than our assets ( value of our flat , car etc ) . The profit and loss statement of the household will be salary on the top ( sales for companies though ) , followed by all the expenses , until we arrive at net income , which could be added to the balance sheet at the end of the month or year ( i . e . any money left after all expenses goes into savings = equity for the household ) . The cashflow statement would be actual cash movement , i . e . salary that was transferred to our bank ( cash inflow ) , how we have spent the cash on food , leisure and mortgage ( cash outflow ) . To analyse a company , all three statements are important and it will be very helpful to be well versed in reading them . I will be posting on how to read each statement in the future , watch this space ! 
Value vs growth . In investment lingo , one way of classifying stocks is to label them as either value stocks or growth stocks . Value stocks are what we have been discussing all this while , stocks that trade below their intrinsic value , come from understandable and mundane industries ( insurance , utilities , consumer staples ) , low PER , low PBR , stable earnings streams etc. At the opposite end of the spectrum are growth stocks . These are stocks with a lot of potential but might or might not make their mark . They usually have high PER and high PBR , weak earnings , from hot sectors like Tech , Energy , Biotech etc. But they are attractive because their intrinsic value in the future can be 2 , 5 or 10 times higher than today 's price . Microsoft was a growth stocks in the 80 s , early 90 s . Buffett thinks that classifying stocks as value or growth is not important because they are simply on different sides of the same equation . A true growth stock is essentially a value stock in disguise . 
Value trap and the cigar butt analogy . Value trap is a stock that looks very cheap but the reason it is super cheap is because it is a crappy company and deserves to be that cheap . Buffett likes to give the analogy of the cigar butt . Imagine finding a cigar butt that someone just finished smoking , but there is still a last puff left . The cigar comes free but you get one puff , which doesn't make you feel one hell of a good . To give another example , a value trap is similar to doing shopping at Ikea , you get super cheap stuff but their worth is also just that . Yet another example would be " you pay peanuts and you get monkeys " , sounds familiar ? In essence value trap means that you are paying cheaply for zero quality . A true value investor pays cheaply for some value , not for garbage . 
Circle of Competence . This is another concept from the guru himself . Basically it simply means to invest in industries and sectors that you know well , in fact , so well that you can say you are an expert in it . Buffett terms this as the Circle of Competence . The circle of competence is just that : areas that you are very familiar with . Over time your circle of competence can grow bigger as you gain more knowledge . However you must also know your limits and try not to invest in areas where you are weak , or very ignorant and may never gain competence . For Buffett , this was technology . That 's why he never participated in the IT boom and bust . For most of us , the circle of competence will usually be related to our work , or observations from our daily lives . If you encounter other companies in your work that impressed you , might want to know how their stock performed . Similarly , if you use a particular brand of shoes , and like it so much , it might be worthwhile to do some research on the company that produces the shoes . 
Definition : Value investing . After numerous mention of value investing , perhaps it would be appropriate to give a proper definition of value investing on this blog . Value investing is a broad definition of a style of investment that follow two basic principles : 1 ) The investment can be bought below its intrinsic value 2 ) The investment must have a margin of safety Value stocks are generally characterized by low PER , PBR , high dividend , and typically from mundane industries ( not high tech or bio related ) . Pioneers of value investing include Benjamin Graham , David Dodd and Warren Buffett . 
Securitizing yellow - top taxis and workings of the stock market . The stock market is , in its original and actual intention , a place for business owners to " borrow money " . The difference is that the borrower , instead of paying interest to the lender , agrees to sell a part of his ownership of the business ( i . e . his stock ) to the lender . The lender can hope to receive dividends from the borrower when the business do well , or sell his ownership to yet another person . This ability to transfer ownership from one person to another , for better or for worse , leads to the creation of something that humbles even the most intelligent : the stock market . To make things simpler , let 's try to understand the stock market with an analogy . Imaging a yellow - top taxi driver one day decides to sell his ownership of the taxi to 100 other people . ( Yellow - top taxi drivers own their taxis , other drivers rent their taxis from companies like Comfort Delgro , SMRT etc ) . The 100 new owners can also sell their 1 % ownership ( i . e . their stock ) to other people . Now imagine another 99 yellow - top taxi drivers do the same , selling 1 % of their taxis to 100 people , we have just created a " stock market " for yellow - top taxis with 10,000 investors / traders . Depending on the ability of the different drivers , the stock of some taxis will sell at a higher price than others . Some stocks will fall and some will rise , driven by people 's perception of the ability of the different taxi drivers and , well , almost anything else one can think of , from no . of new taxis coming on stream to say , the weather . Now , how would you choose which taxi stock to buy ? Based on the driver 's ability ? Or rumours of another 5 new taxi companies coming to the market ? Or looking at weather forecast ? Or by looking at how his stock have traded in the past week ? Buying a stock hoping to earn a profit in one day or one week completely misses the point . To buy a stock is , in effect , to become the owner of the company ( or the taxi ) . Surely this decision should be based on solid fundamentals of the company ( or the driver ) and also the stockholder 's long - term conviction that the company will continue to perform in the future . 
Lemmings and herd mentality or herd behaviour . Lemmings are small rodents usually found in the Arctic . They breed very quickly and when their population reaches a certain critical mass , they are known to commit mass suicide by leaping off the cliff . This strange behaviour of Lemmings continue to puzzle many scientists but some believe that stress incurred by scarcity of food and overcrowding causes Lemmings to behave abnormally . Most investors in the stock market , according to the guru , behave like Lemmings reaching a critical population mass . They begin to mindlessly follow others , sell when the market is falling like crazy , or buy more when the market is already over the top . This is why markets crashes or goes into bubble mode so often . In investment lingo , this is also known as herd mentality or herd behaviour . For some people , it may sound stupid to mindlessly follow the crowd , but essentially , we humans like to follow trends , be it going after the latest fashion ( Prada bags anyone ? ) , business ideas ( remember bubble tea from Taiwan ? ) or hot stock ideas ( CAO , ACCS , ouch ! ) . Next time you think about jumping on some bandwagon with no concrete positive story , remember the Lemmings , and the cliff just round the corner . 
Mr. Market . The stock market is difficult to understand . The guru , Warren Buffett , likes to describe the market as a person who is always ready to buy or sell you a business , but the problem with him is that he is very emotional . Buffett calls this person Mr. Market . On some days when Mr. Market is very happy , he sees everything in an optimistic light and he will sell you a business at a very high price . On other days , he will be depressed and can see only doom and gloom , and will sell you a business at a low price . You are free to transact with Mr. Market on any day , or not transact at all . He will always come back tomorrow and quote you a different price . Depending on his mood , the prices will be all over the place . You are free to take advantage of him , and buy a good business from him on his down days , or sell him a bad business when he is feeling on the top of the world . However , you should never be influenced by his mood , i . e . you too , start feeling super happy on days when he is also happy , and buy a lousy business from him at a high price . Millions of individual investors never understood this , so they never take advantage to buy a good business at a cheap price from Mr. Market when he is feeling sad , but instead , only buy from him when he is bright and sunny . 
Investment Philosophy and Process . An investment philosophy is a set of rules or guidelines that you abide to help you navigate through treacherous markets ( like the recent meltdown ) . Just as in life , most of us have moral principles that we abide , for e . g . we do not steal or commit adultery , we value life and are fillial to our parents , loyal to friends etc. In investment , you must also lay down the rules , and learn not to break them . Collectively , this set of rules and principles will be known as your investment philosophy and will serve you well in time to come . An investment process is the execution . It will determine how you start looking for stock ideas , when to buy them , when to sell , what are the maintenance research that you have to do etc. The investment philosophy that I subscribe to , is similar to that of the world 's greatest investor . I look for 1 ) Stocks that are cheap , i . e . trading below intrinsic value 2 ) Margin of Safety : chances of losing money are minimized 3 ) Stocks that pay dividends The investment process that I subscribe to , though not similar to the guru , hopefully make sense to most people 1 ) Observations in daily life to come up with stock ideas 2 ) Wait for a good time to buy ( i . e when the stock falls ) 3 ) Know when to exit in both cases where a ) things go as expected , b ) things did not go as expected Investment philosophy and process evolves over time and is different for everyone . A day trader will have another set of guidelines and process , but the most important rule is never to deviate from your own philosophy . In life , to stray away may give you temporary satisfaction , but never the peace of mind . In investment , to stray away may give you temporary rewards , but will not help you make money over the long run . 
Price to book . Besides the price earnings ratio , another widely use valuation metric is the price to book ratio , or PBR . This is simply price of the stock divided by its book value per share . The book value of a stock is also called its shareholders ' equity which is whatever that is left for shareholders after all its assets are sold and all its liabilities are paid off ( shareholders ' equity = assets - liabilities ) By right , a stock should never trade below its book value , because this means that we should sell everything the co. has , pay all its debt and distribute what is left back to shareholders , which is more than the stock price on the market . So theoretically , one can arbitrage when a stock trades below its book value . In reality , stocks do trade below book value for a variety of reasons , and as Warren Buffett learned , buying each and every stock below book value does not guarantee good return . 
The Efficient Market Hypothesis ( or EMH ) , its myth and reality . The Efficient Market Hypothesis states that stocks or other investment instruments always trade at their fair value ( or intrinsic value ) because investors always react rationally to new information entering the market and prices would instantaneously reflect this . Hence it is futile for people to try to beat the market ( i . e . try to earn more return than the average market return ) through stock - picking or by other means . The only way to earn higher return is through taking more risk . In everyday life , this is similar to saying it is very hard for you to find money on the ground while shopping along Orchard Road , because chances are someone has already picked it up . However , if the EMH is true , and nobody could beat the market , how do we explain Warren Buffett , or Peter Lynch ? These are people who has beaten the market for not 1 - 2 yrs but 20 - 30 yrs , and they made 20 - 30 % per annum , far higher than the average of 8 % . As with most things in life , I think the truth is somewhere in between . The market IS efficient and it is hard to find undervalued stocks , but there are people who are " six sigma events " , like Tiger Woods , Michael Jordan , Mother Theresa , Albert Einstein and Warren Buffett . With effort , practice and knowledge , we can still invest and make money , we may never earn 30 % p . a . but 8 % p . a . is not unachievable . 
Margin of Safety . The margin of safety ( probably coined by the guru or his predecessors ) is a concept of buying investments that are significantly cheaper than its intrinsic value . The key word here is " significant " . We need to buy with a margin of safety to minimize the risk of losing any money . Going back to my favourite analogy , let 's assume that our friend bought the golden tap to re - sell it to another buyer . According to his calculations ( see previous entry ) , which was the same as ours , the golden tap is worth $ 1060 , and he bought it for $ 1000 . So he could have sold the tap to another buyer who is willing to pay $ 1060 and he earns $ 60 . However as you can see , this trade does not have a margin of safety . What if the tap is actually worth $ 900 because our assumptions were wrong ? What if gold dropped 10 % the next day ? If he bought the tap for $ 500 , then the trade would have earned the praise of the guru himself , by having a good margin of safety . 
What is the intrinsic value of a golden tap ? The intrinsic value of a stock or an investment is its true or inherent value based on some valuation method and it is usually different from its market value . Going back to my favourite analogy of the golden tap , I would like to ask this question : what is the intrinsic value of a golden tap ? We know that the market value is S $ 1000 , well because someone paid that much for it . But is that its true or intrinsic value ? To calculate this , we make a few simple assumptions .1 ) The golden tap used 28 g or 1 ounce of gold 2 ) Manufacturing , processing cost is S $ 100 ( 10 % of S $ 1000 ) 3 ) Price of gold at the time of purchase was US $ 600 ( or S $ 960 ) per ounce Adding up the no . s , we have S $ 100 + S $ 960 = S $ 1060 , the intrinsic value of the golden tap according to my valuation method . So , our friend did not overpay for his golden tap . In our example , intrinsic value = market value , but in reality that is rarely the case , more often than not , market value is greater than intrinsic value . For luxury goods , like a Prada bag , market value is probably 10 - 20 times more than its intrinsic value , in my opinion . ( However , there are different valuation methods to derive at a product 's intrinsic value . Perhaps a Prada bag owner 's valuation method is something like : $ 10 cost of leather , $ 990 ability - to - show - the - world - I - own - a - Prada - bag ) . The goal of investing , is to find an investment which has an intrinsic value significantly higher than its market value . This kind of investing is also known as value investing , pioneered by Benjamin Graham and David Dodd and later Warren Buffett , the world 's most successful value investor . 
Won't you be my sugar doggie ? I think I mentioned this a while ago , but I don't feel like looking back right now , so if you know the first part of this , bear with me . A few months ago my dog , a miniature schnauzer , got very sick . He had the worst case of pancreatitis our vet had ever seen . His tests weren't just off the chart , they were way , way , way off the chart . So we did everything the vet told us and he seemed to get quite a bit better . The vet also told us things to watch out for , mainly lethargy and increased drinking and peeing . I started noticing both last Wednesday . At first , I thought it wasn't anything but my imagination because Mrs. Dave wasn't home and I was just being overly sensitive . But it didn't subside . So back to the vet we go . After doing some tests , he confirmed that our little fella is diabetic . The good thing is that we seem to have caught it very early , before it affected any of his organs adversely . The bad thing is that we now have to test his urine every day , and give him two shots every day , of which he is not very fond . I can't blame him . I had to give myself shots for a while earlier this year , and it 's no fun . But more fun is collecting his urine , which is especially tough when he lifts his leg to pee on the fence . The things we Americans do for our pets ! So , right now , he is a " healthy " diabetic , we just hope he stays that way . Dave . 
Are you kidding ? May 23 was my last post here ? Holy shite ! Well , I was busy for a while with the Howies in Vegas site for a while , then actually went to the conference , was busy as anything with work , then went to Sesame Place , worked another week , then went on vacation to Ocean City , MD . So I ' m back . I ' ll have photos of everything mentioned above soon . But I ' ve had a great time for the past month . Certainly better than it was two years ago when I was so sick . But the mom and baby are coming along well , just two months to go ! I don't remember who I ' ve told and who I haven't , but we 're having a little girl ! Our little boy wanted a brother , but he 's getting used to the idea of a sister . When we were tickled orange , we thought that it just wasn't meant for us to find out what gender the baby would be . But at a later sonogram in the doctor 's office , it was only too obvious what the baby was going to be . So anyway , that 's the big news from here at the moment . I ' ll be posting more regularly from now on . Dave . 
Go ! Go ! Gadget Camera ! Had some fun with my digital camera this weekend . We went to Baltimore 's Inner Harbor for the pre - Preakness celebration . There were hot air balloons and fireworks , etc. We took the kids down to see the balloons mainly and had a great time . There was a prom on one of the cruise boats , so there were a bunch of city kids in their tuxs and gowns . One thing I found strange was that many of the girls had flip - flops on . They looked new , but not like anything special , just flip - flops . But to each his / her own . Anyway , here are a few photos from that trip . I learned some things I hadn't realized about my camera . I found that the slow flash feature works really well for exposure , but you really , really need a tripod to do it right . Plus , I also got to use the fireworks setting for what it was intended . Here we go ... Ok , this isn't from that night , but it 's cool . It 's my boy playing Superman on a swing . Ok , now on to the harbor You will see in some photos people wearing pink bunny ears . Here 's why : It 's cool in the twilight to see the balloons fire One really cool thing they had down there was a balloon laying on its side , so you could walk into it . Big fans kept it inflated as much as it was . And here is a little more abstract shot , but still in the balloon . Here are a couple of shots of another balloon taken when it was getting darker . This one was fun from a photographic point of view . Yours Truly Then in another area a few other balloons were attempting to join in , but only one was successful because it was so windy . Then there were the fireworks using the fireworks setting on the camera . Nice , but I wish I had the tripod . Have fun ! Dave . 
Delayed = Denied ? What a headache - inducing day in court . After just waiting around for a couple of hours so the lawyers could get their acts together , everything is still a mess . The good thing is that the kids still live where they were living yesterday , that is , they were not returned to their numbnut and wackjob . The bad news is that both psychologists , who were to provide critical testimony , were sick with fairly serious health issues . So , because the Children 's Services lawyer didn't think they had a strong enough case without them , the decided to suspend the trial . What does that mean ? Well , this isn't really a criminal trial , because the evidence is all circumstantial and the " reasonable doubt " aspect comes into play . 3 year - olds aren't exactly reliable witnesses , too unfortunately . So , this is sort of like a lower - stakes trial , with the consequence being whether these two poor excuses for humans are fit to get their children back . Those psychologists were going to say " NO FRICKIN ' ( that 's a medical term ) WAY ! " There was a chance that they would get started with the proceeding yesterday and continue later , but later was going to be August , and that was just too long between hearings . So they suspended the trial . The result ? The charges are not dropped , but who knows how likely they are to have to ever go to trial on them . They may never have to face any legal repercussions because of it . But at least the kids are still safe and where they belong , though now the visitation , especially for the boy , is ridiculous . We can only hope they will face the music at some point . They ( numbnut and wackjob ) have to submit to mental health evaluations , too . THAT will be interesting , if we ever find out the results . This isn't some personality test , this is much more thorough , and hopefully , they ' ll find that they are both cracked . Then there 's the custody hearing . That may not happen for a year ! That 's a lot more fuzzy , but Mrs. Dave 's parents are going to try to get full custody . The good thing is that the social workers and psychologists are still 100 % behind us . They have all been clear and emphatic that these kids cannot go back to the situation they were in . So , we didn't win the battle , it was more of a draw - but we will win the war . Dave . 
Try to follow this ! Tomorrow the hearing regarding custody of my niece gets started . Just got a call from Mrs. Dave saying the key witness on our side of things is in the hospital and won't be available tomorrow . Blech . So , there probably won't be anything decided tomorrow , they ' ll just get things started . So anyway , I was trying to explain this situation to a coworker the other day and it gets complicated . So , without getting into anything too fancy I tried to solve the problem with this graphic . I ' m not sure if I nailed it , but it will at least give you an idea of what 's going on . I ' m sure that simply reading about it can get confusing . I know there 's a lot of letters down there , but once you get started , it should make sense . House - This is where my niece ( N ) , her father ( NF ) , his girlfriend and her son lived . To keep the structure parallel , Boy is B and his mother is BM . There are many other reasons to refer to her as a BM , but that 's another post . So , just for clarity , NF and BM are a couple that live together , but are not married . This is where a majority of the abuse of both kids took place . Red - Any relatives of my niece . Blue - any relatives of the boy . Gray Circle - My niece 's mother , now deceased . US - Literally us , Mrs. Dave and me . We are the Niece 's Maternal Aunt and Uncle ( NMAU ) GP - A set of Grandparents , on the boy 's side there is a GM and GF because they are no longer together . Orange Ring - This is the person that B told about the abuse that was going on . BPGF reported it to Chils 's services . Green Ring - This is where the children were initially placed after they were removed from the house . Purple Rings - Where N and B are now ( with their particular sides of the family ) L - This is a person or couple that has a lawyer involved in the hearing tomorrow . It 's dizzying even when you 're in the middle of it ! Dave . 
Illustration ( Last ) Friday - Under the ... Since I don't have enough time at lunch to do anything complex , so I closed my eyes and this was the first idea I had for the theme of Under the Sea Dave . 
Monday , June 12 th - Eric Foreman Saga . So all morning I battle the desire to reply to Eric Foreman 's " I ' m disappointed " E - mail . Battled and won ... and by won I mean lost horribly . Actually I did pretty good most of the morning . After talking with Cubedad last night , I had determined the best course of action was just to let it go until a fuck - up resulted from Eric Foreman 's inattention to this matter . Unfortunatly that fuck up would probably take the wonder - twins form of me being stuck in Salt Lake City riding a 3,000 dollar Am Ex bill . So there 's his E - mail . Sitting in my inbox , mocking me with its disappointment . Its implication that I ' m a whiney little bitch . Sure , I could have hit the delete button and banished it to the void . Maybe I even should have ( don't worry Cubedad , this isn't the part where I get fired ... dont need the dadster keeling over reading the blog ... I ' d feel guilty about that as I quit my job to live off my inheritance ) . But I didn't . About noon , I couldn't ake it anyore and sent a short reply . " Eric Foreman , I ' m sorry you 're disappointed . However , please understand that my intent was to point out a potential problem and solve it ahead of time vice waiting untl it reachd critical mass . " Simple , to the point and most importantly , lacking references to removing his vital organs through a drinking straw plunged into his torso . He sent back a much more acceptale reply , so maybe I caught him on a bad day or something . So yeah , it 's over . Not really a saga I guess . 
Weekend addendum - Stop Bitching About the Heat . Its hot . Its SO hot . Its so hot ... and its humid . I don't mind a dry heat but the humidity makes is so bad . Its so hot an muggy . Shut it . Just shut up . I am tired of hearing about how hot it is . Its summer idiots , this is what happens . You guys remember last year , how it was hot in the summer ? That 's how it works . In the summer , it gets hot . Don't like it ? Move to Canada , become a hockey fan and shut your cake tube . Talking about how hot it is only reminds me that it 's hot outside and for the moment - while I lay here naked in a tub full of ice - I ' ve managed to put that out of my mind . There 's a war in Iraq , a limited war in Afghanistan , Israel is just fucking up EVERYONE who messes with them ( go Jews ) , oil prices are setting record highs , Kim Jong Il is acting all nutso again ... and the headline story of the evening news is that its hot outside . Brilliant , absolutely brilliant . How is this news ? I walked outside to get the mail and my face melted ... I figured it out all on my own that it was hot . I cant believe its acceptable by the general population to have the fact that its hot outside reported to us . The media already thinks everyone except for me is an idiot . Are you going to put up with this America ? Of course you are , ya fat lazy bastard . Two years from now you ' ll be perfectly happy coming home from work and hearing the evening news start out with Dan Rather ( didn't he retire ... or die of cancer or something ... whatever ) saying " Thanks for joining us , our top story tonight is ... you 're an idiot " and some dumbass sitting in their beanbag chair taking a huge bong hit is going to nod and go " this could be an interesting story . " The next person who says something about the temperature gets punched in the neck . 
Friday , June 9 th - Everyone is Stupid Except For Me ( Part 5 ) . I swear . I fucking swear . I ' m just going to go work construction . I am not equipped with the bullshit facilities to deal with the corporate world . I ' ll go deliver pizza again . I ' ll go manage restaraunts again . That shit was easy . Forget the money . I ' ll be poor but happy , and get laid more regularly by barely legal hostesses . This is chronologically out of order , but I don't care . The blog is my outlet . Serenity now ... serenity now . So I sent an E - mail to my team lead ( Corporate Flunky ) and my boss ( Eric Foreman ) about some concerns I had with upcoming travel vouchers . I started a trip on June 25 th ( Baltimore ) and they have requested that I stay an additional week on top of the three week long trip , which turns this into a one month trip . Then I have a week back at the home office before departing for a three week trip to Salt Lake City . We ' ve talked about [ the primaries ] slowness in paying travel vouchers before , and this is what my concern arises from . So I have a corporte Am Ex card , which is in my name ... it 's my credit that gets hammered when I ' m late paying , and my credit is hammered enough as it is , believe me . This trip started June 25 th and ends July 21 st . I ' ll file my voucher on the 24 th , the first Monday I ' m back at the cube . It will take three weeks to get paid , which means the check shows up at my house on the 2 nd week I ' m out in Salt Lake City . So by the time I get home , it will have been two months since I started the Baltimore trip and started wracking up charges on my Am Ex . So I E - mailed my concerns to the above mentioned folk . I pointed out the fact that Am Ex will want their money sometime before the Salt Lake trip ends . Corporate Flunky was nice about it , but his message was clear ... not much we can do . No big deal . However , Eric Foreman sent the following : Cubeguy , I am disappointed to see this email ! Today is July 17 th and you are on travel . You have not sent in your expense reimbursement and you are preemptively complaining about a problem that may not even be a problem ! I would suggest that you promptly submit your expense report when you return . If you are not paid within the 3 weeks we will bring up the issue then . Thank You , Eric Foreman Yes bitches , that 's right . My boss is disappointed in me for bringing a potential problem to his attention . I ' m at my montly loss for words . Can you imagine this in different context ? Hey boss , I ' m worried the scaffolding my construction crew is working on might be about to fall apart ... do you think we can do something to shore up the works here ? No ! Don't complain about the scaffolding until it actually collapses , impales a spike into Bobs head and causes other injuries . I am diasppointed that you would complain about the safety of your fellow workers . My first impulse was to drive to Eric Foremans office and punt him through the nearest window . Luckily I talked to Cubedad and he calmed me down a bit . I ' m still highly pissed about the situation . Its my ass if I ' m out in Salt Lake City when Am Ex decides to cut off my Am Ex and I ' m sitting on a 2,500 dollar hotel bill . I ' m still feeling some shock and awe about his response and unsure if I should address it or let it ride . It would have been one thing if he had said " Don't worry about it dude , if it becomes a problem , we ' ll address it then , " but to say he 's disappointed in me for bringing up a potention problem ? What planet am I on ? Have I been anally violated by greys and placed in the Matrix ? 
Thursday , June 8 th - 200 th Post . Welcome to the 200 th post in my blog . There will be no celebration of any kind . So this is out of order chronologically , but right now I ' m up in Baltimore , which you ' ll hear all about in the weeks to come . Anyway , there 's this conference going on at the hotel . This annoys me , because my formerly peacefuly Hyatt Regancy is now crammed with 500 conference goers . So this conference apparently has something to do with financial planning ... like it 's one of those telemercial guys you see on TV at 3:00 AM when you 're all fucked up and you 're like hahaha that guy is such a fag . Turns out that fag has a six million dollar house , 42 cars , six boats and a plane , but fuck him . So this guy is giving some sort of lecture on financial planning , spending and the danger of buying on credit . I know this because I was riding in a packed elevator that was stopping on every floor and ask some ladies what the deal was ( yeah sorkers , I know , I was the annoying elevator conversation guy ... fuck you ) . They told me what his lecture was about . They tell me they came all the way from New Mexico . I ask if they paid for the trip on credit and they got this dumb look on their faces . People are amazingly stupid . They come to Baltimore to listen to some charismatic guy talk about not spending on credit , so they promptly plunk down their credit cards for a flight from New Mexico and a two night stay at one of the most expensive hotels in Balitmore Harbor . Brilliant . There 's a sucker born every minute ... along with a charismatic jackass happy to seperate them from their money . 
Wens , June 7 th - Back To Your Regularly Scheduled Blog . Putting yesterday 's drama behind us , we 're on to new , boring things in the the eighth floor cube . Today I ' ll be testing two lessons of the data entry course on a new computer . Its actually one of a set of computers ... the computers that are going to Baltimore . So I get about halfway through the testing and the computer crashes . I ' m typing along , talking to myself - which is a sign of impending mental collapse unless you 're a trainer - and the computer just shuts down . These things happen . Especially to me , because any electronic equipment that is exposed to me usually breaks . Normally it takes more than an hour , but whatever . I turn the computer back on , log back into windows and the computer promptly dies again . Now we have gone from my bad luck to something is broken . I turn the computer back on , it gets about halfway through loading windows and dies again . I go to report the problem . Helpdesk says they ' ll look at it when they get a chance . No problem ... take your time . Don't rush just because we might be about to install a dozen broke ass computers at the courthouse in Baltimore in a week and a half . I check for an update late in the afternoon and I ' m informed that the engineers are " looking at it " which is engineer speak for " we haven't touched it yet . " Some part of me admires the fact that , faced with a looming deadline for a major project , the engineering team is doing nothing at all . 
Tuesday , June 6 th - The Diplomat . Everyone loves Cubeguy . Unfortunately not everyone loves everyone else . I never intended this blog to be anything more than a ventilation shaft for my work day boredom and the occasional camera phone picture of one of my friends getting smashed and puking on a dog . Now it appears I have stepped between two squabbling factions of co - workers with a recent post . So anyway ... blah blah , stuff I cant talk about , stuff I cant talk about , boring day at work , mock training blah blah . I ' d take the blog underground for awhile , but I ' m to lazy to go create a second blog and inform half my readership where it is while having to create a " front " blogging operation for the other half so they didn't catch wind of the underground blog or get suspicious of the sudden demise of this blog ( which I threaten weekly anyway , with my lack of updates ) and go looking for it . I ' ve already confused myself typing that . Cubeguy retains his Switzerlandesque neutrality . All we do here is make chocolate and ski . Nothing to see here . Move along . 
Monday , June 5 th - Mock Training With Everyone Hates Eric . Next week I have to do the Court Administrator class ( about 4 - 6 hours ) so I ' m doing mock training with Everyone Hates Eric as my audience . I think some clarification is needed though . When you think of the word audience , you think of someone who is paying attention to the things you 're saying . Not so with Everyone Hates Eric . Everyone Hates Eric is working on stuff for his wedding , which takes place in three weeks . So I ' m basically training an empty room , because Everyone Hates Eric is writing a list of things to do in Huckleberry , West Virginia ( not really a city , but pretty much everywhere in West Virginia is Huckleberry ) . Knowing what I know about West Virginia , this should be a short list that consists of nothing more than " Find Bar , get drunk " but Everyone Hates Eric turns it into a four hour job . After I get bored of talking to an empty room , I comment that it 's lucky I ' m only teaching the Court Administrator class next week . Everyone Hates Eric says " I though you were doing the Data Entry course ( which is a three day class ) ? The court administrator from Baltimore already had the CA class . " So yeah , it turns out that while I was told a dozen times that I was only doing the CA class , I ' m actually doing the entire Data Entry class , which I ' ve hardly looked at . Go go communication ! Something used to be below this , but it got censored . Weak . 
Weekend Adendum - The Move . So I moved last week because my ( now ex ) apartment complex is run by idiots . The Roomate had decided about two months ago that he was going to move down to his lake house full time and give up an apartment in the city , so with much sadness we bid farewell to The Roomate . I ' m sure we ' ll still get together and get smashed from time to time . I ' m going to his wedding in October and I ' m sure that will produce many interesting stories . So what had happened was this . About six weeks ago we turned in our move out notices . However , after thinking about how much I hate moving , I decided I was going to stay in the same crappy apartment and look for a new roommate , so I went down to the leasing office and told them I was going to stay , go month - to - month on my lease for a month until I could find a new roommate and then we ' d come sign a new lease . Finding a roommate is not hard in the DC area as people are constantly coming and going . So I talked to a couple of dudes and found a guy I liked well enough to allow him to live with me . We go to the leasing office so he can pick up an application and while he 's filling it out dumbass leasing guy asks " So what size apartment do you guys want ? " I look at him for a second , then say " ummmm , about the same size , location , floor and apartment number as the one I have now . " He says " Oh , we already re - leased that one , so we ' ll have to move you . " I ' m like ... you don't get it . The whole point of me staying at this poorly managed apartment complex is so I dont have to move . So why dont you just give whoever is supposed to move into my apartment a different one . " Because we already signed a 12 month lease with them . " Now , I ' m sure there are a couple of people out there to whom this makes perfect sense . Most of them have something metallic lodged in their brain and take their meals through a straw . I try to explain that as long as its the same size and shape apartment ( and as the complex has over 800 units , this shouldnt be an issue ) it doesnt really matter which apartment they give the new people ... and that I ' m not staying if I have to move to a different apartment . So after spending 30 minutes trying to explain to dumbass why I shouldn't have to move and him looking at me like I ' m speaking Farsi the guy who was going to move in has heard all he needs to hear . He walks out . So do I. I tell him good luck and go hit up Craiglist . So anyway , Taco Guy and I along with a pair of illegals move my shit over the weekend . Taco Guy found two day laborers to help us out for 10 dollars an hour so we mostly watched these guys carry my heavy shit around . This is possibly the best decision I ' ve ever made and I have to give Hot Mandi credit for the idea . The cheapest movers in the yellow pages wanted 30 dollars an hour plus gas for their truck . I got these guys for 10 dollars an hour and two # 1 combo meals at Wendy 's . Best 120 dollars I ever spent . So now I live in a house out in Falls Church . Got the master bedroom and a private bath for 700 dollars a month . Nice to be in a house again , and have a yard with a deck . Got two roommates , the Attorney and Budwieser , plus the Attorney 's dog , Indy . So yeah . I moved . 
Friday , June 2 nd - Attempt to Work Aborted . Hot Mandi and I really need to have our work on the JCON project at [ the new department ] done today . We head over to the Glass Case of Stupid and report to the first floor training room where we are met with retardary . For a week now , we ' ve been given the " one more day " treatment in regards to the computer with the current image being moved to the training area . For the past few months , it has resided up on the 23 rd floor . Recently , it was unplugged and all the various parts commonly used for data input and viewing ( mouse , keyboard , moniter , etc ) had been removed and stacked neatly nearby . This causes a problem . Forget for a minute that there is a simple answer to this problem ( namely , just plugging it all back in again ) , because there is never a simple answer to any question when working for the government . We go to see the guy in charge of JCON stuff to find out why the computer is unplugged ( this happened last Monday ) . He says " we 're getting ready to move it downstairs to the training room . " Okay , fair enough , give us a call later today when its done . So now it 's Friday . The JCON imaged computer is still sitting in it 's former location on the 23 rd floor , in it 's new stauts ( unplugged ) . I wonder why it takes four days to move a 25 pound computer , it 's 15 pound flat panel moniter and its associated cables and hardware to a different floor . Then I remember where I work . I give up at this point . Its Friday and other people cant be bothered to move a computer down a few floors . Down in the training room , which is managed by yet another contractor , we 're told that they 're waiting on [ the primary ] to come clear off a table currently occupied by a laptop , a few odds and ends of hardware and some random paperwork before they can install the desktop we need . So apparently the four day hold up is based on [ the primary 's ] lack of ability to communicate with someone who can go take five minutes to dump a bunch of junk into a box and move it ten feet . Luckily this is my last day working on JCON crap . Next week I start mock training on CASE . For all I know , the imaged JCON computer was never set up . 
Thursday , June 1 st - Stealing CBT . First , yes , I know the dates got jacked up a few weeks ago and I just now caught it . Actually other people caught it , and E - mailed me about it so thanks for noticing and now stop bothering me about it . So we 're these two guys I work with , Korean with Korean Name and Korean with American Name , are computer based training developers . They 're actually very good at what they do , which makes me wonder why they haven't quit and gone to a bigger company that could pay them more . Anywho , today they handed out this list of about 100 companies who are involved in creating computer based training . They want us to check out 5 - 10 sites each and provide them some feedback on what we thing of each company 's CBT process so they can model off of it and pitch it to some higher ups at [ my company ] in the hopes of us using it to win more CBT contracts . In short , we 're being asked to go out and find good computer based training development companies ... and steal their shit . They took me to lunch at Five Guys , which goes a long way to convincing me that I should spent my valuable work hours finding things for them to steal instead of obsessing over my fantasy basketball team . I spend a few hours helping them out and find a few things worth looking at and a lot of things that suck pretty bad . I wonder if this is how smaller companies do things ? I ' ve only worked for the big boys in the past , so I don't really know if stealing other peoples shit is cool for smaller companies like the one I work for . We 're not really stealing their material , we 're stealing the process they use to develop their material . Its not like I read a Stephen King novel , changed my name to Steven King , Xeroxed his shit , and then tried to sell it as mine . More like I wrote a book about a really mean dog named ... Pujo , and he 's got some people trapped in a ... Dodge Durango . Or maybe it 's not like that at all . Who cares . I just think it 's funny that two guys I work with asked me to spend my day looking for things for them to steal . 
Monday , May 30 th - No Problem , Its Only 900 Dollars . So I ' ve bitched about travel vouchers enough that it 's almost not even fun anymore , but this one is a real kick it the baby makers . I had already moved over to [ the new department ] after completing the 2 nd half of the St. Louis / Little Rock trip . I needed to get that voucher over to TNG at the old department , so I shot him an E - mail to find out what he wanted to do . Amazingly , a simple solution that did not involve me having to drive all of DC in search of people presented itself . TNG was having a meeting with the project manager of [ the new department ] over dinner , so if I could just put the voucher and receipts in a big envelope and give it to the project manager , it would get to TNG later that evening and he ' d get it to where ever it needed to go . I was somewhat concerned about this , as it required me to rely on two people who aren't me to not fuck up the process of having a meeting and passing an envelope from one to the other . But I had faith . TNG had done a fairly good job at [ the old department ] and even though the PM at [ the new department ] is a tool , I figured it would work out okay . WRONG ! So I find out today that my travel voucher has been sitting on Travel Lady 's desk for the past three weeks , doing nothing because Travel Lady has been in the hospital or at home recovering from being in the hospital . Normally it takes about three weeks at a minimum for a voucher to get paid , so I really had not started watching for the check . However , keep in mind that right after the St. Louis / Little Rock trip , I left for two weeks in Armpit , AZ . Because I was not at the office , the voucher was turned in two weeks later than normal . Begin three weeks of sitting on Travel Lady 's desk . So now we 're at five weeks of not being paid and we 're at what I like to call Phase One of pissing off Am Ex . During Phase One , Am Ex is in kind but concerned mode . " Hey Mr. Cubeguy , we just wanted to let you know that you ' ve got 900 dollars in overdue charges on your card . We understand you might be waiting on travel reimbursement so if you can pay those charges off as soon as possible , we ' d appreciate it . " So I ' m actually pretty pissed off about this . This is not one of those silly little things that the government or primary does that just annoy me enough to put it in the blog . This is a serious , you 're fucking with my money thing . This is a someone who is not me has seriously screwed the pooch problem . Its one thing for me to fuck up my life . I do that with some degree of regularity . Its another when someone else does it for me . The Primary has promised to " expedite the voucher " which means it will probably take 20 days instead of 25 for them to pay it . By that time , Am Ex will be in Phase Three , the phase where black helicopters buzz my house late at night shining search lights in my window . I don't like this phase . Big daddy needs his sleep . P . S . The spell checker for blogger . com things blog is a misspelled word . Everyone is stupid . 
Friday , May 27 th - Value Added and More on Buzzwords . Value Added is probably the buzz word that I hate the most due to it 's frequent overuse . I hate hearing people go on and on about value added . Most people have no idea what it means , they just say it because everyone else is saying it . Value Added is a pretty simple concept . It means getting something extra without paying extra for it . For example , if I buy 10 oranges for 3 dollars and turn them into orange juice and sell that juice for 10 dollars , I ' ve got value added . If I tack the word " organic " onto the orange juice - which makes it more appealing to hippy dumbasses - and add a dollar per carton to the price , I ' ve got value added . I have enhanced my base product , oranges , before offering it to my customers . Pretty simple concept . The fact that it 's a simple concept wont stop managers and even working stiffs from using it constantly to refer to just about everything regardless of whether it 's actually vaule added or not . That 's the great thing about buzzwords . You really can't use them incorrectly because they don't really mean anything . If you 're bored at a corporate meeting full of buzz - word using stiffs , get some equally disenchanted friends together before the meeting and plan out a game of buzzword bingo . Everyone selects five buzzwords and the first person to fill them all is the winner . Its best play play for something that gives value added to the work day , like drinks . I encourage people to create their own buzzwords , use them in a meeting , and see if anyone questions what you said . The best way to make a buzzword is to take a noun and combine it with a prefix such as re , de , or un and then add the suffix ing . Reimagining Unsiloing Destove piping Relayering To create a buzz phrase , simply combine a few buzz words into a teamwork sounding phrase by making sure the word " we " appears somewhere in the phrase you use . " We need to look at relayering the IT department so we can achieve maximum unsiloing . " " By reimagining the current line of products to work on a broader selection of platforms , we can destove pipe our product line . " The reason that mid - management hacks and other supervisory people love buzz words and buzz phrases so much is because they 're essentially meaningless . They don't really lack meaning so much as they lack definition . I know what the phrase " we need to look at relayering the IT department so we can achieve maximum unsiloing " means , but you may not think it means the same thing I do . So , when we actually relayer the IT department and unsiloing does not occur , I just say " that 's not really what I ment ... " and thus am absolved of blame . 
Wens , May 24 th - Well , It Works . The more time I have to work with the CASE software , the more I realize it sucks . But let me be clear . It doesn't all suck . There are some aspects of it that show considerable upside over it 's predecessor . There are some areas that are going to speed up user productivity . CASE is also supposed to be the first step towards a " paperless " government . Yeah , they 're hitting the crack pipe like a dime hooker who won 50 bucks on a scratch - off lotto ticket , but having less paperwork and more software is still better than what we 're dealing with right now . That being said , there are an incredible amount of small errors in the software ... and it 's these little things that turn users off . For example , when entering a new case into the system , you have to input the charge ( s ) against the alien . The most commonly used charge is 212 A 06 ai ... Alien in US without permission . However , in the system , the charge reads Alien is US without permission . Many of the notices and orders that are commonly used are full of misspellings and type - Os . Just because I like to call out half - assed work , the company that did the programming for CASE is PEC . I know I ' ve said it before , but I would be embarrassed if I had put this heap of code on the shelf . If I were running this project at PEC , there 's not a snowballs chance in hell that this program would have been handed over to the government as complete . The worst part is that PEC is proud of it . They 're okay with the rate at which they correct glaring errors ( six months to never , per error ) . The government , spending your tax money , once again backed themselves into a corner on this contract though . They told PEC that the software would be complete when it could do everything the software that came before it could do . It currently does . It 's glitchy . It 's written in a poor choice of programming languages . It shits the bed for no reason from time to time and is VERY reliant on network speed ( because it 's a web - based program ) . If the network is slow , CASE is slow . But it works . So now , anytime the government wants something changed , they have to ask for a product enhancement . Most of these enhancements are actually just things that should have been done a different way the first time , but now , instead of being able to tell PEC " Hey , section ( x ) works , but it would work a lot better if you did ( y ) instead " and having PEC do it , the gov has to pay PEC to make an enhancement . Here 's an example . The court runs lots of various reports . These reports are all located into the Reports module . You use a series of drop - down menus to drill down through the various pages of reports until you find the one you want , but the reports are not always located in obvious drop - down menu options . So lets say I pick the Court Reports category , the other reports sub - category and then the inquire by immigration judge from the " inquire by category . There 's nothing that tells me what reports are located in that menu . If I don't find what I ' m looking for , I have to start all over again , picking a category , a sub - category and criteria to inquire by . When I finally get where I want to go , I get a list of reports ranging from 5 to 25 reports long . Instead of clicking the report to access it , I have to look across the page to a 2 nd column which says " click to view report . " In every class I ' ve given or seen given , the users have asked " why don't you just click the report to access it ? " and I get to say " yeah , that would have been the smart thing to do , but that 's not how it works . " So I know a bunch of people have submitted trouble tickets to make that change but the gov will have to pay PEC an " enhancement feature " fee just to make the software suck less . Good going contracts managers ! 
Another blow . So yet again , a new low . With the events of the last 48 hours in Lebanon , and those of the last two weeks in Gaza , and the official response of those who claim to speak in my name , I am no longer able to even slightly hold my head up in pride . Not that I could in general , but this was a low blow , ' malha lzoom ' , a ' drop kick ' as they say in Australia , below the belt . Laying the blame on the victim is a new low we had not reached prior to this . But it is now official , just call us , or rather re - confirm us , as the 52 nd State . The Bahrainis have gone on a protest march . God bless ' em . I was on the verge of writing that these types of marches in the street are the least potent form of protest . But ' potent ' is not the relevant word in the last sentence . I almost descended into the depths of the kind f pessimism which is now , and has always been , sadly , expected of us . Thank you from my bleeding heart , and from many bleeding hearts in the heart of the land of Islam and Arabian unity , thank you to those who protest on our behalf . And may peace be restored to our brothers and sisters . 
Let them eat cake and cooperate ! Whenever any of my conversations veers seriously towards books and what is or is not a good read , I can barely conatin my excitement as I mention Robert Axelrod 's " Evolution of Cooperation " . While a scientific book written in the mid - 1980 's seems a longshot for the prize of most captivating suggestion , it did nothing short of changing my life . Well , sort of . I didn't start wearing robes or some such , but a certain degree of clarity was gained , and I would like to live long enough to see the book made cumpulsory reading througout all institutions of education here in the Kingdom . We need it , and I ' ll briefly explain why . The book 's premise is quite staright forward : to model the behaviour of agents in an iterated prisoner 's dilemma , and to determine which pattern of behaviour results in the most beneficial outcome . Some definitions : - Agent : any actor in a situation ( human , institution , nation , etc ) interacting with another . - iterated prisoner 's dilemma : a sitaution where one agent is faced with the prospect of interacting with another agent , without prior knowledge of that agent 's move ( cooperate or defect . See below ) - cooperate : act is such a way as to maximise gains to both agents , even if personal gain decreases - defect : act in such a way that maximises personal gain , leaving counterpart with little or nothing . A computer simulation was set up . The objective was to model the results of a competition whereby a dozen or so different agents with different ' strategies ' would compete to see who scored the highest points after 50 iterations , or rounds , of interaction with each other . Strategies ranged from the ' always defect ' , to ' always cooperate ' , to random moves , to semi - random defection , etc. , and several scientists , logicians and game theorists were invited to submit their programs . What was surprising was that the simplest strategy , or program , won ! It was a program called ' tit - for tat ' . Its stategy was : to cooperate on the first move , then to act exactly as the counterpart acted in the previous move . What this means is this : for example , if you and I are agents engaged in , say , business deals , and every business transaction is a ' move ' , then I would cooperate ( act honestly ) on the first move . If you had done the same , I would again act honestly on my second move . If you had defected ( cheated me ) , I would then cheat you on the next move , and so on ad infinitum or until the sequence of moves is halted . The examples are endless . It transpired that tit - for - tat was the most robust strategy , even during the second round of competition , where more scientists submitted their programs , AND where they had access to the results of the first round ! The significance of this mathematically abstract concept for us in our beloved Kingdom is that we never cooperate ! We see this in the way we drive in the streets , in our government departments , in our day to day offerings . We have the notion of defection so engrained into our psyche that it seems almost impossible to shake off . Of course , this is a generlisation , but I believe it an accurate one . Nobody will ever take the lead in acting altruistically , ever ! We are tought that if you cooperate on your first move , you 're naive , " galbak abyadh " , you 're going to get cheated . And that , sadly , is what happens . The culture of cooperation , prevelant in many Western and Eastern cultures , is nowhere to be found here . Psychologically draining , socially exclusive , and culturally grotesque , it is the way things are done . This could probably be attributed to the scarcity of resources before modernity swept across the desert . But that is for another discussion . I ' ll leave you with the title of the author 's sequel ( a sequel worthy , if not better , than the original ) : " The Complexity of Cooperation " , where monitoring of cooperatin is accounted for ( and yes , even monitroing the monitors ) . Until next time , be kind and cooperate . 
In the beginning ... Dear readers , Bravey is in the air tonight so allow me a duel . I ' ve started this blog for reasons which I guess are similar to all other bloggers ' : a vent for thoughts , a chance to rant , communication , sponsorship deals , adoration of the masses , etc. I ' ll use English , though I am a native of this beloved Kingdom and other , cooler climates . What you will find in here won't necessarily contain treasure maps , rare pearls of wisdom , or advice on the stock market ( damn that market to hell ! ) . They will be the sound of something most akin to the ravings of a mad viking in the desert ( a little known fact is that the vikings actually sailed over here , decided there was just too much dust getting in their hair , and so sailed back ) . I look forward to future posts by everybody . Shakireena lakum 7 usn istima 3 ikum , Mookhi . 
Blind by the Dolls . This morning I posted a song from ' ' The Dresden Dolls ' ' . That is me being sorrowful again but whatever . Yesterday was such a blast for me . First , I went on this TOTALLY blind date . I dont know how he looks like and etc. I only know him by the name , Jay , and thats it . Thanks to D for hooking us up . This Jay guy is not your typical everyday Joe . He is quite complicated in a way . Not to say he is problematic , no , but he is a guy with a very critical mind . He thinks too much and he has alot of thoughts or views about stuffs . Which is very intresting . I like smart people . There are more to talk about not only limited to fashion and make up . As some of you already know I am a very talkative person . I dont enjoy ' silent moment ' at all . I will feel uneasy . D was actually surprised that I can talk with him for ages , especially with a ' stranger ' like him . He was surprised because we can talk about anything / everything but not the sexual bits . Well we do talk about it but only here and there . Not to details . You know when you are running out of topics , you will start talking about sex because that is the easiest way out , but we didn't . Its all about things around us . Appearance wise , he is presentable . He is more of a grungie type ( not trashy ! ) . He just cut his hair a day before . He told me that his hair was long . Thank God he cutted it or else I dont know . Lol . Oh he has this cute pouty lips . He doesnt smile that often , but when you are with me I will make you smile no matter what ! His smiles are beautiful . After hours with him , I finally call it a day . He is a smart , presentable guy . But will I fall for him ? I dont know . Maybe I should go out with him for the second time ? I dont know . As I am not in the mood to settle down with anyone at the mo . And I told him that . I sent him back to the nearest LRT station , and he was expecting me to give him a kiss goodbye , but that is not my way of doing stuff . So he left the car and I have to rush back home because tonight is the night ! PUSSYCAT DOLLS LIVE IN KLI have to get ready and picked up my biatch ( Farah ) and her friends from the Islamic prison . I am all glamourous ( but came out trashy ) for tonight . But the thing is , we havnt buy the tickets yet . And the time was already 7 pm and the concert starts at 8 ! Thank God one of Farah 's friend was already there . She bought the tickets for us . Farah got interviewed by a Singaporean televison show called Rated E . We went in , it was really pack . Reshmonu did the opening act . He knows how to work the crowds . And after that here come the pussies !! Argh !! I cant believe it ! They are so fucking HAWT ! And the way they dressed up were WHOA ! Damn skimpy ! I dont how they get to perform in Malaysia ( You know how Islam the government is = P ) . Its like a live strippers show . Whatever ... me love it love it ! ~ So we danced , grooved and sing along with them . The crowds were crazy ! So do we . Lol . I think not so many people bought their album . They only know the top 4 singles like Don Cha , Beep , Buttons and Stickwithu . So when they start singing other songs some of the people like go , Huh ? And I think that is the reason why they end the show early . Seriously I think its quite short . I dont like the way they end it . There is no encore . Terima Kasih Malaysia and ciau . It sucks . Overall it was a great concert but not that great thanks to the ending bits . I really enjoy my day yesterday . I really do . Hawt - ness . ^^ . 
PCD 2006 . Finally we got our tickets , on time ! Where the magic happened , Sunway Lagoon Resort Before the show starts ( fuck my hair ! ) Before the show starts part deux ( seen here with Dya and Ainaa ) And the show begins , here come the Pussies ! The Pussies in action , y ' all It was crazzzzyyyy The Aftermath , sligthly dissapointed ( and freaking thristy ) on how they end the show In my car , we were stuck at the car park for 1 freaking hour . That 's like longer than the concert . Both of us has gone bananas . B - A - N - A - N - A - S ! . : : END : : . 
I want a : coin operated boysitting on the shelf he is just a toybut i turn him on and he comes to lifeautomatic joythat is why i want a coin operated boymade of plastic and elastiche is rugged and long - lastingwho could ever ever ask for morelove without complications galoremany shapes and weights to choose fromi will never leave my bedroomi will never cry at night againwrap my arms around him and pretendcoin operated boyall the other real ones that i destroycannot hold a candle to my new boy and i ' llnever let him go and i ' ll never be alonenot with my coin operated boythis bridge was written to make you feel smittenerwith my sad picture of boy getting bitterercan you extract me from my plastic fantasyi didn't think so but i ' m still convinceablewill you persist even after i bet youa billion dollars that i ' ll never love youwill you persist even after i kiss yougoodbye for the last timewill you keep on trying to prove it ? i ' m dying to lose iti want iti want youi want a coin operated boyand if i had a star to wish onfor my life i cant imagineany flesh and blood could be his matchi can even take him in the bathcoin operated boyhe may not be real experienced with boysbut i know he feels like a boy should feelisn't that the point that is why i want acoin operated boywith his pretty coin operated voicesaying that he loves me that he 's thinking of mestraight and to the pointthat is why i wanta coin operated boy . : : The Dresden Dolls : : . 
Men and Cars . We always fall in love ( or should I say lust ) with someone quite often that sometime it sucks . It sucks more when the first thing you thought was a beauty is not that beauty after all . Men are like cars . I had a great chat with my online friend , K , just now . How we see men like how we see cars . You see cars come in different shapes and sizes . So does men . There are also ugly and good looking cars . So does men again . I , myself , before this always fall in love with the goodlooking men . The men that instantly caught my attention . Without looking or observe him in details . Whether he is good or not I don't give a damn . As long he is gorgeous . Not anymore ! I tend to see the person inside out . It doesnt matter if he is not that goodlooking at first but I will love him and his appearance more as time goes by . Lets take 2 of the biggest automotive companies in the world . Mercedes - Benz and BMW . You see they are both from Germany but they are not the same at all . I will tell you why . Mercedes - Benz is a car that totally caught your attention when you see it in the concept . That is way before you even driving it . It was a beauty . But once it is on the road you can see alot of flaws from the car . It is not as good as you think it is . BMW on the other hand is always the ugly duckling . People will criticise on how it looks during its concept era and even after it was first launched . Not alot of people appreciates the design . Examples like the new 5 and 7 series . People just hate it . But as time goes , after you know it inside out , after you driving it and after you observe every single line of the car your love will grow . And that explains the sales of BMW for this past few years . I might sound a bit bias but its the reality . Ask around . So I want to find a man like BMW not a Merc . Sick of being with Merc - Men . And then K asked me another interesting Q . If you are a car , what would it be ? What brand ? My answer is ... A Maserati . In case you guys dont know or familiar with this car , Maserati is an Italian marque . It is under the same company as Ferrari , so they are kind of related in a way . The reason I chose this car because , it takes some ' Real ' people to appreciate this kind of beauty . Not everyone will buy this car . Not everyone will even have Maserati on their wishlist . Why would you pay the same amount of money for this when you can get a Ferrari ? A Maserati , like me , is not an instant beauty . It takes me years to like this car . Its kind of butt - ugly to me at first . People dont go WOW when they see my on the street . It will take them sometimes to appreciate me for who I am . So does this car . We are rare and unique . You dont see a Maserati quite often on the road don't you ? And there is only one Buzz in this world . So that is why I said it takes some Real people to love this car or people like me . I cannot wooo you in a glance . Sit down , talk to me , have a cuppa and you will know . Men and cars . There are some similarities in some way . Stupid K , he said he is the Hyundai Coupe . I think Hyundai Coupe is the most ugliest car ever . No matter how you look at it ! It is not even reliable ! I always throw those tiny rocks at it everytime I have the chance . K , you are not ugly as a Hyundai okay ! Don't degrade yourself . We are all beautiful ( except Hyundais ! ) , If you are ugly , so do I. Lol . So , which type of men are you looking for ? A Merc or a Beemer ? ; ) . 
G ' day Today . I promised Farah my biatch a . k . a my brother 's girlfriend to help her escape ( temporarily ) from her prison ( she 's in this International Islamic University by the way ) . Before I left the house J . C my man , called me . Oh my god , after 3 months or so now only call for lunch ? Usually when I call him he will say no mood or busy with the girlfriend . He left me after he got a girlfriend . Blergh . So anyway we picked up Farah and hits to Bukit Bintang ( BB ) . My favourite spot . Thought of eating at Starhill but we didn't because there are no people to see . So we went to Dome at Lot 10 instead . I love that place . I can sit there the whole day watching the world goes by . Watching people y ' all . Lol . We ordered and I got a phone call from D . He is coming to BB as well . He asked me alone to wait for him at the bus stop right next to the Oris shop . Regarding the crisis the other day it was all settled . Saw him coming , went into the car and guess what . He finally found our Singaporean song . Well it 's not from Singapore but it reminds us of Singapore . It 's by the Bitch Hotel and the song called Do you wanna dance . We screamed our head off . Lol . So happy . Finally after 1 week plus we found the song . ( Thanks to Ivan .. hee ) So we ( Me , D , J . C and Farah ) happy happy chat away at Dome . Drinking , eating , shitting ? No I ' m joking bout the last bit . = P Anyway pictures time ( no alot of em ) . That 's Farah my biatch aka my bro 's girlfriend . Lol . Shes so sweet . But watch out . You ' ve been warned . Lol . J . C my man . We had such a wonderful time before until one day that , that , that girl ( I ' m being nice here ) steals him away from me . Anyway its good to have / see him back . We plan to have a Japanese buffet at Jogoya ( Starhill ) soon . After eating of course there 's the dessert . I am craving for Lecka Lecka for quite sometimes . So we went and buy some . Of course I had my favourite . Baby Blue . Gosh when I ate this I thought of someone . If only he is here . Lol . He loves this too . You know who you are . ; ) After all that shizz . Fuck ! What happened to Farah . I forgot she has to go back to her Islamic prison . So have to cover up . She looks like a Casper now . Lol . And J . C looks horrid here . Trust me he is freaking gorgeous in real life . I look fat here and fuck I cannot stand my hair anymore ! No pics of D cause he is not a big fan of camera . We had fun . I will be seeing my biatch again tomorrow for the Pussycat Dolls concert . Arghh !! Cant wait and J . C soon for the buffet . Till then ~ . 
Finally I called him And I felt really good More better knowing that he is doing alright too I gave him a lil ' surprise ' tonight Sure is shocking eh ? Dont worry I have already burn the CD for you Just wait for it Try to guess which hottie I am talking bout = ) . 
Things to do before I head to bed ... Quiz time . On How Do People Sees Me . Slow and Steady Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy . They see you as very cautious , extremely careful , a slow and steady plodder . It ' d really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment . They expect you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then usually decide against it . How Do People See You ? Geez so true ! 
l . i . f . e . Its true what people said . Life do begins at 60 . I just came back from my uncle 's 60 th birthday party . It was held at Holiday Villa Subang Jaya . Very posh . It wass like watching Mtv Sweet 16 but instead of 16 his is 60 ! Ahh ... everything is money . Its good to have loads of them ~~ My whole family were there . I will show you guys some of my family members . Even though my dad was missing in action and my sister has joined her other cousins playing dont know where . So again I will let the pictures do the talking . Everyone been asking me where is my 3 rd brother , they never see him before , hes like the outcast , yada yada blah blah blah . Well people , for the first time making his rare appearance , that is my 3 rd brother , Riza . At the back is my beloved Mum . Love you mucho ! ( See my dad was missing again ! ) My favourite ( and the only thing I ate ) dish of the night . Sharkfins soup . J ' adore it !! Sorry PETA . I support you with the KFC but not sharkfins . Lol . They are buzzalicious !!! Other dishes are crap . That 's me . Feeling disapointed and pissed . Disapointed because the food sucks man . Like totally ! Even the prawns were not fresh !! Pissed because of the freaking bad B . O coming from the freaking waiter ! Geez !! ( I seriously need a haircut but when I called Toni & Guy today they said my stylist is on vacation . Chilaka ! ) Okay ... Run out of pictures already . Lol . So basically tonight was great but been let down by the food and the smells . Hey dont look at me as if I ' m a spoilt bitch or something . Ask everyone they will tell you the same . Those waiters do smell and the food wasnt as good as we thought it would be . Ewrgh ! After everythings over , my another aunt , who cant make it tonight called my mum . My cousin has involved in a motorcycle accident . He had gone through operation which to me sounds really really BAD . We will visit him tomorrow to see who is he doing . So the lesson for tonight are , 1 ) Make sure all the food served are fresh . I think Im gonna have a Dior - rhea now .2 ) Make sure your freaking waiters smell good . It turns people off man ! 3 ) Money can buy all this things , but please do take a good care of yourself . As money cant buy life ! Till then . 
Would You , Could You ? D called . I thought it was just a normal call . Hey , whatchu doing kind of stuff . But no . He went all Emo on me . I thought he just act it up , so I just laugh all the way . Until he got a bit serious . What the F is wrong with him ? I don't know . He asked me , Why can't I take him as one of my boyfriend ? Why can't I sleep with him ? What is so good about my other exes that is not available in him ? Why I always laugh when he is being all serious ? Why this and why that ? The answer to all of the above , for me , is easy . He is my friend . And I don't do friend . Itis not the matter of how good you are or what are you lacking of that my boyfriends have . No. It 's because he is my friend . YOU ARE MY FRIEND . He went all emo and just hung up . Saying stuffs I don't care about him la whatever . So guys I need your opinions here . Let say if your closest friend came up and say this kind of thing to you ( straight or gays ) . What say you ? Or even better ... Would you ? Could you ? 
l . o . v. e . What is love ? Can anyone tell me what is love ? Everybody seems to utter the word I love you , so often that it makes a blink of an eye a second slower . But tell me people . What is love ? See . None can give me the exact meaning of it . I have ask around yet still no answer . They keep on saying love is undefined . If love is undefined why does it has place in the dictionary ? Me , myself until today has no luck when it comes to love . Of course I had some relationships back then but all were too short to be true . Is it me or is it the people ? I dont know . Call me fussy or picky . But am NOT . If I am fussy or picky , would I ever dated any of my exes or flings ? No I dont think so . They are not the super goodlooking , super smart or filthy rich people . They are just the normal ones . Yet I was with them . And I enjoy it very much ! even though there were some fucked up moments . I think the problem comes from me as not everyone can appreciate my attitude . I have to admit on that one . I am extremely honest , the very ' dont - give - face ' kind of person . I will tell you straight what I think . No pretense , no gloss . And most of the people I know ( including some friends ) never approve this kind of attitude . They called me BITCH . Sometimes I just don't get what human wants . They hate it when we fake it . They hate it more when it 's real ! So I am out of words for this issue . For me it is either you take it or leave it . I ain't going to change . Anyway , back to the love topic . I don't have any preferences when it comes to men . I don't care who they are as long they are presentable . Of course it will be a plus if he is goodlooking , right ? Oh yeah there is one thing I want my man ( or boy ) to have . A good communication skill . This is a must , as I like to talk , not only about the hair products , fashion or facial stuffs but also know what is going on in the world . So the conversations will be unlimited . Last but not least , they DO NOT have to be rich or trying to be nice by buying me extravagant stuffs . I mean a gift sometimes will be sweet , but not all the time . I can afford myself . Honey , its not your cash , cards and diamond rings I want . Its YOU . BMW 650 i = $ 800,000 . Bell & Ross BR 01 = $ 20,000 . YOU = Priceless . Its easy right ? My love don't cost a thing . See I enjoy simple people with simple life . But why am I still single ? Am I trying to hard ? Does the Eros hates me until he cannot be bothered shooting some arrows of Love on me ? People said just let the ball rolls . Don't go for it . The more you go for it the furthest it will go away from you . That sounds exactly like the Malays mentality here , when it comes to the exams . Don't work hard for it , chill a little , just pray really hard , of course Allah will give you some blessing and you will pass . BOLLOCKS !! For me If I want something I have to work on it . I cannot just sit or sleep around until one fine day my Prince Charming comes and rescue me . I have to do something about it . Sigh . Love Love Love . Its the sickest thing to think . Especially when you are a class A loner . I am such an emo buzztard . Call me a whinner . But blogs are for whinning anyway ! ~ . 
Wow . I cannot believe it . 3 years on . And we are still together . She may not be the coolest or the hippest chic in town but for me she is everything . She is the bomb ! Hopefully this friendship will last forever . Buzz & Elaine . BEST FRIENDS FOREVER . ^^ . 
Happy 20 th Lady E ! Something is wrong with the blogger . com so this post was meant for yesterday 's Wednesday , July 19 th . Anyway . Woke up quite early today ( yesterday by now = P ) . Thanks to D . He was bored so I have to accompany him for a bit . We went out for lunch . I miss my coursemate so much . So I called one of them to join as well . Est . She is still the same . Alot slimmer . She is now working part time in a law firm . The firm is right above some slimming centre . Now that explains everything . Lol . After lunch send Est back to the office and heads to Al 's house . We chilled , talked , smoking and then ciau . I cant stay for long . Too tired need some rest before going to my BFF house tonight . Today ( yesterday again = P ) was a special day for my BFF as she celebrates her 20 th . When I was about to end my teenager years I always tell people that I am 19 + 1 . At least I still have the ' ' teen " at the back . Lame . I know . Anyway , starting from this point I will let the pictures to the talking . Sleepy already . Mental block cannot blog . = POh my gawd ! ~ Who is that ? Ladies and gentlemen , boys and girls and whoever in between . I present to you my BFF , Elaine Yoong . Happy 20 th Birthday , Gorgeous ! Before the party actually starts . Playing with the camera at the kitchen . Ah ! We 're such a whore . Cam - whores . Lol ! ( Omg , she looks like Dawn Yang here ! ~ ) Camwhores in action again . That is Semen , oops , I mean See Mun , moi and Lady E . Makan time . The steamboat was really good ( It 's good ! It 's good ... ! ~ ) . I enjoy something that I actually cannot eat . But what the heck . I already live in a life full of sins . Blekh ! The birthday cake . Too late . It has lost its virginity . Has been gang bang , ravished by the hungry men ... and women . Lol . Okay I am stuffed . Can I go home now ? Thanks for the great steamboat . It was really buzzalicious ! ~ Lol ! Love ya and Happy 20 th again and again ! ~ XOXO . 
I know my ' ' Tag " has been replied like days ago but I wont feel good if I dont say anything about it . I wrote to him using my so - called new nick 1 bs or one . b . s . ' ' If only my act can express whats in my heart ' ' . He replied . ' ' If only you act with your mind not your heart then you will know what 's good for you ' ' . Humans by nature are rational being but when it comes to matters of the heart we become instinctual creatures and as such we act irrationally . Okay I feel better now . Off to bed . Nite . love B xoxo . 
Happy . I am happy today . I dont know why . The sun is out . I met my ex . He is still the same . Cute as ever . We had lunch . We had Ice Creams ( finally Lecka Lecka ! ) Dont get me wrong . Im not happy because Im out with my ex . Its me telling myself to STOP being such a sorrowful buzztard , And move along . It works ! ~ OH ! ~ . 
Leo 7 / 17 . You ' ve left something behind and now it 's time to go back and pick up the pieces . If you miss this opportunity for personal growth , you may regret your decision for a long time . If , however , you choose to explore what 's bugging you , you have an excellent chance to bring healing into your present situation . Amen to that . I ' ve been putting off what I know I need to do for too long . The plan needs to get moved from my head to paper , and from paper to action . It starts now . 
Cool Site for Men . While browsing one of my favorite gadget sites , Gizmodo , I stumbled across a link for uncrate . While the net is in no shortage of male - oriented gadget sites , uncrate is cool because it covers items you can actually buy now . Some of my favorite sites like Gizmodo and Engadget are great for drool - worthy sites if you re a neophiliac like me . Unfortunately a lot of the stuff they cover is either from Asia , rumored for future release , or conceptual . Yes they do cover actual gadgets as well , but a lot of times you find yourself checking some cool device that will never make it to the US . The site is reminiscent of those gadget sections of magazines like Maxim , Stuff , This has earned a coveted spot in my favorites toolbar of Firefox . But wait , there s more ! Like Amazon , they have a wish list feature that lets you create a page of your favorite stuff . Go check it out its worth the click . The also have outblush which is uncrate for women . 
It 's All About Widgets . Lately I ' ve been trying to make my Windows experience more Mac - like . I love my Mac , and I do a lot of work on Windows so I have to run that all the time as well . In fact my next laptop is definately going to be a Mac Book ( preferably a black one ) so I can run both Windows and OS X on one machine . Some of the Mac 's greatest little features are now available in some way on Windows . Google Desktop for instance performs super fast searching on you computer much like Spotlight on the Mac . It also adds some great functioinality in the form of widget - like plug - ins that can be displayed as floating little windows , a sidebar , or docked in the taskbar . Yahoo ! Widgets comes directly from the Mac world . Before Apple not - so - kindly lifted the idea from a small developer and included the same technology in OS X , Konfabulator was a great Mac only engine to display little applets called widgets on your screen . Yahoo ! bought out Konfabulator and hired the devlopers to port it to Windows and gave the software away for free . Its one of those applications that seem silly until you try it out - then you ' ll wonder how you lived without them . Apple i Tunes is of course developed by Apple . Porting this program to Windows was one of the best decisions they have ever made . When the i Pod first came out for Windows , they bundled it with the god - awful Music Match Jukebox . It suffered from the same problems that all non - i Pods still suffer through - it was too confusing to use . Thankfully , Apple invested in getting it right , and the i Tunes you see on Windows works exactly the same as it does on a Mac ( albeit not as fast when you 're dealing with a large library of music ) . Many people out there are still tooting the Win Amp horn , but nothing beats i Tunes if you own an i Pod or just want an easy way to catalog all of your mp 3 's . Picassa 2 is the PC answer to i Photo . In a lot of ways , I think its even better . Both apps have similar editing features , but Picassa goes a little deeper with their effects , and the way it handles categorizing your photos is pure genius . When you set it up , you tell it to either scan certain document folders , or your whole computer and it will automatically group your pictures together . i Photo still wins in the ease of getting your photos off of your camera though . You just plug in your camera or card reader and it does the rest . Mozilla Firefox & Thunderbird Both products exist on both the Mac and Windows . Firefox is the only browser you should be using on a PC . It is so far ahead of Internet Explorer in features and security it would be foolish to browse the web without it . Sure , IE 7 is borrowing a lot of technology that the smaller guys have been implementing for years now , but it is still not compliant with internet standards and will still be integrated into Windows Explorer , making the chances to mess up your computer a lot greater than if you stick with a 3 rd party browser such as Firefox . Thunderbird is to email what Firefox is to web browsing . I hate Outlook Express with a passion , and if you own Outlook then you know how archaic and bloated it is ( Outlook 2003 was a step in the right direction at least ) . If you are not using an Exchange server , then there is no reason to stick with Outlook . The Junk Mail handling features of Thunderbird make it a great free alternative as well . There are plenty of other software solutions that will make your PC experience a little more Mac - like , but I ' ll save those for another day . 
Geek Bone Neophilia . I was just perusing Slashdot and I saw this article , which is relevant to this post I made earlier this month . Apparently , the condition now has a name ( and most likely will soon have a drug to " cure " it ) . From the article : Now scientists have found a genetic basis for the affliction . They say people with a specific form of a cellular enzyme , known as monoamine oxidase A , are more in need of stimulation from new things . Well , correct me if I ' m wrong , but an enzyme that makes you want to buy the latest and greatest seems a little crazy . I mean , people have been around long before gadgets . Did cavemen lust for the latest in rock technology ? I do like the name though . According to Wikipedia : Neophilia is defined as a love of novelty and new things . A neophile is an individual who is unusually accepting of new things and excited by novelty . And within that article they quote the New Hacker 's Dictionary with the following definition : The trait of being excited and pleased by novelty . Common among most hackers , SF fans , and members of several other connected leading - edge subcultures , including the pro - technology Whole Earth wing of the ecology movement , space activists , many members of Mensa , and the Discordian / neo - pagan underground . All these groups overlap heavily and ( where evidence is available ) seem to share characteristic hacker tropisms for science fiction , music , and oriental food . The opposite tendency is neophobia . Well , I did eat some delectable Asian cuisine for lunch today , and I am a musician . I have also been known to dabble in Sci Fi . So there - now to explain to my wife the scientific reasoning why I need new gadgets . I ' m sure that would work ... damn neophobic wench . I wonder if I can spin this into a new digital camera ? 
Zelda 2 's Bad Rap . Zelda 2 : The Adventure of Link has always been considered the " black sheep " in the series , but is its stigma really warranted ? We compare Zelda 2 to its predecessor to determine its value and why it 's so frequently regarded as the worst title in The Legend of Zelda series . I saw this little gem while digging for news on Digg . com. I always loved the Adventure of Link . I have a warm place in my heart for side - scrolling games because a lot of 3 rd person 3 - D games give me motion sickness headaches and it pisses me off . I also love the new Super Mario Brothers game for the DS . It 's a big hit in my house - my wife is even playing it , which is a rarity these days . Lets face it - Side scrolling platformers are the best games . Remember playing Contra with your friends ? I spent hours with that game and my friend Brian growing up . I also invested a lot of my time into the original Metriod game as well as Kid Icarus . I really wish they would revamp those games and keep them true to their originals . read more | digg story . 
Stuck in a Rut . You know when you hit a brick wall when you are trying to do something and you can t focus anymore until you tackle the impossible ? I am currently stuck on an issue for this guy who throws me work every now and then , and each time its always something much more difficult than it appears . The worst part about this is that I m not even getting paid for this particular job cause it s for his daughter . The feeling is so intoxicating something that is routine normally and then there is something in the task that throws you off . In this instance its an infected / corrupted computer that I just can t seem to get going properly . I had a similar job this morning for another customer , and it was easy as can be to fix and get paid . For this particular case , I seem to be hitting a dead end at each turn . When you start questioning your own abilities is when I start getting really flustered . I deal with these issues all of the time and it never stresses me out . But for some reason I can t get this machine working properly . I ve been racking my brains out and I have hit a point that I need to stop and walk away for now . Unfortunately I told him I would have it ready for him yesterday . Oh well , you can t be perfect all of the time but it seems like whenever I deal with this guy I hit these walls . I spent a whole day up in Florence with him trying to recover a voice mail server that was a proprietary system that I just couldn t fix once . Before that he wanted me to look at a ten year old computer that he wanted to salvage , but none of my tools would work with it and it had damaged hardware that could only be replaced with outdated stuff that is just not available anymore . Sometimes I think I should just ignore his calls , since he always has something that he explains as an easy issue and never really is . Oh well . I m sure its just in my head , but damn why can t seemingly easy things ever be easy ? Update : I ' m no believer in horoscopes , but I thought mine for today was interresting : [ Tarot . com ] Your rational logic is now tied to the commitments you made but your instincts may be pulling you in a different direction . Your emotions are strong and it 's going to be a tough battle to keep your more radical feelings in line . On the outside , all appears okay , but you are working overtime to make it so . Be gentle with yourself . Remember that you are human and you don't have to hide your uncertainties all the time . 
Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man 's Chest . On Friday I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean 2 , and I thought I would give my 2 cents about it . First off , let me start by saying that I didn't think the 1 st movie necessarily called for a sequel . It was one of those movies that stood fine by itself and there was no real segue to a potential 2 nd movie that seemed urgent . I guess its unexpected success was cause enough . Well , I have to be honest . I enjoyed this one more than the first . Of course this one does not stand on its own - without a good memory of the plot and cast of the first one , the second one 's impact would not be significant . The way the screenwriters incorporated the cast into this story was quite interesting and gave this installment a more epic feel similar to the effect the Two Towers had in expanding the realm of Middle earth in the Lord of the Rings . I did not read any reviews of this movie before seeing it - which is a good way to view any movie you are interested in . I had no pre - conceptions or 3 rd party influences , leaving me to enjoy the movie for the roller - coaster ride that it is . After I saw the movie I was surprised how split the critics were about it when I did check out the reviews . It only got a 53 % ( rotten ) on Rotten Tomatoes . Some critics seem to be a little too full of themselves to enjoy what is essentially just a fun summer movie . I mean what do you expect from a pirate movie ? A deep meaningful journey of the soul ? That 's why critics are what they are and aren't film makers - if they were the world would be bored to tears . I was dually shocked when I heard some callers on the Ron & Fez Show bashing it . I guess you can't please everyone , but a huge number of people seemed willing enough to plunk down some cash this past weekend to check it out - $ 132 million for the weekend with $ 55 million on Friday alone . I guess we ' ll have to wait until next weekend to see if it has any legs . What I liked about the movie was the way it flowed . It was full of action and plot twists that made the 2 hours fly by . It was also over - the - top like the first movie , but didn't leave you thinking you are watching a kids fantasy movie . It was often violent and dark , as well as funny . The actors do a great job , especially Depp 's almost cartoon - like creation of the character of Jack Sparrow . You get the feeling that he really loves this character and puts his all into it . Its no wonder he got a nod from the academy for the 1 st Pirates movie . The critics that claim he adds nothing new to the character are just stupid . If he changed the simple character traits at all , it would be a dishonest representation of him . Jack Sparrow does not need to be anything more than the self - serving pirate ( with a hint of good nature ) that he is . A real joy comes early on when the crew is willing to face certain death just to retrieve jack 's hat from the water . The way Jack handles the situation is all the character development you could wish for in a pirate . His disregard for his prized possession to evade something that scares the shit out of him is symbolic of his nature to put that what he treasures most in harm 's way to protect himself - a theme that is revisited and tested at the film 's climax . There have been very few movies I have been excited about lately - and I wasn't expecting a whole lot from this movie . i was pleasantly surprised and can't wait for number 3 next summer . On a side note - I saw Superman recently as well and I was not as happy . It was OK , but there was an overall whitewashed feel to it . Kevin Spacey was a great Lex Luther though . 
Zoo day . Today we went to go pick up Mackenzie from " Nanny Camp " and decided to take advantage of the beautiful day and go to the Riverbank Zoo in Columbia . Mac spent the better part of the week with her cousin Haley at their grandmother 's house . Surprisingly , Mac lasted the whole trip , although we did get a couple of night - time phone calls asking to come home early . By the time she got going the following days she was back to having fun though . The Zoo was cool - much better than the last time we went there - all of the animals were out and about and there was no bothersome hail storms to interrupt the fun . In fact you could not ask for a better day weather - wise - not too hot and it was sunny the whole time . We also ate some freshly grilled ribs for lunch , which seems like an odd thing to serve at an animal sanctuary such as the zoo . Regardless , it looked better than the pizza they were serving . Sea Lions are my favorite ! This past Thursday night was a real " treat " so - to - speak . Hugo called and asked to go " get coffee " . By " get coffee " , he really means " go to Starbucks and then head to a bar for the rest of the night " . So as we 're getting coffee , this girl that we met last week , her name is Madonna ( for real - I checked her license ) , called us and asked if we were going to the bar . Well as sure as we were enjoying overpriced coffee products we were headed to the bar . We got to the bar and met up with Madonna and her freinds , but she was pissed off at them for some reason only a bi - sexual woman could be pissed off about and she persuaded us to go accross the street to the gay bar . Now I ' m no stranger to gay bars since my brother used to work the door at one and we went there all the time years ago because the music was good and there was always something interesting going on there . So we trekked over to it and Hugo and Madonna continued to get drunk ( I wasn't drinking too much at this point as I was designated - as usual ) . The bar called last call and we had to be on our way . At this point I was already out much later than I should have been , but Hugo is a very persuasive fellow and talked me into driving him and Madonna back to his house . We got there and started drinking . Now that I wasn't too far from home , I started drinking . Unfortunately I drank a little too much ' cause I did not want to get behind the wheel of a car - I realized this when Amy called me after 2:00 am to find out where the fuck I was . At this point , Hugo started to get a little friendly with Madonna , and luckily for him , I was there to answer his phone when this other girl he is seeing from NY called . By the time I was done talking to her , Hugo had passed out in a drunken stupor . Madonna on the other hand was wide awake and well aware of the fact that she had to go to work the next day . So she asked me to drive her home - which was like 30 or so minutes away . Long story short , I didn't get home until almost 5:00 am . Man did I hear it , and I rightfully deserved it . This is exactly why I rarely tip a drink anymore - that time thing can be really tricky when you got some sauce in ya . 
Bush on Terror . Bush left no doubt yesterday about who is responsible for the Islamic terror campaign against the West . " ... the world must deal with Hezbollah , with Syria and to continue to work to isolate Iran , " Quite remarkable opinions for a U.S. president ... to be continued . 
To Pat Mc Fawn . Below is an excerpt from a letter I sent to popular columnist and Chair of USC College Republicans Pat Mc Fawn in response to his question about the situation on the ground today .... Invading a country and kidnapping its people is an act of war . 3 weeks . 2 declarations of war by foreign governments . Can you imagine what would happen if King Jong Il invaded the US and took a citizen back to N . Korea ? Technically Hezbollah made the latest act of war . However , the government of Lebanon is legally responsible according to the UN . Security council resolution # 1559 says if the Lebanese government will not contain the Hezbollah , their fates will be linked . Nonetheless , Israel is focusing only on Hezbollah and trying to minimize civilian casualties . Meanwhile , the nut jobs in the UN Security council tried to pass a resolution condemning Israel 's action in Gaza . If it passed , they would legally have to stop the campaign to rescue Cpl . Gilad Shalit -- who was abducted from his post within Israel . An act of war . This is a war Israel is justified in fighting after making all attempts at diplomacy , including withdrawing from Gaza . The terrorists said they would stop when we pulled the Israelis out of Gaza . The truth is it won't stop until the blood of every last Christian and Jew is spilled in Israel . ( Then they will fight among themselves . ) Let me point out that a Hezbollah rocket landed today in a Christian area in Haifa , Israel . I like your last post on the 90007 blog 's facebook fan club . The peace process can't be set back 75 years , because the modern state of Israel hasn't even existed for that long . The dream continues . We will celebrate that birthday in the land where Jewish forefathers and the disciples of Jesus lived and died . 
$ . Oil prices have climbed over .5 % in the past hour . The conflict is making the prices surge ... Let 's just hope Chris Collier can implement his natural energy program soon before we 're paying $ 200 / gal for gas . On a different note , the UN Security Council tried to condemn Israel for its defensive strike last week in Gaza . The U.S. was the only nation with the guts to veto this condemnation . And Lebanon should stop pretending that Israel 's response is disporportionate . They have declared war on the state of Israel . They 're launching missles into Israeli metropolises . Now , they must prepare to die or surrender . 
Israel and Lebanon . In a joint press conference in German Chancellor Angela Merkel , President George W . Bush told the world he would back Israel in their action against Lebanon . " My attitude is this : there are a group of terrorists who want to stop the advance of peace , " he said . " Those of us who are peace living must work together to help the agents of peace . " Right now Israel is at war with Lebanon . It is a war that Lebanon started . Here is where is has gone : Lebanese political party , Hezbollah , committed an act of war by crossing into Israel and Killing 3 soldiers Wounding soldiers and civilians Capturing 2 soldiers back into Lebanon In accordance with UN Security Council resolution # 1559 , the whole Lebanese government is responsible Hezbollah 's actions . Israel is reponsible to keep its citizens safe . Here is their retaliation : Neutralize the Beirut airport Blockade Lebanon 's ports Hezbollah 5 hours ago threatened to launch long range , Kassam missles at Haifa , a huge metropolitan city in Israel . I was hoping to publish the official Lebanese response , but I cannot find it anywhere . I called their embassy in D . C . They told me just to look on the news . Is there an official response ? Can somebody tell me where to find it ? 
P . S . About Hippies . Anonymous wrote on the 6 / 29 / 06 post " Rebuke you hipies " those dirty hippies cannot hold drugs as their " excuse " for being quasi - retarded . You 're right , Anonymous ! They 're born retarded . The drugs just make it worse . And it all starts with cigarettes . That 's why you ' ve got to talk to your kids about NOT SMOKING . For conversation starters , visit Phillip Morris . com. Talk , They ' ll Listen . 
Hezbollah Kills 3 Israelis and Captures 2 . From today 's Washington Post " Hezbollah Demands Prisoner Swap with Israel . " July 12 -- The militant Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah killed three Israeli soldiers and captured two others in an attack along the Israel - Lebanon border Wednesday morning . Four more Israeli soldiers were killed when troops and tanks crossed the border in pursuit of the captives . It appears Hezbollah wants a piece of the tension in Gaza . Hamas has an Israeli prisoner , now Hezbollah has three . They want to exchange these soldiers for criminals jailed for terrorism ? Is this a fair trade ? Apparently Israel and her allies don't think so . An Israeli spokesman declared in a press conference that Israel will " hold the government of Lebanon accountable for Hezbollah 's actions . " Do the Lebanese care ? Hezbollah is a political party in Lebanon . They 're also a bunch of dirty terrorists who continually international law against terror . I guess that 's the only way to get girls ... when you have a big , dirty nose and a wierd accent . Wait ! I have a big , brown nose .... ! For more information , read about Hezbollah on Wikipedia . 
F in logic ? Write for the Post or the NY Times . My two favorite newspapers are covering the latest tension over the kidnapped soldier . The articles have an anti - Israel bias , which is even more surprising . Washington Post 's " In Gaza , Not a Soldier -- Or Prisoner " and New York Times ' " Olmert Rejects Ultimatum on Soldier By Palestinians " point the finger at Israel for trying to get the soldier back . Let me point out that capturing an Israeli soldier in Israel and holding him hostage for the release of jailed Palestinian criminals is an act of war . Just think what America would do if one of our citizens was held captive by militants ... we ' ve taken out two terrorist governments since 2001 . Israel should do the same with the Palestinian government that is terrorising them . The media , as usual , doesn't get it . I wonder if these people ever used logic , but then I remember my story . I got more than an F on my SAT reasoning , which disqualified me from all the good journalism schools in the country . This turned out to be quite a relief , however . I might , otherwise , have spent the rest of my life quoting idiots like Syrian foreign minister , Muallem : " Now , for a solution , the aggression has to stop in order to allow room for diplomacy , " Mr. Muallem said in an interview . " To solve the issue , it is not correct that the key is in Damascus . The key is in Gaza . " So , why does a Syrian foreign minister get a quote about diplomacy ? Syria has a lot of influence with Hamas . They both openly engage in and sponsor terror . These idiot reports just don't cover the whole story . Next thing you know they ' ll be asking Larry Flynt to cover the Billy Graham convention . 
Fan Mail from a Hippie . Look at this email I just received from a HIPPIE : " i just wanted to let u know that u shouldnt bash on ppl on the left on ur blog . jews exist who are from the left who care about israel . just a comment . i dont want a discussion or anything , so dont even worry about emailing back . thanks " Hummm .... Where do I start ? I have never ridiculed " people on the left . " I make fun of idiots . If they happen to be on the left , so be it . It 's not unheard of . Getting made fun of on the 90007 blog takes a little more than punching the chad titled Hillary . You have to do something a little more stupid , like be a communist - sympathizing hippie . Just look at June 's , " The Finkelstein Syndrome " and Self - Hating , Anti - Israel ... American Jews ? " That is the kind of prime justice I dish out on the 90007 blog . This is not a Jewish blog . If I were to promise you a shinny copper penny each time I mention Hanukkah or Yarmulke and you spent all day looking , that ' d be a 0 dollars and 0 cent day . ( Not bad considering your grammar skills . ) Besides , if I was writing about that stuff , how could this blog could be so big in Alabama ? And how do I know that people in ' Bama read it ? Ain't even electricity out there in the boonies . But they send little Jr. out to the library early before chores . HE PRINTS IT OUT ! And brings it home so Pa can read it around the breakfast table . I know because that 's what my loyal readers tell me in emails , and I always respond . Just to say ' thank ya . ' Now , given this little habbit of mine , did you really think I was going to just look at that email and click the big X when you said to close it ? EVERYTHING you write to the 90007 blog is made fun of ... unless I agree with you . 
REBUKE YOU HIPPIES ! I stopped writing for awhile , but now I ' m super pissed off again at the Drive by Media for it 's ultra - biased , untrue coverage of this week 's events . Just look at Ian Fisher and Steve Erlanger 's article , " Israelis Batter Gaza and Sieze Hamas Officials . " How many marijuana cigarettes do you have to smoke to write this trash ? Here 's the story behind the story : after a day of Solitaire , the authors realize they have to produce an article . Frantically , they rush around the office to find inspiration . Low and behold , a press release radiates from the fax machine . Eyes sore from Solitare , Fisher flips on his reading glasses . Erlanger fumbles his big head a bit closer . Finally the light Holy light subsides ... the 10 pt . Times New Roman font strains into focus ... It is from the Palestinian Propaganda Machine . TADA ! While their job is saved , better hope their boss has better things to do today than read the New York Times . Any idiot can grasp that this is propaganda ... from the constant quotes from the Palestinian propaganda Machine ... to the fact that they abberrantly justify Hamas kidnapping 19 year old Cpl . Gilad Shalit ... to the horribly shortened quote from Olmert ... to the lack of understanding of history ... it 's all so bad ! The worst part is this trash is plastered on the front page of the New York Times email edition ... the only version of the NY Times that people under 30 read . Fisher . Erlanger . If you 're reading this , be scared . We challenge you with Intelligence . 
It 's almost 5:40 am ... Why aren't I sleeping ? Tonight was amazingly good , but I ' ll get into that later . Right now it feels as if I have a 500 pound weight on my chest ; I don't know why exactly I feel like this . Everything is stressing me out right now , and it just feels as if whenever I ' m trying to deal with one thing , two more things pop up that I have to take care of ... One thing affects the other and it 's not in a positive way . I NEED TO RELAX AND TO GET MY HEAD STRAIGHT . I just need some fucking time off . I don't mean an afternoon or an evening ... I mean that I just need a week off from everything to clear my brain and NOT have to deal with anything . I just want ONE stress - free week , for the love of god . Whatever , I ' d like some cheese to go with that whine ... Actually , I ' d rather have a cigarette . Seacrest out . 
Going to see The Rolling Stones in September ? Hell yeah . These past few days have been sort of a blur . Recorded with the band on Sunday , practiced with the band last night , more recording tonight ... A lot more recording to follow : S . Welcome back barbeque for Kyla tomorrow ; excited ? YES ! Putting in the merchandise order for the band tonight or tomorrow ... Can we say t - shirts , hoodies and pins soon ? YES . It 's going to be like Christmas when it all comes in , haha . Gotta finish writing for the new song - Dan 's coming in about an hour . 
Last night was killer indeed . Had my tattoo appointment and hung out with Tara then went to Andy 's with Mike and Tiana to have a good ol ' woodland adventure with Ben , Andy and Charlotte . We all went down to the woods , lit up a bonfire , fried up some steaks on the open fire and just had fun ... Had a sick bass / djembe jam afterward . Tonight I recorded with the band ( finishing up tomorrow / Monday ) , and now I ' m sitting here downloading music . Insaity . 
Alright bitches . Had a good night indeed . Met up with Tiana and Mike at Just Us at 9:30 , Andy , Ned and Meredith soon showed up . Andy came with me , Mike and Tiana and we went up to White Rock to see A Band of Owls . Mike / Tiana soon left so Andy and I chilled out , grabbed a beer and hung out with the band during their break . After the break , Andy went up and jammed with them on stage while I got to watch some older folk dance , haha - it was a good NDP get together indeed . Drove Andy home and formulated plans for Saturday night ... It 's gonna be killer if everything falls into place . Tattoo appointment in t - minutes 12 hours , 21 minutes . 
Dinnertime soon , aww yeah . Here 's how the next 24 hours are looking : TONIGHT 9:30 pm - Meeting Andy at Just Us in Wolfville to go see A Band of Owls until about 12 . May recruit Mike and Tiana to come out . TOMORROW 12:30 pm - Tara comes over 1:30 pm - Tattoo appointment , yeah boi . Tara 's - a - coming .5 pm ( or so ) - Adventure with Andy Finishing up recording on Sunday or something like that ... At least I think so ; that or Monday . Work called today while I was asleep to see if I wanted to train on Copy Centre - this would ' ve been great if anyone else was home to wake me up for the call ... Damnit . Food time , ch ' yeah . 
I swear too much ... It 's fuckin ' PAYDAY . This makes me happy for a number of reasons : A ) I ' ll have money to buy good cigarettes ( can we say Cameos ? ) B ) I ' ll have money to get my half - sleeve 's background coloured in ( designed it / picked out colours with Collin today ... We 're both exicted - him to do it , me to get it ) C ) I ' ll have money . My life doesn't revolve around money , but it keeps my life interesting at least . T - minus 12 hours or so until Andy is back in the Valley . Who is excited ? I am excited . Tomorrow will be a day - o - fun and Saturday will be a day - o - needles ( at least Tara will be there to hold my hand and change my bedpan ) . Just got off the phone from a 2 hour talk with Kate discussing Halifax adventure plans - it 's going to be nice to see a lot of people who I haven't seen in a while . My heart is a - fucking - flutter right now . 
For clarification : the heatstroke was a result of WAY too much sun ... I ' m stupid like that . Going to Halifax for a weekend next month ... Should be quite enjoyable . Bloodletter 's doing just fine - recording more music on Thursday . So amazingly bored . 
So I had to leave work early today because of sickness . It 's now official : I have sunstroke / heatstroke / whatever it 's called . It 's 1:25 pm and I ' ve thrown up thrice since 9:45 am . And now I ' m eating a tuna sandwich ; three cheers for loading the cannon . 
Peter Jacksons in my sack ... Make me happy , make me break my back . It 's rainy outside and I ' m watching Cold Case Files ... Is there any way to say that " real - murder " TV shows kick ass without sounding creepy ? ... They interest me . 
Insanity ... Photoshoot with the band tonight at Kingsport Beach went awesome . The pictures look SWEET . Possibly playing at the Pavillion this Saturday ? We don't know if we are or not ( the bill may be full ) , but both ways , we 're getting our shit together quick . You know what pisses me off ? Sometime within the last few days , someone stole our lawnmower from our backyard - that pisses me off to no extent . A ) I hate it when people are skulking around our backyard - yes , I know it 's by a public area , but you ' d think that the fencing and the house would indicate that it 's private property . B ) Who the fuck steals a lawnmower ? Seriously . Next time anyone is found sneaking around my backyard , their shins are going to have a nice little conversation with a baseball bat or a dog 's teeth . 
News . So some exciting things are going on ... - Bloodletter 's hitting the studio on June 27 th to do our production demo / EP - it 's gonna be SWEET . - Got asked to play on my own / acoustic on July 14 th with Jemo and Telegraph at a bar in Kentville ... They found me on My Space and really liked my stuff . - As previously stated , show in Liverpool on the 5 th that Bloodletter 's play in ; we may have one or two gigs before that , but it depends on the promoters ( one I need to get ahold of , the other promoters don't even know if their show is going on ) . Good band practice tonight . Yar . The new material is sounding sweet . 
IT ' S ELECTION DAY , MOTHAFUCKAS . E - DAY , BITCH YES . Busy as hell lately . Lots of writing with the band ; lots of good writing . Shows coming up soon ... One in Liverpool on July 5 ( Milton Canoe and Camera Club ) and possibly one or two before that . Prepare for as many shows as possible this summer - it 's gonna be hectic . 
Oh god ... So tired . Canvassed for the NDP / election with Mike tonight ; it was quite fun indeed . It 's been a slow day and this week leads to more canvassing and school . School is over so soon . It 's sleep time . 
Rainy Sunday afternoon ... Sitting at home on a Sunday with nothing to do . This makes me happy . It 's raining outside and I ' m sitting in my room listening to The Smiths , it 's enjoyable . My dog , Ozzy , is under the weather , but the vet said he ' d be fine . Probably getting another puppy soon , I got to name him , " Herman " , fuck yeah . I ' m going to paint something on my walls . 
Late night doing nothing ... Got kidnapped / picked up tonight by Andy and Ben at around 10 or so . Went to Sobey 's then up to White Rock to see " A Band of Owls " ( used to be called " Barefoot " , saw them in March in Halifax ) . Really good show . Hung out with Liz and Alex there too ... Will was there , but he and I don't really talk or anything anymore ( no sweat though ) . Saw some people that I haven't seen in a while , met some nice new people and just had a good time . Got home at around 12 and now I ' m here . Fun night indeed ... Band practice tomorrow night . The band is playing up in Liverpool on July 5 th , we probably have a few shows coming up in the Valley over the summer and maybe a few in the city over the summer too . Good times . I have to pee . Seacrest out . 
Second person in the last year ... All of the work is passed in . It 's Apple Blossom time , hurray . Another person that I know died in a car crash , it happened last night . I didn't know him too well , but we chatted a few times and he hung out with a lot of my friends ... This just gives me more motivation to get out on the road . 
Homework to do tonight : - Article analysis ( DONE ) - Sociology paper - Canadian Literature essay - Canadian History assignment The sociology paper shouldn't take too long , the Canadian History assignment will take about 20 minutes or so to do and the Canadian Literature essay should take about 40 minutes or so to complete . Damnit , I can't wait for sleep . PS - NSSSA Valley RC debrief was tonight , I love that organization and the people in it . 
Blah . Blah I say . Too much work . Brain overload . Going to have to pass in Sociology paper one day late . It won't kill me . Political Debate at school tomorrow ; mega excited . I ' m tired , I think I ' m going to go upstairs , make a peanut butter sandwich then go to sleep . 
Blah , I hate schoolwork . Woke up , went to a long day of school and then took a nap . Hung out with Joey for a while , then came home and I ' ve been procrastinating since . Now I ' m working on my Sociology paper . I wish I hadn't gone to school today so I could ' ve worked on it . If I don't go to school tomorrow , Mr. Coates will grill me . Fuck . Well , I suppose it 's time to get that started ; I ' ve already read the article and now I ' m just about to do the analysis ... It shouldn't be too hard I think , just time consuming . 
Blah . Sitting here in Canadian History listening to music and passing time until this substitute finally decides to actually teach . Jade and I broke up , but that 's alright because we 're still really good friends ; I think we 're going to Halifax for the weekend within the next few weeks , so that shouldn't be too bad . We ' ll still hang out and everything ... Although I am going to be sad when she moves to Winnipeg in July . I ' ve decided that this summer when I ' m not band practice , working , or doing anything , I ' m just going to go up to Kingsport beach and lay in the sand all day . I need this summer to be relaxing at times , well , most of the time at least . It should be good . I ' m planning on buying a bicycle soon too , so going to the beach will be so much easier and funner ... Hell , won't have to worry about getting my daily yoga in because I ' ll be biking so much . Wait ... Beach yoga . YES . That just seals the deal . I think I ' m going to put my nostril piercing back in tonight . The hole is still open I do believe , and I ' ll just put a labret stud in my lip . I ' ll see how it goes at least . Anyway , I ' m itching for some relaxing beach time . I only went to the beach ONCE last summer , so I ' ll die if I don't go this summer . PS - Open Hand is a very good band . Download " Tough Girl " by Open Hand right now . Seacrest out . 
Nurse ! Nurse ! I ' m Losing My Patients . I really like Sparks The Rescue ... I found out about them while searching for MP 3 s on Lime Wire , and the name just caught my eye . Everyone download " Nurse ! Nurse ! ( I ' m Losing My Patients ) " by Sparks The Rescue right now . Les Mis cast party tonight , booyah . You ' ve Got Mail is on TV right now , that makes me happy . 
Quiet night . Worked from 9:45 am until 6:30 pm tonight in customer service . It kicked ass and was my first shift on my own in customer service ( I ' ve had ONE training shift , haha ) ... Yarr , I ' d love to do it again . It 's going to be a quiet night tonight ... I think I ' m just going to sit at home , read a little bit , maybe do some school work and cut my hair . Yeah , I ' m just so exciting . 
Arggg ... A big fat suck me off goes out to the dumb girls who broke my camera and glasses tonight at The Real Deal show because they were wrestling and fell on the hat tha Jamie put them in . I have to go to the glasses - people tomorrow to see if I still have a warranty , and I have to call up Kodak tomorrow to see if my warranty is void or not . Oh lordy am I ever pissed . I ' m going to censor myself , but rest assured , when Jamie showed me what had happened , I uttered a certain c - word quite a few times .... You know what I ' m thinking . 
It 's been a while , eh ? So my Dramafest and NSSSA plans were kindly screwed over due to the school 's administration and a clerical error that made it so I was unable to attend . For this , a big fat suck me off goes out to the Horton Administration that had no problems with screwing me and my family over ( almost $ 350 in fees that we paid and weren't being offered refunds on ) . This just further proves that despite a student 's efforts , the public education system is extremely flawed and schools are focused more on exploitation of power and looking good in the books than helping out students . I won't go into detail past what I have just said because my mouth tends to have a habit of getting me into trouble . Anyway , Les Miserables went over REALLY well I have to say : all of our shows were great ( Saturday had some shakey moments though ... ) and everyone - I think - had a lot of fun with the whole thing . I ' m sad that it 's over , but that Jon , Joey and I are going to be going into another musical or two together , so that should be good at least . I want to go on a trip sometime soon , haha , I just have this overwhelming feeling that I need to get out of the valley for just a weekend or something ... I ' ll probably go to Lunenburg to see some friends , or I may go to Halifax . A plus side to this time of the year is that everyone is back from college , yar me matey , Liz , Mike , Tiana and a host of others are back in the Valley ; so at least that makes my time here a bit brighter . I ' ve been amazingly tired lately - both physically and mentally - and I think it may just be because I ' ve been so busy and stressed lately . But aside from that , I think I ' m starting to feel better I do believe . I feel the need to extend past my social circle and see some people that I don't see so often . I don't know why , just I need something new , new people and new adventures to be had , haha . Anyway , the band 's going really well too . I ' m currently pretty damn happy with everything that 's going on right now ... That 's the major status update I suppose , still the old " everything 's peachy ! " . Seacrest out . 
Another rushed post ... SWING was pretty damn good . Lots of stuff going on right now , overly - busy at times . Alice Cooper with Maria tomorrow night makes me so damn happy . Dramafest this week makes me so god damn happy too ... The play I ' m directing is a bit stressful , but everything 's coming together . On top of this , lots of Les Mis too ( among other stuff ) . Anyway , hung out with Jade tonight which was fun . Ran into Mike , Adams , Tiana and Liz at the coffee shop , so we got to chat for a while and formulate some plans to get together in the future . Should be fun . Camping with Andy was a no - go ... He had called , but when I called back , he was in the woods . I guess everyone was waiting for me to show up , but I didn't know whether to or not , so I didn't . : ( It 's alright though , I ' ll see Andy this weekend . Sleep ... 
Random update . Still spending most of my time between school , work , the band and sleep , although I do get to see Jade through it all , so I ' m content . The band finally has a My Space up ( although no music because we have to do up a few more things before we head into the studio ... VERY soon though ) http : // www . myspace . com / bletter We 're pretty sexy . Random countdowns : - Two weeks until Dramafest - Thirteen days until Alice Cooper - Eight days until SWING - Eigth days until camping with Andy and Caroline Les Miserables sleepover practice tomorrow after my other play practice right after school . And I guess I ' m going to EVOLVE with Andy this summer at some point . Fuck yeah . 
My eyes want to close real bad ... Sick at home yesterday . Damn stomach flu thingy . Missing first two classes tomorrow / today because my mom wants to sleep in . Doing bullying workshops all day on Wednesday with middle school students as part of RFD . Excitement indeed . Sleep ? I think so . 
Arg , Sickness . It 's been a pretty sassy weekend I must say . Saw ' Bye Bye Birdy ' with Tara yesterday which was enjoyable , then we hung out for a while until the Bigwig gig . All the band were pretty damn good I must say , and it was nice to see some people and to meet some rather cool new people from all over . Today was pretty busy ; Les Mis for an hour , then photoshoot at a textiles plant . The photographer was awesome though and the pictures look REALLY good , so I ' m really stoked to see the touched - up versions ( I guess he wants to fix lighting , contrast and some other parts ) . The only problem is that I ' m pretty sick as of right now ... Literally , it feels as if I have Regan , the little girl from the Exorcist stuck in my ass and she 's having her way with my insides . Arg , much pain . Anyway , my sister Paula is down for a day or two , so we 're going to hang out tomorrow while I ' m home from school ... Which should be rather cool considering I haven't talked to her in about a month since she moved away . Off I must go . 
Garg ... Sitting in my basement with Kate , Jonny and Perkins ... Matt and Adrian shall arrive someday ? Lots of NSSSA presentations this last week . Lots of fun though . Fun day tomorrow ; hanging out with Tara and Jade ... Lots of other stuff too . New tattoos look sweet ( they 're a week old now ) , new piercing as of a few hours ago . Where 's the Jager ' ? 
Ooooh yeah . Had a pretty damn good day . School was pretty goodly I must say . Hung out with Stephanie after school which was extremely nice . Happy birthday , Stephanie . Damn right . Tattoo appointment tomorrow ? I hope so . Gotta call Collin at lunch to set up an appointment . Mahfuckin ' right , tomrrow 's pay day ! I need me some money . Sleep soon I do believe . It 's an early night due to the fact that I haven't been getting my sleep lately and I ' ve been cranky as hell . Andy 's coming up this weekend to hang out , amazingly excited about that . I wanna spend the day with Jade on Saturday because I really , really should . I think we 're going to go grab lunch at the Taj Mahal or something like that ... I should do something exciting for her , because he haven't seen much of each other lately . But Saturday night I do believe is spent with Caroline and Andy ... Hells yes . Oh yeah , the i Pod mini finally showed up on Monday and I ' m definitely loving the little thing . Bubble tea tomorrow ? YES ! Anyway , sleep time . 
Updaaate . So now it 's official that the wrong people read this . And whatever I say from now on will be used against me in hopes to fuel some dead argument that ended a while ago , but even though it 's over , people are just trying to hop aboard on now ( or trying to bring others into it ) . Needless to say : Get off the internet and get a life . Stop trying to drag me and the people around me through the mud because you get off on it . Expect this to show on some shitty My Space page within 24 hours of reading this . End this . NOW . School then work ; was going to have Jade over , but transportation problems occured . Christina surprised me by showing up and taking me out on an adventure through Wolfville / Walmart until about 11:30 . ' Twas nice to get a chance to hang out with her , yarr , her dreads are awesome to the farthest extent . Tattoo appointment later this week ? I think so . Sleeeeep . 
Lots of band stuff ... So much stuff going on with the band right now that it 's not even funny . Been invited on two major tours , we were basically picking a choosing ... I do believe though that we ' ve decided just to stay in our dungeon for a while and finishing working on our music . Getting ahold of the label sometime in early summer with the finished demo , hopefully spending the summer working on the album instead of touring our asses off because we needed to reorganize our priorities . BIG work to be done soon . So I guess that means no touring ALL summer ( some shows though we suspect ) , but working on what matters : the music ... You know what ? We 're not a band to be able to brag or any shit like that , we ' ve realised that even though touring and all the perks are fun , but the music is what matters above everything else . I ' m more excited than ever ... And less stressed . But I ' ll be damned if we slow down the pace that we 're working at right now ... Everything 's going amazingly so far . The music is coming together so well , and I ' m SO proud of what 's coming out of our toils . Seacrest out . 
Yesss . Everything is so busy right now , it 's hard to keep my head on straight . Spent a weekend in Halifax over March break ; it was awesome . Saw Barefoot play an awesome set on Saturday night , got to see a lot of friends that I haven't seen in a while ( and I mean A LOT of friends , haha ) , and do various other things . Went to a peace march which was amazing and got to meet Michael Franti ( an amazing musician / film - maker / person ) at the march . Mild turmoil 's been occuring these past few weeks , but I assume that it 's finished , time for relaxation . Lots of interesting stuff happening with the band right now ... Cannot wait to share the uber - happy good news that I have . 
Yesss . Everything is so busy right now , it 's hard to keep my head on straight . Spent a weekend in Halifax over March break ; it was awesome . Saw Barefoot play an awesome set on Saturday night , got to see a lot of friends that I haven't seen in a while ( and I mean A LOT of friends , haha ) , and do various other things . Went to a peace march which was amazing and got to meet Michael Franti ( an amazing musician / film - maker / person ) at the march . Mild turmoil 's been occuring these past few weeks , but I assume that it 's finished , time for relaxation . Lots of interesting stuff happening with the band right now ... Cannot wait to share the uber - happy good news that I have . 
Gah , gah , gah , gah ... Sitting in band practice . Working out guitars to a new song ... Sounds awesome so far . Excitement mounts . That is two songs almost complete . I JUST NEED MY FUCKING BASS BACK . UGH ! 
March Break !!! But I ' ve still got shit to do ... Sitting here in the dining room ... It 's a beautiful day outside I must say . Went out for a little walk a few minutes ago , stopped by Staples to browse for some things that I need and to get my TSP paper ( telling me how much my anual bonus is ) . Picked up cigarettes and batteries , hurrah . It 's March break , this makes me happy ; extremely happy actualy . Got a lot of stuff to do this week though , here 's how my calendar looks ( copied from my Microsoft Works Calendar ) : Today : Band practice at 4 pm ... May have Leigh up later Tuesday : Hanging out with Brody and Logan all day , then going to see a gig in Coldbrook Wednesday : Band practice from 12 - 4 , then work from 4:30 - Close Thursday : Band practice at 5 pm Friday : Leave for Halifax at 10:45 am Saturday : In Halifax Sunday : Back from Halifax at about 8:30 , band practice just after that Should be an interesting week ... Although , I have to do two 1500 word essays somewhere in between that , meet with Clare about NSSSA stuff and hang out with Jade . Jade and I are doing well from what I know at least . We went to this awesome musical production on Friday night , it was burlesque songs and other more macabre - show tunes ( " Poisoning Pigeons in the Park " , " Lydia the Tattooed Lady " , " Masochism Tango " among others ) , then went out for dinner with some people afterwards . It was enjoyable . Worked from open until close on Saturday , looooonnnnggg , but I hung out with Brody and Logan afterwards . Anyway , I ' m off . It 's just such a beautiful damn day , it 's taking my mind off of how swamped I am , haha . 
Ahhhhh . Worked from open until close ( 8:45 am - 6:30 pm ) today ... I was tired . Came home , went to Wolfville with Brody , walked around and met up with Logan after a while . MARCH BREAK ! Gravy Train !!! makes me chortle . Lots of Les Miserables tomorrow and band practice . Wargh . 
YESSS ! You know what makes me happy . The guy on e Bay FINALLY got my payment for my i Pod mini . After roughly two months of waiting with my fingers up my ass for Canada Post to work , he finally has it .... Now I have to wait for it to get here . He is sending it UPS though , so it shouldn't take two long . Here 's to not having to wait another two months , let 's all hope ... 
Gah , blank .... Well hello , internet . I got a laptop on Friday and have spent the weekend between work , people , and transfering files from my old computer to my laptop . I gave dad my old tower , and Kate my old monitor ... They got those today , and I took the desk out of my room , then moved things around . It looks so much better , and is great for when I have people over , because there 's a lot more room now . It 's quite organised too I must say . Friday night was spent playing with the laptop and hanging out with Jade , it was fun , lots of cuddling to Rufus Wainwright ( it was cute , whatever ) . Saturday was spent working , then I grabbed some coffee with Dee , after that , I went to the Staples going away party for Lorne , our computers consultant . After that , I spent the evening out with Jade and her mom . It was mighty fun ... I enjoy Alabama Slammers . I got home at around 1 am or so that night , then went to bed after grabbing a smoke . Today , I woke up , had breakfast and talked to my sister , Colleen , who was over , then Caelin came by to surprise me by taking me to Les Miserables practice . Much appreciated , except we had to stop at her house , and her mom said that she wasn't allowed to go because of her dumbass math tutor ( who I must admit , I really dislike too because she sometimes substitutes in the math department at school ) ... So Caelin and I drove around for a while , then she dropped me off . Practice went well I must say , it 's going to be one hell of a musical when all is said and done . After that , I came home , grabbed dinner , then started deleting everything off of my old computer , and getting it together for my father . I got the desk out , then cleaned up / organised my room , like I said before , it looks pretty awesome now . My week looks like this so far : Monday : Nothing , probably researching for my Sociology and Canadian History essays ... Or band practice . Tuesday : Work from 4:30 - Close Wednesday : NSSSA Valley RC meeting from 7 - 9 Thursday : Nothing again ... Probably more essay work unless something else comes up ... Or band practice . Friday : Lordy , lordy , nothing at all ... Thank god . But maybe I ' ll have band practice . Saturday : Work ... Open to close . This means 8:45 - Close ( probably around 6:30 ) . This blows because Saturday tends to be our busiest day . Sunday : Play practice and band practice . March break next week ! Cannot fucking wait I must say ... Staying in Halifax for a few nights . Anyway , I ' m going to go finish up some Sociology homework , then read some of Animal Farm . By the way - going to see Broken Social Scene in April AND Alice Cooper in May ! 
History Does Indeed Repeat Itself . Are there good people within the CIA and FBI genuinely trying to keep Americans safe ? Sure , the great majority of them are . However , criminal elements of the intelligence agencies have in fact been called upon to engage in acts of false - flag terrorism against their own people and others in order to blame other parties and use the attacks as a pretext for tighter control or imperialism . That means that while you call me a puppet and everyone else brain - washed , you in fact must have never read anything besides establishment propaganda regarding the US government and our allies . Elements of the CIA , MI 6 and NATO had no problem blowing up childrens ' school buses in Eastern Europe in Operation Gladio . Elements of the Pentagon agreed unanimously to engage in terrorist acts on the American people in 1962 with Operation Northwoods but were turned down by the president . Why did they bother asking ? They need to take a cue from the intelligence community and do it clandestinely using others in the private sector , people whose actions and locations are not scrutinized and recorded in goverment documentation . Only then will they be as successful as our CIA has ! Not only have elements of the Israeli government had no problem killing Americans in the Lavon affair and the USS Liberty , they 're more than happy just like ours , to engage in diabolical , nazi - like experiments on their own citizens which are part of the public record unbeknowest to most people , not unlike our own governments ' experiments , for which the list is a mile long . Operation Gladio was not the only series of terrorist attacks that British Intelligence has engaged in . They ' ve got an interesting track record with regard to false - flag terrorism . Taking that into consideration , would you be surprised to know that the orchestrator of the London bombings in July of 2005 is an MI 6 agent or that elements of the Spanish Security Services were connected to the Madrid bombings in March of 2004 ? These attacks I ' ve listed are only some of the many terrorist attacks our government and their allies have committed and it 's a safe bet we don't know about all of them . While most crimes in the Eastern world are overt and equally disgusting , the crimes of empires are often covert . That is to say that empires often intentionally provoke smaller power blocs or engage in crimes clandestinely in order to blame the target they wish to occupy . Power blocs that are at a disadvantage don't have as much incentive to engage in such covert attacks against themselves because being at the disadvantage they are , they don't have the same incentive to go to war . Elements of Pakistani ISI ( Inter Servicies Intelligence ) appear to be very close to Al Qaida . It 's been reported that they funded the 9 / 11 operation , at least in part . The future CIA director was eating breakfast with alleged 9 / 11 money man Mahmud Ahmed on the morning of 9 / 11 in Washington DC . It 's not a secret that elements of Pakistani intelligence are party to terrorism against US interests so why does our government not care ? The alleged 9 / 11 hijackers trained at 3 US military bases . US officials knew 9 / 11 was coming . Some of the " hijackers " were living with FBI informants . Nevermind the incredible of body evidence indicating that elements of our own government saw to it the conspirators were successful on 9 / 11 . There is an equally large body of evidence indicating that elements of our own government were among the conspirators themselves . Who planted thermate incendearies in the twin towers ? According to the FBI , they have no hard evidence linking Osama Bin Laden to 9 / 11 . That 's why 9 / 11 is not on his FBI website resume ' . If you 're still a skeptic , do yourself a favor and watch the following film on documented and admitted false - flag terrorist acts . Take notes and research the information . You ' ll find that it 's startlingly accurate . Click Here to Watch Terrorstorm . 
1995 Card Game " Illuminati " Accurately Foretold 9 / 11 and Other World Events . Click here to read the 5 part series on this phenomenon or scroll down to see some of the cards .. explosives in the trade center Pentagon Attack Establishment cream have been talking about reducing the human population to a mere 500 million for years and this was recently reiterated by highly acclaimed UT professor Eric Pianka , whose pet Buffalo is named Lucifer , interestingly enough . God forbid someone working at the behest of others would release a biological virus as was done at with Foot & Mouth Disease at Porton Down laboratory in the UKBird Flu Anyone ? Combined Disasters , You mean like planes / bombs / missles ? MK ULTRA Snipers , Can you say John Mohammed and Lee Boyd Malvo ? Oh yes , do your homework young Sky Walker . You ' ve really got to love Bush 's Supreme Court Appointments and their ever so fair rulings they make on our behalf . Katrina biatch ! There sure have been alot of earthquakes in Iran lately ! Martial Law or to put it in more politically correct terms " civil emergency ! " I feel so secure in the Homeland , don't you ? Wiretaps and Surveillance " God told me to strike at al - Qaida ( CIA - duh ) and I struck them , and then He instructed me to strike at Saddam , which I did , and now I am determined to solve the problem in the Middle East . " -- George W . Bush Tsunami !!! Don't play stupid , You know what they want : ) Now for the record , I think this " phenomenon " is just a case of a man understanding the modus operandi of the Illuminati ( for lack of a better word ) quite well and perhaps those interests intentionally mimicking the underground conspiracy culture themes such as they did with Oklahoma City , 9 / 11 and the 7 / 7 London Bombings . There are very plausible reasons a to why they would do this . For more information on this matter , visit my " For Your Consideration .. " thread . Agency planned exercise on Sept. 11 built around a plane crashing into a building ( Associated Press ) . 
It 's All in the Family : The Bushes and 9 / 11 . Meet Marvin Bush , the Man in charge of Securacom , the company that ran security for the World Trade Center and United Airlines . Meet Governor of Florida Jeb Bush , who filed for executive police state powers on September 7 th 2001 , just four days before 9 / 11 . Meet Jonathan Bush , whose Riggs bank was fined a record breaking 25 million dollars for laundering terrorist funds ... and the next time you see George Herbert Walker Bush , ask him if he enjoyed his breakfast with Shafig Bin Laden on the morning of 9 / 11 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in New York . 
Newly Uncovered Video Evidence Indicates Thermite Used to Melt Twin Towers ' Steel . If you 're a 9 / 11 coincidence theorist , this is where you might want to close your eyes , plug your ears and scream real loud . This is a conventional fire .. This is a thermite reaction .. Steel has a melting point of 2500 degrees . Before 9 / 11 , a steel structured building had never fallen from fire damage . On 9 / 11 , three such buildings allegedly fell from fire damage . Here is all the proof you need that conventional fire cannot melt steel .. Watch this video of thermite melting through a car 's engine block . Note the almost lava - like effect . Thermite is part iron oxide ( powder ) so when it 's ignited , you essentially have liquid metal . Now watch this video footage of what looks like thermite pouring out of a wound in the South Tower of the World Trade Center . Note the distinct difference between it and the larger conventional fire to it 's above left . If this were an electrical fire , the sparks would fizzle out almost immediately but they don't . The fire burns intensely and incessantly as what appear to be sparks or droplets of liquid metal fall far and away from it , still burning an almost white color , indicating that the fuel source is not used up . It looks as if it 's raining lava . More than likely , the thermite was used to soften the steel columns enough so that a small and discreet amount of explosive material would be sufficient to bring down the towers . Had the demolition sequence been executed without thermite , heavier explosives would have been necessary to bring down the buildings and would have resulted in obvious explosions . Yet as you will see below , squibs ( lateral explosions ) were still clearly visible . 
Monday , Monday . Here 's a good rule of thumb about both TV and radio -- listenership and viewership improve over the course of a week . A Friday show is almost -- almost -- always better than a Monday show . There 's something about Mondays , even after almost fifteen years on the radio . You 're just coming off the weekend , you 're trying to regain focus , getting listeners back in the habit of calling in , etc. To be honest , Tom and I just try to get through the show on Mondays with a minimal number of screw - ups . The brain isn't fully switched on . Today was a perfect example . I read the article from yesterday 's Trib about the county suing itself over the dismissal of a county manager involved in sexual harassment . I suggested the civil service commission was wrong in hiring the guy back and that the county was right to challenge the decision . We go to the phones . First up was Gary from SLO , wanting to ask me a question . " What about Bill Clinton ? " he asked . " Shouldn't he have been fired ? " My mind couldn't process a simple argument . I know what I wanted to say , but just couldn't focus , mumbling something about Clinton being impeached and therefore punished . This is what I should have said : First , Clinton and Monica was not sexual harassment on any level . That was totally consensual sex . No formal complaint was ever filed . In fact , Monica was entrapped by Linda Tripp -- that 's the only way we found out . Second , 2500 American soldiers and 50,000 Iraqi civilians didn't die because Clinton was having sex with an intern . I ' d gladly have four more years of Bill Clinton than George W . Bush . Third , even at the height of Monicagate , Clinton 's popularity remained in the upper 50 s . Care to compare that to what W . has today ? Now , if George had called in on a Friday , well , then I would have been ready ! 
Did the Mayor Really Say That ? I have been getting a few emails since SLO Mayor Dave Romero appeared on the radio last Thursday . People are curious about the mayor 's comments regarding Measure J , the countywide vote on Dalidio Ranch scheduled for November . The show should be available on podcast at http : // www .920 kvec . com. About midway through the show , Mayor Romero and I were discussing Dalidio Ranch and I asked him a direct question : How did he plan to vote on Measure J - -- Yes , or No ? He answered by initially sidestepping the question . I asked again and he said that he would reluctantly have to hold his nose and vote Yes. That response is leaving some folks around town scratching their heads in confusion . If the city is mad about the county getting involved in Dalidio , why would the mayor vote FOR Measure J ? Wouldn't he be expected to vote AGAINST the measure ? Am I missing something here ? I ' d appreciate your thoughts . 
Billy for Mayor ? Well , we know a few things about the upcoming SLO mayoral race : Dave Romero is definitely running for re - election and John Ewan is definitely going to challenge him . Tough race . We also know a few on the far left are unhappy with Ewan because of his support for Dalidio Ranch and are desperately seeking a third candidate . So far , Christine Mullholland and theater owner Jim Dee have both declined to run . So how about Billy ? Billy Foppiano . Yeah , that guy , the singer . The guy with the Mighty Croon Dogs . Why doesn't Billy throw his guitar in the ring and liven things up . Don't laugh . Look to Texas , who may just be getting ready to elect Kinky Friedman of Kinky Friedman and the texas Jew Boys as their next governor . The musician is drawing wide appeal in Texas because he 's cutting the B . S . and running a smart , populist campaign . So why not Billy ? He 's smart , . He 's passionate . And he 's really PISSED about what 's happening to downtown SLO . He was on my show Monday , holding forth on what 's happening to the town he loves . C ' mon , Billy , liven things up . Run for mayor and hold Dave and John accountable on the key issues . You could easily get a song , or two out of this one . 
Not Laughing Anymore . Iraq 's Bloodshed Spells Civil War Officials see the latest violence , which claimed 130 lives , as a slide into a full - blown conflict . By Borzou Daragahi Times Staff Writer BAGHDAD Retaliatory massacres by gunmen and bombers linked to rival Muslim sects have left more than 130 people dead across Iraq over the last two days , the latest casualties of what some politicians now are calling an undeclared civil war . At least 57 Iraqis were killed Tuesday and scores more injured when a suicide bomber lured a group of day laborers to gather around his minivan with the promise of work before setting off explosives . The bombing in Kufa rained blood , burnt debris and charred body parts on a small market across the street from the Muslim bin Aqil mosque , the main platform for radical Shiite cleric and militia leader Muqtada Sadr . Since the start of May , attacks by Sunni Arab and Shiite Muslims have claimed the lives of more than 6,000 Iraqi civilians , according to a United Nations study and Iraqi police reports . The blast , coming on the heels of mass murders and bombings attributed to Sadr 's Al Mahdi militia and its Sunni Arab enemies , brought the battle to the Shiite cleric 's doorstep , igniting fears of a fresh wave of reprisal killings . " The message is clear , and the message confirms the sectarian differences , " said Fadhil Sharih , a leader of the Sadr movement . " It seems clear that it 's been moving toward the direction of civil war . " U.S. and Iraqi government leaders have argued that the 150,000 - strong foreign troop presence has kept the country from descending into full - scale civil war . But many Iraqi officials fear the threshold has been crossed . " What is happening in Iraq is a disaster and a tragedy , " Adnan Dulaimi , a Sunni Arab leader , said in an interview . " It 's bloodshed and killing of the innocents , killing the elderly and women and children . It 's mass killings . It 's nothing less than an undeclared civil war . " Many members of Iraq 's political class spoke gravely of the massacres and bombings of the last few days , even as two U.S. Cabinet officials visiting Baghdad 's heavily fortified Green Zone this week touted Iraq as a potential bonanza for private investors The Iraqi Islamic Party , the largest Sunni Arab political group , warned Tuesday that " Iraq is witnessing a grave escalation in violence , " and called on Iraqis " to return to their senses instead of slipping into the abyss . " The surge in violence has terrified residents of Baghdad and other mixed Sunni and Shiite areas . The Baghdad airport has been flooded with Iraqis of modest means seeking to escape even temporarily the country 's upswing in sectarian slayings . According to a U . N . study based on Health Ministry statistics , 2,669 Iraqi civilians were killed in May and 3,149 were killed in June . And this month , the toll appears to be even higher , particularly in the Baghdad area that is the target of a sweeping security crackdown aimed at quelling the violence . U.S. and Iraqi troops had launched the sweep , to great fanfare , after a visit in mid - June by President Bush . " Things are getting worse , " said Mahmoud Othman , a Kurdish lawmaker . Even those who hesitate to call Iraq 's ongoing sectarian violence a civil war have begun saying that defusing the sectarian violence will require the international mechanisms used to mediate previous ethnic , religious and political conflicts in Central America , the former Yugoslavia and Sri Lanka . " I start to feel the need to say that there is a civil war , " said Salim Abdullah Jabouri , a Sunni politician , " in order to borrow the tools and solutions of past civil wars to apply them here , and to call upon the international community to deal with Iraq 's problems on this basis . " The latest cycle of violence began with the July 8 bombing of a small Shiite mosque in the Jihad neighborhood of southwestern Baghdad . 
Laugh for the Day . During a press conference today at the G 8 summit in Russia , President Bush told President Vladimir Putin that Americans want Russia to develop a free press and free religion like Iraq . To laughter and applause , Putin responded : We certainly would not want to have same kind of democracy as they have in Iraq , quite honestly . CNN s Ed Henry called it a tough jab . The exchange underscores how the war in Iraq has damaged the standing of the United States , to the point where even modest encouragement for democratic reform is met with ridicule . 
THANK YOU AMBER AND EDGAR . Jucifer - 7 / 21 : New Orleans LA @ One Eyed Jacks Also , from www . myspace . com / jucifer : " hurray for relapse ! the new record will be called ' if thine enemy hunger ' and it will be out in the u . s . september 5 ... internationally september 11 . ( that date is purely coincidental so no conspiracy theory please ! ) " More Tour Dates : 6 / 24 : Rapid City , SD @ Joe 's Pub 6 / 28 : Oklahoma City , OK @ The Conservatory w / The Peelers 7 / 1 : Tulsa Ok @ Mooch and Burn 7 / 6 : Fort Worth TX @ Wreck Room 7 / 18 : Baton Rouge LA @ The Dark Room 7 / 21 : New Orleans LA @ One Eyed Jacks 7 / 22 : Jackson MS @ W . C . Don 's 7 / 25 : Little Rock AR @ Downtown Music 8 / 1 : Lexington KY @ The Dame 8 / 2 : Nashville Tn @ The End Band Website : www . jucifer . com Myspace : www . myspace . com / jucifer . 
BLOOD MOUNTAIN ALBUM ART . MASTODON Complete Work On New Album ; Cover Artwork Posted Online Blabber Mouth . net - June 21 , 2006 ( full article ) Atlanta 's MASTODON have officially completed work on their third album , " Blood Mountain " , due this fall via the band 's new label , Warner Bros. The album 's cover artwork was posted online on the band 's official web site as an interactive puzzle , where the pieces must be dragged and dropped to create the cover . Check it out at this location . " Blood Mountain " is being recorded with Seattle - based producer Matt Bayles ( ISIS , HORSE THE BAND ) . The CD was mixed in New York by Rich Costey ( AUDIOSLAVE , MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE ) . Songtitles set to appear on the follow - up to 2004 's " Leviathan " include " Circle of Cysquatch " , " Hunters of the Sky " , " The Sleeping Giant " , " Bladecatcher " , " The Colony of Birchmen " , " Pendulous Skin " , " The Siberian Divide " , " Capillarian Crest " , " Hand of Stone " , " Crystal Skull " , " The Wolf Is Loose " and " This Mortal Soil " ... Band Website : www . mastodonrocks . com Myspace : www . myspace . com / mastodonpurevolume : www . purevolume . com / mastodon . 
SLAYER RELEASE DATE . Slayer carves out album details , readies for tour ( full article ) June 12 , 2006 by Jon Zahlaway live Daily Senior Writer Slayer ( tickets / music ) , which later this week will launch its previously delayed summer tour , has nailed down an Aug. 8 release date for its new album , " Christ Illusion . " The new disc is Slayer 's first studio set since 2001 's " God Hates Us All , " and is the first to feature the band 's original lineup -- Tom Araya ( vocals , bass ) , Kerry King ( guitar ) , Jeff Hanneman ( guitar ) and Dave Lombardo ( drums ) -- since 1990 's " Seasons in the Abyss . " Josh Abraham ( Korn , Velvet Revolver ) produced the set , and Rick Rubin was the album 's executive producer . The disc will be released on Slayer 's longtime label , Rubin 's American Recordings ... 
ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY ADD FORMER EXHORDER VOCALIST . 05 / 30 / 06 - ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY has announced the addition of vocalist Kyle Thomas ( ex - EXHORDER / FLOODGATE ) to its lineup . ( full article ) Thomas states : This band is stocked with amazing musicians and most importantly quality people . It 's great to be in the fold and an honor to be considered by such a great , hard working band as ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY . Above all , a big thank you to goes out to Karrie Hill for contacting me so that this could all be possible . Kyle is a world class singer with an impressive r sum that includes being a founding member of seminal New Orleans metal band EXHORDER and singing with other acts including FLOODGATE , PITTS VS PREPS and TROUBLE . comments ATP drummer Bryan Cox . Cox continues ; With the singer situation resolved , we will be headed quickly toward hitting the studio and getting it [ the new record ] on tape . If you are at all familiar with Kyle 's work , then you know what he is going to bring to this ATP record . It will be very special and we feel honored and fortunate to be taking the next step forward as ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY with him as a part of the team ... band website - www . atprva . com. 
RANCID TOURS . Rancid to kick off summer tour in Southwest ( full article ) May 09 , 2006 12:07 PMby Tjames Madison live Daily Contributor Punk rockers Rancid ( tickets music ) have assembled a short run of July dates in what the band promises is a precursor to a much larger world tour later this summer ... July 20066 - Tempe , AZ - Marquee Theatre 7 - Tucson , AZ - Rialto Theatre 9 - Austin , TX - Emo 's 11 - Houston , TX - Warehouse Live 18 - St. Petersburg , FL - Jannus Landing 19 - Lake Buena Vista , FL - House of Blues 21 - Ft . Lauderdale , FL - Revolution 23 - Jacksonville , FL - Plush 25 - Atlanta , GA - The Masquerade . 
DEFTONES UNRELEASED TRACK AVAILABLE HERE . download If this download is not available , or has exceeded the download limit , please post a comment to this and I will reset the download for you . - Ed . " The Deftones posted a studio version of their new track " Beware The Water " on their official Myspace page yesterday and then removed it from the page shortly after ... The song is expected to appear on the bands forthcoming as - yet untitled new album which will see a September 12 th release date through Maverick . " ( full article - look for " Beware The Download " posted 05 / 09 / 2006 ) . 
ORION MASTODON COVER AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD . " We ' ve added the correct mastered version of ' Orion ' you where [ sic ] meant to hear , feel free to download it and enjoy . " - Mastodonwww . myspace . com / mastodon . 
NEW \ M / USIC \ M / ONDAY : JUCIFER . " Like the meaning of a dream , Jucifer 's sound can't be pinned down . The eerie but beautiful melodies will creep in and out of your consciousness and float through musical genres by the second . One may think Metallica meets the Cocteau Twins at one moment , Sonic Youth or The Breeders next , or June of 44 with a dash of Anthrax , but the Athens , Georgia , duo creates a mood so unique that they escape any particular label . It seems nearly impossible to believe that there are only two behind these creations as they layer cello , feedback , organs , bells , and record - scratching -- in addition to any other instruments that complete their sound -- over Ed Livengood 's drums and Amber Valentine 's seductive , syrupy vocals . " Ed Livengood and Amber Valentine have concocted a complex and intoxicating mixture . Together , as Jucifer , they send dreamy , melodic beauty into one ear while simultaneously causing permanent hearing loss in the other . " Like many artists nurtured by alternative music mecca Athens , GA , their sound is highly original . But in the inevitable need to call out comparisons , let 's run through some insultingly lazy references : It 's hard to watch and hear Amber and not think of Kim Gordon , Buzz Osborne , Kim Deal and Pete Townshend ... unnervingly rolled into one . And witnessing Ed mercilessly attack his kit conjures up thoughts of Keith Moon ... and Animal from the Muppets . " Their sound ? Some lessons we ' ve learned from Royal Trux and the Melvins ( with both of whom Jucifer has shared a bill ) , Sonic Youth , Neil Young , Black Sabbath , Radiohead , Ministry , Portishead , Nirvana , the Breeders , and as Michael Stipe described in Details Magazine , " a very loud and aggressive southern gothic version of P . J . Harvey . " " Band Website - http : // www . jucifer . com / Myspace - http : // www . myspace . com / jucifer I was busy yesterday ... so sue me . - Ed . 
THANK YOU FAB FIVE . DURAN DURAN JOIN VOODOOO MUSIC EXPERIENCEDuran Duran , one of the most successful British bands with a career celebrating 28 years of continuous chart success and more than 70 million records sold , have chosen this year s Voodoo Music Experience as their first U.S. festival appearance . To purchase tickets for this year s Voodoo Music Experience for up - to - the - minute information , log on to www . voodoomusicfest . com. 
THE END IS NIGH . KEITH RICHARDS UNDERGOES SURGERY , STONES POSTPONE TOUR ( full article ) May 08 , 2006 10:00 AMby Jon Zahlaway live Daily Senior Writer " Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards ( music ) underwent surgery Monday ( 5 / 8 ) morning in New Zealand to relieve pressure that had built up in his head after a recent fall ... " Could this be the beginning of the end ? Sixty - some - odd years of debauchery and fast - livin ' , yet Mr. Richards is done in by tree - borne monkey business ... amazing . - Ed . 
THANK YOU ANTHONY , FLEA , JOHN & CHAD . Voodoo fest returns to New Orleans , Chili Peppers on board ( full article ) April 27 , 2006 02:52 PMby Rob Evans live Daily Editor The Voodoo Music Experience ( music ) will be back in its home base of New Orleans this year , with the Red Hot Chili Peppers holding down the headlining slot . The eighth annual event is set for Oct . 28 - 29 , but a venue hasn't been confirmed ... 
A day in the life of me . According to the blog point challenge here is what today had in store for me . At the lovely hour of 5:45 a.m. I woke up to the sound of the alarm . After turning off the alarm and rolling out of bed I made my way downstairs . Upon finally making it down to the lower level of our home I turned on the light above the stove . Now came one of the most important decisions I made today , what shall I eat for breakfast . I came to the conclusion that I should eat the last Twinkie . Now , with Twinkie in hand I made my way to the blue couch . During that trip I turned on the ceiling fan and then sat / layed on the blue wonder . Mmmm , that Twinkie was good I think I ' ll sit here for a bit before getting ready for work . Well , that was dumb , I fell asleep for a spell . I hop off the blue wonder since I slept a little too long . Now I have to take that long walk up to the second level of our home to the bathroom . Upon entering the bathroom I do various things to make myself presentable to the outside world . After leaving the bathroom I put my clothes on and say goodbye to my very sleepy wife . So , now it 's back downstairs with me to make my lunch , get my water , and go get into the car for my twenty to twenty - five minute drive to work . Here I am at work in my office , I grab my coffee cup , head to the kitchen area and get that first cup of joe . Ahh , that 's some good coffee , and now on with my day . I do some drawing work , O & M manuals ( Operations & Maintenance ) , and share in banter with co - workers for the morning hours . Lunch time was filled with food and fun viewing pleasure . I had Kimmy 's BBQ chicken pizza which got two compliments , and we started to watch Blazing Saddles . The afternoon was filled with more drawing work combined with hydraulic calculations . Ahh , it 's now 4:30 p.m. time to go home . Sweet ! I drive home and try to decide what 's for dinner tonight . We decided to go to Pantera Bread , and I had a chicken caesar salad . No , I didn't mispell Panera , I meant to say Pantera . Kimmy wrote that last line cause she didn't want anyone to think she missed the mispelling . Then we left to go over to movie night . So , here I am typing my day and now I ' m done . " The circle is now complete . " - Vader to Obi - Wan . 
Ummm . I don't really have much to blog about tonight , but I need to keep my promise . So , this will probably be a mini post in preparation for the blog challenge . Someone knocked on our front door about ten times tonight . We didn't attempt to answer because we obviously didn't know them since they were at the front door . See I told you I didn't have much to blog . I ' m off to finish watching Iron Chef America and sweat while partaking in this activity . " You didn't see us in the south passage . " - Han Solo . 
Fire up the grill . Tonight I have mastered another meat on the grill . My friends , the best salmon ever made came off our grill this evening . I don't like to brag , but according to the company present I made an awesome dinner . It all started with a blend of 4 spices then came a wonderful butter sauce to coat , cook and marinade the salmon . I apologize for making any of you hungry , but I just had to say something about my grilling . Also , something funny has happened a couple times at work this week . On a couple of occasions the guy in the office across the hall from mine has use the page function on our phones thusly . " Clean up on aisle 5 , That 's clean up on aisle 5 " or today 's " Clean up at the tampon display . Clean up at the tampon display . " Which is pretty funny when the work day is suddenly interrupted with one of these phrases . There are others , but I might share those later . Off to bed now . I ' m pretty sleepy . " Do you want to buy some death sticks " - Elan Sleazebaggano to Obi - Wan . 
Welcome to The 98 - 7 Peak Blog ! 70 s , 80 s Whatever We Want and right now we feel like Blogging ! So log on and tell us how you feel about the Peak . While you 're here ... meet some of the other Peakerheads ! 
Best Beer Guts . What Western men and women consider physically attractive has fluctuated over the centuries , from Michaelangelo 's sculpted David to Boticelli 's voluptuous Venus to Elvis , fat Elvis , and all the way to Kate Moss . With the rise of the emaciated , heroin - chic look , much has been made of the dangers of an unhealthy body image , and I ' m not going to go into that here , except to say this : Now is the time to swing the pendulum back the other way . Here begins my campaign to bring the beer gut back in style . If Kate Moss 's drug of choice were beer , she might actually look like a woman instead of a praying mantis . In the coming weeks , I ' m going to run through a list of some of the greatest beer guts -- on some of the greatest people in history . And on some pretty mediocre people as well . Who is a better example of a great man with a beer gut than our 27 th President ? Check out Taft 's head - to - body ratio . And tack on ten points for the moustache . 
Wostyntje Torhouts Mustard Ale . Brewed and bottled by De Regenboog in Brugge , Belgium , this ale was served from a bottle at Cafe d ' Alsace , on 88 th Street and 2 nd Avenue on Manhattan 's Upper East Side . Look : Rich , golden - brown color , with a thin layer of Brussels lace . .9 Aroma : Hints of hops and spice . .8 Taste : Bursts on the tongue , with subtle heat from the mustard seeds . Appropriate levels of sweetness and hoppiness as it goes down . Retains the heat all the way through to a pleasant aftertaste which invites another sip . .9 Endurance : Maintains the complex flavor and the Brussels lace until the last sip . .8 Beerness : A good Belgian ale brewed with mustard seeds ? Brilliant . 1 Overall : 4.4 This would be a very good Belgian ale even without the mustard seeds , but that nuance makes this beer superb . I will definitely return to Cafe D ' Alsace for this ale , part of an impressive , if pricey , selection of bottled beers , predominantly Belgian , German , and French . A knowledgeable and surprisingly courteous waitstaff is another plus . This is the ideal way to begin a series of beer reviews . 
Can the Czechs Claim O ' Doul 's Too ? In yet another strange beer - related headline , the demand for non - alcoholic beer is on the rise in the Czech Republic . This makes no sense . Czech beer without alcohol is bread . 
The Beer Store Doesn't Have Drive Thru Service . One woman apparently didn't realize this , and drove her car through the front window of a Beer Store location in Bowmanville , Ontario . There 's a video online , but it only shows the aftermath , and some odd locals . 
Warm Beer . Beer inspectors in Great Britain have been making surprise pub visits during this particularly warm summer , and have found that 53 % of the pints they tested were served warmer than the standard serving temperature of 11 - 13 degrees Celsius . Some Americans might scoff at this , repeating the inaccurate stereotype that the British drink warm beer , but that would just be evidence of an unfamiliarity with the outstanding range of cask ales -- not to mention bitters , stouts , porters , pale ales , et cetera -- that make Great Britain the greatest beer country in the world . Full disclosure : I ' m an Anglophile , and my favorite beer is Young 's Oatmeal Stout . It 's good to see the British taking the quality of their beer seriously . I ' ve wasted enough money on warm , flat , or borderline skunky beers in the US , and I think we should raise our standards a bit . No more shitty beer . 
Building Readership . Hey Educators : Free readership access is still available ! What do you get ? - provocative insight into educational issues - opps for you to voice your valued opinion - blogosphere practice - chance to win free stuff Help me shape this blog by joining and contributing . mikeps : I still haven't delivered the prize from last month 's contest . There is still time to enter . 
... and then fall becomes winter ! The course websites have gone live for this academic year ! I ' m planning Winter offerings at this time , yet still had time for the President 's Breakfast yesterday . Would you like details of the breakfast ? Check here . 
audio comment on " getting innovations accepted " . .... the ' challenge ' . How do you get an innovation accepted ? Take the challenge .... Provide your insights as a list -- share your thoughts -- have others vote on that list in order to win the prize !!! click to listen . 
audio commentary on Learning Objects . Much of the excitement of Learning Objects ( LO ) has died down ! Why hasn't the term and the confusion that the term creates been replaced with something less dramatic ( how about learning assets ? ) How can educators feel confident relating to a term that has remained so elusive . Here is the first of the series of comments and guests comments via podcasting : click to listen to this comment . 
podcasting -- as of Monday August 29 th / 05 . The first audio feed will commence on Monday August 29 th / 05 . These items will be saved and available for comment . Each week will include approximately 3 short audio comments from mike harttrup and hopefully one guest comment . Possible Topics next week : LEARNING OBJECTS ARE DEAD ! WHERE IS THE HUMOUR IN ONLINE COURSES ? RATEMYPROFESSORS . COM - THE GOOD / BAD AND UGLY OF THIS TYPE OF SITEGet ready for a rippin ' tyme on monday -- as I try to milk the dinosaur ! mike . 
OMG ... LAST DAY OF SCHOOL PICS . Alexis ... OMGMe and Alexis ... lol Shikira Shikira and her whole body shot ... ( what she wanted ... OMG ) Najee and Her avertising her cereal box ... oh yes Asako !!! ... OMG my favorite foriegn exchange student in the whole wide world ... lol Laurens back ... ppl who dont want to take pics ... will take pics ... whether they like it or not ... haha .... lol OMG ... me and asako !!! i love u asako ... haha ... more friends from the art room ... OMGJOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE .... lol ... OMG ... angelaahhh ... handwhy so mean ... lolkelley ... lol . 
PHOTOS !!!! yes ... every one should be excited about photos ... lol ... why wouldnt anybody be ... lol ... well from time to time ... i will post photos here and you will be able to view them and comment on them ... yes yes ... i know .... a picture is worth a thousand words ... but ill give you the benefit of the doubt and allow you a thousands words space and you can place those thousand words in a comment box ... and it will stay on this page FOREVER ... lol - will Me . 
Happy Birthday Caleb ! 	 Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal , and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him , " You know the word which the LORD spoke to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh - barnea . I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh - barnea to spy out the land and I brought word back to him as it was in my hart . Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear ; but I followed the LORD my God fully . So Moses swore on that day , saying , ' Surely the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and to your descendants forever , because you have followed the LORD my God fully . ' Now behold , the LORD has let me live , just as He spoke , these forty - five years , from the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses , when Israel walked in the wilderness ; and now behold , I am eighty - five years old today . I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me ; as my strenght was then , so my strength is now , for war and for going out and coming in . Now then , give me this hill country about which the Lord spoke on that day , for you heard on that day that Anakim were there , with great fortified cities , ; perhaps the LORD will be with me , and I will drive them out as the LORD has spoken . " May my son have the courage and strength of his namesake now , on the occasion of his 9 th birthday , and when he is 85 ! I love you , son . 
High Places . 	 This photo was taken at Tel Megiddo and shows a pre - Israelite high place where the ancient inhabitants worshipped pagan deities . On - going digs at site ( visible in the background and in the upper right corner of the photo ) are obscure the whole site but the sacrificial platform is clearly seen . Evidence found on this site indicates that religious practices in ancient Megiddo were highly sexual in nature and revolved around appeasing the local deity ( probably Baal [ Hebrew for ' master ' ] ) for fertility in crops , livestock , and family life . The modern mind struggles to understand why ancient Israelites coming to this land would be drawn to such a superstitious cult . It is perhaps , however , easier to understand when one considers the difficulty of living life dependent of the success and failure of crops . The Israelites were likely tempted to join in the worship of the local deities not only for the prurient interests aroused by the cultic practices but also out of a deep insecurity ( read lack of faith ) about their chances of success in this new , but vulnerable ( see the previous post on the Jezreel Valley ) location . 
The Jordan River . 	 This is what the Jordan River looks like just a kilometer or so before it runs into the Sea of Galilee . The Jordan flows from the Golan Heights to the north to the Dead Sea and drops a great distance in the process . Before it enters the Sea of Galilee , the Jordan wide and deep enough for kayaking and canoeing in the last kilometer . 
The World 's Battlefield . 	 This picture is taken from the eastern side of Tel Meggido , the site of the ancient city of Meggido . The picture is looking south / southeast towards the southern Jezreel Valley . The Gilboa Hills are in the background . Megiddo was inhabited by the Canaanites prior to the Israelite conquest of Canaan . Later , Solomon fortified this city and stationed chariots here to provide security to the northern sector of the trade routes that ran through his kingdom . Archaeological evidence indicates that as many as 500 horses and chariots were garrisoned at Megiddo during the Israelite period . The Jezreel Valley is a broad , fertile valley that lies just north of the hills of Samaria ( Shomron [ pronounced shome - RONE in Hebrew ] ) . The broad fields near several accessible passes to the Mediterranean Sea just a few kilometers to the West have made this valley floor possibly the most widely used battlefield in human history . The Assyrians defeated the Egyptians here . Napoleon fought the Ottomans here . Sir Allenby fought the Ottomans here . The Israelis fought the Arabs here . These are just the highlights . So , it is entirely understandable why Jesus used this imagery as a symbol for the final battle for the control of the world when he delivered his Revelation to John the Apostle on Patmos . In ancient times , the one who controlled these trade routes that connected the Fertile Crescent civilizations to the East and the Mediterranean and Egyptian civilizations to the West controlled the world . The Gilboa Hills are notable primarily because King Saul , the first king of Israel , and his sons ( Jonathan , David 's close friend , among them ) were killed in battle . 
The Galilee . 	 This picture was taken from the Horns of Hittin , a ridgetop a few kilometers west of the Sea of Galilee ( Kinneret in Hebrew ) . In the picture , you can see the slopes of the Golan Heights to the East . This territory belongs legally to Syria but has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 " Six Day " War . Prior to this , the Syrians had a bad habit of firing artillery on farmers on the west side of the Kinneret . The Horns of Hittin ( the location from which this picture was taken ) is the site of the final defeat of the Crusaders by the Kurdish Islamic leader Salah ad - Din ( Saladin ) al - Ayoubi on July 4 , 1187 . This Muslim victory opened the way to the re - capture of Jerusalem by Salah ad - Din 's forces in October the same year . On the left side of the picture ( the north end of the Kinneret ) Capernaum can be seen on the northern edge of the lake . Tiberias , the only major city on the lake itself , is off the right side ( southern edge ) of the picture . 
Bayt Tsaida : A view from Peter and Andrew 's porch . 	 Bayt Tsaida ( " House of the Fisherman " in Aramaic ) was the home of Peter , Andrew , and Philip ( John 1:44 ) . You can find more information here and here . I won't vouch for all the information on wikipedia , but it ' ll tell you some of the interesting facts about the area and demonstrate the difficulty ( and importance ) of locating places mentioned in the Bible . The second link is a Power Point file you may download and view . It describes how Bayt Tsaida was lost to history , why it was so hard to find , and what has been found there since its discovery . Enjoy ! The panorama here is a shot from Bayt Tsaida looking south , southwest towards the Sea of Galilee , Capernaum , and the Horns of Hittin beyond ( where Salah ad - Din defeated the Crusaders ) . The plain immediately below the tel is the area covered by the Galilee until the earthquakes mentioned in the brief in the second link . 
Beyond America the Beautiful . 	 After these things I looked , and behold , a great multitude which no one could count , from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues , standing before the throne and before the Lamb , clothed in white robes , and palm branches were in their hands ; and they cry out with a loud voice , saying , " Salvation to our God who sits on the throne , and to the Lamb ! " The 4 th of July is upon us once again . We are celebrating the 230 th birthday of our country 's independence from the British crown . For those who have never considered the causes of this split beyond taxation without representation or who have never struggled with the righteousnes ( or lack thereof ) of armed rebellion , you can read about it hear . But that 's not the purpose of this post . Today , we worshipped in a new congregation here in Israel . Fleeing the expatriate congregations that sprout up in many places , today we landed in the middle of a group of believers from Uzbekistan , Russia , Ukraine , Israel ( both Jews and Arabs ) , Spain , New York , and other lands I ' m sure . Together , we praised the Lord and His mercy in several languages ( sometimes all at once ) and heard the Word of God preached from Habbakuk and simultaneously translated into other tongues so that all could understand . In a small but tangible way , the curse of Babel was overcome during this holy hour . We were reminded during the sermon that God intends for only one identity to be supreme in the long run . Russians , French , and - yes - even Americans who place their nationality at the center of their being will find in the Day of Judgment that their passport is flimsy evidence to gain acquittal before the bar of God 's perfect justice . The pastor , perceiving that there were Americans among the crowd , even turned to us and reminded us that in spite of America 's power and prestige , God is no respecter of persons and will measure America against the standard of His utter righteousness . It may sound strange but this was good news - the Gospel - to me . Somewhere beyond America the Beautiful ( and she is beautiful ) , somewhere beyond the amber waves of grain and the purple mountains ' majesty , and pilgrim 's feet pointed westward , is a kingdom that has no end . The King that reigns there suffers no controversy in His realm about immigration ; the list of citizens was written before the foundation of the world . Americans should be thankful for the freedoms we enjoy and it is proper to celebrate those freedoms . But we American Christians should also remember that we have a citizenship that is in heaven from which we eagerly await a Savior , even the Lord Jesus Christ . ( Philippians 3:20 ) It is the Savior - King who will ultimately reign " from sea to shining sea . " . 
Good Books . 	 Found this nugget in Thomas Brooks ' Precious Remedies Against Satan 's Devices : Device 5 . To present God to the soul as one made up all of mercy . Oh ! saith Satan , you need not make such a matter of sin , you need not be so fearful of sin , not so unwilling to sin ; for God is a God of mercy , a God full of mercy , a God that delights in mercy , a God that is ready to show mercy , a God that is never weary of showing mercy , a God more prone to pardon his people than to punish his people ; and therefore he will not take advantage against the soul ; and why then , saith Satan , should you make such a matter of sin ? Remedy ( 1 ) . The first remedy is , seriously to consider , That it is the sorest judgment in the world to be left to sin upon any pretence whatsoever . O unhappy man ! when God leaveth thee to thyself , and doth not resist thee in thy sins . Woe , woe to him at whose sins God doth wink . When God lets the way to hell be a smooth and pleasant way , that is hell on this side of hell , and a dreadful sign of God 's indignation against a man ; a token of his rejection , and that God doth not intend good unto him . That is a sad word , " Ephraim is joined to idols ; let him alone " ( Hosea 4.17 ) ; he will be uncounsellable and incorrigible ; he hath made a match with mischief , he shall have his bellyful of it ; he falls with open eyes ; let him fall at his own peril . And that is a terrible saying , " so I gave them up unto their own hearts ' lusts , and they walked in their own counsels ' ( Ps , 81.12 ) . A soul given up to sin is a soul ripe for hell , a soul posting to destruction . Ah Lord ! this mercy I humbly beg that whatever thou givest me up to , thou wilt not give me up to the ways of my own heart ; if thou wilt give me up to be afflicted , or tempted , or reporached , I will patiently sit down , and say , It is the Lord ; let him do with me what seems good in his own eyes . Do anything with me , lay what burden thou wilt upon me , so thou dost not give me up to the ways of my own heart . Precious Remedies Against Satan 's Devices , Banner of Truth Trust , 2000 , pp . 50 - 51 . 
Bad News , Good News . 	 First , the bad news : " In our day , humanistic reason affirms that there is only the cosmic machine , which encompasses everything , including people . To those who hold this view everything people are or do is explained by some form of determinism , some type of behaviorism , some kind of reductionism . " -- Francis Schaeffer , " How Should We Then Live " , pg . 164 . In the atheist 's world ( and effectively in the Deist 's , too ) there is only machine and it 's actions . No good , no bad , just nature in it 's raw , unfeeling power , grinding relentlessly through the eons . So , there 's no meaning in the Katrina 's and tsunamis of this world . " Abandon hope , all ye who enter here ! " Now , for the good news : " [ T ] hose ... who suffer according to he will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right . " - 1 Peter 4:19 In the worldview of the Bible , the created world is ruled over by an involved Creator who is also good by definition . It is fallen under His curse and wrath due to man 's rebellion , but is also being redeemed according to His sovereign plan . Since all this is true , there is hope in repentance , restoration of our relationship with Him , and , subsequently , in prayer . Since all this is true , we can entrust our souls to a faithful Creator , in full confidence that He will do what is right . Now , that 's good news ! 
Striving to Discern the Body . 	 Today we visited a new fellowship of believers here in Israel . Because it is made up of many internationals from different countries and the membership is very transient since most of those who attend are not here for more than a few years , it is quite a mixture of worship styles and traditions . As a presbyterian who likes things generally " done properly and in an orderly manner " ( 1 Cor 14:39 ) , and holds to a moderate view of the regulative principle of worship , I can be overwhelmed by my desire to see things " just so " . This is particularly true of the Lord 's Supper . Today we shared the Meal together with these brothers and sisters and I struggled ( by God 's grace successfully ) to see the forest in spite of the trees . Then I came home and found this post over at BLOG and MABLOG that describe precisely what my heart strove to experience this morning . You can find it here . Christ , our passover lamb , has been sacrificed for us . Hallelujah ! 
Caesarea Revisited . 	 We ventured out to Caesarea today . Only my son , Nathan , was a newcomer . The amphitheater was being readied for a jazz festival so no pictures were taken of the amphitheater since most of the historical elements were covered by the stage . But we did take photos of the site of Herod 's palace and the swimming pool that stood in the atrium of it : Caesarea is a sad city in many ways . As I stood and read the outline of the city 's history at the park , I noticed that it 's history has been marked by massacre after massacre . In 66 AD , the Romans massacred 20,000 Jews at the beginning of the Jewish Revolt . Later , around the 2 nd or 3 rd century , the Christian inhabitants of the city were massacred by the pagans under one of the great waves of persecution . In this case , the church father , Origen , was tortured and killed in Caesarea . Later , the Muslim inhabitants were massacred by the crusaders . When the crusaders arrived , they converted the amphitheater into a castle . The picture below is a view from the outside , showing the remains of the towers with arrow slits . 
15 Years of Marital Bliss . 	 Today is our 15 th wedding anniversary . " House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers , But a prudent wife if from Yahweh . " - Proverbs 19:14 This has come true in my life 15 times over . My ' fruitful vine ' is a great joy ! 
Studying Purity and Peace . 	 The fifth vow of membership in churches of the PCA includes a promise to study the purity and peace of the Church . There is no option in this vow . The quest for peace and purity must be balanced . In every congregation there are those who want to go along and get along . In every congregation there are those who are zealous for purity in bloth practice and doctrine . The fifth vow draws these two into a commitment to biblical unity and , by the use of the word study recognizes that neither side can see all the facets of the problem . So , as the storm continues to swirl around the Federal Vision ( FV ) and the New Perspectives on Paul ( NPP ) , particularly during the OPC and PCA general assemblies this summer , we should all keep this is mind . In this vein , I want to commend to y ' all a new link down to the right . Presbyterians and Presbyterians Together is a web petition calling for a re - commitment to our fifth vow of church membership . I have signed it and I believe everyone should give prayerful consideration of the same . Unless we come to grips with this dilemma , we will incur the Lord 's chastening hand on us in order to bring us to both purity and peace . David Powlison has said , " Tenderness and boldness are hard to get on the table at the same time . But suffering brings these two together . " This truth applies to churches as well as individuals . Tenderness ( the " peace " camp ) and boldness ( the " purity " camp ) must come together . But will we be stiff - necked about it or not ? 
Summetime and the livin 's too easy ... " Who put the fun in the funhouse ? You did , baby - you did Who put your dad in the halfhouse ? You did , baby - you did , baby Who put the boys in the clubhouse ? You did , baby - you did Who put the cat in the cathouse ? You did , baby - you did , baby Keep your eye on things while I ' m gone Keep a lid on things " --- Crash Test Dummies . And life goes on . During the school year it 's finding the time to do nothing . And now , proved only halfway through the summer , it 's finding nothing to do with that time . Ironic isn't it ? Like hearing an ambulance at someone 's funeral . The thing we want the most all year ; the thing we highschoolers look forward to and salve towards for ten months because it means a little bit of freedom becomes the least interesting thing in the end . The least appealing . And secretly , by mid july , some of us wish for school because it means human contact with the rest of the world . It means not sitting on our asses doing jack shit . I , on the other hand , have turned jack shit into a pointless , but somewhat productive , blog entry updating all you lovely folks on life in the land of narn . ( or vold ) This entry is paired with random pictures that I found saved on my desktop . ( Cheeky family , what the hell have they been looking at ? ) Anywho ... Besides trying to throw away my favourite pair of jeans , the continuing addiction to san pelligrino , the turmoil of giving up red meat , and changing to a healthier diet , life has turned into a desperate search for new tunage . Tunage that doesn't include any of the following : - hicks - rednecks - twangs - fiddles - pick up trucks - shania twain - or country of most kinds . But I suppose in true hippie camp fashion I should be open to suggestions . So far the search has turned up with songs like ' Keep a lid on things ' by Crash Test Dummies which , to be blatantly honest , are only listened to because of their great weirdness . The rest of life can be duely summed up with ' Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk ' by Rufus Wainwright . High quality song for someone in a bored and uninterested mood . I almost broke into an old friends house yesterday . It wouldn't have been the first b don't go to Tim Hortons past ten unless you 're REALLY desperate . Ethiopia deserves a chance too . We 're officially swearing off spending time at my place because I ' ve got the best munchies . Although lately I ' m all about the carrots and grape tomatoes . Mmm mmm nutrition . Well , thats all I ' ve really got to blah about . Penticton in August . Woot woot . Fuck I ' m bored ... Peace and Love to you - dbrand . 
We ' ll do it all . Everything . On our own ... " If I lay here If I just lay here Would you lay with me and Just forget the world ... " Having that one person ; that one single gal pal , family connection , or boy to steal your heart can change everything . It takes your life . It measures your life . Until one unspecial day you realize They are your life . Peace and love to all , - dbrand . 
A 1 E 's Mercury Rising PPV - Promo Week . Time for the weekly installment of what 's going on in A 1 E , while we 're waiting anxiously for the results . Before I get into specifics , though , I just wanted to say that it looks like A 1 E is turning a major corner . That " vibe " is coming through again . I get the sense that people are participating more than they are competing , and this can only be a great thing . I had a great time reading the threads this week , and seeing all the work going into the angles . Outstanding work by everyone . Thumbs Down : The Tag Team Last Man Standing Match . I realize that real life got in the way for people this week , but when it happens to two guys out of four in a tag team match , it really sucks . And even the two guys that were left didn't do much ( although I know that Andy was busy promoing his ass off for the Contract On A Pole match ) . I expected a lot more from this match . Thumbs in the Middle : Nothing . There was nothing that left me really going " ehhh ... " all week long . That 's great . Thumbs Up : - MORE NEW BLOOD . That 's awesome ! First of all , thanks to Daymon and Troy Douglas for coming to give A 1 E a shot . You guys were impressive your first week in . I ' ve seen both of these guys in EPW , and they 're talented . You 're going to do well in A 1 E . Excellent debuts by both guys . Also , nods go to their opponents , for giving them great debut matches to work with . Props to everyone . - The aforementioned Contract On A Pole match . Wow . Andy was a frigging promo machine in this one . What , Andy , are you practicing for the Pier Six Brawl next year ? Well done . Also , Duchess ... she bloody well TURNED IT UP this week . I haven't seen her this intense for a while , and it really showed . Good work . And then Slambo comes and knocks one out with a POTY candiate . This was a great match all around . - Cross vs . Monster Cross Fan . I don't know about everyone else , but I ' m liking this feud . This whole feud has been purely cerebral , and A 1 E has missed that for a long time . I hope this one goes on for a while . Oh yeah , and we got Drunken Tiger back this week . And to anyone I didn't mention specifically , you all get an Honorable Mention . Good work . Thumbs WAY THE FUCK UP : The " Best Of A 1 E Finals " . What can you say about this one ? Four of truly the best there is in A 1 E , and they didn't disappoint . James was ultra - creative . Big Dog pulled out a fire that he hasn't had in some time - he 's always passionate , but this was just on another level . Dan Ryan was his wisecracking best , and he had a POTY candidate as well with his attack on Spoiler , who in his own right had a fantastic week this week . What 's not to like ? I don't know whether this was just because it was the build to a PPV event or what , but it was definitely an UP week in the fed , and I really hope this kind of work continues . 
A 1 E Report . Alright efed fans , time once again to look back on the week that was in A 1 E . Thumbs Up : Spoiler and Promo : A 1 E match of the week , hands down . Talk about intensity - these two turned it WAY up . I ' m going to need to sit in front of the air conditioner to cool off after the heat generated in this match . Big Dog and Dan Ryan : A close second to match of the week . How many times have we seen a poorly executed face vs face or partner vs partner match ? Let 's face it , they 're really hard to pull off successfully . But kudos to Phil and Dave for giving us a different spin on this type of match . You almost got the idea that even though these two are partners , they 're not going to hesitate to tear each other apart - and hey , it 's just business . Kinda like Axe and Smash in the Royal Rumble all those years ago . Thumbs In The Middle : Monster Cross Fan : I don't know whether this is Cross building an angle for himself , or if we have a new person joining or a returning person to feud with Cross ( or even to align with him ) , but whoever it is reads like a teenaged girl gushing about their favorite boy band , or that poor squealing bastard in the shopping commercials . I hope things change as this goes on , but like JA 's LOTR piece , I ' m willing to give this a chance to see how it plays out . Thumbs Down : No Drunken Tiger . : ( 3 No Shows : I ' ll be the first one to say that real life gets in the way - and takes precendence - just take a look at my hiatus for evidence of that . I absolultey do not fault any of the individuals who just couldn't make it this week , but it just kinda deflates things when it all happens at once . It 's just unfortunate timing , is all . Oh well , I guess the BC will have an easy time this week . Next week brings us a PPV , so I can't wait to read the promos and watch everyone turn it up ! 
This Week In A 1 E . It was fun to kick back and read the A 1 E threads this week . Here 's some brief notes on what I see about the fed this week . I ' m going to try and do one of these after every card . It might happen , it might not , but we ' ll see how it goes . New blood : - Cross has returned . The former Champion is back , and he 's motivated . This is nothing but a great thing for A 1 E . Cross can bring it with the best of them , and that World Title is proof . - Drunken Tiger . Right now I love the gimmick , even though he 's really just getting started . There 's nothing like a monster of a Korean with an even bigger chip on his shoulder . Says he 's a tweener , but would be fantastic in a pure heel role , I think . - Justin Evitable has come back . I don't know a heck of a lot about him , since most of his body of work was in MBE , but did a small stint in A 1 E that never really got off the ground . Loved his return out - of - match promo . Hopefully this means bigger things for him down the road . A 1 E needs an infusion of different characters to help introduce some new feuds , and this is a good start . HITS AND MISSES : Hits : Drunken Tiger : Like I said eariler , I like the gimmick , and he was a fun read this week . Keep it up . Duchess : Someone drove a boot into Duchess ' ass , and this week it showed . Some of the better stuff she 's done lately . Irish Red and Richard Farnswirth : Now THAT ' S how you crank up the intensity . I love it when matches turn personal . This was a great thread . Misses : JA : I know that JA 's dream was to capture the A 1 E World Title . He did it , but unfortunately , he lost it right away . I know that would be a huge blow to his character , but I ' m not sure I ' m liking the Hobbit retread . It ' d be ok in small bits and pieces , but it did nothing to help his match this week . Sorry , pal . Mr. Amazing vs . Housefly vs . Dan Ryan : I was hoping for more of an epic encounter this week given the sheer talent of all three people involved , but 5 promos between three guys doesn't really do it for me . I wanted to see this one lit up . Oh well , maybe next time . I realize life gets in the way , but this was one of those matches that " just could ' ve been " , you know ? 
Finally ... an update ! It 's been three long months since my last blog entry , but I hope to be making a lot more . Now that I ' ve stepped away from A 1 E and EPW to move and get married , I ' ve got a little extra time to read cards and make some comments . Now , on to the entry ... Got me thinking ... There 's a thread over at ENN that 's a quick survey - what characters have you handled , what feds have you been in . That reminded me of something that I don't think ever came out in the open , and given my time constraints now , I don't mind getting out there , since I don't think the character will ever come back . So I guess this is pretty much more of a shameless dig for feedback than anything else . I think pretty much everyone remembers Hybrid - the A 1 E Tag Team of Damon Blackburn and Big Wreck . We all know that Roger ( Housefly , Haven , among others ) handles Damon , but who was the psycho behind Big Wreck ? It was me , Austin ! It was me all along ! Thinking about past characters got me thinking about how much fun Big Wreck was to play . Constantly aided by Ducky in his exploits , and generally just having a vehicle to take things waaaaay over the top and be crazy was a good way to show that other side of me . One of the promos I remember was a paintball promo . I forget who it was - the Westons , perhaps ? - and all I did was take the phrase " we got you in our sights , and turned that into a whole promo about shooting . And what would a funny Hybrid promo be without having Sal Scantlin getting shot in the nuts ? That 's the kind of stuff that was so much fun to do , to get away from the seriousness of Beast , and later on , Gladiator . So , I guess , brings me to this : what did YOU think of the Big Wreck character ? What was your favorite promo ? Your favorite match ? This is , of course , assuming that you were in A 1 E long enough ago to remember . ; ) . 
Last commercial post for a bit . Alright , I think my new favorite commercials for the moment are the ones for that Jamacian Red Stripe beer . Boo creepy foot doctor . Hooray Beer ! I think youtube . com has a few , check them out . Now . Go . I ' m serious . 
MTV - Quiz Bowl Challenge - Shakira . Has anyone seen those MTV commercials where it looks like they take clips from episodes of Quiz Bowl , but the kids always answer with inappropriate pop - culture references ? I just saw the one where the kid answers " Shakira " , the host says " that 's the third time you ' ve answered ' Shakira ' , lets give someone else a chance " , to which the kid replies " I like the dancing " . Hilarious . If anyone can find this commercial on the internets , please send me a link . 
DVD Review # 1 : House , M. D . Season 1 . Plot : The show is about a brilliant but asshole doctor named Gregory House that is very good at what he does , even though he admittedly doesn't like people all that well . This allows him to only take cases that interest him , and those cases are always difficult to figure out . He employs a team of very gifted young doctors each with their own specialty and ' other ' reason for being part of the team . The ' other ' reasons are being slowly and interestingly drawn out as the show has progressed . As House hates authority more than he does people , there 's constant tension between him and his boss who obviously has some kind of romantic history . Review : I ' ve been completely sucked in . In the last 3 days i ' ve watched 17 episodes . The show is basically a formula show , don't get me wrong many formula shows work , and have worked for a long time , Murder She Wrote , Scooby Doo , even The Simpsons has had a formula going on lately . Episodes always start with the patient in their every day life when something happens , they collapse or stop responding . Next , someone has to convince House to take the case this usually includes telling of symptoms that House shruggs off as nothing special until he hears something that is particularly interesting . They ' ll go to the office and start writing on a white board all the symptoms ( at some point in the first few episodes of season 1 they change from a white board with a black marker to a clear board with a white marker , I figured this was so they could show the actor 's faces more often , but then they change back to the white board for some reason ) and the doctors make guesses and start taking tests . An idea of some sort will arise that fits the symptoms and they immediately start treatment because if they don't do anything the patient will die , and if their guess is wrong the treatment may kill them . That process will repeat 2 or 3 times throughout the episode . Meanwhile , they 're trying to get more information about the patient and the history and the causes for why mysterious illness could possibly be occuring . This is where the episode is different depending on the patient , but there seems to be a formula here too . If the patient is a child , the parents will always second guess the doctors , complain that the last treatment made it worse , why is this one going to be any different . If the patient is a husband or wife , there is always some marital issue , or possibility of a marital issue , usually infidelity . Whatever the case , the patient and family always lie , or leave something out , always . By the way , that is exactly why Dr. House doesn't like people . In the end they figure it out at the last minute , the patient gets all better and everyone is happy for it . Well , most of the time anyway . The filler is House making his observations about people , little things that no one else would possibly notice , which is something that really makes the show interesting to me . He really has an eye for detail , and even though he is very terse about things he 's always clever , especially with his dialogue . Also , there are interactions between him and his staff , his friend who is an oncologist and the aformentioned boss . There 's also a comic relief portion where House has to do his ' Clinic Hours ' which is basically people who come in for stupid reasons and the interaction is commonly hilarious . Overall , a very entertaining show , with a very good cast and great dialogue . The medical jargon can get repetitive at times , and they show some pretty gross procedures ( people getting trachia 's and needles shoved into their eyes and stuff ) of which they show more than most . But , i ' d suggest that if you notice an episode is on , give it a shot . If you like one episode you ' ll probably like most , and with a 22 episode season , it 's well worth the $ 40 . 
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My failing memory . I did the awefullest thing you could ever imagine - forgot that today was Amma 's birthday . OK - it 's like this . I ' ve never use my watch in the last 2 months as we dont use it in the nursery and hence it showed today as 25 th July . And being on study leave totally disengaged me from the day and date of life . So much for excuses .... I felt bad . At 10 PM Appa sent me a gentle SMS reminder . After struggling with a congested network , I scooted back to my room and called them up from my landline . as expected - she wasn't surprised . It wasn't the first time I was doing this . Had a pretty long chat with appa and Amma . Amma 's always been a source of inspiration to me and her inner strength and love for Christ have been instrumental in moulding me . Lol ... and my memory - why do I forget names and dates so easily . Is my mind clogged ? Am I getting old ? Do I need someone to remind me regularly ? Do I need one of those hi - tech organisers that will remind me ? Or maybe just a wife !!! ?? I guess I tend to be preoccupied . Not realising ...... LOL !! 
Where am I going .... ? Started today on a blurry note - got up late and just goofed around the room . I felt very distracted today . I opened my Nelson 's Textbook but couldn't read . Had a flight of ideas screaming through my mind and I was getting nowhere . Music zipped out of my boombox and was lost before it even hit me . I dozed , I ate , i dozed and gave in again to thoughts that drifted ..... I went to library where cramming was painful and I couldn't progress beyond a few paragraphs . A tea - break , a hunger - break and I was back in MIQ basement and soon was watching a movie - aptly called Crash - Landin which seemed to be what I was heading for . The only thing to look forward to was a music concert by Living Waters at the auditorium . Luckily I bumped into Vinu and Gladwin and we decided to go ( I would have definitely skipped it if it weren't for them ) . It was the best part of the day ! The music was softer than what I expected , but full of meaning . It was entitled " The Potter 's Hand " and the highlight was Cynthia singing the theme song with her testimony . It brought back memories of Sheba singing it at EMC when I first played the guitar for her . I think Sheba 's voice is a touch better than Cynthia 's , but maybe I ' m biased !!!! They also sang " Power of Your Love " - a song Sheba Jitto and I informally sang at a family get - together . It definitely was very uplifting and encouraging . We walked out of the auditorium and were greeted by a heavy drizzle . Vinu and I decided to visit a couple of people at CHAD and after getting a little drenched we couldn't locate Saravanan , but had some great coffee With Vinay and Anu , before I rode the bike back on wet roads . It was ' largely ' uneventful with just one epsiode of stalling and a couple of sudden brakes etc. All 's well that ends well . Had a long chat with Vinu as we parked the bike and walked back for dinner . I had another short session with my Nelson 's textbook and then came back to my room . it 's been a tipsy day - bad start followed by God 's wonderful way of putting back joy in my heart - He knows that I love music ! So here I am - it 's almost midnight and I ' m blogging in a rather cheerful mood . I ' ve noticed a lot of empty spaces in my blog and will try to fill ' em up . 
Thoughts on Leading Worship . Gladwin was leading worship today and although we had met yesterday for practice , we were still underprepared musically and had lots of loose chords and starts . As usual God took charge and although we did hit a few wrong chords , the church truly worshipped the Lord . The songs came out well and we were quite happy . At the end Peter Dailey met us and offered to help smoothen out our worship . He noticed the lack of proper practice and coordination and was willing get set things better organised . I realise that we tend to be quite haphazard in our approach to leading worship . Part of the reason is the busy and varied schedules each of us have making co - ordination of practice , chords and stuff quite difficult . But everytime we find that God takes care of all the inadequacies and the singing and worship come out OK .... great .... enjoyable .... awesome . Got me thinking - is depending on God 's power an excuse for being disorganised . Can we blame it all on busy schedules and lack of time . Maybe not . Just like we spend hours on paper - readings , academic activities , theses , exams I guess we need to be more structured in our approach to leading worship . Over the next few weeks , I hope that things get clearer and we get better . Worship , and Leading Worship , is a serious but enjoyable interaction with God and we cannot be slipshod or haphazard . God , help us coordinate better to exalt your name more ! 
Petra - Farewell . Just as I was about to go off for lunch Joyce called up and said she had a little gift for me . We met and she handed me my ' gift ' - The ' Petra - Farewell ' VCD . Awesome !! I was pretty excited and decided to spend the weekend listening to it . I finally saw / listened to it on sunday and it brought back a flood of memories : Petra was one of the first Christian bands I ever listened to when I was in school and i know that their music was intrumental in getting me off secular and rock music that I was wading into ! Remembered the few Petra songs we sang at church , the concert I attened in Bangalore and all the cassettes I bought which unfortunately lie warped in my room ! I ' ll treasure this CD .... a lot . Especially that it came in as a gift ! If you 're reading this Joyce .... thanx a zillion . If you 're not reading this - anyway I messaged you my thoughts by SMS !!! 
Luke goes to Hospital . My nephew Luke ( aka Lukie / Lutie ) is a very special child . He 's more than one - and - a - half years and still can't see very well or sit . Doctors have been grappling for a diagnosis . He 's special because he always defies what the doctors predict . Arun and Lisa ( and all of us ) have been hoping to get a diagnosis for him and finally it was decided to run a special battery of tests and get him seen by some experts at the Cleveland Hospital . Today I received this email from Sheba and it put in place what we were hoping for ; Dear family , You might know that my precious nephew Luke will be undergoing someimportant tests at the Cleveland Children 's hospital starting today , the 18 th upto 20 th July . The last one year has probably been the most significant days in ourspiritual journeys as we have spent many many hours on our knees andpraying for a miracle . We feel that the timing of this hospital visit isperfect as on January 17 th we started a " Luke prayer wall " in Arun 's house where we listed all areas that needed the Lord 's healing touch . All of us distinctly got promises that we were in for a big miracle in July and we are very excited to see the Lord unravel His sovereignty in Luke . Two verses that have filled our hearts during these prayer battles are : Where once there were thorns , cypress trees will grow . Where nettles grew , myrtles will sprout up . These events will bring great honor to the LORD 's name ; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love . " - Isaiah 55:13 The LORD gave me this message : " I knew you before I formed you in your mother 's womb . Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations . " - Jeremiah 1:4,5 This email is to request prayer and we are hoping that we can all joinin prayer at the same time and express our faith in the Lord . We ' ve comeup with a few timings and hope you can join us : July 18 th - 20 th : 11:00 a.m. EST / 8:30 p.m. IST 10:30 p.m. EST / 8:00 a.m. ISTA few prayer points : 1 . Luke : He should be awake during significant tests . Hope he will notfeel any pain .2 . Joel : He is staying with Rao Uncle and Aunty ... hope he doesnt miss lisa at night 3 . Arun and Lisa : The peace that they show at this time is contagious ! Please pray for strength and endurance . Lisa will be staying at thehospital at night . We will keep you updated as we hear from them . We are confident that the Lord is in control ... Lets knock all heaven 's doors ! Because He lives , Jitto and Sheba The next few days are going to be tense , full of hope , tiring , full of prayer , eye - opening . If you do read this - say a short prayer for little Luke - I hope that he will be a miracle child ... 
Weekend ! After a nearly - sleepless friday night , rounds and the nursery were well - behaved on saturday . Dr. Anil was on call this weekend and I was s ' posed to lead worship on sunday at church . We couldnt meet for practice on saturday evening like we usually do as I hadnt yet chosen the songs and also Dr. Anil was at a meeting till 6 PM . I finally handed over the pager at 7 PM to him and set to work putting things together for the worship session . I called up people - Jyothi said she would make it and Sara and Sonia confirmed their availability . Abu and Kenny were not there , so there was noone to play the keys . I managed to catch Cynthia by SMS late in the night and then talked to her - she sounded tired ( the busy life as an intern ! ) , but said she would try to get permission to come . Trinity and Miriam were not contactable . The songs fell into place quite quickly - I decided on the theme " Security " . Getting the lyrics and the powerpoint took some time and I downed quite a few cups of coffee before I finally got finished at 2 AM . I had very refreshing chats with Suneeta , my classmate , and Priya , an online friend , in the midst of the preparation which was very useful . I woke up just before 7 today and things seemed OK . Just after a shower I got a message from Jyothi saying she had overslept and wouldnt make it . I felt a little disappointed . Almost in answer , Shirley called up out of nowhere and said she 's be there . I SMSed Sara and Sonia in case they had overslept - they hadnt ! Phew ! Gladwin offered to pick me up ( I had to carry a guitar and the laptop ) . He was 20 minutes later than what he promised . We reached church by 8.30 AM and soon set up the mikes . After doodling with the LCD projector settings we started practice with Shirley , Sonia and me . Oops - we ran into trouble trying out the first 2 songs - Rock of Ages and Fear Not ; Both of them did not know it . We were struggling . Almost in answer , Jacob , who was in Vellore for the weekend , popped in and soon Cynthia was there too - she looked tired , but her voice was awesome !! Soon time ran out and we prayed and started the service . Amazingly the songs came out better than we expected and the congregation really worshipped the Lord . It 's so great to see God in control of things with his presence and power ! The rest of the service was great too ! Kalyani aunty gave a very practical talk about Love - very realistic ! I had a great lunch , a peaceful afternoon siesta and then lazed around . I managed to set right some forms on my website which left me satisfied . Sheba called up and we had a looooooooong brother - sister talk !! It was nice . Jeremy Camp continued to blare out of my boombox and at 11 PM I found that Vinu was shifting into the room opposite me ! Great - good company at last !!! After a cup of coffee with him at F H ( where we bumped into Arpudh and Sushil ) I updated the blog . It 's been a very refreshing weekend . I know the week ahead will be busy again .... but I feel better prepared . 
A difficult decision . At around 5 PM we had a sick baby admitted in nursery . The mother was a staff nurse who was 37 years old and the baby had been found to have a lot of edema on a scan this morning - fluid around the lungs , heart in the abdomen and underneath the skin . He did not cry at delivery and needed resuscitation . A quick look showed that he had Down Syndrome . The cord p H was 6.9 - indicating that he was ' severely asphyxiated ' . He was having severe breathing difficulty . Within an hour he had his first seizure . There was a loud murmur when we heard his heart and that meant he probably had a major heart disease too . Normally we do not ' go all out ' to treat these kind of babies as their outcome is poor and most die or are severely delayed . However it is the parents who make the decision . After talking to the father and the relatives , we continued resuscitation till the decision was made . The father walked in after a few minutes and said - we ' ve prayed about it and we would like our baby treated fully . It seemed quite a brave decision to make . We intubated and ventilated the baby . The heart scan confirmed pulmonary hypertension and the saturation of oxygen was difficult to mantain . Once again I found myself stuck between my medical knowledge and the " Faith " of parents . I still do not think the baby has any chance of a meaningful survival . I still think he may die tonight . I still think that even if he survives , he will be severely retarded and will have multiple health problems - and will probably die sometime later . Am I right ? Am I wrong ? Is my faith weak ? Or am I just being practical and realistic ? If this baby does die or has too many problems , does that mean the faith of the parents was meaningless ? Was it an emotional decision - not one driven by Faith ? There are a lot of doubts that incidents like this leave me with . I wonder if I will ever find the answers to these questions ? Faith ...... emotion ..... knowledge ...... God ...... truth ... One day I ' ll find out . 
New member is coming . Ya , my new subblog in Blog Spot is named " My TOEFL Preparation " , as the name mentioned , it means that just for my TOEFL test preparation . The first article is posted , that about something I don't know it before , it 's not enough detail , but useful for me . Hope you can visit my new blog , thx in advance . ---- Blog Spot " My TOEFL Preparation " TOEFL . 
CNR . http : // en . wikipedia . org / wiki / Communications _ and _ Networking _ Riser " Intel developed the CNR slot to replace its own AMR technology . Two advantages over the AMR slot it replaced are that it can be both software based ( CPU - controlled ) or hardware accelerated ( dedicated ASIC ) , and that CNR is plug - and - play compatible . On some motherboards , a CNR slot replaces a PCI slot , but many motherboard manufacturers engineered boards that allow the CNR and last PCI slot to share the same space . " . 
21 July Orcalab reports : Multiple pod calls audible . What a contrast to yesterday 's lazy , hazy summer day ! All was quiet this morning and then the reports started to surface . The Lukwa ( Stubbs Island Whale Watch ) heard R calls out in Queen Charlottee Strait . The Tuan ( Seasmoke Charters ) saw the A 36 s with many , many whales off Donegal Head . Then we were told the super big group was headed east in Blackfish Sound and headed for Blackney . And then : In rushed over 80 whales , spread out across Blackney , excited and in a rush to get to the Strait . In the Strait , the A 12 s , A 4 s and the A 5 s were coming up from the east and Robson Bight to meet the incoming gang . Whales were everywhere ! It was a superpod of grand proportions . At last count , 117 ( thanks to Graeme Ellis and John Ford of DFO ) whales were in the area . There were several G clan groups , the Ds , several R clan groups and of course the same As of the last several weeks . They rushed toward the Ecological Reserve where one group went into the Main rubbing beach for more than an hour . Now , the groups are reorganising for a trip back to the west . Helena 21 Jul 2006 17:55:31 PDTMultiple pod calls audible . The official count is now 127 ! An opportunity for another look by the DFO came when the whales moved toward CP early this evening . Our day was made complete when , after passing CP with beautiful calls and a glimpse underwater , they entered Blackney and headed northwest to the sunset . The big question is : Will they be back or was this the visit ? Helena 21 Jul 2006 20:51:28 PDTAdd from the comment board : Hi Jan , The list we got from Graeme Ellis included : The R 4 / 5 s , Ws , I 31 s , G 3 s , G 12 s , G 31 s . G 2 s , G 29 s , A 36 s , A 12 s , A 4 s , A 5 s , Ds , C 6 s . I will ask if other Rs ( R 2 s , R 17 s ) were present . I hope this helps . It was quite a day ! Helena @ Hanson I 21 Jul 2006 22:58:56 PDT . 
18 July 2006 , Orcalab reports : No orcas present . Last night the A 12 s , A 4 s and the A 5 s passed Robson Bight and seemed to keep going . It would be nice if the A 36 s convinced the D 7 s to return . They were last seen still headed west near the Jeanette Islands in Queen Charlotte Strait . Helena 18 Jul 2006 07:23:23 PDT . 
17 July 2006 , Orcalab reports : Multiple pod calls audible . Well we found the rest of the groups . This morning they came west from the Robson Bight area and passed through Blackney Pass in front of us . The A 36 s were in the lead with the A 24 s , A 8 s , A 34 s following . behind then came A 12 & A 33 along with the A 35 s . The small A 11 group with A 73 were the last group through . They were travelling with another group who we did not confidently identify - it may have been someone else from the A 5 pod . They are all in Blackfish Sound now . A large humpback was in Blackney ( and still is ) as the groups went through . Helena 17 Jul 2006 07:55:28 PDTNo orcas present . Since this mornings update , the whales continued to the west . A very faint " D " call in the Strait this morning suggests that yesterday 's evening arrival into the Strait most likely stayed with the A 12 s , A 36 s , A 4 s and A 8 s but took Weynton Pass back out to Queen Charlotte where they advanced to the west ahead of the A 36 s etc. This all happened before 8 am and for the rest of the day we followed the reports of their progress on the radio and watched the humpbacks in Blackney Pass and off CP . Helena 17 Jul 2006 18:37:50 PDT . 
16 July 2006 , Orcalab reports : Distant calls audible . An interesting start to the day ! The whales are just where they left off at 1 am . Just a short while ago we began to hear distant calls . The whales are still east of CP but they are headed west . Helena 16 Jul 2006 07:13:18 PDTDistant calls audible . Sorry I forgot the map . It should be the A 36 s ( in the lead ) along with the A 4 s , A 8 s and A 12 s if all the groups are there . Helena 16 Jul 2006 07:15:45 PDTNo orcas present . After a lot of back and forth starting just after day break the day ended in some confusion . In the afternoon we heard of new incoming groups . A while later the A 12 s , A 4 s , A 8 s and the A 36 s became very excited as they trekked west past CP . The reason for their excitment became evident when we heard the distant calls of the Cs and Ds just in via Weynton Passage . Then for some reason the calls dropped . Finally , A 32 was seen travelling back to the east and a short while after that a few A 4 calls . Unfortunately , those were our only clues and we are not sure where the A 12 , A 8 s and those new whales ended up . Time will hopefully tell . Helena 16 Jul 2006 22:31:59 PDT . 
14 July 2006 , Orcalab reports : No orcas present . We believe that the whales who had been stalled off Robson Bight for several hours finally shifted east of the Ecological Reserve , just after 11 pm last night . The rest of the night was quiet Helena 14 Jul 2006 07:15:19 PDTNo orcas present . The resident groups ( the A 12 s , A 36 s , A 4 s and A 8 s ) stayed far to the east today . Two transients wandered Queen Charlotte Strait . Helena 14 Jul 2006 22:41:44 PDT . 
13 July 2006 , Orcalab reports : No calls but orcas nearby Living inside a vortex : Yesterday " everyone " came back and headed into Johnstone Strait where they went east briefly . After milling around the Robson Bight area they moved west early this morning . The A 36 s led the A 4 s and the A 8 s into Blackney Pass from Johnstone Strait and headed into Blackfish Sound . The A 36 s were all business but the rest were very social , kids playing , mums travelling with mums . A 13 has suffered some damage to the top of his fin . The recent wound is showing up white . It makes for quite change in appearance . We did not see the A 12 s and could not say for sure that the A 24 s were in this crowd . Helena 13 Jul 2006 07:13:16 PDTSuperb sounds !! A long day ... the A 36 s , A 4 s and A 8 s headed into Queen Charlotte Strait via Blackney Pass at first light . The A 12 s elected to head east in Johnstone Strait . While the A 12 s began their trekk back west toward Robson Bight the sleepy Queen Charlotte gang managed to turn around and head back also . They " drifted " east in Blackfish Sound along the Hanson Island shore , passing Dong Chong Bay ( the scene 4 years ago today of Springer 's arrival by boat and short stay in the pen ) , toward Johnstone Strait . After a brief stall in the Johnstone Strait entrance way to Blackney they pushed on and eastward toward the A 12 s who were coming from the opposite direction . As the A 12 s passed , the bigger group , turned around and followed . Eventually , everyone turned again and excitedly rushed toward the Ecological Reserve . One " final " move back to west brought them only as far as the area in front of the Bight where they parked themselves for hours , calling , calling , calling . At this stage , one can only guess if the strong ebbing tide will eventually encourage them to go further west . Helena 13 Jul 2006 23:03:52 PDT . 
12 July 2006 , Orcalab reports : Multiple pod calls audible . The A 12 s , A 4 s and A 5 s have come back from the east and are continuing west past Kaikash Creek . Helena 12 Jul 2006 06:56:02 PDTDistant calls audible . It sounds like the whales that were headed west in Johnstone Strait went through Weynton Pass and are now headed out into Queen Charlotte Strait , crossing the top end of Blackfish Sound . Helena 12 Jul 2006 08:44:10 PDTNo calls but orcas nearby After travelling Queen Charlotte Strait for most of the day the A 12 s , A 4 s and perhaps the A 8 s returned to the Strait via Weynton Passage . They then travelled east past Robson Bight . Helena 12 Jul 2006 20:43:57 PDTI forgot to mention thta the A 36 s were with the other groups at least as far as Weynton Passage but it was unclear if they continued into the Strait . Helena 12 Jul 2006 20:45:27 PDT . 
Mr. Honda would not be pleased ... I was in a Honda Motorcycle dealership on Saturday that was a little different . This was a dealership that carries two lines that just should not be placed in the same showroom . It 's one thing to go to a Moto - Guzzi / Aprilia / Ducati Dealer , or a Suzuki / Yamaha Dealer , or evan a Triumph / BMW Dealer , but this place was a Honda / Harley Davidson Dealer . And it wasn't pretty . All I can think is how Mr. Honda would be furious at his good products being sold along side those other things . Probably about as happy as Dr. Porsche would be at seeing his good name placed upon an SUV . 
Eight - Eight - Zero - Victor . Eight - Eight - Zero - Victor is a 1954 Lockheed Lodestar which has spent much of it 's life on the ground in Greybull , Wyoming . The interior still looks fabulous after all of these years ... 
Roadtrippin ' ! I ' ve already made more roadtrips this summer than I did all of last summer combined . Yes , having a girlfriend who lives at the opposite corner of the state from me has contributed to this , but so has work lately . Take the other day for instance . My boss and I went to Kemmerer to look at the airport , and then to Pinedale to attend an airport board meeting . This was the first time in my life that I had been to Kemmerer , Wyoming . For those of you that don't know , the second " er " is silent when you say it , so it pronounces this way ; " Kemmer " . Which begs the question , why the hell is it there in the first place . I am sure that the people who live there get tired of people mispronouncing the name of their fair village . After the visit to Kemmerer , I found myself wanting to add an extra " er " to any word that ends with an " er " . Like for instance , " trucker " would be " truckerer " or " CD Player " would be " CD Playerer " . A multitude of other words also crossed my mind as well ... I was quite surprised to find that the JC Penney " Mother Store " is actually still there in downtown Kemmererer . I figured that the corporate bean counters would have closed the store in Kemmerererer a long time ago . Through all of my roadtripping lately , one thing has just amazed me , how many retread tire carcasses off of trucks are out there on our roads . They 're everywhere ! I ' ve almost hit them on several occasions , and makes me glad that I am in my car instead of on my motorcycle . If I hit one with my car , it 's not that big of a deal , other than the damage that it would do the front end . Hitting one with a motorcycle on the other hand , that could ruin you whole day if not your life ! Don't these truck drivers who blow tires feel compelled to walk a little ways to at least kick them off of the road after they fix the flat ? 
Maybe it 's not so bad after all ... I had a great weekend ... Spent some time with the family on Saturday , worked on my motorcycle a bit more ( replaced the fork seals ) ... Yesterday I took a road trip to Casper . I hadn't been there since 1998 and some things just don't change much it seems . However , I did spend some time with my intriguing new acquaintance yesterday , which was really cool ... Ah yes , I must recommend Moody Brews in downtown Casper for coffee and a Cannoli , nice atmosphere , nice people , and good coffee ... The intriguing new acquaintance ? I ' ll see her again next weekend ... : ) Maybe Wyoming isn't so bad after all ... 
On the Road Again ! This is my 1986 Honda TLR 200 Reflex . I got it when I was I 13 , it was my first brand new motorcycle . It 's been in storage in a corner of my Dad 's hangar for many years . Recently I rescued it from it 's slumber , and have been slowly awakening it to put it back into service . Four Thousand and Forty - Five miles later , it still runs like a champ . Of course it should , it 's a Honda ! Today I got it licensed and insured , so this evening I took it out for it 's first ride since about 1996 . Riding her around tonight made me feel alive ... But , I ' ve been feeling pretty alive lately anyway , thanks to keeping in good touch with some old friends , hanging out with some new friends , as well as a new acquaintance who has me intrigued ... It 's going to be a good summer ! 
View from the Second Floor . A couple of weeks ago , I got to move out of my office that looked at the backside of an Albertson 's to a new office on the second floor that has this beautiful view of Heart Mountain . At first , I didn't really want to move up stairs , since I had kind of grown into my downstairs office . But after getting upstairs and all set up , I love it ! What would you rather look at ? The only problem with my new office is that there are several dead animals on the wall that came with the office . Two are Mule Deer , and one is a mounted Pheasant . I ' d take them down , but there really isn't any place to put them since our office building is already vying for honors with Cabela 's in Sidney , Nebraska for dead animals in one place ! The one deer stares at me all day , as if to say , " Mike , why am I on your wall ? You didn't kill me ! You 're a poser ! You don't even hunt ! " . 
Five - Six - Four - Four - Uniform . Five - Six - Four - Four - Uniform is a 1969 Piper Cherokee 140 , which is a 4 place low wing fixed gear aircraft that has 140 horse power . Well , it 's not really a true 4 place airplane , especially here in Wyoming where a low airport is 3933 feet above sea level . The back seat is more or less just there to occupy space , and to be occupied by a very small person . On a good day , she ' ll go about 105 knots . She hasn't flown in several years ... The first 3 hours in my log book were in this airplane , put there late in the summer of 1993 . With any luck , I ' ll be showing more pictures of her in the future ... Pictures from the outside , and the best kind , the ones that are taken from the inside looking down ! 
26 July 2006 , Orcalab reports : Multiple pod calls audible . The A 12 s , A 4 s and A 5 s just rushed through Blackfish Sound and Blackney Pass . They are now in Johnstone Strait and heading east toward the Ecological Reserve . The A 12 s were all together and slightly behind the rest . The A 24 s , A 43 s and A 51 s were just off the Hanson Island side while the A 11 s were midstrait just ahead of the A 12 s . We did not clearly see the A 8 s and the A 35 s but they may have been the spread out whales in the front . Helena 26 Jul 2006 14:59:27 PDTOrcas rubbing on the shore bottom . Actually the rub is just over but the whales enjoyed quite a rub and are not headed back to the west . Helena 26 Jul 2006 17:10:10 PDTMultiple pod calls audible . The whales came back west until they got to the eastern end of Hanson Island . They then turned around and moved closer to Vancouver Island for the run back to the Reserve . The A 5 s just went past Critical Point . Could they and the others be on their way back to the rubbing beaches ? Helena 26 Jul 2006 20:36:43 PDTOrcas near mics . Just a slight amendment : the A 5 s must be travelling back up the Vancouver Island shore in the Reserve . The others still sound further off shore . Helena 26 Jul 2006 23:17:54 PDT . 
21 July Orcalab reports : No orcas present . We think the orcas are probably still somewhere to the east of us in Johnstone Strait , though we arent sure . Lovely sunny morning here , with fog low to the water & islands peeking avove . around the edges of the islands . Helena 21 Jul 2006 08:53:00 PDTMultiple pod calls audible . What a contrast to yesterday 's lazy , hazy summer day ! All was quiet this morning and then the reports started to surface . The Lukwa ( Stubbs Island Whale Watch ) heard R calls out in Queen Charlottee Strait . The Tuan ( Seasmoke Charters ) saw the A 36 s with many , many whales off Donegal Head . Then we were told the super big group was headed east in Blackfish Sound and headed for Blackney . And then : In rushed over 80 whales , spread out across Blackney , excited and in a rush to get to the Strait . In the Strait , the A 12 s , A 4 s and the A 5 s were coming up from the east and Robson Bight to meet the incoming gang . Whales were everywhere ! It was a superpod of grand proportions . At last count , 117 ( thanks to Graeme Ellis and John Ford of DFO ) whales were in the area . There were several G clan groups , the Ds , several R clan groups and of course the same As of the last several weeks . They rushed toward the Ecological Reserve where one group went into the Main rubbing beach for more than an hour . Now , the groups are reorganising for a trip back to the west . Helena 21 Jul 2006 17:55:31 PDTMultiple pod calls audible . The official count is now 127 ! An opportunity for another look by the DFO came when the whales moved toward CP early this evening . Our day was made complete when , after passing CP with beautiful calls and a glimpse underwater , they entered Blackney and headed northwest to the sunset . The big question is : Will they be back or was this the visit ? Helena 21 Jul 2006 20:51:28 PDTAdd from the comment board : Hi Jan , The list we got from Graeme Ellis included : The R 4 / 5 s , Ws , I 31 s , G 3 s , G 12 s , G 31 s . G 2 s , G 29 s , A 36 s , A 12 s , A 4 s , A 5 s , Ds , C 6 s . I will ask if other Rs ( R 2 s , R 17 s ) were present . I hope this helps . It was quite a day ! Helena @ Hanson I 21 Jul 2006 22:58:56 PDT . 
20 July Orcalab reports : Multiple pod calls audible . The A 12 , A 4 s and the A 5 s stayed off the Robson Bight / Sophia Islands area for most of the night . The whales were very vocal and from their non stop sounds we guessed that they were feeding most of the night . Around 4:30 they finally slipped past Critical Point to the east . They are now returning and we are once again picking up calls from Critical Point . Helena 20 Jul 2006 07:50:12 PDTNo orcas present . it was not much of a move to the west . In fact the A 12 s , A 4 s and A 5 s are eastbound , currently off Windy Point ( about 1 / 2 the way from the Ecological Reserve to Kelsey Bay ) . Helena 20 Jul 2006 14:31:21 PDT . 
19 July 2006 Orcalab reports : Multiple pod calls audible . The A 12 s , A 4 s and A 5 s are passing Robson Bight on their way to the west . Silent just now , they were quite vocal as they passed Critical Point a short while ago . Helena 19 Jul 2006 07:08:09 PDTNo calls but orcas nearby Kind of like yesterday . Up and down the Strait . This time the A 12 s , A 4 s and A 5 s made it past CP and the entrance of Blackney Pass and further before turning & crossing over to vancouver Island & back to the east . Helena 19 Jul 2006 09:39:46 PDTDistant calls audible . Another day of back and forth in the Strait ending with a late evening bite to eat off Cracroft Point and a pass through Blackney . They are back in the Strait via Weynton Pass after a quick circle of Hanson Island . We assume they will head east . Helena 19 Jul 2006 23:42:53 PDT . 
18 July 2006 , Orcalab reports : No orcas present . Last night the A 12 s , A 4 s and the A 5 s passed Robson Bight and seemed to keep going . It would be nice if the A 36 s convinced the D 7 s to return . They were last seen still headed west near the Jeanette Islands in Queen Charlotte Strait . Helena 18 Jul 2006 07:23:23 PDTNo calls but orcas nearby Very " reserved " whales today ! The whales came back from the east this morning ( A 12 s , A 4 s , A 5 s ) but they have spent the day going back and forth in or near the Ecological Reserve . At the moment they are off the Sophias ( the furthest they have come so far ) and still moving slowly westward . Helena 18 Jul 2006 15:18:20 PDTNo calls but orcas nearby This time they only got as far as the entrance to Blackney Pass before they turned back to the Reserve once again . On this turn they fell asleep and drifted on the flooding tide . The calls ceased . Right now they are passing Robson Bight on their slow roll to the east . Lovely , lovely day here , sunshine all around and light winds . Helena 18 Jul 2006 18:55:15 PDT . 
17 July 2006 , Orcalab reports : Multiple pod calls audible . Well we found the rest of the groups . This morning they came west from the Robson Bight area and passed through Blackney Pass in front of us . The A 36 s were in the lead with the A 24 s , A 8 s , A 34 s following . behind then came A 12 & A 33 along with the A 35 s . The small A 11 group with A 73 were the last group through . They were travelling with another group who we did not confidently identify - it may have been someone else from the A 5 pod . They are all in Blackfish Sound now . A large humpback was in Blackney ( and still is ) as the groups went through . Helena 17 Jul 2006 07:55:28 PDTNo orcas present . Since this mornings update , the whales continued to the west . A very faint " D " call in the Strait this morning suggests that yesterday 's evening arrival into the Strait most likely stayed with the A 12 s , A 36 s , A 4 s and A 8 s but took Weynton Pass back out to Queen Charlotte where they advanced to the west ahead of the A 36 s etc. This all happened before 8 am and for the rest of the day we followed the reports of their progress on the radio and watched the humpbacks in Blackney Pass and off CP . Helena 17 Jul 2006 18:37:50 PDTSuperb sounds !! Tonight : in rushed the A 12 s , A 4 s and some of the A 5 s via Blackney pass . They put on quite a show as they grabbed a bite or two as they moved through Blackney . They are well on their way now toward Robson Bight , excited to be back after their quick but long jaunt to the west . Helena 17 Jul 2006 22:22:04 PDT . 
16 July 2006 , Orcalab reports : Distant calls audible . An interesting start to the day ! The whales are just where they left off at 1 am . Just a short while ago we began to hear distant calls . The whales are still east of CP but they are headed west . Helena 16 Jul 2006 07:13:18 PDTDistant calls audible . Sorry I forgot the map . It should be the A 36 s ( in the lead ) along with the A 4 s , A 8 s and A 12 s if all the groups are there . Helena 16 Jul 2006 07:15:45 PDTNo orcas present . After a lot of back and forth starting just after day break the day ended in some confusion . In the afternoon we heard of new incoming groups . A while later the A 12 s , A 4 s , A 8 s and the A 36 s became very excited as they trekked west past CP . The reason for their excitment became evident when we heard the distant calls of the Cs and Ds just in via Weynton Passage . Then for some reason the calls dropped . Finally , A 32 was seen travelling back to the east and a short while after that a few A 4 calls . Unfortunately , those were our only clues and we are not sure where the A 12 , A 8 s and those new whales ended up . Time will hopefully tell . Helena 16 Jul 2006 22:31:59 PDT . 
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me , And what can be the use of him is more than I can see . He is very , very like me from the heels up to the head ; And I see him jump before me , when I jump into my bed . The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow -- Not at all like proper children , which is always very slow ; For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india - rubber ball , And he sometimes goes so little that there 's none of him at all . He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play , And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way . He stays so close behind me , he 's a coward you can see ; I ' d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me ! One morning , very early , before the Sun was up , I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup ; But my lazy little shadow , like an arrant sleepy - head , Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed . .. by Robert Louis Stevenson . 
1 st . 2 nd . 3 rd . 4 th . - > - > - > - > . 
The Voluptuous Lady ! Girls to me seem like the eternal mystery , because they seek attention not wanting attention . An oxymoron of sorts , for example they want guys to notice them but only the right way . Saying You look hot ! will get you a tight slap and a You look hot in that dress ! will get you a Thank you for noticing , I like a man who pays attention to detail ! Score one for the boys , but boys being boys cannot understand or decipher the difference between the two seemingly harmless compliments . What is wrong in You look hot ! and what is right in You look hot in that dress ! ? The ladies will give you the perfect perspective but good luck getting one to explain that to you . A girlfriend is not the right person as you might get a Humph , I thought you would know these things by now ? Here is an inexperienced guy s understanding of the comments . Years of reading the Women s Bible Cosmo ( and scores of other What Women Want ? type literature ) have taught me that when you tell a girl she is hot just by looking at her , it is classifying her as an object . Which in turn demeans her existence ; hence the guy is termed as brash , rude and a jerk . The mistake of objectifying women is seldom forgiven . Whereas You look hot in that dress ! signifies that you noticed the effort put in by the lady / girl in dressing up and looking good and that you are sensitive man who knows and cares about a woman . Chalk one up for the boys ! Terms such as babe , score , piece , all the way , I must explain are considered extremely insensitive and very chauvinistic . Ninety nine percent of the straight men in this world would either be looking how much cleavage is on display or how tight the dress is so that her ass looks great . The meaning for You look hot ! and You look hot in that dress ! is very much the same . This might seem insensitive and very brash to the women , for that I apologize on behalf of the straight men in this world . Forgive them oh womankind , for they do not know what they are doing ! Sigh ! Only if men would understand ! is every woman s plea and What in the hell did she mean by that , I did not say or do anything ? is every man s puzzled expression ( I wonder why men do not understand women ? ) As I sipped my mock tail very aptly named Voluptuous Lady for men and an objectification of well rounded healthy women , in terms of women . I looked over to my friend in disappointment as we had actually expected the voluptuous lady with the drink and as our eyes met we both asked ourselves the same question , What the hell are we doing single ? and pat came the reply in unison , Man we should be happy with the drink because that is the only way we can do it that is think of women , a lady voluptuous or not is nowhere in our sights or lives ! . 
Complicated ! As Avril Lavigne describing teenage life said , " Why do you have to go and make things so complicated ? " and nothing could be more appropriate than the lyrics . All of us pass through the tumultuos teenage years and cannot clearly describe what happens in those years that makes us think " Why did I do that ? " or " Why was I so stupid ? " . Puberty is an interesting phase of change in a person . Boys to men , Girls to women , it is independent of the sexes . Once you get done with them you have a feeling of growing up but we miss the fun times , the bouts of irresponsibility , the carefree everything is possible nature and even the feeling of invincibility . Somehow the confusion does not seem to stop even at twenty ( well at least for me ) . I assume guys take a little more time depending on maturity . While reading the newspaper , I came across an article on How men should approach women ? The article suggested that asking would break a barrier that ninety percent of men cannot . Asking and having the confidence attracts women , most men ( including me ) think what the consequences would be ? I admit to having that very same fear . At puberty this would seem very easy as the fear is taken care of by the hormones . Thirteen to nineteen I could not talk to girls fearing what they would think . Time to face my fears or give up ! Only time will tell though I am very inclined on giving up . Complicated , time to grow out of the Teen years , age and maturity need to match ! 
Come Here Chutney and Spice Up My Life ! Pick up lines , I always wondered whether they actually worked . Some original Indian pick up lines like say Hello Madam , I am your one and only Adam ! or I want to make friendships with you ! always draw an extremely disgusted response as I have heard . Though I have never actually been there when such pick lines were used in public , but I do know for a fact that they used quite often . Now it never ceases to amaze me that these guys never figured that Friendships was incorrect English and that nobody ever seems to point it out to them . Well the actual users of these lines ( branded cheesy and hogwash ) are more often than not branded as losers , in some very special cases , total losers , born losers et al. Extensive reading on female psychology in my I want to be Mel Gibson ( What Women Want ? ) phase had me convinced that when a guy successfully ( termed as success , as guys tend to believe girls are a quest , I am no different ) makes sensible conversation with a girl and asks her out ( on a date ) , she decides as he is making his approach , whether it is a yes or no in her reply . This is regardless of what he says ( at most times , not all , it cannot be obviously absurd ) . The general expectation is that she is asked , in mostly a nice , charming and polite manner . The words could even be a witty pick up line ! This refutes the theories that pick up lines actually work ( most guys think they do work ) , and that girls decide much before the actual even takes place . Now for a guy like me who has never had a girlfriend nor a date and no girls who are friends ( for helpful advice , girls have this phenomenal intuition about other girls ) this seems like a task akin to climbing Mount Everest . How to make the approach ? More reading would help , so I bought another set of books on reading the body language of women . Since the hormones as usual drive me crazy , my will and speed of reading increased to a vast extent . So I read it all , come - hither signs , preening gestures , subtle signals and this I thought would be the best learning ( though asking a girl would have taught me ten times as much I persisted ) . Pretty confident that I had the thinking of girls figured out and refreshing my current girl knowledge by reading Cosmo , Femina and other women oriented magazines . I started to analyze the behavior of women and started making calculated but general assumptions . Though this helped me in understanding what to do and how to ask a girl out , I lacked the essential ingredient ( no intention to objectify women ) in this mix , a girl to ask out ? Turns out my general assumptions were anything but accurate and as the girls change so do their reactions . There have been actual cases of Friendships working and even the most polite and classy requests for a date have been rejected outright . Though it has always bothered me that the undeserving guys get the best girls , I always wondered , why is it so ? After all that reading and research , I was and am back to square one . Little idea what of women think , by personal experience , what I say at different times is interpreted in various ways , though strangely I meant it in the same way . Maybe one day I will ask a girl out and just might succeed , though what will make me succeed will always be a mystery . Will it be a pick up line , or the abstinence from their use , maybe the attitude or the look ? God only knows ! The female version , the male version will not unless he is told what actually works ! 
Christmas Eve and my destiny ! Christmas , what a magical time ! You better not shout , you better not cry , you better not cause I m telling you why , Santa Claus is coming to town . So I agreed to attend a Christmas Eve ball at the local club . Incidentally I was invited by one of the many girls who call me Bhaiya ; I am not the type to refuse an invitation from a lady ( since it would be very un - gentleman like ) . Have a good impression with the ladies , lest you cannot muster up the courage to talk ( my guideline ) . The event required men to wear a suit , which I find quite tedious to wear , kudos to all the ladies who put in every effort to dress well and enjoy the experience . There I was ready , in my best suit and a few minutes before time waiting at the gate , for the girls to arrive . I met the group and they seemed impressed by the suit ; it was the girls who called me Bhaiya with other girls . That meant better behavior than usual ( etiquette class instructions ) and a chance at impressing the other girls who did not know me and most of all did not call me Bhaiya ( my joy knew no bounds ) . I conceived that chivalry was not dead and according to the glossies in the papers was making quite a comeback . So I pulled the chair back for a lady , asked if anyone need a drink or something to eat , all the works as I assumed . No drinks , as I had to be on my best behavior . There were other guys as well and one of them decided on drinking the screwdriver cocktail and to my surprise , was drunk on having a single drink ( proved by the fact that he wished me Merry Christmas and hugged me about three times ) . So I was managing and controlling him as well ( more points to me for behaving well , so I thought ) . There was a DJ so there was dancing and the night was quite enjoyable . Shortly after midnight after the Christmas wishes , the girls who had invited me decided to leave . So they called it a night and I agreed . As they were leaving , they asked me of I could drop two of their friends off . Dropping girls off is every single man s dream , as it is supposed to make a great impression . I agreed in a flash , this was the best shot I had . So I took the girls to my car , held the door open and made sure they were seated well . Asked them for directions to their house and made good small talk along the way . The only thing I did not do was ask their number ( the drunken guy had asked , before we left and they seemed quite displeased , but still gave them their numbers ) . Dropped them off at their respective houses , said the customary goodbyes . I felt quite pleased with myself for being the perfect gentleman and behaving well . A few days later , I got to know form a few common friends , that they had met a nice guy who dropped them home late at night and termed him ( me ) as Bhaiya ! Poetic justice or just Bhaiya vibes ( world famous in India ) , I did not have the faintest of clues . Now on that car ride , I felt I had done everything right ( or so I thought ) , that was the time I needed Mel s mind reading powers the most , not having a clue did not help either . The drunken guy was dancing with one of the girls at New Years Eve a week later . Bhaiya my destiny ! 
In the summertime ........... Summer heat , sweat and the time of raging tempers . To a student though summers mean time off from the drudgery of school and time have fun . Basically catch up on all the fun that the finals took away . Summer is also the time to hit amusement parks , take a trip , beaches , malls and movie multiplexes ( basically any place to hang - out and take a jaunt ) . The kids play , the young adults party . The summer holidays have always been a pleasantly welcomed and cherished . There is hardly a time more enjoyable . Summertime is a thoroughly enjoyable experience , so it is eagerly awaited by all . As I was growing up and getting through school , summer always was the best time . Freedom from schedules , freedom from forced study and lots of time for TV . Free time meant I could do almost anything I wanted . When I hit puberty , in the early years being in an all boys school meant summers were mainly for the maximum possible amount of Cricket that could be played in a day . Now that never seemed to be a problem because I love cricket . There was always that thought of meeting girls at the back of my mind but cricket seemed to take care of that . As the years went by and hormones started dictating terms , I was curious to meet girls . Then the very useful excuse of being extremely busy with studies in junior college ( again all boys ) and no time to meet or pursue girls . So I decided that the summer of that year when I was 17 would be the ideal time . Well that summer began and I was my usual summery cheerful self ( a sort of movie - ish stereotype of summer time , when everything seemed colourful ) and that in spite of the scorching summer sun . That summer went by uneventfully as I had trouble deciding upon my future at college and what major to choose . So the plan of girls was postponed to next summer . 18 years old and the first summer of college had arrived , but I had to attend a wedding and was out of town for summer , well another year . Finally I had a whole summer to myself and made sure I was in town , that summer I began working and exercise ( gym and swimming ) which took up the whole day but I did get to meet a few girls though I remained my formal self and never made the approach . When I mustered up the courage armed with my Female Psychology reading knowledge there were no girls around . They were conspicuous in their absence . Summer this year has also gone by and the monsoons rains lashed the city , and again this summer has been marked by the absence of female company with me . All that reading , all the preparation got me quite confident but there were seldom any girls to use that confidence . I had also read that girls respond well to humour , well I always enjoy a good laugh myself and can make people laugh quite well sometimes . That also did not seem to work , because at crunch - time ( the time to actually meet girls ) I followed etiquette class formal rules . No idea on what women want , what girls expect and what they think of me . Clueless and bewildered , I did what I do best , made up my mind to return next summer ( though 4 successive summers have passed without anything happening ) . As the song by Shaggy goes In the summertime when the weather is fine , you look right up and touch the sky . In the summertime you got women on your mind , one of my favourites and as he sings he is surrounded by girls clad in bikini . My belief was , my summers would resemble the girls part if not the bikinis . A music video alas is not a substitute to real life . Until next summer then ........ 
Season of Love , maybe not ! I am singing in the rain , what a glorious feeling , I am happy again ...... lyrics of the Song Singing in the Rain sung by Sinatra and filled with Joyous emotion of the wonderful sight that is Rain . Rain mostly means the signaling of the Monsoon season after the scorching hot summers , in India . They bring with them a cool soothing effect and the perfect antidote to the unbearable summers . Monsoon also means sowing for the harvest season and is one of the most important events in the agrarian based economy India ( monsoon has been documented in detail since the 1880 s ) Apart from the economic and climatic effects of Rain , the Indian Film Industry or Bollywood has marketed and romanticized Monsoon and termed it as the Season of Love . Umpteen number of romantic songs , moments and events are based on the Rain and monsoon ( though I have my doubts to whether they serve the purpose of romance or a chance for the director to please his audience with a few wet girls prancing around in nothing much ) . Monsoon it is said is the ideal season to fall in love , well after the summer the monsoon brings great relief and makes one certainly fall in love with the wonders of nature ( it is a beautiful sight to watch the rain hit the scorching hot ground to cool it down , much like the soothing effect after having a refreshing drink ) Season of love and like any other movie buff , I believed that movies are inspired by real life and maybe Monsoon is really the ideal season to fall in love . Weather can indeed be classified as romantic and a mood setter . Ideal time to woo women maybe , is what repeatedly popped up in my head . Women also seemed to believe that romance was in the air , this time of the year ( movies are an influence and my reading of Chick - Lit made it seem possible ) . Simply put , if I could ask a girl out , the weather would help me get my elusive date . Knowledge has the power to make the impossible , possible . Movies are quite misleading , because the hero gets the woman of his choice and Chick - Lit is filled with tall , dark , handsome men and full of the author s imagination . All the books and movies did not teach me the approach ( I never did imagine myself capable of doing that ) nor give me the guts , not to forget where would I get the girl to ask ( books and movies do not provide the girls or the ideal situation ) . So I ended up with at least four to five monsoons contemplating and thinking on whether I could do it or not ! The sixth monsoon has arrived and I have no idea what women ( girls , ladies ) think of the monsoon and the seasons of romance nor do I know of any girl I could ask out anytime soon or even later . Sinatra had it easy man ! 
Oh Brother ! Et tu Bhaiya ? Julius Caesar a Shakespearean masterpiece , which had the famous words spoken by Caesar , Et tu Brutus , an emotional plea to explain betrayal . Now I have nothing in common with Caesar or Shakespeare but I have always had a question on my mind , why Bhaiya ? Bhaiya , the Hindi word for brother ( bhai , bhaiyo are the variations ) . Also one of the most common ways to establish a relation in India , is by addressing people as Bhai or Behen ( the Hindi word for sister ) . Though Bhaiya must be the most dreaded word for any heterosexual adolescent male in India ( well it is at least for me ) . Then there is Rakhee or Raksha Bandhan ( sort of a Brother / Sister day similar to Father s day ) and other festivals ( Bhai Duj ) which celebrate the love between a brother and sister . I fully support the celebration of love between a brother and sister or cousins and even someone you think of as your sister / brother . That day also happens to be the day of house arrest for most men not seeking women as sisters . Permission for girls to make anyone your brother might seem very simple and is . Bhaiya though is also a very subtle way for girls to get guys they are not interested in , off their back . Once you are called or branded Bhaiya all men , guys , boys get the message loud and clear . Very elementary information but little did I know that Bhaiya would become my identity . I have an older sister and Rakhee was a day of unlimited excitement , usually is for every boy till puberty strikes and hormones start raging . Well as I stated before I postponed talking to girls till I would be 18 , so I thought of making a beginning somewhere . Well my cousins address me as Bhaiya ( which is quite normal ) but I never thought other girls would do the same as well . So I was accidentally introduced as Bhaiya ( which seemed fine at that time ) to a few of my cousins friends . To my disbelief , it stuck like a nickname and soon there were many girls calling me Bhaiya . Thinking and counting how many girls called me Bhaiya , I concluded that I must be a very unsafe guy to be around . Most girls I knew were calling me the deadly B - word which meant they were not interested ( and would never be interested ) or I must have seemed like an incorrigible flirt who just had to be dispensed of . I got used to the Bhaiya tag but to my surprise I was quite famous as one . PB ( the shortened version ) is on its way to being as popular as D though even with his movie powers I doubt he would be able to explain the Bhaiya phenomena . Till then I will have to introduce myself as anything but Bhaiya ( not working ) . 
Lady Luck with the Ladies ! Inspired by the famous Mel Gibson movie What Women Want ? and his famous question What do women want , and why do they do those cuckoo things ? I decided to try and decode that very query . I have gotten no where and do not think anything became clearer as a result of my curiosity , instead I discovered , that I was better off before ( Ignorance is truly bliss ) . My quest ( as I term it ) began in the days I hit puberty at the age of 12 and as any hormone charged male would started noticing girls everywhere . I was from a catholic all boys school and that seemed to add to the frustrations of dealing with hormones and no girls around . Also all boys meant no clue about girls and no guts to talk to them ( I realized when I was 17 that girls go through the same feelings ; biology class just barely explained the physical aspects ) . Then Mel Gibson came along , the ability to listen to the thoughts of women , which was absolutely fascinating and seemed like a solution to all my problems . I figured If I could try and understand what women were thinking and be sensitive to their needs there would be no problem . Mel Gibson got Helen Hunt even after he lost his powers but realized that women needed to be heard . Having a sister or sisters around while in the perilous stages of puberty helps a great deal , not only to understand girls but the role of men as well . So I was well on my way to being Mel Gibson , or so I thought . Well I realized soon that a movie is just that a movie and nothing more . Mel would have got Helen as he played the leading role and I was stuck with books and Chick - Lit trying my best to understand the psyche of women ( in my case , mostly adolescent girls ) . I was advised at 19 that actually talking to girls would have given me a much better perspective . Well from an all boys school , to an all boys college , I never met many girls along the way ( most of my friends did and I envy them ) . The mystery of actually talking to girls created a fear ( which was a figment of my imagination ) and it stuck . So I conveniently decided to postpone my fear to the age of 18 which was still a good three years away and seemed like the right age . Boy was I wrong . Now the macho man stereotype requires a man or any guy to have at least a few girlfriends or know and flaunt their girl connections , my 18 year the time had come to be macho man ( or at least any man who has an ego ) . The fear that was buried deep inside a corner of my brain resurfaced only stronger and now more effective than ever before . So I decided back to studying female psychology ( I did not have my sister for direct advice , her principles I swear by ) . I was never interested in reading but my hormones made me read like I have never read before . I thought armed with enough knowledge , I could talk and impress a girl or like the many chick flicks and lit sweep a girl off her feet . Confident as ever and what I considered at that time the best knowledge I had about girls , I would now finally talk to a girl I was interested in . Big mistake , I had never talked to girls other than my sister or cousins . I froze at the very prospect of even a simple approach . My thoughts confused me more , and I did try to talk to girls and could eventually but only in a non - committal and very formal sense ( I credit the formal style to the etiquette classes I took a few months ago , I did have a good looking bunch of girls taking the class with me , fear again ) . I reverted to books about women . Yes you guessed it right , no girl , no girlfriend , and no girls who are friends . Oh and before I end no clue about what women want ( in men or even otherwise ) . 
Time for some anime fanart = D . July 16 th : It 's finally done !!! -------------------- Lately , i start reading Bleach the manga again , and it inspired me to drew this = D I haven't drawn in anime style for awhile . And this time , the difficulty is to paint ice , because this character 's power ice . When he uses his Bankei , the ultimate power , there 's ice around his sword and two ice wings formed on his back so he can fly . Also , I want to make this painting looks windy and cold . Don't really know how yet , but i ' ll try to figure out . This is what i ' ve got . -------- This is what I ' ve got before i sleep . The ice looks fine , i just need to work on the cloth and the blade . Um , maybe i should add some swirling ice around the blade = D Oh man , i love this painting = D . 
how to create and submit a reel - Pixar Studio . i believe many of u have seen this , but i still feel there 's a need to share what I found with u guys . click here to enter Pixar 's tips on creating an submitting a reel . 
New adventure with my tablet . July 7 th : Finally it 's done !!! I know the background and the banner are really lame , and honestly , i lost the interest to finish the bottom of his shirt and stuff haha = Dbut well , i ' m still happy with this = D ( ** click to enlarge ) ------------ July 6 th : today i worked a little more on this piece = D --- I haven't done much art work lately , because of the in class essay i have on Wednesday night and some family stuff i have to take care . but well , tonight is like a short break from all these . I went to watch Xmen 3 ( yes again !! ) with my mom , she didn't understand much but she was really excited about the movie = Dtonight , i tried something different with CG . Normally , i draw on paper first , scan it , do some photoshop and paint it . But this time , i drew directly with my tablet , and explore different way to paint , and these are what i have so far . = D Please feel free to critique , I ' m still an ameteur in digital painting . the skin colour on one above looks pretty dead ... so i was thinking : why not make the shadow more colourful , how about more redish ?? = D and he looks more healthy and alive now . Also , i tried to use purple for the " lighter shadow " ( i don't know the proper names = P hehe ) on the face and they turn out fine . It 's shameful to say that I havent ' watched the priate of the carribbean yet ... i guess i better watch it before the 2 nd one come out !! ^ O ^ --- and guys , u know what ? i just post this one on my deviantart site , and then within a minute , i already have 2 ppl added this one as favourite !! that 's pretty encouraging = D haha ------ working in progress ... 
Sir Normus colored . Lately , there 're many things made me wanna get better in art. First , a good friend of mine tried to introduce me to a job , but then , i missed the opportunity ... = ( ... and then , i saw Andrew Hou 's work . I always knew he is as good as Arnold Tsang , but man , when i looked at his stuff and found that he 's actually at my age , I have an urge to get better and better . anyways , i coloured Sir Normus , hope i ' m getting better with colouring and get closer to those amazing artists . 
Life Drawing . Since summer started , i ' m trying to go to life drawing as much as I can . and lately , i strongly feel that I need a breakthrough coz i ' ve drawing the same way over and over again , i know i ' m lacking something in my life drawing , but i don't know what it is . and i ' m drawing slower and slower . it gets frusting when there 's a good model , good poses , and then i ruined it with crappy lines and horrible proportion . what can i do ? or i just keep going to extra life and wait to get better ? ...... ( - _ - ) ....... and lately , i ' m starting to do some acrylic painting ... and tonight , i ' m wondering if i should spend more time on computer painting ? working on CG maybe leading me to a path that 's closer to animation ... but , working with traditional medium maybe a good option to strength my artistics skill , they are like the " foundation " of art... or , maybe i should do both during this summer ? maybe i should ... 
Jackblack model sheet , in this project , we had to pick a celebrity and design a character based on him in a caricature style , and I chose Jack Black . I remember I rent " The School of rock " and " Envy " for reference , man , he 's just fun to draw !!! ------------ a drawing I did during layout class , i think i was daydreaming at that time = P and then , i cleaned it up and trying to make it looks like one Falcoon style ( ** Warning : some of his drawings contains mature material ) My version of Cloud from FFVII ( ... i just notice head looks like it 's detached to the torso ... ) Falcoon 's drawing ---------------- more drawings on Oog and Sir Normus . Due to the strike , we didn't get to animate our last animation , what we had to do was just to design characters and hand in the key drawings . And as some of u might know , i designed these 2 character based on the game Warcraft haha = D at first i love Oog better coz it looks more like warcraft - ish , but then , I begin to love Sir Normus more and more as I was developing the key drawings , his personality is just hilarious !! 
Wolverine . Normally , while talking on the phone , I ' d love to find something to draw . I found it interesting when I ' m not focusing on making good drawings , they ' d end up looking alright . And tonight my subconsious drove me to pick up my X 2 Art book and drew a wolverine from it . I don't know it 's my monitor or my scanner , whenever I scanned in my drawings , they lost some contrast ... but I refuse to fix it with photoshop ... Somehow , using too much photoshop makes me feel that the drawing is " fake " = POh , by the way , I love X 3 ( even there are some negative comments about it . ) Lately , didn't have much time to draw , i ' ve been occupied by some volunteer work at a youth ministry called Across , the work from the English course I ' m taking ( I have to re - read Harry Potter ... I read slow @ _ @ ) , and many convocations to attend . Plus previously , making the Rubik 's Cube and shooting the old animation took most of my time , plus time with family , work and etc... I wish I have more time to just sit down and draw or paint . 
Little Ant Curiosity . As Aakash grows he has been curious about many things this is the latest addition . He was actually trying to catch the Ant ... but that little creature gave a look back at him which scared him : - ) I guess little eyes can see little things far more accurately . You can click on the picture for larger view . 
An evening with Karthik . Aakash decided to spend the rest of the evening with Karthik . Few pictures of them spending the evening for short walks and playing basketball . You can click on the picture for larger view . 
Getting ready for the evening . This Sunday New York was blessed with a wonderful sunny day and Aakash decided to go out for the evening . It was very important to him , that he applies his UV protection cream and takes his sunglass with him . You can click on the picture for larger view . 
Boo ... Ooops ! Aakash likes to say " Aakash kaname ... Aathoo " which is similar to " Peek a Boo " . He started doing this near the glass door but ooops ! : - ) He was not hurt ... but then he discovered his new fun activity . You can click on the picture for larger view . 
Learning to use a spoon . We try to teach our baby a lot of things when they grow , but they also learn some of their own . Riya , Rohan , and Aakash learned to use a spoon in their own way . Here are is how the three of them use it . You can click on the picture for larger view . 
On Politics and Life : Israel vs . Hezbollah en Poem . 	 Think for a minute of the world in which we live . Think of the people that are dying tonight in the Middle East . Think of the years of conflict that have lead up to what is currentlyhappening in the region . Then ask yourself this : Why ? Then ask yourself this : What is to be done ? Is the human experience a feeling of ineffectuality , or the power that comeswith contributing to societal good ? I don't know . Is it idealism , ignorance , or innocence that makes the situation in the Middle East seem so simple ? I don't know . Is it my job , or that of my neighbor ? Will I sleep well tonight , or will I stir ? Why haven't ? Why not ? Think for a minute of the world in which we live . Think of the people that are dying tonight in the Middle East . 
On Electromagnetism and Life : Have you ever noticed ? 	 Have you ever noticed that when a bolt of lightening strikes the ground all nearby compass will become distorted ? The needle of the compass will spin in circles like a top as if , for a minute , it doesn't know which direction is true north . It doesn't . It gets lost . The exact science is a little complex , but the gist is that , as the energy of the lightening discharges into the earth creating a competing magnetic field , the compasses ability to read magnetic north is confused . Like the compass , sometimes we get lost . Sometimes our internal compasses become equally distorted . Sometimes we simply don't know which direction is north . In life , there are always competing magnetic fields . And , as we try to follow our guiding compass , sometimes bolts of lightening send our needles spinning . 
On God : Consider This ... 	 Einstein once wrote that ' God doesn't role dice . ' But , have you ever wondered , what if he does ? What if God is just one big gambling addict ? What if all he does is sit around with Jesus and Gabriel and shoot craps ? Would life make more sense ? I certainly wouldn't mind so much . At the risk of being cliche , chance is the spice of life . Without it , everything would be predictable . Maybe God is a gambler . I ' d put odds down that he is . 
Rebuilding The Big Easy : Part I ( Dealing with the disaster ) . 	 As the hours pass and the reports continue to be broadcast across the television screen I become increasingly saddened by the destruction of the gulf coast states . How do we as the United States react ? How do we proceed to help ? Most Americans , like myself , stand idle not knowing how to help those lives destroyed by the hurricane . I send all my well - wishes and prayers to those suffering . I only wish I could do more . With all of this in mind , I have some thoughts to share . Let us stop the constant bashing of those leading the federal and state governments . Let us stop condemning the actions of aid organizations and the military as late or perfunctory . Whether or not it is too little too late , let us heed the words of Mayor Nagin of New Orleans and stop with the press conferences and do something . I don t know why that , if there are still hungry and stranded people throughout the states , trucks of food don t drive down to New Orleans in caravan dropping off aid and driving away with a bed full of evacuees . Let s get them out , and till then , drop food off . Imagine for a moment that it s your father , or your mother , or your brother , or your sister stranded in the Super Dome . What would you be doing at this minute ? Let s not write one more CNN report about race issues and Bush failures till each and every person in those states is content and safe . What happened to the attitude Americans used to hold that when we , as a nation , come together anything is possible ? I would like to close by thanking all those hard working police , fire , military and aid workers doing their best to help . 
Gas prices affect disposable income : Chipotl suffers . 	 Switching through the channels it s hard not to find loudmouth commentators reeling about how the hikes in gas prices have done little to slow the recovering US economy . What they don t know is that as they speak I watch with a rumbling stomach . All day today CNBC made repeated miss - diagnosis of economic conditions . Over and over they speak of Wal - Mart s profit losses in the last quarter . But instead of mentioning the gas price changes , they mention how this reduction is due to the lack of diversity in product lines . While the product s the firm carries may or may not have exacerbated the affect , there is clear links to a reduction of sales being pulled down by the rising price of oil . Low volume average price increases low customer arrival sounds to me like Wal - Mart has a case of the sells to low - end , unable to purchase gas and consumer goods , too poor to get there consumer blues . People are simply not going to this and other stores . Gas prices are limiting travel and short consumer trips are declining as individuals of all income levels , particularly those of the low - end , are spending their money filling up the tanks of their 90 s leftover autos and not spending their money in consumer retail and restaurant chains . While declining sales figures in firms such as Abercrombie , Applebee s and the like are not sparking any changes on the Wall Street floor , fast changes will be quick to come as this quarters figures are released in the next few months . It was just today that I set out to make a dinner run away from my desk when I was unfortunately prevented from making my way to my mexi - food delight . Oh Chipotl , how I craved you so . But $ 36.94 , no way would I be able to pay that gas bill and be able to eat out . I insist that , while forecasters say otherwise , until we see the Arab royals start buying a big steak burrito on 9 th and Broadway there is going to be a loss in our economic stability in the near future . As a side note ( if anyone is thinking that we are sliding through this period of price changes ) I would like to speak to the nation s low savings rate . What do you think is floating us in this period of excess spending and high prices ? That s right , we re drawing on more of our nation s savings and making the economic recovery period even worse . Who knows , this extra bit of spending may make things better , but I m pessimistic . I for one am worried about the potential for inflation and the low savings . Maybe Greenspan will catch on too and well see an October without a rise in interest rates ? I ll bet on it . AA 08 / 18 / 2005 . 
I think Doogie Houser used this font . 	 While I , by no means , intend to akin myself to the likes of Dr. H , I felt it would be fitting to mention the great wordsmith of 1990 and his original contribution to the world of computer journaling in my opening statement of my online , late - night tooling . While this is just a short taste , do not fret , for this is only the beginning of many insightful , interesting , blowhard , crazed entries I will be surely adding in the near future stay tuned . 
Butterfly When you love someone so deeply They become your life It 's easy to succumb To overwhelming fears inside Blindly I imagined I could keep you under glass Now I understand to hold you I must open up my hands And watch you rise Spread your wings and prepare to fly For you have become a butterfly Oh , fly abandonedly into the sun If you should return to me We truly were meant to be So spread your wings and fly Butterfly I have learned that beauty Has to flourish in the light Wild horses run unbridled Or their spirit dies You have given me the courage To be all that I can And I truly feel your heart Will lead you back to me When you 're ready to land Spread your wings and prepare to fly For you have become a butterfly Oh , fly abandonedly into the sun If you should return to me We truly were meant to be So spread your wings and fly Butterfly I can't pretend these tears Aren't overflowing steadily I can't prevent this hurt From almost overtaking me But I will stand and say goodbye For you ' ll never be mine Until you know the way it feels to fly Spread your wings and prepare to fly For you have become a butterfly Oh , fly abandonedly into the sun ( Fly to the sun ) If you should return to me ( I will know you were mine ) We truly were meant to be So spread your wings and fly ( Spread your wings and fly ) Butterfly Spread your wings and prepare to fly For you have become a butterfly Oh , fly abandonedly into the sun If you should return to me We truly were meant to be So spread your wings and fly Butterfly So flutter through the sky Butterfly Fly Spread your wings and fly Butterfly : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : . : : Ayoo , jadi lebih baik : : . : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : . 
Baca Blog . aku udah baca sebagian blog - nya adhitya Mulya .. wahh kerenn , baca deh di : http : // adhitya . blogspot . comtapi pas akhir 2 dia nulis , jadi garing .. btw , some of wich emang bagus bangetttaku juga udah baca sebagian site - nya golagong .. menarik .. simak saja di : http : // rd . relawan . netapakah seorang penulis remaja yang sudahberumur akan menulis seperti di website golagong ini nantinya ?? kita lihat , apakah aditya akan berubah ?? buat Andi , kamu gak buat web - log ?? : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : . : : Ayoo , jadi lebih baik : : . : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : < CLTKN > : : . 
It 's not always bad to work the streets . In the Netherlands it is not considered illegal for girls to work the streets . Especially for the people who are not familiar with the phenomenon and for those who are curios ( I know you are ) , I have made a picture ( with my cell phone ) of some nice young ( Australian ) women s doing there thing . 
Flowers for the prime minister . For me it s a small victory . It seems insignificant to others , but it is imported to me . Today , they published a photo I took , in the biggest regional newspaper of the Netherlands , the Leeuwardercourant . It s a shitty photo , but it s news . 
The new religion in town ( insurance ) . View this photo set at www . flickr . com / photos / aannemerijdejongoverview of all sets at http : // flickr . com / photos / annemerijdejong In my home town , Leeuwarden in the Netherlands new religions make new buildings . This insurance company has build a churchtower ( same aspect ratio ) . While a bank has build a mosque like object . ( I will make some pictures of the " bank mosque " , later on this week ) . 
School . On my motorcycle , driving down the road today on the way to the University I was hit with the realization that I will be going to classes full time for the next two and a half years at least . It was a little knot in the pit of my stomach which caused a frown on my face . It was a realization of the known life becoming unknown . What the heck am I doing and why did I wait so long ? The feeling did not worry me as I have felt the same thing before . When I started my career as a paramedic and stopped being a college graduate looking for a job it was sort of the same way . Maybe I do look forward to the late night study sessions with caffeine induced zombie - like mental zeroing ( Those who knew me from years ago will remember what too much coffee does ) . Reading the same paragraph over and over again trying to figure out what the heck language its in ( English is my first language but without any sleep I seem to revert to a primal grunting ) . Looking for what ever distraction I can to not have to read that same paragraph over again ( actually that was my past college days , there is a focus now and I have an actual goal without distraction ) . And fighting for the right to bring my coffee into the classes ( special blend of black sludge ) . The class list is pretty standard stuff for a guy trying to get into Physician Assistant school . The program requirements state that a prepared applicant will have taken the prerequisites required within the last 5 years and I graduated in 1998 . Seems like I ll be hanging out with the freshman crowd for a while , swell . Chemistry , biology , physiology and psychology . Labs included for three of the four . The books seem to have become more expensive over the years . I won t tell you how much I paid but let s say I could have made a couple car payments with that amount . Expensive ? Yes , but worth the cost in the long run . I ll just be eating PB and Js for a while . Still on the bike but this time coming home and I smile because this is the thing I have been working toward for so long . Even if I am just beginning . 
Goodbye Horses ... you won't get it until you see the movie . Back in 1994 I saw a movie up in Minneapolis ( while attending college ) that changed how I view the small - time film industry . Clerks was great and as a one - time worker at a convenience store I laughed at most all the jokes . This weekend I visited my brother up in the twin cities and was happy that I was able to spend time with him but also I was happy to get to see the sequel of Clerks . Not quite as funny as the first but the scene with Jay and Silent Bob where Jay tucks it in to the song from Silence of the Lambs had me laughing like an idiot ( at least I admit it ) . Not enough fart jokes and Kevin Smith could have spent more time on the ROTK vs . ROTJ . I also enjoyed the little dialog regarding the average guy hooking up with the woman only after she has been with all the hot guys and realizes that the lead character is the best off . Snoogins . My brother s wife had a death in the family and I tried to help him out by driving up and shuttling him down to where the funeral was going to be held . Why would he need a lift ? Short answer , save on gas and a chance to visit him . We had a great time going out and I hope to get up there again before the school year starts next month . Minneapolis would be a great place to settle down to ... but I have to get though this PA school first . If not , maybe I will be living the Clerks dream of working in a deadend job for the rest of my life . 
Huh ? Arrr , it s driving me nuts . Funniest thing I ve seen in a long time from a show from Adult Swim . Imagine , if you will please , two pirates talking to each other . The first has a ship s steering wheel attached to his groin while the second asks how it feels . And that s my sense of humor wrapped up in a paragraph . 
Slight change in plans . Couple of days ago I was on the phone with her and we decided to call things off now that the whole situation has changed . I would have preferred face - to - face but there are hundreds of miles separating up . She was great and did so much for my sanity during basic training by being there to write to and writing back with as much frequency . It was fun . We had made the plans that only those people who are in the very beginning of a relationship make , the big promises that seem to become forgotten as the days go by . We actually met much earlier when I saw her at the ambulance company we both worked for . She was a paramedic too and good at what she did . She was having trouble with a flat tire in the parking lot and I changed it out for her . How a tire randomly goes flat is unknown to me but who am I anyway ? A length of time went by and I found out from a mutual friend that she was single . Honestly , I was just doing what anyone else would have done by fixing the tire but she thought it was sweet . I called her up and our first date was shortly there after . We both knew that I was leaving for about half a year and she was truly great for going out with me as much as she did . We kissed and I was off . Months later I returned to KC and to her . I don't know what I was hoping for but things changed so suddenly after coming home that I was no longer going to live in Missouri . She is more than happy living in KC and besides being a medic she also is teaching and loves it ( more than that , she 's good at it ) . I invited her to come up north with me and try something different . She couldn t leave and I knew it before asking her . When I ' m done with this new direction in my own life I hope to meet up with her again but like most , she ll most certainly be gone by then . Women like her don't stay single for long . I miss her already and hope she does well . 
What the heck ? I somehow lost my previous posts and now have to start over . Figures ... But on the bright side , I have come home to KC and am beginning to feel at ease again . My military training is over and am now an officail memeber of the South Dakota Army National Guard . I ' d be more excited if I could only find out for sure when the date of my overseas tour is . I ' m not saying for certain that I will go to Iraq but it seems like everyone else is and I have a feeling that 's where I ' ll end up too . I signed up without any hesitation and now am ready . 
relationship of command . yo evetyone heres yups upgot stong in the face by a bee the other day it was a bad daynext day the battleon sports day ..... i was in the basketball team i even got to play in the first game last 30 secs all me we made it to the finals and i was started yup me ... lots of foals oops but i did make a shot ( my only shot ) and put us ahead by 3 at the end of the half .... we won . so yaeh i was so cool .... about time ................... my bonus cash 17 ' 000 bucks has goting underway so now we play the waiting game i got some bootleg movies today nacho libre and superman return ... hahahaaahahaha ... so thats it for now . 
at the drive - in . hey everyone their suppose to be this typhoon here it hasit come yet ( i knew it was bullshit ) a friend of my got beat up in hear room ... my roommate is living in here agian so now i cant jack ' it willy nilly when ever ... me and lauren made a figth via the net .... my fualt doe i need to stop with the lies ( i hit my head on desk ) rvd and sabu got cugth with the pot ... ( so thats what keeps them going ducttape my ass ) august 22 new mars volta album i cant wait yeah !!!! thats it 4 now got 2 go . 
roulette dares . hey everyone fuck you now thats out the wayi went to a bar - b - q and built a fire pit and started a fire from all these pallets laying around my serg fell in and burned the hair from his legs off hahhahaa he 's okaynorth korean lucnh some missle damnit but they didit kill anyone but my goodmoodi got to pull cq 4 the 1 st time on the 20 th then i get the next day off and that being friday it means i get a 3 day weekend yesi pick up glasses this friday ......... god no .... rvd and sabu got cougth with pot ... knew it thats y sabu is ' it in constack painmy fav band THE MARS VOLTA comes out with a new album next month FUCK YEAH about timego i got the single as my new myspace song so all is goodi only got a 3 day work week this week yes ... i went out and eat at a korean resturant last saturday with moolang a palowing chick here the food was desent at best .... well thats all rite now buy luv ya kitten . 
nebula chain . hey everyone been a while since i wrote here not even sure if ya ' ll even check it anymore not that i cant get to a computer im just to damn lazy to post well here whats been upwell i went home for my grannys funerael ...... they put her in a plot in the vet grave with granpopwhile home i chilled with matt and pat the kings of the cuse hehewent to ruby tuesday ( not hooters ) that was cool .... went on a date with lauren to the omen remake ..... it was crap ... the parts i saw ( haha ) then we had another date to c x 3 ( im the juggernout bitch ) they were fun dates real sweet .......................... well anyways i came back to korea ( damnit ) well back i got in trouble for not doing a sweaping duty ( but i wasit there to do it this is bullshit ) and then i failed a pt test ( i was sick ) damnit vanna still in iraq be storng girl .... iland going on a roadtrip .... mommy wrote me a letter i ' m going write back soonish ........ yeah .... my roommate got in troubel for puching koreans willy nilly .... went to a chang of command ...... learnd to give I. V 's and got a yellow belt in tei - kow - doe ...... yup im a badass ..................................... so everyone read agian later i love you lauren thanks for the Gift hahahahahahahaahahahahahahahha bye . 
D . O . A . hey world or more likely my 7 veiwers ( tear go 's down cheek but i eat it cuz gives me power ) well just to report to u all i will most likely be back feb or the month after that depends if i got enoug leave saved up ... ( curtitly got - 3 days yikes ) i got so much to do when i get back check up on family ..... meet a fam ( wink ) and beat matt in hooters chicken wing contest 2 the reconing ..... you going down buddy ....... tthe big date is 2009 march 10 if i remenber rite .... so im goung to have a crazy stripper party before then matt you and pat can work that out hahahha ..... dont get jeulson kitten its just dumb stuff hahaha ......... so my moms has got incontake with me .... damn ' it i love her but such a pian in my ass grrrr ( tear again ) well thats all oh yeah fuck the army thats you can quot me on as a soldeir ...................... love you lauren . 
elizabethtown . well this is a bit more personal peice nothing really funny just telling a story so if you dont read this one people i understand ...... I was on the bus last year coming home from school i was skipping football practice actully i hate football and the only risian i played cuz my uncle pressured me . and i have a hard time saying no to people .... anyways i was shooting the shit with howard when a female friend of his said something to me and him . " DO YOU LIVE DOWNTOWN " i didit know what the fuck she was talking about so i said yeah sure .... later to find out that was a oral sex induwendo .... so when ever i road on that bus i would maybe talk with lauren ... lots of joke . then one day batman came out ... and i ask lauren if she would go with me .. she siad ok but it fell throw cuz of family stuff .. so i thought to myself ya sure you could have just told me no .. i was a lil down .... but 2 days later she called me and we had a 5 hour phone conversation ... i never done that befor even with fam menbers i been setperated from 4 years . and we talk the next nite and next and so on . telling jokes talking about r famliys what we goinng do after highschool and varius subjects .. one day i ask her if i could met her somewhere .... we met at the busstop after summerschool let out .. i was a lil nervius i wasit sure y do . so we met and sat next to each other on the bus . she layed her head on my shoulder and went to sleep ... we held hands i mean it was hollywood sweet ... then she came to her stop we kissed and said we talk later .... later we talked and she told me i was a dork for blowing the perfect chance to make out .... dratsshe gave me 2 photos of herself to have .. i still have one i keep in my walletwell i fell for her ... i wrote a letter and told her these words ... then i left for basic ...2 months later i send her a emailthat i ' ll be back for xmas . she told me shee was with some one esle and we couldit work .. that she needit to be abel to be with a person to have a relationship ... i tore up one of the photos she gave me .. i was more mad at myself for thinking that she would wait .... once i calm down i wrote her and said i still wanted to be friends . she said ok ...... well we emailed each other from them on telling what we been up to and stuff ......... wellsometime later she told me her relatoinship with ' ' JAKE " was had up to make me hate her so we would not become a couple ... she was scared thats y she did it she said . well anyways we stared iming when i got to korea . she told me she thinks we could work out ..... well one day she said to me thats she loves me more then a friend ( i told her that months earlier ) and she wants us to try to make it work ..... well were a couple now and i love you lauren will you marry me one day .......... 
nothing much . hello everyone i recently found out more poeple read this damn thing then i once belive .... so far 7 know readers ... so ratings r up .. hahahhahahahahahahahahahavanna ( inferno ) is ok in iraq got a trailor to live in ... yup now she is trailor trashheheheheheheehehehehhe ...... dont take that personoliy it was a joke so go to hellcarlito is winning his macthes so all is wellnow thats coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooli found out that pat and i were once found of the same girl .... but it worked out becuase ..... me and her r together now and were all still friends .... and me and kitten ( name used to protect her identy from terrosist ) ( hello i am a soldier ) and in a year or so no date set 4 a umm weddingon thursday i went to camp casey .... near north korea for a change of command thinga new genaral assholei had to stand in a fromation wild the asshole talk 4 like 3 hour it was gaynow my fav thing to go what actor they would be version 2 me / juaquin phoenixpat / ryan renoldslauren / rosesario dawrson ( sin city ) matt / matt damoenvanna / asia argentohoward / wilmer valdaradahaether / natale portmanamanda / scarlet johansonmike / bag of feceswell thats was dumb but cool like carlitowell thats all .......................................... fuck . 
It 's Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature . After running the 800 in 2:11 two weeks ago and then running hard hilly laps on Friday , hard 1 K repeats on Saturday and 9 miles on Sunday I was feeling like a kid again . Monday morning - in the words of the old time rockers " Spirit " - was " nature 's way of telling you , something 's wrong " . Not wrong in a really bad sense , but wrong with thinking three days of hard work meant I had found the Fountain of Youth in my Wave Rider 8 s , Air Tupus or Inov 8 s . Monday morning I woke with a gimpy right Achilles and total - body aches , so Monday and Tuesday became rest days - save for the 4.5 miles I walk each day in my commutes . Wednesday I started with a decent 5:30 AM weight workout where I flat benched 165 for 7 reps and then followed with another 5 reps about 1 minute later . That was a big positive and will hopefully be another step toward getting my 1 rep max to my intermediate goal of 225 ( the two plates on each side just look so darn good ! ) . My final flat bench goal remains 1 . 5 times my body weight , or 255 @ 170 . That level of upper body strength will serve me well in the shorter races . At a little past 10 PM , I set out for 4 miles of the hilly neighborhood block that I ran Friday . Pure poop . I ran all 10 laps at little beyond warmup pace . Before the run I stretched well , then I ran 3 laps , 3 laps and then 4 laps with a minute in between to drink some Gatorade and continue trying to get loose . Normally I can run 10 - 20 laps on this course straight through in a pregression - run mode that has me at 6:30 pace by the last few tours . Not a chance last night . This was the first run that I can remember where I wasn't injured or coming back from an injury , but had to struggle to finish . I ' ll use my tried and true treatment of 2 days off and see if things turn around on Saturday in the 5 K at Shea Stadium .4 miles , 13 week to date . 
Recovery Run . I can't remember when I last ran 3 days in a row , but today made it a trio since Friday . My legs were a little dead after the 1000 s yesterday so I ran easy distance on the relatively flat Old Croton Aqueduct and some of the trails in Rocky 's . The fact that the OCA and Rocky 's are also nice dirt paths coupled with the slow pace I ran allowed for a relaxing 9 miles . 
Pace Training . Today I ran 1 K repeats to get a feel for what 17:30 pace feels like for a 5 K race . I ' m not looking to run that fast in the NYRR race next Saturday , but I wanted to see if I could hold a faster than race - pace for these reps . My target time was 3:30 and I was aiming to run 5 reps . I did well on the paces , but only ran 3 reps because my left calf began to feel sore in the 3 rd 1 K . It wasn't so bad that I couldn't have pushed through 2 more , but I didn't want to compromise the upcoming race by the need to take off 3 - 4 days to let my leg get better again - been there done that already for July . The times : 1 st rep : 3:20.3 - like a metronome on the pace with 200 s in 40.1 , 40.6 , 40.0 , 40.1 , 39.52 nd rep : 3:25.1 - I backed off since rep # 1 was 10 seconds below target . Again ran very consistent 200 splits - 41.1 , 41.3 , 41.2 , 41.2 , 40.33 rd rep : 3:20.4 - this 3:20 felt much easier than the 1 st rep. Really didn't want to stop after this one . 200 s in 40.9 , 40.5 , 40.7 , 39.2 , 39.1 - again very consistent on pacing . The times for the 3 reps were all well below the 3:30 target and I didn't feel that I was stressing my lactate capacities too much . I think this bodes well for running 5:50 pace for 5 K next Saturday .5 miles today for a week ending total of 23 . 
Elevation Elation . I ran another 10 lapper around my neighborhood block this morning to add 4 miles to my weekly total . I ' m now up to 18 for the week which is about what I ran in the previous 3 weeks combined . This is in line with my intent to begin building weekly mileage from the 20 - 25 that I ' ve averaged over the past 3 months . Not much mileage per se this week , but a key attribute of the 18 miles is that all were run over hills . There were two sessions on the difficult mountain bike trail that each included about 10 minutes of anaerobic effort and two sessions on the decent hills around my block with about 30 seconds of anaerobic effort at the steepest portion for at least 5 of the 10 laps . Next week I am running the NYRR NY Mets Run to Home Plate 5 K so tomorrow I will take another crack at 1 K repeats . I ' ll use more sanity this time and not shoot for 5 x sub 3:10 . Instead I ' m going to try to total 17:30 ( 3:30 ) or better for the 5 reps to get a good feel for the pace I want to run in the race . Speaking of the race , I saw in the paper that there are 2,500 runners registered which is the cap for this event . I must be sure to get to the front of the mob at the start or else I won't be breaking 20 , much less 18 . Since I don't start the true Lydiard distance phase until November I haven't set mileage goals , but I would like to be around 40 per week when I run the half - marathon in October . If I can do that I think it will be possible to approach 70 by the end of the distance phase ( slated for 20 weeks in duration ) . This will be a decent improvement over the max of mid - 50 s for last year . ***** Weight Training Progress Report - I put up 205 for a single in the flat bench last night which gets me past a goal I set of bodyweight + 30 lbs . I think my final goal will be a max of 225 and the ability to press 7 x 185 on my moderate days . 
Mid Week Mountain . Last night I ran the mountain bike trails during the week for the first time . I walked the 1 + miles from the train station up to my house and then took off to the trails . The walk must have done a good job of warming my legs up because I ran my best time for the loop so far , 30:44 . The run was controlled and my focus was on staying even paced until I reached the final mile - or - so and the 3 tough hills that lead to the finish . The first of the 3 is the most difficult . I don't know if I ' ve ever avoided going anaerobic while running up this hill . My challenge going forward will be to time the final portion that covers these hills and see how fast I can go . I set a plan a few weeks back to run fast at twice a week through the 5 th Avenue Mile in September . This will serve as my mid - week lactate threshold workout .5 miles today for 14 week to date . 
Keeping the Promise . The promise being that I would get my mileage back up to decent levels following the 800 meter race . This morning I get out of bed at 5:10 and managed 4 miles around my hilly neighborhood . 9 miles week to date . 
Pay Back for the PR . When I last posted I wrote about how hard I strained in the final 200 meters of the 800 last Sunday . The chickens came home to roost on Monday when I woke up with a lot of soreness on the outside of my left calf from the top to almost the Achilles . I knew what caused it immediately . The tell - tale sign was the small blister that formed on the very outside of my left foot at the end of the race . When my form goes to heck my left foot placement slightly crosses over my right . This causes my foot to plant way on its outside edge and beat on my left outer calf due to the torque involved in such a bad landing position . This has also previously occurred in my right foot plant , but I didn't have any soreness there - possibly because this was a track race which makes it nearly impossible to run on the outside of the right foot while making it more likely to do so on the left , especially in the turns . I have a lot of history with this form flaw - a stress fracture of my left fibula in April of my senior year of high school and a second stress fracture in the exact same spot on my right fibula 6 months later in November of my freshman year at Fairleigh Dickinson . The physiological explanation is also known . I have some scoliosis that causes my right shoulder to be about an inch lower then my left and also makes my left leg slightly shorter than my right . I ' ve been pretty diligent about keeping my foot plants parallel to each other and directly below each hip , but in a race where I ' m throwing it all out there I have to have this form work automatically to avoid doing what I did on Sunday . I didn't run Monday - Friday to allow the strains to heal . On Saturday I tested by jogging slow for 10 minutes and then running a mild plyometric workout . I felt OK so another strain has come and gone . Today I ran a fairly hard loop on the mountain bike trails . I was sucking wind over the final uphill mile , but I managed to set a new PR by a little over a minute at 31:08 . I need to remember to take my Garmin on this trail someday to get an accurate measure . I ' m pretty sure it 's under 4 miles ( my guess is between 3.5 and 3.75 ) , so averaging about 8:30 per mile while running at 6:00 feel for most of the loop gives a good idea of the difficulty . I would imagine that at least 2 minutes of time are added due to necessary slow - downs for the sections that are root and rock infested due to the damage that mountain bikes do to the trails .5 miles today . 
Anyone for tennis ? Girls Originally uploaded by Adorable Aardvark . I got this t - shirt after the team returned from Germany . I realise I ' m risking life and limb if the skins should see this but what the hell . 
Green Woodpecker . Green Woodpecker Originally uploaded by Adorable Aardvark . First Green Woodpecker I ' ve ever seen . Had to rush for the camera for this one , managed to fire of three shots before he flew away . See stream . 
Pounce . Pounce Originally uploaded by Adorable Aardvark . On his return to the feeding frenzy , one of the better endowed guys pounces on him and drives him off . I don't think this is because he 's different , it 's just normal beligerence . 
Aardvarkman . Aardvarkman Originally uploaded by Adorable Aardvark . And finally , the best man . Time has doubled the size of my waist and halved the capacity of my brain , am I bitter , not overly , looking back , the guilty party is me . Again , choices you make shape the way you are . 
Young and Old , Now and Then . Two sequences that show the cycle of life in different ways . The young jackdaw clamouring for his food and the parents eagerly fullfilling the need even though the baby is almost as big as they are . The second sequence starts with a wedding and shows how time has treated us over the years . 
Box Hill Tea Gardens . Box Hill Tea Gardens Originally uploaded by Adorable Aardvark . Happy days , gathering here on the bikes before setting off on the Brighton run . A wonderful cross section of machines in our little band , AJS , Ariel Arrow , BSA , Triumph Bonneville . It didn't take too long to get down there and we ' d spend the night under the pier . Good times . 
Mixed buffet . Crowd Originally uploaded by Adorable Aardvark . Pretty much an average mix of critters for lunch . One male pheasant and two females , a couple of squirrels , a rabbit and the partridge ( not in a pear tree ) but lurking in the right foreground . 
Mill _ House . Mill _ House Originally uploaded by Adorable Aardvark . A shot across the lake of Mill House where the filming of The Holiday took place . These were taken by my better half on the open garden day . 
Jackdaws who lunch . Jackdaws 2 Originally uploaded by Adorable Aardvark . Very difficult to photo these guys , they seem to see the slightest movement and fly off . The crows are even harder hence no pics yet . 
Eavesdrop . Eaves 2 Originally uploaded by Adorable Aardvark . Not content with rattling the door handle , the squirrels have taken to sitting in the guttering and hanging over to see into the kitchen . 
Flash Gordon ... I picked up the animated Flash Gordon box set yesterday and watched most of the first season . The set includes both the first and second seasons on four DVDs and some extras on the fourth DVD . There are also little tidbits scattered throughout the chapter selection menus on each DVD . I wasn't to thrilled with the packaging . The DVD case is extra wide with spindles inside for four DVDs . The DVDs partially cover each other so that you have to remove one disc to access another disc underneath . I ' ve never liked that type of case . On the bright side , there were some nice goodies inside . This incarnation of the Flash Gordon franchise takes some cues from the movie serials , but , its artwork and story are mainly inspired by the original comic books . This print appears to be a fairly clean transfer from the original source material . It was interesting to learn that the animators based a lot of their work on models filmed in live - action and stop - motion animation . More than twenty years after the series aired on TV , the artwork and story - telling still hold up very well . I have some of the original movie serials on VHS tape . I ' m seriously considering repurchasing them on DVD . It 's been a while since I last saw the serials . A few months ago , my nephew came over and we got to talking about the different versions of Flash Gordon . He wasn't even alive when the serials were last broadcast on any of the local TV stations , so , I broke out my tapes and played a few choice segments for him . He was not very impressed . He did laugh , though . 
Changed the blog layout ... The content section seemed a bit squashed and there seemed to be a lot of wasted space . So , I rearranged things a bit to make better use of the available space and free up more space for the blog entries . 
Added Mr. Stain on Junk Alley ( Ga - Ra - Ku - Ta ) to the database ... I ' ve added Mr. Stain on Junk Alley ( Ga - Ra - Ku - Ta ) to the database . I picked up Mr. Stain on Junk Alley ( Ga - Ra - Ku - Ta ) because I happened to notice this big green cat face staring back at me . I ' ve always liked CG animation and I thought I might like Stain . Stain doesn't actually say anything . In fact , no one says anything . Stain is reminiscent of golden age animation like Tom and Jerry or Road Runner where the animators tell a complete story without a single word of dialogue . The CG effects are fairly simple , but , the animators have constructed a complete and believable world for Stain and his companions to live in . There are no naughty bits or gore . There is some violence , but , Stain 's world is not a malevolent place . Even the gangsters are relatively benign . Stain is pure at heart and tries to do good , but , sometimes things just don't work out the way he would like . I liked Stain from beginning to end and I particularly enjoyed the credits at the end of each episode . All of the characters are introduced at the end of each episode . I like the fact that even though there 's no dialogue and we don't always know their names in advance , every character has a name . Also , there 's a dance sequence where all of the characters in the series make an appearance . I found myself studying the dance sequences to identify which characters I have yet to meet . By far , my favorite characters are the Pylons . But , sadly , we don't get to see much of them in Stain . 
Added Harvest Night to the database ... I ' ve added Harvest Night to the database . Harvest Night is a very violent and very adult title that is certainly worthy of the yellow and black warning stripes that adorn many other adult titles . Poor Wakaba , a prostitute and gang member , finds herself in the path of an opposing gang without protection and has a very bad night . There are , of course , the requisite naughty bits . There is also a great deal of violence and bloodshed , but , surprisingly there 's not much in the way of gore . There are moments where you see the weapon beforehand and the aftermath , but , some of the actual acts themselves are not shown . Overall , the series was fairly good . The DVDs are double sided - with the program on one side and some of the special features on the other side . I ' ve had a peek at some of Nu Tech 's other offerings and Harvest Night seems to be one of the better titles in their catalog . 
Added Porco Rosso to the database ... I ' ve added Porco Rosso to the database . Carl Macek produced a dub of Porco Rosso several years ago for in - flight screening on Japan Airlines . But , this version was never released in the U.S. When Disney decided to release Porco Rosso , they created an all new dub . The dub is , in fact , really good . I enjoy Porco as much in English as I do in the original Japanese . True to form , there are no naughty bits . Despite the war setting , there is no bloodshed and no one dies . In fact , Porco goes out of his way not to kill . His sense of honor won't allow it . There 's plenty of action though . And , the animation quality is excellent . Hayao Miyazaki 's work is nothing short of amazing . My favorite scenes are the air battles . I enjoyed the entire production from beginning to end and I have no problems watching it over and over again . I never get tired of seeing it . 
Looking for anime in all the wrong places ... With Suncoast well and truly dead , it 's been difficult to find anime . FYE seems to have lost interest in maintaining their anime section . I was there recently and the stacks were out of order and didn't look like they ' d been in order in a while . There wasn't anything new and wonderful and it didn't appear that there had ever been anything new and wonderful added to the pile in a while . Tower wasn't much better . The shelves were at least sorted and neat , but , there wasn't anything that said " buy me " . It looks like Tower just recently completed a " pull down " . Occasionally , stores review their inventory and decide what to keep and what not to keep . I noticed small numbered tags throughout the store a couple weeks ago and realized that Towers was in the process of reviewing their inventory . Immediately after such a review , there 's always a list of things to " pull down " off the shelves . These items are either sent to a warehouse for storage or they 're sent back to the manufacturer for a refund or credit . In any event , Towers had less in stock than usual and it ' ll be awhile before their stock builds back up again . As for Borders ... I ' ve given up on finding anything new and wonderful there . It looks like they 're trying to reduce the number of DVDs they keep on hand . And as they carry fewer and fewer DVDs , fewer and fewer of those DVDs are anime . I still have a handful of titles on the pile of anime that need watching . But , I ' m always looking out for new and wonderful titles to add to the pile . I ' ve heard that the animated Flash Gordon series from the ' 70 s should be out on DVD soon . I ' m looking forward to it . Come to think of it , He - Man and the Masters of the Universe has been calling me for a while . There are a handful of episodes that I still remember with fondness , but , I ' m still not sure if I want to get four box sets . I ' ll have to do some research to see if I can reduce the number of sets that I might want to get . I did pick up the first two seasons of Justice League . I also repurchased a copy of the Humanoid on DVD . Lately , I ' ve been turning to online sources for the bulk of my anime needs . I ' m still working on getting a copy of Miyuki - chan in Wonderland on DVD . I ordered it a while ago , but , it doesn't look good at this point . With Anim Eigo 's sale still in full force , I ' ve decided to repurchase the first 25 volumes of Urusei Yatsura . At 60 % off and with free shipping , I couldn't resist . While I was at it , I went ahead and ordered the remaining volumes of Daphne in the Brilliant Blue to finish off my set . 
A very blue blog ... The home page was reworked a bit to include some information on recent updates and the blog has been updated to look more like the rest of the site . The font is a little different , but , overall , I ' m very pleased with the result . 
Added Saikano to the database ... I ' ve added Saikano to the database . There is some violence in Saikano , but , not much in the way of gore and bloodshed . There are some nice effects , but , we don't get to see much of Chise in battle . She 's usually seen either leaving for battle or just returning from battle with clothes all torn . Sometimes she 's shown as a small point of light streaking across the sky . There isn't much in the way of fan service . There are some naughty bits near the end of the series . But , nothing is really shown . The story centers around the relationship between Chise and Shuji and the entire story is told from Shuji 's point of view with Shuji providing voice over commentary throughout the series . All of the characters are intertwined with Chise or Shuji in one way or another . And all of the loose threads revealed in the series are resolved in the end . The series has the feeling of a soap opera with elements of war thrown in seemingly at random . I found the story to be very engaging . I would have liked to see more of the war elements that were only hinted and suggested in the series . In general , the animation quality is quite good . Some of the effects , particularly those in the last episode , don't look quite right . But , overall the series is pretty good . 
Added Daphne In the Brilliant Blue to the database ... I ' ve added Daphne In the Brilliant Blue to the database . Fan service and scantily clad women abound in Daphne In the Brilliant Blue , but , there are no naughty bits to speak of . There 's plenty of action , but , not much in the way of bloodshed . The thing that really attracted me to this series was the humor ... Maia plays the straight man in a world of lunatics . My favorite scene occurs fairly early in the series . Maia and Gloria are in a speed boat , chasing another speed boat , while taking fire from the speed boat they 're chasing . Maia slows down to avoid being killed and Gloria steps on Maia 's head and orders her not to slow down for anything . Maia steps on the gas , her eyes get really big and she 's absolutely sure that something bad is going to happen . The look on her face is just priceless . There are plenty of moments like this throughout the series . 
Added Scrapped Princess to the database ... I ' ve added Scrapped Princess to the database . Scrapped Princess has the look and feel of an ancient medieval setting with knights and horse - drawn carts . But , throughout the series there are glimpses of super - science and advanced technology disguised as magic and sorcery . The series shares some elements with . Hack and Full Metal Alchemist . In particular , the classic sword and sorcery settings and magical effects of . hack and the magical soldiers from Full Metal Alchemist . The story is very well executed . It gets a bit dark near the end , but , it 's still quite good . The animation quality and effects are also very good . There is some bloodshed and violence , but , no gore to speak of . There are no naughty bits . There is some humor and comic relief in the beginning of the series , but , as the series progresses , there 's less humor and the tone of the series changes and gets darker and more menacing . I enjoyed the series very much , but , I enjoyed the earlier episodes more than the later episodes . 
Added Chrono Crusade to the database ... I ' ve added Chrono Crusade to the database . I picked up Chrono Crusade a while ago . I wasn't sure that it was for me when I pulled it off the store shelf , but , it came home with me reluctantly and sat for a good long while . Eventually , I dusted it off and watched it and to my surprise , it was actually really good . There are no naughty bits to speak of , but , there is a great deal of gun play and violence . Surprisingly , there is not a whole lot of gore or bloodshed . The series has some humor , mostly concerning Sister Rosette 's overly destructive tendencies . The animation quality was quite good and includes some very nice creature effects . My favorite episode is actually the first episode . The series shares some common elements with Sakura Wars . Particularly , the retro - esque technology . Some of the major story elements are revealed fairly early on . Too early , in my opinion . After seeing the first volume , I could tell roughly how the story was going to play out . Overall , I liked what I saw , but , I felt as a casual observer looking in , that I had too much information too soon and I didn't really feel a compelling need for to invest more time in the series . Part of the fun is NOT knowing what 's going to happen . 
Added Steamboy to the database ... I ' ve just added Steamboy to the database . It 's been a while since my last update , but , now that the site update has been completed , I hope to finally be able to devote more attention to the content . There was a lot of anticipation when this title was released . Katsuhiro Otomo , the legendary director that brought Akira to the screen has returned to bring us Steamboy . I found the story to be somewhat better than Metropolis , but , not quite as good as Akira . The animation quality though , is far superior to Akira . There are some very stunning moments in the movie . Particularly , the climactic battle near the end of the movie . The mecha sequences are all exceptionally well rendered . CG effects abound , but , it seems to me at least , that the animators went to great pains to try to blend them with the traditional animation . There were some minor elements of the story that I didn't care for , but , overall I think Steamboy is really good . 
Satanika , Lady Death and Cars ... For some reason that defies description , I thought that Satanika and Lady Death were somehow related . After some research though , I found that aside from both being part of the " bad girl " genre , there 's not really any relationship between the two . I did however , finally sit down to watch and rewatch Lady Death and I also played the Satanika tape again to refresh my memory . Then , there was Cars . I went with the whole family to see Cars over the weekend . We got to the theater a bit early and got settled . Then , the commercials come up and there 's no sound . Well , " that 's fine " , I said , " as long as there 's sound during the movie " . Well , the movie started and there was some sound , but , no voices . We left and got a refund . Another group of movie goers became very irate . After cursing and banging on the cashier window they and had to be escorted out of the lobby by police . 
In the aftermath of the demise of Suncoast ... The pile of anime continues to grow . I just picked up Git S : SAC : 2 nd Gig Volume 5 and the Venture Brothers Season 1 Box Set . I was in the middle of Scrapped Princess and Daphne when Suncoast went belly - up and I ' m having some difficulty tracking down the volumes that I ' m missing . Tower and Borders don't have what I want , which means a trip to the Gallery to see what FYE has for me . I hate going to the Gallery . If that doesn't pan out then I ' ll have to turn to online sources . Speaking of online sources , the OMG : Special Edition Box Set just arrived . 
Trimmed and updated the wallpapers ... Over the weekend , I spent some time reworking some of the wallpapers and removing some old wallpapers that are showing their age . I ' ve added a new wallpaper featuring Faye Valentine and changed the Ryoko wallpaper . All of the Urusei Yatsura and Yu Yu Hakusho wallpapers have been taken down . 
Honeymoon Pictures . Hey everyone check out the fun we are having on our honeymoon . http : // picasaweb . google . com / aaron . allison I ' m here in barnes and nobel paying for bandwidth . Sad . Anyway , we are having a great time please check back ill try to upload more soon . Later , Aaron B . Allison . 
Quick Update . Jenny has an interview this friday . Wahoo . Wedding plans are going great . We got a website up and going . Jennyandaaron . com I have some big school project due soon , and Instant Install is getting requested for another presentation . Keeping busy with Church , Forty day 's of purpose is in full swing and if you want to listen to some of it check out the churches website . I gotta run to class , Later , Aaron B . Allison . 
WOW ... i found this . This what happens when you go to college and stay home with your best friend and play Tony Hawk DEMO . That is right , HOURS on the only level ( paris i think ) on the Tony Hawk . This was a great game ! Long Live the Tony Hawk Series ! " A " . 
I Climbed , I Fundraised , I Conquered ... for Kids . Yes , ` I have been to the top of Mt . Shasta and I can report that the view is worth the hard work . On March 30 I started the Climbing for Kids fundraiser by donating $ 250 from my own pocket and agreed that I would be financially responsible for the remaining $ 2750 . I had never raised more than a few hundred dollars and the prospect of covering the full balance which amounts to almost one fourth of my yearly Americorps living stipend seemed scary . But I made it . Thanks to the help of many friends and my family . Together we raised $ 3,247 exceeding my goal of $ 3,000 . The money went to Bay Area Wilderness Training ( B . A . W . T ) . Bay Area Wildnerness Training provides wilderness leadership training for teachers , youth development workers , social workers , anyone who wants to take youth outdoors , etc. In addition to the training , BAWT provides outdoor gear through their gear library and planning support for trips . In June I participated in their five day Wilderness Leadership Training program as the first \ nrecepient . Over the five days , I backpacked in Yosemite with the \ naformentioned types where we role - played leading each other as a group \ nof teens through the backcountry . We rehearsed how to deal with \ nvarious emergency and non - emergency senarios that might arise when \ nleading teens , and we shared new activities and debriefing \ ntechniques . As an experienced wilderness leader I was very \ nimpressed with the training . \ n \ n So , the money that you helped me raise will go to providing more \ nscholarships and reducing the overall cost of the leadership training \ ncourse as well as to expanding and maintaining the amazing gear library . \ n \ n Thank you again for all the support . For drinking and partying \ nwith me at Elixir Bar . For buying raffle tickets . For \ nbuying cool stuff at my silent auction . Every dollar made a \ ndifference . \ n \ n All the best , \ n Aaron Gilbert \ n \ n To keep up with my work and what is going on in my life check out my blog at aaronblahblahblog . blogspot . com \ n \ n " , 0 ] ) ; // -- > Amy Chamberlain scholarship recepient . So , the money that I helped to raise will go to providing more scholarships and reducing the overall cost of the leadership training course as well as to expanding and maintaining the amazing gear library . 
Danelia Lopez . I could write at long length about the amazing Danelia . Her sharp with and biting sarcasm endeared her to me immediately . She is the only person I know who can consistently fool me . She joined Outdoor Challenge in September when Janice was still running the program . Her and her little sister Rebecca - one year younger and totally amazing in her own right - started out in skate club and got hooked into Outdoor Challenge . In just this year they have done more new things than anyone I can think of . They have gone camping twice , snowboarding , surfing , sailing , rock climbing twice , and mountain biking . It has not all been easy . Danelia got sick on the first backpacking trip , flew over her handle bars mountain biking , got drenched and muddy on a day hike , faced her fears of the ocean surfing , and she always came back for more . In spite of her seeming pessimism she always talks herself into trying the new thing . She just returned from a three week trip for young women with Environmental Travel Companions . Today I spoke with her and in her mostly monotone voice she faked a sarcastically affected " it as great ! " But I saw through the ploy and felt the warm glow of her smile on my ear . She really love it . We spent almost two month this spring working at a snails stop and go pace to fill out the program application . Sometimes I felt like I was pushing her to do something she did not want to do , so I would pull back and ask her , " do you really want this , because even though I think it is great it won't be great for you if you don't actually want it ? " I think is was a combination of fear of the unknown , feeling burnt out from working hard at school and not wanting to write more essays , and general teenage " laziness " . But in the end she wrote the essay , translated papers for her mother , filled out the forms , and even rode across town alone for an interview . Rebecca and Danelia sailing in the Bay with Treasure Island Sailing Center So today when she told me about her raft flipping over through the Double Trouble rapid on the South Fork of the American River and how they had to wear helmets and wet suits because the water as so high , cold , and fast , I could tell she really love it . She enjoyed the Kayaking and camping on Angel Island . She spoke of sleeping on tarps with the other 10 girls . And she even made some new friends . As a corner - man in the life of Danelia Lopez , I was so proud of her and happy for her . She deserves to have experiences like this and meet new friends . What is more she is learning that she can have so much in this world . So much that is so very good , as long as she keeps asserting herself and working hard . It was not easy to apply , and it will not be easy to complete the community service will have to do in exchange for her 90 % scholarship . But if anyone can do it . I know Danelia can . 
Sally Su . " Hello can I speak with Alice " " noingeesee " " Uh ... Hello ? " " noingeesee " " Al - ice " " noingeese " " I don't speak Chinese " " chineesee " " bye " " yes bye " Alice is a new student in my summer Outdoor Challenge program . She emigrated from Hong Kong four months ago and is in the 10 th grade . I met her , her friend Sally , and Sally 's father Richard Su last Thursday . Richard is a fit Chinese man in his early forties . When I met him he was dressed in casual blue jeans with a tucked in polo shirt and tennis shoes , but the most predominate part of his appearance was his smile . It lights up his whole face . When he came into my office to introduce himself , his daughter Sally , and her new friend Alice he was beside himself with appreciation that I could provide this program for his daughter . He also mention several times with great pride that he works at the Timbuk 2 factory on 16 th and Alabama , all the while pointing to Sally 's fashionable messenger bag . So today when I could not contact Alice I called Richard to tell him that the girls should come to program tomorrow . He immediately remembered who I was and graciously obliged to pass the message to Sally and to contact Alice 's family to let them know . Then , without hesitation and a air of delight in his voice - I could see his smile through the phone line - he told me that Sally had learned so much last week . That she very much enjoyed meeting me and learning the new knots . He asked if I had more to offer her . I almost giggled . With a broad smile , I composed myself and assured him I did . 
Ride : 40 mi in Long Beach . rode with Nicholas around long beach and hit signal hill a few times . i felt a bit hollow due to the late night before ( went to bed at 3:30 am ) . the heat was up there since we rode from 10 am to 1:30 pm . Distance : 40 mi Time : 2:22 Speed Avg : 16.0 HR Max : 183 HR Avg : 156 Cadence : 83 . 
Ride : 55 mi in OC . rode with Nicholas up through the canyons inland from Laguna . great ride . the long slight downhill at mile 35 is nice to hammer out . felt pretty good on the bike . definitely felt the run from the day before in my legs . was very sore later in the day . Distance : 55 mi Time : 3 hr 9 mins HR Avg : 155 Avg Speed : 17.1 Cadence : 84 . 
in 24 hours ... 24 Hour Travel Formula from Dubrovnik , Croatia to Rome , Italy 1 . Take a day trip to Mjlet , Croatia , and rent bikes to ride uphill for what seems like a week in order to find the cash machine to go to the national park where you board a small boat to visit and swim at a monestary on an island within an island . 2 . Leave Mjlet , Croatia on a ferri , watch sunset over the Adriatic Sea just after camera batteries die just as the sun explodes with magnificant colors between surrounding rocky mountains and cliffs . Take mental picture instead and call it good . 3 . Arrive back in Dubrovnik , Croatia to board an all night ferri to Bari , Italy . Sleep on the floor of the ferri and mow down as much free food as possible for breakfast . 4 . Wait 1.2 hours in sweaty customs office , where you are asked if you are Italian , or at least if your father was . Instead , represent the Finnish , or at least smile and thank them for not interrogating you . 5 . Take bus number 20 to Bari , Italy train station . 6 . Purchase ticket to Rome , Italy at the advice of a ticket dealer who assured us this way was faster . Board train . 7 . Arrive 15 minutes late and miss connecting train to Rome . 8 . Wait two hours in sweaty train station for next train with combination of guys from Spain and Argentina . Italian pizza redeems high cost of sweat by being delicious . 9 . Arrive in different train station than intended . 10 . Purchase ticket to new train station . 11 . Board train to right train station . 12 . Locate tourist map at correct train station , discover that Metro is closed for the night . Try not to be angry , you are now in Rome . 13 . Successfully navigate streets of Rome at night to locate accomidations . 14 . Take shower . 15 . Post exhaustive and boring blog about journeys of the last 24 hours . 16 . Sleep like baby . 17 . Repeat in three days . 
bled , slovenia . There is a villiage called Bled , Slovenia , where pictures fail to fully communicate the beauty . We swam ( the long way , of course ) out to the island in the middle of Lake Bled , surrounded by alpine hills , a castle constructed on a cliff , with the Julian Alps as the backdrop . Slovenia is said to be one of the greenest countries in the world -- it 's like the Upper Peninsula mixed with a touch of the Mediterranen , but encompassed by striking mountains . They claim to have invented skiing , and I believe them . 
the remaining journey . Today I ve made far too many accumulated posts for anyone to read due to scarce internet access . The trip has been exciting and relaxing , with amazing sites , conversations and photos . With uncertain future internet access , I ve decided to post the rest of our tentative schedule , though , of course it will change . July 19 : Bled , Slovenia July 20 : Somewhere in Croatia ( ? ) July 23 : Ferri to Italy ( ? ) July 24 : Rome , Italy July 27 : Florence , Italy July 29 : Cinque Terre , Italy August 2 : Barcelona , Spain August 5 : Valencia , Spain August 8 : Gryon , Switzerland August 11 : Paris , France August 15 : Paris to London to Grand Rapids , Michigan . 
slowing down in slovenia . We arrived in the relaxing capital of Ljubljana , Slovenia yesterday afternoon from Vienna . The train ride was stunning and the landscape amazing : jagged cliffs and beautiful , rolling green hills . It has been a much - needed break from the big cities we are staying at the amazing Most Hostel , where the hosts are excellent and made us Turkish coffee . We spent last night over pizza and Slovenian beer with two guys we met from England staying at our hostel : Chris , an Oxford graduate on his way to a Ph D in chemistry to look for alternative sources of energy , and James , a recent graduate of theology who aspires to be a Vicar in the Anglican Church and is engaged to be married next June . They were the first outspoken Christians we ve met so far on our trip . With a common bond and language , it was refreshing to talk to these two brilliant - minded thinkers about the church , the Gospel , our stories , and different theories of how it all will work out in the end . About a year ago I was frustrated with the Christian Bubble , where we can often get lost in ourselves . On this trip , what has been truly refreshing is the opportunity to talk with people who are different than me : to be challenged , to be stretched , to learn to listen . A few we ve met along the way : The engineer from Alabama constructing robots to defeat the world s best poker players ; The two wonderfully intelligent Jewish girls from Jersey taking a final breath before entering med and acoustics school ( s ) ; The Australian chef who drinks absinthe in heaps with laughter as contagious as the bird flu ; Two young Australian girls on a holiday before going to school in Sweden ; Two older Australian girls on a two - year travel hiatus who aren t afraid to dress in Italian futbol gear amongst 3,000 opposing fans ; Two music - crazy Austrian girls starting to attend school to be elementary teachers ; Two fresh LA high school graduates dreading the beginning of college ; Three image conscious girls whose parents own vacation homes in Whistler , British Columbia ; The Russian - born turned New Yorker girl who teaches children how to play piano ; The 19 - year - old jokester from Ohio who tells others he s a 22 - year - old from Orange County ; Young Toronto girl who quit her job to travel Peru for three - weeks before heading to Croatia for a family wedding ; The deep - thinking writer working on his second book project ; And I , the cubicle - wearied turned entrepreneur on a multi - faceted journey ; We are all much the same , yet very different . Each of us is on a search for something , and I hope we all find it . 
mozart 's magic . I felt the musical magic of Vienna , more alive than the night before ( see if this is love ) , as I watched an organ concert inside of the beautiful St. Peter s Cathedral in the Old Town . I imagined the same cathedral pouring out praises for Mozart , of Bach , all the legends of this town . My eyes , wide - open like a child on Christmas morning , my heart alive and mind working overtime to process the excitement . Create ! Create because you were created , the Composer shouts from the Heavens . I thank the Lord for music that ignites the soul , that sets a fire inside of us to create . the organ blasts , reminding me of pastbuildings where God lived and I confessed sins , where i first purchased fire insuranceand later was given life and breath . i come to your holy hill , reverent for You , hoping you ll move and begin something new , reminiscent of saturday s dressed in black , in celebration of bride and groom , but the marriage of love was the place of the skull and an empty tomb . 
futbol gospel . In a magical night in Vienna , I watched some street evangelists , one talking in English , the other in German , use a futbol ( soccer ) analogy to explain salvation to a diverse group of people in a busy city square . The illustration used the yellow card ( warning that humans are sinful ) , red card ( impending judgment ) , and then asked the crowd if the believed that God was given them a warning card that night . The most interesting part of the presentation was when the following comment : This is not about religion , this is about new life . Amen . After the presentation , an elderly woman came forward and others inquired about their pamphlets , I was reminded of the Gospel , that we all need redemption ; we all need Jesus . 
if this is love . This poem was written in Vienna , Austria , after witnessing two southern California - college - party guys bring a young woman to our hostel room to do the unthinkable in our company . WARNING : Be cautious reading it ; it is vulgar , I did not want to write it , using words I don t speak , but I believe it communicates a message about human nature in its ugliest moments . Cam gracefully confronted the guys in the morning , and they shamefully bowed their heads and exited the hostel , while we were stuck with memories of something so primal and so disrespectful , that we wondered if any good can come of it . In hindsight , it did open my eyes to the severity of physical relationships and the importance of purity . As I sat in my hostel bed reflecting on this experience , the following about human nature was evident : sex is not love women give sex to feel loved ; men love ( or some counterfeit form of it ) , to get sexhumans are evilhumans are selfish beyond measurehumans have animalistic flesh - patternsthe strong have the power to oppress the weak There are many things happening around us that we cannot see . I can no longer question whether evil exists , whether the Devil is real , whether an invisible war is at hand . And I think about the grace that covers it all , and I realize that the cross is both beautiful and offensive , to cover the world s sins . if this is love the evil lie in wait to pounce on their prey , while the weak receive , open - legged and helpless . drunkenness to debauchery , and then to this , no love , no kiss , no sound , purely mechanics . my stomach drops as my ears hear evil in motion , helpless ; furious ; disgusted . sick to my stomach , beyond folly , you went much further . evil is the monster that propels each thrust , if this is love , then you ve been f ** ked . if love is an art , you are not artists , you pay for the painting , surely it s counterfeit . this is not love , but a disease , a pattern a flesh , the devil the butcher . as you go to the closet to cleanse your sins , i , wide awake and ill , pray for this mess we live in . so many expensive lies you ve bought , and paid too much to be locked up . remember with me , the twin cities of lust , where wrath awaits and God weeps for children astray . there is true love , woven through time , of people like you ; like me ; like us , who do the unthinkable , while the unthinkable has set us free . open your eyes , and you will find , the story of love unfolding through time . in ashes we soon will be , in ashes we repent . for Yahweh is coming , but has already come . 
behind these doors ( through the jewish quarter ) . This was a poem written in Prague , Czech Republic . We toured the Jewish Quarter , which had seen many different waves of oppression . The poem talks about the invasion of the Nazi s in WWII . In Prague , Hitler made plans to preserve the museum to remember an extinct race , which was beyond disturbing . Behind these iron doors lie shallow graves , Twelve layers deep of staggered remains , Fear ; the preamble of suffering , Suffering ; the preamble of death , Death , the product of insanity , Let us preserve the museum for a race extinct , Everything else must go , even the children , The madman boasts while combing the streets , As trains are filled to the brim with the walking dead , Innocent children draw pictures , now a ghostly reminder , Of disasters beyond our comprehension , only a half - century past , Insanity in high places reeks of evil , The streets are reduced to rubble , People to numbers , then to dust , While the count continues growing , Holy insurgents plot plans to kill the madman , To save the innocent , but the innocent die instead , For nothing more than beliefs , Yet we are all much the same . Desperation closes in , The madman puts a bullet in his skull , And the world becomes a better place . 
mercy mathematics . Who am I ? A belly full of money , at ease ; Who are you ? A hand outstretched , emtpy ; That we should meet and our roles reversed , For an instant , than returned ; To the mountain of injustice , where I have and you have not , Where people rot while passersby shake their heads and turn away ; What difference will it make ? If I empty my pockets into yours , Soon you will be empty again , and I will still be full ; Me ; strong - legged , youthful , dreaming ; You , weak - legged , limping , screaming ; The streets have robbed your youth and divided its plunder . If we traded lives , would you find relief ? You ; on a train to exotic lands , Me ; on a bench with outstretched hands ; We speak in foreign tongues , yet we were created much the same , Our stories , worlds apart , but we know this is wrong , It wasn't supposed to be this way , I promise ; Hope is the drug you need , but the last thing you want to hear ; How much will it cost ? To obey ; to stop crunching numbers while people perish over pious arithmetic ; I ' ve met many like you , and in my mind , I ration my portion of convenience - store mercy ; Mercy - mathematics and your bellymake strange bedfellows for a one - night stand ; I ' ve been taught by the One whose mercy is unceasing , I walked away in tears when He said it would cost everything , While tonight I weep for justice ; Travel with me , to Zion 's Holy Mountain , Where trees dance and barns overflow , Where bread is life , And all are invited to the feast of ages ; Mercy Mathematics was written on a midnight train from Frankfurt , Germany to Prague , Czech Republic on July 10 - 11 . While traveling , I ' ve seen many homeless , drug addicts and strippers on the streets . I ' ve always been torn how to react to the homeless , and oftentimes , my conclusion is based on convenience -- if the person is really needy , if I have cash or coin , if I have healthy finances -- the list goes on . I recently rejected a plea for a crippled beggar at the Frankfurt train station , asking for money with a faint voiice . My travel partner reached into his pockets and gave him some coin , while I looked and communicated that I had nothing to give . Minutes later , I went to buy some food , and saw the begggar again . I couldn't stand to think that I had told him I had nothing , yet I had a belly full of money and was about to enter a food line . Again , I rejected his plea , but in the moments that followed , I knew I was wrong . I dug into my pouch and gave him some money , and decided that tonight , our roles should reverse . I have much to learn about mercy . The night before I had walked through the red - light disctrict of Frankfurt -- not for entertainment -- but to witness the conditions of how people live : Women selling their bodies , drug addicts working first like chemists , then like nurses to experience the rush of false reality pulsing through their veins . I saw many robbed of life , voide of hope , reduced to rubble . I am too often quick to judge , and slow to help . During WWII , most of Frankfurt was completely destroyed by Allied Forces bombings , except for a historic church dating back to the 1400 's . We visited the church , which stands out like a grandfather on a little league team against the modern city skyline . A small poster showed an aerial shot of the bombings -- everything was destroyed -- yet this church remained untouched and offered a refuge for those still alive in the city . Reflecting on this visit , I wondered if our lives are much the same -- we can be destroyed ( by ourselves , others , society , or God ) -- yet a fragment of hope always remains . Scriptures talk about the body of Christ as a metaphor of a city on a hill : it 's light is always visible , even in the darkest places . In the bombed out , rubble - ridden places of our world , where we often turn our heads , we must remain open , remain a refuge . What if the Church really was the refuge , the last place standing when all else is lost ? 
all - nighter . In two hours , we ll board all - night train at 11:30 p.m. , arriving at 8 a.m. in Prague , Czech Republic . We ' ve heard amazing things about Prague ; it is one of the few cities in Europe that survived WWII without damage . Frankfurt is a very modern city ; today we walked through the only church that wasn't bombed during the war . 
goodbye , head - baggage . Unfortunately , last week , I decided that my haircut boycott must come to an end . After four months and many bottles of shampoo , the fro had morphed to unmanageable chaos , especially for a trip of this nature . Appropriately , there is no better candidate to cut your hair than someone you can t effectively communicate with . Today I decided to end the boycott in a Turkish section of Frankfurt . After I snapped a smiling before picture , I put my hair s fate into the hands of a stranger . After two words of English were spoken and I confirmed the price ( 10 Euros ) , I made one slight hand motion to signify the desired length , and we were off . Within seconds , large clumps of hair were landing in my lap . Admittedly , I was overly concerned and slightly entertained at the possible outcomes . The outcome ? Not good . However , I now carry much less head - baggage and may easily be mistaken for an U.S. Marine , which will impress my father and JZ . While I mourn the loss of the fro s symbology , I know that it will return once again . I also know that I may never have the opportunity to get my hair whacked by a Turk in the middle of Germany , and for this experience , I am grateful . 
Website Updates . Whelp , Check it out ! www . Aaron Connolly . com I finally got around to putting a new face on my main gallery / portfolio website , and I think it helps get folks engaged in some of the stuff I ' ve got out there . The pictures on the home page are just some that I selected from the random Galleries I have put together , in hopes of ( ahem ) drawing you further into them . Please feel free to hop around and shoot me an email if anything does not work properly , or your wacky mac browser coughs up ( its probably a programming issue on my part ) . Otherwise , let me know what you all think .... I ' d love some feedback . Love it ? Hate it ? Think its lame ? Hollar at me . 
Skyline . I ' m struggling with this Illustration Friday assignment . I considered trying to draw the Nissan Skyline automobile , but I thought , " nah , thats lame . " Then I thought of doing some sweet image of Luray Caverns or something from back home in Virginia , that is somewhere near Skyline Drive ... anyways , I settled on another tree sketch : Kinda a plain ... get it ? ' Plain ' ? hi ho ! 
Ear Tuck . I ' m not the most fashionable guy , and I can put myself together in the morning and not look like a complete fool , but there are some fashion trends I just don't understand , and some that look down - right uncomfortable . For some reason , dudes around here tuck their ears under their ball caps , some dudes are nonchalant about it and buy oversized hats , others just force their ears underneath their hats even if their hat is too small . 
Sticky . Enough lame Car 's product ideas : better late than never with the Sticky sketch for Illustration friday I guess . I hate it when I get bubble gum on my face piece . Its the worst thing ever . 
Cars Windshield Shade . Alright , here 's my official plea for an official Cars Windshield Shade . I ' m sure this is already in the works , because those nifty folks at Pixar don't let anything slip by them , but here 's what I would like my truck to look like when I put a windshield shade in my car . Imagine how the kids would laugh ! Eh ... What would your car look like ? Want to do it yourself ? Start with the template I created . 
Ooodles of Doodles . Alright ya ' ll . I ' m going to bombard you with some crud from my sketch book and recent train rides . Note that most people are sketched from behind or the side , or only loosely because they gave me stink - eye while trying to draw them . For the most part they 're done quickly and ordered chronologically below . What do you think ? 
Rain . Took me a while to get something together for " rain " as I had a great friend from back home move out here last week . I ' m stoked for him and he 's having a good time thus far . The inspiration for this comes from being a kid and not being able to do what you want to do because of stinkin ' rain . Just a quick drawing , and once again a lack of perspective : . 
Dance . I can say , with out embarassment that I have been here a thousand times . Its taken a while for me to get comfy cuttin ' a little rug . But now that I ' ve got a few moves up my sleeves , weddings , home - comings , and bar mitzvahs no longer make me nervous . 
The Dentist . Sorry for the long time of no posting . As I said before , this work thing really puts a crimp in my blogging lifestyle ! I went to the dentist last week for the first time in at least two years . I inherited week teeth from my dad and , needless to say , my teeth were riddled with plaque which would require deep cleaning and cavities , including one which the dentist thought looked so bad that I might need a root canal . I went back to the dentist yesterday and , sure enough , it needed a root canal . So I got to sign away my rights and they started to work . I think the worst part was when they had to put two pins in my teeth . I could actually feel them poking around in my teeth . The other worst part was the price , even with insurance . Double ouch ! *** In happier news , my sister is got engaged last week ! I ve met the guy once , and he is quite nice . Here s what my sister has to say about him : He 's 24 . He works at my church . ( I met him in small group - yay for church small groups : ) He 's got the cutest dimples and freckles ever . He 's from Louisiana , been in Seattle for 2 years , doesn't have an accent here , but when he goes back to the South , the drawl creeps back . : ) He 's quiet , kind , thoughtful , honest , and an INFJ ( I taught him the MBTI system : ) The plan for them is to get married in late fall , so that means Beth and I will be taking one more trip to Seattle this year , in addition to going there in two weeks to see college friends Josh and Adrienne get married , and going to Hong Kong this Christmas to see my folks . We re racking up the frequent flier miles ! This weekend , however , we are taking the leisurely drive up to New Jersey to spend a little time at the in - laws and to see our niece . I think she s about 3 months old now , or maybe not quite . She s so chubby , in that cute baby sort of way ! Maybe I ll take some pictures to post . Cheers . 
No Boss in Sight . At work , my director has just left for the summer . He has a house on a small island in Maine and I am left here to access his emails and communications , and talk daily on the phone to get assignments from him . Since he just left yesterday , I don t know what this means for my workload , but I m guessing that I will be having less work than I used to . I don t want to complain about having less work to do , but it does get quite boring here . I could literally sit around for hours on end with little to do . My only defense against boredom is to be proactive : I ve redesigned and updated a lot of the Asia program s website , and now I ve launched on my independent project . 
Whew . Sorry about the long hiatus from posting . Since I last posted I ' ve been in New Jersey to see Beth 's family , Minnesota to go fishing in the north woods with my family , Washington state to see my sister graduate from college , and Wisconsin to see my grandmother . Not to mention that I ' ve finished school and started my new internship , which I ' m finding leaves me with less time to blog and more work . Or rather , that my routine of doing school work at home incorporated more breaks than working at an office does . So sorry . But I have read quite a few books recently . Here 's my take . Salt : A World History , by Mark Kurlansky . Excellent and fascinating read for anyone who likes trivia and interesting stories . Enlightening at times , like when it explains the role that salt has played in shaping modern history , and overall a good read . I liked it better than Cod . Heaven Lake , John Dalton . Nice novel about a young adult who travels to Taiwan to work as a missionary , gets on the wrong side of a few people there , and ends up on a long trek to western China to bring back a bride for a Taiwanese businessmen . I enjoyed it overall , especially the Taiwan and China references that I knew , although I felt the whole loss - of - faith theme to be unconvincing and underexplained . But I liked it overall . The Poisonwood Bible , Barbara Kingsolver . An award - winning epic novel , and I can see why . Also about missionaries and loss of faith ( it 's coincidence , I promise ! ) , although this family is in the Congo . It 's written from the perspective of the family 's four daughters coming to grips with history and a misogynistic and out - of - touch father . Utterly absorbing , heart - aching and beautiful . 
Books . I just read Cod : A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky , and I loved it . He tells the story of how cod was one of the main reasons why the " discovery " of Newfoundland by Westerners was such a big deal , because there was such great cod fishing there . And cod was a great fish because it 's easy to catch and easy to preserve in salt ( the fish has little fat , which is what causes things to rot ) . It was quite a good read , full of fun trivia and more information ( and recipes ) about cod then you ever knew existed . Speaking of fishing , Beth and I went up to Minnesota and met my parents there to do a little fishing in the great north woods . It was Beth 's first time fishing and she caught three fish - I caught none . But we had a good time with my mom and dad and we got suntans to boot . And now I ' ve started reading Kurlansky 's longer but very similar book , Salt : A World History . I never knew salt was so important - I guess you easily forget that in this era of refrigeration . 
I ' m back . Sorry everyone for leaving the blog for so long . Needless to say , I ' ve been busy ! Last week I was finishing up schoolwork . I finished up my US Foreign Policy essays , on the power of the president in wartime , the ability of the media and other domestic actors to shape foreign policy , and applying themes we ' ve learned in the class to the politics surrounding the current Iraq War . Once I finished that I gave the final test to my undergrad class , then got to grade all the short answers and essays the next day so that grades could be turned in by Friday . On Friday , Beth 's little brother and girlfriend came down to DC and delivered an armoire to us that her grandmother had used and not needed anymore . We ' ll be moving our computer off our old IKEA desk and onto this much nicer looking piece of furniture , and we ' ll be able to close off the computer behind doors so it doesn't dominate our living room . Then on Friday we drove with them up to Beth 's parents house to spend the Mother 's Day with them . We also got to see our little niece , who is now just four weeks old . Of course , she is so beautiful and adorable . But Beth and I are not ready to have a baby quite yet . There 's something about the hourly crying that made us glad we still have independence . Finally , we went to the outlet stores to go clothes shopping and both of us stocked up on dress clothes for the summer . 
Picture Gallery . Some of you may have noticed the new picture gallery I set up , but for those of you who haven't , go check out the gallery , located on the right of the page . I still haven't found a design for the pages that I really like , but the pictures themselves are all there . 
TV on the Internet . Since we don't have a TV here , we ' ve been enjoying watching ABC TV on our computer this past week . ABC is showing full - length episodes of four of its shows online in May and June . Most of the shows have only the last several episodes to watch , but our favorite show , Alias , has the entire season five up to what has been broadcast . So every night after we finish studying for our finals we ' ve been watching a few episodes . Evidently , the US is far behind other countries in what is called IP - TV , with South Korea being the most technologically advanced on this front . With the constant fighting between the telecoms and cable companies and all the monopolies in between , I ' m not surprised . I don't know if this happens all over the country , or just here in DC , but I see advertisement signs everywhere by both the telecom and the cable industries , usually attacking the other side . Just think where we ' d be if they spent that much effort and money on improving their service . 
Computers . Because our mail is delivered to central mailboxes in our building , we sometimes get our neighbor 's mail ( probably when the mailwomen gets a little too hurried ) . We usually just take the mail and drop it in front of the neighbor 's door when this happens , but yesterday we got our neighbor 's PC Magazine , so I decided I might flip through it before turning it over . I know , I ' m evil ! So I was reading the John Dvorak column and he was commenting on the progress of computing in the last few decades , noting how fundamental shifts that we all expected have not yet materialized . Specifically , computers have not become more human - centric , i . e . they don't talk , listen to , or understand humans very well at all , unlike in the science - fiction movies such as Star Trek where the characters ask computers questions and they respond intelligently . Dvorak likens the phenomenon to the 1950 's notion that everyone would be driving flying cars by the year 2000 . And what are we doing ? We 're still driving cars that are relatively the same as they were back then , with only marginal improvements . Dvorak writes , " Instead , the car became merely a practical deviste that can double as a status symbol and a fashion statement . Can the same fate of practicality strike the computer ? " Although he doesn't consider many of the advances that the internet has brought , it still makes me wonder about how much more computers are going to do for us , at least in the near future . 
Where is Aaron ? Sorry about the long delay in posting . I had two paper due on Monday , so last weekend was completely devoted to paper writing , one on the statistics of corruption and one was the edit of my Clinton - China - MFN paper . The statistics paper proved somewhat interesting , as I was able to show that greater civil liberties and political rights leads to lower levels of corruption in countries . This is somewhat notable , I suppose , because it is often argued that authoritarian governments , because of their centralized control , can run economies more efficiently than democracies . I have shown this claim has , at least , some problems . Horray ! But not too revolutionary ... 
Bonsai . This is my little jade plant bonsai that Beth gave me for Valentines day , in lieu of flowers . I used to have a little jade plant before , but it died on the long car ride from Seattle to the East Cost 2 summers ago . So now I have a real live one , and it 's much bigger than the one I had before - they grow very slowly . This one also has little mosses on the top of its dirt , which is quite cool - sort of like a green carpet ( which you can sort of make out in the picture ) . 
Google logo today . The google logo today is quite fascinating , as it celebrates one of my favorite artists : Joan Miro . For the curious : learn more about Google 's holiday logos or find out more about Miro . My favorite painting by him , which I used to have hanging in my bedroom in college , is Blue II. 
Uncle Aaron . I am now officially an uncle ! My wife 's oldest brother just had a baby girl yesterday ! And to honor me , they gave her the middle name of Erin . Ok , ok , so his wife 's middle name is Erin too ... But unfortunately because of finals we probably won't get up there until the middle of May to see the little baby . Still , it is quite exciting for all involved - there have been baby preparations and excitement going on for months here . My wife even sewed a big wall hanging for the baby , and finished it yesterday , appropriately enough . It features Noah 's ark ( appropriate for a pastor 's baby , yes ? ) , with pairs of elephants , giraffes , penguins , ducks , and monkeys holding fish in the water . It 's quite nonsensical , really , but very cute ! That is what it looks like , at right . 
The Ultimate Present . I found the ultimate present for any science or math nerd : a giant poster of Pi . It lists the first million digits of Pi ! My Pi t - shirt only lists 4493 . I love being a physics major . Of course , not only does it cost a ton but you ' d have to find a big enough wall to put it on . Better to be safe and just stick with science t - shirts .3.141592653 .... 
Interesting News . Now for some interesting news and / or sites , after the depressing ones from yesterday : A photo essay on American children growing up all too fast in Hollywood by Lauren Greenfield . She 's published the entire collection in book form entitled Fast Forward . And while it 's specifically about Hollywood , I think it 's obvious that the rest of the country is not far behind . Recommended . A rather bizarre but interesting anecdote on the economics of driving a taxi , as told by a Chinese taxi driver . And since economics run the world , a review of Thomas Friedman 's bestseller The World is Flat by Edward Leamer . While I haven't read the entire review yet , and I haven't read any of Friedman 's book , here 's an interesting snippet from the review : Is a computer more like a forklift or more like a microphone ? It doesn t matter much who drives the forklift , but it matters a lot who sings into the microphone . Think about the forklift first . You might be a lot stronger than I , but with a little bit of training , I can operate a forklift and lift just as much as you or any other forklift operator . Thus the forklift is a force for income equality , eliminating your strength advantage over me . That is decidedly not the case for a microphone . We cannot all operate a microphone with anywhere near the same level of proficiency . Indeed , I venture the guess that I would have to pay you to listen to me sing , not the other way round . And I seriously doubt that a lifetime of training would allow me to compete with Springsteen , or Pavarotti . The effect of the microphone and mass media have been to allow a single talented entertainer to serve a huge customer base and accordingly to command enormous earnings . This creates an earnings distribution with a few extremely highly paid talented and trained individuals and with the vast group of slightly less talented working in LA restaurants , hoping someday to hit it big . Thus , opposite to the forklift , the microphone creates a powerful force for inequality . Think Silicon Valley , with ext raordinary riches accruing to some , but with the manual service workers living in their cars . I ' m really starting to think I should study more economics , since it does seem to run the world . And statistics too . Plus , I like numbers . But for now I must return to my paper writing ... 
News . Unsurprising news : Bush lied about Weapons of Mass Destruction , this time about Iraq 's " mobile labs " . When big pharmaceutical companies pay for their own research for clinical trials , their own drugs ending up looking better than when independent companies do research . Sorry for not writing more . I ' m in the thick of writing papers right now . First up is my US foreign policy paper on Clinton 's decision to delink China 's MFN status from its human rights record in 1994 . I ' ve learned a lot from the paper , especially that the US had less leverage over China than many assumed . I think that trend will only continue , as China tries to ensure that it will be able to go about its business with as few encumbrances from the US as possible . After that , I have another week to write my paper on democracy in China , specifically on whether Western style liberal , individual freedoms will contribute to the growth of democracy in China , or that China will have to find its own method for ensuring human rights and liberties by tying them into its Confucian culture . 
Internship ! I got an internship for the summer ! It will be at the Center for International Policy in their Asia department . The funniest part is that I get to help the director type out his email - since he doesn't use computers , he types them out on a typewriter , and then I ' ll retype them into the computer ! Sounds like I ' ll get to be directly involved in his communications , in other words . They will also give me time to conduct an independent research project , and let me go to any relevant lecutures or conferences that are going on in city . 
Tibetan Plateau . While putting together the Power Point slides for my presentation yesterday on Sino - India relations , I ran across this wonderful NASA photo of the Tibetan Plateau . The plateau is in the middle , the sandy desert looking area to the north is the Xinjiang minority region of China , and to the lower left in the green is India , with Pakistan and Afghanistan being on the far left . The Himalayas are the white diaganol line down the entire photo , with Mt Everest somewhere in the lower right hand side ( but before the big white hump ) . From Wikipedia , click for bigger view . 
Also sighted among the cherry blossoms ... Curiously enough , at the Cherry blossom festival we also ran into a garden of tulips - over 60 varieties were there , I think . The tulip garden is run by the National Park Service , I believe . 
Peace and Barbie . I read a great article in Foreign Affairs magazine . It was written by a biologist and neurologist , and he relates his research on troops of monkeys , and other primates , and how they interact . I think what 's most interesting is that the primates exhibit many of the same attributes as humans do . The author traces how the primates work out violence and peace in their communities . I can't do justice to it in summary , so go read it yourself , but it was a nice change for a magazine that usually focuses on foreign policy issues . Another interesting piece was in Harper 's Magazine . Since I can't find it online , here it is : From an ongoing study of brand identification among seven - to eleven - year - olds , by researchers at the University of Bath School of Management , in Bath , England . The most striking thing about the discourse that surrounded Barbie was the rejection , hatred , and violence that the doll provoked . Barbie evoked practically no positive sentiments - even among seven - year - old girls . One interpretation of this perplexing finding may be that although Barbie masquerades as a person , she actually exists in multiple selves . The children never talked of one single , special Barbie . She was always referred to in the plural . Moreover , accounts of Barbie ownership always implied excess - too many Barbies . Most children had not only more than one Barbie but a box of Barbies ; and not just a box but a very large box . Barbie is hated because she is babyish ; she is hated because she is unfashionable ; she is hated because she is plastic ; she is hated because she is a feminine icon . But reactions to Barbie went beyond an expressed antipathy . Actual physical violence toward the doll was repeatedly reported ( gleefully ) across age , school , and gender . Girls see Barbie - torture as a legitimate play activity and see the torture as cool , in contrast to other forms of play with the doll . The types of mutilation are varied and creative , and range from removing the hair to decapitation , burning , and microwaving . One might expect a doll to fulfill the function of a friend or playmate . One might expect a little girl to consider her Barbie a person , a human to whom she might talk . One might expect her to love her Barbie and to expect imaginary love in return . Instead , girls feel little besides hatred toward their Barbies . April 2006 issue , pg 16 . 
Chinese . I found a webpage that lists the 2,500 most common Chinese characters , in order of the frequency they are used . This is interesting to me , because it seems to mean that someone who is studying Chinese ( such as myself ) can effectively study the characters that are most useful in daily life . I decided this after the lesson in my Chinese book that was teaching us about Beijing and Shanghai opera - the stuff is marginally interesting but I kept thinking that for all the work I was doing to memorize characters and vocabulary , at least I should be doing it for something more useful than the remote chance I get into a discussion about opera with a Chinese person . The site also has a table of how many characters one must know in order to reach a certain percentage of understanding of the language : 100 characters 42 % understanding 200 characters 55 % understanding 300 characters 64 % understanding 400 characters 70 % understanding 500 characters 75 % understanding 600 characters 79 % understanding 700 characters 82 % understanding 800 characters 85 % understanding 900 characters 87 % understanding 1000 characters 89 % understanding 1100 characters 90 % understanding 1200 characters 91 % understanding 1300 characters 92 % understanding 1400 characters 93 % understanding 1500 characters 94 % understanding 1600 characters 95.0 % understanding 1700 characters 95.5 % understanding 1800 characters 96.0 % understanding 1900 characters 96.5 % understanding 2000 characters 97.0 % understanding 2100 characters 97.4 % understanding 2200 characters 97.7 % understanding 2300 characters 98.0 % understanding 2400 characters 98.3 % understanding 2500 characters 98.5 % understanding 2600 characters 98.7 % understanding 2700 characters 98.9 % understanding 2800 characters 99.0 % understanding 2900 characters 99.1 % understanding 3000 characters 99.2 % understanding It takes 1100 characters just to understand 90 % , so it looks like I still have a lot of studying to do . 
Good News ! In an email starting with " As one of the top candidates for the CNAPS internship position this summer ... " I got my first interview scheduled for an internship this summer . The internship is non - research based , so it 's not necessarily my first choice , but it is at the Brookings Institution in their Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies . I ' d rather take an internship that had me doing more research , but this is a great institution and I hope I make the cut . And since it 's a phone interview , I won't even have to wear my suit . 
Wall , Part 2 . Remember our wall ? Well , our building maintainence finally came last week , while we were snoozing in bed one morning , to fix our wall . So far , this is how much they ' ve done : they ' ve scraped off the old paint on one side of the wall , and put down some sort of primer . They have yet to get to the worst part of it , which is in the bathroom . Unfortunately , when our building manager said that they were going to do " demolition " I thought that meant they were going to be knocking out our wall and putting in a new one . Evidently , that wasn't what they meant . It 's disappointing to be so undramatic , but also much less of nuisance ! The guy assured us he was coming back on Monday , so we ' ll see ... 
Stories . Some good reading : Is the world going to the conservatives because liberals and modern city - dwellers are too busy to have kids ? That 's what Phillip Longman writes in Foreign Policy . Newsweek has an interesting article about " Continuous Partial Attention " , describing when we are we so attached to the instantaneous communication world of email and cell - phones that we lose the ability to focus in the real world . 
Blessing . I found the Lenten blessing in the Episcopal church yesterday to be quite profound : Let your memory provide no shelter for grievance ; your heart no harbor for malice ; your tongue no accomplice for judgment . May the blessing of God , the Father , Son and Holy Spirit be with you now and always . Amen What I found most profound is that this is not an exhortation , but is rather a blessing , indicating that God will be the one doing those things to us . How interesting and comforting . 
Pocket PCs . For my birthday I got some money to buy a Pocket PC , but now I ' m just trying to decide which one to buy . I know that I want it to have Wi Fi , so I can connect to the internet on campus and at home , and I want one with an attachable keyboard so I can type notes and emails on the go . Here are a few options : Dell 's Axim X 51 HP 's i Paq _ hx 2410 I ' m leaning toward the Dell - it seems to do more for less money . Or I might look at used or older models . Any suggestions anyone ? 
Design . I ' ve played with the links on the right of the page a little bit . I ' m also hoping that over spring break ( next week ! ) I might have a little time to put together an online photo album . My last one was so out of date that I took it down . Of course , I ' ll still have to keep working on my homework , since I have three papers coming up on me . 
Dumb Didi Dumb . Its is my last week of my internship . I have summer marching band starting on Tuesday of next week and I am sad that I have to stop working . I mean , when your a 17 year old and you make $ 11 / hour , you don't want to stop making that kind of money . I could work during marching band , again , but this year I will have my own stop . I should not have had a shadow last year . That was a very mean thing to do to me . They new that I was going to come back and that I was working for the school . If they try to give me a shadow this year , I ' m just going to give them my horn back and get changed out of band . I ' m not putting up with a shadow again . That was just so mean . I ' m still not very happy with her . I have the feeling that that slimmy ass hole asked her out while I was at camp and now she doesn't want to tell me . It would make me feel better if I atleast knew that . I can't stand him . Sure , we were friends when we were freshmen , but he is a very LA student and I am a very SA student . I just can't stand him anymore and I hope he doesn't come back next year . We were starting to get along a little bit at the end of school , but he did know that I liked her and he probably wanted to get at me so he asked her out . I hate him , can't you tell ? I ' m going to go and figure out why my server keeps randomly rebooting , BYE - BYE ! 
Guess not : ( . I guess we aren't going out . I talked to her today , now that she is back and town and I asked her if she considered us going out and what not . She said she just wanted to be friend for now . Wa Wa Wa : ( Man , I really would like a girlfriend . Not a friend , a girlfriend . I ' m going to bed , BYE - BYE ! : ( . 
Hey look ! Hey look , I managed to update you on my life two days in a row . Wow , I am getting better , don't you think ? I ' m just a little bored after eating supper . So , I didn't go walking / running today , mainly because I didn't get home in time to go with my dad . Sure , I could go walking around my neighborhood or walk on the tredmil , but I really don't feel like doing that . Also , I need to give my body a day to rest and store up more energy . To the best of my knoledge , what ever was glowing red ( or as I was told today by somebody who actually saw the thing ) or yellow , was fixed and we were able to return to work today . Now I think that they had what ever it was fixed sometime after I left . The guys I work with told me that about an hour after I left the A / C came back on and had they had my cell number , they probably would have called me back to work and I ' m glad they didn't have my number . I ' m just feeling a little horny at the moment , I have no idea why , but I ' m going to go and call a friend of mine and talk about what he wants to do for his birthday party on Saturday . BYE - BYE ! 
Just feel like it . I just feel like writting another post for today . So , after writting my last post , I took a two hour nap and then my dad woke me up to go walking / running on the trial around Town Lake . There was a girl who was HOT . Just the right size ass and such , plus , she was a blonde . I seem to be attracked to blondes and red heads , maybe because I ' m a red head myself . As I was about 1 / 2 a mile from finishing , I looked back to see where my brother and father were and I saw two cute twin boys . They had to be around the same age as me , mainly because they were still doing things together . I wouldn't say that they were hot , but cute . I ' d probably like even more if they cut their hair . I dunno why I ' m writting this really , I just wanted to tell you about these people I saw while I was attempting to jog on the trail . I would have been able to do better if I didn't have shin splints from yesterday . Hopefully I will be able to do better tomorrow , which I should . Hopefully I will be able to go to work tomorrow , if not , I ' m going to have to talk to my boss about weither I get paid time because of some hazard or bad working condition . I hope I do . I will monolog to y ' all latter . BYE - BYE ! 
So what ? So what if it has been almost another month since I last upated you on my life . Just so you know , I have a summer intership that I work from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM and when I get home I am just so tired . The reason I am able to update right now is because there is a power box / transformer in my building that is glowing red ( hot ? ) and they are basically shutting down the building . I left for lunch and when I came back , there was almost no one there , including my boss and his boss ( a VP ) . It 's not like I was really going to be able to do that much , mainly because the person that I need to help me had already gone home for the day because of the problem . Maybe he didn't but I dont ' know , he wasn't there when I got back from lunch . I am also taking this time to give my new keyboard a good testing to make sure that I like it . For one thing , it is a very quiet keyboard . The only thing that I don't like really is that the keys are a little bigger than I am used to , but it has a really nice feel to it . It will last me until I can get the LED keyboard that is going to come out latter this year . I really want one of those . To think that we are already half way through this year . WOW . I haven't been able to talk to my girlfriend since last Sunday . Every time I call her house no one is home and I don't have her cell number , mainly because her cell battery doesn't last very long and there is not point to using it . I really hope that she just went out of town and forgot to tell me . I have another friend who was taking the same class as her at possibly the same community college campus . It would be very odd that they had met in the same class . Anyways , my other friend was blown off by her boyfriend on Friday night and she was leaving the next morning , so she called me up and we went out to the mall and walked and talked and then we met up with her boyfriend at a coffee shop . She didn't tell me until we were going to meet him , that she had told him that I was gay . He thought that I was gay until something brought it up and we told him that I was not her gay friend . I should have pretended to be gay just for him . He is a very interesting person . I will talk to you latter . I am getting a little tired of typing , but I really do like my new keyboard . BYE - BYE ! 
I ' m back ! So what if it has been over 3 weeks since I last updated my blog . I ' ve been having fun at camp . I ' m not going to tell you what camp it was or where is it or what kind of camp it is , so please don't ask me . It just I don't want to tell . I have to seperate lives , well kinda . I have the life that my parents see in which I ' m a straight boy who just got his first car and wants to go and do stuff with his girlfriend . Then there is the me you see . This is where I tell my life from the side of me that like boys . I ' m not gay , I ' m bisexual and your the only peopel who know that . Lucky . My dad has spent about $ 1,660 on getting my car up to inspection and getting it tuned up and everything . My drivers license and proof of insurnce came yesterday so now I can legally drive my car and both of my parents cars without them having to be in the car with me . I did drive by myself on Friday when I got back . We went and picked up my car from the dealer where they were working on it and I drove my dad 's car home . He wanted to drive mine to make sure that they had done everything that they were supposed to to the car . I stoped by my girlfriend 's house but she wasn't home . I wasn't able to talk to until today . She was out for most of yesterday at a pottery class . I will say that while I was at camp , I took almost 300 pictures using my new digital camera that I spent every last penny that I had on it . I also bought a 1 GB memory card to go with the camera . It is the Sony DSC - W 100 8.1 megapixel camera . I left it in 5 MP mode for most of camp that way I could take so many pictures . I thought I would just update you on my life since it has been over 3 weeks since you last heard from me . You probably thought that something had happened to me . Well , I just spent 3 weeks out of touch with a computer , thats all . Bye - Bye ! 
Hey there ! Hey ! Look , I actually remembered to do some blogging today . I think that I mainly blog on my laptop and I haven't been in touch with my laptop for a little while , so that may be the blame for me not updating lately . My new Sony Cyber - Shot DSC - W 100 came in today . I am so hapyy . I finally have a digital camera that I can call my own . I hope that it last me a long time . It was and expensive camera at $ 320 and with a 1 GB memory stick ( $ 45 ) it cost me a total of $ 375 . I looked around a lot for prices for this camera and surprisinly ( well maybe ) New Egg . com had the lowest price anywere for the camera . I didn't really shop around for a memory stick . I new I was going to need one and I new that the best idea for me would be to get a 1 GB stick , so I looked at the sticks on the New Egg site and read a few reviews and this stick had the best reviews and ratings and it was cheaper than the 1 GB Sony memory stick by about $ 10 . When you are 17 and you have to pay for your own gas , especially at this time , money is very preceous . I did ask my girlfriend to the movies this Saturday . Tomorrow we need to decide on a movie . I hate the fact that it is the end of the year and of the semester . I would really like some time to be able to do things with her . Instead , we are both studying ( well , she is studying , I am just getting anoyed with school ) for all of our end of the year test . The only final exam that I have to take this semester is my final exam for Latin III. I am so happy that I don't have to take my physics or pre - cal finals . I have already talked to my physics teacher and I am definatly not taking that final . But my pre - cal teacher is another story . He hasn't been at school since Wensday of last week and we got our progress reports on thursday of last week . Somebody somewhere needs to be fired for sending out progress reports last week and not the week before . I have two days to try and pass the last 6 weeks of pre - cal . I might be passing I don't know . It would help if my teacher was at school . I have only a few goals for this summer . 1 , loose 20 or more pounds . 2 , officially go out with my girlfriend . I need to find out if she really wants to do that or not . 3 , well , I really want to make some money at my internship this summer . My main goal for the summer is to loose 20 or more pounds . I hope that there is a gym somewhere that I can find to work out at . It would make loosing weight so much easier . Monday , Wensday , Friday work out . Tuesday , Thursday , and Saturday do any kind of cardio exercise that I can find , most likely running the trail around Town Lake and then swimming in Deep Eddy pool . I wonder if my girlfriend would like to go running or biking with me and then go swimming at Deep Eddy . That would be a lot of fun and it would keep me concentrated on my goals a whole lot more . Ohh , I now have thought of a 4 th goal , to get my Hemogloben A 1 C down to the 7 's . The last time I checked it was 8.0 , which was very good . I am just so happy about that . I also want to get my blood glucose into control enough and train myself to check my blood glucose enough times a day that I can get an Insulin pump . I really really really ( ... really ... ) want an insulin pump . My cat says it is time to go to bed and so does my dad . I guess its Bye - Bye ! 
Endtimes . Lips Twitch Sickness Glitch The House Fell On The Wicked Witch Hopped Scotch Skinned Blotch Blatant and Obvious Kick In The Crotch Broken Sweat Kitten Pet Murder Falls Without Regret Sticky Mess Godly Bless Souls Will Ride On Ghostly Express Lights Dark Blackened , Stark In Big Empty Godblast Massive Spark - AP 07 - 27 - 06 . 
Reverend Herman 's Whiskey Sermon . Remember ol Reverend Hermanand the power of his whiskey driven sermon ? Casted out the devil more than once , occured Question him twice about existence , obscured He brandishes a smile and flask of metal The voice he breathes tastes of wilted rose petal Slamming the good book while screaming a preacher s prayer Reverend Herman s new nickname : The Devil Slayer The church is filled to the brick with those Who would give up their children to keep their clothes They praise the Reverend before them , seen unflawed To them , he is the incarnate of their almighty God Reverend Herman lays awake on his musty bed Whispering incoherently from his wounds , that seep blood red Cavity ridden decaying toothy smiled grin He knocks the whiskey back to keep the Devil within - AP / MH 07 - 26 - 06 . 
Lunatics Lymerics . The tired bafoon sits humming a tune and spits in the hungry mexican saloon Asleep and deflated like a brother unrelated , he hisses like a rubber baloon There 's the dark room joker throwing cards like poker Aloof in the midst of the smoke breathing toker The flimmy flammy shamrock Sammy drinks bottle after bottle of irish whiskey He skinny dips with sharks off the coral reefs of sadness without the thought being risky And alone and tired , the robot boy is rewired and stands in the corner in trouble He remains unheard like a mute humming bird , awaiting for God to pop the bubble . 
Notes on a character . Pirate Sam There 's dirty faded paint on signs in the background Freak show tents and circus animals Travelling show that visits the desert The heat is unbearable , yet he wears sleeves daily His eyes are irritated , red and baggy like jeans Hair , like burnt hay , askew His beard is like a brillo sponge , moist and abrasive He 's a large man , wearing suspenders and an eye patch ( on occasion ) He has a limp , one leg permanently broken ... splintered like wood He 's a captain , a pirate , a scavenger to boot He 's damaged ... and he likes it . He wants to damage you . 
Sully . Peg legged Al Has a sassafrass pal And they live on a ship at sea He eats shelled up fish Yet never uses a dish And his nails sting hard like a bee There 's whispers in his head There 's odors of rotting fish , dead And the seawater is black like oil The boat rocks like grandma 's chair And creatures live in his hair They ' d be at home , buried beneath the soil - AP 07 - 20 - 06 . 
The Coming Storm . It starts off with a rumble as the edges of the sidewalk crumble A weed may take a tumble but the bumble bees still sting And the crowd of people seem to be thinner than your hair As the parked cars ' horn honks become louder in the air The rumble turns to shakes and behind you comes the marching earthquakes Their fangs are mashing along with parked cars crashing as their mass moves forward They are tall monstruous brick house ogre beasts with death in their eyes Their bellies aching for a feeding and your flesh is the prize Cars become crushed metal like bike petals in a junkyard pile The fang mashing giants edge closer like a storm with a smile Your feet are brick and mortar along with the bent concrete mass Lay down slowly , bleeding air from every pore and become transparent like glass Before you know it , the world is succombed by this dirt smoked death blast Rumbling like the tumbling teeth mashers amidst the emptiness mast Everything grey black and full in it 's emptiness as the blood train moves on . 
End , Not End ? I feel once again like I am starting over or maybe just stopping . I feel like it truly had been finalized today . I don't know if I am feeling a weight of worrying and stress being lifted or the weight of missing you being added to me . I don't know if it 's my own self that I am dealing with or feelings . I don't know if all I am are these feelings . Well I am more than them , but right now it 's late , I ' m tired , and I feel like it 's all I am . I hope everything turns out for the best . I can't imagine myself now how I was 6 years ago . I ' m better than I was . But I really do feel better in the company of certain people . Dare I say , you are one of them . But I know this is for the best . I know there are things that need to be sorted and fixed and completed and it 's best to do that journey alone . If there 's a slow leak in a tire , best not drive the car without fixing the leak entirely first . Weird analogy , I know . I ' m just sad right now . Melancholy . Left to my blasting NIN in my ears and my thoughts to keep me company while I try to focus my attention on more important things . Like work . Yeah ... work . 
Unravelling . I ' m creating new scars with these thoughts in my head Ripping open my flesh to let the heart faucet drip Tangling sinues and ligaments alike Swingling like wires I ' d want to stick in the spokes of a bike Unconnecting my bones and throwing this skin jacket away Sloppily moving through the haze of the day My muscular structure falls apart at the seams And it feels to me like another one of those glaring red dreams Burning fire amongst the occular slate of my eyes The heart faucet seems to be losing it 's needed suppliment I try to hop , skip or take a flying leap But I soon forget what the hell that even meant Brain juice inside a bottle necked man Trying so desperately to calculate his life span Seeking solace and love is a futile condition And there 's a growing life puddle beneath his feet The scars I ' ve created have all got their own names Like those obscure and sleazy beer drinking card playing games It seems like I ' m close to the end of my twine And the thought of sleeping without dreams suddenly seems so divine With a flash and a smash , everything seems to crash Bones , blood , and muscle lie together , like potatoes in a mash And my mind seems to be the last functioning being in the sludge Just leave me alone here because I ' d be happier not to budge . 
De Marco Murray ( Better Quality ) This video is way better quality wise than the one I originally posted .... Man Murray reminds me of AD ! He is actually a little faster than AD ..... enjoy .... if you watched the original before I removed it , watch this one , too ..... 
Update a little .... So , I found a USB cable for my camera .... seems like when I have it ( my camera ) I don't use it , and when I don't I swear I would take all kinds of pics .... maybe this time I will .... anyway .... next week I am going back to wonderful Birmingham , AL ( hence the lovely pic of one of the more upscale neighborhoods ... ) ** blogger photos is not working right now ** ...... My plan is to take the girls to Pelican Bay when I get back Friday .... They just have the best time there and it is so much fun to watch them , plus catch some rays and swim , too ! So , Tuesday I went running with Chris and W . Jerome at night after I did my requisite 3 miles .... it was really fun . I had never really run with anyone before , and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it . We plan to do that more often when I am in town , and I think we are going tonight , too ..... We ran from the Pollard , down to 2 nd to Oklahoma , around the temple to Pine and back down Harrison to the Pollard .... probably the flatest 2.5 miles in Guthrie ! Last night I ran my course through snob hill , and it kinda kicked my ass... of course I ran at like 5 o ' clock like a moron .... it was so freakin hot ! And the hills ......... So anyway , today we have a big conference call and webinar about the fedex deal , hiring practice and all .... so we ' ll see how that goes . Guess that 's it .... 
Oklahoma is still home . As much fun as our trip was to sunny San Diego , I still wouldn't want to call anywhere else home ... I love our state and sometimes it reminds me of how beautiful it can be here too , like this sunset tonight , which pictures cannot do justice ... Also , where but in Oklahoma can you grow tomatoes like this ? God bless it all , them sons of bitches are good ! Sorry , I ' ve been so bad about blogging , I ' ll try to do better ........1 . I ' ve decided to do the half in Tulsa in November , and feel much better about it ....2 . I get to be home this week ! 3 . I went to Pelican Bay again with the kids and had a blast again ... can't wait to go again ! 4 . Went and had ice cream tonight ......5 . Football is almost here ...... See ya ! 
Adrian Peterson # 28 Just to get the blood pumping a little .... Thought I would try to ramp up my blog a little .... I am so excited about this season for the Sooners ! But not quite as excited as I am about vacation next week .... I don't have much to say ..... Time here in Indiana is dragging on like , well , like something that drags . If something interesting was going on or if I saw something fun I would post it .... but hey , it 's Indiana ..... I can report that you should not mix food ethnicity or genre types in one meal . I have supported this hypothesis before , but I guess I forgot ..... clam chowder and bacon cheeseburger pizza is a bad combo ... 
Monster Garden and baseball . So , my garden is really doing good .... the tomatoes took a bit of a hit a couple of weeks ago when it was 100 degrees and we had some watering difficulties ( my fault ) ... but after a new watering system , 4 1 / 2 inches of rain in two weeks and a very generous feeding last weekend , the tomatoes are ready to be the famine ending machines I hoped them to be ! Those things are huge , and absolutely full of tomatoes , good ones too ! During the setback , they didn't produce too many and the ones they did were kinda puny .... I can't wait .... Went to the Redhawks game last night .... it was pretty fun , but I have to say , if what I saw was the future of Ranger 's pitching , then they can rest easy that they will continue to have no pitching ! Not that I am a Ranger 's fan that much or anything .... The starting pitcher was pretty solid , but the next 5 or 6 , not so good ... they brought this one dude in with the bases loaded ... his first pitch of the game ? Yup , grand slam ! That has to be a confidence shaker ..... Anyway , hanging out with Shell and the girls was lots of fun and the atmosphere and weather was great ! Made me really really impatient for vacation , which is now just a week away ! On another note , I am really chapped that I wasn't able to run the Bricktown Blaze .... I was very envious of all the people crossing the finish line .... oh well .... I do feel better , and after vacation , should be close to 100 % ..... Well , off to Indiana today for the last week of travel before vacation ! 
Belated Father 's day update . Blogging has been difficult , I apologize ..... Internet connection here in beautiful Fort Wayne , IN has been difficult , and I have actually been busy . I think I am motivated to work so hard because of our vacation coming up ....... But , it is very important that I say a huge THANK YOU ! to Mookie for my wonderful father 's day ... it was the best ever , and not just because I was the receiver of a brand new i Pod nano ! I loved my shuffle , but man , the nano is even more perfect ! It has once again , changed my life .... If you have the means , I highly recommend picking one up . I love the display , plus it has games , a stopwatch , a clock , and other cool stuff .... the sound from it is actually alot better than the shuffle even .... ! I also spent the day playing with the girls ( who got me a case for my i Pod and an itunes card ) and had a blast ! I am very lucky and very greatful ! Coming home today ! Going to the Redhawks game tomorrow , can't wait ! On running .... on hold due to unspecified injury ..... That 's all for now ..... 
Thank Allah for my garden ! Ok , so this is weird ... when I woke up Saturday to water the garden ..... I saw a couple of weathered pieces of paper in the dirt .... what was it ? ...... two pages for the Koran .... now what the heck does that mean ? You know I can't have stuff like that happen and not have it mean something .... everything is connected , you know .... anyway , the garden kinda suffered last week from all the heat , but I think I have it set up water - wise this week to be ok . I am kinda freaked out about the grass in the front , though cause it looks good right now , and I want to keep it looking good that way ..... I picked a bunch of tomatoes this weekend , too .... the best one is above ...... Well , today is kinda sucky because I gotta go to Ohio at 3:30 ..... but , I ' ll be back Friday afternoon , so that 's good .... plus , only three weeks til vacation ..... Oh , Shell and I went to see the Omen Friday night , it was pretty good . I had never seen the original and it was kinda scary in parts . After that we went to IHOP and stayed out until like 3:30 ! Talk to you later .... 
666 . Today is 6 - 6 - 6 woooooooo I m back again I ve been like real busy and stuff , and I hate that it s been so long since I ve blogged ! I am currently in Columbus , Ohio yippee Here is what you have missed : 1 . My company has been bought by Fed Ex weird so , In a month or two I will work for Fed Ex instead of , well I guess I ll still keep that secret on here 2 . I have been running my ass off , and it feels great I do 3 miles Monday and 3.1 Thursday , 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday and 6 on Saturday . This will ramp up when Hal s schedule begins on July 19 th I love mapping out courses in new places , really breaks up the monotony . Last week I ran through the Short North district of downtown Columbus . It s kinda like the arts area and was just south of Ohio State Univ 3 . I can t wait til vacation in San Diego ! I hope everyone has the time of their lives ! Man , I love the beach 4 . Chris and I are going to run a 5 k on June 24 th , the bricktown something ( maybe ? ) , and I don t want to be embarrassed , so I have been working really hard . Every Thursday I run a practice 5 k last week I ran it in 32:28 , which was pretty discouraging , but I will keep working to get under 30 minutes by race day Sounds like Chris is catching up with me , and I can t let that happen But , I wish him well with his training , even though I can t let go of my competitive nature 5 . I m sleepy long day yesterday and longer today 6 . Thank god for Shell s blog keeping everyone up to date 7 . I was so proud of my girls dancing Friday , and really impressed with Zoe . Can t wait to see the DVD . I need some pics That s all for now . 
Well from Hungary we then went onto Austria , my favoutie country on tour , well these are pics from Vienna and Zell Am See where we trekked up a mountain and just had a wiked time , loved it to the max !! 
Hey all !! Well im back from Euro Tour now .... and well , i dont wana be back i want to be back with all my good exchange student friends and party some more !! i had the time of my life and i have to see all of them again !! you are gonna have to stay with me as i add photos on , its going to be a mission so will take a while but i should eventually have them on there , so all good !! I hope everyone is safe and keeping well !! Miss you all !! Love ya ........... AARON !! 
Ok , well you can see that I never stop partying and well yeh its the best I love it here !! Here are some Random pics from school , with friends and some from at home in Sweden and out and about ..... 
Hey guys !! hows it all going ?? !! Well its all good here in Sweden !! Im loving it basically , but do miss you all !! Here are pictures of when I travelled down south to visit Reece and Tamryn in Nyk ping and also Parker and all the exchange students in Stockholm !! I had a pretty wiked time too !! 
JFK . 	 JFK ( Oliver Stone , 1991 ) A lot of people get up in arms about the historical accuracy of this movie . I don't know how accurate it is , and , frankly , I don't care . On the level of entertainment , it works incredibly well . Besides , whatever it lacks in factual accuracy , it makes up for in psychological accuracy ( if that makes any sense ) , and I think that 's what Stone was really going for . It captures the hand - wringing , the obsession , the distrust of the government , and the desperation for the truth felt by the entire generation that saw their idealism shattered on November 22 , 1963 . The movie doesn't offer any firm conclusions or even any tenuous ones . It heaps on theories and conjecture and leaves us just as confused as when it started . It does leave the viewer more cynical than when the movie began , though . This is , I think , the correct response to what happened that day . 
Remember to kick it over ... it 's armagideon time . 	 Where do we come from ? How will it all end ? With a bang ? With a whimper ? With fire ? With ice ? These are nebulous questions that have plagued mankind for tens of thousands of years ( or 6000 depending on whether or not you 're wrong ) . Luckily for us , some people all the answers . Consider the good Christians at rapturenews . com. These folks keep a running list of all the current developments in the news that suggest the rapture is coming any day now ( and they ' ve taken the care to put the particularly rapture - tastic stories in red ) . Also , be sure to check out their commentary on breaking news stories and their information section ( including handy " Post - Rapture Survival Guide " ) . Or consider these geniuses . Not content with simply keeping a running list of rapture related news , they ' ve managed to get it down to an exact scientific formula ( Current Rapture Index : 156 -- don't forget your umbrella ) . What if you know the rapture is right around the corner and are concerned your sinful loved ones will burn for eternity after being left behind ? Chide them about their sinful ways from your perch on the bosom of the Lord with a rapture letter ! When the Lord calls you and the rest of His flock to His side , you can still let that wayward nephew of yours know that you disapprove of his choice to be homosexual . When it comes to eschatology , there are , of course , diverging viewpoints on the issue within the Christian faith . And then there are those who believes the cosmos has altogether different designs for its inhabitants . As for me , I don't have the same holy certainty as the good folks at rapturenews . com. I don't know where we came from or how it ' ll end . I don't mean to mock those that sincerely believe they do ( unless , hypothetically of course , they happen to be in a position of power and think it 's a great excuse to cut down all the trees or cheer for bloodshed in the Middle East ) . Ultimately , where others have certainty , I have doubt , so I ' m content to dance like a monkey to pass the time until the four and twenty elders fall down before the Lamb . 
Pillow Talk . 	 Pillow Talk ( Michael Gordon , 1959 ) Ok , I know how this looks . Maybe I should start out by assuring you all that I am , in fact , straight . Now that that 's out of the way ... This movie was extremely daring for when it was released and helped usher in an era of sex comedies in the 1960 s . For the most part , it 's a fairly light romantic comedy -- eligible man meets eligible woman , they hate each other , then they love each other , then they hate each other again , etc. Rock Hudson plays a sleazy ladies ' man , while Doris Day plays the frigid harpy with whom he shares a phone line . Deception and hi - jinks abound , and when the smoke clears a new couple is formed . The plot was pretty formulaic , even for the time . The real reasons to love this movie are the performances ( Day , Hudson , and Tony Randall are all great ) , the way it pushed the boundaries of decency ( even the movie 's title pushed the line at the time , not to mention the bathtub scenes ) and the visual flair . The movie does some really creative things with cinematography and the widescreen aspect ratio . In one memorable shot , the two leads are talking to each other on the phone while each is taking a bath ( separate bathtubs ) . The movie uses a split screen to make it look like their bathing together . Pillow Talk was homaged in 2003 's excellent Down With Love . The movie ( unfairly in my opinion ) got a lot of flack from people who weren't familiar with the source and didn't know what to make of it . For those familiar with Pillow Talk , it comes across as a really clever in - joke . 
Stardust Memories . 	 Stardust Memories ( Woody Allen , 1980 ) This may be Woody 's most underseen , underappreciated , and overlooked movie . Between 1977 and 1980 , he made three of the most serious , mature , and amazing movies of his career ( Annie Hall , Manhattan , and Stardust Memories ) . These were a big shift from his earlier more slapstick - oriented comedies ( also great ) . As great as the movie is , it 's understandable that the other two consistently overshadow it , because it 's probably one of his more difficult movies . In most ways , this is a pretty typical Woody Allen movie -- Woody neurotically psychoanalyzing himself and his relationships set to a great soundtrack . The black and white cinematography is even better than in Manhattan , and the movie is full of references to Ingmar Bergman and Federico Fellini -- this was probably the peak of his European art - house affinity . 
Police Story . 	 Police Story ( Jackie Chan , 1985 ) They don't make ' em like this anymore . No wires , no CGI , no stunt doubles , no safety nets - just bare - knuckled fighting and incredible stunts . It 's about a policeman ... or something ... trying to make a big ... drug bust ? Aw hell , we all know none of that really matters . What 's important is the fast paced stunts and fighting from Chan -- the Chaplinesque and most outrageously charismatic action star ever . The fight at the end of the movie in the mall may be the best I ' ve seen . 
On melanin . 	 " Isn't it weird to be surrounded by so many blacks here ??? " This is what a tactless young Dutch intern asked me yesterday over lunch . To be fair to her , she had never been in a country where whites were in the minority before , and she seemed genuinely surprised to walk down crowded streets every day as the only white in sight . I considered her question and honestly realized that , no . No , it isn't weird to be surrounded by blacks . Immediately , it struck me as odd that I didn't find it odd . Shouldn't it feel strange to have the tables turned , to be the minority ? Isn't it natural to feel out of place when you look different from everyone around you ? My ego began to swell . Maybe I was some sort of mega - enlightened liberal who saw past skin color , caring only what 's inside ... ( " 50 Cent is black ? Really ? I Hadn't noticed . I don't see skin color . " ) Then I realized -- it was weird . Really weird . For a year in South Korea . Now it 's just mundane . I ' ve been told that Korea is the most homogeneous country on the planet , and after living there for a year I don't doubt it . Walking down the street , I would be met with everything from gasps of shock , to strangers wanting their pictures taken with me , to delighted shrieks of " Migugi " from children ( more or less : " white guy " ) , to drunken old men trying to take a swing at me . I have never been more photographed , followed , and leered at than I was there . After a few months in South Korea , even I thought , " Holy shit ! A white guy ! " when I saw another non - Korean . Walking down the street , I tended to feel out of place and self conscious ( more or less how the Dutch intern probably feels here in South Africa ) . At the time , I figured -- this is what it feels like to be a minority . A year down the line , I ' m living in a country where I ' m in a minority of about 13 % ( as opposed to , oh , around .0000001 % in South Korea by my estimates ) . People don't try to sneak pictures of me or gasp when I round a corner . Sure , I look different from almost everyone I interact with on a daily basis , but this fact doesn't define those interactions . I ' ve come to realize that I was wrong when I was in Korea . This is probably a lot more like the true minority experience . Back in Korea ... well , that was just Korean craziness . 
The Maltese Falcon . 	 The Maltese Falcon ( John Huston , 1941 ) This is really the quintessential film noir detective story . Any movie with both Peter Lorre and Humphrey Bogart is automatically going to be essential . Here , Humphrey is at his best , the writing is wry and witty , Huston 's direction is great , the characters are memorable , and the ending is perfect . 
In the Mood For Love . 	 In the Mood for Love ( Wong Kar Wai , 2000 ) Hong Kong probably has the most vibrant film industry in the world today outside of Hollywood . It turns out everything from fast - paced brainless action films to ponderous , moody art films -- all with the utmost style . To be honest , from Hong Kong I tend to prefer the former . This one is a big , big exception . Thematically , it 's all about loneliness and the suffocating social pressures in East Asian countries . It 's about a man and a woman in ' 60 s Hong Kong who live in neighboring apartments . Both are married , but their spouses are always off on business ( and we never even really see either one ) . Soon they realize their spouses are having an affair . They find comfort in their friendship , stubbornly refusing to be anything like their cheating partners . Their obvious love for each other is frustrated by social conventions and their inner inhibitions . The sense of impossible longing is palpable . It 's all portrayed perfectly with the heavily saturated , gorgeously composed cinematography , great performances , and an incredible soundtrack . 
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp . 	 The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp ( Michael Powell Pressburger made a career out of lavish Technicolor epics , and this is the best I ' ve seen from them . It 's not a war movie , but it 's one of the best movies about war that I ' ve seen . It 's about a career military officer with dual obsessions -- war and a girl from his youth ( the same actrees reappears throughout the film portraying women throughout his life that remind him of his unrequited ) . Colonel Blimp mourns the loss of civilized values and an era when war was for gentlemen . For him , the fact that you 're killing each other doesn't mean you can't still be friends . In fact , his closest lifelong friend is a German officer who he almost kills in a duel early in the movie . He 's shocked by the brutality of modern warfare from all sides , and the movie comes across as fairly anti - war -- shocking considering it came out at the height of WWII when London was being bombed nightly , and pro - war nationalism was at its apex . The movie more or less endorses Colonel Blimp 's ourtraged view of modern warfare while at the same time gently mocking his ideas of " good sportsmanship " and " civilized warfare . " Churchill apparently found the film so subversive that he personally tried to stop it from being made . I ' m glad he failed . 
Gotta love The Onion . 	 What 's your number one issue for the November elections ? There are a couple obvious issues that will probably dominate for most people , and I ' m no different -- not that there was ever much chance I ' d cross the aisle with my votes anyways . Our wonderful economy has spurred the student loan interest rate to jump by about a third ( 5.3 % to 7.14 % ) . I ' m pretty ignorant when it comes to finances , but something tells me this could mean a couple more years of debt and student loan payments than I thought I was in for . Not even the economy will be at the front of my mind like the Iraq war when I vote , though . That and gay cloning . What about you ? 
The Shop Around the Corner . 	 The Shop Around the Corner ( Ernst Lubitsch , 1940 ) Enrst Lubitsch was the king of innuendo in the early days of Hollywood . He was the master of seemingly innocuous romantic comedies full of winks and nods collectively referred to as the " Lubitsch Touch . " In 1934 , the Hays office arrived on the scene amidst a wave of pompous moralists intent on ridding Hollywood of indecency ( hmmmmmm ... ) . With the Production Code , the Hays office effectively put a stranglehold on the content of the movie industry for the next several decades and ended quite a few of careers . Things like ridicule of religion , depiction of adultery , " excessive and lustful kissing , " miscegenation , and even depictions of childbirth were forbidden . Lubitch , however , continued to thrive even under Hays . His movies lost some of their subversive bite , but they stayed utterly charming -- the best Hollywood had to offer during this era . This is probably my favorite of his movies -- even more than his pre - Hays body of work . Sullivan and Stewart have incredible onscreen chemistry . Decades later , this was unfortunately remade into the groan - inducing You ' ve Got Mail . 
I ' ve done it again ... I sat this afternoon for hours . I had no plans , and no time to make them . The evening was fast approaching ; no one had called so I guessed I d be alone tonight . I didn t mind much . I m quite antisocial . So I set out on my own . I drove to the local hotspots by myself , not so much looking to meet new people , but remind myself why I hate them so much . Really I don t hate people . I love people . What people do though , that s what I hate . I especially hate what people do together . Some people may be completely tolerable when they re alone . But add another person to the mix and they are assholes . I for example am three wholly different people when I am alone . Add one or two people and I ll flip on you in a second . It s an interesting habit or disease . Another disease I have is that I cannot walk past a stack of CDs and not look through them . And since I was in the hottest spot in Gresham , Gresham Station Shopping Center and Lame Teen Hangout , I had to visit the local record selling establishments : Borders and Best Buy . I had to feed my addiction . I started my pursuit of craving suppressing music in Borders . Their prices are a bit heavier , but the environment is more one of mild indifference as opposed to Best Buy s insistence on selling , walking across the store three people will ask you if you need help , like you can t look for yourself . I was walking through the music aisles of Borders waiting for something to jump out at me , trying to avoid my fellow shoppers . Nothing really jumped out at me . I saw a few albums I kind of wanted but nothing I really felt like buying . There was a group of giggly girls on the other side of the aisle I was on looking at the latest drivel from MTV , what teenage girls always seem to like as a whole . I bet when they were alone they probably liked other stuff . I bet behind closed doors one of them really liked the Beatles , because that s what her dad really likes . I bet another really liked classical , but they had appearances to uphold , and teenage girls like MTV so of course they had to like it too . It broke my heart in half to see them trying to be something they didn t even want to be really . Or maybe I was over estimating the humans again . I left the store with my purchase in hand deciding not to brave the Best Buy . I might be tempted to smack an associate . I went to the car and put in my newest record for the collection . And as seems to happen often nowadays it wasn t as spectacular as I thought it would be . Nothing seems to really excite me anymore . Everything is just another for the collection . I ve stopped enjoying the music and now only enjoy the thing . I need a break . I drove around Gresham and the surrounding area for an hour listening to my new acquisition and feeling kind of alone . For an antisocial asshole I really wish I had a girlfriend or something . Only problem is whenever some girl seems nice and stuff I immediately attach new things I need in girls , and no one seems able to meet my standards . I drove the car slowly around town and tried to find the meaning of life . It s not written on street signs . And so I drove to the park . I got out of the car and starred at the stars , surely they d write the meaning there . I lied there for an hour or more . I only moved when I started to think all the possible bad things that could happen to me in that position . I wasn t mugged , kicked , or hassled though . I climbed back into the car and drove home the long way , fast . The back roads always encourage speed . Until you run off the road into a tree . What s the probability of taking a turn to wide and tumbling off the road going sixty ? I would like to know , as would my broken collarbone . When you find out tell my doctor it was a miracle and maybe the bill won t be so high . 
You cannot eat an apple pie alone . I think I ve changed , again . I first noticed it when I came back from the farm , which in its self was not a very life changing experience . I was on the phone with Carlos , he was spewing the usual gossip about people from high school , people I haven t seen nor heard from in a month or two , and I didn t care at all . None of it really piqued my interest , if anything it depressed me . It didn t matter that Jessica and Jeff broke up , it didn t matter that Jeff made out with a guy ; Carlos made out with a chick whose name he s not even sure of , and was nearly raped by Casey . Oh , the secret powers of alcohol . I feigned excitement and disbelief for a while , but then I knew that it didn t matter one bit . A few months ago these developments would ve been important , but now I doubt I ll ever see those people again . High school was two months ago and already I m leaving it behind . I ve barely spoken to anyone , and have seen only a few . I m not really hiding in a cave so much as I m moving on . I realize that we re all going different directions . Priorities are different , dreams are altered , and I don t have to fake it anymore . I used to be nice to people I did not like simply because they were my friends friends and always around . I m never going to have to lie anymore . With my new found freedom of expression I have the power to tell people bluntly that I don t like them . When they pass me in the street and ask me how it s going I can say its good , and walk away . Meaningless small talk about careers and studies can be limited to those whom I would like to know about at not those who I could care less if they re being successful or still living at their parents . This opens up time to do more interesting things . In theory I will spend five minutes of my life at some point talking to each person I care less about than the damn cat . If I use my new method of not giving a shit about anyone then I can save that time to write a scathing descriptions of them in upcoming short stories and novels that they d be to dumb to realize was based loosely on their own character flaws . And thus my life will be happier and more productive , and I don t have to worry about people reading things I write based on them being offended because I won t care . 
Daydream Nation . Its twenty - three minutes after midnight so it s Thursday now . It s been magnificent so far wouldn t you say ? It always seems later when you re the only one awake . It always seems like the time to be asleep . And yet , here I am . I have no good excuse not to be sleep right now . I could close my burning eyes and refresh my tired body . That s what sleep was invented for after all . I once heard from a teacher that some famous psychologist or other said that the reason for sleep is dreaming . I don t dream though . My dreams aren t vivid and obviously not worth remembering . I wish I were one of those people who can just dream something vivid and random , something brilliant yet terrible . So , when I wake up in the morning I can write it down . Instead I have to keep to my simple daydreams , which always seem to involve running through a field of wild flowers while holding the hand of a pretty girl whom I don t know . I don t know why , but I just think that s my subconscious yearning for female companionship . That s my idea of a perfect date , staring at the clouds and lying in a field , taking in the true elephantine size of the sky . It s strange , yet no matter how hard I think about it , that s what I want . Maybe tonight I ll have a dream worth recording , because I m going to bed . 
This Summer . This summer was my first as an adult . In the eyes of the state I am legally an adult . With that distinction comes responsibility and privilege . But I wasted all that privilege . I didn t buy cigarettes , a shotgun , or pornographic materials ; I didn t get married or divorced . I didn t do anything quintessentially teenage adult . I spent part of my summer on the family farm ; because it s harder to get in trouble there and easier to make money . The farm is near the small town of Hermiston in Oregon . But they lease land all over , from Tri - cities to Boardman . My job on the farm was to cut mint . I was part of a motley swathing gang . We drove our tractors in formation for six to sixteen hours cutting mint . It s maddeningly dull . The only thing that changed the boring circles we drove in was the occasional broken part , mud puddle to get stuck in , or a small cute animal someone hit . In - between the little peaks of excitement were deep abysses of boredom and loneliness . I tried to fill these voids with sound . Mostly music reproduced from my portable compact disc player or the stock AM / FM tape decks , public radio and indie rock . Music is my drug of choice . I spent over three hundred dollars this summer alone on music . It s my lifeblood . I have over sixty CDs and 2750 songs on my computer . I could live on Cheetos and my music for at least three hundred days , no joke . But really I couldn t . So , in - between my driving tractors in circles and throwing money at bewildered record store clerks I read a few books . I figured since I want to write a classic and I want to teach literature I ought to read the classics . I tried to put together a list of books I have to read , I failed utterly . Instead I just read what ever books I could find and someone had told me was good . That only lasted a short time , because I am lazy . So now I ve slowed my reading and I have a book I have to read for school before it starts and I m not sure there are enough hours in the weeks . My summer was good . I hung out with people , worked and wasted my money and time . I did what I could and a few things I couldn t or shouldn t have done . I figured eventually someone would ask me how my summer was , so this is a preemptive strike on the nosy . 
Walking in the tall grass , tripping on the low stones . Road trips are fun . Going to the beach with your friends is fun . Road trips with your father are not so much fun , especially with my dad . All I can do to drown out the unbearable silence of the two of us never talking is to play music , and after a while you run out of dad appropriate music , or music you feel like listening to . And then the silence drags on . How long till we get there ? I ll ask . Two hours , he ll reply , and we ll sit there for another twenty minutes of not talking as Ben Folds sings about how much growing up sucks , but we all have to do it . I have to pee . There s a rest stop in twenty miles . Okay . And we ll sit . And I ll wait . And then he ll pull into the area and I ll get out of the car without a word . And I ll get back in a minute or three later and wait for him as he stretches and gets a drink from the fountain . Can I drive for a while ? Alright . I slip behind the wheel , and readjust the seat ; my legs aren t as long as his . I pull out of the park space and the silence between us is only broken by guitars . I drive back into the road way and speed up a little . I get to seventy and he tells me , slow down Aaron . You were going seventy ! Just , slow down . I slow back down to sixty - five and turn on the cruise control . I don t like cruise control ; it makes me feel like I m no longer in control of the car . When in cruise control you can t slow down a little , or speed up a bit . Corners are weird . Well , not corners , but curves in the freeway . Where can we stop for lunch , after an hour of freeway driving , I was hungry . How about at the next Burger King , I have a coupon . My dad has a coupon for everything . We stopped , and sat on opposite each other in a hard plastic booth . I looked out the window , and my dad looked at the people . And then I looked at the people and my dad looked out the window . We slowly chewed our burgers and fries and gently sipped our cokes . We talked a little about where we were going , and when we d be back . He started talking about all the things we had to get in order before the end of the summer , and I blocked it all out . I block things out to preserve my sanity ; I start nodding and saying yeah , but don t retain a thing . We drove away . My dad was driving again , and I was back trying to sleep , to keep from going crazy . I cannot sleep in cars though . I can never get comfortable . When I do fall asleep I only sleep for a few minutes at a time , maybe ten or fifteen . Then I wake up have to try to get back to sleep . I did that for an hour or two , and then we were there . We weren t really there , but you can feel when you exit the freeway . There were still a few miles to go , maybe more than I thought . I was wide awake again . And I was worrying . We were almost there . 
What have I missed ? So , there I was , lying on the floor in the living room staring at the ceiling . I had my arms stretched out beside me , palms up . I was staring exactly at the middle of the ceiling , or I thought I was , I was as close to it as I could get . Waiting for enlightenment , I thought that if I lay here long enough thinking , eventually I d have that thought that changes everything , the inspiration I ve always wanted . But all I got was a few questions from my family . I noticed a bit of macaroni stuck to the ceiling . That was it . No sudden bright lights illuminating the darkness in my skull where inspiration hides . Then I closed my eyes hard and rubbed my eyelids . I was getting nowhere . There had to be something I could do that s never been done before . Something no one has thought before . I sat up with my head in my hands . I couldn t come up with a thing . Nothing ever comes when you force it . You can t force greatness so . Greatness either comes of its own will , or by outward forces . I decided I was thirsty . So I stood up and walked into the kitchen for a glass of water . I turned on the faucet and got down a glass . Then I had it a sudden feeling . Not an inspiration for something to write , but rather for an action . I just smashed the glass on the counter . I don t know why , I just had a feeling I had to , or rather I ought to . So I brought it down hard , and the glass broke . Shards littered the counter . Little tiny shatterings tinkled on the floor . I m still not sure why I did it , but I did . And since I ve found little pieces of glass everywhere in the kitchen : on the window sill , under the dining table , all the way to the stairs . But still , nothing interesting has come to mind . I can t finish those that I started and I can t start anything worth finishing . So , I sit every day or night in a new position waiting for the enlightenment . And I still can t think of anything really good , maybe a small scene , but never a full on plot or a setting or even a character . I may have lost it . My time may have past . I had an opportunity to exhale greatness , but all I ever did was vomit second - rate trash . 
Burns . I was bored , sitting in the car waiting for my family , my mom , my little sisters , my brother . We were late for church , but they were all taking their time getting to the car . I saw the cigarette lighter . It was just sitting there . I wondered to my self , how does a hot coil ignite a cigarette ? I should ve stopped my wondering there . Instead , I tested it . Sometimes you forget things , like how fast paper burns . I dangled a tissue on it , and of course , it caught fire . Fire is hot . Paper burns at 451 degrees Fahrenheit . It s hot . I burned my thumb and forefinger , with which I was clutching the offending , flaming tissue . When your fingers are burning they have a tendency to drop the thing that is burning them . So now there is a burning tissue in the car in the cup holder . This cannot be good . I try to pick it back up to throw it out the door , and instead it falls in the little compartment in the door . Again I sacrifice my fingers to try to get it away from me . I thought I d thrown it out the door but I find out that there is still smoke . I look next to the seat , and there in a little corner of blackened carpet is a burning tissue . Now I knew nothing but terror would result from my little experiment . I swept it out with my hand . My fingers are quite burnt and I am feeling quite dumb . The carpet is melted and everyone else comes out from the house and wonder what the smell is . 
Family Tradition . Well , better late than never with the picture ... this is from Julie 's Birthday Party last Monday night at Atlantic Station . Everyone looks great ! It was good to have my Dad in town all week . He went to trivia with us on Wed night ... and we won ! One of our best performances of all time as we missed only two questions : 1 . ) which Holiday does AAA say has the most accidents ? ( 4 th of July ) , 2 . ) who replaced Buffy as a slayer ? ( Kendra ... nobody should know this ) . On Thursday the two of us went to Long Horn Steaks by the Mall of GA ... and had to wait 1 / 2 hr ! Gwinnett Dining is a challenge , even during the week . Too much BBQ and meat during the week ... I could barely dig into my entre I was so full from the previous days of chowing down . Friday I took off work at noon to spend the day together ... we hung out at home and ultimately met up with Chris , Sheri , and lil ' Jacob at Bad Bob 's BBQ in Cumming . This is the best BBQ I have ever had in my life , bar none . I knew this going in ... and the reputation remains . Great pulled pork . Afterwards , Dad and I took off toward Alpharetta to see some blues at Smokejack bar / restuarant . The music is always great in their upstairs attic . Great stuff . The night was capped off at home with a 12:30 am knock on the door by a neighbor woman and her scantily clad friend trick - or - treating for alcohol . To paraphrase Mike , Dad probably thought he was not in Holland , MI anymore ! The next morning I found a t - shirt in the bushes . Ahh , summer nights . Saturday morning we went to the Suwanee Greenway and I ran while Dad walked ... it was incredibly humid but I lumbered through OK . In the afternoon I attended a pool party at Heather 's with Mike , Laurie , Julie , Krista , Chad , and many of Heather 's other friends . After the pool we went to Heather 's for , you guessed it , more meat . Around 10:00 decisions had to be made ... and a return trip to the pool won out over Wild Wing 's cafe . However , Julie , Laurie , and I created our own Wild Wing 's moments as we danced to Prince and Def Leppard on VH 1 Classic on Heather 's flat screen . A Motley Crue video killed the dance buzz however . Sunday morning I watched Tiger win the British Open and Floyd Landis win the Tour de France . Sunday afternoon I took my Dad to the airport for his return trip to Michigan , and spent much of the day working on the computer . I did mow the lawn and took care of a lot of household chores . ( Conway has been pouting since Dad left ... he is currently in the closet hiding underneath a show shelf that is about 4 inches off the ground ; I have no idea how he fits into there ) . Later I fell asleep at my pool , and am now ready for another busy work week and maybe , just maybe , a little fight club on the side . Ciao ! 
American Beauties . Unfortunately the picture I have from Julie 's party isn't uploading . I ' ll have to try again tomorow . Well , let 's see . Last Friday got off to a great start with a Happy Hr at the Sweetwater Brewing company . For $ 6 ( U.S. ) you get a half dozen tickets at the front of the property and you can use these for 1 / 2 beer samples of their finest brews . The beer tastes great and the atmosphere is very fun ... kind of like a grown up frat party , that happens to shutdown promptly at 7:30 pm ! They have a band and provide tours , and the beer tastes so good straight from the tap . It is a fun Atlanta event that I recommend ... but you need to have somewhere planned to go afterwards since it finishes up so early ( it is located on the grounds of the brewing company , and there is no bar / restaurant ) . Eileen and I sought it out a couple weeks ago and were too late to arrive , but we both met up there on Friday and it was fun . At 7:20 I bailed to pick my Dad up from the airport ... he 's in town for a week to get a break from the perfect Michigan summer weather . Saturday Dad and I did some house stuff and ran errands , and at night we stopped for dinner at Taco Mac , and then went to the Barn in Suwanee to listen to some live Blue Grass . It sounds corny , but everytime I go I ' m glad I did . Great musicians roll down out of the hills and bring their banjos and mandelins and play some great music . It 's pretty fun - literally a barn with church pews ( no liquor license ... but free lemonade is provided ) . Good wholesome entertainment . Sunday was spent getting rid of the old BBQ grill and replacing it with a new one . Also stopped by the pool for a bit . In the evening Eileen stopped by for dinner and we all had a good time ... Conway wondered what the heck was going on with all the people in the house , but he loved it . Monday was a busy work day followed by a haitus at Rosa Mexicano in the Atlantic Station district of Atlanta . It was Julie 's 28 th Birthday and we had Jocelyn , Laurie , Krista , Chad , Libby and Mike there as well . It was a cool place , and a good meal - the strong pomegranite ( sp ? ) margaritas took the edge off the day nicely . Dad and I will likely go out for dinner tomorrow and then head to Trivia with the gang on Wednesday . Looking forward to a pool party in Suwanee on Saturday with some of Laurie 's famous jello shots . 
Vamos Trabajar ! Well , the weekend began with a little after work basketball followed by a trip to the grocery store . I was so tired after work , that prior to the workout I fell asleep in my truck for almost 1 / 2 hr ! very weird . Then I was wide awake when I should have gone to sleep and ended up staying up until 2:00 AM watching some Duran Duran classic rock concert on VH 1 Classics . Was there a full moon ? The weekend was one in which Mike was out of town ( in Michigan at Traverse City - I ' m jealous ) , Eileen was out of town ( on a Beach in NC - I ' m jealous ) , Jocelyn was in her Field of Dreams and Chad was still upset with me for starting the Peachtree too quickly . Therefore I was left with no alternative - I had to hire some Mexicans . Saturday morning I awoke leisurely and headed to Duluth at 9:30 at the intersection of 120 and Buford Hwy . There I met Manuel and Tremundo . I loaded them into the truck and brought them home for some weed pulling . They did a fantastic job ! I mowed the lawn and did other sundry landscaping while they worked away . Three hours later I dropped them off and visited Gwinnett Place Mall in search of deck furniture that rocked and swiveled . For 3 years I ' ve been searching for inexpensive chairs that rock and swivel . I must have spent 30 hrs over the last 3 years searching . It 's important that they rock and swivel . But alas .. no luck at Sears . However , I did stop at the T - Mobile store to upgrade my package and get a new phone . Saturday afternoon included a brief haitus to the pool . Saturday night was all about grillin ' and chillin ' . Sunday morning I awoke leisurely once again and ended up doing some work on the computer for a couple hrs . Then - determined to get some deck furniture - I headed to the Mall of GA area . I stopped at Georgia Backyard briefly ( does anyone actually buy stuff here ? - very expensive ) , and ended up going with 2 chairs from Lowe 's ( see pic ) . $ 280 ( U.S. ) for the two chairs - but it is done . They should work and my Dad will be very comfortable when he arrives here next week for a visit . A little spectating of the World Cup ( Italy won ) , the Braves ( they won ) , and golf ( Tiger didn't win ) followed . An evening jog on the Suwanee Greenway was a good way to wrap up the weekend . So a lot of solitude - but that 's OK ... it 's needed now and then . 
Independence Days . The 4 th of July weekend is always a great time . This year was no exception . It started Friday night with an impromptu get together with Eileen . We wanted to check out Happy Hr at Sweetwater Brewing Company . I ' ve heard of good happy hours there with bands and great beer ... however , it turns out the place isn't a restaurant ! We arrived at about 7:45 , and the place was cleared out completely . They did have a band and fun earlier , but since it is simply a brewery and * not * a restaurant they are pretty rigid on the hours they keep for their party . Some other time . Looks fun . Made a quick call to Rahul and headed up to his roof deck for a beverage ... nice balmy evening overlooking the city . Shortly thereafter it was off to the Glenn Hotel to their main lounge area . Very classy and trendy . Saturday morning I ran some errands and then Eileen came over and we relaxed by the pool for the afternoon . In the evening Rebecca had a birthday party at Loca Luna , so we headed over there and met a gang for tapas and great salsa / fusion music . The band had two saxophones and was very very good . That was all quite enjoyable . Following , Mike , Eileen and I headed to Vortex and stumbled upon Kathy II ( not our Kathy ) and stayed til 1:00 am . Sunday was all about the computer . I replaced my faulty DSL Modem , did some work online , etc. Meanwhile I had a little World Cup Soccer and Tour de France on in the background . Monday morning I went into work and things were relatively quiet with most people gone ... though South Africa didn't take a break so the morning was quite busy . On the way home I picked up some ingredients for Mango Lasse in anticipation of an Indian Dinner at Eileen 's with Alka serving as chef . Mike and Melodi were there as well , in addition to a couple others . It was the best Indian food I ever had . The mango lasse was good when in the glass ( see pic ) ... accidents do happen ! Tuesday I met Chad and Kathy ( our Kathy ) in the AM and ran the peachtree ... wasn't as fast as I ' d like , but I never felt like I dragged that much either . Need to focus more on this and shorter distances I guess . Oh well . Looked for Julie at the " G " balloon while waiting for Kathy at the " H " balloon , but didn't see Julie . Headed to Todd and Mini 's for a shower and then a Tugaloo parade with Kira and Alec . At noon we all had some nice grilled burgers and celebrated with Tara , Richard , Mike , Chad , and Kathy . Tuesday afternoon I took a nap while watching Italy beat Germany , and then headed to Mike 's for a quick visit and some high def sports . Ultimately watched the fireworks ( following the rain ) at Lenox with Eileen and her sister Valerie ( in town earlier in the day from Philly ) . Whew - great weekend . Now there is * nothing * on the docket for next weekend except house stuff and probably some work . Oh well , not every weekend can be great ! 
Lazy Days of Summer . After the most intense work week in the history of the world , Friday night rolled around and I was off to the city to meet my friend Eileen and head to the Atlanta Fish Market for some great seafood . I hadn't had any seafood since Seaside and I ended up with some funky " skate " dish ( ray ) ... man , it was fantastic though ! Eileen was fun as ever and I dropped her off and headed back to Suwanee . Great restaurant . Pictured is Todd and I a few years ago celebrating a Lawrenceville Bass victory at AFM . Saturday morning I took my car in for routine maintenance and some funky recall . Took it to a place near Gwinnett Place Mall so I was able to squeeze in some overdue clothes shopping for an hour . Headed back to Suwanee and went for a run at noon - that was too hot ! Good prep for the peachtree but it was torturous . 8 miles . Never did do any speedwork - I ' m in trouble for the 4 th ! Saturday afternoon I fell asleep on the couch watching golf . Then I rallied and headed to Decatur to catch up with Mike . We watched some hi - def Braves action with bourbons and cokes and then I almost fell asleep in his Adirondack chair on the patio . Ultimately we found our way to Va Highlands and had some pizza on the back deck at Everybody 's Pizza . Then the deluge hit ! The tin roof was shaking from the thunder and rain . By this time we were joined by Eileen , Alka ( visiting from BHam ) , and Melody ( moving to Atl from BHam ) . It was pretty fun . In the midst of the deluge I dropped my knife , and it landed on a car that had people in it who had escaped the rain . I ' ll bet they thought the world was crashing in on them when that butter knife hit their hood ! I saw them turn on their interior lights and look up at the deck with " what the hell ? " facial expressions . Oh well , accidents happen . Don't park below me when I ' m eating . After pizza and beer we all headed cross - deck to Noche for the nightcap . By midnight - it was time to unwind it all and head home . Sunday I didn't leave the house , just did all the house chores that add up . Vaccuumed the basement . Took a couple naps too . Conway thought that was cool . 
More Athletic Displays . No picture to go with this entry ... just catching up on what 's happening . Friday night came home and did a little yard work . I had to fire my landscaping dude because he just wasn't cuttin ' it ... literally . So I picked up some pine nuggets and did some weeding and bush trimming . Saturday morning I met Chad and we headed to Marist to do some running on their track . Our goal is to do our best in the Peachtree 10 K July 4 th so we started doing a little speedwork . Chad does a lot of research on this kind of stuff and provided a neat little program . 400 M , rest , 800 M , rest , 1200 M , rest , 800 M , rest , 400 M. Pretty tiring stuff . Next week we plan the same routine , though we might bump it up and add a 1600 M run into the middle . That will hurt . I always try to train for the Peachtree , but I ' m always disappointed in the results : it is one tough race ... probably the toughest . You get caught up in the hype and inevitably start too fast . But .. we ' ll see what happens . Saturday afternoon was more yard work and then a sojourn to the pool since it was so hot . Saturday night was a nice party at Jocelyn 's new house ! She has a great house in Brookhaven and had a housewarming party . Her parents , co - workers , and friends were there and Jocelyn looked very happy - as she should be ... she has done a lot with the place and it looked great ! Even Cowboy Troy made a cameo , and of course Julie and Andy were there .. it was a magical , nay mystical , night of fun and romance . Hell , there were even jello shooters . One of the highlights was listening to the contest between Mike and Karin regarding Tara 's interview question of " if you were an animal , which would you be ? " . Mike gave a resounding endorsement of the elephant and was hired on the spot . Sunday was all about meditation . In the morning I did go for a run on the Suwanee Greenway and saw Andy Adamec - hadn't seen him in a long time ( since NCR days ) and we might go running on the Greenway in the near future . Small World ( well , Small County ) . Another quick trip to the pool , a nap , and some housework was about all I did . Now it 's back to work !!!!! AP . 
Displays of Athleticism . Well , back to work today and the holiday weekend officially seemed like a blink of the eye ! I still don't know what happened to the weekend at the beach - way too fast . It was good to pick up Conway from boarding this morning though - the house is really weird when he is not in it . Now he is chewing on a rawhide toy so all is good with the world . I suspect the Pistons will lose their series . They were playing w / fire with Cleveland , and are now down 3 - 1 . Something is missing from the equation this postseason . The picture on the right is Mike at Seaside ' 06 laying out to save the game . Looking forward to continued Brookhaven house hunting this weekend , and maybe a workout or two . Tonight I ' m all about the spinach and sleep . Good night ! 
Fast and Furious . Fast and Furious Originally uploaded by Jaganatha . There are ways to play these new games , and new ways to look at these lives . preferring to stay within the infinite moment , i reside . 
Devil came to Death 's ear . Devil came to Death 's ear Originally uploaded by Jaganatha . Today I found out one of my friends had committed suicide . I was shocked , of course . Reflected on his laughter mostly , then the small tells of his personality . He was an artist . A true conceptual artist . So conceptual , that he was against putting anything down on paper , or creating objects to look at . I learned a lot from him . I only wonder what 's going to be next for him . 
Drift . Drift Originally uploaded by Jaganatha . Drifting around right now . We are wrapping up on so many levels , and I can't wait . Vacations to come and people to welcome . love travels far and always comes back . 
Stolen Post . I had to post this from http : // www . theologica . blogspot . com / ( which is a great site if you are interested in blogs ) . In an article in the LA Times about the International Christian Retail Show . You ' ll read about : Christian perfume ( " It should be enticing enough to provoke questions : ' What 's that you 're wearing ? ' " Hobbs said . " Then you take that opportunity to speak of your faith . They ' ve opened the door , and now they 're going to get it . " ) Stuffed animals wearing " Jesus Loves You " T - shirts Camouflage baseball caps with red crosses Golf balls with John 3:16 printed on them ( " a great golf ball with a greater purpose " ) Christian health clubs Christian insurance agencies Christian tree trimmers ( who advertise in Christian business directories ) Christian gangsta rap Christian shoot - ' em - up video games Christian sweatbands Christian playing cards Christian scrapbook supplies Christian children 's pajamas Life of Faith dolls ( like American Girl , expect " the dolls come clutching Bibles ; their stories , sprinkled with Scripture , describe how the girls find sustenance in their faith " ) Scripture Candy It seems to me that these folks have inverted Jesus ' idea of being " in , not of " the world ( John 17:14 - 18 ) so that they are of the world but not in it . Political scientist Al Wolfe gets it right . The effect of such products , according to political scientist Alan Wolfe , is to create almost a parallel universe , one that allows Christians to withdraw from the world instead of engaging it as Christ commanded . " It 's as if they 're saying the task of bringing people to Jesus is too hard , so let 's retreat into a fortress , " said Wolfe , who directs the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life at Boston College . " Evangelism is about reaching out and converting the unsaved , " Wolfe said . " This is about putting a fence around people who are already saved . It strikes me as if they 're giving up . " Sorry , folks . The world is not impressed . 
Indonesia . It happened again . Another devastating tsunami has hit the mainland of Indonesia ( see link : http : // www . msnbc . msn . com / id / 13898913 / ) . Home to more than 200 million people , Indonesia is the most populous Muslim - majority nation in the world and the fourth most populated nation overall . What doors is God opening through these natural disasters ? " Does disaster come to a city , unless the LORD has done it ? For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets . " ( Amos 3:6 ) . We are not prophets , but I wonder how the church is praying in regards to discerning how God desires to see His people respond to this nation so well - acquainted with grief in recent years , and yet so hostile to the God who offers them comfort ? The gospel must go to Indonesia and perhaps God is using waves of water to soften the ground where the feet of God 's saints must tread . What can you do ? Pray . Pray for the people and the church . Pray that God would reveal His purpose in these calamities to His people and that the church would respond as the hands and feet of Christ . Pray about going to offer the hope of the gospel where there is only despair right now . Offer financial relief through a trusted charity organization . Do what you can do , but heaven forbid , don't fail to do something . 
Mr. Mom ? I ' ve been wondering , and I confess , I don't have answers . But perhaps the three people who read this blog might be willing to throw some comments my way . Some of you might remember the move Mr. Mom starring Michael Keaton . It 's a comedy about a man who decides to stay home and raise the kids while his wife brings home the bacon ( figuratively speaking , of course ) . A friend and I were talking about the roles of men and women in society and were discussing scenarios where both husband and wife ( with children ) worked outside the home where the woman earned more income than the man . As a complimentarian theologically ( meaning I believe Scripture specifies that male and female are meant to have complimentary roles , and that while men and women have equal value in the eyes of God , they have been designed for specific roles in the world ) and not an egalitarian ( meaning male and female are equal in every way , including leadership and ministry roles ; more could be said about both of these but time doesn't permit ) , I have to wonder whether it would be a violation of biblical principles for a woman who is married with children ( particularly young childrne ) to work outside the home and support the family simply because she earns a higher income than her husband . Yes , there are situations that may require both husband and wife to work outside the home , but what about the situation where the family desires to have one parent at home with the children , but decides that this person should be the husband purely for financial reasons ? Surprisingly , I had never really even thought about this until a conversation over a game of Settlers of Cataan the other day . In Titus 2:3 - 5 , we learn that older women are encouraged to mentor younger women . " They are to teach what is good , and so train the young women to love their husbands and children , to be self - controlled , pure , working at home , and submissive to their own husbands , that the word of God may not be reviled " . Paul , in his instructions about unmarried and widows regarding the benefits of serving Jesus , tells us that " the married woman is anxious about worldly things , how to please her husband " ( 2 Cor 8:34 ) . The implication is that married women have a specific role in the home , a role shaped and ordained for women alone . The implication is that the role of the wife is to support , love and compliment her husband and raise and love her children above all other agendas . Those whose worldview has been shaped largely by the feminist agenda will likely repine at the suggestion that a married woman who earns more income than her husband should be the one to stay at home with the children , but it seems to me that Scripture is pointing in this direction . This isn't an argument about whether women should work at all outside the home . There are many cases where this is appropriate . However , when a married couple has young children , where possible , women should seriously consider the benefits of staying at home with their young children during their formative years . Yes , I said women should consider their role in this . I didn't say a man can't do it . He can , my belief is that this is not what God has called the man to do . Questions like these quickly point us to the bottomline of what Scripture intends to teach us about the roles of men and women . What do you think ? 
Very Few Rich Enter ... " It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God " ( Jesus , Mark 10:25 ) . The populations of more than 130 countries in our global community live off of less than $ 10,000 annually . Consider these startling figures . The average income of the following countries is listed in terms of annual income : China - $ 1290.00 / year Peru - $ 2360.00 / year Yemen ( startling because it is a country rich with oil ) - $ 570.00 / year Ghana - $ 380.00 year ( though each World Cup player was paid $ 20,000.00 per victory in the World Cup ) Ethiopia - $ 110.00 / year Iran - $ 2300.00 / year The average income in the United States : $ 41,400.00 . It is true that that United States is not without the poor , but is there any disputing that the majority of citizens in the United States should lend their ear to the warning Jesus offers in Mark 10:25 ? If Jesus is right , very few people who prosper in this life will inherit the kingdom of God . If we take the words of Scripture at face value , and thoroughly examine church history and the lives of the pillars of the faith who have gone before us , it is the exception , not the rule , that those who were rich in Christ , were not those who are rich in this world . Consider the words of the Apostle Paul concerning the calling of God 's people : " For consider your calling , brothers : not many of you were wise according to worldly standards , not many were powerful , not many were of noble birth . But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise ; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong ; God chose what is low and despised in the world , even things that are not , to bring to nothing things that are , so that no human being might boast in the presence of God " ( 1 Cor 1:26 - 29 ) . Fame , wealth , power and prestige are the ways of this world . But God 's economy turns the world 's standards on its head and shows us that the way to the Kingdom is not the path of prestige , fame , comfort , or wealth . God uses what is foolish to lead His people into His presence where there are eternal pleasures forever ( Psalm 16:11 ) . Jesus ' words expose the folly of the prosperity gospel circulating in Western culture . And Jesus ' words should also cause our hearts to tremble , those of us who are rich in this world . It should provoke us to examine our hearts and the things that we value in this world , to be sure that we value Christ more than we value our comforts and prizes . May we recognize , as St. Augustine did , that " the love of worldly possessions entangles the soul and keeps it from flying to God . " . 
It 's a .... Well , Britton had her 22 week appointment today , which included her first ultrasound . And , they tell us that clearly it is a boy ! Now we just have to try and decide on a name ! Any suggestions ? 
Hymnal Bypass . The other night , I was trying to remember the title of a hymn that was sung in church . Now , I am not a big fan of singing hymns , but I do appreciate the words and the message of some hymns . So , I asked my wife if she could help me , and we started thinking of all the hymns we knew . My wife then began to sing all of those hymns that we both had sung 4,378,988 times , culminating in a harmonic rendition of " Just As I Am. " The first verse went off without a hitch , but the second ... the second ... well , I ' ll just type the new " Red Britton Version . " " Just as I amand waiting notto rid my soulof one blod clot ... " Ha - larious . : ) . 
About this Blog . I thought that I would take this opportunity to make a few comments about the blog so far . When I began my postings , I had in mind that I would be writing commentaries on issues and problems from a scholastic Christian point of view . However , as the days and postings continued , I found that I am really not all that interested in debates . I barely keep abreast of the local news , let alone current events and controversies . Instead , I have noticed that my posts have turned into a " running commentary " on the current events that are my life , from an almost pastoral point of view . By this , I mean that I hope that others can gain insight and encouragement from the lessons that God has taught me . I truly care about people and love helping others , and I pray that somehow the frustrations and hardships and joys and accomplishments will somehow touch others and bring glory to God . I think my whole experience in finding a job is a good analogy for this . When I first began looking for jobs , I had a decent resume , somewhat of an idea of the next job I wanted to find , and little else . I hadn't interviewed for a job in four years , and even that interview wasn't a " true " interview . However , through trial and error and sheer Divine intervention , I have become quite informed about ( and dare I say good at ) the whole interview process . I owe part of my new found " savvy " to the help of a recruiter who has been instrumental in preparing me and coaching me in the whole process . Also , I have read several books on resume writing , how to land those sought after positions , etc. , being sure to do my part in the whole process . I think this is the same as how we go through life . We are expected to do things for ourselves , to be always learning . But we also need the assistance of a " life coach . " Lessons that we learn from such people are invaluable and potentially help us avert years of regret due to a poor decision . Taking this analogy further , the Christian life is much the same - we are expected to be reliant on God , the Ultimate Coach , always looking to Him for guidance and instruction . Our pastors , other Christian friends , parents , etc. also help to coach us and lead us down the right path . And we are also expected to put our faith into practice . We have to work too ; we have to do our part . And it is thus that I feel that my " musings " and commentaries can somehow help someone going through a similar situation . I hope that I can encourage you to keep going , no matter how dark the path seems . I hope that I can strengthen your faith , even when it seems as though there is little reason to believe . I hope that I can somehow impart some insight ( and dare I say wisdom ) into the confusion , uncertainty , and turmoil that is your situation . I hope that I can mirror Christ and bring glory to His name , and maybe even help bring someone to faith . Writing does not come easy for me , but if I accomplish any of these things , then it will all be worth it . I don't know where this blog is heading , much like my life . I only pray that in the end , I will come through it all as pure gold . So , I guess this post reinforces where this all began a month ago ... MY LORD GOD , I have no idea where I am going . I do not see the road ahead of me . I cannot know for certain where it will end . Nor do I really know myself , and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so . But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you . And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing . I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire . And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it . Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death . I will not fear , for you are ever with me , and you will never leave me to face my perils alone . - Thomas Merton , " Thoughts in Solitude " Abbey of Gethsemani . 
Job Update . Just a quick update on the job hunt . ( And I thoroughly understand now why they call it a hunt - I feel as though I should take my shotgun to the next interview ! ) I met with the Knoxville District Manager on Friday , only to learn that the Knoxville position was no longer open . But the silver lining to this cloud is that there is an opening in the Bowling Green / North Tennessee area . So , it looks like we may be going to Tennessee ( just outside of Nashville ) ! Surprise , Surprise ! Another unexpected turn on this windy road . Two months , five interviews , and counting ... 
Life ... The Funniest Joke of All . Unfortunately , this post was censored by my wife , Red Britton . So much for free speech . ; ) The following story is completely true . It is from a good friend of mine who is a physician , and chronicles the adventure that was the last patient of her day . This story is evidence that life truly is a comedy ; I crack up every time I read it . [ The story would have gone here . ] . 
it 's been awhile .. It 's been a long time since ive posted .. probably bcoz of the exams that are finally over but mainly coz i was too darn lz ... anyways ... The World Cup is now over and Italy lifts sports most prized trophy for the 4 th time .. woot .. i ' d rather the Azzuri to win it than the bloody frenchies ! Now that the month - long tournament is over .. careers of all - time greats like Figo and Zidane and many others have come to an end .. Materazzi of all ppl will certainly rmb Zidane as he recieved a headbutt from the master himself in the finals .. In the years to come .. it ' ll be time for the .. likes of Podolski , Messi , Fabregas , and Torres to shine .. Forza Italia ! Recently ... i went to RWMF 2006 aka Rainforest World Music Festival 2006 with my classmates .. Im sure most ppl noe wad it is .. and it needs no introduction .. At noon , about 8 of us took a shuttle up to SCV ( Sarawak Cultural Village ) and when we reached there .. we had to walk to damai beach .. and yea it was a pretty long walk .. with the uphill roads and everything .. we spent the day in my fren 's bro 's room .. and they welcomed us warmly by serving us " refreshments " Counter 118 ba .. = P .. We then headed to SCV for the festival at ard 8 pm .. When we got there .. there was already quite a crowd .. saw many other lodgians present as well .. zhun zhun our exams juz over ma .. In its 9 th year running .. it was my first time there ( din noe abt it until a few years bk = P ) .. and boy .. wad an experience i had .. it so rawked ! A total blast ! .. The atmosphere n music was overwhelming ! It was like clubbing in the outdoors .. In the beginning .. the mongolians were goin at their throat singing .. unique but boring .. but then came the other musicians and their music was more upbeat .. To me , the angmoh musicians played the better music and it soon began to feel like a rock concert .. the crowd in thousands were throwing their hands in the air in sheer ecstasy .. Many began to feel high .. they took off their shirts without a care in the world .. but it was also due to the heat that radiates from the bodies all around u .. ppl can be seen distributing free flow of liquor whom i suspect are unaware of their actions .. Not to 4 get .. we dont onli get ear candy there .. but eye candy are also plentiful ! If u noe wad i mean ; ) And juz when things wud ' nt get any better .. we met the influential blogger Kenny Sia .. who was kind enough to take a pic with us .. all this contributing to a fun - filled , wholesome experience .. Now i noe why ppl come from all parts of the globe juz for this annual event ... ill definitely want to go again nex year = D Becoz we had no room in damai .. we headed bk to town and spent the nite at Grand Continental hotel .. but barely had any sleep as we watched the 3 rd placing match between Germany and Portugal which ended at 5 plus .. Kenny ! RWMF day pass = RM 60 Shuttle Service = RM 20 Accomodation = RM 25 Misc = RM 30 RWMF experience = PRICELESS ! On the lighter side of things .. i had dinner at a new eating establishment called One Tree Hill that is situated at the old Lim Kok Wing institute .. which is also beside Garden Friend , near Swak club near Civic Center , near Amphitheatre , near Reservoir park .. bla bla bla .. However .. dun expect to see Lucas , Nathan or Peyton there .. that 's not the " One Tree Hill " im talking abt = PThe best thing abt that place is its enviroment and setting .. the restaurant is basically sitting on a hill .. so u can enjoy a view of the road ? lol .. The food was so - so nia ... i ordered spaghetti marinara .. which tastely strangely similar to spaghetti bolognaise .. did theymistook my order .. or that 's juz how their marinara is .. owell .. the portions were generous and the prices were quite reasonable ... One Tree Hill serves western and asian cuisine .. i would recommend those who eat there to sit outside becoz of the nice setting that somewhat had a classy essence and made me feel like im eating sumwhere in europe lol ... but when it rains duno u cabut where la .. 
speed needs no translation . woot .. yesterday i watched the fast and the furious : Tokyo Drift . The movie is certainly anything but boring .. not onli does is portray intense action but it has sum hilarious moments as well .. It 's fast - paced and explosive series of events are set into motion , climaxing with an ultimate high - stakes face - off .. U shud watch the movie in a cinema to truly experience the sound effects n revving of engines the movie has to offer ... The main cast in the movie is Lucas Black ( Sean Boswell ) .. the way he talks is funny and although he can't be compared with the likes of Vin Diesel or Paul Walker .. he manages to hold out his own .. Well , no doubt the cars in this movie are eye - catchy .. with cars like Evo , 350 z , Silvia and rx - 7 juz to name a few .. As the movie is set in Japan .. the director gave the third instalment of the fast and furious series an asian flair .. with eye candy in form of cars and girls .. this movie will definitely appeal to guys n avid car - lovers out there .. oh and Neela .. the girlfriend of D . K .. aka ( drift king not donkey kong = P ) .. is hawttt .. much better than her predecessors ... i juz love her sexy name and even sexier voice = D .. she looks abit like Vanessa .. the host for TRL .. i think she 's cham cham ( mixed ) one .. " mixed " girls are g Oo Od .. = P .. e . g Jessica Alba ... currently the most sought after girl in the world ... oops .. im out of topic ... anyways .. Tokyo Drift sets the standard and shows just what drifting is all abt ... it might even put " Initial D " to shame ... so Jay Chou ... i think Sean Boswell cud juz kick ur ass.. = P .. And at the end of the movie .. keep an eye out for sumone familiar to the " the fast and furious " franchise .. The storyline was ' nt all that but nonetheless .. the drift scenes were spectacular n the chicks were hot ! .. The upbeat music in this movie realli gets the vibe rolling n makes the whole movie experience an enjoyable one .. what more can i say .. Two thumbs up for Tokyo Drift ! I certainly hope this would not b the last movie from the franchise .. as im dying to see what 's to come ! 
This life will fade in time ~ . Bah ! ~ The hols are over .. kinda fast eh ? .. my hols were fine .. can b pretty dull at times .. but its back to school tml ... and ive yet to finish most of my hw .. which i neglectly dumped into my school bag . 2 nd term exams in 2 weeks .. and i havent realli studied .. screwed = X... i can't seem to find the motivation to start my engine .. blehh .. but it 's my final year ... so after all the freaking tests , exams and SPM ... it 's gonna be woot , wooooot and wooooooootttt !! = D but then again .. i wont be wearing uniforms ever again .. my school days would be over .. and ill miss Lodge ... i hope it ' ll miss me too = P . 
Counting the days .. Sorry for the lack of updates recently ... i was too lz to update ... keke ` Anyways , yesterday i went to club to play ball with the guys .. the weather was pretty hot ... but not skin - scorching hot .. Besides that .. we finally get to see and ride hng 's " baby " ... not that baby la !! tsk tsk .... his baby is his toyota hilux ... The cabin of the hilux is exceptionally big ... compared to other similar class vehicles ... but the ride was rather bumpy ... ur kacheng can " toing toing " one ... but all in all .. it 's a pretty gud car = DOn the lighter side of things , the opening match of the world cup will kick off in a couple of hrs .. The host nation , Germany will take on Costa Rica .. i hope the Germans will lose in front of their home crowd .. now , wouldnt that be nice = ) i wud assume that most clubs in kuching will be congested with ppl by then .. and of course .. the tenants will take this opportunity to increase the prices during this month - long world cup fever when u can see world - class players doing world - class shyt on world - class pitches = ) ... Im not much of a football fan ... but ill be supporting and rooting for England to win the world cup ... as will most Malaysians ... which is due to the popularity of the English Premier League among Malaysians ... The England squad looks pretty strong this time .. and they 're oozing with confidence ... A final between England and Brazil will be a classic ... as these two teams are argubly the hot favorites ... And speaking of England ... dun u juz love to see David Beckham in his tight jersey .. shoo sexayy ohh .... JKJK = PSchool , school , school .... sighh ... just 2 days left to go b 4 school reopens ... cant sleep at late hours and not waking up until noon ... And when school reopens .. the real deal begins ... exams in 2 weeks and SPM to worry abt .. kenot pray pray liaw = X. 
hehex . 1 . England has madcow , Hong Kong has Macau , Russia has Moscow , S ' pore has 2 famous cows - ' Cow - peh and cow - bo ' 2 . When ur life is in darkness ...... Pray 2 God and ask Him 2 free u from darkness ..... and If u r still in darkness .. Pls pay ur TNB bill .3 . When a man opens the door of his car for his wife , You can be sure of one thing ; Either the car is new or the wife .4 . An angry china man entered a shop and shouted : Where 's my free gift with this cooking oil ? Shopkeeper : What free gift ?? China man : Oi , here got put " Cholesterol FREE ! " 5 . If u need ADVICE , SMS ME , If u need DARLING , CALL ME , If u need HELP , E - MAIL ME , IF U NEED MONEY , Nombor yang anda dail , tiada dalam perkhidmatan kami , Terima Kasih . 
hmm . I finally watched X - Men 3 - The Last Stand the day before yesterday . I watched it with wun , ivan , jeremiah , dexter , mark , danny n kitty . The cinema was quite empty .. wondered why .. after all it 's the hols ... The movie was ' nt as gud as i tot i wud b ... it 's nice but not awesome .... the storyline is average ... N .. there 's this part whe Nnn N ... k la k la ... i dowan spoil the movie for those who have not watched it ... The best thing abt the movie was the special effects ... which they emphasized greatly in this so - called last movie for the X - men trilogy ... i hope there 's an X 4 tho ... Yesterday , i woke up so earlyy ...10 am .. and summore i slept at 5 am ... sha woke me up ... n asked me to go for massage ... then i was like ... h Aa ? ... * yawns , stretches , looks around sleepily * * glances at watch * ... so bloody early ... and i did ' nt want to get out of bed ... wanted to be a pig until noon .. I was ' nt realli into massages but i still went ... Hng picked me , brian , lils and sha and we went to beijing healing sth sth at RH plaza ... The ppl that ran the place all from china i think ... their mandarin so keng one ... not like mine ... i onli noe how to say " ta pien " " pen tan " " fan pi " heehee .... Onli sha brr and hng went for the massage .. me and lils chickened out ... lolz ... Brr 's and hng 's massage which was the full back massage i think .. it cost ard 30 plus ... sha 's foot massage was ard the same price as well ... Me and lils waited and chatted in the lounge for ard 45 mins ... After their massage .. they all felt so " song " .... and they told me they got their ass massaged : S .... am i suppose to b jealous ? .. LOL . i wud b if the masseur was jessica alba .. but i guess ill go on dreaming .. = P We had lunch at pandan thai delight and it was on sha ... Thanks Sha ! = ) .... the portions were kinda small ... but most of us were full ... the best dish was the soft - shell crab .. hng 's fav .. The price was quite reasonable ... as it 's a restaurant after all .. Later in the evening , i went to play ball at club .. there were many lodgians playing .. Did nothing much at nite .. slept kinda early .. coz i was exhausted i guess .. Sha 's currently in london i think ... simply indulging herself in labels like Louis Vuitton , Giorgio Armani , Versace , Gucci , Coach , Hermes , Burberry , Yves Saint Laurent .. u name it ... dun 4 get to get me sth yea ? .. keke .... pandan thai delight = ) the dent on hng 's merc ... bummer .... Today , i did nothing much .. so boreddd ... can't go out everyday mah .. alwez kenak kan and nagged .. hmp H ~ ... Later in the evening .. went to lok thian for a family dinner coz it was my sis 's bday ... Ha Ppy 21 st Bday ! ~ ..... And for all those who are celebrating Gawai tmr .. Selamat Hari Gawai !! ... bring on the tuak n bamboo chicken ! ... = Dhere 's the 2 songs i currently can't stop listening to ... Jolin Tsai - Pretend Armor for sleep - The Truth About Heaven . 
Oklahoma City Super Sonics . 	 I like the last one best . I think that the Sonics headquarters are in Oklahoma City , too . I could be wrong on that . But it 's interesting that they would be leaving Starbucks for Sonic , not that Sonic is buying the team but you get the comparison . Reading the early Seattle columnists say that little kids were standing outside with signs saying Don't trade a childhood to OK City is pretty sad though I guess . They have a year to work out a deal and the fans better support them in Seattle , just as the fans in Oklahoma City have to continue to support the Hornets . Nothing might look worse than if we have a large attendance slide next year because the Hornets won't be staying . But I don't think that will happen for OKC . I expect the great sports fans of Oklahoma City will continue to turn out in droves to see the games superstars . Kobe . Le Bron . Dwyane . Carmelo . Duncan . Shaq . The list is endless and will continue to grow . So , what 's the deal about them saying we will remain in the Pacific Northwest . Pacific Northwest , hunh ? Okay , if you say so . But you won't catch me complaining . 
Not a Foul ? 	 To all the Mavs fans bitchin about the refs " giving " this game to Miami , this picture should sum things up . To me that looks like a arm belonging to a Mav grasping on to a Heat player who has the ball . This would technically constitute a foul . Now it 's back to Dallas , with the Heat up 3 - 2 and one win away from the title . I could still care less who wins this series . I dislike both teams . But I think Dallas will take care of business on their homecourt the same way the Heat did . I would love to see it go 7 . Wade as been Jordanesque in his first finals , but homecourt looks like the most important advantage in this series . The Mavs pushed the Heat to overtime on their home court without Jerry Crackhouse . With him back for game 6 and it being played in Big D , I would be shocked if the Heat pull it out in 6 . If it goes 7 , it 's a toss up . 
NBA Draft Looms . 	 The 2006 NBA Draft is June 28 th . The Hornets have the 12 th and 15 th selections in the first round . We need a big man . I ' m hoping for Midwest City native and former Dukie Shelden Williams . 
Which is the better Eva ? 	 You ' d be hard pressed to find too many straight men complaining about either one , but it is my personal opinion that Eva Mendes is so much better looking than Eva Longoria . Yet in the recent Maxim Hot 100 Mendes is No. 27 and Longoria is the repeat No.1 I wish Maxim had a published their rating system because some don't make any sense . Jamie Lynn Sigler came in at 19 , one behind her airhead friend Ms. Jessica Simpson . Anyways , just wondering what some other people thought about the two Eva 's . 
Looking for a Church . 	 Anybody absolutely love their church and wanna let me know about it ? I ' m looking for a place that isn't too contemporary , i . e playing rock and roll songs as their praise and worship and one that isn't too conservative and stiff either . Also , a place where the people don't think going on trips to the Holy Land or showing pictures of themselves praying makes them a better Christian than everyone else . Jesus called these people Pharisees , people who go to high places and say ' Look at me , Look at me , I ' m praying . ' I think I ' m gonna try a new place every Sunday until I find a new place unless I get any suggestions . 
The REAL MVP . 	 Did anyone see the dunk Kobe put on " MVP " Steve Nash Wednesday night ? Gotta be the dunk of the year . Or at least of the young playoffs season . You gotta believe Kobe had the recent MVP snub on the back of his mind while he was posterizing Nash . The Suns - Lakers series is now tied 1 - 1 , going into tonight 's game in LA . Meanwile , the other LA team , the Clippers are leading their series 2 - 1 . A Clippers - Lakers Western Conference semi - finals is unheard of but it could happen if both teams can take care of business . Here 's hoping that happens . 
Rams 2006 Schedule . 	 Well , the NFL Draft is this weekend , and the Rammiesare picking 11 th . I ' ve seen some people projecting Jay Cutler , QB , Vanderbilt , with this pick and that 's what I would do too if I were GM for the day . Our current QB Marc Bulger can put up up Pro Bowl numbers and I like him calling the shots , but he has been injury prone the past two seasons . A steady back - up QB would help us a lot if we are in a playoff chase and Bulger goes down again . This year will be interesting . We have a new coach in Scott Linehan , who was last the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins . I ' m very glad to see Martz go , and have been ever since he decided to play for overtime in our 2004 playoff game with eventual NFC Champion , Carolina Panthers . We should have won that game . Freakin idiot ! Anyways , we ' ve added some key free agents and we ' ve also lost a couple , but I think we will have a shot at the playoffs this year , if , again , we can stay healthy at some key positions . This is a big year for Steven Jackson in my opinion , too . He needs to show more than what he has shown thus far . He will be THE feature back this year now that Marshall Faulk 's career is winding down and he needs to put up some numbers so teams don't continue to just key in on our potent passing attack . Here 's hoping our D improves some this year too . Other things I ' d like to see with the Rams this year : Go throwback every once in a while or change the uniforms please . I miss the uni 's we wore when we won the Super Bowl in ' 99 and that the team wore when it was still in L . A . Also , pick up some Sooners . Last year we had one former Sooner on the squad with Moore , OK native Corey Ivy only to see him sign elsewhere in the offseason . Personal favorites that I ' d like to see St. Louis go after would be J . D . Runnels , fullback and Dusty Dvoracek . Former Sooner receiver Travis Wilson would be a nice late round pick up as well , although we are pretty stacked at receiver with this team . Anyways , here 's this years schedule : 9 / 10 Denver Broncos 9 / 17 at San Francisco 49 ers 9 / 24 at Arizona Cardinals 10 / 1 Detroit Lions 10 / 8 at Green Bay Packers 10 / 15 Seattle Seahawks 10 / 29 at San Diego Chargers 11 / 5 Kansas City Chiefs 11 / 12 at Seattle Seahawks 11 / 19 at Carolina Panthers 11 / 26 San Francisco 49 ers 12 / 3 Arizona Cardinals 12 / 11 Chicago Bears 12 / 17 at Oakland Raiders 12 / 24 Washington Redskins 12 / 31 at Minnesota Vikings . 
Damn Ben and Jerry 's ! 	 DUBLIN ( Reuters ) - Ice cream makers Ben Tan " -- the nickname of a notoriously violent British militia that operated during Ireland 's war of independence . The ice cream , available only in the United States , is based on an ale and stout drink of the same name . " Any reference on our part to the British Army unit was absolutely unintentional and no ill - will was ever intended , " said a Ben Jerry 's was built on the philosophies of peace and love , " he added . The Black and Tans , so - called because of their two - tone uniforms , were recruited in the early 1920 s to bolster the ranks of the police force in Ireland as anti - British sentiment grew . They quickly gained a reputation for brutality and mention of the militia still arouses strong feelings in Ireland . " I can't believe that Ben Jerry 's , a unit of Anglo - Dutch consumer goods giant Unilever Plc , prides itself on its commitment to friendly business . Its mission statement includes a pledge to show " a deep respect for human beings inside and outside our company and for the communities in which they live . " Cherry Garcia " is still pretty clever , though . 
UCI 2.12 Ronde Van Vlaams Brabant . Tomorrow will be the first day of a five day stage race I am set to do . I have not be as punctual with my posting as I have in the past . The crew here has been in pure straight business mode getting ready for this race , the first stage race for the Cycling Center this year . In the past week or so I have done two preparation races , and prepared a TT bike . I now look forward to getting this race under way . The Vlaams Brabant is one of the more difficult 5 day races in Belgium . It basically tours the same Tour of Flanders cobbled climbs I have been racing on for the past 4 months . Picture it , five stages : first stage , fairly flat road race ; second stage , road race with the Boseberg six times ; third stage , 13 k TT with the Congleberg , and so on ... Its in a nutshell , the Tour of Flanders from Wendnesday to Sunday . Well , I suppose its about time I got some rest . I will be posting race reports in the evenings and racing in the day time -- sweet . Austerbleeft , Aaron . 
UCI 1.2 De Drie Zustersteden . This was a tough race and a hot race , around 37 degrees Celsius or near 100 degrees fareghnhiet . It was a particularly tough day for me . I hit the pavement at about an hour and a half into the race and though I got back onto the bike but I couldn't catch the group again . Don't worry , I ' m okay , no broken bones , no damaged muscles , just a bit of skin missing on one side of my body , and the bike is just fine as well which surprised me . Doing a race with the National Team was a good opportunity , but I found out that it is really just the same as racing with the Cycling Center . The other guys from the National Team who were racing with me did no better than the Cycling Center guys who were also in the race . This is not out of the ordinary either , I ' ve seen the National Team at a lot of the UCI races I ' ve been doing and none of their riders have done anything above and beyond what my teammates and I have done . Thus , I ' m not too bummed that I crashed out of the race . Bernard knows what I can do and he seems to know just about everybody , that and I have more than enough support here at the Cycling Center to get where I want to go in this sport . As I said it was a hard race , all the big pro development teams were there , so we were going over 30 mph for the first hour . I was feeling good and making my way up to the front from my poor starting position . It took me 10 miles to move up properly . I did make it to the front , but when I finale did there was a group of 18 guys up the road . I then began to bridge up to that group with five other guys . This was when I crashed . I was still feeling good , and riding right at the back of my six man group , doing about 37 - 40 mph , going real hard with my head down when I hit some pothole in the road . My handle bars unexpectedly jerked from my grip and I was thrown from my bike . Before I knew it I was on my back in the middle of the road and here comes the main group , luckily the group was far enough behind me when I crashed that they could avoid running into me . I then picked myself up and did my best to reach the group again to no avail . I was able to ride around and watch the end of the race but none of the Cycling Center or National Team riders made it to the finish , actually only about 25 riders did finish and they were in small groups . I am set to do another UCI race this Saturday , and my first big stage race will be in a couple more weeks . We are all here enjoying the Fourth of July here though , so have a happy 4 th and look for another post soon . Cheers , Aaronps . It was my good friend , Justin Grisham 's birthday on the 3 rd . Me and him spent our first junior years cycling together under the coaching of another good friend of mine , Dale Brigham . Justin is 20 years old , and we wouldn't both be racing here in Belgium together without Dale helping us through those early years . Thanks again Dale . 
UCI 1.2 De Drie Zustersteden . The De Drie Zustersteden , a flat fast race of about 170 km , is my next scheduled race . The UCI calendar lists this race on July 2 nd , tomorrow . That 's right , that makes it my second Belgian UCI 1.2 race in five days . They must be getting me ready for stage races or something . The legs feel good , racing is as fun as ever , and there 's no rain in sight , nothing but the pleasant routine of preparation . The second note of this race however is that I will be doing this race on the US National Team . The National Team invites riders from the Cycling Center to do a race with them fairly frequently and this time I was invited . Nevertheless , this will just be another race for me , a high ranking race as it is , because though this is on paper a great opportunity it takes me away from the race support staff I have been working with all season and throws me in with riders I have never met let alone raced with . In any case this course sounds like it should suit my strengths decently and who knows , I ' ll just have to play the cards and learn all I can . Bigger the race , Bigger the fun , Aaron . 
UCI 1.2 Internationale Wielertrofee Jong Maar Moedig I. W . T . I am set the UCI 1.2 IWT road race tomorrow . The route will include the Muur , the Boseberg , as well as the several other famous climbs I did way back when in the Zelick Galmarden which was the first UCI race I did here in Belgium some three months ago . Gee , has it been that long ? I was able to recon the route yesterday with the team and those climbs look just as impressive as when I first saw them . I am in real good spirits since that last kermis I did , and I am ready to go enjoy myself tomorrow . The legs are good , the bike is good , the weather is good , life is good . Another note , I found out I get to stay and race here until Sept. 20 th , so you won't see me until late September . That and as everyone knows the Tour will be starting this weekend and the July 5 th stage starts in Huy , Belgium . Thus , Bernard and Ann will be taking the gang down to Huy on the 5 th to see it . A fine race to enjoy tomorrow , stay tuned ! Aaron . 
fitter , happier ... more productivecomfortablenot drinking too muchregular exercise at the gym ( 3 days a week ) getting on better with your associate employee contemporariesat easeeating well ( no more microwave dinners and saturated fats ) a patient better drivera safer car ( baby smiling in back seat ) sleeping well ( no bad dreams ) no paranoiacareful to all animals ( never washing spiders down the plughole ) keep in contact with old friends ( enjoy a drink now and then ) will frequently check credit at ( moral ) bank ( hole in wall ) favours for favoursfond but not in lovecharity standing orderson sundays ring road supermarket ( no killing moths or putting boiling water on the ants ) car wash ( also on sundays ) no longer afraid of the darkor midday shadowsnothing so ridiculously teenage and desperatenothing so childishat a better paceslower and more calculatedno chance of escapenow self - employedconcerned ( but powerless ) an empowered and informed member of society ( pragmatism not idealism ) will not cry in publicless chance of illnesstires that grip in the wet ( shot of baby strapped in back seat ) a good memorystill cries at a good filmstill kisses with salivano longer empty and franticthe ability to laugh at weaknesscalmfitter , healthier and more productivea pigin a cageon antibiotics . 
The Best Feeling In the World ... ... is when I ' m eating a 5 piece nugget from Wendy 's , and I forget how many I ' ve eaten . I think to myself , " have I eaten 4 ? or 5 ? " I then reach into the bag , and discover that I still have one left ! That 's the best feeling in the world ( and the worst feeling is when I reach into the bag and find that I ' ve already eaten all 5 . Then I just want to kill myself ) . 
Breakin ' All the Rules . By my God I can leap over a wall . Ps . 18:29 For truly , I say to you , if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed , you will say to this mountain , ' Move from here to there , ' and it will move , and nothing will be impossible for you . " Matt . 17:22 " And whatever you ask in prayer , you will receive , if you have faith . " Matt . 21:22 He has granted us his precious and very great promises , so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature . 2 Pet . 1:4 I long to , by faith in God s promises , join Him in breaking the laws in which He created . The laws of logic and the laws of morality exist because they reflect the thinking and character of God . God cannot act contrary to His character . God cannot act illogically ; He defines logic . God cannot act immorally ; He defines morality . Therefore , it is irrational to say that God could break one of His laws of logic or morality , since whatever He does is the standard of both . The laws of science ( laws that describe how matter operates in space and time ) , however , are created ( along with space and time ) . It could be said that the laws of logic and morality are eternal , along with God s character . The laws of science are not . The laws of science reflect His character , but His character does not necessarily define them , since they are in fact created laws that govern created matter . These laws are not set in stone like the laws of logic and morality . God and man ( with help from God ) at times have broken the laws of science ( i . e . , miracles ) . In fact , the breaking of these laws has played an important role in Biblical history . Prophets , Jesus , and Apostles frequently broke the laws of science in order to verify their ministry as being of God ( of course we no longer need these types of miracles , since we have the verified Word of God ) . Jesus said that with enough faith , we too could break these laws . Question : Is it possible to have enough faith to join God and other Biblical men in breaking the laws of science ? Most Christians would answer no . I suppose Jesus DID use this illustration to show how weak our faith truly is , but after all , we ARE partakers of the divine nature . Is there a limit to how much faith we may be granted ? I think not . We too often cap our abilities in Christ and our new divine nature , whether it is the amount of faith we possess , or the level of joy we attain ( have you ever realized that there is no limit to the joy we may have in our limitless God ? ! ? ) Will we with our faith move mountains ? I m not quite expecting it , but I certainly will dare not rule it out . David 's God allowed him to break the laws of gravity and leap over a wall . Joshua 's God allowed him to command the sun and moon . Our God could allow us to do equally supernatural acts . Christ said that if we have faith , we can ask for ANYTHING we want . What could be more exciting than that ! ? By faith in God s promises , we are able to break through the realm of human nature and experience into the divine - a place that is infinitely happy , restful , and comfortable . This is where I long to live . You may now have concluded that I m out of my mind , but could a partaker of the divine nature living amongst merely human natured people seem perfectly sane ? Since faith is a gift , one could only imagine what supernatural and amazing things could happen if Christians began begging God for the faith to take Him at his Word and believe His promises . Let s open our eyes ! Let s see beyond human nature and experiences and by faith begin to live in the supernatural realm . Let s pray for enough faith to actually believe in the power we have as Christians . We do have it , we simply must believe it . I think it s high time we stop limiting our new nature , and by faith in God s precious and very great promises begin to experience life in Christ in a very supernatural and infinitely joyful and beautiful way . ( is my type obvious ? ) . 
Marching Bands of Manhattan . If I could open my arms And span the length of the isle of Manhattan , I ' d bring it to where you are , Making a lake of the East River and Hudson . If I could open my mouth Wide enough for a marching band to march out , They would make your name sing , And bend through alleys and bounce off all the buildings . I wish we could open our eyes To see in all directions at the same time . Oh what a beautiful view , If you were never aware of what was around you . And it is true what you said , That I live like a hermit in my own head . But when the sun shines again , I ' ll pull the curtains and blinds to let the light in . Sorrow drips into your heart through a pinhole , Just like a faucet that leaks , And there is comfort in the sound . But while you debate half empty or half full , It slowly rises , Your love is gonna drown . - Ben Gibbard Now just imagine what beauty Mr. Gibbard could write of , if only he knew the perfect standard of beauty . 
" Follow Me To [ Faith in ] Freedom ! " . Tonight I was speaking ( more accurately , arguing ) with someone about the struggles of the Christian life . I told her that I thought she was trying too hard . She said , " Aaron , the Christian life is suppose to be hard . God never said it was gonna be easy . " [ clearly a product of fundamentalism ] Thanks to a book that I recently began reading , God immediately brought to my mind Matthew 11:28 - 30 . I read it to her : Come to me , all who labor and are heavy laden , and I will give you rest . Take my yoke upon you , and learn from me , for I am gentle and lowly in heart , and you will find rest for your souls . FOR MY YOKE IS EASY , AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT . I believe with all my heart that the Christian life was intended to be easy , not hard or burdensome . The only reason it becomes hard is because we sometimes doubt that truth . We sometimes actually think that to follow Christ we have to restrain ourselves . We then need to be reminded that Christ is rest and freedom and joy and a very light burden . To follow Christ we must not restrain ourselves , but fulfill ourselves . We go to the Fountain of Living Water to drink and be filled , not to remain thirsty . As I study the scriptures , I ' m discovering that everywhere I turn this truth is prominent - from Genesis to Revelations . My very good friend then said , " I know that the Christian life as a whole is joyous and freeing , but this trial that I ' m going through is very hard , and that 's how God intended it to be . " I then reminded her of James 1:3 - 4 : Count it all joy , my brothers , when you meet trials of various kinds , for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness . And let steadfastness have its full effect , that you may be perfect and complete , lacking in nothing . Yes , sometimes trials are hard , overbearing , and burdensome - but only because of our lack of faith and wrong thinking . James ' remedy for getting through trials is considering it a joy . WE ARE FREE ! We return to bondage when we stop having faith in the fact that we are free - when we stop believing that His yoke is easy and His burden is light . Freedom is so wonderful . So is faith in freedom . 
Fun day at the beach ! Well , it 's been a long time since I have posted anything on here , I ' ve been busy and the internet has been crazy . Today I went to the town of Empire , about 20 or so minutes from Interlochen . The town is in The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore . The Dunes might not look that big in my pics , but there were people on them about mid - ways up when I took the pics ... can you find them ? The Dunes are probably 100 feet of better in height . As you will see the beach looks a lot like the beach by the ocean , just without the salt , and fish , and sharks ... there was one little ell , but I was told they are harmless in the Lake , it was all of 4 inches long . Well here are the pics from the day .... It was a fun one ... the best so far ! Well the pic thing is down for now .... I ' ll post them as soon as possible . 
They 're almost here ! Tomorrow morning all the campers and the rest of the staff will begin to arrive .... of course I have to work this day , lol . I believe the count is around 2000 kids and probably another 500 employees , which brings the total number of people here to around 3000 ish . Eric arrived last night , Thursday and we went to dinner , it was nice to have someone to do something with as Claire and Matt have been very busy with their counselor duties . I work tomorrow - Monday and I ' m off Tuesday and Thursday of this coming week .... so I should have some pictures to post from my explorations . 
Day 6 . Well , it is now the end of my sixth day at Interlochen . I am really starting to love it here , I ' ve met lots of really nice people , and I have learned the computer software pretty well at work . I work tomorrow , Wed . from 12 - 8:30 and then I get Thursday and Friday off . I plan to do some exploring in and around Traverse City on those days , so you for some pictures to be posted soon ! Love you all and miss you , but I ' m having a great time ! 
Interlochen Day 6 . Well I ' m starting to get into the swing of things here at camp . Work is going well and is a lot easier than the training day . I thought it would be nice to show you all where I live , so the pics are of my dorm ..... it 's nice .... except for the last 2 days we ' ve had no hot water .... which sucks . I assumed like everyone else I guess that it would be fixed , but when I checked this morning no one had reported it .. so I DID !!! I ' m not taking another cold shower when it 's 48 degrees outside , lol . Most of the staff have arrived now and the faculty should be arriving soon . I ' m looking forward to Dr. Bara , Eric and Erica arriving since that will give me some people to hang out with while all my new counselor friends are busy . I work today 6 / 20 and tomorrow from 12 - 8:30 , then I have Thursday and Friday off ..... I ' ll probably ride into Traverse City to check the town out more . 
We 're here ! Well ..... I ' m now in my 4 th day of my summer adventure in Northern Michigan . The ride up was fairly uneventful .... except for a roll of carpet in the middle of I - 440 . We arrived in Lansing around 8 pm on Wednesday night and our stay with Mrs. Bara was wonderful . The weather has been nice so far , but today 6 / 17 it supposed to be around 90 or above but at night it has been in the 40 's and 50 's which makes sleeping without air just fine ! The camp looks exactly like a summer camp from a tv show or movie . There are lots of trees , rock , wooden and cinderblock buildings and of course BUGS !!! Traverse City is a beautiful place with a very nice downtown area that has lots of local shops and restaurants . The town is on Grand Traverse Bay which is part of Lake Michigan , I ' ll post some pictures of it when I go down to the beach there . I think I ' m really going to like my job , still learning the computer program right now , but I work 8 hours tomorrow so I should get to use it plenty . I hope you are all having a great summer and I love you . 
4 am . Well , it 's 4 am and Matt and Claire and myself are about to depart for our journey to Interlochen via Lansing and the home of the Bara family . We are all excited and ready to experience all the camp and the surrounding area has to offer . 
Kona Roadways Meeting . I attended the roadway meeting last night mentioned in this WHT article today . I was able to talk to the county engineers that I speak to on a regular basis , which was nice . I was able to get some hand outs on these projects too . Which I haven't had a chance to go completely through . Hopefully these projects will be able to be moved forward expeditiously to help alleviate the traffic mess we are in . 
Sushine Law Violation In Regards To Hawaii County Council . According to Ian Lind 's blog the State of Hawaii Office of Information Practices issued an opinion that the Hawaii County Council violated the Hawaii Sunshine Laws when they amended their March 1 st 2006 agenda to add an executive session relating to the proposed ( at the time ) Hokulia settlement . 
More Local Election News . There was two WHT articles here and here . One of the articles covered the local races and the other covered the state legislature races . Nothing terribly exciting frankly . It should get more interesting as the election gets closer though . My hope is that all of the ineffectual incumbents gets voted out of office . 
Lack Of Asphalt Delaying Roadway Projects . Interesting article in WHT about local roadway improvements being delayed due to the recent statewide asphalt shortage . Some of the highlights of the article include : " Public Works crews completed repaving between Waimea Elementary School and Lalamilo Farm Lots , as well as between Kamamalu Road and Mokuloa Drive near the Mana Road junction . But the department is waiting for a shipment of asphalt to complete the $ 1.2 million project from Lalamilo to Mud Lane . " " In Waimea , Whittington said motorists should anticipate delays of 45 minutes to an hour when the resurfacing starts up again , hopefully on July 29 . She said cross - island commuters should consider using Saddle Road as an alternative . " " At Kona Coastview , Isemoto Contracting Co. will conduct resurfacing today from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Work is scheduled to begin with Nana Street , followed by Kauhale , Kauwila , Holu , Kiekie and Hookumu streets . Then working from top to bottom and south to north , mauka - makai roads Ahikawa Street , Ahualani Street and Loloa Drive will be paved . " " On Kuakini Highway , Hawaii Dredging and Construction work continues 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays . The $ 17.5 million project to widen the highway to four lanes and install sidewalks began in November 2004 and is slated for completion by October . " . 
Several Politicians Running Unopposed . Thats according to this WHT article . There is five local races that the politicians will be running unopposed ( Angel Pilago , Russell Kokubun , Jerry Chang , Dwight Takamine , and finally Donald Ikeda ) . On the flip side there is ten local races that politicians will be not unopposed . The WHT article details that facet succinctly ... It should be interesting how all these races play out though . 
Saddle Road Update . From saddleroad . com : UPDATE July 2006 Saddle Road Construction Project The Federal Highway Administration Central Federal Lands Highway Division ( CFLHD ) , in cooperation with the Hawaii Department of Transportation and the Department of the Army , has awarded a $ 59 million contract to Goodfellow Brothers , Inc. of Waikoloa Hawaiifor construction of 16 miles of Saddle Road in the County of Hawaii . The plans and specifications for the project were developed by Okahara & Associates , Inc. of Hilo Hawaii . What is this project ? This is the third phase of Saddle Road construction that has been awarded to date but it is the first one that will impact commuter and tourist traffic traveling on Saddle Road . This project includes paving of 7 miles of recently constructed graded roadway between the Mauna Kea observatory access road at mile marker 28 and the Mauna Kea State Park at mile marker 35 , and also reconstruction of 9 miles of existing Saddle Road between mile markers 19 and 28 . Motorists will experience periodic congestion and delays due to ongoing construction and equipment entering and leaving the roadway . 
Waikoloa Highlands . There was article in the Honolulu Advertiser yesterday in regards to the proposed Waikoloa Highlands project . At build out , it will have 400 homes over 732 acres , with possibly a golf course . One of the major hurdles this project will have to pass is changing the designation of the land from the Agriculture District to the Rural District . I personally hope this developer helps improve the infrastructure in the Waikoloa area as one of the conditions of allowing this project to move forward . 
Attention Natives . Current Darfur Statistics - The death toll has reached up to 400,000 people since February 2003 - More than 500 people die each day , 15,000 each month - More than 2.5 million people have been driven from their homes - More than 200,000 have fled to refugee camps in neighboring Chad - As many as 1 million civilians could die in Darfur from lack of food and from disease within coming months - 80 % of the children under five years old are suffering from severe malnutrition and many are dying each day - Humanitarian aid organizations have access to only 20 % of those affectedhttp : // www . alertnet . org / db / crisisprofiles / SD _ DAR . htm . 
An open letter to Grandpa Hutter . I sent this to him over 8 months ago for his birthday and it just seemed appropriate to post it today . It was read at his birthday party late last year . ============================== Dear Grandpa Hutter , I ' m not sure if you know how much you mean to me and how much I love you since I don't always do the best job of showing it so I thought I ' d put some of these thoughts down in a letter to better articulate them . From the time I was a small child I have memories of visits to Grandma and Grandpa Hutter 's house . There 's a funny thing that I hadn't really thought about that much before until now . I always always looked forward to those visits . I had friends that had weird families , or grandparents that made them uncomfortable or just didn't seem to care and therefore never were too excited about the planned family trips to see their extended family . This was never the case for me , a child l never wavered in my excitement to visit Ontario , California . Since this is your birthday party and all I guess I better get a bit more specific about just what it is you mean to me . I think you 're an amazing example of what a father and a family patriarch should be . You should consider it no small thing that all four of your children have turned out to be God fearing and loving parents themselves that lead their families by example . It doesn't take a genius to see where their example came from . I always think back to our time at Apple Farm with all the Hutters ( and ex hutters ) gathered around Tom and Francis 's hotel room looking through albums and sharing memories of you and Grandma . Rummaging through scraps of letters and photographs of the legacy that you would build through your marriage and your family . Seeing all of your children and grandchildren laughing and crying remembering your lives together made me realize that this is what I want some day . I want to be like my Grandpa Hutter . You have always been a rock of faith for this foundation because you seem to posses the unwavering and undeniable knowledge that God has his best in mind for you and your family . That as sons and daughters of the Father we 're supposed to live that out here on Earth . I think you are living it out by treating your family and friends with the same grace and patience that God freely extends to us . I always liked that you never talked down to me , even as 5 or 6 year old you still engaged in conversation and asked me questions . I could tell that you were interested in me and that you loved me . Not once in my 24 years of life have I ever doubted this . You 're always wanting to know what 's new in my life and you make me feel very valued and I know that I ' m loved by you . Your life story is a testament to the faithfulness of the God that you serve . Whether in sickness , poverty or despair the one thing that Mom has always told me that in all situations you rely on him for your strength and understanding no matter what the outcome may be . This is a good lesson for me to learn as well . I guess it 's just the way that life goes , at least in this country , that the natural tendency of family is to end up with distance as the primary obstacle to spending time together . I can't really say whether I ' m sad at the thought of having spent most of my years growing up in a state separate from most of my family . I might get jealous at times of those I know that do have their extended family within a 20 minute drive . But I do know that if nothing else the distance has helped to preserve feeling of excitement that accompanies getting ready to head down to Ontario , California . I love you very much Grandpa . Happy Birthday . Aaron . 
Bad News . Even when I find myself prepared for bad news I m not sure that is always helps . When it comes to unexpected stress and bad news with grandparents my family has had it s share in the last month . It all started with my mom s dad waking up one morning paralyzed from the waist down and will be for the rest of his life . The doctors are baffled and the family is crushed . My grandpa is the strong one , he s the provider , he s the one that looks after my grandma as they are both in the twilight of their lives . Due to having tuberculosis when he 17 he only has one lung . His upper body strength isn t nearly enough to lift himself in and out of a wheelchair . My grandma can t drive because she can t see . It s a pretty bleak situation and I m watching it take a toll on my mom . Just yesterday we come to find out that my Dad s mom has terminal pancreatic cancer and won t live much longer . This is a , dare I say it , blessing in disguise as she s been battling pain and illness constantly for the last three years with no relief . Due to poor diet , exercise and other life choices she doesn t have the strength to survive much less enjoy life anymore . And yet in all this I find God . I see him when I hear of my grandpa s demeanor throughout this whole process . The way that he still adamantly claims that God is good ( because he is ) and is the only one that seems to be a rock in the storm that has hit the Hutter family . He truly believes that God has a purpose in all of this and it isn t his job to question it . I m not sure that I could handle it the way that he is but I guess there s something to be said for the grace that God gives us while we re suffering . I find God in my Dad s attitude of wanting peace and rest for his mother and for his dad to have his life back again . It s going to be terribly difficult there is not question but in the end he s told me that this is what he believes is best . While I ve described my family s feelings on the subject I haven t quite processed all of this myself yet . I m still struggling with it . 
I repent . " That servant who knows his master 's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows . But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows . From everyone who has been given much , much will be demanded ; and from the one who has been entrusted with much , much more will be asked . " ~ Luke 12:47 - 48 I have a confession to make about my weakness in an area that I , and I think others tend to get a bit touchy over . This is the spiritual gift of tithing . I am so horrible at this that it boggles the mind . My giving is incredibly inconsistent and this is not a good thing . I have this idea of possession and ownership of my money and treat it as something that was mine to begin with . This is neither true biblically or practically . None of the things that I own actually belong to me , there s nothing that I can do even in a physical sense to hold on to these things even if I wanted to . I have no guarantee that what I have today is going to be here tomorrow . Regardless of whether I believe in God I have no consolation that my house isn t going to catch fire , I might get fired from my job and my car get stolen all while unknown to me my bank accounts are being liquidated by some thirteen year old that is tech savvy and has my account numbers . So I need to learn to view my things as something that I don t put too much stock or security in . I have them today and that s all I m guaranteed of . Knowing this in my head and living it out practically are very different thing . So if I believe this to be true why do I have things in the first place ? I have them to so I can bless others , so I can give my first fruits to God and to the poor . This is something that I fail to do and I need to repent of it . So what better place than the internet right ? With that said I have noticed a trend from month to month when I am wrapped up in myself and holding onto my cash and not giving of my resources in the way that I should . I usually don t hold onto it anyway . I m not saying that God is smiting me , maybe he is , but there is a direct correlation in my life between me not giving money to others and me losing money in frustrating and often painful ways . A bounced check here and there adds up ( $ 100 ) , I get a traffic ticket ( $ 160 ) , my MP 3 player dies out of the blue ( $ 200 ) , and the list goes on . It s so frustrating and yet I don t think I have anyone to blame but myself . I m not saying that these things wouldn t have happened if I had been giving my resources consistently as I know I should but I do know that I wouldn t have the guilt that I have right now had I known that when I had the most financially I was using it to glorify God and to love other people . If this makes any sense to any of you that read this ( all three of you ) please let me know your thoughts or inform me of the fact that I have indeed been acting silly . I repent of this because I view it as a weakness in my life and I want to do better . Not out of guilt , but because I know that it s the right thing to do . There is a lot to be for simplicity . In my life I have noticed that when I have the least distraction and have a pathetically undersized balance in my bank account is usually when I feel the most free . That s weird . 
Just Friends . A woman has a close male friend . This means that he is probably interested in her , which is why he hangs around so much . She sees him strictly as a friend . This always starts out with , you 're a great guy , but I don't like you in that way . This is roughly the equivalent for the guy of going to a job interview and the company saying , You have a great resume , you have all the qualifications we are looking for , but we 're not going to hire you . We will , however , use your resume as the basis for comparison for all other applicants . But , we 're going to hire somebody who is far less qualified and is probably an alcoholic . And if he doesn't work out , we ' ll hire somebody else , but still not you . In fact , we will never hire you . But we will call you from time to time to complain about the person that we hired . 
If it bleeds it .... doesn't lead ? Sometimes I think the media is going to give people whiplash from the way it jumps from story to story every day . News as business and entertainment always will mean that people get forgotten in conflicts and those that watch the news will continue to view news as entertainment and not something they should care about . This isn't to say that what 's happening in Lebanon isn't horrible and heartbreaking . Who needs to pay attention to Iraq when you ' ve got a new war ? Also don't worry about Somolia , Sudan , or Congo . Everything is just fine . 
Libby . Libby is on her way to Boston to do her post graduate studies in history . Seemingly forever , but not really , removed from our ritual Sunday gathering at the Horse Brass and no longer present at Apotheke as the friendly face behind the bar . I lament that I only had a little over a year to get to know this girl . Thanks for being a great friend and the best bartender a guy could ask for . You will be missed . 
True Fasting . Isaiah 58 has become possibly my most highly esteemed chapter in the Bible . I love the imagery and the challenge of God to his people as to what it means to be in relationship with him and what he desires for his people . I ' d love to know your thoughts . True Fasting 1 " Shout it aloud , do not hold back . Raise your voice like a trumpet . Declare to my people their rebellion and to the house of Jacob their sins . 2 For day after day they seek me out ; they seem eager to know my ways , as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God . They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them . 3 ' Why have we fasted , ' they say , ' and you have not seen it ? Why have we humbled ourselves , and you have not noticed ? ' " Yet on the day of your fasting , you do as you please and exploit all your workers . 4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife , and in striking each other with wicked fists . You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high . 5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen , only a day for a man to humble himself ? Is it only for bowing one 's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes ? Is that what you call a fast , a day acceptable to the LORD ? 6 " Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen : to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke , to set the oppressed free and break every yoke ? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter when you see the naked , to clothe him , and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood ? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn , and your healing will quickly appear ; then your righteousness [ a ] will go before you , and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard . 9 Then you will call , and the LORD will answer ; you will cry for help , and he will say : Here am I. " If you do away with the yoke of oppression , with the pointing finger and malicious talk , 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed , then your light will rise in the darkness , and your night will become like the noonday . 11 The LORD will guide you always ; he will satisfy your needs in a sun - scorched land and will strengthen your frame . You will be like a well - watered garden , like a spring whose waters never fail . 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age - old foundations ; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls , Restorer of Streets with Dwellings . 13 " If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day , if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD 's holy day honorable , and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words , 14 then you will find your joy in the LORD , and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob . " The mouth of the LORD has spoken . 
People . " People are unreasonable , illogical , and self - centered . Love them anyway . If you do good , people may accuse you of selfish motives . Do good anyway . If you are successful , you may win false friends and true enemies . Succeed anyway . The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow . Do good anyway . Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable . Be honest and transparent anyway . What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight . Build anyway . People who really want help may attack you if you help them . Help them anyway . Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt . Give the world your best anyway . " ~ Mother Teresa . 
Beau . I had a good friend Beau in junior high . He was a good kid that just wanted people to like him and didn't have a great home life . It 's sad to see how things turn out . http : // web 4 . co. clackamas . or . us / mrm / 1914 . html During this robbery event , both suspects brandished semi - automatic style handguns and forced entry into a residence by smashing a rear sliding glass door . Upon entering this residence the suspects encountered the two occupants of this residence , and while controlling the two victims at gunpoint ; proceeded to remove items of value from the home . The two suspects then commandeered the victim 's vehicle from the residence ; which facilitated their escape with the stolen residential items of value . This vehicle was soon recovered , unoccupied , approximately two miles from the crime scene in a Clackamas , residential neighborhood . The second suspect , Beau Lyons is in custody at this time and lodged in the Clackamas County Jail . Lyons was arrested earlier this morning by Major Crimes Unit investigators , without incident , while hiding in bed with a girlfriend at the residential address of 14040 SE Matilda Drive , in the Milwaukie area . 
Blatant Stupidity in Leadership . It 's a bit late but better late than never . Please take the time to read this guy 's comments on " The Internet " . I promise you won't be disappointed . ============================ Thursday , 29 June 2006 Your Own Personal Internet The Senate Commerce Committee deadlocked 11 to 11 on an amendment inserting some very basic net neutrality provisions into a moving telecommunications bill . The provisions didn't prohibit an ISP from handling VOIP faster than emails , but would have made it illegal to handle its own VOIP packets faster than a competitor 's . Senator Ted Stevens ( R - Alaska ) explained why he voted against the amendment and gave an amazing primer on how the internet works . There 's one company now you can sign up and you can get a movie delivered to your house daily by delivery service . Okay . And currently it comes to your house , it gets put in the mail box when you get home and you change your order but you pay for that , right . But this service isn't going to go through the interent and what you do is you just go to a place on the internet and you order your movie and guess what you can order ten of them delivered to you and the delivery charge is free . Ten of them streaming across that internet and what happens to your own personal internet ? I just the other day got , an internet was sent by my staff at 10 o ' clock in the morning on Friday and I just got it yesterday . Why ? Because it got tangled up with all these things going on the internet commercially . So you want to talk about the consumer ? Let 's talk about you and me . We use this internet to communicate and we aren't using it for commercial purposes . We aren't earning anything by going on that internet . Now I ' m not saying you have to or you want to discrimnate against those people [ ... ] The regulatory approach is wrong . Your approach is regulatory in the sense that it says " No one can charge anyone for massively invading this world of the internet " . No , I ' m not finished . I want people to understand my position , I ' m not going to take a lot of time . [ ? ] They want to deliver vast amounts of information over the internet . And again , the internet is not something you just dump something on . It 's not a truck . It 's a series of tubes . And if you don't understand those tubes can be filled and if they are filled , when you put your message in , it gets in line and its going to be delayed by anyone that puts into that tube enormous amounts of material , enormous amounts of material . Now we have a separate Department of Defense internet now , did you know that ? Do you know why ? Because they have to have theirs delivered immediately . They can't afford getting delayed by other people . [ ... ] Now I think these people are arguing whether they should be able to dump all that stuff on the internet ought to consider if they should develop a system themselves . Maybe there is a place for a commercial net but it 's not using what consumers use every day . It 's not using the messaging service that is essential to small businesses , to our operation of families . The whole concept is that we should not go into this until someone shows that there is something that has been done that really is a viloation of net neutraility that hits you and me . The full audio can be found here . 
A full day . Well I guess now would be as good a time as any to recap the day that I had yesterday . I arrived in Geneva at 9:00 local time on Friday . After 17 hours of travel I actually felt pretty good . This was nice in light of the fact that for the majority of our flight over the Atlantic there were little kids that didn t seem to like being on an airplane and were making a point of letting everyone else know how displeased they were to be there . Thank goodness for earplugs and Tylenol PM . I think when it was all said and done I got about four hours sleep . I hopped onto a train from the airport and six minutes later I was in the middle of what is easily the most amazing city I have ever seen in my life . I felt particularly fortunate that the city still seemed to be in slumber and I was going to be able to observe the calm before the inevitable storm . I found my hostel with ease , threw my stuff in a locker washed my face and I was off . Now where I was off to I had absolutely no clue but I was going to get there . Unlike many travelers I didn t have the foresight to bring a guidebook along with me , but from what I d seen online and where I knew I was going it didn t seem to be relevant . This ended up being the case , truth be told Geneva isn t a very large city and with a walking map and general brochure you re good to go . So I made my first stop the United Nations , specifically I ended up at the UNHCR building ( United Nations Center for Refugees ) . I can t remember what the H stands for . Long story short I ended up attending a seminar about refugees and the war in Sudan and Darfur . Longer story still I ended up meeting with the Sudanese ambassador to the United Nations . Cool . After that it was time to right the train through town and see the sights as it were . After a while I stopped feeling the need to take pictures . When everything around you is so quaint and beautiful it starts to look the same after about 50 photographs . It was a good time to walk , read and get my finger on the pulse of this amazing city . I can t get over how many nations are present here in this city living and working with each other . It is easily the most international metropolis on the face of the planet . I love it . And let s not forget football , the real football . It s World Cup over here and everyone is absolutely mad for it . Flags are draped from balconies , pubs are full of crowds chanting Goalo , Goalo ! . My first introduction to World Cup was in one of the city s large parks where a festival for world cup runs for the entire month . You have about 30 tents of food vendors and bars surrounding a giant jumbotron television that plays the games all day long . After that at around 6 in the evening it was on to a local british pub for a pint and to watch the Netherlands play Ivory Coast . Long story short , again , I ended up making friends with a group of ex - pats and we watched the next two games and chatted the night away and ended up at the music festival that going on here for the weekend . Good times , and a full day . Time for another . 
This song kicks my ass. It 's called Poor Man 's House by Patty Griffin ( Thanks Glad ! ) . If you haven't heard it take a second to listen to it . It pretty much sums up why I feel called to relief / development internationally . Rarely does a song make me cry but this one gets to me every time I listen to it . I think I ' ve listened to it at least 30 times now . Lyrics are below the link to the file ... shhhh don't tell anyone I ' m hosting it . http : // www . supload . com / listen ? s = S 4 Ff SW 5 N 7 Fl Poor Man 's House You know you ' ve done enough when every bone is sore You know you ' ve prayed enough when you don't ask any more You know you 're coming to some kind of understanding When every dream you ' ve dreamed has passed and you 're still standing Mama says God tends to every little skinny sheep So count your ribs and say your prayers and get to sleep Nothing is louder to god 's ears than a poor mans sorrow Daddy is poor today and he will be poor tomorrow Hey that 's the poor man 's house Everybody get a look at the poor man 's house Everywhere they went before must have turned them out And now they 're living in a poor man 's house There 's nothing like poverty to get you into heaven They got a lot of wine and fish up there And the bread 's unleavened They got a lot of ears that heard a whip go crack Lots of missing toes and fingers and scars upon their backs Daddy 's been working too much for days and days He doesn't eat He never says much but I think this time it 's got him beat It isn't that he isn't strong or kind or clever Your daddy 's poor today And he will be poor forever Tey that 's the poor man 's house Those kids are living in a poor man 's house They walk to school with the soles of their shoes worn out And come home in the evening to the poor man 's house What are you chopping that wood for Why are you growing that corn Mama 's sewing a brand new shirt and You 're wearing the one that 's torn I guess it 's for some one elses kid who wasn't born In a poor man 's house Hey take a look at that house Everybody we 're living in a poor man 's house Seems like everywhere we go they find us out Find out that we ' ve been living in a poor man 's house . 
Thank God . " The leader of the largest rebel faction in Darfur told negotiators Friday that he would sign an agreement pushed upon him by top African and Western diplomats in a frantic all - night session as a third deadline to end the carnage in Darfur slipped past . " Not a complete solution for what 's going on obviously but it 's a step in the right direction . Full story is here . 
Band Competition and Urban Life Multiplication . Thank God for a great Urban Life . Man , we 're really spiritual family praying together and loving each other . ' Heaven on earth ' I call it . It 's amazing that there will be 3 groups now ( 2 in Clayton , 1 in Caulfield ) . Thanks Rach , Sam , Finikias , Tuck Wee , Sarah , Peggen , Hau Wei , Jon , Christine , Kevin , Wei Sern , Mei Ling , Mei Ying , Karl , Fifie , Laura , Andrew , Sam , MK , Victoria , Joshua , KK , Logic , Chris , E - Lyn and Sarah for the prayers , outings , Bible verses , sharings . Man , you guys are family away from Malaysia . " Be fruitful and multiply " ( Genesis 1:28 ) some fun stuff to do at Raymond 's lift . 
Band Practice at Vincent 's Office Top . Sam , Nik , Vincent and I went to Vincent 's office at night yesterday to practice for the band competition coming up on Wednesday 2:00 p.m. Some of the pics that were taken could not be saved in my phone . Never mind . We still have some good ones . vincent on the drums . 
Sunday Service , Church , Food and Fellowship . Today I sent Isma to the airport to Brunei at 6:10 a.m. = ) Had a great chat with him and he told me about his ringtone and sms business . He gave me his contact in case I went to Brunei . Bless him and his wife . : ) It was a rainy day . So Wai Peng , Hui , Kevin and I drove to church . It was such an excellent service . We sang a new song with the theme of living for Christ 's cause for all our life with all we are ! Amen ! Wai Peng and Hui responded to get more information about Jesus 's love and get the book Eternity . So it was the first time going to the book downstairs to the room where they bring people who respond to the message . We then headed to the New People 's Lounge for coffee , biscuits , meeting new people and for Wai Peng and Hui to get their free cds . : ) We all then headed to Papa Ginos for pizza and pasta . Met lots of Urban Life members and some new friends like Jeremy and Jeffrey . The atmosphere was amazing . The street behind was wet after the rain , the pizza , bread and pasta was fabulous , the service of the waiters were great and the conversations were generally nice . Off we went after that for gelati at Gelatissimo . ooh , like macca ' si was so tempted to stand next to the poster holding my gelati upguys checking out the gelatireally cute kids enjoying themselves . 
Sydney Trip . Here are some of the pics from the Sydney trip . hillsong church ! = ) hillsong nights ! opera house . i almost typed ' oprah ' : ) sydney harbour bridge . sydney harbour bridge at night . end of hillsong conference at friday night . it was rockin ' ! = ) a little boy playing violin in front of shopping centre . 
Soccer and Day Out . We had a real fun time playing soccer today . Scored lots of goals . There were some marvellous solo runs from Raymond . There were also some accidental shots and injuries . After that we had a really delicious Vietnamese lunch at Springvale . Man , the beef noodle soup , chilli and spring rolls were great ! We were a bit late because we were helping Jojo buy her laptop from Dick Smith 's Powerhouse . The Powerhouse was so cool . It had videos , laptops , DVDs , PSPs ... We hads lots of fun checking out the electronic stuff there . mmm ... ps ... the monitors at the music centre showed 4 - 5 screens simultaneously . very eye - catchingjojo got her new laptop ! it has 1 GB RAM , DVD - RW , Nvidia graphics card , Altec Lansing speakers ... We also headed out to Pancake Parlour courtesy of John . He was so generous . I want to be like that when I get my paycheck . Anyway , along the way I saw this vintage carousel in the shopping mall . It brought me back to my childhood days . Really retro . 
Meeting New People at Ocf Table . another day playing guitar and meeting people at the Ocf table . i thank God for so many Christian and non - Christian friends around the tables . It 's very fun being friendly and just sharing God 's love . Plus there 's lots of candies ! = ) . 
Officially a Graduate . Praise God this year I ' m officially a graduate . Thanks to dad , mum , ko , all the lecturers , Euric , Kevin , Teik Chuan , Alex , Elias , Alex , those who prayed for me , all the tutors and all the authors of the great books . = ) . 
ocf booth . Had heaps of fun today at the ocf booth , playing the guitar and watching the others meeting new friends and signing people up for the welcome night . We also had heaps of candy from the other tables of CCM and Student Life . Aah , bless them all ! = ) . 
Received . By the grace of Stacy Szymaszek , a minor trove of books published between 1977 and 1974 : Brown Clouds , Iain Sinclair Heat Sonnets , Chris Torrance Blackbird , Barry Mac Sweeney The Floating World , Alasdair Paterson Nightvision , George Evans A Man 's Jacket , James Longwill Sweet Lucy , Paul Evans Pig Press is , of course , the now - defunct Northumbrian press run by the late Ric Caddel and his wife Ann . I ' ve managed to track down a few Pigs on my own ( a couple Corbetts , Tony Baker 's S c r i n s ) but it 's hard to find them when you don't know who they are ( as far as I know there 's no definitive - or even semi - definitive - Pig Press bibliography ) . So many thanks and much respect to Stacy . I haven't had the chance to read any of these , of course , or much of anything else . We are inching ever closer to becoming members of the landed gentry , which is a thoroughly time - and energy - draining endeavor , particularly when it 's combined with trying to rent out your own apartment . I ' m in the midst of a 12 hour workday . As it 's either disgustingly humid or pouring rain outside , this is not actually all that bad . I ' m planning on being nice and fried by the time my evening shift gets underway , however . 
CARVE Editions reviewed ! At long last , Chris Rizzo 's Zing is reviewed favorably by Nate Pritts in the new H _ NGM _ N . Check it out , and then when you 're done , buy the book here . It 's about time Chris gets some attention . He is one of the most interesting poets we have working today , as well as a tireless promoter of independent poetry . In the same issue , Jen Tynes reviews Jess Mynes ' birds for example . Doubtless you already love this book , but it 's great to see the review . And there 's great poetry from longtime CARVE favorite Dorothea Lasky and the much under - published Monica Fambrough . Among many others . Check it out ! Thanks , H _ NGM _ N ! 
Media Overkill . Back from the weekend in the land of my birth . Parents threw a nice open - house wedding party for W & I , consisting of those family members we couldn't invite to the wedding as well as about 70 friends of my folks . Loud and busy , lots of talking ( actually , lots of repeating the same mini - conversation over and over again ) . The best part was a surprise visit from TW , my jr . high English teacher , former employer , and general inspiration . The basement where we sleep when " back home " is dark . We always have very deep dreams in it . My dreams lately have been largely about work , conspiracies , and teeth , heavily influenced by doses of George R . R . Martin and Freaks and Geeks . It 's been strange . Hoping to pound that last nail in on CARVE 7 tonight . The heat may prove too much , however . ( An aside : if you want to send me some cover art , do so now ! I like sparse things that reproduce well in B & W , and fit on either an 8.5 x 5.5 page or 8.5 x 11 ) . Through no fault of my own , I arrived home and found more books in the mail ! This time it 's Jim Cohn 's Greek Sky ( 1980 ) and Larry Kearney 's Passion ( Transmission ) . I hope to comment on them , someday . And my deepest condolences to Josh on the loss of Bogie . I know how it feels ( awful ) . 
Selected Doings . 1 . CARVE 7 is nearly done . Featuring work from Ruth Lepson , Kate Greenstreet , Michael Carr , John Coletti , Tyler Carter , and Matvei Yankelevich , as well as a two - way interview between Stacy Szysmaszek and Erica Kaufman . Keep your eye peeled for purchasing info .2 . I don't want to jinx it but we are breathtakingly close to buying a house .3 . Also spending a lot of time worrying about these jokers , who run this joint . Listen : no matter how good the smoothies , they 're still kid - beating misogynistic racist fucks . OK ? 
Re : entry . Reentry is a slow thing . I could have used another week before jumping back into things . As it is , in fact , " jumping " is not really the right word for what I ' ve done with " things . " More like " Sitting around staring at the wall trying to remember what all the things I need to do are . " In the spirit of that , here 's a list of poetry I ' ve received , none of which I ' ve read much ( if any ) of and all of which I ( ha ) plan to review , maybe . In chronological order of acquisition : The Parrot Bride , Theo Hummer ( Anchorite Press ) My Spaceship , Mark Lamoureux , ed. ( Cy Gist Press ) Night Season , Mark Lamoureux ( Dusi / e ) Songs of Jubilee : New and Selected Poems , Sam Cornish ( Unicorn Press ) Selected Poems 1965 - 2000 , Merrill Gilfillan ( Adventures in Poetry ) Memoirs of an Intergalactic Age , Philip Whalen ( Auerhahn ) Sullen Art , David Ossman interviewing Rexroth , Kelly , Sorrentino , Creeley , Le Roi Jones , Dorn , Ginsberg , and others ( Corinth ) Selected Writings , Cedar Sigo ( UDP ) So There : Poems 1976 - 83 , Robert Creeley ( New Directions ) Arkansas , Fred Moten ( Pressed Wafer ) Woe to the Soliders , Taylor Stoehr ( Pressed Wafer ) Some Clear Souvenir , E . Tracy Grinnell ( O Books ) I think that 's it . Oh , and Richard Farina 's Been Down So Long it Looks Like up to Me ( the title of which leaves me with the Doors in my head for hours afterward ) , newly reissued ( w / intro by Pynchon ) by Penguin . I ' d always wanted to read this , and now that I ' ve been stuck about halfway through I ' m a little bummed out not to be enjoying it as much as I ' d hoped . It 's interesting , but a little too fragmentary for my tastes , I think . If I ' d read it in high school , alongside The Rules of Attraction , for example , it might well have been a seminal text . At this point , however , it 's not really as satisfying as listening to Steely Dan , who tread much of the same collegiate lowlife ground . Of course , my brain has been fried for about a month with wedding planning , wedding having , and wedding getting - over , so my judgment is probably not the most reliable . Still , while I haven't read Mark Lamoureux 's startling new chapbook Night Season more than two or three times yet , I ' m pretty impressed with it . The lack of individual titles leads me to think of it as a single sequence , and it has a satisfying structural integrity . I don't have much of use to say about the poetry as of yet , except to note that during my readings of the book ( in the first day or so after the wedding , before I realized how fried I was ) , I was continually reminded of T . S . Eliot . and Four Quartets . The relevant passages are too long to excerpt here so you ' ll have to get ahold of it and decide for yourself . The other startling thing about the book is the bookending of the text with verses from Psalms 21 - 22 ( unattributed in the final quote ) . I haven't even begun to work out the relation of the Biblical texts to the poems , but coming from a long - avowed athiest , they were a bit of a curveball . I ' m looking forward to the chance to sink my teeth in further & see what 's going on . I also bought Mervyn Peake 's Gormenghast trilogy ( on the advice of a customer ) . Meant to have started this alleged classic but got sidetracked by re - embarking on George R . R . Martin 's Song of Ice and Fire series . That 's about where my head 's at these days . 
Sa totoo lang , di ko alam , na pwede , pala , ito , sa Tony Hawk 's Underground 2 sa PC . Alam ko pwedeng i - grind yung mga kotse e . pero , sumabit kaya ? ano ka ? Action Star ? kadalasan kasi stuntman ang mga trabaho ng ibang skateboarder sa Hollywood . wala lang . Pakealam mo ba . 
ok , isang maliit na plate sa VC 24 . pinuri ako . wow . para akong nasa langit . first time mo ? mag - coke ? hinde ah . mapuri . tang ina shet oo . Gwapo Man 2000 created by Aaron Felizmenio Obvious Productions . Thunder Ducky Inc. 
Survery Says ! If you see one movie this summer , see " Lady in the Water ! " This is quite possibly the best movie I ' ve ever seen . Truly , it was ! Hips don't lie ! Oh , and Erin went with ...... just kinda a bonus since we like to see movies and make fun of people in the theatre togeather . It 's just what we do . 
Ok , the heat is back , damnit . I worked 12 1 / 2 hours today . I worked 12 1 / 2 hours in no air conditioning . At least I lost weight . Sweat is weight , right ? I won an award at work yesterday . I found out this morning . It 's actually kinda nice to win something for a change . I get a large statue of an eagle for a month . Soar eagle , soar . 
and the heat finally breaks ...... finally the heat wave has sundered a bit .... its only 70 at night rather then 80 something . horray . Words of wisdom : If you have nothing nice to say , don't say anything at all . Allways take the time to thank people ; even for small , seemingly meaningless things , it will make the world a slightly better place . We need all the help we can get in that respect . Take the garbage out , even when it 's not your turn . Your world won't stink as much . 
Has anyone seen my i Pod ..... I seem to have lost my ipod . It 's only a shuffle , but still .................... I hung out with Erin for the first time in forever the other night . It was rather nice . I really wonder where the heck my i Pod has wondered off too ........ 
Ok , finally i posted ... Ok , so here are a few pictures of the fishing trip from over 2 weeks ago . I ' ve been lazy . Dupp and I , then some moose ! It was pretty cool , we were just anchored and some moose came barrelin down the hill and swam across the bay onto the isle . They barely noticed up . It was rather nice being away from technology and other people . See , up at Loon , theres no TV , no radio , no computers , no bosses , no other people , nuthin . To me , its great . I like being up there . I like the isolated feeling . I guess it goes along with my feelings of late , that I want to NOT be with lots of people . Anyway , I ' ll post a few more pics later . 
The Ship Be Sinkin ' . I had to go back in the archives to quote Michael Ray Richardson to explain how bad things have gotten for the Dodgers . It 's an out - of - control downward spiral that shows no signs of stopping . Let 's look at the numbers since the all - star break : 1 - 13 overall record 1 - 7 on the road 0 - 6 at home 8 straight losses They were pretty darn good at home at 28 - 18 , but now they 're 28 - 24 . They were never good on the road , and that opening series sweep at St. Louis has set the tone for a lousy 2 nd half . Then getting spanked at Arizona further showed how bad they ' ve become . I think a lot of factors are catching up to them . The first is the injury bug . Same old story it seems like . I don't know what the hell it is about the Dodgers , but they always get nailed by injuries . Jeff Kent is out again , and without him , they wouldn't do much winning anyway . For as fantastic as he was last year ( .289 AVG / 29 HR / 105 RBI ) , he hasn't done much of anything this year ( .267 / 9 / 44 ) . It 's hard to believe the numbers he put last year on a pathetic team , so the thinking was that he ' d do even better with some new blood around . Instead , injuries have crippled him , and he never really got going . Bill Mueller only got 32 games in before he was lost for the season and possibly forever . Ricky Ledee and Jason Repko , 2 solid outfielders off the bench , have missed big chunks of the year . Oh , and let 's not forget that the 8 - 9 inning combination of Yhency Brazoban and Eric Gagne are done for the year without making any impact at all . The other factor is the youth . True , Andre Ethier has been cooler than the other side of the pillow ( .344 / 8 / 46 ) and Russell Martin continues to impress ( .287 / 39 RBI / 17 2 B ) , but the rest of the young guns have come to a crashing halt . Matt Kemp was fantastic to start , then fell flat on his face and has been sent back to the minors . Willy Aybar is back up , mainly due to Kent 's injury , but he never really got going . James Looney is leading the Pacific Coast League in hitting , but was lost in the majors . Joel Guzman had a brief stay consisting of not a whole lot . And Chad Billingsley took 7 starts to get his 1 st win . Hey , I ' m not saying these guys won't contribute in the future , because I know they will . But , they were being relied on heavily this year , and for as well as it went for awhile , they ' ve come back to Earth . Another factor is the starting pitching . Derek Lowe may as well be pitching batting practice with the crap he 's been throwing , Brad Penny has thrown more fits in the dugout ( 1 ) than wins after the All - Star Game ( 0 ) , Mark Hendrickson has 5 starts and 4 losses , Chad Billingsley 's WHIP is insane , and Aaron Sele actually came out of the bullpen yesterday . It 's been ugly . The last factor is the so - called " superstars " on this team . Jeff Kent is hurt . Rafael Furcal has been a flop so far with an OBP so low it 's pathetic . Kenny Lofton has an OBP just as low . Nomar Garciaparra 's AVG has plummeted 27 points since the ASG . And then there 's J . D . Drew . Speaking of horrible signings , I absolutely can't stand this guy . He 's an average - pretty good player , but that 's it . He doesn't even have 10 home runs yet , and often looks like he can care less . Man , I really hope he has an out clause in his contract after the year so they can play someone that actually wants to be there . So , it 's been a collection of a whole bunch of crap that has brought them down . Next up is Washington at home for 3 . Home , road .... doesn't matter where it is . Billingsley , Lowe , and Hendrickson go . So basically , 3 more losses . 
I ' m feeling BLUE . I think it 's time to face reality - the Dodgers just don't have the guns it takes to win . Like I said after St. Louis swept them ( the first time , not the second time ... ) , at the end of the day , they 're really just a mediocre team , much like last year . Everything that could have possibly gone wrong after the all - star break has , and they 're playing so poorly right now , I wonder if they even believe they can be in the playoffs . It sure doesn't look like it . I know the Cardinals are a good team , but to lose 7 straight to them in an 11 - day span is flat out embarrassing . That comes down to a lack of focus and determination . They didn't think they could beat an NL contender , and they didn't . Throw in losing 3 of 4 to an OK Diamondbacks team , and it 's a recipe for disaster . If there 's any good news in this ( and trust me , I had to think about this for awhile ) , it 's that they still are in the thick of things . They 're 4.5 games back in the NL West , and 5 back of the NL wild card . But , they have enough problems of their own that they need to address rather than worrying about whether or not teams ahead of them are winning or losing . Plenty of blame can go around , but I ' ll save that for a week from now when I do my July wrapup . That should be fun ... Not that it matters too much , but they have 6 straight games at home vs . San Diego and Washington before they hit the road . They still have a pretty good home record at 28 - 21 , despite being slapped around by the Cards for 3 . They ' ve got Derek Lowe , Mark Hendrickson , and Brad Penny making the starts . Well , Lowe has gone back to his batting practice ways , the same crap that happens to him EVERY FREAKIN ' YEAR , and Hendrickson hasn't been that good either . Penny pitched very well on Friday night , but had zero , and I do mean ZERO help with the bats . Way to back up the pitcher boys . Ugh .... So , a 3 - game winning streak could start to cure some ills , but I ' d be more impressed if they just win a game . In fact , that reminds me of a Jim Mora rant from back in the day . " Playoffs ? ! Don't talk about playoffs ! Playoffs ? ! Are you kidding me ? Playoffs ? ! I just hope we can win a game ! " Well said indeed . 
UGLY . That 's the best way I can describe the crap the went on the past 4 days for the Dodgers . To get swept in 4 straight against any team is pathetic . Instead of playing solid ball and showing that they are a true NL contender , they fold up tent and play like garbage . They should have won Thursday and Saturday , but choked in extra innings . In addition to looking weak , they showed that they are not even close to being a top team in the NL like St. Louis . All things considered , they 're pretty medicore at the end of the day . Pathetic . I ' m not going to do my normal who did well and who didn't because they all sucked . They couldn't score a run , couldn't get a big hit , and couldn't find any way at all to pitch to Albert Pujols . I know the guy is a freak but still , he made them look like a bunch of Little Leaguers . I have no idea where they are in the standings right now and I don't care . After playing like that , they have enough problems of their own to worry about rather than seeing how everybody else did . I do know that they still have a shot at the playoffs , thanks to a so - so NL West and the Wild Card . But , it won't matter , not if they look like this . They won't have anywhere close to a top record , which means they ' d have to play most of the games in the playoffs on the road . Well , we just saw how that went . People might think I ' m overreating , but this was a big series for them , and they tanked . So much for proving how much of a threat you can be . Enough talk . I ' m out . 
What the Dodgers need to do to win the NL West . The second half of the MLB season starts tonight , and the Dodgers find themselves in 2 nd place in the NL West at 46 - 42 . I know they have the most talent in the division , but they have yet to break away from the pack . Here 's a bunch of things I think they need to do in order to win the division crown : Get healthy ! I know this is a lot easier said than done , but it is huge . Already the following people have been on the DL : Nomar Garciaparra , Ricky Ledee , Yhency Brazoban , Jason Repko , Bill Mueller , Eric Gagne , Cesar Izturis , Jeff Kent , Dioner Navarro , and Brett Tomko . Wow , that 's a lot of players . The injury bug just loves to bite the Dodgers for whatever reason the 2 nd year in a row . Mueller , Gagne , and Brazoban are all done for the year , and who knows about Repko . Kenny Lofton has battled through injuries as well . What 's weird is that J . D . Drew has actually been fine , proving that maybe hell really does freeze over after all . It 's very simple . For the Dodgers to win , they need to have their best guys on the field at once , plain as that . Losing Gagne is huge , which leads to the next point ... Strengthen the bullpen Takashi Saito has been pure money as the closer . He 's a perfect 8 - for - 8 in saves with a 2.14 ERA . He took over when Danys Baez flopped in the roll . What 's scary to me is that for as good as Saito has been , it 's hard to ask him to do much better . I ' ve heard rumors of them trying to go after Tom Gordon , who has been great in Philly as their closer . If that happens , then a Saito - Gordon combo in the late innings would be huge . Either way , it would be nice to have someone more reliable at the end of the game than constantly counting on a rookie to finish the deal . Back end of the rotation needs to step up Brad Penny started the All - Star game and struck out Ichiro , Jeter , and Ortiz in the 1 st . Derek Lowe has really good stuff , when he 's not putting everything right down Broadway . Then , there 's a dropoff . Actually , Aaron Sele has been fantastic . The problem is much like Saito , it 's hard to think that he ' ll do any better . They traded for Mark Hendrickson , and he 's only made 2 starts , neither of which have been that good . Chad Billingsley is also a rookie , and has to get the wildness out of his system . So , they basically have 2 solid starters , 1 guy playing out of his mind , and then a bunch of nobodies . I don't know which is more important , a starter or a reliever , but they need both . No power They 're 7 th in the league in runs scored , yet 2 nd to last in home runs . Ouch ! That 's almost hard to believe . I know a healthy ( I hope ) Jeff Kent can give them more power , but then what ? Maybe Drew , but he only has 9 . Nomar has 11 , but would hardly be considered a power hitter . It 's good that they 're scoring a bunch because it shows they 're getting clutch hits . But , it would be nice to power more balls out of the park to make it easier on them . Take care of the road Lately , they ' ve been abysmal away from home . They ' ve lost 9 straight , and 11 of 12 . Considering they have 8 straight on the road to start the 2 nd half ( St. Louis and Arizona for 4 each ) , this needs to be addressed . Even a split on the road would be fine . Anything would be better than rolling over and playing dead like they have been . If they take care of these issues , I really do believe we ' ll see the Dodgers in the postseason again . The trade deadline is always an interesting time of year , and it 's quickly approaching . What do they need more , a power bat , a starter , or reliever ? Hard to say really . Since they 're scoring runs , they ' ll probably focus on the pitching needs first . My guess is that they ' ll get a reliever , like Gordon , because they already picked up a starter in Hendrickson . No matter what , they have what it takes to win the West , even if they don't make another move . 
Dodgers / Giants split 2 - 2 . The Dodgers and Giants traded wins to split the 4 - game series to end the first half of the season . Currently , the Dodgers head into the All - Star break in 2 nd place at 46 - 42 , 2 games back of San Diego . The NL West is only separated by 5 games , and the last part of the season should be wide open . The biggest stars of the weekend go to Aaron Sele , Nomar Garciaparra , Ramon Martinez , and Takashi Saito . Sele turned in the only quality start of the series , pitching beautifully on Sunday by going 6 IP / 1 ER / 7 K . He goes into the break 6 - 2 with a 2.91 ERA , and a complete surprise as he came out of nowhere to pitch great . Another pitching surprise has been Saito , who picked up saves in both wins . He 's now 8 for 8 in closing situations , and considering that Eric Gagne is officially done for the year , has really stepped up big time . Pun definitely intended , that 's a relief ! Nomar continues to be dazzling at the plate . He 's now tied with Freddy Sanchez of Pittsburgh for the NL batting lead at .358 . He hit a tie - breaking , 2 - run homer in the 8 th inning Friday to lift the Dodgers , and currently has a 21 - game hitting streak . Not bad for a guy that couldn't even make the initial damn NL squad in the All - Star game . What a crock . Ramon Martinez gets major props for filling in for Jeff Kent , who 's out with soreness in his left side . He played all 4 games , collecting 5 hits . It 's not like he played out - of - this - world , but he was effective for a backup . Barry Bonds really only had 1 good game , hitting a homer and gathering 4 RBI 's on Friday night . He usually kills the ball at Dodger Stadium , so that 's a good thing . The Dodgers have been playing great at home , as evidenced by their 28 - 18 record , so it was good that they came back and took 2 after dropping Thursday 's game in a close 5 - 4 final . 3 wins would have been better , but we ' ll take it . The break will hopefully allow the starting staff to rest themselves , as they only had 1 good start in 4 games . Brad Penny and Nomar are off to Pittsburgh , and I would guess Penny would see an inning of work considering he hasn't pitched since Wednesday 's win vs . Arizona . Logic would dictate that since he ' ll be on almost a full week of rest , they ' ll get him in there . Nomar better at least get to pinch - hit . Pujols , Berkman , and Howard are also there , so appearing in the field may not happen , but it 's cool . At least he 's there . The Dodgers start it up again on Thursday with a tough 4 - game series at St. Louis , who are leading the NL Central , like that 's a surprise . They might run into their old buddy Jeff Weaver , who was recently acquired by the Cards . All that 's listed so far is Chad Billingsley making the first start . He 's made 5 starts without a win , so hopefully he can get on the board in a big game . At 4 games over .500 and 2 big road series to start off with , this could be a telling sign of how competitive the Dodgers will be in the stretch run . LET ' S GO BLUE ! 
ECW is boring . I think I can speak for any ECW fan around the planet when I say this : the new ECW is anything but what we expected it to be . In such a little amount of time , so much has gone poorly that people are wondering if WWE is going to just run this thing into the ground . This really sucks ! I was so excited when the new ECW reformed . You can read previous posts when I talked about the rumors of it starting up again , right on through to its debut , and can see how pumped I was . Look , I try not to be Mr. Negativity when it comes to the WWE product , because I love wrestling , but just the thought of having something different to watch than Raw and Smackdown was something to get your hopes up for . With Paul Heyman still around , and guys like Tommy Dreamer , RVD , Sabu , and Sandman on the roster , the possibilities of having a fresh , new ECW to watch were looking great . Then the first show came , and ..... well ..... we all know it sucked out loud . The best way I can put this is simple - the show is boring . I get no excitement and feel little to no energy by watching it . It 's like I keep waiting and waiting to get pumped for something , and it never does . Take a look at last week 's show . Test debuted and creamed Al Snow , a solid guy who once was a top ECW guy . Kelly Kelly ( why are they calling her that now ? ) did that stupid dance AGAIN and was given the towel by Mike Knox AGAIN . Seriously , a 3 - year - old can see that coming . Why in the world they book the same damn thing week after week to happen when even a blind man can see what 's going to happen is so stupid . Kelly 's hot , but I ' m already sick of her and this lame ass storyline . Big Show became ECW champion , but that 's because RVD decided to be a dumbass and get caught " rolling a fatty . " Oh , and here 's another thing , the whole " Extreme Rules " matches . In case you don't get it , and I don't blame you because it 's not like they ' ve explained just what the hell they mean by this , I guess each match will be normal , in other words non - hardcore , except for the " Extreme Rules " matches . Wow , how pathetic is that ? So they 're turning ECW , a promotion where anything goes , into mostly a non - hardcore program ? Huh ? So much for Extreme . No wonder it 's being referred to as WWECW . That 's just mind boggling . If you really want a laugh , check out Dreamer 's new diary at http : // www . wwe . com / shows / ecw / commentary / 070806 diary . Well , maybe you won't laugh , because you ' ll actually feel really sorry for him . I know I do . I can't think of anyone who was probably more excited about ECW coming back than him , and so far it 's been crapped on . Tommy , we feel for you buddy . So , yet again , I ' ll offer advice . I know people are still screaming that they need their own arena , and I have before , but it 's not realistic at this time . First , get rid of the retarded " Extreme Rules " BS because if this is ECW , EVERY match should be hardcore . I mean , duh ! Second , enough of the whole Kelly 's Expose boredom . We get the point , her boyfriend doesn't like her dancing . Boring ! Third , I can understand wanting to establish guys , but squashing people like Danny Doring and Snow is really dumb considering they 're very capable of having good matches . Fourth , let 's get the tag team division rolling . Start up a Tag Title tourny , and let the boys go . Fifth , the whole Sandman caning every weird guy thing is running its course , so just let him wrestle . Lastly , and most importantly , stop making the show look like WWE 's Triple A promotion . Have wrestling matches , not expose 's and backstage time fillers . That 's a waste of time . I think all they need to do to gain some positive momentum is to have good shows for about 3 straight weeks or so . Can it happen ? Not if what they 're doing now stays the same . I guarentee you that . It would be nice to turn on ECW and see every match all - out , hardcore thrillers , not controlled , WWE - like squashes . I can only hope and pray that this thing gets turned around , or it 's the XFL / WCW Invasion all over again . 
24 / 07 / 06 sianit was 2.40 am n i m still not in bed ... actually i intend to sleep early but i hv taken afternoon nap as for now i m still not sleepy ... sunday is a rest day for me ... but i still had to work doing some disc delivery even yest nite oso ... it jus happen that the place i deliver the cd to was where HER was staying ... she stays at the top floor while my customer was on the 6 th ... i was hoping to get HER out for dinner as she is usually free on weekends ... but it didnt turn out to what i hope ... but the 1 st movie show with HER yest was consider as something i neva expected ... well i did have some calls to ask me out ... this time for more healthy exercise it was playing soccer at telok blangah crescent ... as HER did not reply my sms i told my friend i wont be joining them in case HER really wana have dinner with me ... yes is true i will give my time to HER 1 st ... she is now the 1 st choice and u guys come in next i wont deny this ... i know i sound stupid ... i know that for HER she does ' nt put me in the 1 st place ... but i hope that the day will come and i m really working hard towards that ... i had a little chat with my ex colleauge later in the evening ... she was asking how was me getting along with HER ... as i told my ex colleauge that i attend this concert with HER ... my ex colleague was taken by surpise when i did that she know that HER was really important to me ... well i did ask my ex colleauge a very stupid question ... what did ur bf did when he is going after u ? what can u all talk on the phone for so many hours everynite ? she did not reply but laugh and told me ... u will soon find out ... damm i jus hate it ... she is damm idiot !! but it really sounds true !! the last time i had this feeling was about 6 yrs ago ... that was the time i really fall in love ... once bitten 10 yrs of pain !! that was y i look so skinny in the last posted pic ... and i refused to take pic from that time on ... my thinking was y take pic when this pic actually reminds u of the sad past even though the person that make u sad is not in there but u will still think !! den i came to a point that make me realise that i cant stop my life jus like that i have to wake up !! the time seems long . on n off we did contact each other but it was after my army that i fully put to a stop ...2 yrs of darkness was enough ... i was treating everyone else like shit ... is jus not fair ... the last time she contact me was a yr ago ... she jus email me telling me the schedule for the fire work festival coming in aug ... my reply to her was damm fuck up ... i dun think she will tell me again tis yr ... enough of that !! my birthday is coming soon and i dun intend to celebrate ... for me bdae wishes neva come true !! actually it only did came out once ... i always have the same wish every yr ...24 more days to find out if it happen the same ... 
21 / 07 / 06 tiredhmmm ... jus look at this photo that i have found ... this is taken on my friend 's birthday in yr 2001 ... it may not be that clear but then i was so fit n tann then ... anyway that was when i jus finish my bmt not come out of jail hor !! but look at now ... so round and etc etc !!! finally i have manage to catch the black pearl ... not on channel 5 ... i fell asleep the last time i watch it ... now i feel like goin to watch dead 's man chest again !! mr deep and broom is so stunning !! now i jus feel like being a pirate !! owning a compass that does ' nt point north haha !! i m still been moody ... i have lost interest in everything ... there is really darkness in my life ... i duno when will be the turning point ... so many unsloved things for me ... yet i still find no way to slove it ... cant find someone that i could talk to ... i was hoping so much that the person i could talk to will be u ... but i guess that she will have no time for me ... agrhhhh !!!! 
18 / 07 / 06 stresssome ppl say that if u r stress u cant even have a good nite sleep ... i had a long nite of dreams ... not bad dreams neither good ... another saying that what appear in ur dream is something that u r wanting for or ppl that u wana see ... nothing special really happen these few days ... jus that i have seen jack sparrow this wk end ... quite a good show i dun quite rem the story of black pearl ... dun when that little gal will return the cd ... i haven fallen in love with jack sparrow ... simply superb acting !! hmmm no mood to write much ... goin to eat my neighbour 's newly open chicken rice !! 
16 / 07 / 06 troubled --- > stupid humits 4.30 am on a sun morning ... i m still feeeling troubled ... in the recent wks i have wrote alot bout life ... shan had read my blog n she knows that even with my laughter evveryday she knows that i m not very happy about life ... she may looks silly but guess that she is not that stupid after all ... as she mention a joke of the yr ... once we played a joke on her as my friend bluff her i gof aids ... and when she call me i can sense that she is really very sad ... now i m feeling bad i as play such as crude joke on her ... haha anyway she is not so small gas wan !! i went to mount faber today ... jus wonder how come they name it mount ... its jus like a hill rather than a mountain ... had bout 10 over cans of beer up there and was still feeling pretty down ... some how i have lost the aim of my life ... i really have alot alot of problem ... xin si wu ren zi ! maybe i shd have it tattoo on my back !! my feeeling now is like an aimless flowing in the ocean ... i have lost my goals in life and i really duno wat step shd i take nxt ?? i m really at a total lost !!! i have alot of friends in life .. but thos who i can have a heart to heart chat is really few ... peharps everyone has their own problems ... thet cant slove their own problems how to slove mine ?? actually my life is not that bad after all ... i have a very supportive family ... few good friends ... i become a boss at the age of 24 ... not much for me to worry about ... but then i seek more in life ... thats y i m very stressful ... no wonder my hair keep dropping ... hee hee !! i m totally lost ... i dun even know what to write next ... tonite i heard the JJ song on 933 even make me feel worse ... he cried in this song during his concert ... but some how to me i still think that he is acting ... this is what every singer does in a concert ... seriously i do admire his talents ... but i dun like him ... is kind of long story what i get to dun like him ... peharps i shd explain more in the next blog ... bed is calling for me ... as for now i m still down ... i m really really upset , unhappy and LOSTagrhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!! life sucks to me on 16 / 07 / 06 4.36 am . 
14 / 07 / 06 tired I finally finish my essay yest nite !! I m not hoping to win anything but jus that I like the feeling of taking part ... It has been since a long time I neva take part in anything ... Like I say is either I m very comfotable in life or i jus see no need to do something which i think i cant ... after writing so much ... i have alot of thots these few days ... i shut myself away from everyone ... work den go home for the past 3 days ... i thot of many many things ... ppl that i miss , food that i wanted to eat but i neva have the chance and so responsibitlies i must take up which i keep avoiding ... about responsbilities ... since birth everyone has it own throughout the growing up stage ... when u r still a child ... parents expect u to do well in sch ... ur responsbilities is to study hard ... after 10 yrs of education or 15 yrs after you graduate from uni ... u are expected to come out n find a job ... responsbilities is to look after ur family ... as a guy u r expected to establish ur own family by a certain age ... then more responsbilities comes in ... as a role of a father , husband and sometimes even more ... i often hear ppl saying can u take ur your own responsbilities ? as we grow older we handle more burden ... this is a fact n gowth in life that no one can escape ... talking bout myself i m consider lucky that i do not have so much burden ... i have a good family that take cares of things for me ... there are always there to encourage and support me ... with them i can have all the time i the world to do my own things ... thinking back when i was still a child i dun like to study ... they did not force me ... i left sch at the age of 15 they did not scold me ... when i wanted to go back to study the find a private sch for me ... when i was in army i wanted the to escape from certain activities they help me with my lies ... when i wanted to study after ns they paid my sch fees ... when i wanted to start business they support me with capital ... now it had make me realise when have all my responsbilities gone too ? even in past realtionship i had i oso escape my responsbilities ... i always think that both parties are happy can alr ... i recall in a past relationship ... when my gf ask me to visit go to her hse ... her parents wanted to see how i look .... i refused .... i duno y ... i jus told her the same thing 2 ppl together happy can liao y bother about others ... in the end we did not last long ... there was another time when my gf ask me to plan about the future ... i jus told her off ... maybe i was still young at the time ... i did not wanted to burden myself with so much problems .. there are many many more examples ... as a guy i dun like to be control ... i wanted freedom ... i wont want to be tied down at a young age ... i feel that once visiting her hse or start planning about the future tts the end of me ... doom !! many relationships ended due to my shrink of responsbilities ... is not that i m fooling ard or i dun like them ... i treasure everyone of them , i experience both parties wanted to get together , both parties wanted to get out or jus one sided affairs ... seriously i hate myself for being this way ... i wanted to do what i m suposed to do at my age ... i jus duno how to start ... or maybe i m jus purly selfish ... i jus want comfort for myself n i seldom think of the rest ... i dun have to take care of my family ... but i know deep in my heart one fine day i have to take up all these ... 
09 / 07 / 06 tiredi am so so tired after so much of writing till now i have only manage the draft and yet to organise the ideas ... sometimes i hope that much of the day time will be as quiet as nite ... i think alot especially the moment i m goin to fall asleep ... i find that i can slove alot ot problems during that point of time ... yest nite i had a dream ... can consider a sweet dream but the next moment i was awake i had to face the real word !! how i wish i come stay in the dream forever !! after so much reading about the past i realise much of man aspiration are : character building , starting a family , running a country and ruling the worldeach phrase is harder than one another ... character building : learning from great teaching and cultivate good habitsstarting a family : high rise building start from flat ... with support and understanding from family ables u to work without worries .. running a country : ppl in the past usually will serve the army or warloads at the point of time ... trying to prastice what they have learn gain frame and make their failmy proudruling the world : the most hardest part of all ... good name of u will spread throughout the world !! actually if ppl now prastice what ppl did in the past i believe they will achive great things oso ... jus that i feel that the life now has too much differences .. ppl now so call have a better life and alot of tempations . 
Flipper Phone Patented . Description : A mobile terminal for use in a wireless communication system comprises a housing including a first portion and a second portion . The first portion of the housing has an opening , an inner surface and an opposed outer surface . A module has an inner major surface and an outer major surface . The module is movably disposed in the opening of the first portion of the housing for movement relative to the first portion of the housing between a first position , where the inner major surface of the module is substantially coincident with the inner surface of the first portion of the housing , and a second position , where the inner major surface of the module is substantially coincident with the outer surface of the first portion of the housing . uspto . gov via pattoo . com / textually . 
Curitel Launches Touch Phone , PT - K 2300 . Curitel Launches Touch Phone , PT - K 2300 Written by Mobile Korea . TV Sunday , 28 May 2006 Curitel launches touch phone ( PT - K 2300 ) with 8 touch - sensor keys on the front for KTF subscribers . PT - K 2300 comes in with a range of Bluetooth - based features such as wireless calls , MP 3 and stereo music play , walkie - talkie , Pict Bridge and file exchange with other Bluetooth - enabled devices . The handset is equipped with Yamaha Audio Engine and realizes equalizer - 3 D surround effects . With 1.3 - megapixel built - in camera , the touch phone also supports external memory ( Micro SD ) . 
LG Chocolate ( VX 8500 ) Phone . Release Date : Q 3 2006 Released For : Verizon Wireless - Upcoming Released for Verizon Wireless , the LG Chocolate ( VX 8500 ) offers a minimalist - inspired style , silky - smooth slide design , and a glowing , touch - sensitive keypad . Paired with a rich array of features that includes VCAST Music and Video , consumers will be able to enjoy streaming multimedia on the go . The Chocolate ( VX 8500 ) provides a protected 1.3 - megapixel camera with camcorder ability , Bluetooth capabilities with A 2 DP protocol for wireless stereo souond , and a micro SD memory port for extra storage . LG Chocolate ( VX 8500 ) Features Innovative sliding design with touch - sensitive navigation keys Built - in 1.3 - megapixel camera , multi - step zoom , flash , and video clip capture and playback capabilities Bluetooth compatible with devices that support the headset and handsfree profiles including A 2 DP ( Advanced Audio Distribution ) profile for wireless music listening Micro SD external memory port to store pictures , videos , sounds and music WAP 2.0 compliant browser with EV - DO for high - speed data transmission including VCAST video and music on - demand . 
Motorola i 670 Phone . It took so long time to update blog due to FIFA worldcup 2006 , ^ _ ^ Have fun ! Release Date : Q 2 2006 Released For : Nextel Released for Nextel , the Motorola i 670 is a compact clamshell - style phone that delivers powerful performance at a moderate cost . The i 670 is designed for simplicity , while still delivering outstanding features wireless customers demand ; including Direct Connect , allowing instant communication through walkie - talkie service and A - GPS technology to enable the only real time turn - by - turn visual and audible driving directions . The i 670 features a vibrant 65 K - color screen , is equipped with Java technology , and is designed for the budget conscious who value Nextel 's integrated wireless phones and advanced features . 
LG Next Chocolate Phone LG KG 810 ( MG 810 ) . The LG chocolate phone KG 800 should be quite well known in all over the net now , they are planning the next chocolate phone in clam shell mode . It is named KG 810 . The rumor said the phone can be used in GSM quad band network , giving it usable in most part of the land in the world . It also appeared in previous report as MG 810 Similar to the slider KG 800 chocolate phone , the flat music buttons are available on the clam shell KG 810 too . The flat buttons are using unique " Infrared Sensor " button to let you activate the button by just touching the sensor . It detect heat so it will not be activated when you place it in your pocket . In a short note , the clam shell KG 810 feature a slim body design ( 14.6 mm ) , 1.3 megapixel camera and bluetooth connection . Official announcement will be tracked and posted at slashphone . It is also reported last month as LG MG 810 . via mobil . idnes . cz . 
Pictures of the upcoming Motorola i DEN / CDMA dual mode phones leaked . . The said the dual mode phone ( top ) will be released as soon as October this year . Another one ( below ) will be available in 2007 . The dual mode phones also support EV - DO and in rugged design . A third leaked photo has no information on it . 
Pictures of Fujitsu s Multi - slider Concept phones . Pictures of Fujitsu s Multi - slider Concept phones Fujitsu have shown off two new concept phones featuring a novel four - way slider design called , appropriately ( if unimaginatively ) , the " Multi Slider " . The new concept features a keypad that slides out from underneath the mobile phone in all four directions , revealing a different set of keys each time . Just when you thought every sliding variant had been tried in mobile phone land , it seems Fujitsu decided they could go one better ! Fujitsu were also showing off another mobile phone concept called simply the Slider . This concept phone features a full QWERTY - keyboard that slides out ( in one direction only this time ) , and is clearly aimed at web browsing or instant messaging . 
DNET i Pod Phone DS 801 . Keywords : DNET i Pod Apple Another ipod work from DNet in China , the DS 801 was presented in Ce BIT . Design with a sliding body , the phone support GSM triband network , have a 1.3 megapixel camera and able to expand the memory storage through mini SD card . There is a jog dial control pad at the center , around the round pad is 6 navigation button for quick access short cut . See pictures inside . 
Polaroid Camera Phone . Polaroid Camera Phone Key Words : Polaroid Camera Phone Written by Mobile Korea . TV Sunday , 04 December 2005 It would not take long before we can develop photos taken by camera phones on the spot . HS - RSS combines cell phone with Polaroid camera . It is literally a multiplayer model that has MP 3 player , digital camera , PMP and of course , mobile handset in a single device . 
Savitmicro releases high sensitivity DMB receiver . Savitmicro releases high sensitivity DMB receiver Key Words : DMB Receiver Written by Mobile Korea . TV Thursday , 23 March 2006 Local DMB device developers , ERF System and Savitmicro , release DMB receiver for PC , Raonair EUD - 3200 . Raonair EUD - 3200 features USB interface and dedicated antenna for high receiving sensitivity . An antenna pin for antenna extension is provided together . 
i River Wi Bro device , W 10 . i River Wi Bro device , W 10 Key Words : i Rover Notebook Written by Administrator Wednesday , 22 March 2006 The W 10 features the touch of tablet PC , having QWERTY keyboard and Wi Bro . It supports music / video play and T - DMB . A 5 inch TFT - LCD and 60 GB storage are packaged to the device .5 - inch TFT - LCDMobile Wi MAX ( Wibro ) , Wi Fi ( 802.11 G ) , Bluetooth 2.0 USB 2.0 Host , 2.0 Client 60 GB HDD , T - DMBiriver D - NAVI System Numberkey 11 Windows XPaudio : MP 3 , WMA , AAC LC , AAC + , AAC + Enahnced , PCM ( Wave ) video : MPEG 4 , H .264 , WMV 9 , Div XDMB : 23 channel . 
Samsung S 4300 - small but functional MP 3 phone . Thursday March 23 , 2006 2:29 PM EST - By : T . O . Whenham Via : newlaunches . com Saying that there is another new Samsung phone is like saying that the sun came up this morning . That being said , the new Samsung S 4300 is a slick looking little unit with a fairly unique form factor . It s called a Flick and Swing design and Samsung is calling it a joy stick .. When it is closed , it looks like a nice , small MP 3 player with dedicated MP 3 controls and 1 GB of capacity for all your tunes . If you run out of songs you want to listen to , it also has an FM tuner . You can watch video with the video player , too , though the 128 x 200 pixel screen might not show it off fully . It also has a 1.3 megapixel camera . When you flick it open the keypad is revealed . That means that you can have a pleasingly small phone that is still usable when you want to talk on it . It measures 86 x 49 x 21 mm . No word on cost or availability . Samsung S 4300 - small but functional MP 3 phone . 
Menudo Food Review . Have you ever tried menudo ? I tried it for the first time the other day . I had heard that the old group Menudo was named after an authentic Mexican dish . I have never seen it on a menu until last week . We went to a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant and I saw it . It said Saturdays Only and it was Saturday , so this was my chance to taste some Mexican food and not the regular Tex - Mex we have around here . It came to the table and it did not look too appetizing . I could tell by the red color it was a tomato based soup . It had onions and jalapenos in it put I could not recognize the other stuff . At first taste it was quite spicy and tasted very fatty . Nothing in it tasted all that great , but one flat long mushy thing was absolutely disgusting . I tried to scoff it down which was difficult , because it was so spicy it was making me sweat even more on a 100 degree day in Texas . When I got home I looked up the recipe of menudo . The things I did not recognize was hominey , pig knuckles , and tripe . I think hominy is a vegetable that grits are made of . Pig knuckles come from pig feet which I had in college and it was surprisenly good . A Taiwanese foreign exchange student cooked it up for us and I ate it down . My only complaint was they were a little tough . So , the thing that was absolutely disgusting had to be the tripe , but what is tripe ? Thanks to dictioney . com I got the definition which I listed below . Tripe - The rubbery lining of the stomach of cattle or other ruminants , used as food . Now I know why I have never seen it on a menu before , but if you want to try something authentic or unusual then it is worth a try . I would not order it again , but I don't regret trying because at least it gave me something to write about on my blog . 
Good News : Not a Jones Fracture . The emergency room thought I had a Jones fracture . The ER doctor said I may have to have surgery to have a pin put in and it would be at least 8 weeks of recovery time . Today I went to the orthopedist and he says it is not a Jones fracture . It is the same bone as the Jones fracture , but my fracture is about a quarter of an inch closer to the end of the bone . It broke at the fat part of the bone where there is plenty of marrow to help it heal . Any lower and I would not be able to put any weight on it for at least 8 weeks . The orthopedist said I can put as much weight on it now as I can stand . For 6 weeks I will have to wear a walking boot , and then I will see him again to take additional X - rays . He thinks I should be healed by then . So it is good news , compared to what the ER doctor had told me . According to the Interent I think this fraccture is sometimes called the dancer 's fracture . 
My Foot Broke . First thing Friday morning June 16 th I got up and started watering the plants and flowers around the house . I have been watering a lot lately because of the drought . This morning I was working as usual dragging the hose around the yard and I stepped wrong and fell to the ground . I am not sure why . I am not sure if I stepped in a hole or if I was stepping off a railroad tie in my yard . All I know is a twisted my ankle and fell to the ground in pain . I tried to immediatley get back up but I could not . It took me a few minutes to finally get to my feet . I thought I would finish watering the garden and try to walk it off . Not much later I decided I better go turn off the water and go inside . So , I walked around the side of the house turned off the water and walked inside . Then I noticed I had not watered the flowers on the back porch , so I went in a filled a pitcher of water and got those watered . I then went back inside and Abigail was watching Clifford ( The Big Red Dog ) . I set down beside her . To my surprise the pain grew worse and now my foot was throbbing . I finally broke down and told Kim my foot was hurting and I needed her to pour me my morning orange juice . When she broght me my OJ she looked at my foot and immediately thought it was broken because the swelling was in a place where there is not any muscle . She then informed we were going to have to make a visit to the doctor . However , my doctor was on vacation , so I ended up in the ER . We went to Baylor All Saints , because my wife already had a doctor 's appointment there . So , she dropped me off at the ER and she and the kids went to see her doctor . After her doctor appoinment she came back to check on me and I was waiting on the doctor to read my X - rays . She then went to lunch , because Abigail was starving . The ER doctor told me I broke the bone that attaches to my little toe . This type of fracture takes a while to heal and I might need to have pin put in it , but I will need to see an orthopedist . My appointment with the orthopedist is Wed . morning , so I will know more then . 
Two Peas in a Pod . Paxton in 2 1 / 2 Months old now . We have had his baby bed in our room , but he had become a light sleeper and when we turned in for the night he would wake up . Now he is in Abigail 's room , and thankfully Abigail is a good sleeper at night , even though she struggles with her daily nap . Abigail can sleep through all his cries until early morning , which Paxton usually starts stirring around 6:30 a.m. The last few mornings we were able to go get Paxton and bring him to bed with us before he woke Abigail around 6:15 . this allowed Abigail to sleep in till around 7:30 . 
Abigail Turns 3 . Abigail turned 3 last Thursday and had to wait until Saturday to have her party . She had a blast and can't wait till she has another party . We invited other kids her age and she was able to just play , play , play . We have a wooden swingset to play on and a trapoline , and rented a bounce house from my next door neighbor . She got some more dinosaurs and last night she kicked her stuffed animals to the bottom of her bed , so she could have her dinosaurs up close all night . She had a good time and a big thank you goes to all those who were able to make this a special day for Abigail . 
Paxton is 2 Months Old . Paxton is 2 months old now . How time flies by . This picture was taken on May 13 th , his 2 month B - day . Next week Abigail turns 3 . She wants the theme of her birthday to be green . When asked what kind of birthday she wanted she said green , and she has stood by that for a few months . We took her to pick out the party plates , and she picked dinosaurs . She likes dinasaurs and is hoping to get one on her birthday . She wants to keep him in the backyard , because he will be too big to keep in the house . 
6 Week Comparison . Paxton 's 6 week pictures are in . He turned 6 weeks last Monday , and yesterday he reached a milestone . He started smiling : ) It seems he likes to play pat - a - cake . As for Abigail she has continued to sleep on the floor . 
Sleeping on the Floor . Abigail has a new favorite place to sleep . For the last two nights she has wanted to sleep on the floor and that is where she is sleeping now . She slept through the night last night with no problems and has done well so for tonight . I wonder how long she will continue to want to sleep on the floor ? Kids are funny ! 
He is after us . The Zoo now has dinosaurs . They move and make noise and Abigail is sure they are real . She does not want one to live in her room . She said he would break her bed if he laid on it . She did say it would be OK to bring him home only if he stayed in the backyard . 
Abigail Dresses Herself . Some good friends of ours gave us some hand - me - downs for Paxton . Abigail was quick to go through the box to see what fit her . She picked out the clothes herself and dressed herself . This is what she ended up looking like . I hope this is not early warning signs of the teenage years yet to come . 
It 's a Boy . Paxton arrived at 12:48p.m. March 13 , 2006 . He weighed 6 lbs . 13 oz . and was 19 inches long . I had just arrived at work when my wife called to tell me to come back home . We were having an entertainment center delivered that morning between the hours of 8 and 12 . So , before I went to work I told my wife to hold out another 4 hours . When she called me she said the furniture delivery was not there yet , but her water had broke . Luckily she was able to get ready and all her makeup on before her water broke . Great timing . My mother - in - law came over to wait on the furniture delivery as we went to the hospital . I called frequently to give updates to my mother - in - law . My wife had planned to go all natural ( no drugs ) , but when she reached 5 cm she quickly changed her mind and asked for an epideral . It ended up being a good decision as all her pain quickly went away . She went from agony and pain to putting on makeup as she waited for the baby to get there . The furniture guys took their time , but so did our doctor because he was in surgery at another hospital . When the doctor got there I quickly called my mother - in - law to tell her Kim was going to start pushing . Ironically the furniture guys were there bringing in my entertainment center . I was having 2 deliveries at once . My sister - in - law stayed behind to wait for the furniture as my mother - in - law rushed to the hospital . The birth came quick , it only took 18 minutes of pushing . My wife was happy . Paxton cleaned up well and my wife started nursing him immediately and this is when my mother - in - law showed up . In a few minutes everyone else : big sister , my parents , and my father - in - law came in and took turns holding the baby . Please view the following photos . 
Abigail trying on some of Paxton 's clothes . Abigail is having fun with the excitement of baby Paxton coming . She can't wait to be a big sister . She wants to change his diaper by herself . We will not let that to happen . Even though she is excited , she has no idea that her whole life is about to be changed and will never be the same again . 
A Cake for Paxton . Paxton is well loved even before he is born . We received some more clothes from my parents and my sister . He got some Osh Kosh overalls and onesies . He also got some PJs . Abigail and I enjoyed the cake and ice cream . 
Showered with Gifts Again . We had another wonderfull baby shower with plenty of gifts and desserts . We received diapers , wipes and lots of nice clothes and blankets . A few of the blankets were home made . Thanks to everone for the wonderfull shower . 
Showered with Baby Gifts . We were given a shower at our house by my family . May Dad and Mom came with my Nana Rita and my aunt Arlis . We are getting a head start and Paxton will have plenty of blue . Thank You for the wonderfull gifts . Also Abigail loved getting her Valetine 's Day presents which included plenty of candy which she loves . 
Abigail points to mama 's belly . There is a baby inside . Baby Paxton is growing everyday . Mama is 7 months pregnant , only 7 weeks to go . Mama keeps pointing out if this baby comes as early as Abigail that would mean 4 weeks to go . I guess that is some wishfull thinking . 
Abigail is Wearing Big Girl Panties . Abigail started wearing big girl panties yesterday , but only around the house . I would have said she has started potty training but that may be premature . My wife did say she went to the potty twice yesterday , but no luck today . She likes the idea of wearing big girl panties , but I am not sure if she has the idea down yet that she needs to go to the bathroom some where else . She does know not to stay in them . Today she was in the living room and turned to me and said " I need to go to my room and change panties . " She did just that and came out with new panties on . I asked her why and she avoided the question . I guessed they were wet , but did not push the subject . I simply reminded her to use the potty next time . Ten minutes later she said she needed to go to her room and change panties again . In another hour she was on her fourth pair of panties . We then needed to go to the mall so we put a diaper on her . We told her tomorrow she will get a treat every time she potties . Not for simply sitting on the potty , but actually doing something while she is on it . We will see how that goes . 
Abigail draws the letter A . At 2 1 / 2 Abigail has drawn her first letter , with no coaching of her own . Abigail calming called my wife in the your and said she drew the letter A . My wife looked down and there on the blue piece of paper was an A . My wife quickly responded by saying " can you do it again ? " Abigail quickly drew a V and drew a line across it writing an upside down A on the yellow sheet of paper . She did a good job even though she did write it upside down . 
Introduction . I don't keep a diary and I don't journal . The question is " Will I blog ? " My plans are to at least use it to post family pictures and family events . Maybe I will posts some of my thoughts . That is why I called my blog Yadda Yadda Yadda . Not original or serious , but don't except anything original or serious here . I stayed up tonight way past everyone else in the family . To setup this blog ? No I stayed up to watch the NCAA football championship game . I was rooting for Texas and they won . I have enjoyed watching Vince Young the past few years in college . I can't remember anyone else I have enjoyed watching this much except maybe the Rocket Ismail from Notre Dame , both players did not win the Heisman . Go figure , I didn't get to vote . I have not been able to watch football much this year . Lately since the beginning of Christmas my daughter wants to role play the birth of Christ . I get the part of Joseph if I am lucky . Sometimes I have to be a shepherd or a wise man . Isn't that great my daughter is still young enough to consider me a wise man , but then again she also wants me to be the as # , I mean the donkey . 
Week 8 . Record of Ministry Activities : Sunday 7 - 16 - prep for Sunday school - 1 hr - prep for Sunday night service - 3 hr Monday 7 - 17 - devos - 1 hr - worked on message for Wed . night - 3 hr - worked on message for Sun . night - 3 hr Tuesday 7 - 18 - devos - 1 hr - meeting about Sun . night service - 1 hr - worked on message for Sun . night - 2 hr - service planning for Sun . night - 1 hr - prep for Wed . night youth group - 2 hr Wednesday 7 - 19 - devos - 1 hr - worked on message for Sunday night - 2 hr - message for Wed . night - 2 hr - prep for youth group - 2 hr - youth group - 3 hr Thursday 7 - 20 - day off Friday 7 - 21 - men 's prayer meeting - 1 hr - devos - 1 hr - leadership meeing - 1 1 / 2 hr - message for Sunday night - 1 1 / 2 hr - lunch with guy in youth group - 1 1 / 2 hr - prep for Sun . night - 1 hr Saturday 7 - 22 - day at dunes with interns - 6 hrs Personal Reflection : The question on my mind this week has been : " How much do I care ? " As the summer begins to wind down I ' ve been looking back at the time and energy I ' ve put into certain things . It 's easy to tell what things are important to me and what things I don't place as much importance on . As I look back I would do a few things differently if I could . I would definately place a greater emphasis on the relationships with myself and the other interns . Most of the summer I ' ve been telling myself that we ' ll all get closer as time goes . Well , time has gone and while we ' ve gotten closer I still wish it could be more . I feel like there could be so much more benefit for everyone from a deeper relationship all around . This has taught me a couple things . Never take time for granted . It seems like only days ago that I was telling myself I had three months here to accomplish all these things . I ' m now down to only a few weeks . Second , people , people , people . The most important thing in ministry besides my relationship with Christ is my relationship with people . They are what this whole thing is about . My ' ministry ' exists to show God to them and develop relationships with them . May I never forget what God places the most emphasis on : people . Spiritual Reflection : It 's amazing how camp can have such an effect on the youth that go . It is designed specifically for them to experience Christ and love him in new and deeper ways . What 's really sweet is that I felt that I got so much out of it as well . There is something about being a leader of youth that causes you to always be learning . Every time I see them in their relationships with Christ I ' m reminded of how mine much be right before I can even think about ministering to them . I feel like this whole summer I have been getting closer to God and experiencing him in new ways . This is something I do not want to quit once my internship is over . Yes , it will be harder once I go back to school and have the demands associated with that placed upon me . But God will still be God and I will still need to strive to seek him always in my life . If I want God to use me in great ways in the future I must place a heavy emphasis upon my personal relationship with him . 
Week 7 . Record of Ministry Activities : Sunday 7 - 9 - prep for Sunday school - 1 hr - prep for camp - 2 hr - camp - 8 hr Monday 7 - 10 - camp - 16 hrs Tuesday 7 - 11 - camp - 16 hrs Wednesday 7 - 12 - camp - 16 hrs Thursday 7 - 13 - camp - 7 hrs - camp tear down / return - 6 hrs Friday 7 - 14 - day off Saturday 7 - 15 - prep for Sunday morning 1 1 / 2 hrs - youth contacts - 5 hrs Personal Reflection : I ' ve found this week it can be hard to keep focused on ministry tasks when there are tons of other things going on . I had the unfortunate experience of having a guy blow a stopsign and hit my car the day before I left for camp . While it was nice to get away for a few days and not have to worry about it , the problem was still in the back of my mind . At times throughout the week I would catch myself worrying about how the problem will be fixed . There is nothing wrong with working through those problems , I just felt that at times it was pushing itself to the front of my mind , where camp should have been . I ' ve been learning this week about not worrying so much about things such as this incident . There is nothing I can do while I ' m at camp . I need to simply put it in the back of my mind and be open to what God wants to do through me and in me during the week . While ministry should always be integrated in with my life , there are times when I need to separate my life from jobs I need to accomplish . Ministry is not a 9 - 5 job . Everything I do during my week affects my ministry . At times however , certain things need to be given over to God so that I can focus directly on my responsibilities as a pastor . Spiritual Reflection : This one is one I ' ve dealt with many times before , the " camp high " . Inevitably when a person goes to camp they get filled up and are on a spiritual high when they return home . The problem comes when one tries to sustain this after they ' ve left camp . The realities of life crowd back in and God gets crowded back out to where he was before . How can we change this ? How can decisions made for Christ be more than simply that , a decision and not an action ? I long to see the youth persevere and practice what they said they would practice when they were at camp . My question is ... how much harm and how much good do these camps , these ' spiritual highs ' do ? I ' ve seen people who go to camp and come away changed for the rest of their life . God called me to be a youth pastor while I was at camp so I know full well the good things that can happen . I ' ve also seen kids be set up to fall hard when they get home . They have all this energy that is quickly sucked away by their family and friends who expect them to be exactly the same . They realize what they wanted to do back home is much harder than they anticipated . Sometimes the response is to simply forget about camp and go back to the old way of life . In my opinion this does more harm than good . I wish there was a better way to transition from camp into life back home . 
Week 6 . Record of Ministry Activities : Sunday 7 - 2 - prep for Sunday school - 1 hr - prep for Sunday night service - 2 1 / 2 hrs Monday 7 - 3 - day off Tuesday 7 - 4 - day off Wednesday 7 - 5 - devos - 1 hr - prep for Wed . night 1 1 / 2 hrs - camp prep - 5 hrs - youth group - 3 hrs Thursday 7 - 6 - devos - 1 hr - camp prep - 8 hrs Friday 7 - 7 - devos - 1 hr - camp prep - 8 hrs - youth contacts - 4 hrs Saturday 7 - 8 - camp loadup - 2 hrs Personal Reflection : This was a tough week of trying to figure out which things needed to be done first . Camp was obviously the top priority but at times I felt like it was pushing other things that needed to be done down on the list . On Wednesday I spent a lot of time preparing for camp . I also had youth group that night . At one point in the afternoon I had to stop and literally not let myself work anymore on things for camp . I needed to start focusing on youth group that night . This helped to teach me that there are often many things that can be done , but those things do not always need to be done right away . I like to do things as soon as I learn about them . In this case I had to postpone some things until the next day , which was a perfectly logical thing to do . I had a couple more days to get things done and I had no problem fitting them in during those two days . I am learning more how to not only be effective with my time and efficient , but also how to refrain from doing things as well that can wait a day or two . Spiritual Reflection : Many times this week I was tempted to not do devotions because of all the things I had to do to prepare for camp and other things . A time or two I did actually forget to do my quiet time for the day . This is something that I need to fight against even harder in the future . My time alone with God each day will never be a waste of time , even if I have many things to get done . There is nothing better that I can be doing than deepening my relationship with God . Even when I have many things to do I must make it a priority to spend time in prayer and be still before God . This will then help my entire day after that to go even smoother than it would have if I would have skipped that time . 
Week 5 . Record of Ministry Activities : Sunday 6 - 25 - prep for Wednesday night youth group - 1 hr - prep for College Sunday night service - 2 hrs - prep for Sunday School - 1 hr Monday 6 - 26 - went to camp to check out site for upcoming summer camp - 8 hrs Tuesday 6 - 27 - devos - 1 hr - worked on fliers - 1 hr - worked on Wednesday night talk - 1 hr - meeting about College service - 1 hr - worked on schedule for the week - 1 / 2 hr Wednesday 6 - 28 - devos - 1 hr - printed fliers - 1 / 2 hr - prep for Sunday School - 1 / 2 hr - youth contact - 2 hr - prep for youth group - 2 1 / 2 hr - youth group - 3 hr Thursday 6 - 29 - day off Friday 6 - 30 - devos - 1 hr - leadership meeting - 1 1 / 2 hr - Sunday School prep - 1 hr - Wednesday night prep - 1 hr - College service prep - 1 hr - met with advisor about summer camp - 1 / 2 hr Saturday 7 - 1 - day off Personal Reflection : Crunch time is officially here . My busiest week of the summer is quickly approaching . Summer camp looms on the horizon . While I have a lot to plan and organize in regards to summer camp , the coming 4 th of July holiday does not help the cause much either . A couple extra days off only complicates things . I ' ve decided to go into work on the 3 rd and only take the 4 th off . I can already feel Satan trying to weigh me down . I ' ve had plenty of thoughts about now I will never be able to get everything done that needs to be done . I ' ve been praying to God a lot these last few days , asking both for strength and for Satan to be bound . Whenever I sense the feeling of hopelessness coming on I shoot up a prayer to God asking for strength and guidance . This seems to be working very well . The guys I live with this summer are starting to be more open with each other . This is both good and bad . We are digging deeper in our fellowship times together . However , we are also not afraid to tell another person when they are getting on our nerves . People 's true selves are coming out faster than ever . When someone does something that annoys another person , it is more often spoken now than it was before . We are in a new phase of learning what bothers each person and trying not to do it when they are around . Spiritual Reflection : I find myself during the busy times trying to focus on what I feel to be most important . And while some things naturally will impact more people than others , it is also important not to completely throw the less urgent matters in the trash . They need to get done as well . I find that Satan will try to tell me that a certain thing is not important and that I shouldn't focus any time on it , specifically time in which I would have spent praying over someone or something . It seems like my prayer time and quiet times with God are the first things to go during the extra busy weeks . This should not be the case . If anything this time should increase when the going gets tough . I need to not let Satan tell me that I don't need to pray for something . Prayer is important , probably the most important thing I can do in preparing a message or preparing for an event upcoming . God possesses all power and he can make even the worst planned event a success if he wants to . I must do my part in preparing but even more so rely on his strength to make things happen this summer . 
Week 4 . Record of Ministry Activities Sunday 6 - 18 - final prep for Sunday school lesson - 1 hour - gave Sunday school lesson - 1 hour - prep for Sunday evening service - 3 hours Monday 6 - 19 - worked on weekly to - do list - 1 / 2 hour - prep for Wednesday talk - 2 hours - fliers for events - 1 hour - moved furniture for someone in the church - 1 1 / 2 hours - morning devotions - 1 hour Tuesday 6 - 20 - morning devotions - 1 hour - prep for Wednesday talk - 1 hour - fliers for events - 1 hour - planning for events - 1 1 / 2 hours - weekly meeting to discuss Sunday service - 1 1 / 2 hour Wednesday 6 - 21 - morning devotions - 1 hour - prep materials for small group leaders - 1 / 2 hour - prep for next week - 1 1 / 2 hour - youth group set - up - 2 hours - youth group - 3 hours Thursday 6 - 22 through Saturday 6 - 24 - personal days off ( fiancee 's brother 's wedding in Ohio ) Personal Reflection : There are times when I feel that I must make things simpler for the students that I ' m working with . I sometimes get caught up in doing this too often however . The students need to be challenged at times in order to stretch them in new ways . I need to make sure that I ' m not always trying to spoon feed them things that I want them to learn . It seems that when the students figure something out for themselves they remember it much longer than they will if it is simply something that I tell them with words . This was apparent as I was in my small group on Wednesday night with the senior guys . I challenged them all to listen for something the God may be telling them to commit to in their lives . They were all able to come up with something which they were going to make a sacrifice for . This worked much better than me giving them something to try to do in the hopes that they will learn what it means to make a sacrifice . They are much more likely to follow through with things if it is something that they truly believe God is telling them they need to do . Spiritual Reflection : I am the kind of person who likes to have a schedule and have things laid out for me . This is also true when it comes to reading the Bible for devotions . I love having a set amount to get through every day . I have recently discovered a problem with this however . I was beginning to equate success in my devotions with getting through a certain amount of scripture rather than whether or not I connected with God . While it may be easier to measure the former I want the latter to be what I base my devotion time on . I love the challenge placed forth by IWU at the beginning of the year to read through the entire Bible in a year . I have done this before and enjoyed it very much . Up until last week this is what I had been doing every day . However , I began to feel that I was moving through the scriptures too fast . I was not able to chew on them as much as I wanted to . I decided that even though I had been on this reading schedule for 6 months , it was time to change . This week I read at my own pace , digging even deeper into the passage than I had been . I got so much more out of my quiet time simply because I was able to go my own pace and let God speak to me through what I was reading . One thing I learned from this was that just because a challenge is placed before me , it may not be in my best interest to accept that challenge . 
Week 3 . Record of Ministry Activities Sunday 6 - 11 - prepare for Sunday school - hour - prepare for Sunday evening service - 2 hours Monday 6 - 12 - worked on talk for Wednesday night - 1 hours - worked on talk for Sunday morning - 1 hour - called students about Sunday morning - 1 / 2 hour - met with youth pastor - 1 hour - picked up things for youth group - 1 hour Tuesday 6 - 13 - worked on talk for Wednesday night - 1 hour - put together movie clip for Wednesday night - 1 hour - worked on details for youth group events - 1 hour - meeting about Sunday evening - 1 hour - worked on talk for Sunday morning - 1 hour Wednesday 6 - 14 - worked on talk for evening - 2 hours - worked on talk for Sunday morning - 1 hour - set - up for youth group - 2 hours - youth group - 2 hours - tear down after youth group - 1 hour Thursday 6 - 15 - day - off Friday 6 - 16 - prayer breakfast - 1 hour - work on talk for Sunday morning - 2 hours - worked on event details / fliers - 1 hours - met with pastor to discuss leadership - 1 hours Saturday 6 - 17 - office work - 1 hour - hung out with youth at a house - 4 hours Personal Reflection : This week I showed a video clip on Wednesday night . I had a guy at the church splice together some scenes so that I could easily show the parts I wanted . I planned to take a portable projector and show the clips outside . The problem was that I couldn't find a spot dark enough to see the movie . My back - up plan was to watch it in the basement of the house . When everyone got there and we went inside I found out the DVD wouldn't work in the place available . I was faced with the decision of how much time to spend trying to get it to work . We only have so much time each night and I didn't want to misuse that time I ' ve been given . We did finally get it to work but were a little rushed the rest of the night , which I wish I could have changed . The bottom line is that I learned that there are times when I should try to fix things that aren't working out like I ' d like and other times that I should just scrap them . Sometime the benefit will not outweigh the cost . I must have a decerning mind to know when to go for things and when to go to a back - up plan . Spiritual Reflection : This Sunday night we were very crunched in our planning of the service . We had planned earlier in the week to go outside . This of course was when the weather forecast said sunny . It did end up raining that afternoon . We were forced to change plans . Everyone was running around and not entirely sure of how things were going to turn out . About 1 / 2 hour before the service it was nice enough outside that the guy in charge for the week wanted to at least go outside for half of it . This made plans even a little more jumbled . I did a lot of praying that afternoon , more than I usually do for any other of the services . I realized though that while it 's good to pray when things aren't going well , I should also not forget to pray for the services that seem to be going smoothly . I must not place too much faith in myself or in those around me . We can pull off a flawless service that would be nothing if the Holy Spirit did not show up . I must remember that it is important to rely on God all the time , not just when the plans I had in place aren't working . 
Week 2 . Record of Ministry Activities Sunday 6 - 4 - prep work for senior high Sunday school - 0.5 hours - prep work for sermon in college age service - 2.5 hours - gave sermon in college age service - 0.5 hours Monday 6 - 5 - office work preparing for Wednesday night youth group - 2 hours - meet with a supervisor over supper - 1 hour - visited parents of a guy in youth group - 0.75 hours Tuesday 6 - 6 - meeting to plan for Sunday night service - 1.5 hours - prep work for Wednesday night youth group - 2 hours - met with small group leaders to go over summer - 1.5 hours - college age bible study - 1 hour Wednesday 6 - 7 - prep work for youth group - 3 hours - set up and tear down for youth group - 1.5 hours - led youth group for juniors and seniors - 2 hours Thursday 6 - 8 - day off Friday 6 - 9 - prep work for next Wednesday youth group - 1.5 hours - leadership training meeting - 1.5 hours - called students on the phone - 1 hour Saturday 6 - 10 - met students at restaurant for breakfast - 1 hour Personal Reflection It 's very nice to be settling into a normal week . This week I was able to spend it both in planning for Wednesday night and also for hanging out with youth . I found out through the last week that I am not one who likes to be stuck in the office for hours on end each week . I love being able to connect with youth and engage in conversation with them . As the weeks go on I will need to find a good medium between being in the office and being out with the youth . I am also experiencing the need to allow others to help me with things in planning . On Sunday night I had a million things to do and it was very helpful to let some other people handle a few things that needed to be done . In this was I was able to get on stage and preach without having felt like I just came out of a tornado . Delegating things to other people is something I ' m sure I ' ll need to be doing for many years to come . Spiritual Reflection This week I experienced something that I had heard about before but had not yet seen first hand . It happened on Thursday , the day after the first night of youth group that I led . Satan was on the charge pointing out every little thing that I thought could have went better . I was getting very sad about the job that I had done . It took me a little while to realize that this was in fact Satan planting these lies in my head . After talking to some people about how night had gone I was able to see that in fact God was there and that good things did happen . Satan of course will never tell me that . I learned two very important lessons on Thursday . The first thing was that it is important to get positive feedback from other people . I can become very depressed if I do not see the good things that happened . I also learned that it is important to reflect on how things went in order to improve upon them next time . 
Mandarin language .... and songs . i have a confession to make .... first of all i dont really bother to learn mandarin even though i was a chinese ... hahaha ... malaysian chinese ..... because i think english is good enough neva listen much to mandarin songs coz i dun really understand but i was working hard to learn japanese , mayb juz becoz japanese songs are nice and i do watch alot of anime so i juz wanna listen to them witout readin all those subtitles and after 18 years ... someone that is very important in my life had made me realise how beautiful mandarin language is .... there are series of event that makes me wanna learn and appreciate how good mandarin songs were ... first of all when i call her everytime , her caller ringtone has the song of san hu hai and kiss goodbye .... oh well this get me hooked into mandarin song since then ... omg this 2 songs i give them rating of 10 / 10 ..... this songs make me like ... well .. addicted to it ... then its is mainly because of her also .... she kinda said sometimes we have communication problem ... so in order to be wit her i must learn mandarin ( she neva say this ... juzz my own will ) the last thing is i juz wanna understand wat mostly ppl says ..... oh well now i am a banana .... my last word is MANDARIN SONGS ROXXORZZ and winnie !! 
Juz came back from melaka trip .... Our team named cincai la ! From left chei lin , kathy , winnie and well me ... omg our team got lost ! This Melaka trip to me is more like a vacation than a competition .... reason i go there ? its coz of r . age spirit of melaka ... its kinda like treasure hunt thingy held by rage ... i would say the race is kinda suck and the management is not efficient enough to handle technical problems ...... as the race has juz started ... we suppose to sms som to 2000 after we decipher the clue given to get our first question ...... u know wat ??? our team number was not registered in the spirit of melaka preliminaries ... watafak ?? basicly we had made it thru to the top 100 teams and this happens in the beginning of the race ..... haiz ..... ok i first reported to the marshall which is closes to us somewhere near the roundbout near melaka river where u can see jonker street ... u know wat they told me ? i have to report to the base station which is the starting point of the race is padang merdeka ... i ran all the way there ... its kinda far and i ran non - stop to prevent our team from slowing down of this technical problem ( omg its like 1 or 2 km ) ... ok this is disapointing as our team is getting further away from the rest coz of this minor glitch ........ after that on my second task ... my shoe tore into 2 pieces ... wth ... 2 bad stuff happened to our team .... thank prashan 4 lending me a new shoe if not i wonder wat will happen to my foot after the race .... i dun wanna think bout it ..... overall the task is good .. its very challenging .. it mean to test the team brains and brawls ( haha i dunno how to express this ) ... after all we didnt make it to the top 10 teams for the finals but in the other hand i am very happy because this give me a chance to be close to my gf and understand her better thus this help to tighten our bond together ..... i love u !! ( hope u read this ! ) this trip also help me to make new frens and i glad i have them in this trip ( eugene , doris , wen jie u know i am talkin bout u guys !! : p ) . 
seed stage of my blogging life just like business life cycle . As i have just started my blog ... dunno yet wat to write ........ so i just simply crap around 4 now ...... testing testing .... hahaa .... oh wait i have somethin to say ......... why i made this blog thingy ? all this while i neva bother to write the path of my life until now ....... as i can see one of my frens blog ... he express his love life ( haha ... chitty if u gonna read this i hope u wont kill me > . this is just for testing ........ 
aatmalayayogam . Sunday , may 22 , 2005 Aatmalayayogam Mooladharam bhoghatyagam Swadhistanam vishayatyagam Manipuram rupatyagam Anahatam samkalpatyagam Visuddham atmavicharam Agna ahamtyagam Sahasraram swarupadarsanam Iti aatmalayayogam . ----------------- " rasoh vaisah rasahguhyevayamlabdva nandi bhavathi " -- self alone is bliss and one gets eternal contentment by realising it . " tvameva viditvati mrutyumeti na anya pandhah " --- one can transcend sorrow and death by realising it . ---------------- saturday , august 13 , 2005 an enquiry into creativeconsciousness ------------------------------------------------------------------------- our scriptures declare emphatically that this worldis nothing but the manifestation of the supreme being . it is identical with supreme consciousness . It has joy inside , outside , everywhere . if everything is bliss why we do not experience it ? why do we find misery around us ? physical advancement in life made outside life easier but it is not able to give a stressfree and peaceful mind . " rasoh vaisah rasah guhye vayam labdva nandi bhavathi " ------- " the individual cannot be really happy unless he realises that consciousness is the quintescence of all joy . " ---- An enquiry into creative consciousness is necessaryto understand this . As it is creative consciousness is beyond our comprehension except in a superconscious state where you get a glimpse of it . The origin of duality . ---- When a wave of joy is felt in consciousness , at that point it manifests in creation , sustenance , and destruction . all this appears in consciousness without any internal change . at the individual level , the jiva remembers the past and acts accordinglyleading to the continuation of external circumstances . with the passage of time the individual becomes egocentric , loses his natural identity with consciousness , becomeshappy or miserable as per circumstances . He become sa puppet in the hands of external cirumstances . He forgetsthat he is the master of his world and not a servant . He has an inexhaustible source of joy within himself . --- spiritual guidance --- at this juncture , if the fortunate jiva receives the guidanceof a sympathetic spiritual guide , his new inner journey begins . Here creative consciousness examines the nature of human " dristi " . dristi is of three kinds - 1 . bhogha dristi 2 . yoga dristi 3 . gyana dristi . enquiring in to creative consciousness changes bhogha dristiinto yoga dristi which culminates into gyanadristi when we reachthe required levels of maturity . creative consciousness enables us to realise our natural identity withcosmic consciousness . By following certain yogic techniquesthe identification with the body and mind decreases . At a higher level we get a glimpse of creative consciousness . while the enquiry continues the individual continues hisoutward journey within the conditions his life permits . as his vision is broadened he realises that each individual is the master of his world , that disturbances come on account of wrong thinking about the nature of creative consciousness . an experience of the natureof creative consciousness brings about etenal fulfillment . Scriptures are abound with many simple techniques which we use without harm , under the guidance of a spiritual guide . OMposted by mantra @ 8:56 pm 5 commentsabout mename : mantralocation : india . 
India should ' t follow Israeli way . After the Mumbai blasts there has been a lot of talk about India following the Israel way . The comparison between responses of India and Israel to the terrorist attacks have been circulated to emphasise this fact . Hindu extremists have raised the ante to take advantage of the paranoia among people . But should India follow Israel 's path and attack Islamic militant targets in Pakistan and Po K ? The conflict between Israel and Arab countries has been going on since the formation of Israel in the Promised Land . Both sides have been involved in many wars and there have been many casualties over the years . But the situation hasn't changed much . When two Israeli soldiers were captured by Hijbullah , Israel retorted with militaray attack on Lebenon , killing many civilians and forcing many people out of Lebenon . And this attack hasn't provided the solution , instead has worsened the situation . Attacking the militant targets does serve a purpose to an extent . But does it make any further possibility of militant attacks void ? No. In fact , such military response germinates the vengeance in the youth . Whenever you kill or arrest a top - rank leader , there is always somebody to replace him and it goes on . Yesterday , I saw ' Munich ' , a beautiful movie by Steven Spielberg . Avner , Israeli agent , is on the mission of assassinating Palestinians responsible for Munich massacre . His source Louis , asks him if his mission will really be over after killing these 11 men , because when each one of them is killed the successor will prop up and Avner will have to kill him as well . And that 's the reality . No resistance can be opressed by use of force . And the same applies to India as well . Militant attacks can't be stopped by using force alone . So what is the solution for this ? I think , Government should target on the base of the terrorism , which lies in the poverty and illiteracy . Poor unemployed and uneducated Muslim youth is the breeding ground for the terrorist organisation . There isn't much communal divide in the upper strata of society . At the same time the confidence building measures should go on . The trade between India and Pakistan . China and Japan are biggest foes , but at the same time China is biggest trading partner of Japan . Business activities should ' t be mixed with politics becauses it will help economies to grow . With globalisation , economies have become intermingled and they dictate the politics at times . No country can afford war , in fear of losing economically . Thus , strengthning of all strata of society will ultimately result in curbing of terrorism in future . 
Thanks Do T for blocking blogspot ; ) . So finally Indian government has lifted the ban on blogspot . com. Let 's hope that Government will not use any such measures in future , where people are stripped from their basic right , i . e . , Freedom of Speech . I also hope that Government will also lift ban on other blogs and websites . Authorities often lament that anti - social elements use technology to their benefit , which is true . But at the same time Authorities ca also use this technology to curb terrorism . . I don't know if there is similar proverb in English , but whenever there is need , people look for alternatives . When blogspot was not available , I was looking for other options . I had heard about bloglines . And I really got hooked to it . Yes , I know that feeds is an age - old ( at least in computing terms ; )) technology . Kaushal had told me about it a year back . I had read about it on net . But somehow I never tried feeds . But when blogspot was blocked and it was absolutely necessary to use feed I had to resort to feeds . So I tried both online feed sites ( bloglines . com ) and desktop software ( newscrawler . com ) . Both are good , but I prefer bloglines . After suscribing to feeds , I no longer have to check blogs to check if they are updated . News from various sources ( BBC , Reuters , NDTV , ... ) arrive at my bloglines page , as they are updated . I am informed about latest tranfer rumours ( which is very important news for any football fan ) as they unfold . And of course , you can also suscribe to podcasts . There are many many feeds available on the net . Feeds are really amazing thing , which I am sad that I didn't explore previously . I know , many people must be already using feeds . But I urge all those who are not using it , to try it . You will definitely get hooked to it ! 
Champion 's League on Ten Sports . It 's really sad to see Ten Sports getting TV rights for Champion 's League . I have been critical of ESPN in one of my previous posts ( link thanks to pkblogs . com ) , but I still maintain that ESPN is the best sport broadcaster in India and it 's really sad to see them losing rights of so many sporting events . It started with Cricket , then it was Tennis and now Football ! ESPN have lost rights of Cricket in almost all cricket - playing nation , except for England and Australia and with no live Indian cricket on offer , they have resorted to showing some of the most boring programmes like , Hitz , India Classics n so on . ESPN have even lost rights of US Open Tennis and Tour de France . Football has been forte of ESPN with broadcasting rights of EPL and Champion 's League . Ten Sports and Zee Sports had already started infilterating in the ESPN 's domain , by bagging rights of other big leagues in Europe , like Serie A and Bundesliga . And with Champion 's League going to Ten Sports , it 's really a bad news for football fanatics . The reason for this may be the financial , with Ten Sports and Zee Sports bidding for larger amount . I wonder why ESPN , with Rupert Murdoch , a media barron , being it 's head , can't match that . But even then other issues must be given preferrence , as was the case in 1999 World Cup ( IIRC ) , when Zee bid was rejected citing the lack of infrastructure . Ten Sports haven't given a good sporting experience , with an antiquated look and listless commentators ( how can Srinath , Arun Lal and Laxman Sivaramkrishnan be commentators ? ) . The post and pre match shows are pathetic . The highlights package is also bad . I fear that same will happen for Champion 's League as well . I remember , when Ten Sports used to telecast FA Cup , there used to be no analysis programmes and same was the case for Serie A matches last season . Sports is not just about watching matches . It 's a complete experience , which , I am sad to say , is completely absent on Ten Sports Broadcasting . I hope that Ten Sports will improve it 's broadcasting standards for both Cricket and football , to match those of ESPN , because people don't care about the channel , they just want to see good action and that 's what ESPN has delivered so far ! 
The post that most wont be able to read . It 's really strange to start writing a post which most wont be able to read . This is because Indian authorities have blocked all the blogspot blogs , in their so - called effort to curb some of the malicious blogs . They were supposed to block only some domains , but blocked entire blogspot . com. How can they do that . It 's really ridiculous . The guys sitting in Do T should give an explanation . But the Government people don't understand the gravity of situation . Many people in India still don't consider Internet as necessity . They just perceive it as a mean for sending Email and doing chatting . I remember one Reliance ad , which emphasised that net means only email . The person in the ad , when asked about Internet , replies - " I access my mails from office " , as if to say that email is net . Sadly , that 's the case with many , except for younger generation . Many people don't consider it as necessity and that it can be used for many purposes , like blogging . This results in apathy in the authority , who don't consider blocking of blogs a serious thing . Otherwise they wouldn't have blocked blogspot for so many days . It must be the first instance when Indian authorities have censorship in their own hands , unlike China and many other countries , where Government controls Internet activities . Blocking of Internet sites is almost impossible thing to do . Even when blogspot . com is blocked people can still access blogs through news feeds . So blocking is not proving efficient . So no point in doing such maneuvers . India is a democratic country , with freedom of speech . Activities like this would contribute to tarnishing the image of the country in free world . As I had quoted in one of my previous posts , Thomas Friedman , in his famous book ' The World is flat ' says - In the flat world , one cannot prevent anyone from seeing anything , as there are no valleys or mountains left to hide . So I urge Do T to restore the blogspot . India is a democratic country and let it be ! 
Ultraman Hadhari !!!! Arghhh Funny 2 x !!!! owh .... for all of u out there .... check this out !!!!! 100 % funny !!!! it 's a video clip .. about Islam hadhari ... where the dancers are all from the Ultraman 's family !!! hak hak hak ..... owh btw .. the singer 's voice sounds familiar ... anybody know him .. please do tell me .... watch it ---- > click here !! 
Krakozhia !!! Krakozhia !!! haha ... dunno why I picked this word for this post 's title ... hahaha ... Dinner wit Izzat reminds me of Tom Hanks role in The Terminal ... Viktor Navorski from " Krakozhia !!!! " he ( Izzat ) shouted the word a few times ... we were pretending to be some foreign characters ... haha ... so many languages we spoke that night .. Chinese , Italian , French , Krakozhian !!! LOL .... Apis looked sooo boring ... dunno why .. later that night I received an SMS from him ... then I only I understand why he acted like that ... hehe .. sorry Apis ... That night ... at Cili Merah ... again ... met Apis Bird .. hurmm .... I can't really concentrate on what my friends were discussing .. or maybe debating I ' m not sure ... but sumthing to do wit Pak Lah ... Dr M.... Singapore ... UMNO ... bla bla ... hurmm .. I hate this topic ... Politics ~ !! ayark .... looks like sumbody is not satisfied wit sumbody ~ hahaha ..... Earlier that day .. before playin ' football .... Syukri invited me over to Kedai Kopi ( Murah ) ... having some evening tea maybe .... wit Nadira , Nadia and 2 unknown person ... Syukri looked happy .. dunno why laa .... ( but I knew laa lepas tu ... ) way to go sukri !!!! good luck !!!! we had a unique technique of communicatin ' ... Using HP but in a more saving way laaa .... type SMS but not sending ... just showing each other ... HAHA .... LOL .... Owh .. before that ... I just finished 2 more ambigrams ... " KHAIRUL " and " TENGKU " ... again .. I felt dissapointed coz Apis and Tengku can't read those ambigrams ... ayark ... such a loserlah dorang nie ... tu pun takleh bace !!! nyampah !!!! While typing this post ... I ' m starving ok !!! hurmm .. only havin ' Roti Canai for dinner .... maybe I deserved being " starving " ... problems gone ~ . 
Sami Yusuf . Sami Yusuf is a Nasyid singer which I knew back when I ' m at Istanbul last 2 months ... Waaa .... lagu - lagu die sangat sedih tau ..... and ... there 's this one song which suits the whole situation regarding all this Palestinians ... Israelis .... etc.. bla bla bla .... P / s : Sami Yusuf ni agak terkenal gak tau sebenarnye kat dunie .... check out !!! Gamba sape ngan Sami Yusuf ni ??? ( Sami ni lahir 1980 tau .... name je nampak tua .. hahaha ... ) Sami Yusuf feat Outlandish - try Not To Cry Album - My Ummah ( 2005 ) You , you re not aware That we re aware Of your despair Don t show your tears To your oppressor Don t show your tears CHORUS : Try not to cry little one You re not alone I ll stand by you Try not to cry little one My heart is your stone I ll throw with you Isam : Ayn Jalut where David slew Goliath This very same place that we be at Passing through the sands of times This land s been the victim of countless crimes From Crusaders and Mongolsto the present aggression Then the Franks , now even a crueller oppression If these walls could speak , imagine what would they say For me in this path that I walk onthere 's only one way Bullets may kill , bones may break Still I throw stones like David before me and I say CHORUSYou , you re not aware That we re aware Of your despair Your nightmares will end This I promise , I promise CHORUSLenny : No llores , no pierdas la fe La sed la calma el que haze Agua de la arena Y tu que te levantas con orgullo entre las piedras Haz hecho mares de este polvo Don t cry , don t lose faith The one who made water come out of the sand Is the one who quenches the thirst And you who rise proud from between the stones Have made oceans from this dust Waqas : I throw stones at my eyes cause for way too long they ve been dry Plus they see what they shouldn t from oppressed babies to thighs I throw stones at my tongue cause it should really keep its peace I throw stones at my feet cause they stray and lead to defeat A couple of big ones at my heart cause the thing is freezing cold But my nafs is still aliveand kicking unstoppable and on a roll I throw bricks at the devil so I ll be sure to hit him But first at the man in the mirror so I can chase out the venom Isam : Hmm , a little boy shot in the head Just another kid sent out to get some bread Not the first murder nor the last Again and again a repetition of the past Since the very first day same story Young ones , old ones , some glory How can it be , has the whole world turned blind ? Or is it just cause it s only affecting my kind ? ! If these walls could speak , imagine what would they say For me in this path that I walk onthere s only one way Bullets may kill , bones may break Still I throw stones like David before me and I say CHORUS Try laaaa download lagu ni eeh .... ( Sami Yusuf Feat Outlandish - Try Not To Cry . mp 3 ) ----- > Klik sini utk download .... 
Why palestinian should not get peace ? And why palestinians are stupid ? hurmm ... almost every day I read the same article on the newspaper .... Lebanon .... Israel ..... Wounded .... Died .... Bomb .... Asap ... Mayat .... Kematian ... Israel .. Yahudi .... Arab .... Arab Arab Arab .... huarghh .... sorry to say that ... I hate Arabs ... !!! hua hua hua .... I ' m a Muslim too ... and it 's not that I like The Israelis , it 's just hmm ... I hayte Arabs !!! they can't unite ... sesame puak pon nak begadoh ... so .. we can't totally blame USA or Israelis !!! we should blame the whole Arab 's comunity .... ouh ouh .... when they ( palestinians ) have peace .... Intifada and Hamas plak berbalah antare mereka .... During Iraq War ... Pengawal Republik plak ngan Kurdis .... camtu gak kat Afghan ... Taliban ... smue tu lah ... aiyoyo ... Some said that they are not stupid ... they are just unfortunate do not have a good leadership like other developing country .. hahaha .... ape laaa ... that just showed how stupid they are ... hurmm .. how can they had a good leadership if all the leaders are soo stupid , coward , bla bla bla .... smue ikut je cakap US tu ... hurmm ... Israel .... Zionis ... ayark ... ni pon kejam gak .. jahat gak .... tapi .. diorang ni tak besar tau ... meh kite tgk peta Israel ni cemane ... Owh kawan kawan ... cube tgk ... sape kat sekeliling Israel nieh .... Mesir , Jordan , Arab Saudi , Syria ngan Lubnan .... owh .. sangat kecil Israel nie ..... but .. when they attacked Lebanon ... kite mintak campurtangan PBB laa , itulaa inilaa .... but .. the neighbouring country ... what were they doing ? keh keh ... " just watch and see laaa " hurmm .. tension tension !!!! sedih gaklah actually .... terpakse buat post camni ... sorrylah kepade sesape yg ade darah daging Arab eh .... Arab Malaysia oke .... Arab Timur Tgh tu payah sket ... bukan smuelah senang cite ... !! oke ? peace ~ ( ^ _ ~ ) vhmm .. sekadar tatapan dan renungan masing 2 ... pergilah tgk video ni .... kat link yg diberikan .... tgk bebetul ok ?? klik sini ! 
Return To Ui TM ..... Wednesday ... 26 th July 2006 ... Woke up in pain ... ayark ... so many many nyamuk laa gigit ... hurm ... that 's it ... I forgot to close the window ... and it was raining this morning ... haha .. nasib badan ... sape suro cari penyakit ... Kerol 's phone call woke me up ... he was asking me about DIVX ... I told him about Di Vx .. then took my bath ... hehey .. my sad feelings fade away from day to day ... ahahaha .... berkat doa nie ... Went down stairs lookin ' for breakfast !! hurmm .. nasi goreng ayam ... my favourite !! I ate alone ( as usual .. sape suro bangun lambat kan ?? 12.00 p . m kot ) ... no Kerol 's invitation to lunch .... nothin ' !!! hahaha sedih ... after that ... surfing internet ... until 2 p . m I think ... Mak asked me to bring her to Shah Alam Mall ... she wanted to meet her sister ... ( Udalah ... ) Back from Shah Alam Mall ... wit nothin ' to do ... I continue the LK module ... then ... I finished another ambigram ~ ... haha " NADIRA " ... sangat suke buat bende alah nie ... mencabar kekreativitian ... kui kui kui ..... tido skejap until it was 6 p . m ( dunno why I felt soooo tired that day ... ) woke up and played football ... An unknown uncle joined us play football ... he 's 34 and told us that he used to play on the same field for the past 17 years !!! gile lah ... abg senior padang nie .... we played together on a same team ... and .. guess what .... I scored 4 goals ... !! ( main skittle jek .. tapi maybe sebab semangat uncle tu kot ... bersemangat sket .. ) playin ' wit him reminds me of Dennis Bergkamp 's testimonial match last week ... where Old people ( lengends ) played together wit young people .. HAHA ..... Night time ... Nashrif invited me to Ui TM ... he borrowed Mak 's Domino 's Pizza Gold Card ... hehehehe .... It was Shake 's birthday celebration ... my x - classmate during Diploma Program in Ui TM ... I felt so excited coz I ' m gonna see my old fwenzz .... hihiih .... eventhough there were not so many people ... still meriah .... hurmm ... Pai , Wan Nurul , Ida , Maryam , Salina , Along , Shake , AP , Nash , Mira , and others which I forgot their names .. ( sorry ~ ) owh ... I think I ate 5 pieces of Aloha Chicken .. !!! ayark .. gilelah .. buntal jadinye .... Happy Birthday Shake !!! Thanx Nash for inviting !!! So Sangat Happy ~ !!! hihihi Owh ... Rosazmeer dah tak single ... baru tau ~ hahaha . 
Susahnye nak Tido .... hurmm ... I think for the last 4 days ... I can't sleep well ... dunno why .... I managed to go to sleep earlier but ... around 1 - 4 a . m I ' ll wake up !! ayark .. so takutlah ... last night ... I felt the same .... around 12.45 I still can't tido yet ... owhhh hohoho ... whutodo whutodo .... checked my DVD 's .. lookin ' for any movies that I haven't watch yet ... belek ~ belek ~ pang !! found one !!! firewall ... starring Harrison Ford .... hurmm ... tgk je lah .. Apis told me that it 's an interesting movie ... around 1 a.m... my phone rang .... " Fyzura Faazil " . haha .... picked up the phone .... whoaa ... lame tak borak 2 ngan Fy ~ she said that she can't reached me earlier ... owh ... maybe I was online wit somebody ... owh we borak and borak and borak .... so many 2 borak things .... past , present and future .... kah kah kah ..... Fy still same macam dulu dulu lagi ... kui kui ... masih sporting dan kelaka ... supportive ~ whoaa ..... baguslah die .. terharu .... nanti kite blanje ikan gak eh !!! ; p We stopped around 2.30 a . m I think ... die dah ngantuk dah kot ( mengomel kecil ) ... OK ... still ... can't tido !!! .. so I continue wit Firewall ... at last .. finished watching around 4.15p.m.... still takleh tido lagi .... haha .... I sent sms to a few people yg ade potensi tak tido tido lagi ... nak kacau dorang ... tapi ... " So sad .. " ... no reply .... jadi .. berjagelah .... 6.00 a.m... when it comes to praying time ... whoa .. my mate jadik berat lah kawan kawan ... tertido !!!!!!!!!!!! mak called me at 7.17a.m... scolded me because I missed Subuh .... ayark .... so jahatlah ...... 
Penat ~ . whoa ... enterenin ' my busiest day ever this week .... I woke up early ... 9 I think ... Gosh !! first time bangun awal ... !!! Mak called me .... ( phone tau ... jangan memain ) .... asked me to bring her to MAKRO ... ( owh ... she saje je tanye depan Abah .... so .. takleh nak mengelat ... ) so ... mandi ... breakfast ( roti canai ... ) siap ... Vrooommm ..... to Ma Kro ~ !!! Hey friends !!! I had my own Shout - box dah kat Blog nieh !!! huhuhuhu .... rajin rajinlah meneriak oke ??? kah kah kah ...... Lunch time ... Kerol invited me to Cili Merah .... teman die minum minum .... by the time I reached Cili Merah ... haha .. terkejut !!!! die duduk ngan Bird ngan Hazeeq ( x - students ) .. Bird told us his sad story ..... he just met wit an accident yesterday I think ... dasyat gaklah dgr ... kereta die terbalik .... kesedihan jelas kelihatan ddi wajahnye .... sabar Bird sabar .. Bird ... we exchanged stories ... I told them that I saw Ambak the other day at O . U ... HAHA ... funnylah ambak nie .. klaka !!!! Got back home .... I continue preparing LK modules for my students .... hurm ... penat skejap .... wit nothin ' to do .. I took a pencil and sketched on an A 3 paper ... guess what kawan kawan .... at last !!! I managed to draw an Ambigram !!! " SYUKRI " hahaha .... Tido jap ... Zzzzz Zzzz until Apis came and wanted me to send him to his father 's house .... hoho ... he asked me to drive his BMW ~ !!! Gilelah ... bangge ~ after sending him ..... smayang ... amik but bola ... go play football !!!! haha .... best best !!!! eventhough our team lost ... kami tetap happy !!! hahahaha Night time ... again .. at Cili Merah .... whoa .... sangat ramai ini malam !!!! there were 4 tables where I can sit ... satu meja tu ade Sheddy , Hyd and Leia ..... satu lagi ade Izzat , Zai .... satu tu Apis , Kerol , Iji , Papa ..... and lagi satu Bird , Hazeeq and Abg Fahmi ... gilelah !!!! each tables had their own uniqueness and stories .... hahaha ..... managed to take some photos wit Papa 's Hp ... Senior 's table ... Apis , Iji and Kerol Papa , Hyd and Leia Hazeeq and Bird Hurmm ... by the time I finished typing this post .. papa tak on 9 lagi ni .. mane nak dapat gambar ni ??? Hadoiiiiii ... Dgn Sheddy . 
At last ... jumpe gak Ali . haha .. sangat saving ... minuman sepanjang ptg tu .... teh tarik gelas kecil !!! hehey .. ptg tu kerol ajak pi minum D . E .8 .... straight terus call papa suruh die ajak Ali .. !!! diakui oleh smue pihak .. sejak Ali tukar ke PTPL .. die amat jarang utk ditemui ..... Kerol picked me up at 2.45 p.m... D . E .8 Tada !!!! buat Ambigram utk name Papa ... stylo kan ?? ; p We were discussing about the Singapore trip .... pastu .. tak henti 2 pakse suruh aku ikut !!! hahaha .... bleh bleh ... insya Allah .... I ' ll try ... few minutes later .. Pian came ... wit his new MYVI ... huhuhu grey in colour ( if I ' m not mistaken laaa ) .. BJD 1500 Ali 's new Thumb Drive ... unik kan kawan kawan ?? ; p About 15 minutes later .... Ali showed up wit Papa ... waaahahaha .. Ali !!! lon ' time no see !!! Ali masih lagi dengan gaye gaye macho die .... rambut berjel die .. haaaa .... still the same .... he showed us his new thumb drive .... I GB .... bentuk yg unik dan sangat simple ... seperti mudah pecah .... tapi .. still bergaye kerane bentuk unik !! hahaha .... Me wit papa ... Hye kawan kawan ... saye Ali .... ; p Papa received a phone call ... " Padi " ... he was on the way to D . E .8 also ... haha .. reunion lah ... kawan 2 yg dah lame tak jumpe nieh ... huhu .... sangat bising dan meriah D . E .8 siang tu .... bile kitorang bersatu ~ Wit Kerol and Padi .... Night time ... we ( apis , joe , kerol , papa ) were at D . E .8 also ... watching Dennis Bergkamp 's testimonial match ... waaaa .. bye bye dennis Bergkamp ... my Hero !!!! Apis was from perak ... Balik Kampung ~ !!! and .. again .. Kerol pujuk suruh pegi Singapore ... hiihhi .... nanti aku try ... ~ I ' m not eating anything becoz had bubur lambok earlier .... hurmm ... amik kau .. skrg dah kebulur dah nie ... perut keroncong dah .... huaaaaaaa ... lapar ~ takde makanan dah kat umah nie ... snek snek pon takde .... peti ais tu dah kene kemas ngan bibik baru ~ hmm .. bibik baru ni over rajin laaa .... tension gak ... hahaha ... ; p . 
Cili Merah ~ . hurmm .... at last .. sunday !!! haha ... holiday ( padehal takde kerja pape pon ... ngengade holiday ... ) received an sms from syukri when I woke up ... he invited me for breakfast at cili merah at 10 a.m... I checked my watch ( gilelah tak pnah pnah lagi rasenye tidur pakai jam .. munkin malam tadi letih sangat .. terlupa .. ) 9.37 a.m... so ... slowly I got up ... took my bath ... singing ... bla bla .... siap ... straight to Cili Merah .... hehe .. Syukri was not alone ... he was accompanied by Tqa and Aidil ... hehe .. lon ' time since I last met Aidil ... ( Syukri 's fwen .. ) we had little chit chat ... Tqa had to go back early .. and then Aidil 's mom picked him up a few minutes later .. then ... it left syukri and I at Cili Merah ... Syukri looked through my albums which he asked me to bring earlier ... pictures of Ilah 's birthday party and the Sri Aman trip ' ss ... Hehe ... we had a verrryyy looong conversation .. haha .. can u imagine ?? from 10.30 until 12 !!! huhuhuhu .. ape saje lah yg diborakkan oleh due jejake bujang ni ek ?? kah kah kah ..... Syukri told me that he hate to be in PLKN !!! haha .. duhhh ( sape yg suke ? walaupun ade yg suke .. ) hehe ... relax man ~ try aa merayu .... kan senang ?? haha ... I had my lunch at home ... mak bout me nasi ayam .. haha .... My feveretzzz !!! i ate alone coz evribody had their lunch earlier at Bukit Cerakah ... nyum nyum ... ; p . 
Save the Lebanese Civilians . Please take a moment and sign the Save the Lebanese Civilians Petition Thanks to Chtxa 's World for supplying this link Very Graphic Imageshttp : // www . fromisraeltolebanon . info / . 
Repackaging IBB . Of late the guys at BEN TV have been running a number of programs on IBB . The latest one was on last night . I must admit that I am not a keen viewer of BEN TV ; I think their programs are appallingly made . However , I occasionally tune in hoping to catch something interesting , no matter how badly packaged . Anyway back to the IBB series - I must confess I haven t watched any of these programs from the beginning . Anyone who knows anything about BEN TV will understand that they don t have a TV schedule that works . If they advertise A then they must be showing B . But somehow ( I simply put it down to sheer luck ) I have managed to partly watch about 2 or 3 programs from this series . Each of the programs I have watched on IBB has been professionally prepared . With all the money the man by all accounts has , tied with his ambitions to be the next president of Nigeria , I wouldn t have expected less . In these programs , IBB in his own words tries to put a positive spin on all his policies . He appears somewhat sincere , that I almost found myself warming to him and wondering if I like many other Nigerians have actually had the wrong end of the stick for so long . Now that to me is a big worry . IBB is one of the reasons why I have to ensure cold nights in winter in the UK . IBB with his policies made it impossible for me to see a brighter future living in Nigeria . The IBB I knew at the time was apparently evil , evil with a gap - toothed smile ( Giwa , Vasta , Orkar , Mysterious plane crashes etc ) . The IBB I knew sold Nigeria down the river to institutions like the IMF . The IBB I knew never wanted to give up power . The IBB I knew .. The list of despair just goes on So who was this IBB that I was watching on TV ? Who was this man that was telling me ( and the others that watched this series ) that he introduced 2 political parties to break down the usual barriers that aligned Nigerians to political parties that represented either their tribe or religion . Who was this IBB that said that he had to cancel an election on one occasion because the winners didn t scale thru because of their policies , but because of the money they played around with . Who was this IBB that said he had to create more states and local government councils because he wanted to ensure that development reached all the nooks and corners of Nigeria . Who was this IBB that re - established diplomatic relations with Israel and then made Nigeria a member of some Islamic body because he didn t want Nigeria s foreign policy to be dictated by religion . Who was this IBB that . Did I really know the real IBB ? Was I mistaken to watch this program with an impartial view ? Will any sensible Nigerian run down the streets of that nation screaming for IBB to become Head of State again ? Have successive regimes been that bad that IBB now appears to be a visionary ? These are all effortless issues , nothing complex or intelligent and more importantly nothing to make him a hero or a villain . But the facts as presented in this program can so easily sway opinions one way or the other . So I ask , putting aside his evident charm , putting aside the fact that this was a program made with the solitary objective of shedding him in a positive light , putting aside the detail that Margaret Thatcher ( ? ) once had nice words to say about him , putting aside that he was once received at Victoria Station by Queen Eliza , putting aside that he wrongly denied Abiola his election victory , putting aside that his smug claims that one day history will judge him kindly - did we really know the real IBB ? I am beginning to wonder if I really did . 
Thank you Dennis Bergkamp . Dennis Bergkamp formally retires today from football with a testimonial between Arsenal and Ajax . Dennis is in simple terms a legend - full stop . Today I salute this great player and great man with these photos . Farewell Dennis you will surely be missed at " The " Arsenal . Thanks for all the wonderful years of service . 
Who is She ? N ..... .... .... ? 
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WWDC 2006 Countdown . About WWDC 2006 Countdown A countdown widget to WWDC 2006 , the Apple conference for developers . Where Steve may announce some new Apple products , and show us the Mac OS X Leopard ! countdown !! Mac , . 
. Mac ..... Leopard , intel Flap Ship Desktop , Video Pod , i Talk / Phone ..... Steve Job 8 7 WWDC Leopard . Dock , Safari , bootcamp , Vista ..... ( ) DGP ... OS . Interface NDS longlasting ... Do Co Mo 3 D interface You Tube - DGP Demo 3 D OSDGP - The University of Toronto 's Dynamic Graphics Project Update . * OSX 10.4.7 Update Support Right Click ( 2 finger ) on Mac Book Pro / Macbook * Flash Player 9 ( non - intel Macs User Only ..... shit ) . 
The Economist . . The Economist is a weekly English language news . magazine that comes out of London on Friday . It seems to be . aimed especially at British businessmen with overseas interests . It has one million readers , half of them in America . One . of them is Bill Gates who reads it cover to cover every week . It is one of the few magazines that is not only sold all over . the world , but is the same all over the world . Vogue . and Playboy , for example , are different from country to country . It is noted for its good writing , serious reporting and its . strong point of view . It started in 1843 but did not become a mass market . magazine till the late 1900 s . It has been more successful in American than anyone expected . I. do not know why that is , but I can certainly tell you why I , as . an American , like it : . It covers the news from the whole world . American news does not care for what goes on overseas . except as it directly affects American foreign policy . I know where it stands -- so it is much easier to . separate fact from opinion . Its point of view is not American . It is serious about understanding the world -- it . does not always settle for safe , simple answers of . received wisdom . It reports the news but it also wants . to know what is going behind the news . The free part of its website is pretty useless , but the paid part is one of the best news sites on the web . Especially good is the way it ties together news stories into its backgrounders . Its point of view : . The Economist calls itself liberal -- not in the American . sense of Roosevelt , Kennedy and Clinton , but in the British sense . of Adam Smith and John Stuart Mill . It sees all men as born equal , each acting according to reason . and self - interest . There is such a thing as human nature , of . people acting out of love or honour , but nine times out of ten it . comes down to self - interest , to money . The profit motive . When people seem to act strangely , in most cases there is a . perfectly good reason for it -- but it is not always the stated . reason . Since men are reasonable and can make their own decisions , . government should allow men ( and businesses ) as much freedom . as possible . It will be better for everyone in the end . It . should only limit their freedom for the sake of public order and . safety . For this reason The Economist is for democracy and capitalism and . against Communism , socialism and Islamism . It is against kings and . against state religion . It is for free trade and the free movement of labour and . capital all round the world . This will benefit not just rich . countries , like Britain and America , but everyone . It is better . for a country to do one thing very well then a hundred things badly . Science offers a perfectly good account of the world -- no . gods need apply . Religion can make its believers a bit mad . Like love and . honour , it is one of those things The Economist does not . understand . The world would be a much better place if everyone . forgot about God and those other things and just pursued worldly success . 
humility . . Humility or being humble is the opposite of pride . or being proud . When you are proud you think you are better than . others and want your way . When you are humble you assume the best . of others and the worst of yourself , as Thomas a Kempis said . You . do not want your way : you want to carry out the will of those in . authority over you and that , above all , means God 's will . We think we are better than we are , certainly better than . most people , and want to get our way . That is pride speaking . It . is human nature . The truth is we are worse than we think -- in our minds we . play up all of our good points and avoid looking squarely at our . bad points -- or make excuses for them : " She made me do it ! " , . " Everyone does it " and so on . The way that we are so interested in getting is often a bad . idea . Anyone who has tried to lose weight or get rid of a bad . habit knows that our wills are not always to be trusted . What . we want , even in simple examples , is not always for the best . We have all seen children who always get their way because . their parents let them . Does it make them happier ? Does it . make them better ? No. We feel sorry for them . But just as a . child is to his parents , so we are to God . When we do not listen . to God and want our way , we are no better than children like . that . Pride leads us into foolish decisions and makes us mean and . cold - hearted . This is easy to see in others but not in . ourselves . We think we are better than that . But are we ? Or is . that our pride speaking again , catching us in its endless net ? If pride is the disease then humility is the cure , the . state of health . Thomas a Kempis said to assume the best of others and the . worst of ourselves . Not because we are so much worse than others . -- we are about the same -- but because we naturally tend to make . the opposite mistake . So if we do as he says we will get it just . about right . Humility admits that we do not always know what is best , . that we are not always right , that our desires are not always the . best guide . Which is true . Humility is the only way we can truly follow God . Pride is . where we make a god of ourselves , and a blind god at that . Humility is truer and better , pride leads far from God and . far from the truth of things . The proud fear to be humble because they are afraid that others . will look down on them and take advantage of them . But being . humble is not about letting people walk all over you . It is . about knowing your limits and doing what is right . 
Churchill on war . . Here are some of Churchill 's guidelines on how to fight a . war . I got these from reading his account of the Second World . War : . " In wartime , truth is so precious that she should . always be attended by a bodyguard of lies . " To trick . your enemy , cover the truth with lies . Always keep your enemy guessing about where you . will strike next . This forces him to spread out his . forces . Sea power gives you this advantage . If you can strike at more than one point , then pick . just one point and apply all your force there . This is something Hitler failed to do in 1944 when he . fight to the last in Russia , Italy and . Normandy . This divided his strength and made him easier . to defeat . The element of surprise works : hit your enemy at . a place and time he does not expect . Feed him false . intelligence about more likely places and times . War is about killing your enemies : the more the better . Give your enemy no rest . If you are outgunned , then kick as much sand in your . enemy 's face as possible . Never never let him off . easy . Tie down and drain your enemy , as much of his . mena and supplies as possible . Cut off your enemy 's lines of communications . ( supply lines ) . Or at least draw him into lengthening . them . Turn the flank . Always keep a reserve of forces that can quickly . move to any part of the front : never put everything you . have on the front . France made this mistake in 1940 . Hitler failed to take . notes and repeated it in 1944 . Those who make decisions must bear their consequences . No armchair generals , no decision - makers who do . nothing but debate . In time of war , he who rules the country must also . direct the war . If power is split between two . people , then they will constantly be at odds and no one . mind will hold all the necessary facts . Seize on what chances come your way . In war the . future is far too uncertain to wait for something better . -- it may never come . Do not wait for set - piece battles . Always think out what you will do , in battle and in war , . but know that none of it may ever come to pass . Victory in battle cannot be overrated . Much will . be forgiven those who win . What matters in warships : range and size of its . guns , speed , ports of repair , when it can be seen . ( smoke , mist ) and how much it can carry . What matters in shipping : throughput . Pack ships backwards : last in , first out . Churchill thoroughly understood the nature and use of sea . power and especially the military nature of islands . Churchill only half understood air power . For example , he . thought the Japanese could still have taken Midway even after . losing four aircraft carriers . He also spent much of Britain 's . precious airpower on terror bombing of German cities instead of . destroying the German army . 
Churchill . . Winston S . Churchill ( 1874 - 1965 ) was prime minister of Britain . during the Second World War and again during the early 1950 s . He was also . the head of the British navy for a time during the First World War and at the . beginning of the Second . During most of the 1930 s he repeatedly warned Britain about the . danger of Hitler but no one would listen until it was too . late . When war came , no one had any doubt about who should lead . the country . And even though Britain did not win a single battle . in the first two years of war , few in Britain or anywhere in the . English - speaking world lost confidence in him . Like Hitler , Churchill had a very good sense of history and which . way it was going . This often put him at odds with the received . wisdom of the day , but he turned out to be right . Even in the . 1920 s when few took them seriously , both saw themselves as . becoming part of their country 's destiny . Churchill came from one of the hundred families which once ruled . England . But , although he was born in a palace and never had to . tie his own shoes , he received neither money nor title . He had to . make his way in the world . His parents thought he was not bright enough for Oxford or . Cambridge , so they sent him to Sandhurst to become a military . officer . This might seem a bit strange since we think of him as a . prime minister and a writer . At root , however , Churchill was a . military man . As a boy he played with toy soldiers and even as . prime minister during the war he often dressed as if he were . somehow in the navy . He was a military officer in India and , during the Boer War , in . South Africa . During the war he wrote for a London newspaper and . made a daring escape across enemy lands . He came home a . hero . With that he was able to stand for parliament and win . Except for a short period , he was a Tory all his life . In the First World War he was the head of the navy . He fell . from grace after the defeat of Gallipolli , of which he was one of . the masterminds . He left government and went to fight on the . Western Front with the army . Between the world wars he was an MP and a best - selling author . It . was from writing that he made most of his money . Churchill smoked and did not exercise much , but he lived to be 90 . and worked up until the last ten years of his life . During the . war he worked more than 90 hours a week . He would rarely get up . before eight and stay in bed till noon and slept in the . afternoon , but he worked far into the night wearing out his . staff . He lived long enough to see his beloved British Empire fall . 
Getting back on . . Since the barbecue and all I got out of the habit of keeping my . rule . Well , I have been generally keeping it , but not as closely . as I should . So this week I will start keeping it again , well , . keeping score again . See also : . My Rule of Life . Rule Review VI. 
democracy . . A democracy is the worst form of government except for all . the others , as Churchill put it . It is Greek for " rule by the . people " . In a democracy power changes hands peacefully through . elections . In a working democracy power changes hands at . least once every ten years . In an . election for a given office ( president , senator , judge , etc ) , each . citizen gets one vote . He casts it for whomever he believes can best . fill the office . Whoever gets the most votes wins and stays in office . till the next election ( in one to five years , depending on the office ) . All the large , rich countries in the West are now . democracies . In the 1900 s this was not always true . In fact , . at times it was not clear whether democracy itself would . last . Many thought fascism or Communism was the wave of the . future . Americans are taught , from the time they are small . children , that democracy is the best form of . government . To them it is as plain as saying two and two make . four . Aristotle said that democracy , by which he meant rule by . the people at the expense of the rich , would in time be . overturned by the rich . The best form of government , . instead , is one that balances the interests of the rich with . those of the people . Democracy in the West seems to have . achieved this : the people vote but only the rich , in practice , . are able to stand for office . Hobbes says that a democracies are not good at war : . it takes too long to make decisions and it can change its mind . In practice , most democracies choose leaders they trust . They in . turn make the necessary quick decisions . But it is true that . democracies do change their minds about war and pull out . This . makes them poor at fighting guerrilla wars . For a democracy to work at least three things are required : . Good schools : If the people have a bad education , . then the democracy will destroy itself by its bad . decisions . Or , more likely , it will be led by a . demagogue that brings democracy to an end . Respect for the law : if those in power will not . play by the rules , if they think they are above the law , . then any democracy that is in place will break down . That is what Hitler did to Germany and it is what Nixon . could have done to America . No deep divisions : not those of the sort which . could lead to war . Example : in America in the middle 1800 s the slave states . in the south found themselves outvoted by the free . states in the north . This led to war which almost broke . the country in two . America is trying to set up a democracy in Iraq . Banana . republicanism has already been tried and found wanting . But while . the schools in Iraq may be good enough , respect for the law is . plainly missing and so is the lack of deep divisions . So as . things stand now democracy cannot take root there . 
How to spell Hezbollah . . Because the name " Hizbullah " is an attempt to turn Arabic letters . into English ones , there is no one right way to spell . it . Searching on the web I found four main ways to spell it ( the . numbers are according to Google ) : . " Hezbollah " ( 87.9 % ) - used by CNN , BBC , VOA , the . American State Department , the Times , the New York Times , LA . Times , the Times of India , the Washington Post , the Wall Street . Journal , USA Today , US News & World Report , AP , AFP , Xinhua , Pravda , . Sify , Aljazeera , the Wikipedia . and the Britannica . Because AP spells it this way , it is the way most American . newspapers will spell it . " Hizbollah " ( 6.7 % ) - Reuters , UN , Daily Telegraph . " Hizbullah " ( 3.7 % ) - Hizbullah ( !!! ) , The Economist , the . Guardian , Newsweek , the Daily Star of Lebanon . " Hizballah " ( 1.8 % ) - CIA , Time magazine . I am used to seeing " Hezbollah " so it seems the least strange to . me , " Hizballah " makes the most sense ( since it preserves . " Allah " ) , but in matters like these I follow The Economist . So . " Hizbullah " it is . Only one web page in 15 uses " Hizbullah " , but , . as it turns out , it is the spelling that Hizbullah itself uses ! See also : . Hizbullah . 
banana republic . . A banana republic is a country that is a democratic . republic on paper but is ruled by the army in practice , either . directly or through a strongman known as a dictator . It is a . feature of American world power , especially in the late . 1900 s . Many say that America has no empire because it does not . rule other countries directly , as the British and Romans did . But . its style of rule is different : it rules by means of banana . republics . The dictator of a banana republic is weak : lacking the . support of his own people , he needs the support of America . This . puts him above the law and allows him to exercise military rule . when he needs to . But he must do America 's bidding or fall . It is . a deal with the devil . America wants one thing above all : markets . It needs . countries where its companies can freely do business without fear . of war or revolution . Banana republics provide this . They . have been America 's building blocks for world peace and free . markets . In a banana republic the leader always wins the election . or puts them off until he feels the country is " ready " . In a . working democracy power changes hand at least every ten years . There are three types of banana republics : . Type I : these are ruled by good men who care about their . country . Their rule is stern but wise . That together with years . of peace and American money make the country richer . Not just . those at the top enjoy its fruits , but everyone . In time the . people begin to demand the same rights , freedom and democracy . that America and other rich countries have . Examples : South Korea , Japan , Thailand , Mexico . Type II : the dictator only cares about making his family . and friends rich . The country remains poor -- and angry . These . are the kleptocracies -- rule by robbers . Examples : Indonesia , Saudi Arabia , Egypt . Type III : these are so badly ruled that a guerrilla war . takes root . The war can go on for years , up in the hills , . keeping the country poor . If the guerrillas win , as they sometimes do , they pull the . country out of the empire and try to go it alone without American . money . Guerrilla leaders love their country , but they tend to . have very fixed ideas and take their country down a dead . end . Examples : Vietnam , Iran , Nicaragua , Cuba , Peru , China . America is moving away from this style of rule . Banana . republics , it turns out , only work in the short term . They bring a false peace . Not only are some overturned in . guerrilla wars and become dangerous ( China , Iran ) , but the anger . and despair caused by Type II sometimes leads to acts of terror . directed against America itself : Osama bin Laden , 9 / 11 and all . that . So now the latest thinking in America is that only . democracies will make the world safe for democracy . See also : . The history of United Fruit in Central America . ( United Fruit sold Chiquita bananas in America . ) . Thomas Barnett 's " The Pentagon 's New Map " . guerilla . warfare . American Empire . Noam Chomsky . Condoleezza Rice on the future of the Arab world . neocolonialism . 
guerrilla warfare . . Guerrilla warfare is a way to fight a war when you are . hopelessly outgunned but have the people on your side . In a guerrila war there is no front , there are no grand . battles . Instead you have hit and run fighting . where cells of guerrilla fighters appear out of nowhere , . fight for a short time and then melt away into the country or . city among the people , never to be found . A guerrilla army is everywhere and . nowhere . The battle is not for land or position but . for the " hearts and minds " of the people . It is about . wearing out the patience of your enemy . Mao said it is . like small flies constantly biting a giant . They do not kill . the giant , but in time they drvie him away . Guerrilla warfare has been used to effect in China , Algeria , . Vietnam , Angola , Afghanistan and Lebanon and many other . places . It has failed in Greece , the Philippines and . British Malaya . It works well against the army of a foreign power or a hated . government . But , since there are no great battles , . it takes time and great patience . For the enemy , it makes . the war seem endless while it loses more and more men for no . apparent gain . That is the trick . Some guerrilla leaders , like Mao and Ho Chi Minh , use this . time to create and train a regular army to deliver the . crushing blows to end the war . Some guerrilla armies use terror as a weapon . But this can . backfire if it means losing the favour of the people , as it did . in Greece after the Second World War . How guerrilla warfare works : . When we think of an army , we think of soldiers with guns fighting . in battle . But in a regular army only a small part is doing . the fighting . Most of the army is not fighting but . holding position , moving supplies , making repairs , cooking meals , . gathering intelligence and so on . All the things it takes to . support the fighting edge . So if you face an army of 80,000 men , maybe only 10,000 are doing . any fighting . In a guerrilla army the numbers are way different . First , . there is no reason to hold position -- the war has no front , it . is not about gaining or losing ground . Second , most of the . support work that goes on behind the scenes is done by the . people , by those hearts and minds that you have won . They . supply your army . They make it easy for you to move your men and . keep the enemy in the dark . That means a guerrilla army can be much smaller . To fight . a regular army of 80,000 men , you need maybe 5000 men at most . That is why Hizbullah was able to defeat Israel with just . a few thousand men while Syria , Egypt and Jordan , with much . larger armies , failed . On the other hand , it took Hizbullah not . six days but 18 years . Time and patience are everything . Something . most democracies do not seem to possess . See also : . Mao 's Little Red Book - better than his " On Guerrilla Warfare " . The British fight against the Communist guerrillas of Malaya - a good case . study of how a Western power can defeat guerrillas ( quite unlike the Americans . in Vietnam ) . Hizbullah . 
Hizbullah . . Hizbullah ( 1982 - ) , which in Arabic means " Party of . God " ( Hizb + Allah ) , is the main Shia Muslim party in . Lebanon . It rules the south of that country in place of the . government , which is much weaker . Hizbullah has MPs and ministers in the government , but it has . not given up its guns and Katyusha rockets , raising its own . taxes or even its own foreign policy : in 2006 it started a . war against Israel that does not seem to be what the government . in Beirut had in mind . Hizbullah is strong in southern Lebanon , the southern suburbs of . Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley in the northeast . In the south it runs schools , hospitals , businesses , a satellite . television station and the best army in the Arab world . It . is a small army -- a few thousand men at most -- armed only with . guns , rockets and missiles . Yet , through an artful mix of . terror and guerrilla warfare , it has pushed both America and . Israel out of Lebanon . It is the only Arab army that has ever . defeated Israel in a war . This has made Hizbullah an enemy of Israel and America . But it . has also made it a model and a hope to millions in the Arab . world . Hizbullah has set its sights higher : it has joined the . Palestinian Arabs in their fight against Israel . When war . broke out in Gaza in 2006 , Hizbullah started a war in the north . Hizbullah may not be acting alone . Syria and especially Iran . pour money and arms into Hizbullah , and so it must respect . their wishes . In foreign affairs , Hizbullah is to Iran what . Israel is to America . Hizbullah was born in the Bekaa Valley in 1982 when Israel . was at war in Lebanon . It was founded by Iran , which had . over a thousand men in the valley at that time . Indeed , Hizbullah at first wanted to turn Lebanon into an . Islamic republic just like Iran . Once it had begun to stand . for parliament in 1992 , however , it quietly dropped that . vote - loser . Hizbullah now sees itself as fighting for the Muslim and Arab . world . It says that " Israel " has no right to be on . Arab land ( its website always puts Israel in quotes ) . As for . America , its leader , Sheik Hassan Nasrallah , says that . " Death to America " is not just something nice to shout , it . is the party 's policy and vision . He blames America for . Lebanon 's troubles . Hizbullah has used suicide truck bombing and kidnapping . Westerners as a means of terror . Remember Terry Waite ? Remember the 241 American Marines killed in Beirut ? That was . Hizbullah -- way back in the early 1980 s . Hizbullah has murdered over 800 in acts of terror -- . second only to al - Qaeda . As things now stand , Hizbullah seems to be the wave of the . future in the Arab world . The other answers on offer -- like . democracy , Arab socialism and banana republicanism -- have ( so . far ) failed . Just look at Egypt , Saudi Arabia and Iraq . See also : . Israel . guerilla warfare . Arab world . American Empire . 
Crusades . . The Crusades ( 1095 - 1291 ) were wars Christians fought . against Muslims to take back the Holy Land , especially . Jerusalem . The First Crusade was a big success : . Christians took Jerusalem and ruled it for 88 years . ( 1099 - 1187 ) . Some of the Crusader states that the . Christians set up lasted well into the 1200 s . There were nine numbered Crusades altogether , the first . five of which were called by the pope . Most of the Crusaders came . from England , the Holy Roman Empire ( Germany and Italy ) and . especially France . The Greeks called them all " Franks " and did . not think much of them . In the late 1000 s when the Turks took over the Holy Land , Christians . pilgrims could no longer freely come and go . They were thrown . in prison , sold as slaves or killed . Even worse , the Turks . were on the march to Constantinople , which desperately asked . the pope for help . It was in these circumstances that Pope Urban II called the First . Crusade in 1095 . The Crusaders took Jerusalem in 1099 in a huge bloodbath . They also took Edessa , . Tripoli and Antioch . These four cities each became the centre . of a Crusader state . But there was a fifth city that the Crusaders failed to . take that was the key to all the rest : Damascus . Failing . to take Damascus , each of the Crusader states fell in time . Saladin was the one who led the Muslims to take back . Jerusalem in 1187 . The Christians never got control of Jerusalem . after that . Later Crusades failed or scored only small . successes . The Crusades came to an end in 1291 when the last Crusader . states fell . Not all Crusades made it to the Holy Land : . The Children 's Crusade in 1212 ended with the . children either lost at sea or sold as slaves in Egypt . The Fourth Crusade ( 1204 ) , led by Venice , . burned Constantinople and set up a short - lived . Latin Empire . What the First Crusade had done to slow Turkish advance . into Christian lands , the Fourth Crusade had more than . undone . The Byzantine Empire never came back after the blow . of the Fourth Crusade . It also destroyed any chance of bringing . the Catholic and Orthodox churches back together . Only the Turks . stood to gain . The Crusades were not considered to be a great event . in the Muslim world at the time . The Crusader states were small , did . not last long and were nothing compared to the Mongol threat . It . was not till our time , when the West gained much greater . power over the Muslim world , that they were seen as the first in a . long line of Western crimes against the Muslim world . Even in the West it is fashionable to condemn the . Crusades . The Crusaders , it is true , were not terribly holy , . but neither were the Turks who also took over the Holy Land . Why . does no one condemn them ? And why is trying to take back the Holy . Land seen as so much worse than taking back Spain , which few . condemn ? 
Britain . . Britain , also known as Great Britain ( same thing ) , . is an island off the northwest coast of Europe , across from . France . The Romans called it Britannia . It has three kingdoms : . England , Scotland and Wales . These have united into one . country , the United Kingdom . The United Kingdom used to . rule all of Ireland , but now it only rules a small part in the . north , known as Ulster or Northern Ireland . Britain and Ireland together are known as the British . Isles . Britain , which was once at the edge of the world in Roman . times , became the centre of the world in the 1800 s . when it was the seat of the British Empire . As an island , the warships of its navy are far more . important than its army . Its navy saved it from Napoleon and . saved it from Hitler . By the 1700 s it had the best navy in the . world and from that arose its empire almost by accident . Through its empire , it has spread its ways of doing things . to many countries . Its people settled in America , Canada , . Australia , New Zealand and South Africa . Its language , . English , is now the most widely known language in the . world . Its way of life of big cities and big . business in place of farms and small towns has taken over the . world . Today Britain is no longer the top power in the world , as . it was in the years between Napoleon and Hitler ( 1815 - 1939 ) . It . still has an excellent military , but there are at least . three countries that are now clearly stronger than it : America , . Russia and China . With the rise of the European Union , Britain has divided . loyalties between Europe and America . So far it has never had . to choose . But if it came to a choice right now , it would . probably choose America over Europe : America is far more likely . to save its neck : it is stronger and has closer ties to Britain . Britain as an island has been spared the worst of the . European wars that have taken place down through the . ages . Julius Caesar , Napoleon and Hitler were not able to . take over the island . It has not seen a foreign army on its soil . in almost a thousand years . The last time was in 1066 when . William the Conqueror took over England . Britain , then , has been more peaceful than most of . Europe . It has had civil wars , but the last was in the middle . 1600 s . And the government itself has not been successfully . overturned since 1485 . A king lost his head in . 1649 , it is true , but the king 's men won in the end . So Britain has progressed not by killing its kings but by . slow , bit - by - bit change down through the years . This might . seem too slow for some , but it is faster in the long run . because the country is always moving forwards , never back . See also : . British Empire . England . America . Canada . Australia . New Zealand . Australia . Pakistan . India . Israel . English . 
Israel . . Israel ( 1948 - ) is a Jewish country founded on Arab land . It . covers part of the ancient Jewish homeland which God had . promised them . The Arabs , however , have lived there for over a . thousand years . Some of the land was bought from the Arabs . but some of it was taken by force . Israel is in Palestine -- the land between the . Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan river , south of Syria and . Lebanon and northeast of Egypt . Palestine has three parts : . Israel - in the west along the sea . the West Bank - the highlands in the west , once part of Jordan . Gaza - a small piece of land in the southwest , once part of Egypt . Jerusalem is split between Israel and the West Bank . Israel rules the West Bank by force , Gaza it set free in 2005 but . it is back there again fighting . The Romans kicked the Jews out of Palestine in 135 . The . Jews started to come back in large numbers in the late 1800 s and . early 1900 s . The British gained control of the area in . 1922 after the fall of the Ottoman Empire . They promised half . of it to the Jews and half to the Arabs . Soon after the Second World War , the Arab half became Jordan . and the Jewish half became Israel . The Arabs have tried to drive the Jews into the sea . several times . But each war only made Israel stronger , sometimes . even bigger . Israel is not only good on the battlefield , it is also . blindly supported by America . More Jews live in America . than in Israel . For every eight Jews that lived in 1930 , Hitler killed three , two . moved to America , two to Israel and one stayed where he was . Two things are against Israel : world opinion and . children . With Arabs having far more children than Jews , the . Jews are slowly becoming outnumbered . In that Israel was created by British power and maintained by . American power , it faces a very dark future once American . power comes to an end , which it will sooner or later . Will . India or China or whatever country is the next top power care . much for Israel ? And what will the numbers be by then -- how many . Arabs and how many Jews will live in Palestine then ? In this way Israel is like one of the Crusader states that . were set up by the West in the same area in the 1100 s . This . parallel is not lost on the Arabs . Military rule of the West Bank and Gaza has not . worked . Pulling Jews and the military out of Gaza has not . worked . Pushing the Arabs out of both by force would set the . whole region on fire with war . So what to do ? Israel is building a wall , yes a wall , between itself and . the West Bank . The wall , however , takes in choice pieces of the . West Bank and goes right across Arab farms . It has not yet . reached Jerusalem , which is part Jewish , part Arab but with no . nice , clear dividing line between the two . Israel is widely believed to have nuclear weapons . This . weakens America 's hand in trying to keep the whole region from . going nuclear . See also : . Arab world . American Empire . British Empire . Crusades . Palestine . 
Jamaica Kincaid . . Jamaica Kincaid ( 1949 - ) is an American writer who was . born Elaine Richardson in Antigua . She wrote for the " New . Yorker " magazine from 1975 to 1995 . The " Talk of the Town " . part was hers . She has written many books of her own -- . about her mother , her father , her brother , her garden , her old . country , her new country and so on . But whatever her books seem . to be about , they are in fact about her and how life has . doublecrossed her : Her mother has failed her , her father has . failed her , Antigua has failed her , England has failed her . Much of her writing , therefore , is bitter and . biting . But it is good . So good that I would like to read . about her garden even though I do not care for gardening . " A Small Place " is about Antigua , under British rule and . after . It is the best book about empire I have read outside . of Thucydides . In school we were taught to speak about how . unjust the world is in long Marxist words -- as if we were . talking about the inner workings of a butterfly wing . But she . talks about it in simple language . Because she sees it straight , . because her mind cuts through all the long - winded lies . It . is a joy to read . I fell in love with her from that moment . Her writing flows like a river , on and on , not stopping , . with bits of sentences coming back up again and again . Her . sentences are long , some as long as two pages , but her . words are mostly simple , short and everyday . She writes slowly , carefully crafting each sentence . Sometimes it . takes days for the right words to come to her . She writes because she has to , she writes to save herself . It is her passion , she cannot imagine doing anything else . She . loves reading and she loves writing and she loves words . She went to school in Antigua and wrote for the " New Yorker " when . both still cared about fine writing . She did not understand her . good fortune till years later when she saw both go to the dogs . As a girl she did very well in school and read and read and . read . But , despite her promise , her education was cut short when . at 17 she was sent to America to help support her family . She . came to New York and worked " as one of those many ladies you see . with little blonde children " . But she did not send any money home . and she did not read any of the letters her mother had sent her . She began to write under the name of Jamaica Kincaid so that no . one back home would know it was her . In time she met George Trow . of the " New Yorker " through a friend and so she was " discovered . " . 
Iraq . . Iraq is the . land once known as Mesopotamia -- the land of the two . rivers , the Tigris and Euphrates . For years it was ruled . by the cruel Saddam Hussein , who oddly enough looked like his hero . Stalin . In 2003 American forces landed in Iraq and . overthrew him , but now the country is ever at the edge of . civil war . Hundreds are killed every week in the almost senseless . violence . America is trying to make Iraq into a democracy , hoping . that will make it a friendly country . But Iraq has never been a . working democracy . And it has not been for want of trying : The . British tried it in the 1920 s but failed . In the end the . British were driven out by the endless guerilla fighting . Iraq is divided by religion and language : most are . Arabs but some are Kurds ; most are Shiite . Muslims , but some are Sunni Muslims . About three in five . are Shiite Arabs . But for all that , the Americans and most Iraqis do not want to . see the country break apart : it will only make it weaker in . the face of Iran , which fought a long and terrible war against . Iraq in the 1980 s . No surprise that the Shiite Arabs by and large favour democracy . The Sunni Arabs , who ran the country under Saddam Hussein , . would lose power under a democracy . So most of the fighting . has come from them . It is directed as much against the . Americans ( a foreign power ) as against the government and the . Shiites . A small part of the fighting comes from al - Qaeda . It was . led by al - Zarqawi till he was killed by the Americans in . 2006 . He was a Sunni Arab , but not Iraqi . His purpose was not to . save Iraq , but to start a great holy war against both the West . and , especially , the Shiites . The same Shiites who , by the . way , handed the country over to the Mongols in the 1200 s . ( The . Arabs have a much longer memory than the Americans , who are new . in history ) . Al - Zarqawi did not succeed but his men fight on . Al - Qaeda had hoped to destroy American power in . Afghanistan , but maybe Iraq will do just as well . The American forces are too small to keep the all of Iraq at . peace all at the same time . It is like a bedsheet that is too . short . To put in a larger force , the American government would have to . draft men into the military . The war already . divides the American public , a draft would make it far worse . It . could well bring a president to power who would pull America out . of Iraq altogether . But America cannot simply let Iraq fall apart , as it did . with Somalia : it is too . close to too much oil . It needs a friendly country in the Persian . Gulf that is strong enough to stand up to Iran . See also : . American Empire . Arab world . Vietnam War . The British in Iraq . Mesopotamia . Arab Empire . 
American Empire . . The American Empire ( also known as the " Free World " ) is . made up of America and those countries which depend on it in . trade and war : North and South America , Western Europe , . Oceania , most of the East Asian countries near China , South . Africa , Israel , Pakistan , Turkey , Saudi Arabia and the small . countries of the Persian Gulf among others . As I write this , it is fighting in . Iraq and Afghanistan . America is the largest country in the West and its empire covers . most of it . Places where the empire extends beyond the West , as . in East Asia , have taken on many Western ways . It is not an empire of land and direct rule , like the . British or Roman empires . It is more like the empire of . Athens -- one where it is the first among equals , but is . far more equal than the rest and tends to get its way . Many on the left will agree that America has , sadly , . become an empire . But most on the right will deny it . So . whether there is even such a thing as an American Empire is a . matter of debate . Yet if it is not an empire , it is something very much like . one : it keeps the peace in its part of the world and . spreads its way of doing things -- which it sees as the . answer to the world 's troubles . At the centre of the empire is America and the rich . democracies -- Britain , France , Germany , Japan , etc. Beyond . that are poor countries that serve the centre , providing . markets , cheap labour and raw materials . Some of these countries . are democracies but many are ruled by generals -- the so - called . banana republics . Beyond the empire are Russia , China , India , some of the . Arab world and much of Africa . Some countries have done well in the empire . South Korea , . for example , has gone from battlefield to banana republic to one . of the richest countries in the world . Some have left ( or tried to leave ) the empire , like Cuba , . Iran , Vietnam and Iraq , with mixed success . Most stay , even if they do not always agree with America . The thinking is that they are better off sticking with America . than standing alone . Many are near big countries which they fear . more than faraway America , like the countries near Russia and . China . The empire arose after the Second World War . During the . war much of the wealth of the British Empire came to America . to pay for the war against Hitler . After the war , America was . the only large , rich country whose homeland was untouched . by the war . It soon found itself locked in a cold war against Russia and . its empire -- known as the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact . The Soviet empire fell in 1991 . Since 2001 it has been fighting a war against Osama bin . Laden and his worldwide network of terror . The main . battlefield is the Arab world where each seeks . an empire . See also : . empire . America . British Empire . Iraq . Israel . Noam Chomsky . banana republic . Cold War . The West . 
Sapir - Whorf Hypothesis . . The Sapir - Whorf Hypothesis says that language affects . thought . But not through words -- and the ideas behind them . -- as Orwell supposed , but through grammar , the rules for putting . words together . Whorf studied under Sapir at . Yale . It was Sapir who had the idea , but it was Whorf who fleshed . it out . As a hypothesis it is not a proven fact , but an interesting idea . that might be true . Benjamin Lee Whorf was an American who worked for an . insurance company , but his true love was language . He studied . the language of the Hopi Indians . There were no books about . it , but he found a Hopi in New York . Hopi grammar turned out to . be nothing like English or any other language of Europe . In English time and space are separate . Something . can be far away but be going on right now . Time is divided into . past , present and future . I will eat , I eat , I ate . Time flows by . continually like a river . We take this for granted and think any language must be like . this , more or less . But in Hopi grammar the world is conceived differently : instead of . time and space , it divides the world into the manifested and . the manifesting . The manifested is everything that has come -- . all of what we call the past and most of the present , all you see . about you and all that once was . All except for what is just starting or . coming to be right now . The manifesting is made up of the coming - to - be , the future , everything . hoped for , intended , expected or thought about . The manifesting . lies at the heart of the manifested . It lies in our hearts , in . the hearts of animals and plants , at the heart of the whole . world . There is no time apart from space : if something took place . long ago , that is the same as if it took place far away . There . are no special words or forms of words for time considered by . itself . Yet there is nothing that goes on in the world on that you cannot . talk about in Hopi , same as in English . It is a different way . of looking at the world , but it works just as well . Whorf says that our ideas of time and space are not " out there " . for anyone to see . They come from our language and the model of . the world that comes built into it . Most agree that language has some effect on thought . The question . is how and how much . Noam Chomsky , for his part , has his doubts . He turns the . tables on Whorf and points out that English does not have any . idea of future time built into it . " I will eat " is , strictly . speaking , no different in form from " I might eat " or " I would . eat " . It is added to English , but it is not built in . So . then the idea of future time does not come from English grammar , . but from somewhere else . See also : . Steven Pinker , " The Language Instinct " - has the Chomskyian arguments . against Sapir - Whorf . 
woman . . A woman is a female human who is at least old enough to . marry and have children . They are the part of mankind that can . give birth . A woman is the most beautiful thing God has . created . As beautiful as the stars and the hills are , a woman . is more beautiful still . Men and women do not completely understand each other . Some think they understand the opposite sex , but they are only . fooling themselves . As a man I can only tell you the part I. understand . When I was younger , before I got married and had children , . I thought that men and women were pretty much the same , . the only difference being their bodies . This was the latest . thinking at the time . But now that I am older , what an . ancient book says makes far more sense : God created man and woman . separately but made them to be together , to become one flesh , to . be two sides of a greater whole . Like day and night , land . and sea , the sun and moon . So while women are clearly human , they are not just men with a . different body . Far from it . They have a different nature , . they are different in mind and spirit . They think differently , . act differently and like different things . When a woman from Sumatra meets a woman from Jamaica , do they . talk about the war ? No , they talk about shoes . I have seen it for . myself . Some think it is just a matter of how children are brought . up -- boys are brought up one way , girls another . But it is . not as simple as that . For example , my wife has made it a point never to give our boys . play guns . Did that stop them ? Did that make them into peaceful , . gentle creatures ? No : they made sticks into guns . But can you . imagine girls doing that on their own ? Anywhere in the world ? Unlike most men , most women like to shop , they want . flowers and for you to not to forget their birthday . Sex is . important , but love more so . They want to be loved and they want . to be wanted . Most think they are fat and ugly and are always . trying to lose weight and look beautiful . They are far more . interested in fashion , food , health and good manners than men . are . They tend to be more religious . They talk way more then men . Their point of view is not in their head but in their heart -- . something I am always forgetting to my cost . Compared to men , most women are not as interested in machines , . ball games , the news or war . In my experience , women do not work together as well as men . do . Men are pack animals , women are not . That is the truth as I see it . It will not please everyone . I. wish someone had been straight with me and told me these things when . I was much younger . You certainly will not find them in the wikipedia . See also : . The wikipedia article on woman - . never once says anything about beauty or shopping ! Has a picture of a naked woman to make us better people by curing us of our medieval shame . 
dictionary . . A dictionary is a written work that gives the meanings of . words . It can either give the meaning in another . language or in the same language . The first same language dictionary in English was that of Samuel . Johnson which appeared in 1755 . The first dictionary . of note in American English was put out by Noah Webster . in 1828 . Most of the differences in . spelling between British and American English goes back to these . two dictionaries . The English dictionary now with the greatest authority is . the " Oxford English Dictionary " ( OED ) . A good dictionary tells you four things about each word : . spelling : how to write it . pronunciation : how to say it . definition : what it means . etymology : where it came from . The OED will even tell you when it was first used in a certain . sense and give you an example of it . The OED not only has current words , but also words that have . fallen out of use . A good dictionary will have at least 35,000 words -- more . words than even someone with a good education would know . The OED . has over 300,000 . You would think the definition of a word is given by yet . simpler words . Not so . You only see that in dictionaries for . foreigners and schoolchildren , like Longman 's . Most . dictionaries have definitions that go round in circles ( as I. found out as a child who read dictionaries ) . It assumes that . you already know about 15,000 words . To make a dictionary : . Draw up a list of words that will appear in it . Gather examples of each word from books , . newspapers , magazines , radio and television . Write the definitions that will cover the . examples you have found . Write one definition for each . sense it has . While looking for these examples , you will come across yet other . words you will want to add to your dictionary . And so on . Gathering these examples used to be done by readers armed with . notecards . That is how the OED was first made . Now it is . done by computers processing millions of words . One of the first dictionaries to use a computer was the . " American Heritage Dictionary " of 1968 . It used . the one million words of the Brown Corpus . Like an encyclopedia , a dictionary has a set of words . and something to say about each . But what words they write . about and what they write about words is different . A dictionary aims to cover the most commonly used . words . For each it tells you how to use it and what it . means . An encyclopedia covers the most important subjects . of knowledge . For each it tells you the main things that are . known about it . For example an encyclopedia will tell you a great deal . about Napoleon but almost nothing about " into " . For a dictionary . it is the other way round . 
Newspeak . . Newspeak is the language found in George Orwell 's . book about the future , " 1984 " ( which he wrote in . 1948 ) . It is an English that is so limited that the only . possible thoughts were those allowed by the ruling Party of . Ing Soc. Every year the dictionary became thinner and thought . more limited . In 1984 most still spoke Oldspeak ( English as we know it ) . Newspeak was seen only in the leading articles in the Times . and in some of the speech of Party leaders . Newspeak would not . take over completely till 2050 . By then Oldspeak will . have become a dead language . Some Newspeak words ( followed by their Oldspeak . meanings ) : . good - good . goodwise - well . plusgood - very good . doubleplusgood - excellent . ungood - bad . An example of Newspeak : . Times 3.12.83 reporting bb dayorder doubleplusungood refs . unperson rewrite fullwise upsub antefiling . Notice that the words are so limited in Newspeak that " well " and . even " bad " are gone . For any idea alllowed by the Party there . was only one word , such as " good " , from which other words . could be formed . This way of forming words seems ugly and unnatural in English , . and Orwell knew it , but it is quite common in other languages . In fact , Orwell probably got the idea of forming words this way . from Esperanto . Orwell also knew about Basic English -- an English with . less than a thousand words . He wrote " 1984 " while working at the . BBC , just when it was considering using Basic English . At about this time Orwell also wrote " Politics and the English . Language " . In it he argued that written English was becoming . so bad that it was making clear , honest thought almost . impossible . To Orwell bad thinking leads to bad writing -- but . also bad writing leads to bad thinking . Thought and language go . hand in hand . It is just one step from this to Newspeak . Language is a . medium to express thought , but it also affects thought . Therefore . rulers could use language limit the thoughts of the ruled . Newspeak added some new words , like " crimethink " , " duckspeak " , . " bellyfeel " and " Minitrue " , to help the Party faithful to . have goodthinkful thoughts -- or , better yet , to speak without . thought ( duckspeak ) . But for every new word , many words of . Oldspeak were destroyed , words like honour , justice , liberty , . science and religion . Not only were words destroyed , but even dangerous meanings . of the words that remained were destroyed . For example , in Newspeak one could say " All mans are . equal " , but " equal " only had the simple meaning of being . equal in weight or size . What Jefferson meant by " equal " had . been removed from the dictionary . The closest thing in . Newspeak to what Jefferson meant was " crimethink " . One could say " The Party is ungood " , but all the words and . ideas needed to support such a thought were no longer . there . So it became next to meaningless to say . For the same . reason , it also became hard to think out the consequences of such . a statement . Which was just the point of Newspeak . 
barbecue . . A barbecue is when you cook outdoors for family and . friends . You all eat , talk , laugh , maybe swim , play music and . dance , play games and in general have a good time . I was once told at a barbecue that this is what life is all . about -- being with family and friends and just enjoying . life . When you go to a barbecue you have a great time . But when you put . on a barbecue you do not enjoy yourself as . much as you would think -- you are too busy for . that . If your friends come from far away and have to be at work . the next day , then by the time you can sit down and talk and take . it easy , they are thinking about leaving ! The thing you cook the meat on is called a barbecue grill . or just barbecue for short . The barbecue and the sauce you use . ( barbecue sauce ) gives food that special taste . somewhere between smoke and ketchup . In a barbecue the food is put on a wire frame called a . grill -- or on a metal rod called a spit . It is . cooked using wood , natural gas or , most . often , charcoal that burn under it . Gas is faster and leaves . no mess but the food does not taste as good . Charcoal and wood . together is best . It is all that smoke that gives it the . right taste . And not just the right taste , but the right smell in . the air ! ( You can always tell when your neighbours have not . invited you to a barbecue ) . No one is sure where barbecuing comes from , but it . seems to come from somewhere in the Caribbean , either from . pirates or Indians . It came to America in the late 1700 s . but it did not become common till the 1950 s with the rise . of suburbia . Barbecuing is now practised all over the English - speaking world . and probably beyond . The American South seems to be its . heartland . Like swimming , a barbecue is one of the simple joys of summer . But as you are there eating and laughing , know that sometimes . there is a dark side to it all . A barbecue can be used to show off and put others down : . See my lovely house , see all my friends , see how many people I. can feed -- I am better than you . I have seen that . Not to name . names or anything . The expenses for a barbecue also tend to get out of hand . since it is better to have too much food and too many seats than . too few . In my own case , in the days and especially hours leading . up to the barbecue my wife becomes mean and heartless : all the . love drains out of her heart and her face as she bends her whole . will to serve her new gods : the Guests Who Are Coming . 
Fourth of July . . In America most people have off from work for the Fourth of . July . It is the . day in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed . It said that Britain no longer had the right to . rule America and gave the many reasons why . The British were not . persuaded and fought America for seven years . They lost and so . the Declaration stood . The day is celebrated with parades and barbecues by . day and fireworks by night . We had a barbecue yesterday to which we invited forty people . among family and friends . That is why it has been a few days . since I last wrote in here . 
Writing in Common English . . . For June I have been writing in Common English : nine in . ten words are common to Shakespeare and American . English . The idea is to write in an English that will still be readable . over the next 400 years . It is the Abagond Principle applied . to words : any word that has been current over past 400 years in . the two main branches of English is likely to remain so for the . next 400 . So what do I think now ? What was good and what was bad . about it ? Should I continue ? First , it was much easier to write in Common English than I. thought . At first I did not know if I would last the week -- . I was afraid there would not be enough words . But part of why it . was so easy is that I have tried to favour words from Shakespeare . since at least March . In June I have had two good experiences and two bad . experiences with Common English : . Bad Experience # 1 : the first beatitude . I have not told you this yet , but there was one posting that . you never saw : It was too hard to write in Common English . It . was about the first beatitude : Blessed are the poor in . spirit , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven . At the very heart of this beatitude are the ideas of . blessedness and humility : words that Shakespeare often . used but which in American English are less used than . hydrogen and procedure ! So they are not . a regular part of Common English . That meant I would have to spend half the posting ( or write other . ones ) on what humility and blessedness are . What a sad world I. must live in ! But looking at the West , I see that it is . forgetting the Christian ideas it was founded on and which . Shakespeare takes for granted . Is such a language fit for man ? Bad Experience # 2 : Howards End and the Mechanical Bride . I am reading both of these books now and both talk about the . Grey Cheapness that has overcome the English - speaking world . in the past 150 years . Can such a world be used as the model . for anything good and true ? Good Experience # 1 : Orwell . I printed part of Orwell 's " Politics of the English Language " and . found that it was in Common English ! What is good enough . for Orwell is good enough for me . Good Experience # 2 : Ad copy and sound bites . Writing about ad copy and sound bites drove home the point that . language above all is about getting your message across . You should use the simplest language possible . As Kerry found to . his despair and Orwell had pointed out years before , it . requires thought and imagination to express yourself simply . Most take the easy way out . Being of two minds , I will write in Common English in July . and see what I think then . Among other things , I will try to . write the postings on the first beatitude . 
Reading the Mechanical Bride . . I am now reading Mc Luhan 's " The Mechanical Bride " . Anyone . who knows the book and knows this blog knows that it is just the book . for me . " The Mechanical Bride " is from 1951 , Mc Luhan 's first book . to see print . He takes 59 " exhibits " -- mainly printed ads , . but also movie posters , comic strips and frontpages , all from . 1945 to 1951 -- and for each he writes a few pages about what . it says about the state of man . The " disease is in excellent . health " , he reports . He wants to wake us up from the dream the advertisers have sung . us into . " The Mechanical Bride " is halfway back to " Howards End " , . but it lays bare the same grey cheapness that business and . enterprise has thrust upon man in place of life , truth and . beauty . Whatever can be put in a box and sold pushes out all . else . It becomes what we live for . Heaven can wait . How little things have changed . I see the past as deeper , wiser and better than the present . As . it turns out , 1910 and 1951 , at least , seem little better than . 2006 . Sad to say . Well , there is always 410 . The year the Goths came to Rome . He writes when television and computers were new , new . enough to be known but too new to have made any changes in . society . So the book gives you a sense of how computers and . especially television have affected us in the years since . Mc Luhan prints the ads and then he lets them have it ! His wit cuts . His prose is an interesting mix of overly long Latin and Greek words . and short right - to - the - point Anglo - Saxon : . As much time goes into the search for a title for some . indigestible cold lard as in launching a starlet with the . kind of name that will twang your synapses . He knows more words than most and knows just how to use . them . His Latin words are not a long march of . deadwood , as in most writing , but are used to effect . On the other hand , his writing seems to have much of the same . whistles , bells and breathlessness as the ad copy that he writes . about . His language is halfway between that of a scholar and . a salesman . If he used fewer long words , he could write for the . very same TIME magazine that he rails against . He is trying to look at his world with a cold eye , but his mind . and mouth are still part of that world . I have thought and written about many of the same sorts of . things , so , yes , I can tell you that he is part fast - talking . salesman . But he is also a serious and sharp mind that has . something of substance to say . His point of view , however , is . often moral and not strictly that of a scholar or a man of science . 
gentleman . . There are gentlemen by birth and there are gentlemen by . conduct . Gentlemen by birth are those born into a family with a . coat of arms . That is the shortest way to put it . In practice the . line between commoners and gentlemen was not that fixed and . certain . But it is clear that before 1800 a tradesmen or anyone . who had to work for a living was not considered a gentleman . Not . by blood , at any rate . Gentlemen by conduct , on the other hand , is open to . anyone , regardless of family or fortune . It is anyone who acts as . a gentleman by birth should act . Steele put it this way : . the appellation of Gentleman is never to be affixed to a . man 's circumstance , but to his Behaviour in them . It is hard to put into words , but everyone knows a gentleman when . he sees one . One thinks of Cary Grant or James Bond from . the movies , though perhaps they had a bit too much of the bad boy . in them to be gentlemen in the high Victorian sense . Even so , asking " What would Cary Grant do ? " would not take you . wide of the mark . Being a gentleman is not the same as being holy or . noble . Those are high and rare things . Being a gentleman should be a . matter of course , something that is within anyone 's reach . It is . a second nature . A gentleman is : . a man of honour . a man of his word . respectful to all . well - mannered . open - handed . brave . just . reserved . He : . protects those in his care . thinks of others before himself . makes others feel at ease . keeps his cool in all circumstances . is in control of his feelings . does not keep score . has self - confidence . has good sense . does not put down others . plays fair . does not complain . does not blame others . never does anything low . does not show off or draw attention to himself . does his duty . does not consider himself the centre of the world . A gentleman is in control of himself , he is calm and . cool . While he cannot always be in control of the circumstances . he finds himself in , he goes on without a feather out of . place . He moves on and does what he must , doing the right . thing . Fair play , not keeping score , keeping one 's cool , having . courage and self - confidence even when one does not feel it -- . that above all -- seem to be the heart of it . Newman says he acts towards his enemies as if they . will someday be his friends . On top of all this , a gentleman also has a certain wordliness . and smoothness , in dress and speech . He wears a suit and speaks . perfect English . He has a . good education . This is not as important as the inner qualities . listed above , but in most people 's minds it is part of the deal . 
The Arab world . . The Arab world is made up of those countries where Arabic . is the main language . Most belong to the Arab League . The . Arab world we know grew out of the Arab Empire a thousand years . ago . The Arab world currently has about 200 million people , . two - thirds the size of America . Yet it has at least half of . the world 's oil . The Arab world is not the same as the Muslim world . Only . one Muslim in six is Arab . Islam spread far beyond the Arab world . long ago . Also , not all Arabs are Muslim . Some are Christians , like . some in Lebanon and Palestine . Most Arabs who come to live in America . are Christians . The glory days were from 632 to 930 , back in the . days of the Arab Empire . Baghdad was at the centre . of it all and had some of the greatest minds ever . The empire came out of nowhere , as many do : in a hundred . years the Arabs went from being a desert people always fighting . among themselves to rulers of an empire that started in Persia . and ended in Spain . For hundreds of years the Arab world was far in advance of the . West : it gave the West paper , coffee , its numbers , Aristotle . and Greek learning , cotton , courtly love and much else . In time the empire fell . The Arab world was ruled by Turks , then . Mongols , then Turks again . Even the West ruled a bit of it in the . time of the Crusades . A hundred years ago the Ottoman Turks ruled . it all . When the Ottoman Empire fell the Arab world was cut into . pieces like a birthday cake and served to Britain , France and . Italy . Britain got Palestine on September 11 th , 1922 . The French and British empires are now only in history books , but . two new powers have taken their place : . Israel : a Jewish state founded on Arab land . It . rules half of Palestine outright and half by force as a . foreign army . America : picks up where the British left off . It . supports Israel . Blindly . It supports bad government . throughout the region , especially in Egypt and Saudi . Arabia . In Iraq it overthrew one of these bad leaders and . is now trying to set up a working democracy . But Iraq is . a complete mess . So when America says it wants to bring peace and . democracy to the Arab world it is not believed . America has three interests in the Arab world : . Oil . Peace so that the region is no longer a threat . Israel . America cannot live without the oil that comes from the . Arab world . Nor can it live in constant fear of those who would . kill Americans in the name of a holy war , as took place on . September 11 th , 2001 . Israel is less important , but there are enough Jews in America in . high position that its protection seems assured . Osama bin Laden wants to overthrow the rulers that America . supports and bring back the glory days of the empire . 
sound bite . . A sound bite is a piece of what someone said , about . ten seconds worth , that is presented on television or radio . news . It has 20 words or less out of the hundreds or thousands that . were spoken . A sound bite , however , is supposed to catch the . heart of it . Those in high office -- presidents , ministers , senators . and others -- know this , of course . So they pitch what they say . in public to give news reporters the sound bite they need , . like throwing a dog a bone . A good sound bite can stand on its own apart from the . speech or comment that it came from . It should sum up one 's . message in a striking way that bears repeating -- not just . one night on the evening news , but in the days that follow among . the public . President Reagan was a master of the art. His most famous . sound bite was " Mr Gorbachev , tear down this wall " , speaking of . the Berlin Wall and all that it stood for . John Kerry , who ran for president in 2004 , was said to . have lost in part because he could not put his message into . sound bites . Kerry and his supporters will say that the great policy questions . are not that simple . And so they are not . But to lead a . democracy you must be able to get your message across . Even before television and sound bites , great . speakers like Churchill and William Jennings Bryant . understood they needed a line or two in the speech that would . be repeated and carry its message long after the speech was . delivered . Advertisements are much longer than sound bites , but even they . try to pack their message into one line that . will stick in people 's minds . So the sound bite is not some evil practice cooked up by . television news : it is necessary for anyone who wants to . get his message across to millions of people . Jeffrey Scheuer in his book " The Sound Bite Society " . argues that sound bites favour the right over the left : . the right 's message is simple enough for sound bites , the left 's . message is not . Thus Kerry 's trouble with sound bites . Scheuer has half a point : the great danger of sound bites is in . making policy debate in a democracy too . simple - minded . But the American left 's trouble with . sound bites is not so much that they refuse to make their message . simple - minded , as that they have no clear message to begin . with . Once they have have a clear message and a leader to . deliver it , the sound bites will take care of themselves . A sound bite , properly used , is not an end but a . beginning . As in advertising , it is the heart of your . message , but one on which you build and give meaning to with each . new ad or , for would - be presidents , with each new speech or . debate . It is not the death of thought but a door into it . 
The West . . The West is made up of the countries of Western Europe , . North and South America , Oceania , South Africa and most of the . cities of black Africa . It grew out of the western , . Latin - speaking half of the Roman Empire . It is based on . Greek , Roman and Christian ideas . Some countries are partly Western , having taken on some . Western ways , such as Japan , Turkey , Indonesia and Russia . Current features : . writing : Latin letters . numbers : Arabic numbers . religion : Protestant or Roman Catholic . calendar : Gregorian calendar . epoch : years are counted from the birth of Christ . measurement : metric or English . philosophy : based on Plato and Aristotle . cities : Rome , Florence , Venice , Paris , Berlin , London , New York , Los Angeles , Rio . A quick way to tell if a country is Western , or at least part . Western , is to look at the writing . The West compared to other parts of the world is violent and . warlike . That is because it is divided into so many . countries . It lacks a true empire that would keep it at . peace . It is not for want of trying : Charlemagne , Napoleon and . Hitler have tried . Its longest period of peace was at the height of the British . Empire . The current American Empire has kept the West . at peace for most of the past 60 years . When it weakens , the West . will again find itself at war . Two things make the West different than the rest of the . world : . The truth as something that can be known and written . down . It gets this from Greek philosophy . You see it from the . Nicene Creed to Einstein . God , physical laws , all of it can . be known and written down and reasoned about . It is not a . mystery , it is not beyond man 's understanding , it is not . beyond word or number . It is black and white . Not only that , the truth matters . The truth is what . will save mankind . So it is not just knowable , it is sought . after . It is one of the highest callings of life , to seek . the truth . The West as universal . The West does not see itself as belonging to just one people . or age , but as something for all mankind , as the . purpose and end of history itself . Everything has been . building up to this moment when the West burst upon the . scene with all the answers ( be it Christian or Communist . or whatever ) . Many in the West will smile at this now . That is a sign . that it is changing . The West has been moving away from both of these positions . over the past forty years . The truth is not knowable and not . all that important . The West is not for everyone and certainly . not what history has been working towards . It is just another . part of the world , and maybe not even the best part . The self - confidence that the West once had is giving . way to self - doubt and despair . This is especially true in . Europe , less so in America . 
Rule Review VI. . Here are the numbers : . 87 Sunday . 42 Monday . 56 Tuesday . 85 Wednesday . 60 Thursday . 60 Friday . 60 Saturday . That comes to 450 for the week or 64 a day . Not good ! The low scores come mainly from reading " Howards End " without . reading enough Scripture to make up for it . See also : . My Rule of Life . Rule Review V. 
rhetoric . . Rhetoric is the art of public speaking , or , more . generally , of using language to persuade others . It was an . important part of Western education till the 1800 s , though by . that time it had become a shadow of its former self . The glory days of rhetoric were in Greek and Roman times . when court cases and making laws were settled by vote . Being able . to speak in front of others and persuade them of your point of . view became an important skill . Not just a skill , an art. that was taught . Some even made their living by teaching . rhetoric , like Augustine . For Aristotle there were three things you had to do to get . the public round to your side : . ethos ( character ) : you have to get them to . believe that you are someone they can trust , someone who . knows what they are talking about . Failing that , they . will not take you seriously . logos ( reason ) : you need facts and reason . to persuade them that what you say is true . You do not . have to reason from what is certain , as in science . Reasoning from what is likely is good enough . pathos ( passion ) : you must appeal to their . deeper feelings . Facts and reason are not enough -- you . must also speak to their hearts . You have to be trusted and you have to speak to both the head . and the heart . Aristotle shows how to use language to do all . this in his book , Rhetoric . Rhetoric is a study in language and . human nature . Cicero took this further and Quintillian further still . Quintillian wrote what became the book on . rhetoric in the West for 2000 years : Institutio . Oratoria . It is a how - to book of writing and . delivering speeches . He takes you through it all step by . step . After the fall of Rome , the West was ruled by . kings . Public speaking was no longer important except in . church . In time rhetoric was applied to letter writing and . became little more than ornament . Rhetoric no longer saw . language as a means of thought , as a road to philosophy and the . big questions of life , as it was with Plato and the trivium of the Middle Ages . It was just a way to dress up what you had to say . It was in this sad state that rhetoric has come down to us . and so now it has fallen out of our schoolbooks altogether and . has become little more than a byword for empty talk . Yet once again we live in a time where persuading the public has . become important . Presidents and companies need to persuade the . public and language is still their chief means of doing so . But . where is rhetoric now ? Human nature has not changed since Aristotle , so most of . what he says is still true . But media has changed : ads . and sound bites are now the means of moving men 's minds , not . grand speeches in the Quintillian style . On television , time is money , so we live in the . world of a five - year - old boy where nothing lasts longer than . an episode of Spongebob ( 11 minutes ) . Not quite what Cicero . and Quintillian had in mind . 
ad copy . . The words in an advertisement are called the ad copy . It . is written by a copywriter . Unlike regular writing , an ad . must get the reader 's attention , hold it and persuade him to . act -- and do it all in a few hundred words or less . Ad copy has four parts ( the examples are taken from a 1967 . Corvair ad ) : . Headline : This must catch the reader 's . attention . The ad 's picture or opening scene should do . the same and may work with the headline or take its . place . Example : " What a pity some people go a lifetime without . ever choosing a car just because it 's a pure joy to . drive . " . Body : This must deliver on what the headline . promises . It must back up any claims it makes . It must . hold the reader 's interest , inform and then persuade to . action . You do this by making clear how taking the . action you want will help your reader . Example : The Corvair ad tells you what joy a Corvair is . to drive and then gives some other reasons to buy one . Call to action : Few readers will do as you . say , but fewer still will do it if you say nothing . In . many ads , however , it is clear what the action should be so . it is left out . Example : This ad wanted to end with the price , which it . saved for the very end , so the call to action was left . out . But the ad does put the idea of a road test into . your head . An ad like this could have ended with , " Visit your . dealer now and check out the new Corvair " . Closing : This should show the company 's logo , . name and any slogan . You might also add a telephone . number , price or web link here . Example : GM and Chevrolet logos are shown and then : " ' 67 . Corvair , the rear - engine road car . Priced to sell at . $ 2000 " . There are no magic rules for writing ad copy and what . rules there are can be broken to effect by an experienced . copywriter . That said , these are some of the things to keep in . mind as you write ad copy : . Speak directly to your reader : Your ad may reach . millions , but it must do its work one reader at a . time . Speak to just him , as you would to a friend , and . not to an audience . Use the same sort of language . " You " is the most important word to use in an ad . Use simple , everyday language : No one has to read . your ad , so make it easy . Make every word count : Question every word you . use and make sure it is the best one . Cut out absolutely . any word you do not need . Stay on message : Have a single , clear message and . stick to it . Anything else will cause confusion . You might notice that some of these also apply to writing for the . web . 
CLICK HERE .... ZAPATERO A SU ZAPATO . Spanish President Jose Luis Zapatero afraid to criticize fidel castro now supporting the palestinian cause .... Espa ol aqui Damn socialists communists ...... ZAPATERO VUELVE A TU ZAPATO . 
From a real Cuban to another Cuban . For the past two months and half I have been posting left and rigth , day and nigth for all of you readers who visit my blog . I will consider it a success if only one person who supported Castro or the revolution thinks differently now after reading the content of this blog . I will be taking a short vacation in the beautiful city of Dallas ( home of the Dallas Mavericks ) and his colorful owner Mark Cuban . I will disconnect myself from all news regarding Cuba eventhough the coming days up to the 26 th of July will be full of interesting and exciting stories . Got tickets to see the New York Yankees vs Texas Rangers ( twice ) ... Be right back July 26 th . Until then ... 
RAUL CASTRO IS DEAD . Last night I had a dream . A middle age man is seen walking slowly down a path . A very long walk , once in front of the podium he clearly stated " I have come toannounce that my father was a great man , Raul Castro is dead " . Somehow I was in themix of a meeting of generals , some of them cried , others did not show any emotions . You could feel it was a great day . The news was causing a conmotion inside themeeting as well as outside . 
EDITOR ' S NOTE .... I am hesitant to get on the rumor bandwagon about fidel demise or illness . But this time I will make an exemption . Secret no more , Raul Castro has assumed TOTAL CONTROL OF CUBA ALREADY . The indications are everywhere . In addition , July 26 th could be a very important date , as well as August 13 ( castro 's birthday ) .. my unconfirmed sources inside of Cuba are telling me of a possible transfer of power anouncement and liberation of ALL political prisoners Have anyone seen fidel lately ? in my count it has been almost 3 weeks or more Developing ... Updated .. castro has been invited to the Mercosur meeting in Cordoba , Argentina this week . Will he be there ? 
JULY 26 TH 2006 , BAYAMO , CUBA . This date Fidel Castro is supposed to give a speech . There are still rumors of his death or illness . We must pay close attention this day . Usually the event is transmmited on live TV for Cuba and abroad . This year the province of Granma was chosen to be the host city ( Bayamo ) . Large quantity of resources and manpower are being utilized around the clock to have the venue ready . Pictures below . 
CUBA 4 : THE RATS BELOW ... EXPOSED . ADM GUILTYJANET RENO GUILTYCLINTON ADMINISTRATION GUILTYFIDEL CASTRO GUILTYONLY VICTIM ELIAN GTRAILER VIDEO 5 MINUTES 2 S ( e NGLISH , SPANISH SUBTITLES ) VIDEOAN EXPOSE OF CORPORATE CORRUPTION IN AMERICA ! The mighty power of a corporation influences the U.S. government and brings tragedy to an innocent child and everyone else in the way - using the Gold Rule of power , money and greed . This documentary is the behind - the - scenes look at the shocking process and truly amazing players who came together to get Elian Gonzalez placed into the hands of Fidel Castro . This is the story and participants the U.S. media cooperated to keep hidden . 
By Land , By Sea or Up in the Air , the message remains the same .. Per terra , dal mare o aumenti nell ' aria che il messaggio rimane lo stesso . Gi Fidel Por mar , por tierra y por donde quiera que sea . 
Is III World War looming in the Horizon ? Are We prepared ? 7 Israeli soldiers killed today , 2 more kidnapped Israel considers it an " Act of War " , calls up reservists North Korean stance ... Iran defiance Sectarian violence in Iraq Turmoil in Gaza Terrorism in India 80 million for Cuba , Alarcon considers it also an " Act of War " . 
Click here . OUR HELP IS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THIS PROYECT PLEASE CONTACT THE DIRECTOR .. VOICES FROM CUBA VIDEO TRAILER 6 MINUTES . Lizbet Martinez - A twelve - year old music prodigy who left Cuba in a wooden raft with her mother and father during the balseros ( rafters ) crisis in 1994 , carrying only her tattered violin . They were lost at sea for seven days before the Coast Guard finally picked them up ... Once they rescued us ... it was a moment you wished you knew their language . That 's why I played the violin . That was the only way of thanking them for what they had done . So I played it for them and they were just like , Wow ! A Cuban girl that knows the Star Spangled Banner . That was just amazing . They started crying . She and her family were later brought back to Cuba and held at Guantanamo Bay , which was the policy at the time . Eventually they made it to the United States . Lizbet describes beautifully what it was like to be a child in Castro 's Cuba in the eighties and nineties . She also recounts what it was like to see the United States for the first time , and how amazed she was at all the products available to Americans in stores . For more info click here . 
Click here ..... Bud Selig and MLB are " MAFIA " according to Jose Canseco . When the World Baseball Classic was played in San Juan , MLB violated the civil rigths of fans who protested against the Cuban dictador inside the ballpark . The protest was peaceful and silent . What an irony . A former Cuban baseball player is now keeping his fight to bring Mr Selig and his clowns down to their knees because of the steroids scandal . Way to go Jose . Updated : Soon to be pitcher Jose Canseco gets traded . Click here . 
Click here .... Mexico Elections Official Results . Updated ..... Too close to call yet ... Felipe Calderon ( PAN ) is a lock to win Election in Mexico . If the official results confirm Calderon as winner , his victory will deal a big blow to the populist movements led by Evo Morales and Hugo Chavez with the help of Fidel Castro . Recently , voters have rejected candidates who have been backed by Hugo Chavez . In Peru , Alan Garcia defeated Ollanta Humala . In Mexico , the leftist candidate Lopez Obrador trails his opponent and in the upcoming elections in Nicaragua Daniel Ortega could suffer the same fate . The message is being deposited in the ballots . Socialism and Comunism are OUT . 
Castro News Network fails again . Instead of covering more news that allow viewers around the globe to know more about almost 50 years of brutal dictatorship in Cuba , CNN is at it again . I am upset when a man is almost dying in a hunger strike since Jan 31 for wanting to have internet access ( See Fari as ) . Instead the Headline today is about Castro 's niece trying to implement what is now called a sexual revolution . Mariela Castro , Cubans need to get rid of both your assasin uncle and your criminal father . After all , I understand why you are doing this . Your father is gay and your mother a lesbian . It runs in your blood . 
Click here .... Shanghai , China . Photo Shanghai World Financial Center Recognized as one the fast growing cities in the world Shanghai , China soon to be home of a new kind of enterprise , The Shanghai Xintian Havana Hotel . A joint capitalistic venture between giant China and Cuba . While many Cubans lack the most basic needs , such as housing , transportation , food and medicine , the Cuban dictator slaps them in the face by investing heavily in what is now called the largest overseas proyect ever made by Cuba . I wonder how this venture will benefit the Cuban people . Perhaps , it is just the retirement 401 k plan for the nomenklature . It will be awesome if all Cuban oppressors and tyrants can check into this new hotel for life once opened . That move , will save Cuba from a sea of blood , despair and uncertainty . If they take on this offer , after they are all settle in , I just would call an expert . Sort of an Orkin man , a fumigation expert . Unfortunately , that person is behind bars as we speak . 
Editor 's Note ...... Nota del editor . Una verdadera Cuba libre y democratica seria una realidad cuando los ni os cubanos puedan leer en sus libros de texto que una persona llamada Fidel Castro goberno la isla en un momento de su historia , no sin antes haber ultrajado , destruido y arruinado todo lo que encontro en su camino " " A true free and democratic Cuba will become a reality when school children in Cuba could read in their textbooks that a person named Fidel Castro once governed the island leaving a legacy of a raped , destroyed nation in ruins " . Enrique . 
Adriana Gil back by popular demand . Bolivian politician Adriana Gil smiles during an interview with Reuters in the eastern Bolivian city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in this May 22 , 2006 file photo . Virtually unknown outside Bolivia , twenty - four year old Gil is fast becoming a household name in Santa Cruz de la Sierra , Bolivia ? s economic powerhouse and a bastion of opposition to President Evo Morales , who rode to victory in presidential elections last December on a tidal wave of support from the country ? s indigenous , poverty - stricken majority . REUTERS - Could this beautiful 24 years old politician derail Evo Morales ' dreams in Bolivia ? See for yourself Pudiera esta bella joven politica de 24 a os tronchar las aspiraciones de Evo Morales ? Adriana Gil ... You got my vote Mi voto es para ti .. 
Guillermo Fari as is on a hunger strike since Jan 31 th . for wanting to have access to the internet so that he can comunicate with the outside world . The brave man is very sick and dying . Did you know that Cubans CAN NOT OWN A CELULAR PHONE IN CUBA . Did you know that Cubans CAN NOT HAVE ACCCESS TO SATELITE TV OR CABLE TV . Did you know that cubans CAN NOT ENTER THE HOTELS IN CUBA . Did you know that fidel castro HAS RULED CUBA FOR 47 YEARS practically telling everyone WHAT TO EAT , WHAT TO STUDY , WHO YOU CAN TALK TO OR NOT . And still there are people who praise this motherfuc _ er .... Unbelievable ... 
The Energetic Revolution continues in Cuba but this time beware the wolf . Wait a minute did I hear this rigth ... It is not official dont quote me on this but I was listening to fidel castro today speaking in the closing ceremonies of the 45 th aniversary of the MININT .. He spoke about corruption at all levels , that they are working hard to prevent it , then he started talking about the economy and saving electricity and fuel .. As you know he started the campaign of changing the lightbulbs , then it was the rice makers , the old air conditioners , kitchen appliances but now he was talking about the so called 80 , 000 to 100 , 000 old vintage cars that are still running . He claimed they are a reflection of capitalism still ... and that they consume much fuel and most of them are still running because mechanics have inserted in them used car parts from stolen government cars and that they now want to investigate for irregularities . Does this sound as an excuse to somehow take away the 80 k plus cars around Cuba . Even if they are exchanged for new chinese cars , these old vintage cars are worth a lot more money . I say to all my brothers in Cuba only this ... IF A MANDATORY UNJUST RECALL IS MADE , DONT TURN YOUR CAR IN , BURN IT FIRST .... 
Fidel Castro claims the US dollar is shit ... double shit ... Ahora el d lar es mierda , y perd nenme la palabra , pero es verdad , expres . Es doble M y est a merced de nosotros , ratific . Ya este pa s no lo necesita , y adem s se est devaluando y cada vez vale menos . Y no dependemos de l para nada . Eso es una tranquilidad Translation " The US dollar is shit , please forgive me for using that word , but it is the truth " " It is double shit and we control it here . This country does not need the us dollar anymore . It is worthless We dont depend on it anymore . That gives us peace of mind ... Si todo lo que dice el ladronzuelo multimillonario es verdad yo solo propongo algo .. a los Estados Unidos y al presidente Bush .. Ya que le esta haciendo da o al dolar estadounidense por preferir el euro junto con Venezuela e Iran propongo que se le suprima inmediatamente la venta de alimentos , productos y medicinas estadounidenses para que entonces el pueda utilizar sus euros en otro lugar . Translation If the Us dollar is worthless ( double shit ) according to Castro , I proposed to president Bush to stop all sales of US products to cuba inmediately including food and medicine . He prefers euros , let him buy all the products from the Europeans . 
Click here to sign the petition ...... FIDEL CASTRO YOU ARE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MAN ... INTERNET FOR FARI AS NOW ... His crime ..... Wanting to have access to Internet from his home ... Guillermo " Coco " Fari as is a cuban journalist , director of Cubanacan Press . He is also a doctor in Psychology ... Does this man deserves to die ? On a hunger strike since January 31 th - His condition is worsening by the minute . PEOPLE OF THE FREE WORLD .... HELP THIS BRAVE MAN . FIDEL CASTRO = THE CUBAN PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE OF THE FREE WORLD WILL HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE IF MR FARI AS DIES .... LET HIM USE THE INTERNET .. NOWFREEDOM FOR ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS NOW ... CUBA , A HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATOR HAS GAINED A SEAT IN THE ONU HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL HOW COULD WE ALLOW THAT ? WITHDRAW CUBA NOW . 
Apartheid in Cuba .... Pictures ... White Cuba .. Only foreigners allowed . No dogs . No Cuban nationals permitted . It seems that Europeans and Canadiens in particular know little about the suffering of the Cuban people .... They must research this site before booking their next vacation ... 
CLICK HERE ... VIDEO ..... MORE APARTHEID IN CUBA .. ONLY WHITE CANADIENS ALLOWED . This is the Cuba that Canadiens and other foreign tourists enjoy in Cuba . No wonder why they keep returning .. They never get to see the realcuba . 
Click here ... Aprieta Aqui ... Video . More Apartheid in Cuba . While Cubans are not allowed to fish in their own territorial waters and are sent to jail if caught fishing , the Italians , Canadiens or Spaniards you will see in this video are having no problems getting a permit to fish . Who knows what they do with the prized fish .. One thing for sure regular cubans are not eating this fish . Racismo en Cuba ..... Este video muestra a los turistas italianos pescando en altamar en Cuba , algo que esta prohibido para el resto de la poblacion cubana con tanta hambre que hay ... 
Editor 's Note ....... Spain will learn a good lesson in Bolivia thanks to Castro . Some important business executives in Spain are worried that Evo Morales 's plans to nationalize spanish firms such as Repsol and now BBBV will affect the potential oulook for new investments not only in Bolivia but in the entire South American region as well . The socialist goverment of Zapatero has failed to persuade Fidel Castro to implement reforms in Cuba benefiting the cuban people . Instead new hotels and joint ventures are on the rise between the two countries while human rights abuses continue to grow inside the island . The Spanish government is well aware that dealing directly with the dictador only benefit his crumbling regime but not its citizens . The Spaniards have turn a blind eye to the situation in Cuba but now they will get a taste of what may happen to them in the future . In my opinion , Bolivia 's nationalization of industries are direct orders from Fidel Castro with the support of Hugo Chavez . It will be Castros fault if Repsol abandon Bolivia or BBBV depart without being compensated . Spain will learn a good lesson in this process . Someday , the cuban people will hold Spain and the firms that invested heavily under Castros regime accountable for their actions . I pray for Evo to do exactly what Castro did in the early 60 's to the spanish firms - nationalize with guns without compensation . Castro is the guilty party in this mess , he is the Father figure , the one with the rob - olution blueprint that the two indigenous presidents are trying miserably to follow . 
Killing now a breach of Health & Safety at Work Act . The killers of Jean Charles De Menezes in Stockwell Tube station last summer will not be prosecuted . Instead , their employers will be prosecuted for a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 . Reassuring for the employees of the Metropolitan Police Force I ' m sure , not so reassuring for the rest of us . " Are the Met now going to issue us guidelines on how not to look like a terrorist , in order to prevent us coming to a similar fate ? " We ' ll never actually know what was going through the minds of the killers of Jean Charles De Menezes as he boarded the tube one morning in July , however what we do know is that they made there decision prima facie . They looked at his clothing , his ethnicity , his actions and determined that it somehow qualified for a potential terrorist and so had to be ' stopped ' before he potentially blew anyone up . The fact that there was ' insufficient evidence ' to prosecute any officer involved in the killing should worry us all . What does insufficient evidence mean ? It means that it cannot be proved that the officers who shot De Menezes committed an act of murder or manslaughter . For murder or manslaughter to be proved it would have to be determined beyond reasonable doubt that they did not believe they were killing a terrorist . In other words , they were unable to distinguish a terrorist from an innocent civilian . " In fact , the evidence supports their claim that they genuinely believed that Mr de Menezes was a suicide bomber and therefore , as we cannot disprove that claim , we cannot prosecute them for murder or any other related offence . " - Stephen O ' Doherty - CPSTherefore , if a police officer prima facie observes your clothing , your ethnicity and your actions and comes to a belief you are a potential terrorist , he can shoot you in the head , on site , then claim that he genuinely believed you were a terrorist . After all , how are you going to disprove someone 's beliefs ? Are the Met now going to issue us guidelines on how not to look like a terrorist , in order to prevent us coming to a similar fate ? " However I have concluded that the operational errors indicate that there had been a breach of the duties owed to non - employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 , by the Office of Commissioner of Police and I have authorised a prosecution under that act . " O ' Doherty Considering this ruling , perhaps the family of De Menezes will now have to take a different approach to getting justice . Tags : Abandon All Fear T - Shirts Health and Safety at Work Stockwell Tube Killing De Menezes Met Police Force Terrorist Police Shooting CPSAdd to del . icio . us . 
Democracy versus Terrorism . Conservative MP for Lichfield , Michael Fabricant , describes Israel as a " bulwark of democracy " . From a War on Terror debate on 4 th July : " Fundamentalist Islamists do not hate the west because of Israel ; they hate Israel because the state of Israel is a bulwark of democracy , Judeo - Christian ethics of tolerance , western progress and freedom in the middle east . " - Michael Fabricant , MP . Just so you know this is what a ' bulwark of democracy , judeo - Christian ethics of tolerance , western progress and freedom ' looks like : Amnesty slams Israel ' war crimes ' Israel : Offensive stops when Hezbollah stops Six civilians die is Israeli rocket attack FACTBOX - Israel 's offensive to free captured soldier UN Says Gaza facing health disaster UN Blames Israel for humanitarian crisis , harm to children in Gaza Gerald Kaufman , MP : Quotes from Israeli newspaper on Gaza Offensive Gerald Kaufman , MP : On Israeli Democracy and pre - independence terrorism And this is what terrorism looks like : Hamas terrorism , violence bring chaos to Gaza strip Hamas works to fire rockets deeper into Israel Israeli army confirms soldier 's death by Palestinian militant 's gunfire Gaza militants say fired chemical - tipped warhead Palestinian militants fire rockets into Israel But if you still can't spot the difference between democracy and terrorism using those articles , Dr Chris Scanlon puts it more bluntly in a letter written to the Independent , 8 th July 2006 : A brief Guide to Foreign Policy Sir : Just so everyone is clear : it is " bad " for North Korea to fire missiles into the open sea , even though it is " really - not - that - bad " for Israel to fire missiles into power stations , bridges , and apartment blocks . Meanwhile : Iran , which had opposed Saddam ( who was once " relatively good " but is now " very bad " ) , is still just " bad " . Saudi Arabia , a feudal totalitarian state with legalised sexual apartheid ( " bad " ? ) is nonetheless " good " , but don't ask any awkward questions . The United Sates may now kidnap and torture innocent civilians ( this was previously " bad " , but is now " okay , if outsourced " ) . Similarly , some of our allies may , from time to time , need to boil people alive ( literally , in the case of President Karimov ) , and whilst not " good " it would be a crass liberal simplification to call this " bad " . DR CHRIS SCANLANOXFORDSo I hope you can now tell the difference between democracy and terrorism . Tags : Abandon All Fear T - Shirts Democracy versus Terrorism Michael Fabricant War on Terror Israeli Terrorism Palestinian Terrorism Israeli Rockets Palestinian Rockets Middle East Gerald Kaufman Gaza Offensive Dr Chris Scanlon Foreign Policy Hamas North Korea Iran Saudi Arabia America Save This Page . 
Ts & Cs in the Bible . " ... there are well known verses of the bible that continuously repeated , often for justification for some of the most horrendous acts of injustice and oppression . " I once took out a graduate loan from HSBC Bank . I was offered the loan insurance with it , and it was sold to me as part of the loan . Later , I got hold of some information on loan insurance offered by banks and found out that not only do you have a choice about taking it , they charge a much higher premium than an insurance company would offer , and it doesn't even cover you for the whole term of the loan . I felt cheated , so I decided to take a trip to HSBC and ask them to remove the insurance . Unfortunately it turned out that I was outside the 14 day ' change your mind ' period . I protested that I had not used the insurance and I did not need it or want it , but it was no good . See , it was all there in the Terms Cs ? Anyone with an email address right now has at least done it once . Everyday there are forms to sign and transactions take place which need our signature or authorisation and we give it without a second thought . But when it matters most , that 's where you ' ll find the small print that will either confirm your position or dismiss it . But it 's not just financial contracts that we find Ts Cs ' which are often overlooked : Contract / Obligation : " Wives , submit to your husbands as to the Lord . For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church , his body , of which he is the Savior . Now as the church submits to Christ , so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything . " Ephesians 5:22 - 24 NIVSmall Print : " Husbands , love your wives , just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy , cleansing her by the washing with water through the word , and to present her to himself as a radiant church , without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish , but holy and blameless . In this same way , husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies . He who loves his wife loves himself . After all , no one ever hated his own body , but he feeds and cares for it , just as Christ does the church for we are members of his body . , For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife , and the two will become one flesh . ' This is a profound mystery but I am talking about Christ and the church . However , each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself , and the wife must respect her husband . " Ephesians 5:25 - 33 NIVContract / Obligation : " You children must always obey your parents , for this is what pleases the Lord . " Collossians 3:20 NLTSmall Print : " Fathers , don't aggravate your children . If you do , they will become discouraged and quit trying . " Collossians 3:21 NLTMore to follow in future posts ... Tags : Abandon All Fear Terms and Conditions Oppression Injustice bible God Jesus HSBC Wives Husbands Parents Children . 
Letter to Mike O ' Brien ( MP North Warwickshire ) . I decided to check out my MPs voting record this evening and was surprised to discover he has taken many stands against Orwellian legislation . Any MP who votes against the LRRB , ID Cards , parliament protest restrictions , terrorism laws , invading Iraq and permissive gambling deserves respect . Logged on to writetothem . com and composed the following email : Dear Mike O ' Brien , I am a 26 year old , one of your constituents who has recently become very interested in politics in the last year . I have been reading up on your voting record in parliament recently . May I thank and congratulate you for your stand against the Legislative and regulatory Reform Bill , ID Cards , protesting near parliament and Terrorism Laws . These are dreadful pieces of legislation which could possibly spell dire consequences if a future authoritative government took control . I was reading some history over the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party , it was surprising to discover that Hitler used a similar sort of legislation to the LRRB to abolish the German parliament before he became an open dictator . This is the first time I looked into your voting record but I can see why you have retained your seat for North Warwickshire and deserve to . You appear to be in strong favour of civil liberties and freedoms , which gives me and many others , hope for our country and our futures . Yours sincerely , Amos Tags : Abandon All Fear Warwickshire Mike O ' Brien Parliament Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill Democracy Terrorism Government ID Cards Hitler Nazi Labour . 
More than just a currency exchange ? Came across this sign whilst in Platamonas a couple of years ago . Apparently the rate of $ exchange is quite good , though I never enquired ... Tags : Abandon All Fear Travel Europe Greece Photo Humour Currency Exchange The image ( s ) above is / are subject to copyright , however you may use it / them on your own website / blog as long as you link back to , or credit www . abandonallfear . co. uk . 
Whom shall I fear ? " Our governments seem intent on reminding us daily , of the threat to our security from terrorists and immigrants . " There have been very few occasions in my life where I ' ve felt mortal fear , the kind of fear gets your endorphins pumping and gives you an adrenaline rush . It 's the good kind of fear . It motivates you to do something ( or avoid something ) . I remember one time hiking Mount Olympus and the last quarter of a mile was traversing a 40 - 60 % angle , rock - face to get to the peak . One foot wrong and it was a 1000 ft drop straight down . I remember feeling my life in my own hands , it was an uncomfortable feeling . We live all the time entrusting our lives to others , the aircraft pilot , the taxi - driver , the electrician , road workers , those who prepare our food . We don't give it a moments thought . Yet here I was , nothing but me and the mountain , fully in control of my own life and suddenly not so confident . When I finally reached the top , it was then I felt alive . I knew I had conquered the peak and could easily make it back down . Most of us may have at some time had the experience of mortal fear , but generally we don't get to face things like that everyday . Instead our lives are filled with the lesser fears , the duller ones which beat away in the back of our minds . Work , debts , property , family , and other personal problems . These fears don't give us an endorphine rush , because they are often not confined to one physical action . Instead they are prolonged , delayed fears , that wear down our energy and in some cases , our health . We live in a climate of fear , you only need to go out , buy a paper and read the latest headlines . Our governments seem intent on reminding us daily , of the threat to our security from terrorists and immigrants . Fear of these external threats creates bitterness and resentment . So we live our lives with these fears and resentments and simply accept it as our fate . These resentments build up and cause us to look at others , or people different from us , with suspicion and mistrust . There are others who are quite comfortable . They don't climb mountains and they don't step out of boats . Content that they 're not bad people and so there 's no need to fight any causes , or get involved in other peoples affairs . They look at people who protest and petition also with mistrust and sometimes resentment . The whole problem is when we allow our fears or our comforts to dictate our lives , an injustice occurs . Whether it 's not wanting to disturb the status quo , even though it is a moral cause , or fear of retribution by authorities , even when the law is on our side . I believe we all have personal mountains to climb , some of us may be near the top , for others it is simply a constant uphill struggle with no end in sight , and others still , may be sitting at the bottom wanting to ignore it . The vision behind " Abandon All Fear " is to share my progress of facing those mountains head on . The purpose being , to motivate others to ' abandon all fear ' and speak out against social injustice and hypocrisy . I believe in speaking up for the poor and oppressed and I have added links to some different organisations and causes . There will be more to come . For now , continue in hope for , " The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear ? " Tags : Abandon All Fear Fear Social Justice Politics . 
When the grass is not green enough ! The angel is standing on top of a building in Berlin , watching people on earth . Everything is in black and white . That s how The wings of desire commences . Later on , he falls in love . He blinks , and as he opens his eyes , the world is colorful . I lived a good portion of my life in a beautiful dream , dominated by this visual poetic perception , Wenders has created . Now , after years and years , I still refuse to believe that the notion is too unrealistic , too dreamy or even too poetic to be true , but what life forced me to believe is , the colors won t last very long . It s not too poetic but it certainly is much too momentarily . In a quite unpleasantly non - poetic example , I may say it s like an old color TV . Sometimes it does what it should do , but all of a sudden , right in the middle of an important football match , it loses the colors and turns into a stupid black and white TV . You can smash it on the head occasionally and you might even get some colors back for couple of minutes , but you ll lose them again soon , guaranteed ! There s a technique , used to bring old black and white movies to color , and it simply is to colorize every frame , one by one ! Maybe it works in big Hollywood studios , but in real life , manually colorizing every frame is not an option . It s much too time consuming and the final result always looks disgustingly fake ! A good alternative would be to enjoy life in black and white . The reality is , most of the masterpieces in photography , and to some extend in cinema , are in black and white , where there is no color to distract your eyes from the beauty of the shades , shapes and the compositions . In fact , sometimes you have to manually get rid of the colors and that s when the colors are weak , unappealing and simply don t worth to be kept . You select your poorly - colored picture and then select , Image - mode - Grayscale from the menu ! Photoshop will ask you re going to lose the color information , are you sure you want to continue ? you pause . You think . You look again . You see that pale blue sky and those unflattering colors , covering your potentially nice image . You remember how unsuccessfully you tried your best to edit the colors . You exhale and click YES ! You blink and as you open your eyes Voila it s Black and white . 
http : // www . youtube . com / watch ? v = TOPHj NL 9 BCk search = mylove % 20 blair % 20 bush I watched this almost 2 years ago for the first time . But due to this new scandal in the recent G 8 summit , it s still hilarious to watch ! 
Understanding Engineers . ( A funny article I recieved today ) Take One : To the optimist , the glass is half full . To the pessimist , the glass is half empty . To the engineer , the glass is twice as big as it needs to be . Take Two : What is the difference between Mechanical Engineers and Civil Engineers ? Mechanical Engineers build weapons and Civil Engineers build targets . Take Three : Three engineering students were gathered together discussing the possible designers of the human body . One said , " It was a mechanical engineer . Just look at all the joints . " Another said , " No , it was an electrical engineer . The nervous system has many thousands of electrical connections . " The last one said , " Actually it was a civil engineer . Whoelse would run a toxic waste pipeline through a recreational area ? " . 
It takes more than a Leica to become Bresson . Every time I see Sam , I realized how lazy photographer I am . We were doing the same thing , taking pictures , in Paris . He had a huge , at least 10 kg backpack on his shoulders , filled with accessories , lenses and stuff , including my favorite , a magnificent super wide lens , and I , on the other hand , was walking around with a 220 g camera , no accessories , nothing ! To make the matter worse , I had even forgotten to bring my 200 g tripod with myself to Paris ! And as if it s not shameful enough , that was the only thing I forgot to bring with myself !!! And then , he was running around , taking pictures , walking around the monuments to find the good spot , changing lenses one after another , and I was gossiping with Talayeh and taking some shots once in a while , as I was talking ( my favorite activity ! ) between several proposal to sit down somewhere and have a coffee or a drink ! You know , carrying around a 220 g camera is not easy at all ! As a huge fan of Henri - Cartier Bresson , I was always so tempted by the idea of walking around everywhere with a tiny Leica and freeze the moment , that when Leica introduced a new fully manual D - lux 2 , I didn t think for a second to order it . Well , back then , I had no idea that you can do the same , with your bulky SLR and all those sets of lenses , but to be honest , I m not that devoted anyway . I mean , apart from a long list of problems and short comings , including inferior picture quality , not being able to use different lenses or filters , specially the one that I miss the most , Polarizer , and awful a lot of others , it gives you a huge advantage : it is not as intrusive as a SLR with a bulky , photo journalistic lens ! and if you want to be a people s photographer , it worth all the pain indeed . 
There are a million ways to declare your love to your beloved , but I don t know why most of them involve a sort of vandalism and destroying public properties ! and almost all of them are somehow lame ! This one in particular , I don t care how lame it is , has been executed quite tastefully . It caught my eyes , somewhere near the Seine . 
What a useless habit . Thinking I m talking about . Wired but true ! I mean , seriously , unless you re trying to find a solution for the world s hunger or global warming , do we need to spend hours and hours thinking ? In the real life , do we really need to think that much ? ! Personally , I never had any problem in life , required more than 10 minutes of systematic thinking . The rest , were always , trying to find an alternative that didn t exist , were the excruciating pain of representing the problem in a way that the desirable solution could fit in , were to justify the errors , created by using those favorite answers ! Think about your thinking procedures ! and try to be honest with yourself , aren t you doing the same , almost all the time ? ! Take a look at this guy ! Most of the time we re just like him , well ! not as handsome and muscular but anyway ! Are we really waiting for this guy to find any solution for any problem whatsoever , no matter how deep he thinks ? ! We think when need to think , which is fine , but when we found the solution , we think just a bit more to buy time before applying the undesirable solution , and then , we think more to avoid doing what we know we should , but we don t want to . And we think again , waiting for a new alternative , suddenly comes from the above and reveals itself to us . Even sometimes , while we re resisting doing the right thing , we think again , cause we don t have anything better to do ! Here comes the worst , when we think we re thinking , but what we re really doing is subconsciously complicating the problem in way that the simple , obvious but disliked answer can t fit in anymore ! Then we can sit down , thoughtfully ask our friends you see ! I m telling you , my problem is so complicated , what the hell should I do ? ! The harsh reality is that the gangrenous leg should be cut ! Brutal but inevitable ! The more you think about it , the more limbs you re going to lose . Sometimes , as soon as the thinking procedure yields a reliable and convincing result , no matter how harsh it is , we should stop thinking , go out , lie down on the green grass and just look at the deep deep blue sky . Just looking ! 
Please accept the apology ! Israel s ambassador to UN : We re doing the people of Lebanon a favor . Most of them don t like Hezb - Ollah and appreciate what we re doing ! I heard it , 2 minutes ago from BBC with my own ears ! Well , Mr ambassador , Lebanese are busy , burying their dead children , otherwise , they would thank you in person . Please accept the apology ! 
Alley of lost time ! When I was reading Marcel Proust 's " a la recherche du temps perdu " , I never thought I would find it in this cute little village in Rubelle , near Paris . I have to admit that my condition was as mysterious and strange as the name of this alley . I had 37 glass of champagne the night before ( till 6 am ) , but I was as good as can be and I was doing photography at 9:00 am , the same day . No headache , no hangover ! 
Tonight I went to see the new Linklater movie , A scanner darkly , which was a masterpiece . The guy is a genius . Whatever he does is a masterpiece . I ll write about it later . But before the movie began , there was a trailer for this new horror movie , Pulse , that seriously scared the shit out of me ! I mean , the trailer was screaming that the movie is bullshit but GOD it was scary ! Now I came back home , and there s this dramatic weather and thunderstorms , and I m so happy that I didn t watch Pulse instead ! I m so gonna watch it but definitively , I m gonna check the weather forecast beforehand and certainly , I m not gonna watch it alone ! Anybody in ? ! 
To the land of burnt Cedars ... I was visiting Jardin des Plantes in Paris . I sat down under this massive , beautiful tree to rest for a minute . I raised my head to read the label . As much as I adore nature , I m clueless about the name of the trees and the flowers ! On a small bronze label , it was written : Le Cedre du Liban ! I thought to myself , how I wish visiting Beirut sometimes in the future ! Since I had deliberately disconnected myself from the world , I had absolutely no idea that at the same time that I was enjoying the peaceful shadow of this gracious Lebanese cedar , the land of the Cedars is falling into pieces . Karl Marx once said : History always repeats itself twice , first time as tragedy , second time as farce ! . At least in the case of Beirut , the only thing to laugh about is the world s reaction toward this tragedy ! 
Robin . This bird has made a nest on top of the light on the left side of the garage entrance . I plan to restain the house this summer but now I ' m going to have to wait until this family moves on . Hey robin ! Andy Bavetta . 
Evening Hike . Took Sam for a short hike last night behind our house about 2 miles to a view spot overlooking the Truckee River and Hwy 89 North between Truckee and Tahoe City . He needed the excercise as he doesn't get to go along on all the road bike rides I do . Sam enjoying the view with his good eye . Andy Bavetta . 
Hike to Donner Peak . Robert , Jennifer , Scott , Lindsey and Jill came up for a visit this weekend . Today we hiked from the top of Donner Pass up to the Keyhole at the top of Donner Peak . The gang at the Trailhead . Shady trail part of the way . In the keyhole . Sam at the top . Scott . Jill Lindsey Jennifer On the way home we stopped at Donner Lake . Here we see Jill , Lindsey and Scott Paddling the east end of the Lake . Andy Bavetta . 
50 Year High School Reunion . Eleanor and I drove down to LA to attend my 50 th high school reunion . I went to Canoga Park High School . Eleanor and I at the Friday night party , On the Saturday tour of the high school . I ' m in center front in purple T shirt . The Assembly Hall in the background was one of the two buildings remaining since I went to school there . Most of the other buildings fell down in the 1972 Sylmar earthquake . My picture from yearbook . We went on a road ride around the area on Saturday . This is a foto of me standing in front of the elementary school I attended . I used to play basketball here a lot . There was a rim mounted above the old firehouse door . I once carved my initials on this tree . Tree is still standing but initials were long gone . See Mom they were not permanent afterall . My parents old home ( 4712 Louse Ave , Encino CA ) . Eleanor had the best costume at the sock hop on Saturday night . On each table Me and my high school buddy ( Sterling P Holloway III ) got re - accquainted . He lives in Aurburn only about 70 miles from Truckee where I now live . Scads of folks wanted their picture taken with Eleaanor , Andy Bavetta . 
High Water on the Truckee . Rode from Tahoe City to Truckee today , part of the way on the bikepath . It turns out the river was ripping , at about as high a level as I remember seeing in recent years . Parts of the bikepath were flooded . Andy Bavetta . 
New Wood Floor . Had a new Australian Cypress wood floor put in in the upstairs living room / dining room / kitchen . This is what it looks like , or at least what 80 % of it looks like . Ran out of wood before we could finish so there is a 4 foot bare spot not shown in the photograph on the eastern edge of the floor . It will be another 6 weeks before the complete job will be done . Andy Bavetta . 
Jackson Meadows Ride . Sunday we rode to Jackson Meadows a 33 mile round trip . View from road on ride into Jackson Meadows . Henness Pass tops out at 6920 foot altitude . Eleanor on the " leaky " Jackson Reservoir dam . Lone rider heads for home Andy Bavetta . 
Truckee to Rainbow Lodge . On Saturday Eleanor and I biked from the house to Rainbow Lodge and back , about 44 miles roundtrip with about 3200 feet of climbing . Eleanor at Donner Lake Me Rainbow turn around spot provided an opportunity to have a snack and kick back for a few minutes . South fork of the Yuba River in background . Andy Bavetta . 
Singleness of Vision . Abba Serapion said , " When the soldiers of the emperor are standing at attention , they cannot look to the right or to the left . It is the same for the man who stands before God and looks towards Him in fear at all times ; he cannot then fear anything from the enemy . " . 
Pride : the Poison of Prayer . A discerning elderly monk on Mt . Athos said to me : Once I met a monk I say this as a confession whose lips were always moving with the Jesus Prayer . You could see it . At another time some visitors had come also and , seeing him , one said to the other , Oh , my , what a holy man ! That monk at one time said to me , I wrote to this Bishop , to that Metropolitan ; another one I reprimanded , and still to another I suggested that he change his ways so that I could be on his side . But for God s sake , I said to him , Let us examine this situation logically . Why should I listen to you ? You are less educated than I am , for I do not put a circumflex on an o the way you might do . Put aside all these big ideas , I said to him . But he replied to me , If there were only one like me in power , the entire Church could be set straight . Now think about this and draw a conclusion . If he were crazy , I could excuse him . But he was not crazy . In addition , he was saying the Jesus Prayer by habit only . This is very dangerous , because in one who is full of pride , the prayer becomes very burdensome . The prayer should not tire one out . But in this case , because of pride , that is just what it did . ~ from " An Athonite Gerontikon " . 
The sign of the cross and Orthodox prayer are capable of killing microbes and change the optical properties of water - a stud . 17 March 2006 , 14:40 / Inter Fax News - Religion Moscow , March 17 , Interfax - Scientists have proved experimentally the miracle - working properties of the sign of the cross and prayer . We have ascertained that the old custom to make a sign of the cross over food and drink before a meal has a profound mystical meaning . Standing behind it is the practical use : the food is purified literally in an instant . This is a great miracle , which happens literally every day , physicist Angelina Malakhovskaya said as cited by the Zhizn Malakhovskaya have studied that power of the sign of the cross with the blessing of the Church for nearly ten years now . She has carried out a great number of experiments , which have been repeatedly verified before their results were made public . She has discovered in particular the unique bactericidal properties of water after being blessed by an Orthodox prayer and a sign of the cross . The study also revealed a new , earlier unknown property of the Word of God to transform the structure of water , increasing considerably its optical density in the short ultra - violet spectral region , the newspaper writes . The scientists have verified the impact the Lord s Prayer and the Orthodox sign of the cross make on pathogenic bacteria . Water samples from various reservoirs - wells , rivers , lakes - were taken for the research . All the samples had goldish taphylococcus , a colon bacillus . It turned out however , that if the Lord s Prayer is said and a sign of the cross is made over them , the number of harmful bacteria will decrease seven , ten , hundred and even over thousand times . The experiments were made in such a way as to exclude a possible impact of mental suggestion . The prayer was said by both believer and non - believers , but the number of pathogenic bacteria in various environments with different sets of bacteria still decreased as compared to the reference templates . The scientists have also proved the beneficial impact that the prayer and the sign of the cross have on people . All the participants in the tests had their blood pressure stabilized and blood indexes improved . Strikingly , the indexes changed towards the healing needed : hypotensive people had their blood pressure raised , while hypertensive people had it reduced . It was also observed that if the sign of the cross is made offhandedly , with the three fingers put together unscrupulously or placed outside the necessary points - the middle of the forehead , the center of the solar plexus and the recesses in the right and left shoulders - the positive result was much weaker or absent altogether . newspaper on Friday . 
On the Closeness of the Judge . " Behold , the Judge standeth before the door ( Jm 5:9 ) . " Some ignorant people think more about the end of the world than that of their own lives , although it is evident that , when a man comes to the end of his life , he reaches the end of the world also . A certain brother standing in the presence of St Seraphim of Sarov was turning over in his mind how he would ask the saint about the end of the world . St Seraphim perceived his thoughts and said to him : ' My joy , you rate poor Seraphim too highly ; how could I know when the end of the world will be , and that great day when the Lord shall judge the living and the dead , giving to each according to his works ? No , no ; it is impossible for me to know about it . ' And if the saints could not know , how could we poor sinners find out ? And to what purpose would we know that which the Saviour Himself did not find it needful for us to know ? It is far better to consider that our death will come before the end of the world than to contemplate the possibility of the world 's ending before we die . In one day you can gain all eternity , my brother , and in one day you can lose it all . Thousands of days are given to you on earth to be used for your eternal salvation or damnation . But blessed a hundredfold be that day on which you repent of all your unclean works , your unclean words and thoughts , and turn to God with a cry for mercy ! That day is worth more to you than a thousand other days . What is that blessed day ? It is the day of self - judgement . When that day dawns , the man who has condemned the whole world until then will at once come to regard himself as the greatest stain on the ' whole of God 's earth . He will be ashamed before God ; he will be ashamed before every man and before everything that God has created on earth . And this shame will begin to burn him like fire , and he will then acknowledge and confess : Truly I am the greatest stain on God 's earth . All other men are truly better than I am ; all other things are indeed cleaner than I am . I am as black as a cinder , and I thought till now that I was white ! I am more ugly than a frog , and I thought I was as beautiful as an angel . 0 Lord , Lord , have pity on me a sinner and wash me from the mire of my sins , that I may begin to resemble Thy creation . ' My brother , do not expect that blessed day of repentance to come of itself , but rather take firm hold on yourself the first day that it comes to meet you , and say : ' You are the blessed day on which I shall purchase life eternal ! ' My brother , do not wait , for behold , the Judge standeth before the door . That Judge is the living Lord , who created you and who has witnessed and measured all your transgressions until now . Within one day , within two days . He may call you to judgement , and you will not have one word of justification . Take hold of that day ! Take hold of the day of repentance ! Take hold of it before it takes hold of you . Behold , the Judge standeth before the door . 0 Lord , fearsome and just , prolong the days of the sinner until he repents . To Thee be glory and praise for ever . Amen . + St. Nicholai ( Velimirovich ) . 
Perfect Obedience . " Ptolema s is a city of Phoenicia . There is a village nearby called Paras ma in which there resided a great elder . He had a disciple named John who was also great and who excelled in obedience . One day the elder sent the disciple to perform a task for him , giving him a little bread to sustain him on the way . The disciple went and completed the task and then came back , bringing the bread with him untouched . When the elder saw the bread , he said to him , ' Why did you not eat any of the bread I gave you , my child ? ' Making a prostration , the disciple said to the elder , ' Forgive me , father , but when you blessed the bread and dismissed me , you did not say I was to eat of the bread , and that is why I did not eat it . ' Amazed at the disciple s discernment , the elder gave him his blessing . " ~ John Moschus , " Leimonarion ( The Spiritual Meadow ) " # 56 . 
Abba Macarius Teaches a Brother about Forgiveness . A brother fell on account of a transgression and went to Abba Macarius in tears , saying , Pray for me , my father , because I have falling into the sickness of Sodom ; I have stumbled doing that which you already know about . Abba Macarius said to him , Have courage , my child . Take hold of that which is outside of time , that which is without beginning , that which will endure forever , which has no end , the help of those who have no hope except in him alone , the sweet name on every person s lips , the sole sweetness , the perfect life , who possesses numerous treasuries of compassion , our Lord Jesus Christ , our true God . May he be your consolation and helper and the one who forgives you . My child , I say to you , if a virgin falls on account of a transgression and preserves herself as she was originally created , I say to you that if she is joyful on account of the shame on her face and the scorn heaped on her , Christ rejoices over her as though over a virgin . It is the same with you , my child , since you have revealed your shame , as Holy Scripture says , Confess you sins to one another so that entreaty may be made for you and you may be forgiven and be saved [ Jas 5:16 ] , for Peter said to the Lord , How many times shall I forgive my brother ? Up to seven times ? The good God said to him , I do not say to you seven times but seven times seventy times [ Mt 18:21 ] . 
Agree With Thine Adversary Quickly . " When God Created man , he breathed into him something divine , as it were a hot and bright spark added to reason , which lit up the mind and showed him the difference between right and wrong . This is called the conscience , which is the law of his nature . This compared to the well , which Jacob dug , as the Fathers say , and which the Philistines filed up . That is , to this law of conscience adhered the patriachs and all the holy men of old before the written law , and they were pleasing to God . But when this law was buried and trodden underfoot by men through the onset of sin , we needed a written law , we needed the holy prophets , we needed the instruction of our Master , Jesus Christ , to reveal it and raise it up and bring to life through the observance of the Commandments that buried spark . It is in our power either to bury it again or , if we obey it , to allow it to shine and illuminate us . When our conscience says to us , do this ! and we despise it and it speaks again and we do not do it but continue to despise it , at last we bury it and it is no longer able to speak clearly to us from the depths where we have laid it . But like a lamp shining on a damaged mirror , it reflects things dimly and darkly , just as you cannot see the reflection of your face in muddy water . We are found unable to perceive what our conscience says to us so that we have hardly any conscience . No one is without a conscience , since it is something divinely implanted in us , as we have already said , and it can never be destroyed . It always patiently reminds us of our duties , but sometimes we do not perceive that we are despising it and treading it underfoot . This is why the prophet bewails Ephraim and says , Ephraim prevails against his adversary and treads down judgement . The adversary here is conscience . Here the Gospel says , Come to an agreement with your adversary while you are on the way with him , lest he delivers you to the judge and the judge to the warders and they put you in chains . Amen , I say to you , you shall not leave the place until you have paid the last farthing . Why does he call conscience adversary ? It is called the adversary because it always opposes our evil desires and tells what we ought to do and we do not , or what we ought not to do and we do ; and it accuses us , and so conscience is called our adversary , and Our Lord admonishes , Come to an agreement with your adversary while you are on the way ; for the way as St Basil says , is the world . " " St. Dorotheos of Gaza on Humility : Discourses 1979 . 
The Saints are the Greatest Sinners ? There are certain kinds of trees which never bear any fruit as long as their branches stay up straight , but if stones are hung on the branches to bend them down they begin to bear fruit . So it is with the soul . When it is humbled it begins to bear fruit , and the more fruit it bears the lowlier it becomes . So also the saints ; the nearer they get to God , the more they see themselves as sinners . I remember once we were speaking about humiliation and one of the great lights of Gaza , hearing us say , The nearer a man is to God the more he sees himself to be a sinner , was astonished , and said , How is this possible ? He did not know , and wanted to know the answer . I said to him , Master of the First Rank , tell me , how do you regard yourself in respect to the other citizens here ? And he said , I regard myself as great , and first among the citizens . I said then , If you went away to Caesarea , how would you regard yourself then ? I would value myself somewhat less than the great folk there . So I said , If you went away to Antioch , what then ? And he replied , I would regard myself as one of the common people . I said , And if you went from the city of Caesarea into the presence of the Emperor , what would you think of yourself then ? He replied , I should think of myself as just one of the poor . Then I said to him , There you are ! In the same way , the saints , the nearer they approach God , the more they see themselves as sinners ! St. Dorotheos Of Gaza On Humility pg . 98 Discourses 1979 . 
Praying with Pleasure - A Word From The Desert . One day an angel of the Lord told our father Pachomius to teach a brother about his salvation . This brother was engaging in great practices and a harsh ascesis , but he was doing so not for God but for vainglory . Our father Pachomius took him aside and told him , " It is written , ' I have come down from heaven not to do my own will , but to do the will of the one who sent me . ' Now obey me : when the signal is given at midday to call the brothers to eat , you shall go too and you shall eat a little . And whatever food they eat you shall take a little of it too , although without eating your fill . But at evening , when the signal is given again , let us go and eat properly . So obey me , for I see that the enemy envies you and wants to destroy all your labor . " The brother cheerfully obeyed the instructions our father addressed to him . Later , when the signal summoned the brothers for the midday meal , he got up too and went off to eat with the brothers . But once more he fell into his deception , saying to himself , " Where is it written , ' You shall not fast ? ' " And so again he followed his vain judgment and did not go in to eat with the brothers . Our father Pachomius was sad about this brother , and he called Theodore and sent him to him , saying , " Go and see what that brother is doing . If you find him in prayer , hold him till I come , and vainglory will at once show itself forth in a lively manner in him . " Theodore arose and did as our father Pachomius had ordered him . And when he arrived where the brother was , he found him busy praying , and he held him . At once , the brother grew angry like a devil . He seized a big stone to throw at Theodore 's head and kill him , and said to him , " Impious Theodore ! Is it you who will keep me from praying to the Lord God ? " Theodore rebuked him , and at once the demon who was living in him kept still . And the demon said , " Do you know that I am the one who is at work in those who sing the office for sheer pleasure ? If you do not believe me , listen to that brother who is singing . He is going to say that verse nine times . " There was a brother in a cell who was singing the beginning of the Canticle of Moses with these words : Let us sing to the Lord , for He has been exalted gloriously . Theodore pricked up his ears , and what the demon had said happened . Reflecting on the devil 's devices , he was awestruck , and wondered if the man would be able to escape a lot of trouble . While Theodore was seated near the brother and watched over him , our father Pachomius came . He stood , as did Theodore , and they prayed together over the brother . The Lord healed him . He opened the eyes of his heart so that he could understand how he must behave , " not as a fool but as one wise . " And he gave glory to God . From : The Bohairic Life of St. Pachomius , 64 St. Theodore the Sanctified , disciple of St. Pachomius commemorated 16 May . 
Ultimate Consequences . I grieve , I exhaust my heart , I pine for you when I bring to mind that we have a Lord so bountiful and compassionate that simply if we have faith in Him He grants us gifts beyond our imagination gifts we have never heard or thought of and that mans heart has not grasped ( 1 Cor . 2:9 ) . Yet we , like beasts , prefer the earth and the things of the earth that through His great mercy it yields in order to supply our bodily needs ; and if we use these things modestly , then our soul may ascend unhampered towards divine realities , nourished spiritually by the Holy Spirit according to the degree of our purification and to the level to which we have ascended . This is our purpose , for this we were created and brought forth : that after having received lesser blessings in this world we may through our gratitude to God and our love for Him enjoy great and eternal blessings in the life to come . But , alas , far from having any concern for the blessings in store , we are even ungrateful for those at hand , and we are like the demons , or if truth be told even worse . Thus we deserve greater punishment than they , for we have been given greater blessings . For we know that God became for our sakes like us in everything except sin , so that He might deliver us from delusion and free us from sin . But what is the use of saying this ? The truth is that we believe in all these things only as words , while we deny them where our acts are concerned . Is not Christ s name uttered everywhere , in towns and villages , in monasteries and on mountains ? Search diligently , if you will , and find out whether anyone keeps His commandments . Among thousands and myriads you will scarcely find one who is a Christian both in word and in act . Did not our Lord and God say in the Gospel , ' He that believes in Me will also do what I do indeed , he will do greater things ( John 14 : 12 ) ? But which of us dares to say , I do Christ s work and I truly believe in Christ ? Do you not see , brethren , that on the day of judgement we risk being classed among the unbelievers and will be chastised more severely even than those ignorant of Christ ? Inevitably either we must be chastised as unbelievers or Christ is a liar and that , my brethren , is impossible . Saint Symeon the New Theologian On Faith pg . 21 [ # 70 ] . The Philokalia : The Complete Text ; Vol. 4 . Compiled by St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain and St Makarios of Corinth . Translated by G . E . H . Palmer , Philip Sherrard , and Kallistos Ware . Faber 1979 . 
Kontakion of the Annunciation . " Joseph was amazed as he saw what was supernatural . He understood , O Virgin , the rain upon the fleece in thy conception without seed . And he understood the bush that burned without fire and was unconsumed , And Aaron 's rod , which blossomed . Indeed , thy betrothed and guardian cried out to the priests : ' A virgin gives birth , and after the birth remains a virgin . ' " ~ St. Romanos the Melodist , 6 th century from the kontakion , On the Annunciation . 
Conversion of the Manichean . " There was a saint in Egypt who dwelt in a desert place . Far away from him there was a Manichaean who was a priest -- at least , what they call a priest . Once , when this Manichaean was going to visit one of his confederates , night overtook him in the place where the orthodox saint was living . He was in great distress , fearing to go to him to sleep there , for he knew that he was well known as a Manichaean , and he was afraid that he would not be received . However , finding himself compelled to do so , he knocked ; and the old man opened the door to him , recognized him , received him joyfully , constrained him to pray with him , and after having given him refreshment , he made a bed for him . Thinking this over during the night , the Manichaean said to himself , " How is it that he is withou any suspicions about me ? Truly , this man is of God . " And he threw himself at his feet , saying , " Henceforth , I am Orthodox , " and he stayed with the old man . " ~ Sayings of the Desert Fathers . 
In My Father 's House are Many Mansions . " If our human nature is not kept pure or else restored to its original purity by the Holy Spirit , it cannot become one body and one spirit in Christ , either in this life or in the harmonious order of the life to come . For the all - embracing and unifying power of the Spirit does not complete the new garment of grace by sewing on to it a patch taken from the old garment of the passions ( cf . Matt . 9 : 16 ) . Every person who has been renewed in the Spirit and has preserved this gift will be transformed and embodied in Christ , experiencing ineffably the supranatural state of deification in Christ , experiencing ineffably the supranatural state of deification . But he will not hereafter be one with Christ or be engrafted into His body unless in this life he has come to share in divine grace and has embodied spiritual knowledge and truth . The kingdom of heaven is like the tabernacle which was built by God , and which He discloses to Moses as a pattern ( cf . Exod . 25 : 40 ) ; for it too has an outer and an inner sanctuary . Into the first will enter all who are priests of grace . But into the second which is noetic will enter only those who in this life have attained the divine darkness of theological wisdom and there as true hierarchs have celebrated the triadic liturgy , entering into the tabernacle that Jesus Himself has set up , where He acts as their consecrator and chief Hierarch before the Trinity , and illuminates them ever more richly with His own splendour . By many dwelling - places ( Jn . 14 : 2 ) the Saviour meant the differing stages of spiritual ascent and states of development in the other world ; for although the kingdom of heaven is one , there are many different levels within it . That is to say , there is place for both heavenly and earthy men ( cf . Cor . 15 : 48 ) according to their virtue , their knowledge and the degree of deification that they have attained . For there is one glory of the sun , and another glory of the moon , and another glory of the stars , for one star differs from another star in glory ( Cor . 15 : 41 ) ; and yet all of them shine in a single divine firmament . " ~ St. Gregory of Sinai St. Gregory of Sinai On Commandments and Doctrines pg . 220 . The Philokalia : The Complete Text ; Vol. 4 . Compiled by St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain and St Makarios of Corinth . translated by G . E . H . Palmer , Philip Sherrard , and Kallistos Ware . Faber 1979.1 . ~ The worship that is to say of the three aspects of man that mirror the Trinity : intellect , consciousness and spirit . 
Bread from Heaven . One year during winter , Gregorios , the orderly of Lavra ( on Mt . Athos ) , together with one of the brothers , put in a knapsack some bread , wine , and other food supplies and headed for the cell of the holy Maximos . It had snowed heavily and all the paths were covered . There were no human footprints anywhere to be seen . The holy one was sitting in his hut , which was made of sticks and dry brush . He was totally isolated and no one knew how long he had been without food . When with great difficulty they reached the hut , they entered and , to their astonishment saw something entirely unexpected : a loaf of bread still hot and smelling as if it had just come from the oven . They looked around with curiosity to see if there was any fire . There was nothing . This bread had come from heaven , a heavenly consolation to the Kafsokalyvitan , that " bird of the air . " In great reverence they gathered around the mysterious bread , full of wonder at this manna for some ascetics in the inconsolable desert , and then fell on their knees before the holy one , begging him to give them a small piece for a blessing . " I will give you some , " he said , " but under this agreement : that you will not say anything of what you have seen to anybody until I die . " ~ from An Athonite Gerontikon . 
The Bible and Holy Tradition . In the writings of the early Christian fathers , there are numerous " canons " of scripture , however it began to take final form somewhere around the time of the 3 rd council . To trace the development of the canon of the New Testament , you would have to follow the trail through a number of local councils , etc. I think that there is a booklet available from St John of Kronstadt Press which contains a summary of the development of the Scriptures , but I am not at home with my library and so I ' ll have to ask for a " recess " until I can look it up and give you title and summary . I often use metaphore and parable when preaching , and I ' d like to share a brief version of one with you that addresses just this issue . Picture a beautiful jeweled pendant . The centerpiece is a brilliant flawless diamond and it is set in pure radiant gold , intricately worked and designed to set off the diamond in its greatest beauty . Surrounding the diamond are carefully chosen stones , lesser gems , but no less flawless and beautiful , rubies , emeralds , saphires , pearls , etc. These are chosen and arranged to compliment and augment the brilliance of the diamond and in no way detract from the diamond 's beauty , but rather everything together presents a beautiful whole . The pendant is the whole of Holy Tradition , which is the expression of the revelation of Christ in the Church . The central diamond is the Holy Scripture and the surrounding gems and gold are the lives of the saints , the writings of the fathers , the services and traditions of the Church . Now if someone were to see this pendant who did not like pearls , he might think to himself , " if only we took off the pearls , this would be much better " and if he did so we would still have a beautiful pendant but somehow lessened . Then perhaps portions of the pendant are allowed to become tarnished so that they no longer reveal their beauty and instead of cleaning off the tarnish and restoring the gems , those portions are removed - perhaps even replaced by rhinestones . Then along comes someone else who doesn't like emeralds and removes all the emeralds . And again along comes someone else who removes the remaining saphires etc. Finally someone views this once beautiful pendant and not having seen its former beauty thinks that it is an ugly thing but the diamond is beautiful and so removes the diamond and trashes the rest . The diamond is still beautiful , brilliant and valuable . It is set apart and displayed by itself - a truly beautiful thing , rescued from an ugly setting . But only those who never saw the original setting could say that for the diamond , when removed from the pendant is somehow lessened and there is no longer the goldwork and the other gems to set it off and make it a part of a greater whole . This is what has happened to the Holy Scriptures in the protestant Church . Slowly , gradually all of Holy Tradition has been stripped away either because someone didn't like this or that piece or perhaps the true beauty of a portion was tarnished and it was tossed away without knowing its true value or perhaps a cheap substitute attempting to replace that which was lost was done away with etc. until all that remains of the Tradition of the Church is the Bible . And so they have it - a beautiful gem of the Church but out of context , out of place and its true beauty , revealed by the setting , is lost and in fact the horror stories of the distorted condition of that setting have led to the opinion that this gem is better off without and any attempts to place it back in context are resisted , in some cases violently . I hope this little story helps to provide some understanding of how the Holy Scripture is a part ( a beautiful , brilliant , central part ) of Holy Tradition and to remove it from the context of Tradition is to lessen it and hide its true beauty . Fr David Moser . 
Prayer for Enemies . Lord Jesus Christ , Who didst command us to love our enemies , and those who defame and injure us , and to pray for them and forgive them ; Who Thyself didst pray for Thine enemies , who crucified thee : grant us , we pray , the spirit of Christian reconciliation and meekness , that we may heartily forgive every injury and be reconciled with our enemies . Grant us to overcome the malevolence and offences of people with Christian meekness and true love of our neighbor . We further beseech Thee , O Lord , to grant to our enemies true peace and forgiveness of sins ; and do not allow them to leave this life without true faith and sincere conversion . And help us repay evil with goodness , and to remain safe from the temptations of the devil and from all the perils which threaten us , in the form of visible and invisible enemies . Amen . 
Prayer of the Optina Elders . Grant unto me , O Lord , that with peace of mind I may face all that this new day is to bring . Grant unto me to dedicate myself completely to Thy Holy Will . For every hour of this day , instruct and support me in all things . Whatsoever tidings I may receive during the day , do Thou teach me to accept tranquilly , in the firm conviction that all eventualities fulfill Thy Holy Will . Govern Thou my thoughts and feelings in all I do and say . When things unforeseen occur , let me not forget that all cometh down from Thee . Teach me to behave sincerely and rationally toward every member of my family , that I may bring confusion and sorrow to none . Bestow upon me , my Lord , strength to endure the fatigue of the day , and to bear my part in all its passing events . Guide Thou my will and teach me to pray , to believe , to hope , to suffer , to forgive , and to love . Amen . 
Prayer of Philaret , Metropolitan of Moscow . My Lord , I know not what I ought to ask of Thee . Thou and Thou alone knowest my needs . Thou lovest me more than I am able to love Thee . O Father , grant unto me , Thy servant , all which I cannot ask . For a cross I dare not ask , nor for consolation ; I dare only to stand in Thy presence . My heart is open to Thee . Thou seest my needs of which I myself am unaware . Behold and lift me up ! In Thy presence I stand , awed and silenced by Thy will and Thy judgments , into which my mind cannot penetrate . To Thee I offer myself as a sacrifice . No other desire is mine but to fulfill Thy will . Teach me how to pray . Do Thyself pray within me . Amen . 
Prayer of Saint John Chrysostom . 1 . O Lord , deprive me not of Thy heavenly blessings ; 2 . O Lord , deliver me from eternal torment ; 3 . O Lord , if I have sinned in my mind or thought , in word deed , forgive me . 4 . O Lord , deliver me from every ignorance and heedlessness , from pettiness of the soul and stony hardness of heart ; 5 . O Lord , deliver me from every temptation ; 6 . O Lord , enlighten my heart darkened by evil desires ; 7 . O Lord , I , being a human being , have sinned ; do Thou , being God , forgive me in Thy lovingkindness , for Thou knowest the weakness of my soul . 8 . O Lord , send down Thy grace to help me , that I may glorify Thy holy Name ; 9 . O Lord Jesus Christ , inscribe me , Thy servant , in the Book of Life , and grant me a blessed end ; 10 . O Lord my God , even if I have done nothing good in Thy sight , yet grant me , according to Thy grace , that I may make a start in doing good . 11 . O Lord , sprinkle on my heart the dew of Thy grace ; 12 . O Lord of heaven and earth , remember me , Thy sinful servant , cold of heart and impure , in Thy Kingdom . 13 . O Lord , receive me in repentance ; 14 . O Lord , leave me not ; 15 . O Lord , save me from temptation ; 16 . O Lord , grant me pure thoughts ; 17 . O Lord , grant me tears of repentance , remembrance of death , and the sense of peace ; 18 . O Lord , grant me mindfulness to confess my sins ; 19 . O Lord , grant me humility , charity , and obedience ; 20 . O Lord , grant me tolerance , magnanimity , and gentleness ; 21 . O Lord , implant in me the root of all blessings : the fear of Thee in my heart ; 22 . O Lord , vouchsafe that I may love Thee with all my heart and soul , and that I may obey in all things Thy will ; 23 . O Lord , shield me from evil persons and devils and passions and all other lawless matters ; 24 . O Lord , Who knowest Thy creation and that which Thou hast willed for it ; may Thy will also be fulfilled in me , a sinner , for Thou art blessed forevermore . Amen . 
A Prayer of Thanksgiving . O Lord my Savior and my Master , I , Thine unprofitable servant , with fear and trembling give thanks unto Thy loving goodness for all Thy benefits which Thou hast poured so abundantly upon me , Thy servant . I fall down in adoration before Thee and offer Thee , O god , my praises ; with fervor I cry to Thee : O God , deliver me henceforth from all adversities and mercifully fulfill in me such of my desires as may be expedient for me . Hear me , I entreat Thee , and have mercy , for Thou art the Hope of all the ends of the earth , and unto Thee , with the Father , and the Holy Spirit , be ascribed glory , now and ever , and unto ages of ages . Amen . I praise Thee , O God of our Fathers , I hymn Thee , I bless Thee , I give thanks unto thee for Thy great and tender mercy . To Thee I flee , O merciful and mighty God . Shine into my heart with the True Sun of Thy righteousness . Enlighten my mind and keep all my senses , that henceforth I may walk uprightly and keep Thy commandments , and may finally attain unto eternal life , even to Thee , Who art the source of life , and be admitted to the glorious fruition of Thy inaccessible Light . For Thou art my God , and unto Thee , O Father , Son and Holy Spirit , be ascribed glory , now and ever and unto ages of ages . Amen . 
Psalm 50 ( LXX ) A Prayer of Repentance . Have mercy on me , O God , according to Thy loving kindness ; according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions . Wash me throughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin , for I acknowledge my transgression and my sin is ever before me : against Thee , Thee only have I sinned and done that which is evil in Thy sight ; that Thou might be justified in Thy word , and prevail when Thou art judged . For behold , I was shapen in iniquity , and in sin did my mother conceive me . Behold , Thou hast required truth in the inward parts ; the unclear and hidden things of Thy wisdom Thou shalt reveal unto me . Purge me with hyssop , and I shall be clean ; wash me , and I shall be whiter than snow . Make me to hear of joy and gladness , that the bones which Thou hast broken might rejoice . Turn away Thy face from my sins , and blot out all my iniquities . Create in me a clean heart , O God , and renew a right spirit within me . Cast me not away from Thy presence , and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me . Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation , and guide me with a princely spirit . Then shall I teach transgressors Thy ways , and sinners shall be converted unto Thee . Deliver me from blood - guiltiness , O God , Thou God of my salvation , and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness . O Lord , open my lips , and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise . For if Thou hadst desired sacrifice , I would have given it , but Thou dost not delight in burnt offerings . The sacrifice of God is a contrite spirit , a broken and a contrite heart , O God , Thou shalt not despise . Do good , O Lord , in Thy good will unto Sion , and build Thou the walls of Jerusalem . Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness , with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings . Then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar . Amen . 
Abba Agathon on Asceticism . " Someone asked Abba Agathon , " Which is better , bodily asceticism or interior vigilance ? " The old man replied , " Man is like a tree , bodily asceticism is the foliage , interior vigilance the fruit . According to that which is written , ' Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire ' ( Matt .3:10 ) it is clear that all our care should be directed towards the fruit , that is to say , guard of the spirit ; but it needs the protection and the embellishment of the foliage , which is bodily asceticism . " ~ Abba Agathon of Egypt . 
Despondency Begets Inertia . " Those who deny the possibility of perfection inflict the greatest damage on the soul in three ways . First , they manifestly disbelieve the inspired scriptures . Then , because they do not make the greatest and fullest goal of Christianity their own , and so do not aspire to attain it , they can have no longing and diligence , no hunger and thirst for righteousness ( cf . Matt . 5 : 6 ) ; on the contrary , content with outward show and behaviour and with minor accomplishments of this kind , they abandon that blessed expectation together with the pursuit of perfection and of the total purification of the passions . Third , thinking they have reached the goal when they have acquired a few virtues , and not pressing on to the true goal , not only are they incapable of having any humility , poverty and contrition of heart but , justifying themselves on the grounds that they have already arrived , they make no efforts to progress and grow day by day . " ~ St. Makarios of Egypt The Philokalia : The Complete Text , Vol. 3 . Compiled by St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain and St Makarios of Corinth . translated by G . E . H . Palmer , Philip Sherrard , and Kallistos Ware . Faber 1995 . ( Makarios of Egypt , " Spiritual Perfection ; " 30 . p . 296 . ) . 
Distraction . Abba Theodoulos said to me : " One day I went up from the monastery to the Holy City ( Jerusalem ) to venerate the Holy Cross . After I had performed my devotions , as I was coming out of the ante - chamber of the church of the Holy Cross , I saw a brother standing at the door , neither going in nor coming out . I also saw two ugly crows flying in his face and brushing their wings against his eyes , effectively preventing him from entering the shrine . Knowing them to be demons , I said to him , " Tell me , brother , why do you hesitate in the doorway itself and not go in ? " He said , " Forgive me , abba . I have conflicting emotions , sir . One urges me to enter and to venerate the honourable Cross , but the other says , " No , make an excuse and make your devotions some other time . " When I heard this , I took him by the hand and led him into the shrine ; the crows immediately fled from him . I got him to venerate the Holy Cross and the Holy Sepulchre of Christ our God , then I dismissed him in peace . " Abba Theodoulos said these things to me because he could see that I was much distracted by my duties and he perceived that I was neglecting my prayers . ~ John Moschus , Leimonarion ( The Spiritual Meadow ) 105 . 
May - be or may - be not . May - be or may - be not , do all of us think a lot ? There are people we think of , whom we like and cant seem to get our mind off . Oh why is it so hard ? Can an angel come down and answer this question . May - be or may - be not , do all of us think a lot ? It s the same image that hovers , Wherever , be it the mall , the disco or the couch . This one question which never disappears Do they ever think of us , as much ? May - be or may - be not , do all of us think a lot ? Looking for endless ways to please them , Searching for as many excuses to get a chance to do something for them , Always wanting to be there for them . May - be or may - be not , do all of us think a lot ? Then again , there are people we think of , who like us and there s a need to reciprocate . There s a need to be sane all the time , Walking on thin ice is nt everyone s forte ! Doing everything in one s power to make ends meet , To bridge the gaps , to learn to give and take . To steer this ship we call our mind , away from troubled waters and keeping it near sanity . I never thought it d be like this , I never thought it d be so hard , I never thought if i would do things better If I was given another chance ! Is it just that I think a lot ? Naah ! We all do , don t we ? : ) . 
Priceless . A Time Sheet ( a spoof on the Master Card ad as well : D ) Discussing and designing the project : 20 hours Working on the project in a team of 10 : 100 hours Getting screwed by the profs while presenting the project : 1 hour Cursing those bastards for asking stooopid and irrelevant questions : till the weekend The fun and fights we had working together ( getting fucked too ) PRICELESS : D ----------------- x ---------------------- x ------------------------- There are some ways in which it screwed us , but for all the fun we hav had , I love my college . 
Brokeback Diaries . Here 's stuff that happens to you when you are broke . 1 . Whenever you meet anyone you know , you ll visualize them as a big bunch of green dollar bills ( you think of dollars and not rupees coz it somehow sounds cooler the U . S effect ) 2 . You become an expert Scanner , swim through all your draws for the oh - so valuable chiller that s left in em . 3 . Hair needs a wash , shampoo needed big time . So , gather all the chiller you can possibly see , go to the store only to find that you have fallen short by just one rupee , your favorite brand seems so out of reach now . Can actually see it waving you good bye from the shelves . Settle for a third rate brand which has the picture of a girl with slices of lemon and mint on her head , MAN !!! The worst part is when you open it and it starts smelling like Mango ! 4 . So wish the talk - time on your cell could be converted back to cash . ( Wondering how the money for a phone recharge - that s another BIG story all together ) 5 . Every meal of the day requires pre - planning , search for a Source or Scan for chiller : ( 6 . Start praying that you win one of those online lotteries , wanna try your hand at double - struck , but even that guy wont accept chiller : P 7 . Start using detergent sparingly ( ditto of Kamal Hassan in Pushpak soap water only for the underarm sections of the shirt ) 8 . Your debts with the newspaper guy reach new heights . So much so that he wants you to work under him now , throwing newspapers @ 6 AM daily .9 . Your gal wants to meet you tomorrow , is expecting a treat from you and here you are all broke , sitting on and watching a pirated CD of Broke back Mountain . Luck seems to have deserted some of us , it s like Ganguly s sweet timing , existed once upon a time , is nt visible anymore . 
The Holy Father and peace ... Pope Benedict XVPope Benedict XV had a peace plan in 1917 , in accord with Emperor Charles ' support ( now Blessed Charles of Austria ) which was subsequently ignored by other world leaders who were capable of preventing the ' Great War ' , World War I. Popes have often gone ignored in history , or defamed and lied about , such is the case with Pius XII , and more recently , Paul VI in his encyclical " Humanae Vitae " . Now perhaps Benedict XVI is being ignored as one of the lone voices speaking out against the escalating conflict in the Middle East . It is reported today that the Holy Father emerged from a chapel dedicated to the Holy Virgin saying , " ' It seems to me that in this moment , something is moving , ' Benedict told reporters on his return from a visit to the Our Lady of Healing shrine where he prayed for peace . " [ snip - Guardian ] He must believe something is happening that may lead to a peaceful settlement . He asked prayers for the meeting in Rome today of leaders seeking a peaceful solution to the war betwen Hezbollah and Israel . ( Although it appears there has not been any firm resolution forthcoming from the Roman meeting as of this post . ) " Pray the prayers of the rosary for peace . " Our Lady of Fatima from her peace plan of 1917 . 
Remembering St. Olaf , the Downtown Church . Icon : St. Xenia of Petersburg , Fool for Christ St. Olaf in Downtown Minneapolis used to be my parish when Monsignor Flemming was pastor . I have some fond memories from back then . The Church has changed physically with the latest renovations , but the spirit of the parishoners has remained as vital as ever . It 's a good parish , always noted for its middle of the road stance , welcoming everyone , conservative and liberal alike . It 's mission in the heart of Downtown Minneapolis is essential , the Church is a haven amidst the hustle and bustle of city life , a real ' soul saver ' offering the sacraments to people who may not otherwise receive them . I posted a picture of St. Xenia , because I think of many types like her that worshipped with me at St. Olaf . Lovely and holy people in their own right , or so I am convinced . One woman , Mary Ellen , always edified me . She would call out , " I want to be a nun in Rochester ! " Sometimes Monsignor would quiet her down at Mass by saying , " Now , now , Mary Ellen , keep quiet . " Once she turned and saw me coming in for confession during noon Mass wearing shorts and she yelled at me , " You can't wear shorts in Church ! " I mouthed " Shut up ! " back at her and she just smiled at me and turned around . She always smiled at me . Once she was next to me and wasn't approaching Communion , I patronizingly thought that she was too simple to have any sin that could keep her from Communion and I whispered something to that effect . She blasted me with , " How dare you ! You don't know my soul ! " She so much put me in my place . There was another woman , very anorexic who went to confession every day , sometimes three times in a row . She would dissapear for some time and when I saw her again she would have new clothes and would have gained weight , I figured out she had been hospitalized and her medication adjusted , since she seemed much more peaceful and less agitated . I see the same woman now at St. Agnes where I believe she has found some stability . Once , before the chapel was built I was in the main Church for adoration . ( It was around the time " Brother Son , Sister Moon " had come out , when Francis took off all of his clothes and laid them at his father 's feet . ) This man walked up slowly towards the altar , I heard gasps and looked out of the corner of my eye to see what was going on . The guy was stark naked and suddenly prostrated himself on the floor before the Blessed Sacrament . The old ladies were gasping and so I knew they would fetch someone to take care of the matter , and I laughed out loud . I have fond memories indeed of the old St. Olaf 's . It 's a lot more slick these days . I don't care for the renovated sanctuary - it reminds me of the Mormom Tabernacle . Everyone else I know still likes it . It doesn't matter , it 's a good parish . July 29 and 30 St. Olaf is celebrating their patronal feast as well as their 65 year anniversary . What an appropriate time for their new pastor , Fr . Mark Pavlik to be installed by Archbishop Harry Flynn . See Ray 's post at Stella Borealis for all of the details . 
Little Murders . Little Murders - a play and movie by Jules Feiffer , 1970 . Still ; Alan Arkin . Plot summary : " A girl brings home her latest boyfriend to meet her parents . This is done against the background of random shootings that had just begun in NYC at the time the play was written , 1969 . How the family 's failings are magnified by the social confusion of the times is the crux of the plot . " I think of Feiffer 's play everytime I hear about snipers and serial killers and killings in our Country 's cities - such as the freeway sniper now active in Indiana . Violence it seems is apparently escalating once again . His play was rather prophetic in many ways , albeit a black comedy . For people in Lebanon and Israel , Iraq and Afghanistan , and not a few other places in the world , it is everyday life once again . I am also reminded of Mother Teresa 's prophetic words that made her listeners , the Clintons among them , rather uncomfortable : " February 1997 - National Prayer Breakfast in Washington attended by President Clinton and the First Lady . ' What is taking place in America , ' she said , ' is a war against the child . And if we accept that the mother can kill her own child , how can we tell other people not to kill one another . ' " In the late ' 60 's the musical " Hair " opened on Broadway and I was in NYC to see it , in one of the songs they shout out sexual terms for various sexual acts as a sort of declaration of sexual freedom . One could substitute those words in the same mantra like fashion regarding what has brought all of this upon us ; " Contraception " " Sexual Promiscuity " " Abortion " " Homosexuality " " Consumerism " " Materialism " " Indifferentism " " Euthanasia " On and on . Pope Paul VI in his encyclical " Humanae Vitae " also prophetically foretold what might happen to us in the future . ( The future is now . ) . 
Pro - life but immodest ... ( Our Lady of Guadalupe , patroness of the Americas and the unborn . ) Or is it pro - choice and tacky ? When Our Lady appeared to Blessed Juan Diego and left as a sign her image upon his tilma , the impression is obvious , she was pregnant , signifying her Motherhood of Jesus Christ . The apparitions occurred after her feast of the Immaculate Conception in Advent , the time of preparation for the birth of Christ . Our Lady 's miraculous image demonstrates that maternity is beautiful as well as being a sacred event . So I went to my little ' upscale ' Store nearby , shopped by the " Creek " people just as nearby . I see this young , very good looking , obviously affluent couple with a young child in a stroller , shopping . The attractive wife is very pregnant , wearing a low cut , form fitting , strappy top that would ride above her waist even if she hadn't been pregnant . She had tiny little tight shorts on - she was very fashionable . I ' ve seen it before so I wasn't really reacting . Nevertheless , I wanted to see her face and saw she was very pretty , looking at her I realized she was also rather sexy - that 's when I turned away and then the objective thought process began . I would have thought someone of her station and beauty would have better taste . She looked intelligent enough , thus one might rightly assume she would not be such a victim of trend and follow immodest fashions . Then it occurred to me that women really want to look sexy , they think that by looking like street life - if you 're half - ways beautiful , is fashionable and appealing . ( Hey - is pregnancy a time to try and look sexy ? ) This woman with her belly hanging out would be the same type that would gag if she saw a pot - bellied man in a wife - beater undershirt drinking a can of beer on his front steps , or a plumber bending over showing man cleaveage as he fixed her kitchen drain . Is walking around with your belly hanging out any more acceptable ? It 's really immodest , if not indecent . I wonder if they realize that there is a genre of pornography devoted to sex with pregnant women ? I wonder if they understand that they sexualize themselves , and the baby they carry , because of the way they dress ? A pregnant woman is indeed beautiful , the grace of pregnancy is wonderful . There is no shame at all in it . Posing nude like Britney Spears , Demi Moore , and others is not so much celebrating the beauty of it but rather sexualizing it . These women and others are more likely than not pro - choice / pro - abortion 21 st century forward thinking people . Fashion people like to say they are celebrating a woman 's right to choose and that a chosen pregnancy is beautiful and therefore should be flaunted . They dismiss the idea of modest pregnancy clothes as having been born of a shame of being pregnant or of appearing fat . They obviously do not study history in fashion schools . Coco Chanel started this whole 20 th century obsession with being thin and minimally dressed . The fashion evolved through the century and women like my mother , cried becuse she looked " like a cow " when she was pregnant , while lamenting not being able to wear normal clothes . After the pregnancy , she dieted and starved herself to get thin again , just as all the Hollywood ladies do today . Now we find ourselves where we are today - the other extreme . I think women should be more modest all of the time , but especially in pregnancy . It 's not a public thing , it 's a sacred familial event , and it ought to be protected . Put some damn clothes on ! 
Fr . Altier , " the embattled " ? The " Definitive " word ? Sort of a quasi - official response to all the rumors about the reassignment surgery in the St. Paul / Minneapolis Archdiocese involving Fr . Altier by Dennis Mc Grath . ( Very much towing the ' party - line ' . ) Although - truth be told , Elizabeth Schwaub would have the more accurate account of all the happenings - there is an email from her included in Mr. Abbott 's piece . My understanding is that Fr . Altier is doing very well in his new assignment , he has not been silenced in his ministry ; he preaches and teaches and helps out at St. Augustine 's in South St. Paul . He 's getting new , decent vestments and appointments for his chapel at the hospital , and bringing the liturgy into line , and generously offering confessions . He 's doing what he alawys has , serving tirelessly with devotion in this present assignment . He is a faithful , dedicated , and obedient priest . I know several pastors who would give their eyeteeth for such an assignment - parish life is " embattled " these days . Altier will not be in this position forever - remember how God let Elijah rest only for a short time under the broom tree , and then He sent him on to continue his mission ? Fr . Altier will be back , just wait ! 
Sex and the single girl ... Girls just want to have fun - so do boys ! So my earlier post , " The low spark of low rise pants " about chastity and boys didn't impress anyone much . Maybe it was too frank , maybe no one cares . However I think that I am not the only Christian that finds a problem with youthful moral standards , read on : " SCARY STATSWhat is happening with our teens ? According to researchers at Yale and Columbia University teens pledging virginity until marriage are just as likely to have STDs as their peers . The reason for this is technical virginity , a loophole found by an increasing number of teen girls which allows them to do everything but intercourse and still claim virginity . This reasoning is insidiously attacking the bodies and minds of our young people , and is re - enforced through today s popular celebrities . " [ snip ] Haley Di Marco , " The New Promiscuous " " And I just want to have a good time ! " from ' Runaway ' - Janet Jackson So , what have I been saying ... hello ! Anyone out there listening ? 
Papa likes bow - wows and kitty cats ! Holy Father at the Great St. Bernard Pass on his vacation in the Alps . He is so unobtrusive , so meek and mild , not flaunting himself or creating a stir when he travels . Unannounced , without fanfare , he visited Switzerland and a couple of monasteries . Can you imagine their delight when they learned the Holy Father was at the door ? I love this Pope ! 
Shaping up . Well , I ' m off to physical therapy again tomorrow morning . And the sad part of the whole process is how the staff there really treat me like the pudgy , underdeveloped kid I ' ve become . The routine is basically a very light lower - body gym workout . And , as light as it is , they really look for me to struggle through it . Not because of my knee ; the two times I voiced concerns that the joint wasn't handling it well , they couldn't care less . But as for my ability to go 6 minutes on an elliptical - that 's a real concern . But , much as condescension always grates on me , I do have to face up to some facts : I ' ve gained more than 5 pounds from where I was during the school year , which wasn't good to begin with . More concerning , I can't do half the pushups or flutter - kicks I was doing a year ago ( basically my fallback workout routine , after my dad gave away my weights ) . I can't swim nearly as well as I used to , both in terms of stamina or underwater - distance ( my personal way to test lung capacity ) . And I genuinely have atrophied in my left leg - I can feel it when I ' m exercising . None of those are problems I can't fix , and I ' m already working on . But with about a month to rugby , I ' ve got to get serious . 
Catching up . My boss got fired today . I ' m not supposed to know yet , but it wasn't a well - kept secret . Not that it caused a fistfight this time , but still , a lot of turmoil at the office recently . They really do go through people pretty casually , but they also make some questionable hires in the first place . I ' m pretty sure I ' m safe for now ; I ' m not a huge financial drain on the firm , and I think I work well at stuff they need done . It ' ll be interesting to see if my coworker lasts , though ; she avoids her work like the plague , which pisses me off to some degree , but she ' d always been untouchable , since she was the boss ' housemate . I never called her out on the fact that I ' ve basically done twice my share of our current project . Yet , predictably , today - the one day she came in early and got a lot more done than I had by the time the boss came in - she made a big deal about it . Not cool , really , but what can you do ? I ' m not really the type to stoop to that , and not a good idea to complain about the boss ' friend and housemate . I guess my parents were right when I took this job , two years ago ; it 's given me a pretty clear picture of how office life works . Combine that with the experience at my dad 's law firm before that , and I ' m pretty sure of a couple things : I ' ve figured out how to get by well in that sort of setting , and I hope I never have to . Once again , narrowing myself down to a career in research , medicine , or education . Getting a new i Pod is nice , even if waiting for a couple hours in the store reminded me exactly why I hate Apple ( for example , most companies say " thank you for purchasing ____ " ; Apple " congratulates " you on buying their products . As in , what took you so long , dumbass ? ) . Can't complain too much , though . Through some random fluke , I got the i Pod replaced for free , though the fine print of the warranty has you paying another $ 40 ; my card got declined , so the guy just ignored the fee . Checked my account balance afterwards and it was fine . Who knows . In any case , I still haven't gotten around to adding artists past " F " to the ' pod , so I started listening to the Eels a lot . And a lot . I had a lot more to write about them , but I kinda lost track of it and I ' m too tired to try and remember . 
ecs 47 : what about you ? how has your summer been ? abbeyroadwork : haabbeyroadwork : not too excitingabbeyroadwork : until this morning at workecs 47 : hahaha hwat happened ? abbeyroadwork : one of the guys i work with got firedabbeyroadwork : manager called him on the phone from the next room overabbeyroadwork : so he gets madabbeyroadwork : goes over , starts screaming at the managerabbeyroadwork : punches him in the face and knocks him on the backabbeyroadwork : shoves my supervisor out of the way and slugs him in the arm ( of course , taking him out of commission for the rest of hte day ; he then went home ) abbeyroadwork : and gets on top of hte manager and starts beating the crap out of himecs 47 : hahahhahahaecs 47 : holy shitabbeyroadwork : i think he eventually got pulled off by one of the secretaries , who 's one big bear of a dudeecs 47 : damnabbeyroadwork : but somehow he still managed to roam aroundecs 47 : he 's lucky he didnt get his ass kickedabbeyroadwork : rip off his shirtecs 47 : hahah wtf ? ecs 47 : hahahahaecs 47 : damnnnnabbeyroadwork : and go looking for the cokehead assistant managerabbeyroadwork : who , by the way , does ultimate fightingecs 47 : was he planning on kicking his ass too ? abbeyroadwork : he 's gonna go try and take this guy onabbeyroadwork : yeahabbeyroadwork : never finds him , i guessecs 47 : damnecs 47 : that would have been fantasticabbeyroadwork : i only get there as he 's walking out of the buildingabbeyroadwork : yeah seriouslyabbeyroadwork : he didn't even seem madabbeyroadwork : i thought he was joking when he said he got firedecs 47 : and then you saw the trail of bodies behind himecs 47 : hahahhaabbeyroadwork : lolabbeyroadwork : i thought that was itabbeyroadwork : he ' d just gotten firedabbeyroadwork : it was only when the police showed up that someone told me what ' d happenedecs 47 : damnabbeyroadwork : course , that 's hours laterecs 47 : i cant believe thatecs 47 : that 's absolutely insaneabbeyroadwork : oh i knowabbeyroadwork : this guy was so niceabbeyroadwork : and he was one of the few people in that department who actually did his workabbeyroadwork : i couldn't believe they ' d fired him to begin withabbeyroadwork : butabbeyroadwork : he 's blackabbeyroadwork : and i ' m usually one of the last people to start accusations like thisabbeyroadwork : but there 's some serious racial tension / politics at work in my officeecs 47 : dangecs 47 : that sucksecs 47 : hardabbeyroadwork : yeah . 
It 's fun to watch shows like House and actually understand some of the techno - medibabble . Thus far , I ' ve only really picked up on things when they 're absolutely ridiculous ( it shouldn't take an MD to realize that injecting a cirrhotic liver with 95 % ethanol to " dehydrate " it is a BAD idea , if you want to keep the liver alive ) , but even that kind of understanding is usually satisfying . And when I can figure out the treatment before it 's even mentioned , that 's even cooler ( d - penicillamine as a chelating agent for copper buildup in Wilson 's disease - an actual application of Inorganic chem ! ) . Makes me almost want to get over my revulsion of the med school attitude and consider applying . 
UNIFIL observers possibly killed by a so - called precision - guided missile . Phyllis Bennis , a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies , specializing in Middle East and United Nations issues , explains ; " The four UNIFIL observers were killed after somewhere between six and eight hours of consistent shelling , during which there were ten separate phone calls made by UN officials to the Israeli military , who agreed they knew it was underway and each time told them it would stop . It didn't stop . Instead , it culminated in a so - called precision - guided missile that led to the death of the four that you mentioned . " Democracy Now ! | Ahead of New Confirmation Hearings , UN Ambassador Bolton Blocks Measure Condemning Lethal Israeli Attack on UN : . 
Australia , all talk but the wrong actions . Australia , all talk but the wrong actions ; CANBERRA , July 27 ( Reuters ) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he would support a major multinational force for Lebanon to disarm Hizbollah , but his foreign minister said that without a ceasefire it would be a " suicide mission " . " If the world community is serious , it will put together a force of tens of thousands . That force will act as an effective buffer , and it will have the power and the will to disarm Hizbollah , " Howard told Australian radio on Thursday . So who is he blaming here , the world community ? Last time I looked on the map Australia was still on it too . 
Israel urged to shun cluster bomb ; BBC News . " US - based Human Rights Watch says Israel has used cluster bombs in civilian areas during its assault on Lebanon . " See Wikipedia why cluster bombs are a threat to civilians WHOLE STORY BBC : . 
UN envoy says Israel uses disproportionate force in Gaza ; People 's Daily Online . " UN emergency relief coordinator Jan Egeland said on Tuesday that Israel used ' disproportionate ' force in its offensive in the Gaza Strip . ' This is very clear , a disproportionate use ( of force ) , ' Egeland told reporters while touring the Gaza power plant , which was destroyed in Israeli airstrikes last month . " WHOLE STORY . 
Israel - Lebanon : The mounting toll . * Number of Lebanese people killed in the two - week conflict : 422 , of whom 375 were civilians . * A further 27 Hizbollah guerrillas have been killed and 20 Lebanese soldiers . * Number of Israeli dead since the conflict began : 42 , of whom 18 were civilians and 24 soldiers . * Number of Palestinians killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip since the capture of Cpl Gilad Shalit : 121 . * Number of Israeli air strikes on Lebanon yesterday : 100 . * Hizbollah rockets fired yesterday : 80 . * The Israel Defence Force claimed yesterday to have hit 10 Hizbollah buildings . * That adds up to an estimated $ 1 bn ( $ 600 m ) in damage to infrastructure . * Number of Lebanese bridges destroyed : 105 * The number of Israeli bridges destroyed : 0 . * Number of Lebanese ports bombed : 3 . * Estimate of the number of Lebanese people displaced in the fighting : 750,000 . * Lebanon has 2,000 UN troops who have been in the south since 1978 . * Israel 's military spending : $ 9.45 bn ( in 1995 ) ; Lebanon : $ 540 " WHOLE STORY . 
Why is there not a murmur of protest from Washington ? Independent Online Edition > Middle East : " Why is there not a murmur of protest from Washington ? ' By Kim Sengupta in Nicosia Published : 21 July 2006 Outside the cavernous US government - run holding centre in Nicosia , Mohammed Shami shook his head . ' I feel embarrassed to be an American . They have given Israel the green light to destroy Lebanon . What they are doing is wrong ; it is immoral . ' Mr Shami , who is of Lebanese - American descent , arrived here with 1,000 fellow Americans early yesterday , part of the exodus to Cyprus expected to reach more than 80,000 people fleeing the ferocity of the conflict in Lebanon . WHOLE STORY . 
Annan condemns Israel 's excessive use of force . BBC NEWS | Middle East | In quotes : Annan on Mid - East crisis : " Israel states that it has no quarrel with the government or people of Lebanon , and that it is taking extreme precautions to avoid harm to them . Yet a number of its actions have hurt and killed Lebanese civilians and military personnel and caused great damage to infrastructure . While Hezbollah 's actions are deplorable , and as I ' ve said , Israel has a right to defend itself , the excessive use of force is to be condemned . " WHOLE STORY . 
Canada rather deals with symptoms than cause of the problem . Canada wants Israel and Lebanon to guarantee they will not attack seven ships scheduled to pick up Canadians stranded in the strife - torn country , Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Mac Kay said Tuesday . The first of seven chartered passenger ships are expected to arrive at the port of Beirut on Wednesday . They will be able to transport an estimated 2,000 Canadians a day . " We want assurances that those ships will be protected and afforded the utmost safety , " Mac Kay said on CBC Newsworld . WHOLE STORY . 
The Blog | Russell Shaw : The REAL Reason Israel Is Going Full - Frontal on Hezbollah - NOW | The Huffington Post . Israel uses kidnapped soldiers as pretext : The Blog | Russell Shaw : The REAL Reason Israel Is Going Full - Frontal on Hezbollah - NOW | The Huffington Post . 
Israel aircraft strike economic ministry in Gaza . GAZA ( Reuters ) - An Israeli air strike set the Palestinian Ministry of Economy building in the Gaza Strip ablaze early on Saturday , but there were no reports of casualties . Witnesses said the building was badly damaged and still on fire after the strike . The army confirmed the attack in Gaza City . WHOLE STORY . 
Photos of Abby in Singapore . I hope you 're doing well . Well , it was too ambitious of me to try to post something every week . The weekends just seem to fly by . So , I ' ll try to post something every other week . Melissa uploaded some of the photo albums that she took of Abby during her trip to Singapore to visit her relatives . Please take a look ( you need to have a free Snapfish account ) : Uncle Anthony 's Home Abby n Cousin Claudia Abby n Cousins Grandpa 's Home Neighbor 's Home Aunt Nic 's Home Singapore 1 Singapore 2 - Josh . 
My Daily Evening Ritual With Abby . When I was out in the Bay Area , I also had a chance to eat dinner with Charles and Genevieve Owyang , and their daughter Juliana , and Angela Lih Chang and her two sons , Tobey and Elias . Charles , Genevieve and Angela are friends of mine from BCEC . It was really great to catch up with them , and see their kids . I guess I ' m now at the stage in life where all my friends from college all have young kids . One of the things I told them at dinner is my nightly ritual with Abby to put her to bed . Melissa and Abby just came back to New York from a long vacation in Singapore . My nightly ritual with Abby is a bit out of sync now , but I hope to get back to this regular routine soon . Usually , by the time I get home from work , Melissa will have already given Abby a bath and fed her some baby food . After playing with her for a bit , we give her a bottle of warm milk . At around 8:30 PM , we say good night to mommy , and I carry Abby upstairs . I sit her down in my lap and I read her a chapter in a bible story book written especially for fathers and daughters called " Little Girls Bible Storybook for Fathers and Daughters " , by Carolyn Larsen . After the bible story , I carry Abby in my arms and sing the " ABC " song , while pointing to each letter of the alphabet on a large poster of the alphabets . I then say , " How do you spell Abby ? ( point at Abby ) " " It 's A - B - B - Y " , and point to each letter on the poster . " How do you spell Daddy ( point at myself ) ? " " It 's D - A - D - D - Y " , and point at the letters on the poster . " How do you spell Mommy ( and point to each letter on the poster ) " . " How do you spell Jesus ( and point to the letters ) . Then I say , " Daddy loves you ( I kiss Abby on the checks ) " , " Mommy loves you ( kiss Abby again ) " , " Jesus loves you ( kiss Abby a third time ) " . After this , I turn off the lights in the room , leaving only a night light . I sing to Abby the song , " Jesus Loves Me This I Know " , a few times while I rock her to sleep . I then pray for Abby , that God will watch over her , protect her against any accidents , sickness or disease . I pray that Abby will know God 's love , and that Melissa and I will be good parents , and make the right decisions . I thank God for blessing us with her . I may also summarize a topical prayer for Abby found in " The Power of a Praying Parent " , by Stormie Omartian . ( I think I have all of her different books on prayer ) . I conclude by singing to Abby the Doxology , which is " Praise God from whom all blessings flow , Praise Him all creatures here below , Praise Him above ye heavenly host , Praise Father , Son and Holy Ghost . Amen . " Then I put Abby into her crib . Hopefully by this point , she 's asleep . If she 's not , I sit with her for a while until she falls asleep . When Melissa and Abby was away on vacation , one of the things I missed the most was this nightly routine with Abby . If you have a nightly routine with your child , I would love to hear what it is . Please share it with us ! 
Invitation to My New Blog . May 29 , 2006 I hope you had a great Memorial Day ! A couple of weeks ago , I went to the Bay area to visit some clients . I also had a chance to meet up with several friends each night for dinner . At one of the dinners , I met up with Zhiyi Yu , a classmate of mine from college , who is now a senior executive at open BC , and her husband , Eric Ly , a serial entrepreneur , who is now working on his next startup . Kevin Chen , a friend of mine from BCEC and his girlfriend , Wei Kuan , was also at dinner . One of the things we talked about at dinner was the weekly emails that I used to send to my friends and acquaintances for six years , from 1996 to 2002 . It all started back in December 1996 , when I decided to forward a piece of humor to some friends in my small group . Over time , I started to add more and more friends to the distribution list . In addition to just a piece of wholesome humor , I started to add other components to the weekly email , such as an edifying story , a thought provoking question , or a mental puzzle . I also usually start the email with a short paragraph summarizing what I did that week , where I traveled to , etc. I actually looked forward to writing my weekly emails , because it gave me a chance to reflect on my week , and keep a record of my activities . It was a kind of a short diary . When the whole blog phenomenon started , I thought about my weekly emails . In a sense my weekly emails were a blog . I thought about putting all my weekly emails into a new blog , but I decided that it would take too much effort . When I finally started to write a blog , I didn't just want to write a blog about my week like most people who write blogs , so I decided to focus my blog on networking for career advancement , called Altimeter . At dinner , everyone encouraged me to put my weekly emails into a new blog . So , that 's the reason for this blog , Abby Li 's Dad . I have put all my weekly emails into this blog as archives . Going forward , I will try to write something on a weekly basis , as a reflection of being Abby 's dad , Melissa 's husband , or as an executive at Rich FX , etc. I will probably focus this blog on fatherhood . So , if you are a parent , I especially welcome your thoughts and advice on how to be a good and Godly parent . 
Merry Christmas and Our Updated Contact Info . Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ! It s been a while since my last personal email . Melissa and I have moved back to New York . Our contact info is below . I finally found some time to upload pictures from our trip to Morocco last year : Morocco Josh and Melissa http : // community . webshots . com / album / 90213293 Dob Tqf Volubilus , Roman Ruins http : // community . webshots . com / album / 90216349 c TPa Df Rabat http : // community . webshots . com / album / 237001158 Sk Yg Cs Fez 1 http : // community . webshots . com / album / 237030127 jf Skc M Fez 2 http : // community . webshots . com / album / 237032617 u HJWab Fez 3 http : // community . webshots . com / album / 237036330 g Zi ISq Meknes http : // community . webshots . com / album / 237043008 a TWb FS If you enjoy business networking , I encourage you to join www . linkedin . com and link to me . Just enter my email : joshli 2@ gmail . com into your address book and send me a request to link . Take care and keep in touch ! - Josh and Melissa P . S . Remember the real meaning of CHRIST - mas ! 
A Few Recommendations . Hi , Now back in New York , I ' ve started to reconnect again to some friends . Afew of them have new ventures that they are starting , so I ' m helping tospread the word . A friend of mine , Julia Hsu , is starting her own private ophthalmologypractice in Flushing , Queens . She graduated from MIT undergrad and Harvard Medical School . Here 's her office contact info : Julia Hsu , M. D . Ophthalmology 136 - 36 39 th Avenue , 6 th Floor Flushing , NY 11354718 - 888 - 9785 ____________________ Another friend of mine , Linda Cheung 's husband , Peter Chang , is startinghis own private practice in internal medicine in Manhattan , on the upper East Side on July 1 st , 2003 . Here 's his office contact info : Peter K . Chang , MDInternal Medicine & Gastroenterology 12 East 86 th Street New York , NY 10028 Tel : 212 - 744 - 6888 Fax : 212 - 861 - 1829 ____________________ Another friend of mine , Cynthia Cheng , is starting her own wine tasting / recommendation service . If you are interested in planning a personal orbusiness event , and would like assistance with the wine selection and menumatching , you can check out her website . She also organizes monthly winetastings . Here 's her contact info : cynthia sin - yi chengcyn - et - vin 212 - 580 - 1949 thia @ cynetvin . comwww . cynetvin . com ____________________ Years ago , while I was in business school , there were several Internetbased networking websites , such as Planet All and Six Degrees . Those havesince been bought out or folded . I was just introduced to a new onlinenetworking website called Friendster . Here 's their email for invitingfriends to join : Josh Li has invited you , Josh , to join Josh 's personal and privatecommunity at Friendster , where you and Josh can network with each other ' sfriends . Friendster is an online community that connects people through networks offriends for dating or making new friends . Friendster is for people who are single , people in relationships , andanyone who wants to make new friends or help their friends meet new people . You can use Friendster to : * Meet new people to date , through your friends and their friends * Make new friends * Help your friends meet new people Once you join Friendster , you will be automatically connected to yourfriend Josh , and all of Josh 's friends . ( If you are already a Friendster member , you were probably invited with adifferent email address than you are using with Friendster . ) Click below to join Friendster : http : // www . friendster . com / join . jsp ? invite = 789591869241 or , http : // www . friendster . com / join . jsp ? invite = 478639 So , even if you are married , if you are interested in networking with otherpeople , you should check out this website . Another " online community " website to check out is : www . thesquare . com. Itis for folks who attended some of the top schools in the U.S. This grouphosts networking activities in major cities such as New York , LA , San Francisco , Boston , Chicago , etc. They also have job postings . Right now , there is a trivia contest between the alumni of the various schools . ____________________ Finally , here 's a QUOTE OF THE DAY , forwarded by Adam Ritter : " I ' ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career . I ' ve lost almost 300 games .26 times , I ' ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed . I ' vefailed over and over and over again in my life . And that is why I succeed . " - Michael Jordan Have a great summer ! - Josh . P . S . By the way , many of you have always wondered how I write these emailsaddressed to you individually . Well , when I was doing my own startup , Ibought this piece of software called Mail King . It allows me to createthese " personalized " emails . 
Greetings from Josh Li . Hi , I hope you are doing well . It 's been a long time since my last personalemail . Yesterday was my last day at Avery Dennison . I ' ve really enjoyedmy projects in Singapore and Cleveland , but it is time to move on . Ilearned a great deal , and worked with some very awesome people . I willreally miss them . I ' ll be moving back to New York City on Saturday , 6 / 14 / 03 . Here 's my newcontact info : [ Address deleted ] Email address : joshli @ yahoo . com My permanent email address : joshli @ post . harvard . edu will still work , but I ' m trying to migrate all of my emails to my Yahoo account . I ' ll be back in New York for almost two weeks . Then I will go travelingthrough Spain , Portugal , and Singapore with my wife Melissa . She iscurrently studying Spanish full time in Salamanca , Spain , and enjoying herstudies . She is really into the Spanish language and culture . When I return to New York in mid - August , I will start my job search . As ofnow , our first choice city for my job search is Boston . I ' ve always hadvery fond memories of the 10 years I spent in Boston , and it would be neatto work back there . However , we are open to where ever God leads us . I would love to hear from you , what you ' ve been up to , whether you 're nowmarried , have kids , started a new job , moved , etc. I also look forward tomeeting up with you in New York , Boston or Singapore this summer . Melissa and I went on vacation in Spain for a few days before she startedschool . Here are some of our pictures : Toledo Spainhttp : // cards . webshots . com / cp - 56281135 - nb Zk - album / 74408850 Iw XJZDToledo Josh Melhttp : // cards . webshots . com / cp - 56281135 - nb Zk - album / 74419732 HYr Vu LSalamanca Spainhttp : // cards . webshots . com / cp - 56281135 - nb Zk - album / 74415395 i NSxg NSalamanca Josh & Melhttp : // cards . webshots . com / cp - 56281135 - nb Zk - album / 74438837 e OJBd UMelissa and I loved Toledo , which is about 1 hour south of Madrid by train . It is a city on a hill , surrounded on three sides by a river . The narrowstreets are wonderful to walk through . There are many shops selling all ofkinds swords , armor , mirrors , ornaments , etc. Since my fencing days inhigh school , I ' ve always had a fascination with beautiful swords , so Ibought a really nice one . The top tourist attractions are the cathedraland castle . In Toledo , we stayed at the Parador Toledo , which is located on a hilloverlooking the city . It is definitely worth it to pay a bit more to get aroom with a panoramic view of the city . To find more information about thechain of Spanish National Parador lodgings , check out this website : www . parador . es You can get some great discounts if you are less than 30 years old ( whichwe were not ) . Avila is west of Madrid , about half way between Salamanca and Madrid . Itsclaim to fame is its beautiful , intact medieval walls and towers . Wewalked all around the walls , and took pictures from the walls and outsidethe walls . We stayed at the Parador in Avila , but it was not as nice asthe one in Toledo . We had dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Avila , right outside the walls . The food was surprisingly authentic and good , and the waitress treated usextremely well since we spoke to her in Chinese . Salamanca is west of Avila , almost to the border with Portugal . The University of Salamanca dates way back in the medieval times , and at onepoint , was one of the top universities in the world . Students from allover the world flock to Salamanca to study . The main tourist attractionsare the central plaza ( Plaza Mayor ) , the cathedral , and the University . Outside of the old part of the city center is a relatively modern city , with all kinds of shops and apartment buildings . If you ever visit Spain , and only have time to see one of these threecities , definitely go to Toledo . When I get back from my summer trip , I ' ll post more pictures and send outan email . Have a great summer and keep in touch ! - Josh . 
My first journal paper is in print now ! It is just a small achievement like a rain - drop to an ocean , but it s very much special to me . Yes , its my first scientific achievement , a research paper , which has come in print ( accepted for publication last October ) in number 1 journal ( related to space heat transfer ) , thus acknowledging my entry into the elite s group . I thank my guide , Prof. Katte , and my friend , a final year B . Tech Mechanical Engineering student S . Abishek ( co - author , a moment for both of us to cherish in days to come ! ) in achieving this feet . I wish , our collaboration will lead to many research findings in future . 
Cool drinks , but not so cool ? Ever got frustrated after been to a shop asking for a cool drinks , only to find that it is not cool ? Read on . Scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ( RPI , Washington ) are working towards developing a thin film technology ( TFT ) that stickes both solar cells and heat pumps onto surfaces ultimately turning soda bottles into climate control systems . The TFT comprises of solar panels , solid - state , thermoelectric heat pumps and a storage device to provide energy to the surfaces . The same technology could be used as heat pump as well , when you like your coffee to get steamed - up a bit ! So , if you want your bottle to deliver cool drinks , keep it under hot sun ! 
Mission India . Sunday : Indigenious Agni - IIIStatus report : Mission Failure Monday : GSLV launching INSAT 4 CStatus report : Mission Failure Tuesday : Bomb blast in mumbai Status report : Mission Success ! Wednesday : You can't explain everything . Whatever you can , you won't . 
Blog Initiatives by professors . The publicity given to the professors , who are otherwise active researchers in their respective areas , by the media is apparently been denied due to its commercial targets . It therefore depends on the professors ability to talk to the people directly with latest technological tool , also called blogging . The initiatives taken by some of the professors whom I know needs to be broadcasted by / to budding scientist / researchers so as to simplify the task and reach out the people at earliest . In a country like India , where superstitious rules the people , where rumours spreads faster than light , only science can make the next generation people to prepare our country to depend on itself but none , by creating new , quality and reliable / scientific technology at faster rate . When people send instant messages and short messaging services ( through mobile ) that the cosmic rays from mars can destroy the mobile , that lightning can struck if you keep mobile switched ON on a rainy day or that the mars appears as big as the size of full moon , everybody believes . Nobody seeks scientific explanation or possibility . Worser is that the rumour is spread to millions of mobile and internet users in no matter of time . Only if media carry the latest scientific accomplishments to the common man can he understand what is rumour and what is not . It is therfore a initiative by the professors which has to be welcomed by rolling red carpet in the blog world . 
The NOW NEEDLE .. The Washington Post argues that Bolton , presently seeking Congress 's permanent appointment instead of the President 's recess appointment as US Ambassador at the UN , is a " polarizing envoy " and thus the opposite of a previous editorialist Senator Voinavich 's belief that he was " a multilateralist " to advance U.S. interests . Simpler by far is to ask what has Bolton done to advance US interests at the UN ? CH Hardin @ firedoglake has a ' drop - look ' sketch depicting the guy for what he really is - an isolationist . Her description thus : " ( The above drawing of John Bolton comes from the incredibly talented Cox and Forkum . If you haven t seen their editorial cartoons or their fantastic website get thee to this link . Honestly , some of the best satire out there with drawings that are gorgeously done , and always spot on . No idea how anyone can be this consistently great . Just look at the shading on Bolton s droopy skin , his every wrinkle and furrow , and the petulant look that says " what the hell am I doing here with you ? " truly , a spot on drawing that captures the essence of Bolton . ) " And for that post 's other links and content I ' d recommend a visit to anybody on this topic . Steve Clemons @ Washington Note describes Bolton as having a " calloused view " of events in Lebanon and finds himself surprised that the recesser would commit himself to print as per this part of his statement at the Foreign Relations Committee Hearing : We have urged the government of Israel to exercise the greatest possible care in its use of force . But it is a mistake to ascribe a moral equivalence to civilians who die as the direct result of malicious terrorist attacks , the very purpose of which are to kill civilians , and the tragic and unfortunate consequence of civilian deaths as a result of military action taken in self - defense . Susan UNPac @ noquarter . typepad points out that the above paragraph IN the candidate 's original submission has been DELETED from his submission before the committee . Which leaves one wisely wondering well just what does this guy think . Has he a US role or an Israeli role ? And if the latter why so . ? If the former , as before , how so . ? Amanda @ Thinkprogress was to point out that " In testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Oct . 18 , 2005 , U . N . Ambassador John Bolton argued that diplomacy has to happen outside of the New York bubble . But in researching the worth of his assertion disclosed the following findings ( my emphases ) : " According to the U . N . Security Council ( UNSC ) , there have been four UNSC trips since Bolton was recess appointed as ambassador in Aug. 2005 to Central Africa , Ethiopia and Eritrea , Chad and Sudan , and to the Congo . He did not attend any of them . [ ... ] In early June , Bolton passed up the delegation trip to Sudan because he had a full platter here . In reality , Bolton was giving a lecture at the Centre for Policy Studies , a right - wing think tank in London . " So yes , he roundly beams none other than rightwing ' enlightenment ' whose fact - based result / achievements have left a swathe of failure marked american around the place . Which has one ask the question : must this Committee go through with the President 's determination of selecting someone who would have the UN fail as well .. ? Clearly a matter that neither the Itshinesfor All @ NYSun nor worldwidestandard @ weeklystandard could contemplate so confirming were they of earlier reported Israelis ' protagonism for war and Knesset support for Bolton . Multilateralism = 2 , maybe . But those bellicose politicians would wouldn't they no weapons no Israel not now ! Yet dated as that was by events and further reportage of Israelis ' horror at body bags returning their loved ones . Making 9 own - goals and whilst no one wants them to suffer more deaths , tis almost inevitable , now . The now needle needs a new track . Not a warring hack . End of story .. Technorati Tags : religion , faith , UN , blogs , news , blogging , War . 
A Caseload of Desktop Belligerents .. Cohen wrote a piece for the Washington Post in which he revealed that Israel 's role in the Middle East was a matter of persuasion , not confrontation . The peaceful persuasion that a new ( yay even new - old ) neighbour would responsibly display in a neighbourhood whose predilictions were inclined to believe the newcomer as either a criminal or a ' criminal ' imposition upon them . IMO a reasonable perspective to present readers with . But it had another value . Which may have been intended . Or otherwise . And as for still others who are wise what is listed below is a accurate reflection of that value . Being the clustered unreasonable , the Grump Grouch with all their ouch ! Kesher Talk , Captain 's Quarters , Yourish . com , Atlas Shrugs , Confederate Yankee , Anti - Idiotarian Rottweiler , Shrink Wrapped , Abba Gav , Ynetnews , Blue Crab Boulevard , The Real Ugly American . com , Right Wing News , Stop The ACLU , The Corner on National , THE LIFE - OF - RUBIN BLOG , Daled Amos , Hyscience , The Belmont Club , Macsmind , Elder of Ziyon , IMAO , Liberty and Justice , Boker tov , Boulder ! , Iowa Voice and Israel At Level Ground Only to Kesher Talk can any laudable credit go . For the early mention therein of ' legitimacy ' . Likely unread by any of the others - at least in that regard - for all their bs belligence renders them incapable of getting the real point . To wit , that if Israel 's presence in the M. E . might once again resume the harsh , costly and often bitter strategy of again legitimising itself to its neighbourhood as a direct consequence of its latest confrontational and conflicting policies , then where might the American invasive presence in Iraq stand . ? Its legitimacy there having been questioned from the outset . The behavior set out above by the very proponents for that would , it appears to me and many many others , suggest that ' stand ' is not and never was the correct word . Fall says it more accurately . And they - these desktop belligerents - are part of it . The blogosphere part . So well done the Post for assisting readers with a curious disposition and clear sight to ringfence them into a mutually toxic and faithless flammable fluidity .. ABCDTechnorati Tags : blogging , MSM media , news , faith , War . 
How to tell your friends and family ? Do you tell your friends or family member or realatives regarding your business ? And you almost will get this answer : Yes , I want to . But ... " You are about to learn how to go totally around this and make them a customer or a part of your business without them even knowing that they are doing business with you ! Yupe ! You don't have to mention anything about your business ! How ? Read on ... Nowaday almost everybody have email address with them , some do have a few email address . Do you know what they are ? If not , you had beeter get them .... ALL of them please ! What you need to do is just spend a day or two sit down and go through your address books . Call everybody up and have a small talk . You don't even need to tell them your business . As I mentioned before , most people these dayhave email addresses and you just like to keep them updated in your address book ! Did you ever mention your businesses ? No ! After you have collected a healthy list you now have yourself a very powerful email list . Here is the reason . Most people send out advertisement 's by email but most never read them ... Now , will every person in your family click on the link in your SIG file ? Maybe not , but you have now created yourself a very warm email list that you can keep sending information to , and every time your sig file will be attached . Signature File Signature files are a very old way to advertise but some people don't really know how to really use them . We realize that many of us use all different types of email programs , and many of them are different but also use the same concept . Although different software programs , and web - based email services use different formats , setting up an SIG file is similar throughout all Email services . We have covered the 2 most popular services below . Most importantly , you will follow the procedures of how to put these sig files to work and you will see an explosion in your online business . First lets make you a few sig files .... follow the steps for whatever email program you are using or would like to use . For Hotmail user , go directly to ' option ' and click on ' mail ' and you will see ' personal signature ' , and there is the right place to look for . Type in your name ( of course , your name ) following by your business 's URL and remember to highlighted them in ' Blue ' color . Click ' ok ' to save the work . Try to send a ' test ' mail to your own mail box , and you would see your signature just below the body of mail message . Get it done ? Now , just forgot about the sig file and sending your email to your friends and family as usual and believe me , you will have success . Cheers ! ******* my URL here ********* . 
Follow Up Make Easy . What Does Follow Up Have to do with a Bag of Potato Chips ? by Jeffrey Gitomer Hot prospect . You just made a good phone contact or had a brief meeting , and the prospectis interested in becoming a customer . It 's time for your first follow - up . What do you do ? Well , you probably send a package with so much informationinside -- it turns the US postal service from the brink of bankruptcy intoa profit making organization . Most follow - up packages include a video , a brochure , an audio tape or two , an article from some magazine , product flyers , testimonial letters , a faxon demand number , an order form , several other items you think the prospect " can't do without , " and a cover letter -- whew ! You have just employed Gitomer 's " reverse law of puking " -- you 're pukingon the prospect before they have a chance to puke on you . How much follow up is too much ? I say just give them one potato chip worth . What happens when you give someone one potato chip ? They want another one . The prospect calls and says , " Hey Jeffrey , got any more potato chips ? " -- Yes I do -- then I grab them ( by the throat ) . If the sale is in the bag -- don't give it all at once . Give them too manypotato chips they lose interest . The prospect will eat what he wants , getfull , and never call you again . Just give one potato chip -- cause you can't eat just one . One potato chip follow up -- it makes the prospect want more . Here are fourways to employ the Gitomer " One potato chip " follow - up method : 1 . Fax half of an article of high interest . Let them call you for the otherhalf .2 . Send a letter with enclosed please find -- and then don't enclose it .3 . Fax a joke on Monday , fax a joke on Tuesday , fax a joke on Wednesday , fax a joke on Thursday -- what 's going to happen on Friday if he doesn ' tget your fax . He ' ll start asking where it is .4 . Fax a question on Monday , answer it on Tuesday . Fax a question on Wednesday , answer it on Thursday . Fax a question on Friday -- is he goingto be looking for an answer on Monday or not ? Call him and say , " I ' ve gotthe answer , I ' ve also got some coffee and donuts -- can I come over ? " Youbet . Each chip -- if given one at a time -- will lead to more prospect interest -- and eventually to a sale . One potato chip at a time will create theafter thirst for the sale . Keep them wanting one more chip until there isonly chip left -- the order form . One potato chip -- not the whole bag . P / S The above article was sent to me by Muzafar ( Thanks Muz ! ) . If you think this 's helpful , you can visit his site HERE or just email him . 
My " life " . Do you agree , life is not alway smooth sailing ! Sometimes we have to sail in tempestous seas . When that time comes , row hard and do the best you can ! Rowing against hard winds in a turbulent sea tests character and builds muscle . If you are not able to handle your boat , a strong resolve lets you handle yourself , and that is the main victory and the chief success . Think NOT of failure . Think of success . Don't think WHY you can't . Think HOW you can . Some say , " It can't be done . " But you say , " I WILL do it . " Be thankful if you are faced with a difficult problem or have a job harder than you like . Great character does not emerge from a life of ease , just as a skyscraper does not rise from a feather pillow ! About the only things that come to us without effort are sunshine , rain , air , flabbiness , wrinkles , gray hair , old age and death . Everything else , we have to work for . No effort , no result . Little effort , little result . Big effort , big result . That 's how simple it is ! DO THE BEST YOU CAN !! No matter what ! In Life , In Your ABC Biz ! >>>>>> visit my home site here P / s Thanks Joe , I already include link to my site . 
Self Motivation Increases Success In Most Businesses . But I ' m not talking about trying to pump up our enthusiasm . Do you know : Motivation comes out of our deepest held values and beliefs . It might be a good idea to reflect on what our highest values are . Are they family ? friends ? adventure ? fun ? spirituality ? being creative ? serving others ? Business and money are tools for living out of our core values . They help us to realize our potential as we live for the sake of our values -- in other words , what means to the most to us . When we connect with our values , integrate our business life with them , we will raise our level of motivation ! One of the reasons I enjoy home based businesses is because of my value of family life . Yes it is ! That simple ! What about you ? Let me know . 
" Pay It Forward " . What is it in this industry ? Are you really understand what you are doing ? If don't , I wonder how could you appreciate your career ? Don't start to do anything until you find your REAL way here . Take a break for yourself , think about it . Couple years ago , I was there wondering what the hell of this career was ? Until I saw a movie ... " PAY IT FORWARD " ... " If someone did you a favor ... something really big , something you couldn't do it by your own , and instead of paying back , you pay it forward .... " Why not take a look on the movie ? 
Forwarding URL . What is it ? First and important for you in your online business : Forwarding URL . You may have experienced times when you have been attempting to advertise your URL and the webmaster that you advertise your URL does not allow URL 's which contain symbols such as ? or / . Eg , Your URL with http : // www . working - from - home . biz / youraccesscode will come up unknown or redirect to http : // www . working - from - home . biz / when you advertise at most places . " What should I do ? " There is a way to get around this problem , they are very clever services called Redirect URLs , or Cloaking URLs . What is a Redirect URL ? A redirect URL is a service that replaces your current URL with a short , easy to read URL . It goes without saying that short , to the point URLs are easier to understand and remember . Redirect URLs eliminate all the problems which you may find with your current affiliate URL . How does a Redirect URL work ? Your original URL does not change . What happens is , people point their browsers to your short URL . The redirection service automatically redirects them onto your original URL . You can also use your regular URL in the way that you always have . For Instant , http : // www . globalsuccess 2 u . com will redirect you to the original URL . Click on and see . Where can I get a FREE Redirection URL ? The are many places on the Internet that offer free redirection URLs . You need to be careful when you make your choice because if the service you choose has a lot of problems , people may not be able to get to the destination URL ( your original site ) . I recommend http : // www . cjb . com , since most of people do have good comments on the site . Some of you may want to have a domain name without cjb or others at your URL , then you should pay little sum of money to get a unique domain name . Try the below : http : // www . yahoo . com. Go to the " Yahoo small business " . Their price is the cheapest ! http : // www . godaddy . com Bye for today ! 
Why people failed in the industry ? No matter in what kind of businesses , there are people who success and fail ! With so many programs on the Internet offering huge incomes and massive downlines , it would be natural to wonder why so many people are still earning very little or no income . Chat rooms , message boards and safelists seem to be full of Ads claiming they can make you rich , or build a big downline for you . Sadly , many people in the Internet Marketing business never break even or make a profit . Why ? What is the number one thing that keeps people from succeeding on the Internet ?? Is it not having enough money to get started ? No. Is it not knowing how to market ? No. Is it not finding the right company ? No. The biggest cause for people not succeeding is that they don't truly believe that they can . They want to , they wish they could , they hope they will , but the one thing they do not have is a desire to succeed . Hoping , wanting , and wishing are great . However , without a firm , 110 % belief that you WILL , your chances of success are lessened . It is important to take steps that reaffirm your belief in what you do . Treat your Internet business as just that ... BUSINESS . You must act professional at all times . This is a business not a hobby . If you treat this as a hobby , you will never achieve the success of an Internet business . Be organized and structured . Have folders to separate files and Emails Create a system that keeps everything in place . Print out ALL your important documents and file them away so they are easily retrieved . Be proud of who you are and what you do . When a person asks you what you do , be proud of your business , and show others that you are proud of your business . If others see your belief they will be 10 times more likely to join under you . Set time aside to promote and build your business . If you have limited time online , try and create a schedule so you know what to do and when . Keep track of dates and times of things like payments , meetings , classes and other important matters . Keep your promises . If you tell a person you will do something for them , keep up to that promise . Integrity goes a long way . Be a friend to every person in your downline and upline . Offer to help people when you can , and don't be afraid to ask for help when it 's needed . Dream . Your dreams will help drive you toward achieving your goals . Don't give up and don't listen to people who tell you it will not work . Have fun and enjoy what you do ... 
" In - ter - net " Business . People always ask me about this : " Why choose to start your business online ? " My answer always : " Why not ? " Now , although there are millions of us today on the Internet , there are still millions more that have not made there way to the Internet . Maybe they don't know how ? Or maybe they just don't understand it all . Ever wondered where the Internet came from and why it is here today ? The Internet as we know it today , has grown into a whole new concept for what it was used for years ago . Our military found it to be very useful to assure that there was safe and secure communications in the event of a war . From this idea , huge computer networks in different locations were developed and then connected together to form a super network of computers that eventually came to be known as the Internet . Nuclear war was a threat to many , so others began to see the computer network as a wonderful way to improve communications from one computer to another . This also includes the transfer of files and information . University Colleges and Researchers saw this as a tool that came in handy to share there research data and link everyone together including libraries . Soon all the major Universities and research institutions world wide were connected into what we now call the " Internet Super Highway " Some saw the possibilities to turn this into a very large advertising technique but was frowned upon back then , and in many instances forbidden to do business this way . But as more people continued to catch onto this new brought up system , soon hundreds of people were thinking of it as a great way to advertise ! And you will surprise if you know about there are 64 % of the Malaysian are internet user ! And the internet user in Asean country are relatively more than the western countries ! Would it work ? Or would it die off because to many were afraid of what it was all about ? Well , Advertising is now considered to be the " norm " for the Internet , and some times people forget or don't even know what it really was for in the beginning . The fact is , the main reason for the Internets growth today at such a tremendous rate is because many business are now competing to get online and take advantage of this source of advertising . Some wonder why the Internet has become so popular . Well , this is why , not to mention the cost ! Where else can you open up and start a business and be : >>> Open 24 / 7 / 365 , non - stop ! >>> Send Free Emails >>> Fit your lifestyle >>> Affordable overhead costs The Internet is the most cost effective tool for the average business person . It helps almost every business communicate better and also conduct business all over the world through a user friendly cost effective medium . The Internet today is still growing and is sometimes a hard thing to keep up with . Hopefully , you now understand a little bit more what it 's all about . And ... enjoy your " in - the - net " business ! Cheers ! 
My Story . " Hello " This is me ! Hi everybody , I like to express my warmest welcome to my Blog . Frankly speaking , I am quite new here and hoping to learn and share my life with everyone all over the world ! I am origin from Malaysia , an Asia country just next to Singapore which you can easily find in the map . I stay with my family , my wife Ashley and my three children range from 3 years old to 2 months old in a small capital called Ipoh , just located in the central of the country . My profession is a medical scientist ( Diagnostic Laboratory Medical Scientist ) and I like research especially medical research . My currently interest is Work From Home Business . 
Heterogeneity & Homogeneity in Great Britain . Opening a discussion on Asian communities and others of different backgrounds living in Britain is recalling a mixture for of past and present . It a mixture of nostalgia for the home country and a reflection on having a balanced lifestyle in which background and integration don t cause identity crisis . Having communities from different nationalities and cultural backgrounds living in the UK is a reminder of the days in which UK was the biggest empire in the 19 th and the first half of the 20 th centuries . Regardless of the colonial period which must have had some controversial aspects , it was beneficial for UK and its colonies to come into contact . Britain enriched itself culturally and economically from these colonies . The British were exposed to different lifestyles , with which they were influenced and which must have influenced by modernising if not civilizing these colonies . A striking example is the famous police hat , whose shape originated from Indian traditional turban . Summer carnival is another example of Britain s cultural heterogeneity . The British left many of their colonies . But in those colonies they left their legacy . Their colonies accompanied them through immigrants . Now there are mainly Asians and African immigrants living in it . Now we can see the overseas parts of the British Empire severed from it , as they have disintegrated in independent states , but they are still keeping a link with Britain through the Commonwealth . There is also a miniature of the British Empire is in the UK through the Mosaic of immigrant communities from these former colonies . 
When the Poor Ask the Rich : G 8 & World Problems . G 8 can't alone solve the world problems , especially for African countries with inefficient governments . Writing off debts for poor countries can be a good start . But such countries should get rid of their ills like corruption . If China , India and Brazil join G 8 , there will be a new Security Council in disguise . Other third world countries will be faced with a giant block that will set the agenda for them rather than treating them as partners . China , Brazil and India still have huge problems to cater for their own people . So they won t give priority to other countries whose economy is ailing because of mismanagement . Rich countries like US have their political agenda . They have their economy to sustain in face of international competition and energy rising cost . There are troubled regions in the Middle East . There is the issue of nuclear programmes in North Korea . All this makes poor countries , especially those in Africa , put in the second rank when it comes to solving world problems . Rich countries in G 8 like the US are providing constant help to poor countries , especially those with scarce materials . There are humanitarian organisations like Oxfam . But such help seems to bear little fruits . It is based essentially on food donation and the like . Such help isn t the infrastructure needed by poor countries . They need the adequate human resources who have adequate education and full integrity . Politically , there must be full democracy so government at the local and central level coordinate steps to reform and progress . Instead of asking for generous help from rich countries without being able to use it to good effect because of corruption , countries in need should take the example of G 8 and EU to form an economic block to become rich . After all EU started with small and relatively not very rich countries then called Benelux . Now it is a very powerful economic block . In conclusion , Poor countries should learn to be efficient and self - sufficient . Transcript of participation on Haveyoursay about G 8 Summit on Sunday , July 16 th , 2006 ( see the video link under the title : Is the G 8 fit for the purpose ) The role that G 8 can play to help poor countries I don t think that G 8 that can solve the problem of poor counties . It is them who should set the basis for that . They should have good government at the local and the central level . They should deal with the problem of corruption . And of course even if they depend on rich countries like the United States this has to do with its foreign policy . If you take , For example , the case of the Middle East , we have three countries that benefit from large aid from the USA , we have Egypt , Israel and Jordan . And this has to do with the peace agreement . But if you take for example Africa , it is not at the focus of the interest of the United States because up to now , it doesn t threaten its interests . So it doesn t care if these countries are plunged in problems or not . Ands let s remember that former French President Fran ois Mitterrand asked that G 7 should devote 1 % of its gross national product to help poor countries , but this didn t take place . So if poor countries want to help themselves , of course they should lay the basis through education , through good management . Otherwise of course , all the aid can be just momentary if it doesn t help these countries to have the basic infrastructure to get a good start . 
Capture : Resistance and Revenge . Hezbollah fighters ( picture on the left ) Israeli soldiers in Southern Lebanon The capture of Israeli soldiers from its southern and northern borders means that factions opposed to Israel in the region are coordinating their method of resistance . Whether it is a coincidence or a planned action , the kidnapping of the Israeli soldiers will heighten tension in the region . Hamas government is apparently controlled by its military wing . The Lebanese government has no control over Hezbollah . Israel is apparently fighting militias , which governments from their countries have no control over them but they are controlled by other countries , mainly , Iran and Syria . If the worst comes to the worst Israel will be obliged to hit targets in Syria to put pressure on it to put pressure on Hamas and Hezbollah to free the soldiers . These militias know in advance they have little to gain from their actions apart from publicity as a strike from them is met by loads of strikes from Israel . Perhaps great mediators who have credibility among all sides should step in to solve the problem before skirmishes , limited bombardment turns into an all out war , involving Syria , Iran and insurgents from Iraq . Otherwise we will be in the Middle - East revisited prior to Oslo accord with constant Intifada , suicide attacks and strident measures from Israel in the name of legitimate defence . 
Immigration : Communities and Identity . Many European countries have become melting pot , not to mention the US the biggest pot where you have a blender of all races . UK has a migrating population from its former colonies in Asia like Indians , Pakistanis and Middle - Easters . France s third world countries immigrants are largely from the French speaking parts of the African continent , including North Africa whose population are racially distinct from the rest of Africa . France like many European countries with settled immigrants has a mosaic of cultures , embedded with backgrounds from the countries of origin . Muslim communities emanating largely from North Africans have established themselves in France as a distinct community . They still cling to their country of origin . In Morocco , summer is the period for Moroccan immigrants in Europe , to visit to their country . This kind of continuous link has somewhat helped the new generation to have an idea about their country , although a great number of them can t speak Moroccan Arabic . One problem that can arise for immigrants is that of identity crisis . The younger generation of immigrants are aware of this origin . Although they can see themselves as integral part of French society , they arte still seen as the descendants of immigrants . This can lead to racial attitudes towards them as they are hotly waged by the Far - Right leader Joan Marie le Pen . Because of economic hardship due to unemployment or lack of qualification for employment , many immigrants from third world countries along with their descendants - are left on the margin of society . Spatially there are whole districts in which immigrants constitute the majority and in which they have their distinct ways of life . Barb s is a live example of France or at least Paris as a melting pot . It is colourful with different races from different parts of the world . But this colourfulness which characterizes France sometimes fade because of the trouble that sparkles among and by immigrants as it happened last year in different French cities . 
Zidane Reacting to Insult , Temper Loss and Wisdom . Zindine Zidane should have shown more restraint in a match of paramount importance to his career and to his country following Materazzi s insult . He may have insulted him to provoke him and to affect his concentration and performance . But Zidane should have learnt from his history of violent behaviour on the pitch . Probably many French would think that if he had kept his calm , France would have won the World Cup . He should have reported him after the match as it was televised and there are lip readers to prove Materazzi insult . There was an incident in a friendly soccer match between Morocco and France . French goalkeepers Fabien Barthez spat on the face of the Moroccan referee . But he kept his calm and resorted to legal action against him . In general , there are incidents of scuffle and violent behaviour in sport and politics . Many matches are disrupted because of violence . In some parliaments , there are incidents of chair throwing , slapping and fist punching . For Zidane , it must have been tragic for him to end his career with a send - off . He wasn t allowed to stay on the pitch until the end of the match . But he will stay in football history as one of the players who marked modern football . He gas fallen momentarily . But he can rise to glory again . Diego Maradona is a good example of players full of controversy . But he has succeeded in keeping a good place among football fans . He can find his consolation in being elected as the best player in 2006 World Cup Tournament . In a way , he got credit . The incident of the headbutt - causes and consequences - should remain a bygone incident . 
Putin Interview , From engaged Communist to Committed Liberal . Mr Putin during his interview on BBC Haveyoursay has portrayed himself as an assuring president . He sounds like a president most of the world can do business with . He is one of the rare Russian presidents who have succeeded in keeping credibility at home and abroad . His stand on international issues like N . Korea shows that Russia has now become a country seeking international stability . It no longer seeks to use small states like Cuba as it did during the communist era to exercise pressure on the USA in carrying its foreign policy . His openness on the media is spectacular . Now Russia becoming a liberal country there is no surprise to see Putin addressing world audience in a popular , charismatic and politically calculated manner . His answering world audience questions is another form of the democratic side of Russia . Thanks to Haveyoursay , the commoners had the chance to have their questions answered directly and openly from a President who was once a member of the secretive and closed KJB . His interview , to make a parallel , is a reminder of a speech exchange between former American President Reagan who addressed the people of the Soviet Union and former Soviet reformist President Gorbatchev who addressed US people . That was the start of real openness of Russia on the West . Now Russia has become fully a western country .10 / 07 / 2006 19:05 . 
World Cup , Glory and Tragedy / Past & perspective . Zinedine Zidane wouldn t have resorted to headbutt if he hadn t been provoked . His getting a red card was a double loss for France . The favourite player ended his football career tragically , in that he had to leave to stadium without being able to finish his career as he had planned . The second loss the defeat of France , which must have added more pain to him . But a single moment should not be allowed to ruin all that he has built so far . If he lost with his team the World Cup , at least he won for himself and France the honour of being the best football player in the 2006 World Cup . But it will be better to see the world Cup for memory and as a repetitive event with different colours for countries hosting it , players being the wizards that sway the crowds and the crowds without whom the players won t conjure up the demons in them . As a memory , The World Cup was a continuous moment of expectations , joy and disappointment . The suspense felt during the matches was real and deep . There were moments of shock and surprise . The most memorable is the defeat of favourite Brazil and the qualification of France , which was disappointing at first , for the final match . But the crowds and the spectators made the World Cup an enjoyable moment as it was touching to see people from different countries and races united by the thrill of the game . Germany , the host country , made that possible through good organisation . Congratulations to winner Italy . For the future , The 2006 World Cup organisation in Germany is a message to South Africa which will host it in 2010 . It will have to be level with past organisations in Europe . The reputation of African football as a world event is in its hand . It should not put to shame Africa , struggling to have a place on the world stage . If Africans can do it well by good organisation , they can learn from sport how to organise their economic , political and social life . All is about collective spirit for good goals . They can have the golden goal if they - as a team - know how to target their goal with full precision . 
Remembring July 7 London Bombing . The July 7 bombing should be a day for collective remembrance . It is not the fate of one country or city we should look upon as a single incidence . It is a wake - up call for all those who believe in tolerance and coexistence to unite from one end of the earth to the other , to cut the roots of those who have no concern but to impose their ways even on those who have their established ones . The terrorists dream of establishing an empire of their own where they can exercise their fantasies , if not their animist religion . As in some primitive religions offering human sacrifices was sacred for continuity . For these new animists under the cover of Islam , they enjoy sacrificing people to quench their lust for blood . For them anyone having modern ways of living or not growing a beard is a legitimate target . Even Islamic countries aren t immune from their attacks . In Morocco there was Casablanca bombing in 2003 . Let s not forget the victims in other countries like the USA on September 11 , Madrid on March 11 th , 2004 , and Jordan last year year , and the countless victims of religious sectarian violence in Iraq . The list can t be exhausted if it is to be given in full details . Terrorism seems to have no borders . It seeks any land to fructify . It attracts the well - educated , the well - to - do as it attracts the ignorant and the poor . But to counter - attack it , people should learn to unite against it by saving those likely to fall in it and rounding up those likely to be set to carry out their jihad , regardless of what damage they can cause to true and reasonable Muslims . Muslims and non - Muslims should extend the hand of friendship to one another instead of pointing fingers of accusation . Doing the contrary will just strengthen the position of the terrorists whose exploitation of the media can draw more support for them . UPDATE : ( In the aftermath of Mumbai blast ) The terrorist attacks bear similarity in terms of date . They may be the work of the same terrorist groups . A terror expert , psychologist or even a numerologist astrologer should resolve the mystery of the date in which they take places . In the USA , the attack took place on September 11 th . In Spain , the attack took place on March 11 th . In Mumbai , the attack took place on July 11 th . Does the number 11 have some veneration for the terrorists , as it can be their mascot in carrying their deadly attacks ? More research should be made on the days of terrorist attacks to establish a " logical " link . COMMENT published on BBC haveyoursay Added : Tuesday , 11 July , 2006 , 17:34 GMT 18:34 UKMumbai blast is another reminder that terrorism has no borders . Coward terrorists seek easy ways to carry their savage attacks . They choose places where there are unarmed and ordinary people to execute their savage attacks . They have no concern for the fate of those trapped in the attacks or the pain they cause to their friends and relatives . They can't play it fair . They seek no democratic means to put their case through . Democratic countries are their target like India , US and UK . Abdelilah Boukili , Marrakesh , Morocco Recommended by 108 people . 
Past week review . On Sunday , I attended the gathering in Masjid Wilayah ... More on this , if I have time ... In the evening , my wife went off for her " Persidangan Pegawai Kanan " of her organization , representing her boss . Location : Miri , Sarawak . She was away from Sunday until yesterday ( Thursday ) . One nice thing happened to her while on the flight there . I sent her to the airport but quite late . We were practically rushing to the airport in our 4 year old green Wira . Arrived half an hour before flight time . I left the airport after dropping her and got a call 3 minutes after that the check - in for Miri flight was closed . I was worried and tried to turn back to the airport . I stopped at the Petronas station to fill up before going back to the airport to accompany her in case she got to wait for the next flight , and then I got a call from her in a happy voice " I am flying first class " . Apparently , she was give the first class seat because MAS have sold her economy class to standby passenger . I told her , next time we should do it again , so that she can always fly first class with economy class ticket . : ) Tuesday night , while being " single " , I ' ve got an invitation by Sidi Halim for a night of Zikr in Kelang . I was told by him that we are going to meet our Naqshabadi brothers , a brother from Acheh and an ulama from Terengganu . Location : Kampung Sementa , on the way to Kuala Selangor , close to Kapar in Kelang . On our side , Darqawi brothers , there are some 10 people , from Bangi , Kelang and Shah Alam . We arrived after the time of Isha but the jamaah waited for us to perform Isha together . After Isha , we were honored to lead in reciting Darqawi Wird followed with a few songs of the Diwan of Shaykh Muhamad Ibn Al Habib . Then Sidi Shamsuddin gave his discourse on some aspects of the Sadhili Darqawi . I also met Brother Azmil Mustafa ( the actor ) in the gathering . I met him also during the Sunday gathering at the Wilayah mosque . 
The 7 - Habits Revisited . Steven Covey formulate ( if I can use the word ) the 7 habits of highly effective people as follows : 1 . Be Proactive 2 . Begin With The End in Mind 3 . Put First Things First 4 . Think Win - Win 5 . Seek First To Understand 6 . Synergize 7 . Sharpen The Saw And the 8 th habit : ... From Effectiveness to Greatness . 
Reflection . In the past 2 weeks , many things happened . Some really made me unnecessarily exhausted . Some made me reflect upon myself that I am a mortal imperfect human . I learned that I cannot expect people to have the ideal that I imagined , for I am me and he is him or she is her . Everyone have their own pride and belief about themselves . The story of Rashomon by Kuroshawas narrated by SAQ sank deep into my realization . There are 3 sides to a conflict - the 2 sides of the opponents and the the side of the truth . 
Sabah trip cut short . Wednesday morning , flew to KK , knowing quite well that I might have to fly back early , because , Atiqah ( 10 ) and Arifah the eldest are having dengue symptoms . By Thursday night I was already back in Bangi Azzaharah hospital . Atiqah 's platelets dropped further . 
Second day into the semester . Yesterday was my first class for Operating Systems Concepts . The course web site was nearly completed and have been used extensively for introducing the subject matter . Today , I replaced Bahram for the 12 pm class . I ' ve got mine at 10 am as well as 4 pm . Web based teaching surely simplify class preparation and presentation . Besides I will also be using internet classroom at Nice Net . Wednesday to Friday will be spent in Kota Kinabalu . A project progress meeting and extensive data collection to be done at Sabah Electricity . 
Onthe Path to Success . In the star today ( 1 st July 2006 ) , under Metro classifieds , there is an article entitled " On the Path to Success " . Dr. Billy Kueek ( I wonder how to pronounce it ) was commenting on the profile of high performers . He writes that high performers share the following traits : ( 1 ) Positive attitude and mindset ( 2 ) Extraordinary work ethic and personal traits ( 3 ) Excellent skills set ( 4 ) 360 on - the - job knowledge . 
Half year Resolution . Today , in anticipation of the opening of UNITEN new academic semester , I am planning a half year resolution . I have thought about it for sometimes but now I ' m just gonna put it into writing . It goes without saying that the most important priority is to strive to be a better person - in the family and professionally . Leaving family matters to another ( private ) discussion ; there are a few things professionally that I would like to achieve . Number one is to wrap up my Ph D work . Second , is to very positively contribute towards my consultancy project with TNBR and SESB . In the past years of the Ph D work I come to realise that there are mistakes that I should have avoided . I partly blame myself for the delay in submission but other factors like my sponsoring organisation , the supervisors and the surroundings are also important . Having said that , my new half year resolution is to target to finish the coding and experiments in 4 months ( July until October ) and then finish the write up ( which is 80 % done ) in the last 2 months of the year . The good thing about doing Ph D part - time is that I do not have to worry about tight time frame , but the danger is the possibility of being carried away from study by other works . I admit it is very difficult to divide the time fairly . I hope by stating this target openly I will be more disciplined to do the right thing toward achieving the main target , without ignoring " too much " of the other minor targets . Oh yes , I have to do teaching too . However , quite luckily , I am now teaching a subject which is very familar and does not require heavy preparation . Thus , as promised , I have said something now about my short term plan . I will spend sometime writing about my long term plan later . 
It hits home . I ' m writing from my mom 's home in Ashland , OR , watching the latest news on the Middle East . I saw my mom out the window for the first time in a year as the Greyhound pulled into the Medford station . My first thought was , " Wow . Mom 's gotten fat ! " Thankfully , it was someone who looked suprisingly like my mom , with a few extra pounds . Now I know what she ' d look like in that case . I have friends who were living in Sour ( Tyre ) that finally made it out , headed toward Beirut to be evacuated on a ship to Cyprus . Sour is now a ghost town , bombed as it was so extensively . This is the first time there 's been a war in a place I ' ve been to . I ' ve seen Jbail ( Byblos ) , bombed in the extreme North of Lebanon . I ' ve been to Baalbeck in the East , with it 's ancient ruins , where missiles have been dropped . I ' ve been to Beirut , returned to it 's ancient path of destruction . I ' ve visited the more conservative Sour , where no one but geurillas now live . I ' ve talked with Hezb ' allah , and had a good time with them , finding we were quite in agreement on which US presidents we preferred . ( I ' ll leave it sufficiently vague as to which ones that was . ) I used to live in Dearborn , Michigan , home to the largest concentration of Arabs in North America . It 's a town of 93,000 , with over half being Arab - 90 % Yemeni in the South End , and 60 % Lebanese in the East End . In the course of two years , one particular night stands out clearly , where I saw more joy on the street than ever before . Almost all of the Lebanese there coming from the town of Bint Jbail ( also written Bint Jbeil ) in Southern Lebanon . The Israeli Offense Forces , after 20 years of invasion and civil strife , had just pulled out and retreated to Israel . Political experts interpreted this as a victory for Hezballah , with their repeated geurilla attacks on Israel . Politics can be debated . On the streets of Dearborn , it was widely interpreted as a victory for the lives of Lebanese individuals and families . There was a spontaneous celebration as men , women , and children poured on to the main thoroughfare , Michigan Ave . Cars wormed their way through blocked streets filled with people , honking and yelling out in praise at the freedom from violence and the freedom to live their lives again . Everywhere Lebanese flags were waved and shouts of spontaneous joy exchanged . My girlfriend at the time put her head through the sunroof of the car to wave her head scarf as we went up and down the drag . Everywhere there were smiles . People could be safe again . They could go home again . Their families would live normal lives again - or be able to live at all . The local news reported there were " riots in Dearborn " in response to the Israeli withdrawal . Last night the news reported that Israel had reinvaded Bint Jbail , there was door - to - door fighting , and most of the residents had fled . 
It 's a different world . I ' m here in Newberg , Oregon for Yearly Meeting at George Fox , for a few days , before I travel down to Lassen National Park to go camping with my friend Anne . Looking forward to that a lot . For now , just reestablishing connections with people , meeting up with people to talk about going to Yemen . And trying to deal with life here . It 's really wierd . You get on the street , and you are a good 10 feet away from the oncoming car , and it will screech to a halt at the crosswalk ! Really messes up your plan for crossing the street . Oh , and I learned that when you tell a stranger at the grocery counter hello , and ask how they are doing , and to be polite inquire after their family - they don't appreciate it ! And no one seems to understand when you are so thankful that you wish for God to bless their parents . It 's really strange here . YCEW , YAF , some of the Kelleys , and Jeanine are all here - Jeanine will be the new Theatre and Art teacher in the high school . But it was a distinct bitters - sweet pleasure to say hello once again to Stacy , who lives 20 minutes away from George Fox , and was kind enough to transport a couple boxes for me . It was wonderful to see someone I had worked with again . But quite sad too , as it was a couple hours later that I was saying goodbye - but this time , for the last time , to the last person that I knew from Morocco . We went over to the coffeehouse nearby to talk over a latte and a large peppermint ice tea . And the most amazing thing happened . I only had a $ 100 on me , and I apologized as I gave it to the cashier . He didn't bat an eye , nor as Stacy pointed out did he go down the street to get change . He simply reached into the cashier , and gave me exact change ! 
It 's BIG ! So , took only 24 hours to get back to America . Yah . Turns out , the airport customarily searches through everything in your first port of entry . Turns out Utess , our travel agency , booked me from Casablanca to Seattle through Frankfurt and Portland , which gave me a 2 hour layover in Portland with a 25 minute flight to Seattle . Turns out that isn't enough time . So after 3 1 / 2 hours I was booked on the next available flight , arriving into Seattle at 1800 instead of at 1430 . But the guys searching at the airport were very kind and helpful . It 's hard though to talk to people on the street . If they 're strangers , I must mentally remind myself to speak English . But I ' m used to automatically only greeting strangers on the street - not talking to them anymore than I must . I find I am still preparing myself before a conversation - reviewing everything that I will say before hand so I can make sure the Arabic comes out smoothly , and therefore not getting into conversations unless I need to . So I am not interacting with most people that much , simultaneously suprised that they speak English but subconsciously assuming that they can't . Yesterday I started catching up on movies I ' ve missed , and went to the local Safeway to rent Aeon Flux , Pride Prejudice , and Flightplan . ( Flightplan was quite good . ) It 's my first time in a Safeway in a year - Stacy informs me that the one in Gibralter has now turned into a British company . Which sadly might mean no more Dr. Pepper - the primary reason expats travel to Gibralter ! ( Yes , I ' ve already had three of those so far since returning . ) Safeway is BIG ! The items went on and on , and there were so many different kinds ! And they had lots and lots of different kinds of candy , and real ice cream , and lactaid milk , so I can actually have cereal for the first time in a year ! Oh - and real doughnuts ! I had an apple fritter . Praise God from whom all blessings flow ! 
The Final Countdown . Well , this is it . The final day , the final hour . I ' m getting on a plane right now , saying goodbye to my home for these past three years . Saying goodbye to the final groups of friends who are still here . Saying goodbye to hopes and dreams and desires . And now things change . Who I am , the roads I take - they are irrevocable now . I am on a new path , whether chosen by me or another . I would be a different person if other roads were taken . But for now , the blog becomes an opportunity for friends in Morocco to keep up to date on what life is like in America , for the next month and a half , as well as friends in America . Today I took 4 of YCEW , selected , who impressed me beyond measure - they wanted to go to the hammam again . We went to my local hammam , where they treat you well , give you a good solid scrub , and everyone knows your name . My last time , in a Moroccan hammam . And I am clean again . Things change . They grow , but into what is unknown . Both plants and cancers grow . One towads the light , the other invading another organism . But it 's not so simple . Even the plant is competing , in nature " red in tooth and claw " , overshading it 's compatriates , responding with advanced chemical weaponry to the insects that would seek to destroy it . Even a cancer is still life developing , trying to achieve cellular immortality , something ironically denied the rest of my cells . If only I could find a way to transfer that bounty everywhere . Will my life be a plant , or a cancer ? There will be death , and life , either way . And life will continue . If you remember the plumeria I brought from Hawaii , on April 5 th it was sending out it 's first early shoots after sitting in soil for 7 months . Today , it looks like this , with yet another cocoon at it 's base , still waiting to hatch . And one day , insha ' allah , there will be a Plumeria Tree at GWA , ready to beckon geusts with leis - leis that once were used to speak with the Hawaiian gods , but have changed and transformed in meme to mean welcome to a new land , or a new endeavor . Life continues , life grows , changes , develops , always in free - form , always in new directions . But always it 's future is the unknown . 
Concerned over new Lufthansa policy . I ' m flying back in a little over a week on Lufthansa , and have to pack 3 years of stuff to take with me . I ' m a little worried about the new policy they just announced . 
Don't Use Metal . There 's a science fiction story , I don't remember the author or the title , where a man , an alien , visits Earth . He is from an advanced species , that can hide it 's appearance to appear human . He 's not a government representative , or a military scout - he 's just a peddler , trying to sell his goods . He knows Earth is a banned planet - that you 're not allowed to sell to humans , but he needs to make a living . And after all , he 's only selling harmless toys . His government 's police catch up with him and arrest him . For the toys were powered by nuclear energy . See , on his planet , and with all advanced species , they receive extensive psychological conditioning from birth , so that they can learn how to safely use nuclear - powered hand - held devices . He is horrified to learn that this is not true of the Earth , and he may have unwittingly caused nuclear holocaust on the Earth , for it 's children don't know how to safely use nuclear toys . But he is gratified to learn , as he is being led off to prison , that the alien police replaced all of his sold toys with harmless cheap replicas , that will work for a short time , and then fall apart . I thought of this story as I went in to the bakery to buy some amazing pastries filled with meat . I ' m ashamed to say I haven't come across these before , but they are wonderful . They need to be heated though , and the cashier offered to heat them for me . I declined , as I have my own microwave . So he wrapped them in tinfoil - but then made it abundantly clear to me that I must be very , very careful not to put the metal foil into the microwave . I assented , but he didn't feel I was getting the message , and reiterated it to me . See , in America , from an early age , we grow up being taught to never put anything metal in the microwave . We know this ; it 's 2 nd nature . Here in Morocco , microwaves are new enough , and enough of the population doesn't even have one , that they still need to learn the basics . Metal in a microwave is a new concept , and it 's not part of early psychological conditioning . 
Bahira Sidi Burhaba . There 's a small lake , near Kenitra , a town two hours North of Casablanca by train . It used to be a US military base back in the day , but closed in the 70 s . Just outside is a wildlife refuge , where you can see a small part of the extraordinary diversity of the Europe - Africa Flyway . Me , Stacy , and her brother Kevin took a trip up there to see some of the birds , and we were richly awarded - not only with the Avian life but Insecta and beautiful plants as well . There were giant spiders and remains of exoskeletons ; flocks of flamingos and isolated grebes ; and even a tree losing all it 's bark and leaves . There is a wonderous silence there , broken only by the myriad calls of birds , most of whom I didn't recognize , and by the Friday Call to Prayer , drifting over the water . Not an ordinary call to prayer , such as you hear every day , five times a day , but the special one for Friday , a melodious chanting simultanously filling the cultural role of bells and choral hymns , sheltering us as we left the sanctuary . There 's a small museum attached to the sanctuary as well , which would be perfect for elementary classes to visit . Though their visiting hours had not begun for the day , they were quite gracious to take us around the facility and give us a private guided tour . After the US military left , the town was still impacted by the presence . It is the only place in the country that contains an authentic American restaurant , besides the big modern chains , one El Dorado . You can get a big hamburger and fries , just like in the US , and I ' m told the milkshake even comes close to the real thing , and not the watered down chocolate milk you usually get here . The decor is decidedly Western , and feels ... just like an American restaurant . At least , back in the 70 's . 
The Finest Thing GWA 's Ever Done . Andy , the school director , joked to me that this is the kind of thing I was wanting to see GWA doing all along . He wasn't far off the mark . I am so impressed with what they set up this week . There was a free medical clinic at the school , and hundreds , if not thousands , of Moroccans came to be seen , for vision ( with free eyeglasses , the most popular division ) , gastrointestinal issues , peds , rhuematatic disorders , gynecology ... They started in a large crowd outside the gates , which I ' m told turned into a small mob at times rushing the gates before it was controlled . The local municipal government set up tents for shade outside the school , along with large new Moroccan flags at the roundabout at the front of school , and at the entrance of the school . Actually , a lot of us still here were initially quite mystified initially by the flags and tent - we thought someone was having a wedding right outside the school ! With all the Moroccan flags , I actually almost missed my stop in the big taxi , thinking that I was coming on the King 's Palace , and not the school . After making it through the crowd , they came to triage in the cafeteria . Here 's where I got to help for a couple days , a little . I was assisting patients get to the right room after they ' d been screened . They had much better translators than me , in the form of students like Zouheir , Zineb , Lina , and Ali . But I got to use my Arabic to help the patients get to their doctors . It 's probably been the most fun thing I ' ve done all year - working with the lower class and helping them holistically . Nearly all of those coming were exteremely poor , living in slums , ghettos , or places like the village next door to the school . After triage they went to their various doctors . It was wonderful to see our school suddenly looking like part of Morocco . The most natural thing in the world , to see Moroccans every where , wearing normal clothing , playing in the scorpion - filled grass ... It felt ... right . Stacy , next year 's high - school history teacher , did a bang - up job with her brother entertaining the kids with music and the guitar . She had a giant crowd around her , all excited and entertained . Which was really needed - because there was such a great need , and so few doctors , many had to wait all day or even longer to be seen . The line above is just for vision , and stretched half - way down the school building . For the first time some of these people will have seen a doctor . Some women were five months pregnant and hadn't yet been to a doctor . Some didn't read because their eyesight was so poor they were incapable of seeing without glasses - and incapable of buying anything . Some were urgent cases , who wouldn't have been able to survive without this free care . I ' m told theclinic will continue on through tomorrow . GWA has done great work this week . 
Open Season on Weddings . It seems to be the time of year . I heard in the distance three different weddings this morning . Until one came right underneath my window , looking like something out of Bride a Haircut , with three blasts of the horns , and two bangs of the drum . 
So You Want to See a Camel ? Well , the 2 nd group of Friends all arrived safely . Highschool students this time , YCEW . They wanted to ride camels , so I took them to the same place I took YAF , the camel market . ( It 's what you get when you have a Biology teacher planning an outing . ) The way it works is you go up to one of the stalls with meat you can actually see - not that post Jungle tripe where you have no idea what the meat actually is because it 's behind a counter . You request it to be ground up , hopefully adding a few herbs and greens . You pay the man , or add it into the final price , and go to a nearby restaurant with your meat to sit down and enjoy waiting for it to be fried up . You can then insert provided tomatoes and onions with the meat into round half - loaves of bread . Those who tried it said it was very tasty ; not at all tough like you might expect . They stopped only briefly in Dar Baida , and then out East to Fes with the Kelleys . I ' ll see them again in a few days to head to Essuira on the coast to the South ( where you can actually ride camels ) , after I ' ve climbed the highest mountain in N . Africa , Tubqaal . The doctor said it should be fine with my condition . Insha ' allah . Hopefully I ' ll be able to share with you in about a week if I made it . After sending them on the train , I had some time to say goodbye again to some teachers , blue bowling at the largest mall in Africa , Mega Mall . 
Peace To Beirut . I came across this really nice song by the famous lebanese singer Fairouz that captures the feeling of what is happening in Lebanon . It 's a very touchy song . I thought I ' d share it with everybody . Listen to the song Here . ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fairouz - Peace to Beirut To Beirut - peace to Beirut with all my heart and kisses ; To the sea and clouds ; To the rock of a city that looks like an old sailor 's face ; From the soul of her people she makes wine , From their sweat , she makes bread and jasmine . So how did it come to taste of smoke and fire ? [ listen to the song ] . 
Women go for style and color ? ! Naah . BBC : " A car is covered in 2,000 gerbera flowers at a motor show in London after research suggesting that women often view style and colour as key purchasing decisions . " ------------------------------------------------------------ Now why does that statment ring so true . Who do I know who would by a car purely on the basis of " style and color " ? I wonder . Haha . 
Surgeon General 's Warning : Living next to Israel can be hazardous to your health . [ Allegedly , according to the website arabist . net , above are pictures of Israeli children writing messages on artillery shells destined for Lebanon . Just despicable . ] ------------------------------------------------------ It 's strange , but this time for some odd reason , what Israel is doing in Lebanon right now is pissing me off more than it does when the violence is just against Palestinians . And I can't seem to figure out why that is so . I ' ve been asking myself , why am I taking this so personally ? I don't know any Lebanese . Well , perhaps I do if you count Tony Shaloub and Ralph Nader . But still , what 's so different about this incident . In fact I personally know some palestinians and still I don't remember finding myself so enraged before . Then why ? The only conclusion I could come up with is that somehow I think I ' m unconsciously associating this event with something else that is going on in my life right now . I ' ve been psycho - analyzing myself for sometime but I am unable to come to any definite conclusions . Anyways , whatever it may be , I just thought I should add my voice to the ever growing global cry against the atrocity taking place in Lebanon by publicly expressing my anger and disgust at what Israel is doing in Lebanon . Down with Israel . 
Zidane 's Head - Butt Inspires a Cool Song . Zidane 's head - butt has been immortalized in song : " Coup de Boule , " the French translation for head - butt , was written after France 's defeat by the three associates of Plage Records , laplagerecords . com , a small label specialising in advertising music . The label 's founders , brothers Emmanuel and Sebastien Lipszyc , and composer Franck Lascombes penned the Caribbean zouk - influenced song and its chorus " Zidane , il a tape " ( " Zidane , the hit man " ) , as therapy for post - defeat depression . Initially e - mailed to some 50 contacts , the song has been posted on the web , with French radio Sky Rock putting it on its play - list and record labels and ringtone sellers fighting for its rights ! Listen to the song : " Coup de Boule " Also , wondering ... how many Marco Materazzis you could knock down with a single butt to the chest ? Addicting Games . com gives you the chance : just a left click of the mouse , and the Zidane figure goes to work against a sea of Italian defenders . The game gives you a red - card score at the end . And , watch this hilarious video on youtube . com on the same sujbect . Watch Video : " A New way to solve problems " . 
In Praise of Zinedine Zidane . Will Zidane save best for last ? By Michelle Kaufman BERLIN - A giant portrait of Zinedine Zidane graces the side of a building in Marseilles , an inspiration to French children that anything is possible . Hard as it might be for them to imagine , it is possible for the son of poor Algerian immigrants to become the world 's most revered soccer player and be 90 minutes away from a second World Cup championship . The 34 - year - old French midfielder , who came out of retirement last August to lead this improbable World Cup run , will retire for good after Sunday 's final against Italy . His teammates would love to send Zidane off with a second World Cup trophy . The three - time World Player of the Year has lost some pace since he led France to the 1998 World Cup title and the European title in 2000 , but he remains one of the best - some say the best - midfielder in the world . His vision , step - over dribbles and ability to open space at just the right time have been unparalleled at this World Cup . Italian coach Marcelo Lippi said stopping Zizou will be his team 's main focus . " Zidane is probably the best player there has been in the past 20 years , " said Lippi . " France has recovered the best Zidane , and they have progressively grown throughout this tournament . The key to winning the World Cup is to stop Zinedine Zidane , and that 's not the easiest thing to plan for . " There are players younger and faster than Zidane , but none stepped up in the past few weeks , which means he could wind up with the Golden Ball trophy . After underwhelming performances in the first round , Zidane came to life . He had spectacular games against Spain , Brazil and Portugal , outplaying some of the sport 's most glamorous names , including the much - hyped Brazilian , Ronaldinho . It was Zidane who was toying with the ball through the midfield , sending perfect passes into narrow spaces . " Even as a coach , you are kind of a fan of Zizou 's , " Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann said . " I have always been a big fan of his . He deserves to be in that final , and it will be wonderful to watch him one more time . He has had a career that is difficult to compare with other players . In his time period , he has been nothing short of exceptional . " French coach Raymond Domenech said Zidane " affords the French public real dreams " but insists Sunday 's game is not about the impending retirement of the team 's biggest star . " This will be the last one for him but , for us , it is not the last match of Zinedine Zidane - it is the final of the World Cup , " the coach said . " He doesn't want things to be mixed up , and he 's proved this . He is playing the World Cup here and not his last matches . " But the truth is , it is Zidane 's last match Sunday . He has 90 minutes - maybe a few more - left in his career . So be prepared for the magician to pull a few final tricks from his bag . 
France beats the Ka Ka out of Brazil . All praise to the football gods , Adidas and Nike . I can't friggin believe they won ! They actually won ! A win for France couldn't be any sweeter . For me this win means more than the final match , because it was nothing short of a final match . I don't care what anybody says , but France played an awesomely stupendous game . It was the best game for france in this world cup . Brazil got their asses handed to them . Well done Henry , well done Zizu and well done everybody on the team . You make me proud . Oh and all you Brazilian fans out there I ' ve got one thing to say to you . In the eternal words of Dave Chappelle -- IN YOUR FACE !! VIVA LA FRANCE !! 
Cry for me Argentina . It 's too bad my second choice for the world cup -- after France -- got eliminated in the Quater finals . Argentina played a good game but they sort of messed up on their subsitute choices in the second half . Anyhow , it was a good game and both teams lived up to their names . 
WTF France ? ! What in the name of the football gods , Adidas and Nike , is wrong with France 's football team ? ! I mean really . Why is it so difficult for them to win one lousy game ? I just don't get it . France 's performance has left me speechless with disappointment . You broke my heart Zizu , you broke my heart . 
World Cup 2006 - Bring it on !! Are you ready for this years biggest event ? ! If you are let me hear you scream , I ' M GAY AND I ' M PROUD ! Oh wait , that 's the wrong cheer , I meant , OLE , OLE , OLE !!! I hope you are as excited as I am , ' cause the fever here is at its peak . I just can't wait for the knockout round start because that 's when it really gets interesting for me . Man , I ' m so glad this time around I don't have to worry about school ruining my world cup experience . Hopefully this is going to be my best worldcup . * fingers crossed * Oh and last but surely not the least ... VIVA LA FRANCE !! 
Starbucks multiply like rabbits . This post will be relevant to only those who live in Mobile or have lived in Mobile . Others can simply skip this one . I usually don't write about the place where I live but today I have to make an exception . I have learned , from a very reliable source , that Starbucks is about to open 12 , I repeat myself 12 ! Starbucks coffee shops in mobile by the end of this year . This will bring the total number of starbucks from three to 15 . If I recall correctly , it was just two years ago when there wasn't even one , and now we will have friggin 12 ? ! 
Ever wonder about Tagore and Einstein ? Did you ever find yourself lying alone on a calm beautiful beach wondering , what if Rabindarnath Tagore and Albert Einstein were to meet each other , what would they talk about ? No , you haven't ? Well , neither have I. But if you 're perverted enough to think about Tagore and Einstein getting it on while you 're relaxing on the beach , of all places , then wonder no more . According the website , schoolofwisdom . com , Tagore and Einstein did meet in 1930 in Berlin and their conversation was recorded . You can read an excerpt of their conversation below , or go read the entire thing here . Tagore and Einstein met through a common friend , Dr. Mendel . Tagore visited Einstein at his residence at Kaputh in the suburbs of Berlin on July 14 , 1930 , and Einstein returned the call and visited Tagore at the Mendel home . Both conversations were recorded and the above photograph was taken . The July 14 conversation is reproduced here , and was originally published in The Religion of Man ( George , Allen the drama of existence is not absolutely predestined in character . EINSTEIN : The facts that make science tend toward this view do not say good - bye to causality . TAGORE : Maybe not , yet it appears that the idea of causality is not in the elements , but that some other force builds up with them an organized universe . EINSTEIN : One tries to understand in the higher plane how the order is . The order is there , where the big elements combine and guide existence , but in the minute elements this order is not perceptible . TAGORE : Thus duality is in the depths of existence , the contradiction of free impulse and the directive will which works upon it and evolves an orderly scheme of things . EINSTEIN : Modern physics would not say they are contradictory . Clouds look as one from a distance , but if you see them nearby , they show themselves as disorderly drops of water . If your reaction after reading their conversation was something to the effect of -- Yawn , Yawn ... then I don't blame you because that 's exactly what I felt . But honestly , what did you expect from two intellectuals . As I always say , two squares don't make a circle . 
/ i don't believe in love . I dont believe in love anymore ............. yup love cuman nyusahin , cuman make my heart hurt . just imagine when u love someone and she / he love u too but he / she ssaid that he / she really 2 want to hug other ... how do u feel about that ? biasa aja ? shittt man , ga mungkin biasa 2 aja , kalo ada yang jawab biasa 2 aja , i think u r never really love ur bf / gf ... 
Do U ? Last nite - I cannot sleep . Also a major loneliness . I ' m so faraway from my family and from LXM .. and when i ' m home there will be no LXM . So sad without LXM .. I kept doing my work today , no rush , just wanna do something . I love LXM . The very nice girl .. sobss ... coming home and being here is both painful . My LXM my LXM my LXM i wish i dont have to let you go . Ever . Even for only 3 metres away from me . Do you feel the same thing ? 
I ' ve Never Loved Someone . ive nvr loved someone the way i have for LXM , her leaving will hurt the both of us so much , bt of course ... we ' ll stil hve the nxt 22 mths together , all i can think of is to spend every minute wit her , cherish our time together . most important thing on my mind now is to achieve good career successfully , although i knew ' us ' would end from the time i knew her , i juz had to get to be wit and know her more , shes this wonderful and smart girl tat everyone shud grow to love , all those rumours and stories abt her are nothing bt RUMOURS ... stories weak pple make up juz to make themselves feel better . LXM 's the strongest girl ive seen , been thru so much in life where the rest of us can only have nightmares abt , yet she stil appears strong , i noe so little pple or no one that can endure wad shes been thru . rite nw shes here by my side , i wud do anything to make her happy , i understand y shes leaving , shes got a family to take care of , a real heavy responsibility for a 25 yr old girl if u ask me . hope she ' ll be successful when she gets home .. aha of course she will .. and may fate bring our paths together to meet one another 's ...... 
Right Now . Right now i am in jkt ... and LXM in Lampung , oh she is the sweetest girl i have ever seen , the sweetest smile that i do not want to let go , the sweetest scent ..4 more weeks before i have to go back , to a life i once knew , i dont want to , but there is no other way ... I didnt feel like bloggin ... there were time when i almost parted ways and there were no words that i could pour here . Now , its overwhelming ... I love her i love her . I love you LXM and i would never forget nor let go of you . Take me deeper and erase my memories from which i cried and fill it with the joy you bring from each grace u make . You are my angel , my savior , my indulgence , i am restless , knowing that such good exists ... i want you , bad . 
http : // www . nc 06 . jp / trailer / index . html Okay , it 's official , Shinji Higuchi 's Submersion of Japan remake is gonna be just plain awesome . If you know what 's good for you , click on those above links and download those fucking trailers , now . 
My Story IV. The next day I had a slightly empty feeling although I had come to terms with my great misfortune . I had already asked around to my neighbors to see if they still had the paper from the day before , and much to my disappointment they did not . Oh well . Life goes on . I hop on my bike and peddal up to the service station to pick up the days paper just knowing in the back of my mind that I would always be incomplete without that one missing strip . When I returned home , I went right inside and unfolded the newspaper straight to the " funny pages " . You ' ll never guess what I saw . Two Bloom County comic strips . One from that day and the one from the day before . How could this be ? There was a comment printed near the strip explaining how the strips writer had been sick and then apologized for the strip not being there the day before . Coincidence ? If that 's what you really want to believe . Why would God bother proving Himself via such a ridiculous situation ? In retrospect , all that I can say is that it was very important for Him to be sure that I understood that I was His ( or to be His if you like ) . 
My Story III. As a young boy , probably around the age of 9 or 10 , I can remember somehow having this understanding of debt and redemption . I ' m not quite sure how I aquired this other than the fact that it truly is a universal principal . ( I feel as though I am not giving enough credit here to my parents for their " Godly " influence on my life , but the fact is that they were not religious people . They were " normal " people ... and I mean that with the utmost respect and appreciation . For the time being all that I can say of my mother and father is that I truly have no regrets in the way they raised me . I ' ll try to touch on our relationship more later . ) I was always a big fan of the " funny papers " . There was one comic strip that I just loved . " Bloom County " . What a sense of humor ! Anyway , I remember riding my bike to the gas station everyday to pick up a copy of the newspaper just so that I could read that strip . I would do more than just read it though , I would cut the strips out and glue them , in sequence , to paper so that they read like the pages of a book . I had been doing this everyday for several months when one day I just could not scrounge up the change ( 35 cents ? ) to purchase the paper . I was devestated . All of this work for the love of this comic strip and now my booklet in progress would be incomplete ! In all sincerity I cried out to God ( as we all do in the midst of such earth shaking crisis ) and pleaded with Him to help me out of this horrible situation . After many tears , I finally let the situation go and fell asleep , exhausted , in my bed .... 
My Story ( continued ) . ... I ' m not sure what it was . Why was I so uncomfortable around these other children ? Who can say for sure ? All that I can say for sure is that It wasn't just the children that bothered me , it was more about the " system " that I found myself forced into . Even in my earliest years of childhood , I had a streak , or a natural bend which kept me from feeling " okay " anytime I found myself in any structured institution of mass education or manipulation . Sure I could use gentler words than " manipulation " but that is indeed the reality . It was almost as if there was this instinct within me that constantly reminded me that I was not at home in the world . I ' m not referring to the Earth here ... but more about this other " world " that we find ourselves in . A world of mass manipulation which starts nearly from birth . A world where we are not initially instructed about true Life and Reality , but rather one where you are taught , oh so subtley , that your whole existence and meaning is to be spent pursuing illusion after illusion . A world where you grow up watching everyone you know struggle with this same situation , wondering why life seems to seem so vain in the midst of the pursuit of the American dream . I knew that I did ' nt belong , as I am sure so many others felt the same way , but faked it through anyway just for the sake of doing whats " right " ( as did I , to the best of my ability ) . And this hipocracy is not over yet . I remember when my oldest sister and her family moved in with us . They were having a hard time making ends meet and my parents were insistent that they come and stay . There was a total of ten people living together in a three bedroom house . The age ranged from 2 years old to fifty . Unfathomable for most americans , but those were some of the most interesting days of my life . There 's nothing in this world like a family that struggles to stay together in the midst of lifes many trials and tribulations . Well I can think of One thing maybe ... 
My Story . I grew up on the west side of a sleepy little military town called Pensacola , Florida . Throughout my life , I had always had a sense of God , a knowing that even when I was alone , I was never really alone . My father was retired Navy and a former police officer and my mom had been a bartender and house cleaner . Pensacola was my moms home town and the place where she met my dad . We were basically poor . Although most of the time we had food to eat and clothes on our backs ( ... okay , maybe we weren't that poor ... ) , but I can remember times when our electricity or water would be shut off for a day or two because we weren't able to pay the bills . Dad 's retirement check wasn't very big and my mom attempted to earn a living selling fishing bait ( wigglers , as a matter of fact ) to the local bait and tackle shops just didn't quite put us " over the hump " ( not at 2 cents / worm ! ) . I was a peculiar little boy who had a very difficult time relating to others . Being the youngest of five was not as beneficial as my siblings would try to persuade you into believing . They would often suggest that my folks treated me differently ... were easier on me . Well maybe so , but that wasn't my fault was it ? Sure . They probably mellowed quite a bit between the birth of my oldest sister , Wendy , and myself , but I began to get the impression that I was somehow to blame . And certainly , I had much to be blamed for . A model child , I was not ! But I plead in all sincerity , that I was only a product of the society of which I was a part . It seemed as if , in school , I often found myself uncomfortable around the other kids ( with a couple of exceptions ) , I just felt that I didn't fit in with the other children and was much more comfortable on my own . This discomfort gradually increased until I began to get physically Ill in the mornings just before school .... ( to be continued ) . 
Here I AM ! ... so I went to hear " pastor " and speaker Rob Bell in downtown Atlanta the other night . He had a very interesting presentation which was based primarily on the first two chapters of the book of Genesis . Although I thought he was a little over the top with some of his " scriptural numerology " ( lots of sevens ! ) , he had a very good central point . I AM . Rob pointed out the fact that in ancient jewish poetry , the format for at least part of the book of Genesis , involves the fact that the central theme of a given poem is placed in the " center " of the poem . Rob suggests that the " seasons " are the central theme of Genesis 1 .... " And God said , Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night ; and let them be for signs , and for seasons , and for days , and years : " To get right to the point , he believes that this is for the sake of keeping and maintaining a regular sabbath day .1 ) Sabbatha ) sabbathb ) day of atonementc ) sabbath yeard ) weeke ) produce ( in sabbath year ) AT - ONE - MENT What he failed to mention , however , is how Christ has been made our sabbath , our rest , our AT - ONE - MENT with God the Father . I don't believe that this was intentional , I think that he was just stressing a different point . Practically speaking , we need rest . The Lord knows that just as much now as He did in the beginning . Where I see things a bit different from Rob on this point , however , is that this rest , rather than being enjoyed on a specific day , can be enjoyed at anytime and in any place . This Rest dwells within us . He is our AT - ONE - MENT . Sure , taking a regularly scheduled day to enter into this truth would be wonderful , but let us never box this thing in with our religious minds and limit ourselves to only one day per week . Oh well . Let us each be fully persuaded in our own mind , right ? Rob also emphasised the importance of , during that special time , to do the things that bring joy to your soul . HAVE A PARTY ! PLAY MUSIC ! CELEBRATE ! GO FISHING ! DANCE AROUND THE HOUSE ( OR YARD ) ! WHATEVER ! ENJOY YOU LORD !!!!!! And be there , fully present !!! Our Fathers Name is " I AM " ! What should that say about you and I ? No. This is not " New Age " philosophy . It is not that some of what is being said here sounds like the " new agers " , it 's that some of the things the " new agers " talk about sounds like us ! Aaarrggghhh ... Just ranting now .... Oh yeah .... now Here and now , that 's where I AM ..... 
Suffering and Joy . There 's no doubt that my last post was way too long . That 's probably even worse than it not being original to me . Like I said though , he presents things much more clearly than I could ever hope to . Sparks , although at times can seem very dry , touches on some very deep things . There just seem to be some things that always resonate with some ( or maybe all ? ) of us ... no matter what the context or situation at hand . There are some things that are just " natural " to our souls . We feel like we deserve to suffer . We feel like we just aren't good enough and can't live up to God 's or other peoples expectations . Is this better than feeling like we do measure up ? Part of me wants to say that it is Christ alone who makes up the " difference " . Whats better is that the scriptures seem to imply that He doesn't just make up the difference , but that He has come in and completely " replaced " us and that it is in this truth we find true life and power from God . Hmmmm ... But there is this other matter of us filling up the sufferings of Christ . How is it that He can call it a finished work and at the same time there be work left to do ? Some would divide this into " milk " and " meat " . To me what that means is that the lost suffering soul meet 's His Lord for a time of rest and peace only to grow up into a different kind of suffering soul .... a " found " suffering soul . But wait ... it 's a different kind of suffering too isn't it ? Before our suffering was because of our sin , our self and the wicked powers of this age . Now we have a new set of ailments . Christ has done away with the sin problem on the cross . As far as our " selves " are concerned they were in Christ and crucified with Him . Where there is no sin and no " self " that means that the forces of darkness have no more ground in our lives . Unless you believe they do . They have two effective weapons . One is the lie . They convince us that God 's work is not enough . .. that the blood of Christ lacks power , and that the cross was not much more than an execution of one man . The other is the truth . That you have failed in this very specific way or that in general you are a sinful person . Their arrows are custom made for your weak points and their accuracy is better than the best marksmen on earth . This is part of our new struggle . Before we seemed to have no refuge , no weapon , no defence and no hope . Now that we have found these things ( and so much more ) in Christ , we must learn how to fight . In the New Testament there is much said about suffering . In the book of Acts it says that the apostles " ... departed from the presence of the council , rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name . " At whose hand did they suffer ? The high priest and his company . The religious men . The apostles were preaching Christ and the forgiveness of sins and suffered shame because of it . We no longer need to suffer because of our own faults and failures . Christ has done this for us . Now we suffer the faults and failures of others and of the world ( and they ours ! ) . Even more true than this is the fact that for the believer in Christ we may find Joy in our tribulations and sufferings , something that the world regards as insanity , although an insanity they wish they had themselves . For us tribulation is a tool , or a process , to reveal , more and more , the resurrected Christ who is within us . This kind of tribulation Just happens . It would be foolish to seek after it as some sort of mystical experience . Those with eyes to see can even sense it on a daily basis ... at least in retrospect . God 's way , unlike the ways of man , has a very unique spin on reality . What mankind sees as loss the Lord so often sees as gain . What we see as gain , the Lord often sees as loss . We need not seek or try to manipulate the sufferings of our selves or others , but rather in the midst of our dark times , we should keep our eye 's open to see the freedom , love , peace and joy which is found in the Son and His Bride . 
WASEDA DESIGN PRIZE 2006 , Latin Cultural Connection Re - edition of Tokyo Harbour Scape . Waseda University , Best Diploma Master Design 2006 , by Abel Erazo Nowadays the economy map of the world is changing and the big power areas are moving to different zones . China is already The big new power economy and India is also conforming this new economical map . 20 or 30 years later another silence areas until now will awake and take part in this new scenario . In general the south of the world can have more character than now . Transportation of culture has changed from the past in the information era , If 500 years ago latin culture travel from Europe to America by ship very slowly , now a days the connections and transportations of information its takes just seconds . This project try to get close and transport latin American culture to east asia area . by creating an intersected new space in the nearest point from the pacific ocean , Tokyo ` s Harbour . The project want to show the latin American spirit more than visible things . From the most important latin American writer , Gabriel Garcia Marquez , was chosen his cien anos de soledad story to recreate the latin american atmosphere in Tokyo harbour scape , the result is a Cultural Transfer Station as an intersection point between Asia and Latin world and the re - edition of Tokyo harbour scape . 
In Mickey We Trust . . . . , . . , . . . , , . ; , . . , . , . , . . . - . . , , , , . . 
Thirty - nothing . Y , , . , ; , , , . , . , , . , . . . . K , . , . . . . . 128 ( ) . , . . . / . 
Sex nd he Village . , . , . . , , . . Today , . . . , , . . . . . , . . . . . , ; , . , . , . o . , , . , . 
CNN . com - Dozens injured when cruise ship tips - Jul 18 , 2006 . I learn new words every day . It 's only 6:30 and i ' ve learned two new words for almost tipping over . " A cruse ship LISTED sharply off Port Canaveral , " - CNNHere is the articaland there was another term too . Damn i ' m getting old . 
CNN . com - Dozens injured when cruise ship tips - Jul 18 , 2006 . I learn new words every day . It 's only 6:30 and i ' ve learned two new words for almost tipping over . " A cruse ship LISTED sharply off Port Canaveral , " - CNNHere is the articaland there was another term too . Damn i ' m getting old . 
G Dub the Suave and Why They Fight ! When you see a parent who is unruly around their children . Whatever they do that makes you ask the question " what message is that sending their children " you should think about the country that we live in . When you have a country who 's leader flaunts his fratboy persona around with a Fake cowboy swagger , shooting his mouth off while stuffing a bread roll into it and referring to the leader of another nation as " Yo Blair , " than you have a problem , as well as a run - on sentance . It is no wonder that Isreal is using the amount of force they are against Palestine . It 's also not a stretch to think that they would follow this by bombing Iran or at least Syria . Look at the country they have " Fathering " them . This whole thing reminds me of a barfight , where a guy gets suckerpunched and than turns to see who did it only to find his agressor gone . He than sees someone who he hasn't agreed with for a long time and has some pent up frustration so he decides to start punching on him . Now although that person may be hopped up on coke and booze it still shouldn't give him the right to just punch anyone he wants with no repercussion simply because he 's bigger . What does that teach his children ? Well it teaches them not to take responsibility for their actions . As long as you never admit you are wrong and tell yourself that you dictate what is a fact simply by stating that it is one , and never admitting you are wrong , than you can never be wrong . This is not the way to run a country and this is not the way to raise children . It is an inharrent problem from the top down to simply tell children to play fair and than don't follow your own advise . Well that 's my rant for the day . More to come , here is some picks of Cowboy George , flaunting his manhood . 
Evangelical Scientists Refute Gravity With New ' Intelligent Falling ' Theory | The Onion - America 's Finest News Source . Evangelical Scientists Refute Gravity With New ' Intelligent Falling ' Theory | The Onion - America 's Finest News Source I wouldn't be surprised if some people believed this : ) . 
For your latest Tank Bike and video belt news . I found this on CNN today , don't be surprised if it shows up in some snow covered Mad Max movie in the near future . And if it does don't be surprised if i ' m playing that futuristic " Snow Dogs " film on my video belt buckle . This was on Popular Science when i went looking up more info about the tank - bike . Welcome to the future . Here is some more info on both , CNN . com - Tank Bike - Jul 14 , 2006 and egokast mp 4 belt mounted personal video . 
Pirates in Movies . Well Pirates of the Carribean is going to probably make close to a bajillion dollars for the second week in a row . And the studios will tout the 300 million dollars or whatever it 's made during the release and declare this film to be possibly the biggest movie ever . Keep dreaming Hollywood . The fact is , that when you charge more for tickets , you make more money . Here is a two part trivia question . How many movies made in the last 10 years have sold more tickets than " Grease " starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John ? and part 2 ... What were they ? So you laugh and say Hogwash , or Baulderdash , and than realize that you aren't in an old timey picture and wake up to the fact that in this era of inflated grades , news , and atheletes , the big movies are nothing but a bunch of hot air . Here are the top 25 movies in terms of how many TICKETS THEY SOLD . Rank Title Studio Est . Tickets Unadjusted Gross Year ^ 1 Gone with the Wind MGM 202,044,600 $ 198,676,459 1939 ^ 2 Star Wars Fox 178,119,600 $ 460,998,007 1977 ^ 3 The Sound of Music Fox 142,415,400 $ 158,671,368 19654 E . T . : The Extra - Terrestrial Uni . 141,854,300 $ 435,110,554 1982 ^ 5 The Ten Commandments Par . 131,000,000 $ 65,500,000 19566 Titanic Par . 128,345,900 $ 600,788,188 19977 Jaws Uni . 128,078,800 $ 260,000,000 19758 Doctor Zhivago MGM 124,135,500 $ 111,721,910 19659 The Exorcist WB 110,568,700 $ 232,671,011 1973 ^ 10 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Dis . 109,000,000 $ 184,925,486 1937 ^ 11 101 Dalmatians Dis . 99,917,300 $ 144,880,014 1961 ^ 12 The Empire Strikes Back Fox 98,180,600 $ 290,475,067 1980 ^ 13 Ben - Hur MGM 98,000,000 $ 74,000,000 195914 Return of the Jedi Fox 94,059,400 $ 309,306,177 1983 ^ 15 The Sting Uni . 89,142,900 $ 156,000,000 197316 Raiders of the Lost Ark Par . 88,141,900 $ 242,374,454 1981 ^ 17 Jurassic Park Uni . 86,205,800 $ 357,067,947 199318 The Graduate AVCO 85,514,900 $ 104,642,560 196719 SThe Phantom Menace Fox 84,825,800 $ 431,088,301 199920 Fantasia Dis . 83,043,500 $ 76,408,097 1941 ^ 21 The Godfather Par . 78,922,600 $ 134,966,411 1972 ^ 22 Forrest Gump Par . 78,545,600 $ 329,694,499 199423 Mary Poppins Dis . 78,181,800 $ 102,272,727 1964 ^ 24 The Lion King BV 77,231,800 $ 328,541,776 1994 ^ 25 Grease Par . 76,921,800 $ 188,389,888 1978 ^ now not only is there no Spiderman or Lord of The Rings in the top 25 , but there are only a handfull of films made after Return of the Jedi . They are Titanic , at number 6 , Jurassic Park , way down at 17 , Star Wars Episode 1 , Forrest Gump and The Lion King . So before anyone in Hollywood goes a horn - trumpeting , maybe we should look at what we should be bassing these " records " on . Here is a full list of the top 100 attended films of all time Box Office Mojo > All Time Box Office > Adjusted for Inflation . 
So here is your news for this sunny Saturday Morning . WASHINGTON POST : Ex - Bush Aide Fatally Shoots Son , Himself A former Bush administration official , after arguing violently with his wife Thursday night , shot and killed his 12 - year - old son inside their Mc Lean home , then turned a shotgun on himself and committed suicide , Fairfax County police said . Now that 's exciting ... and by exciting i mean incredibly sad . Oh yes not to mention CNN . com - World War III begins - Jul 15 , 2006 And finally ... BREITBART . COM - First Half of 2006 Is Warmest on Record : var eproof _ apip = new Image ; eproof _ apip . src = ' http : // keisu . eproof . com / apip Auditor . aspx ? s = 21 ' ; // -- > . 
So why did I start this blog ? Well let me tell you . It was simply this picture . I saw this on drudge this morning and I thought that it needed to be saved and shown to people all over the world . And sure people all over the world will never see it on my blog but at least I can . And I can access it all over the world . This is the state we are in . That baby has more sense than half the country apparently , or maybe ole G dub smells something in it 's pants and just like the mess he made in the ole US of A he doesn't want to clean this one up either . In any case it 's a pleasant thought for your weekend . Enjoy the Kool - Aid ! 
So I guess everyone 's blogging now . So I figure I should start too . We ' ll see how this thing holds up . I figure I ' m on the internet enough that this would be a good way for me to organize stuff so I can find it . Kind of like my junk drawer . Now the funniest thing about all of this is ..... I apologies it 's not funny but I ' ve always been a bad speller , since elementary school . It just seems funny to me that the spell check on a blog , doesn't contain the word " blog . " So ... Well here learn something about the internets . 
Blackwell Supporter Accused of DUI . You gotta love the right angle blog for ridiculous stories like this about ruthless Lucasville cops that pull over and ticket innocent ( and possibly drunken ) drivers simply for displaying a Ken Blackwell bumpersticker . Pay attention to this story , folks - it 's about ready to rock the campaign : Strickland - Supporting Cops Caught in DWB ( Driving With a Blackwell sticker ) Scandal ! 
Blackwell Supporter Accused of DUI . You gotta love the right angle blog for ridiculous stories like this about ruthless Lucasville cops that pull over and ticket innocent ( and possibly drunken ) drivers simply for displaying a Ken Blackwell bumpersticker . Pay attention to this story , folks - it 's about ready to rock the campaign : Strickland - Supporting Cops Caught in DWB ( Driving With a Blackwell sticker ) Scandal ! 
Christian Homeschoolers for Blackwell . According to an article in the Toledo Blade , an email was recently sent out that " attacked the church attendance , work ethic , and voting record of Mr. Strickland " and raised " questions whether Mr. Strickland is gay . " The email was written by " home school headmaster " Gary Lankford , the new " social conservative coordinator " for The Ohio Republican Party . The same article says that , up until last week Gary was " the state director of the Ohio Restoration Project , a faith group whose federal tax - exempt status has been challenged on allegations that it works too closely with Mr. Blackwell 's campaign . " Doing a little research , it looks like Gary has even closer ties to Mr. Blackwell . Gary is also know to have responded to letters sent to the Blackwell campaign , signing them with his title as the Pro - Family Voters Coordinator for Ohioans for Blackwell . More interesting is the $ 15,963 paid to Gary by the Blackwell campaign for his work as a " VOTER CONTACT CONSULTANT " . But Gary and his wife are not new to Christian politics . According to his online biography , " Gary and Marilyn ( his wife ) were previously very active in the pro - life movement and with crisis pregnancy centers . Politically , Gary was the County Chairman for the Republican Party in Gadsden County , Florida , and Marilyn was State Committee Woman . Gary was also a Republican candidate for the State Board of Education in Alabama . " . 
Christian Homeschoolers for Blackwell . According to an article in the Toledo Blade , an email was recently sent out that " attacked the church attendance , work ethic , and voting record of Mr. Strickland " and raised " questions whether Mr. Strickland is gay . " The email was written by " home school headmaster " Gary Lankford , the new " social conservative coordinator " for The Ohio Republican Party . The same article says that , up until last week Gary was " the state director of the Ohio Restoration Project , a faith group whose federal tax - exempt status has been challenged on allegations that it works too closely with Mr. Blackwell 's campaign . " Doing a little research , it looks like Gary has even closer ties to Mr. Blackwell . Gary is also know to have responded to letters sent to the Blackwell campaign , signing them with his title as the Pro - Family Voters Coordinator for Ohioans for Blackwell . More interesting is the $ 15,963 paid to Gary by the Blackwell campaign for his work as a " VOTER CONTACT CONSULTANT " . But Gary and his wife are not new to Christian politics . According to his online biography , " Gary and Marilyn ( his wife ) were previously very active in the pro - life movement and with crisis pregnancy centers . Politically , Gary was the County Chairman for the Republican Party in Gadsden County , Florida , and Marilyn was State Committee Woman . Gary was also a Republican candidate for the State Board of Education in Alabama . " . 
Whiskey and Guns . Ooh ! Now you can see a three and a half minute video of Ken Blackwell s staff learning how to shoot in an old barn . As proud gun owners , I would have expected them to be more adept at emptying the spent shells from a .38 . Careful son , those things are hot . Anyway , playing through the whole video is a Toby Keith song about getting drunk after hanging people called Whiskey For My Man , Beer For My Horses . I wonder if the campaign is paying ASCAP for the use of this song ? According to the ASCAP website , an Internet / New Media license for a single song should cost about $ 350 . And I m pretty sure the license fee needs to be paid BEFORE the song is used but the only video - related expenses the campaign has reported are : VIDEOCASSETTE : 260 VIDEO TAPING : 375 VIDEO PRODUCTION FEES : 6,250 VIDEO PRODUCTION : 18,469 VIDEO CASSETTE : 85 . 
Whiskey and Guns . Ooh ! Now you can see a three and a half minute video of Ken Blackwell s staff learning how to shoot in an old barn . As proud gun owners , I would have expected them to be more adept at emptying the spent shells from a .38 . Careful son , those things are hot . Anyway , playing through the whole video is a Toby Keith song about getting drunk after hanging people called Whiskey For My Man , Beer For My Horses . I wonder if the campaign is paying ASCAP for the use of this song ? According to the ASCAP website , an Internet / New Media license for a single song should cost about $ 350 . And I m pretty sure the license fee needs to be paid BEFORE the song is used but the only video - related expenses the campaign has reported are : VIDEOCASSETTE : 260 VIDEO TAPING : 375 VIDEO PRODUCTION FEES : 6,250 VIDEO PRODUCTION : 18,469 VIDEO CASSETTE : 85 . 
Pushing the Polls . Last December , The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported " Blackwell 's campaign has paid almost $ 15,000 since last year to cc Advertising " to conduct automated " push - polls " . " The automated calls are amassing ... voter information while sometimes spreading negative messages about Blackwell 's leading Republican rival , Attorney General Jim Petro ... " That was December . That was the primary . I downloaded Blackwell 's 2006 expenses yesterday ( from his OSOS site ) . Since December , the Blackwell campaign has paid cc Advertising an additional $ 111,346 ! I ' m guessing Ken has already prepared a bunch of " surveys " aimed at conservative Christian voters . I figure they go something like this : Press " 1 " if you support Ken 's pro - family ( homophobic ) , pro - life ( misogynistic ) platform . Press " 2 " if you are a queer - lovin ' , baby - killer like Ted . Press " 3 " to donate money to Ken Blackwell 's campaign . If only Ken could pay someone to push him up in the polls that count . 
Pushing the Polls . Last December , The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported " Blackwell 's campaign has paid almost $ 15,000 since last year to cc Advertising " to conduct automated " push - polls " . " The automated calls are amassing ... voter information while sometimes spreading negative messages about Blackwell 's leading Republican rival , Attorney General Jim Petro ... " That was December . That was the primary . I downloaded Blackwell 's 2006 expenses yesterday ( from his OSOS site ) . Since December , the Blackwell campaign has paid cc Advertising an additional $ 111,346 ! I ' m guessing Ken has already prepared a bunch of " surveys " aimed at conservative Christian voters . I figure they go something like this : Press " 1 " if you support Ken 's pro - family ( homophobic ) , pro - life ( misogynistic ) platform . Press " 2 " if you are a queer - lovin ' , baby - killer like Ted . Press " 3 " to donate money to Ken Blackwell 's campaign . If only Ken could pay someone to push him up in the polls that count . 
Republican Demographics . This is a picture , from Ken 's blog , of his campaign staff . Does Ken Blackwell really think that he can win over the minority voters that he disenfranchised during the last election with a campaign staff that is 100 % white and 75 % male ? 
Republican Demographics . This is a picture , from Ken 's blog , of his campaign staff . Does Ken Blackwell really think that he can win over the minority voters that he disenfranchised during the last election with a campaign staff that is 100 % white and 75 % male ? 
The Middle East in the Midwest . According to his blog , Ken Blackwell wants to lease the Ohio Turnpike so he can " make Ohio the ' Middle East of America ' " . Given the recent violence - oh , and the thousands of years of historical violence - in the area , I ' m not so sure our state should strive to be the " Middle East " of anything . Will Blackwell 's Job Creation plan aim to make Ohio the " Nazi Germany of America " ? Hey - there was NO unemployement under Hitler ... 
The Middle East in the Midwest . According to his blog , Ken Blackwell wants to lease the Ohio Turnpike so he can " make Ohio the ' Middle East of America ' " . Given the recent violence - oh , and the thousands of years of historical violence - in the area , I ' m not so sure our state should strive to be the " Middle East " of anything . Will Blackwell 's Job Creation plan aim to make Ohio the " Nazi Germany of America " ? Hey - there was NO unemployement under Hitler ... 
Republican Websites . Surf on over to https : // kenblackwell . com and ... You ' ll find the website for Dick De Vos the " businessman and conservative Republican politician from Michigan . The son of billionaire Amway founder Richard De Vos , he is currently a candidate for governor of Michigan . " Not suprisingly , both of these rich conservatives are clients of New Media Communication - the same people responsible for a bunch important republican website , including Bush - Cheney , Rick Santorum and Bob Taft . The President , Chief Political Strategist and CEO of this company is Mike Connell . According to an interview given during the Republican Convention , " Mike is the Republican operative Internet guru for , not only the Bush presidential campaign , but also the Republican Convention , and anybody else worth having on the Republican side . " In addition Mike - and three other New Media employees - are Blackwell contributors . 
Republican Websites . Surf on over to https : // kenblackwell . com and ... You ' ll find the website for Dick De Vos the " businessman and conservative Republican politician from Michigan . The son of billionaire Amway founder Richard De Vos , he is currently a candidate for governor of Michigan . " Not suprisingly , both of these rich conservatives are clients of New Media Communication - the same people responsible for a bunch important republican website , including Bush - Cheney , Rick Santorum and Bob Taft . The President , Chief Political Strategist and CEO of this company is Mike Connell . According to an interview given during the Republican Convention , " Mike is the Republican operative Internet guru for , not only the Bush presidential campaign , but also the Republican Convention , and anybody else worth having on the Republican side . " In addition Mike - and three other New Media employees - are Blackwell contributors . 
And now , a word from our sponsors . I don't mind advertising if the product or service is something that I might actually buy or use . CNN must believe old people are the only ones watching the news during the day . One can only suffer through so many ads for mobility devices ( scooter for old people ) , supplemental medicare insurance and adjustable beds before Fox News starts to seem appealing . Anyway - Googlemail does a pretty good job of matching their " Sponsored Links " to the content of your email messages . For example , the links on the left were presented while I was reading an email about Ted Strickland . The first link is an ad for a website that sells Ted Strickland shirts and stuff . This is the best ad here . The ad was appropriately matched to the content of my email ( Ted Strickland ) - and the product appeals to a wide audience . Who wouldn't look good in that bright blue Ted Strickland sweatshirt ? Jumping down to the third link , we have an ad for Congressman John Murtha 's book . There certainly is a smaller audience for this product . But the fact that this ad was even presented makes it interesting . Unlike the first ad , there is no direct link between my email and this ad . Instead of matching on Murtha 's name ( which was not in my email ) it must have used some alternate and indirect criteria like " Democrat and Congressman " . Ok - so it 's nothing to write home about - but it is a hell of a lot better than CNN . Anyway - the second link is the most interesting . While the content of the ad matches my email content on at least 10 words ( Ted Strickland , Ohio , Governor , Race , Ken Blackwell , etc. ) , the target audience for this product ( the domain name itself ) is tiny - maybe 2 people - and the price ( $ 260 K ! ) , well , that 's just crazy ... The 2006 Ohio Governor 's race is sure to be politically charged . Ken Blackwell and Ted Strickland are fighting it out in this extremely important race for Ohio and the nation . This domain name could be the difference between winning and losing this historic race . The domain name is available for purchase for $ 250,000.00 or lease thru 12 / 31 / 2006 for a negotiable price . 
And now , a word from our sponsors . I don't mind advertising if the product or service is something that I might actually buy or use . CNN must believe old people are the only ones watching the news during the day . One can only suffer through so many ads for mobility devices ( scooter for old people ) , supplemental medicare insurance and adjustable beds before Fox News starts to seem appealing . Anyway - Googlemail does a pretty good job of matching their " Sponsored Links " to the content of your email messages . For example , the links on the left were presented while I was reading an email about Ted Strickland . The first link is an ad for a website that sells Ted Strickland shirts and stuff . This is the best ad here . The ad was appropriately matched to the content of my email ( Ted Strickland ) - and the product appeals to a wide audience . Who wouldn't look good in that bright blue Ted Strickland sweatshirt ? Jumping down to the third link , we have an ad for Congressman John Murtha 's book . There certainly is a smaller audience for this product . But the fact that this ad was even presented makes it interesting . Unlike the first ad , there is no direct link between my email and this ad . Instead of matching on Murtha 's name ( which was not in my email ) it must have used some alternate and indirect criteria like " Democrat and Congressman " . Ok - so it 's nothing to write home about - but it is a hell of a lot better than CNN . Anyway - the second link is the most interesting . While the content of the ad matches my email content on at least 10 words ( Ted Strickland , Ohio , Governor , Race , Ken Blackwell , etc. ) , the target audience for this product ( the domain name itself ) is tiny - maybe 2 people - and the price ( $ 260 K ! ) , well , that 's just crazy ... The 2006 Ohio Governor 's race is sure to be politically charged . Ken Blackwell and Ted Strickland are fighting it out in this extremely important race for Ohio and the nation . This domain name could be the difference between winning and losing this historic race . The domain name is available for purchase for $ 250,000.00 or lease thru 12 / 31 / 2006 for a negotiable price . 
Garnished Greed . PARSLEYED POLITICSAll of the ultra - conservative kooks in ( and out of ) Ohio are throwing their support behind Ken Blackwell because of his hate - filled , homophobic agenda . Especially Rod Parsley , the bible - school dropout and millionaire televangelist , who has built a considerable personal fortune from the well - intentioned donations of his loyal followers ( i . e . viewers ) . I bring up Mr. Parsley s political ties only because it fits in with the theme of my last few posts and it provides a nice segue into what I really want to talk about : the most hilarious thing I ve seen on TV in months . And I will get to that in a second . First , let s go to Wikipedia to find out why people send money to Rod Parsley GOD BLESS YOUFrom Wikepedia : Parsley encourages a variation on the Biblical concept called tithing . Though tithing is taught by many pastors , the view held by Parsley ( and common among televangelists ) is that if one tithes , in exchange God will provide virtually unlimited blessings ( usually emphasized as being monetary in nature ) , a variation of word of faith theology . In other words , Parsley tells his TV viewers : give me money and God will bless you . In the segment I saw , it seemed more like : give me money or God WON T bless you . And here it is FREE THE SLAVESOn July 7 th , 2006 , my Tivo recorded four and a half minutes of Rod Parsley telling his audience that God wants them to donate $ 120 to help free slaves in Sudan . It went like this As long as there are innocent brothers and sistersheld in unspeakable conditionsand the horror of slavery I will not rest . And I pray ... neither will YOU . MY GUEST - I believe God has brought youto his kingdom for such a time as this : when innocent children are crying out in prayer , asking for God to send a deliverer , God has assigned YOU to be the answer to their prayer . And I believe God , by the holy spirit , is speaking to THREE HUNDRE PEOPLE right nowto be one of Gideon s armywho will help bring freedom to three abused suffering peopleas YOU sow the seed of your own deliverance of $ 120.00 . When YOU need a miracle , as I know many of you do ... When you need a miracle , God will ALWAYS give YOU an instruction . Because of YOUR immediate , compassionate response of $ 120 - I ' m speaking to 300 people - three Sudanese captives in slavery will be freed from their tormentors . Three Hundred , right now , uncommon people to sow an uncommon seed of $ 120 to reap an uncommon harvest of freedom for tormented brothers and sistersheld today by terrorist captors in Sudan . 
Garnished Greed . PARSLEYED POLITICSAll of the ultra - conservative kooks in ( and out of ) Ohio are throwing their support behind Ken Blackwell because of his hate - filled , homophobic agenda . Especially Rod Parsley , the bible - school dropout and millionaire televangelist , who has built a considerable personal fortune from the well - intentioned donations of his loyal followers ( i . e . viewers ) . I bring up Mr. Parsley s political ties only because it fits in with the theme of my last few posts and it provides a nice segue into what I really want to talk about : the most hilarious thing I ve seen on TV in months . And I will get to that in a second . First , let s go to Wikipedia to find out why people send money to Rod Parsley GOD BLESS YOUFrom Wikepedia : Parsley encourages a variation on the Biblical concept called tithing . Though tithing is taught by many pastors , the view held by Parsley ( and common among televangelists ) is that if one tithes , in exchange God will provide virtually unlimited blessings ( usually emphasized as being monetary in nature ) , a variation of word of faith theology . In other words , Parsley tells his TV viewers : give me money and God will bless you . In the segment I saw , it seemed more like : give me money or God WON T bless you . And here it is FREE THE SLAVESOn July 7 th , 2006 , my Tivo recorded four and a half minutes of Rod Parsley telling his audience that God wants them to donate $ 120 to help free slaves in Sudan . It went like this As long as there are innocent brothers and sistersheld in unspeakable conditionsand the horror of slavery I will not rest . And I pray ... neither will YOU . MY GUEST - I believe God has brought youto his kingdom for such a time as this : when innocent children are crying out in prayer , asking for God to send a deliverer , God has assigned YOU to be the answer to their prayer . And I believe God , by the holy spirit , is speaking to THREE HUNDRE PEOPLE right nowto be one of Gideon s armywho will help bring freedom to three abused suffering peopleas YOU sow the seed of your own deliverance of $ 120.00 . When YOU need a miracle , as I know many of you do ... When you need a miracle , God will ALWAYS give YOU an instruction . Because of YOUR immediate , compassionate response of $ 120 - I ' m speaking to 300 people - three Sudanese captives in slavery will be freed from their tormentors . Three Hundred , right now , uncommon people to sow an uncommon seed of $ 120 to reap an uncommon harvest of freedom for tormented brothers and sistersheld today by terrorist captors in Sudan . 
Blackwell 's Myopic Turnpike Plan . A recent and really ridiculous Blackwell blog post claims that we should lease the Ohio Turnpike to foreign investors because it provides no direct financial benefit to the taxpayers of Ohio . SELF FUNDINGIn fact , the Ohio Turnpike is probably the only highway in Ohio that is NOT funded by taxpayers . It doesn t cost them a dime - that s what the TOLLS are for . TAX REVENUE GENERATINGBesides being an important , self - funded part of the state s transportation infrastructure , the Ohio Turnpike also provides a shit - load of additional indirect AND DIRECT economic benefits to the state . For example , 95 % of Ohio s $ 58 million in gas tax revenue generated from miles driven on the Turnpike flows to Ohio Department of Transportation and local governments . LOW TOLL HAVING Compared to other toll roads in the country the Ohio Turnpike has lower rates than any other toll road except the Indiana Toll Road . However , the Indiana Toll Road recently announced that it will raise its toll rates 72 % for cars and 113 % As a result , The Ohio Turnpike s toll rates are soon to be the lowest in the country . FYI : Indiana just finished leasing the Indiana Toll Road to a Spanish Australian group for the next 75 years . 
Blackwell 's Myopic Turnpike Plan . A recent and really ridiculous Blackwell blog post claims that we should lease the Ohio Turnpike to foreign investors because it provides no direct financial benefit to the taxpayers of Ohio . SELF FUNDINGIn fact , the Ohio Turnpike is probably the only highway in Ohio that is NOT funded by taxpayers . It doesn t cost them a dime - that s what the TOLLS are for . TAX REVENUE GENERATINGBesides being an important , self - funded part of the state s transportation infrastructure , the Ohio Turnpike also provides a shit - load of additional indirect AND DIRECT economic benefits to the state . For example , 95 % of Ohio s $ 58 million in gas tax revenue generated from miles driven on the Turnpike flows to Ohio Department of Transportation and local governments . LOW TOLL HAVING Compared to other toll roads in the country the Ohio Turnpike has lower rates than any other toll road except the Indiana Toll Road . However , the Indiana Toll Road recently announced that it will raise its toll rates 72 % for cars and 113 % As a result , The Ohio Turnpike s toll rates are soon to be the lowest in the country . FYI : Indiana just finished leasing the Indiana Toll Road to a Spanish Australian group for the next 75 years . 
Beginning your goal setting plans . This section explains how to set personal goals . It starts with your lifetime goals , and then works through a series of lower level plans culminating in a daily to - do list . By setting up this structure of plans you can break even the biggest life goal down into a number of small tasks that you need to do each day to reach the lifetime goals . The first step in setting personal goals is to consider what you want to achieve in your lifetime , as setting lifetime goals that gives you the overall perspective that shapes all other aspects of your decision making process . To help give you a broad , and balanced coverage of all important areas in your life , try to set goals in some or all of the following categories : Artistic : Do you want to achieve any artistic goals ? If so , what is it ? Do you want to write a book ; paint a masterpiece , or write a song ? Attitude : Does your own mindset hold you back from making progress ? Is there any part of the way that you behave that upsets you for example , do you talk too much ? If so , set a goal to improve your behavior or find a solution to the problem . Career : What level do you want to reach in your career ? Is it your goal to be the boss or own your own company someday , or do you want to be the president of someone else s company ? Education : Is there any knowledge you want to acquire in particular or some area of study that you would like to pursue ? What information and skills will you need to achieve these goals ? Family : Do you want to be a parent ? If so , how are you going to be a good parent ? How do you want your partner or family members to see you ? Financial : How much do you want to earn by what age in your life ? What can you do to make that come about ? Physical : Are there any athletic goals you want to achieve , or do you want good health deep into old age ? What steps are you going to take to achieve this ? Pleasure : How do you want to enjoy yourself ? You should ensure that some of your life is geared toward making yourself happy for no reason other than being happy Service Do you want to make the world a better place by your existence ? If so , how ? Once you have decided your goals in these categories , you have to assign a priority to them if you want to succeed . Then review the goals and re - prioritize until you are satisfied that they reflect the shape of the life that you want to lead . Also , you should ensure that the goals that you have set are the goals that you want to achieve , and not what your parents , spouse , family , or employers want them to be . Success only happens when you are working for your own well being because doing it for others will ensure that you sabotage your own success . Go here for A Better Life ! 
Avoiding Procrastination - Introduction . On the back of the jacket of Jack Canfield s book , The Success Principles , this quotation caught our attention : The principles always work if you work the principles . Perhaps this is too simplistic a statement or merely echoes another familiar marketing come - on , but it does translate into a variation of the work ethic . To us , this means doing instead of just thinking . And doing is synonymous to action , execution , implementation , carrying out all these convey the active mode as opposed to the passive mode of just thinking . The human brain knows no limits when it comes to thinking out ways and strategies in dealing with all kinds of problems , but if these strategies and plans are NOT acted upon , they really hold no meaning they re like empty blueprints camouflaged in sparkling rhetoric . And rhetoric comes cheap these days . We ve made up our minds to be less ambitious about this work , and called the 101 recommendations and suggestions contained in this book as simply TIPS . Tips on how NOT to procrastinate . Procrastination pervades every aspect of our lives . And we ve mastered it to perfection having learned a subtle form of it when we were babies . We delayed falling asleep because our mothers wouldn t cradle us in her arms . We ve procrastinated in performing our duties at home , in school , in the work place , and in our most fragile human relationships . We shudder to think what the final tally of lost hours will be because we procrastinated habitually . Some of the tips we share here may be useful and some may be irrelevant . Others will come in handy not necessarily today , but at a later stage of our lives . Procrastination is an expensive habit . We discovered that one of the ways that will not make us procrastinate is to figure out the dollar amount of something that was not done because of procrastination . It all points to the generally accepted idea that time is money . This alone can serve as a strong motivator not to procrastinate again . Or at least to try not procrastinate ! Jack Canfield quoted Brian Tracy to drive home the message : Life is like a combination lock ; your job is to find the right numbers , in the right order , so you can have anything you want . We d be lying if we told you that if you followed our 101 tips on how not to procrastinate , you can have anything you want . It doesn t work that way . These tips are ideas that have come from our heads and from other people s heads . And it s up to you to apply them in every segment of your daily routine . Avoiding procrastination is more effective when we start with little steps . It does not mean having to change our lives drastically . But as one writer said , not procrastinating will make us appreciate the life we have now . And as we build on the small steps , we d be amazed at how much we can accomplish over the years . In deciding not to procrastinate , you may want to accompany this determination with clear cut and well defined goals . In other words , have a goal that is quantified , and not just qualified . For example , saying I will lose weight is NOT as powerful as I will lose 35 pounds in 1 - 1 / 2 years . These are concrete data you can work with . I will lose weight sounds noble enough , but let s count the ways , shall we ? Find more information on living A Better Life . 
Living a Better Life . Sit back and enjoy the read . Give me some feedback . Visit my website for more information . And thanks for taking the time to look . I hope you find this information useful . Today 's message is an introduction to setting and achieving goals . Without goals , we are as headless chickens ... running to and fro with no direction . If you don't know where you 're going , how do you know if you ' ve arrived ? Successfully Setting Goals Every person in the world devotes countless hours to thinking of their future and their present situation in life . Almost everyone wishes that there was something that they could change in their life . Whether it is their family life ; their friendships ; relationships or finances , everyone wants to change something . The first step to doing that is to set goals . However , many of us are great at trying to set goals ; most of us are practically incapable of following through with them . Think about it . How many times have you decided on a course of action and simply didn t follow through with it ? That is pretty much the norm for most people . Sometimes even setting goals at all is the harder part of accomplishing any . The easiest way of looking at this is to think of each and every New Year . The largest part of New Year s celebrations are not the parties and the get - togethers ; it is actually in the resolutions . As much as we all like to attend and talk about New Years Eve parties , the most common source of conversation is the resolutions for the new year . All it really is - is code talk for new goals that need to be set . The only problem is that most of us set the same resolutions every year , and every year , we are unsuccessful . After all , if we were successful ; why would we need to keep making the same resolutions year after year ? This blog was designed to teach you how to end the constant need to re - set the same resolutions every year . Basically this will be your comprehensive guide to setting and fulfilling goals in every aspect of your life . When I say every aspect of your life , I mean every aspect of your life . Aren t you getting tired of trying to set goals for yourself and always finding that you have to do it again almost every other month ? With this guide , you will learn how to set goals in your life for : Healthy relationships Work Finances Personal health and fitness Friendships and more . By setting goals you can : Achieve more in your lifetime Improve your overall performances in life Increase your motivation to achieve the most out of life Increase your pride and satisfaction in your achievements Improve your self - confidence Plan to eliminate attitudes that hold you back and cause unhappiness People who use goal - setting effectively : suffer less from stress and anxiety concentrate and focus better show more self - confidence perform better in all areas of life Are happier and more satisfied with life Goal Setting Also Helps Self - Confidence By setting goals , and measuring their achievement , you are able to see what you have done and what you are capable of . The process of achieving goals and seeing their achievement gives you the confidence and a belief in yourself that you need to be able to achieve higher and more difficult goals . Providing that you have the self - discipline to carry it through , goal setting is also relatively easy . The following section on goal setting will give you effective guidelines to help you to use this technique effectively . Want more information ? Check out A Better Life . 
Practical academics ( Part 2 ) . economics policy I had put this in the update footnote of my previous entry , but found it wanting . I think this discussion on the merits and limitations of ( randomized ) policy experiments for fighting global poverty deserves its own entry . Here is a snippet of Abhijit Banerjee 's essay introducing the issue : In many ways this episode captures very well one of the core problems with delivering aid : institutional laziness ... [ No one ] could be bothered to put in the time it would have taken to think harder about what they were doing . Aid thinking is lazy thinking . He then argued for more evidence - based aid interventions , particularly using randomized controlled trials . Not all of his audience agreed . For instance , Angus Deaton of Princeton pointed out how some aid interventions could be useful even if they were not put to the test of randomization : For a specific doctor facing a specific patient , the average outcome of a randomized controlled trial will often be unhelpful . The physician usually has some theory of how the drug works and also an understanding of her patient ... Therefore the physician will often not prescribe a drug that passed its randomized controlled trial with flying colors and instead prescribe one that did less well but that is a better fit for the patient . Much of medicine is not evidence - based , for good reason . At any rate , most of the discussions presented are interesting and Banerjee ended with a good rejoinder . They are clearly worth a look . Read more ... 
Practical academics . economics policy More coverage of policy experiments . This time , it 's covered by Forbes : A new breed of development economists are using the tools of hard science to put poverty programs under the microscope and upending a lot of conventional wisdom about what works . See also my previous entries of how to use this experimental tools for understanding education policy and corruption . I see no reason why such a policy experiment cannot be done more often in Indonesia , either by NGOs or by the government . UPDATE : MIT Economist Abhijit Banerjee argued for more experiments to fight poverty ; a bunch of other development experts responded , including Princeton Economist Angus Deaton ; then , Banerjee has the final word . Read more ... 
Burn the math . economics philosophy Yesterday , in an interview for a scholarship , one of the panelists asked where I stood , as a professional economist in Indonesia , on economics s orientation towards mathematical models . I answered something along the line of Marshall s burn - the - math approach . But what is Marshall s burn - the - math approach ? In March 1901 , Alfred Marshall a great economist , author of Principles of Economics , who certainly knew his math very well wrote to Arthur Bowley , a former student , of his philosophy on approaching an economic problem : Use mathematics as a shorthand language rather than as an engine of inquiry ; Keep to them till you have done ; Translate into English ; Then illustrate by examples that are important in real life ; Burn the mathematics If you can t succeed in ( 4 ) burn ( 3 ) . This last I did often . Truth be told , this philosophy needs to be strongly qualified : Economic theorists would argue , many advances in economics come about in the absence of step ( 4 ) . But , without a doubt , it 's a sound advice for economists intending on participating fruitfully in the public sphere . Read more ... 
Calling ignorance by name . miscellaneous Today in the Jakarta Post , one opinion article began as such : Criticism is an integral part of scholarly culture . However , criticizing an idea with little knowledge of it can be more dangerous than simply being ignorant . Then , it pointed out the flaws of this article , calling its writer by name . Whooey ... Let me tell you first that the writer of the first article , Teguh Yudo Wicaksono , is a good friend of mine . Nonetheless , he knows that this doesn't grant him special treatments with regards to the battle of ideas in the public sphere . For the most part , I judge ideas , even those of my friends ' , by their merits ( see , for instance , this and this ) . Yudo , as we call him , is also a promising young economist who , judging from this Jakarta Post article , cannot suffer fools . It is this last part that impresses me the most . I put up this article here not because of his arguments ( good as they were ) , but his audacity in calling the other 's false ideas as " more dangerous than simply being ignorant . " His article is unlikely to end the debate on labour policy . But the following quote should raise the standard on which subsequent arguments will be judged : One may be suspicious about a connection between the source of research funding and the results ... However , the important issue here is that empirical evidence should be the basis for arguments . His audacity reminded me of the Krugman interview I put up yesterday . Krugman believes that , the role of public intellectuals is is not so much coming up with new ideas , but " to serve as a watchdog to get rid of bad ideas and prevent their coming back " . Which is to say , ( Indonesian ) public intellectuals need to do what Yudo did more often to wit , to call ignorance by name . Read more ... 
The armchair journalist . miscellaneous Paul Krugman , economist par excellence , on his current profession as a journalist in this F & D article written by Arvind Subramanian ... : [ To Krugman ] , the normal journalistic ethic of balance and moderation , which he disparagingly dubs " he - said - she - said journalism , " was less a virtue than an intellectual shortcoming an unwillingness or inability to process information independently and come to considered conclusions . and this on Krugman : Krugman 's abiding belief , like that of Keynes , is that ideas matter and matter a lot . The role of public intellectuals is less to come up with good ideas , which is fiendishly hard , but more to serve as a watchdog to get rid of bad ideas and prevent their coming back . There are more bad ideas and more purveyors of bad ideas than their benign counterparts . And the asymmetry is further compounded because , in Yeats 's words , " The best lack all conviction , while the worst are full of passionate intensity . " Which explains why , for all their rights and wrongs , Krugman 's articles are always interesting . Read more ... 
Will agricultural liberalization increase poverty ? economics policy Trade Minister Mari Pangestu , in today 's Jakarta Post article : For certain products that affect a large part of a country 's population , liberalization would only bring more poverty ( emphasis added ) . One should have the ability to protect these people and this is why we are fighting to have control over special products . Is this true ? Theoretically , falling prices due to agricultural liberalization create countervailing forces to a typical farmer 's welfare . On the income side , falling prices reduce a farmer 's income . However , assuming the farmer consumes the commodities whose prices are falling , this also reduces the farmer 's overall expenditure . The question is : Which force dominates from the income side , or from the expenditure side ? The evidence seems to point to the latter . This is true because poor farmers ( and poor households generally ) spend a significant share of their income on food . This implies that falling agricultural commodities ' prices actually increase instead of reduce poor farmers ' welfare ( hence reducing their poverty ) . In the case of rice , here is a quote from last month 's CGI brief : [ The rice price increases of around 30 % between March 2005 and 2006 ] are extremely difficult for the poor since rice accounts for 24 percent of their total consumption . Based on simulations , the rice price increase in excess of the overall inflation rate ( about 14 percent ) may have moved over 5 million people temporarily below the poverty line ( emphasis added ) . ( CGI Brief , p . 58 ) So , at least in the case of rice in Indonesia , it 's not true that liberalization will bring more poverty . This is not necessarily generalizable to other commodities , but I suspect the same for Indonesia 's other " special product " commodities ( I have sugar in mind ) . For a short article the political economy of the rice import policy in Indonesia , see this Jakarta Post article . Read more ... 
Tentang buruknya ( indeks ) daya saing . miscellaneous policy Hari ini Kompas melaporkan bahwa daya saing Indonesia berada nomor dua terburuk dari 61 negara dalam Indeks Daya Saing Dunia yang diterbitkan oleh Institute for Management Development . Nomor dua terburuk ! Maka , amat urgen bagi pengamat ekonomi dan pembuat kebijakan untuk memberikan respon dengan berkata : So what gitu loh ! Seperti saya tulis sebelumnya , angka itu begitu menggoda . Angka memberikan ilusi bahwa dunia yang kompleks dapat dijelaskan dengan indikator sederhana . Ekonom meningkatkan intensitas ilusi ini dengan memasukkan angka ke dalam " model " atau " simulasi " ekonomi . Praktisi bisnis dalam lembaga - lembaga yang , konon , bergengsi tidak mau kalah . Mereka mengganti kata " model " dengan " indeks " , lalu menerbitkan sederetan angka yang seolah menggambarkan nama dari indeks tersebut . Maka muncullah istilah " indeks daya saing " dan para pembaca indeks ini menerjemahkannya sesuai dengan prasangka dan interpretasinya masing - masing atas istilah " daya saing " . Alhasil , Menteri Riset dan Teknologi menerjemahkannya sebagai kebutuhan akan " kebijakan ekonomi yang mendorong investasi dalam penelitian dan pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi baru , serta pengembangan sumber daya manusia " . Bukan ide yang buruk memang , namun jika pun diterapkan , belum tentu ini akan meningkatkan posisi Indonesia dalam Indeks Daya Saing Dunia terbitan IMD . Apa masalahnya ? Masalahnya adalah indeks , seperti indeks IMD ini , dibangun atas sederetan asumsi yang , pertama , belum tentu benar dan kedua , belum tentu benar - benar menggambarkan nama indeks tersebut . Untuk indeks IMD , misalnya . Kesalahan paling mendasar ada pada asumsi indeks itu sendiri : Bahwa ada yang disebut sebagai " daya saing negara " . Salah kaprah ini pernah saya bahas di sini dan sini . Maka , jika indeks IMD itu menggambarkan sesuatu yang , secara konseptual , samar , apa yang sebenarnya digambarkan oleh indeks itu ? Mengutip John Kay : Surveys of " competitiveness " do not measure competitive success , but how friendly the local environment is towards business - which is not necessarily the same as how successful that business is in world markets . Yang menunjukkan masalah kedua yang saya sebut di atas : Bahwa nama indeks belum tentu mencerminkan isinya . Saya tidak bermaksud untuk mengatakan bahwa tidak ada yang perlu diperbaiki dalam rezim kebijakan Indonesia . Sebaliknya , yang saya ingin katakan adalah perbaikan ini perlu dilakukan terlepas dari apa kata indeks ini . Jika pun tahun depan indeks ini menyatakan bahwa Indonesia naik ke urutan 50 , misalnya , tidak berarti kebutuhan reformasi kebijakan menjadi berkurang . Soal indeks daya saing ini menjadi ilustrasi pentingnya berpegang pada adagium : Don't trust what you can't understand . Sikap skeptis mendorong respon yang lebih tepat terhadap berita seperti ini . Alih - alih khawatir atau reaktif , mungkin kita hanya perlu bertanya : Indeks buruk ? So what ( gitu loh ) ? Read more ... 
KESAN RAMA - RAMA . Pernahkah anda terbaca tentang Butterfly Effect ( Kesan Rama - Rama ) ? Saya fikir , idea mengenainya boleh di ungkap seperti berikut : Satu kibasan kecil sayap rama - rama di hutan Amazon di Brazil , mampu mencetuskan tornado di Texas , Amerika Syarikat . Sering kita mengkelaskan sesuatu perkara itu sebagai kecil atau besar , justeru yg kecil itu dianggap tidak penting maka dipinggirkan . ' Butterfly effect ' menjelaskan , ada waktu 2 nya perkara kecil itu menjadi punca malapetaka besar di tempat dan waktu yg lain . Untuk mencipta kejayaan besar , kita perlu bermula dgn kejayaan kecil ; Dan untuk menghapuskan masalah besar , kita perlu menghapuskan masalah kecil dahulu . Tapi rasa saya , tak ramai yg mahu menerima prinsip begini , baik di peringkat rakyat hinggalah ke peringkat penggubal dasar dan undang 2 sesebuah negara . Mereka ini kalau mahu melakukan sesuatu usaha yg besar , mesti juga bermula dgn langkah yg besar juga . Kalau tidak sanggup , kata mereka , baik jgn buat apa - apa . Cubalah derma RM 2 melalui SMS , akan ada yg bertanya , apa yg boleh dibeli dgn RM 2 ? Golongan ini jugalah saya yakin akan berkata apa masalahnya dgn kenaikan harga petrol 30 sen ( cerita lama ) ? Kalaulah lah setiap kita menjiwai ' butterfly effect ' ini , saya yakin banyak masalah besar baik sosial , ekonomi mahupun politik dpt di selesaikan . Kita bercakap mengenai kemerosotan budi bahasa dalam kalangan masyarakat kita , tapi kita juga yg masih ringan mulut mengeluarkan kata 2 kesat , mengumpat , atau sebaliknya masih berat mulut melafazkan kata 2 sakti sila , tolong , terima kasih dll . Kita bercakap mengenai sampai sarap merata 2 . Tapi kita sendiri yg masih membuang tisu , puntung rokok , kulit kacang menerusi tingkap kereta dgn alasan bernas , ianya biodegradable . Kita bercakap mengenai maksiat berleluasa dan asyik menyalahkan pihak berkuasa kerana tidak melakukan apa 2 . Tapi kita juga yg masih mendekati cabang 2 maksiat yg kita anggap kecil kesannya . Atau membiarkan anak sendiri berpakaian tak tutup aurat , singkat hingga nampak pusat ! Kita bercakap mengenai rasuah peringkat tinggi , tapi kita juga masih curi tulang kat kantin pejabat , masih mengambil cuti sakit atau buat tuntutan tambang yg boleh dipertikai kesahihannya . Huhh banyak lagilah kalau nak cakap . Namun , jangan sesekali memandang rendah kepada usaha anda , sekecil mana pun ia kelihatan . Sebutir duri yg kita buang di jalan itu , mungkin saja boleh membawa kita ke Syurga Allah S . W . T Insya Allah . SUMMARYOne of the most popular phrases in science , the butterfly effect means that , in principle at least , the flap of a butterfly s wings in Brazil can cause a tornado in Texas . Tiny changes to data can have huge consequences . But I try to perceive this theory differently . This Butterfly effect also shows us that to achieve a great success we sometimes can begin by doing rather a small thing . Conversely , to solve big problem , we can work out the smaller ones first . Never under - estimate your own effort however small it may seem to be . Your 2 - dollar donation could just save a life of one person in a poverty - stricken country . 
MASUK KANDANG KAMBING . Baru - baru ini kita dihebohkan dgn satu laporan dalam majalah Reader s Digest berkenaan adab di 35 bandar padat penduduk di dunia . Apa yg mengejutkan ialah laporan tersebut meletakkan Kuala Lumpur ( K . L ) di tempat ke 33 !! Maknanya dalam 35 buah bandar tersebut , K . L antara bandar paling tidak beradab - hanya lebih baik drpd Mumbai , India dan Bucharest , Romania !!! Panas juga telinga dan hati .. saya bukanlah menetap di K . L tapi cubit peha kanan , peha kiri terasa juga . Kebetulan saya sempat membaca laporan tersebut . Bagi saya , ianya tidak saintifik , tidak adil lantas tidak berwibawa . Boleh dibakulsampahkan pendek cerita ( tapi baca dulu laa ... ) . Laporan tu dibuat berdasarkan 3 ujian berikut : # 1 . Memasuki ke sebuah bangunan awam 20 kali sambil mengekori orang lain utk melihat adakah orang itu akan memegang pintu utk kita selepas dia masuk . # 2 . Membeli barangan kecil di 20 buah kedai dan mencatat sama ada juru jual akan berkata terima kasih . # 3 . Menjatuhkan satu fail penuh berisi kertas di 20 lokasi yg sibuk utk melihat sama ada terdapat orang menolong mengutipnya . Tidak berwibawa pertamanya kerana , adakah bilangan sampel 60 ujian itu cukup menggambarkan jutaan populasi dlm bandar yg dikaji ? Adakah lokasinya rawak ? Kalau terpilih , apa kriterianya ? Lihat juga sudut ujian itu sendiri , terutamanya ujian # 1 . Memegang pintu utk org lain bukanlah satu kebiasan utk org kita ( namun elok diamalkan ) . Samalah seperti menarik kerusi utk wanita di meja makan dll . Nilai 2 sebegini adalah budaya di barat , bukan di sebelah sini ! Orang Asia juga jenis pemendam , tidak cenderung melafazkan apa yg dirasa seperti aku sayang kamu , awak cantik , maafkan saya seperti juga terima kasih ( ujian # 2 ) . Namun tidak pula bermakna hati kita keras dan jahat . Mungkin saja lafaz terima kasih diganti dgn bahasa badan seperti senyum atau melambai tangan kan ? Tidak seperti di barat ungkapan ' I love you ' , ' please thank you ' , ' I am sorry ' , ' excuse me ' etc memang lumrah . Perkara di atas memang elok dan amat wajar kita mempelajarinya . Cuma saya tekankan , buat masa ini , ia belum lagi menjadi budaya kita . Justeru , tidak tepat menggunakan nilai khusus satu kelompok masyarakat utk mengukur satu kelompok lain . Latar belakang budaya , cara hidup , agama yg berbeza menyebabkan , satu nilai yg baik dlm sesuatu masyarakat tertentu , tidak semestinya dianggap demikian oleh kumpulan lain . Cuba bayangkan , kita jalankan satu ujian masuk ke rumah untuk melihat sama ada seseorang itu menanggal kasut atau tidak . Dan ujian itu kita jalankan di bandar raya New York sana ( kononya bandar paling beradab di dunia menurut laporan berkenaan ) . Saya optimis , skor mereka akan 0 / 20 !! Cuba lagi dgn ujian pasangan lelaki - perempuan yg berpeluk malah berkucup di tempat awam , sesuatu yg sangat biadab ditempat kita tapi biasa dikalangan mereka . Oopss ! Kita kalah juga kot ? Teringat saya suatu ketika dahulu , negara kita Malaysia diletakkan di bawah Israel dalam ranking negara yg mengamalkan hak asasi manusia . Bagi saya , laporan 2 begini dijalankan begitu rupa utk terus menggambarkan ' superioriti ' orang 2 Barat , atau mungkin saja , saya yg mengada - ngada . SUMMARYBased on a recent report by Reader s Digest stating that Kuala Lumpur is among the least courteous cities in the world , ranked 33 nd out of 35 !! It s just being unfair to judge the good manners or politeness of people in a city by only 3 simple tests involving a very small number of participants . Moreover , the tests were of western customary . Because of our difference in traditions , cultures , religions etc , one value which is considered decent in one certain country may not be the same in another . Kissing in public , for instance , is unacceptable in most asian countries while it is OK in the West . The tests should have been conducted in more scientific manners . 
YANG TULUS YANG MULUS .. Saya bukanlah peminat mana - mana program realiti TV yg begitu popular dewasa ini . Namun publisiti yg cukup meluas - tengok tv , dengar radio , baca akhbar , cerita orang sekeliling .. he .. he .. blogpun - menyebab tidak berdaya saya mengelak daripada mengetahui sedikit sebanyak perkembangannya . Dalam semua huu haa tersebut , saya tertarik memperkatakan satu perkara ; iaitu komen juri terhadap para peserta dalam program berorientasikan nyanyian khususnya . Sesetengah juri seperti seronok menegur secara terbuka , kasar , pedas dan ada kalanya mengaibkan . suara awak tu macam katak betung , baik awak balik rumah dan . Jangan terkejut , saya pernah dengar komen suara awak seperti anjing menyalak !! Apa yg saya tahu , konsep program realiti tv ini bermula di Barat yg diimport ke sini . Mungkin , keterbukaan seumpama itu dianggap biasa di kalangan mereka . Namun , apakah budaya cakap tak berlapik itu pun perlu di import sama ? Saya memang jenis lantang bersuara . Saya akan bercakap apa yg saya rasa . Ketika memberi komen , penonton lupa kepada kebenaran dan peranan yg saya bawa dalam industri ( muzik ) . Demikian hujah yg sangat jujur lagi ikhlas menurut seorang juri yg saya petik daripada sebuah akhbar baru 2 ini . Ahh .. pedulikanlah segala justifikasi mereka . Siapa tahu , mungkin juri juga dipengaruhi keinginan utk publisiti , atau strategi perniagaan pihak penganjur sendiri ! ? Jangan salah faham pandangan saya ini . Saya tidak sama sekali bersikap anti kpd program realiti tv . Cuma , saya melihat semacam ada satu sindrom di kalangan masyarakat kita mutaakhir ini utk menegur secara terbuka atas nama kejujuran mahupun kebenaran sehingga membelakangkan budaya sopan santun malah ada kalanya ke tahap kurang ajar . Dan secara kebetulan , contoh paling semasa adalah program 2 tv sedemikian . Kalau ingin pergi jauh , cuba buka jendela politik tanah air , segala hamburan kata nista ada di situ .. Pernahkah anda menegur kawan anda Wah ! Banyaknya jerawat kat muka awak seperti kawah di bulan ! . Atau anda sendiri yg pernah di laser demikian ? Bagai mana rasanya ? Untuk menyelamat diri , si penegur lantas memberi alasan paling kukuh , saya gurau je tu , takkan nak kecik hati .. . Jika pun bergurau malah andai benar sekalipun adakah komen kita itu diperlukan ? Kena caranya ? Kena masanya ? Kena tempatnya ? Fikirkan kesan yg mungkin berlaku akibat komen jujur kita itu . Ada baiknya juga kita renung kata - kata jenayah yg paling kejam , bermula daripada niat yg paling suci . Kerana pulut , santan binasa , Kerana mulut , badan binasa . P / S 30 Jun 06 : Dr. Rais Yatim menerusi Kementeriannya , akan mengeluarkan garis panduan utk juri 2 program realiti tv . THE SUMMARYIt s some kind of syndrome in our society these days that people tend to be very blunt , direct in their speaking and giving comment on others . To the extent that we become very impolite and rude - All in the names of truth and honesty . This is not a custom to us here , especially in Malaysia . Even if a certain comment is true enough , is it needed ? Is it timely ? Is is done in a proper way ? Think about the effects it may result by giving our comment in such a manner . Sometimes , the cruellest crime may have started from the noblest intention . 
Blasts and clean chits ! My boss commented yesterday that now even India has a 7 / 11 . Somehow the little indication of smile on his face made me feel very bad . First thing is that I didn't like his tone which was something like " See , now even you have this problem of terrorism . So you better align with US . " I wanted to say " No ! thank you " but I only said " we already had many of them " and I wanted to add " the fact that you were not awake before 9 / 11 doesn't mean world was also sleeping " though I didn't . And I felt both good and sad about the whole thing . Good thing is that my country is not like US which goes on a frenzy of " war on terrorism " using terms like " crushing the enemy " and not be sincere about even that . The bad thing is that we are much too tolerant and our politicians spineless . No , we don't have to go and attack other countries but what stops us from beefing up internal security . Somehow in the war of selfish interests , we have lost the notion of good for the country . While on the one hand nation is crying under pain and looking for the suspects , politicians are issuing statements keeping the forthcoming elections in view and not a single politician has the guts to stand up and ask him to shut up . SIMI is not the representative of Muslims of India . But playing it that way is easiest for the politicians . So they will make everybody believe that way . SIMI may not be guilty but when it is under scanner , what purpose does it serve to issue a statement in its favor ? A " secular " govt is in power , so there should not be a fear of oppression also . Why then ? 
Of democratic means and debates ! People are angry . Few thousand students in some major cities , most of them from forward castes , have hijacked the reservation issue and have denied space for a " all sided debate on this complex issue " . I appreciate these people . They atleast contend that the issue is complex and that it needs a debate unlike our government which is " bound by the constitution " and gaged by the pro - reservationists . But I am not sure what debate these people are mourning about . Probably the one that happens in the TV Studios in late night shows or the one that is fought by experts through editorials in papers or may be on the blogs and its comments . But the debate is anyway on in all these places . I think they are talking about the debate that happens in parliament but a debate would need two sides . Right ? How many politicians can you see on this side of the fence ? And the debate that should have happened in the ministries of HRD and Education and Social Justice by involving the sociologists , educationists , administrators of the affected institutes ? Yes that is one debate that is missing that could have happened . But it was supposed to have happened much before Arjun Singh decided to open his mouth and PM decided to keep his shut !! A policy decision that affects such large and prime parts of education sector done on the basis of a report written 26 years ago which used data from 75 years ago . I am sure a debate is missing . And let me say that if a debate will happen , it will happen because these few thousand students are on roads today . If policy will change and become even a little bit more rational , it will be because these students , may be enthused by their own selfish interests , are on the roads today . But I am sure history will talk about them as misguided , selfish , detached from the reality youth . After all , freedom of the country was won by congress and Mahatma Gandhi and not by Bhagat Singh . Let me end by registering a strong protest to the tag " anti - reservationists " . Y 4 E is not anti - reservation . We fight for more rational , directed and monitored reservation / affirmative action policies . You can call us reservation - reformists . 
The wooden horse of reservation ! One thing common to almost all the front line pro - quota arguments is an image of one affluent , well educated , greedy boy and another of the most underprivileged , oppressed guy you can imagine and as you can very well guess , the first one carries the label upper cast and the other one OBC / SC / ST. Please note the second label , it is not SC / St or OBC . It is SC / ST / OBC . This is an ad that has sold its product like no other . It sells you reservation . In oppressed , it manages to create anger , in well to do upper cast , it manges to create a sense of guilt and they all buy the idea of reservation that would help the underprivileged kid get his due share from the bad guy . And the the get busy , get along with life , bothering little to ask what happened to the poor kid . I don't need to tell you what happened , you already know if you care to think beyond your false sense of having done something . It is the same story that is repeated any number of times everyday on every red light crossing of India , a poor little kid asking for money . We sitting in the AC cars , riding on expensive bikes give them money and we feel relieved . We think that finally we have done something and saved our soul . Only that none of that happens . What happens is that whatever you give him is snatched away by the adult goon who is standing just outside your sight . He gets nothing . What is even worse is that the child is compelled to live like that for he makes money for the goon . Not only him , many after him suffer the same fate and those who want to buy peace of heart by spending money contribute to that . I never ( lately I have become a little soft on my stand but still ) give any money to these children . Not because I am heartless but because I don't want to buy that false sense of having done something . Someday when I will be able to , I will do much more for some of them , something that would actually change their life and not compel them to be a poster boy . Same is my logic with reservations . The creamy layer that exist on the top of both OBCs and SC / STs lets very few advantages to trickle down to actual needy sections . In the beginning the benefits went to a larger section of the society that helped them move to the forward rungs but now the process is near saturation . And the creamy layer judgment given by the supreme court is still not implemented by a large majority of states citing reasons like the absence of creamy layer in their state , it being very difficult to skim out creamy layer etc etc. Tamilnadu that is cited as the prime example of the success of reservations , is the prime example of what can happen by implementing such blanket reservations without proper monitoring and proper accountability . I would hope that the well educated friends of mine , even those who think that reservations should be there , should not just fall for the ad that is presented to them . When you decide to buy reservation make sure and demand solid proof of that it indeed helps those for whom it is intended . Please don't become like our dear FM whom " life tells " that reservations are working . I am sorry to tell him that life is exaggerating to say the least . Please stand up for a more well formed and nuanced reservation policy something that is actively monitored , is time bound and that helps those who need help . 
The Hindu - End of a love affair ! I am a sad man today . Coming to Bangalore , one of the best things that I got introduced to was , The Hindu , newspaper . Apart from having a lot of quality content , what I liked most about it was its social and cultural commitment . It is a paper which feels so connected to things around it . After TOI , it felt good not to find front page covered with all the sensational news which 8 out of 10 times would be related to sex or women or something like that but with things more important . And good and informative articles on the editorial pages always forced me to think . I didn't always agreed with them but I found myself thinking about them and questioning my assumptions and believes . It was a healthy process . Yesterday night I came to know about what all happened in Bombay with the medical students . The belligerent Arjun Singh was all over the news chanels . But even after watching all that , I wanted to read it all in the next day 's newspaper . There is a kind of satisfaction associated with print media that news chanels can never provide . So I waited for the Monday morning Hindu . And look at today 's Hindu ( or try their website ) . The front page carries the news article about Arjun Singh 's statement . That 's it . No protests , no strike nothing . On page 12 , you will find news about student 's hunger strike but no clear mention of the strike called by IMA . I checked last 2 days ' papers , the lathi charge in Bombay gets a mention in an article on page 12 , no front page . On the page 3 , the Bangalore Protest is covered but with no context to other protest reports . I felt shocked and betrayed . This is the paper I trusted . To which I asked everybody to convert to . I do not expect them to always say things or express opinions that I agree to . But I assumed an honest attitude that is not afraid of belonging to some ideology but which is rational and balanced . They call themselves India 's National newspaper . I think they need to wake up to the sensibilities of a lot more people before claiming that . It is often that I have found useless articles on TOI front page while important news items completely missing . But then I know that TOI really believes that all the crap they publish is really the way to go . Hindu on the other hand carries a much more mature and respectful image . Such ommision coming from them can be nothing but intentional , motivated by political leanings . It wouldn't have felt bad if they had reported it and written in the editorial that this is nonsense . That way they would have left the choice of decision on me . But instead they chose to make that decision for me and block the news . I am really heartbroken and sad today . I really am ! It is my apeal to everybody who reads Hindu , to please send a letter to the editor or atleast a note of dissent to let them know how you felt . 
The whole system is falling apart . Blogspot off India Pak War Terrorism Lives Hopes Dreams Desires School Hard Drives Failure Death Destruction Salvation Worry Fear Abhas Alpha ONE series 60 Corruption Hands Friends Ray of Light Smoke Poems Life Scam Movies Aftermath Records Copies Homework Refusal Girls Rejection Misconception Thanks Gratitude Words Amoeba Shift new school people politics Blues Time Loss God Prayer Rap Punk poking fun at me Crush Like Love Talk [ HELP ] Message Sania Mirza Creations Art work Hard SMa Rk Photoshop Flash all lost deceit Default Ability Smile Stars in the eyes Holding hands Direction the wrong way the right way Shadenfraude Darkness Greed Want Need Live News Rakshanda Khan Audience Applause Greetings Boos Chewed up Does it end ? Does it begin ? Wait struggle Jack dude cool Touch Spins Vertigo Claustrophobia Check Pass preparation Zero Exam Test Hand strengths Weaknesses possessiveness obsessive forgetfulness cheat default . 
The attack . A certain disease has taken to reproducing itself in thin air , with a motive to infect multiple Operating Systems . And as fortune would have it , the systems most affected lie in my vicinity . It was first a Symbian based , series 60 communication device , and now , all my art , all my creations and all of my work seems to be locked in a Hard Disk Drive , hanging out in a zombie state . And about those systems crashing and reporting all sorts of colored screens of death , the magic 8 - ball points to a lesser chance of recovery . Now , I m looking for a way to interpret this in a positive manner . Sure , it must ve just happened because someone out there realized that I needed to focus on the 11 th grade life . Maybe the Amoeba just needed some time off from those bright pixels , but since he refused to move his eyes away from the screen , the screen moved itself . Well , I understand where this is going , but I hope there s a way to prevent all my data from being lost . I hope there s a secret hiding place for all those PSD files , deep underground to escape any damage caused by nuclear fallout . You see folks ? This is a learning experience . I learned it the hard way , but you can choose to learn from my mistake . I should have had backup . The phone should have been backed on the computer , the computer should have been backed on a separate hard drive and the separate hard drive should have gone into backing in a similar pattern , being part of this strange loop . Zieg Heil to HDD failure and bugs , for they took me back to the basics , back to the pencil and back to the paper . 
Those pale rust walls . Deep inside , I was afraid this might happen . The whole school year , this piece of information bounced on the walls of my subliminal mind , but I refused to accept that it might ever happen . Conversely , it happened . Moving away from those red brick walls so suddenly was meant to minimize the pain of leaving the school in the first place , but the fact that I ' ve acquired a Transfer Certificate still hasn't really found its way in my head . I can't really figure out what happened , and it all seems to be happening so fast . Within a span of a little over 48 hours , I noticed I ' d never be amidst those red bricks again and tomorrow , I ' ll have to place myself in a bus , taking me to the " pale rust " walls of a new world . And as it is with every new turn , the body hesitates to accept the change it faces . That is exactly what makes me tell my Mom and Dad that " I don't wanna go ! " but eventually , " I ' ll hafta go " . Well then , that 's that . Goodbye ' ol red brick walls , it was surreal spending time amidst you . I hope you regret not having me around . 
Because it takes a man to be a Dad . Here 's to the man . The man I live with and the man who loves to live with me . To the man who smiles through every adversity , but loses heart with the falling prices of the newest gadget he 's bought . Here 's to the man who promises to spend time with me , but work follows him around . To the man who taught me how to live life , while tackling his own . Here 's to the man , who raises a toast to my victory , while supporting me through every fall . Here 's to the man who I call dad . Happy Father 's Day ! 
Just buying tears ... Rahul Mahajan . I ' ve been hearing that name quite a lot of times for the past couple of months . The man seems to be going through some rough times . Who knew that he ' d be crying out into a film noir jail , instead of shedding tears for his father 's end ? In fact , I actually believe that I ' d be shaking my head if you asked me if his father 's death affected him at all . Look at the guy . You ' d think one would break the addiction after something like that happens . And now , the best chance he has is to try and spend time in rehab . The red eyes he looked through and the green he spent , all for making his head cold like the hawaiian temperature , and spin around in rave amidst X , has gotten him well from point A to point B to point minus C . What else is strange is that AIIMS also agreed to conceal his information , but you know what happens to lies later -- it got busted . What annoys me most , is the fact that the truth can be bought . In a society like ours , where one of us decides to rape a girl or kidnap a little kid behind dark glasses , there 's a ticket on tinted car windows . Unfortunately enough , there 's a way to bribe our way out . Sure , there 's hundreds out there , going high on crack as you 're reading this . Then why is it that there is even a chance that their doctor tells the police that there are no drugs involved ? A cop is there to fine you when you don't wear a seat belt to make sure you wear the belt next time on , and not just to do so when there 's a chance you may get caught . And then there 's the cop , who loves to be called a policeman , for letting people go off for a few hundred bucks , and for pulling over people and asking for a ten when they ' ve done nothing at all . Usually , for posts like this , you ' d see me crying about the future collapse . This time , I say , we are the ones who can change the way the story goes . I ' d like to conclude this by adding a little rhyme I wrote sometime ago . That was today by abhas 1 From the white of angel wings , to the black of scorpion stings , I ' d be walkin ' god , amidst a crowd of fraud , where " cease peace " is the Gen X scream , and top - notch evils are the society 's cream , a starless night is longed to be a dream , before getting into the media mainstream , in a world like this , there 's only words like " shit " , your only chance to seize the moment , before you get hit , dog eat dog , limelight hogged by a hog , a challenge to clear the corruption smog , salvation for poor ? only predicted by the wrong , there 's a fire to be fanned , criminal cops to be banned , there 's a mission at hand , choices , challenges and , hypocrites on our land , so be sure of what you do , so you don't end up like those corrupted few ... 
Finally , a cause for celebration . Going to sleep at three in the morning and waking up at six has a feeling . Then again , going to sleep at three in the morning after taking a few shots of insomnia ( mixed with excitedness and anxiety , mind you ) straight to your head , and waking up a few moments before the clock hits six a.m. only to find out that you ' ve scored 88 % in Science and 93 % in English has a completely different feeling altogether . But ten hours after something like that happens , the feeling starts to drift away . Let my confetti not go to waste , and spread it in the air before this day becomes yesterday -- Board results are out . After much pain and a wincingly strange onslaught of depressing thoughts that used to hit my mind , this is a much needed cause for celebration to pull me out of the sea of sorrow that I was drowning in , not to forget this is one celebration post in a long time . Not much of a celebration to you , but hey , this goes in my record for the first time . See the confetti in the air ? 
Breast cancer prevention : a brief introduction . frds , so sorry to keep u waiting for this article , which i promised to publish long back ... but was really busy with the work .. still this is a brief article , just an introduction ... according to a strong evidence base , ca breast can be prevented in post menopausal women by giving them tamoxifen or raloxifen which are selective estrogen receptor modulators . For very high risk women , like those with family history and proven mutations , prophylactic mastectomy is an attractve option . oophorectomy to decrese hormonal exposure to the high risk breast tissue in a high risk female has also be said to be preventive for developmant of ca breast . 
Marjolin 's ulcer . marjoli 's ulcer ----- A rare varient of squamous cell carcinoma arising in a burns scar This lady , 50 - yr - old , had severe burns with a dense burns scar .. she lived with the scar for around 25 yrs before developing this malignancy .. 
declaration . hi readers , this site is intended for the use of students and practitioners of general surgery . this is not meant for the use of general public . As the medical science is never complete and perfect , there are bound to be some deficiencies in the matter presented . plz feel free to mail me at abhaykhadke @ yahoo . com if u have any suggestions for improvements . thanksdr abhay . 
Carcinoma penis in brief . premalignant cutaneous lesionscutaneous horn 2 . pseudoepitheliomatous mycaceous and kearatitic balanitisbalanitis xerotica obliteransleukoplakiavirus related 1 . condyloma acuminatum 2 . bowenoid papulosis 3 . kaposi s sarcomabuschke Lowenstein tumor - verrucous carcinoma , giant condyloma acuminatum SCCCa in situ erythroplasia of queyrat , Bowens disease Invasive ca ETIOLOGYCircumcision - smegma Hygiene Trauma VDViral infection NATURAL HISTORYPapillary and exophytic Flat and ulcerative nodal metastasis + and poor survival Bucks fascia Lymphatic drainage Prepuce shaft superficial inguinal nodes Glans corporeal bodies base oof penis superficial nodes Superficial nodes to deep nodes pelvic nodes Distant metastses Relentless progressive course No spontaneous remission Modes of presentation Signs Penile lesion Phimosis Inguinal node complications SYMPTOMSPain not usual Systemic malaise Blood loss DIAGNOSISDelay EXAMINATIONPENILE LESION size location , fixation , corporeal bodies Base of penis , scrotum Rectal and bimanual Inguinal area Biopsy Histology SCC keratinisation , epithelial pearls , mitoses Grading Strongest prognostic indicator of survival presence or absence of nodal metastases Lab studies Se ca ++ Radiology IVP , lymphangiography , CT , MRI , USG penis , MRI penis Classification for tumors of penis Jackson s IA glans prepuce both IIB shaft IIIC inguinal mets operable IVD adjacent structure inoperable inguinal mets , distant mets TNM classification PRIMARY TUMORTXTOTis Ta noninvasive verrucous T 1 subepithelial connective tissue T 2 corpus cavernosum or spongiosum T 3 urethra or prostate T 4 other adjacent structures REGIONAL LYMPH NODES ( N ) NXN 0 N 1 Single superficial ing node N 2 multiple or bilateral superficial ing nodes N 3 deep inguinal or pelvic , unilateral or bilateral DISTANT METASTASES ( M ) MXM 0 M 1 Distant Treatment Gold standard partial or total penectomy Aggressive therapy whenever possible low incidence of distant mets , morbidity from untreated disease , and success with Conventional surgical treatment Glans and distal shaft partial amputation wih 2 cm margin If less than 2 cm margin or inadequate phallic stump total penectomy Mohs micrographic surgery removing skin cancer by excising tissue in thin layers Radiation therapy Primary careful selection , high dose required , complications Young , small lesion 2 to 3 cm Refusing surgery Inoperable tumor , distant mets but desire to retain penis Inguinal nodes Lymphadenectomy should be performed in presence of clinically palpable nodes after appropriate treatment of the primary lesion and subsidence of inflammation Lymphadenectomy should be performed if primary lesion invades through the Basement membrane of penile skin even if nodes are negative Bilateral drainage is the rule Bilateral lymphadenectomy is recommended in patients presenting with unilateral adenopathy Increase in probability of pelvic nodal involvement when 2 or more positive inguinal nodes are there Tis Ta T 1 N 0 M 0 jackson 1,2 Low grade -- treat primary + follow up High grade immediate prophylactic inguinal lymphadenectomy T 2 T 3 N 0 M 0 J 1,2 Penectomy + bilat LNDT 1 - 3 N 1 - 3 M 0 J 3 Penectomy + bialateral LNDM 1 , T 4 , inoperable N , J 4 Palliative chemo , radio Aggressive chemosurgery Radiation Not effective , lot of complications , may be used for palliation . 
Black Jeans & Miss Lucy . 	 I must be having the worst dressing sense among the people I have seen in my life . Unless a shirt 2 shirts , continuously for a month or so . ( There are controls was so true . says " , , , . " I agree . Do you ? 
Battle of priorities ... 	 When I am struggling for something , or am put in a struggle by circumstances , I long for the happy peaceful relaxed life . Work , career or job should be there in life only to support a good life . We should not ... or , let 's say I should not ( because these are my musings . I am not trying to convince you . This battle is very personal to everyone and I respect your views , whatever they be ) .. So I was saying , I should not burn the precious moments of my life only for earning few more bucks , or for getting a promotion in my job . Do I really need them ? More money will not improve my lifestyle .. I ' ll still live as I live now . Just the numbers will grow on my bank balance . With a promotion , I ' ll be able to " rule " few subordinates .. Is that something I ' ll enjoy ? No.. So , a struggle for what ? Something I don't long for .. ? Just because everyone is running in a race , should I jump in the fray . !! What should be the priorities ? Do I want to work because it is needed for my life , or should I be alive only to keep working everyday ? But when I get settled in a smooth life , then this smooth life starts looking like a routine .. I know the roads , where to find grocery shop , fuel - station , garage , doctor , bus / train stations , restaurants , theatres . I know what am I going to do at my work , and I know how to do it . Soon I gain confidence that I can keep my brain in a shelf at my home and go to office ( typical Marathi to English translation ! ) , and still can manage to do my that " work " without anybody even noticing it . And then I start feeling guilty . I don't know why ? Now I am 29 opportunistic , to have " managed " my entry into it . But had never foreseen this current phase in my life , when this kind of guilt will come to haunt me , and put a pressure on me to " perform " and " excel " to keep her flag high , and to keep on proving continuously throughout my life , that I was worthy enough to be there . While being in this dilemma for a long period , what baba Thakur commented in the mean time , gave another view . When we were hungry for success , we used to wonder about the " cool " ness of those who weren't . They were very complacent with their then present lives . But total absence of hunger for success would make the life so stale , however happy or complacent it might be . And for everyone of us the breakeven - point on the graph can be different , where hunger dips down and complacency shoots up . On the other extreme , keeping unrealistically high aims could be the show - stopper . It may bring dividends , but if those aims remain dreams forever then that will fill - up unhappiness everywhere in the life . ( Of course , a person with gigantic hunger for success will not pay heed to this caution . ! ) To keep a balance between those two forces pulling in opposite directions , the goals should be objective , for short - duration , and such that the process to achieve them is also enjoyable . And then those challenges will taste like savory tried before and after sweets from the same dish . Achieving success after fighting for something gives enthusiasm , and that fun should be experienced over and over again . By default I should be happy , enjoying life , smiling , radiating enthusiasm . And then on top of it , should be vigilant to grab better opportunities to climb a step higher . Of course , timing of the opportunity is not sufficient ; I should be well equipped to exploit it to the best . And the process of keeping myself equipped ( reading technical books ) should also be kept to a limit till it is enjoyable . Turning back to the guilt of not proving worth of the Alma - meter ; well , after all life is not only about learning that would be much more useful . Ya .. ya .. ! I know .. that was too bookish .. ! But sometimes we need to look at things in a simplistic way to pacify some battles . ; - ) . 
Being Around . 	 The other day , we were watching Munnabhai for some n ' th time on DVD , - ) Long back , in an interview , Javed Akhtar had said , " I would like to live as much as possible .. Life is such a nice thing to have .. It is so nice to be around ... If I grow old , and slowly my body stops functioning , then also I would carve for life .. and till I am able to move even tip of my finger , I ' ll keep enjoying being alive " . Via Munnabhai , my thoughts brought these lines of Javed ( saab ) out of my deep memory , and so gave me a topic for blog . .. , that 's all folks ! 
Voyage through the strange sea of thought ... alone . I remember one incident back in GIM . I was very tired .. a little drunk ( I am always a little drunk , not wasted ) .. when I attended one group meeting at 1 in the morning , at Badal 's room . It was a completely alien group , different from the usual combo , I configured myself into .. We were to present on Marketing strategy for one of the B schools .. I wanted to sleep ... and Marketing strategy was being catered to by a visiting fac ... and as tradition is , no one was taking it seriously but even so , someone had to present and so there we were ... wasting time formally .. And we were going around in circles , there was no concrete strategy coming up ... and then out of the blue .. something came to me ... I decided on adopting a modular programs for the B school ... course packages , something akin to the workshops at corporate level ... only Branded , run in sync with the regular programs which would be phased out sequentially ... I drew one diagram on it in powerpoint ... It suddenly made sense ... I told the group my point , showed them my slide , evoked empty stares ... and as things usually go , was told to present my own slide since I was the only one who could explain it .. We were given our slides to work on ... and departed to our rooms to complete our part ... saved it on a central network folder and at 3 AM , I finally went to sleep ... Next day during presentation , I clicked on my portion of the ppt , and , when the whole table came on the slide show , there was a certian wave through the class ... some one yelled , " Which DSS did you use to make it " ... I replied " Powerpoint " .. After the other presentations , we learnt that we scored the highest ... I shook hands in the alien group .. and was happy that afternoon ... because my view was ratified ... To this day , i dont know how that particular idea came to me ... it was like suddenly waking up to a dream ... Can Intelligence strike you when you least expect it ? Or is it a function of the variations on your brain surface ? 
Calling out into the night . I am blogging away into the night , not knowing if any one could read this ... Its like being in the forest .. calling out for some one or something ... It is like being alone , haunting a mansion , while the lightening , sparks the cloudy night outside ... the blaze of gigawatts hit the earth and flash away into the wet earth ... and the forest shines momentarily ... its wet leaves shine into the sudden sun ... I pause my stumbling in the forest to listen to the leaves , whisper back ... I pause my haunting in the mansion to listen to the distant thunder disappearing into the earth ... And then sing out into the night ... my vocal chords stretched into ecstacy ... my beat under the stars ... heavens tune into me ... and then I am calm and serene again ... Then it dawns on me , that night doesnt need me ... the forest doesnt hold me back ... it was I all along ... and I smile and welcome the heavenly spark to the earth again and smell the wet earth in all its glory ... and oblivion ... 
My Sonic wall . I was on a morning walk with Vidhan yesterday and we were talking about Mumbai blasts ... and then it struck me that how non linear life really is ... one moment it is there , with its baggage of perceived mundanities and things we think are trivial , and the next moment , a mind is extinguished so on the way back from Vidhan s place , I turned my bike toward Plugin electronic shop in Aundh and over the next half hour , bought a 21 inch C - TV , DVD player and an outlandish 2000 W Home theater system . I was thinking of buying a TV and its peripherals when I was to reach some X Rupees as a safe bank balance , it came to me , that I probably don t have to wait The goods were delivered the same day and I spent the day , happily installing , the systems .. it is a very cozy set up 5 speakers , surround sound .. sound as I never heard before , with so much clarity When the goods were delivered , both of my maid servants came to my living room to investigate the TV there were two people from Plugin as well my living room which is usually quite empty , was crowded and then I thought , that there was a kid there as well I thought it might be one of the maidservants kids , and then to my amazement , I found that it was Rani , the dog ! She was also curious as to what the whole hullabaloo was about and came to investigate , instead of sneaking into my other bed room to deposit her fur on one of the beds I uttered a squeal of exasperated delight and lifted Rani and deposited her outside my door , with a good twisting of her ears ! The systems were up and running , nicely and I loved the 3 D sound the MP 3 that I had listened to on my puny computer , were amazingly clear and powerful ! Now the next logical step was a cable connection . I thought about it , even contacted a ruffian who specializes in installing the cable in my society .. he demanded an exorbitant rate I was to pay his today I spent the night watching some TV and found that I was not spending much of my time doing things which I normally do .. like reading , playing on my computer , walking I watched some News channel and I hated it every minute of it every simpering news anchor , trying to pack off news programs like love guru at prime time ! It was morning , when I decided that the cable was not for me , and I would be healthier and happier without it Ignorance is bliss and there is a good sense of freedom to it . Now , if I want to watch something , then I would simply go and buy / rent a DVD I would not be watching the crap , some dim witted fool in Mumbai wants me to see even so , I would have let the cable be , had it not been for the cable guy I requested him today that could he please extend the wire to go over my curtain hangings so that they not litter the floor and he crapped about how he would loose some feet of wire I told him that he was already charging so much .. he was not listening then he said that he will disconnect the connection the nerve of him ! I asked him if there was any solution ? He suggested that I should watch DVD player istead that outraged me . I was his client .. and he had the nerve to behave this way when I am paying him for this doesn t he know that his market is going to disappear in some years when all would switch to DTH set ups so I told the bastard to disconnect the set up and he said that he would come by later I was angry .. I marched to his house in a slum near by and returned the cable wire to him He tried to threaten me , I laughed at him I am heavier than him Anyway , today I shopped for a lot of DVDs and I love the sonic walls I have erected around me , protecting me from the crap that is put on TV these days .. 
Old Song on the Expressway . The lady beckoned me to her . She smiled and said , " The girl you were talking to ... is she your fiancee ? " " No Ma ' am " ... I was wide eyed , nervous and my face resembled that of a goldfish . " Why dont you date her ? " pat came another volley . " No , she is too old ! " , the lines that I had memorized were lost in this confusion .. She smirked ... and in a measure , derived some pelasure out of it ... the interview realigned itself ... a few more obvious questions , and obvious replies and I got my Visa . I ran out of the consulate ... I was happy ... there was no more anxiety ... things worked out ... my apprehensions did not ... I loved Mumbai ! As I sped back on the Mumbai Pune expressway , through the misty western ghats , in a colleague 's car , I could not help but think about Women .. not in the usual way , but trying to gently think about them , without analyzing them .. I remember watching ' Munich ' , a few months ago .. and there was a particular scene , a brief snippet of a 70 's disco jazz kind of thing ... with a few ladies dancing on the stage by a river , wearing typical 70 s attire ... and allmost instantly there was a ripple of female laughter in the cinema hall . I still dont understand , why it was only the ladies who laughed ... and the laugh was a bit sarcastic ... but with a lot of mirth .. as if its a secret joke that only they could understand .. Then again , there is a strange side to them as well ... I picked out one chair for waiting for my number to be called ... I asked the girl sitting on the next chair , if it was vacant ... she told me it was ... As I waited on one of those chairs in the consulate , waiting for my number to be called ... we had a very very small talk ... I asked her the token number , she asked mine ... then we waited .. as one was not supposed to talk , while waiting inside the consulate ... Then when they announced my number , I was startled ... the girl sitting along side gestured me on ... it was a crazy moment .. for a moment , we shared the same fears , same uncertainity ... I did not even get a chance to ask her name ... but I remember her tonight in a wistful way ... had it been some other place , some other time , would we have ' interacted ' in the way we did ... It was late evening when I was on my way back to Pune ... and Mumbai Pune expressway was beautiful as well as distant ... misty hills sped by ... the car occasionally passed by hamlets , barely being made out by thier little electric bulbs , blinking through their little windows ... hidden in the mist ... perhaps the huts wanted to be obscured ... they cherished their privacy ... And suddenly , a very old Hindi song , played on the radio ... " pukarata chala hoon mein .. " .. My dad loves this song .. I had heard it innumerable times , while at home .. hated it at times ... never understood what it meant ... and as i sped on the expressway , to the future , i planned for ... I listened to the song of the past ... and I felt content , and I liked that song .... Next day , of course , they bombed Bombay . 
Strange weather and Rani . It is a strange magical weather outside .. something like the painting , posted alongside . Sometimes it rains , sometimes the sun shines through the gloom ... grey to golden , golden to grey ... intermittent rains in between ... The dark clouds , are uncertain , right now ... sun , hopefull .. The rains have washed away the shroud of dirt and there is so much light outside ... a yellowish glow and it is 2 in the afternoon right now ... the breeze is fun to swim in ... and my heart is serene and happy now .. I love this painting ... it is filled with so much imagination and romance ... and bravery ... makes you feel so liberated ... The clouds loom at the horizon , the road beckons your courage ... the country side receding into oblivion , being exposed to the horizon 's glory ... but the clouds would eventually recede ... I leave for Mumbai tomorrow .. and I hope it is not submerged yet ... There is this sweet dog in my colony .. her name is Rani .. She is very calm and serene with children , who come to pull her ears and pet her .. but as soon as she spots me , in the complex where I live , she bounds to me , and jumps up to place her mud soaked paws on my chest . This is a regular fixture ... but I sort of avoid this when i am in my office clothes .. and Rani , displaying the typical female cunning , has this habit of sneaking into my apartment for a whirlwind tour of my brother 's bedroom and to shed some of her fur on his bed ... She is very sneaky .. and I love her . But I am enjoying the weather right now ... Might go to the roof of my building to see the pashan lake , sparkling yellow ... ( Painting by joy . garnett ) . 
Compare . A nice lady from India floats around Europe , seeing surreal sights such as these ... While yours truly would visit Mumbai , all equipped with Life vest and inflatable raft on 10 th July for his Visa Interview .... Guess , life changes .. 
Intuitions . Has it ever happened to you that you feel something and it happens ! Well , for me it keeps happening . It is not necessarily a good thing . If one intutes about a bad experience and it happens , you will be scaredof thinking . Alliance Francaise has organised a party today . I bought the tickets last weekend itself . Even my friend was interested in coming , so I bought tickets for both of us . We had planned to go together . However , ever since the time the plan was made , I had this feeling thatthis won't work out . He will refuse at the last moment . I was so sureabout it that I shot a mail to him this morning , asking what time he would meet me . I was right , he had some deadline to meet and he couldn't make it . The frequency of my intuitions hitting bull 's eye is amazing but that doesn't mean that I cherish the quality I have . It is believed that dreams can hold the key to our future . For instance , the belief goes that if you dream that someone in your family is getting married , there willbe a death in your family . I did not believe this when I first heard it . Was I right ? Not quite . My grandfather had been going through a phase of bad health for a long time . Almost a year . Suddenly one night I dreamt that my cousin was getting married . When I wokeup , the first think that I heard was that he passed away . I was shocked . I was stunned , I couldn't say a word . I got over this shock as time passed by . However this wouldn't be the last time that my intuitionwould scare me . Late in 2003 , my aunt fell sick . After a few months my aunt and her family came down to Mumbai for her treatment . I took leave for a couple of days and went to Mumbai . I didn't sense much trouble the first few days . On my last day of leave , I booked bus tickets for Pune . Before leaving I went to meet my aunt in the hospital . I don't know what struck me but I walked out of that hospital room , staright into a phone booth , called up my colleague and told her that I wouldn't be returning to workfor the next 3 days . I did not take that bus . I slept that night , a bit apprehensive . I was woken up earlymorning , around 4 am . There was a call from the hospital . My aunt had passed away . Manyatimes small incidents which happen , like taking a bus or a trip or even losing a match , I perceive them . Most people wouldn't believe me when I tell them , " I knew this would happen . " Can't blame them . Science does not explain intuitions . Science doesn't explain God too . We don't stop believing in Him , do we ? Although scared sometimes , I choose to trust my intuitions . somehow , somewhere inside us , we know what will happen the next moment , don't we ? 
Secrets . There are two issues here : Why do we need to keep secrets from others ? Why can't others , especially your trusted friends keep secrets to themselves ? The former is an open question subject to change from person to person . However the latter is one whose results show amazing consistency . The consistency with which most of my friends have failed me . From the good ones to the best . When a person whom I don't know that well or I don't rely on too much spills the beans , I don't feel so bad . However , when it comes to my close friends , that really hurts . I can often not forgive them for years , call it weakness or a grudge . I do like keeping somethings restricted to a very small circle of people . Initially I was very biased against the weaker sex . Although one of closest and most trusted confidant is a lady , who has never failed me till date , I always generalised that women have a loose tongue . I was WRONG !!! Believe me , we are as bad as the women . When it comes to gossip , men have equal if not more achievements than women . I may still forget the wound of betrayal if people accept their mistakes with a straight face . But there are some who will apologise and still say " I had no idea you wanted me to keep this to myself , but if I have hurt you , I am sorry " This is really iirritating , what in Hindi is called " Ek to chori uske upar seena zori " . And then there are some innocent ones who say " I didn't mean to say it that way , it 's just that he / she understood it that way " . Wow , these people should start teaching telepathy . Did you guys get a degree in reading between the lines ? Fed up of betrayals I keep telling myself , trust no one but you . I wish I could follow what my mind says . 
Heart will find a way ... Oh my mind , where are you going , for what are you going ? What remains unfound yet , that you seek . Hey mind , understand what the heart says . You keep wandering like a deer in a thick forest . When will you find that river which will quench your thirst . Hey mind , understand what the heart says . In the journey of life , comes the stop of love . The heart says this is that river . But mind wouldn't listen . Hey mind , understand what the heart says . There will come a time when my mind you will say , I told you not to listen to the heart . But try and understand , it is better to regret , what one has done than to regret what one hasn't done . Hey mind , understand what the heart says . Oh my mind tell me , what the heart says to you . Don't hide it from yourself , just do it ! 
Gift of the gab for the cab . I have been thinking about doing a MBA for quite sometime now . All brochures for MBAs would normally have the same line about how they would create a world class manager out of you . However this was something I never understood . Is it possible to make a world class manager out of someone who doesn't want to open up to people or someone who doesn't have the gift of the gab . Since long I had always doubted myself , on how effective I would be if I were to manage a team . However all my inhibitions thrashed by one experience . I am a rash driver . Believe me that 's an understatement . I have banged my Alto ( no pun intended ) half a dozen times in past 18 months . Although the Pune roads and public have to take some part of the blame , I can't escape from the fact that I am a hopeless driver . After banging my car the last time in April , I decided that this was enough and I am no longer driving my car on a regular basis . So I started going to office by rickshaw . Manyatimes I would walk down from office . After all I loved walking and 9 kms wasn't much for me . The walk down through the army camp was lovely in the evenings , only till the rains came . The rains threw me offtrack . I had to look for other options . I decided to start a cab service from Wanawadi to Kalyani Nagar . I did find a good number of people interested for this route but just interested . It wasn't as easy as I thought . People committing and then backtracking , everyone has their own issues and ofcourse the timings had to be settled . I had to counsel each person individually to solve their problems . Also sometimes had to make the difficult decision to say " no " to people . The toughest part for me was to create a feeling of trust in people who didn't know me at all . Rather I had to make myself believe that these people will trust me . In short , I had to make full use of my gift of the gab which I felt I never had . I am human , I make mistakes in judgment ! Managing all this for 3 weeks was some task but when we finally started the van I felt I had accomplished something . My first task as a manager was done . Now I will have to see to it that this cab keeps running smoothly and we move on to a better option . A smooth transition . Doesn't this sound so familiar . Well , this experience has helped me get over my complex , so are you thinking of starting a cab ! 
Change will never change . There are so many pieces which are scattered around , here and there . I need to pick them up and fix it . The moment I fix one , the other breaks . If life were a furniture , I would go and buy a new one . But we can't get a new life , can we ! Our past never seems to stop following us . Mistakes of the past keephounding one like hungry wolves . Well , maybe not that bad , maybe I am just exggerating it but life sucks . Sometimes in life one feels that there is no destination . It is aimless . Just imagine sitting in a bus and not knowing whereyou have to get down . The anxiety , the impatience and the fear . Thats exactly how you feel when you don't knowwhere your life is taking you . So do you have a destination ? This is exactly what I asked myself a few months back . I decided to introspect and decided what I wanted to doin life . However once I did decide and got down to doing it , I am confused once again . Do I really want to do thisor is it just a big mistake . Desire stems from dissatisfaction of your present situation . If one were happy and satisfiedwith what he / she had then he / she wouldn't look for more or a change . However Change is constant . Change is that law ofnature which has never changed . So before your life changes without your permission , go ahead and change it yourself . Easier said than done . Try changing your life . Try taking a major step in life . Try doing something you alsways wanted to dobut never did because it wasn't a norm to do it . The hurdles start , your family , society , relatives , neighbours , colleagues . Not one person will leave the chance to question you or ridicule your ideas . The ones who support you will either be your friendsor the ones who see some benefits for themselves in your step . However these hurdles won't pose a big problem if you have faith inyourself . Yes , only if you have faith in yourself , that is not the easy part by far . Faith in God is easy . Then why is it so difficult to have faith in yourself . Whatever the philosophy of life might be , the fact is that my life is still a mess and I am feeling too lazy to arrange it . So let time do it for me . 
just have alook . http : // members . tripod . com / anantmithal / Itihaas / itihaas . html while searching for the lyrics of one of the Nusrat fateh ali khan 's song came across this site . just have a look . though this sit has not been updated since 2000 , the articles are really good ( i read a few of them ) . 
hadsa . yahaan har shaks har pal haadsa hone se dartaa hai .... khilounaa hai jo mitti kaa banaa hone se darataa hai .... I dont know who worte this .... but Mumbai blasts must have created this fear in mind . Though I am Sitting in Chennai still I can feel the fear . 
chaand contd . chaahiye ishq me . n mujhe aap hii kaa jamaal saadaa G har ek badr saa za Khm har ik hilaal saa [ Jigar Moradabadi ] badr - full moonhilaal - crescent moon Today sups asked me the meaning of " Chandracor " ( a marathi word for crescent moon ) . As a curiosity I checked a word for it in Urdu also and I got these beautiful lines . 
chaand . khoya khoya chaand , khula aasmaan Aankhon mein saari raat jaayegi Tumko bhi kaise neend aayegi While sitting in room just saw the moon , jaise ki apne hi khayalo me dubaa hai reminded me this beautiful song . Amazing lyrics and picturized on evergreen DEV ANAND .... perfect combination for a romantic mood . 
Stewie 's Dream Hegemony In the Middle East ! Condy Rice arrived in the Middle East today to accept the surrender of Syria and Iran ... The Suzernate of Syria shall now be administered by Halliburton , while Godfearing Iran shall be carved up between Ayatollahs Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell ... The Israeli Army has swept through South Lebanon today and the Hizbollah have given up their evil ways ... The Hizbollah 's arsenal of weapons shall now be handed over to the Bohemian Grove Society so that they may utilize it for the protection of the richest and most powerful people in the world ... Blast ! What was that ? Wake up Stewie ... The BBC is on and the news ain't that good ... And then there is still the matter of that pending matricide . More later . 
A loooong loooong Break . Ah ... Finally found time to update mah Blog . Well now to get down to da facts bout all da shit dat happened all these dayz . Well firstly t ' was Ragnarok dat was keepin me busy . I ' m finally lvl 200 . Well jus kept bunkin col . an I ' m at home from 10:30 onwards . Life sux an it 's gettin really boorin . Well Mega 's directors suz big time . All o ' em wanted me to attend college an mom 's jus helpin them . So today I told mom dat i was goin to col . But sure enuf i was at Akshan 's place playin futbol an later I went to Apoorv 's place an played FIFA 06 . I told mah parents dat i wasnt gonna attend PAGE if i was forced to go to Patricks . But god knos weder dey r gonna accept . Well now bout PAGE . Well mah life 's rokin an so is Apoorv 's . He comes to da class daily wid Megha an all da guyz r definitely jealous o him . Finally spoke to Shruti . She 's absolutely gorgeous but god kno 's y Apoorv 's jealous o her . All da guyz from FIITJEE r more interested ni da juniors as da galz in dere class r supposed to be really gud . Well i dont think so afterall dey r only small bacchus . WEll as any 1 can infer from dis post my life sux an it 's all coz o MEGA . Many ppl wud say dat comin home at 10:30 is lucky but after comin home all i manage to do is sit infront of da PC till 5 . At 5 i ' ll have to get ready to go to page again . Well only one more year an den fuck mega , I wud ' nt give a shit . Well now i ' ll jus have to hope dat Nagashree dosent call up mom an ask her y i didnt rite da stupid AIEEE test today . Well mom did go yesterday an she came home an asked me to go to col . from today . God knos wats gonna happen when she comes home today . Well c yea dudes an dudettes until tomorrow that is . Tataa . 
Fun on da Run . Well went to Mega in da mornin an as usual it was really borin an we slipped out by 10:30 ... There was a traffic jam near RTC X Roads so t ' was late by da time I reached home . Today is Brazil 's match against Croatia an ' I hope I can c it @ 12:20 in da nite . Stopped playin Ragnarok coz a fukin assol took away all my items an zeny an I have a feelin dat bastard was da Game Manager . Well widout anythin to do I was jus browsin all da groups on Orkut . Need to go to Page again in da evening . Jus finished watchin all da Joga Bonito videos an I ' ve gotta accept da fact dat Eric Cantona was superb . An ' bout da title u might be wonderin ' wat it means ... Well today while comin back form Mega wid Akshan , Apoorv was actin totally like a gay an ' I wouldnt b exaggeratin if I said he was a giggolo . Well he was shakin in da car an makin it bounce up an down . All da ppl hu were stuck wid us were wonderin wat was happenin when they saw da car bouncin an ' diz made me laugh so much that my shins r still achin . Akshan was in a kinda funny mood today coz he was readin the names o ' Footballers wid interchanged letters . Like Lionel Messi was Mionel Lessi , Aabi Xlonso anstuff like dat . Well had lotsa fun today an have to go to Physics class in da evnin . [ PAGE ] . 
Cool week ... Well I had ' nt felt like writing anythin on da Blog fer da past one week . Well one o da reasons is dat Mom 's not givin me da PC an da other bein dat I was busy wid Ragnarok . Well last Thursday we had gone to Akshan 's house to play Futbol an ' there were a couple o ' interestin incidents which had occurred . Apoorv fer one thing was curious abt which one o ' us woud marry first . Shruti is pretty fine as usual an today is Physics class . We ' d invented a new game to play in class after 5 Stones . It 's called B *** h Paper or BP fer short . It involves writing about sumone . Da first person has to write a sentence an da others have to write sum more sentence rhyming wid da above one . Well we sure r havin a lotta fun wid dis . Especially wid lines which insult others . Well I totally fucked up yesterdayz Maths test an ' I ' m not sure how many marks i ' ll b able to manage . Was playin Raganrok da whole week an upgraded da char usin da bot . Page is as usual borin an wid notin much to do dere xcept o ' course stare @ Shruti I might as well stay at home . Now I even gotta go an ' join da Page community on Orkut . Well ppl my life 's pretty much fine fer now if u ignore da 3 - 5 hrs of variable boredom in Mega . Btw da World Cup 's kicked off an ' it 's added a bit o ' spice to mah life too . c yea ... 
Gotta Physics test tomoro ... Went out to da temple in da mornin wid Mom an Tarun . Went to walden from there to buy The Da Vinci code an some stationery . Had a fun filled morning after comin back as I was busy playin Undergrouund 2 . Had a chat wid most o ' dem hu were online . Aakansha tol me that she was goin outta station today so dere was no point callin her . PK was online an utterly shocked when I told her dat sum 1 had morphed BL 's pics . Manasa was online an wished her a belated Happy B ' Day . Got a Physics assignment in Page but didn't have time to finish it . Well think well have da test tomoro . They ' ve changed da OMR Sheets fer da tests . Man an dis reservation shit is takin its toll on me . How do those bastards @ da Dept. O ' HRD think students will b able to compete fer 50 % o ' da seats . Man an in dat 50 % too there in a possibility o the reserved students gettin a seat . So it 's virtually impossible to get into IIT 's now widout burnin da midnite oil . Man how I ' d love to insult dat HRD Minister fer makin my life tougher . An ' some students o ' Indian origin were protestin in Bay Area of California against reservations . No I think that wud have been a wake up call fer da Govt . I ' m sure I ' ll neva vote fer da congress , especially after wat those assols hav done . Oh well anywayz tomoro 's my last day o ' total freedom as I ' ll b havin Mega from Monday . I ' m still thinkin whether to attend col . or come off 2 12:30 . Well Tarun 's gone out coz he wants to play Cricket an ' he 's askin me to join him . I ' m studyin daily from 10 to 2 in da nite after comin back form Page . At 2 I jus turn on da PC an put diff stuff fer downloads . They usually get over by da mornin . Well c yea ppl ... P . S . : Only 7 more dayz fer da World Cup . 
Wow man the streetz on fire . Mom gotta call at rnd 6 in da mornin sayin that there was a fire in one o her overseein offices . So she woke me up to drive her there as dad had some work . Initially we thought t ' was somethin small but we realised da magnituted o ' da fire only after we got dere . Well so here I am , back . With soot all in my eyes an notin to do . Didnt even have my bath yet . Seems Mega got 71 ranks in IIT . I had to study from 10 to 2 in da night yesterday an thats y i did ' nt get up today morning . I am totally gettin bored right now . Well I was jus thinkin abt writin bout all my frenz today ... [ In alphabetical order so no preferences . ] AKSHAN : Well wat can i say bout him ?? A Rapper in da makin or maybe a star basketball player .. Well he 's jus about da coolest dudes in Mega an ' I can't imagine wat I ' d have done if I didnt meet him . Well he pulls u outta even the mos borin situations wid ease . An ' bein an xpert in Maths he 's ever willin to help me in it . Pssst .. Even durin da xams . APOORV : Hm ... How bout ' da greatest futbol freak if I ' ve ever seen one . Besides bein one of my closest frenz in Mega we r also classmates in Page . He 's a champ in Cheistry an ' is an xpert in gettin marks durin tests . How else can u xplain da 96 of his in IPE an ' it 's also coz o ' diz ass that I ' ve got totally hooked on to Futbol an ' he well kinda influences me in da descisions dat I take . NIRMAL : Well I ' ve lost touch wid most o ' da ppl from skool but Nimmy is an xception . He 's one o ' my gud frenz an ' we speak almost daily . He 's also a genius in Maths . HIMANSHU : It wud b real bad if i called him da joker o ' Mega but he 's a really funny person hu makes u laugh wid every dialouge o ' his . PAVAN : It 's been a really long time since I spoke to him an i guess it 's b ' coz of da college timings . Well basically all my skool frenz r in Chaitanya / Narayna an diz makes it impossible fer me to speak to dem most o ' da times . It 's been real long since I ' ve spoken to Rahul , Rushil , Phani an Nishant too . AAKANSHA : One of da few persons wid whom I can talk abt regardin anythin under da sun . She 's also gotta cute 4 Yr . old brother . SAKURA : Although we ' d met only 4 - 5 yrs ago she 's one o ' my closest frenz from skool . Wid a mind sharper dan a butcher 's knife I ' m sure she 's all set to rock da world . SUCHETA : Well how could i ever 4 get Sucheta . She 's da most um ... polite gal ?? nah ... Well she acts as if she 's my sister an commands me to do things an stuff like that but she 's also real nice . PRITHVINI : I think I ' ll omit ritin bout her . Coz ' I dont want da world to kno bout her . Well I kno i ' ve missed out on many o ' my frenz but c ' mon ppl I can't possibly write bout everyone ... I ' ll possibly die o ' exhaustation . Well then i think i ' ll stop bloggin fer now . I had completed around 20 % in NFS Underground 2 . 
Well da Beginnin ' o ' a new month ... Oh man ... Had to get up in da mornin ' again at 5 today to have a go at studies . Mom an ' dad have left . Bunked PAGE yesterday as t ' was Akshan 's B ' Day had a rokin ' gud time . He was in fer one o ' da biggest an best surprises o ' his lifetime . All o ' us went to his houz @ rnd 5:45 when he was ' nt dere ... He came casually at 6 an had da shock o his lifetime . Most o da frenz abt whom he keeps tellin were dere . Well Utsav called me but apart from Apoorv & Himanshu , Bl , Aakriti Krutika were dere too . Ramesh , A gu named Kiran an Aatish had come along wid Akshan . Well we didnt do much xcept smear his face wid cake , which I am pretty sure is stuck up his nostrils . I think BL 's gonna put up those pics sumtime . The traffic was bad as usual an't ' was 8:30 by da time I was home . I was jus ' checkin out diz YOUTUBE thing which allows you to post videos but decided against it as it made da site an advertisement page . Page starts from today an ' I ' ve got only 4 more days to n ' joi b ' fore Mega gets kickin ' . Well fer one thing Aakriti was pretty quite yesterday an ' I dont think I need to mention ' bout da others hu were as usual @ dere very best . Well I ' d better stop bloggin ' now . Apoorv 's gotta a really kool post in which he describes abt his frenz an stuff like dat . I think I ' ll take sum inspiration from him an write one too . 
One o ' those boorin dayz . Well was totally bored from mornin . Been playin Rise o ' Nations agains da system in tough level . Well thats all I actually did form mornin . Saw da ECC Final again yesterday . Hey I forgot to mention that I finally found out da name o ' da gal in Page hu looks cute ... It 's Shruthi . Well then I ' ll take leave now as I ' ve gotta call Varsha an ' ask her abt her rank in Eamcet ... Well here is another pic from da post match celebrations ... 
Barca r da Champions of European Futbol . In wat was one o ' da most xcitin ' finals Barcelona clinched the UEFA Champions League in ultimate style ridin on da back o ' two goals by 9 - Samuel Eto ' o an ' 2 - Beletti . Arsenal 's solo goal was netted by Sol Campbell due to a free kick which was awarded to Arsenal . Ronaldinho 's dribbling caught most o ' da Arsenal defenders unaware an ' his 3 passes to Guily were absolutely superb . Lehmann gotta red card at around 20 mins an ' Robert Pires had to sacrifice his position to let Almunia take his spot as substitue GK . Arsenal hu got a lead at 37 minutes were unable to hold onto the lead as they were playin wid a playershort due to Lehmann 's ejection an da loss o ' Pires . Eto ' o 's shot which hit da post was truly remarkable as he kept Campbell away an shot . The possesion was also in Barca 's favour at 60 % . Well it was truly an amazing match an ' i saw da whole o ' it in da wee hours of da mornin ' today upto 2:30 . I an ' Apoorv spoke durin da match an ' I know he was upset by da abscence o ' Messi . Well gotta go an celebrate Barca 's victory now . Hail da new Champions League Winners . BTW did any 1 watch Thierry Henry 's interview in which he said abt da poor refereeing . Well it must hav been true too but hu cares ?? God knos which club he ' ll join nxt season . 
Kewlest day O ' my life ... Well today is da nite I ' ve been waitin fer not cuz I ' m doin anythin special but cuz today is da ECC FINAL b / w Barca an ' Arsenal at Paris . God kno 's if I can wake up @ 3 to watch . I ' ve been wakin up in da mornin at 4 to study these days . We hav hols . in Mega upto June 5 but the improvements r startin from 24 so I ' ll hav to put in a bit o ' more effort . Well got my own url for the profile on Hi 5 http : // abhinavreddy . hi 5 . com Jus ' gettin bored so was chattin wid Anju since mornin . Looks like she 's got addicted to Hi 5 jus like da rest o ' us . Apoorv goes to any xtent jus ' to boast dat he 's got more profile views than any 1 else . Akshan 's put up a pic when resembles Tom , DICK an ' Harry . Been playin A 3 India . Tarun 's pretty happy dat he 's made 5 million in A 3 . Wid notin to do da whole day , I resigned to chattin wid unknown ppl . Abhishek had asked me to send him an Orkut invite . I had written da 2 - d geometry test @ Page on Sunday might get 112 on 150 . Well I ' d better finish diz post here or i ' ll become insane . Before I end jus one more thing ... HOPE BARCA WINZ . 
Wat an Ultra Kewl day . Thats da way i ' d love to describe today an its only 1 now . Went to Mega in da mornin ... T ' was Nirmal 's B ' day today . While comin back from Mega , Akshan got da idea o ' callin PK an i was fine wid it . Apoorv called up PK an spoke to her fer a while . He gav me da phone when I asked him not to tell her dat I was dere . After comin home I called her up an spoke to her fer an hour an jus put down da phone . She put up a new pic on Hi 5 an i jus gave it a comment . Well all 's well until now . Gotta see wat happens . Was ' nt havin time to update da Blog daily as I was busy wid Ragna . I ' m mostly gonna quit da game coz they ' ve made it paid . I ' m puttin up diz pic o ' Ronaldinho so u can all feast ur eyes on da gr 8 est futbol player now . May BRAZIL win da World Cup . Jai Ronaldinho ... [ Apoorv 's Dialouge ??? Don't think so ... ] C yea .... 
Got IPE Results . Speakin wid Rushil till now .. My amrks weren't GR 8 I managed jus 90 % wid a whoopin 100 in Maths B . Mom was disappointed though . All my frenz got marks which were ' nt that bad . Namrata got a cool 97 % though , god knos how she did it . Played Fifa Street 2 wid Apoorv , Sapnayan an Himanshu b ' fore comin home . Apoorv got 96 % an Sapnayan got 87 . Akshan managed 92 % marks . Well spoke to all my frenz today an everyone is pretty happy abt the results . Everyone from Mega got less marks in English . I might try my hand @ English again though . I was xpectin 92 an ' these marks were bit o ' a shock to me . Well gotta play Ragna now c ' yea .... [ If I ' m still alive ] . 
Jus ' bored . Well I ' m jus playin Ragnarok . I had formatted the PC day before and FIFA 06 was ' nt working so I nd Apoorv went ' nd bought the 3 - CD version . It 's workin out pretty well but I think so o ' da things r ' nt there . Was jus readin Apoorv and Akshan 's Blog . Have to now configure the Joypad to work wid FIFA . Tarun is askin me 2 play Ragnarok now so that I can upgrade his level from 33 . No one is presently online an I ' m gettin bored . Woke up in da mornin ' to write Jaiswal 's Notes as I have ' nt been writing them in class I ' ve still gotta do 3 more pages . Well there r loads of asignments now and I don't feel like doin them . Now looks like the reservations of 50 % r here to stay , which means that my chances of gettin a seat in IIT have been diminished . B ' fore leavin jus ' hav a look @ diz cute pic of Lindsay Lohan that I came across today while browsin ' . 
How did I forget bout this blog ... Goodness ... Jus look how long it 's been since I ' ve updated . Well notin new in life right now . JEE was there yesterday and people r tellin me it 's gettin tougher to crack . My IPE xams were crackin an had a good time in col . and made new frenz . Mega 's already strated and we ' ll be havin it till rnd May 15 . Mom 's askin me to study fer around 8 hrs a day but i think it is notin but inhumane . Study fer 8 hrs ... And that tooo me ? NO WAYZ . I ' ve got wid everyone tellin me that this is da time to study an s ** t like that . Right now 3 hrs of studies in da morin is too much [ 7:30 - 10:30 ] And now i ' m gettin up in da mornin at rnd 4:30 or rather 5 to study . Hope this year passes like a breeze . I ' m gettin totally bored @ home as dere is notin to do . I ' ve gotta go and buy a football now so I can atleast keep myself occupied fer a while . I ' ve lost tuch wid sum o ' my skool frenz but I still speak to sum o ' dem . Speak 2 PK almost evey week . Today i met a hot chick from UK and had a chat wid her fer rnd an hr . Page is gonna start on 24 April so until then i can be free in da evenings . I ' ve been playin a lotta games this year and these are the games I ' d suggest u try out : - FIFA 06 [ Cool graphics an sex hard Gameplay exp . ] { Do not play wid Apoorv } Unreal Tournament 2004 [ The best multiplayer game . Need I say more ] GTA San Andreas [ Nice Action / Rpg games with good graphics . ] Ragnarok [ A really nice MMORPG ] Underground 2 [ U ain't a racing freak unless u ' ve played this . ] Half Life 2 [ A FPS ] NBA Live 06 [ This game too is gr 8 but I never figured out how to play it . ] { U gotta teach me akshan } and finally , .... my fav . FIFA STREET 1 / 2 [ THE BEST STREET FUTBOL EVER . ] And guyz i need all o ' u to pray fer Barca ........ they need to win da ECC . Well without anythin left fer me to say i think i ' ll end this post here .. C yea ppl and Sweet Dreams . 
Holiday as it 's raining really hard ! Got a holiday as it 's raing cats an ' dogs . Got the result fer da test on last sunday ! Got 145 / 270 and 16 th rank in class . Tomorrow 's test is also cancelled due to the rain . Studied for sumtime but mum 's asking me to study for summore time gotta c if i can do it . I started gettin up in the morning @ 5 in the morning so i can study . Got less in maths as i had left out trigonometry . Went to FIITJEE fer the Ranker 's Study Material . They said no scholarship . Well Mega is now a bit better . Boredom is a bit reduced but still feel like coming off @ 12:30 during the lunch . They r taking da attendence after lunch so it is difficult to come off during lunch unless u wanna miss a day . Also VArun 's gonna stay in da hostel from Monday as his mom 's going to Nagarjun Sagar . Well ' that 's all during this week . C ya . I ' ll try to upload during the week . Mom is saying she ' ll take out the net from Monday we ' ll c wat happens . Tata ...... 
Gotta Test tomorrow ! The first test of the year is tomorrow ! I hav notin in my brain but i ' m still cool as it 's only objective ! 29 was Pk 's B ' Day so i called her up to wish her ! This 6 is Varsha 's B ' Day ! I now feel college is a bit better than it was in the beginning although it is still boring . Went to Varun 's houz on Thursday . Today was a half day coz of tomorrow 's test . Gave varun an MP 3 CD with some songz today . Well that sums up the major events in this week . I keep forgetting to keep the blog up to date . Yesterday pinni was working so it was a bit difficult . Mom is threatening to get the net removed if i dont start studying so i risk losing it if i stay online for tooo long . well i ' ve gotta stay online fer summore time and then go study ! Mom and pinni r out shopping right now . TEST ... Gotta start studies rnd 7 . 
Hm ... Long time since i made an entry . Well i think i ' ve finally got adjusted to my Col . My Schedule : Wake up @ 6 am Get ready by 7 Be @ col . by 7:30 Mega classes till 10:30 am Patricks from 10:30 to 2:30 with lunch from 12:30 to 1:10 . The lecturers are all fine . The trigonometry madam Ms. Ujwala 's teaching is fine . The english lect . r quite good too . Besides the col . being boring i ' m having a bit of fun too . I ' ve have ' nt made many new frndz . Although my classmates r good they r way too shy . I ' ve made frndz with only one gal . She happened to be one of Apoorva 's ( JHPS ) frnd , but i ' ve never spoken to her [ Keerthi ] i ' ve only chatted wit her . Among my classmates r some of my good frndz Varun , Satyanarayna , Jayanth , Anurag , .... Others r in different sections . Pinni has been working from home and i was ' nt able to b online yesterday and daybefore . They r also giving us a lot of homework particularly in Trig . Looks like vectors in maths is also going to be pretty tough and important . Well the motor is ' nt working and i hav to go look @ it . By the way the best part of this week was my Driving . I ' ve finally learnt how to drive a bike really well . I jus ' hope they buy me one before i go to second yr . Well i GTG . i might b online fer sumtime today . Tataa . 
Yay ! It 's a holiday ! Got a holiday from Sri Mega as this is da first Sunday . Wanted to buy da books but no time . Went to ROBOTS @ Prasadz . Played wit my cuz ' sis fer sum time and am here as i ' m BOOORED . Gotta find sumthin to do . C ya . Gotta get ready fer col . tomorrow as it 's from 7:30 to 3 in da evening . Sheesh ......... Wat a life i ' m gonna hav 2 lead fer 2 yrs . Well i ' ll tell u how col . is tomorrow ! My classmates all seem pretty fine too . Well c ya ' alllll ! 
Jus ' another day . Jus ' the same new routine . Came back from college wit a good newz that there wud be notin ' on Sunday . Mom wanted me to go out shopping with her so i had to . It was 8 by the time i came home . Jus ' wanted to enter this b ' fore i went to sleep . Bye Bye ...... Gud nite ! 
A Different Approach . I was just expertimenting with different methods of taking photos without using a conventional camera ( digital or film ) . These are the results of that experiment and , if I may say so myself , the photos aren't half bad ! 
Giants Series . Giant 's Head The sculptures of the giants are from the Lost Gardens of Heligan , Cornwall , UK . A place well worth visiting . The head reminds me of a head of a lemming from the Lemmings game . 
Driblets Series . The rain is not all bad and you don't have to go far to find good photos ( if I may say so myself ) . In fact for these photos I didn't leave my bedroom ! : PHope you enjoy these , I certainly had a lot of fun taking them . 
Colour or Black & White ? Colour or Black w version or the original colour one ? I like the colour version because of ... well the colours really ! The pink and blue sky brings the photo to my attention . Apart from the colour there isn't anything interesting going on in the photo . But I also like the black and white version because it gives the photo a certain character . The dark , almost black , reflections look so much better than there green counterparts . The contrast in general gives a nice outline to the photo . 
Sleep with Alarm Blanket : Never Be Late for Work Again ! posted by Amit Agarwal on 7 / 14 / 2006 08:09:00 PM ' ) ; // -- > Blank - o - Matic is like a normal blanket but it can really help you wake up in time . The blanket automatically starts uncovering you when it is time for you to leave the bed . The more you press the snooze button , the more quickly it uncovers you . The blanket concept is simple - Irritate the sleeping person so much that he or she finally gives up and leaves the bed . Reminds me of school summer days when mom would switch off the fan so that I get up in time . Blanket in Action | Techie Diva | Trend Hunter . 
How can I read a blocked blogspot . com site ? I am Blog Reader . How can I read a blocked blogspot . com site ? Luckily , there are a ton of alternatives to access restricted websites . Here are some of the most popular workarounds : Via RSS Readers Fire up Newsgator , Bloglines , Google Reader or any other web based newsreader and subscribe to the blogspot blog rss by typing xxx . blogspot . com / rss . xml or xxx . blogspot . com / atom . xml in the URL field . Via RSS 2 Email Services Head over to Feedblitz , Bloglet or Feed Burner , type the blog address and you will automatically receive the entire blog posts in your inbox as soon as the blogger posts a story . You will however miss reading the comments . Via Google Translate ( just replace labnol with any blog name you want to read like indiauncut ) google . com / translate ? langpair = en | en u = labnol . blogspot . com Via Google Mobile Search ( replace labnol with the blog name ) google . com / gwt / n ? u = labnol . blogspot . com Via Helping Pakistan ( replace labnol with the blog name ) www . pkblogs . com / labnol If any of the above methods fail , try using an anonymous proxy service like www . unipeak . com / or proxify . com / I am a Blogger . How can I ensure my readers see my blogspot . com blogs ? Here are a couple of things that may help your blog fans in India , China or Pakistan read your blog even when the Government has blocked access to the sites : 1 . Use Feedburner for syndicating Blog Content [ tutorial ] - even if the blogspot . com site is blocked , feeds hosted on feedburner will still be accessible .2 . The good news is that while blogspot . com site is blocked , blogger . com is still accessible which means bloggers can create / edit / delete posts or reader comments from the blog control panel . However if the blogger . com site is also blocked , here 's what bloggers can do to administrate their blogs : Convert the Blogger . com Hostname to a Numeric IP address ( http : // 66.102.15.100 ) - Most ISPs block site by name but not by IP address so this should work . If the ISP is smart and even blocks the numeric ip address , convert the IP address ( 66.102.15.100 ) to a decimal number ( 1113984868 ) - Now access the blogger start page by typing http : // www . pkblogs . com / 1113984868 . 
HI friends u can also visit our college forum whereyou can get various course related software n lots of other things .............. link of our college forum is : http : // gtbitians . hosted - forum . com / . 
Self obssessed " B @ ^ $ d " . There is no change in the way life goes on . The same monotonous rhythm , day in and day out of work and then scratching ur brain to think of something to do . But what ? Well , was off last two days , first half of the first day went without any realisation of passing time and before I knew it was time to go out and meet some colleagues ( yes colleagues : because they are the one who constitute the group called friends , since the real friends are not around or available ) . So went out in the evening and wasted out the whole night with Ed and party as it was Ed 's 24 th birthday . spent the night at Ed 's " warehouse " house . Not that i did anything interesting , but no complaints . Came back home at 0800 in the morning and slept . woke up at 1200 Hrs . lazed around , talk to mummy papa on skype and phone . Then wached the movie called Weatherman . not an entertaining movie ( its a bit serious movie , which I dont prefer ) . But Nicholas Cage is great as always . I like him alot . the film finished , returned the dvd back to the shop . but the day isnt finishhed yet so what do I do ? I started playing on my photoshop with an idol brain . Since there was no subject or project I could work on , hence I chose the first subject that came to my head and that was ofcourse " me and myself " . as a result of useless timepass and figuring out what all can photoshop do , I got what is in front of you all now . Hope you know now the reason for the title " Self Obssessed B @ ^ $ d " . this can be the name this collage as well . And the day is still not finished so I am going to go and make some Pizza for me , its dinner time now . will catch you later . NITE NITE . 
They shhhott me in the face , arm , legs and chest . The String of fun did not end yesterday . Today I found myself in the middle of a gun battle and they shot me from head to bottom several times . I am red at all the places I was hit . And it hurts . Yes it does hurt when you are hit during a game of paintball . IT WAS AWESOME DUDE ! AAOW ! I dont have enough words to tell you guys how much i enjoyed today at the delta force centre for paitball in hemel hampstead . We , which includes me , Keith , Mark , Daniel , Stefan , left euston at 0900 Hrs and reached the centre at around 0945 . there were about 40 people there . They were divided into two teams : Blue and Red . I was in Blue team and very much excited . we were issued the ammunition , uniforms , helmets and above all Guns . Ammunition consists of : Paintballs ( which hit you at a speed of 180 miles / hr . ) , paint grenade , smoke grenade and illumiting sticks . The first round was annihilation of the opposite team . I was doing well , hiding and shooting from behind the barriers and husk and then running around to get to a safer hide out . I leaned a bit to see the opposition position and suddenly my head jerked with a sound of THUD . I was hit in the face . thankfully I had the helmet on . But my googles were all painted in yellow paint from the bullet that had hit me . Since I could not wipe it or remove the helmet , I was partially blind and unable to make out the target to shoot . very soon when I was tackling one of the opposite team members , the stinging pain in my right thigh made me drop to the ground . I looked at it ... and saw that i was hit again . As per rules of the game I was dead for the game and could not play any more . so I came out . we lost that round . we lost this game to red team . Next game was to hold the positions in the different huts in a jungle . both teams attacks each other , shooting paint bullets and grenades to distract . I reached to near of this hut with three reds in there . even though close range shooting was not allowed , they bombarded me bullets . Atleast 6 - 8 bullets hit me at the same time from the distance of under three meters and it hurt like a bitch and i became a martyre . Technically it was a fowl , but no one noticed at that moment and i was out once again . though the other team lost some points for fowl play later on . Similarly , in the next game you had to save your president without getting him shot even once . which was fun again . I loved shooting people down . what made it all the more interesting was the location of the games . it was located in a real country side place with natural vegetation and hideouts . ofcourse there were man made things as well . And similarly there were many more games to follow . it went on for the rest of the day and I was shot everywhere ......... they shhott me in the face ( i couldn't see , arms ( I couldn't hold my gun ) . legs ( I couldn't run ) and chest ( well I was dead anyway ) whoever finds these games interesting and want any information can visit " www . paintballgames . co. uk " you go visit them and and I go and visit my bed . I am tired and bruised all over the body . IT HURTS LIKE A BIATCHHHHH ......... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA . 
Evolution . Its amazing how a person can change in a matter of few years only . Ofcourse not entirely , but there are things either inside or just on - the - side which changes . There are moments of pain and happiness , flickering through the ongoing life . It wasn't long ago , just two days back , when I was captured inside a strong bubble of terrible nostalgic pain . It was there for a very short time but was strong enough to create a vaccum around you and suck the life out of you . And then , there was yesterday . I WAS HAPPY for no reason in particular . Now here comes the evolution . I have been in this country for more than three years and I loved it , since I come from the hot country as compared to here . So I loved it here except the gloomy and dark surroundings . I always welcomed winters , exactly opposite to what locals would have done . I despised the summer . But yesterday , mercury had risen to up to 35 if I am not wrong , and I was still happy . the reason : I had an awesome evening with my collegues at a leaving - do of one of the collegues , the day before . Hence was out till late . Consequently , was very tired when i started work the next day ( yesterday ) . Well ! it turned out to be one of the unusually quiet day at work . Once or twice in a year you get such days when you dont have too much to do and you can relax a bit on wowrk front . This quietness resulted in early departure from work : ) . As soon as I step out on the footpath outside the hotel , this DEMON , who scares me far too often , pops his ugly head out of the corner . This Demon of " not knowing what to do next and its still daylight out there , where to go since i dont want to go home , who to call cause everyone else might be busy or whom to meet . etc. " But I didn't him stay there for a long time and crushed his head with a blow telling him that I dont need anyone to enjoy , which is not excactly true but it works . Once the demon was dead and out , I made my way to my legendry WALK IN THE HYDE PARK . a park usually full of green grass was today full of people and dry yellow husk ( remember summer ) . A few years back this would have been impossible , but its happening now . The breeze was a treat to the thirsty soul . so I walked and walked and at one place under the soft shadow of a big tree placed " My Esteemed Self " . Wind was so " beautiful " that I dozed off the moment I hit the ground . And when I woke up it was 8 O ' clock . " Aaa ... oh . I have to go home " . But what am i going to do at home . I start walking again lost in the ocean of people around me enjoying the summer as much as me . ....... looked at the watch again and found out its only 7:15 and not 8:15 . Hmmmm ............ so I got it wwrong the first time . What now , made my way to cinema . Bought a ticket and watched " Superman returns " . some people didn't like the movie but I liked it alot . Awesome effects and beautiful pictures ( specially the casting bit at the start of the movie ) . Wont say much about the movie , you have to find out for yourself . 
Scotland . I am back in my room after a week of vacation . I wont say that it feels good to be back because it surely does not . I was in Scotland , so all of you can guess why it doesn't feel good to be back . Instead of writing about the whole trip on this page , I have linked the day to day account to the title of this blog . So just click Scotland . And let the photos do the talking . The blog page on edinburgh is not finished yet , but I am going to finish it soon . The photographs are all there . So go on the trip to Scotland with me . Al . 
Growing Down . WELL ! Prashant said that he has never heard of " GROWING DOWN " ; neither did I till I actually started to grow down ... or atleast thought about doing it . There are times in life when you have to make decisions which you wouldn't have made if everything was the way as you wanted it to be . Thats when you decide to bypass a few " not so important " things to sustain life and move on to the so called " more important " things . Sometimes you are just not capable / confident enough to do those things . So , thus you are at a stage where you do what is considered as things " by - the - book " . Doing everything as it is said in the book . Unfortunately when you are doing these things by - the - book , time does not stop , and you grow up - in age . When you wake up and see around you , you see people staring at you as if you are a MORON , ALIEN , out of this world , or whatever else . As if saying that ' Idiot . what the hell were you sleeping all the time for , see we had so much fun in the night ' , And would reply ' I was sleeping because by - the - book it is beneficial for your health to sleep at night and have fun during the day , and moreover , night made for sleeping not having fun ' . Am I wrong - NO . I am perfectly right . So they say " OK ! Go back to sleep , ' cause its still not morning yet . " But you dont wana sleep anymore . So catching up on the night 's activities , doing things which are not done so much by - the - book is what I call ................................ GROWING DOWN . Unfortunately , I have to grow down alone . So tomorrow I am going to Scotland for four days , to catch up on my growing down . Just pray that the weather is good and it doesn't rain all the time , some times is OK , but not all the times . So that I can take some pictures with my phone and shoot some video with my camcorder . 
.... rowing regatta CONTINUED ..... Task Number Two This was an interesting game . we had 20 mins in total , same as the earlier one . In which we had to read the objective , plan the task and execute it . And the task was : One team member will be a shepherd and the rest will be sheep ( meeeemeee ... ) . All shepherd has to do is to get all the sheep in the herd inside a square by onlly using a whistle . SO WHATS THE BIG DEAL ? the deal is that all the sheep are blind folded and spread out on the plain . We used most of the time planning and achieved the goal in such a short time that it surprised even us . I am sure it does not sound at all interesting for the readers but was definately very very interesting for me to actually do . Task No. Three ............. mmmmmm ........ I dont want to write about it any more ........ may the excitment has faded off now . Anyway I ' ll just say that it was a very welcome break from the hectic day to day life . NO ROWING REGATTA BLOG . 
Rowing Regatta . Today was one day in last three and half years that I went out on some actual exercise with the staff of my hotel . It was called " Rowing Regatta " . It was arranged by the HR team as a fun day with some new things to learn , and team building ...... and to let us know our colleagues better . And I must say it was really good . I enjoyed it . We went to ETON Rowing College . It is the same place where the Rowing World Cup in august 2006 And Olympics in 2012 are going to take place . So half of the total hotel staff went today and the rest are going to go tomorrow . So as it goes , we all assemled at our hotel at 7 in the morning ...... had breakfast .... and boarded the coaches to ETON in Dorney , WINDSOR . It is in country side and a beautiful place . We were divided into different teams . first half of the day we were supposed to do land related activities and second half we were going to do the water related activities . Here goes the details of the activities in chronological order : ~ FIRST TASK ~ We were given given two logs , two elastic bands , a bucket full of Cleaning scrub , two more buckets and two ropes .... and we were supposed to make a catapult with the provided stuff in eight minutes and then throw the wet sponge through this catapult to the finish line where my team members will try and catch them . more you catch more points you get . since non of us had made a catapult in our life so after much discussion we ended up with a crap catapult ( it seemed to be the best thing at that moment though ) . Consequence : we couldn't even throw the sponge to the required length . all we could catch were 9 . So we got 9 points for this one . There were more tasks waiting for us ahead , it was going to be an exciting day . Right now , I am really really tired and have a long day at work tomorrow as we are only four people in my dept . tomorrow because rest will be in regatta . Therefore I am going to sleep and continue this blog on sunday when i am off and probably will have more photos of the event . Till then ......................................... 
After effects of Shahrukh . " After efeects of Shahrukh " . That poor guy 's name is going to be maligned even when whatever happened today had nothing to do with him . He is not involved in any of it at all . So what is this fuss all about ? Nothing really . ; ) HAHAHA . What happened today is that , after working till half one yesterday for the " Shahrukh event " and hence forth practically not having even a single day off this week ; as a result I was obviously tired . I reached home at around 2:30 and then wen tto bed at 3:00 a.m. CONSEQUENCE : Next morning i overslept . First time ever I was already late for work when i woke up . I was supposed to be at work at 8:00 a.m. whereas I was still in my bed at 8:50 . So I reached at work two hours later than i was supposed to start . First time in my life . Thats what happens when you break the rules . Adios . 
Plan to book air ticket over net . With boom in air lines industry , people like me also thinks to go in air ... So If you guys are trying to book ticket over Internet ( Usually Software Engg ) Must look into following site ... I am pretty sure you will get some difference in the prize ... May not matter for big guys who think 100 - 1000 rs is not a big money ... 1 . makemytrip . com ( The most trivial site ) 2 . travelguru . com ( From this site my frnd have saved 500 rs from ticket ... and 800 rs from market price ) 3 . http : // www . xplorz . com / common / index . asp ( It is a new web so i dont have idea ) 4 . http : // cleartrip . com / ( This is still in beta ) 5 . http : // travel . indiatimes . com ( Worst site forever ) . 
Vow I am not that Evil . Looked into this ... only 26 % evil I am ... test yourself ... and post the result to me also You Are 26 % Evil A bit of evil lurks in your heart , but you hide it well . In some ways , you are the most dangerous kind of evil . How Evil Are You ? 
Google Analytic Really Rock ... Now my blog is 4 month old infant which is growing at a very low pace . I am really fond of trying new tools ... I dont rememeber the date when I used google analytic first time , But it s really rock ... At very first day I put My blog URL in it ... and Since that day google is analyzing my blog URL and giving me result .... It is today only when I saw this result . I was surprized to see my blog viewer . It is not only from India even People outside india also know about my blog and read my blogs . Really Great .... And Even I can see From Banaglore how many people had viewed my blog and Which ISP ( Internet service provider ) they have used .... In a graphical format ... Which Really rocks Vow It really rocks ... Guys use this product .. you will love it Abhishek Okie my blog is having visitors from following country .. India United States United Kingdom Dominican Republic Taiwan Malaysia Belgium Netherlands Algeria Germany Fiji . 
Please Sign Here . Hi all , Hope you all are aware of ** hot issue in india ** about Reservation in IIM and IITs ... As being engineer I hate reservation in any college ... I hope You also think same ... if it is so thenplease go to this link and sign your petition ... http : // www . petitiononline . com / No _ Quota / petition . html I dont know whether it is going to work or not ... but in my thinking lets do our own home work and leave the rest for happening ... Hope to see your signature there ... ( You may find my signature around at 1900 - 2100 Number ) Thanks Abhishek . 
Please Sign Here . Hi all , Hope you all are aware of ** hot issue in india ** about Reservation in IIM and IITs ... As being engineer I hate reservation in any college ... I hope You also think same ... if it is so thenplease go to this link and sign your petition ... http : // www . petitiononline . com / No _ Quota / petition . html I dont know whether it is going to work or not ... but in my thinking lets do our own home work and leave the rest for happening ... Hope to see your signature there ... ( You may find my signature around at 1900 - 2100 Number ) Thanks Abhishek . 
More Comments . Yup , I have got ANONYMOUS of my blog post commenter ... Still one more anonymous is there ... Today When I came to office I got one offline on yahoo by ( bubbly ... some yahoo id... i dont remember ) ... about my blog .... In my words that comments was ... " My blog is good ... its nice to read my blog and s / he has dropped me a mail ... " Well I am eagerly waiting for that mail : D Can anybody help me to remove post comments as anonymous ... i want to disable anonymous comments Abhishek . 
Organizations - Wonderland ? Something to think about Organizations are artificial structures which provide you a fantastic opportunity to associate with people you would never , ever associate with under normal situations . Organizations provide us with an unparalleled opportunity to grow , to become more , to express the best part of ourselves in a setting which claims to be about tasks , goals , targets , missions and all that but is really about who you choose to be with respect to all of these and the people around you . Probably if not for organizations , our experience would be severely limited in terms of the number and the kind of people we would associate ourselves with . If you think about it , every single day surrounded by a milieu of people whom you don t know , probably are not like and probably do not like it s literally a rabbit hole down there waiting to be explored by you . -- . . . 
New Web Site Coming Up . A big overhaul of www . abhishekkumar . com my web site is underway . Some very key elements to make the web site successful are yet to be figured out . I have been spending the past two days learning about Keywords , Meta Tags , and Frames etc. I went to college with computer science as a major , so I cannot claim complete ignorance of the technologies that work behind the scenes to make a web site come alive on our computer screens . I do believe , though , that the process of creating a search - engine friendly , well organized , logical web site can have a steep learning curve . Well , I am climbing . I am also planning a series of articles on the most common personal development issues we face . So , coming All this and more . Stay tuned . ( . . . 
Thank you Firaq Saab ! Almost ten years back , I read a verse by Firaq Gorakhpuri that touched me deeply Ae mere ahbab kya kare numayan kar gaye B . A kiya M. A kiya , naukar hue , pension mili aur mar gaye ... ( Oh my friend , You have indeed achieved a remarkable feat ... You did your schooling , you went to College , you worked in a job , you got your pension and you died ) The moment I read this verse ( Called a Sher in Urdu ) , something resonated deeply inside me . The fact that I remember the verse almost by letter ten years after I read it first holds testimony to that . This verse was a moment of insight for me and the wow , I get it feeling that I had changed my life for the better . It taught me to look beyond the path that was laid out for me by my family and the society in which I was born . It taught me that life is about more than what seems to be the most obvious and the easiest path to follow . It drove me to look deeper , inside myself for purpose and fulfillment . Thank you , Firaq Gorakhpuri . -- . . . 
Role Playing . When I walk into a restaurant or a coffee - shop - I assume the role of a customer . And the person serving me assumes the role of a waiter . I play my role - some characterisics of which are to expect , demand some things , even if they mean inconveniencing the other human who plays the role of a waiter . The waiter plays his role - some characteristics of which are to fulfill my desires , even if it means inconveniencing himself . Busy playing our roles , both of us fail to notice the inherent humanity glowing within the other . If I am a boss , and you are my subordinate . We are not two human beings sharing humanity . If I am a father , and you are my child , here is the rulebook for that . Please fit in . We are not two human beings growing together . If I am an expert , and you are not - I cannot say " I don't know " because that is not acceptable to the game we are playing . If we stop acting our roles out and start acting human , how will our experience change . -- . . . 
' Topics ' under Blog . Posts are now sorted into topics . Most of today was spent trying to learn how to sort the posts in this Blog topic wise , instead of by months as is the default provided by Blogger . After hours of browsing and learning and looking at scripts that seemed more hostile than Chinese finally I got it working . On you right , you would see the topics under which the posts are divided . When you click on a topic , the page re - loads and all the posts under that topic get displayed just below the heading Topics Hope this makes accessing posts for you easier . -- . . . 
Conversations R Us !! Conversations are reflections of who we are being in that moment . Think about it , how does a deep , honest , intense , touching , passionate , incredible conversation leave you feeling energized , recharged . Your personal energy increased and the world a little bit brighter than it was earlier , isn t it ? And how does a shallow , superficial , pretentious conversation leave you feeling drained out , tired ? In a conversation when we express the deepest and the best parts of ourselves ( invariably , the deepest part of us is usually the best part of us ) , we express or manifest our true selves . In fact , life is expression , isn t it ? In fact , we cannot not express . Right now , as you read these words , infinite potentialities and possibilities exist within you . The very next moment , what you think , decide , do or say is an expression of one of these infinite potentialities . When we express a potentiality or a possibility , we bring a latent or a hidden part of ourselves into existence . As we bring it into existence , we experience it and it becomes , our experience . If we habitually express a part of ourselves again and again it becomes a pattern of experience in our lives and we start believing that we are it . But , at that point every other potentiality and possibility also exists latent , hidden , unexpressed . If you want to assess the quality of your experience and the quality of your life take a closer look at the quality of your conversations . Conversation is a tool we use everyday , regularly to express ourselves . The quality of your conversations would probably reveal a great deal about what you are bringing forth from the world of infinite possible expressions called you !! To improve the quality of your experience , improve the quality of your conversations . If your conversations are happy , intense , passionate , happy , contended , joyful , cheerful and soul ful then so are you ! ---- . . . 
Brain , Mind and Me . For more than a decade now , I have been fascinated by the human mind . And the more I have understood , the more baffled I have become . Simple things seemingly simple things like perception , decisions , awareness , emotions are such complex events and happen at so many levels ( chemical , electrical , macroscopic - physiological , environmental , metaphysical , spiritual ) that with every passing moment , my awe and respect for the web of complexity in which we live has only increased . While scientists have made some useful connections in terms of details , we are still struggling with some very basic questions What is consciousness ? Who is the observer ? Recently I have been reading a book called How do brains make up their minds ? by Walter J . Freeman . In spite of the deceptively simple title , the book is a difficult read , but I am persisting and the result has been a rare insight into the workings of the brain ( not the mind ! ) . Learning about the brain is fascinating , because unlike in the case of mind ( which is intangible ) , in the case of brain you actually have something to work with . The physical mass of gooey matter between our ears we call the brain . The neurons , the hypothalamus , the neuropeptides and the neural network are some of the labels we have given to an absolutely unexplainable miracle happening inside our heads all the time . Every emotion has a chemical associated with it ( called a peptide ) and every time you choose to experience an emotion , the chemicals are produced in your hypothalamus . These chemicals are then released into the bloodstream . So , the happiness - chemical or the sadness - chemical literally explodes into your entire body through the blood - stream and finds its way to different cells . It then docks on a cell and then changes the very nature of the cell , sometimes even the nucleus . We literally , with chemicals poison ourselves with anger . We literally , with chemicals fill ourselves with fulfillment . Fascinating , isn t it ? How does this fit in with making real , measurable changes in our lives ? This is a good place to share another distinction I have made . In learning about the brain and creating real change in life ( which is what I am committed to ) . It is very interesting , it can give you amazing insights but it is no more necessary to create changes in real life than it is to understand the intricate workings of the internal combustion engine to drive a car or even know how exactly a microprocessor works to use the computer more effectively . Of course it would help , but it is not necessary . While studying hardware is good for a deeper understanding and quenching our thirst for knowledge , it is surely more important to know your operating system and how it works . Which is why for someone like me , who hopes to create effective results in life better relationships , fulfillment , satisfaction and passion study of the brain must remain secondary to the study of the mind . If only it were not so damn fascinating !! --- . . . 
BEST is best . After so many days I traveled in local train . I had to go to visit my brother in law who was admitted in hospital in lower Parel . Since I have arrived in Mumbai I am avoiding local trains . Its not that I am scared away by Terrorist acts in it it s just that I don t want to travel in now - too - crowded trains . BEST buses are the best . Now by BEST I don t mean they are best , it s the name of Mumbai bus Transport Corporation . BEST is acronym for ( Bombay Electric Supply and Transport ) and it BEST is pronounced as beastee . BEST buses have one of the most well managed networks of buses which cover each and every corner of Mumbai . As much as I have traveled Mumbai has best transport system with Local Trains and BEST buses . Day by day population of Mumbai is increasing exponentially . The effect of rise in population can be seen on public transportation system . Previously buses and trains were crowded only during office hours , but now they are crowded all the time . Most of the offices in Mumbai have altered their timings to prevent rush hours . Roads and Signals are jammed all the time now . Mumbai desperately needs Metro . Construction of Metro will start in Mumbai from October 2006 and first phase of metro project will complete in year 2008 . Lets hope we have a hassle free transportation in near future . 
Phew .......... Post after a long time . After the Mumbai blasts I was not in a position to think or do anything . When the blasts took place I was in meeting in Andheri . Our meeting was stopped in between due to this and we were told to go home as soon as possible . One of my friend gave me lift upto Malad . While passing through Jogeshwari I saw people taking the injured to hospital . I had never seen so much blood in life . People who were taking injured and dead people were fully soaked in blood . I reached home late at night . I wish I would have not seen injured and dead people . I was in disturbed state for two days . I think already too much have been writtten about this ......... From 3 - 4 days blogspot has been blocked by all ISPs of India . Therefore I was not able to access my ( and other ) blogs . Today morning in Economic Times I read that we can access blogspot tharough www . pkblogs . com. And it really works . I saw my blog after a long time . I thank all my friends for mailing or messaging me after blasts . By god 's grace I survived . My condolences are with the people who lost their near and dear ones . 
At home . For the past 3 days I have not stepped out of home . Courtesy non stop torrential Mumbai rains . I like rains but hate it when it rains too much . I hate to walk on road with puddles and pot holes . You have to be very careful while walking on road during this season . There are few morons who love to drive and splash good puddle water on you making beautiful brown pattern on your clean clothes . Recently we had renovated our house . I don t know what stuck my dad that he decided to put stone tiles all over our hall . He found it very innovative . Now our home does not seem to be a decent flat , but a cave of Stone Age man . My dad loves thing which are old or reminds him of something old . These days he is bugging me a lot to wear Kurta and Pajama at home instead of Shorts and T Shirt . Last Sunday I saw a person hanging on rope and applying paint on outside wall of our building . The first thought that came to mind was that has our building chairman lost his brain that he is spending lot of money to apply paint in middle of monsoon season . I was later enlightened by my mom that its not Paint but waterproof coating which has to be applied all over outside walls of building to prevent water seeping in walls . This pic of painter I took from my window . After 2 days of heavy rains the water proof coating proved to be useless . There are wet spots on wall in our flat . On 26 th July 2005 there was flood like situation in Mumbai . In fact there was full fledged flood where water came up to level of waist on roads . Thank god I was in Delhi at that time . Just few minutes back I saw outside my window that same havoc is about to be created by rains . It s raining non stop for 3 days . Mumbai municipality has been caught with its pants down again . Hope 26 July is not repeated again . 
Jai Shree Ram ... Jai Hanuman . Akhand Ramayan was organized in our society temple on 24 th and 25 th June . For people who don t know , Akhand Ramayan is an event held in temple in which entire Ramayan is recited ( by singing ) non stop . Ramayan is a big epic which describes victory of Lord Rama over evil Ravana . It takes 1 day to complete entire ramayan . Entire 24 th and 25 th I was in temple being part of Akhand Ramayan . I served as a volunteer there . I was very disturbed after hearing of death of Umesh . I didn t feel like doing anything , so I went to temple for Akhand Ramayan thinking that it will at least give some peace to my mind . It felt very good hearing ramayan . The people who were singing it had a very soothing voice . During this festival food were served to everyone ( for free ) who comes to temple ( its called bhandara ) . I was given charge of serving food to people , which was very tiresome . Below are the pics taken during akhand ramayan . People reciting Ramayan . ( from right to left ) Our temple attendant , myself , society friend , and my younger bro Vivek Dad ( in my T shirt ) and his friend He is Pathak uncle , Dad 's best friend . He is genius .... master of mathematics . Below are the pics taken during havan after Ramayan was finished . View of Lord Ganesha With Panditji of our temple . 
Umesh .... you were my best friend . Yesterday in afternoon I got a call from my friend Gurjit Singh . We studied in same engineering college . He gave me a very sad message . He told that our good friend Umesh Bansal is no more . On 18 th June he met an accident in Delhi . After two days in hospital he had cardiac arrest and left this world on 21 st June . Last time I talked to him was on 16 th evening . He had called me to inform that he had lost the ticket which I had given to him for cancellation . I was very rude to him that day and we almost fought on phone . That was the last time I talked to him . Umesh .. how I wish today if I could talk to you one more time and just tell you that you were the best friend I ever had in my life . It is said when you lose something you know its value . Last month we had a meeting . I won t forget the lengthy discussion we had in your office . How elaborately I discussed my plan to start a new company with you and you promised me that you will be with me for any endeavor to support me . Brother you broke your promise . You don t know what loss you have done to me . You were my only friend who used to listen my ideas , my dreams without laughing or mocking me . Now to whom will I go ? When I came to Delhi you helped me so much . Whenever I needed help , you were always there for me . But I never helped you . I will regret this for whole life . I remember our last meeting when I was leaving for Mumbai . I said so many negative things about Delhi . You told me that you love Delhi and warned me never to speak anything against it . It s a promise to you brother , I will never speak anything negative of Delhi in my whole life . You were the only best thing which that city gave . and now you are no more . Wherever you are . may peace be upon you . 
At home .... atlast . A post after a long time .. After coming Mumbai I have become too lazy . Since the day I reached home I am doing nothing but sleeping and eating . For first couple of days Mom was happy that his son has arrived . But soon she was bored of me and is trying to devise methods to throw me out of home . I am not angry on her no one would like a person sitting at home whole day doing nothing but watching TV , playing games on PC , eating non stop and making mess all over home . I over heard my Sister recommending my mom to fire our Maid and make me work in her place . My sister is great . The first thing she asked me when I came home was , when u will be going back to Delhi ? Never , I have been transferred . so I will be in Mumbai foreva Her face became grim like sad toad .. It just took only a week for my family to get fed up from me . My job is totally online so I work from home . I don t go to office . as my office is in Australia . The work I do is not too tedious and takes max 2 hrs a day . thanks to years of experience in Market Research and Business Analysis . I have job which makes everyone envious of me . No Traveling , No boss , No Targets and a cool pay . My neighbors think that I have lost my job in Delhi and came back to Mumbai jobless . I told them that I work from home and don t need to go outside .. which they found hard to believe . My neighboring aunty says , Aisa bhi koi naukri hoti hai , ghar baith ke bhi koi kaam karta hai ? I brought Jeffery Archer s Twelve Red Herrings . Amazing book . The stories are too good . This guy s book is so fascinating . I am waiting for MTNL guys to install broadband at my home so that I can start surfing and give my family a break from myself . Its already been more than a 10 days since I have applied for net connection . but no reply from MTNL yet . I think I need to give some chai paani to the wire man ( I have not seen Rang De Basanti ) otherwise I would be deprived of connection forever . 
Bloggers Against Censorship . Bloggers Against Censorship was set up to collate information about and influence opinion against the Indian Government 's apparent notice to various ISPs to block blogs hosted on blogspot . com and typepad . com. All Yahoo ! Geocities web sites have also been blocked by most Indian ISPs since July 1 , 2006 . There are many questions raised by these actions . This effort is aimed at nothing less than ensuring the Government will never again do something like this . There should be no site or group of sites that they will ever again be able to block ; in fact , there should be no book they will ban , no infringement on freedoms at all ever again . It is against our constitutional Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression . This wiki was initiated to become a central resource around this issue , by the Bloggers Collective group which is collating and disseminating information on this issue . You can either join the e - mailing list or subscribe to RSS Feeds . This is a current event , and new developments take place regularly . In addition , most of what appears on these pages is being compiled from a variety of sources : weblogs , press reports , personal information - gathering , and the Bloggers Collective . So the information presented changes often , is frequently updated , and not always verifiable , though we 're making every effort to present only fact . -- source from http : // censorship . wikia . com / wiki / Bloggers _ Against _ Censorship If this continues we will soon not be able to see our blogs alive : - ( . 
Links for sher - o - shayari lovers to link . Funny Shayari : http : // www . shayari . in / archive / index . php / f - 2 . html Dosti Shayari : http : // www . shayari . in / archive / index . php / f - 3 . html Ishq - Vishq Shayari : http : // www . shayari . in / archive / index . php / f - 4 . html Dard - e - dil Shayari : http : // www . shayari . in / archive / index . php / f - 5 . html Jokes / SMS shayari : http : // www . shayari . in / archive / index . php / f - 6 . html . 
Friends Forever : Few lessons I relearnt recently . Here are few things which I have experienced in friendship : a . The first two words called " trust and respect " are the key of any friendship . b . Sometimes few things which u might just ignore while doing can hurt other person a lot unwantedlyc . If u don't implement anything in ur life from ur idealogy then that idealogy is waste . d . respect others and try to understand their feelings . more necessary in the case when that person is ur friend and cares for you . e . It 's very difficult to find good friends and very simple to loose them . Respect ur friendship and appreciate it 's value . f . Friendship is something which comes from mutual interest / understanding / caring , if u think u have a friend then care for that person , understand that person , help that person ........ that 's what friendship is all about . g . U never know when ur life is going to make an end and u can't change it . but u ofcourse make it as large and beautiful as u want . Most of the time it doesn't take more then a smile and a real friend to do the same . h . Don't hurt anybody from heart . It 's a SIN . If u hurt ur friends themselves it doesn't really matter how do u behave to unknowns . i . If you think somebody is your friend make him / her realize it that you value your friendship and you are honoured to have a friend like him / her . Sri Sri Ramkrishna Paramhamsa and Swami Vivekananda have conveyedin their messages that its better to trust people and become failure thandistrust and spoil the relationship and love people , GOD lives inside people , u don t have to search himin temple , GOD is around you . 
Training Raining . It 's raining season but a training season also for me . I had ' cats and dogs ' of training whole of this month . The next month prediction has also come , and it is likely to continue next month also at least for 2 weeks . I am again feeling like a college boy , but not able to bunk the class unfortunately . 
Operation . As I told , It was most on the day of my brother 's marriage , I spent 4 days on painkillers . I got my checkup done and got to know that there are two stones one in kidney and other in urator tube , both of size 7 mm . The latter was painful and need operation . It was a laser operation and it was done on the next day of reception . Though it was a small operation , but I was a bit feard , as it was my first operation . There was small bleeding but everything was fine in 24 hours . I got my checkup done again after 3 days of my operation . I left for Bangalore on 6 morning . 
A busy fortnight . I had a very busy fortnight this time . I went to my hometown . My brother 's marriage was on May 28 so had to do rrangements and shopping for the same . The barat went to Varanasi by Marudhar Express on 27 . The weather was really hot . We reached there in noon .2 - 3 hours before the BARAT nikasi I had acute stone pain and was taken to emmergency ward of the nearest hospital . They gave me two injections and after that everything was fine . I danced a lot with all the relatives and friends . The next day we left for jaipur . The marriage happened peacefully and with all the religious customs . On June 1 , we had reception at Jaipur . 
Beat Insomnia with Blue Energy . by Ryan Irelan An active mind can keep you awake well past your bedtime , but a simple meditation technique can help you forget the stress of the day , relax and fall asleep faster . After a long day of work it 's not always the case that my mind and body agree that it 's time to wind down and get some sleep . Usually at about 11 PM my body is tired but when I lie down to sleep my mind keeps at a constant whirr . This battle between mind and body is the recipe for insomnia . Several months ago - and many restless nights later - I decided enough is enough and conceived a way to help me relax my mind and fall asleep faster . I recollected a meditation exercise I learned about 15 years ago while taking classes in Vadha ( an Indian form of karate ) . It 's a simple meditation that helps you take all of the energy in your body , focus it and then let it explode out of you into space . In karate class , we used it as a way to focus energy for things like breaking wood , bricks or cinderblocks . ( OK , I used it for the wood , my instructor took on the bricks and cinderblocks . ) I found that it was also a great way to focus all of my energy at the end of the day and release it , so both my mind and my body were relaxed . My instructor always had us visualize our energy as blue , so in keeping with that tradition I ' ll do the same here . ( I should note that I ' m no expert and I don't consider this meditation per se , but instead a simple trick to relax my mind at the end of a busy day . ) Here are the steps to relax your mind using Blue Energy : Imagine your body filled with a blue gas , swarming all around , fillng up every part of you . Starting with your toes , to your feet and up your legs , slowly gather up all of this energy from each leg feeling your toes , feet and legs relax as the energy leaves and center it in your stomach area . Do the same for your arms slowly pulling the blue energy from the finger tips , hands , arms , shoulder and down into your stomach , letting it join the rest , creating an even larger ball of blue energy . Again , pull the energy down from your head , neck and chest and add it to the spinning ball of blue energy that now fills your stomach area . This ball of blue energy now contains everything all of your worries , stresses and fears and with it all together , shoot it out of the top of your head , through the wall , outside , and straight up into the sky . Watch it shoot past the tree tops , through the clouds and into space . Feel your body relaxed and empty . Now , you 're ready to sleep . This simple exercise helps me relax my mind and body simutaneously , which allows me to fall asleep faster after a stressful day . Give it a try and leave your relaxation suggestions in the comments . Ryan Irelan , web geek and orange freak , writes at ryanirelan . com and works as a Web Producer for Airbag Industries . 
How do I create an event in Gmail . Gmail offers an easy , convenient way to create events from your inbox . If you 're reading an email that contains info you ' d like to add to your Google Calendar , just follow these steps : Open the email Select Create Event from the More actions ... drop - down menu Edit and add event details as desired Click Save Changes If you 're creating an event or adding event details and you ' d like send out invitations , please read How do I invite guests to my event ? in the Calendar Help Center . Link : Google Help Center : How do I create an event in Gmail ? 
Free Linux CDs ( Not Spam ) . The Linux Store . ca is distributing free Linux CDs and DVDs . You can place order from any where in the world and get the CD or DVD within 3 to 4 weeks absolutly free . You can order for Open Suse , Fedora , Mnadriva , Gentoo Linux , Debian and Knoppix . This project was started after the newly defined mission of The Linux Store . ca was created . Part of the mission is " To help spread Linux and open source software around the world " . This project is one way we are going to fulfill this mission . There are many places around the world that are still on dialup or have restictive download limits which makes downloading Linux time comsuming or expensive . We hope this project will help these people and many others obtain Linux . They need your help saying : Help Us ! Without your support this project would not be possible . One way to help the project is to tell people about it . Send the link to anyone that may be interested , or even write a blog post about this project . You can also donate . Link : http : // free . thelinuxstore . ca / . 
Microsoft & Yahoo ! Messengers are now one . Yahoo ! Inc. and Microsoft Corp. today will begin limited public beta testing of interoperability between their instant messaging ( IM ) services that enable users of Windows Live Messenger , the next generation of MSN Messenger , and Yahoo ! Messenger with Voice to connect with each other . This interoperability the first of its kind between two distinct , global consumer IM providers will form the world s largest consumer IM community , approaching 350 million accounts . Consumers worldwide from Microsoft and Yahoo ! will be able to take advantage of IM interoperability and join the limited public beta program . They will be among the first to exchange instant messages across the free services as well as see their friends online presence , view personal status messages , share select emoticons , view offline messages and add new contacts from either service at no cost . Yahoo ! and Microsoft plan to make the interoperability between their respective IM services broadly available to consumers in the coming months . Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo ! Messenger with Voice users in the U.S. and more than 15 international markets can register to participate in the IM interoperability beta by visiting Yahoo ! at http : // messenger . yahoo . com or Microsoft at http : // ideas . live . com. Source : Microsoft Press Release . 
Tips on blogging safely for parents and kids . Teach your kids the basics of safer blogging before they start The practice of blogging , short for keeping a " Web log " or online personal journal , is growing like wildfire especially among teenagers , who sometimes maintain blogs without the knowledge of their parents or guardians . Recent studies show that teenagers write roughly half of all blogs today , with two out of three providing their age , three out of five revealing their location and contact information , and one in five revealing their full name . It should go without saying that there are potential risks in sharing this type of detailed personal information . And , as more young peers create more blogs , they tend to compete increasingly with each other for attention . Sometimes this can lead to kids posting inappropriate material such as provocative pictures of themselves or their friends . A quick blogging primer for parents Although keeping a blog offers potential benefits including improved writing skills and communication , it 's important to educate your kids about the Internet and blogging before they begin much like completing driving school before hitting the road solo . Here are a few suggestions to get started : Establish rules for online use with your kids and be diligent . Screen what your kids plan to post before they post it . Seemingly innocuous information , such as a school mascot and town photo , could be put together to reveal where the author goes to school . Ask yourself ( and instruct your kids to do the same ) if you are you comfortable showing any of the content to a stranger . If in doubt , have them take it out . Evaluate the blogging service and find out if it offers private , password - protected blogs . Save the Web address of your child 's blog and review it on a regular basis . Check out other blogs to find positive examples for your kids to emulate . Basic guidelines for bloggers The following tips are a good place to start for kids interested in blogging , although by no means comprehensive . It 's a good idea for parents to add more guidelines to suit their family 's particular needs . Start by telling kids that they should : Never offer any personal information including your last name , contact information , home address , phone numbers , school 's name , e - mail address , last names of friends or relatives , instant messaging names , age , or birth date . Never post provocative pictures of yourself or anyone else , and be sure any images you provide do not reveal any of the previously mentioned information . Always remember to look at the background of a picture too . Assume what you publish on the Web is permanent . Anyone on the Internet can easily print out a blog or save it to a computer . Use blogging provider sites with clearly stated terms of use , and make sure they can protect the actual blogs , not just the user accounts , with password protection . ( Even so , it 's better to assume anyone can see it . ) Avoid trying to " outdo " or compete with other bloggers . Keep blogs positive and don't use them for slander or to attack others . Source : Microsoft . 
Microsoft Private Folder . Microsoft have released a new Private Folder 1.0 ( 1.5 MB ) utility . When installed this provides a single password - protected folder called ' My Private Folder ' wherein you can safely store any files you like . The utility is only available as a ' Windows Genuine Advantage Special Offer ' - that is it can only be downloaded if you have passed the WGA check . Make sure to use Internet Explorer or use the WGA Plugin for Firefox to get the link above to work properly . Note that this utility adds a new ' Private Folder Service ' which can apparently be disabled without any impact on its main functionality , and it also adds a new system tray item and process called Shell Helper . exe whenever you access the My Private Folder in a session . 
Crazy Curt Weldon Swift Boats Joe Sestak . Release from the Sestak Campaign : Media , PA - Today , members of Veterans for Sestak made the following statements on the outrageous swift boat attacks on Democratic candidate and former Vice Admiral Joe Sestak by Curt Weldon and his supporter Scott Migli , Executive Director of the Republican State Committee , who recently suggested that Sestak wore the wrong rank with his uniform at Memorial Day services . Tom Clay , co - chair of Veterans for Sestak , said : " As a retired service member who grew up in Springfield , Joe was invited by the Springfield American Legion , of which he is a member , to attend the Memorial Day events in Springfield which included memorial services . Prior to the Memorial Day events , I called the Pentagon to confirm what the regulations were and the U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations clearly state that former Navy service members are allowed to wear their uniform at memorial services at the highest rank they attained while on active duty . Joe reported to the US Naval Academy at the age of 18 , after graduating from Cardinal O ' Hara High School in 1970 . He then served his country honorably for 31 years , and it is absolutely shameful that anyone would attempt to dishonor that service . " Rocco Polidoro , a Republican co - chair of Veterans for Sestak , and the Commander of a local veterans group said , " Admiral Sestak , per Navy regulations , is entitled to wear his uniform , for memorial services , at the highest rank he attained . Someone needs to instruct Mr. Migli in the finer points of Naval regulations , but sadly , that won't be Curt Weldon since he has never worn the uniform of the Unites States military . As a Republican , I can safely say that Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan would be turning over in their graves if they knew that Curt Weldon and other Republicans would be using this as another desperate attempt to swift boat a man who dedicated his life to serving this country for 31 years . Jerry Gavin , a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America , Chapter 67 , Delaware County said , " Former Vice Admiral Sestak , who is a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America , Chapter 67 , Delaware County , was asked by us to participate in the Marcus Hook Memorial Day events with other members of the Delaware County Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America . He was also asked to be a speaker at the memorial service and to read the names of the Navy service members from Delaware County who were killed in Vietnam . As someone who was myself wounded in Vietnam , it put tears in my eyes to hear Admiral Sestak read the names of those who had given the ultimate sacrifice . For anyone to criticize him for participating in non - political Memorial Day activities is deeply upsetting . " Polidoro concluded by criticizing Weldon for his poor record on veterans ' issues : " Given Curt Weldon 's terrible record on veterans issues from voting against full retirement and disability for all veterans to voting for a budget that cut veterans ' healthcare by over $ 13 billion it 's hardly surprising that he 's once again demeaning the service given to this country by a veteran . Admiral Sestak is a cut above Curt Weldon and this nonsense . Maybe if Curt hadn't spent so much time chasing down WMD in Iraq and had actually paid attention to the needs of our veterans , he wouldn't be in a position where he ' d have to try to demean a service member by swift boat attacks against someone who has served this country with such honor and distinction . " According to the U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations , former members of the Armed Services may wear the uniform of the highest rank they held during their service when attending a memorial service , contrary to what Curt Weldon and the Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania have said . 
Santorum Approval " Up " to 43 % in Latest Survey USA Poll . Survey USA has released its latest approval ratings for all US Senators . Santorum 's 43 % approval in this July poll was an improvement over last month 's 36 % . It was good enough to move him from dead last among all US Senators to 96 th place . I can hear the corks popping in Virginia from here . His 7 - point gain came entirely within the one - third of respondents who admitted to being Republicans . Last month , only 48 % liked Their Rick , but he managed to pick up a majority of the minority in July , scoring a soaring 62 % approval rating amongst his own people . The only groups giving him + 50 % approvals were Republicans and two subsets -- conservatives and the anti - choice contingent . All three make up a minority of Pennsylvania voters . He could take 70 % of those groups and still lose the election going away . 
New Poll : Bush Approval Under 50 % with Key Base Group . I missed this one , so h / t to Mike the Mad Biologist for pointing it out . Bush Losing Core Supporters WASHINGTON , May 11 President Bush appears to be losing support among a key group of voters who had hitherto stood firmly with the president even as his poll numbers among other groups fell dramatically . . . . Faltering approval ratings for the President among a group once thought to be a reliable source of loyal support gives Republicans one more reason to be nervous about the upcoming mid - term elections . You ' ll need to visit Max Udargo 's Blog for the rest , but believe me , it will be worth the trip . 
Medicare D - Day on Medicare 's B - Day in Bucks County . From Fact - esque , get over there if you can : " If you are caught in that donut hole you will be disappointed and start pressing your members of Congress to do something about it . " That bit of advice was given two years ago by Gail Wilensky , Ph D , a health analyst with Project HOPE , a former Medicare administrator who also advised President Bush during the 2000 presidential campaign . Dr. Wilensky was right . And now is the time for all of us in Bucks County , PA to show up on July 29 to tell our congressman , Mike Fitzpatrick ( R ) , that we want to see Part D fixed today . And it 's not just the Donut Hole we want fixed . PA Action , the sponsor of the event , wants the following sensible fixes made to Part D : * Require that Medicare negotiate the cheapest possible prices for drugs with the pharmaceutical companies ; * Eliminate the " Donut Hole " that will add crippling costs to many seniors ; * Offer a prescription drug plan to seniors directly through Medicare that does not require they join private plans ; * End the " bait and switch " provisions that allow private insurance plans to drop coverage for specific drugs while seniors are locked into the plan ; * Reopen an enrollment period so that millions of seniors will not be locked out of help for prescription drug costs -- and drop the penalty for joining after May 15 . PLEASE RSVP at this link and make the commitment to coming out on the 20 th . Remember , we ' ll be lobbying Rep. Fitzpatrick for real reform of a confusing and crony - driven Part D as well as celebrating Medicare 's 41 st birthday and our democracy . What : Medicare D - Day on Medicare 's B - Day When : 9:15 am Saturday , JULY 29 Where : One Oxford Vally , Suite 800 located in the Oxford Valley Mall - we will gather on the side of the building that faces the JC Penney parking lot Google Map Why : to lobby Congressman Fitzpatrick to fix Medicare 's Prescription drug benefit . 
Santorum and Casey Snubbing Project Vote Smart . Neither Santorum nor Casey have " bothered " to return the National Political Awareness Test ( an issues survey ) sent to them by the non - partisan , non - profit Project Vote Smart . The Pocono Record has noticed that they , and many other officials and candidates in Pennsylvania have similarly responded " screw you " to the effort . From today 's editorial in the Record : Today marks the deadline for political candidates and elected officials to file their responses to Project Vote Smart 's National Political Awareness Test . Hardly anyone running for office has done that . Why is that ? It 's because they can get away with it . Voters let them get away with it . Voters have allowed politicians to control their " message " fully and to avoid answering basic questions about where they stand on a variety of important issues that affect our communities , our state and our nation . . . . Project Vote Smart also asks candidates and officials to take the National Political Awareness Test , which asks them their views on basic issues ranging from abortion rights to labor and the environment . There 's no right or wrong answer on the test -- the questions just call for responses that best describe their positions , which voters can then weigh to make a decision about how they cast their ballot . Why , then , with their ample staffs of paid and volunteer helpers , are most candidates and officials unwilling to provide this information ? Because they want total control of the message . They know that a sound bite or a well - turned phrase is more likely to sway voters than honest answers about where they stand on key issues . . . . Educate yourself . Visit www . vote - smart . org and see which candidates are willing to fill out the National Political Awareness Test and voluntarily tell citizens their positions , or whether they prefer slick campaign slogans and spin . Indeed . Here 's the contact information for our two candidates , why not let them know that they should tell us citizens their positions on the issues they will most likely face on out behalf and help us become informed voters , rather than hide behind their campaign hype and spin : Santorum Washington DC Web Mail Address : http : // santorum . senate . gov / pub ... Campaign EMail Address : info @ ricksantorum . com Campaign Web Address : http : // www . ricksantorum . com / De ... Washington DC Address 511 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington , DC 20510 - 3804 Phone : 202 - 224 - 6324 TTYD Number : 202 - 224 - 5024 Fax : 202 - 228 - 0604 Campaign Address Post Office Box 16426 Pittsburgh , PA 15242 Phone : Toll Free : 1 - 877 - VOTE - RICKFax : 412 - 922 - 6461 Casey Campaign E - Mail Address : comments @ bobcasey . com Campaign Web Address : http : // www . bobcasey . com / Campaign Address Post Office Box 25311 Pittsburgh , PA 15220 Phone : 215 - 567 - 4190 Phone : 412 - 444 - 0171 Fax : 215 - 567 - 4191 . 
British War Families Win Right to Challenge Iraq Invasion in Court . In what British political and legal observers are calling a ' stunning victory ' , families of fallen British soldiers are going to get their day in Court . The Evening Standard is reporting that a British appeals court has overturned an earlier dismissal of the case and ordered the government to present it 's evidence for the legality of the invasion to that court . Relatives of four servicemen who died early in the conflict sued the British government , claiming that the gin up of the war was a " series of lies " and that the invasion was itself a breach of international law . Defendants in the lawsuit include the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Defence . According to the plaintiffs ' solicitor : The Government now have to produce evidence to a full hearing in the Court of Appeal . That evidence needs to establish once and for all whether the decision to invade was lawful . In particular , the Government must finally explain how the 13 - page equivocal advice from the Attorney General of March 7 2003 was changed within 10 days to a one - page completely unequivocal advice that an invasion would be legal . My clients believe he impermissibly changed his advice because he was sat on by the Prime Minister and others in Government . In changing his advice , he sent these soldiers to their deaths . Gee , I wonder if the defendants have considered impleading Bush , Cheney and Rumsfeld ? 
Bush Changing Position on Embryonic Research . The White House is now admitting that embryonic stem - cell research does not involve the taking of any human life . Typical Bushworld tactic -- appease the base then shift to be more palatable to the middle . Here 's Tony Snow on why the President was going to veto the lifesaving stem cell research bill : The president believes strongly that for the purpose of research it 's inappropriate for the federal government to finance something that many people consider murder . He 's one of them . . . . The simple answer is he thinks murder 's wrong . And then in the Catholic World : The president is not going to get on the slippery slope of taking something living and making it dead for the purposes of scientific research . That kind of stupid talk got Bush lots of positive coverage from the wacko right for the last week . Now that it has set in with all of them ( the tiny minority opposed to lifesaving stem cell research ) , it 's now safe for the President to talk out of the other side of his mouth . As reported today by the Washington Post : President Bush does not consider stem cell research using human embryos to be murder , the White House said yesterday , reversing its description of his position just days after he vetoed legislation to lift federal funding restrictions on the hotly disputed area of study . White House press secretary Tony Snow said yesterday that he " overstated the president 's position " during a briefing last week but said Bush rejected the bill because " he does have objections with spending federal money on something that is morally objectionable to many Americans . " Isn't THAT special ? One might hasten to point out to Snow and Bush that NOT spending money on stem cell research is morally objectionable to about three times as many people as is spending the money . Oh , and by the way , if that is going to be the yardstick for the nation 's policy , about three times the number of people who find stem cell research morally objectionable find spending a billion dollars a week on the Iraq War equally morally offensive . But I ' m not holding my breath on that one . 
Heavy Hand of Bush on EPA - Report Confirming Global Warming Scrubbed . Well , not exactly scrubbed , but the links were ham handedly broken . The report , issued as part of the required annual update on the joint Canadian - US Management Plan for Lake Erie , concluded that There is now stronger evidence than ever of human - induced climate change . . . . Between 2004 and 2090 , our climate is expected continue to become warmer . This will result in significant reductions in lake level , exposing new shorelines and creating tremendous opportunities for large - scale restoration of highly valued habitats . The Report concludes that " human - induced " global warming will lead to a steep drop in water levels of Lake Erie over the next 64 years and cause the lake 's surface area to shrink by up to 15 per cent . The annual update is required by the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada . Although dated April 21 , 2006 , the " Lake Erie Lakewide Management Plan Report " ( La MP in bureaucrat - speak ) was recently released to the website and linked from the EPA 's Lake Erie Binational Site . Soon after ( mostly Canadian ) news reports on the climate change conclusions began surfacing , the link to the 2006 La MP Update stopped working . Now , clicking on the link brings up an error page . The Report itself , however , remains on the site , one just needed to manually type in the URL : http : // www . epa . gov / glnpo / lakeerie / 2006 update / . This maneuver , although by now all too familiar to those paying attention , is nevertheless puzzling , as the prior La MP updates contained similar language , and those links remain active ( at least for now ) . The " human - induced climate change " stuff is in Section 11 of the La MP Updates " Significant Ongoing and Emerging Issues " . It 's on page 7 of section 11 in the 2006 Update . I guess the good news is that you know the wheels are falling off when they can't even effectively scrub websites anymore . 
Rationaly Calculated Self Interest ( RCSI ) . RCSI is basically a modified variation of Adam smith theory of self interest . The theory that was propagated that , was all men are rational .. and what ever they do they have a tangible or a non tangible self interest .. the common non tangible being self satisfaction ... This theory is built on immense psychological aspect , Think of the monk who sold his Ferrari .. at first thought , that is absolute bogus and irrational .. but according to RCSI its self satisfaction from the sacrifice , is your self interest ( in the book it was things like enlightment good health etc etc ) According this theory Every aspect of a mans action is governed by his self interest , and which by no means a negative aspect . A mother child relationship is usually thought as a self less act of love and affection of the mother , which actually is not , in the lady 's mind deep inside there is a feeling of being a complete women which she derives from motherhood , the fact she feels good about the child , the feel good factor of being good mother .... that s un tangible but is a self interest .. this makes her happy The essence of this piece is Even the most irrational thing in this world can be rational if it makes you feel good about doin the act Hence there is no absolute rationality or irrationality .. Existentialism again . 
Existentialism and Political Theory . Existentialism and Political Science sounds a bit far fetched but honestly they are inter twined .. during intial stages of evolution of political theory through the concept of law and liberty .. it was this existentialism placed the ground workwhen early Liberals where pressing against state and for Absolute liberty this how things shaped up : the concept of liberty ... what is liberty .. does the concept of absolute liberty exist ... the answer is it cant as absolute liberty will trckle down to no bodies freedom .. as absolute liberty will also imply me encroaching some body elses frrdom .. so how do you take care of that .. that was through law .. and law was then essentially based natural laws whats also called Aristotalian laws .. which brought abt the concept of State .. as the enforcer of lawi think i tried to rest my case hereit all yours now . 
Nazi Part II Hitler . To me Adolf Hitler was a patriotic man , who went wrong in the means to acheive the end . Well even if ends justify the mean .. no body can justify what he did and hence nor will I. But what i am looking at Why the Nazism had a perfect fit for erstwhile Germany .. The answer is in World War I. Not just the treaty of Versilles .. which was absolutely humilating for Germany , from things like taking the blame of the war , to Ruhr being ceded to France . For those who have limited knowledge .. its like giving Kashmir Valley to Pakistan and Damodar Valley to Bangladesh . There was another reason for Germanys loss .. Jews . the Jews during the WWI was investing in every other country in Europe apart from Germany .. which allowed the the Allied powers a crucial edge . Hitler Blamed the Jews for this reason which was legetimate .. but what he did was not . Any way this is why the concept of One Nation State .. A state for German nordics .. Aryans . He was patriot because what he was doing was with basic love for the nation .. yes he had ultirior motives but he was patriotic in nature . The whole concept of One nation State had instilled Germany as a country first in the minds of germans . Germans became a nation in itself . and that is why the Berlin Walll could have been brought down .. if some body could have done that it was only the germans . Think of India and Pakistan even we were separeted around the same time ... on the basis of religion .. a third part was curved out of pakistan on basis ogf language .. and we can never re - unite . as we are either Brhamins / Rajputs / Vaishyas / Shiya / Sunni etc etc first then May be a Bengali or an Oriya or Pujabi . then may be an Hindu or a Muslim . but never Indian First .. Is India a nation ?? thats another arguement but its a multi national state and will nevr re - unite .. 
The misunderstood Nazi . Part . I. I am a Nazi , sounds intimidating right .. well that s the dogma behind the term that has almost created it as Taboo in a form .. Well though its an off shoot of fascism ... Nazism and fascism are not one and the same . Fascism originated from the word Fasces meaning a bundle of sticks tied to an axe , which was a symbol of power in ancient Rome .. it was common to Nazism in respect that both were dictatorial Governments in the same era , and the countries formed an entente .. Nazi : National Socialistic party , based on Nitschean Theory of Super man . Also known in political theory as the N . Theory of super man .. Where every Nation had leader who was the superman who was followed by all the classes .. This theory was backed by Hegelian theory of Class . Well what is the basic Doctrine behind Nazism It s a dictatorial Government ruling a One Nation State .. Where the concept of State is very important , and the state is supreme . According to Nazism the Society exists because the State and not State because of society . Coming back to the first part of the doctrine One nation State .. this meant that in lay mans term the country ( state ) will consist of one race ( nation ) . Hence from the basic doctrine two things become cleara ) Nazism is racistb ) Nazism is patriotic Both are quite inter related , if The Nation and State are the same In the next part , we will see the implications of the above bringing in Hitler in the equation . 
Socialism and parts thereof II : dignity of labour . Modern political theory is based on two major pillars ... Autonomy and accountability that is freedom / liberty and responsibility ... the reason why they are so important is becausea ) Absolute liberty is nobodies freedom ... That means if a state / society gives absolute liberty to a person , it also means the person is at liberty to encroach on others freedom ... Its simple I have the freedom to kill , steal , rob , rape etc etc... this was the major flaw in the concept of Liberalism ... b ) Every bodies responsibility means no bodies responsibilitythe problem with socialism was based on social responsibility .. as every body was suppose to receive goods and services in accordance to their needs and not in coherence with their contribution to the society . that mean you can contribute zilch and still get your necessities . the production and contribution as I said was a social responsibility , that meant if one shirked he cant be reprimanded .. Hence every body would shirk ... hence no production . Hence the socialist created this concept of dignity of labour .. or moral values for people , which made them not shirk but contribute ... As whole concept of socialism even though is for the so call proletariat it is a doctrine for the educated and people with high moral values ... which in country is always not possible ... Hence most socialist / communist nations are dictatorship ... in country like India Socialism is bound to fail as it is first a democracy .. Secondly we dont have any dignity of labour . 
Socialism and parts thereof part I. Well in todays world Socialism has almost become synonymous to Communism ... but are they actually same ? the answer is one is an ideology another a doctrine When Robert Owen first propagated his concept of social equality .. That was the beginning of what we call the modern socialism ... Just a food for thought at the beginning : The Communist Russia under Stalin and Nazist Germany were both build under the key stone of socialism but it meant differently to both the countries ... for The Nazis ( National Socialist Party ) the Society existed because the state did .. And the state was supreme in Russia it was just opposite . Socialism what was propagated by Owen was based on the concept of so called egalitarian society .. Derived from the word egalite . French for equal ... he spoke of a society where every body was equal ... this was the basic doctrine of Socialism ... How this society could have been achieved he really did not answer that question much . His philosophy was more with evolution . Marx took it up from here .. And there it was Theory of surplus value , supremacy of the common man or proletariat ... He did speak of a state with socialistic state but never spoke of revolution ..... This was what we call Marxism .. Its a doctrine when socialism was the basic ideology . Vladimir Illynych Illonov better known as Lenin ... Took up Marxian philosophy ... He spoke of a socialistic government .. To be achieved through bloody revolution and that 's what in modern days we call Communism .... Leninistthe big difference communism and communism Maoist / Leninist is a simple but a strong word bloody ... " the source of power is from a muzzle of a gun " : Mao Tse Tung . 
Chairman NMCC and the Auto Industry . It was an Executive Committee meeting of an industry organisation for ehich i work for .. It was my work allocation to escort the Chairman of National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council , With out knowing Much about him i reached Vigyan Bhavan 45 mins early .. usually thats what you do when you go to pick up some Government Hob Nob . I required a brief write up on his past ... and to my suprise i realised the Dr was of a cabinet Minister Rank was a padma shree and padma bhushanand was chair man of SAIL and Maruti Udyog as well . when he walked out of his room write on time with is immaculate and spotless white safari suit , .. and enquired me if we were late and if his office had offered me coffee .. well to be honest we were before time as i just recived a call from my office to take a bit longer . Any way when we were walking down the stairs i realised the white hair had seen a lot .. We reached the venue on time the meetin started on time ... the EC comprised of auto big guns ... who went on asking their queries to the Dr. and his knowledge was vast .. he asked the industry to review the growth rate .. to live upto the expectaions of the government and he promised NMCC will back the industry . 
ASEAN and the Indian Auto Industry . The Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between India and ASEAN ( Indo - ASEAN CECA ) , was signed on 8 th October 2003 and it inter alia envisages a Free Trade Area ( FTA ) in goods between India and ASEAN . The Government of India and ASEAN have agreed to conclude negotiations by June , 2006 with a view to commence implementation of the FTA by January , 2006 . The Indo - ASEAN CECA also envisages Free Trade Areas in Services and Investment . So what does this mean for the Auto Industry ?? Well as capacity utilisation in the western automotive world say Germany / Italy is being optimised , to meet the demand of the ever growing industry big names like Bavarian Motor Works and Peoples Car ( VW ) is looking at so called low cost countries such as us . So India - ASEAN are fighting for the same investment space in the auto world . Now if you were BMW , and you knew India is an awesome market and ASEAN was a great manufacturing hub , where would you have invested ??? tough question but if you could import into India from ASEAN at Zero duty then ??? Bingo Well the Indian Auto Industry is competitive enough within the four walls of the factory , but the momnent the India foot printsof high electricity cost or embedded taxes etc come in we become less competeive than Thailand .. Again the industry is a highly tierised industry , OEM , Tier I , Tier II and then downwards .. so the moment the balance in one tier is gone the whole industry will suffer . If tomorrow a car comes duty free .. is it only the car manufacturers who get hit .. noif car is imported so will the engines .. engine makers like say cummins ... then all people manufacturing so called HS 840991 / 9 items or engine parts .. this has a whole lot of items like pistons and rings , alternators , transmission .. etc etchence the whole industry is hit . Every FTA has a negative list where duties are not reduced , so why not keep it in the the negative list . Well ASEAN doesnt want one .. and Indian head of Government has promised that this time if there is a negative list it wont be more than say 500 items .. out of say 5600 tariff lines . Where as with Indo - Thai FTA or BIMSTEC it was 1158 items . Out ofthe 500 , 300 items will be agriculture , then cotton .. and then if some thing is left for the Auto industry . I am not questioning the rationale of an FTA but the timing of an FTA , Investments might just joke , a projected 400 Bn dollar component industry might be nipped at the bud .. so what is to be done ... Wait and watch ??? 
lazy sunday afternoon post . the music playing behind is live for ever by oasis , .. drinkin coffee at 1 : oo clock afternoon . had a late night . the biggest problem that people usualy face on a sunday .. is the afternoon .. ( As we hardly see the sunday morning ) we hope against hope that it could be a bit more longer . we have been anticpating the week end for 5 days and suddenly its over .. On sunday afternoons you are half a mind thiking of what work do you have to finsh tomorrow , in what kind of mood your Hari Sadu will be . And the other half our mind is thinking about the things you need to finish at home .. such as iron your shirt , do the dishes , have a shave and sehr wichtige .. very important when to finish the half a bottle of whiskey thats left from yesterday . We always shirk our chores on a saturday thinking the whole of sunday is left ... but at times we think sunday is only for 12 hrs ... and even when you have a hell lot to do you are herewriting your blog which no ones gonna ever read . any way aufweider seinchutsch . 
7 / 26 / 2006 Running . I was torn as to what to do this morning . Every other Wednesday is a tough one , because I work Tuesday night until midnight and then am due back in at 9 am . It makes for a slow , agonizing morning . I really wanted to get to the gym , but decided to run instead . I just couldn't get myself to drive a half hour to workout when I could just walk out the door and run . It all worked out for the best . It was a beautiful sunny morning , and the run got the blood pumping and woke me up . I ran 6 miles starting with a loop through Meghan 's Run and then down to 222 and back up 132 hill . I was able to complete 6 miles in 50:45 . I felt good about tackling the 132 hill today after letting it beat me the other day . I paced it out and my heartrate never reached over 179 bpm . I ' m not sure what that means , but I didn't peak out , and was able to maintain steady breathing . Here are some more stats from my hrm : Avg . HR : 155 Peak HR : 179 Min HR : 67 Total Cal : 822 I also tried out the recover function on the monitor . I did a 2 minute recover , and it started at 160 bpm and ended at 118 bpm . I ' m not sure what this means just yet , but I had intended on bringing the manual with me to read up and forgot . I ' ll have to find out more about this . 
7 / 23 - 7 / 24 / 2006 Backpack Trail Run & Bicycling . 7 / 23 / 2006 East Fork Backpack Trail Run Close to 5 miles of running through the woods up and down hills jumping logs and running through creek beds trying not to go face first into the dirt because of a stump or a root . I aaaalmost made it without biting it , almost . This is one of the toughest races I have attempted . Since this is the second time I ran it I thought I would be prepared , but nothing can prepare you for the disorienting feeling of running through the woods . There are no mile markers , and nothing to really mark your distance just tree , tree , tree ... and a narrow trail to try and pass people on . It 's actually fun , really . I don't know what the exact mileage for the race was , as the course was changed by the park service . They figured that it was close to 5 miles , so that is what the pace and other figures were based on . The official time for my race was 45:27 . I am pretty happy with the result considering it was a very tough course with lots of hills and lots of obstacles . As I referenced earlier I did take a dive . Luckily it wasn't a bad one , but it was a full on Pete Rose dive on to the trail . The most unfortunate part of it was that I had my sunglasses in my hand and crushed them in the fall . Bummer .7 / 24 / 2006 Bicycling It was an incredible day for a ride and I made the most of it . I decided to try to crank out some miles today by trying a new route out to ride . It was a nice long route that took me out 132 to Bethel and back around 133 through Williamsburg to 50 to Owensville and back to Batavia . The only thing that marred the ride was in the last mile two spokes unexpectedly snapped for no apparent reason . Other than that bit of unfortunate luck it felt great to get out and ride just for the sake of riding . It was perfection . Odo : 793.4 miles Dist : 43.59 miles Time : 2:35.03 Avg : 16.8 mph Max : 40.5 mph . 
7 / 19 - 7 / 20 / 2006 Running & Commuting . 7 / 19 / 2006 Running I haven't been running as much over the last month or so as I was earlier in the summer , and when I do run it is usually with Rick on 3 to 3 1 / 2 mile runs . I need to get my mileage up to prepare for the upcoming races . I was able to do that the other day by knocking out a 6 mile run in approximately 53 minutes . It was a pretty good run , although I did get stopped by the 132 hill . I made it about halfway up before I had to stop . I walked it out for about 25 yards and then finished up the run strong . 7 / 20 / 2006 Commuting The first half of the ride was smooth as usual . It was a warm morning , mid 70 's , so it didn't take long before I was pouring sweat . I took the route through Milford again . It has turned out to be a nice route , especially in the morning with enough range of terrain to keep it interesting and challenging . It was a pretty uneventful ride . Odo : 724.4 miles Dist : 25.49 miles Time : 1:35:38 Avg : 16.0 mph Max : 29.2 mph The ride home was a different story altogether . The first half of the ride was pretty smooth . Coming down into Fairfax though I started to feel some weariness in my legs and more problematic a severe pain in my ass as some chafing started . By the time I reached Rt . 50 and Rt . 222 I was extremely tired and my ass ached . So the ride home was a test of endurance and pain threshold . It was also a lesson . I need to pack a bottle of gatorade or something for an energy pick up in the afternoon . The ride was miserable . Total Stats : Odo : 749.8 miles Dist : 50.86 miles Time : 3:16:40 Avg : 15.4 mph Max : 29.2 mph . 
7 / 17 / 2006 Strength Training . It was about 95 degrees today , so I decided to avoid the heat and hit the gym . Here ya go . eliptical = 20 minutes on Fat Burning JC Bands Lunges with rows , Blue Bands - 12 each side . Wall sit w / 20 lb . wts . bicep curls = 1 minute 30 secondsshoulder press = 1 minute 30 secondswalking lunges = width of court / back doing lat raises with 15 lb . wtship adductor = 2 sets / 12 reps 90 lbs . hip abductor = 2 sets / 12 reps 90 lbs . lower leg raise w / overhead 8 lb ( abs ) 2 x 25 . 
7 / 12 - 7 / 14 / 2006 Running & Bicycling . 7 / 12 / 2006 Running Rick and I did some running on Wednesday evening . I do most of my running and racing in the morning , so whenever I run in the evening it feels .... different . Rick is starting to get into the running a bit . He hasn't complained about his legs hurting as much the last couple of runs , which means he is feeling better , or he is just learning to cope with the pain . The trials and tribulations of a runner , why wouldn't everybody want to run ? or why would anybody is probably a better question . Anyway , his times are getting better as well . He says he wants to be able to run our 3 mile run in 21 minutes which is a bit of a stretch at this point . He 's at just over 25 minutes , so it will take a while to get down that low . Hell , I would like to be able to run a 21 minute 3 mile just in training runs . I think I convinced him to set a little more reasonable goals for now and just concentrate on gradually getting faster and farther to get ready for the Little Miami instead of getting hung up on our dinky 3 mile training run . We ran the usual , and I did 3.5 miles in approx 30 minutes . I think I ' ve convinced him to do the backpack run with me too , so that will be fun ! 7 / 14 / 2006 I ' m to lazy to write something new , so here is a re - print from what I wrote in the sparkpeople message board . I ' m back on the commuting trail today . I took a different route today which allowed me to spend some time off the road and on our local bike trail . It was a very nice ride , but I tell you what it was already hot at 6:30 am . I may be looking at a tough ride home . Weather 's calling for 88 degrees and 75 % humidity . Wish me luck ! I got really lucky on the commute home . It was storming in various parts of the city as I was leaving work , but I managed to miss the rain . As a bonus the rain cooled things down a bit . Since it was so nice I too my time and added a few miles . I ' m gonna shoot for 2 commuting days next week . The stats : Odo : 698.9 miles Dist : 51.19 miles Time : 3:13:26 Avg : 15.8 mph Max : 32.8 mph . 
7 / 11 / 2006 Strength Training . I ' ve always approached weight lifting and strength training in the past as a process of building muscle . I would always work toward adding more weight in some endless quest to get stronger . What I ' m coming to learn is that what I ' m doing now is different . Strength training has become more of a way to keep the muscles strong to improve performance in running , bicycling and the like . It is a way to keep my knees and back strong so I don't get injured . This realization adds a new perspective to my workouts and has allowed me to relax a bit more in the gym and just concentrate on good form rather than trying to add more weight . eliptical = 15 minutes on Fat Burning JC Bands Lunges with rows , Blue Bands - 12 each side . Wall sit w / 20 lb . wts . bicep curls = 90 secondsshoulder press = 90 secondswalking lunges = width of court / back doing lat raises with 15 lb . wtship adductor = 2 sets / 12 reps 90 lbs . hip abductor = 2 sets / 12 reps 90 lbs . lower leg raise w / overhead 8 lb ( abs ) 2 x 25 . 
7 / 09 / 2006 Caeser 's Creek Duathlon . Let me begin by saying that I was very , very close to ditching this race . I worked the night before , and didn't get home until close to midnight and had to get up the morning of the race shortly before 6 a.m. I also didn't sleep very well , so the morning of the race I seriously contemplated shutting off the alarm and going back to sleep . I ' m really glad that I didn't . Because of the contemplation though , I got a late start and cut it pretty close getting to the race site . I showed up to Caeser Creek State Park to a packed parking lot with people scrambling around to pick up packets and get prepped for the 8 am start . After a long wait in line to pick up my numbers and timing chip I had just enough time to set my bike up in the transition area and get to the starting line with less than 2 minutes to spare . That left no time for warm up and very little for stretching . Aside from the being physically unprepared it left me feeling a little bit unprepared mentally . I was already getting a bit of a defeatist whisper in the back of my mind . I tried to push it down and concentrate on relaxing and having a good race . My goal was to beat my previous time on this course of 1:34:30 and maybe even breaking 1:30:00 . Most of all , I wanted to relax and have a good time , because these times mean jack in the scheme of things , but I want to enjoy these races otherwise there is no reason to be there . I set up my stopwatch / heart rate monitor and let it fly . I ' m not going to analyze this race to death right now . I am very , very happy with the results . Despite the rushed start , and some doubts early on in the race I was able to meet my goals and almost .... aaaaaalmost beat the 1:30:00 time . The secret to the race seemed to be something I ' ve been striving for which is to ( and this sounds kind of dumb ) run smarter , not faster . Here are the official results : Age Group : 3 rd Overall : 27 th 1 st 5 K : 24:11.16 Pace : 7:48 Transition : 01:23 Bicycle : 39:07.07 Pace : 19.0 mph Transition 2 : 01:09 2 nd 5 K : 24:42.51 Pace : 7:58 Total Time : 1:30:33 I am very happy with the times I posted for the two 5 K runs . One of the things I wanted to do was to run a complete race . Often times I come out fast and then fade on the second 5 K . I was able to hold back just a bit on that first 5 K to save something for the bicycle and the second 5 K . I am very happy with the improvement in the bicycle time over the last race . In April I pedaled the 20 K course in 41:55 at a pace of 17.7 mph . You can see from the stats above there was a great improvement on virtually the same course . I think the mileage I ' m putting on commuting is really helping to improve my cadence and ability to handle the larger gears to push up to faster speeds . Here are some more stats from my bicycle computer : Odo : 647.7 miles Dist : 12.93 miles Time : 41:07 Avg : 18.9 mph Max : 31.4 mphand a whole mess of data from my new toy . I ' m not sure how I ' m going to put this information to use just yet . It is interesting though to see how my new heart rate monitor can keep all this for me . Maybe after I gather some more information I ' ll be able to analyze it and get some help in improving training . Heart Rate in zone : 01:16:00 ( Zone 5 169 - 188 ) Avg . Heart Rate : 173 bpm Peak Heart Rate : 186 bpm Min . Heart Rate : 93 bpm Total Calories burned : 1757 Split Time Avg . HR 1 st 5 K mile 100:07:06171 mile 200:08:34178 mile 3.100:07:23182 Transition ??? 00:01:0518222 K Bicycle 41:18:171702 nd 5 K mile 100:07:27172 mile 200:09:10174 mile 3.100:07:36178 The improvement in this race really lifted my hopes for the rest of the year , and raised the possibility of signing up for the series next year . It would be fun to approach the races as a season , and give a real focus to my training over the winter and next spring . Something to think about ... 
Why does everyone have a job ? So there is nothing left to do as far as the Meth video goes , but now I ' m busting to get the camera rolling on this brake dancing movie . It 's very hard because everyone works different hours . So finding a day when everyone can get together is really hard . But I ' m already to film . Just need the camera with a new tape and full battery and we can start . a Ck My birthday is this Saturday . I ' m really excited even though I ' m not doing anything . Ally is sending me something so I am super excited about that ... 
I don't hear a song now . Noise . I wanted to tell people about what happens to your perception of your own artwork when you make something such as a movie . When I was what I thought to be about 55 % done . I picked about 30 songs , songs that I thought would work best for the video . I played almost all of them to the video tweaking and adjusting slightly every time . This began to get extremely tedious because I had to watch the whole video every time then make changes and watch it again . Finally I decided on " Clear the Area " by Imogen Heap , who was at the time one of my absolute favorites . After a couple more days I had the first draft of the short done . It looked pretty good but when I actually decided that this was the movie we were going to use , ( there were three different candidates ) I thought that it needed a remake so I went through and fixed up and adjusted the whole thing . Finally I burned three disks and called it a wrap . During the whole process of making and presenting " Not even Once " I have seen it all the way through close to one hundred times , and heard the accompanying song only slightly less . When I watch the video I can honestly say that I question its quality and very integrity I can't look at it and decide if I like it or not . It just doesn't seem coherent to me ... It 's really hard to describe . The music used to be one of my favorite songs , now when I listen to it I don't even hear music , just sound . The reason people listen to music is because it stimulates us in many emotional ways . Unlike the sound of a vacuum cleaner , which we hear as just noise . After hearing the song so many times it has become a vacuum cleaner . Noise . It is actually kind of saddening , because this is one thing I really like to do , make short movies / videos that are deeply influenced by , and intertwined with , emotional music , and it really ruins the emotion of the music . On a completely different note : I want to start seeing more comments on here , from everyone . Tell me your thoughts , unless they are mean . 
Premier . Tonight at the Rialto Theatre " Not Even Once " was opened to the public . I was really nervous , I wasn't sure if people would like it . But they all clapped and I didn't get anyone saying it sucked . So that is reassuring . Kate Schwab interviewed me for the paper . I ' m not sure about that ... It was good I guess . I guess I ' m pretty proud about the way it all turned out . I just feel like it is far from over , but at least the hard part is done . It will be showing this Saturday and next weekend also . If you want to see the movie but can't come to the show it 's on my myspace . com / nodamnameor just go to youtube . com. ( Then rate it 5 stars ! ) . 
Meth movie : done . So I finished the meth movie . It 's all done and playing at Steeles on a great big HDTV . ( The TV is 16:9 and my movie isn't , who cares ? ) It feels really good to be done . Now if I can just secure a digital projector by tomorrow night I will be all set . Today the lady with Paint the State called again , I was gone again , of course . But she is way excited . She called " all the media " ( my mom 's words ) so I have to schedule an interview with the paper . I ' m still a bit nervous about this blowing up in my face because I don't have the rights to play that music . It probably doesn't matter , but I ' m still nervous . I ' m pretty excited with how this has all turned out . But there is still plenty more work to be done . 
narcissism ??? Narcissism describes the character trait of self love . gitu kata wikipedia di http : // en . wikipedia . org / wiki / Narcist . sebenarnya narcissism ini makin banyak aja berakar di manusia yang menyebut dirinya modern . nggak percaya ? blogspot salah satu buktinya ! mungkin hermawan kertajaya - seseorang yang mengaku pakar marketing [ narcissism juga kali yeee pake ngaku 2 ... hehehe ... ] , menyebut blogspot ini sebagai media " selling self " [ katanya sih , ilmu jualan paling tinggi itu konon adalah ilmu ini ] . mungkin juga , berbagai teori yang bisa ditemukan di textbook human resource menyebut blogspot sebagai media aktualisasi diri . benarkah ? pernah kepikir apa yang dijual orang - orang ini kalau memang iya ini adalah " selling self " ? terus ... ada orang - orang yang menggunakan nama palsu dan membuat blog . aktualisasi diri ? aktualisasi nickname ? atau aktualisasi diri orang lain ? [ banyak banget tuh blog - nya rhoma irama - salah satu favoritku : http : // rhoma - iblis . blogspot . com , apa iya sih dia yang bikin ? ] nah ... kesimpulanku pribadi ... orang - orang ini terkena penyakit narcissism ! hayo ngaku ... punya blog ga kamu ? ! ? ! ? hehehe ... 
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A binary branching fractal . 	 Every step is both binary and triune at the same time . I imagine a God who also keeps track of all of our possibilities . The result would therefore be alternate realities ... because a God imagined alternate journey would be as real ... as long as it exists in the mind of God . ( Sidebar : Does existance depend on an effort from God , and if so ... could God " close God 's eyes " and make us all dissapear and then " open " them to bring us back into existance at the same instant / circumstance that we dissapeared ? ) The theory I am kicking around is that someone who dies , turns right ... when the rest of us turn left ... in their world , they may still be walking with us ... growing closer to God ... living into new realities and forgetting the old ... which would mean there would be an infinate number of parallel universes ...... " Thy kingdom come , thy will be done ... on earth as it is in heaven . " . 
I know how Angela Lansbury must feel ... 	 The past few days have been rough . I am tired of seeing dead people . Will all of y ' all do me a favor and quit kicking the bucket ! Really , I don't mind ... I would enjoy it if more of you would miraculously recover ...... theology is a lot messier in the real world than it is in seminary ... Calvin / reformed tradition is a discipline that may inform regular practice -- but is it viable for flesh and blood encounters ? I tend to use " club " theology ... I pick up the biggest chunk of grace I can find and beat the hell out of the situation with it . It isn't surgery -- it is primal bludgeoning . It gets the job done ... although it may not really be all that pretty . 
A Strange Loop . 	 Studying for the PCUSA ords ... contemplating the self - referential language of the Trinity . Introspective Theology and paradox ... " this statement is false " ... " I believe that the existance of the classical " path " can be pregnantly formulated as follows : The " path " comes into existance where we observe it . " . 
Emergency Baptism . 	 ... there shouldn't be emergency baptisms ... then again , there shouldn't be infants dying in their parents arms ... sometimes you do the wrong thing for the right reasons ... theology , in such circumstances , is like trying to fight a dragon with marshmallows ... I remind you now of these words of comfort : Hear the words of our Lord Jesus Christ : ( Matt . 28:18 - 20 ) All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me . Go therefore and make disciples of all nations , baptizing them in the name of the Father , and of the Son , and of the Holy Spirit , and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you . And remember , I am with you always , to the end of the age . Hear also these words from Holy Scripture : ( Eph . 4:4 - 6 ) There is one body and one Spirit , just as you were calledto the one hope of your calling , one Lord , one faith , one baptism , one God and Father of all , who is above all and through all and in all . Obeying the word of our Lord Jesus , and confident of his promises , we baptize those whom God has called . In baptism God claims us , and seals us to show that we belong to God . God frees us from sin and death , uniting us with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection . By water and the Holy Spirit , we are made members of the church , the body of Christ , and joined to Christ 's ministry of love , peace , and justice . Baptism is serious business ... deadly serious . I thank God for this sacrament and the power it had to heal our spirits in the wee hours of Tuesday morning . For more on baptism , click here . 
A Great Feeling . 	 ... when a patient I have been visiting with for weeks is released from the hospital .... when my daughter gets excited to see me when I arrive to pick her up from daycare .... when the words come easy .... when my wife looks at me and smiles .... when everything falls into place ... like Juan Diego 's roses . 
CPE takes up too much of " my " time . 	 I hate this verbatim crap that we have to do at home and then bring to class . I have yet to see a verbatim ( in this or in any other course ) that the whole group really got something out of . It makes me feel like a robot . 
3 rd year pani sakina lagyo . .... .... .... ..... life goes on ... sochda aachamma lagchha .. kati chito bityo ..... ani ... malai sadhai doharauna man lagne saying ..... " ... that is why we need a family ... that is why we get married .... " Dipsal le bhaneko thiyo kahile ... friendship ... maile bujhnai sakeko chaina ... is there something wrong with me ... ?? malai kahile pani khokro friendship man parena .... tara yeha yestai chaldo rahechha ... natak ... friendship ko natak ...... swarthi .... tesai le ma sadhai mero college ko saathi haru lai miss garchhu .... saayad .. tini haru yeti dherai swarthi thiyenan hola .... saayad thiye ki .... 
the day i must never forget ... aaja mero medicine ko ward exam ! hijo community field exam thiyo .. ramro bhayo . better than i had expected . tara aaja ko din , THE DAY TO REMEMBER ..8 baje ward pugey .... 8:30 ma short case . - respiratory examination ... ramrai bhayo .. then was the next case , my diagnosis was Kalazar , rahechha congenital hemolytic disease .... !! just because the sister in the ward , told me the diagnosis ... and that turned out to be wrong ....... Teacher le then told me " i thought you were much better ! " ani at about 2 PM went to have my meal , ani then back to ward ..... from 2:30 to 8 , i waited .... .. mero VIVA started at 8:00 and ended in 8:20 .. ani those 20 mins ... i wont ever forget .... he was expecting much from me , but i couldnt answer none of the questions properly ... then he started asking simple questions .... depressed so much from my performance ... i couldnt answer them either ... then he said .. " yesari ta medicine ma hudaina , padhnu parchha , why didnt you study ? " .. tyo bela samma ma ta mero aakha bhari aasoo ...... i was feeling soo bad ..... i couldnt utter a word .... i was not here to be like that .. ani ma teso naramro student pani hoina jasto lagthyo .. tara aaja thah bhayo .. there is no alternative to hard work ..... ani the problem here is ki . aaja ko incident wont inspire me to study , yo incident le ta mero confidence down bhayo .... khoi ke ho ke ho .................. 
next step forward . doctor bannu ma aaja yeuta naya step , post mortem demonstration . had seen a cadaver , tara freshly dead body , hadnt seen so closely .19 yr female who had dreams , wishes , hopes and was happily cycling around was hit by a bus and she died . and we as so called would - be - doctors saw her being cut to pieces , her organs being taken out and investigated . she was still bleeding , . phew ! truth of life is you never know what is going to happen next . life goes on ...... 
Abish @ AIIMS . i am here in AIIMS right now for PULSE .. which is the annual gathering of thousands of medical students from nepall and india . I am having lots of fun roaming around ..... Delhi is really big yaar .. ani AIIMS is really great .... Though i am not playing anything here .. but I reached AIIMS .. lucky me ... : ) it was 7 days program and 4 days have already passed ... i dont want these remaining days to finish ..... 
pheri aarko entry .. things happening in my life these days . : 1 . Gynae posting starts at 9 AM ma chai 10:30 ma janchhu 2 . Swimming janchhu almost every evening ..3 . Asti friday " dantakali school " ma teaching garya ... First aid .. BURNS , < CMTKN > , ramailo nai bhayo 4 . Saturday chai Dharan Positive sanga interaction program thru rotaract .5 . Saayad AIIMS janchhu hola PULSE ko lagi 1 week from tomorrow .6 . Aaba dashain beeda 20 days pachi .. countdown started .. kahile jau jasto bhai sakyo .. yeti nai ho .. 
Holidays almost over . 1 month back i was desperately waiting for my vacation , and now my vac . is almost over . What did i do ? 6 th -- exam over -- Cosmic Air --- Kathmandu same day .7 th samata sanga bhaktapur .... aseem ... surendra dai .. kishor dai .... then neeta didi ko biha ..... then blah blah ...... Dang ... 1 week .. then back to kathmandu ... doing nothing , ... *** mero PC ko HDD crashed .. bichara ma ... dharan liyera janchhu bhaneko ta ....... yestai ho socheko kahile pugchha ra ?? 
15 days to go ... exams aauna lagyo .. finals .... tes pachi ta clinicals ... pass ta hunchhu hola .... padhai chai well organised chaina ... 4 hours a day - and i get saturated ... 1 / 2 hour ko episodes ... ani TV room .. Dharan ma garmi badheko chha ... swimming pool pack ! swimming garda mero hath le lagera yeuta class mate ko eye - lid tear bhayo .. bichra ' taaka ' lagaunu paryo ... ( Rajesh M. ) Rotaract ko newsletter aahile samma pani baneko chaina ... aalchi bhayepachi ke lagchha ra ! aahile library ma .. 
added photos . well ... in these days .. i uploaded 104 photos using 1 asphost . com , took me nearly 6 hours .. www . abish . mustbehere . com mero site ! ani ... question set garna hairan bhairaheko chha .... for the quiz ... , ani .. i joined swimming , daami mooj hunchha ... ali ali aauchha ... i can cross the length of the pool ! Aaja Diabetic Camp gayeko thiye , ' murga ' search garna hairan , tara working was really nice .. 
holidays are over ! know what ! my holidays are over ... ani i dont know how i spent these days ... yesterday i made a presentation for a J . R . and in return i got a chance to scan photos .. as much as i wanted to ... so the photos are in a CD .. and this old PC doesnt have a CD drive ... so .... bholi dekhi MSS suru ... presentations ko lagi ta kehi ta padhera janu paryo ni ..... thats it ! 
lesson ! i will never ever try again to find the cracked version of swish .. i had tried about 6 months back ... ani the PC was invected and crashed ... i had to format and re - do everything ... and now i did it again ! kehi kaam chaina .... aaja swimming janchhu hola ..... time pass ta garnu paryo ni ..... 
phew ! theory over ! life ma first time ma continuously 8 hours padhe .. aaja ... 12 midnight to 8 AM . i wasnt prepared much ... kehi aaudaina jasto lagdai thiyo ... so had to do that .... ani . i was prepared to fail .. tara pass hunchhu hola .... saajilo questions thiyo .... huna ta bholi LAB exam chha .. tara pani internet chalauna man lagyo .. tesai le .. i am here in the library ..... yeha keta haru le naya kura sikechn ... IE ma password rakhna ... tesaile i had to learn how to remove it ... and i learned it .. aru ke hunu . bholi exam sakinchha .. ani yeuta kaam chha ... 5:15 PM dekhi ... ani mero 7 days holiday chha Multi system seminars ko lagi ... ke garchhu thah chaina ... ma aahile samma bhedetar gayeko chaina , < CMTKN > , sayad .. i will go there .... ! boorie bhok lagi sakyo .... bihana only 2 pieces of bread ! bichara ma .... ' anorexia nervosa ' . 
life goes on ... life goes on ... time flies by .... my exams are just by the corner .. and i am not really ' prepared ' why does it always happen with me ? but ..... i am not tensed at all ... but why ? i want to get tensed ... frustrated ... but i cant ! ... actually i want these 3 more years to vanish .. when i close my eyes ..... 
How does it feel to be 21 ? I think that ' d rather be asked in another way ! How does it feel to turn another age ? Well I havent noticed what difference it makes to turn another age while growing up to this age of mine . What does a kid like me know ? Every thing at my disposal , what do I know about the world Things took a turn around after I turned 20 ; I realized how to live in my own world . Living behind someone 's shadow doesn t just cut it , could be worse if there are so many factors you are being sentimental about , the primary is the sexual orientation . Their actions couldn t have been faulted if it was based on the moral value of the conservative society we are from , but it s on hypocrisy and gossip . The emotional state of the " mum 's boy " is so fragile that he has care about what they say and think , just to fit in with them and have less to talk about . That was then ; I got to know how to stand up for myself . I was very depressed on my birthday , for real I was really depressed , trying to ponder over my life and see what I have achieved so far , all I could comprehend is this same old mummy 's boy . I realized its time to move forward , take charge . I am an adult now ; I have to take charge , taking charge of everything I mean . Everything concerning my life is now in my hands . My education , which subsequently leads to my career , my lifestyle , my finance . Everything concerning my life is now at my discretion , I dont have to take the back seat and gulp every word you tell me on how to live my life . Now let me take control for once and forever . I might take suggestions and advice but that doesn t give it a shot that I am going to make good use of it , because this is about ME and MY LIFE . It s my world NOW . Off to a rocky start though , but I am optimistic ! I can make decisions concerning me ; I had to reason and see what makes a healthy lifestyle . I laid down criteria and I follow it , not for anyone but solely for me . Whoever I lay with doesn t have to be your problem , whatever institution or degree I am taking shouldn t be such a burden for you , I guess . I think I can control my life and its now or never , I need to take the right course , the rightful path that I decided to tread upon ; with God , I will be fine . I see a light at the end of the tunnel ! 
To be attacked means to have our survival threatened . Thus , we might chose between surrender , withdrawal , or counterattack . When we feel attacked ( criticized or judged ) by others in conversation , we often move into that same kind of survival mentality and automatically defend ourselves . When we defend against criticism , we give more power to the criticism and the person dishing it out than is warranted . While we might need to set some limits if someone is verbally abusive , I think we often ward off criticism far too soon , discarding anything that is valid , as well as what is invalid . The person 's words may hurt , but they will hurt less , I think , if we ask questions , decide which pieces we agree with ( if any ) and which ones we don't agree with . We can just think about it , we don't have to fight it as if we were being attacked with a lethal weapon . I watch people 's self - esteem increase simply from becoming less defensive in the face of criticism and judgement . Besides , we may find a priceless gem in with some junk . You always want to leave a good impression behind you . But we have to put somethings into play ; Ask Questions ; Active listening ; Give your side ; Accept ; Reject ; Ignore . Even if you believe the criticism is inaccurate or unfair , delay reacting defensively . State that you 're confused by the criticism ( if this is true ) and that you ' d like to understand it better . Then ask questions regarding the specifics of the criticism . Try to honestly understand what your critic is talking about . For most of us , responding to criticism without defending our selves has meant being " defenseless , " caving in , losing face , feeling bad about ourselves . On the other hand , responding defensively has meant being harsh , closed , shutting others out . This is a no - win choice . We look bad and undermine our own self esteem either way . If we can learn to respond to criticism with true non - defensive openness and clarity , asking questions , stating our position , and setting limits when needed , we can build our own wisdom and garner the respect of both the children and adults in our lives . 
Innocence can be referred to as a state of unknowing , where one 's experience is lesser , in either a relative view to social peers , or by an absolute comparison to more common normative scale . Sometimes we hold ourselves in high esteem , the morale of our dignity is well magnified , that we are afraid of a tainted image . We tend to analyze our values and self - dignity in comparison to what could defile the morale and quality of well - being we have set aside . We seem not to have control on some emotions that comes along at some point , not because we are empowered , nor overwhelmed by the state we are subjected to , but we seem to be weak in the spirit . The self - controlling energy that seems to go by the values and norms we have set aside seems to be weakened by the emotions . In addition , this seems to happen by the state of the mind not being on the same par with our body , some external burden , which seems to be greater than what we can bear at that moment seems to be working in place . Together we tend to go down the trail of disappointment , which subsequent result after we get together with the state of our well - being ; we realized we have lost our innocence . Infatuation and Lust plays a major role in the defilement of our sexual well - being . I tend to hold myself in high - esteem , no sexual intercourse with a complete stranger , on internet hook - ups . Being a reclusive state and not really interacting with people , tend to work with boredom and loneliness , which wont probably have a good effect on a sexually active young male . When the mind is tramped with such feelings and you just want to relieve yourself of the sexual tension ( when celibacy is not in place ) , the next available option will sure be taken on , the experience might worth it , and it might not , but when you reconcile with your body and spirit , you tend to realize the self - esteem is being diminished . My normal reaction is to start treading on the path of regret , only if its that bad and I couldn t just take the thought of disappointment away from when I remember what happened , worse scenario when I cant believe that can happen to me in any situation . The subsequent feelings will probably take its toll on me . Getting the realization that some things have to happen , there has to be an adventure for a hale and hearty young man , but we want to relate with something we are proud of , but something we are probably ashamed of will sure show up . Trying to learn from the mistake seems to be the next option for me and I will probably try to check what s to do and make sure I dont fall down that pit anymore , because it wont build up the dignity , with time it might but the experience will surely haunt you only if you let it . Its my past I have to let go . Its easier to let go provided the circumstance fits well with your persona but what happened seems to just be right on your classification of defilement . Most times you really cant help the feelings , cant just help what happened , forget the past because you cant change it . That s you , that s what makes you unique , hopefully the situation wont just haunt you still .. Well , we cant change our past , we just need to reconcile with ourselves and make sure falling into that same ditch doesnt seem possible anymore . Dont let out all secret about you to your prospective partner . Live life as is , and have fun !!! 
Deadly strain bird flu in Africa ( Nigeria ) . The dreaded H 5 N 1 bird flu that had been anticipated on not getting into African countries have been found in Northern Nigerian state of Kaduna , neighbouring state Kano have reported death of several birds . It amazes me on how Nigerian authorities put their negligent attitude to place in every important and sensitive issues that pertains to the citizens and could better their lives . Due to lack of proper technological resources needed in the laboratories to confirm what disease it was , the Nigerian government were confident to declare it as New Castle disease , a common disease with poultries . The World Health Organisation ( OIE ) reported that " Although all evidence to date indicates that the virus does not spread easily from birds to humans , careful monitoring of the situation is warranted " . A great decline will happen to the Nigerian growing poultry industry . My family happened to be unfortunate in this situation . But if fast action could be embarked on by the Nigerian Health authorities to check the spread of this menace , some Nigerians could be saved a great bunch of money . Unfortunately in a country like Nigeria , money earmarked for such event will be " allocated " to some off - shore accounts of selfish greedy politicians that rules the country . But this tragedy is not far from home of the Nigerian president himself , since he happens to boast at one point , being the biggest poultry farmer in Nigeria . We expect swift reactions to the problem before it escalates into spreading into humans . Some 46,000 birds have been reported dead from the H 5 N 1 virus . In Nigeria , as in other parts of Africa , most village households maintain free - ranging flocks of poultry as a source of income and food . Hopefully the government of Nigeria will checkmate the situation before it grows out of hand and it starts affecting the poor citizens , most especially people from the Northern part of the country . 
Trying to comment about my recluse attitude about not communicating like before ? What world are you living in when you expect constant communication from someone when it was supposed to be a 2 - way thing ? I never knew phone calls were not supposed to cease when there was no response nor acknowledgement from the previous calls Sending emails which are ought to be replied never got any reply ? Stepping out of our shells and see where we got the respect is something we are all working towards . Receving the phone calls and emails were so good to you that when it stopped ur selfish self had to complain they stopped coming maybe you are not feeling the relationship anymore ? I thought relationship was about 2 - way communication but when one person keeps doing it , they wont feel appreciated , putting you in your place doesnt give you the audacity to act like a snitch . Sometimes we feel like we can do it all by ourself , we dont know who is out there that is so paranoid about crowding . The hostile attitude you are putting up can as well match well with someone that is smothered with your hositility as well , putting up a self - defence just shows the level of your cowardice and how well you cant take criticism . Before jumping into rash conclusions / judgements , looking back on how grounded we are , sometimes does matter . 
Am chatting at a Nigerian chatroom called onlinenigeria . com , oh my oh my thats some weird place to go while away time , you get to know how funny Nigerians can be and how irresponsible they can be . They tend to be some set of intelligent people and got some brilliant traits in them but they are the definition of nuisance . Too bad an average Nigerian that comes in there cant hold a good conversation , but the level of interaction you give them brings out their real self . I tend to go there and have fun and most times not for meeting people because Nigerians are just so hypocritcal of everything , dont wanna divulge personal information and they take it against you . But its a place that you can get addicted to and nice to check up on sometimes ..... 
My life is not deserted , neither it s lonely but it seems to be different from the average . Sometimes I can feel the love all around me , and sometimes I just want to have some resentment feelings , but it might probably be the product of the obnoxious state that I have been in which in one way or the other might have disgusted some other party which causes condemnation sort of . The fun which I derive from the pleasure of being obnoxious and probably being loud is just for the limited time , with time being everything will elapse and you find yourself in a position you will feel maybe you are being avoided like a plague or something . However , when the feelings of rejection take over you , the only way you can pull it through is your self - conscience . Being positive is being independent of changing circumstances , circumstances cannot be changed just like that without you trying to get to understand the real you . Getting to understand you , shouldn t be because of some sort of huff or looking at yourself in a sort of mediocre way . Nope you are not getting in touch with your real self in true genuinely . You are just trying to respond to criticism that favors the critics , and that will probably end up in a negative influence for you . Nevertheless , a positive mind is always active and ever going , optimistic , want to take control of the situation and make sure you don t go down the path that s bringing you the poor being state of mind that you are in now . Respond to criticism in a positive way , unbiased way you know can only influence your life positively the way you see it . In addition , you need to get the real knowledge about what it entails , if the outcome of it does worth your while . Is there a light at the end of the tunnel at all ? You don t want to fulfil someone 's desires , be it in anyway , negatively or positively , at your own expense . You want to be your greatest motivation yourself , you don t care about what people say provided the actions you are taking is not going to haunt you or dent your image at the end of the day . Make the decisions , bring up the constructive ideas you have in you , the thoughts you have that might impact people 's lives , most especially yourself , thoughts that will impart grace to people 's lives . Conceive the idea , reconstruct it , outline the outcome of it , and see if it comes in your favor , provided it s not going to hurt your neighbor . We can t try to be Jesus every time but we want to keep the law of Karma in heart , what goes around comes back around . That should be effective in what we do . Getting to know my real self was good for me , I passed through some stage in my life and all I could do is thank God and appreciate all His goodness in my life . Though we pray and sometimes we don t get to see the results of our prayer as fast as we want , while we were focusing on that on particular interest , some other things are working in place for us . In matter of time all what we are asking for is sure going to fall in place , because all things work together for them that love God . 
The Times They Are A ' Changing . This morning on my way to drop my boys off at school , I stopped to buy gas for my Honda Odyssey minivan . It was an Arco station , nothing unusual except that they charge too much like everywhere else , except perhaps Costco . I spied something that struck home to me as a significant mark of change in our way of life , and we have only just begun to realize the half of it . What did I see ? Well take a look ! It is a disused gas price sign , tucked away behind the fence with the barrels of oil to be dumped , and never to be seen again . Why I ask is it there ? Examine it carefully and see if you can spot why this change had to be made . If you want help look at the new sign which replaced it . Now after you finish gulping at this astronomical increase in the price of our daily essential , reflect on how the sign - makers never expected the price of gas to exceed a dollar something . There isn t enough room for more that a one . Come senators , congressmen Please heed the call Don't stand in the doorway Don't block up the hall For he that gets hurt Will be he who has stalled There 's a battle outside And it is ragin ' . It ' ll soon shake your windows And rattle your walls For the times they are a - changin ' . Bob Dylan 1963 . 
The Bird House . The bird house , in the shape of a western - town dental office Has hung vacant for the last two seasons , Just as countless others , Which were chosen and positioned with care and hope . Its shutters and signs are now off kilter For the rains and intense summer sun Have bleached and warped the thin wood , So now looking derelict and abandoned This year for the first time It is fit for occupation . It was the gentle swaying motion on a still Spring - morning That alerted me to this premier . From the verandah the unending forays for food Could be watched as each parent Peered out , flew to the trellis , where the white rose bramble Has started to clutter the canopy , And then on and up to the fragrant pittesporum Before rocketing away to the hillside trees . Each return is accompanied by announcing chirps Which are especially forced if the cat is in sight . From full beaks the tireless mouths gobble , Somewhere in the concealment , And dross laden , each adult departs for another round . Never before had my offered home been chosen , Never had I witnessed the laden beaks day after day Feeding God s unseen miracle . Then , on a June afternoon my backstroke was interrupted By relentless squawked chattering . One of the adult birds was darting here and there From the strings of the hanging geranium pots , Chirping compulsively . And from the pool - side I watched as four coerced fledglings Tottered and fluttered , first to the Badminton net and Then across to the orange tree before jerking upward Away to the shaded branches on a maiden flight . Just one hovered down to the ground In disoriented surprise . To its place with watchful eyes I ran , Scouting the lawn for our tom . Nervous and confused it too soared off to safety And the twittering chorus in the dark broad leaves . 
Saluting Their Memory . This week - end we all pause to take a breath and peer backwards in astonishment at how fast this year is evaporating . We are also particularly holding in our minds the memory of those who gave so much that we might enjoy the liberty and freedom this nation offers in such unparalleled portion . On Saturday at 7.30 a.m. the Memorial Day Flag Placement occured at the Los Angeles National Cemetery in Westwood . Hundreds of POW MIA s , Scouts , Brownies Girl Scouts and Young Marines decorated the graves of the fallen with our national flag . The whole affair would bring a tear to your eye , especially when a breeze ripples through and sets the sea of red white and blue fluttering as if by one spirit . Let us thank God and them for the benefits we enjoy . The picture is of my son Oliver saluting at the grave of one of the fallen . 
The Persimmon Tree . The year is advancing at a pace , and the persimmon tree is wearing a new cloak of bright green . When the broad leaves start to turn gold And the fruit bright orange and sometimes even red We get the ladder out , and the long picker basket And scorning the birds , we take what is left of our crop . The trick is get the basket claws around the stem Then twisting slowly , pull until the piece drops in . Too much recoil launches the remaining fruit on the branch To a side splitting crash landing on the drive way . The birds laugh every time fruit falls , I know the hedge rats hear , and soon the possums And those brazen raccoons know the tale , Not to mention the squirrels . For six months the ultrasonic varmint deterrent Has failed to do its job again , But our tree is too tall now To net its branches . Some small hours have seen battle , Hose pipe and prod , Red Ryder and Airsoft Flash light to the eyes and bingo , a heavy thud As the prattling predator accepts temporary defeat . Thanksgiving again ! and the tree is bare , Standing alone until the new shoots of spring And its flowers welcome back the birds The ants and the bees , and my protective glances . 
EMIGRATING . The first step to " A Biting Chance " 1972 There are many perfectly acceptable ways of coming to America , and let s face it people have been emigrating to this country for centuries , eons , dare I say millennia . The problem now is that we have allowed ourselves to be maneuvered into a situation where we expect the government to exercise just laws , while at the same time dishing out what they extract from our wallets , in the name of fair taxation , to pay for all sorts of socially and politically correct agendae . I am not happy . Never mind March , what about May Day Madness ! We really need our heads examined , because the very things we love most about America , the things I came here to enjoy , are slowly and surely being taken way . We have just watched hoards of our nation s residents , notice I did not say citizens , parading about as if they were proud of their support of our country s failure to enforce its laws , and acting as if they rightly deserved a hand - out derived from the taxpayers pockets . I fought hard to come to America . I competed with other well - qualified applicants , and after going through the process I am proud to be able to call myself an American . There are many applicants in the pipeline who have simply been hung out to dry . Green - Card holders who dearly want to complete the transfer legally , and they are virtually ignored . They do not have access to the fair application of the law . They have petitioned and are not getting a timely execution of justice . The waiting line is well over seven years long . My brother gave up after five . Still I believe in America . As I look back now at the time when I took my first aeroplane flight and made that first bold step to carve out a new life here . I recall the poem I wrote then in flight . Here it is . I m Leaving I ' m excited ' cause I ' m leaving , I ' m going away To a new land over the sea . To where the people may be different And the culture too , Well that 's what I ' m going to see . The silver lady waits to do her duty Soon she ' ll surge into the sky To a new world across the ocean And so to England goodbye . I won't forget you England , in the half sun With the droplets of rain for the flowers I won't forget the Lady who I know thinks of me Who will sit in a dream for hours . But , I ' m excited ' cause I ' m leaving , I ' m going away To a new land over the sea Where the places and the people and the culture are different , And that 's what 's exciting me . 
For Mother 's Day . Frances Cecilia Mc Leod My father died some years ago now , and the initial grieving at his departure has mellowed into an irrationally rich tapestry of the sweet memories of what I like to remember most about him . His work first as a student at Merton in Oxford , and then as an undercover operative for the British Government in Kenya , meant that during the formative years of my life he was never at home . After them , the formative years I mean , he was never there anyway , for he left home when I was six . It was my mother who raised us five children in an East African colony during the last days of British imperialism . She went to work , hacking away at a typewriter in the secretarial pool at the Government office Supplies and Transport . She was a nurse in the Red Cross , and an executive assistant to Kar Hartley the international game exporter . Later she worked on the research team of Dr. Guggisberg as he made headway on the Anaphalis mosquito and the malaria problem , and in the Tsetse fly as the vector for Sleeping sickness . She would come home tired and yet still made time to organize dinner and sing us to sleep . In her songs Mum would remember the sweet times she had in her marriage . One haunting song written by her from the perspective of her children , suggests that we are comforting her as she laments . Lonely Do not sigh or dream of that look in his eye . The twitch of a smile and the touch of his hand , It 's a thing of the past Mother , we understand . Lonely , lonely , in spirit we travel together , Lonely , lonely , in spirit we 're always with you . Turn to me , your son with the curl on his brow , His little kid - sister and big sister too , His brothers look like him and also like you . Homing , homing , as birds of passage we travel , Homing , homing , remember our home is with you . 
today is the 23 rd of the month ... well ... today was a ...... i dont know .... anyway , i got up at 9 am ... which is pretty late for me ! i usually get up like 6 - 630 every morning , so this 9 am is a wierd thing for me .... anyway , my sister graduated from highschool , did the party n shit for the school .... and now she has to give the Gown back to the school .... which is ridiculus .... but anyway , so i went to the school , gave them the paper n shit , they gave me another paper , and told me to go to the Uni and get the money back ... so anyway , i walk down , like 2 kilos down to the uni , and enter there ... then i talk with the homosexual whos behind the glass , and i tell him , this is the reciept , so give me back the money , and this is my sisters ID and this is my ID .... the mother fucker is like , " no ur sister has to be here " .... im like dude , i came all this way and u gotta fuck me over ? this is her id and this is mine ! dont give me a headache ... he 's like " no this is the directors rules " .... im like " fuck u and ur director rules " ... then i just got out .... called my ma , and told her to tell my sis to come .... anyhows , so she comes and takes the cash blah blah ... then goes home .... so here i am right now came to the cafe .... its like 1130 am right now .... freakin Sunday .... man , this whole month went by like unbelievably crazy ..... so freakin fast ...... shit .... haha ... i just laughed , theres this Mexican dude sitting in front of me , looks like hes a tourist n shit ... hes talking to the waiter who works here .... funny accent ... hahaha .... ohhh fuck ..... fuck it ...... i have no idea what to write right now .... funny ...... fuck .... 
im trying ..... im trying .... i just wrote some stuff .... then i just deleted it right now ..... dont know why .... but i just did ..... whatever i dont care ... fuck it ...... everything in life is so cold ..... i cant stand shit ..... fuck .... well , i just am sitting down ... thinking and doing nothing ... or lets just say doing nothing .... ; ) ummmmm .... bored ..... i just wann cry to tell u the truth ..... got so much shit in my head ..... fucked up life .... never been more fucked ... and i hope it doesnt get more fucked up than this .... i hopeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee .... well , there is this girl i know who wants to start up a foundation to stop mother fuckers from abusing young adults .... sounds pretty ok .... not bad name for it either ... its called HAYA ..... Helping Abused Young Adults ...... its funny , cus the name is in Arabia , HAYA , yet the girl who wants to do it aint Arabian hehe .... so sounds funky dont it ? ! yeah yeah ... whatever ... ill c what she has to say about it , maybe i can help her type up some shit , or look for something , or even spread the word to the NGO foundation we have over here for the abused shit we have too ... cuz everywhere u go , theres always an abused person here or tehre , and its all because of the mother fucker who is fucking horny , cant stop his dick from touching anything ..... fucking guys man ! how patheitc are we for crying out loud ......... FUCK ! of course not all guys are like that , but TRUST ME ! Im a guy , and I KNOW GUYS !! WE ARE FUCKING PATHETIC PEOPLE ....... im not one of them though , so dont worry ..... ehem ehem .... Kiko style ... " ehem ehemmmmmmmmm 22222222 " haha ... funny dude .... ah shit . i have no idea what the fuck im typing , just whatever comes to mind , im typing it out .... funky .... ah well ...... shit i have to make some articial program that talks like me , maybe then we can have some peace in this fucked up world .... u know , i was looking through some shit , and im like DAMN !! i havent been online in like 2 days ! and im like FUCKKKKK ! was it that long ago ? ! i surely did not feel that pass by .... im tellling u , i have no idea how it passes so fast !! thats what i call a BUMMER huh ? ! yeah sure is .... ah well .... gotta whatever ... im gonna leave now i think ..... adios amigos . 
ok .... now im majorly ...... unknown ... allright ..... right now , all i gotta say , is that im totally broke ... fucked up .... i only have enough money right now for just an hour of internet ...... fuckkkkkkkkkk this sucks .... fuck ...... shit man .... i cant handle this shit .... its killing me ... welll shit .... i feel so much pressure ... shit man .............. im crying right now ........ i miss u ........... my sweet girl ........... i miss u ...... so much from the bottom of my heart ......... life ................ oh my life ................. my life ................. help .......... my heartache ............. so much indeed it is urs ......... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhwell ........ im trying to think elsewhere ........ ummmmmm ... i bought 3 new shoes !! thanks MOM !! I LOVE U MOM !!! what would i do without u .... the best mom in the world .... i love her so much ......... well thanks for that ..... mmmm ..... ummmm i dont kknow what to say right now , just a few minutes ago i had a shitload of think on my mind to say ....... shit ....... well , actually , after i got the very unhappy news ... i kinda lost interest in anything to do ......... ahhhhhh man ..... help ........ im so stuck ..... so stuck ........ so stuck ..... im starting to go back to my fucked up stage i was in like 2 - 3 weeks ago ..... ahhh man ........ im so lost ......... damnit ... mmmmm .... well i feel so much pressure right now ... im so broke , i have no idea where to get my money for the flight ticket to China ... shit .... i just hope everything goes well with the Embassy !! they are gonna fuck me OVER if things go wrong there ... ehhhhhhhshit man .... any donations ? ! hahaha ..... fuck man ..... hmmmm ... shit my hour is up actually ... i gotta leave this joint .... bummer .... just when i wanted to start typing ... i had a shitload in my mind just now ........... fuck this sucks .... man whoever reads this blog of mine , im sure u guys are like WHAT THE FUCK .... ehhhhhhhh well whatever u guys feel , tell me something , id love to know .... feedback is good .... but in the end , this Blog is for me , more than it is for u ... whatver .... fuck ............ 
hey , whats up ... hmm .... good afternoon ... ummm .... well ... lets c ... weather is pretty hot here right now .... so that sucks ass.... u take a shower one moment , then its like DEAD HEAT the other !! so that fucking sucks shit ! umm ... right now im hungry again , freakin stupid , everytime i wanna type in this stuff , i always get hungry ... no clue why .... i need to Argel , im fucking horny for it !!! the smoke n shit .... ill do the APPLE taste , or maybe the Peach ! hehe well c ..... fuck this , im running low on money these days ... it surely sucks to be in this situation n stuff .... u know i was thinking , if things dont go well with this Chinese shit , im totally FUCKED !! i have no idea what i will be doing if this doesnt work ayt all .... cuz im like .... bumerrrrrrrrrrrrrah well ... pretty bored again to be typing shit down .... ahhh .... well imma go home now ... have a great day freakshowmanias . 
the unknown .... when will it ever be known ? a shitty morning ... not feeling so well .... its almost 2 pm now ... i woke up at around 11 am , i needed the sleep badly ... my eyes still hurt , and im not in the mood for anything at all ... hmmm .... man this net cafe is fucked up , no AC on man .... damn it sucks ass.... the connection is so freakin slow too .. nothing is working good .... it takes ages for a page to open or something .... fuck thiswell .... alot of change happened over night in my life .... i aint gonna say what it is , as i just cant .. but its alot of shit that i DIDNT want to change for crying out loud .... fuck .... fuck fuck uck fuckkkkkkkkkkman ... i need someone to talk to : ( yet there isnt anyone around .... i feel so very lonely .... dont know anythingim trying to get this shitty music thing to work , but the connection is FUCKEDD its pissing me offfuck it ... it aint working ... man being lonely is the worst thing on earth ... i hate it ..... so fucking much .... i do nothing , im so tired and sick of this .... i cant stop thinking about how uncomfy i am right now at this moment ... it doesnt make sense to me , how noone emails me something ! not even my best friends ... i always stay in contact with them though , i dont know why i dont hear anything from them unless spoken too !! damn i hate that .... whatever , i think too much i think .... whatever ... so what am i supposed to do now ... no clue ... im chatting with the lady from China right now , shes telling me that they will send the Invitation letter for me by the end of this month ... give or take a few days i presumehmmm .... i was away from the screen like 1 hour or so .. so i forgot what to write ... well imma go home now i think ... im bored and tired ..... fuck ..... i have no clue what to do ..... help ....... anyone ..... 
fucking headache since the morning man !! what a fucking headache this day has been god damnit !!!!!!!!!!!!! FUCK THIS ! first its the god damned bus shit , Hijazi fucking bus crap ! always late , never on time , like all freakin things that occur here .... always like this ... pathetic ... anyways while im on the bus , this dude sits beside me n shit , and we start talking , which is something i USUALLY never do , yet the dude starting talking , and im fucking BORED TO DEATH ! i cant handle sitting on my ass for a long time doing NADDA ! anyways , the dude turns out to be Dental Docter shit , and we talk blah blah ............ ahhhhhhh shit im bored of this subject already .... ok whatever ... so i went to the fucking Chinese Embassy , and noone undertand SHITTTTTTT !!! fuck man ... they have these Chinese dudes , and this main guy doesnt speak any English , and his Arabic is like FUCKED UP ! ( what more can i say ? ) ... so i dont understand his shit , and he dont understand mind ... whatever , the point is that i call the Uni in China , and let them talk to him , yet he gets all twitchy n shit , pisses the FUCK off of me , and while im talking to him , he just leaves !! im like " u son of a bitch !!! " in my mind of course haha .... anyway , i wanted to fucking take my dick out and slap him across the face .... cuz when the fucker came back , after like 30 min ! he was like screaming n shit at me ......... that pushed me to the edge bigtime ! i wish there wasnt any freakin Glass , so shit ... makes u thank GOD that there was some glass preventing u to jump over huh ? ! haha .. i think the Embassy knows that there is these dudes , that fucking piss people off ! yeah whatever ... anyway ... so now i have to fucking go back there on Sun and get a copy of my passport and wait till fucking Thursday for them to STAMP my paper , if they even fucking do it !!! what ASSHOLES ! i told them im like ultra urgent shit ! noone understands ............. so now im chatting with the lady in China , the uni shit ... and shes telling me she will try and pull some strings to pass this Embassy stamp , maybe she can do it ... which i REALLY hope she can ... cuz im sick and tired of this bullshit .. i wanna fucking relax ....... shit .... ahhhhhhhhhhh ....... well im sitting in the office , doing nothing , typing this shit on here .... waiting for my good friend , the dude i talked about yesterday .... gonna meet the dude , chill at his place , talk till the sun dont shine no more .... we seriously need to ..... shit man , lots of crap going on in our lives that we just wanna pack our crap and get the fuck outta hereeeeeeeeeeeeee !! haha .... feels like an amazing move dont it ? ! yeah sure does ..... ahhhhh man .... my eyes hurt , feeling stressed out ...... shit there is so much shit i wanna talk , but im not typing it ... i feel like i have something to do , or someone is watching my back , so im not writing what i want ..... this stress ! .... hmmmmmmmm ..... too much shit to do , so little time to do it in ........ well .... i gotta go now , gotta go FAX some shit to China , and then , gonna wait for the DUDE to pick me up ... i hope things go well tonight and I talk the dude out of doing something which he might regret in his future ....... im gonna be harsh on him ..... i dont care .... he should understand me ......... he knows me ....... ahhhhhhhhhhh ...... fuck ........ 
( Dulles International Airport ) Dulles , VA . Built in 1958 ( by Architect Eero Saarinen ) , this is one of my most favorite airports in the world . Love the architecture of this building and the fact it was constructed in ( then ) rural Virginia . Even the typeface for the ticketing sign is cool . 
Masturbation at school . Have been back at school this week , so the posts have been a bit infrequent . Anyway , I was feeling a bit horny today at school and had a bit of a whack in the bathroom . I was feeling really nervous at first as I had never dared to fuse academic school life with my debauched obsession with masturbation , so I occupied the bathroom on the far end of the school where fewer people visit . Mostly it 's the year eights , and they 're usually masturbating chronically anyway so I figure it probably won't matter . Anyway , I pulled off my clothes ( I like to feel less constricted ) and quietly rubbed myself , hoping not to make any of the talltale noises . Anyway , it took about fifteen minutes to bring myself to a decently aroused state , at which point I hastily rolled up some toilet paper and positioned it all conveniently around the vicinity . As soon as I came it was an immense relief , because 1 . I hadn't had a decent go at myself in about five days , 2 . it was almost time for my next lesson , and 3 . I was paranoid that some nosy person might take advantage of the low doors to sneek a peek at me doing my business . Anyway , as I walked out of the bathroom I decided that I might make it a regular fixture in my Thursday routine . Sounds a bit depraved I know , but there 's something very anti - establishment about jacking off in a school environment -- it 's especially satisfying when I casually walk out of the bathroom , flash a friendly smile at a passing teacher , and then have pleasant thoughts for the rest of the day . 
My Cock Size . There was another thing that I was meaning to do , and that 's give you guys ( just ryan , whatever ) an accurate measure of my cock . Now , I don't want to alarm you but I ' ve heard that some guys , for some reason or another , like to exaggerate their penis size . Yeah , I know ! I was as shocked as you ! But anyway , I ' m gonna be completely sincere with my measurements . Honest injun ! ( base to tip ) Flaccid : 12 centimetres Erect : 17 centimetres OK for those non - metric people out there , firstly GET WITH THE PROGRAM , and secondly : Flaccid : 4.7 " Erect : 6.7 " So I guess I won't be starring in any porn movies any time soon , but according to Wikipedia , the average flaccid length is 2.7 " and the average erect length is 5 - 6 " depending upon which study you look at . So I ' m above average . But I suppose a small dick is better when it comes to anal sex . Hmmm ... quite the double edged sword . Check out this guy Maybe it 's been photoshopped ... ? Anyway , I ' m hoping to get my camera working so I can upload some , er , happy snaps of myself . Just a few , and probably nothing that shows my face because I ' m paranoid about people recognising me . What ? ! It could happen !! I ' ll keep you posted . 
The Perfect Cock . Sometimes , and this is one of those times , just a subtle hint of cock can make my day . There 's a reason behind this picture . I found it one some website ( hmmm I really should stop stealing other people 's porn ) and it reminded me of the time I saw my first lovely manly cock . OK here 's the story : A few years ago I was involved in a number of church groups ( oh the irony ) , and it was on one particular church camping trip that it first dawned on me that I might be gay . I started to develop a massive crush on one of the older teens who was there , and I couldn't stop looking at him even when I made deliberate attempts to look elsewhere . He was so ... perfect . He had this twink - ish look to him at the time , so he was cute , but not so cute as to render the relative manliness that I find so attractive obsolete . Know what I mean ? Probably not . Anyway , he and I were quite good friends at the time , and despite all my horny leers I don't think it cottoned on to him that I might be , as the French say , Le Flaming Queer . One night , when most others were asleep or whatever , he and I decided to have our usual late - night chat , where we discuss anything ranging from satin boxers ( ew . the one fashion faux pas I could attribute to him ) to chicks that he thought were hot . I was always a bit reticent to say who I thought was hot , because if I went along with his heterosexual jaunts then I would be dishonest , and if I told him the truth then it might mean a great deal of awkward silence . And I have a mortal fear of awkward silence . So I guess I just gave ambiguous replies the whole time . Anyway , on one of these occasions - about two years ago - we were sitting on his bed chatting away when I realised to my surprise a lovely flaccid cock winking at me from between his legs . His satin boxers had revealed just enough to get a good glance at his cock , balls and that lovely dark hint of pubes . Luckily he was oblivious to the whole thing , as I pretended to be looking nonchalantly at the bedsheet . The whole evening went like that , until he momentarily rearranged himself , which unfortunately ended my little oggle session . Over the next few weeks I couldn't look at him without remembering in vivid , wonderful detail that perfect cock . I wish he was gay . It 's not fair . 
Autofellatio . I had a really satisfying wank the other day . I was lying on my bed just watching TV and remembered thinking about coming in my own mouth , and that I had never succeeded in doing it . Like , I had tasted my own jizz before , but it wasn't really exciting since ; a ) it 's my own ; b ) I was no longer in a state of arousal ; and c ) it doesn't taste much like M & M 's . But this time I decided to be a contortionist -- so to speak -- and lie on my back with my legs over my head , so that my cock is aimed square at my face . No big deal , I figured . In fact , I had done this multiple times , and had manage to touch the tip of my penis with my tongue . I know , right ! I guess all those years of gymnastics paid off ! But as exciting as it was the first time I did it , I quickly learned that the pleasure that one can derive from bending their limbs around into an ungodly position and touch my old fella with my tongue is extremely limited . As far as I know , it is virtually impossible to achieve orgasm whilst fellating oneself . Oh , and a quick search on wikipedia revealed that sucking one 's own cock is autofellatio , which makes sense , etymologically speaking . Hee .. big words . If only everything yukky and unnatural in life could be sugar coated with some scholarly sounding words . Anyway , Wikipedia gives this very educational diagram of autofellatio in practice : Uh huh , I hear you say aloud to yourselves as you scribble furiously in your notepads . So ... where the hell was I ? Oh yes - contortionism . I configured myself in such a way that would point the cock at my face , but at the same time being aware of the fact that I might snap my spine . Jeez that would be embarrassing . Then I ' d have to go around to high schools in my wheel chair , giving lessons on why kinky masturbation is wrong . But it turns out my spine is made of rubber , and I actually managed to bring myself to a very strenuous climax . But wouldn't you know it - for the first couple of spirts I completely missed my face , instead making some stains on the bed sheets . I was quick enough to realign my cock so that I got a huge gob of spooge right in my mouth . Yum , warm . Even though it took me a lot longer to finally spill my stuff , and it took even longer to locate all of the stuff ( I found some on my shoulder about half an hour later ) and clean it properly , I think it was well worth it . Anyone managed to touch their dick with their tongue out there ? Or am I just special ? 
Ever stuck a toothbrush up your ass ? I have . As per the recommendation of a reader , I can now officially cross off number two . For those with delicate assholes or , you know , prudish tendencies , here 's a picture to entertain yourselves with while the rest of you read all about my anal masturbation session . It 's hot guys in speedo 's week , apparently . Here 's the story : Got a huge pile of hand moisturizer , concealing it surreptitiously in my hand as I made my way to the bathroom . I lathered a lot of it on the " blunt " end of a disused toothbrush ( the non - brush end ) , then applied a generous amount to my ass and proceeded to go about jamming the thing up my ass. At first I was a bit hesitant , you know , cos my ass is really tight and I had only ever used the dry finger approach ( which ... never again ) . But then once I got it in a few inches without too much hassle I slowly shoved it further inside of me . I can't exactly say it was as pleasurable as a lot of gay guys tell me ( they give long , detailed accounts of orgasms and the like ) , but it wasn't overall repulsive . In fact , I might even try it again at some stage this week -- just to see where my limits are . Oh , and the cleanup was fairly hassle - free . I never really enjoyed shower masturbation , but inserting foreign objects into such a sensitive area was sort of a new lease on my masturbatory life . Yeah . That was the highlight of yesterday . A bit sad if you think about it . I ' m curious ... what do some of my readers shove up their behinds ? I saw a picture once of an entire foot in someone 's ass once , and it made me aware of how inexperienced I am with these things . Like , I ' ve never taken it in the ass , and even if I really wanted to I don't think I ' d be capable of fitting a dick inside me ... 
OK , I can officially cross off number five . And here 's some more evidence of my growing swimmer - fetish . Enjoy ! The thing I love about hot swimmers , such as this guy , is that they are the prime candidates for speedo wear . I go to the beach and see all these old men with hair everywhere , gross bulges and flat arses and it makes me wish that speedos were fashionable for young guys and uncool for old people . It 's just wrong that old men are allowed to expose themselves like that . Euk . It 's a cruel irony and fact of life that not many guys are game to wear speedos , and so opt instead for the more modest board short approach . Which is OK I guess , cept it leaves too much to the imagination . The revealing nature of a nice speedo does so much for me . The tightness of it , pressing against a bulge , framing the beautiful male ass like a picture . And I love speedos because they 're low hung , and they give guys an excuse to show off that V shape that descends into the pubic area . So hot . 
Back To Work ! After a brief break from entertaining our fans we are back in the saddle . Both Andy and Jonathan ran off to Mexico with their significant others and I took the time off to spend with my little one . A week ago Monday we got together in the garage to remember that we were once a band and after only a few minutes we were back to rockstar status . Our first show out was last weekend at the NXNW Brewery and as always we had a great time with the great folks that make the giant NXNW wheel turn . The staff at the Brewery is always so gracious and it 's really a lot of fun to play in the open air pavilion . We have a ton of shows scheduled for the next few weeks so if you get a chance , come out to see Austin 's PREMIER Johnny Cash Experience ! Upcoming Shows : Wednesday July 26 th - Mean Eyed Cat 7:00 - 10:00 Saturday July 29 th - NXNW Brewery 7:00 - 10:00 Friday August 10 th - Fado 9:00 - 12:00 ( Tentative Date ) Saturday August 26 th - Shoal Creek Saloon Chill Cook Off - Afternoon Show Wednesday August 30 - Mean Eyed Cat 7:00 - 10:00 Thursday September 14 th - Fado 9:00 - 12:00 Tuesday October 12 th - Fado 9:00 - 12:00 More dates sure to come ! Remember that A Band Named Sue is available for private parties and corporate events . Be that guy at that company that hires a unique band to add that special atmosphere to your next rhythmic ceremonial ritual ! Check out A Band Named Sue on Myspace ! www . myspace . com / bandnamedsue | View | Add Favorite . 
4 th Street , Fado 's , A Dallas Win . . . SHOCKER ! Well kids , A Band Named Sue played it 's debut show at Fado in the famous warehouse district . It was a lot of fun to play downtown for a change , there is always so much energy . It was a hub of activity with the rumbling sounds of guitars and drums willowing over the rooftops . At one point I was worried that our sound would be drowned out by the myriad of power chords being wind - milled just over the duct work . Fado has put the stamp of approval for their new outdoor deck to accommodate the nicotine queens , only the city hasn't put their stamp on the plans . More hot tubs and outdoor showers was Dr. Hoyles vote , but these days it 's all ball bearings . So we played on the soon to be back deck on a very nice stage that the bar had set up for us . I have to say that it was pretty nice to have some sort of riser and the club is trying to help the perception that the band should be somewhat elevated from the general audience . I think that Fado has high hopes for their new outdoor digs , maybe when they get it finished we can host the first Deckapalooza ! It was also the first gig that I got to play my new Gretsch Catalina Club white pearl drum set . It was in impulse buy on the way to Costco and when I walked into Guitar Center it called to me , as it has done many times in my dreams . It was an early Father 's day present for a new dad and something that I ' ve rocked for many a gig . The show started just as the sun went down behind the Lavaca Street Bar and we chomped down our food and washed it down with a frosty beverage and hit the stage . Fist up , the ever popular Theme to the Pink Panther followed by our deep cut tribute to the man in black . The second set showcased the ever popular and talented Ms. Pamela Ryder . From I Still Miss Someone to Soldier Boy it was nothing but SASS ! We always enjoy playing with Pam and it 's always fun to just wind her up , sit back and let her loose on stage . It 's never a dull moment as a spectator or as a participant . Next up on the schedule is another show at NXNW on Friday the 16 th . We are going to run this gig sans Dr. Hoyle as he will be in South Carolina with the Six Pack ( his pals from high school ) AKA the Glee Club ! I think that it will be an interesting performance that might feature the only drum and guitar Johnny Cash duo that you can get in this town for free . It wouldn't be the first time that Andy and I had to carry the show running solo and it might not be the last . It should still be fun . NXNW is a happy hour show and the food is great and the beer just keeps on getting better and better . Sea Biscuit OUT ! 
The Shortest Show Ever ! Two weeks ago we started our 5 shows in three weeks with a private party at the Bel Air Apartments on South Congress or as the kids are saying these days So Co ( insert pointer finger into open mouth and make gagging noise ) . Regardless of the " terms and conditions " the Bel Air folks were very good to us and once the sun sunk low in the Western Sky the temperature dropped and everyone was feeling fine . Note to self : bring 100 ft + extension cord to next roof top , mid - construction condo gig . The next show on the list was our always popular show at The Mean Eyed Cat . Our favorite online computer manufacture , Dell was having a little get together happy hour on Wednesday so we put the setup in high gear and got started a little earlier than usual . Once again , I can't say enough about this bar and the folks that work there . Any bar tender who goes out of his way to chill an extra six pack of your favorite beer is on my best bar tender list . The only other bar tender in this town that shows me that kind of courtesy is Jimmy at the G & S who will have my favorite drink made and ready upon eye contact . The next gig in the great wall of gigs was our scheduled performance with the great David Allen Coe . I have to set the stage for this show , but it is a location conversation so please bare with me . First of all , I ' m not sure if any of you remember the massive amount of rain that we got on Thursday . . . No , . . . Well we did . Amber and I left little Tristan with my sister and headed over to Dr. Hoyles to pick him up and then on to swing by and pick up Andy . The whole time it was raining . By the time that we go to the Rally it had already dumped at least a few times . When we finally figured out were we were supposed to go , we made it to the outdoor stage only to find a dozen or so guys mingling around and the whole thing shut down because of the weather . Now I ' m sure that some of you have been to either see the ACL fest or to auditorium shores for a show . . . Well this stage was along that caliber along with a Jumbotron off to the side . The stage was 60 ' x 40 ' and had enough power to rock the cradle of love . It would have been a great experience to have played . . . And I mean " would have " because we got bumped due to the weather . I actually feel worse for the other band that was already set up because they were told numerous times that they were going to play , and then time would keep running out . Friday @ NXNS - The Friday show at NXNW was a delight and continues to be one of our favorite places to play . The thing that is really strange about NXNW is the complete difference between the first set and the second . The first set is kind of that dinner crowd set where we just try to keep to the music , but by the time the second set rolls around everyone seems to loosen up and have fun . We want to thank all the ABNS fans for showing up for this gig and even thank those that traveled all the way from PA just to see a Lowly project manager be a rockstar for a few hours . The highlight of the show was the love that we got from both table 1 and table 9 , although table 9 did drop some cashola in the jukebox for an encore . Table 1 held their own and actually showed us love by paying us not to play anything by John Denver . Note to self : think of other artists to apply the same tacticts , such as : Billy Joel , Air Supply , Backstreet Boys , Vanilla Ice . Next up on the docket is our first show at Fado on 4 th . Please come out and help us show the folks at Fado that we aren't the best band in the world , but rather the best Johnny Cash Band . This could be a huge stepping stone for ABNS to break into that 4 th street crowd were all young single women 's dreams come true . Sea biscuit OUT ! 
Johnny Cash , ROT Biker Rally and David Allen Coe . On Monday I was looking for a part for my Seadoo and decided to call Woods Honda Fun Center to see if they could help me . This led me to their link to the Republic of Texas Biker Rally that is scheduled to take place here in Austin June 1 st thru 4 th . I contacted the Rally founder , Jim Henry to find out if A Band Named Sue could share a little Johnny Cash . After some smooth negotiations with Roadway events , I managed to get A Band Named Sue on the main stage on Thursday June 1 st 5:00 - 6:00 as the last band to play before David Allen Coe on the first night of the rally . This adds another show making it 5 in three weeks . I ' ll have more information about this show in the future . I know that there is an event fee for the Rally . This is a huge opportunity for A Band Named Sue . We really want to make a strong impression on the Bikers and the folks at Roadway Events . It would be great to get hooked up on the festival circuit . 
4 Shows in Three Weeks . I had a great day at work today , record sales with one of my clients and full on praise from the president of the company . I didn't think that it could get much better . . . we had a visit from the diaper service lady today , so that was cool too . But I got a great call from Andy about A Band Named Sue having it 's d but performance at Fado in the warehouse district . We are all pretty excited about this show and are looking forward to playing at Fado in the future . We actually have down time this weekend , but we start the rockstar lifestyle next week . Rehearsals have been scheduled for Tuesday and then it 's on to a private party for a new Condo development down South . On Wednesday the 31 st we play our regular show at The Mean Eyed Cat and then that Friday the 2 nd we are back at NXNW . Then the following Thursday the 8 th , we have our show at Fado . I hope you aren't all " Cashed Out " by the time this show rolls around , we could certainly use the support . This is going to be a great show for us at just the right kind of venue . Schedule : Thursday - May 25 th , Private Party Wednesday - May 31 st , Mean Eyed Cat 6:00 - 9:00 Friday - June 2 nd , NXNW 6:30 - 10:30 Thursday - June 8 th Fado 9:00 - 1:00 . 
NXNW Photos By Lonny Parton . One of my good friends from college , Lonny Parton , was at the NXNW show on Saturday . He 's a professional photographer up in Dallas and was kind enough to snap some pictures of the band . He just sent them to me this afternoon , so I thought that I would put them up on the blog . Enjoy ! 
Saturday the 13 th @ NXNW . It was another great show at NXNW . I have to hand it to the wait staff , they are always so good to us and very friendly . We really enjoy playing and it appears as though they enjoy our company too , as indicated by the mention in their newsletter . A Band Named Sue Profile : This band 's great live tribute to the late " man in black " has made it a crowd pleaser here at NXNW . It features a great mix of musical styles and vocal harmonies that seem to compliment the venue . Besides an evening of Johnny Cash favorites , don't be surprised if you hear other classics by Frank Sinatra , Tom Jones , Buck Owens , or even Lionel Richie . We started just as the sun was setting behind the stage . It was interesting to have that great ball of fire back lighting the stage . It was also fun to watch everyone put on their sunglass to watch the band , as if somehow we had harnessed the sun 's power . It was a dancing event for those young and old . It just so happened that there was a little bowling tourney after party / family reunion at table 3 Saturday night . Those boys really enjoyed the Johnny Cash and they certainly showed it with a standing ovation for One Piece at a Time . They even managed to show their appreciation by doing a little soft shoe on the dance floor . We return to the Mean Eyed Cat on May 31 st for our regularly scheduled program of Johnny Cash on the last Wednesday of every month . Then the following Friday June 2 nd back at NXNW for a Friday evening with A Band Named Sue . Thanks to all our friends and family that made it the show . Hope to see you soon ! 
A Band Named Sue and Some Great SAX ! We had a super show last night at the Mean Eyed Cat . We brought in a special guest to play tenor sax , Mike Stinnett . Mike came to us through an ad that Andy posted in the chronicle almost a year ago . I guess all the stars were aligned and the relationship was born . Mike took the show to next level and I think that we had as much fun playing with him as our fans did listening . It certainly added a special dynamic to the performance . Mike will be joining us for more shows in the future . We also invited the lovely and talented Pamela Ryder to the stage to smack that proverbial ass ! Pamela brought down the house , as she usually does . It 's always a pleasure Ms. Ryder . Pam is going to be doing some shows at the Mean Eyed Cat and The Hole in the Wall . If you haven't had a chance to see her do her THANG , you better check it out . Last night we debuted two Beatles songs , If I Fell and I Should have Know Better . Dr Hoyle and I have been working on our John and Paul impersonations . From the response from the audience I think that we pulled it off . I was able to video the show along with recording the audio digitally . I mastered the audio last night and it sounds really good . I ' ll try to put together at least one clip that I will link to on the blog , hell we might just v - cast the whole thing ! 
A Band Named Sue gets ENERGIZED ! Last night A Band Named Sue had the honor of entertaining the great folks from the Department of Energy . Apparently each year the Department puts together a convention and this year it just happened to take place at the Radisson Hotel right on the beautiful Town Lake . We took the stage at 7:00 and brought down the house with a little Folsom Prison Blues . It was nothing but booty shakin for the rest of the night . After a quick break and a little " re - fuelin " we brought up the lovely Ms. Pamela Ryder . Pamela brought down the house and raised the standard for all female vocalists in this great city of Austin . Over all it was a ton of fun and we hope the Department had as much fun as we did . Next up . . . The White House 2008 ! Since we all had on our Sunday best we attempted to take a publicity photo . I ' m not sure what happened to Andy . . . Andy 's friend from back East , Webber , sat in on the bass . This was the suit that Andy wore to his wedding . Platform shoes optional ! Upcoming Shows for ABNS : Our Monthly show at The Mean Eyed Cat - March 29 th First Spring Show at NXNW - April 8 th SEA BISCUIT . . . OUT ! 
Work Work and More Work ! Wow , we have had such a great response from our show with Moe . Once again we want to thank Moe and the Moe crew for showing us a great time . But , all things must pass and it 's time for us to get back to work . We have some great shows scheduled for March and April and we are looking forward to expanding our showing at NXNW through the summer . After some deliberation last night at rehearsal , we were able to lock down a few shows for the next few months . We want to remind everyone that we are always available for private parties and events . I added our booking information on the main page , so if you hear something , just direct them to the blog ! SXSW . . . Officially Unofficial We have a very important show coming on the 15 th of March . This is our officially unofficial SXSW showcase at The Mean Eyed Cat . We are really looking forward to this show and we have been working feverishly to add some new tunes to our ever expanding catalogue . Those folks that plan on coming out will get an extra dose of great music from the lovely and talented Pamela Ryder . Pam will be opening up with her group of musicians . Personally , I ' m really looking forward to seeing Pam in full effect . A Band Named Sue will go on after and we plan on pulling out all the stops and put on a great show for those travelers from the nether regions of the earth . Music starts around 6:30 ! Please come out and support Pam and A Band Named Sue and really fortify to the rest of the world that Austin IS the Music Capital of the world ! Upcoming Shows ! March 15 th - Mean Eyed Cat w / Pamela Ryder ( 6:30 - Close ) March 29 th - Mean Eyed Cat ( 7:00 - 10:00 ) April 8 th - NXNW ( 7:00 - 11:00 ) April 26 th - Mean Eyed Cat ( 7:00 - 10:00 ) More dates will be available as we get close to the summer . 
A Band Named Sue LIVE @ La Zona Rosa ! Last night we had the honor to open up for one of America 's premier jam bands , MOE . The opportunity came up a few weeks ago , but we were waiting patently until mid afternoon on Friday to find out if everything was a go . Andy got the call and immediately called me and John to tell us the great news . We arrived for sound check around 6:00 and spent about 20 minutes with the sound crew . Everyone in the crew and the band was really great to us and we had the time of our lives . I ' ve seen a ton of shows at La Zona Rosa , but it 's a different experience when you get to play there . A Band Named Sue Live 2 - 24 - 06 Folsom Prison . 
We love the Mean Eyed Cat . Last Wednesday we played a GREAT show at The Mean Eyed Cat . . . The unofficial home of the spirit of Johnny Cash and A Band Named Sue . Those guys at The Cat are always so good to us and they go out of their way to make our shows special . It makes you feel kind of like a mini - me rock star . We really appreciate the bar staff and the great Band Named Sue fans that showed up to watch a great show . This was our first official live show sans the private party that we " played " last week . It was great to see all the true sue fans and even meet some new folks that were there for the first time . We started the show with our traditional Johnny Cash super hits block with our good friend Bryan Fuller . We always forget to get a picture of him on the stage , but for those of you that were in attendance , you can verify his appearance . After the halftime show we brought up the lovely and talented Miss Martha P ( $ 5.00 off future ABNS merchandise if you know her last name ) . Martha sang her signature tunes including a riveting performance of Walking after Midnight . It brought the house down ! Thanks to all the Martha P fans for their support . Remember that you are welcome to post your comments to the blog about the show ( s ) . It 's a good way to build a community and we would love to hear what you have to say about the band , both good and bad . We are here to entertain you , and we want to make your experice with A Band Named Sue the best it can be . Remember that you can also send us e - mail at abandnamedsue @ gmail . com. Thanks to Uncle Lenny and the wonderful and talented Pamela Ryder for helping out with the photos . And an additional thanks to Pam for closing out the show with the her attitudinal and saucy duet with Andy on the ever popular Cash / Cash version of Jackson . The Next ABNS show will be at NXNW at Mopac and 183 in the Gateway / Arbor area . We will be playing under the big top . This will be a special show with multiple guest artists . It should be a show to end all shows , until our next show at NXNW on the 18 th and then back to the Cat on the 22 nd . 
The Start of a Great Year . Well the new year has started and it 's time for A Band Named Sue to hit the stage for what we hope is going to be a great year . We have our regularly scheduled show at the Mean Eyed Cat this Wednesday January 25 , 2006 from 6:30 to 9:30 . The heat lamps are warm and the beer is cold . Come out after work and tie one off before the long ride home to the wife and kids and the reality that your life just didn't work out the way that you wanted . We started 06 with a private party at NXNW . We were lucky enough to be the house band for the Stepping Stone School administrators . It was an interesting journey to say the least . . . but we did the best that we could . There was even and impromptu version of New Order 's Bizarre Love Triangle . This song is usually song by the lovely and talented Martha P , but in a whirl wind of tipsy female teachers and administrators , you gots to do what you gots to do . We are going to be back at NXNW on the 4 th of February . We are really excited about these shows . The folks at NXNW have shown us much love and we want to reciprocate with our great fan base . So please try to make it to at least one of these great shows . NXNW has a great patio that is heated for your listening pleasure and you can order from a full menu along with tasty beverages from the bar . Don't forget that A Band Named Sue is ready to play your next private party . Show your friends and co - workers your special mojo , by having the greatest Johnny Cash band in Austin , Texas entertain them . We are sure to please . . . !!!! Upcoming Shows : January 25 th - Mean Eyed Cat : 6:30 - 9:30 February 4 th - NXNW 6:30 - 10:30 February 18 th - NXNW 6:20 - 10:30 February 25 th - Mean Eyed Cat : 6:30 - 9:30 Peas ! 
Johnny Cash Night at NXNW Brewery . Boy Howdy ! did we have a great night at NXNW on Friday . Despite the weather we had a great turnout and the staff at NXNW was top notch . We were stationed in the big top at the back of the restaurant . I was a little concerned when I showed up because they just started to turn the heaters on and it was a little chilly . But after a few minute the big top was nice a toasty and I knew that the band and our friends were going to have a great night . It was also a night for special guests and we were happy to have Craig Kotfas from So Sad Robot join us on stage . Craig sat in on the U 2 song ONE . Craig is playing on Eklektikos on Tuesday the 13 th at noon . Craig style has been described as " busy , but never precocious " by many in the music industry . His band , So Sad Robot is also playing a live show as Trophy 's on South Congress on Thursday the 15 th . After a short break to rest our voices and refuel with some of that great beer that they brew at NXNW , we started the second set with the ever popular Pamela Ryder . Pamela warmed up the second set with Johnny Cash 's , I Guess Things Happen that Way and the ever popular duet , Jackson . We made an immediate segway into Rocking Around the Christmas Tree , Felis Navidad , The Christmas Song and Pamela 's version of Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer . We finally ended the show with Johnny 's , One Piece at a Time which inspired the Band Named Sue Dancers to make an appearance . I guess the beer was better than we thought . Over all it was a great night and we were invited to come back to play again on the 20 th of January . We will send out an official e - mail when we get closer to the date , but I would encourage everyone to attend . You can order from the full menu out on the deck and with the heaters , the temperature is very cozy . 
Brentwood Tavern . Sorry folks , I just haven't had time to get a blog entry up for our show at The Brentwood Tavern . But , I can tell you that we had a great time . The weather was really great and the turn out was great too . We had fun onstage and managed to record the show . Sorry no pictures this time , I just couldn't ask Jen to take pictures again . She did such a good job of capturing those special moments at The Mean Eyed Cat and Tambaleo . Our next show will be this Friday at NXNW 6:30 - 10:00 . We are really looking forward to this show and playing at this venue . We hope that you will all join us for a great time at a great place for some great Johnny Cash music . Start your weekend right with good times and good friends . 
Intelligent Lounging . Last night A Band Named Sue had their debut performance at Austin 's Tambaleo . To be honest with everyone , I really enjoyed the environment . Tambaleo is a really nice place to play a show and they have their own sound system , which if you are a musician , you can really appreciate . And it 's not just some chincy sound system ; they have a sound booth with at least a 12 channel mixer , monitors on the stage and a sub and main combination so you get that really nice low end . The staff was very nice and I felt very welcome there . Enough about the back story , now on to the real story . We started the show with a few songs for sound check and then brought up the always appreciated Bryan Fuller to play a little mandolin on his favorite Johnny Cash tunes ( sorry that you look like satan in the photos Bryan ) . After a string of Cash tunes we brought up Ms. Martha P who burned it up with her vocal stylings . After a short break , A Band Named Sue extended an invitation to our good friend and fellow musician Pamela Ryder . It 's always interesting to play with Pamela because you never know what she 's going to say or do on stage . She keeps it interesting for the fellows in the band . It was good times , good times , good times last night and we wrapped it up a little late and want to extend an apology to DJ Mel and David Miranda for taking up some of their DJ time . As a former DJ I know that they are just as important as a band and it takes a lot of skill . Tonight we are playing at The Brentwood Tavern from 6:30 to 9:00 . Once again this is great place for the kids and the food is really nice . Come on out and enjoy this great weather . 
Johnny Cash Tonight at Tambaleo . So it 's Friday at 11:12 am and I had a killer day at the office yesterday . I ' m not going to go into it and all , but I ' m pretty sure that I secured my employment for the next year . For me that 's pretty good . Not that I ' m a bad employee or anything it 's just that every time I starting working for someone and really start to like my job , something happens to the interworkings of the company and I find myself " networking " to find the next bid thing to work on . Luckily this time around the company that I work for has been in business for a while and at least I ' ll be able to pay the bills for a while . . . . But enough of this insanity ! The most important thing is that there is going to be a killer show at Tambaleo tonight featuring Austin 's premier Johnny Cash tribute band . I ' ve heard good things about this place and I ' ve actually been there a few times . Long ago it was the ever popular electric lounge that made David Garza and Twang Twang Shocka Boom famous . Hopefully some of that music Karma will hit us like a rock . I hear that they have really great drink specials during happy hour . . . so good they are almost free , but that would be illegal . . . in some states ( of mind ! ) . We really hope that everyone can come out to the show , have a few drinks , celebrate Happy Fridays and hear some great Johnny Cash . SIDE BAR You know we do a lot of tunes and we admit that we sometimes stray away from the core of the band , which is to pay homage to Johnny Cash , but we also don't want to pigeon hole ourselves and we are constantly stretching our musical muscles ! So if you experience that block of Jazz tunes or you are confused about why we felt like a Lionel Richie medley was important , just remember . . . if it ain't fixed , don't break it ! 
A Band Named Sue at The Mean Eyed Cat 11 - 30 - 05 . We had a GREAT show at The Mean Eyed Cat last night . We got a little late start and I think we ended close to 10:30 , which is much later than the scheduled 6:30 to 8:30 happy hour that was on the docket . But we were happy to keep the party going . It was a night of special guest both on the stage and in the audience . I had a group of guys come out to see the show from my old auction days along with running into my friend Kristen that I haven't seen for about 8 years . On stage we started with my good friend Mr. Lance Surovik who shared his singing talents on Branded Man and Crystal Chandelier . Two great songs about convicts and lighting fixtures ; the missing link between country and western . Next up on the stage , Mr. Bryan Fuller . Bryan brought his mandolin and played on a whole host of Johnny Cash tunes rounding out the sound . After a brief , but long overdue break , we brought up Martha P who sang her signature songs along with the debuted of our version of Walking after Midnight . Don't forget that we have two more shows this week ! Tamableo on Friday - 6:30 to 9:30 pm @ 302 Bowie Street and the dinner theater show at The Brentwood Tavern on Saturday - 7:00 to 9:30 pm 6701 Burnet . The Brentwood Tavern is a kid friendly venue with its own playscape , so for all you " parents " out there , don't neglect the kids . Let them taste the finer things in life like good food and Johnny Cash . A Band Named Sue has a new e - mail address : abandnamedsue @ gmail . com Pictures from the show : click on the photo to view a larger image . 
Johnny Cash Three Banger . Hope everyone had a terrific Thanksgiving with all the trimmings . Walk the line released over the weekend and Andy had a chance to check it out . Andy and Bootey give it two thumbs WAY UP . Amber and I were going to see the movie , but I missed out on advanced tickets . You know we could have seen it at any theater , but you just can't get that Alamo Draft House experience anywhere . Plus I won a year pass to the Alamo South Austin , so I ' m partial . Man we got a big week this week and I ' m happier than a puppy with two peters ! I ' m really excited about the shows this week . It 's always good to be home at The Mean Eyed Cat and The Brentwood Tavern , but this week we take the Pepsi Challenge and try something new at Tambaleo . I hear good things about this place and the drink specials at happy hour couldn't be happier ! We hope to have a great crowd because we would like to secure some type of invitation for the future . I know that some of you had a chance to read the e - mail sent from Andy , but he does such a good job of describing the shows that I just executed the old cut and paste for this next section . Wednesday November 30 at the Mean Eyed Cat . 7 - 9 pm 5 th Street across from El Arroyo Our home field always brings out the magic moments of rock and this will be no exception . Jaime is unleashing his tormented tribute to Lionel Richie that may cause permanent disability in some softer listeners , so please consult your physician . Also , my pal Bryan Fuller will be bringing it down from the mountain with his mandolin joining us for a hardcore set of Johnny Cash . And if that were not enough magic , Martha P will be blowing the corrugation from its moorings with her hurricane force voice ! Friday December 2 at Tambaleo 6:30 - 9:30 pm 302 Bowie south of 5 th . We are having our first swankfest happy hour at this swanky club and you can bet that Dr. Hoyle will be wearing some fresh Aqua Velva and blowing some serious cool out of his tin horn . Pamela Ryder will be raising the room temperature to Mt . Vesuvius levels and Martha P will regulate with some Cold Hard Chillin . Please dress in layers !!! Saturday December 3 at the Brentwood Tavern 7 - 9:30 pm 6701 Burnet . This dinner / happy hour show promises to be a culmination of the weeks smoldering rigors . This is a kid - friendly show with some great beers on tap . Andy Says , " Remember to save your ticket stubs because I will power wash your car if you make all 3 shows this week ! " ( Does that include the band ? ) Hope to see you all out this week ! 
Added Show At Tambaleo . A Band Named Sue is adding a third show with our two shows that we are doing in a few weeks . We are going to be playing at Tambaleo for happy hour on December 2 nd . This is an important gig for us because we really want to make a statement there and get invited back to play again and again and again and again . So please help A Band Named Sue promot this show and let us know if you need any promotional materials to hand out to your best friends and co - workers . 
Everyone Will Stand In Line . I walk the line ; the new Johnny Cash movie opens today . There is such a buzz about Johnny Cash now , so that s really good for the band . Hopefully there will be a burst of interest in what A Band Named Sue is doing . I have to admit that I ' m a much bigger fan of Johnny Cash now than I was before I started playing in A Band Named Sue . My buddy Scott Durkin is a huge Johnny Cash fan and I ' m sure that this new movie , I walk the line will be only the second DVD that he owns next to Urban Cowboy which , by the way is a GREAT movie . I think that I might finish my day by sitting down in front of the old TV and watching that movie while I finish up the entries for the blog that my company is starting . Yes folks , I have a job that requires me to work from home . And yes , it is great . I ' m really looking forward to seeing the movie and I was thinking about taking my wife to the show tonight , but then sitting at home and preparing a nice meal and chilling out sounds really good too . Maybe we will go and see the movie on Saturday night ; at least we will have the day to relax a little . We have some shows coming up in a weeks , so put them down on your calendar Wednesday November 30 th we play happy hour at The Mean Eyed Cat . Come out to the show and tie one off with the boys and girls after the work day and I ' ll tell you all about how great it is not to have to drive to work ! Saturday December 3 rd it 's another show at the Brentwood Tavern . We might be playing this show inside because of the cooler weather , but if all is well then we might just be outside again . Come out to the Brentwood and take advantage of the playscape by inviting your friends that have kids that don't get as many chances to come out to see live music . It would be much easier if you could just chain your kids to the wall like they did in the 50 's , but those days are long gone . Remember only 35 more shopping days until Christmas . Click here if you really want to get me something nice ! 
10 Questions from the Wives of A Band Named Sue . Ladies and Gentlefolk , I would like to introduce you to the wives of A Band Named Sue . I sent out a quick 10 question interview to both of the wives and posted the questions and answers here on the blog . Check back for more interviews from family and fans ! The Questions : 1 . What is your full name ? Amber Lee La Brecque Downing 2 . Where were you born ? Alma , Michigan ( but lived in Claire ) 3 . When and where were you when you first met your husband ? April 2005 , working at IMark . com , 5000 Plaza on the Lake , Austin , TX he took the good speakers for my computer and gave me speakers that were just decent . I didn t care about sound quality though , I just needed to be able to hear the music is that a girl thing ? 4 . Where did he propose ? River City Grille in Marble Falls . We were having dinner on the back deck overlooking the lake and the sunset .5 . Did he get down on one knee ? Of course . Unfortunately , I don t remember what he was saying because I was so surprised .6 . What was your initial reaction to the Idea of A Band Named Sue ? Another music project 7 . What did you think the first time that you saw the band ? I was really impressed ( although I have to say that I think anything James is part of is pretty darn good ) . I like the unique trio aspect , plus I heard them for the first time at an outside venue ( my favorite way to hear live music ) . I love it when guys wear cowboy hats ! 8 . What is your favorite Johnny Cash song ? Actually , I m just now getting familiar with his music . I was raised by hippie parents and didn t even know country music existed until later in life , it surely wasn t played on any of our radios at home . 9 . If you were to put together a tribute band to a famous singer or band , who would it be ? Pleasurecraft I miss the rock shows ! 10 . besides playing in the band , what else is your husband really good at that might suprise some people ? ( keep it clean ! ) James is really good at ironing ! A bit of an iron snob actually . To the point that he does his own instead of having me touch his clothes with that hot slab of metal because I don t do it right . He likes stiff creases ; I just get the wrinkles out . It works out though because very rarely do I have to iron my own stuff anymore ( one may wonder if I purposely set this situation up he ll never know ! ) . Also , even if you think he s the cool rockstar type , he really is a bit of a computer geek . He s not into computer games ( thank goodness ) but I bet he spends just as many hours as a gamer , in front of the computer organizing and re - organizing his music and information files ( if only he d organize things that weren t just in cyberspace ) , and now writing blogs about anything and everything . It s nice to have your own personal IT department though ! ---------------------------------- 1 . What s your full name ? Jennifer Allen Wegrzyn 2 . Where were you born ? Decatur , GA 3 . When and where were you when you first met your husband ? Street Music Festival in Buffalo , NY 4 . Where did he propose ? The street by our house 5 . Did he get down on one knee ? yes 6 . What was your initial reaction to the Idea of A Band Named Sue ? It is about time 7 . What did you think the first time that you saw the band ? The lead singer is sexy ! 8 . What s your favorite Johnny Cash song ? Boy Named Sue 9 . If you were to put together a tribute band to a famous singer or band , who would it be ? Wings 10 . besides playing in the band , what else is your husband really good at that might surprise some people ( keep it clean ! ) Andy is the most loyal friend anyone could have . He is a really good friend to all . 
Craigs List . I posted a listing on http : // www . austin . craigslist . com / tonight for folks that might be looking for something interesting for their next party or corporate event . One thing that people might not know about A Band Named Sue is that we really WANT to play at your next party or event . We ' ve all been to the same regurgitate corporate Christmas party and wouldn't it be cool if a unique and interesting band came to provide the entertainment ? Well that 's what we want to do ! So spread the word out there to let everyone know that we want to help them have a great party ! Hopefully we will get some response from the listing . Check out the listing and forward it to anyone that might be interested ! A Band Named Sue Is Available for Your Next Party or Corporate Event . 
A Contribution from Andy Wegrzyn . I saw the Live in San Quentin movie on Sunday and it was a thrill to see Johnny kicking it wide open in such a repressive environment with such a progressive agenda . If I was not in A Band Named Sue , I would have wanted to start A Band Named Sue that day . I am looking forward to seeing the new movie , although Reese Witherspoon makes me a little uneasy as a brunette . We had a rehearsal last evening and it was my favorite kind - working on all new tunes . We are bolstering up our 1960 s jazz combo sound with three great Horace Silver selections : Cape Verdean Blues , The Jody Grind and Song for my Father . Dr. Hoyle is blowing the hell out these tunes and it is a personal thrill for me . Coming from a guitar based past , I never thought I would be playing these killer songs and I have to thank the good Doctor for bringing that to life . Hopefully we can take the show to Buffalo sometime ; I think my old man would get a kick out of it . James has led us down another road as well . We are working on a Lionel Richie block that may have the man in black spinning in his Black Box . I do not know that much about Lionel Richie except that it is fun to watch his daughter do farm chores in high heels . I have to admit that I get a perverse kick out of playing these tunes and the entertainment value will be high . James can come up with about one thousand ideas an hour and many of them will have you nodding nervously , but he gets under your skin . He is like the petunias Bootey planted last week : Embarrassingly Charming . 
A Night At The Brentwood Tavern . Last night we played at the Brentwood Tavern . We had a pretty good early turnout and had a great time playing on a great stage in great weather . Dr. Hoyle showed up just in time for the sound check since he was driving back from a conference in Houston . Apparently he was hypnotized by one of his colleagues . At the sound of a door bell he will start to act like a chicken and sing Hava Nagila . Our good friend Pamela Ryder joined us for a few tunes : Jackson , Love Potion # 9 and our favorite Light My Fire ( which had an interesting beginning ) . My good friend Craig Kotfas came out to the show with his girlfriend Chymane and joined us for our version of One by U 2 . The second set started with one of our favorite jazz pieces , Fathead and ended with a return of Pamela with our rendition of These Boots are Made for Walking . After the show we packed it up and Dr. Hoyle invited us ( well actually Andy persuaded him to invite us ) back to his bachelor pad that was just around the corner . So Andy and his wife Booty , myself and my wife Bo , Craig , Chymane , Pamela and John had a little after party at his surprisingly cozy and impressive domicile . Andy brought his A - Game with his clip - on Bowtie and all Andy , the ROCKSTARThe Doctor is in ! Craig Kotfas sings One ! An Intimate Rendition of Dream by The Everly Brothers . Pamela Ryder brings it with her free form version of Those Boots are Made for Walking . Finally someonee takes a good picture of the drummer ! Bourbon . . . nuff said ! Andy goes oldskool and whips us up some pop corn . Luckly no one was hurt ! Dr. Holye make a couple of special drinks for the ladies . Love Potion # 9 ? 
The Morning Before the Show . Tonight at 6:30 we have a show at The Brentwood Tavern . I ' m really excited about the show because it 's one of my favorite places to play . They have a really good sized stage that lets us spread out and they actually have a drum riser which if you are a drummer is a really great thing . I just talk to Amber , my wife and she said that some of our friends are going to come out to the show so that 's good . Texas plays Baylor this morning at 11:30 so I ' m hoping that people will get their fill of the pigskin and come out to the show to celebrate a Texas win . ( I ' m going to go out on a limb and say that Texas takes Baylor by 40 ! ) We always have a really good time on stage , I really appreciate that . I think that in other bands I took myself too seriously and didn't make it fun for everyone involved . I think that lackadaisical approach help the audience connect with us . Plus Andy is really witty along with John so that helps make the between song banter more interesting . We had a show at The Great Outdoors a few weeks ago and it was kind of like a show and a rehearsal . We pulled a lot of stuff out of the woodwork and we just had a lot of fun trying new things . It wasn't a show where we were the focus , but rather one where we were the background music so we were able to get away with a lot . We got some good props from the clientele of The Great Outdoors and the folks that were working that day . Well is T minus 30 minutes before the game . 11:30 on FSN channel 54 ( I love college football ! ) . 
Meet The Band . My name is James Downing and I ' m the drummer for A Band Named Sue ( ABNS ) . We ( Myself , Andy and John ) all live in Austin , Texas . A Band Named Sue was the brain child of Andy Wegrzyn the lead singer and lead rhythm guitar player for the band . He has always had an appreciation of Johnny Cash and decided to put together a tribute band to celebrate the life , the music and the tragedy that is Johnny Cash . We take a lot of liberty in our interpretation of the music and we wanted to express our on versions of the songs made famous by Johnny Cash . If you noticed we are only a three piece with no bass player and we use the trumpet as our lead instrument . Andy wanted to put together a small but impressive trio that could play large clubs or small front porch type settings . We don't just limit ourselves to Johnny Cash songs , although that is the focus . Don't be surprised if you get something as varied as Stuck on You by Lionel Ritchie or the theme from the Pink Panther ( oh yes we do both ! ) For me it 's one of the most enjoyable projects that I have been involved in and I really enjoy playing with John and Andy . So anyway here we are : Lead Singer and Lead Rhythm Guitar Player Andy Wegrzyn . Trumpet player Dr. Jonathan Hoyle The Drummer - James Downing ( no one ever takes a good picture of the drummer ) Our Next Show will be at the Brentwood Tavern Saturday November 5 th 6:30 to 9:30 Come out to a free show , great food , great drinks and Good Times , Good Times , Good Times . Looks like Cote gives it a thumbs up ! 
Fart : 8 Days ? There Are Only 7 Days In A Week Jackass ! Blood censored to achieve a PG rating . _ When I was still in adolescence , 8 Days the magazine was my Mother Superior of entertainment news . I read through it religiously . Cut out the pictures I want . Stick it on my walls and / or ring folders . File it on my shelf according to release date . _ Then , I stopped . _ Although , I admit it was never entirely . I did , within the last ten or more years , bought a few copies still - I am sure it was less than ten . However , I wasn't sure why I stopped enjoying 8 Days until I bought one yesterday . _ Please - put - a - fist - through - me Faces . There are too many Please - put - a - fist - through - me Faces in the pages these days . Too many . _ Examples ? Hmmm ... ? Let 's see : The entire Singapore Idols ? Especially , the Twohill guy . He has a Please - Please - Puhlease - put - a - boot - through - me Face . A few pages later , this Hsu Chun - Mei got herself a whole page dedicated to her . I mean she has a fist put through her face literally . Yet , understandably , I am unable to sympathise her . _ Now that I got the Borders discount coupons I wanted , I am just going to quickly pass it along to someone else . --- Entry style inspired by Maddox . Finally , he UPDATED ! 
Man In A Chicken Suit . _ A man doing direct marketing in a chicken suit was suffering from abuse by the public , so he decided to fight back . [ Link ] _ Why would he get abused ? Maybe it is because of these Family Guy episodes ! 
This One Is For Myself . 2001 and beyond .. ! _ Every now and then , I like to look back at my life and see how I am holding so far . And when a question like ... say ... how long does it take to get over someone ? gets thrown into your face , you kinda think : It is that time again . _ The answer I gave was six mths which was a psycho - reflex action . The actual fact is I don't know . It has been over two years and I haven't got over that someone . _ I have never seen anyone with that much positivity in my life . I have learnt so much from her in a very short space of time . Although , we went out for a few dates , we were never together . I had way too much pride then . _ My experience with her has brought forth a new perspective in life for me . A need to look at my past and to understand how it has formed me . It sure hell wasn't pretty . It sure hell wasn't exciting . It sure hell felt that I haven't lived at all . _ However , I have come to terms with my past . I looked through it and still managed to learn from it . I have also come to terms with life . I don't question what life has to throw at me anymore . I embrace it . I embrace the changes and the challenges . _ My greatest aim in life is to be able to have nothing and still be happy . Very much like a man living under the bridge and spents his days laughing at everything . That is the greatest aim . _ Now that I have truly answered the question , I can see I am holding out just fine . The reason I haven't got over her is because I think there are still lessons to be learnt from the experience and to remember who I was before . 
It 's Tough Being Me Final . _ I am mostly a happy person and will always be no matter what is gonna happen . I have not been living a life without experiencing or learning . Therefore , I know exactly what 's the score . _ I take any other emotions as a part of life , as aquaintances , and I know they will come and go . Regrets are the only enemies . So , I try to do whatever I want to do . The only thing I don't want to do is to hurt anyone . _ So , I think it is tough to be people like me . Yes , I am not silly to think I am so unique . I try to tell people that they can be like me . But , you can only be me when you see through the eyes of the people like me and that 's almost impossible . Likewise , it is hard to put myself in others ' shoes . _ I am Jack 's relieved bladder . _ I am Jack 's lovin ' it spleen . _ This is to all my friends who are feeling a little down lately . And to paraphrase Steven Tyler of Aerosmith from their song Amazing : The light at the end of the tunnel ... IS you . _ Ah . The day , as always , is beautiful and , baby , I am going to have a cuppa o ' java . A nice cuppa o ' java . 
Leisure Run Club . _ Here is a short list of incidents during my fourth ICT : 01 >> Leisure Run Club A Club formed by Me ( President ) , Kang Xu ( Vice President ) and James ( Treasurer ) . Rule # 5 of Leisure Run Club : Friday is a No Sweat Day .02 >> Sin Chiow Donald Chua After two years of MIA , we welcome back Donald , reverted him back to sin chiow ( newbie ) status and dua him to become S 3 signaller .03 >> Choo Got Punk ' d A prank that was one year in the making . Yes , Sergeant Choo ! 04 >> Choo And Sugu A wonderful romance blossomed between our ITI Signal Trainer and our Samuel Choo .05 >> Late Night Sex Talk From Lorong 1 to the Lorong 40 . Anyone interested , please contact our tour specialist Liao Lang ( aka Yogery ) 06 >> Me And My Disposable Underwear ' Nuff said .07 >> Mahjong ' Nuff said too .08 >> James The Kleptomaniac What we need , we get . Thanks to James . 
Ichibutt Does Tanjong Gul Camp . _ Don't cry . I will be back in five days . I promise . _ oh , like anyone cares . _ Anyone ? --- _ Ah , but before I leave , I will leave with a link to a movie trailer for the movie The Science Of Sleep . Directed by Michel Gondry and starring Gael Garcia Bernal . _ Michel Gondry seems to have a thing with dreaming / sleeping . I love Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind , his Radiohead music video , Knives out , his Lego music video with The White Stripes and Bjork 's Bachelorette . _ Gael Garcia Bernal is the new Pacino . He was fantastic in The Motorcycles Diaries . _ Please go watch the trailer ! [ Link ] . 
It 's Tough Being Me Again . _ Sometimes , I just want to be close and take it slow . You know , just chill . I find that going through processes are fun . The ride is the real thing . _ But it is tough when I already know what I want . Fast forward damn it ! _ Idealistic nut . _ Impatient douche bag . _ Ah . But then again it 's late and it 's the secret wasabi in the sushi talking , baby . The fucking secret wasabi in the sushi . 
It 's Tough Being Me . _ It really is . _ I love myself too much to sacrifice for others . I want that moment where I can gather the strength to put others before me . However , I know I won't want to lose face . _ Chicken shit . _ Self - conflicting shit . _ It 's late and it 's the half a shot of the vodka speaking , baby . Half a fucking shot of the vodka . 
What Happened To The Dog ? _ Being one of the first Singaporeans ( Thx Glenn ! ) to watch Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man 's Chest - easily the best blockbuster of 2006 , I am going to let you in on something . Stay on to finish the credits if you want to know what happened to the dog ! _ Okay lah . It 's no big deal . It 's just a 2 second scene . But , I still am not gonna tell what happened ! End of entry . 
I Should Stop Mahjong Or Start Winning . _ I am not doing well at mahjong . It isn't much of a problem when I still had a regular paycheck . Also , I can't expect the guys to be playing ten cent / twenty cent all the time . Stakes have to be raised to make it more interesting . _ Here is the deal . I like the game and it allow me to meet my friends on a weekly basis which is great . So those are solid reasons to continue playing . But , beside not winning any money , I am losing them through cab fares and the titbits that we buy for the session . That is not good . _ So it 's time to find another activity which allow me and buddies to meet regularly or start WINNING ! --- Update : HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH ... I fucking lose again !!! Stupid Chiok and Seah Mu Lan . 
Disoriented . _ This piece sums up my time in school for the last two weeks . I was listening to Nelly Furtado 's and Keane 's new album , Loose and Under The Iron Sea respectively , while putting it together with my X - acto knife and adhesive . 
Lost . _ There are moments when me and me mobile phone separate ways due to unforseeable circumstances . When this kind of misfortune befalls on us , I am the one who is lost and not the mobile phone . _ You see , the above situation is what I would consider an emergency and me mobile phone is the one with all my emergency numbers . I couldn't even call home . That 's how lost I am . _ Okay , my failure to memorise my home number is my own downfall BUT ... ! Waitaminute , I don't really have any excuse for that . How can one not even remember their home number . Oh well , maybe I get a tattoo of my home number next time . 
First Try : Constantine . _ This is my first attempt at drawing something with more or less correct body proportions . As I am , currently , reading Hellblazer so I drew John Constantine with some Mike Mignola inspired tenticles . _ Please give your comments . Thanks . 
longest period without blogging . been unable to blog , check e - mail , or use a computer at home for over a week as the motherboard on the desktop decided to fry and rebecca went off to maine for a week to see her family . it is possible to survive without computers but it 's an ugly business . 
and on bastille day , nutty got a new bicycle . rebecca and i went out to the very friendly people at city bikes in dc , on thursday afternoon , then to their chevy chase store later on . returned after lunchtime on friday with a new bike . 
tour de france on bastille day . you cannot get anymore french than this . yesterday 's stage was unbelievable to watch . it is incomprehensible to mere mortals how these guys raced those 5 climbs . 1 in 10 gradient ! these are tough to walk up . you think that the french will try to win this stage ... ? salut ! 
bbc sell - out . bbc america ? more like cnn tarted up , it seems .200 dead in india after train bombings , hundreds more injured , and yet it received second billing with half the time that bbc america covers the israel / lebenon situation on tonight 's airing . there is only one bbc , and it isn't the poor excuse of the american offering . 
Puede que Depeche Mode sea el gran basti n de la m sica electr nica , los padres del electro , unas leyendas vivientes del sofisticado synth - pop pero en el fondote su alma son realmente Punk tan solo chequen este cover a The Stooges asquerosamente seductor . The Stooges Dirt ( Mp 3 ) Depeche Mode Dirt = Iggy Pop The Stooges Cover = ( Mp 3 ) Dirt - Lyrics by Ron Ashton , Scott Ashton , Dave Alexander and Iggy Pop - Ooh , I ' ve been dirt And I don't care Ooh , I ' ve been dirt And I don't care ' Cause I ' m burning inside ' Cause I ' m burning inside I ' m the fire of life Yeah alright Ooh , I ' ve been hurt And I don't care Ooh , I ' ve been hurt And I don't care ' Cause I ' m burning inside ' Cause I ' m burning inside And do you feel it Said do you feel it when you touch me I said do you feel it when you touch me I ' m a fire Well there 's a fire Yeah , alright It 's just a burning inside It 's just a burning inside Said do you feel it Said do you feel it when you cut me Said do you feel it when you cut me There 's a fire There 's a fire A fire Inside It was just a dreaming ... 
Adoro a los Rollings Stones ! ... y digo qui n ( ? ) no puede sentir simpat a por esos delgados rufianes de acomodada figura y sofisticado gusto , que llevan tanto , pero tanto tiempo rockeando , como para robarle el alma a m s de 5 generaciones ellos han estado ah , desde que Jesucristo fue tentado sino en persona , en el m s blasfemo esp ritu Rockero y ellos y solo ellos , son los nicos capaces de hacerle tributo al Rey de la Delta del Mississippi : Robert Johnson . En un d a silencioso y gris no hay nada como un buen Blues Love in Vain - Lyrics by Robert Johnson - Well , I followed her to the station with a suitcase in my hand Yeah , I followed her to the station with a suitcase in my hand Well , it 's hard to tell , it 's hard to tell , but all true love 's in vain When the train come in the station I looked her in the eye Well , the train come in the station I looked her in the eye Well , I felt so sad and lonesome that I could not help but cry All my love 's in vain When the train left the station , it had two lights on behind Yeah , the train left the station , it had two lights on behind Yeah , the train left the station , it had two lights on behind Well , the blue light was my baby and the red light was my mind All my love 's in vain All , all my love 's in vain Robert Johnson - Love in Vain ( Mp 3 ) Rolling Stones Love in Vain = R . Johnson Cover = ( Mp 3 ) . 
I am the LAW !! ANTHRAX celebrates its 25 th anniversary today ( July 18 th ) . Guitarist / founder Scott Ian has issued the following statement via the band 's official website : " 25 years since Danny Lilker and I started this band . 25 years . Who does anything for 25 years ? And in band years , that 's like a thousand years . In all seriousness , its my proudest accomplishment . To still be doing this 25 years down the line at this level is a testament to the strength of the people that love this band . From everyone that 's ever been in the band to anyone that 's ever taken the time to listen , thank you . Someday I ' ll write the book and properly give everyone their due , until then raise a glass with me and recite my favorite toast : ' Here 's to us and those like us and all the rest are cunts . ' " Cheers , Scott Ian Anthrax - Celebrated Summer = Husker Du Cover = ( Mp 3 ) Anthrax - The Bends = Radiohead Cover = ( Mp 3 ) Public Enemy w / Anthrax - Bring the Noise = Live = ( Mp 3 ) . 
Down in the Park Lyrics by Gary Numan Down in the park where the machmen meet The machine and play kill by numbers Down in the park with a friend called five I was in a car crash or was it the war But I never been quite the same Little white lies like I was there Come to tom - tom s the place to eat Like it was built in one day You can watch the humans trying to run Oh look , there s a rape machine I d go outside if it d look the other way Wouldn t believe the things they do Down in the park Where the chant is death , death , death Til sun cries morning Down in the park with friends of mine We are not lovers , we are not romantics We are here to serve you Different face but the words never change Gary Numan Down in the Park ( Mp 3 ) Foo Fighters Down in the Park = Gary Numan Cover ( Mp 3 ) . 
Para muchos es una referencia directa a Jackass y a la m s grande oda a la estupidez norteamericana para otros solamente se trata del spero sonido de la basura blanca pero en lo personal creo que se trata de una alegor a absolutamente genial . Corona - By The Minutemen - The people will survive In their environment The dirt , scarcity , and the emptiness Of our South The injustice of our greed The practice we inherit The dirt , scarcity and the emptiness Of our South There on the beach I could see it in her eyes I only had a Corona Five cent deposit Minutemen Corona ( Mp 3 ) Calexico Corona = Minutemen Cover = ( Mp 3 ) * S per recomendable !!!!! 
Syd Barrett R . I. P .06 / 01 / 1946 11 / 07 / 2006 The lunatic is in my head , you raise the blade , you make the change , you re - arrange me ' til I ' m sane . You lock the door , and throw away the key , There 's someone in my head but it 's not me Pink Floyd Brain Damage = Live 1972 = ( Mp 3 ) * Fragmento . Reuters UK ( today . reuters . co. uk ) has issued the following report from Mike Collett - White : SYD BARRETT , the troubled founding member of PINK FLOYD , has died aged 60 , after living the life of a recluse for the last 30 years . " The band are naturally very upset and sad to learn of Syd Barrett 's death , " Pink Floyd said in a statement on Tuesday . " Syd was the guiding light of the early band line - up and leaves a legacy which continues to inspire " . A source close to the band , who did not want to be named , said Barrett died on Friday . Media reports say complications from diabetes were the cause . Barrett 's bizarre on - stage antics in the late 1960 s were linked to his experimentation with psychedelic drugs , and he left the band in 1968 . Pink Floyd Interstellar Overdrive ( Mp 3 ) The singer , songwriter and guitarist , who wrote the bulk of Pink Floyd 's earliest music , has been credited with helping shape its progressive sound and influencing artists including DAVID BOWIE . He wrote most of the songs on Pink Floyd 's first album , The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn , which was a hit in Britain , and also worked on A Saucerful Of Secrets , released in 1968 . Barrett issued his first solo album , The Madcap Laughs , in 1970 , with backing from members of Pink Floyd and SOFT MACHINE , but his involvement in music had ended by the mid - 1970 s and he has lived the life of a recluse ever since . Pink Floyd 's 1975 track ' Shine On You Crazy Diamond ' , from the album Wish You Were Here , is widely believed to be a tribute to Barrett . Tributes ... There were words of praise for a man who missed out on Pink Floyd 's most successful years in the 1970 s , when they made Dark Side Of The Moon , Wish You Were Here and The Wall . The band went on to tell an estimated 200 million albums worldwide , although internal rifts have kept public performances featuring its main members to a minimum since the 1980 s . " I can't tell you how sad I feel " Bowie said on his Web site www . davidbowie . com. " Syd was a major inspiration for me . His impact on my thinking was enormous . A major regret is that I never got to know him . A Diamond indeed . " Barrett 's biographer Tim Willis said Barrett struggled with mental breakdown during his life . " I think he had trouble talking to people and was very happy with his own company , " Willis told Reuters . " The painful experience of protracted nervous breakdown meant he did not want to know about that bit of his life . " Willis blamed a combination of drugs and stress for Barrett 's mental fragility . " In one sense he only lived half a life . His career was over by 1971 , if not 1969 " . Graham Coxon , formerly of British band BLUR , said Barrett was a major influence . " The music is there ... a door he left unlocked ... spend time there .... it 's good , " Coxon said . Barrett was born in Cambridge , England , as Roger Keith Barrett , in 1946 . He acquired the nickname " Syd " as a teenager . Pink Floyd Astronomy Domine ( Mp 3 ) Pink Floyd Arnold Layne ( Mp 3 ) I ' ll see you on the dark side of the moon . 
Terrorism comes to Abok ( RP ) . A Communist terror group calling themselves the The Communist Freedom Army . They announced themselves today by hacking into Abok 's TV Centre and broadcasting a video message on all channels . The video showed their so called leader , Dorofei Germogen , and communications officer , Konstantin Kostya . They promised to bring down a reign of terror on Abok unless some serious changes are made . Amy Wyst has made a statement : " We will ignore these threats and will continue our campaign against barbaric Communism . There is nothing they can do to hut us . We shall find these fools and punish them . " An investigation has begun at the TV Centre . 
Black Moon Pirates defeated ... for now ( RP ) . The largest , most ruthless piracy group in the Great Field , has to have been the Black Moons . While most other groups were destroyed , the Black Moons survived . They have caused billions of credits of damage and killed hundreds of people from all corporations . Abok Space Security Department ( ASSD ) and their allies the Kirshro Space Police Force ( KSPF ) fought a long campaign against the Black Moons . Their hard works seems to have paid off as there is no sign of any pirates or Communist Barbarians in the Great Field . However , Black Moon leaders have escaped the storming of their HQ , with a shipload of valuable minerals . On approach to Black Moon HQ with ASSD Gunboat AB - 00 - 1242 . 
TRCOA Arrested . The Recruitment Company of Abokia has been arrested . He was asked to come home by Abok and he returned within a few minutes . TRCOA has served Abokia for nearly it 's 1 year existence . He was a loyal recruiter , who never got in trouble with the mods before . In fact in the Great War against Semar 12 ( now destroyed ) , the Mods were great Allies to Abokia and , mainly , TRCOA . More once questioning is complete . 
Aggression by The East Pacific ? Our brave recruiter , today reported that he was unlawfully accused of spam and other serious charges . He will , of course , be arrested by Abokian officials . After questioning , the case will be taken to The East Pacific Delegate , The Stabilizing Force of 1 Infinite Loop . We will keep you updated on the story . 
Abok Shows off ! ( RP ) . The weapons division of the R % D Department have come up with a explosive new weapon . They call it the " Supercharged Ion Pulse Cannon Mark 1 " or " Lil ' Pulsy " for short . Of course to be commissioned it needs to pass UC tests , which are sechuled for next week . 
Abok steps up ! Up to the stars ( RP ) . The MCP ( Martian Colonization Project ) bought by the Abok Planning Department last year , has undertaken three new colonies . The small research site of Martia 9 has been transformed into a huge hab complex in just two months . In fact , the MCP is hoping that the Olympic Games , next year , there . The governor of this colony is the world renowned Doctor Daniel Chervenko . Chervenko has been complaining that work is being slowed down by " incompetent workers " . The colony needs to become self - sufficient for 100 % completion . Some of the bio - domes have been finished , however the new ones are still unfinished . The control centre for the colony is in need of an CN uplink . The satellites for most the base are unlaunched and the plants need time to grow . In other related news , the terraforming process is coming along slowly but steadily and the research ship the Zion is still under - construction . 
Danny Yarker finally finds the tune . After a week of searching Danny finds the perfect music for The City theme tune . It is Robert Miles ' For an Angel . However , he needs to finish the book first . I see lots of planning but only 3 and a quarter pages . That 's about 7 pages in normal books . So definitely and long way to go yet . In more of a The City update a few pictures have been gathered : Also a companion guide is in the works . 
Nation States 2 . I have spent the day reading though the NS 2 board of the forums ( http : // forums . jolt . co. uk / forumdisplay . php ? f = 1228 ) and all I can say is , the game is looking better and better . However , there is the problem of the payment system . All I can do at the moment is keep reading and waiting . 
Letter to the Herald - Mail ( Hagerstown , Maryland ) : A Response to Some anti - Brown Snobs Snob No. 1 Writes " I came across a letter to the editor in Sunday 's paper . The letter states that John Brown was not a hero - he was a terrorist . Hurray to the person who wrote this , because he or she is 100 percent right . I took some time a few years ago to study the life of John Brown . What I read of him disturbed me . I came to my own conclusion that John Brown was indeed a murderer , a traitor , and in today 's terms , a terrorist . " Snob No. 2 Writes " This letter in Sunday 's paper about John Brown being a terrorist is exactly correct . He was nothing but a murderer of any race who got in his way . Question : Why is it there 's no monument for Pvt . Luke Quinn , the only Marine killed by John Brown 's crew during the storming of the firehouse ? Oh well , he was just another soldier doing his duty . " - Jefferson County , W . Va. To Whom it May Concern : Some of your readers confidently assert that abolitionist John Brown was a criminal and terrorist . As a biographer of the man , I get weary of people making these kinds of pontifications based on evidently little knowledge of the man 's life and times . Nor do these people know the history of John Brown 's biographers and the currents and prejudices that shaped the " mainstream " view of him in the 20 th century . My reading of the man is that he killed when he felt there were no alternatives within a society overrun by pro - slavery terrorists , overseen by a pro - slavery government that turned a blind eye to injustice . My belief is that if John Brown were really a terrorist , the outcome in Harper 's Ferry would have been significantly different and more terrible as well . In fact , Brown failed because he was too concerned for slaveholders as human beings . Perhaps he should have been less so . The 21 st century is John Brown 's come back time . More people are gaining an appreciation for the man who lived , and I am proud to be part of that movement of education and understanding . Warts and all , John Brown was a good man , a humanitarian , and a greater hero than many of the killers and truce - breakers sanctified in conventional history texts . Rev. Louis A . De Caro Jr. , Ph . D . New York , NYBlog Postscript : Interesting that one of the anti - Brown snobs writes from Jefferson County , the site of the Harper 's Ferry raid . As the old biblical saying goes , " the fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children 's teeth are set on edge . " In other words , some people 's ancestors took the side of injustice and supported the theft of other people 's labor , and their descendants still spew out the same bitter prejudice of the slave master . As far as Pvt . Luke Quinn ( the marine that died in the final rush on the engine house in Harper 's Ferry ) is concerned , he died " serving his country " having signed on with the understanding that his death in time of war was a distinct possibility . But the nobility of soldiering is not a given . A soldier is noble when the cause he fights is noble . A soldier 's death is worth a monument when the cause for which he lays down his life is monumental . Luke Quinn was " doing his duty , " but so was John Brown . Yet on the scales of history , Quinn 's sacrifice weighs exceedingly lighter than that of Brown and his men . The former was merely following orders as good soldiers do . The latter were marching to the divine drumbeat of a higher and more principled cause -- the liberation of humanity . -- LD . 
Bio Notes John Brown 's Cattle Drive of 1855 : A Profile of Three Letters in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library , Springfield , Ill. In the spring of 1855 , prior to moving his family back to North Elba , NY , from Akron , Ohio , John Brown and his sons Oliver and Salmon went to Illinois to sell cattle . According to Brown s letter from Rockford , Ill. , to Mary in Akron , dated March 8 , 1855 , their son Salmon had taken the train to Springfield , Ill. , perhaps to investigate opportunities for livelihood in that town . Brown mentioned also that his elder son , 25 - year - old Frederick , also intended to sell his own livestock in Illinois , but had not yet left Ohio . Brown was impressed with the lay of the land , calling it " one of the grand P [ rai ] ries , " and noted that he had already " gathered some valuable information in regard to beginning in such countries by which our Boys may proffit [ sic ] if they will . " This is an interesting reference , and might infer that John and Mary Brown hoped that if their sons chose to go westward , they would settle in Illinois rather than going onto Kansas as had their elder half - brothers , John Jr. and Jason . In 1855 , Watson was nearly 20 - years - old , Salmon was nearly 19 - years - old , and Oliver turned 16 - years - old the day following Brown s letter of March 8 th . If nothing else , it was clear to the parents that " our Boys " were approaching manhood and wanted to make their own way in the world . Since John Brown clearly hoped that his whole family might follow him to North Elba , he was probably disappointed though resolved to accept their moves in other directions . A month later , 16 - year - old Oliver wrote to his mother and siblings in Akron , reporting that they had not yet sold their cattle , but had hopes of getting as high as $ 900 for them in Rockford . Mary Brown was probably displeased to read that Oliver was looking further westward to Kansas . In the meantime , they had not heard from Salmon , and Oliver asked his mother to let him know if she heard from his older brother . ( Interestingly , Oliver was quite taken by " pra [ i ] rie pets called gofers [ sic ] , " and wrote that he had " catched " some for his younger sisters , Sarah and Anna , which John Brown would " fetch " home for them . Unfortunately for John Brown , in May 1855 he was still trying to sell his cattle in Illinois . In early May , he wrote to daughter Ruth and her husband Henry Thompson in New York State that he was selling " my stock of Cattle . . . in order to raise funds so that I can move to North Elba ; Oliver Brown to Mary Brown , April 9 , 1855 ; and JB to Ruth and Henry Thompson , May 7 , 1855 ) are all held in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library . 
Ruling in Jefferson Case . Today the District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the search of Congressman Jefferson 's Congressional Office was not a violation of the Speech and Debate Clause of the Constitution . Though I disagree with this ruling , I am not surprised by it . After all , this case was argued in front of the same judge that originally signed off on the warrant in the first place , and ruling that search unconstitutional now would be tantamount to saying " oops , I was wrong , " something a judge is less than likely to do . I ' ve been researching the legal principles at issue in this case all summer , as part of my work as a research assistant for Professor Huefner at the Moritz College of Law , so I ' m familiar not only with the facts at issue , but also the legal arguments that have been made both by the Congressman and the DOJ . Sadly , the opinion by Judge Hogan today sounds more like a familiar echo of the government 's reply brief than a bipartisan review of the law , but again , once you ' ve picked a side , its hard to change track . The opinion , in a similar vein to the briefs , does a good job of repeating the traditional " catchphrases " from the landmark Speech and Debate Clause cases ( Johnson , Brewster , Helstoski , Gravel ) ... but one was noticeably absent . That phrase , repeated with regularity in most of the Supreme Court 's S & D cases , is that it is a primary purpose of the clause to prevent the intimidation of the legislative branch by the executive . That line , which I feel is of some significance to this case , was not once stated in Judge Hogan 's opinion . I find that sad . Here is the NY Times ' Article on the opinion . That article provides a link to the pdf version of the opinion as well . 
Blog Vacation . I ' ve been gone , but now I ' m back . Sorry bout that ... I ' d like to say that I ' ve been busy ... but that would be a lie ... . at least a partial lie . So , a quick update -- I went to Florida .. spent time with the grandparents . That was fun , relaxing ... didn't do much of anything , which is always nice . They 're moving to Philly pretty soon , and I ' m very excited about that , as much of the rest of my family ( not - immediate ) lives there , and its easier to go to one place to see multiple people . I ' m just efficient like that I guess . So I ' ve been working ... I ' m technically working two jobs ... TECHNICALLY ... I ' m working for two professors as a research assistant , for one I ' m researching election law issues , specifically election systems and election administration . That 's been pretty interesting ... I got to go to Cleveland last week and sit in on a forum relating to the May primary ( see , debacle ) . That was pretty cool . Got to see Erin , my ex ... yeah , she 's getting married next month .. . ( see , debacle and weird ) . I ' m also working for my legislation prof . , we 're doing some Speech or Debate clause work related to the FBI 's quasi - legal ( from a constitutional point of view ) search of Congressman Jefferson 's office . Don't get it wrong , no one is denying that he 's a crook , but the safeguards are there for a reason , not to protect him but to protect the institution and all that . That 's cool too . So grades are coming in too ... I ' ve gotten all but one , and for the most part , I ' ve been really happy . I ' m actually doing better than last semester , and I had thought that I had done well . On a side note , my Contracts grade went down from 1 st semester , and about that I am not so happy . But my property grade made me smile . Well , that 's about it . Me and a couple of friends are gonna go over to the Gateway Drexel theater to see X - Men , which I totally meant to see a while ago , but put it off . It 's all good . Adios . 
Scholastically Over . So , a week ago today the school year officially ended with the Morgan Shipman property exam . It was a doozy , but made me realize how much I really do like regular sit - down exams more than a take - home . My exams this semester , or at least at the end of the semester ( Contracts seems so long ago that I ' m not counting it ) , were 2 take - homes , and one regular . The take - homes were in my stronger subjects , Con - Law and Legislation , and the sit - down was in Property , my weakest subject . I figure I did best in Property . Somehow , a sit - down exam seems like a great equalizer , where you write what you know , and then you 're done . You don't have time to freak out , and so what you know is reflected in what you wrote . That statement does not seem to hold true for a take - home . Don't get me wrong , I understand the choice of those two professors , as the material does seem to necessitate some kind of a lengthier period , but man , i only wish it wasn't so . This isn't going to be some long - winded essay into all of my reflections on the first year of law - school ... maybe later I ' ll write that , but now , who has time ? I ' m in the middle of the writing competetition for journal , though still not entirely sure I even want to be on a journal ( another future post I ' m sure ) . Next week I ' m going to Florida , and then I get back and I start work ( mostly election law research , I ' m pretty psyched about it ) . That 's it for now , I ' m in the library , gonna get some reading done for the competition , then go home . I ' ve gotta remember to call a couple of golf courses too today ... my dad is always in need of more golfing info . 
In Re Human Capacity . It never ceases to amaze me how a television show can create such a vivid flood of emotions , from glee to sadness , from nostalgia to shock . What is almost more amazing , or perhaps what should be painfully obvious , is how the same show can do it after 7 years . Yet , alas , that is the West Wing . Probably the most famous line regarding this spectacular show is " Aaron Sorkin raised the level of debate in this country , let that be [ The West Wing 's ] legacy . " As I sit here , at 9 pm on Sunday night , with a massive Property exam looming in now just a little less than 36 hours , I took time to do once again what I ' ve been doing for nearly 7 years ... watch what I believe should go down as one of the best television shows in the history of ... well , television . Tonight 's episode was the penultimate episode , after next week , I ' ll never again be able to tune into NBC , either Wednesday 's at 9 or Sunday 's at 8 , to be given insight into the complexities of government , and into the complexities of the human soul . There are so many great and wondrous things that I associate with the West Wing , as it has certainly impacted me , not only in how I watch and appreciate televised drama , but really in how I view the world , in how I think . This show has done what so few have been able to do . It established a cast of mostly unknowns ... sure , Martin Sheen was big , but even he was originally slated for only the occasional casting . It took these actors and actresses , and not only made them great , but it managed to keep them together , almost without exception ( Rob Lowe being the notable exception of course , and even he has come back now a time or two for the final episodes ) . I watched tonight and was once again amazed , mystified , and utterly touched by how these characters that I have come to know and love can time and time again touch the inner recesses of my own soul , my own imgagination , my own ambition . I watched tonight , and felt gladdened , as the writing of the show is seemingly able to peak whe necessary , to allow the show to exit it 's grandiose stage with more than just a modicum of grace and self - respect . But most of all , I watched tongiht and was deeply saddened , as only once more will I get the now - familiar pangs of emotion that inevitably come from watching a new episode , never again will I sit perched on the edge of my chair desperately waiting to know what happens next , never again will I be crushed by a perfectly timed commercial break . Perhaps , it is fitting that the end of the West Wing comes at this point in my life , as I ' m now finishing my first year at law school . The West Wing was influential probably for the most part for me because it came at such an influential time in my life . Starting at the end of high - school , throughout all of college , through my first " real job " and it helped me adjust to my new legal - life . Now though , it seems to know that either I can't need it anymore , it can no longer serve as my dramatized crutch , it knows , better than I , that it is time for me to stand on my own . The timing is , to say the least , impeccable . Sure , there are other shows that I enjoy watching , some that even manage now and again to touch me emotionally , 24 , Rescue Me , Boston Legal .... but none have , or I fear ever will have , the same effect as did The West Wing . Here 's a new quote ... " The West Wing changed the level of my humanity , it changed the way I think , the way I view problems , and the way in which I view the world at the critically influential time in my life ... let THAT be it 's glorious legacy , it will be so for me . " One more . 
Mad About You . Ok ... I am a self - proclaimed television afficionado . I grew up watching tv . I mean ... a LOT of tv . Growing up , bed time would come , i ' d wait for my parents door to close , and then i ' d turn on Nick at Nite . I had the classics , Get Smart , Dragnet , Alfred Hitchcock Presents , the Dick Van Dyke Show , etc. , etc. Here 's my point ... it used to be , I could watch almost anything . Almost anything seemed like good tv . My tastes have evolved . A lot of current stuff just really bores the hell out of me . -- Take That 70 's Show , for example . I used to love it , but the jokes now seem pressed , or corny , and mostly just plain stupid . Here 's what I want -- witty -- fast - paced and witty . If you are making a television show , and feel the need to make the characters pause for audience laughter ... it 's not really funny . Here are some WITTY shows that all current shows should aspire to be more like : The West Wing ( First Four Seasons ) Mad About You -- the back and forth between Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt is the best ever , as far as witty goes .... and talk about great writing . M * A * S * H * -- I liked the whole season , but having grown up on Dragnet , I must say I like the 2 nd half of the series better , because I ' m a big Harry Morgan fan . Boston Legal -- finally , a show that can do the corny one - liners SPARINGLY and still be witty .. need I say more ? DENNY CRANE . The witty rule is really a rule for comedy type shows ... there are other ... specialty shows that don't have to be witty , like 24 or ER ... they do what they do well , and they 're good programs . Reality TV ? -- SUCKS . 
Frustration Alert . I am currently about 14 and a half hours into a 27 hour take - home exam . Of course , I haven't spent nearly all of that time on the actual exam ... but ... well , I probably should have . You ever have one of those days where you know what you want to say ... but when you write it , it just doesn't seem right ? Welcome to me . Bad timing , I know . Fortunately , since it 's a take - home , I have the advantage of being able to go to sleep now , get up in a few hours , and maybe it ' ll look different . Or I ' ll write differently . Who knows . Never use the phone when your ' e frustrated by the way . Never answer it . It wasn't my mother 's fault that she didn't know I was in the middle of a take - home , it was my fault for answering the damn phone . Well , I ' ll apologize to her after law school , I ' ll buy her something . Umm .. make that after I get my loans paid off ... hopefully she ' ll still be speaking to me by then . Going to sleep ... getting up in 6 hours to get back to the grind . : ( Oh , and I wish I had a digital camera .... Charley , one of my kittens , is lying on a blanket in a chair , on her back , both paws over her face ... sound asleep , absolutely adorable . She 's named after Charley from High Fidelity ( Catherine Zeta Jones ) , a truly awesome movie . 
Edge of the World Part II. I think all sequels should come out before the " originals " . Lucas had it right ... starting the Star Wars saga out at number 4 , doing 5 and 6 and then starting back at 1 . I start my title as edge of the world Part II... because I am about ( in 10 minutes ) to leave the apartment , go to the law school , pick up my legislation exam , at which point , i ' ll have falled off the edge of the world for 27 hours ( while I ' m taking said exam ) . I say part II , because I just did this falling off the edge thing Sunday - Monday for my Con - Law take home , but I didn't aptly title a blog post to match as I have here . That being said , wish me luck ... who knows what this test is really going to be like . Oh , and another great , similar title -- Rambo First Blood Part II.. its just confusing .... is it a prequel or a sequal ? Actually , I read the book ... and Rambo dies at the end of the book .... talk about a movie not following it 's literary inspiration huh ? 
1 down , 2 to go . Con Law Take home is DONE ! Actually , it was done yesterday , but I was exhausted and really didn't feel like turning on my laptop . Legislation thursday - Friday . Property Next Tuesday . THEN I ' M DONE ! Con - Law was hard . Ridiculously hard . But that 's ok right ? It was hard for everyone I guess . Time to buckle down on these last two . 
A must see . Steven Colbert , at the White House Correspondent 's Dinner ... this is absolutely hilarious -- the video file is also in excellent quality . Part IPart IIPart III ( not as Funny as I and II ) Thanks to You Tube for putting up these great links . 
Les Claypool at the Electric Factory . Yes I saw Les Claypool for my second time at the Electric Factory last night . The last time I saw him was 10 / 20 / 05 at the Electric Factory , this is actually pretty interesting because if you purchase Of Whales and Woe from i Tunes the you get bonus track of him playing " D 's Diner " at that same show . So anyway onto the show ... I researched the opening band The Coup on Wikipedia and You Tube to see if I would like them and I ' ll just say the internet did not do them any justice . I wasn't looking forward to seeing them after watching some videos on You Tube but Youtube failed me . They were actually pretty good , like good enough that I would consider torrenting one on of their albums ( maybe even buy one ) . So the Coup are kindof a rap / funk / rock / alt . rock band and are pretty good if you like that stuff , some parts kindof reminded me of Rage Against the Machine . Anyway lets talk about Claypool ... He just walked on stage and broke into " One Better " from Of Whales and Woe and what was cool is that this album came out a little over a month ago and that everyone was singing the words . After this he said something and played " Makalaster " from Purple Onion which everyone sang and Heeyaa 's to ; it was epic . I don't remember the whole setlist but these are the songs I remember . ( in somewhat chronological order but it gets blurry after " Makalaster " ) " One Better " - Of Whales and Woe " Makalaster " - Purple Onion " Long in the Tooth " - Purple Onion " Holy Mackerel " - Highball with the Devil " Cosmic Highway " - Purple Onion " Vernon the Company Man " - Of Whales and Woe " Big Eyeball in the Sky " - Big Eyeball in the Sky " Iowan Gal " - Of Whales and Woe " Lust Stings " - Of Whales and Woe He basically played at least one song from everyone of his albums , except Sausage and I sang through every one . After " Makalaster " I proceeded to the pit but went through it so I was only 5 or so feet away from the master bass - playing colonel himself . The crowd wasn't like too wild but it was drunk wild the pit was good but a lot of people passed out and stuff , also there was a lot of crowd surfing . Well that 's about it and I look forward to seeing him again soon . Also , Rest in Peace Syd Barrett . 
Another Klassic Review of a Game Already Beaten Millions of Times . Well I had been playing this for about a month , it was my third time trying to play through the whole thing in the past three years . This time I did it , in a approximatly 53 hours and I enjoyed every hour of it . The plot was as good as expected in any Final Fantasy game and they graphics were nice little mid 90 's sprites which I have always been quite partial towards . I was a level 54 squire at the end of the game and killed Altima in two hits . The first hit was with a Stasis sword from Orlandu hitting somewhere around 700 - 800 damage then an Attack from me at around 990 - 1100 damage ( with ragnarok equipped straight and used scream three times ) There was one disappointment with the ending for me and that was that I couldn't continue to play my data and finish the cloud subquest like I had originally planned to do . This really made me upset because I could see sooooooooooooo much post final boss play value in the game with all the treasure hunting and discovery levels . I heard someone talking about a ten level dungeon after the final boss but all I got was the credits , a nice FMV sequence and a return to the title screen . If anyone knows how I can continue to play and go to the 10 level dungeon and stuff please tell me . This is what my party looked like ... Ramza but I named them Alexander Skills -- Guts Punch Art Auto Potion Two - Hands Move HP - up ----------------------------------------------- Orlandu Skills -- All Sword Skill Battle Skill Counter - Tackle Gained JP - up ( I think ) Move HP - up ----------------------------------------------- Simmone Skills -- Item Dance Auto Potion Gained JP - up Move HP - up ------------------------------------------------ Claris Skills -- White Magic Item Auto Potion Throw Item Move HP - up ------------------------------------------------ Jorge Skills -- Punch Art Throw Auto Potion Equip Armor Move HP - up . 
Of Whales and Woe . yes I just recently got the new Les Claypool CD ( as in I finished torrenting it about 20 minutes ago ) and I haven't finished listening to it yet but it 's already worth the money or time . It lives up to all the expectations I had and adds anotheramazing release to his flawless discography . GET IT NOWOh yeah and I started making adventure modules for some of my D D encounters which I ' ll upload soon . 
Smarterchild = Racist Bastard . I always knew it . I always knew that Smarterchild was actually an evil , racist bastard . I had always suspected it , but now I have unequivical proof that smarterchild is a member of the KKK . Just look : Smarter Child : I wear white hoods . Phat Democrat : do you ever burn crosses in front of black people 's houses ? Smarter Child : I burn crosses in front of black people 's houses . See ? See ! ? 
A tasty treat .... spoiled . I am angry with Blogger right now . I had a very tasty treat to share with you - audio clips of the songs I ' d be singing at Waunapalooza on the 22 nd . Unfortunately , it seems like the only way I can post them is with " Audioblogger , " which I really don't want to sign up for . Does anyone know how I can post sound files on my blog ? They 're saved to my computer , even ! 
Just wait a little bit , okay ? I just wanted to tell you that for as many things as I have to post about , I need to just take a short break from blogging . The reason is not laziness - just the opposite , actually . Me and a certain Mr. Vosen have begun our most ambitious project yet - a book . It will reach new hights of comedic greatness . So I just wanted to fill you in , and let you know I ' m not a completely lazy bastard . Also , first one to comment gets a free copy of the book for when its published . ** Not really . 
I ' m not dead . Hey ! It 's me . I just wanted to post to let all of my faithful readers ( all four of them ! ) that I haven't fogotten about the blog . The reason I haven't posted in a few days is because I have been lazy . I just didn't feel like sitting down and writing when I could be watching tv . I mean , its a pretty obvious choice : Vegetate or Work . I chose vegetate ! However , I promise that , tonight , by 6:30 , I will have a brand - spanking new post , full of gut busting witticisms and insight . And I ' m talking Dr. Phil levels of insight . Here 's a teaser : It involves sports metaphors . ( Kind of . Not good ones though . ) What could I rant about that involves sports metaphors ? ( Kind of ? ) That 's up to you to find out ! But I know that for many of you , that 's not enough . You require something to sate your appetite for humor , so I will provide . Stop me if you ' ve heard this one : Star Jones walks into a bar . She orders a stiff drink , and then sits at a booth . She starts crying , so a man goes over to her and asks , " What 's wrong , Star Jones ? " She replied , " I ' ve been fired from the view ! " The man , without missing a beat , added , " And your husband is gay and even though you ' ve lost half of your weight you still manage to remain unnattractive ! " Get it ? No ? Let me explain it for you - Bad things happening to Star Jones is hilarious . It 's not that I hate Star Jones . It 's just that she kinda keeps asking for it , you know ? It 's like , next she 's going to be hosting some second rate show on HGTV . Whoops , nevermind . Meeker out . 
This blog is a failure . This blog is a failure . As much as I hate to admit it , this blog has failed to serve its purpose as a musing home . I know this is awfully soon to admit such a thing , but its true . It 's a bigger failure than Carter 's term . I realized this just minutes ago . After a long day with friends and family , my mind had produced several - nay , many fantastical ideas and musings . Some so fantastical they would blow your mind . I think one of them might even have been a potential cure for cancer . However , as I sat down to write my blog entry for the day , I realized the fatal flaw : I had forgotten all of it . Every witticism , every keen observation , all of it . Gone ! Gone like the runaway bride . The only difference is if my musings were humans they would blink , which is a skill I don't think she 's mastered yet . Anyway , when I realized that all of my musings had abandoned me I was heartbroken . I thought I had commited them to memory , but apparently my memory just isn't good enough . So , I realized , if I continued writing this blog I would need to either do one of two things .1 . Run to the computer every time I had an idea . I really don't think this will work . It 's just too ... inconvienient . Example : Someone is telling me that they 're thinking of commiting suicide . I can't just be like " Hey , wait for just a sec , cuz I just thought of something really funny for my blog . " If I did that , it would probably just confirm their belief that no one cares about them , and in the short time I ' d be gone they ' d commit suicide . You know how ' d I ' d feel then ? Bad .2 . Instead of filling my blog with good stuff eveyone can use in conversation ( that thing about fiddle players will break the ice anywhere , * ) I write it like the average blog , filled with stuff like this : so i took my dog 2 the prk 2 day and i saw this lady and im like wtf wut is a lady doing at this shittyass park cuz that lady is teh hotness Would you still read my blog if it was written like that ? Okay , you probably would , but still . The sentiment stands . So , just as I was about to close the curtain on this blog , after only 2 days of existence , I had a brainwave . My mind literally rippled with the force of this idea . Screw a cure for cancer , I should win a nobel prize for this . I am to be recorded at all times . I am serious about this . I will get someone to follow me around with a video camera , or , if push comes to shove , a tape recorder , and record everything that I do / say . Of course , this would mean that if I was ever by my lonesome I would have to say most of my musings out loud , but I do that anyway . ** So , I am taking offers from people who are interested in this task of recording me . It requires you to be around me 24 / 7 , and almost never sleeping , ( I might mumble something in my sleep , ) and sometimes going hungry . However , if I ' m eating I might give you my leftovers . Oh , who am I kidding ? I never have leftovers ! Also you must never make noise . You will not be paid for this job . The payment is to have the honor , nay , the privelage of being in my company for extendended periods of time . Leave a comment if you think this could be for you ! Now , I know some people will say " Joe , why not just write down your ideas when you have them ? " To this I answer , " I am lazy . " It 's all the answer you ' ll ever need . Meeker out . * Actually , I have to confess , that joke was stolen from Achewood . Which you should read . ** Yes I know that is weird but no , I do not have schizophrenia . Wait ... what ? What 's that ? You ... you want me to ... to kill ? * DUH DUH DUH * . 
Creepy Roomates ( In a digital sense ) . Also , before I go to sleep , I just wanted to add something . As my " wee hours of the morning " recreation , I decided to cruise blogger . com , to see who and what else exactly they allow to steal from their precious bandwith . I am afraid . Aparrently my blog 's home is filled with scary and obnoxious roomates , like a bad sitcom , except this is not funny . I pressed the " Random Blog " button , and it led me to one of the scariest things I ' ve ever seen . A blog about christmas songs . I fear whatever person would invest time , god 's most precious export , * into creating a blog about christmas songs . It is June . They can't even say they 're having christmas in July . They 're having it in June . Everything about it is scary . I am filled with fear . * The deal is you get it for free but it 's a limited supply . 
Open Minded Quiz . You Are 84 % Open Minded You are so open minded that your brain may have fallen out ! Well , not really . But you may be confused on where you stand . You don't have a judgemental bone in your body , and you 're very accepting . You enjoy the best of every life philosophy , even if you sometimes contradict yourself . How Open Minded Are You ? Yeah , check it out . I ' m pretty open minded according to this thing . Some of the questions I don't think necessarily gauge open mindedness , but instead can be answered by principle . Current Mood : Tired Current Music : Big Head Todd & The Monsters , Sister Sweetly . 
Music Side Notes . So I ' ve been reading some books that have to do with mixing and mastering your own music recordings . Its pretty interesting stuff . Granted , most of it could probably boil down to 5 pages of actual information , the repetition of the ideas are good . An interesting thing to note is that compression seems to be pretty much the sound of modern radio . What is compression you ask ? Its basically lowering the louds and upping the quiets as far as volume is concerned . I never really paid attention to this type of thing before . However , when I finally played my new amp , I noticed a compression in it which it is supposed to have to simulate old tube circuits . Its neat how after learning about these little things , you start to hear them in stuff . On another note , my amp plays wonderfully for the most part . It took me a couple hours of twiddling with knobs to get it to sound more or less how I like it , but it is capable of quite a few cool sounds . However the foot pedal does not work as advertised , so I ' ll have to fix it and maybe try and get some money refunded because of this . Current Mood : Don't want to go to school Current Music : AFI , Miss Murder . 
Finally ! On Friday I was very sad because my amplifier I got off ebay hadn't arrived in time for me to take it to Santa Cruz while I went there this last weekend ( mostly because the guy didn't give me the tracking number so that I couldn't be there to sign for it ) . So I called UPS and they told me I could go pick it up on Monday ( this is done because they can't get into my apartment complex without me leaving the door open , which a lame old lady usually closes . So I go to pick it up today in West Sacramento , I ' m there for probably 30 minutes , and they tell me that for some reason it got put back on the truck to Davis . Now I had to go back and wait at my apartment for the guy to make a special trip out to give it back to me . So now I finally got it , but I can't play it , because my cabinet speaker is in Santa Cruz , and I can't fit it in my car to take back to Davis . But what really irks me is that when I tipped the amp over to pick it up , I heard something rattling inside . This is scary because usually if you hear stuff like that in electronics , that means something broke off , and now you are fucked . So I open the sucker up and I find that it is simply some screw which for some reason I can't find where it goes . I ' m really relieved that its only a screw and not an actually electronic part , since I don't want to have to look up the schematic , and most likely destroy my amp by trying to fix it . I have yet to test the sucker , but I think it should be ok . Current Mood : Relieved Current Music : My Air Conditioner . 
My Name Is ... So I would just like to point out that my name is a UNI - Sex name , and that it can be used by both guys and girls , in the same spelling that I use . Mackenzie . If you ' ve never heard of a guy named Mackenzie besides me , then I suggest you click the following link : http : // imdb . com / name / nm 0188871 / This will direct you to Mackenzie Crook . One of the fantastic pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean . So now you know of another guy with my name . Current Mood : Anxious Current Music : The Flaming Lips , Tangerines . 
BLAH ! I just have to rant on here that I ' m sick and tired of being taken for granted by some people . I never hear an " I ' m sorry " or " Thank you " without " fishing " for that shit . I only hear griping . I ' m sick of it . BLAH ! Ok , fine . Thats all . Sorry to trouble you people . Current Mood : * & $ @ Current Music : Anti - Flag , One Trillion Dollars . 
Flag Burning . So I read the news just now for the first time in a while , and I was appalled . There was actually a vote in the senate to ban desecration of the U.S. flag . This is simply the stupidest thing I ' ve ever heard of . Desecration of a flag symbolizes a discontent with that institution . So by banning desecration of our nations flag means we could not show our discontent with the government in that simple yet effective way . My point is that this could be the start of limiting freedom of speech , one of the values our country was founded on . Another point is that does any silly material posession actually hold a significance greater than what you in your mind can have ? NO ! If the Statue Of Liberty were to fall , it would be a big shock , and people would all say that it meant that freedom or liberty or something was declining or even abolished . But really , all that means is that the ( pardon my french ) bitch was too heavy to support itself , unless some terrorists blew it up . Either way , that only means that a pile of metal is now no longer in an artistic form . What is even more shocking than the idea of this legislation , is the fact it only failed by a SINGLE VOTE . This means there are that many people in the senate which think that by outlawing flag burning and the like , that we would be somehow protecting our freedoms instead of setting them back . I think people really need more education . Maybe I ' m just misguided . But wouldn't it be silly to only have the U.S. flag desecration banned ? This would make us seem like we were " better " than everyone else . Which I ' m afraid to say , has been proven time and again that we are not . Current Mood : Upset Current Music : The Living End , Wake Up . 
Sigh . So you know what bugs me about my life ? I don't really have much to show for it . I ' m still in school pursuing my graduate educational degrees , and I don't really go anywhere or do anything . I ' m sitting here at my apartment at 1:00 AM running silly wire simulations . Other people I know are touring the US , backpacking through Europe , or hanging out in Japan . Where have I gone ? Well I guess I ' ve been to quite a few places in my life ... Hawaii , Alaska , Washington D . C . , All the pacific states , Nevada , Arizona , Mexico , Canada , Japan ... But most of these things were when I was quite a bit younger . I haven't gone anywhere cool in the last 5 years or so . This just kinda irritates me , but also makes me strive to be something better at the same time . I guess thats just the way life goes . Life 's too short to do nothing . Current Mood : Irritated Current Music : The Living End , State Of Emergency . 
I have a head ! So I won an auction today for a Peavey XXL guitar amp head . This is good , cuz I ' m getting it for cheaper than I was bidding for in a previous auction which I didn't win . This retails for $ 799.99 and you can get it online at a discount shop for $ 699.99 . I got this baby for $ 305.00 plus shipping charges which will probably range from $ 45 - $ 90 . Now this means my total will be around $ 400.00 which is pretty much what it should be since I ' m getting this baby used in good condition . Now for the main specs on this baby : * Three fully independent channels * Bottom , body , and edge active EQ on ultra channel * Three - position EQ and gain voicing switches on each channel * 100 watts RMS into 4 , 8 , or 16 ohms ( selectable impedance ) * Power level switch for 25 watt , 50 watt , or 100 watt operation * Power amp damping switch ( tight , medium , loose ) * Footswitchable effects loop with effects level switch * Preamp out / power amp in patching jacks * Reverb * Three button footswitch included * Classic jeweled pilot light * Chrome plated brass control knobs The many reviews and sounds I lifted appear to still maintain the classic tube sound , while being solid state , AKA , no vaccuum tubes . This is good for me , since I don't want to take care of a high maintenance amp , and don't want to risk blowing tubes when playing . Plus , I research solid state electronics , so I want to support the cause . I could have bought a modeling amp like the Line 6 or Behringer brands , but I ' d rather have the versatility of this amp , without some digital sounds I probably won't use anyways . I plan on eventually getting a nice pedal setup anyways for those effects . Now check out and worship the pic : Current Mood : Happy Current Music : Bleeding Through , The Truth . 
Stolen Laptop . I didn't go to work yesterday because I overslept . Takes me 30 minutes to get there and wouldn't have been worth it to drive out there just to come back . Well i ' m kinda glad I didn't . The dept . I work at has a tendency to keep it 's office doors open . Well the tech guys bought a flashy dual cure widescreen dell for transferring stuff back and forth from the server room as well as for showing off tech demos . Some sack of shit just came in and grabbed it and took off much like this courgi is takin off with this stick . Yep , stolen out in the open . I ' m GLAD i didn't go to work cuz that very well could have been my macbook pro ( which i love to death ) , which i ' m sure anybody would have chosen over a dell . Now they lock the door and I have to use my keycard to get in . Fine by me , seeing as how it 's pretty neat using it , makes me feel important HA ! David and Mike , the only two guys that were there left the office for like a minute and * po Of * gone . Of course if i was at work I wouldn't leave my laptop lying around and I probably would have seen something . I walked into work today and it was the first thing anybody told me ; no " hi mando whats up " it was just straight " DUDE WE HAD A LAPTOP STOLEN ! " Sheesh , what a bag of shit to lurk and swipe a laptop like that . Also there are no cameras in our little dept yet , the building itself is new as well so there 's no cameras around entrances or hallways either . DOH ! Whoever took that laptop , CURSE YOU ! Oh incidentally , SHAKIRA IS FUCKING HOTT !! This is honestly my ideal woman " appearence wise " seeing as how the first thing I notice about a girl is " movement . " Yeah it sounds silly but the way a girl moves is the first thing I notice . It explains why if 100 pretty girls walked in front of me i ' d find ONE attractive simply because they move differently from the rest of the " herd . " I ' m strange . For all i know she could be a bitch tho and that would kill it XD . Oh well she gets the pyramid head seal of approval . 
Olive oil . I ' m a health nut , as such I cook everything in olive oil . It 's easily my most important health food . Thanks to olive oil I have curls in my hair that only pomade can TRY to hold down . Yeah my hair is wild and untamable , and it draws it 's strength from the olive . Olive oil is also DAMN tasty , adds pep to just about anything I cook . Heck I thought paying the extra cash for it was nuts until I started using it , and now I can't do without it . I can't see how people can use lard , shortening , vegetable oil etc when they cook , that stuff is like drinking motor oil , it doesn't break down , gets into your blood stream and clogs you up . Enjoy your heart attack . Olive oil on the other hand puts many vital fatty acids back into your body , and it 's TASTY . Now what pisses me off is there 's an incredible dry spell going on in Europe . Italy and Spain are getting dried out so the price of olive oil has gone up to 18 FUCKING DOLLARS A BOTTLE for a 68 oz . bottle !!!! When I first started on the health kick olive oil was 11 dollars a bottle . Not too bad , then last summer it hit 13 dollars , still not bad , then in the fall it was at 14 , still paid it without bitching . Now it just jumped to 18 so i ' m a bit ticked seeing how I was expecting the price to DROP after rising for so many seasons . I use peanut oil as well but it 's not as good tasting or good for you as olive oil . Screw that canola oil , it 's not bad for you but not good for you either . First the fucking gas prices and then this !!! I ' m so mad I could just scream . As a matter of fact , DON ' T MIND IF I DO !!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH !!! 
Hott . It 's fucking hott !!! This here is a hologram that hangs on the wall at my lab at work . It 's a hologram of the perkinji cell , a certain type of neuron in the cerebellum . Tons of research go into this cell and modeling this cell is what the program I ' m supposed to be helping engineer is going to do . What i can't shake is that this thing on the wall cost $ 10,000 FUCKING DOLLARS !!! sheesh that was like 4 semesters of undergrad college when i ' m pinching pennies ! Oh well hopefully my penny pinching days are over and someday I can afford something completely useless like this . When i left work I saw a car that had a busted window . It was there the day before as well , hasn't budged . Wonder if it was stolen and someone abandoned it there . I snapped some close up high res shots for shits and giggles . Man it 's fucking hott , having an AC that doesn't cool and being on a packed highway coming home from work doesn't help much . Seeing as how I can take a pic of traffic using my digital camera while driving a STANDARD on the highway in 100 degree heat shows how much I was squelchering to death in my jeep . I need to remember to pack a lean pocket or sandwich when i go to work . My damn stomach was protesting and trying to get my brain to go on strike until it got fed , ugh . 
Started Work . Guess this post is a few days old , I started work in the biology dept as a programmer last week on thursday . I ' ll be working part time salaried pretty much until they recieve a new grant , after which i ' ll be full time . Thats supposing the grant comes through . When i started work I was expecting them to have the problems they wanted me to solve laid out or at least identified for me to get working on it . I show up to work not doing much and kind of figuring out what it is i ' m supposed to work on . Kind of funny , i refused other jobs because I wanted a job thats mentally challenging so my programming skills would improve rather than degrade . What do i get ? My first order of business is to redo their website , a very menial job for a true computer scientist , how prophetic . I never bothered learning php - mysql because I never really wanted to work in it . Now i have to learn it , it was a snap . Learned just about everything i needed to know in a couple hours on my Free BSD server . I can't start on the damn page since two of the ph . d 's in the dept are arguing over what to put on the page and we don't have a clear outline of what content belongs on there . SHEESH . They ' ve been sending nasty emails to the guys I work with and refuse to meet with us ; I think because some of these ph . ds don't like ach other . I was under the impression that since I have a job now where an education is REQUIRED I would no longer have to deal with stupid behavior . Imagine my suprise . Turns out i have to wait for all these neuro - biologists to get together to talk about what features they want in the program i ' m supposed to code called GENESIS , which is a neurosimulator . I ' m especially annoyed since these biologists think they know software engineering . Ugh , ever since programming became some sort of " hip " hobby any jackass out there thinks they can be a software architect ; suffice it to say there 's a fucking reason someone with a Bachelors or Masters degree in computer science lands jobs as a Software Archt . and a Biologist doesn't . Whats worse is that ph . d types think they never have to say they 're wrong so if their design is stupid and it 's pointed out , they argue . Good thing none of these people are any kind of authority over me , i get the feeling i ' ll be flexing that muscle quite a bit . As a bioinformatics programmer I learned what I need to about molecular biology / biochemistry , I know when i ' m out of my element in the biology and to step back and let the biologist do their stuff . I just hope the biologists learn when they are out of their element when it comes to the computer science / programming . Oh and on my way to work I nearly got into a damn wreck . Thanks to those concrete medians on the side of the highways during construction cars can't pull off the road when they break down . Sure enough as I approached the I - 10 and 4 - 10 interchange there was a stand still which i didn't expect . Came within an inch of smacking a truck ; would have hit it if i didn't pop my clutch . Also it 's fucking hott as fuck lately , I need to fix my damn AC in my jeep soon . Everything is functional but it 's not holding a R - 143 a charge . GRRRRRRR !!! Jesus we haven't had any damn rain in weeks ! The rain I was watching in the previous post was just a heavy drizzle that lasted maybe an hour , last glimpse i ' ve seen in a while . San Antonio is going to turn into a desert soon . Oh well gotta get cracking doing more work with this drupal engine . It 's super easy to create websites with it , a little too easy . Almost feel guilty getting paid to work with it : P . 
Happy Birthday . It 's July 4 th , today is my birthday and i ' m 29 . Not a big deal to me at all since I don't look or feel 29 . I still frequently get mistaken for 19 because of how young my face looks . There are complications involving posting that biotech job i ' ve been waiting on so now i ' m getting worried . Dr Wang has something he wants me to work on in the meantime so I guess I don't have to go on a full fledged job hunt yet . It 's also finally raining . It 's been so long since I saw an actual rain cloud here in san antonio but there it is , RAIN ! Also heard that N Korea tested some missles . I dunno kinda sounds like they 're just celebrating July 4 th with some bigger than usual fireworks . In all seriousness N . Korea would never start a war with the US but its pretty obvious they don't want to get fucked with by this poor excuse of an administration which is in power here in America . If a nuke keeps George W . Bush out of their faces then by all means let them have nukes . The balls in the court of our administration not to go and do something stupid to give them an excuse to launch them ; such as making up stories about N . Korea harboring terroists like the made up stories that got us in Iraq . That might be asking to much of these dipshits running things tho . 
Superman Returns . I saw superman returns today . It was ok at best . I ' m not disappointed but it definetly could have been better . I ' m just irritated that they used Lex Luthor as a villan AGAIN . There are so many cool villans in the superman comics and they keep using Luthor . And they keep portraying him as a bungling super genius , an oxymoron if there ever was one . The next superman movie better have Darkseid in it ; or at least an enemy that can be a formidable opponent to superman in one on one combat such as Zod was ( Mongul or Doomsday would also be good choices ) . This way we can see the special effects of the era used for some exciting fight scenes as well as flight scenes . Routh did a real good job as superman , much better than I thought he would do . He mimiced many of christopher reeves mannerisms well , just wasn't as clumsy and awkward in Clark Kent mode which was a good thing . The only real adrenaline pumping scene of the whole move was when he stopped the plane from crashing . Tons of people seem to think the movie totally rocked and I find these are typically people whom aren't very well vesed in the superman mythos from the comics . Oh well , it was good but could have been MUCH better and that 's all i ' m saying about that . I heard a rumor that synger plans on " reinventing " zod for the superman returns sequel , that to me sounds just fucking stupid , bordering on disasterous . Oh and I ran across this supposed image of the joker from the next batman movie due out in the summer of 2008 . It 's a shop ( in other words it 's fake ) but all movie posters are photoshopped . The actor is from an old 1928 movie called " The man who laughs " where a man was tortured until he had his lips contorted into a permanent grin . It 's the basis that Bob Kane based the joker off of . Still a kick ass poster and it got people on forums everywhere going nuts . Can't wait to see what develops on the batman end , he 's another one of my favorite comic book heroes . One that I mimic myself after . I have a real bad neurosis about my body because of all the damn comics I read as a kid . Ever notice even the most unimportant characters have a perfect 6 - pack of abs ? Well I got abs now but man I don't even like the way they look because they don't look like the ones on the comics . Oh well i ' m nutty that way and i ' ll keep doing sits ups and eating right until I ' m satisfied with them , which will be never . Thats one way to stay in shape . 
Sleep . I am not a happy man . I can't seem to get to sleep , I just end up lying down and despite exhaustion I don't pass out . This is getting tiresome ; literally . When I finally do go to sleep I ' m not asleep very long and have unplesant images in my head lately . Then when i ' m awake I feel fucking dizzy and tired . Maybe I need some drugs to knock me out . Ugh time to drag through another day . 
Things and Stuff and Kitler 's . It 's been a pretty crazy last couple of days in the Brewer household ; one of those " got hit in the face with a large vehicle " type times . Over the past couple of days 16 teens / leaders went on a fun - filled trip to the big city of Saint John for a summer getaway . We went to the beach ( an actual beach , with sand and water that 's actually from the ocean . these types of beaches don't exist in Fredericton . it 's very sad ) and then ran around the city and hit up the Aquatic Centre and all sorts of adventurous things happened to us and we made it back alive . the Sunday before that we had Greg Boyce and the Adam Cappa band lead the service and it was AMAZING . If you have never heard the AC band you need to check them out at your next opportunity . They 're the worship band at Caton 's this week , but they 're also the worship band for the denomination 's Fuel event and the Gathering in Florida ... and they 're ecording at Jeremy Camp 's studio , too . Anywho , awesome guys , awesome worship , good stuff all around . Google them and enjoy . On my final note I would just like to mention that my wife is incredible and I ' m not sure how I landed her but I did and now she can't back out of the marriage without sinning before God so until then I ' m extremely blessed to be married to such a phenomenal wife and mother . ( and no , I ' m sucking up because she 's so busy nowadays that blogging almost doesn't exist . She just rules . If you know her , you know ! ) um ... so go here and have fun looking at Kitler 's . ( www . catswholooklikehitler . com ) . 
FWD : I hate e - mail . Send to 23 friends ! Now ! Though I should have reserved my first post after Beulah for a witty recounting of the Brewer 's adventures in Browns Flat , I instead need to write this . I checked my email upon arrival at the office today and had receieved nothing but a boatload of forwards . Or FWD 's . Or Frustratingly Wicked Drivel . Whatever you want to call it . So let 's go over a few points of interest , shall we ? 1 . I ' m just betting that if the conglomerate of Microsoft ever wants to shut down their insanely popular Messenger program , THEY WON ' T LEAVE IT UP TO YOU TO FORWARD YOUR FRIENDS TO TELL US ABOUT IT . I can just see Bill Gates now : " Hmmm , for whatever reason I think we should discontinue our MSN program . How should we inform the millions of users out there about our decision ? I know ! I ' ll email Mike Dimwit in Wyoming and tell him to relay the message on to his friends . Hopefully word will just get around . Genius ! No wonder I ' m filthy rich ! " Update : MSN isn't shutting down , and if it was , the matter wouldn't be left in your hands . So calm down and breathe slowly -- you don't need to send a dozen people another FWD .2 . I don't want to join your Electronic Friends Network or Keep in Touch program or whatever other crappy Happy Friends Email Each Other software is floating around . I will never open that email , I will never sign up for your program and I will never email you to join mine , either . If you truly want to remain my friend you will send me an email that says , " Hi Mark , it 's been a while . You 're a swell guy . " You will not send me an email that says , " Waste valuable minutes of your life signing up for this program that you ' ll never use ! " 3 . I love Jesus . So if you send me another piece of crap that says something akin to , " Send this to a billion friends within the next 4 minutes or you hate Jesus " I will never speak with you again and I ' m fighting you at the playground at 3:00 TODAY .4 . I don't like touching stories , I don't want to fill out your stupid quiz , I don't want to forward this to my 12 friends because I really don't believe that James Dobson will go to prison and be tortured by atheist midgets if I don't . Because in the real world things don't get accomplished by forwarding friends incredibly annoying emails . Well , I feel better . If I offended you because YOU have sent me a forward at some point in your life , I don't apologize . Because you have offended me with your intellectual dimwittery , or something like that . So remain my friend and don't FWD me ever again . So ... if you love Jesus then you will send this post to 213 of your friends immediately ! Or spoiled milk will rain from the sky ! For the love of all that 's holy , do it now ! 
About that % .0012 Chance ... So here I sit in my cottage at Beulah , using wireless . Shows how much I know . If I sit at just the right angle at the dinner table with the door behind me open , I can connect to the Beulah wireless network . And so I am . Wonderful ! Beulah has been great so far , as far as visiting goes . Seeing some friends that you really only see at Beulah is great ! As far as services go ... I ' ll be honest ; I haven't attended one yet . There 's just something about a 2 - year old and a 2 hour service that just doesn't mix very well . So instead of actually sitting in on a service ( which I ' d actually like to accomplish at some point this year ) I ' m chasing my girl all over the campground . This is of course a great irony , because a few short years ago I would be begging to run all over the campground instead of sitting through service . And so now I must go and return to my ' busy ' Beulah schedule of sitting around and talking to people . Au revoir ! 
Reverend Brewer . I head to sweet Beulah Land today so I figured I should probably blog because the site might be kinda silent for a week or so . Unless I can pick up a wireless signal in the deep woods of Browns Flat , New Brunswick ( an approximate .0012 chance ) . - I pulled out the ol ' Diet Coke + Menthos trick at youth last night . Good times ! If you ' ve never done it , you need to try it . Take a full pack of menthos and get them lined up in some sort of paper funnel . Then , put the funnel overtop the 2 litre bottle of Diet Coke and let them all drop in really quickly . Almost immediately a huge explosion of pop erupts out of the bottle , like it 's Old Faithful or something . Amazing . Just google it and watch the videos . You ' ll see . - I found out that Wilco is going to be in Fredericton on July 13 th ! Wilco ! In Fredericton ?? I obviously found out about this too late because it 's sold out . Why in the world would Wilco come to Fredericton ? I dunno , but I hope it 's a sign that better bands will beging coming ... because Willie Nelson and INXS just aren't cutting it for me . - I get ordained next Friday . Good times ! I will now expect to be called Reverand Brewer on all occasions . And I will also refer to myself as Reverend as frequently as I can . Like at the Drive - Thru window of Tim Horton 's . " Yes , Reverend Brewer here , I ' d like a large double - double . " Simply because I can . - Which reminds me ... I plan to do a future Tim Horton 's run using only the French language someday soon . Liz will be with me but she doesn't when it 's coming , as to add to the humour of the situation . " Bonjour , uh ... une grand dooblah dooblah , deux beignes , uh , Bos - tone creme , le cheval mangez le pommes , merci bonjour au revoir . " - And that concludes my blogging . 
Ode to Abby . I decided to delete the youth website I had made with i Web and do a new site that 's all about my newest girl , Abby ! Because my i Web subscription was just a trial , the youth site would have been deleted in a few weeks anyway , so I figured , " Why not ? " So this is just basically pictures of the newest Brewer . If you 're a typical guy you can just go to the bathroom right now or something because I know baby pictures don't interest you . Otherwise , go here ! [ web . mac . com / pastorbrew ] . 
More Abby ! Mommy and Abby come tomorrow ! Yay ! The hospital stay has been going really well , though , and Liz and the baby are both doing great . And , big sister Emily was in to see her baby sister a few times and she loves her ! She gives her kisses and ( tries ) to give her stuffed animals ( when Abby doesn't ' receive ' the stuffed animal , Emily simply tries to give it to her again , ala putting it right on top of her ) . Em IS getting really homesick for Mommy and Daddy , though . She loves her babysitters ... just not for like 18 hours a day ! So she 's very excited about Mommy and Abby coming home ... almost as excited as Daddy ! 
In my humble opinion abortion is just a play on words . If a person was to be raped and ended up preganant then they would probably not want the baby . i dont think its fair for the mother to not have choice when it comes to her own body and her future . That is putting alot of pain on the mother because if she was not to have an abortion then she has to go through 9 months of caring a baby that she may not really want . And we havent even begun to discuss the pain of child birth . i will discuss these things later in my blog so join in my lively dialoge . 
Some of the units we escort have females . Most of these girls have a guy around that would love to have sex with her at the very least , maybe more . But they arent getting any so they assume the role of a big brother , following her around like a big puppy dog , scowling at anyone that looks her way . We call these guys brother protector , and we laugh at them while they are looking . I am so glad I am combat arms , and dont have to serve in units with females ( no offense girls ) . 
Ive been in three seperate military branches . The fourth time is for the money . Go ahead Jonnyboy , wave your flag and earn your ribbons , you wont be able to buy anything with them . They will call you babykiller like they did us - KBR Contractor Latrine , Balad . 
All units have their own unique culture depending on the history of that unit and the personalities that make it up . Ours is no different . Just before going outside the wire teams from other units do a huddle , with a one - two - three - break type of jubilee just before mounting up . Ours does not do that . We hold what is called a warning order , then quietly mount up and go about the business of war . I m not sure why we are that way . Perhaps it is a regional thing . Unlike our active duty counterparts we come from one area . Many of the men in my unit grew up together , attended school together , maybe dated a sister . We are like units of yester year where entire divisions were stood up in a one or two state area then sent to war . The people that make up the unit I serve in are from an area of soft spoken people , where what is unsaid means just as much as what is said . And when one of us dies it affects an entire community . I think that possibly the people who study the military are aware of this . It is perhaps the first time in over sixty years that community units have served during wartime . I think that involves the American people more in this war perhaps . So much more is at stake . And so it should be . 
I could hear him shout something as we idled past his post heading out the gate . It was a vertical concrete tube manned by soldiers with heavy machine guns among others . What I shouted back lifting up one ear of the headphones of my headset . Standing in the turret I had to shift and turn , the heavy body armor and arm armor restricting my movements . He shouted again , two words . Trucks were already in contact just down the road and IEDs had already detonated . I looked down through the turret and told the other two guys that they were yelling at us . I was concerned they were trying to stop us . That would mean turning around then more waiting . Nothing is harder for me than getting all geared up , then having to stand down . Be able to dial it up then turn it down at all times they say . He yelled again but this time two of them unison . Something about truck I thought . Was something wrong with our truck I wondered ? Then it occurred to me , they were wishing us luck . Good luck they were yelling . Thanks , now you jinxed us motherfuckers . I smiled to myself . 
Rx for the Army National Guard Cut the Army National Guard force by half . Anyone unable to pass an Army physical fitness test , flagged , or on charges be immediately processed out including high - ranking officers . Fire anybody over the rank of full bird Colonel . The Army National Guard should not be safe harbor for the Good old boys . Consolidate Brigades to regional areas that can support the unit and create a tradition of service to that unit . Infantry , Military Police , Special Forces and Civil Affairs units should dominate the force structure . Support units should be transferred to the Army Reserve . Existing support troops will cross level or be processed out . Modularize Brigade combat teams in the same manner as their active duty counterparts . Expand monthly drill weekend to three full days . Conduct an APFT every quarter . Fill the entire drill weekend with hard training at least 12 hours a day if not more . No individual PT last day of drill , no catered lunches . If soldiers are not exhausted at the end of drill they have not trained hard enough . Qualify with weapons quarterly instead of yearly . Change Annual Training and center it on lessons learned . MOUT , TCP , Counter insurgency should be emphasized . Role players should be included . Discontinue enlistment bonuses for first time enlistees . Offer Ranger school , SERE , Air assault school , Basic airborne school , and year round leadership schools instead of bonuses . Discontinue recruiting campaigns of Army National Guard being a source of education funding and other benefits . Establish the Army National Guard as an elite fighting force and recruit from that reputation ( similar to Marine Corps ) . Change combat tours to six months every two years instead of one year every two to six years . Discontinue using Army National Guard as a disaster relief force and focus mission on combat and counter insurgency ( a separate disaster relief force subordinate to each state should be created to fulfill that role and offer an alternative to military service ) . Train jointly with Special Operations and the Marine Corps . Emphasis should be on combat leadership not clerk mentality that dominates the current Army and Army National Guard career officers . Active Army leadership schools must be a part of training . Risk taking and creativity should be encouraged . Remove Guard units from state funding and control and place them under federal funding . This doesn t mean place them under the Army Reserve command . The Guard Command should be separate from the support command structure of the Army Reserve . Not for the feint of heart , but then again neither is war . 
The cooper sling and its removal from the field is illustrative of the knee jerk solutions so typical of the clerk mentality of the post Vietnam generation of officers that currently run the Army and the war in Iraq . The standard sling for gunners in the armored hmmwvs that are so common in Iraq are extremely uncomfortable and cause loss of blood circulation , possible nerve damage , and occasional prostatitis in men . Of course nothing has been done about this by the Army . As usually a privately owned company came up with a solution , which is a wide , stiff leather sling to replace the flimsy nylon webbed sling currently in use . That company is coopersling . com. The problem is the sling came with a not very well thought out restraint harness to help prevent gunners being thrown from the vehicle in the event of a roll over . By the way , to date there have only been 37 hmmwv rollovers resulting in 35 deaths . Tragic yes but not the endemic problem the press makes it out to be . The cooper sling restraint harness has apparently resulted in an injury or death somewhere in theater . The Army actually has come up with its own restraint system that technically can work fairly well . The real solution to this problem is to allow gun crews to continue to use the cooper sling and not the cooper restraint harness , which is separate from the sling itself . And mass order and field this sling , which can prevent so much discomfort and possible medical problems down the road for crews . As usual troops in the field come last . Officers and careers come first . 
The Liberal Mantra for Iraq We must include the UN and other allies in the peace process . Wrong . We tried this and they want nothing to do with it accept come here and drill for oil . And were are called the oil gluttons . At least we are willing to fight for it Iraq is our Vietnam . Wrong . There is no Ho Chi Min trail . There is no organized enemy regular army fighting us . There is no well - organized insurgency with regular army cadre fighting us here . There was no ideological cause . Quagmire . Wrong . The fight in Iraq has been well organized and if anything , shifting tactics on the ground shows the flexibility of the current administration and command . There is no exit strategy Wrong . The President has said all along that when Iraqis can police their own country we will withdraw . He has also said this war and the overall war against terror would take years if not generations . No WMD . Wrong . No large caches have been found YET . That doesn t mean they weren t secreted out of the country or still hidden somewhere else . Personally I don t care . I think if the Bush administration made a mistake it was using WMD for a reason to come here . I think we should have just come here and told the rest of the world to fuck off . War for oil . Wrong again . If it were for oil we d take over the Saudi oil fields . Canada and Mexico are where we get most of our oil . Wrong wrong wrong wrong . 
We are ready to go out the gate . The trucks are all idling in the darkness . I am sitting in the gunners sling , my mind wandering to outside the wire . Down below me I see the other two crewmen going through the checks on the radios and other electronics we carry . Red light glows in the interior . I rest my head against the butt of the machinegun , my Kevlar helmet against it . Through the intermittent gun fire I hear outside the gate comes a loud boom . Minutes later comes another . IEDs . People have just died Fuck yeah I hear someone say over the headset . 
Did you know that bisphenol A ( BPA ) demonstrates estrogenic activity , increases the proliferation of estrogen target cells , induces estrogen specific genes and reporter genes , increases the wet weight of the uterus , and induces proliferation of the epithelium in the endometrium and vagina ? What does this mean and what the hell does it have to do with me you ask ? It causes DNA changes and cancer , that s what . Bisphenol A ( BPA ) is found in food , beverage , and health related product packaging . It is also found in polycarbonate , which is used to make baby bottles and other food and drink containers . In other words , you re eating it every day . This will is a huge problem although it probably wont be seriously addressed for another twenty years or so . One can easily see why . 
Isn t it about time Americans seriously demanded energy dependence ? Instead of the feel good measures being taken such as ethanol and biodiesel why aren t we screaming at our government for real world long - term solutions ? Why are car companies beginning to convert some vehicles for multifuel use when they know damn well that if every grain field in the nation were dedicated to producing ethanol at the cost of all agriculture they would only produce about three percent of our need ( that is less than would be produced at Anwar ) . And why is it that Americans are buying into the propaganda that fuel cells are not a viable technology when there are vehicles already running on them ? Yes it is a primitive technology at this point and no it is not ready for wide spread consumer use but if we can put men on the moon and invade countries half way round the globe certainly we can develop this or a similar technology . And why is it that its so wonderful that France gets about eighty percent of its energy needs from nuclear power but its not a solution for us especially considering the new technologies that are available and being developed today ? This could work for us and if we put our minds to it we can make it safe to use and find a way to dispose of its waste . Is it crazy to wonder if the waste could be shot into space , perhaps towards the sun , with a Gerald Boel type super cannon ? Yes it is I suppose but it is an idea . What have you come up with ? We accuse our government of being corrupted and driven by oil yet it is we that sit back and enjoy the fruits of that energy policy . We are the government . Why aren t we screaming for solutions ? Where is the marching ? Where is the outrage ? Saudi oil fields are projected to run out somewhere between fifty to two hundred years . Already it is becoming obvious they cannot increase production as they have promised for that very reason . Other oil producing nations are probably in a similar situation . An when oil production is no longer economically viable what will happen to plastics ? The writing is on the wall . Why aren t we ( read you ) doing something ? 
Meditation Walking Toward Serenity When I was tired and couldn t concentrate , I used to fall back on an affirmation toward life that took the form of simple walking and deep breathing . I sometimes told myself that I couldn t so even this that I was too weak . But I learned that this was the point at which I could not give in without becoming still more depressed . So I would set myself a small stint . I would determine to walk a quarter mile . And I would concentrate by counting my breathing say , six steps to each slow inhalation and four to each exhalation . Having done the quarter mile , I found that could go on , maybe a half mile more . Then another half mile , and maybe another . This was encouraging . The false sense of physical weakness would leave me ( this feeling being so characteristic of depressions ) . The walking and especially the breathing were more powerful affirmations toward life and living and away from failure and death . The counting represented a minimum discipline in concentration , to get some rest from the wear and tear of fear and guilt . Letter , 1960~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 92 . 
When she saw us she began to run away . She wore a green full - length dress with a blue scarf around her hair . Her feet were bare . The wind blew hard , the flying sand pelting my face even through my large goggles , little piles settling in the nooks and corners of the turret . It was a full - blown sand storm . I was jarred and tossed from side to side as we approached , our armored hmmwv bouncing heavily under the weight of its armor over the rutted surface of the road . A pall of sand rose hundreds of feet into the air . Neither the sun nor the horizon was visible . We bored down on her then came to a labored stop . I motioned to her with my hand to come to us . Naturally she hesitated but I motioned again persisting . Amazingly she did come . I peered down upon her as she squinted back up to me . Lifting my goggles I squinted too , the hot dry air felt like it would burn my eyes from their sockets . The surfaces of the turret and weapons were so hot that we had to wear gloves to touch them without being burned . Damn I hated this place sometimes . I asked her what she was doing here expecting the usual one or two word response asking for food or items her family could sell . She replied nothing in perfect English . Nothing I asked ? Nothing . What is your name ? Dahlia as the wind swept and tugged at her dress . She couldn t be more than a few months older than one of my daughters . How old are you ? Ten years . Ten years !! Yes Why aren t you in school ? My mother instructs me . She does ? Yes. I stopped to think for a bit as she looked up at me , waiting for my next move . What do you want to be when you grow up ? She shrugged her shoulders still peering up at me . I looked at her for a moment and she back at me . It almost felt like a stand off though a friendly one . She turned and looked over her shoulder towards the small tents of her nomadic family a few hundred meters away , their sheep and goats milling about . An engineer of doctor perhaps ? Almost all Iraqi kids say they want to be doctors or engineers , even the girls . She shrugged again . Tough customer . What can I give you ? I don t need anything today . There s nothing you want , I asked ? No , nothing . How about a pen . Iraqi kids always like pens for some reason . Ok . Then Maybe some water ? I took a pen from my sleeve and handed it her . She immediately wrote her name on the palm of her hand . I reached down into our cooler that contained our twelve or so bottles of water , Gatorade , and the Double Shot cappuccino drinks that kept us alive on those long , boring , and tiring missions . I then handed it to her over the side of the turret making her reach up to me to take it out of my hand . I hate watching other crews toss water over the side as if feeding the animals . Bye Dahlia . Goodbye she said with a small wave then turned and walked away . We pulled ahead about fifty meters and then stopped again . I turned back and watched her cross the road . She walked about ten meters off the shoulder then stooped down . From a tire rut she dug up a parcel wrapped in paper . She then sat down and unwrapped it . As the wind tore at her hands and paper I could barely make out a small book . Taking up my binoculars I could see she had some type of journal . She began to write in it , alone on the side of a bare road in the middle of the Iraqi wilderness . She almost looked like a ghost threw the blowing sand and I almost wondered if she was real . A few wild dogs trotted by her and crossed the road going the opposite direction , their heads hung low and eyes almost shut . Small pieces of trash flew by . I wondered what she wrote . 
Meditation Courage and Prudence When fear persisted , we knew it for what it was , and we became able to handle it . We began to see each adversity as a God - given opportunity to develop the kind of courage which is born of humility , rather than bravado . *** *** Prudence is a workable middle ground , a channel of clear sailing between the obstacles of fear on the one side and of recklessness on the other . Prudence in practice creates a definite climate , the only climate in which harmony , effectiveness , and consistent spiritual progress can be achieved . *** *** Prudence is rational concern without worry . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 91 . 
I removed a post that I had published earlier due to ongoing events here in Iraq . My apologies if you read it and commented . What I can say is the art of war is as old as humanity itself . It is no mystery . If you allow yourself to be drawn into a ruse or deception that the enemy may exploit you then you have lost sight of that and what I might refer to as ambush tactics 101 . Anyone familiar with this elementary topic will know and understand that an enemy might present what might seem as an opportunity only to deceive you so that he can present himself to your weakness or position of disadvantage and kill you ( or worse ) . Also , if you commit murder or other acts of atrocity you must expect retribution in equal or greater measure . Have a good day . 
I didnt come to Iraq to find weapons of mass distruction nor did I come here just because of the Twin Towers as horrible as that attack was . I came to Iraq to make amends to its people for its suffering at our hands . I came to Iraq because well over 180,000 Kurds were murdered and we allowed it to happen . I came to Iraq because hundreds of thousands of Shiites were murdered by Saddam Hussien after we incited them to rise against him then betrayed them . do not believe that Desert Storm was a bad war . We ejected the Iraqi army from Kuwait as was our U . N . charter . But our responsiblity did not end there and we allowed the suffering of untold numbers of people . WMD may or may not be buried in the sands of Iraq . But countless mass graves are . Today , the Kurds are prospering . A recent poll indicates that as many as fifty percent of Shiites still favor our support . That is huge considering our betrayal and that we are the forked tailed devils of the west . Lets not let this opportunity to redeem ourselves slip away . 
I am sorry to find that your life found so much sorrow and trajedy . It can be so hard for many of us . But for the grace of God did I find happiness in this one . I hope and pray that you find that and much , much more in the next one - . 
Privacy He continued through the death by power point , a means of delivering a brief with a laptop computer and a projector . It is the modern day version of the overhead projector or slide presentation of yesteryear . As in the days of before they can be mind numbing and boring to the point of stupor . Soldiers lined the pews of the chapel , in a long white plastic domed tent that is the Quonset hut of the Iraqi war . Inside the Spartan interior were decorations of various faiths and denominations . Religious materials were lined up on a table free for taking . Hand made sturdy wooden benches bolted to the plywood floor that held believers during service performed double duty for classes given to troops . It smelled of plastic , wood , and dust . The word privacy flashed across the screen . A chuckle went through the rows of soldiers , as privacy was the last thing that any of us perceived having . There was almost nowhere one could go especially in our tiny forward operating base only six thousand feet in diameter . But the presenter had something else in mind . He went on to explain that many while in Iraq had the rare opportunity to recreate themselves . The place fell quiet . He told us we had had privacy , privacy to change while away from family and friends , and situations back home some that might not be too pleasant . Perhaps we ourselves had not been so pleasant . We had an entire year to change behavior and be treated differently by our peers in Iraq . An entire year to reinvent ourselves . We were told that family and friends back home might treat the changed man the same as before , and that time and positive actions would prove the change . Perhaps some would have different standards upon returning home and find previous conditions unacceptable . It reminded me of a previous time in my life I under went great change by the grace of God . And it made me wonder what changes I had gone through over the course of the past year . I began to sense once again how this past year might affect my life . 
Meditation To Watch Loneliness Fade Away Almost without exception , alcoholics are tortured by loneliness . Even before our drinking got bad and people began to cut us off , nearly all of us suffered the feeling that we didn t quite belong . Either we were shy , and dared not draw near others , or we were noisy good fellows , constantly craving attention and companionship , but rarely getting it . There was always that mysterious barrier we could neither surmount nor understand . That s one reason we loved alcohol too well . But even Bacchus betrayed us ; we were finally struck down and left in terrified isolation . *** *** Life takes on new meaning in AA . To watch people recover , to see them help others , to watch loneliness vanish , to see a fellowship grow up about you . To have a host of friends this is an experience not to be missed . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 90 . 
I was able to watch a little bit of the news today . Apparently news of the two soldiers captured and subsequently killed is a big story back home . Not that Soldiers and Marines aren t killed here almost everyday . I saw an uncle of one of the soldiers do the unthinkable on television and state that the American government should have paid ransom money to the enemy via funds recovered from the Saddam regime , and that not enough was done to recover them . I guess he has some how forgotten that all of us are volunteers over here , even those who joined the military for college money , bonuses , or other types of benefits . I guess he isn t aware that it is basic policy to not pay ransom to terrorists . This isn t Club Med over here , it s war . And all of us are volunteers be they foreign jihadists or coalition troops . I remember once speaking with my wife before I deployed , and of her telling me to not do anything that would disgrace us if I were ever captured . I told her I would do my best . If I ever am captured I hope I act like that Italian who defiantly ripped off his shirt just before being murdered and declared to his captures that he would show them how an Italian dies . If I am killed or captured I hope that my family never goes on the news and acts the way this kids uncle did . I hope they don t speak to those despicable reporters at all . If they do , I hope they tell the people that I died doing what I loved , and fought not only for my country but also for that of the Iraqi people so that they might recover from generations of terror and someday know peace and freedom . That I came to Iraq not to find weapons of mass destruction but to correct the errors and betrayals of a past administration . My heart goes out to the families of those lost . Rant over . 
Meditation Review the Day When we retire at night , we constructively review our day . Were we resentful , selfish , dishonest , or afraid ? Do we owe an apology ? Have we kept something to ourselves which should be discussed with another person at once ? Were we kind and loving toward all ? What could we have done better ? Were we thinking of ourselves most of the time ? Or were we thinking of what we could do for others , of what we could pack into the stream of life ? We must be careful not to drift into worry , remorse , or morbid reflection , for that would diminish our usefulness to ourselves and to others . After making our review , we ask God s forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 89 . 
Happy Fathers Day I d like to wish a happy fathers day to my Dad , who also happens to be a two - tour veteran of Vietnam . Happy fathers day dad I d also like to wish a happy fathers day to all the fathers of my extended family , you know who you are . I d like to wish a happy fathers day too , to all my friends out there who are fathers . You also know who you are . Most of all , I d like to wish a special happy fathers day to all the fathers currently serving in OIF , OEF , and other troubled spots all over the world . Lead with your eyes and happy hunting . To my lovely wife and children , I m so very proud of all of you and the hard work you have done while I ve been gone . Hang in there it wont be much longer . 
Meditation Will Power and Choice We AAs know the futility of trying to break the drinking obsession by will power alone . However , we do know that it takes great willingness to adopt AAs Twelve Steps as a way of life that can restore us to sanity . No matter how grievous the alcohol obsession , we happily find that other vital choices can still be made . For example , we can choose to admit that we are personally powerless over alcohol ; that dependence upon a Higher Power is a necessity , even if this be simply dependence upon an AA group . Then we can choose to try for a life of honesty and humility , of selfless service to our fellows and to God as we understand Him . As we continue to make these choices and so move toward these high aspirations , our sanity returns and the compulsion to drink vanishes . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 88 . 
Hallowed Ground The president has recently visited Iraq . I think it right that he come here after all , he is the Commander and Chief of the Armed services . I don t need to remind him that the ground he walks here is hallowed , sacred in that American blood has been spilled upon it . Blood of the Dead from my very own Infantry Battalion has consecrated this soil . We will be forever bound to it for that very reason just as we are bound to other lands for sacrifices that seem too easily forgotten . 
Meditation for the day Keystone of the Arch Faced with alcoholic destruction , we became open - minded on spiritual matters . In this respect alcohol was a great persuader . It finally beat us into a state of reasonableness . *** *** We had to quit playing God . It didn t work . We decided that hereafter , in this drama of life , God was going to be our director . He would be the Principal ; we , His agents . Most good ideas are simple , and this concept was the keystone for the new triumphal arch through which we passed to freedom . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 87 . 
Footnote to Commanders If building a memorial to your soldiers killed in action consider not using the abbreviation KIA . Troops at the ground level can find it offensive . Instead take the time and space to write Killed In Action out in full . 
Meditation Room for Improvement We have come to believe that AAs recovery Steps and Traditions represent the approximate truths which we need for our particular purpose . The more we practice them , the more we like them . So there is little doubt that AA principles will continue to be advocated in the form they stand now . If our basics are so firmly fixed as all this , then what is there left to change or to improve ? The answer will immediately occur to us . While we need not alter our truths , we can surely improve their application to ourselves , to AA as a whole , and to our relation with the world around us . We can constantly step up the practice of these principles in all our affairs . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 86 . 
What if You didn t want to go home ? Or the only reason you were going home is because you have a family and they need you ? What if your job back home no longer held meaning , and seemed trivial in comparison ? Would this mean you are crazy ? 
It is 121 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade It is 132 degrees Fahrenheit in the afternoon sun It is 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the HMMWV in the evening with the air - conditioning on high It is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit inside the tent I live in with the air - conditioning set at 75 Individual body armor ( IBA ) raises the core body temperature 10 degrees . 
Meditation When a man or a woman has a spiritual awakening , the most important meaning if it is that he has now become able to do , feel , and believe that which he could not do before on is unaided strength and resources alone . He has been granted a gift which amounts to a new state of consciousness and being . He has been set on a path which tells him he is really going somewhere , that life is not a dead end , not something to be endured or mastered . In a very real sense he has been transformed , because he has laid hold of a source of strength which he had hitherto denied himself . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 85 . 
Lord , my savior Let me meet my enemies on the field of battle that I might smite them out and destroy them . Let me meet them face to face Lord , and defeat them in combat that I would be victorious . Let me be ferocious in battle Lord , but also let me know mercy and compassion for them - In Jesus name I pray . 
SUPPORT THE TROOPS BUT NOT THE WAR ? You cannot support me and not the war . If you mail me cookies , send me holiday cards , toilet articles and other niceties then you are supporting somebody who willingly prosecutes the mission he has been given . You are supporting someone who trains hard , thinks about , and works to be better at fighting war . This is my profession . This is what I am passionate about . You cannot support me and not the war . I am the war . 
Sobriety While Deployed Sobriety while deployed isn t just a matter of abstinence . The very same character defects that we suffer from while back home are with us here and possibly ( I say possibly ) might be more glaring while living under the pressure of being deployed . It isn t just a matter of distance from alcohol either . As anyone who has been here knows , ETOH is readily available in small markets . There is even alcohol sold in discreet containers known as duty free liquor , smuggled in from Europe . Cough syrup that contains alcohol is sold at the PX and hashish is sold on the street . So staying sober here is a state of grace that requires effort especially considering how sparse meetings are and how difficult it can be to get to one with the operations tempo of many of the units here . Those who have jobs on base with regular schedules may enjoy a home group or somewhat regular meeting if one is available . Others who are in combat units or serving in a unit that operates in the field most of the time will not . Each recovered alcoholic deals with this in his or her own way . Some maintain regular contact with groups back home or with international groups that write and send material . Some offer their services to a local chaplain , available for Twelfth Step calls much as AAs are back home . Others still prefer to live discreetly amongst their fellow soldiers . As I lie in my bunk one day taking a nap , I heard a soldier walk by explaining recovery to another . It was the closest thing resembling contact that I had with another recovering alcoholic that I am aware of . If one is to stay sober here it helps to have a routine that can be maintained amidst the chaos . Regularly said prayers and readings . The occasional grapevine . Having a copy of the Big Book and other AA literature . When I first got sober I was told to get a sponsor , a home group , and learn a routine . That advice has served me well here though I don t have the group nor have I attended any meetings while here . Its an inside job , something my sponsor told me a lot during that first year . How true that is . 
Benefits of Responsibility Happily , AAs per capita expenses are very low . For us to fail to meet them would be to evade a responsibility beneficial for us . Most alcoholics have said they had no troubles that money would not cure . We are a group that , when drinking , always held out a hand for funds . So when we commence to pay our own service bills , this is a healthy change . *** *** Because of drinking , my friend Henry had lost a high salaried job . There remained a fine house with a budget three times his reduced earnings . He could have rented the house for enough to carry it . But no ! Henry said he knew that God wanted him to live there , and He would see that the costs were paid . So Henry went on running up bills and glowing with faith . Not surprisingly , his creditors finally took over the place . Henry can laugh about it now , having learned that God more often helps those who are willing to help themselves . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 84 . 
Dear Family and Friends Many apologies for not having come here and posted something sooner . For some reason it has been difficult to write . Nothing bad has happened . Maybe now that my little part of the war is coming closer to an end my mind is elsewhere . Thoughts now go to the future though I do my best to stay in today . It seems we are busier than ever . Temperatures are well over a hundred degrees during the day . The other day a friend remarked that he now worries about being killed when before he didn t care . I think that is all a part of becoming short , the term for ones tour nearing an end . We still have a little ways to go so we need to keep our heads in the game . I focus on being the best soldier I can be , and try to do what is best for the team even when at times they don t care . The enemy doesn t go home when our tour ends . He either is home , or he may have no home he can relate to . Though I relate less and less to my fellow citizens I am grateful that I have a family that loves me and waits for my return . More to come soon - . 
I find myself scanning farmhouses for snipers I also find myself scanning bridges and the sides of roads for explosive devices I sometimes feel lost I am sometimes angered at fellow citizens I believe I now have some understanding as to why some soldiers think about or do commit suicide though I in no way think about it or want to do that myself I want to be back in the war zone I have an entirely new perspective on how fortunate I am to be an American , to live in America , and to be able to serve my country in wartime I thank God for sobriety I have a much deeper understanding of how much I love my wife and how important my family is to me I wish I could stay . 
Meditation We Cannot Live Alone All of AAs Twelve Steps ask us to go contrary to our natural desires ; they all deflate our egos . When it comes to ego deflation , few steps are harder to take than the Fifth . Scarcely any Step is more necessary to long time sobriety and peace of mind . AA experience has taught us we cannot live alone with our problems and the character defects which cause or aggravate them . If Step Four has revealed in stark relief those experiences we d rather not remember , then the need to quit living by ourselves with those tormenting ghosts of yesterday gets more urgent than ever . *** *** We cannot wholly rely on friends to solve all our difficulties . A good advisor will never do all our thinking for us . He knows that each final choice must be ours . He will therefore help to eliminate fear , expediency , and self deception , so enabling us to make choices which are loving , wise , and honest . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 83 . 
Being home is strange . Upon coming home and standing in my own living room it is somewhat hard to accept that twenty - four hours before I was in a war zone , out on combat operations . Now I am in my own home , transported through time and space to a place that seemed so far away and unreachable . The bathroom is just down the hall within a few seconds reach . It is sparkling clean . I don t have to walk a hundred yards to get to it . My children play around me , my dog is at my feet , my lovely wife at my side . I fit right back in , and it almost seems like Ive never been gone . I begin to wonder if any of what Ive done matters or has any meaning . Perhaps its all been a dream ... 
Meditation Trouble Becomes an Asset I think that this particular General Service Conference holds promise and had been filled with progress because it has had trouble . And it has converted that trouble into an asset , into some growth , and into a great promise . AA was born out of trouble , one of the most serious kinds of trouble that can befall an individual , the trouble attendant upon this dark and fatal malady of alcoholism . Every single one of us approached AA in trouble , in impossible trouble , in hopeless trouble . And that is why we came . If this Conference was ruffled , if individuals were deeply disturbed I say , This is fine . What parliament , what republic , what democracy has not been disturbed ? Friction of opposing viewpoints is the very modus operandi on which they proceed . Then what should we be afraid of ? ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 82 . 
I am returning from the kennel . Everything that is dear to me is in this van that I am driving . My wife , my three children , my large female gratedane . Suddenly in front of me another minivan abruptly pulls over to the shoulder of the road and stops . I find myself slamming on the brakes , aiming towards the middle of the road between both lanes , and almost screaming " Shoot the fuckers ! " I feel a turret over me complete with machinegun and gunner . My heart races and Im aware that I am breathing hard . As I stare at the van ahead of me I can see a family inside , looking at a map . Im not in Iraq . I turn and look at my wife , who is looking at me . I tell her what I thought I just saw . I tell her everything . Im not suprised because I was warned things like this might happen , but I had no idea when , where , or how . Welcome home . 
It is an incredible renunion with my family . The girls hold back at first as my almost three year old son runs to me with open arms . He has a chocolate bar for me as a present ( I love chocolate ) . The two hour drive home is like being in heaven on earth . I cannot stop looking at my lovely wife and admire how beautiful she is . She smiles the whole way . My children do not hold back and its almost like Ive never been gone . They talk ocnstantly and I do not tire of the constant " Dad , dad " ! My son speaks in complete sentences which is new to me . I am wearing my advanced combat uniform , the new uniform of the Army and people notice . I cant get over how clean America is , how neat and orderly it is . I find myself scanning the over passes as they come near , and the sides of the road . I tell my wife and we both laugh . She is driving , at her request . She thinks that perhaps its best with it being my first day back . I concur and am glad to sit back and relax . I look out the window , and play CDs . I think about the guys I left behind and wonder how they are doing . I already suspsect that something will happen while Im gone . 
The Coin It s a smaller aircraft with only two rows of seats , two seats per row , and a narrow aisle up the middle . I take an empty seat next to a woman who is older than I. She is attractive in a distinguished , southern way . We exchange courtesies but otherwise do not talk . I notice out of the corner of my eye that people are looking at me . There is a quick , steep takeoff , and we climb to cruising altitude . Looking out the window I am surprised at the number of other aircraft in the vicinity . Its just like a converging freeway with multiple lanes of outgoing and approaching jets . I settle in to my seat , but cant sleep . Its early afternoon and the sun is still shining brightly , penetrating the aircraft with beams of light coming through the small windows . Finally , the woman next to me speaks , asking me if I am returning from Iraq . I answer her , telling her yes , I am on leave and the sand of Iraq is still on my boots . She asks me if its ok for her to ask me questions which is fine with me I respond . From there starts a conversation that lasts two full hours at least . She asks me if we need more troops in Iraq . I inform her that no we do not and if anything we need less , but to tell her friends that we need more porta - potties and to call their congressmen . She is from Atlanta , her husband is retired and they travel . She is going to get her mother who lives near me , and take her back to Atlanta for the winter . I talk of the reception in Atlanta and she tells me the people there are shy and do not know what to say to me . I tell her of ambushes , being mortared , friends injured and killed . I tell her of the Iraqi people , how friendly they are , patient , generous , and quick to smile . I am like a dam that has burst . We talk nonstop , and later I will be grateful for that . When the plane begins its descent , we fasten our seatbelts and prepare to land . I see her reach for her handbag and pull out what appears to be a ten - dollar bill . I think I know what is coming and feel myself become embarrassed . I can feel myself begin to say no . She turns to me and begins to explain that there is a radio talk show host in Atlanta that has told his audience that if they want to thank a soldier for his or her service , to buy them and their family a meal . Her hand reaches out offering the bill , and she asks me to take it . I refuse and tell her I cannot , that serving my country and its people has been a privilege and an honor . She persists and I remember something a speaker once talked about from the podium , about how to take a compliment or thank you with grace , and to humbly accept and simply say thank you in return . I take the bill from her hand , tell her thank you so much , and begin to refold it to stick it in my pocket . It s a one hundred dollar bill . Without thinking I reach into my pocket and take out a campaign coin that I have carried everywhere in Iraq . It has been with me through everything I have gone through . I tell her of the time - honored tradition of coining in the Army , where a soldier gives his or her unit coin to another as a gift . Coins are prized , are not easy to come by , and it is considered an honor to be given one . I hand her my Iraq campaign coin and tell her to keep it forever . When I get off the plane she walks ahead of me , then disappears into the crowd . I wish I had said goodbye better , but then think perhaps we parted ways perfectly . I stop and search , and see my family by the windows waiting for me . 
Meditation Selfish ? I can see why you are disturbed to hear some AA speakers say AA is a selfish program . The word selfish ordinarily implies that one is acquisitive , demanding , and thoughtless of the welfare of others . Of course , the AA way of life does not at all imply such undesirable traits . What do these speakers mean ? Well , any theologian will tell you that the salvation of his own soul is the highest vocation that a man can have . Without salvation however we may define this he will have little or nothing . For us of AA , there is even more urgency . If we cannot or will not achieve sobriety , then we become truly lost , right in the here and now . We are of no value to anyone , including ourselves , until we find salvation from alcohol . Therefore , our own recovery and spiritual growth have to come first a right and necessary kind of self concern . " ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 81 . 
The women behind the counter informs me that a passenger hasn t reported in and I can have his seat if he doesn t show up in the next few minutes . They call his name out loud several times over an announcement system . As the aircraft readies to leave and I get set to board , the passenger shows up . After an initial dismay , I ask where the next flight will leave . After thanking the woman I turn and leave . I find a phone and call my wife . I instruct her to not begin to make the hour and a half drive to pick my up . After speaking with her a few moments and sharing our disappointment , I hang up and try to decide what to do with myself for the next hour or so . I wander back up the concourse . I gaze quickly at the magazines , and think of getting something to eat . Then , I decide to walk back to the gate and ask the woman again which gate I am supposed to go to for the next standby . As I head in that direction , I glance over towards the gate and see the women and a man in a red suite motioning at me . They seem very excited . I hurry over and they tell me that although they have scanned all the passengers in , and all the seats are accounted for , there are still two seats that are empty . The woman tells me not to question it but instead get on the plane , now . I tell them I need to contact my wife , and that I had just told her to not come and pick me up . The man in the red suite kindly offers to take my phone number and call my wife and let her know of the change . I give him the number to her cell . I begin to swell with excitement . I am going to see my family ! As I board the aircraft and look for one of the two available seats , a cheer goes up through the plane along with applause . Im overwhelmed . 
Meditation Debits and Credits Following a gossip binge , we can well ask ourselves these questions : Why did we say what we did ? Were we only trying to be helpful and informative ? Or were we not trying to feel superior by confessing the other fellows sins ? Or , because of fear and dislike , were we not really aiming to damage him ? This would be an honest attempt to examine ourselves , rather than the other fellow . **** **** Inventory taking is not always done in red ink . It s a poor day indeed when we haven t done something right . As a matter of fact , the waking hours are usually well filled with things that are constructive . Good intentions , good thoughts , and good acts are there for us to see . Even when we have tried hard and failed , we may chalk that up as one of the greatest credits of all . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 80 . 
Between planes I have a little time . Realizing Im looking a little rough after nineteen hours of flight and a fifteen - hour day before that , I decide to get a quick shave and brush my teeth . I locate a restroom and duck inside . Most of the sinks arent being used so I find one at the end and set my backpack down . I have all the necessary items to take a shower if I want . While shaving , a younger guy from another unit takes a sink three or four down from me . He begins to shave too . A large man with dreadlocks walks into the bathroom and takes care of some business . Before he leaves he pauses behind me , and then addresses us both . So how is it over there ? He asks . The kid a few sinks down and I look at each other . I almost laugh but not out of disrespect . How do you answer that ? I find myself saying . I don t know , he answers back to me . We both bust out laughing hard . I think its more from relief than anything else . The large man behinds us says Wow , says it again , then walks out of the restroom shaking his head . Wow , I think to myself , wow . 
Meditation Whose Responsibility An AA group , as such , cannot take on all the personal problems of its members , let alone those of nonalcholics in the world around us . The AA group is not , for example , a mediator of domestic relations , nor does it furnish personal financial aid to anyone . Though a member may sometimes be helped in such matters by his friends in AA , the primary responsibility for the solutions of all his problems of living and growing rests squarely upon the individual himself . Should an AA group attempt this sort of help , its effectiveness and energies would be hopelessly dissipated . This is why sobriety freedom from alcohol through the teaching and practice of AAs Twelve Steps , is the sole purpose of the group . If we don t stick to this cardinal principle , we shall almost certainly collapse . And if we collapse we cannot help anyone . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 79 . 
We land through cloudy weather . Somebody remarks out loud that at Dallas they greet all military personnel with fire trucks and a water cannon salute . There is no such fanfare in Atlanta . We disembark the plane and walk into the terminal not knowing what to expect . As I walk out into the crowd of people waiting for their flights its as if I don t exist . People don t go out of their way to look at us at all . Those that do peek at me then look away if I happen to see them . There are no greetings . I find it odd , but then I have to ask myself what exactly was I expecting ? Troops returning home from war must be a mundane routine by now , but it s a far cry from the standing ovations Ive heard of from buddies who went on leave before me . I find there is a six - hour wait until my flight so I decide to try to get a standby . Atlanta has several separate terminals connected via a tram . The next flight to my destination leaves in ten minutes . I rush to the tram . As I run down the concourse an elderly gentleman sitting down mutters Welcome home chief . I stop in my tracks . What did you say ? I ask . He looks up at me and repeats himself Welcome home chief . I bend down , reach out my arm and shake his hand . I look at him closely . He is a grizzled old man with piercing blue eyes and a baseball cap . As I shake his hand his eyes gleam . I nod at him then run off . The plane is full and there is no room . As I look around it hits me that I am in America . I cant say that I feel glad at that moment , and as I look around at the crowd of people rushing by me , I feel as if I am not a part of them . 
Meditation Clearing a Channel During the day , we can pause where situations must be met and decisions made , and renew the simple request Thy will , not mine , be done . If at these points our emotional disturbance happens to be great , we will more surely keep our balance provided we remember , and repeat to ourselves , a particular prayer or phrase that has appealed to us in our reading or meditation . Just saying it over and over will often enable us to clear a channel choked up with anger , fear , frustration , or misunderstanding , and permit us to return to the surest help of all our search for Gods will , not our own , in the moment of stress . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 78 . 
As I look at the window the light is streaming in so brightly it hurts my eyes . But I cant help look down at the lush green forests below in the large expanse that is Canada . So much color . Breakfast is being served and soldiers are waking up , rubbing the sleep out of their eyes . I have three seats to myself , my boots are off , and a magazine rests next to me . Life is good . It s the simple pleasures that make me happy . The Captains voice comes over the intercom , and he announces that we are crossing the American Canadian border . A shout goes up through the aircraft and I hear clapping . They tell us two more hours until we land . I begin to feel the excitement again that has run through me off and on for the last eighteen hours . 
Meditation RSVP Yes or No ? Usually , we do not avoid a place where there is drinking if we have a legitimate reason for being there . That includes bars , nightclubs , dances , receptions , weddings , even plain ordinary parties . You will note that we made an important qualification . Therefore , ask yourself , Have I any good social , business , or personal reason for going to this place ? Or am I expecting to steal a little vicarious pleasure form the atmosphere ? Then go or stay away , whichever seems better . But be sure you are on solid spiritual ground before you start and that your motive in going is thoroughly good . Do not think of what you will get out of the occasion . Think of what you can bring to it . If you are shaky , you had better work with and alcoholic instead ! ~ AS Bill Sees It ~ p 77 . 
Over the Atlantic Ocean I try to sleep but cant really . Its more like lying down with my eyes closed and thinking . Sometimes I do fall asleep but am awakened by the people around me . A guy in the row in front of me watches videos on his laptop and talks to himself constantly . The three seats I have to myself are just big enough for me to lie down but not stretch out all the way . I roll up my Army issue black fleece and use it as a pillow . I crave chocolate . The flight over is quiet . Men and women quietly process the last few months of their lives and what their return home will mean . Within the group are three subgroups , those who have never been to Iraq but instead Kuwait or Qatar , those who have been to Iraq but never outside the wire , and those who have gone into harms way . They are differences that might not be noticeable to the outside observer . The cabin crew is friendly but hesitant . The male stewards don t talk to us much at all . The women wear rank and other insignia of the military on their aprons that soldiers have given them . They play movies but Im not interested . I think of my wife and children . It is somewhat hard to digest that in hours I will be home , away from the war . My buddies will remain in harms way and in a strange way I feel guilty . After seeing Germany it almost seems as if the war isn t happening , that the whole thing has been a dream . But of course it is not a dream . 
Meditation Only God Is Unchanging Change is the characteristic of all growth . From drinking to sobriety , from dishonesty to honesty , from conflict to serenity , from hate to love , from childish dependence to adult responsibility all this and infinitely more represent change for the better . Such chanes are accomplished by a belief in and a pratice of sound principles . Hhere we must discard bad or ineffective principles in favor of goods ones that wrk . Even good proinciples can sometimes be displaced by the discovery of still better ones . Only God is unchanging ; only He has all the truth there is . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 76 . 
We have landed in Germany . Because of the time zone changes it is still dark . We are in a major airport but are far away from the main terminals . Instead , were are at a building that is under construction . It appears to be an existing building that is being redone on the inside . The area around the aircraft is very neat and tidy , the concrete tarmac immaculate , and the workers dressed neatly in expensive looking jump suites . It is a change from what I have been seeing . A large ramp is brought to the aircraft and the door is opened . In rushes fresh air that is sweet smelling of trees , forests , and water . We have to do a head count which takes two or three tries to get right . When that is finished we are allowed to disembark the plane . From there we walk about one hundred meters to the building that we will stay in for about four hours . The air is brisk and feels invigorating . Out of nowhere small Ford Focuses come screeching up to the crosswalk of the building and turn sideways , their flashing lights turning and reflecting off the surroundings . It seems kind of humorous in an Austin Powers kind of way . When I look around most of the vehicles are Fords including the ones for maintenance , which is kind of disappointing in one way but comforting in a way . Nice to know Ford is doing well ( first on race day ! ) . We walk into the building and are handed security passes by presumably Germans . They look at us curiously and on one hand seem somewhat arrogant and on the other just a little nervous about us . I immediately begin to look for phones . So do others and we move around searching . There are none accept three in - house phones that will not dial out . Soldiers keep trying anyway . I wish I could call my wife . There is a small snack bar charging exorbitant prices . I pass . Smoking is allowed here and the place begins to fill up quickly . I decide to walk outside to do a little sight seeing . A man I assume is a security guard motions that he d rather have me stay inside . I think to my self that he can go fuck himself . He must have read my mind , as he does nothing to stop me . Outside I begin to walk around the cars . There is a neat little Peugeot that I have never seen before . There are all types of cars we never get to see in the states . Too much for us to handle I guess . Two men walk up to me and politely motion for me to return to the building . I picture myself causing an international incident on the spot but then realize that I don t have it in me today . I wont let anything get in the way of seeing my family . And I don t have anything against these men . I go back inside and lay down . Two hours later we are all awakened and told to board . We are headed for America . 
Meditation Loosing Financial Fears When a job still looked like a mere means of getting money rather than an opportunity for service , when the acquisition of money for financial independence looked more important then a right dependence upon God , we were the victims of unreasonable fears . And these were fears which would make a serene and useful existence , at any financial level , quite possible . But as time passed we found that with the help of AAs Twelve Steps we could loose those fears , no matter what our material prospects were . We could cheerfully perform humble labor without worrying about tomorrow . If our circumstances happened to be good , we no longer dreaded a change for the worse , for we had learned that these troubles could be turned into great values , for ourselves and for others . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 75 . 
Meditation Breach the Walls of Ego People who are driven by pride of self unconsciously blind themselves to their liabilities . Newcomers of this sort rarely need comforting . The problem is to help them discover a chink in the walls their ego has built , through which the light of reason can shine . *** *** The attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each AAs Twelve Steps . For without some degree of humility , no alcoholic can stay sober at all . Nearly all AAs have found , too , that unless they develop much more of this precious quality than may be required just for sobriety , they still haven t much chance of becoming truly happy . Without it , they cannot live to much useful purpose , or , in adversity , be able to summon the faith that can meet any emergency . ~ As Bill Sees It ~ p 74 . 
Deep Viewing : A Critical Look at Visual Texts . Deep Viewing : A Critical Look at Visual Texts As I reflect on the way of living and how that has evolved from the time I went to elementary school , the differences are significant . I remember as a child being outside playing , inventing games , building , constructing and creating our own fun . We were never in the house tied to a television or stationed in front of a computer , videos and X - Box , as well as many modern forms of electronic texts didn't exist in my world . Times sure have changed with the progression of technology . It is no wonder then , the need for more time in classrooms to be devouted to visual text learning ( Pailliotet , 1998 ) . Pedagogy should be used to make sense of life experiences in and outside of the classroom ; and where these experiences have shifted from written text to visual text , schools need to adapt and change to address this new age of textual learning . The premise of the article is the need to utilize methods to support teachers to support students in visual text learning . Deep viewing is one such method . " Deep Viewing is a method that assists students to critically analyze ... make connections among contemporary media , texts , literacies and contexts . It is a structured social process through which individuals actively construct meaning using communal talks , images and writing . It may be used for analysis of any visual media " ( p . 124 ) . Deep viewing is a three - leveled process " ( p . 125 ) . The levels are : describing , interpreting , and synthesis , extension , evaluation and application . The process can be completed individually , partialy , collaboratively or in a cooperative learning format . The process is based on analyzing codes where six codes were identified . The codes can be adapted to meet the needs of large or small learning groups . I found there was a lot of information explaining the process and I think it would be useful to see the method used or at least having an example provided to explain the entire process and how it would look in the context of the classroom . I think that the article shows that by focusing pedagogy on visual learning , a teacher can create various aspects of a democratic classroom . Collaboration , cooperation , creating meaning to lived - experiences , fostering critical thinking , promoting active participation and awareness of culturally based assumptions and empowering students to connect , extend and question are all aspects of deep viewing methodology ( p . 133 ) . Also , these characteristics are core to developing democratic classrooms as we have learned during the past three weeks . Using deep viewing ables teachers " to create powerful connections , teach all modern literacies , and help students to construct new views that are critical , meaningful , and cohesive " ( p . 134 ) . Teachers need to evolve with theory and practice , we can't position ourselves in the past , remain there and hope to be effective teachers . Who suffers , the students ? the teacher ? , the school community ? I would say that all participants in the school environmemnt suffer . Just look in the mirror , do you see the same face you did 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 years ago ? I highly doubt it ! If you do , I would like some of whatever you have been using , please !! We all evolve , change and grow . Time doesn't stand still and we should not resist change , especially when it benefits everyone . Take a good , long and deep view of yourself and tell me what you see , an agent of change or an agent of resistance ? 
Evolution . Here are a few thought after reading chapter Nine in Allen ( 1999 ) on Evolution . Evolution , yes , we certainly evolve personally and professionally given time . Our evolution as a teacher has transpired sometimes through our own doing and sometimes from the influences of other people . Through out the process of change we are confronted with resistance where the resistance can be manifested in the form of external pressures or can result internally . To evolve as educators we need to challenge the resistance and I have discovered to face my own resistance has required extra effort , especially in order to affect change . As I reflect on the changes that I have experienced during my teaching career , I would have to say that I have gone through a metamorphosis . I do not teach the same way that I did sixteen years ago and I will not teach the same way during the next sixteen years . I have enhanced my repertoire of teaching strategies , I have experienced difficult situations , I have accumulated more theory and methodology , I have adapted to change and I have developed into a stronger teacher . Just as a caterpillar evolves into a butterfly it goes through a stage of learning , growing and adapting to achieve beauty . It doesn t mean the caterpillar doesn t have beauty in its own form and isn t key to the process , but the caterpillar must grow and change to achieve the end goal , becoming a butterfly . Teachers , too , have to adapt and change to meet their end goal of being effective teachers who supports the learning and success of all their students . As Johnson has stated , I , too , continue to evolve as an educator , following the cycle of reading and learning new concepts , applying them in the classroom , watching and listening to students , and reflecting on what has happened , which leads me right back to the beginning of a new cycle ( p . 118 ) . Without the stage of reflection the process would not be cyclical , but would function on a continuum . I believe it is imperative to reflect in order to influence change . Change is inevitable and can provide many challenges . Patience , resiliency and poistive internal dialogue are required to foster change ( Johnson in Allen , 1999 ) . Change will always be met with resistance , especially if trying to influence people to rethink , revisit issues , and move out of their comfort zones , but I need to remember to not enter into negative internal dialogue as it is counterproductive ( Johnson , 1999 ) ; Lord knows , I will get enough of it from external sources . 
Still Stereotyping . I , like Angelina , have taken the opportunity with the children gone on vacation to paint the bedrooms . I ' m in the middle of the task and I am thinking about the course and the different types of social issues we are faced with on a daily basis . As my thoughts are jumping back and forth from one to another , I realized that I have fallen into the trap of stereotyping and didn ' even realize I had done so until it was too late . The paint was on the wall . I was painting my daughter 's room . I bet you can't guess the color ? That 's correct PINK ! I will be starting my son 's room today and guess what ? It will be BLUE ! This is so demonstrative of how our reality has been shaped by the influences of society . We form stereotypes , even with our own children and can be often oblivious to the fact . It goes to show how color , and I know this posting began with paint color , can narrowly define who we are as people . Whether it is paint color or skin color , we are defined by color . As Johnson ( 1997 ) has indicated that our color ( race ) in the diversity wheel " doesn't say much about the unique individual you know yourself to be , your personal history , the content of your character , what you dream and feel . It does , however , say a lot about the social reality that shapes everyone 's life in powerful ways " ( p . 18 ) . We see peole 's exteriors and make judgements before getting to know them . How many times has this happened in teaching , where a teacher has formed an opinion of another student in the school , not necessarily in their class , because of the talk that has occured over time in the staffroom . We pass judgements and form opinions based on the social construction of our lives , " the social construction of reality " ( Johnson , 1997 ) . This is much more clear to me now having taken the course . I have a lot of deconstruction to work at in my life . I need to continue to look for meaning in what I say and do . I need to be always be aware of how my opinions , thoughts and actions influence and most of all , affect other people . This is imperative in the profession I have chosen , teaching . What messages do we send to others and what values are we reinforcing ? What message am I giving my children through the simple act of painting of their rooms ? Some may say , it 's just bloody paint - gosh ! Yes , it may be just paint on the exterior , but it 's the message that becomes internalized that bothers me ! 
Racism . The following is a poem I found in a copy of a text from a curriculum that I was involved in developing when I taught in Alberta . The books are anthologies of students ' works in the district I taught . There are some great poems and thoughts about privilege and racism . I had a lot of fun and obtained good experience being involved as a committee member . As well , I got to fly in four seater planes across Northern Alberta and I even got to fly , after take off and before landing ! Otherwise , I wouldn't be here I would be " pushin daisies " ha ! Anyway , I hope you like the poem ? It was written by Loretta Boucher , a grade nine student at Fort Mac Kay School . Fort Mc Kay is located about 50 km west of Fort Mc Murray . Racism I was born in this place , My heritage is Cree . Judged by the color of my face , But not by the actions of me . Some are fair , Some are cruel , Some don't care , They think they rule . We ' ll never fit in their crowd , That 's what they say . We ' ll never be allowed , We 're treated like lumps of clay . Some really care , They help us a lot . What they share , Is what they were taught . Some love us , some hate us , They don't treat us like their own kind . This racism is getting worse , It could split my mind . I hope one day , They would see the light . Then this dark , cold world Would turn out right . 
Quote . Hi everyone , I had a great time the last two days in class . I have enjoyed the presentations and Im find the day finishes quickly . I think this is demonstrative of the active participation and the high level of engaging dialogue that we have been encountering . I have enjoyed listening to others opinions , thoughts , perspectives and insights . It does encourage me to reflect on and re - evaluate my own way of knowing and understanding . There was a quote posted on the board outside the Learning Skills Center and I noticed it was there on Monday as well . It said , " Success is not final , failure is not fatal . It is the courage to continue that counts ! I thought it connected quite well to Mamie 's presentation today and some of our previous discussions . See you all on Monday . Happy Blogging ! 
Teaching Social Justice through Young Adult Literature . Teaching Social Justice through Young Adult Literature by Jacqueline Glasgow Turn Beauty Inside Out ! When I did a google search for literacy I happened to find this logo and it had a lasting impression on me . The expression used in this logo is what literature can achieve for people , in particular students , if we are able to maximize the potential of literature as teachers . As we reflect on literary works , we can foster and nurture the beauty that lies beneath our exterior and develop it into a portrait of art that can be shared with and admired by others through our daily interactions . Our inner beauty is like a seed that is ready to create life that is majestic and wonderful . We need to care for the seed , provide nourishmnet and foster growth , protect it when the need arises and allow the seed to reach maturity when it is time . The seed transforms into something tangible for the world to view in all its beauty . It is in the process of transformation that literature can be used to nourish the inner beauty , the growth of social justice . A metaphor is a method of explaining literature , it is a means to express oneself and to develop a deeper knowledge and understanding . In the article , Glasgow incorporated the use of metaphors as a way to represent and and protray issues of social justice . This way of knowing and understanding has been rooted in years of learning and is even evident in the teachings of social justice protrayed in the Bible . Metaphors can be used to strengthen our own developmental journey throughout literature . " Young adult literature provides a context for students to become conscious of their operating world view and to examine critically alternative ways of understanding the world and social relations " ( p . 54 ) . Teachers don't necessarily use the power of literature in the true context of their learning environments . Sure we read literature , we work with literature , we examine the content of the book , we most often superficially reflect on literature , but we don't maximize its true potential . Glasgow discussed how literature can challenge our biases and prejudices and can " break down those barriers " ( p . 54 ) . It is through the inner beauty of literature that we can recognize , confront and name predjudices in our self and in our students . " A good story allows us to see people as individuals in all their complexity " ( p . 54 ) . Stories create an awareness of social injustices in society . They provide a way for students and teachers to enter meaningful dialogue as supported in the article by Hankins . Literature provides the opportunity to " create for students democratic and critical spaces that foster meaningful and transformative learning . If we expect students to take social responsibility ; they must explore ideas , topics , and viewpoints that not only reinforce but challenge their own " ( p . 54 ) . Teachers and schools must use literature as a means to deepen students experiences and understanding of a more democratic society by exploring their own perspectives . I think the poem on page 59 , " We Are All Flowers " connects well to the use of metaphors to explain the socially constructed world view of racism . Glasgow has discussed other pedagogical strategies of using literature to convey an awareness of social justice issues in the classroom setting . She has examined the use of journalling , drawing , freewriting , using alternate forms of media and technology such as slide shows and power point presentations and entering dialogue . I wanted to mainly reflect on the use of metaphors because I find that they create imagery that supports a deeper meaning and understanding . Metaphors are a powerful tool that can facilitate the tranformation of turning the inner beauty inside out ! 
Walking the Tight Rope on Diversity . Walking the Tight Rope on Diversity I particularly enjoyed reading this chapter in the text written by Bauer . She identified the difficulty she experienced as a black educator at the University of Georgia . In her account of the struggles she faced as the minority in a position of authority , she saw the need to teach diversity to a group of " students to be educators " who were considered a diverse group . She has demonstrated that as educators we need to go beyond the superficial experiences and dialogue to educate our students so they are truly able to see and experience diversity . " In order to adequately discuss with my preservice students how to educate ... I had to acknowledge my students superficial experiences with people who are different from them " ( p . 85 ) . This level of learning and teaching is a challenge because the participants bring a variety of perspectives to the classroom based on their lived and shared experiences . Bauer indicated that by teaching diversity there is a certain degree of tension or uncomforableness that exists , but it is using this tension to create something productive that will foster success and be rewarding for all the participants . By not ignoring the tensions and trying to create a balance between dialogue and listening , the discussions on social justices issues in the classroom can reach a level beyond one that is superficial . " Accepting the challenge to address the tensions in the classroom meant that I was constantly walking a line where I had to create a balance between my need to respond to what I am experiencing as a person of color and the need to create a genuine dialogue that will both preserve my self - dignity and bring the talk to a critical level " ( p . 87 ) . I believe a key concept for teachers to promote a more democratic school community or classroom is rooted in the necessity for dialogue . Participants need to engage in meaningful conversation and discussion . At the same time there must be a balance where listening is aslo a core component of the dialogue being constructed . Remember , Hankin said there must be a true listener so not to silence the participants ; and stressed that the listener is oneself . I need to recognize the importance of developing a balance in the dialogue where at times I am the listener and at other times I am the speaker . As teachers , we must take time to truly listen to our students . We must be able to engage them in dialogue that is central to social justice issues . We must enter self - reflection . We must look for methods to make learning meaningful and relevant ; we must be open to new ways of learning and challenge assumptions when necessaary ( Bauer , 1999 ) . If we don't speak about prejudices and oppression , how can we recognize them , name them and change them ? In the context of our schools I belive that Bauer makes a significant statement in the chapter . " Unless all educators can openly discuss the social context of schooling as a possible reason for school failure in general and reading failure in particular , we are doomed to fail to meet the needs of many more children " ( p . 87 ) . I think this would be worth discussing in class on Monday . What are your thoughts ? 
Blogging . Hi Everyone , I thought I would try downloading a picture of the rugrats ! Makenna is six and going into grade two and Donovan just turned four . Makenna talks non - stop and Donovan is just non - stop . Gotta love your kids ! I will be posting to my blog over the weekend . I don't know about anyone else , but I am finding an hour barely gets me through reading everyone elses blogs and the comments from the class . I know I don't have to read everyone 's blog , but I am interested in what the class has to say . Blog on ! 
Author : G Kumar The New Age or the Aquarian Age only you can save yourself . If you save yourself , you save society , you save the nation and the Planet Earth ! In other words , Universal Humanism will be the hallmark of the Aquarian Age . The astrologic scholar Jeff Jawer remarks that the Aquarian Age has not arrived in his article " On The Cusp between Pisces and Aquarius . " The first Venus Transit occurred in 2004 trade , banking , stock markets , oil , energy , technology , cyber world , nuclear capability , etc , is the New World Order . Let us conclude this article with the Great Invocation , the World Prayer , which belongs to all humanity . From point of Light within the Mind of God Let light stream forth into the minds of men . Let Light descend on Earth . From the point of Love within the Heart of God Let Love stream forth into the hearts of men . May the Coming One return to Earth . From the centre where the Will of God is known Let purpose guide the little wills of men The purpose which the Masters know and serve . Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth . About The Author G Kumar , astrologer , writer and programmer of www . astrologiavedica . com. Recently he was awarded a Certificate by the Planetary Gemologists Association www . p - g - a . org ) asa Planetary Gem Advisor . To subscribe to his Free ezine , the Z Files , click here . mailto : info @ eastrovedica . com ? subject = subscribe ZF He is contactable at info @ eastrovedica . com. Address of his physical shop is Zodiac Computers , 3 / 528 Tkss Bldgs , East Nada , Guruvayur Kerala , India 680101 . Office Phone + 91 0487 - 2552851 . Home Phone + 91 0487 - 2422060 Mobile ( 0091 ) 93885 56053 zfiles @ asianetindia . com http : // www . abouteagles . com. 
Author : Airline Industry Information AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION - ( C ) 1997 - 2005 M 2 COMMUNICATIONS LTDThe government in the US Virgin Islands has been criticised for promising a subsidy for American Eagle flights between two islands . Senators have reportedly asked how the administration of the US territory intends to pay for the agreed subsidy , signed by Lieutenant Governor Vargrave Richards in November last year , The Associated Press reported . The flights started in December 2004 and the agreement may cost the government up to USD 1.3 m before the expiry date on 1 May 2005 . A motion for Richards to explain how the subsidy will be paid for has been passed by the Senate . The administration is struggling with a USD 1 bn debt which has made it difficult to realise promised wage increases to employees and start new projects . Richards has reportedly said that the money will be taken from a special fund for island development and that the agreement with American Eagle is necessary because the demand is higher than the available flights . This claim has been denied by Cape Air , another airline , which has said that its seven daily flights from St. Thomas to St. Croix operate with an average of about 55 % of the available capacity . American Eagle has declined to comment . Brought to you by AAArticles , and ABBlogs ! ... For more resources on Eagles , see http : // www . abouteagles . com ! http : // www . abouteagles . com. 
Author : Matt Martin As a precious metals investor , you may heard much about numismatic and " semi - numismatic " coins , particularly the St. Gaudens $ 20 double eagle gold coin . While coin collecting can be an interesting hobby , it is not necessarily related to metals investing . Coins of this type vary in value with the ebb and flow of the collector market and are not strictly tied to metal value . Also , these coins often go for much more over spot price than bullion coins . One of the concepts that gets bandied about quite a bit is the idea of U.S. government confiscation . While it is true that the U.S. government did have a gold recall in 1933 by executive order of FDR , gold coins of a significant value over gold value were not subject to this recall . Many dealers use this to imply that in the event of another confiscation these older coins would fall in this category in order to sell these types of coins to the unsuspecting or newer metals investor . However , the confiscation issue is a red herring for several reasons : The dollar was backed by gold in 1933 and the recall was designed at least in part to stop the run on banks ; the dollar no longer has any metal backing . St. Gaudens $ 20 coins in almost uncirculated to mint state conditions are still very common even considering their age due to decades of mass storage in European bank vaults . There is nothing that states that numismatic items could not be confiscated in the event of another recall ; the original executive order no longer has any force of law . Gold is no longer used in regular - issue U.S. coinage ( the American Eagle gold coin , although it has a face value , does not count ) and is typically used only in jewelry and privately - held investment vehicles such as bars and bullion coins which would be harder to recall and account for . The majority of recalled gold coinage in 1933 was housed in bank vaults . As gold is no longer used as a monetary instrument by the U.S. government , confiscation is unlikely in any event . Now , you may be wondering about silver in regards to this as well . Silver held sway as coinage for longer than gold , and some silver coins can still be found in circulation . However , silver has never been subject to confiscation , and its status as an important industrial metal gives good reason to believe that there will never be a silver recall .90 % and 40 % silver U.S. coinage is still widely available , and although it sounds contrary to what I stated above , these coins are a good value - as long as they can be bought at near silver spot or less . This is an important distinction to make , as old silver coinage ( often referred to as junk silver ) often carries very little to no value as a collector item over the metal value . These coins , if anything , are semi - numismatic , but don't bank on collector value . In short , if you approach this from the perspective of a metals investor never look at a coin for collector value . Collector markets are often hard to get a pulse on , and numismatics are much more illiquid than their bullion counterparts . If you 're paying more than spot plus a modest premium , you 're paying too much . Find more articles on gold and silver investing at Gold and Silver : The Future of Real Money . Brought to you by AAArticles , and ABBlogs ! ... For more resources on Eagles , see http : // www . abouteagles . com ! http : // www . abouteagles . com. 
Author : G Kumar The New Age or the Aquarian Age only you can save yourself . If you save yourself , you save society , you save the nation and the Planet Earth ! In other words , Universal Humanism will be the hallmark of the Aquarian Age . The astrologic scholar Jeff Jawer remarks that the Aquarian Age has not arrived in his article " On The Cusp between Pisces and Aquarius . " The first Venus Transit occurred in 2004 trade , banking , stock markets , oil , energy , technology , cyber world , nuclear capability , etc , is the New World Order . Let us conclude this article with the Great Invocation , the World Prayer , which belongs to all humanity . From point of Light within the Mind of God Let light stream forth into the minds of men . Let Light descend on Earth . From the point of Love within the Heart of God Let Love stream forth into the hearts of men . May the Coming One return to Earth . From the centre where the Will of God is known Let purpose guide the little wills of men The purpose which the Masters know and serve . Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth . About The Author G Kumar , astrologer , writer and programmer of www . astrologiavedica . com. Recently he was awarded a Certificate by the Planetary Gemologists Association www . p - g - a . org ) asa Planetary Gem Advisor . To subscribe to his Free ezine , the Z Files , click here . mailto : info @ eastrovedica . com ? subject = subscribe ZF He is contactable at info @ eastrovedica . com. Address of his physical shop is Zodiac Computers , 3 / 528 Tkss Bldgs , East Nada , Guruvayur Kerala , India 680101 . Office Phone + 91 0487 - 2552851 . Home Phone + 91 0487 - 2422060 Mobile ( 0091 ) 93885 56053 zfiles @ asianetindia . com http : // www . abouteagles . com. 
Author : Airline Industry Information AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION - ( C ) 1997 - 2005 M 2 COMMUNICATIONS LTDThe government in the US Virgin Islands has been criticised for promising a subsidy for American Eagle flights between two islands . Senators have reportedly asked how the administration of the US territory intends to pay for the agreed subsidy , signed by Lieutenant Governor Vargrave Richards in November last year , The Associated Press reported . The flights started in December 2004 and the agreement may cost the government up to USD 1.3 m before the expiry date on 1 May 2005 . A motion for Richards to explain how the subsidy will be paid for has been passed by the Senate . The administration is struggling with a USD 1 bn debt which has made it difficult to realise promised wage increases to employees and start new projects . Richards has reportedly said that the money will be taken from a special fund for island development and that the agreement with American Eagle is necessary because the demand is higher than the available flights . This claim has been denied by Cape Air , another airline , which has said that its seven daily flights from St. Thomas to St. Croix operate with an average of about 55 % of the available capacity . American Eagle has declined to comment . Brought to you by AAArticles , and ABBlogs ! ... For more resources on Eagles , see http : // www . abouteagles . com ! http : // www . abouteagles . com. 
Ways to Earn Extra Cash in Order to Enter Online Sweepstakes for Money . We all like to take a break from reality , play games and enter sweepstakes for that chance at earning free money quickly and for little effort . Did you know you can enter sweepstakes for cash online or even play games for free money from the comfort of your own home ? It 's true . There are a variety of sweepstakes for money available on the Internet , and plenty of other opportunities to get paid for a small investment of your time . Wouldn't it be nice to have a little extra cash in your pocket to spend any way you choose , especially knowing you had a great time entering online sweepstakes for that money , or that you earned your free cash by playing games ? There are even some offers available for those who have a penchant for gambling . The sky 's the limit on the offers available to help you have fun while earning cash online . Since in most cases you ' ll need to have some cash in order to enter online sweepstakes for money , reward programs might be your best choice to earn that extra cash . To help you start earning free money , 1 st In Rewards has taken some of the guesswork out of the hunt for sites where you can earn cash for your time . Getting started on your way to earning free cash is easy . Just select one of the many options from the list below : Earn free money accepting offers , get cash reading emails , get free cash taking surveys , play games and get free money , shop and get paid cash - back rewards . Why not take the time today to begin earning cash toward that vacation , or for paying off bills or a night on the town ? It 's easy and fun to enter sweepstakes for money or play games and earn cash . And , what 's even better , you can do it all from the comfort of your own home ! . . 
A law banning gadgets that let i Pod users listen to their music over FM radio is to be overturned , it has been revealed . The communications regulator , Ofcom , said yesterday that it wanted to lift Britain 's ban on the gizmos , which can be used to listen to digital music in cars or around the home . Devices such as Griffin Technology 's i Trip are hugely popular in the US and Europe , but using them is illegal in the UK . Thousands of British consumers already have the devices , however , thanks to a legal loophole that lets the country 's retailers sell them . The gizmos work by allowing car radios or household stereos to tune in to i Pod signals and play music , using the same wavelengths as radio stations . Although the devices only broadcast their FM radio signals over distances of a few metres , they were ruled illegal because of fears they would interfere with commercial radio . 
Real , Virtual Reality Roller Shoes ... Huh ? The " powered shoes " are virtual reality assistants that were developed by Hiroo Iwata , Hiroshi Tomioka and Hiroaki Yano in Japan . The shoes or hippie sandals as they appear have motorized rollers built into the base . As you take steps , a computer strapped to your back will make the rollers on the bottom of the sandals roll the opposite direction canceling out your steps . So it is like really walking in place or being on a mobile treadmill . Get it ? The fun doesn't end there . The computer is also connected to a virtual reality helmet worn by the participant . So little to no room is needed to truly experience a virtual reality world where you can walk around anywhere . It is obvious that the virtual reality doesn't offer fashion tips , though . Socks with sandals ? Bleh ! 
MY GRADUATION CEREMONY . Am gonna put a pause to my usual blogs ... I ' m taking a trip back to the day i had my graduation ceremony .... Before this day i had thoughts running through my mind , i was like , how would it be , would it be a day of joy or sorrow , will it be a colourful or dull one , will it be worse or better than that of the previous sets ... but i tell you , it turned all out , to be positive ... we were the 11 th set of the great Academy called AIR FORCE SECONDARY SCHOOL ... It was so , so , so , so fun filled , colourful , we were all greatful to God to have had the best graduation in the History of our school . Although i didnt come home with any award , but i was proud of my mates who did ... Well , the picture above is simply on me and my friends at the day of my graduation ... You will all get to see other pictures much , much later . Thanks to you all for all your many efforts , i had a successful , sweet ... graduation . Bigup 2 all ma mates ... Lots of Love . 
Pipe Ranger . The Pipe Ranger is a rugged and versatile low - maintenance transporter that s specially designed to traverse silt , mud and debris commonly found in storm and sanitary sewers . Three standard wheel sizes and optional manual or electric camera lifts are available to maximize performance . Optional high traction tires are available for extreme slippery conditions . Pipe Ranger inspects 7 " relined pipe through 60 " diameter pipe . Its unique two ( 2 ) speed transmission doubles the torque of the unit to produce maximum pulling power in large diameter pipe when the 10.5 " diameter tires are installed . When assembled with a pan - and - tilt camera , the reduced length of the transporter / camera assembly can negotiate most difficult entry conditions and standard sweeps . The Steerable Pipe Ranger offers all the same features of the Pipe Ranger but includes full proportional steering that enables you to traverse meandering pipe and 45 and 90 turns . One joystick is used to control steering , the optional remotely controlled camera lift , and a pan and tilt zoom camera . The remote controlled camera lift precludes manhole entry during insertion and retrieval . The Steerable Pipe Ranger combined with the CUES OZ II optical zoom camera offers you one of the most compact assemblies in the industry . Operates with CUES multi or single conductor systems Operates with all CUES cameras : mini - mainline , pan - and - tilt , optical zoom All - wheel drive is enclosed and sealed Two speed transmission doubles the torque and maximizes traction All brass and stainless steel construction Three wheel sets ( 3.7 " , 5.0 " , and 10.5 " diameter ) for small , intermediate , and large diameter pipes Inspects 7 " through 60 " diameter lines Compact transporter / pan - and - tilt camera assembly ; facilitates entry into small inverts Rear tip up bulkhead connector minimizes strain on cable connection Designed to traverse storm drains and pipe with debris and silt Freewheel , powered reverse , forward variable speed control Rugged , durable and sealed to eliminate water intrusion . 
i POD creations . v PODA digital image / i Pod combo would feature a camera for still photos and video and would wirelessly sync with i Photo , i Movie , and i Tunes . A low - power color screen would serve as a viewfinder when the v Pod is closed and as a larger display when it 's open . WIRELESS i PODA portable player would utilize Bluetooth and Wi - Fi and enable users to remotely connect to the i Tunes store or the music kept on their computers . The dark color distinguishes it from today 's i Pods , which require wired connections to download or listen to songs . i HOMEThis Wi - Fi - based home network and media server would be the ultimate digital appliance , managing everything from music and photos to TV recording and office tasks . Shown here are the system 's hub , an IP handset for Web - based calls , an i Sight device for videoconferencing , and a single i Remote to control it all . i PHONEA simplified wireless phone married to an i Pod would feature Apple 's signature scroll wheel for navigation and a slide - out keypad . 
i Watch / Pod Watch . This i Pod watch concept , given the name i Watch by its designer , Peter Burns , combines you guessed it ! an i Pod and a wristwatch in one saucy little package . The i Watch has ( well , is envisioned as having ) 10 GB of storage and users would then listen to the music with a pair of Bespoke Bluetooth headphones . Not much else is known about the i Watch other than the fact that it looks amazing . Hopefully someone with deep pockets will give its designer some support . 
Philips ' Cineos HTS 9800 W HTIB with wireless rears . Home theaters in a box are not for everyone -- most people we know prefer to assemble their entertainment systems piecemeal -- but if you 're in the market for such a product , then Philips is offering a fairly stylish new HDMI - equipped system with convenient wireless rear speakers that may be right up your alley . The Cineos HTS 9800 W is a 6.1 - channel package ( three 125 - watt fronts , three rears , and a 150 - watt subwoofer ) with a slimline , upscaling DVD player that supports DVD + / - R discs , Div X - encoded video , and MP 3 CDs , along with all those Super Audio CDs that we 're sure you ' ve been collecting over the years . Not a bad setup , especially for your bedroom or guest house , and it 's available now for around $ 650 . 
Microsoft Windows Vista Beta 2 . Microsoft Windows Vista Beta 2 PREVIEW DATE : 06.08.06 Editor 's note : Beta 2 of Microsoft Windows Vista is now available for public download at www . microsoft . com / windowsvista / getready / default . mspx . The file is extremely large ( 3.5 or 4.4 GB ) , so you ' ll need a high - speed Internet connection , and you should expect to encounter difficulties due to heavy traffic . System requirements for running the OS are substantial some reports recommend doubling the suggested minimums . Because this is a beta , we strongly recommend against installing it on any system you depend on , such as a production system at work or your only computer at home . Also note that if you install it as an upgrade to Windows XP , you will NOT be able to undo the process . Restoring Windows XP will require a complete reinstall of the OS . By John Clyman Having written the article " Why You Want Vista Now ! " in our May 9 issue , I held my breath when I installed beta 2 , fearing that after the OS gets hammered by as many as 2 million users beyond the usual set of testers , I ' d have to eat my words . To my relief , this release largely lives up to my expectations . Sure , it 's still beta code and not something to run on a production system . There are bugs and nuisances , it blue - screens sometimes when resuming from sleep , and compatibility isn't perfect . But there 's a lot that 's enticing , and increasingly , there are features I miss when I ' m using XP . Slideshow All Shotsrun Slide Show ( ) ; The Aero user interface strikes a comfortable balance between looking good and being useful . The new Windows Explorer , with its live icons , reading pane , and directory breadcrumbs , is particularly appealing . The new Start menu is a winner . Its integrated search box lets me easily find programs , files , and documents including e - mails I haven't yet needed to download the desktop - search tools I consider essential for XP . And I ' m becoming accustomed to pressing the Windows key , typing a destination ( like C : \ users \ john or www . pcmag . com ) , and immediately jumping there without explicitly launching an app . Inside Windows Vista Beta 2 Security , although sometimes intrusive , is improved . I can do most of my work in a standard account without administrative privileges nearly impossible in XP . Unfortunately , when you perform a task that requires admin rights , the secure desktop that appears even if you 're logged in as an administrator is disruptive , particularly when it commandeers the shell while you 're doing something else . New versions of bundled applications including IE 7 , Windows Media Player 11 , Windows Mail ( formerly Outlook Express ) , Windows Photo Gallery , and Windows Movie Maker improve on those in XP . They 're among the flakier parts of the OS , though ; WMP in particular misbehaves and hangs with surprising frequency . Lots of third - party software balks under Vista , and some of my PC Magazine colleagues report difficulty with hardware drivers . Vista is far less than Microsoft originally promised and has taken longer to develop than anyone would like . Nonetheless , it 's a substantial improvement over Windows XP I see it as a glass half - full . If the coders can polish the rough spots in the user experience , fix compatibility problems , and resolve the more worrisome bugs , Vista 's debut in November for enterprises and January 2007 for consumers could be strong . Spec Data : Available as a 3.5 GB ( 32 - bit version ) or 4.4 GB ( 64 - bit version ) download in English , German , Japanese . Minimum requirements : 1 - GHz 32 - bit ( x 86 ) or 64 - bit ( x 64 ) CPU , 1 GB system RAM , graphics processor capable of running Windows Aero interface , 128 MB graphics RAM , 40 GB hard drive ( 15 GB free ) , DVD - ROM drive , audio output , Internet access . Recommended : 2 GB system RAM , 256 MB graphics RAM . Download is free ; DVD costs $ 6 . 
The projected keyboard . No words can adequately describe quite how breathtakingly cool this i . Tech Virtual Keyboard is . Bluetooth enabled , it uses infrared to project a clear and crisp keyboard onto your desktop , and then transfers your keystrokes via wireless networking to your PDA , Pocket PC or smart phone - it sounds far too futuristic to be true . But it s very much for real , and it s awesome . This 22 nd Century gadget is about half the size of your average deck of cards , sits wirelessly on any flat surface , and projects a red standard QWERTY - layout keyboard on any flat opaque surface . The projected keyboard is highly visible even in strong light ( though it does of course look spectacularly cool in the dark ) . It s highly portable as well , though it will make you look a bit of a lunatic at the local , as you will look like you re typing on nothing more than the pub table ( which also raises some serious health and safety concerns ) , and you will of course be interrupted every fourteen seconds with someone coming over and wanting to know where they can get one . There is no keyboard like this in the whole universe . 
2.4 GHz Video Camera Color Pen w / Microphone . The world 's first 2.4 GHz wireless color pen camera with microphone . The ultimate security device can't be detected because it 's a completely wireless pen . FEATURES : 2.4 GHz Radio Frequency Completely Wireless Camera Great for extreme covert applications Transmission range of up to 100 feet Full Color or switchable to Black White Battery Operated Wireless Pen Camera : Frequency : 4 Channels in frequency : 2.4 GHz frequency band RF output power : FCC Approved Transmission range : Up to 150 M in L - O - SBuilt in Mic . : - 30 d B High Sensitive Mic . Optional operating power : 1 ) DC 6 - 7.5 V ( 5 pcs LR 44 , A 76 , OR V 13 GA batteries ) 2 ) DC 9 V ( Auxiliary 9 V battery ) Operating time : 1 ) 5 pcs LR 44 battery : 40 minutes 2 ) 1 pc . Auxiliary 9 V battery : 6 hours Power consumption : 75 m AAntenna : Omnidirectional antenna Pixels : 250 K ( NTSC ) / 365 K ( PAL ) Mini . Illumination : Automatic Exposure / Gain / White balance . Dimension : 145 L x 20 W x 14.5 mm ( dia . ) Weight : 35 Grams Operation temperature : - 10 deg . C + 50 deg . CRECEIVER : Frequency : 4 channels in frequency : 2.4 GHz frequency band Video input / output : 1 Vp - p / 75 ohm Audio input / output : 0.8 V / 600 ohm Audio bandwidth : 50 - 17000 Hz Operating Power : DC 12 VPower Consumption : 180 m AAntenna : Built - in directional antenna Dimension : 150 x 88 x 40 mm Weight : 150 grams Operation temperature : - 10 deg . C + 53 deg . C * Do you really want to know what people are saying or doing when you 're not present ? This is the first camera truly capable of snooping in almost complete secrecy . You may think that most high tech snooping is only available to the world 's most advanced secret service agencies . Think again . Our new 2.4 GHz color pen camera is one of the most advanced and secret spy tools available to the public . The tiniest , most advanced color camera and highly sensitive microphone has been integrated with a 2.4 GHz transmitter . Then the technology was taken to a completely new level . Not only were all of these components designed to fit snugly inside of a real working , innocent looking pen , they were also designed to run on their very own power source . Most advanced security cameras need to be plugged into a power outlet to operate . Not this bad boy . This one runs on 5 standard cell batteries no bigger than those found in watches . That means you can place the pen in your shirt pocket , go into a meeting and secretly send the entire proceedings back to a monitor or recording device 100 feet away , even through walls . Need to record a meeting with someone in your office ? Just place the pen in a jar with all of the other writing utensils . Is someone in the neighborhood harassing you ? Now you can catch them in the act without anyone ever knowing . Receiver has 4 channel band and is designed to work with multiple media devices including televisions , VCRs , stereos , computers and video monitors . Full color camera can be switched to black and white mode if desired . 5 SR 44 batteries provide 50 minutes of power . One 9 V battery will give you 6 hours . Includes Wireless Color Pen Camera w / Mic , 15 LR 44 batteries , 9 V battery adapter and cable , 9 V battery , AV receiver , AC adapter and RCA AV cable . Get the upper hand with one of the most advanced security devices ever made available to the public . 
The Eagle - Eye Radio - Controlled Helicopter . Professional RC Helicopters cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars and you practically need military pilot training to fly them . You ll be flying ours within minutes and at a fraction of the cost ! Measures : 17 x 6.5 x 5 Uses : 8 AA batteries ( not included ) Can Travel 100 ft High You ll have the time of your life flying our RC Helicopter . Get your kid off the computer and from in front of the TV and outside for some quality time with Dad or Grandpa . We think that you ll enjoy it as much as he does . It s great for developing young hand / eye coordination . We guarantee this to be the easiest RC helicopter on the market to fly . It s strong and durable and won t crash and break on its first flight . We took it out for a test flight and the entire staff here at Gadget Universe fell in love with it . We think you will too . Get one for you and your kid . Q : How long does it take to charge ? A : Aproximately 3 hours to charge . Q : How long is the fly time on a full charge ? A : 10 minutes . 
Million Dollar Bed Floats on Magnets . Sure we all like to sleep in comfort , but how many of you would be willing to pay $ 1.5 million for a one - of - a - kind bed ? Anyone ? Anyone at all ? Well Dutch architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars is hoping that someone will shell out big bucks for that floating slab you see pictured above , as he 's apparently spent six years of his life in the noble pursuit of a sleeping surface that can be suspended entirely by magnets . Do you actually get a better night 's sleep on a bed that 's only attached to a solid surface with a few narrow tethers ? Probably not , but it seems that anyone spending a million bucks on something like this is more concerned with impressing potential overnight guests than waking up refreshed in the morning , anyway . If you just have to get your hands on one of these , but you ' d prefer to remain below the seven - figure price point , Ruijssenaars was also showing off a smaller version at the Miljonaire fair in Kortrijk that goes for a more affordable $ 146,000 ; at 1 / 5 th the size of the regular model , it 's much too small for you to sleep in , but it would sure make a great perch for your already - spoiled dog or cat . 
My Days in Air Force Secondary School . It 's being a heart - warming experience being at an institution named AIR FORCE . It 's being six years , I mean I climbed six great mountains , went through six valleys , crossed six mighty oceans , was in six different wars ... although , it took me a while but am finally here ... AIRFORCE since 2000 - 2006 . It was actually at my exit I encountered and got to find out the real meaning of the word Adventure ... this is something you won t understand , but I strongly believe that those who were with me in the great institution would understand . I woke up one morning and I was like OMG ! Can t believe am leaving high school , it was so hard to believe , I just had to leave with the fact that it 's nothing but the truth . My six years in high school , I must say was a success , fun - filled ... My exams went by like a flash ... It 's so amazing how time fly s by . Friends , I made it ... I m actually proceeding to the next level ... Lots of Luv ya ' all . Just me ... Blings . ^ . 
Train Blasts in Mumbai . Seven explosions hit crowded commuter trains during evening rush hour in Mumbai , India , killing at least 135 people and 300 injured , Mumbai police said . Western Railway helpline - Ph : 23004000 , 23014373 Sion hospital needs 1600 bottles of blood - Ph : 32566602 . 
World Music Day . What is music ? Is bird song music ? How about the tap - tap - tap of a hammer , or the wail of a creaking door ? Is playing a garbage can differ than playing a drum ? Make your life fun with every beat of sound . Enjoy your kind of music in your own way . 
Tagging !! ?? Tagging - In blogging it indicates that the set of questions just answered by one blogger should be taken by those named and used as the basis for a post . I ' ve been tagged by Vanathi Childhood friend : U r too gud .. : ) College friend : U r Cool .. ; ) Hostel friend : No hostel frnds .. : ( Close friend : U r Affective .. : | My brother : U r very caring , too funny , too slow , too fast , muddy fella , .. , n this list goes on n on n onn ... : )) Now , its my turn to Tag others ..6 FACEChaitu . 
Intersting Love Letter . My dear FAIR and LOVELY ( ek chand ka tukda ) , you are my TVS SCOOTY ( first love ) , ur my AIWA ( pure passion ) . I always BPL ( believe in the best ) and you are SANSUI ( better than the best ) . You are DOMINO ' S PIZZA ( delivering a million smiles ) for me . This is a COLGATE ENERGY GEL ( seriously fresh ) feeling for me . I want you to be my life partner but I think you are worried about your father who is KAWASAKI BAJAJ CALIBER ( the unshakable ) and my father who is CEAT ( born tough ) but don't worry as I am also FORD ICON ( The josh machine ) and rest of our family members are pretty KELVINATORS ( the coolest ones ) . Ifthey say no , we will run away and get marry and PHILIPS ( let 's make things better ) . They will feel MIRINDA ( zor ka jhatka dhire se lage ) but I believe in COCA COLA ( jo chahe ho jaye ) . Trust in God who 's always NOKIA ( connecting people ) who love each other . And we are WILLS ( made For each other ) . Now that HYUNDAI ( we are listening ) the song of love , you must know that love is DAIRY MILK ( real taste of life ) , SATYAM ONLINE ( fun fast easy ) and PARX ( always comfortable ) . Don't worry ; it is new COCA COLA ( life ho to aisye ! ) . Ok bye ! I wrote little but PEPSI ( yeh dil mange more ) . LG ( digitally yours ) . 
Hiatus . All , I apologize for the recent gap in my posting . My laptop has been sent to the shop , and not only is this where my materials are , but the rest of my family has been active on our only other machine . Who would have thought , now I ' m wishing we had another computer - more computers than TVs or bathrooms . I wonder what that says about me ...... Back soon Derry . 
" This is a knife ! " . With Australian outback hero Crocodile Dundee as her inspiration , an 80 - year - old British pensioner foiled a knife - wielding burglar with an even bigger blade of her own . When woken by a masked man holding a knife , Winifred Whelan screamed and ran downstairs to the kitchen . Grabbing a giant carving knife , she told the startled intruder " You call that a knife ? This is a knife " in an echo of the famous scene in the Crocodile Dundee film when actor Paul Hogan confronted a New York mugger . Source . 
Culture of violence . Marlin Mata has awakened from a coma she suffered after throwing herself from a moving bus to escape two men trying to rape her , but Peru is still deep in the nightmare of spiraling violence against women . More than half of all Peruvian women over the age of 15 say they have suffered sexual or physical violence by men during their lifetime one of the world s highest rates . Male frustration at high unemployment in Peru despite the country unprecedented economic growth since 2002 and a corrupt justice system that rarely makes convictions are exacerbating violence against women in an already macho society . Source . 
Stalking teen . Here 's a " classic " example of someone stalking , and most certainly evaluating , an intended victim , and then striking as she approaches her resident . It is scary that many people are not aware about 1 . What to do if they are being followed , and 2 . The fact that perpetrators usually strikes ( make up their mind to strike ) at a certain time . This is usually as the intended victim is getting to his / her destination , or close to his / her destination . Story : Canada -- A 28 - year - old Vancouver man was in court this week in connection with an alleged sexual assault on a teen in Burquitlam . Last Friday , a 16 - year - old girl boarded Sky Train at Lougheed Town Centre to go shopping at Metro Town , according to Coquitlam RCMP . During the ride , she noticed a man staring at her . He got off at the Metro Town station , followed her around the Burnaby mall and continued to follow her on her way home . At around 4:45 p.m. , Coquitlam RCMP said , the man sexually assaulted the girl just steps from her home . The teen broke free and ran inside , and her father called police and watched the suspect as he was leaving . He kept the suspect in sight until policed arrived . The suspect is " well known to police " for similar offences , police said . Source . 
Can fu . I suspect this customer is rewarded for his bravery - free applesauce for life maybe ? Story : A customer at a city grocery tackled an armed robber and beat him with a can of applesauce when he refused to drop his gun , police said . The suspect shot himself in the head during the struggle , and passed out after the 66 - year - old customer administered four blows to the head with the Mott 's applesauce . Customer Thomas Santana , who is 5 - foot - 4 , grabbed the 6 - foot - 1 gunman from behind when he was on the freezer , and with help from Gomez knocked him down . Source . 
Family : 1 - Robber : 0 . This is one tough family - a well - knit fighting unit too . Read the story , it 's too funny ! Story : While covering his head amid the barrage of flying fists and feet , his legs bound with a jump - rope by children half his size , a bruised and bloodied Craig Mack had a sudden realization , police say : He ' d picked the wrong family to mess with . Source . 
The head - butt . Having witnessed how a couple of young boys bang their heads full force into a one - inch thick steel bomb - shelter door to " make it sing " I have to disagree somewhat with this scientist . If you know how to use it properly , the age old head - butt is a formidable self - defense weapon ! It is also quite easy to defend against - if you see it coming ... You just need to bend you head and turn it sideways ever so slightly . The effect is that the attacker hits you where your skull is most solid ( think of the point where horns would be placed ) . This point is the same used for a " proper " head - butt . The technique called " Scottish kiss " or " Liverpool kiss " is brutal and highly effective . Story : It 's a guy thing . The head - butt reared its ugly head at the weekend when France 's Zinedine Zidane head - butted the chest of Italian defender Marco Materazzi during the World Cup final . " Most animals that fight that way have skulls built to take it . We don't appear to be built that way , " says Katherine Ralls , senior scientist at the Smithsonian 's National Zoo in Washington . " But I guess when you get so much adrenaline and testosterone going , it 's butt first and think later . " Source . 
Bad bouncing . Here 's a small and rather disturbing clip from a surveillance camera showing how a bouncer ( doorman ) is not supposed to work if he / she wishes to stay alive ... Everything from the threatening and negative gestures , smoking ( ! ) on the job , lack of visual control etc. are text - book examples of someone who is not suitable for the job . The clip also clearly shows the dangers and nature of a knife attack . I only hope these guys wore a protective vest ... You can watch the clip here ( You Tube ) , or download it in lesser quality here ( 1.86 MB , flv file ) . You will need to have the free flv - player installed to view flv clips on your own computer . 
Almost abducted . Talk about not trusting your instincts ... If an unknown man - looking as scruffy as this fellow here - is following your family around an amusement park , maybe it 's time to ask security to check it out ? It could just be that there 's something fishy going on ? Trust me on this - if you feel that you 're being stalked or followed something IS going on ! Paranoid ? I don't think so , these predators are out there somewhere constantly looking for an opportunity and an easy prey . Story : Clay County authorities are investigating after a 6 - year - old girl said a stranger tried to kidnap her Tuesday night at Worlds of Fun . The girl told police she was waiting with a friend while her mother and stepfather rode a roller coaster . The girl said a man approached and told her that he wanted to show her something , and he led her away from her friend . The girl said the man picked her up and said he was taking her to his car to watch fireworks , but the girl became scared and was able to escape and return to her friend . The child 's mother told police that the man had been following them around the park . She said she had never seen the man before Tuesday . Source . 
No help . So you think that you will get help if you 're being attacked ? I really hope you will , but do remember that most people are afraid . Story : South Africa -- Everyone watched but no one did anything as a young woman recently battled an assailant wielding a screwdriver and demanding money . A large crowd gathered among the Saturday shoppers outside a wholesaler in the industrial area , but not one bystander tried to help the victim . The woman told the Hermanus Times that she is still in shock and asked that her name , her place of work and the name of the wholesaler not be divulged . Source . 
It was ' Junior ' , not me ! Holy Moses - reading things like this really makes me ashamed to belong to the same gender . I know guys can be real simple , but this ... There are things that are pathetic - things that are way past pathetic - and then there 's stuff like this . Mama Mia ! Kind of reminds me about the ( great ) song : " My piano 's been drinking - not me " . Story : Nigeria -- A 21 - year - old man who was Wednesday convicted for attempted rape told a Jabi Chief Magistrates ' Court that his penis should be blamed for the offence . In her judgment , Chief Magistrate Ajoke Ad - epoju averred that though the court could reason with the plea of the convict , she was not impressed by his attitude . Source . 
Still don't believe ? If you still wonder what kind of strength and aggression is in a person has if she ( or he ) really goes all out , then you should read this great article ! Story : Already in the grip of a black depression , and contemplating suicide after the deaths of her mother and brother , the actress found herself fighting off a violent intruder bent on rape . And the savagery of her response proved decisive . Her attacker fled , bleeding profusely , while Frances , profoundly shocked at her own violence , found her life switched back into sharp focus . Source . 
Missing pieces . Here 's a great article on the suspicions surrounding the Terri Schindler Schiavo case . Story : A bulletin issued by the New York State Office for Prevention of Domestic Violence states that strangulation has only recently been identified as one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence . When perpetrators use strangulation to silence their victims , this is a form of power and control that has a devastating psychological effect on victims and a potentially fatal outcome . Historically , " choking " was rarely prosecuted as a serious offense because victims minimize the level of violence and police and medical personnel fail to recognize it . Source . 
Pool cue - do . Ahhh .... I simply love spunky women like this one here . My kind of gal totally ! On a serious note - the story also shows how a pool cue has its uses as an offensive or defensive weapon . It is a very dangerous weapon ... Story : Local bartender Hazel Sue Murnahan lived up to her father s expectations Monday night when she fought back against a man who attempted to rob her shortly after she beat him in a game of pool . My daddy didn t raise me to be a wimp , she said . Murnahan , 34 , said she bullied the would - be robber , whom she described to police as slim - built , out of the bar with a pool cue . She said he came up behind her back , grabbed her arm , put a knife to her side and said , I hate to do this , but give me everything that s in your register . He comes in and sits here telling me his whole life s story and then tries to rob me ? she said . I don t think so . Source . 
' That ' ll teacher ' . There are lots of conflicts and violence directed at teachers , and still very few , unfortunately learn how to protect themselves . Do they need to learn self - defense ? Absolutely not - there are conflict management skills involving positioning , zoning , evasion , distancing , defusing , distracting , pacing etc. that can be learned - and used - by anyone ! This is not by any means an attempt to blame this teacher for being attacked - the perpetrator is always to blame for his / her actions ! Story : A 16 - year - old high school student has been suspended and charged with assault after allegedly choking his female teacher in a classroom attack . Police have also taken out an interim apprehended violence order against the student on the 24 - year - old teacher 's behalf . The alleged incident occurred shortly after the school bell rang at 3 p.m. on Monday at a high school in Sydney , known for its excellence in mathematics . It is understood it will be alleged the male student tried to throttle the teacher , but police yesterday would not reveal what led to the alleged assault . Source . 
Yogurt wit . When someone asks you a question , you always answer , right ? And needless to say , we always tell the truth - even when a criminal is conducting his interview ! Seems like the conflict management tactic of counter - questioning could come in handy when you A . need more information , or B . suspect that answering correctly can cause you problems . Counter - answering ( funny version ) : English speaking person : " How are you doing ? " German speaking person : " How am I doing what ? " Story : A 19 - year - old man have been accused of trying to rob a yogurt store in Fort Wayne in early March . He had approached the clerk at Yogurt Express and questioned her about the placement of security cameras at the store , as well as the amount of money in the register . The clerk said there were no cameras , and Gray told her he was robbing the store , according to police . Source . 
15 voted against . I ' m kind of curious how 15 senator can vote against something as utterly ridiculous like this . Maybe they were reasoning that these criminals are professionals on the job , and should be protected as such ? Can someone get a hold of these people and ask where they have their brains tucked away ? I know they are on vacation somewhere in political la - la land - but where precisely ? Story : The New York State Senate passed a bill in Albany on Tuesday banning felons from suing for civil damages for injuries received while committing a crime . " It is just plain ridiculous that a criminal can sue and collect money because he got hurt while trying to mug or rob someone in their home , " Senator Michael Balbon said in a statement . The bill would change the law to prohibit a criminal from recovering any damages from a crime victim or other parties for injuries received while the crime was committed . The proposal passed on the Senate floor with 44 votes in favor of it , while 15 voted against it . Source . 
Myths and realities . Here 's a great article from snopes . com that you ought to read ! It points to some e - mail spam that is floating around in cyber - space , and which gives women a lot of strange , and even directly misleading advice about rape and rape prevention . I have read the same e - mail many times over - being passed on as " good advice " . Like I said , do yourself a service and read the truth about this giant load of doo - doo ! There are a few good points , but the majority is really way off ! Source . 
A neat move . Here 's a neat little defensive " trick " that has been used by several persons to escape abductors . Story : An eight - year - old girl escaped an abduction attempt after a man offered her lollies in a western Sydney street , police say . The man attempted to lure the girl into his blue Magna sedan as she walked along Mariana Crescent at Lethbridge Park about 8:30 a.m. yesterday . After offering her sweets , police said the driver left his car and grabbed the girl by the arm . She broke free by slipping out of her jumper before running home . Source . 
Blending . Here 's a great example of what we refer to as blinding or blending . It involves impairing the attacker 's vision by the use of hands / fingers , spit , coins , sand , spray , liquids , flames or similar . This has been used over and over again to get a potential victim out of a tight spot . It can be used to get free from a hold , to set up another technique like takedown , punch or kick , or to make sure you can escape safely . Story : A 50 - year - old woman fended off an attack by a 43 - year - old convicted sex offender on a Santa Cruz beach by throwing sand in his eyes on Tuesday , Santa Cruz police said today . The woman told police the man had chatted with her briefly before he allegedly pushed her down on the ground and forced himself on top of her . The woman , who was alone on the beach , said she warded him off by screaming and throwing sand in his face , police reported . Source . 
Kick - box girl . UK -- A student told how she used a kick boxing move to fend off a knife - wielding thug who tried to rape her as she walked home after celebrating her 21 st birthday . The student was on the way to her home in Hunters Bar when she was grabbed from behind , threatened with a blade and dragged by her throat to a secluded grassed area . The woman , who used to attend kick - boxing classes , said : " I was scared when I was on the ground but I was angry more than anything else . There was no way I was being raped - I remember thinking I would rather be dead . Source . 
Pooper scooper . Here 's the kind of strength a person - any person really - can have " on full tilt " . I ' ve witnessed it in psychiatric patients - this 47 - year - old woman was allegedly under influence of crack cocaine . So the expression " size doesn't matter " is true then ? To some extent , yes . It is quite a dangerous assumption to believe that someone is harmless because he or she is small ! This story also points to the amount of resistance we are all able to muster if we have to fight for our life - real or perceived . Story : It took five police officers , three hits with a Taser gun , leg straps and a spit bag to subdue a 5 - foot tall , 105 - pound woman who entered a Waukesha home and attacked a couple she didn't know with a metal pooper scooper and scissors , authorities said . With a scissors in each hand , she fought the 6 - foot , 210 - pound homeowner . He said that he couldn't believe the woman 's strength . When the first officer arrived , the attacker was foaming at the mouth and struggling with the homeowner , the complaint says . She continued to fight the officer who used a Taser gun , but it appeared to have no effect on her . More and more officers were called to assist , and she was stunned with the Taser two more times . Using their combined weight , five officers were finally able to subdue the woman enough to take her to hospital to check her for injuries . Source . 
Nose job . I say well done to this brave kid ! Dangerous though - you never know if a weapon ( or back - up ) is at hand . Anyhow , a solid punch to the nose is a good deterrent in many cases . This is even more true when it comes as a total surprise ! Story : A 12 - year - old karate champion told today how he turned the tables on a would - be mugger when he unleashed his martial arts skills on the yob . Jake Oliver was walking back to his home in Hartcliffe , Bristol , on Saturday morning when he was confronted by the balaclava - clad thug . The stocky , 5 ft 10 ins , assailant had leapt out from behind a bush and demanded Jake 's phone . But the unruffled youngster - who won a gold medal at a national karate championships last year - refused and delivered a karate chop , which broke the man 's nose . Source . 
The art of Suemo . In reality , there 's a thin line between self - defense and going ' over board ' . If the beating can be seen as revenge , then the robber may - as crazy as it is - have a possible case . Story : Rochester , N . Y . -- A man is suing an auto - parts store for assault and battery after he attempted to hold up the business and employees responded by beating him with a metal pipe . Source . 
The wurst way to go ? German police have arrested a man on suspicion of murdering a woman with a sausage . Prosecutors and police said the 50 - year - old was arrested after the woman 's body was discovered in an apartment in Zwickau , eastern Germany . They said she had choked on a Bockwurst , a popular large German sausage . The prosecutors said the man had given a patchy account of events , acknowledging that he may have " administered " a Bockwurst to the woman . Source . 
Happy birthday ! Well , maybe she , eh .. I mean he thought that the woman 's purse was a perfect match to her , eh ... his own dress ? Story : Dotty Stella was celebrating her 71 st birthday yesterday afternoon at a restaurant when a young man disguised in woman 's clothing , wig and makeup approached her . Stella says she didn't realize that the man reached over and snatched her purse . Shoppers who heard Stella 's yell chased the thief down the street until he jumped over a fence . Others called the police . The 16 - year - old was caught and taken to a juvenile detention center . As for Stella , she says getting her purse back was the best birthday gift she could wish for . Source . 
The interview . Here 's a great article showing what we call the " interview " . An interview is part of the strategy most predators use to test a potential victim . Story : He was sitting on a motorcycle next to her mother 's vacant parked car and he gave her the creeps . Then the ' ' interview " began : " How old are you ... what movie did you see ... I have a son your age ... who are you looking for ? " It 's called an interview because how a potential victim answers the questions , through both words and body language , determines whether or not they ' ll be the ' ' chosen on ' ' . Like I said , my daughter Danielle wasn't abducted , she failed the " interview " criminals use to choose their victims . Carly Brucia , the 11 year old in Florida who was recently abducted passed her interview . Danielle knew what to do ; keep at least two arms length from the stranger create a strong presence , assess the situation and surroundings , acknowledge that there could be danger , go to the safety of a crowd . Source . 
Can defend herself . Without saying anything about Polk being guilty of murder or not , I have to agree with this statement . Story : Even after a man punches a smaller woman twice in the face , smears pepper spray in her eyes , pulls her hair and bites her on the arm , she could start defending herself and win the fight , a self - defense expert testified Friday in the trial of Susan Polk . ' You would be hurt and slightly injured , but if it 's the last breath you 're going to take , you 're going to defend yourself , ' said Laura Castro - Shelley , a martial arts instructor . Source Learn more about how hundreds of women have defended themselves : Women Can. 
Pocketknife , tactical skills . I strongly advice you to read these two stories . They 're about the same incident - a former US marine being attacked by four robbers armed with a shotgun and a gun . It shows how this brave man sees himself and carries himself with sorrow and dignity in light of the tragic outcome ( one of the assailants were killed ) . It also shows how he did everything " by the book " as far as self - defense goes : Trying to run , yelling " fire " , seeking a lighted area , choosing the place for the stand - off , fighting multiple attackers , using hands and feet to create distance , seizing opportunities , etc. And it also points to the potential danger of even a small blade like a pocket knife . Story : A 36 - year - old former Marine cook used a pocketknife to fend off a group of would - be robbers , killing one and wounding another , police said . Thomas Autry , who authorities said will not be charged , was walking home from his job waiting tables Monday night when four people got out of a car and chased him , Atlanta police detective Danny Stephens said . One attacker had a shotgun , and another had a pistol . Source 1 - Source 2 . 
Raising alarm . Here is a great example of using your wits . Another similar example would be making noise by setting off a car burglary alarm . Even if you have to break a window in a shop or similar to set of an alarm I advise you to do so in an emergency . It is far better to pay for the damage ( like a broken window ) rather than being victim of a serious crime ! Story : South Africa : Dino Bava and his girlfriend were walking the two blocks to his home from a shopping centre near the Northgate mall when two men attacked them . " They didn't say ' Stop ' ; they didn't say anything , " said Bava , adding that the attack happened in March around 7 pm . " They were trying to just get me out of the way so they could do whatever they wanted to do to her . " Bava 's girlfriend managed to trigger a nearby house alarm , after which the police were called and the attackers fled . Bava suffered a stab wound during the attack . Source . 
Alarm and cell phone . Absolutely brilliant self - defense execution by these two girls ! Story : Kai , Japan -- A youngster used her cell phone to alert Japanese police that a friend was being abducted , leading to the arrest of a kidnapping suspect . The suspect allegedly tried to grab a 6 - year - old girl Tuesday as she left the JR Shiozaki Station in Kai . The suspect fled on a motorbike after the girl set off a security alarm in her bag . Her friend got a photo of the teenager and the license plate of his motorbike , as he sped away , information that enabled police to track him down . Source . 
Good dog . No doubt about it , a dog - even a regular one like this retriever - can be a great self - defense ' weapon ' . Story UK : A golden retriever called Rory has been hailed as a hero after putting put the bite on two thugs who tried to mug his owner . Owner Tim Proctor , 42 , was walking Rory in woods near his home when the two yobs bashed him across the head with a log . But seven - year - old Rory - described as a softie by his owner - immediately sprang to Tim 's rescue . Rory bit one of the would - be muggers on the arm and refused to let go until they both fled . Source . 
Another batman . I can't blame this guy for taking action , when a robber strode up to the counter and demanded money from him while displaying what appeared to be a pistol . Even if this looked like a fake gun it 's a major risk to take ! I ' m just glad it worked out well . Story : A clerk at an Arlington convenience store , frustrated with a robbery suspect whose gun didn't look real , pulled a baseball bat from below the counter and struck the suspect , police said . As the clerk opened the register , he became skeptical whether the suspect 's gun was real . As he laid some cash on the counter , he grabbed a red - and - black aluminum bat stashed under the counter , and raised the bat to hit the suspect as he reached for the money . Source . 
TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL AUTHORITY BILL PASSED UNANIMOUSLY . The JHU wishers to thank everybody who contributed to the successful enactment of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act which was passed unanimously in Parliament yesterday ( 05.07.2006 ) . The Bill was originally presented as a private members bill by JHU s General Secretary Ven . Dr. Omalpe Sobitha Thero M. P . which was challenged in the Supreme Court by 16 petitions . The Supreme Court upheld that this bill was in accordance with the Constitution and that it did not requir to be passed at a national Referendum . Subsequently the Government presented another Bill through Health Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva and requested the JHU to withdraw it s Bill . In considering the difficult path which needed to be taken as a private members Bill JHU agreed in principal that if it s Bill was presented without any dilutions in the Government Bill the JHU would withdraw as requested . However after the Government Bill was presented there was a major deviation as to the definition of the percentage of Alcohol as the Government Bill wanted it increased to 4.5 % as against 1 % . After deliberations in the Supreme Court it was finally agreed to accept the JHU s argument . Many local Human Rights Organizations , Swarna Hansa Foundation and Dharmavijaya Foundation extended their fullest support on this Bill . It was reveled by Ven . Sobitha Thero that in the year 2004 the total liquor production was 86,800 Million Liters !!! And there are 4,300 liquor bars in the Country . There are around 14,000 places of shops & restaurants who sell liquor and only 10,000 temples in the country !!! Minister De Silva thanked the JHU for introducing this Bill and many other MP s appreciated the work done by the JHU in this regard . UNP s Dr. Rajitha Senaratne commenting on this Bill told that this is the first meritorious act the JHU committed after entering politics . UNP MP P . Dayaratne also thanked the Government and the JHU monks for not bending to the pressure inserted by various interested parties who opposed these regulation . The TNA , JVP also expressed satisfaction with regard to this Bill . Let s appreciate the good work done by the JHU and hope that the menace of Tobacco and Alcohol would be minimize and our younger generation could be guided and protected . Narendra Gunatillake Secretary International Affairs JHU . 
Claymore mines recovered in Kandy . The Police recovered two claymore mines on PUSHPADANA MAWATHA , KANDY yesterday ( Thursday the 13 th of July ) at 10.25 p.m. targeting government Defence Spokesman Hon. Minister Keheliya Rambukwella who was scheduled to go to Kandy . The Army bomb disposal squad rushed to the scene and later defused it , and the same time Police recovered two detonators and wires in the vicinity . The KANDY Police are conducting investigations . 
Government Information Centre . Call , Ask , Know For government information DIAL - 1919 from any phone , anywhere Government Information Centre ( GIC ) now in beta testing your feedback is welcome . 
Terrorism .... Tributes were paid to the victims of the London Bus bomb ( 07 th July 2005 ) , in its 1 st anniversary commemoration held recently . Yet , many remain puzzled " why an international effort has not been taken to crucify the responsible ? " London bus bomb 's , 1 st anniversary depicted the cruelty of terrorism especially in a Western theater . Though many forums argue against terrorism , has such argumentations being productive enough to curtail the fund flowing into the terrorist organizations ? Will their lament be heard ??? ( SAY NO TO TERRORISM !!! ) al - Qaeda , led by Osama Bin - Laden , has been accused for this treacherous act in the British soil , which claimed 52 lives leaving 800 more casualties . Intelligence sources in Britian , argue that al - Qaeda 's , leadership did not have the capability to plan or direct such operations after " war against terrorism " in the Arab world left many Islamic terrorists perished . Hence , it is more likely to read the trails of assistance from the terror high flyers , the LTTE to co - ordinate such a menace . The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE ) , are no doubt the pioneers of suicide bombing and fearsome attacks targeting civilians . Aftermath , of the 1 st anniversary of the London bus bomb , sets a perfect stage to recall the Kebitigollewa , massacre ( 15 th June , 2006 ) , by the LTTE terrorists killing 64 civilians including 08 children and wounding more than 90 others . The odds and the similarities of these bus attacks have surprised many in the South Asian Region , whether the " West " , has a different definition for terrorism ? The following images reveal the truth , which the world has forgotten to realize ... 
LTTE - guardians of Human rights . The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE ) has taken on the role of guardians of Human rights . The LTTE must bear in mind that thirty ( 30 ) countries have listed them as a terrorist organization thereby placing them among the world s most ruthless terrorists as the Al - Qaeda . et . al. It was the LTTE which very recently boasted that it was they who introduced and popularized the use of the suicide bomber and not Al - Qaeda . The countries that hav listed the LTTE as a terrorist organization include USA , India , Canada , Australia , Malaysia , and the twenty five ( 25 ) countries of the European Union ( EU ) . They comprise more than half the world s population including USA the most powerful country in the world . It also includes India with a population of over I billion people . Many factors have brought the LTTE to notoriety as a terrorist organization . Among them are the brutal massacre of innocent civilians , extortion , drugs and weapons smuggling , assassination of all opponents , torture , and worst of all the forcible conscription of children as child soldiers . These child soldiers are not only used for intelligence work but are used as front line troops in armed assault exposing them to certain death . The LTTE deftly denies they recruit child soldiers even to UN organizations as UNICEF , UNHCR , Al and the Human Rights Watch based in New York . The world also detests and condemns the use of suicide bombers a pregnant woman was used as a suicide bomber in April 2006 in the attempt to assassinate the Commander of the Army LT Gen Sarath Fonseka . A pro - LTTE website has quoted the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission ( SLHRC ) in Jaffna regarding the disappearance of 160 persons since December and the number has steadily has steadily increased after the stepping up of search operations by the Sri Lanka Army . The LTTE has also taken on issues as the displacement of Tamil people from the Jaffna peninsula . Over 60 % of the Tamil people live amongst the Sinhalese and the Muslim communities seeking safety and to protect their teenage children from forcible conscription . It was also a few days ago that the chief LTTE negotiator and theoretician Anton Balasingham accepted that it was the LTTE which assassinated the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu . The LTTE and its sympathizers had until now repeatedly denied their complicity in the assassination and even tried to implicate a third party . However The Commander of Jaffna Major General Chandrasiri has given an assurance to the SLHRC for the Jaffna District that a Committee will be established to investigate these disappearances . This will determine the truth of these allegations . Meanwhile it is evident that the LTTE raises these issues of disappearances and displacement to regain whatever sympathy and prestige they once have had among the international community . Their effort will be vain until they renounce violence , lay down their arms , renounce child conscription , stop killing innocent civilians opponents and get back to negotiations and democracy . 
India ensures assist Sri Lanka peace process . Although the LTTE has increased terrorist attacks in the country , the government will not change its commitment to the peace process . While taking whatever the steps needed to ensure public security , the government will continue its attempts to find a peaceful negotiated settlement with the LTTE . President Mahinda Rajapaksa has stated this when he held talks with the Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran , who arrived here yesterday . The discussions were held at the President 's office in Colombo . A spokesperson for the Indian High Commission in Colombo said that as New Delhi is concerned with the recent violence in Sri Lanka and sent a special representative for discussions . Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera . Government Peace Secretariat head Dr. Palitha Kohona and several others attended the meeting . Related source : Government Information Department . 
Violence continues : The LTTE carries out two hand grenade attacks in the East . A Muslim civilian and two police officers sustained injuries as the LTTE terrorists carried out a hand grenade attack at a boutique owned by a Muslim civilian around 7.45 p . m today ( 3 rd of July ) in Samanthurai . Media center for national security says that the two police officers were having a tea in the boutique at the time of the attack . Police personnel have restrained form any retaliation in order to avoid civilian casualties . Meanwhile the LTTE terrorists have lobbed another hand grenade at a post manned by home guards at MAHAMAYA PURA in Trincomaleee around 8.15 p . m today ( 3 rd of July ) . No casualties or damages for the security forces have been reported . 
A week off the bike . Bummer . The good part is knowing that next week , we have a week on the bike . We 're off to Adelaide to ride on the the Mawson Trail for six days . I ' d consider that to be adequate compensation for a week of inactivity . Bought the girl a lovely set of panniers for the trip , from Summit Gear in Katoomba . They made them yesterday and shipped them to me where I ' m staying in Hobart overnight . How 's that for service ? Thanks Brett ! They 're lovely canvas bags , very similar to the 20 - year - old Wilderness Equipment panniers I have , which I don't think they make any more . And , speaking of the old fashioned and beautiful , check out this lovely classic French tourer . Mmmm .3,237 km so far this year . 
Velodromes abound in Melbourne and surrounds , we 're quite spoiled . Now that the track bike is back in one piece I ' m back rolling around my favourites - Preston 's 250 m track with the uphill back straight , Castlemaine 's lovely 500 m asphalt loop that 's flat and open to the wind and Coburg 's maximum security concrete track set among the factories . Kyneton velodrome is my closest , it 's a 250 m asphalt circuit , a bit bumpy in parts and with a slight but nasty rise in the back straight that demands a bit more effort to maintain a constant pace . Kyneton was the venue for my latest attempt at my own modest hour record : 30.14 km set back in March last year at Castlemaine . ( Two other cracks have both yeilded times a shade over 29 km / h each . ) If I was all that serious about it , I ' d be embarrassed , because I ' ve probably done faster hours on the road , but it 's not a mark set in earnest . But the beauty of such a modest achievement is that there 's seemingly endless room for improvement . The problem is that something always seems to slow me down a little . The wind is the usual culprit , or the arrival of some kids on mountain bikes who want to roll around the duckboards , someone training their slobbering idiot dog in the middle . There 's always an excuse . I started out too fast today and while my average was 34 km / h for the first few kilometres , it was far too fast to keep up for long . Before too long , the kick each lap to hold my speed through the home turn was beginning to hurt . By 30 minutes I ' d sagged dramatically and was looking for a reason to quit . The rain which started at the 40 minute mark was most welcome and I shall have to content myslef with a PB for the 20 km ( 41:06 , or 28.8 km / h ! ) Laugh all you like , it would have been world record pace in , um , 1878 . The hour record is safe , for now . 
Kev , my friend in Tasmania , and I have been in a sort of mileage ' duel ' this year . He bought his bike about the same time I bought the Surly and he 's been putting in the serious miles . We swap totals from time to time , not in a competitive way , but more by way of comparison and encouragement . The lead has changed many times , although of late with a couple of the century rides I ' ve done I ' ve drawn away just a bit . He ' ll probably overtake me in the next week or so as I ' m off the bike for a few weeks due to work commitments interstate and then holidays . It 's not something I ' d take too seriously though , because Kev wins by a mile on moral grounds . He does all his miles at night , in the dead of a Tasmanian winter , on the way to and from his night shift job . It 's in the minuses most nights and he rides rain or shine . They make them tough in Tassie .3,185 km so far this year . 
Though the day was cold and overcast , the Wandong Winter Wander , attracted a field of exactly 100 riders on Sunday - one - seventh of the nation 's audax riders taking part in the one ride ! Such a large turnout shows the strength of the club in Victoria , with 25 starters in the 200 km , 12 starters for the 150 km , 51 starters in the 100 km and 12 starters for the 50 km . It marks my ninth audax ride for the year , and the middle of my season . 1,150 km down , 1,400 km to go . The hard ones are yet to come ! I was happy to finish the 100 km in under 5 hours , despite not feeling my best and the rolling hills in the last 30 km . Early on , the group I was in came across a rider who ' d just been knocked off his bike by another rider , who ' d left the scene shortly afterwards . Help was called and he was off to hospital with a broken wrist . Otherwise it was a most pleasant day , grinding the big road bike gears across the undulations south of Seymour . My knees didn't thank me and I spent most of the ride on my own anyhow , so the road bike wasn't that much of an advantage . I suspect I ' ll be back on the Surly next time , for the benefit of the more comfortable ride and the granny gears on the triple crankset up the big hills . Although I ' ve heard horror stories about it , I might give the Kinglake 100 a look this weekend . It turns out there 's a cult , or at least a mailing list of Surly Long Haul Trucker devotees . I ' m waiting for a sunny day to take some photos of mine for the feature spot on the homepage . One of their rides shown above . Such devotion . Thankfully they stop short of giving their bikes names . That would be taking it just a bit too far . 
The BBC 's Nigel Hallows blows the lid on The Great Race : " I cannot claim to represent those faceless and unacknowledged opponents in the Great Race . A race , yes , but an unusual one in that most cyclists are not even aware it is taking place . This is ideal , for I am absurdly but secretly competitive and have an almost pathological need to be first away at the lights . " The small number of cyclists who are in the know duel with great nonchalance and no acknowledgement of their opponent . The trick is to cycle at maximum speed until the point of overtaking , and then sit back in the saddle as you pass , looking straight ahead as if the mere breeze is carrying you forward . " I even have a scoring system which gives double marks for passing anyone wearing Lycra . Overtaking a bike courier would theoretically score five , but I have never done it . " In the comments ' Simon ' notes : " The first rule of The Great Race is that you never mention The Great Race " . Nigel will have to be hunted down - and overtaken with great nonchalance . 3,050 km so far this year . 
Saw one of these in the bike racks at work today , and only one word applies : sweeeet . A fast , light commuter with the new Shimano eight speed internal hub . They have an aluminium frame , skinny tyres , uber - cool black colour scheme . They 're close to being an ideal town bike , although I ' d consider mudguards and a hub dynamo to make it just perfect . I ' d love to get hold of one of these hubs . Perhaps for the MTB project . All in all a very stylish piece of kit , and they sell for under $ 1,000 . If there wasn't a limit on how many bikes one can reasonably own , I ' d seriously consider one . How much is that limit anyhow ? I ' d think four was enough - a bike for all seasons - but I ' m beginning to think perhaps six . 
The Tour de France doping scandal aside , and Jobie Dajka 's alleged cigarette theft notwithstanding , the criminal element in the cycling community have been active of late . While the possibilities the bicycle offers as a getaway vehicle have never occurred to me , it seems some people would use nothing else . You choice of transport during a criminal enterprise says a lot about you as a person . Whether you 're robbing a restaurant or firebombing a house there 's no reason to add to global warming and traffic congestion at the same time . Say what you like , but the thinking criminal should display at least that much of a social conscience .2,997 km so far this year . 
Velocio 's seven commandments for the cyclist : 1 . Keep your rests short and infrequent to maintain your rhythm .2 . Eat before you are hungry and drink before you are thirsty .3 . Never ride to the point of exhaustion where you can't eat or sleep .4 . Cover up before you are cold , peel off before you are hot .5 . Don't drink , smoke , or eat meat on tour .6 . Never force the pace , especially during the first hours .7 . Never ride just for the sake of riding . The man was a genuis and a cycling legend and all , but never ride for the sake of riding ? That 's the only reason I throw the leg over a bike some days , just for the sake of it . 
I understand the sentiment behind Critical Mass , although I suspect it doesn't do the cause much good . Having done a few CM rides when I lived in Sydney , all they seem to achieve is to piss people off . At the opposite end of the spectrum , I ' m also not sure about the Ride of Silence . Where Critical Mass is too confrontational , the Ride of Silence just doesn't seem confrontational enough . There 's a rising tide of cycling activism in Australia as people get sick of the unnecessary dangers they confront daily on the roads . In my mind , two events in particular have sparked this : the killing of cyclist Ian Humphrey by Eugene Mc Gee in Adelaide and the killing of cyclist Amy Gillett by Stefanie Magner in Germany . The Ride of Silence is an offshoot of these events , so too is the Wheels of Justice . Every cyclist lives with the terrible fear in the back of their minds that they may be hit and killed by a car . It makes me feel angry and scared and powerless . If I am ever killed by a car , I want more than just the summary execution of the driver , an annual memorial ride , a ghost bike and the ritualised maiming of every driver who hurts a cyclist because they 're inattentive , careless or just in too much of a damn hurry . It would be a comfort , but it 's not enough . I ' d much prefer to see something change before it comes to that . As Hobart 's cyclists prepare to remember Kate Tamayo , I wonder if there 's not something more we can do to focus people 's minds on the cost of careless driving . I hope for a day when ghost bikes and memorial rides and all the rest are no longer needed , because people who drive cars are a lot more careful around people who ride bicycles . 
Surfers chase the perfect wave , I suppose the cycling equivalent is the perfect ride . They 're probably about as rare . A flawless winter 's day today , a dazzling blue sky , about ten degrees . A slight tailwind all the way . A cheery greeting from everyone I passed . All the muscles working in concert , an effortless gentle spin all the way to work . I should take a photo . A day like today is something to remember the next time I get rained on as I toil into a headwind in the dark . In other two - wheeled excitement , my old track frame should be back from the powerdercoaters tomorrow with a fresh paint job . I ' ve ordered a new crankset from the UK and my audax licence is apparently sufficient for me to be allowed into Melbourne 's flash new indoor wooden velodrome to do some lazy laps at $ 5 an hour weekday mornings on the way to work .2,961 km so far this year . 
Another lovely ride at the weekend - the See Sea Rider Audax , all on shared paths from Box Hill to Altona and back . A lovely group of people and a moderate pace so we all stuck together . The weather was reasonable too , with no wind worth mentioning . Riding on the shared paths keeps the average speed down somewhat , meaning the 110 km took us around 5 hours and 30 minutes , an average of just over 20 km / h . As always the Surly was comfortable and got me there and back safely , even attracting the odd admiring comment . Lots of breaks for coffee and even an ice cream at Williamstown on the way back . Feeling chuffed about my seventh audax ride for the season , although one of the other riders mentioned it was her 16 th century ride in six months . So well done to her as well .2,900 km for the year so far . 
The coldest morning since the dawn of time in Melbourne this morning , 2.7 degrees at 8 am , but it kept everyone indoors and it was sunny , so it was a pleasant run in . More than the usual number of obstacles on the way in : including ice on the bridge at the start of the ride even at 9 am ! The abandoned Ford station wagon in Docklands is in danger of being declared a piece of conceptual art as it enters its second week blocking the cycle path . The Docklands Authority says it 's the council 's job to move it , council says it 's Docklands job . I suspect it could be there a while yet . They only need to roll it back a metre or two to get it out of the way . Work to build Bracks ' Shack in front of Jeff 's Shed ( a new convention centre in front of the exhibition centre , is that a big dick contest or what ? ) has cut the cycle path , meaning carrying the bike up a flight of stairs . And then there 's 10 km speed limit signs all through South Bank . I can run faster than that . Then for the final WTF ? moment of the morning , there 's the new cycle lane on the footpath in St Kilda Road . Half the footpath is marked as a cycleway for 100 m , along with about 80 cm of the road . So the poor pedestrians get cramped , the cyclists get the dubious advantage of a short run out of the traffic and everyone gets to puzzle over a very odd piece of traffic management . Thanks , but I ' ll take my chances with the cars . 
The Lancefield Lazy Legs has been run in wonderful central Victorian winter weather . A cold + 1 degree start and lots of early fog to keep things interesting , but a fun fast ride through some wonderful scenery . A reasonable turnout too - easily 30 riders by my estimation . I hung on for about 40 km , but was dropped by the bunch in the hills about 20 km out out of Tallarook . No biggie , I ' m used to that and I knew I ' d see them again . I managed to keep my break at Tallarook short and after stripping off all my winter kit and stuffing it in my saddlebag and my already bulging jersey back pockets , had my brevet card stamped and set off again shortly after arriving . A nice and slow run along through the first 20 km of undulations saw me caught by a group of four who provided , someone to chat with , some wheels to sit on and a good pace back to Lancefield . Apart from some minor knee pain probably caused by pushing big gears uphill , it was a sensational day out on the road bike with some great people . A productive day for me means 111.67 km in 4 hours , 56 minutes at an average speed of 22.4 km / h , all powered by a big breakfast , a Mars bar and about four litres of water . 2,690 km so far this year . 
I started out riding again about 18 months ago , after not doing much cycling for many years . When I say about 18 months ago , I can say with some certainty that my first ride of this cycling incarnation was 18.12 km down the Merri Creek Trail on January 31 , 2005 . Being an obsessive type , I keep a spreadsheet which keeps track of all my rides . I now have a detailed record of my recent cycling history which provides all sorts of interesting information that satisfies my craving for trivia . It may be common among the cycling fraternity to keep a training diary with this sort of detail , but on the other hand , I am willing to admit to being a little eccentric . Ah , my lovely numbers . For example , I can tell at a glance that my average speed on the 56 rides I did last year was 21.15 km / h , while this year I ' m motoring along at 22.67 km / h ( a 7.1 % increase , not to be sneezed at ) . I can see my all - time top speed ( 74.2 km / h ) and note that my average kilometres per week has risen from 50.62 km to 107.86 km . For the 59 rides I ' ve done this year , my average outing is a trip of 43 km in a shade under two hours . And there 's two double centuries and three century rides in there too . My previous attempts to do much riding tended to stall a bit , as I ' d lose motivation . Keeping the averages up , gradually increasing my mileage and speed and achieving long term goals has made a big difference this time . The big goal for this year is 5,000 km or 100 km a week . It will be double last year 's milage . Next year I ' ll be aiming for at least 8,000 . The best thing is that my enjoyment is increasing to the same extent . 
A series of stunning winter days is upon us - lovely riding weather . I reckon winter is a much better season for the commuting cyclist , despite the cold and the longer hours of darkness . There are fewer people on the shared paths : two joggers seen tonight as opposed to dozens of people out taking advantage of daylight savings in summer . There 's easier parking in the bike racks at work , which are often full in summer . And heading home on the trusty Surly , festooned with lights , pedalling gently into the darkness , is a wonderfully relaxing way to end the working day . Its much quieter in the bike shops in town too , they 're generally very happy to see you . I ' m shopping for a helmet for the moment as the present one is slowly shedding its lining after ten years of faithful service . Apparently you 're only supposed to keep helmets for five years , so I ' ve well and truly had my money 's worth from this one .2542 km so far this year . 
Cold , windy long weekend , so I ' m not venturing far . It 's nothing like last weekend , which featured the Balmy Bendigo 150 . It wasn't balmy ( zero degrees at the start ) but it was a lovely ride , with a couple of fairly major climbs , over Mt Alexander and Mt Tarrengower . First long ride on the road bike , first time I rode and finished with other riders . I did get dropped at about 5 km and spend a fair while chasing back on , was dropped again on a long hill at about 40 km , and caught the main group of four riders at the controle the top of Mt Alexander and stuck with them from there on in . Very pleasant and happy to finish in under seven hours with no major dramas . Oddly , I was feeling good enough to ride again after just one day recovery off the bike . This weekend is miserable . Not much to do other than work on the bikes in the shed and hope to make up the miles during the week . Next weekend is the 100 km Lancefield Lazy Legs , though it doesn't sound like it 's too lazy a gig with a fair bit of climbing by all accounts . Never mind , it 's only 100 km - four or five hours at the outside . I ' ve been looking forward to it for a while . 
I already have four bikes , which is probably enough for one person , but I ' d love something to replace the car for once and for all , something that kept me out of the rain , had headlights built in and which could carry a little luggage . Well this falls down on a couple of the most practical points , but oh my ! Isn't it lovely ? I want , I want , I want . From having a look at their website it looks like one could be had for under $ A 10,000 , which is waaay cheaper than a car and they 're nine times sexier to boot . And they come in red ! Looks like there 's plenty of room in there for an ipod and some speakers and headlights would be a snip to fit . The only problem is my 75 km daily trip to work might just be a little too far . For this , I would move closer to town . 
Dusted off the old MTB for a night ride on the singletrack circuit around the forests near Redesdale in central Victoria last week . The course is used for one of the 24 hour races in December . My trusty old 24 - speed Trek is hardtail from the pre - suspension era when dinosaurs roamed a cooling earth , kindly referred to as a ' boneshaker ' by one of my fellow riders . But it does the odd MTB orienteering event just fine , and with a ' she ' ll be right ' we set off into the sunset . Hey , I am the bloke who came a gritty last in the 1986 Australian national mountain bike championships . How hard can it be ? Well , didn't I learn a lesson ? They invented suspension and disk brakes for a very good reason . As my riding companions disappeared into the darkness , I damn near shook the fillings out of my teeth and the plates and pins from the Bad Arm . I probably would have been ok in the day , and while shoulder - charging trees in the dark is lots of fun , the pain is cumulative . I set out with high hopes of completing two 15 km laps , but slunk back to the car with my tail between my legs after 7 km . Hey , but it was a hard 7 km . My computer must have broken or something , because it recorded my average speed as 11 km / h . It took a six pack to recover from the hurt and shame . A flash new mountain bike has been added to the bottom of my very long wishlist .2483 km so far this year . 
Fixed gear buffs will love this quote , from Henri Desgrange , the originator of the Tour de France . He 's commenting on an race between a fixie and an early derailleur - equipped bicycle over a hilly course . The fixie lost . " I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty - five . Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailleur ? We are getting soft . Come on , fellows . Let 's say that the test was a fine demonstration -- for our grandparents ! As for me , give me a fixed gear ! " From : BC Randonneurs 2455 km so far this year . 
I have a lovely Brooks saddle sitting on my desk . It 's quite distracting with its shiny black leather , copper rails , oversized rivets and " B 17 Champion Special " stamped on both sides . I bought it this morning to go on my audax bike - the new saddles just aren't comfortable enough for me for long distance rides and I ' ve been juggling one saddle between two bikes for a month now . Considering the money I ' ve saved lately by riding to work , a new $ 100 saddle seems a reasonable treat . They 're heavier than the newfangled plastic and alloy models but there 's something about these relics of a bygone age I find compelling . They 're organic , they breathe and stretch and mould to fit . They also look beautiful , as comfortable as an old pair of shoes and I recommend them highly . I ' ll put this one on the bike tonight . 
It s not often I agree with Lord Tebbitt . He was the subject of one of the more acidic e - mails of mine that have been read out on BBC Radio Four s Today show ( another , about Anne Atkins , was even more vindictive though ; it even got a herumph out of John Humphrys ) . But his lordship is as sound as the proverbial bell on the subject of Dave Cameron . According to the BBC s website he said that Tories treated favourable polls " like a baby grasps for a dummy " . The story was about the Conservatives gaining 39 % in an ICM poll only a feeble 4 % ahead of Labour as it happens . This noble lord still probably speaks for millions of traditional Tory voters with their squalid little views . Thing is , will they still vote Tory with DC in charge in the same way that some of the Labour faithful who can t stand TB still vote Labour ? Is DC right to aim just for those few hundred - thousand swing voters in marginal seats who decide our fate at general elections ? The other thing is do I now have to join Lord Tebbitt s camp on the my enemy s enemy is my friend principle ? 
Life on the edge . I m a rebel , me . When I found the new registration certificate for my car today , I discovered that I ve still got the old V 5 document . This despite the bossy letter ( that I ve also kept ) , which accompanied the new certificate . It clearly said that I should have destroyed the V 5 immediately . I just don t care , I m a rebel , me . And I got a letter from the Inland Revenue a while back . On the envelope it said open immediately ; I kept it for a month before I read it . Tough or what ? Life on the edge ..... 
Mr Blair and Mr Bush in conversation . There was an interesting observation towards the end of this morning s Start the Week programme on BBC Radio Four . Andrew Marr and his guests were talking about friendship and one of them mentioned that many friendships nowadays flourish because of telecommunications . As an example he said that Mr Blair and Mr Bush talk by telephone perhaps five times a day ( or was it a week ? ) on average and have therefore developed the kind of verbal interaction that comes only with familiarity . He suggested that most of the so - called analysis of their partially recorded conversation at the G 8 meeting was pathetically wide of the mark because it overlooked this fairly - obvious - when - you - think - about - it information . But conspiracy theorists , political correspondents with nothing better to do and all the Prime Minister s haters will doubtless go on weaving their own funny little theories and putting their own uninformed spin on this and every other interaction between these two leaders .... I missed most of the programme this morning ; must remember to use listen again and / or sign up for the podcast from their web site . What a wonderful world we inhabit ..... 
How to avoid right - wing media bias ..... .... has long been an obsession for people on the left , especially those who can't fathom why anyone can possible not support their cause . ' It 's all a question of education ' , they sometimes opine , ' if only people knew the truth ' . Dangerous , patronosing theorising ; it 's the mindset that led , inter alia , to trendy teachers attempting to fill their charges ' heads with dogma rather than educating them . Tonight at 7 , BBC 2 is repeating the last in the BBC 4 television series called Lefties . I mentioned this series in a post in February . This programme tells the story of the " News on Sunday , a disastrous attempt to launch a left - wing mass market Sunday newspaper " . It might provide some food for thought especially for anyone who puts more faith in theory and dogma than they do in practice and experience . It is quite funny in a sad sort of way and would be funnier still if the buffoons hadn't lost so much money out of other people 's pension funds .... 
France to be ruled by a Royal again ? I first learnt about Sego Royal from this sometimes amusing site about France and its politics which I found thanks to Aunty Marianne . Marie - Segolene Royal is rumoured to be favourite to become the next President of France ( if the French left can avoid the mistake they made at the last election . Then they fielded so many candidates that none of them made it into the second round which thus became a run off between the right - winger M Chirac and the extreme right - winger M Le Pen ) . The Observer carries a piece about her but it s awfully long so I ve only speed - read it . And who in Britain really cares about foreign news ? Hardly anyone to judge from the popular newspapers or TV news programmes . She might be France s version of Tony Blair ; a centre - left leader prepared to challenge long - held dogma . Which would be nice . But the sun s coming out so it ll soon be too hot again to blog ....... 
How to be happy . I don t read many books ; haven t got the time ; slow reader . But I love book reviews . In the Guardian s Review section today there is a fine one by James Flint about Jonathon Haidt s " The Happiness Hypothesis " . I m almost certain that I ll never read the book but the review contains the bones of the thesis . " psychologists have only recently begun to realise : " that there are really two information processing systems at work in the mind at all times : controlled processes and automatic processes " ....... Happy people are the ones in whom the interaction is smooth , in whom the gears mesh , in whom the different levels add up to a more or less coherent whole ...... I don't think I ' ve ever read a book that laid out the contemporary understanding of the human condition with such simple clarity and sense " I must try to incorporate this theory into my developing hypothesis about why right - wingers ( and extreme left - wingers ) seem so cross all the time ...... 
Too hot to blog ... ... and too busy , my new little job seems to be less ' part ' and more ' time ' . And there are metatarsals about which to fret . Also the silly season seems to have started in January this year so there 's been precious little news about - whose to have Hughes Views . Still the nights will start drawing in soon ( can't remember when that happens but it 's not 21 st June ; it may already have started ) . Meanwhile farewell ...... 
More on rightwing blogs ..... ..... and why they 're good for Labour . Reasons to be cheerful part 2 . Further to the insightful character analysis that I posted yesterday , here 's some more good news . Right - wingers love to ' discuss ' politics but only with people who share pretty much completely their own views . My insiders inside their party confirm that their meetings are quite unlike Labour party ones where almost no one agrees with anyone else about anything very much ever . But Tory activists generally always agree with one another and so come to believe that their eccentric views are mainstream . Tory blogs will add fuel to this phenomenon as the people who usually only get together in big groups at their party conference will find that ' thousands of people ' agree with them about everything and will therefore be convinced that It Must Be Right . Europe provides an example . There are probably only two or three million British people who are vehemently anti - EU . Unfortunately lots of them live in the South West which is why we have two UKIP MEPs and why the south Devon coastal strip was covered with their little purple signs in the spring of 2004 . Most of the other forty million or so voters are indifferent about the EU ( unhappily to judge by the present parlous state of the European Movement , there are only a few thousand EU enthusiasts in the UK ) . But , to Tory activists , Europe is the proverbial red rag to the bull . Just look at any rightwing blog . See how the comments count rockets whenever a post mentions Europe . There 's lots at the moment because of the pickle David Cameron is in over his promise to pull his MEPs out of the EPP . So the poor souls will reinforce their prejudices and end up trying to drag their party back again to the ' one more heave ' position genuinely believing that their curious views will appeal to the majority . 
Why right - wingers blog so nicely . Some B 4 L regulars have posted about the relative success of rightwing blogs compared to their leftwing counterparts . My amateurish psychoanalysis may show where this difference originates , but does it matter ? It matters not a jot . For all the hype , blogs have approximately zero influence . Even political journalists have far less influence than they probably like to believe and bloggers are way below them . Just as most stuff in newspapers is of the ' that 's quite interesting but I ' ve something else to do right now ' variety , so too are most posts , sadly often without the quite interesting bit . As they say in the USA , ' you do the math ' . Even if the claims for the reach of some sites are correct and they really do have a couple of hundred thousand unique readers and if they all happen to live in the UK , that 's still fewer than 250 people on average per UK constituency . Their real readership is probably lower ; it can be misleading to count hits over a month . It 's a bit like counting how many times a magazine is picked up to get at its total circulation . Readers are usually in the ' already converted ' camp . Comment boxes show that many of them either agree wholeheartedly with the author or venomously disagree . They are not the vital swing voters who determine our fate at election time . And what of my pseudo - scientific analysis ? Wild generalisations are necessary . Right wingers tend to be more orderly , obsessive and self - disciplined . Read John O ' Farrell 's amusing book ' Things can only get better ' and his observations about canvassing and how to spot a Tory supporting household . A tidy front garden with lawns that end in those steep , dead - straight cliffs that give way to neat little borders is , he writes , a dead give - away . Right wingers tend to believe the world is simple and could be brought to heel if only everyone behaved like them or were in jail . They love certainty . They like to join ' exclusive ' clubs and societies where they can gossip and share conspiracy theories . They often have a passion for what passes as ' breaking ' news ; it 's perhaps a hangover from the playground taunt ' I know something you don't know ' . No wonder their loyal bands of right - thinking readers can t wait to read their tit - bits . And no wonder their sites are meticulously updated with gossipy posts about the alleged shortcomings of those they label the bad guys . As their chief spokesman Margaret Thatcher said ' if you 're not with us , you 're against us ' . By contrast those who lean to the left seem to have a better grasp of complexity and a more laid - back approach to life . They tend to think the best of people and are well used to uncertainty especially if they ' ve ever been to a political meeting with people they imagined had similar views to their own ........ So relax . 
Actions to words . For the past couple days I have been trying to put saturday into words , which has proved to be alot harder then I orignally thought . So Let me type out what I ' ve got . Last week I thought it would be a good idea to take this past saturday and just do something to clear my head . I wasn't really sure what to do at the time . So saturday roles around . Of all the things I wanted to do staying at home was not one of them . So I decided to hope a bus and go for a jaunt around the city . Even though it was really hot , like apperantly it set a new city record for hitting over 30 degrees before 10 AM . It really fun . I got a chance to clear my head and try and see where I want to go in life . I still have no clue but ya . I ' m still considering moving out though . I promised my parents that I would stay at home until Christmas now , but I ' m not sure about after that . Thats about all I can word out , whats makes it odd is some of the stuff I can't word out was stuff like going to the mall to buy some dice or get a drink . - J . 
Calming Woosh . One of the most wonderful feelings that I think anyone will experiance in a day , takes place after a really bad day at work . Where in which nothing seems to work out and that days sucks your energy out of you along with every nice thing you have say about humanity . Upon getting home you have something to eat and then decide to lay down on the bed / couch / carpet / Lazy Boy Chair . Where in which you fall asleep for a couple hours . When waking up you look around and realize that everything that had gone bad during the entire day is out of your head , your not thinking about what went bad , infact in you can't even think about what actaully went bad . The Only thoughts going through your head are " Have I really been asleep for 2 hours " or " I don't remember why today sucked " . This is pretty much what happend to me today , I woke up and went to work , breakfast consisted of a Red Bull and an Aero bar . Work today was composed of building a lab the didn't want to work . As a result I was getting very upset . Upon getting home I had something to eat . Following that I fell asleep on my bed for about 2 hours , and upon waking up I couldn't think of anything that happend during the day . I knew what all happend and all , just it wasn't bothering me and wasn't making my day hell anymore . As a result this really nice calming wooshy feeling rushed over me and it felt so freaken nice . ( Best words I can use to decribe it ) Thats about it : Listening to : Goo Goo Dolls Eating : Frozen Fruit salad with Ice cream Thinking : I wonder if England is nice this time of year - J . 
So relaxed , . Today was seriously much better than any other day in the last week . It all started with a trip down to the cafe for breakfast . In recent weeks due to lack of time I have been eating breakfast at the cafe more and more frequently . I think its about time I stopped . I wouldn't of even started but since I figured I ' m not gonna be able to afford to live in dorms or anything I can be slighty more liberal , but I plan to stop after next week , its getting to be too much . So work today was spent bulding machines where in which I could just put my music on and shut out the world as I work . After work I was feel soooooooooooo relaxed , I didn't want to get out my chair . Because I wanted to get out the office one time for once ( in the past 2 weeks the average time I left work was about 4:20 , work ends at 4:00 ) . So I forced my way out of the chair and made my way down the stairs and to the exit . From work it was over to s s and s for Drawn Together , and supper . I arrived at the corner of the sem at about 4:05 . Since I was walking really slow I didn't arrive at the house until about 4:25 . So in short I arrived on time felt nice an relaxed and it was nice . When I got in there was a concept so intriguing that it still amazes me 4 hours later , a fridge filled with more then 2 kinds of beer ( flashbacks to Handbell tour billet ) I tried Rickards Honey Brown , oh soooo good , it mixed so well with being so relaxed and everything , and it was soo nice . We watch a few episodes of drawn together , I ' m pretty sure I have seen the entire first season now , I ' m missing 3 episodes in the second season now . I try to get up and go to the bathroom , I have troubles walking there . After thinking about it , why does one thing of beer affect me . the last drink I had was sometime last week , so I shouldn't be because of the lack of alchhol consumption within the past months . I think it was because I skipped lunch and was kind of hungry . Supper was curtosey of . We had pasta , I ' ve noticed that a lot of people make pasta when they have people over . Not thats its a problem or anything I I oh and I rolled a new character on Wow tongiht , I so far like Shamans better then warlocks . Thats about it . - J . 
Who is the monster and who is the man ? This weekend was the user conference for the company that I work for . Basically it was 5 days of 14 hour work days and lots of partying ( i . e . booze ) . I ' m not sure why , but for some reason I became the butt of everyone 's gay joke this weekend . Well , not everyone . Just our sales team - which consists of a bunch of young to middle aged straight white men who high - five alot and call each other bro and dude . They are a rowdy bunch , particularly when drunk . They have always sort of annoyed me , but I never thought them to hold any sort of real harm within . I was wrong . Among the various inappropriate questions asked of me about my sex life from these men , belittlling , demonizing , and threats ( yes , I was threatened ) , none hurt so bad as the one from a very Catholic member of the sales team . Knowing he was Catholic some weeks ago , and knowing his negative stance on gays I decided to bond with him on my conversion . I even sent him a link to a gay Catholic conservative blog . He responded kindly saying he truly admired the guy who wrote the blog . He also sent me a link to a site that converts gays back to straights saying that he wasn't preaching to me . I responded politely by saying we disagree on this point but isn't the trinity lovely . Our conversations about Catholicism and the trinity were wonderful , heartwarming , honest , and enlightening . I certainly warmed up to him , and I actually felt like he had warmed up to me . I was wrong . At a party while he was drunk he spoke behind my back . Now , you know my rule , say it behind my back so it doesn't hurt my feelings , because I don't want to hear it . But for god 's sake don't let me find out . well , I found out that this person said that I would fail at being a Catholic if I didn't " knock that shit off . " He was of course refering to being gay . He also said , drunkenly , that he needed to sit down and have a talk with me about this . I had to leave the party crying . He said I would FAIL at becoming a Catholic ! I thought this man was happy for me , perhaps someone I could go to for questions . I was wrong . I suppose I forgot that this conversion will also come with confusion not just about spirituality but confusion from my Catholic brothers and sisters as well . Hearing another Catholic whom I admired for his faith and devotion say that I would fail at salvation truly hurt . He demonized me because of the way God made me . He had a complete inability to not only see things from my perspective , but also the inability to keep his oppinions to himself . I was humiliated . I found out that my being gay is some sort of monster that must be destroyed , just when I thought that he was one step closer to not seeing me as a monster . I was wrong . Through all of this , I kept my cool . I didn't mention the sins to any of these jerks that I saw them commit , and I won't do that now . All I know was that just because they knew something personal about me they mocked , abused , and demonized me - who just happened to be in the range of fire . I thought these things didn't happen anymore . I was wrong . I upheld my morals , and I ' m holding on to my beliefs . My only " sin " to these men is being myself , well , being one part of myself - gay . But their sins to me are mortal . they separted themselves from me , a potential friend , and a neighboor . And they even tried to seperate me from my God . That 's two strikes they will have to come to grips with in their own souls . So tell me ... Who is the monster and who is the man ? 
Session 2 of RCIA . Last night at RCIA we watched a video made by the American Archdiocese to document the RCIA process . The movie was actually filmed at the cathedral that I ' m attending , so that was cool . The video chronicalled the different steps to becoming a Catholic from both a baptised and unbaptised point of view . It also had many interviews with those going through the process . It was a beautiful film , though the music was lacking ( !!!!!! ) . I couldn't help but get choked up a few times watching normal people who have pain and suffering , questions and concerns , the same way I do , decide that this is the way to go about understanding the world . It 's nice to feel completely normal and unspecial , but know that for each person going into this program it 's like being the first person to discover something truely amazing . I think my sentiments about this whole process were best summed up by a women in the movie who said " Catholicism isn't a feel - good religion . It 's hard . " Finally , something worthy of being conquered by that isn't a man ! After the movie we got into sharing groups again . This time it was small groups of 4 with a sponser . They asked us three questions : 1 . What are you hoping to gain or learn from RCIA ? ( eternal life , duh . ) 2 . What fears or concerns do you have so far ? 3 . Is there anything you would like to know about the Catholic Church ? Again , all had very different answers . Everything from God is creepy to what kind of incense do they use . My answers were as follows . I ' m hoping to learn about and gain faith , true morality , and discipline . I fear being over zealous ( no zeal like a convert 's they say ) . And I want to know more about trusting in the authority of the priesthood . Basically , faith , pride , and obedience . Three really big topics for every Christian to face everyday . Finally , we all gathered again and our leader wrote down some of the questions we had about the Catholic church . My question about authority of the priesthood made it up there . How to deal with sinning friends made it up there . How can you be a republican and a Catholic at the same time made it up there . After these three very heavy questions our leader said , wow doesn't anyone have anything a little simpler to ask ? !! ?? !! So I said , um , when are we supposed to make the sign of the cross ? !! I was glad we asked such deep questions . It means that what 's truly on our minds is not incense , etiquette , and candles , but humanity , mortality , and morality . I ' m very excited , and feel wonderful . While my conversion started years ago , this formal conversion at RCIA I realize is only two weeks old . I can't wait to get into the meatier things . 
Poker . The pro poker player on Bravo 's celebrity poker always laughs at the celebs when they have a really good hand and they decide to go all in on the first round of betting . Why is this a bad move ? Well , it forces another player 's hand , either to step up to the bully who knows he can't lose , or get defensive and give up what little chips you ' ve already given . Needless to say I ' m obviously going to tie this to something in real life . If we are going by poker standards I was dealt a very good hand as far as straight boys are concerned . I spent a night cuddling with one . Unfortunatly , as dreamers do , I was so enchanted by the whole thing , that in my romantic zeal I decided to go all in . And as we ' ve learned , this gives the other players no choice but to either step up to the plate , which they may or may not be able to afford , or just drop out of the game leaving what ever they were willing to put on the line behind . I ' m not sure which of these relates to being straight and which relates to being not quite ready to take the " gay " leap . So even though I ' ve gone in with a pretty good hand , a pair of cuddling queens ( forgive me ) , I still don't know what the other player has in his hand . If we 're dealing in the world of gay boys and straight boys physical worlds colliding , there are a few possibilities ( we 're assuming I ' m all in with my paired cuddling queens . ) The straight boy could actually be holding a pair of hetero kings in his hand . That beats my cuddling queens . He could be holding a hetro king and a cuddling queen , and waiting for the flop to reveal which way to play his cards . He could be holding the other two cuddling queens . In which case the flop would be pretty intense ( this is statistically nearly impossible . ) The other possibility is that he has no clue how to play poker at all . In which case , he might be holding a 7 and a 2 and I ' m reading into the whole thing like he really knows what he 's doing . In any event . I suppose I ' m waiting for the flop , but only if my fellow player is willing to stay in the game and not fold . Did I possibly ruin my chance at winning really big by revealing my hidden intensions too soon ? 
Lies and Gossip . If I ' ve said it once I ' ve said it a hundred times . If you have something bad to say about me , please say it behind my back . I don't want to hear it ! And for god 's sake , don't let me find out about it . It 's an unsaid custom in our country , and I ' m sure in others , that one should generally have disdain for gossiping yet still delight in doing it on a daily basis . I am not without fault in this . I LOVE LOVE LOVE to gossip . Am I proud of that ? No. I suppose the mature thing to do would be to just stop doing it . But it 's hard to tell sometimes when you 're gossiping or just discussing . A cop - out response , I know . We all know when we 're gossiping . One thing is for sure . It makes you feel better after you do it . I often see gossiping as a happy mistake . It often brings the gossipers closer together as they are usually complaining about someone elses " bad " behavior . I ' ve had many a late evening with a fellow gossiper discussing someone else 's every fault , while highlighting and encouraging our own lack of fault . Is this silly pride ? Probably , but it still boosts the self esteem . I think the really bad thing about gossiping is that gossipers are not faithful or trustworthy , they wouldn't be gossiping if they were , I suppose . Therefore the odds of the gossipers going to the object of the original gossip roast and gossiping about one of the other gossipers is very high . This creates , as is all too often used in our little gay society , DRAMA . And it hurts people 's feelings . So while you really felt better about yourself after pointing out another 's flaws that quickly turns to bile if the other person finds out how you truly feel . It 's a bit like drugs . They feel good for you , but then they can ruin your life physically , emotionally , and spiritually . If you see me gossip , please forgive me . I know it 's wrong , but I ' m human . 
People or Ideas ? " Brent , you shouldn't write about specific people in your blog . You should write about ideas . " says one opinion . Another opinion says " But Brent , that part about the straight boy was the juiciest part " . Yikes !!! It 's just a blog . Why do I feel so icky ? Ideas or people ? I suppose I find myself every now and again able to form my ideas based on inherent universal truth rather than on personal experience , but mostly I just take what has happened to me , reguergitate it to someone else , or in an e - mail , or on a blog ( God , forgive me ) or in a song and tie a thread to it that I weave into some other person 's ranting and raving on a similar topic . I. E . the way I feel about this is just like when Alison Krauss sings that song about that . I suppose that 's one use for art , and probably the only use for popular music - a mirror of emotion , or an empathetic companion on the journey . But when you 're creative and sensitive sometimes it seems that the real world of crushes , rejection , body hair , and back fat are not in a different realm than the world of " all you need is love " and " Hello , Dolly ! " You can't separate the emotion from the use you can get out of it - Art . Why can't I just feel something , and let it be ? Why must I feel it , and then feel it again in front of someone else , and then in front of another , then write a song , blog it , and finally choke the object of the original emotion to the point where the line between story and reality - art and artist - are completely blurred ? How many of us blog the things we want to say to people , but don't have the courage to ? How many of us have the fantasy that the object of our affection , anger , jealousy , will just happen to come accross our blog and realize how we really feel ? I suppose it 's a way to say what you want to say , but not have to be held 100 % accountable for it . After all , if anyone can read it then it must not be that personal , right ? WRONG ! There are many things about specific people you can talk about in your blog , but then there are others things that are best left to the discipline of knowing you had the experience , and keeping it to oneself . It 's hard to do . But I think a starting place is knowing that a second oppinion isn't always needed . If I could just trust myself there would be no need to emote like a pivoting sprinkler in July . Isn't there a saying about one 's first fiction novel ? They are always autobiographical , but the names and places have been changed to protect the innocent ... doesn't sound much like fiction to me . It sounds like a diary . 
Session 1 of RCIA . Last night was my first RCIA conversion class . I had been warned by a very dear conservative Catholic friend that the RCIA program at this particular parish is very ... um ... liberal . As he put it , be prepared for lots of " sharing " . My sponsor , this self same friend , wanted to come with me for my first class to show his support . We arrived at parish hall with all the other inquirers , as we 're called . There were straight couples who were going to be getting married , both of the men were Catholic , the women were not , which is why they were there ; there was a sort of neo - California - buddhist woman with a headdress like Erika Badu who was raised Episcopalian and is now studying ministry at Seattle University , she was in her early 50 's I ' d say ; a mid - thirties lawer ; a beautiful Romanian orthodox woman and her baby , she works in legal offices ; a very butch woman , most likely a lesbian ( do forgive the stereotype but it 's not my first time at the rodeo - pronounced ro - DAY - oh ) who worships trees and flowers and had her fists up from the start of the session , she was out for Catholic blood - I wondered what was beneathe the angry facade that brought her there - there was a young father who 's wife was Catholic ; there were to older gentleman , one was very strange , a fisherman , not unlike my idea of the real Peter Grimes , and the other who as he put it is a bibliophile , and I ' m finding that most bibliophiles end up Catholic . Finally there was me . We all went round the table , only after learning the rules of the " safe space " provided to us by the quaker community . My friend and I chuckled at the liberal fascist notion of rules for something as insipid as group sharing . Each person 's story was different . There was however one thing that stood out in almost everyone 's tale of how they ended up in this RCIA session - discipline . Most of the inquirers talked about one of the main roadblocks in their lives being lack of discipline , which is one of my principles issues that has drawn me to this faith . I couldn't believe that all these diverse people all have the same nagging deep down that they aren't quite living up to the potential that 's been gifted to them . I suppose when it was all over I found myself dreading the fact that this was going to be my wednesday evenings for the next year . Hardly the mentally stimulating conversations of my mother and me , and my friends . But my sponser reminded me that the word catholic means the whole world . So , this conversion is offered to everyone . A man once refered to the Catholic church with a loving little nickname , HCE , or Here Comes Everyone . 
Passion and Follow Through . Tonight is my first session of RCIA , or Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults , at St. James Catholic Cathedral in Seattle . Yes , I ' m becoming a Catholic . And even more than becoming Catholic I ' m going to be baptised a Christian . It 's been a long time coming I suppose , but currently it feels like it all just sort of rushed in . The details of what got me to take this big leap and go ahead and get on an honest - to - goodness - you - have - to - be - here - every - wednesday - night - for - a - year conversion into a religious institution are long and I ' d imagine pretty typical . They seem typical from what I ' ve read of others who have taken the plunge into Christianity , or the plunge back into Christianity . I grew up in a Christian home ( not Catholic , but protestant by way of nothing that made sense and nothing that stuck . ) Told everyone else what I had known for years , that I was gay , when I was 16 , all were fine with this . Rejected Christianity all together , this was a bit rockier . Went to college , got mired down in the reality of having to go into grownup world . Fell in love , lost my virginity , had my first champagne . Was depressed , was elated , was employed , was fired , quit . Through all of these very normal , typical experiences of your late teens and early twenties I used my so called " passion " to sort through all of the new experiences that confused me . It seemed with every new occurence I wanted to write a musical , or an opera , or a dity by which to immortalize this completely life altering experience I was having . One thing was for sure , the ideas were big , the follow through was not . I don't like it about myself that I tend to lack on follow through . Now at 24 , in grad school to become a choir teacher , I ' m going to Catholic Mass , crying in pews , talking ad nausium to smart Catholic friends and my dear mother who 's as lost in it all as I am , considering a new passion in life . The passion of Christ . It sounds cheesy and the comparison of the two passions is , I realize , poetically fascile . But then I realized , as part of my major flaw of not following through , that Christ is the ultimate example of follow through . He really went all the way , despite frustration , suffering , and profound pain . Christ 's ability to stick to it to the bitter end is the most inspiring example of following one 's passion , even when that passion makes us feel as though we 're nailed to a tree . God calls us to use the gifts he has given us . Each of us has a passion to offer , it is up to our own free will to follow through . God , help me follow through with the passion you have given to me . 
Not Like Other Girl . No more blame I am destined to keep you same Gotta rescue the flame in your heart No more blood , I will be there for you my love I will stand by your side The world has forsaken my girl I should have seen it would be this way I should have known from the start what she 's up to When you have loved and you ' ve lost someone You know what it feels like to lose She 's fading away Away from this world Drifting like a feather She 's not like the other girls She lives in the clouds She talks to the birds Hopeless little one She 's not like the other girls I know No more shame , she has felt too much pain , in her life In her mind she 's repeating the words All the love you put out will retun to you . 
In the Interest of the Common Good . I respect the personal decision of Bishop Antonio Tobias in helping some members of the Magdalo group . As explained by him , it was in the interest of both the Magdalo group and the government in order that there may be a non - violent resolution of their differences . Contrary to allegations , the 6 bishops in the news report did not have any meeting together with any group including any member of the Magdalo group in order to bring down the PGMA administration unconstitutionally and in a violent manner . It is very possible that an accusation is being leveled against the credibility of the Bishops , because of our stand on issues which are not pleasant to certain groups . As Bishops we always promote peaceful , non - violent and constitutional means of reform in government . If I , or any of the Bishops , have spoken against or criticized the conduct of anyone or any group in favor or against the government it was for the interest of the common welfare . Because people look at issues from different perspectives and with different values , we Bishops accept that our statements individually or corporately may not be agreeable to everybody . We feel sad that the stories related to the report of overthrowing of government are being fabricated without proof as to their veracity . I appeal that the sources of such stories will clarify themselves for the sake of the common good . I invite them to prove their statements involving us , six bishops . + ANGEL N . LAGDAMEO , DDArchbishop of Jaro CBCP President July 19 , 2006 . 
press statement . On the Burning Issues When the CBCP gathered in conference to discuss their Pastoral Letter , especially on the burning issues , the hottest of which was about the impeachment , the bishops knew that their guidance would not sit well with all sectors . But they must proclaim the message whether favorable or unfavorable to itching ears ( 2 Tim . 4 , 2 - 3 ) . The Pastoral Letter needs to be read in its entirety especially the paragraphs on the hottest issue . When we were discussing the issue of the impeachment , the bishops were concerned with proclaiming a message which would serve the country best according to the light of their discernment , prayer and discussion . Tough problems can be solved neither by force nor by the force of number nor by offering just one solution as if that were the only solution . Tough problems are a challenge for all parties pro , con , and center to think , talk and act together , to see new realities and create meaningful change . Each party or sector holds in part the solution to tough problems . The Pastoral Letter Shepherding and Prophesying in Hope is meant to give some guidance to the lay faithful on the subject of social issues and on the burning issues . How this guidance is to be followed or put into effect is beyond the intention of the Letter . Whatever each individual or group decides to do , by God , do it well and don t sacrifice the common good . On the question of envelopes or gifts allegedly being distributed and of dinners offered by Malaca ang to some bishops , since these were privately done , there was no consensus among the bishops whether to accept or not , whether to go for the dinner or not . Each bishop was completely free . Truth to tell , the bishops did not have any knowledge of the alleged plan of Malaca ang to use these gifts or envelops for political ends . It was only later that they realized the implication of the offer . Some , we know , returned their envelopes . The bishops were told that the envelopes were for the poor . But how must the poor be help institutionally ? On the one hand , bishops with the limited resources of their dioceses are already trying to respond to the needs of the poor , v. g . , through their social action programs . On the other hand , must not the government use better its powerful institutions to help the poor ? If the powerful institutions are not effective and efficient in the work of poverty alleviation , the question that must be asked is WHY ? But must it be channeled to the bishops at this time ? + Angel N . Lagdameo Archbishop of Jaro CBCP President July 14 , 2006 . 
THE POPE ON THE ROLE OF CHURCH AND STATE . The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI gave our President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo a copy of his Encyclical Deus Caritas Est the same which he gave to all Bishops much earlier this year . The Pope writes in that encyclical The just ordering of society and the state is a central responsibility of politics . As St. Augustine once said , a state which is not governed according to justice would be just a bunch of thieves . ( No. 28 a ) It is a strong statement worth remembering . This is what Bishop Deogracias Iniguez has quoted in presenting his personal position of siding with the Kapisanan ng Makabansang Ekonomiya ( KME ) . He clearly states that he is not bringing the CBCP in this personal option regarding the issue of impeachment . Therefore , the CBCP respects Bishop I iguez personal option and will not go with the suggestion of Malaca ang to sanction him because he also agrees with CBCP statements on Politics and Moral Values . The pertinent statement of Pope Benedict XVI worth quoting is the following : The Church s social teaching argues on the basis of what is in accord with the nature of every human being . It recognizes that it is not the Church s responsibility to make this teaching prevail in political life . Rather , the Church wishes to help form consciences in political life and stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice as well as greater readiness to act accordingly , even when this might involve conflict with situations of personal interest . Building a just social and civil order , wherein each person receives what is his or her due , is an essential task which every generation must take up anew . As a political task , this cannot be the Church s immediate responsibility . Yet , since it is also a most important human responsibility , the Church is duty - bound to offer , through the purification of reason and through ethical formation , her own specific contribution towards understanding the requirements of justice and achieving them politically . The Church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible . She cannot and must not replace the State . Yet at the same time she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice . She has to play her part through rational argument and she has to reawaken the spiritual energy without which justice , which will always demand sacrifice , cannot prevail and prosper . A just society must be the achievement of politics , not of the Church . Yet promotion of justice through the efforts to bring about openness of mind and will to the demands of the common good is something which concerns the Church deeply . ( Deus Caritas Est , No. 28 ) Too often the Separation of the Church and the State is invoked . This separation should not be used as an argument against the participation and involvement of the Church in shaping the politics of our country . Concretely this means that the Bishops , Clergy and Laity must be involved on the area of politics when moral and Gospel values are at stake ( cf . PCP II 344 ) . The Pope says the Church wishes to help form consciences in political life and to stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice . The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches : It is part of the Church s mission to pass moral judgments even in matters related to politics , whenever the fundamental rights of man or the salvation of souls requires it ( # 2246 ) . Archbishop Angel N . Lagdameo Archbishop of Jaro President , Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines June 30 , 2006 . 
LIBERATING OUR COUNTRY FROM UNFREEDOMS . We celebrate today the Philippine Independence Day with gratitude for everything that has been in our history . We honor the heroes big and small , known and unknown , who have worked for our liberation as a nation . But while we succeeded in breaking the yoke and chain of Spanish , Japanese and American colonizers , are we succeeding in breaking the yoke and chain of fellow Filipinos ? Ang masakit na karanasan ng mga Filipino ngayon ay bagamat nakalaya na tayo sa pang - aalipin ng mga banyaga , ay mayroon namang mga kapwa Filipino na umaalipin sa kanilang kapwa Filipino . Gathered in the atmosphere of prayer , we invite ourselves to pray that we may be delivered from the many unfreedoms that we are experiencing . In 1998 during the Centennial Celebration of our Independence , the CBCP already stated that our liberty is eroded not so much by foreign invaders , as by inequality and lack of participation , injustice and exploitation , deficient cultural values and mindset , destruction of the ecosystem , and deterioration of peace and order . Alas , what we said then we can say again . We have freed ourselves from the punishment of death penalty . But we still have to free ourselves from drug addiction and drug lords , from jueteng addiction and jueteng lords , from the temptation to extort and to bribe , from exploitation of women and children , from the killings of militants , labor leaders and journalists without the benefit of just trial , from torture and maltreatment of every kind , from graft and corruption and subtle dictatorship . Without these the celebration of the Philippine Independence Day in this Year of Social Concerns would be more meaningful . Civil society is moving on with a growing social consciousness for what is truly good and just for the nation . We recall what Pope Benedict XVI in Deus Caritas Est wrote : The formation of just structures is not directly the duty of the Church , but belongs to the world of politics , the sphere of the autonomous use of reason . What is the duty of the Church ? The Church has an indirect duty ( says Benedict XVI ) , in that she is called to contribute to the purification of reason and to the reawakening of the moral forces . What is the duty of the civil society ? The direct duty to work for a just ordering of society , on the other hand , is proper to the lay faithful . As citizens of the State , the Pope says , they are called to take part in the public life in a personal capacity in the many different economic , social , legislative , administrative and cultural areas for the common good . The CBCP has already expressed in former Pastoral Exhortations ( Building a Civilization of Love and Renewing Our Public Life ) its recommendations which I now briefly summarize as follows : 1 ) that the reform and modernization of our electoral process be continued ; 2 ) that the election of 2007 be pursued in order to offer our country a new breed and brand of leaders ; 3 ) that if charter change is to be pursued , it should be through a Constitutional Convention , whose delegates are elected by the people . We are not against charter - change per se ; but we are against charter - change by the present congress converting itself into a Constituent Assembly . From history we learn that dictators are products of and supported by parliamentary forms of government . Philippine Independence Day is an occasion to promote a spirituality of citizenship which fosters a sense of patriotism and of being responsible for our country . It develops Filipinos into becoming active and constructive participants in social and political life . It enables the laity to take their rightful leadership role in the social transformation of our country ( CBCP Pastoral Exhortation , Building a Civilization of Love ) . Archbishop Angel N . Lagdameo June 12 , 2006 . 
FROM DEATH TO LIFE . Our Conference expresses deep appreciation for the June 6 , 2006 decision of Philippine Congress to repeal or abolish death penalty . This decision is consistent with our long standing and on - going advocacy for the sacredness of human life whose Creator is God Himself . Human life , whose ever it is , is sacred . Today s abolition of death penalty recalls a little bit of history . In 1971 the United Nation declared that to fully guarantee the right to life as provided by the 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights , death penalty be progressively restricted with a view to the desirability of abolishing this punishment in all countries . Since then more and more countries have actually abolished the death penalty . With the decision of our Congress we are now included in their number . It must also be recalled that through the 1986 Philippine Constitution ( after Martial Law ) the death penalty had already been abolished but only to be restored in 1994 . The CBCP at that time opposed its restoration . We hope that the abolition of death penalty in the Philippines will now be a permanent one . We have consistently believed that human life and the right to life are better defended by the non - imposition of death sentence as well as by the reform of our law enforcement and justice system towards the establishment of an atmosphere of peace and order . We sadly observe that our justice system is so partial that those who deserve to be in jail continue to be out of jail , and those who deserve to be out of jail continue to be in jail . The system is perceived to be biased against the poor and powerless . There is a great need to guarantee truly equal justice for all in our justice system . A program of rehabilitation through values formation and income generating projects must be pursued for the prisoners in order to generate the sense of humanity and usefulness among them . Better ways of curving criminality need to be discovered and advocated : such as the CBCP has advocated before : the solving of economic poverty of the majority of our people , the reform of our law enforcement and penal system , combating the causes of drug dependency and gambling syndrome , values formation in the police and military , the elimination of violence propagated by media , the enforcement of the law on gun ban . The other side of the abolition of death penalty and the curving of criminality is the improvement of the quality of life . + Angel N . Lagdameo June 7 , 2006 . 
Let Us Keep Human Life Sacred . Our national dailies for the past few weeks have been carrying news about activists , leftist - militants , journalists , defenders of the poor suspected as communists , and even police and army men , being killed or abducted . The latest , for example , is the killing of Sotero Llamas , identified as peace adviser , among several hundred others in the list . The total number is alarming . It is a sad commentary of our country and government which want to abolish death penalty . We are concerned not only for the victims , who have not been or are not given a chance to defend themselves in court , but also for their immediate families suddenly and unhappily left orphans . Whoever are the perpetrators , and whatever is the cause , the victims irrespective of any ideology they profess are still subjects of human rights and are entitled to due process in an unbiased court . In defense of human life , the Church through Pope John Paul II clearly teaches : There exist acts which per se and in themselves , independently of circumstances , are always seriously wrong by reason of their object . Therefore , Whatever is hostile to life itself , such as any kind of homicide ; whatever violates the integrity of the human person such as mutilation , physical and mental torture and attempts to coerce the spirit ; whatever is offensive to human dignity , such as arbitrary imprisonment all these and the like are a disgrace , and so long as they infect human civilization they contaminate those who inflict them more than those who suffer injustice , and they are a negation to the honor due to the Creator ( Vatican II Gaudium et Spes , 27 ; Encyclical Veritatis Splendor , 80 ) . The Pope reiterates : If acts are intrinsically evil , a good intention or particular circumstances can never transform an act intrinsically evil by virtue of its object into an act subjectively good or defensible as a choice ( Veritatis Splendor , 81 ) . It is not right that people be killed simply because they have different political beliefs or are suspected of being subversive or of plotting against the government . The killings leave deep scars on the memory of people especially members of their families which no amount of talk about national security will completely erase . This is a sin against life , a sin against human dignity . Human life , whose ever it is , is sacred . Retribution and vengeance simply perpetuates the cycle of violence . If we are to work out our salvation and transformation as a nation , we must begin with our Gospel faith which tells us what our perspective on human life and our task in its regard . We would like to quote again from the late Pope John Paul II who emphatically stated Do not kill ! Do not prepare destruction and extermination for men ! Think of your brothers and sisters who are suffering hunger and misery ! Respect each one s dignity and freedom ! ( Redemptor Hominis , 16 ) . May Mary , Mother of Life , help us and intercede for us that we may together work to keep life ever sacred . Archbishop Angel N . Lagdameo Archbishop of Jaro President , CBCPWorld May 31 , 2006 . 
Ho - Hum. Ugh . This week has been terrible . I ' ve been trying to catch up in school ( papers upon papers ) , I haven't been sleeping very well , and Wife and I are kind of distancing ourselves from each other . I ' ll be glad when this week is over . I ' m about two weeks behind in school and my work is horrible . I don't know how I got so far behind . In trying to catch up , the work that I ' m turning in is lacking . Badly . I only have 6.5 more months and I ' ll have my Bachelors . Hang in there , kid . The non - sleeping well thing is pissing me off . I ' ll lay down and either toss and turn or just lay there wondering why I can't sleep . This will go on for about 2 to 3 hours before I fall asleep . Then , when the alarm clock goes off and it 's time to get up , my ass is dragging , hardcore . The wife and I haven't been all together on the same page this week . I don't know why . She and I just seem to be coasting . We 're not unhappy , but we 're not in marital bliss , either . You know , sometimes I ' ll see other married couples that have been married just as long as we have ( or longer ) and get jealous . They ' ll be loving on each other and seem to really want to be apart of their spouse . You know those couples . They can't get enough of each other . I want that in my marriage . Unfortunately , I know that will never happen . Wife doesn't see me like that . Oh , she say things like I ' m her soul mate and she doesn't know what she would do without me , etc. , but I know it 's bullshit . I honestly feel that she believes that crap even though she doesn't show it . How can you feel you 're with your " soulmate " and utterly ignore them or don't feel a need to be with them ? It doesn't make sense . I know what Wife 's problem is . I ' ve tried to explain it to her a few times , but she just rolls her eyes at me . It 's all in her priorities . Her priorities break down like this : 1 . Princess 2 . Wife 3 . Her friends 4 . God 5 . Her family 6 . Abraham See the problem ? Mine are as follows : 1 . Wife 2 . Princess 3 . Abraham 4 . God 5 . Everybody else See my problem ? Now , the correct structure ( I ' ve been told ) is this : 1 . God 2 . Self 3 . Spouse 4 . Children 5 . Everybody else What do YOU think ? And sorry about the " self - discipline series " . That will have to wait until I get caught up in school . Till next time . 
Another Week Gone ... End of the week and I have a whole lot of nothing going on this weekend . Wife is inviting Suzy over for scrapbooking tonight , so I ' ll be Princess ' entertainer for the evening . Hmm , I need to think of something to do that will be fun . Tomorrow , I ' ve got to get some class work caught up . I ' m about a week and a half behind . The daughter of one of Wife 's friends is coming over to pick up some baby stuff that we don't use . Their wanting to adopt . I told Wife whatever gets rid of our increasing " crap " was fine with me . And can't forget to mow the yard ( sun willing ) . Sunday doesn't look all that exciting , either . I think we 're just going to church and then to church group in the evening . I ' ve decided not to include whole songs anymore . They take up too much space . Mark has been trying to find a new job . He 's got a few interviews already . Told you they would be alright . Hmm , what else ? Man , I live a boring life . I need friends and some excitement . Anything that doesn't cost money . That 's the trick , now isn't it ? Why can't we go back to the time when money wasn't everything and values were everything ? The 50 's or maybe the 70 's . Life was so much easier . Then again , the people living in those times probably thought the same thing . I ' ve been reading a lot of theological books , lately . I ' ve read Calvin 's Institutes and tried to get through Augustine 's Confessions . Their ok , but so far , my favorite has been Lewis Bayly 's The Practice of Piety . It 's a really good book . I ' m on my second reading . I ' ve been thinking of a theme ( or series , if you will ) to discuss here . I think I ' m going to start out with self - discipline . Or , what I like to call , " My Lack of ... " . I ' ll come up with an outline of sorts this weekend and start on Monday . Feel free to chime in with comments or corrections . This is purely a journey , not a publication . And half the fun is getting there . Till next time . 
Saint and Sinner . Weekend wrap up : The mother - in - law came in town and spent the weekend with us . She 's not too bad and we get along for the most part . Saturday night Wife was yelling for me while I was on the computer . I thought she was giving Princess a bath . Nope . I walk in the bathroom and caught Ma - In - Law getting out of the shower ! I apologized and went to look for Wife . Hehe , now I know where Wife got her butt . Sunday , I was baptized . I was baptized at the age of 7 or 8 , but the church considers that a " confirmation " baptism . So , I was officially baptized at the age of 33 by full immersion . I don't feel different . I know that the baptism is a spiritual moment and not a physical one , but I expected something more . Maybe God hasn't read the memo , yet . Next lyric is how I feel about my marriage at least twice a week : " It s all over but the crying " everything you think you know babyis wrongand everything you think you had babyis gonecertain things turn ugly when you think too hardand nagging little thoughts change into things you can't turn offeverything you think you know babyis wrongit 's all over but the cryingfade to black I ' m sick of tryingtook too much and now I ' m doneit 's all over but the cryingdo you really think I ' m made of stone baby ? c ' mon ! that we only love the things we own ? babyyou 're wrongcertain things just happen when you make no plansand love can really tear you up and it can break you downeverything you think you know babyis wrongit 's all over but the cryingfade to black I ' m sick of tryingtook too much and now I ' m done It 's all over but the cryingbaby we 're doneif I could I would I ' d change everythingcause I can't forget you though you don't believe menow I can't walk back I can't leave behindwhere does it go all the light that we had ? everything you think you know babyis wrongand everything you think you had babyis gonebaby we 're done - Garbage . 
I ' m a Bastard . I know , I know , I really shouldn't be gloating over someone getting fired . Especially when he 's the major bread winner . But , that 's life . Life hasn't been fair to me , or you , or the next guy , now has it ? So why am I expected to feel pity for someone who goes through a hard time ? Where 's my pity ? Me , me , me . Welcome to the real world . I do hope that his family can bounce back ( which I know they will ) . So , I ' m not worried about them . OK . Conscious is clear ... on with the ramblings ! Today , I just want to quote a song to the girl I married ( Not the woman I live with . ) romeo and juliet A lovestruck romeo sings the streets a serenade Laying everybody low with a lovesong that he made Finds a streetlight steps out of the shade Says something like you and me babe how about it ? Juliet says hey it 's romeo you nearly gave me a heart attack He 's underneath the window she 's singing hey la my boyfriend 's back You shoudn't come around here singing up at people like that Anyway what you gonna do about it ? Juliet the dice was loaded from the start And i bet and you exploded into my heart And i forget i forget the movie song When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong juliet ? Come up on different streets they both were streets of shame Both dirty both mean yes and the dream was just the same And i dream your dream for you and now your dream is real How can you look at me as if i was just another one of your deals ? Well you can fall for chains of silver you can fall for chains of gold You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold You promised me everything you promised me thick and thin yeah , Now you just say oh romeo yeah you know i used to have a scene with him Juliet , when we made love you used to cry You said i love you like the stars above i ' ll love you till i die There 's a place for us you know the movie song When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong , juliet ? I can't do the talk like the talk on the tv And i can't do a love song like the way its meant to be I can't do everything but i ' d do anything for you Can't do anything except be in love with you And all i do is miss you and the way we used to be All i do is keep the beat the bad company And all i do is kiss you through the bars of orion Julie i ' d do the stars with you any time Oh juliet when we made love you used to cry You said i love you like the stars above ill love you till i die There 's a place for us you know the movie song When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong , juliet ? And a lovestruck romeo sings the streets a serenade Laying everybody low with a lovesong that he made Finds a convenient streetlight steps out of the shade Says something like you and me babe how about it ? You and me babe How bout it ? - Dire Straits . 
Update ... I just had to update this because it couldn't wait till tomorrow . Mark was fired from his job !! He was a manager / assistant - store - manager " whatever " . Seems that an employee was a little ticked at him and reported him to " home office " . Now , his story is that he cursed and this " Christian " employee turned him in . So they told him to either resign or they would launch an investigation . Come on . A company wouldn't do that for a curse word . They might have pulled him in the office and told him to clean up his act . But an investigation ? Knowing Mark and what I ' ve told you about Mark 's history , what do you think was the " real " reason ? * cough * sexual harassment * cough * Ha . Haha . Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha !!!! But I degress . Sucks to be him . Hey Mark , karma 's a bitch , aint it ? 
Happy Belated Fourth . Hope everyone had a good Fourth . We had an " OK " fourth , ourselves . Mark and Suzy came over with their little boy ( Yeah , that Mark and Suzy ) . So , I was trying to pay attention to everything . I must admit , though , I saw nothing there . Zip , nada , nothing . Maybe all this paranoia is in my head . Maybe God did hear my prayers and squelched that in the bud . Eitherway , I think it 's over . I ' m going to try to put all that behind me , now . Unless something happens that causes me to think I ' m wrong , I ' m going to just mosy on and forget it . I ' ve been trying to think of some topics that I can talk about , here on my Blog . I have all these ideas that pop in my head from time to time and I always forget to write them down or I ' ll think , " Hey , that would be great to write about in the blog ! " But I always forget them later . I ' m going to brainstorm over the next few days and see what I can come up with . Since nobody reads this blog , I ' m really going to cut loose on my writing . Yes , I believe in God . Yes , I still smoke . Yes , I still drink . Yes , I think I ' m a repressed nymphomaniac . So what . I ' m cutting loose and we 're gonna see just what comes out . Let the floggings begin ! Till next time . 
Yeah ... Life Sucks Again . Well , keeping the " vacation " attitude didn't work . I ' m back to old rut I was in before vacation . Why am I so self - defeating ? Any ideas or suggestions ? Wife and I had a conversation last night that didn't sit well with me . She told me that she had talked to a friend that we have not seen in a while . The friend is married and have a two year old . We knew this friend before her marriage and hung out with them after the marriage and before the onslot of kids that we ' ve both gone through . After the kids came ( ours then theirs ) , we didn't have much in common and sort of lost track of each other as our family lives took over . Anyways , the couple is going through the same problems that we went through over the past years ( and still going through to a degree ) . Even though Wife says in the beginning of the conversation that she understands that she is only getting the wife 's side of the story , she proceeded to bad talk the husband . She claims that the husband is not being a good husband and that he has a lot of growing up to do . A lot of his complaints are my exact complaints that I have with Wife . I almost think that Wife brought this up to me to " show how Abraham acts " . Of course my response was somewhere along the lines of , " There 's a difference in ' growing up ' and becoming a 60 - year old woman . " Hehe , she cut eyes at me that should have boiled my skin . I ' m just so glad that I ' m not alone . I want to write some more , but I got to get to class . Till next time . 
Vacation : 1 , Real Life : 0 . Vacation was a blast ! We went to my hometown to see family and go to the beach . Princess thought she was in heaven . She had such a good time that I almost wished I lived there again . Wife really kicked back for a change , too . She was almost the woman I married for a week . Then , after the first day back at work , she reverted back to the " routine " . I noticed that I was a lot better as a person , myself . I guess vacation does that to you . This morning , the fourth day back , I noticed that I was slipping back into the habits of home life . Not just in the mundane tasks of home life but my attitude and outlook on life , as well . I ' m going to try to keep that attitude I had on vacation . I really like Abraham on vacation . So , it 's back to the grind . Hopefully , I ' ll be able to have a better attitude about it . Till next time . 
Midnight ... o . O . Alas ... you may be wondering why I ' m posting on my blog at this time ... and , in fact , I ' m wondering too .. Well , actually , I ' m supposed to be watching Lost with the sister , but myeh , lost interest . I ' m really not tired and I dont wanna sleep ... fuck it , time for the soft drinks ( but no cheesecake ... dammit ) Anyway , I am off now ... it 's nearly tomorrow , today is nearly yesterday , tomorrow is nearly today , and now I ' m fucking confused ... peace out y ' all \ m / " We were ' nt beaten today ... we lost " . 
BOooo Oo Ored !! o . O . Wow ... I am * soooooo * bored . I want something to do * homework appears * ah ... So , here 's my fourty - wunth ( sorry ... I had to laugh at myself there ) post ever . Today is soooo hot ... it 's like wow . Nothing interesting done today , just a cold shower , and a cup of tea to warm myself up again ... and now I ' m boiling again . Seeing as all my music is gone , I ' m listening to online radio and playing games , for the first time in a long while . To make it worse , theres no Pepsi ( only coke - . - ) , no cheesecake ( not defrosted anyway ) and nothing interesting going on ... welcome to the holidays . That is it for today . I ' m gonna sleep , eat , sleep and do exactly the same shit tomorrow ... have fun y ' all , peace out \ m / . 
Number 40 ! Hooray ! Here we are y ' all , the 40 th post ever ( ever ! ) on this blog ! We ' ve come a long way haven't we ... So , reaching number fourty can only mean a few things ... I have posted 40 comments We are 10 posts away from 5050 away from 100160 away from 200 And so on I ' m bored Why the fuck are you still reading ? This is where it ends ... To celebrate , I have some random quotes for you to enjoy ... " There are limits to my comedy . There are things that I ' ll never laugh at . The handicapped . Because there 's nothing funny about them . Or any deformity . It 's like when you see someone look at a little handicapped and go ' ooh , look at him , he ' snot able - bodied . I am , I ' m prejudiced . ' Yeah , well , at least the little handicapped fella is able - minded .... Unless he 's not , it 's difficult to tell with the wheelchair ones . Just give generously to them all " Reza Ali , the great " Yo Blair " George Bush , not so great " She 's the reason I turned gay ! " Some dude on your mum " She 's the reason we turned veggie ! " Some cannibal tribe on your mum " I pity da foo ' ! " Mr. T on a foo ' .... " Peace out y ' all ! \ m / " Me Alas , here we are , the end of the 40 th post . So many great posts , so many more to come ... wish me luck bitches , this is gonna be big ... SO , for the 40 th time ever ( ever , like fucking ever ! ) , it goodbye from me , peace out y ' all ! \ m / . 
So ...... ... here we are ... yeah .... Alas , another boring Sunday morning , I was planning to go out , but that 's not gonna happen . So , the deletion of my Windows Log in is complete , and I have now lost all my documents , and all my music ... so now I ' m just listening to online radio ... All Metallica = ] I ' ve also lost all my pictures , so there are none to post for a while . I really am bored , I suppose you all got better stuff to do now ... so , thats it for now ... peace out y ' all \ m / . 
Hiiiiiiiiiiiiigh = ] . Wow , I am on a high , baby !!! w 00 t = ] Too much Pepsi , pizza and cheesecake ... niice combo , I ' ll swear by it ^^ . Anyway , there 's good news , and there 's bad news , and theres really really bad news ...1 ) Good news - Summer Holidays have started ... six weeks of headache , boredom and all day on the internet 2 ) Bad news - My dear old dad is re - installing Windows ( apparently a virus which is my fault ... but then again , in this family , everything is my fault ... -- . - ) 3 ) Really really bad news - I ' m gonna lose all my music after the reinstall ! noo OO !!! Weell then ... holidays , here I come ! Loadsa downloading , instant food , time alone in the house and guitar !!!! w 00 t ! * headbands * Well , if everything goes well , I shall be purchasing my new school uniform tomorrow and then coming home and finishing some songs I ' m writing ( I ' ll link you to my artsit homepage someday ) . So , thats it for today , y ' all . Peace out , rock on ! \ m / . 
Heh ... elooo y ' all . Why hello there , chaps . Wow ... a new study found that most blogging is about life and personal experience rather than journalism . Heh , too right , In my case anyway . I ' m off soon , I ' ve been virus scanning a lot recently , dont ask why , heh . Today was spent downloading a lot of stuff AND finishing off coursework .. all due for tomorrow ... isnt life great . Anyway , I ' m off , peace out y ' all ! \ m / . 
WAOW !!! * sssssssssss * . Holy electromagnet ! How hot was it today ???? T ' was f - ing hot , to say the least , and it 's expected to reach up to 38 * C in London tomorrow ... so , do the maths , and you can quite easily reach the intellectual answer ... It 's getting hot in here , so put your clothes back on ... - . - Recently ... hmm .. I ' ve been downloading , and even more recently ( i . e . in a boring ICT lesson ) I contemplated some schemes to make some money during the summer holidays . Yet again , I ' m stuck at home , not that I mind , this new place rocks , I could quite happily spend six weeks here . = ] Now I have a lot of the coursework off my hands ( not to say that I threw it all away or something ... if only I could throw away work though ... * dreams * w 00 t !! ) , and , alas , I ' m nearly at the summer holidays . Woweeee ! Now you can look forward to a lot of posts from me , mostly about being bored and having headaches ... thats why you come to my blog = ] Alas ( wow , I ' ve been saying that randomly quite recently ... much to the amusement of certain people ... - . - ) . ' Tis time fore me to be off , lucky you , I shall go and do ... erm ... stuff .... keep on rockin ' dudes ... and chicks ... and ladies ... and gentlemen ... and you , I dont know what you are .... just joking ^ . ^ Peace out y ' al L ! \ m / . 
Reagan , Bush and FDR . I was watching a revealing piece on Discovery Times today , and was enlightened . Everyone keeps saying that Bush is trying to be the next Franklin " Diplomat " Roosevelt , but this is not true . After watching the hour long documentary on Red Scare Ronnie , it seems to me that the Shrub is trying to be like Reagan , but failing miserably . When Reagan took office , there were 66 United States citizens in the hands of radical Iranian students , with the consent of their leader Ayatollah Khomeini . Reagan stepped into the Oval Office and said , http : // www . noblecortes . com / Kenny / ronald - reagan - 2 . jpg " Give our people back , or we will level your cities . " 8 months after Bush took office an Afghani madman designed a plan that culminated in 2 airplanes being flown into our greatest phallic symbols , in one of our greatest cities . And Bitch said , " We ' ll get the man responsible , dead or alive . " http : // z . about . com / d / politicalhumor / 1 / 0 / U / N / bush _ simian . jpg The difference here is that Reagan meant it . When Reagan spoke , the world listened and took notes . They knew he was serious . He told India to back off , and Indira said , " Okay . " He told Saddam to stay put , and Hussy said , " You betcha . " Why ? Because , no matter what else you can and will say about He of the Wandering Mind , the man would do what he said , and keep at it until it was finished . When it came to war , he knew where to strike , how to strike and who to back in any fight . He was know as the Great Communicator , because he knew how to listen as well as how to speak . Bush II , however has ruined the US image around the world . He had the whole country and world behind him on October 7 , 2001 , when he sent a few hellfire missles into Afghanistan to send a message to the Taliban . The message , at that time was , " So long and thanks for all the death . " Within a year we had toppled the Toweliban , and it seemed we were going keep going until we had the 6 ' tall , oxygen tank carting , sweaty - toothed madman in a Brooklyn jail cell . Then , in less than 1.5 years , we turn around , and head to Iraq . We put 350,000 troops on the ground in Iraq , reached out and grabbed a British ankle , who in turn grabbed the rest of the industrialize world , minus a few . 3 years later we have lost almost 3000 people , let Osama run free , killed over 100,000 Iraqi citizens , let North Korea build up a " nucular " arsenal , and mired ourselves in a war that WE CANNOT WIN !!! , because you can't kill an idea . Bush is to Reagan as a basketball is to agent orange . One will drop from the sky , kill everyone and destroy the surrounding the countryside , because you pissed someone off , real bad . The other one is a large bag of air that can't move unless its handlers decide to push it around . 
Stop now , look around , see what 's going down . Has Israel gone over the edge ? Hezbollah and Lebanon attacked Israel , kidnapped a couple of soldiers , and lobbed a couple of rockets into their neighbor , but what happened afterward is ... wow ... I mean , really ... WHAT THE FUCK ! ? ! ? Israel 's response has been like getting bitten by an ant , then going out and napalming every anthill you can find . They are trying to pound Lebanon back into non - existence . This has moved from protective fire to complete annihilation . Israel has a right to exist , but so does Lebanon . I ' m no fan of Hezbollah , but they are a democratically elected government , with some very bad ideas and policies . If Israel really wanted to make their point and do it constructively , they would have taken a cue from Golda Meier . Take about 100 Mossad agents , drop them in various parts of Lebanon , find the kidnapped soldiers , rescue them , and leave a pile of rubble behind them . This would have been an appropriate response , by rescuing their people and attacking legitimate military targets , instead of daily bombings in civilian areas , reducing a thriving metropolis to a ruin , and killing countless innocents . How far does Israel have to go before the world wakes up and says , " Hey , now . That 's enough . Get over it . " We established Israel , we should be able to and willing to step in and calm them down . If we weren't so busy fucking up Iraq , maybe we could send some people into Lebanon to help settle the crisis . We are on the brink of a complete breakdown of society across the entire Middle East , and what is Bucky Bush doing ? Telling us that Israel has a right to defend itself , in the middle of Israel doing so much more than defending itself , it has taken the offensive step of putting troops on the ground inside Lebanon . I foresee a return to the West Bank occupation of the Gaza Strip , and further a complete eradication of Lebanon as a state , which will bring Syria and Iran into it . This in turn gives us a reason to turn North from Fallujah , and march straight into Tehran . We already have troops in place , in Iraq and Afghanistan , and after we level Iran and Syria , there would be no stopping a complete and irreversible U.S. puppet state including Syria , Jordan , Iran , Saudi Arabia , UAE , Iraq and Afghanistan , with Israel right in the middle governing for us . The Israelis are entitled to their homeland , but so are the rest of the nations in the region . Instead of provoking an escalation to the crisis , we should be stepping in and telling everyone to take a breath and calm the FUCK down ! We ought to be the big guy with the baseball bat , ready to throw out the rowdy drunks that won't keep their hands off the strippers . 
Where are we going ... and what 's up with the handbasket . Since January of 2001 we have been attacked by a terrorist that we trained , funded and set loose on the world . We have lost more jobs overseas than in the previous 220 years . We have seen gas prices jump more in one year than it had in 20 years . Relatively , this may not be a greater increase , but in real dollars it is tremendous . We lost 3000 citizens in a single day , because our Clown in Chief didn't pay attention to aforementioned terrorist . We invaded a country , which had nothing to do with aforementioned tragedy , to wage war on an idea and tactic , rather than the previously mentioned terrorist . We let N . Korea build up an arsenal of nuclear weapons , that can reach our shores , if they ever overcome that tricky little propulsion thing . Even Jim Kong Il can't hit us , he can still take out quite a chunk of Godzilla 's stomping ground . We have indebted ourselves to the First National Bank of Mao , which in itself is weird . Communist Capitalists ? We have recently disbanded the group specifically designed to capture and or kill Enema Number One . On September 11 , 2001 , Osama Bin Laden woke the sleeping giant , but it seems that Titan of democracy has taken a Loretab and a big bowl of chicken soup . Goodnight . 
Iraqed , then Iran to N . Korea . Sorry for the abscence , but I had some stuff . Over the last week we have watched the world escalate closer and closer to a conflict that I ' m not sure we are ready for . We are losing soldiers left and right in Iraq . Today there was a report on Dateline detailing the war profiteering by contractors that the g ' umit hired to rebuild a war torn country . The one talked about was Custer Battle . They took millions of dollars , overcharged the government , padded their invoices , and made out like bandits . The thing that impressed me the most , though was that the correspondent mentioned and expounded on Haliburton 's role in this dispicable practice . Haliburton , Dickhead Chaingang 's company , has lost and stolen billions of dollars , because we destabilized Iraq . I agree that Saddam Hussein was terrible leader , and needed to go . He was killing his people , oppressing the women , gassing the Kurds and overall just being a prick . However , we should have sent enough troops , funded , armed and armored them , and done much more in the PR department . We have people in America that can sell every gizmo from an apple peeler to miracle curealls ; don't tell me we couldn't sell an idea of freedom and democracy . The only reason I can think of for not doing these things , is that someone wants instability in the region , and we had to start somewhere . We have been trying to take over the Middle East since 1948 , when we instituted the state of Israel . That was the first step in a plan to take over the whole region . It didn't work , so we moved to a new tack , which has culminated in this unjust , illegal , immoral war . How many more people are we going to kill and let die so that Hellofaburden make a few extra dollars ? How much money do they need ? Can we afford it ? Where are we going next ? Since we are already in the neighborhood , I believe the situation with N . Korea is a smokescreen . We are intentionally pissing off the Ilbigman so that he will continue to upset his homies in the ' hood , while we sneak in the backdoor to Iran . We have all the necessary forces in the area ready to go . We have over 300,000 troops in Iraq , we have Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denying the holocaust , which upsets the Israelies , and Saudi Arabia would definitely benefit from the oil revenues they would control . Lest I sound like a conspiracy nut , all I do is read . Everything . If you look at the history of the Middle East starting right after WWII you will see a pattern of instability in the region , caused by us and a few members of the EU . Don't ignore the man behind the curtain , because we are definitely are not in Kansas anymore . We 're in Iraq , and it 's not going to get any better until we bring the boys and girls home . 
Kim Jong Illin ' . http : // www . rotten . com / library / bio / dictators / kim - jong - il / The little big man of N . Korea has decided it 's a good idea to launch 6 missiles for test firings . Not only do they do these tests , but they don't even do them in stages to make sure they are going to work . The DPRK just decides to blow it 's whole wad in one shot . This is like going to the prom the same day you hit puberty . Sure you 're going to get off , but it 's probably going to be nothing like you expected . The smaller missiles are not the concern , for us . Japan , S . Korea , China , Russia and other neighbors might be a bit vexed , but the one that concerns us is the Taipodong II. http : // www . pbs . org / wgbh / pages / frontline / shows / kim / talk / This is a warhead that has the potential to reach the west coast . I ' m not a big fan of California , but my talk show goddess , Stephanie Miller , is there . I would be a bit upset if I didn't get to see the crazy eyes up close and personal . This is a serious issue for us . True it fell in the ocean 42 seconds after launch , but it took us three tries to get the Discovery off the ground , too . How do we know this wasn't a success for them . It got off the ground . We are wasting our time in Iraq , chasing a bunch of ghosts that can melt into the shadows of their society , when we should never have been there in the first place . I listen to the talk shows and have heard of some amazing things in Iraq . I have heard of children playing in the streets , women voting , girls going to school , and women throwing off the burka , but this does not aleviate the 2500 deaths of U.S. soldiers . Bush was right that N . Korea and Iran are threats to peace and stability in the world . Kim Jong Il proved that today . Being a lifelong civilian and never having served in the armed forces I don't know what the solution would be . I would hope that we can solve it without more armed conflict , but this should be an option . Not only because there is a least one missle that can reach our sacred shores , but we have friends in the South Asian hemisphere . We bombed Japan in 1944 , but afterwards went in and rebuilt it . In 1950 we went into Korea and waged a war there , to keep communism from taking a hold , which resulted in S . Korea in being a democracy . In the late 1950 's we invaded Vietnam to rescue the French , which got us involved in a war for the heart of the world . We failed . After each of these conflicts we extended the hand of friendship to our former enemies . North Korea does not want that friendship . Kim Jong Il is starving his people to launch missiles that have no hope of doing anything but pissing off the rest of the world . At this point the furthest they are going to go is Japan . Japan is one of our largest trading partners , exporting cars , stereos , televisions and people around the world . China can be bat - shit crazy , but even they won't stand aside if one of these defunct warheads hits Okinawa . China could send 1 % of its standing army to N . Korea and overpopulate the entire island . Poor S . Korea is caught in the middle here . I agree with Bossy Bush that we shouldn't acquiese to the demands of Kujo , but rather get our international relationships back in order . We need the world community 's help here . We have alienated a lot of the players in that region of the world , and now we need them . Mr. Bush it is time we stand up , before this little madman knocks us down . 
Beat the Mitchell . Today 's Meet the Press was very interesting and provocative . Bill Bennett , William Safire , John Harwood , and Dana Priest all weighed in on the protections afforded the press , while running roughshod over Andrea Mitchell . The discussion was over the New York Times piece detailing the surveillance of bank transactions . http : // www . vanceholmes . com / court / bennett . jpg Bennett was very puffy and disgruntled from the start . When Andrea started the conversation with him , then went to a news piece , he started shaking his head and huffing when she then asked for Safire 's opinion instead of returning to Bennett . He continued to shake his head and get upset when the real news people disagreed with him . Bennett showed himself , in his comments and his attitude to be completely oblivious to the 1 st amendment and basic courtesy . When Priest tried to defend herself against his assertion that she should receive jail time rather than the Pulitzer , he became belligerent and basically called for the dismantlement of the Free Press . Perhaps Mr. Bennett thinks this means you shouldn't have to pay for the newspapers . Mr. Safire made a salient point when he discussed the founding father 's belief that the press should essentially be a fourth branch of government , for the sole purpose of checking and balancing the established three . No one in the press disagrees with the point that they should behave responsibly when it comes to matters of national security . There have been many instances of the press sitting on stories until given the go ahead . This particular story was in the hands of the Times for 5 years , before they released the details . It has been widely pointed out that not only have other press agencies hinted and suggested at the program in the last few years , but the President came out in October and bragged about the fact that he and the Bush league were undertaking to track and monitor the terrorists bank transactions . Each administration since Cherry Choppin ' George has had its issues with the press , but since Tricky Ricky Nixy the animosity has escalated . In the 1970 's Nixon and Ford had a love / hate relationship with the Fourth Estate . They press loved the Madminstration , because they sold papers ; the Off White House hated the press , because they sold papers . The press has a responsibility to their nation , when deciding whether or not to print a story . The President cannot set a precedent of turning the press into prisoners . If they believe the press has acted irresponsibly then they can make that case in the court of public opinion , and the people can choose for themselves whether to feed the monster of movable type . If reporters truly hurt the security of the nation then indict them , try them and let a jury of their peers judge the criminality of the situation . However , the Whities from Washington cannot pick and choose which leaks are criminal . If the Wiley House can leak the name of a CIA operative , whether covert or not , then they can't scream and threaten when someone else thinks a program is illegal and talks to a reporter . The press is not only the established watchdog of the government , but also part of the citizenry . Unless we want to institute lese majesty we have to have a press that can speak out on our behalf . 
on adventure , risk , kids , and fear .... 	 Deena commented on adventure and I found it an insightful comment . I want to follow - up with some thoughts . Here 's what she said , " With the introduction of children , I find that my sense of adventure has lessened . Is it because I fear my own mortality and the thought that I may not be here for them . The realization plagues me daily that we all leave this earth some day and isn't it better to leave my children with a sense of adventure than a sense of fear ... here is to reigniting my sense of adventure and remembering the bonds that brought us all together . " Of course , I can never think of adventure and Deena in the same sentence without thinking of her " fall " on Rainier . It was an piercing , earth shattering , warning - " falling " ... after six inches it was pretty much over . It was a great moment . Actually , this is a pretty weighty subject . When Alex Lowe died and left 2 kids there was quite a lot of banter . Both Tammi and I have been " chastised " for climbing . I think that adventure is equated with danger and rightly so , but it is an interesting pairing if you think about it . Adventure can't really be adventure without risk . I can't think of any other element that makes adventure " fun " . ( Not that there aren't other ways to have fun or other parts of it that arn't fun ) Perhaps this is a whole other topic . What is risk for one person is not risk for another . Example - a commercial float trip with class two or three rapids wouldn't be too much adventure for any of my close friends . Sure , it would be fun to take the kids , but I think we would only say the day was ok . Add in some craziness and we would have a blast . Now , throw in the kid factor to our adventures . Do I teach Bridger to climb ? How about mountaineering ? When I look at what I enjoy the most the answer is clear , but the answer is scary as hell too . And , as Deena pointed out - how about me ? What do I do ? I just went out into the desert for five days alone and climbed some things that most people would call crazy . For me it was like crossing the street and completely controllable risk ( fun ) . ( Why are these words interchangeable ? ) I truly do want to give my kids what I have enjoyed , but I can tell you one thing - it is personal and maybe genetic . I regret that neither Erin or Taylor enjoy what Tammi and I enjoy . I have had to accept the fact that they don't and it wasn't easy . I don't even completely understand it . It is so basic I think it universal - it 's not . Last year Tammi and I were mountain biking near Pine Ranch and we came across a dead guy . He was 52 and had a nine year - old daughter . He went over the bars and that was it . Broken neck - gone . On my vacation I went over the bars about six or seven times and thought nothing of it . I ' m not sure why . I will teach Bridger to mountain bike - I just love it too much and he does too - already . And the dead guy - I ' m not sure . Was he just " unlucky " , inexperienced , or something else ? I just didn't process it in a negative way . Although , I must admit Tammi snuck my name and address into my camelback - written with sharpie ! Deena 's right - it is better to leave our children with a sense of adventure . Now , we have to figure out how to make them respect the limits - especially boys . So Deena , here 's to adventure and here 's to us , and here 's to the boys - once they see all the pictures and hear all of the stories it will be pretty much hopeless - we might as well teach them well ! Comments ? 
just look around stupid ... 	 Morels aren't well known , at least not like truffels . But , this gourmet mushroom has quite a following . Goggle it and you will get about 12 million hits . To its crazed minions it 's call mycology , but that 's so it has a fancy name . Hunting morels is like hunting snipe , but after you really find the first one it 's pretty much like crack . They can be bought for around $ 40 bucks a pound , but don't ask anyone where to find them . There have been murders attributed to that knowledge escaping - these people are serious . And , rightly so - morels are good , really good . Scarce , hard to find , expensive , rare , and absolutely wonderful . This picture is in our flower bed . We have a morel factory there - go figure . No hunting , no fuss , no nothing . Just go out and see if they 're done . What wonderful things do we miss because we just don't look around ? A kids question , a moment that will never return , a lovers touch as they absentmindedly go by - I am sure it is simple things . We get busy and miss lots of morels in the flower bed . 
curiosity killed the cat . 	 What is the difference between those who , for lack of a better saying : are simply insanely curious , and never stop learning ; and those who never really care about much besides what is right in front of them ? It is precisely that curiosity that drives the machine of humanity forward and , I think more importantly , each one of us forward personally . I think every one of my friends have this quality - I think that 's telling and I certainly enjoy people who are insatiably curious . Tammi certainly has this quality . I don't think we would enjoy so much together without it . ( By the way , this is a part of one of a very curious person 's painting - Tammi 's . It is Erin studying - the person on the wall doesn't exist in our house or on our wall . It is someone from the past looking out to the future . I thought it an appropriate picture ! ) Anyway , kids have an almost universal curiosity . When does it leave and why do some people retain it and some not ? How do we pass it to our kids or at least keep it alive ? It seems to me to be one of the foundations of success . Here are some good quotes about being curious . I think , at a child 's birth , if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift , that gift would be curiosity . Eleanor Roosevelt Curiosity is one of the most permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect . Samuel Johnson I am neither especially clever nor especially gifted . I am only very , very curious . Albert Einstein Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers . Voltaire Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat , I say only the cat died nobly . Arnold Edinborough The cure for boredom is curiosity . There is no cure for curiosity . 
Friends . 	 " One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives . " Euripides , Greek playwrite " You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you . You have to go to them sometimes . " Winnie the Pooh " To the soul , there is hardly anything more healing than friendship . " Thomas Moore " A friend is someone who , upon seeing another friend in immense pain , would rather be the one experiencing the pain than to have to watch their friend suffer . " Amanda Grier It has been too long since I ' ve seen my friends . Part of my vacation was spending some time with three of my friends . I haven't taken the time to see them and that silly little fat bear seems to know more than I. It has been a trying year and in some ways I was just attempting to keep my head above water - to make it through . I wanted to spare my friends when in fact they wanted nothing more than to help me . I mostly likely hurt them deeply in order to spare my own pain . The irony is that they are the only ones who could have taken my pain . Ah , what we do to ourselves ! The very act of hiding is so counter to friendship . When I consider what I would do for my friends I think I might smack ' em up side the head for failing to let me know when they need anything - for not letting me be what I am - their friend . We have a number of responsibilities to our friends primary of which is to let them be our friends . That takes honestly and perhaps a little courage . Maybe woman do it naturally , but I think men do it poorly or at least I did . Maybe next time I ' ll get smacked up side the head . 
Recreating one 's self . 	 I think it is important to realize that we are still everything we have been . That is , everything we were is still inside us , still part of us , and still relevant , still real , and still very much alive . Once I was a boy of 10 roaming the fields and woods , dog in tow , and BB gun at the ready caring for nothing more than some new place to get wet and finding a tree and climbing with reckless abandon so I could possibly spy some new adventure . Once I was a winning gritty high school wrestler facing someone just like me and fighting like hell until an arm was raised . Once I was a Marine , shotgun in hand peering out into the night , or " snapping " the presidential flag for an arriving Reagan . Once I drove a semi along dusty , muddy , or snow covered roads loaded with diesel fuel looking for the lights of an oil rig and waiting for what surprise the rough - necks might pull out of their black bag of tricks . Once I was a mountain climber , ice tools in hand , leading grade 5 ice up a col ; screaming calves , cold hands , and summit lust . Once I was a collage student running from class to class , hating my roommates , and loathing the fact that hunger met the dining hall . Once I loved for the first time and when she left I thought my heart was broken forever . Once I was a racer , pain banished , body flexed and honed working only for the love of sport . Once a master carpenter , fitting and working with fir , mahogany , redwood , oak , and walnut ; creating beauty and very deep satisfaction . Now I am a husband , a father , a construction executive , a mountain biker , an adventure racer , and a friend . Yet I am still a child of 10 , still a Marine , and still that same carpenter . They are all deeply part of me - they are me . Mark Cohen has a song off the Rainy Season album about his father who did one thing his entire life or at least was seemingly trapped for most of his life . My father - in - law has worked in one place ; a Mack assembly line , his entire working life . I don't know how he did it , but he has . It is more than I could do - the sameness would do me in . Due to responsibility , these men seemingly had no power to recreate themselves . Rest for the Weary My father was a working man But his work was never done He stood behind a counter And he smiled at everyone He bought himself a business Worked seven days a week Took a holiday for Christmas Then he fell asleep beside the tree But one day One day There 's love for the lonely One day They walk in the sun One day Rest for the weary Rest for the weary ones Now my mother stood beside him She did what she could do But if you look at some old photograph She looks tired too I hope there was some laughter ' Cause I know there were some tears Now all I can say is I pray to God That after all those years After all those years That one day One day There 's love for the lonely One day They walk in the sun One day Rest for the weary Rest for the weary ones Now I ' m just another traveler On another winding road I ' m trying to walk some kind of line I ' m trying to pull some kind of load Now sometimes I move real easy Sometimes I can't catch my breath Sometimes I see my father 's footsteps And man it scares me half to death But one day One day There 's love for the lonely One day We walk in the sun One day Rest for the weary Rest for the weary ones I ' m not sure if our " recreation " masks our former selves or magnifies our existing selves . Perhaps it will be as we make it . I think an intimate knowledge of what we were and a clear , ever - present memory of that person surely enriches our current life . Stop and remember what you " were " . I am happy ( and I think my temperament would allow nothing other ) that I have had many " lives " , many careers , and many adventures . I will have many more - what , I don't know . But , I am quite certain that I am not finished . After all , what better than to be a grandpa and a little boy all at the same time . 
I just returned from vacation with some perplexing questions ; a number I intend to pursue in some forthcoming blogs , that is when I get around to thinking about them . It was typical vacation - go , go , go . Temperatures were outrageous ( 105 daily ) , sleep deprivation was common , and I came home with embedded soil samples and in quite a few different colors from purple to dark green . It was wonderful , life - giving , and each day holds memories I will never forget . My friends did the same and felt the same . The question is why do some people go on vacation and waste themselves with activity while others prefer more sedentary leisure ? Where 's the difference ? Each thinks the other 's vacation is absurd and can't stomach the thought of either so much activity or so much inactivity . Many of my colleagues look at my vacations and know insanity lurks just under the surface , yet many other people I know envy the manic pace of my adventures . The truly wonderful thing is that my wife is on my side of vacation equation . I don't question the fact that some people do not like sports ( climbing , biking , backcountry exploring , dangerous activities or exposed situations ) . To each his own , but " the others " have to be passionate about something besides sitting around . History , art , cities , museums , or foreign travel come to mind . Why aren't they exhausting themselves with such endeavors ? Where 's the passion ? Where 's the spirit of adventure ? Where is the zest for their particular passion ? Are they bereft of passion or are they so spent by their daily existence that sloth is the only cure ? And what of you ? Do you secretly wish for some adventurous vacation or do you loath the idea of the unknown , the untried , or simply the strenuous ? I actually think the people with boring vacations are jealous . Perhaps they live vicariously though those who do break the mold . Perhaps they know nothing else . About two years ago I met the woman who wrote Hitchhiking Vietnam . She falls in the great vacation category . As a matter of fact , I don't even believe it was a vacation - she just went Asia and ended up writing a PBS series . Beside a road in the pouring rain she rubbed my very muddy and very stinky feet , and also there 's the potato , but that 's another story ... Oh yes , and the worst - sleeping in . My god man , vacation is finite . Sleep when you get home , watch TV when you get home , lay around when you get home , but don't waste something so precious , so wonderful , so life giving as time SET ASIDE to have fun . Such times come only rarely and never can you get a bad one back . " My vacation sucked , I need another " , won't get you very far and if it did , it might get you a very long vacation indeed . Go get crazy ! 
Leaving . Sometimes I think moving would be an easy way to get away from it all . Sometimes you feel so confused , you know what you should or did think , but your unsure of what you believe to be true in the present . Maybe that 's what vacations are for . Getting away from it all and not having to think of past / current confusions , mistakes or problems you possess . I know moving would be the easy way out , and I value the relationships I have here , and I have with the person that I ' m confused about . A break would be appreciated though . p . s . If you ever read this again , sorry you have to put up with so much crap from me . I ' m not worth it . 
Israel . I ' m going to put pretty much anything im thinking about in here . ( the blog ) I think that Israel 's in the right in what its doing in Lebanon . I ' m sorry for the people in Lebanon who have to put up with the bombings and stuff but they didnt do anything about Hezbollah , and that put the Israeli people in danger . It 's the Lebanese ' responsibility to control whats happening in their own country . I heard comparison from Newt Gingrich . He said that what if we were getting rockets shot at Miami . We wouldn't hesitate to take out whoever was responsible , and thats what the Israelis are doing now . These people want to wipe them off the face of the earth , and they shouldn't have to ' show restraint ' . 
Mistake ? This is my first post , and I guess I ' ll use this as a journal . Maybe someday someone will read it . Maybe not . I ' m still second guessing myself about my decision to agree to break up with Jill . I prayed about it and hoped that the Lord would give me wisdom in my decision , but what if the wisdom was to think it through more thoroughly as I am now ? How do I know I made the right decision ? I guess time will tell . But I feel that we 're meant to be together . I love her , so why would this happen ? The said goal was to save are friendship , but why after two years of dating would we all of a sudden lose a connection ? What if a little time away would of helped ? Sometimes you don't realize how much you really miss someone until you spend time away from them . What if it 's too late now ? It 's just I know I ' m going to miss all the things I did with her . The little stuff really gets me . I mean now what if its awkward to hug her ? Our hugs were so good . I just don't see how two people totally made for each other ( in my opinion ) can fall apart . Hopefully this isn't the end and if I give it time everything will be ok . It also hurts to think that I don't have anyone to blame but myself . Sometimes its easy to just blame something and get mad at that person , event , or object . I made the decision , so I have to live with the consequences . I have so many unanswered questions to myself , and just in general so I ' ll probably be adding to this post as I think more about it . 
Blind Allegiance . It 's time for we as Black Americans to drop all of this blind allegiance to the Democratic Party , or any party at all for that matter . I personally find it disgusting that such a large portion of us simply vote Democratic by default . This should raise red flags . Some might say it shouldn't . The Republican Party is racist , you say . Don't get me started on how racist I think the Democratic Party is . In my eyesight , they both do some racist assed sh * t , but that will be for another blog altogether . Those interested , I will be posting a link soon . All of this voting Democrat ' just because ' makes Democrats lazy . They know all they have to do is pander to us the right way and they ' ve got the ' black vote ' ( ie portion of Democrat vote that will come from the Black Community ) . I mean , they can get up in front of us and say anything at all . And then they get in office , come out of office and the part of our community that 's in poverty ( this nation pretends that middle class Black America doesn't even exist ) is in no better shape than when they came in . SMH . Where does it all end ? Come on people . A failure is a failure . Scrap this blind allegiance . 
Treat Africa Americans as Americans . What do Black Americans want ? Yes , that 's the burning question on many people 's minds . Well the answer is simple . We want to be treated as Americans instead of some problem that has to be dealt with and catered to all the time . You see , this is something that has never come full circle . Throughout history , the African American Community has always been viewed as a problem . This is very apparent by the way we ' ve been catered to over the years by the various voting parties . Promise us whatever we want so we ' ll give you our vote . It 's the primary reason why I refuse to blindly show support for either the liberals or the democrats . My views are somewhere in between the two anyway . You may see me doing a lot more bashing of the liberals though . That 's because I personally do not regard their actions in the highest sense . And since the Black community as a whole votes Democrat by default , whether the candidate is worthy or not , I tend to gravitate toward their screwups more when they occur . When I say , treat us as Americans ....... let me explain . Over the years , there has been a lot of talk about us getting reparations . I don't know if we ' ll ever get them . To be honest , it 's not something I ' m sitting around waiting on . If it happens , fine . If it doesn't , fine . Because you see , the government turning its back on our community will just be old news . The primary idea behind reparations is to make up for the 40 acres and a mule that was promised but never delivered . The US government should be breaking its neck to catch up to the guilty parties of the terrorist organization Ku Klux Klan to bring them to justice for their crimes . While some of them have passed on , they all haven't . Instead you have the government refusing to press charges in the Emmett Till case . This is the only thing that really still aches me . Not reparations . But this country 's abhorrent history of turning it 's back on the murder and all around destruction of it 's minority communities . It took the Emmett Till case before anyone who wasn't a brother or sister paid some true attention to what was going on down south . They swore up and down that they didn't know anything before then . Who do they think they 're fooling . I ' m reminded of how German 's living around the Concentration Camps acted like they didn't know what was going on . Who do they think are fooling ? Who ? You know , it looks like I have a truckload of hostility . But seriously , I ' m calm as I type this . I ' ve learned that it 's really best not to expect the US Government to truly pull through when it comes to minorities . I mean , they ' ll pull through on some things . That 's expected . At least kind of look like you 're doing your job . But on major things like taking a serious look at the Emmett Till case , something that should have been taken care of decades ago , the US Government falls limp . I ' ve trained myself to not get my hopes up . I love the US with all my heart , but I ' d love it a lot more if we , as African Americans were treated more as citizens and less as a problem . I know I ' ll lose a lot of you on this . You ' ll think I ' m pulling the race card or something . I ' m not calling anyone racist . I am however calling someone lazy and inconsiderate . : - ) You see , a person isn't always a racist . Some people are just stone cold ignorant . You ' ve got to look down upon and laugh at these sideshow freaks and move on with your life . You personally are the one with the knowledge , so why waste time on someone unworthy . But I ' m digressing and beginning to rant a bit . I ' ll save that for another blog . 
N * gga vs N * gger . There is no difference . Throw all that term of endearment nonsense out of the window . Placing an ' a ' on the end simply gives the same word an ebonics edge . I mean seriously . Is it really any different from ' stalka ' coming from the word ' stalker ' ? If it isn't , well I guess I just made the word stalker a term of endearment . Go figure . 
Race Card has gotten old . Yep . Pulling the race card has gotten as old . Plain and simple . If you haven't guessed already , this is indeed in response to the Cynthia Mc Kinney incident . My my my . I ' ve read the articles and I personally think it 's just a situation that 's been blown way the hell out of porportion . I think it 's very likely that the guard didn't know who she was and simply wanted her to follow procedure . And let 's just assume I ' m wrong as all hell . Is this really worth the media attention it 's getting ? Now , if you want to talk about some racism right under your nose , what about all the nonblacks shipping drugs and God knows what else from outside of this country into the ghettoes of our nation . That 's something that needs some attention . Instead we 're concerned about Cynthia Mc Kinney not giving enough of a damn about following protocol . And why did she attack the guard ? I hope she gets prosecuted for that . That 's embarrassing as hell . The media is simply unbelievable . Eating this nonsense up . Listen to me ! This type of drivel is not important . What I mentioned above about drugs in the ghettoes . That 's important . I guess noone wants to tackle that because that 's where the majority of our gangsta rappers come from . And God knows they bring enough revenue into the nation . Black and white kids get a kick out of it . Why stop a good thing . If things actually got better for families in the projects , the gangsta rap game might dissapear altogether . If it doesn't appear to be broke , then don't fix it huh ? I ' m having less and less faith in the Democrats everyday . They only support us if we whine and moan all day . The African race is not a race of Whiners and Moaners ! Why did this become popular ? All I ' m saying is , we 're better than this . But Democrats seem to not give a damn either way . Am I denying racism and prejudice ? No. Do I think it should be overblown and made into a hindrance every time it rears its head ? Hell no . Do I go looking for it everywhere I personally go ? Hell no ! Do you know why ? Because I accept it . It comes with the package of living . It will always be here . If I encounter it , so what . The prejudice numbskull is as ignorant as a stack of bricks . Nothing to get all hampered up about . I love myself too much for that . 
Exception to the Rule the best we can expect ? There has been a lot of discussion on how far race relations have come in this country . A lot of people seem to feel that while individuals of every race more than likely will admit to having at least one friend or acquantance of a different race , said friend is more than likely an ' exception ' to stereotypes . In other words , a black male or female that has an interest in what this society deems as ' white music ' or a white male or female who has an interest in rap and ' black culture ' in general . In some circles , this is viewed as a very pitiful step in improving race relations . To me , I think it 's a lot bigger than that , and frankly I don't know why there should be surprise at the above trend . Human beings tend to associate with other human beings that hold their views or interests . It would be insanity to think that every person on this earth is compatible with the next . Much less when we 're discussing something in the vein of black and white relations , especially considering this country 's past . Exception to the rule might not be an answer that pleases everyone , but I accept it . It 's as good a stepping stone as any . 
N * gger and the Confederate Flag . What do they have in common ? Both of them are racist as all hell and have racist ties and origins . The respective races that support them generalize all day long about how they 're not racist any more , but are either a term of endearment or a reflection of heritage . They are kept alive in response to some nonexistant belief that the other race is ' taking everything away from them ' . Brothas and Sistas . Come on . Our ancestors were not calling each other that word when they were in Africa . It was introduced as a racist word to denounce us and then we picked it up ( ie were forced to accept our lower status ) and introduced into our everyday language . I used to wonder why my parents never used it around the household . Boy , I was ignorant . My parents were educated . I don't mean institution of higher learing educated , even though they kicked ass in that department as well , but education of self . I ' m not telling anyone to do anything . If you want to call yourself that word and address others around you the same way , that 's fine . As far as the Confederate Flag is concerned , the only thing I think of when I see it is The South Will Rise Again . Anyone with common sense , regardless of color , should know that The South needs to stay under the ground . I know all about what The South was about by way of literature and testimony , so get that out of here . In other words , your defense is null and void . But as with the n word , I ' m not here to tell you how to run your life , only to give ........ A Brotha 's Opinion . 
Wierdest Dream in a while . I wake up in this fancy room somewhere . I ' ve somehow managed to set the room on fire . I go into town , rather literally right across the street and there 's all these businesses . I meet a fireman . I know he 's a fireman because he has a firehose slung over his shoulder . I tell him what 's up . No sooner do I tell the guy than a fire truck comes and puts the fire out . I never actually see them do anything . It 's all built around assumption . You know how dreams are . Anyway , next thing I know , I ' m being fondled by these beautiful sistas whose faces I never see . Next thing I know , I ' m sitting in some parlor listening to some guy play the piano . He looks a lot like my kid brother . There 's a lady sitting at a nearby piano that looks like Vivica A Fox . Matter of fact , I start calling out to her , Viv ! Viv ! Like I know who Vivica A Fox in real life or something . So Vivica A Fox starts gagging for no apparent reason . No food or drink is on her table . And get this , someone comes and tries to force feed her this 9 or 10 layer cake . She won't eat it . Guy brings it to my table . It 's just a slice by the way . At least now that it 's in front of me it is . I stare at it for a moment . And then I wake up . Crazy stuff , huh ? 
Take Your Vitamins Ladies and Gentleman !! I interviewed 10 Brothers and 0 % took actual vitamins ( not vitamins through food ) . Take your vitamins . That 's all . Vitamin E is good . That 's what I take . It may help boost the immune system as well as help to maintain a healthy heart for you . I take about 600 i . u . a day . I ' ve read you can take about 2000 i . u . a day and not have any effects as a result . You can purchase gelcaps in different sizes . I purchase the Spring Valley brand 250 softgels at 200 i . u . per softgel . They range from I think 200 to 2000 i . u . per softgel . In this world of order over the net , cigarette smoke , ozone depletion and god knows what else , it can't possibly hurt to get some vitamins in your system . Give it a shot . That is all . 
Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson . Unless you ' ve been living in a cave somewhere or you 're among the many overly sheltered individuals that reside in this country , you ' ve no doubt heard of the Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson , creator of the Organization known as BOND . The Brotherhood Organization of New Destiny . I learned about Rev. Peterson by way of his book SCAM : How the Black Leadership Exploits Black America . It was a wonderful read . It echoed a lot of the same things that I had been seeing for years . I highly recommend it . I don't condemn what Black Leadership has meant in the past , but lately ........ Well , read the book and build your own opinions . I like a lot of the things that Rev. Peterson is doing . This organization he 's started looks great . A lot of people have brandished this man with all types of names . Uncle Tom . Even calling him a tool of the white man . This is because he wants Black America to stop spending so much time haggling White America . He has noticed a very obvious part of Black American Culture , which is to blame racism ( past or present ; mostly past ) for any and all problems . And an endless parade of white hatred . I ' m not going to deny the existance of racism . I ' m not sure if Rev. Peterson has that view on things . As long as there exists majorities and minorites , there will be prejudices beetween both groups . This is pretty common sense . The only beef I have and I ' m sure Rev. Peterson has the same beef , is that Black Americans have been programmed in the past and are being programmed now to let racism be a hindrance . Everybody drawing breath isn't an all out racist . If you encounter one , don't give up on the world . That 's what we 're being programmed to do . It 's the biggest bunch of madness I ' ve ever seen . But once I noticed it , I couldn't unnotice it . And anybody who battles this or goes against it is labeled an Uncle Tom . Well forget that . I refuse to let any ignorant , backwater racist hamper anything I ' m trying to acomplish with my life . Either you 're with me or you 're not . I ' m not about to sit around hassling with you because you are not worth it . I ' m not about to lose any sleep over you because you are not worth it . Life is too short . And I ' ve got to agree with Rev. Peterson about our so called black leaders . These guys are more interested in racial disharmony than anything that might be viewed as helpful to the black community . The only one that has given some serious results is Farrakhan . It has been well documented about how those guys are obsessed with racial disharmony . I can't take away the great things they do . Because they have at times accomplished some things that even the US governemnt was unable to pull off , but they still have a prejudiced agenda . In fact , the only thing that I disagree with Rev. Peterson on is how the white man allowed us to become involved with their women . This is almost like putting the white woman on some pedestal . White women are women nonetheless . Black males are males . With integration was bound to come relationships between us . As a matter of fact , that 's the number one reason integration was fought so much . But that 's another story . For another time . 
A Brotha 's Opinion . The name says it all .22 / m / LA , USA and this blog will contain my opinions and views . Some of them may offend you . Some of them might make you stand up and cheer . But hey , that 's what opinions are for . 
White Water Rafting . So many of you may know that I ' m the Senior High Youth Director at Bible Baptist Church in Hamilton NJ ... I think I might have mentioned it once or twice , the reason why I bring it up again is because Tuesday will be the first event that I have planned since being at the church . Now I might have made the mistake of expecting a lot of kids to be interested in White Water Rafting because I paid for 20 of them to go , and now it looks like I ' ll only have 12 or 13 which leaves me short . I really need prayer on this , so that I ' m able to come close to " breaking even " with the church when this is said and done . But if I don't then I guess I live and I learn . So new things with me have been , nothing really . I ' m starting to realize how soon my wedding is and how much still needs to be done for it , but I have faith in Corrie ... it should all be alright . I booked the honeymoon , but I ' m not allowed to tell you where , cause Corrie might be looking at this right now . I just need to find some cheap tickets so we can actually get there . Well that 's all I have to say for right now , pray that I ' ll be able to get too many kids on Tuesday , because too many is better then not enough . ok bye . 
Summer Days halfway over ... YES !!! So it 's been a while since I ' ve written in this wonderful connection to the outside world . I last updated in the beginning of June and said that my grandmother was real sick , the next weekend she passed away . That has been a difficult thing for me to handle ... Actually I haven't been sure how to handle it , but I guess it ' ll get easier as time goes on . I finished my summer classes shortly after the wake and funeral for my grandmother , and am happy to say that I have only 14 credits left in my College career , at least for the undergraduate work ... I don't know if I ' ll go on to get my Masters but the thought has crossed my mind a couple of times . I do although have to write some papers for the group dynamics class that I took in the very beginning of the summer , but I ' ll probably hold that off until the last second ... Some of you who read this may know that I am now the Senior High Youth Director at Bible Baptist Church in Hamilton NJ . The experience has been a good one thus far . I ' ve made some minor changes and some more major changes for the group since starting there in March or April ( I ' m not sure the exact date ) . The most major change that I ' ve made is the institution of Small Groups which we will be starting on Wednesday , so I ' ll update on how that went later on . Summer has been going well for me so far . I got to go to Ocean City for the week a couple weeks ago , that was good that I got to spend time with Corrie and her family . Sometimes it 's good to just be able to get away from things , even though I didn't get totally way from everything it was still good . Well I think that 's all I have to say about that for now . I would like to mention that I am a die hard Mets fan and they are playing pretty well right now , and for that I ' m pretty excited . I ' m even more excited that I ' ll be going to the Mets vs . Padres game at Shea on the 8 th of August . I ' ll get to see the Mets and the return of Piazza to Shea , so it should be an event to remember . I ' ll leave you with some more pictures of my nephew Elliott and all of his baby chubbiness ( I ' m not sure of that spelling ) . Ok bye . P . S . - The reason I ' m excited that summer days are almost over is because my wedding is less then six months away . YES !!! 
A weekend full of driving . So here I am at the beginning of my last session of the summer . Only two more grueling weeks left and then I ll finally have a free summer ahead of me . One thing that kind of upsets me is that I won't be at camp this summer , but that may be a good thing judging by what 's going on up there thus far this year . I ' m excited to see what happens ; hopefully it won't be as disastrous as I think it will be . This weekend I went to Albany with Corrie to see my grandmother who is not doing too well in the hospital . When we saw her she didn't look too good . The sad part about the trip is that I probably won't see her again . I really don't know how to deal with sympathy either . People say that they 're sorry that this has happened and I don t know how to react . My abrupt , blunt , tactless self says whatever but that 's not what I mean . I will be devastated when she passes , not only because she has done so much for me and the family over the years but because she is not saved either . I feel hopeless in this because there is nothing that I ' ve ever been able to say that has gotten through and now she really isn't coherent enough to listen . So if you 're reading this pray that the Gospel will be presented effectively before she passes . On the brighter side of things , I got to see Elliott the big fat baby this weekend too . He is such a happy baby . He 's always smiling , and is hardly ever cranky . Corrie and I got to spend a lot of time with him so that made the weekend a lot better . Corrie has been planning a lot lately for the wedding . I ' m starting to get really excited about it . I ' m starting to see different parts come together like the photography , the order of the ceremony , the reception etc. Only 215 days left and we ' ll be married ... It doesn't get much more exciting then that . I better start paying attention now . The pictures in this post are of my nephew Elliott ... isn t ' he fat and cute and happy . Ok bye . 
Google is taking over . So since I ' ve seen how cool google is , and how a lot of their software and programs are more then useful I ' ve decided to give this blog a try . The funny thing about me is that I will post blogs consistantly for about a week and then I ' ll forget about it and then when I want to update it again I won't be able to figure out what I should say . Another thing that keeps me from updating is that I ' ll say I should write a blog but then I ' ll forget about it 5 minute later and not remember it until I think about it again a week later . I really have a poor short term memory ... I bring my keys into the house everytime I get out of the car yet I forget where I put them , and that is kind of annoying . Anyways , life has been going pretty well as of late . Ang got married on Saturday , which is pretty exciting for her and Andrew ... but now the countdown to my wedding is really in place ... yes it is stil 228 days away but I am starting to understand what is going on within the plans ... I ' m pretty sure that we 're going to use the same photographers as Ang and Andrew used , but J and Cheryl knew about them first ; ) and I ' m looking through the book so we can get the honeymoon all set . Corrie and I have decided that I will choose where we 're going and she ' ll have no idea until we get there . Another thing that we ' ve decided concerning pictures is that we ' ll probably take them before the ceremony so we ' ll be able to spend more time with the guests . One good thing about our wedding being so far away would be that theres at least one wedding a month that we are attending until the end of august , so that will help us get through . Hopefully , Corrie won't get too overwhelmed with planning and I ' ll be able to help out where I can without getting in the way . I guess that 's all I have to say about that , I ' m gonna post some pictures of Ang 's wedding on here as well . ok bye . By the Way ... Triples !!! 
Lunch in Dahlingshan . I went out for lunch the other day . Now that doesn t seem like a big deal , but I can probably count on one hand the number of times I ve gone out for lunch when I ve been working in Dahlingshan at the factory . When I m served such great meals in the best little VIP dining room in China ( at our factory ) , why do I need to go out . My friend Mitchell had stopped by with his associate Joe , and we took the opportunity to get together for lunch at the Grand Oriental Hotel . That s one of those big new hotels I ve featured here in past postings . On this occasion , we opted for the Western buffet restaurant . Well , I found out a lot of other associates opt for the Western buffet too . I had no idea . I felt like I was at an AFMA ( American Furniture Manufacturers Association ) luncheon in High Point . As soon as I walked in , I ran into friends and neighbors in the industry . There was Mike from Outlook , and over there is Johnny from Thomasville . There s Craig from Bernhardt . Then we spied Mark from Kimball . I recognized one lady from the industry , but for the life of me , I still haven t connected her association yet but I m sure it s furniture . But of all things , after sitting down with one round of food , this shadow suddenly overtook my food . It was someone standing next to me , but in the glare from the window beside me , all I could see was a dark silhouette . Then a voice beckoned : You remember me don t ya Gene ? .. Here I am staring at this black shadow , and I start bouncing right and left to get a better view . When somehow my mind registered something and said , Rick ? Is that you ? Sure enough , it was Rick from Pennsylvania House . Let s see , I probably haven t seen him in close to twenty years . He s been here for 12 years now , and learned the language and ropes pretty well . You really realize the impact of furniture in Dahlingshan by a little stop for lunch like that . Here I ran into almost a dozen associates that I work with regularly or have known for years . And caught up with one associate I haven t seen in some time . Amazing every time , but it gets downright commonplace here . 
More Decca Birthday Parties . As I ve often said , this Decca bunch sure loves to party . Well , it seems to be birthday season , and the celebrations have been in earnest . In fact , we ve been to the same restaurant for birthday parties for three weeks in a row ! The first started with Vicky s birthday a few weeks ago . Now , this one had to be special . You see , believe it or not folks Vicky is leaving Decca !! Yes , my first translator and confidant , since I ve been here at Decca is leaving at the end of the month . So when this birthday chance came along , we all jumped at the chance for a grand celebration . It started with dinner at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Dongguan City and continued into the night with karaoke at the LV , or SLV or whatever they want to call that club . Our first dinner at the East Ocean was indeed very special . Chris was on hand from the US , and Tony took us on a brief driving tour through the Dongguan City square . [ I ll post more about that later . ] Arriving at the East Ocean , we were met by another Hickory , NC resident , Jamie , who was visiting factories for HBF . As Decca is a licensee of HBF , he stopped in to see us , and we had his driver drop him at the East Ocean enroute from another factory , where he was to join our festivities . He was more than a little relieved to see our faces , having endured a long wait at the entrance of the restaurant . I think he felt a little lost in this big country with no one to assure him he was in the right place . Oh , what a dinner ! The East Ocean has quickly endeared itself with our contingent as a special restaurant . The meals are fabulous . Even the steaks are some of the best I ve had in China . And the Alaskan king crab is divine ! You better hope the 20 foot turntable gets to you soon when that plate lands , because it is picked clean before it makes a complete spin of the massive table . Buns for dessert top off a great meal . For Vicky s night , we went over to a major Chinese bar , known as LV , or SLV . The S does not light up at night , and they suspiciously have made the signage similar to the more famous LV slogan .. but , that s China for you . We had a private room for karaoke , and sang well into the night , before World Cup semifinals started . That turned attention to soccer and birthday cake . Of course , there was one of the famous flower candles that sparkled , sizzled , and then spread its petals . Always beautiful ! Tony s night was a little more subdued , in that we didn t go to the karaoke . I understand the party did move to the Decca Hotel , but I didn t make the trek back to Dahlingshan . I retreated to my home since it was closer to the restaurant . But the food was pretty much the same great East Ocean feast . We had around 20 people in the massive room each time , all seated around one table . They have some pretty grand dining setups here ! Nothing like a good birthday party !! Photos can be seen for each at the party from links on the right column . 
One for the Road Grand Opening . I thought my golfing buddy Lucas had lost it . He had just told me he was opening a new bar in Dongguan . Sure I was glad to hear it would be an English - style pub with restaurant featuring good American and English dishes . But why would someone else open a Western bar in an area where at least three have opened in the last month ? ! ? ! Well , Lucas at least did it right ! Saturday night was the Grand Opening of One for the Road , and although the weather wasn t cooperative it was still a great event . Folks enjoyed the beer garden despite the high humidity ; and inside , guests packed all corners of the vast bar space enjoying dinner , pool , darts , and good dinners . Jason and Lucas even made it a special weekend of events with golf on Friday too . Jason moved over from another local establishment to manage the new pub , and he brought with him a golf society or league of local ex - pats . We played all the holes we could get in on Friday before a major storm blew us off the course . I even found strength enough to win two of the main prizes for Long Drive and Closest to Pin on a couple of holes . ( Thank you to all those long hitters that put em in the rough ! ) Nice prizes of a putter and golf shoes . We may be a small group of ex - pats , but we re well connected in golf equipment suppliers amongst our group . Makes for good prizes !! But back to the Grand Opening of One for the Road : What a night ? A full house of guests enjoyed fish chips to be found . With limitations in England , it just might be the best in the . Well , let s not go that far . Beer and English whiskey were flowing between the patrons . A few tried darts for the fun of it . Some serious pool players took to the tables and had some long standing runs against many a taker . The golf simulator broke a week ago , so a new one is in route . In the interim a Play Station soccer game sufficed for those interested . The big screen TVs were showing some serious rugby from New Zealand or Australia . One large table of interested fans lined up in front of the biggest screen to catch the match over dinner earlier in the evening . With no other English style sporting events , some smaller league games of rugby were shown after the major contest . But by then most guests were more interested in mingling and sharing tales . As mentioned , there have been many major bars open in the last month in the area . One for the Road seems to have found a good niche though . Conveniently located just across from New World Garden , the biggest ex - pat living area , it has the size for comfort , yet small enough areas to still be able to gather your own group for some privacy . And the food .. Oh , I just can t say how good it is to find a good burger and fish Jason !! More pictures available from link at right . 
A Kidney Transplant Story . On my last trip to the US , I had an unusual reunion with a colleague of the furniture industry . Getting out of a car in High Point , I ran into a former planner for Baker High Point , Burke Ivey . It was good to see Burke , as I immediately chided him about how life must be tough at home , remember that his wife had given birth to triplets while having another young one in arms at home , along about the time I left Baker . To my utter surprise , particularly with the thoughts of my predicament entrenched in my mind , he told me that his wife had recently given a kidney to one of their sons ! When he told me , he had no idea about my situation . I had not gone public at that time . But I was glad to know of his experience , and I used the next hour or two to garner all the information I could about what they had been through . It was great relief and comforting to hear the medical attention that had been given to his wife and son . It was then that I knew that I needed to go forward publicly in hopes of finding the match I needed , and to obtain more information from friends like Burke . Please read this heartwarming article from a Jamestown newspaper about the experience of Burke and his family : http : // jamestownnews . womacknewspapers . com / articles / 2006 / 06 / 21 / news / features / features 18 . txt And remember to check the links : United Network of Organ Sharing ; Coalition on Donation ; and Signup as a Donor . 
July Health Update . All right , I know I ve not been keeping up with my postings to my blog lately . I ll try to catch up . So here is a little of an update : I m doing fine . Doctors tell me I am fairly stable . But that doesn t take away from the need for a new kidney . I still need a new one ! In the meantime , I still go on with life . I have few side effects . My mouth tastes like I ve been chewing metal from time to time . And I never even spit nails in an upholstery plant ! [ Inside joke for furniture friends . ] I play golf from time to time . Work is still about the same . I do tire very easily up stairs or hills , but other than that , I m doing pretty well . Since I posted the notice about my situation , I ve heard from many of you from around the world . The emails have been very rewarding . I really appreciate the outpouring of support and kindness . It has been good to hear of the prayers and concerns from all over the globe . I know the spirit of all of you with God s help will get me through this . But it will still take a new kidney . So far , one relative is being tested for a match , and I know of one friend that may be tested . Another friend who was so gracious to step forward with an offer had a history of diabetes that negated him as a candidate . Still the offer alone by someone to consider such a thing has been almost too much to handle . I really don t know what to say to someone who has even given it a thought . It is a lot to ask of anyone . But then again , I know I still need a new kidney , and one from a friend or relative is my best bet . I have to keep reminding myself that I do need to put someone through this , and that the risks have now been greatly minimized . As I mentioned in one posting , the numbers of patients awaiting transplant are rather daunting and frightening . At this time , I am not even really on the waiting list for a cadaver kidney . I am listed , but somewhat in absentee . Being in China puts me too far away to get one if it came available with a match for me , but there are so many other patients ahead of me right now , that that is really a mute point . If I get to the point of a cadaver kidney being the best option , I will be back in the USA . But as I ve mentioned before , a living kidney donation is still my best bet right now . If you are considering or will consider , please read the posting from my sister of a few weeks ago and contact her or the University of Colorado , Denver Hospital . 
Forgive the poor quality of my cell phone camera , but I think most of you can recognize the unmistakable Krispy Kreme logo !! New store coming here at this site in Times Square area of Causeway Bay , Hong Kong in August . 
HOT Sign .... . Coming Soon !! I couldn t believe my eyes !! Here I was in Hong Kong and there it was : the HOT sign !! Okay , so it wasn t really a HOT " sign , but it was a sign for Krispy Kreme !! And announcing a new store in Times Square area of Causeway Bay !! YES !! YIPPEE !! Yes sirree . Opening soon in Hong Kong is Krispy Kreme ! In fact there may be up to 20 stores . They just hit Tokyo last week , and in August , Hong Kong !! Sunny days are here again !!!! I m not so sure Hong Kong is ready for our glazed treat of treats ! But I am . They are not big sweet lovers here . And they are pretty conscious about fattening type foods . I was pretty excited to find a Aunt Annie s pretzel stand a few months ago in a supermarket in Hong Kong . It s already gone . And in Dongguan , they have a sign for Cinnabon coming soon . Now I really can t expect it to do so good here . Most bakeries here have breads with tuna fish fillings . Yuch ! Not exactly what I call tasty . Me , I m just anxious to get that first . hot . glazed .. Krispy Kreme .. doughnut . right off the conveyor in Hong Kong !! More soon ! 
Guests and A Dedication . What a hectic week ! I knew it would be busy , but I had no idea . I was expecting three visitors from our Atlanta offices , and my good friend , Chris , but we had a lot more . You see , Monday was the Dedication of our new building . A special bus of our Hong Kong personnel was coming in to visit . Well , as the Atlanta group showed up they also informed me that we had just received a call from the Starwood Resort folks ( Sheraton ) , and they had five people ready for a tour of our facility on Monday too !! Well , look out ; let s just have everyone show up at once . The Starwood group arrived and wanted a quick tour impossible in a facility of now over 1 million square feet . Plus , they wanted to question everything they saw ! And to top it off the temperature was peaking around 35 C ( think around 95 F ) . I had been at Decca on the day we had the original ground breaking for the new building in March of last year . So I had been lucky enough to see the addition of 360,000 square feet from the start . I wanted to be around for more of the Dedication , but I had to continue the tour with our guests . Besides we didn t want them standing too long in the sun anyway . A guests passing out from sunstroke is not a good thing . The Dedication took place on the rooftop of the new building in a scorching sun . I thought someone said there would be umbrellas available , but that was only for those smart enough to think about bringing their own . Another dozen management members huddled under my shadow ! Don t laugh . They were enjoying it ! But I had to move along with the tour before most of the festivities . I was able to get a lot of photos from the many photographers there for the day . And I did hear part of the ceremony , particularly the fireworks , even when I was some distance away . What a string of fireworks . It was probably a good thing that I wasn t so close to that noise ! More photos available from the link " New Building Dedication Ceremony " link in the right column . 
Why I ' m Still in China ! Okay , some of you have questioned why I m not returning right away to the US considering I need a new kidney . Let me assure you , I m in the best place possible right now . Where else can I get the care and attention from fellow workers like I do here ? You just can t believe the Decca folks . They are great to work with . In fact , my life right now is like having a dozen mothers hovering over me . They really care . Our owner s wife and daughter are at the plant visiting or working every week , and they have taken a direct personal interest in my diet and care . Daily they check what I eat and they insure that the food that is prepared for me follows my diet . You see , right now it is important that I be on a low - phosphorus diet . That is pretty tricky . The main thing is to reduce dairy products , wheat products , and another set of ambiguous items . For example , mandarin oranges are okay , but oranges are not . Frozen broccoli is okay , but fresh broccoli is not . Anybody know where to get frozen broccoli in China ? They don t even know that concept here . Everything is fresh . But my diet has been copied and translated to Chinese and given to our cooks here at the factory . They are good at daily assuring I get the best food for my diet . So far I ve lost close to 30 pounds since I moved to China . I dare say , I doubt if I would have done as good in that respect if I was still in the US . And medical care couldn t be better . I m listed on the waiting list at the University of Colorado Denver Hospital . The director of the kidney transplant team in Denver is from Hong Kong . What a small world . And he connected me to a local nephrologist , who is renowned in Hong Kong . I couldn t be in better hands or ever find better care . When the time is right to return I will . If all goes well , I will just schedule and return for a couple of months to get a transplant . Otherwise , if my conditions worsens , which again I remind all , I feel fine right now I will return and be ready to receive a kidney from the waiting list program . But I prefer the first option . In the meantime , I m happy at my job . I ve got great medical care nearby . The folks I work with , smother me with care and affection . My career is enabling good medical insurance . Why would I want to leave this now ? I will when the time is right . In the meantime , stay in touch and please continue your prayers and concerns . 
Donde la claridad misma es noche oscura . The title of the post is the title of a book from a latin - american writer , I haven't figured out an english phrase which transmit the same degree of despair as the spanish title . Any sugestion is welcome . Hey people , write some comments , will you ? , it 's lonely here .. By the way , last time I wrote I was expecting , and somehow feeling , the effects of the prozac . I though it was starting to work on me . But oh my , was I more wrong ? Not only it hasn't worked , but I ' m feeling more depressed than before . I feel void , never the title of this blog was more accurate , heck . I have stopped any writing of my thesis , and the course I ' m taking this summer is going not too good , to say the least . It seems like if anything I do , I don't get any pleasure from it . That 's one of the symptoms of the depression , I know , but hey , why doesn't the medication work ? For a concrete experience : say I ' m at home and I start thinking what nice would it be to go to the nearest bookstore , drink a capuccino , browse over some books , maybe buy a couple of books I may find interesting , spend some leisure time . Then , I go to the bookstore . And it happens that the reverse thinking occurs to me : I long to go back to home , and rest , and watch some tv and maybe read some book ( isn't that ironic ) . But I know when I get back to home the reality will not be as I imagine . And that closes the circle . I think it is clear that I want to escape from me . But everywhere I go , I am there , no escape , only the expectation of escaping , that 's the only time I feel some relief . But , by definition , it is transitory . Pretty gloomy post , huh ? Well , that 's the topic of this blog . 
The joy of summer . What were you doing ? Why don't you post more often ? I ask myself , since according to the statistics not too many people read this blog ( although there were some interesting comments in the past ) . Well , I was hoping and waiting for the prozac to kick in , the doctor increased the dosis to 40 mg , but I haven't felt anything too much different . I wonder if I ' d be inmune to this medication , other people seem to enjoy it a lot more . Anyway , I ' m about to start the summer term in this fucking town and more fucking university . I still have to complete some courses , which means the usual stress to pass with A , and it also means having to talk with people and to move around the big masses of students happily walking between classes , thinking in their bright future , dreaming in the wonderful and easy life after they graduate from such a " prestigious " university . How I hate them , man . How I hate their big trucks ( you know of which college and town I ' m talking about , right ? ) . Hey , if nobody read this what 's the point of anonymity ? By the way , the experiment of passing a course with B or C failed . And as usual the satisfaction lasted a microsecond , while I ' m still wore out , sad and defeated . But cheer up my dear me , there are still oportunities , some classes still to take , and most of all , we can still fail in the decisive moment of defending my thesis . Or easier , I can fail to write it ! ( which is more or less what is happening ... ) . 
Prozac , not Plato ! On a not so unrelated topic to the previous post , I finally went to the doctor and told him : " hey , I ' m depressed . " " Ok , here you have some prozac " , he said . Heck , it was too easy . Or perhaps I was really convincing that my symptoms were fucking my life . Well , if you think that it took me years to have the strength to go and to say " I ' m depressed " , that is probably a strong enough symptom . But I haven't felt any change , this is already my third week on this stuff . I wonder if the dosis is too low , or if I have to wait ( I heard it takes several weeks to produce some effect ) , or even if I need some stronger kind of antidepressant . Sometimes I think in taking more than one capsule . I haven't done it . But how would it be like to take 5 capsules ? 20 mg times 5 = 0.1 g . What would be to take 0.1 g of prozac ? The answer is probably one google search away , but I have resisted the temptation of looking for information about this thing . I don't want to know of side effects or so , I only want that it works . I also wonder how would it be mixing prozac and marijuana , but that is just a rethoric question , as you would notice if you read the previous post . 
Weed . There was a time , last year , when I went back to my country for a congress . I really didn't want to go , conferences are a lot of stress for me , too much people , relations , meeting my old fellow grad students , sharing hotel rooms ... But I had to go . Then something weird happened . Every day , after the activities of the congress , we went out for beers . In those nights I discovered that most of my peers smoked marijuana . Man , how can I be so outsider ? ! ? How can I be so blind ? I had spent lot of time around them , mostly around the university , and although I ' m not close friend with most of them , we had been in bars , pubs and parties ( yes , sometimes I go to parties to suffer ) . I know them from almost ten years ! Did you want a proof of my social skills ? Here you have . But the weirdness continues . They invited me to smoke , that was my first time I tried a drug . It felt really good , and I kept doing it almost every day for the two weeks that lasted the conference . The funny thing was that I started to feel less anxious around them , around the people . I felt that some kind of connection made a click between their group and me , and I could fit . That 's the exact word , I fitted . And it wasn't only a subjective impression on my side , but some of them said farewell to me with a " hey , ... we really enjoyed these weeks with you " . Can you believe it ? I was astonished . Ok , I read later that everything may be an effect of the weed , but what the heck , I wish I ' d be permanently stoned if that is one the symptoms . The brighter vision of the world remained for a month after I returned to the US . Then , it started to fade out . And the worst part is that I ' m incapable to get weed . How can you do it when you have no contacts , when you don't have anyone to ask where to find these kind of things ? I guess that after you make a contact the rest is probably not difficult , but that first part is the most difficult for me . I have wandered sometimes around bars , trying to smell if somebody is smoking , so I could ask him or her ( pathetic , huh ? ) . But I ' m blind , I probably won't get any result , judging from my previous lack of intuition . I ' ve even had dreams about smoking pot again ... oh , man . Let 's stop here . 
Any comments ? Long time no see , huh ? I had forgotten about the therapeutic effect of this blog . The last posts tried to be more or less well crafted , they took some time , and they were written not because of pure fun but thinking in the ( possible ) readers . If you have read this blog from the beginning you probably remember that I have a strong tendency to worry about what people think of me . Now I ' m trying to recover some of the good feelings that I got after writing the firsts posts , fresher posts , without hitting the " delete " key as I said in very first , almost incoherent , post . I ' ve received some comments in previous writings . Although I ' m a not so well socially adapted person , although I have fear of people and friendship and interpersonal relations , I must confess that I feel exhuberant when I find that someone made a comment . Wow , I think , someone read this babbling and felt it worth to make a comment ! Well , half of the time they are just spammers who said " great blog , you surely get a bookmark " , and I believe it ( how pathetic , isn't it ) until I click on the name of the commenter and I walk into some porn or so . Oh well ... But sometimes is real people . And ( warning : more pathetic things coming ) I feel really good , for a moment at least . I get back to read the post and the comments several times during the day , until gloomier feelings and the usual depression kicks in again . So , is it people and relations the cure for depression ? Is it talking and sharing good remedies ? Ah , who cares . Too much effort . I always liked some lyrics from Pink Floyd , The wall , that say : " I don't need no arms around me " ( * ) . The arms around me feel good and warm , though . Ok , too much contradictions for now . And since I ' m exercising the " write it for fun " rule I think I ' ll stop here . There was a short time when I was happy among people , with some little not so virtuous help . That 's for next post , stay tuned . ( * ) Update : Pink Floyd , The Wall , Another Brick in the Wall Part 3 . 
A day in the life . Do you want to enjoy a typical day in my life ? At least these empty days in spring break are like this . Come with me , over here , please . Sit and enjoy : 11:15 AM : I wake up , sleepy , want to keep sleeping .11:30 AM : Turn on laptop and put the kettle on for tea .11:45 AM : Turn on TV and look for cartoons or similar things ( actually I ' m watching a lot of " Between the lions " ) . Start bouncing between reading blogs , mailing lists , feeds , watching the TV , sipping the tea . Dream about the whole day I have in front of me . I do this until I finish my tea .12:15 AM - 17:00 PM : Repeat previous routine ( without the tea ) over and over .17:00 PM - 18:00 PM : Lunch break , with net and TV , of course ....3:00 AM : the same , you get the idea .3:00 AM : go to bed , read a little . After the day is gone I worked nothing . I feel guilty , empty . I got nothing from the day . Well , it 's spring break , you may say . Yes , but I was planning to use the extra time to do some work , and my plans are crushed by my worst enemy ( what a cliche , huh ? ) . Lately , last weeks , the ( self inflicted ) - pressure to finish the dammed phd has increased . I ' ve been feeling physical problems , shortness of breath , things like that . I went to the doctor , something that it is not easy for me , and even more difficult when I know that the examination may involve taking off my shirt ( refer to this post ) . They ran several tests and x - rays . It seems that it 's just stress ( another cliche , aren't you bored ? ) . Ok , to honor the spirit of this week , as if I care ... but , heck , here it goes . Contrary to the title of this blog , I have one " good " thing to say about this holidays : I read usually at bed , before going to sleep . I ( re ) discover the pleasure to read during the day , several hours straight . At the end , after reading , I worked nothing , as in the previous schedule , but I feel less guilty . Actually reading : " Geek love " , very good . Anyway , the good stuff is the exception to the rule . 
Drawing dogs . Words I can write are probably not enough to recommend the drawings of Sam Brown ( explodingdog . com ) . Take a look at the loneliness , sadness , and sometimes cruelty of some of the characters . All with an immense human touch , even tough most characters are just stick men ( I wish I could draw stick men like that , sigh .. ) . In a nutshell , Sam picks common phrases and makes a drawing inspired on them . Some of my favourites : i thought i could helpwhen i was young it seemed life was so beautiful it 's been so long since i last saw you i came here to find out who you are . 
Bloody homeworks . The reason for the " bloody " expression is that I watched a Monty Python special this week ( fabulous show ) . I have to watch again some of their movies , I think the holy grail is next on my list . Anyway , I have been thinking about to avoid spending a lot of time in my homework this semester , and to concentrate in the research , to see if I can finish this bloody phd sometime . These last weeks I gave it a try . It doesn't feel too good , sadly . When I neglect to do some exercise because I don't want to think hard , I end up with the confirmation that I ' m stupid . And although I really believe that I ' m not intelligent , I don't want to see it written in paper with the form of a " B " . But at the end , does it really worth to spend a lot of effort in the courses to pass with " A " ? . Let 's see if I can manage to pass a course with " B " , let 's see if that leaves more time for my research work , and let 's see what I think about myself after that . An interesting experiment ... But I ' m afraid of the result . 
Litanie a roportuaire . ** DEPARTURES ** / ** ARRIVALS ** / ** CUSTOMS ** / DUTY FREE ** / ** Boot 's ** / ** Lavatory occupied ** / ** ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA ** / ** Life jacket under your seat ** / ** As a courtesy to the other passengers , please wipe off the bassin after use ** / ** IN FLIGHT ** / ** STRIP ** / ** Catering ** / ** OUTER ** / ** Bombay Sapphire ** / ** TERMINAL B ** / ** CAR RENTAL ** / ** KEY DROP ** / ** Window or Aisle ? ** . 
Inspiration Tremble . I wrote a great blog today . In fact , it was the first one in a while I was really happy with . Then the electricity went out . POP . And now I cannot bring it back . It is still in my head . I can see it . I smell it . It 's right there along with everything else . But nothing comes out . Nothing . Something died there . Just like that . Gunshot . POP ! People often pass me in the library or in the park and see me writing . The pen to the paper . No PDA touchpad microwave oven scribble scrabble . Their look is somewhere between disgust and curiosity . But more and more I ' m beginning to be glad for the process . When I put it down , it 's down . Down for good . If the electricity fades , so much the better . I swim in the ink and go within my head , smelling everything , tasting everything . It is then that the well fills up . See you there . 
Echoes . And no one showed us to the land And no one knows the wheres or whys In the day , in the evening , the city chokes in its own breath . The sun has set and it 's past midnight . Only the echoes of the day could be heard . In those echoes we live . In those echoes we breathe . No one showed us to the land . But we are here . We do not see it . We do not know it . We hear only its echoes . Somewhere there are our parents . We do not know them . We do not see them . We hear only their echoes . We run , circles we run around the skyscrapers we run in the playgrounds for the bored we run and we bang our fists and ask for more . The dream . Supersized . Around the skyscrapers we run . Chasing the echoes . Echoes of our parents ' steps . Echoes of ourselves within our memories . Where are we now ? What were we thinking then ? Can anyone hear me ? I hope I am making a sound . sound sound sound ... 
Happiness , or something like it . Over the rails , me and the homeless man been traveling in laps the whole night . Stop go . Stop go . His face is round . It doesn't look homeless . He sits in the plastic subway seat in peace . Over the fuzz of his beard a few bread crumbs bounce along . I am so hungry that I want to eat them . And he tells me get a grip on yourself man . Get a goddamn grip . So I grip myself and grip on to the seat and we keep bouncing and keep lapping and lapping the city . And somewhere he tells me drink my poison . And I take a gulp and somewhere inside a ball of warmth rolls down through my toes . And somewhere a Dire Straits song comes on . And somewhere . I ' m somewhere . There , there . This is love and its ending one stop at a time . This is happiness . Or something like it . 
Help . Help . There is a wolf at the door . Over my bed he stands when I am asleep . I do not see him . I have learned to sleep with my face to the wall . But he is there . I feel the loneliness of his breath over me . I feel him watching me . He does not harm me . He does not touch me . In the doorway he stands . Over my bed he stands . Behind the shower curtain he stands . Behind the darkness he stands . In front of me he stands . I look down . He does not scorn me . He does not blame me . Help . There is a wolf in my house . Before the sun he brings them out . I buried them so long ago . But he brings them out . He takes them out . Before the sun they come out . Before me they sit . They crowd the living room . I no longer have a place to sit . So I stand . I look down . The wolf never travels alone . I long for the sun . I long for the day . I long for the emptiness . I long to sit . I long to be warm . I long for the night . I long for the wolf . Put me inside . Put me inside . Help . 
The Physics of Self Preservation . Forced currents of expanding energy flowing into an infantesmally small area exceeding the boundries of human science forcing darkenss into the light and crushing the sprits and emotions of the weakest subjects . A current that removes free will and excludes the power of rational thought . Loss of self determination in a physical world where determination is all . 
Idle musing . Black day - You cant say what you want , you cant be who you want . Trying to change what you are has the wrong results , being who you are has the wrong results . Need to step back take a breath , slow your brain down . Where does self control become self - absorbtion ? 
The Beast With Two Backs . A brief connection of the spirit with another , Pulse racing , heart in mouth , Holding , caressing , joining , Dissolving the boundaries of the flesh , in the flesh of the other . A gasp at the first touch or stroke , promising sweet release , A taste of forbidden flesh , metallic from sweat Holding each other harder , deeper , Hot breath heavy on each others skin , lips , face Sharing meaningless sounds of need Frantically increasing the rhythm and tempo of lust Finally , the connection broken in the violence of their climax . 
All the lonely people , where do they all belong ? I am trying to write something lighter , I get a sentence down and then delete it , write another , delete it . I think that my brain is not about to allow me to write anything light . I think it is conspiring to keep me on the dark side . An observer who only sees with a visor of pain , a kaleidoscope of human misery , seeing the world as if through a filter that removes all happiness . I look around me and , I see people engrossed in conversation , about their jobs , their houses , their cars , their friends , their lives . I wonder who is happy / sad / lonely / alive . They are all so different ; the aging office worker , missed his chances in life and now sits on this train with his tie on despite the heat as if it gives him the chances of success that he squandered and the respect he will not grant himself . The young girl next to him , early 20 s , her breasts riding up from her shirt , pale and soft , smart enough and happy in her existence , although maybe a little lonely and unsure , wondering if the guy she is chatting to is the answer to her fear of loneliness . The guy she is talking to , wearing the latest labels and talking with confidence and animation , trying to hide the fact that he cannot hide from his own neurosis , staring at her chest thinking of touching , kissing , fondling , a moment of passion outside his empty apartment . The middle aged couple opposite me , sitting quietly side by side , one reading the paper , the other a history book , comfortable with each other , but this is as close as they come to communicating , neither sure if they have reached their potential in themselves and each other , so they hide in the words in front of them and take comfort that they are not alone . The large prematurely bald man with a tatty rucksack , holding his head and chewing his cheeks , worried about some conversation he will have when he gets to his destination . The obese man with shock white hair talking in a foreign language on his mobile phone , pens in his shirt pocket as a sign of his importance and work ethic , desperately pretending for all the world to see that he matters , he makes decisions that affect people . His bored wife next to him with badly dyed hair and a bored vacant expression . The skinhead sleeping as a result of the heat and another late night of too much booze and not enough nourishment , his body sagging as he sits there unconscious and unable to present his best side to his fellow passengers . All are people with pasts and memories , things to do , people they know and love and all I see is their pain . . . 
Summertime , and the living is easy - Hell Part I. He sits on the train trying to breathe , sweat stings his eyes and creates little rivers of frustration down his back . He wipes his forehead and top lip only to find then saturated again in seconds . The heat is suffocating , unbearable ; he can feel it getting to him a layer of grime sinking further under his skin . People always get crazy in the heat , violence and angry abound , he doesn t mind , it is too hot to think , to hot to think about them . People always get crazy anyway . The small insufficient windows on the train let in a breeze every now and again , it is warm oily air , but it tastes like life , that maybe the heat will go away someday , he knows it wont , but allows himself the illusion that it will , trying to hold it together as a rivulet of perspiration slides down his side from his armpit to the soaked top of his trousers , he resists the urge to brush it away , it doesn t matter there is always another one . Just keep breathing the stagnant air , don t move , and don t think . Thirst is starting now , maybe he will die here , maybe all the other people in the carriage will watch him die , unmoving , unthinking , they will watch and not care , it is too hot to care . Always is . The train pulls up to another station , instantly the stifled atmosphere thickens , there is no breeze now , just people sluggishly trying to convince their soft melted limbs to work and get them off the train and on the train . He doesn t know if anyone managed it , his eyes have shut , trying to hide from the sweat and heavy air . Maybe he can sleep , just switch off and ignore the discomfort , but he knows he cant , this is his punishment and he has to take it . The train pulls away , that tantalizing flutter of air is back , giving him enough air to open his eyes and look at the cracked landscape with ponderous and stunted beings struggling through the thick air . At least he is not out there , at least he has the breeze , that tiny glimpse of life , Licking softly at his sodden clothes . The landscape is changing now , getting brighter as he moves out into the country , brown dead fields around him , a starved land , cracked and broken by the heat , nothing lives out there , nothing he would call life anyway , must stop thinking , too hot to think . More sweat tickles its way down his back and the side of his face , wiping it away will generate more heat , better to bear it , deal with it , it is the only distraction he has from the furnace anyway . He sees robots and mannequins trying to work the fields , tyring to get life from something so dead , if it wasn t so hot he would laugh at the futility of their existence , of his own existence , but it is too hot to laugh , too hot to think these thoughts . He wonders if there was ever a time that he did not breathe this hot rasping air , there must have been he thinks . How could he know the heat if he did not know before the heat ? Maybe he made up the rest , the heat is all there ever was and he is torturing himself with the fallacy of cooler times . It doesn t matter anyway , this is where he has ended up and it is all there will ever be . The train speeds up , but the intermittent splash of air stays the same , they wont give him much respite , in all likelihood it is going to get worse , how will he breathe when his lungs have turned molten , a fire within to match the fire in the air . Who cares , its too hot to think . The next station arrives , the platform shimmers next to him , an undulating body of water over the hard concrete , teasing him with its image , he knows it is not there , he looks away , and it makes it worse . So there was a hell after all he thinks , and it is here on earth , and we are all in it , just trying to make it through our own eternities , and stay in the shade as much as possible , nothing else to this life , just try and avoid the heat , don t move and especially don t think . 
Happy Marv 's Diner of Glee - Hell Part II. He sat in the diner trying to hold his shit together . Trying to make the whole thing make sense . Drinking too much coffee , stomach cramping for a lack of food , and years of abuse . His shirt stained with sweat , urine colored patches around his next and armpits , he didn t care why should he , he had been skull - fucked by the world enough to know that the state of his shirt could not change them , to know that his belly hanging over his belt was a sign of the time , not of his malaise . Why did he bother dealing with this shit , why not just go out and fucking end it ? The whole place was full of broken people , all trying to pretend they were still together , they still had it , not even realizing that their patched and frayed personalities just looked like rags to everyone else , the poverty of spirit that led them to such drab ruined garments pushed form their minds in a puppy - like desperate need to please , to suck it all out , swallow the vile essence smile and ask for more . They were pathetic , so was he , but at least he knew it . So , he sat there alone and drank coffee glaring at them all , they could feel his menace and maybe some could see the truth in his eyes so they shrank from his fetid gaze to reapply their world makeup and continue with the fa ade . He remembers what it was like to be them licking at the asshole of a system they could not understand , he remembers and wants to laugh , but how to do that , he does not remember , so he grimaces , stained brown teeth rotting through his gums . He knows they cant face his truths , it doesn t make him better , it just makes him angrier , makes his unstable and clogged heart pound a little harder , makes his ears roar as the blood rushes to his skin in a map of broken capillaries . Eventually he stopped breathing . 
Keeping up with the Jones ' . My body has needs that ignore my head , my heart has desires that ignore my mind . Am I , my mind , separate from my heart and body , are we three each an individual ? Do I share my space with myself or am I one being disjointed in my control ? There are compromises , it is not an unhappy union for the most part , but the demands of my flesh and soul compromise less than my mind , I am the junior partner to my selves . I must eat , I must love , I must drink , I must desire , these are the uncompromising facets of the darker sides of my neighbours . I can hold my own and refuse their calls for a while , but I know I must break or die . Does it belittle my mind that it has to share its meager portions with these bullies ? Am I forever to be under their contorl , yoked to their orders like cattle in a field ? Can I transcend myself ? 
Live the universe and everything . Pulped mind and rancid thoughts squeezing through a mesh of self - absorbtion to reach the abbatoir floor and breathe in the decayed smell of shattered dreams and unfullfilled desires . Crawling through the razor wire of life leaving strips of flesh and emotion each inch of the way , stripped to the bone and dying of loss by the end of this obstacle . Eating its own essence to swallow the wants and cravings of its heart , before they swallow it . This is life , ain't it fun ? 
Take a look at yourself . Take a look over here . What do you see ? A fool ? A romantic ? A heartless brute ? A white knight ? We are all things to all people , and how they see us changes with how we see ourselves , not a mirror image a twisted view warped by their own wants and needs . How can you know what your actions , your words , do to the charicature that exists in their minds ? Openess and honesty open you up to their gaze , but dont let you change it , so you fling yourself on their mercy and pray they see the you that you see when you look into the mirror of your mind . 
Diwali , a ABCD perspective . So , like this huge dude had , like , a big cool kingdom and the people really liked him . But , like , his step - mom , or something , was kind - of - a pain and she forced her husband to , like , send this cool - dude , he was Ram , to some national forest or something ... since he was going , for like , something like more than 10 years or so ... he decided to get his wife and his bro along ... you know ... so that they could all chill out together . But DUDE , the forest was reeeeaaaall scary shit ... really man ... they had monkeys and devils and shit like that . But this dude , Ram , kicked ass with darts and bows and arrows ... so it was fine . But then some bad gangsta boys , some jerk called Ravan , picks up his babe ( sita ) and lures her away to his hood . ANd boy , was our man , and also his bro , Lakshman , got pissed ... And you DON ' t piss this son - of - a - gun cuz , he just kicks ass and like , all the gods were with him ... So anyways , you don't mess with gods . So , Ram , and his bro get an army of monkeys ... dude , don't ask me how they trained the damn monkeys ... just go along with me , ok ... so , Ram , Laksh , and their monkeys whip this gangsta 's ass in his own hood . Anyways , by this time , their time 's up in the forest ... and anyways ... it gets kind of boring , you know ... no TV or mall or shit like that . So , they decided to hitch a ride back home ... and when the people realize that , like , our dude , his bro and the wife are back home ... they thought , well , you know , at least they deserve something nice ... and they didn't have any bars or clubs in those days ... so they couldn't take him out for a drink , so they , like , decided to smoke and shit ... and since they also had some lamps , they lit the lamps also ... so it was priitttty cool ... you know with all those fireworks ... really , they even had some local musicians play along with the fireworks ... and you know , what , dude , that was the very first , I kid you not , that was the very first music - synkronized fireworks ... you know , like the 4 th of July stuff , but just , more cooler and stuff , you know ... And , so dude , THAT was how , like , this festival started . Diwali rocks , maaannn . 
Thought for the day . Too often we lose sight of life 's simple pleasures . Remember when someone annoys you it takes 42 muscles in your face to frown . BUT , it takes only 4 muscles to extend your arm and bitch - slap that mother # @ $ ** ! 
Learn Chinese in 5 minutes . Read this aloud . That 's not right ... Sum Ting Wong Are you harboring a fugitive ? ... Hu Yu Hai Ding ? See me ASAP ... Kum Hia Nao Stupid Man... Dum Gai Small Horse ... Tai Ni Po Ni Did you go to the beach ? ... Wai Yu So Tan ? I bumped into a coffee table ... Ai Bang Mai Ni I think you need a face lift ... Chin Tu Fat It 's very dark in here ... Wai So Dim ? I thought you were on a diet ... Wai Yu Mun Ching ? This is a tow away zone ... No Pah King Our meeting is scheduled for next week ... Wai Yu Kum Nao ? Staying out of sight ... Lei Ying Lo He 's cleaning his automobile ... Wa Shing Ka Your body odor is offensive ... Yu Stin Ki Pu . 
elemental stupidity . here 's a few thing 's u should try to not do : - A hungry Dutch burglar was caught frying a fish in a house he was burglaring . The householder woke up when she smelled the cooking of someone in the kitchen . - Thief steals ambulance : A thief stole an ambulance parked in front of a house in Edmonton where paramedics were attending to a patient . Only 45 blocks away the man was caught by the police . - Man in Nepal marries dog for luck and dies : An elderly man from Nepal , 75 years of age , married a dog in a local custom to ensure good luck only to die three days later . - Thief steals broken car : A russian thief did not get far after he stole a car from a repair shop in southern Moscow without realising the car had no brakes . When the 24 - year - old thief tried to get away ... - A couple of thieves stole a public toilet in the Belarus city of Gomel with a man still locked inside . The 45 - year - old was trapped inside because the thieves had put a rope around the toilet and he couldn't get out until the rope loosened because of the bumpy ride . When he was finally able to open the door he jumped off the tractor and broke his collar - bone . He later reported the incident to the police who later tracked down the stolen toilet at a local resident 's house . - A 17 - year - old boy was arrested while trying to hire an undercover police officer to kill his mother . He instructed the " hitman " not to damage the television during the attack .... - ' Wrong way ' driver warns police about ' wrong way ' drivers : A pensioner from Bern , Switzerland , who was driving the wrong way down a motorway stopped to complain to police officers about all the other people who were driving in the wrong direction . - A thief in Brazil , who stole a car , returned it after the owner rang him up in the car and told the thief he was going through some financial difficulties . - A teenager has been arrested for trying to sell drugs to two police officers . Both police officers had the word ' police ' written on their jackets in large letters . - A pair of thieves who seized a van loaded with pricey designer goods near Paris on Wednesday took a two - hour detour so they could drive the owner home for his Christmas Eve dinner , . - Woman 's cows are not allowed to vote : A woman from Newmarket , near Cambridge in eastern England has tried to register 2 of her cows as voters . It 's the second time she 's done this . Russian survives snooze on train track : A Russian man who fell asleep between train tracks failed to wake up when a 140 - tonne cargo train passed over him . Vladimir Rasimov passed out and fell asleep between the tracks ... ok . that 's all i can take . i think i need some sleep . Thankfully , these are not thing 's i had the pleasure of finding out . i took it from several websites . incidentally , here 's how u can ur own hollywood ' hot story ' ! " " " mr. ______ & mrs . ________ have decided to break up over an alleged __________ , but say that they are going to continue to have illegetimate children , and that separation will be ________ for them . " " " . 
Washing my mind . wat do u do when ur angry ? do you : - scream - shout - rant - cry - throw priceless glassware around the room - punch potato sacks ? well , a recent study said u can relieve maximum tension by punching the person or thing that is causing u to be angry . generally not advisable , but i can handle that . 
" " . The Prophecy shalt not Fail . " " . The Prophecy hence speaketh : Three seats for the minorities under the sky , None for the priests in their halls of stone , nine for mortal MP 's doomed to diffidence , one for the Dark horse on his dark throne , In the land of maharishis where the shadows lie . one ballot to rule them all , one ballot to find them , one ballot to bring them all ; and in the darkness bind them ; in the land of maharishis where the shadows lie . 
. meltdown . Here in chennai we are all subject to sunlight that can leave any desert to shame . went to bangalore for a few days . came back here and was greeted by an oppressive , hot , humid gust of wind that left me squandering about for several hours . enough already . For some strange reason , chennaites seem to realize that they need ac 's only after experiencing the meltdown for a few weeks ... ac sales soon boom afterward . me , just like like every other perv . in the city had to spend summer trying to get into college . shrivelling up like an earthworm in the sahara , reading late into to the night , stopping every now and then , daring to peek out of the window to hope for a wayward gust of somewhat cool breeze , generally chased back into isolation by a fierce blast of hot air . u r gonna get blisters on ur feet the size of pancakes if u walk around bare foot for a few minutes . i actually tried to make raisins . it took less than an hour to shrivel those green grapes u find here and there . i almost felt drops of molten metal dripping onto my head from the fan . drip drop . wont stop . aaah ! im welting * ! * ( yes . welting . ) . 
School Starting . I haven't been posting for a while , been lazy and busy . Went to mount rushmore . Really nice , but at the worst time of the year , because it was a biker rally week . I have now two days to get ready for school and haven't even started packing my bag . Oh here is a pic from ISU . Dont ask me ... Dance Party ... Taping Spencer to the wall ... He had it coming ... 
War of the worlds . War of the Worlds , God that was the greatest movie I have seen for a long time . Steven Spielberg made this movie the greatest . This is a must see film . I give this film a 5 / 5 Star rating ! 
Star Wars III : Revenge of the Sith . Yea Star Wars ! Went to go watch this movie with my friends . It was a great move . Kind of fast start when anakin kills Count Duku at the start . Everything else was awsome . Lots of action . Great proformance . If they had to make Star Wars VIII. It would be called A New Order or A New Jedi Order . Where they have problems with The Sith that still continue to exist . 
My new DVD + / - RW Duel Layer . Finally , Get my hands on one of this 16 x DVD + / - RW DL . This new DVD writer owns my old 2.4 x DVD + RW by HP . I want to burn some Duel Layer movies . but the problem is that it is too costly to burn . I go over to Wal - Mart to see how cheap they sell it . It was $ 30 for a pack of 3 . That is like $ 10 per disc . That just wont cut my budget . Comes with Easy CD DVD Creator 6 and Photosuite 5 , but I really dont need those programs . I got Nero 6 Ultra Edition which kicks ass. 
Smarty Template Engine . Wow , I finally take the time to test out this Smary Template Engine for PHP , and I loved it . It was easy to use , and I will be using Smarty in my CMS that I am developing on my free time . 
Fun interlude : Outside one morning . People who know our village know that traffic can get pretty crazy outside . This was taken last week . The truck got stuck delivering next door and had to make a 6 point turn to get out . This was about 5 minutes into the operation . It slowed the Mercedes drivers down ... 
Plugging away ... For those who are on the ' Reporting in ' list : I ' ve had another railway article accepted - I just heard from the magazine . I ' ve also put this weeks installment of the ' courier ' story online here . 
More on the published stuff ... This week has been mostly busy , with patches of real encouragement here and there . The writing continues to develop ... although it didn't feel like it . In fact on Wednesday it seemed to be so pointles I asked God if I was getting it wrong . He gently reminded me that I should be trusting him , not my wrtiting ability . Yep , did it again ... so I apologised . Then yesterday afternoon the railway mag emailed to say they had accepted my article , and they were open to more article pitches ( Suggestions ) from me . And this morning the Cross Rhythms ( http : // www . crossrhythms . co. uk ) which is one of a very small number of christian radio stations in the UK , have emailed and accepted another article for their online magazine . this one is about our time in Japan and the issues with Obon and other stuff . So we are pretty happy campers , especially as the railway mag is paying us . I don't know about CR . I ' ve approached a German website with an offer to translate into English and they are looking at the technicalities and to see if they think it is worthwhile . Another non - payer , but if it gets my name on the bottom of their website as a translator , then I can put it on the CV ... I ' ve also started a ' fiction blog ' which has a very basic story ( It is the ' absolute story blog ' after all ) This it needs people to vote for how the story will develop at the end of each episode . I ' m hoping that this will make the story fresh and get people involved Please have a look at that while you are here , and vote by leaving a comment ... It is under http : // int - courier . blogspot . com / I have a couple more ideas in the pipeline , and I ' ll let you know them as they develop . 
Mcfly Go Naked In G . A . Y ( again ) !!! - . Mcfly Go Naked In G . A . Y ( again ) !!! Mcfly got their kit off on stage in London gay club G . A . Y . How clever are these boys , if you haven't got the musical talents , just give ' em anything else you ' ve got at your disposal ! 
The Answer May Surprise You : Q : Did " Brokeback Mountain " make America faggier ? ( The answer may subversively titillate you . ) . The Answer May Surprise You : Q : Did " Brokeback Mountain " make America faggier ? ( The answer may subversively titillate you . ) . 
A message to all the bottoms out there , Thank You !!! Found this from internet . The following is a message of gratitude for those on the recieving end of sex . Thank you for always arching your back and putting your best cheek forward Thank you for keeping your ass nice and clean Thank you for letting us continue fucking you even after you ' ve already came Thank you for going through the pain / discomfort the first 2 - 3 times before you loosen up Thank you for letting us screw up the first time yet continuing to come back for more Thank you for laying there and taking it like a man when encountering those of us well endowed tops Thank you for putting yourself at great risk for our pleasure when you occasionally let us cum in your ass Thank you for not saying anything when we 're new and we flop on top of you like a fish out of water Thank you for letting us cum on your back Thank you for moaning even when we 're not pleasing you at all And most Importantly Thank you for being bottoms ! if it weren't for you gay life would not be nearly as pleasurful as it is . 
Goal ! today is another tournament again ... siliver star challenge ... da ... last time round got 4 th position ... me , ali dagu , viki , fairuz , alvin , kyle .... this time round only left me , viki , kyle , and new players who is Melvin and Faizal ... 48 teams .. all the best tamilan teams in sg came down ... as a keeper ... it very stress ... as i am the only chinese goalkeeper ... so it is very important ... for me to prove that i am good ... as not throw away chinese faces .. first game ... win 3 - 1 .... i guess ... there is enough ... as all the teams down there already got impress by me and team ... then we went on to win again 5 - 2 ... and draw last game 3 - 3 ... this is enough to bring us to go second round which is next week ... i hope the sappi viki will sent me the video soon ... 
u make me laugh . recently been doing the same thing ... same old same old ... some buddies going ns and some coming out ... some having their blossom luck ... while some trying to break the duck .... beenn a month since i blog in ... ignore the spelling error just ... i just want to make a fast one .. and end this entry ... recently i been reading alot ... some article i read the other day really make me " laugh " or should i say ... sickening ... well this fellow is trying to educate and giving " ITs " points how people should behave ... and or wat ever it is call .. i only read two read of that junk article ... and i stop reading it ... because i found the author is just hidden verison of the people " IT " is mentioning .. so look at urself before u make a mass publish of ur post on how should people behave or watever u call this ... although " IT " post does not concerns me ... but it is normal for me ... to make these type of fucked remark on things that i don like ... u are just a lier who always contracdic urself .... u never know or remember ... but Dr Rays ... knowscheerios ! 
like duh . well i don think any one is readin this blog .. but anyway .. i have to post this blog for my hardcore supporters outthere ... today is simply bad ... raining cause the match to cancel ... during going home time .. had to tahan in rain ... letting in one goal .... well ... ciggies running out and it is wet ! 
three in a row .... this week been to MOS 3 times , wednesday , thursday , friday .... it like just the same week ... and it damagin my ears drums ... but not bad la ... can see some of my TP school mates ... like kennath and joyce there ... and some of my outside frens there ... of course ... there will be hole in a pocket too ... actually it is a week of up and downs ... well well well ... 
Album of the Month : Steve Tyrell 's " The Disney Standard " . 	 If you are fan of the whole Rod Stewart type of standard covers , then you will be pleased to here there are others out there doing it and doing it a lot better . Steve Tyrell for example . I don't actually remember what type of music was his claim to fame , but needless to say he is very suited to this type of music . He has put out quite a number of albums filled with lush renditions of many wonderful classics and this one is no exception . Through the years , Disney has produced some of the most beautiful and memorable pieces of music and on this album they take center stage ! Mr. Tyrell covers the Disney classics " When You Wish Upon a Star " and " A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes " which have been done a thousand times . Unique to the album , however , are the best tunes . My favorite is " Baby Mine " which also happens to be the oldest tune , which is from the film Dumbo ... This soft melody is so touching and is sung just so simply , not over produced ... quite beautiful . I also love " Bella Notte " the song from Lady and Tramp whenever the two dogs are eating the spaghetti . I almost forgot how beautiful this song is . Steve also has some fun with renditions of " Cruella De Vil " from 101 Dalmations and " Kiss the Girl " from the Little Mermaid . Although the songs I ' ve mentioned are my favorite , every one of the tunes on the album is noteworthy , but I ' ll let you discover your own favorite ... It was released in Febuary ' 06 , so you should be able to get it in any record store . Pick it up ! 
Personal Shopper at GIANT EAGLE . 	 Ok , this is like my dream come true . I walked into the Giant Eagle on Centre Ave , you know the one ... all billboards are calling it the " Market District " Giant Eagle ... its a super fancy grocery store that gets to charge an extra dollar for macaroni and cheese . ANYWAY ... I walk in and they have this panel of hand - held scanners on the wall ... I am draw to this display like flies to my dog 's shit and I have to find out what is going on . So I watch the little info - merical they have playing on a LCD screen in the middle of all of these devices . Apparently , you can fill your cart with empty bags and walk around the grocery store and scan and bag everything right then and never have to " check - out " . You have a little screen on the scan - gun that lets you see the running total and if you have an coupons , you can scan them too ! WOW ! This is the grocery store of the future ... only .. now . So I go about my shopping and get all of things that I wanted to buy and of course a few extra things , because I shopped when I was hungry ... All the while , my little scanner was telling me how much I was spending . So when I was done getting everything I needed , I was a little perplexed on how I go about paying for everything ... After all , I had all of my groceries bagged up already , I could just waltz right out of the store . But I am honest and I guess I looked like a lost dog , because this energetic young woman with horrible garlic breath asked me if I needed help and I told her I was done , while showing her the scanner in my hand ... She told me to follow her and we down to the last lane which is just a little stand with a screen .. you scan your " Giant Eagle Advantage Card " and it brings up everything you ' ve purchased and I paid my bill ... Wow that was cool . All the while , my little brain is just wondering how in the heck does the Giant Eagle know that I ' ve paid for everything in my bags !!! So I asked the girl who really was talking very close to me and serverely needed a tic tac how did they know that I paid for everything and she told me that they do a random scan of about every tenth customers who use the Scan - Gun system ... And if the items they scan aren't on your receipt you get banned from the system !!! So like what if a small apple or something fell into my bag or someone stuck a can of soup in cart to try and set me up ! No worry she said , you have TEN TRIES !!! So I have to have more than ten stolen items in my card to get banned ! Jeez .... This seems like highway robbery . So really I ' m guessing that if you are lucky enough to not get a random search and scan , which I believe could possibly be against my constitutional rights ... I ' ll look into this later ... Then you could skate out of there with hundreds of dollars of free groceries ... We ' ll have to see if this system takes off . Discuss . 
The Pirates Game . 	 Yes Ladies and Gentlemen , I was present at the historic record - setting 13 th loss in Pirate 's History game last night ! Thanks to Dan for the tickets ! 
Colonblow . 	 Today I have taken the first dose of COLON BLOW ... yes you heard me right COLON BLOW . Experts agree that an excellent prevention method for Colon Cancer is to get a high colonic from a doctor . Well I don't want to go that far . So this COLON BLOW stuff is an all - natural alternative . I know that name is kind of funny , but we ' ll see what happens . I will document the results here ! If you want some more information .... check it out here : www . colonblow . com. 
The Family Stone Review . 	 The Family Stone ( 4.5 / 5 stars ) This movie was just terrific . Sarah Jessica Parker was excellent . It was a little hard getting past seeing her as Carrie Bradshaw , but she did a great job of shedding that image . Diane Keaton , Craig T . Nelson and Claire Daines also had wonderful performances . I really don't want to say anything about the story , in case any one actually reads this and goes to watch the movie . Needless to say , it is superb and you wont be disappointed . 
Today I was carded for ... ALLERGY MEDICINE ? 	 Well gone are the days that one can walk into a pharmacy and purchase some good old nasal decongestant and not be accused of being a crystal meth addict . Today , my allergies were at their worst ... I was doing my laundry and I just couldn't stop sneezing and my eyes were itchy and watery and I couldn't handle it . So I left the Bloomfield laundromat and strolled down to my local Eckerd Pharmacy . I picked up a single box of the generic form of Claritin - D , which has the lortadine allergy medicine and the decongestant psuedophedrine in it . This box has five , count them twice , FIVE pills in it . Now , I may be wrong here , but if I was going to start my own meth lab , I might need for than FIVE pills of pseudophedrine to do it . But oh well , that 's besides the point . The nice teenager working at the register politely told me that I needed photo identification to purchase my allergy medicine . I was taken a - back . I really couldn't believe it . I was like .. " Umm do you have be a certain age ? " She told me no , and went on to say that everyone who purchases anything containing Pseudophedrine , the main ingrediant in meth , needed photo identification so they could log it . I couldn't believe me ears .. LOG IT ???? So now all of my allgergy medicine purchases are being tracked by the federal government and I presume that if I purchase to much , some sort of agency will come after me . Never mind that I can walk right up the street and purchase crack from one of the many dealers on the block or solicit sex from a local prostitute , but the more important thing is that the government needs to know where , when and how much Clariton - D I have purchased . This is CRAZY . Now I understand the otherside of the coin . There are countless people , probably some in my own neighborhood , that are addicted meth users , brewing their own home - made stash in their basement and this is a plague that needs to be quashed . But there HAS to be a better way of doing it , other than inconviencing the consumer and the poor phamarcy clerk who apparently gets screamed , cursed and swore at all day long for this new federal regulation . Perhaps I shall write a letter of my discontent with this new regulation to my local legistator . I ' m sure I ' ll get a response . 
Movie Reviews : Hostel & Date Movie . 	 Hostel ( 3.5 / 5 Stars ) If you like scary movies , then you ' ll probably like this one . There is plenty of fake blood , screaming and of course lots of boobies . I don't know why , but the latter is always a pre - requisite for scary movies . Think about it , when was the last scary movie you saw without some d - list actress taking her top off . ( Well actually to be fair , SAW was the last one , I don't think had any boobs in it , but ANYWAYS ... ) The story is actually fascinating ... There is a pair of naive and helpless Americans backpacking across Europe . Apparently these two guys want to have sex with pretty European women and this one gentleman conviently recommends they travel to a remote Croatian town ... The two guys check into their Hostel ( which I guess is the European word for " hotel " ) room only two learn they will be sharing it with two other gorgeous , tanned and topless females ... Queue pair 14 of 68 sets of breasts . The two girls seem to take to the American gents quite well and invite them out to the " disco " ... They still call it a disco .... The girls wiggle and wobble their gigantic racks in front of the Americans and slip them some sort of little white round pill . Now , I know that when I travel abroad , I always let conviently beautiful women place unknown substances into my mouth . Anyways , the Americans eventually get laid ... and fade off into a drug induced sleep ... can you just imagine the cheesy blurred camera effect ? They wake up to find themselves in a strange dungeon like room , hand - cuffed to a chair ... All sorts of medical instruments and torture devices line the walls . I wont give away any more of the movie .. But where I leave is actually where the movie starts to get interesting . Ok , so the way that it happens in the movie has lots of scary music playing in the background ... And of course the whole story is based on true events , thus making the whole deal all the more scary ! Gee mom , this can't really happen to me can it ? So , should you see it ? If you have two hours and four bucks to waste , like apparently I do , then go for it ... ( rent , this is not one for the living room DVD shelf ) Don't expect to be completely terrified , but mildly freaked out . Also , if you are the least bit squeamish .. Like my dad is .. Then don't see it .. There are GRAPHIC scenes of bloody human torture . Then again , some of us like that kind of thing ... Date Movie ( 1 / 5 ) I actually watched this movie first in my line up Thursday night of excitement . I had high hopes for this flick . I like Allison Flannigan and I enjoy the other " Scary Movie " movies , so I thought what they heck , I should get a good chuckle or two out it . On the cover , they let you know that it was written by two of the six writers of Scary Movie . Let me just say those other four writers were sorely missed . I tend to like campy , turn your brain off comedies , but this one was bad . The two remaining writers made a valiant effort , spoofing everything movies like Hitch , Meet the bookers , My Big Fat Greek Wedding , the Wedding Planner and every romantic comedy in between . It amazing that I ' ve the originals of most of these . Two times I laughed out loud in this movie were a scene involving a cat and a toilet and another scene with a GIGANTIC zit . Other than that , it wasn't as great as all those commercials made me think it would be . Also , if its one of the movies that is " guaranteed In Stock " at Blockbuster , you know it isn't going to be any good . Its always the movies that they only have two copies of that are any good . So , should you see it ? My answer is no . Next up ... " The Family Stone " and the playstation games " Mission Impossible " and " The Simpsons : Hit Run " . 
Since the World Is seemingly such an ugly nasty place full of ill mannered folk . . . I might as well be having a " DEADWOOD " marathon . Just officially got hooked on that show , as of this past weekend ( watching on DVD , as I am one of them dirt worshiping heathen who does not have cable TV ) . Yes , many if not most of the denizens of this fictionalized version of the real former pioneer gold rush camp are the foulest bunch of folk ya ever seen on TV , but at least they are entertaining . Hell , look at the state of the world today . Iraq , Iran , Afghanistan , Lebanon , oh and the cowardly psychopathic pundits on various bad cable TV shows and elsewhere in print , and . . . some fictional Wild West killers who play basically only with six shooters and knives look rather quaint by comparison , even if they can't go for a minute without cussin ! Oh and I stopped right before the episode in Season One titled " Mr. Wu . " Now if Mr. Wu ran a resturant , I don't think I would want the Pork Fried Rice , or any pork products from his hogs . ( Inside joke there ! ) . 
About that Rant ? Sorry for the rant ; I am just feeling rubbed RAW lately . It is just that between the shitty news on the news ( WAR ! All WAR all the time ! Nothing going on here but WAR ! ) and the fact that Raw . . . wa R ? Raw . . . wa R ? Ok somewhere there is a witty punchline to that set - up , but it escapes me right now . Point is I really need a vacation from death and destruction , rudness , and poor table manners . Maybe I should just go back to planning my cruise . YA . . . let the rest of the world burn up , but keep them Bahamas Islands pretty for me will ya ? I be comin ' on down hopefully in September ! 
Suffice to say . . . I had an unpleasant and totally unnecessary encounter with the exact sort of trash I was talking about before , in my last post . And before I go further , I apologize for being redundant but . . . why do SOME fucking assholes not know they are fucking assholes ? I have met assholes who were totally aware of their asshole - ness and embraced it . Them are the one that I can suffer . But it is the shit for brains , " I can't be a bad person cause I am me , " thinking motherfuckers I can't stand . I just wanna scream at them , until the power of my voice makes them melt . Oh and changing topics , yes things I like about my life . I like going to work . Not in every way , but for the following reasons . ( a ) I go into NY City ( yea ! ) ( b ) I see people -- I mean actually see hear them . ( c ) I see all these different looking , sounding people ( I would have to kill myself if I were around the same sort of people day after motherfucking day -- that is HELL , damn straight skippy !! ) ( d ) And then I actually get to work and even if I can't flirt in the workplace , if I am lucky I get a little flirting from the women in the office . Hey - - I don't need sex , but I at least need to feel like an above average attractive male . Can't get that feeling on the internet , not dealing in text at least . Text wipes out all the things that make men men and women pretty and interesting . Again , I apologize for repeating myself but hey , that is what I feel . 
Aww HELL I might as well make a point further . . . In My opinion ( this Monday Evening ) it is not our foreign enemies who have the best chance at destroying our American Way of Life , but it is selfish and irresponsible and thoughtless and greedy Americans who are gonna fuck it all up for the rest of us . Bastards ! 
We are FAWKED , Part Deux . { How do I get on these tangents ? Hell , just living in the world , dealing with the stupid beautiful ugliness of it all , I recon ??? } Anyway I guess this is a follow up on the first of yesterday 's posts . For what ever reason , mebbie -- most likely the lingering effects of dealing with the stop the haters petition over at media matters ??? Go here and voice your dismay with the haters : http : // mediamatters . org / hatefree ( Oh -- they should add that shit Savage to this list . What filth we honor in the country nowadays -- alas , discordia , but I nearly digress there . ) Anyway , let me get up to date and time here . I did one of my semi - random googles here , and my query was : " self centered children . " This is a chunk from the article on the second return : 4 . A sixth grade teacher recently said : " I ' ve started substitute teaching after being away for eight years . Kids have changed - I can't believe how cruel they are to each other . If it 's not physical , it 's verbal . It 's constant , and it 's intense . " The Carnegie Commission report , " When Dreams and Heros Died , " says today older adolescents have a " titanic mentality . " They think the ship of state is headed for disaster , but they want to go first class . Their goal is not to better the world but to make a lot of money , have status , and live well . Television sitcoms teach children that put - downs are funny and cool . And a steady diet of TV commercials ( the average child sees 20,000 per year ) fosters a self - centered appetite for ever more things and makes it harder for parents to encourage children to think of the needs of others . The bottom line is that the society around us , perhaps more than ever before , teaches our children selfishness and cruelty . When the changes of adolescence , the changes of mid - life , and the changes in our world and our society come together and converge within our families , we feel the pressure . Sometimes it feels like an explosion ! Can sensitivity neutralize the pressure ? Can extra - centeredness become a practical , day - to - day atmosphere and pattern of life that prevents some problems and solves others ? We think it can - see if you do . Oh and here is the link ( haven't read the whole page yet myself . But I recon I will . ) http : // www . valuesparenting . com / teenagers / whyitsotough . php Main reason I am posting this up here is I am continuing with my " self - centered assholes are going to destroy us all , if we do not make a stand against them , and DEFEAT them , " thing . . . if you haven't sussed that part out , yet . But hey , like I say up there in the header of this blog , " Failure is Highly Probable . " That don't mean I am giving up the fight , now . I still got some fight left in me , yet . 
Let 's Get Cynical . . . . Cynical ! Ok , so I am reading this paperback , written by Dan Brown ( " Da Vinci Code " fame -- nope I haven't read that one yet ) called " Digital Fortress . " Now one character , an NSA Supervisor , discovers something downright ALARMING about another character , but ( apparently in a basically conscious act of DENIAL ) thinks to herself : " True , [ He ] was obnoxious and arrogant . . . but he wasn't a traitor . " And then comes the part that made me sit up and take notice : " And yet , Susan realized , there was nothing to stop him -- nothing but honor and decency . " Oh , and this character was very short of both . But I am mentioning that here not to praise Dan Brown 's writing . That phrase about " honor and decency ? " Made me think , cynic that I am , that if that is what we as a nation or species are relying on , for collective success and survival , we are FAWKED ! Sorry , I know many people are honorable and decent , but many people ain't ( or not consistently enough ) and all it takes is one shitheaded , selfish , asshole to ruin things . Who is more powerful ? A football stadium full of honorable people , or one shitheaded , selfish , asshole ? And as my Tax Law Proff would say , " It Depends . " And what it depends on is circumstance , such as , is the asshole in question in a position to ruin only one person 's day / week / year / life , or a few , or a dozen , or hundreds , or thousands , or millions and millions ? Scary thought for a Sunday , sorry for being a downer . That is what is on my mind . Hey it could have been worse . I skipped watching Mc Lauglin Report today , in favor of typing this up . Ok ; back to reading for a bit . 
Things I like About My Life . But before I get to that , first the thing that is BUGGIN ' ME ! I made the step - down from the stage II , 14 mg nic patches down to the 7 mg patches . Shit ! Hell ! I feel the change , in a large and unavoidable way . I am tempted to get a box of the 14 mgs and go back to that ! As I was saying to folk on my job site ; I quit the smoking after more than 20 years -- my entire adult life , and if I have to be on the nic patches for a whole year , NP . I am better off still being addicted to the Nic and / or still on it , as long as I am not smoking . I basically quit smoking ( minor exaggeration here ) because I felt myself dying . I have not smoked in two months . Goodie Goodie . BUT . . . . this is my last chance . I know if I go back to smoking , I will not last 10 years . Might not even last five . Oh now where were we ? Hell , I have gone long enough here . I will do the other topic later this weekend I believe . Mmmmm , I still have one 14 mg patch here . . . I am saving that bad boy for tomorrow . I will be doing a full shift on Saturday at the workplace and will want the boost ! 
Happy Independence Day ( Almost ) . Not a whole lot going on here . I am still on the nic patch . I am likely still a little more cranky than usual ( although I had a very nice day yesterday . ) I am still angry at the world , when I let my self think too much about things I have no control over ( like the state of the world . ) And whoo hoo I still got two days off to go . Ok , that is it for now . 
I may be synthetic , but I ' m not stupid . Gammal nyhet , men den m ste ju bara med i AWo A : Japansk robotforskare skapar fj rrstyrd robotkopia av sig sj lv " pga pressat schema " . Ishiguro 's silicone - and - steel doppelg nger was made from casts taken from his own body . Powered by pressurized air and small actuators , it runs on semiautonomous motion programs . It blinks and fidgets in its seat , moving its foot up and down restlessly , its shoulders rising gently as though it were breathing . These micromovements are so convincing that it 's hard to believe this is a machine -- it seems more like a man wearing a rubber mask . But a living , breathing man . But " Geminoid HI - 1 , " as the robot is called , has another trick up its sleeve . " Everyone , thank you so much for coming today , " it says in polite but languid Japanese at an ATR demo Thursday , its lips moving to the sound . The voice is Ishiguro 's , broadcast through a speaker inside his android double . Geminoid can be operated remotely so the robot reproduces the voice , posture and lip movements of Ishiguro , who wears a motion - capture system . A mouseclick raises a hand or finger . Wired . 
Instructions for the Kali - Yuga . Virgin startar superhj lteserier riktade till Indien . Virgin Comics is actually three imprints , or lines , of comics . The Shakti imprint , from the Sanskrit word for power , will tell stories illustrated in India and loosely based on Indian myth . It debuts July 12 with Devi , the story of a goddess reborn as a young woman who fights crime in modern Sitapur . Also slated to be released as part of the Shakti line are Snakewoman , created by Kapur about an L . A . woman possessed by a demon , and The Sadhu , the story of a young man who abandons enlightenment for revenge . The latter tale is written by Gotham Chopra , who was one of the executive producers of the Chow Yun - Fat film Bulletproof Monk and is chief creative officer at Virgin Comics . East West Via Boing Boing . 
Gratis kryptidbok . This is a reprint of A . C . Oudemans ' The Great Sea - Serpent , which was originally published by Luzac Co. , London , in 1892 . This comprehensive work includes discussion of over 160 sightings of sea - serpents . Hoaxes and misidentifications are also discussed , as are the characteristics and possible taxonomy of this mystery animal . Oudemans was one of the first individuals to suggest that the sea - serpent may be an unidentified mammal . Prints 577 pages . Illustrations . PDFHerper ... kom ih g barn , bara 2 % av v rldshaven r utforskade . " There are more things in heaven and earth , Horatio , than are dreamt of in your philosophy " . 
St lmannen b rjade som skurk . 40 saker du inte visste om st lmannen ; 1 ) He started as a bald villain ! One of the all - time greatest good - guy superheroes actually began life as a big , bad bald guy bent on world domination ! Comic creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster first drew him as a villain in a January 1933 story called " The Reign of the Super - Man , " which appeared in an issue of their comic fanzine Science Fiction . It bombed , so they reimagined him as a superhero . Listan . 
Philip K . Dick - robot f rsvunnen . Tyrell : Would you ... like to be upgraded ? Batty : I had in mind something a little more radical . Tyrell : What ... what seems to be the problem ? Batty : Death . En android modellerad efter Philip K . Dick har pl tsligt f rsvunnit . AWo A s ger , l t honom f sin frihet ! The light that burns twice as bright ... NYTimes . 
Avd . skr ckiga sjukdomar . Harlequin - type ichthyosis ( also harlequin ichthyosis , ichthyosis congenita , or keratosis diffusa fetalis ) , the most severe form of congenital ichthyosis , is characterized by a thickening of the keratin layer in fetal human skin , appearing as massive , diamond - shaped scales . In addition , the eyes , ears , mouth , and other appendages may be abnormally contracted . The scaly keratin limits the child 's movement , and because it is cracked where normal skin would fold , it is easily pregnable by bacteria and other contaminants , resulting in a serious risk of fatal infection . he features of sufferers are very deformed . The ears may be very poorly developed or absent entirely , as may the nose . The eyelids are severely inverted , which leaves the eyes and the area around them very susceptible to trauma . They often bleed upon birth . The lips , pulled by the dry skin , are fixed into a vestige of a clown 's smile , which many find extremely disconcerting . Arms , feet , and fingers are almost always deformed in such a way that they cannot bend properly , and may be below the normal size . Polydactyly , a condition in which one has more than the usual number of toes or fingers , has also been found in these infants . Wiki . 
Vem kom f rst , katten eller gget ? Katt kallar demoner , misstas f r " hj lte " . A Sheffield cat has been hailed as a hero , because it seems to be able to predict its owner 's epileptic fits . ( ... ) " The Beeb is foolishly reporting this as ' prediction ' , when it 's perfectly clear that it is the cat that is causing the problem - amusing itself by calling down demons upon the poor fellow and reveling in his torment , " The Register . 
W . Officials in US President George W . Bush 's administration turned down a 2003 Iranian offer to begin talks with the US , recognize Israel , and end support of Palestinian terror organizations , The Washington Post reported on Sunday . The proposal , which arrived via fax along with a letter of authentication by a Swiss ambassador , was ignored . Reports have circulated in the past that Iran had extended its hand to the US , but the document itself was only recently obtained by the Post - reportedly from Iranian sources - and confirmed as genuine by both American and Iranian officials . Jerusalem Post . 
Antikhyteramekanismen update . It seems all you need to crack the most enigmatic of ancient mysteries is grit , determination , six world class universities and research organizations , a 7.5 ton 3 - D state of the art X - ray machine , and funding by both an 80 year old trust and a 160 year old financial institution . Stir this pot , and soon enough you will come closer to understanding the true nature of the 2100 year old device than anyone previous . It 's just that simple . Ser mer och mer ut som att det faktiskt var en antik dator f r att kalkylera himlakropparnas positioner . Houstonist . 
Dagens rykte - Kuppf rs k i USA . Russian Intelligence Analysts are reporting that the ongoing constitutional crisis that has erupted in the United States has taken a decidedly deadly turn as counter - coup forces attempting to block access to the American capitol engaged in a brief gun battle with US Army Special Forces leaving at least 3 dead . Shoutwire . 
Sj lvmorden p Guantanamo . Run for your lives - America is under attack ! Just days ago three prisoners at Guantanamo Bay committed suicide in a savage assault on America 's freedom to not care about prisoner suicides ! Oh sure , the " Blame Atrocities First " crowd will tell you these prisoners were " driven to despair , " that they " had no rights , " that they were " held and tortured without due process or judicial oversight in a nightmarish mockery of justice . " But what they won't tell you is that they only committed suicide as part of a diabolical ruse to trick the world into thinking our secret torture camp is the kind of secret torture camp that drives its prisoners to commit suicide ! This fiendish attempt to slander the great American institution of the gulag is nothing less than an act of asymmetrical warfare against the United States - a noose is just a suicide bomb with a very small blast radius , people ! - and when faced with a terrorist attack , America must respond . Giblets demands immediate retaliatory airstrikes on depressed Muslim torture victims throughout the mideast ! " Oh but Giblets there are dozens of innocent prisoners in Guantanamo " you say because you are a namby - pamby appeasenik who suckles at the teat of terror . Well if these Guantanamo prisoners are so innocent then what are they doing in Guantanamo ? Sneaking into our secret military prisons as part of an elaborate plot to make it look like we 're holding them in our secret military prisons , that 's what ! And once they get there they can chain themselves to the floor , break their bones on helpless guards ' fists , and waterboard themselves to their heart 's content to further their sinister Salafi scheme to sully the reputation of secret American torture facilities everywhere ! Fafblog . 
Palestina . United Nations " Partition Plan " to the Palestinians : You are going to have 47 % of the 100 % which was originally yours . " Oslo Agreement " to the Palestinians : You are going to have 22 % of the 100 % which was originally yours . Barak 's " Generous Offer " to the Palestinians : We are going to give you 80 % of 22 % of 100 % of the land which was originally yours . Sharon 's " Peace Plan " to the Palestinians in 2000 : We are going to give you 42 % of 80 % of 22 % of 100 % of the land which was originally yours , and this 42 % will remain under continuous curfew . " American Zionists " to the Palestinians : According to our version of the Bible you are entitled to 0 % of 42 % of 80 % of 22 % of 100 % of the land which was originally yours . The Road Map to the Palestinians that Bush envisions : If you stop your resistance to the occupation ( which we call terrorism ) , and your refugees give up their right of return to their ancestral homes , and you agree to only elect officials acceptable to Bush and Sharon , and you agree to lock up all your resistance fighters , and you agree to drive your cars only on roads that Sharon assigns for your use , and you do not object to the wall that Sharon is building , and you agree not to claim Jerusalem as your capital , and you agree that your children s school curriculum only includes courses and books approved by the Israeli government , and you agree not to give birth to more than three children per family , then Sharon might consider negotiating with you on the 42 % of 80 % of 22 % of 100 % of the land which was originally yours . Omegaprojektet . 
FBI har inga bevis mot Bin Laden f r 9 / 11 . The FBI gathers evidence . Once evidence is gathered , it is turned over to the Department of Justice . The Department of Justice than decides whether it has enough evidence to present to a federal grand jury . In the case of the 1998 United States Embassies being bombed , Bin Laden has been formally indicted and charged by a grand jury . He has not been formally indicted and charged in connection with 9 / 11 because the FBI has no hard evidence connected Bin Laden to 9 / 11 . It shouldn t take long before the full meaning of these FBI statements start to prick your brain and raise your blood pressure . If you think the way I think , in quick order you will be wrestling with a barrage of very powerful questions that must be answered . First and foremost , if the U.S. government does not have enough hard evidence connecting Bin Laden to 9 / 11 , how is it possible that it had enough evidence to invade Afghanistan to smoke him out of his cave ? The federal government claims to have invaded Afghanistan to root out Bin Laden and the Taliban . Through the talking heads in the mainstream Media , the Bush Administration told the American people that Usama Bin Laden was Public Enemy Number One and responsible for the deaths of nearly 3000 people on September 11 , 2001 . Yet nearly five years later , the FBI says that it has no hard evidence connecting Bin Laden to 9 / 11 . Vavarejasa ? RINF . 
Fantomen r d d , l nge leve Fantomen . JOB VACANCYA position has arisen for a new boogeyman to justify an occupation of a foreign country . This position will be the " chief of Al Qaeda in Iraq " . * The applicant must possess these attributes . * They must have a beard * They must be a male Sunni Muslim * They must be Arab . Key skills You must be able to rise from the dead time and time again . You must be able to be in three different countries at once , as well as conducting operations against another continent . You must be living in Iraq , be able to transmit websites , despite having no electricity to work with . You must show consideration and make an appearance just before an American election . You must be able to start a civil war , and accept responsibility for foreign occupiers being caught with car bombs . But finally , you must be DEAD , so you cannot deny it is you . Qualifications * A degree in media studies ( fake video 's , websites etc ) * A degree in Physics ( dying a few times , time travel ) * A degree in chemistry ( make highly sophisticated military devices ) * A degree in art and design ( passport forgery ) * A degree in Islamic studies ( obvious reasons ) * A certificate of death ( to prove you no longer exist ) Experience Experience is needed . You must have at least escaped from a foreign jail on terror charges . Being on the run from Interpol is also an advantage , as is appearing on the FBI wanted list . Applicants please apply to CIA offices Langley Virginia . Tack , Ali Esbati . 
Gentlemen , start your Thetans . Scientologerna sponsrar ett NASCAR - team med sitt varum rke " Diarrhetics " , f rl t , " Dianetics " . " Riding along in my automobile / my Thetan beside me at the wheel " ... Dianetics Racing " Gentlemen , start your thetans " ( Sports Illustrated ) . 
Den antika Antikytheramaskinen . The " Antikythera Mechanism " was discovered damaged and fragmented on the wreck of a cargo ship off the tiny Greek island of Antikythera in 1900 . Now , a joint British - Greek research team has found a hidden ancient Greek inscription on the device , which it thinks could unlock the mystery . The team believes the Antikythera Mechanism may be the world 's oldest computer , used by the Greeks to predict the motion of the planets . The researchers say the device indicates a technical sophistication that would not be replicated for millennia and may also be based on principles of a heliocentric , or sun - centred , universe - a view of the cosmos that was not accepted by astronomers until the Renaissance . L nkat i s kert tv av tre av mina favoritbloggar ... Hett stuff . Scotsman Ellis The Register . 
We 're the future Charles , not them ! What if , seconds before your laptop began stalling , you could feel the hard drive spin up under the load ? Or you could tell if an electrical cord was live before you touched it ? For the few people who have rare earth magnets implanted in their fingers , these are among the reported effects -- a finger that feels electromagnetic fields along with the normal sense of touch . Magnetimplantat ger ett " sj tte sinne " f r elektromagnetiska f lt ! Funkar ! Wired . 
I ' m the operator with my pocket calculator . Vem dr mde inte om n got s dant n r de var sm ? Handikappad tretton ring i USA skickar robot att g i skolan t honom . VALHALLA , New York -- Lying in his hospital room , on a mattress designed to protect his fragile skin , 13 - year - old Achim Nurse poked his bandaged fingers at an orange button on what looked like a souped - up video game console . Half a second later , in a social studies class discussing the Erie Canal , a 5 - foot - tall steel - blue robot raised its hand . " You have a question , Achim ? " said the teacher . Achim is using a pair of robots -- one , called Mr. Spike , at his bedside , and its mate , Mrs. Candy , in the classroom -- to keep up with his schoolwork and his friends for the months he will be bedridden at Blythedale Children 's Hospital in Valhalla , just north of New York City . Wired . 
Den f rebild som Kina r . The Great Ten the Grant Morrison - conceived , Chinese government controlled superteamoch listan ver outade homo - och bisexuella superhj ltar : gayleague OK Batwoman , men Colossus ? Det var mer n jag visste . L sart vling utlyses , skicka era b sta vitsar om " organiskt st l " ! 
Money for E . This man has invented more than 80 % of the world s known hallucinogenic drugs , has had more than 4000 psychedelic experiences , and in 1967 created the drug ecstasy . Meet Dr Alexander Shulgin , groundbreaking scientist and explorer of the human mind . Sunday Herald . 
Insert Coin pt 2 . Imagine : you are a foot soldier in a paramilitary group whose purpose is to remake America as a Christian theocracy , and establish its worldly vision of the dominion of Christ over all aspects of life . You are issued high - tech military weaponry , and instructed to engage the infidel on the streets of New York City . You are on a mission - both a religious mission and a military mission -- to convert or kill Catholics , Jews , Muslims , Buddhists , gays , and anyone who advocates the separation of church and state - especially moderate , mainstream Christians . Your mission is " to conduct physical and spiritual warfare " ; all who resist must be taken out with extreme prejudice . You have never felt so powerful , so driven by a purpose : you are 13 years old . You are playing a real - time strategy video game whose creators are linked to the empire of mega - church pastor Rick Warren , best selling author of The Purpose Driven Life . Daily Kos Relaterat : Jesu grav ligger i Japan . 
Insert Coin to Continue . TEHRAN -- Rugged veteran Iranian special forces hero " Commander Bahman " will soon be tackling one of his toughest missions , rescuing one of his country 's top atomic scientists captured by U.S. forces in Iraq . Or he will be doing so soon on computer screens across the Islamic Republic , the Fars news agency reported on Sunday Wired . 
Heroes . HIS NAME WAS MASTERIn 1916 Brion Gysin arrived screaming and kicking , suffering forever , he said , from thee adverse effects ov constricted vaginal muscle . Projected through a world that was like Disneyland into a world that became Disneyland , via a port ov entry charged by light . Brion travelled in time and light , and made us all cry easier than loose in our own earthbound domesticity . E am coumvinced , always will be , that Brion is , was and will be , a Cultural Alchemist . Artikel av Genesis P . Orridge om Brion Gysin och hans Dreamachine . Brainwashed . 
This is Bat Country . Dagens konspirationsteori : Hunter Thompson was working on WTC collapse story before mysterious sudden death , warned he ' d be ' suicided ' Hunter telephoned me on Feb. 19 , the night before his death . He sounded scared . It wasn't always easy to understand what he said , particularly over the phone , he mumbled , yet when there was something he really wanted you to understand , you did . He ' d been working on a story about the World Trade Center attacks and had stumbled across what he felt was hard evidence showing the towers had been brought down not by the airplanes that flew into them but by explosive charges set off in their foundations . Now he thought someone was out to stop him publishing it : " They 're gonna make it look like suicide , " he said . " I know how these bastards think . . . " Prison Planet . 
Jag gillar ju som bekant Dr. Strange . Lista ver de 50 b sta Marvelkarakt rerna , skrivet av n gon som faktiskt fattar ! 33 . Cyclops , Scott Summers Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby . The irritatingly dependable solid core of the X - Men , Scott Summers is basically Dr Jack from Lost - serious , manly , handsome and authoritative , but with all the personality of a Microsoft paperclip . " I see that you 're fighting a Sentinel . Would you like to hurl Wolverine at its head while Iceman impedes its progress ? " . 
NWN Infinite Dungeons . Ny premiummodul till Neverwinter Nights ! $ 7.99 och man f r : A New Dungeon Every Time - Each journey begins with the creation of a randomly - generated multi - level dungeon , tailored to your particular class , character - level , or tastes . Explore the winding warrens of Undermountain , the greatest dungeon in the Forgotten Realms . Epic Levels - Infinite Dungeons scales to support the entire range of NWN characters , from the Level 1 beginner to the god - like Level 40 . Single Player - Adventure by yourself , gather hirelings , and try to better your high score . Cooperative Multiplayer - Adventure as a party , sharing in the treasure , and bringing your skills to bear in every battle . Competitive Multiplayer - Battle fellow adventurers in a no - holds - barred race to the heart of the dungeon ... or to claim the high score ! New Creatures Test your mettle against 7 exciting end bosses , each brought vividly to life by the talented DLA mod team . New Music - Your battles will play out accompanied by another excellent score by community composer extraordinaire , David John . Collaborative Development - Designed and implemented in a unique partnership between professional Bio Ware designers and community member Jason ' Elidrin ' Lowry , creator of the Random Dungeon Generator . Hours of Gameplay - This one 's so big , we don't even know how to categorize it . The primary quest unfolds over 20 hours of gameplay . When you 're done with our dungeons , we give you the power to control your own . Starting Level - This adventure will scale to any character level ( 1 - 40 , 5 - 30 recommended ) . You are free to use any of the six pre - generated characters that come pre - installed with Infinite Dungeons in level 5 / 10 / 20 / 30 / 40 variants : Wrathful Berserker Undead Lord Bewildering Archer Exalted Sorceress Divine Warrior Devastating Rogue You can also use any character of your own design , and you can bring whatever equipment you want in and take whatever loot you want out . Oh joy ! Bioware . 
Lacan Trading Cards . Holy Merdre ! It 's ... Kid A In Alphabet Land An Abecedarian Roller Coaster Ride Through The Phallocentric Obscurantism Of Jacques Lacan , With Apologies To Slavoj Zizek .30 Card Series . Collect ' em All ! Du Sollst , Denn Du Kannst ! Can He Can The Uncanny ? Kid A in Alphabet Land . 
Stephen Colbert , man med cojones . L s hans tal fr n the White House Correspondents ' Dinner n r han f rol mpade Bushadministrationen n r de var n rvarande . Lysande ! Ladies and gentlemen , I believe it 's yogurt . But I refuse to believe it 's not butter . Most of all I believe in this president . Now , I know there 's some polls out there saying this man has a 32 percent approval rating . But guys like us , we don't pay attention to the polls . We know that polls are just a collection of statistics that reflect what people are thinking in " reality . " And reality has a well - known liberal bias . Dumbosaurus Video p Transbuddha . 
" Hemliga " oljefyndigheter i Colorado ? r detta sant ? Hidden 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Rocky Mountains lies the largest untapped oil reserve in the world - more than 2 TRILLION barrels . On August 8 , 2005 President Bush mandated its extraction . Three companies have been chosen to lead the way . Test drilling has already begun . Dear Reader , Five months ago , the U.S. Energy Department announced the results of a land survey It was conducted to determine the official amount of oil a thousand feet deep in the Rocky Mountains They reported this stunning news : We have more oil inside our borders , than all the other proven reserves on earth . Here are the official estimates : * 8 - times as much oil as Saudi Arabia * 18 - times as much oil as Iraq * 21 - times as much oil as Kuwait * 22 - times as much oil as Iran * 500 - times as much oil as Yemen And it s all right here in the Western United States . James Bartis , lead researcher with the study says , We ve got more oil in this very compact area than the entire Middle East . More than 2 TRILLION barrels . Untapped . That s more than all the proven oil reserves of crude oil in the world today , reports The Denver Post . RINF Alternative News Media . 
Avd . skr ckiga sjukdomar . The genetic trigger for stone man syndrome , a rare but devastating condition that turns muscle into bone to imprison its victims in a second skeleton , has been identified . Times . 
Something to Mull Over . Tune in tomorrow at 7 Pm for a conversation with Carrie Mullings ( and / or possibly her sister Tanya - there 's always the possibility of surprise in community radio ) . We ' ll be speaking about the upcoming tribute to her father Karl Mullings at Hugh 's Room this Sunday . Mr. Mullings ' legacy figures prominently in the Jamaica to Toronto story . His career as a manager was very active by the 80 s , promoting Jackie Mittoo , Lovindeer , Carlene Davis and Glen Washington . I ' m looking forward to finding out more about the industry challenges faced by reggae performers in Toronto from the seventies onward , as well as hearing some anecdotes about some undoubtedly lively times in the Mullings household . 
Abstract Index playlist - Jul 19 / 06 . There 's a fresh crop of Wackies for summer 2006 . The most idiosyncratic , arbuably best American reggae label ( respect to Wordsound , BSI , ROIR and many more ) will see three more of its mysterious back catalogue reissued by Rhythm and Sound 's Basic Channel imprint . This article is a both a source of and a link to a great deal of info on the the Wackies collective in the Bronx , circa mid seventies to late eighties . Lloyd " Bullwackie " Barnes emigrated from Jamaica in the mid seventies , setting up a record shop and studio . Recordings appeared on many different labels until the Wackies label and logo were well established in 1983 . Major artists recorded there , such as Sugar Minott , Leroy Sibbles , and Horace Andy ( who recorded the original version of " Spying Glass " there , later covered by Massive Attack ) . Jackie Mittoo recorded at least one album there , and the theme to Patrick Roots ' show on CIUT which follows mine every week is the Jackie - Wackies classic " Cowboy Lollipop " . Wackies picks up where the Black Ark left off . Still very psychedelic , with oblique strategies on EQ , the warm disorientation of these records seems so different than most other 80 s productions . By the end of each track rhythms and vocals are very heavily distorted by lo - fi reverb and echo ; the feel is more industrial feel than Jamaican dub . The musicians , too , don't play the current rhythms of Jamaica , and there is a different musical vocabulary contributing to Bronx reggae to further distinguish their sound . In these mixes , even the most powerful vocalists merely float through these mixes . Such is the case with Jezzreel . A keening vocal duo , they are presented in showcase style with vocals disintegrated by dub over the course of 6 minutes . Each track is a gem , and " Roman Soldiers " probably has the most militant tempo of the six tunes on the disc . Thanks to the efforts of Rhythm and Sound , Wackies is better distributed than ever before . Speaking of R and S , they also have a new collection of remixes out that furthers their tech - dub sound . north - fond of tigers ( drip audio ) need a break - matthias von imhoff ( indie ) time is a wasting - the silt ( rat - drifting ) datura - marsen jules ( city centre offices ) awake - haco / hans / jakob / marcos ( accretions ) hawas - trio joubran ( harmonia mundi ) toucouleur - ernest dawkins new horizons ensemble ( delmark ) blacks and blues - bobbi humphrey ( blue note ) zion lion - sound dimension ( heartbeat ) in this drum a secret - eccodek ( eccodek ) bizuru dub - eccodek ( eccodek ) dick contino - sex mob ( thirsty ear ) uranus sirtez - reptile palace orchestra ( omnium ) bambo makwatila - green arrows ( analog africa ) - funny review ... tepo - baranata with miatta fahibulleh ( bbe ) kabioye - lekan bablola ( mr. bongo ) h . i . v. - wale oyejide ( shaman work ) unleashed dub - kaly live dub ( pias ) roman soldiers - jezzreel ( wackies ) pollution - john clarke ( wackies ) . 
Abstract Index playlist - Jul 12 / 06 . This week 's disc isn't a perfectly realized moment of brilliance , but it 's got a lotta soul . Harry Miller is best known as the bassist for Chris Mc Gregor 's Brotherhood of Breath , a British big band which lasted for about 20 years from the late 60 s onward until Mcgregor 's death in 1990 . Their core was composed of South African exiles who managed to bridge Ellington , Ayler and kwela music seamlessly . They evolved from the Blue Notes , a mixed race band that came together in the 50 s , and suffered from the hardening of apartheid laws in the early 60 s . Once they were invited to play in Europe , they never looked back , and did not return for many years . The most active members in London were pianist Chris Mcgregor , Dudu Pukwana on alto , Miller on bass , Mongezi Feza on trumpet and Louis Moholo on drums . The latter three players are all featured on this disc , recorded by Radio Bremen in November 1975 , only a month before Feza died of pneumonia while mistakenly committed to a mental institution . His playing is the best part of this disc - like the smoothest and most articulate 60 s Miles in spots , only to outfox Don Cherry in others . Miller and Moholo are dynamic together , a strong undercurrent of funk only underlined by the kwela changes . Keith Tippett handles the piano chores and whether comping or soloing , he adds so many different colours to the head - solos - head structures of each of these lengthy pieces . Miller 's Ogun Records , still run by Hazel Miller , was the label which released the greatest amount of South African / British jazz , often in collaboration with other great European improvisers like Evan Parker , Elton Dean and Lol Coxhill . This turned out to be very important as all the South African improvisers save Moholo , died before their mid fifties , under - recognized to say the least . Whereas Derek Bailey may have coined " non - idiomatic improvisation " which continues to inspire musicians seeking new languages from their instruments , the South Africans wore their idioms on their sleeves . It was profoundly joyful and angry , culturally specific and universal all at once . So many British players were inspired personally and professionally by their music . Robert Wyatt said : " Somehow , those South Africans had discovered by the mid - 60 s how to combine song and dance with all the new ideas that were coming through free - jazz at the time . It was like a kind of free dance . I hadn't believed that was possible before . They filled a vacuum of meaning in music for me after [ John ] Coltrane died in 1967 . They had that accessible soulfulness you associate with black popular music , but with the edge of something new being made . " Thanks to Cuneiform Records for keeping the spirit alive ! family affair - isipingo ( cuneiform ) comparsa de los locos - eddie palmieri ( tico ) here we go again - wayne mcghie ( light in the attic ) zalim - edip akbayram ( shadoks ) mume wangu - orchestra makassy ( arc ) boulmanyie - orchestra baobab ( sterns ) cloud nine - bill hemmans and clay 's composite ( sss ) evening dance - lubo alexandrov ( enja / justin time ) the tortoise - frequency ( thrill jockey ) quebec on my mind - billy robinson ( do right ) ka anyi jifota - chief stephen osita osadebe ( rough guides ) bolero somnulabo - manual galban ry cooder ( nonesuch ) martin denny - sex mob ( thirsty ear ) living in the ghetto - jezzreel ( wackies ) you like to borrow - john clark ( wackies ) new broom pt . 2 - new establishment ( studio one / heartbeat ) green guava - lord tickler ( pressure sounds ) captain of the ship - sugar minott ( blood and fire ) away with the bad - glen brown ( shanachie ) fire coal version - sound dimension ( studio one / heartbeat ) . 
Maple Leaf Soul . A bit late on this , but here 's the link to the profile I wrote about the Jamaica to Toronto CD / event . The CD is available through Light In The Attic records ( thanks for the image ) , fine folks all around who never give less than 110 % with each reissue . If you haven't heard about this wonderful compilation yet , it details the musical endeavours of the first wave of Jamaican immigrants to Toronto in the 1960 s . Initially , professions such as nursing drew a great deal of women from the island , to be followed shortly by their families . The musical climate was tough for R & B musicians , despite the popularity of the music itself . Soul was seen strictly in terms of imported music . Jamaica To Toronto presents a wealth of the barely issued gems and private recordings which , together with the Ready Or Not collections , more fully illustrate Toronto 's non - rock and folk scenes at the time . On Saturday , July 15 Harbourfront will be presenting a one - time - only reunion of many of the artists on the disc : Jay Douglas , Everton Paul , Lloyd Delpratt , The Mighty Pope , Bob and Wisdom and Noel Ellis ( son of Alton ) . The next step in LITA 's " Jatdot " project will be the re - release of Noel Ellis ' first album - this will undoubtedly shed light on the earliest days of Toronto 's soon - to - be prolific reggae scene . In all , there will be seven discs in this series . Stay tuned for a documentary on this subject by CIUT , and tune in live this weekend for a broadcast of this concert and others at Harbourfront 's Roots : Remix festival ( featuring the King Of Latin Soul , Joe Bataan !!!!! ) . 
Balkan Blab . Tune in tomorrow to the Abstract Index radio show at 7 PM ET to hear an interview with ace guitarist Lubo Alexandrov . His excellent release on Justin Time a few months ago is a breakbeat - centric take on Balkan rhythms with some intense ensemble playing . Ramachandra Borcar produced the album , giving it his characteristically uncluttered yet full - bodied sensibility . Lubo 's in Toronto with his band Kaba Horo as part of the Small World Music Global Cafe festival . 
Abstract Index playlist - Jun 28 / 06 . Frankie Paul = Summertime You a go feel it ... cocinando - grupo fantasma ( antone 's ) mazatlan - azteca ( follow me ) all wrapped up - melvin sparks ( prestige ) hidden strength - ted moses qunitet ( do right ) country rake fight - matt steckler ( innova ) bikutsi rock - les tetes brulees ( shanachie ) piga ua - ottu jazz band ( rough guides ) dodgeball - ultramagnus ( afro rock ) capoeira - apollo nove feat . seu jorge ( crammed ) arrival - carsick ( drip audio ) dominic - aldcroft / shaw / sorbara ( oval window ) transparent things - ikue mori / zeena parkins ( mego ) I will not forgive you - edip akbayram ( shadoks ) ghettos of the mind - pleasure ( fantasy ) keep on coming in the dance - lone ranger ( soul jazz ) dub glitter - michael rose ( m ) skanking and rocking - dubmatix ( dubmatix . com ) dem a go feel it - frankie paul ( greensleeves ) rich man poor man dub - barry brown ( moll - selekta ) . 
You ' ve Got Me Love Dancing . Fun times last night at Harbourfront seeing Salif Keita , but the real discovery was the opening band , Afrafranto . It was hard to pick up the name , actually , because of the string of non - sequiturs in the stage banter . Nevertheless , it 's the same group that appeared at the Now Lounge as part of Music Africa 's Palm Wine showcase this past February . They laid down a sweet and economical groove with a lot more funk and jazz influences than palm wine originally featured way back in the 50 s ; to me it sounded more like palm wine 's successor - highlife . The jazzy content came from the laid back fluidity of Juno Award winning guitar stylings of Pa Joe of African Guitar Summit , who at one point laid down a solo which sounded like George Benson on ' ludes . The electric bass was an inherently funky addition to palm wine in its latter days , as singer Theo Yaw Boakye explained , and gave the music more urgency than usual . Together with someone pounding out a four to the floor beat with their foot - which may have been unintentionally over - miked - the sum total was like hearing an hour 's worth of the groove behind Loose Joints ' " Is It All Over My Face " with West African chord changes . Check out the African Guitar Summit and much much more at the ultimate Toronto summertime event : Afrofest , which takes place at Queen 's Park this weekend . CIUT will be broadcasting the whole thing ( I ' ll be representing from 1 - 4 PM on Sunday ) . While you 're there , get yourself some chicken stew from New Bilan , the best Somali - Bangladeshi ( sp ? ) restaurant in town ... 
Realization . I stretch my arms and look upon the sky when the whole world sleeps , as if I am looking for answers in the glittering of the stars . Gazing through the darkness i try to hold the moment , I want time to stop over there , I imagine my salvation in the light of the night as an optimist , or was i trying to find agranule in a desert ? Was I trying it very hard or was I too impatient ? Thats when a breeze , refreshed me and showed me the way . It was powerfull enough toto turn me to the correct way . The wind whispered : " A moment has to be lived and cherished but not held " That 's when i realized what a folly i had been commiting . And thus I promised ... A moment has to be lived and cherished ... so true .... so true indeed . And now my friend I go to sleep ... because the night promises me dreams .. and so i enjoy the moment and go to sleep to cherish my moments in my dreams . - Absurdly Insane . 
Snap Goes the Mind .... Has this ever happened with you ? Let 's say something happnes , some incident and then snap goes the mind . You just feel like disgusted , you feel like everything is going wrong and awry . Its just that one does not feel like doing anything , from under the gut you have a very a obnoxious feeling ! , simply put you are not just yourself . You donot feel like doing anything , everything seems so meaningless and futile . This happens a lot with me . All I can comment about this is : " Life happens to us when we are busy planning for it . " We all , whether small or big we want to control things . We try to forsee and plan for future , and expect life to trod the way we want it to . But , if that would happen then would not life be so boring . " Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about . " Oscar Wilde , Lady Windermere 's Fan , 1892 , Act IIrish dramatist , novelist , & poet ( 1854 - 1900 ) I might be wrong , I don't know but I feel , any relationship is like sand in hand , the more firmly we try to grasp it the more it slips away . Let it be itself and it stays on , unless you turn your hand upside down . We should not worry about things that are not under our control . We just need to believe , we are what we are , and we did what we needed to do when the time came . And we should not be sorry for that , because it was just another criss cross that you were put into and you choose the way that you felt is appropriate . - Absurdly Insane . 
Myriad confusions due to Expectations . All is well that ends well , but if it is not well then it is not the end . So very positive is not it , I always believe that Life is beautifull enough to be worth fighting for . But we are not talking about me now . Some incidents happen in life and what you are left with , is enough time to self retrospect and self realize what went wrong with you . But we never realize .. do we . After all humans , we repeat our mistakes as alwyas . All we humans , so very prone to mistakes . Verbally all of us agree on the point that , every human being has its own individuality , should be provided with a space of its own . We all know its very important , the moment we try to invade it , it becomes congested and that 's where the sourness in a relationship starts . How do you think we invade the self core of a person ? More than physical it is a metal invasion . The deadliest invasion being that of Expectations . How the hell do Expectations do any wrong ? See , what i mean is every one has his own behaviour . One is capable in one thing and very incapable in something else . All are not same and its an universal truth . Then , when we expect , subconciously what we are trying to achieve is , we are trying to alter the behaviour of the other person . That works out to a certain extent if the person loves you . But does not that mean , that we are taking this person for granted . Are we not imposing things on the person ? The other person due to her / his love bends a bit , then you expect more , you try to bend her / him more ... enough ... snap . Are you not acting as a control freak ? Me and my brother are great buddies , he is more than a brother , he is more like a friend . We discussed this problem and he say 's , " Expectations should be Exceptions " . I do realize this now . - Absurdly Insane . 
Innocence and Dependence . Define : Innocencepurity : the state of being unsullied by sin or moral wrong ; lacking a knowledge of evil a state or condition of being innocent of a specific crime or offense ; " the trial established his innocence " Define : Dependence Indility to separate oneself . lack of independence or self - sufficiency Was sitting in the staircase and was gazing through the lane that passes in front of the house where we stay . Down the lane I saw a very young girl carrying a bucket of water . The bucket was bigger than her , but still she was managing to carry that through . Just a few moments later a girl of same age as the previous one was being carried on the shoulders of her father . I saw both the girls and the two pair of eyes asked many questions , I did not have answer to ? When i saw the first girl her face was expressionless , she was pretending not to think anything or wonder about anything or for that sake can i not say the innocence in her face was stolen . The charm of her eyes , the sparkle was missing . At the same time , the other girl was sleeping innocently in the shoulder of her father . There was calmness , tranquility and peace in her face . She looked innocent . This made me realize , till the moment we have a shoulder to rest at or an arm to hold to we are at peace at ourselves and so are good and innocent . But when , such thing is not there we start fighting for ourselves . Its not bad to fight for self , unless we do not harm the other person . What I mean , once we start getting independent , we start living for ourselves but in the way we become so involved in it and start enjoying it so much that we just don't give a damn about others . So why do we become so self engrossed when we grow up ? Have you realized , when you were a kid how innocently you used to distribute the chocolate that was given to you with the people around you . Why cannot we share life with others with the same kind of innocence and purity ? Please any body who has an answer to it , do write me back .... : ) - Absurdly Insane . 
For the Special She . Every day I looked up to the sky , and asked to god why not me , God used to tell me , Don't worry son , For you I have a special she , I used to laugh and look down at myself and say it can never happen with me , Then , the miracle happened , when u came and stood by me . Don't u all start thinking guys .... - Absurdly Insane . 
- Cancelled reality - show Earth . - . - ( Joozians ) ( reality - show ) . - . - . . 
Tehran fashion show . . . . ( ) . . . 
End of an act . I need you like Ben Affleck needs acting school , He was terrible in that film . I need you like Cuba Gooding needed a bigger part , He 's way better then Ben Affleck . And now all I can think about is your smile , And that shitty movie too , Perl Harbor sucked and I miss you Related Posts : ++ . 
my goodness ! i believe this guy . GM : One of these people was a Nasa photographic expert , and she said that in building eight of Johnson Space Centre they regularly airbrushed out images of UFOs from the high - resolution satellite imaging . What she said was there was there : there were folders called " filtered " and " unfiltered " , " processed " and " raw " , something like that . I got one picture out of the folder , and bearing in mind this is a 56 k dial - up , so a very slow internet connection , in dial - up days , using the remote control programme I turned the colour down to 4 bit colour and the screen resolution really , really low , and even then the picture was still juddering as it came onto the screen . But what came on to the screen was amazing . It was a culmination of all my efforts . It was a picture of something that definitely wasn't man - made . It was above the Earth 's hemisphere . It kind of looked like a satellite . It was cigar - shaped and had geodesic domes above , below , to the left , the right and both ends of it , and although it was a low - resolution picture it was very close up . This thing was hanging in space , the earth 's hemisphere visible below it , and no rivets , no seams , none of the stuff associated with normal man - made manufacturing . [ BBC ] PS : what a shame for UK to extradite him to US . if he was in iran he could continue his amazing job freely , and america couldn't do a damn about it . 
Antara Hezbullah , Arab Saudi , dan Vatican City . 2 pemimpin inikah yang kita harapkan untuk memberi kedamaian di Palestin dan Lebanon ??? Kenyataan Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah terhadap keganasan Israel - " You Israelis must take responsibility for what your government has done , you will soon discover how stupid and foolish your new government is . " Kenyataan Kerajaan Arab Saudi mengutuk Hezbullah kerana dianggap menyusahkan negara - negara Arab - " These elements should bear the responsibility for their irresponsible actions and they alone should end the crisis they have created . A distinction must be made between legitimate resistance and uncalculated adventures undertaken by elements inside ( Lebanon ) and those behind them without recourse to the legal authorities and consulting and coordinating with Arab nations . " Kenyataan Cardinal Angelo Sodano dari Vatican mengutuk Israel kerana membunuh orang awam di Lubnan dengan kononnya untuk mempertahankan diri - " The right of defence on the part of a state does not exempt from its responsibility to respect international law , particularly regarding the safeguarding of civilian populations . " . 
Dads Birthday at Trump , My Search for Mini - Me , Milo 's Karaoke and Chappelle Theory . com in the NY Times . Happy Birthday Dad . Once a year I bring my pop to Trump and get to watch him in action and catch a glimpse of the gene pool where I came from . Yeah thats not my mom - its Krista the Bikini contest host . Krista get rid of your live - in already will ya ? Nice . Look at these guys . I made their summer . Unlce bob is a rockstar - look at the badge . So last friday night I took my dad to Trump Marina for his birthday with some of his boys . Red carpet treatment of course . I didnt get back to Avalon until 4:30 am . It was awesome . So some of you know already that I am organizing a trip to Trump Marina and then to avalon on August 11 th . Anyone who knows me knows that For years I have talked about having a midget dressed like me roll with us to the bars and be my " mini - me " for the night . August 11 th will be the perfect time for it so I have put my feelers out to the world . Hopefully I get a response from one of these outlets . Can you image Axl and Mini - Slash at the P ? See My Yahoo Little Person Classified 's ad Craigslist # 1 Craigslist # 2 ( the best one ) Is this wrong ? .... Heyo ! On another note , remember when my firm pranked the world and released Chappelle Theory . com ? Well months later , now that the " Lost Episodes " are airing the New York Times is doing a story on my firm and its use of " Viral Marketing " Hilarious . Click Here to go to the Story ( mirror ) Pretty wild right ? Lastly I leave you with a little video from my good old pal Jayson at Trump Marina . Every Friday night they do a Karaoke in the Wave . I think its geared toward the handicapped and terminally ill .. either way , you cant beat the produciton value here . This is 100 % legit and was taped by my friend . The best part are the musical breaks between verses when he just dances his face off . When it loads skip to 2:42 in the video . Its a danceoff that even Stiffler could be proud of . His name is Milo , hes 42 , and for god sake he needs adult supervision . See you at the shore . AB . c . 
Summer is Halfway Over , but I ' m back bitches ... and im on a tear . For a while now people have been asking what the hell happened to me . Thats a good friggin question . So from April first until about three weeks ago ... I was the most spiteful kid i knew also . I ' m convinced that when I fell on my head at mad river that one night , I broke my spite valve . I hit my half birthday right around that time and realized that I was officially closer to 30 than 20 , and experienced somewhat of a 33 % - life crisis . ( 25 is not a quarter life crisis for me - theres no way im living past 75 with my current lifestyle . For the next 3 months I evaluated and reevaluated . I bought some new gear . Raised my game a bit , got sick for a whole 40 days , and for some reason decided I needed to slow it down , scale it back and act like and old man - or basically like most of my peers who live in the world ruled by the man and the corporation . Rememeber , I dont live in that world . I think I breifly forgot . I even got fooled into wearing a pink shirt one night to dinner ; said shirt also had a collar . My god . This caused confusion from my friends , spite from my coworkers and unimaginable disbelief from Bok Choi .... this was a gray period in my life , I was letting people down but I didnt even know it until 3 weeks ago . I had forggoten how to have a good time . Fact . I was not having fun for a solid 3 months ... I had deviated from what worked . I needed to go back to the basics . Then I hit 4 th of July weekend and just for kicks , put on my old uniform and headed out to remmeber how much fun it was when I didnt give a fuck . Diesel jeans were traded for the ghetto super ripped ones which always raise eyebrows and upset parents ; Baby blue $ 68 dollar designer tee - shirts with skulls and dragons were swapped for extra - medium Busted Tees conveying messages comprised of cocky sayings and spiteful anti - jersey - isms . I went out that weekend and rememebered why Axl Rose is my hero . I was gravity again , and all the action was coming to me . I even got sucker punched in the mouth outside of circle pizza . It couldnt stop me . Since that weekend I have remembered what it was like to be the force which is the bane of all of buddy 's girlfriends , makes my mother scared shell never get grandchildren and make bok choi honestly believe that if his dad ever met me in person he would ninja attack me . I signed Bok c Hoi 's Tab . I have done terrible things at the shore . There are witnesses ( not Le Bron James ) . They are brilliantly terrible things . I however have performed them with the graceful unapologetic swagger of the pre - Avalon and pre - april Anthony Bucci . Just look for the smirk baby . The bottom line : I ' m back ; so stop worrying . ( especially you bok choi ) Our bar opens up this fall in old city , I have friday night bikini contest all summer long , business is great and my crew and I on a tear . So while white pickett fences and picnics in the park with my special someone arent in my ten - day forecast , please don't worry . I have weathered the storm and am back on the path to greatness . I leave you with the best music video ever made . Find your smile , I found mine . See you at the shore . AB . c . 
Mustard Phobia . Ok so anyone who knows me knows that I have a problem with all condiments , mainly mustard and mayo being the worst ones . There have been instances in which I have had mustard on a piece of clothing , or my hand , or even worse strange mustard from a hand rail , escaltor or seat at a ballgame where i didnt know whos mustard it was . I then freak out . While I have never cried , I have without a doubt thrown punches out of frustration and potentially runied the night of the others around me due to being inconsolable until I have had the chance to shower the rogue condiment off of me . I am glad that , aside from Viva la Bam 's Rake Yohn , there are others that share my same dread for the foulest most artifically yellow substance on earth . Skip to about 3:30 in this clip to see the woman who shares my fear .... her reaction is genuine , hilarious and makes my mustard related mini - freakouts almost tolerable . I do however , love wasabi ; go figure . AB . c . 
My Company gets a new home , the San Fran trip . Some huge company news ... On Friday , we bought the old Revival building with the plan of moving our offices into the second floor . There 's still a lot of planning to do , but it 's all pretty exciting . The building has some great history which I ' ll post about over the next few weeks , but the quick overview is that it was built by William Strickland ( wikipedia ) in 1837 for the Mechanics National Bank . In the 1930 's , it was converted into the Norwegian Seamen 's Church . In 1983 , it was purchased by David and Helen Cohen at auction and converted into the infamous Revival . From 1996 on , it was a string of semi - successful nightclubs and restaurants such as Jake and Oliver 's , Wichita Steaks and Brews / Upstage , Life , Coyote Ugly , Foggy Goggles , and most recently Dead Fred 's / Niki Mango 's . There were some pretty big flameouts too . The liquor license is still with the building , so we ' ve got some interesting possibilites . There are a lot of options to choose from from , but it 's all got to be done pretty quickly . Some photos : Early 1900 's - Mechanic $ National Bank 1958 - Norwegian Seamen 's Church 2006 - Dead Fred 's We ' ve learned a lot through this process , it was far more complicated than I ever would have thought . 7 months to purchase commercial real estate . insanity . ( btw i stole that whole segment off my bosses blog - thanks jason - I didnt feel like rewriting it ) moving on We arrived at philly airport at 1:30 pm for a 4:30 flight . This picture was taken at 4:30 when we thought the four of us were going to go get on the plane and closed our first check consisting of many 32 ounce beers . The plane left 3 checks later at 7 pm . Tequila was a bad choice . We were wasted and I had to negotiate jay onto te plane . We then sat on the tarmac until 10 when we finally took off . Bar Higlight : We talked to this self - proclaimed " milf " for two hours . She put me on the phone with her daughter but I was too drunk to make intelligent conversation . I ended up sending her to my Myspace page . We arrived in San Fran 3 am philly time and promptly went to dennys . IT was the worst day of travel ever . I was hungover two hours into the flight and wide awake . for the remaining 5 , in a complete cold sweat and having a panic attack every five minutes . My nasal congestion and cold just added insult to injury . Worst flight EVER . So San Fran was fun and exciting . I had 3 meetings in 36 hours , but got a lot of business done . We also were staying on Fishermans Warf and managed to have Surf and Turf for breakfast . Easily the highlight of San francisco was renting the Go Cars the 35 mph GPS powered carts that let you tear around while fitting right into the San Fran culture by making you feel pretty queer . Sargeant Baker and Bucciarelli in " D . i . P . S " I don't Care what anyone says , helmets make everyone look like they 're retarded . I look like Terminator 2 ... " Have you seen John Connor ? " A little Ben Hurr chariot fighting action ... Race down the famous Lombard Street .. Judging by the inclement weather out there which was super cold and hazy continually , I find it very hard to believe that the child - star cast of the tv show Full House were hearty enough and could have survived living in San Fran . One more instance where TV is misleading the youth of America . If not for a studio lot and sound - stage in hollywood , kimmie gibler would have died of pneumonia at the age of 11 . We got crunked again on the flight home and made a JC puppet out of the barf bag ... it was pretty spot on . The Air Waitresses hated us . Find the Full San Fran gallery with comments here . Couldnt Resist ... Success ! AB . c . 
If you 're going to San Francisco .... I leave in a few hours for San Fran for three packed days of business fun ... On a lighter note , I have been getting emails all week asking if this is what my pop was like when he managed . Hilarious . I ' m not sure if the rosin - bag toss or the head - first slide into second is my favorite part . And no I only saw my dad argue with one umpire ever ; and he actually motioned for my mom to take my brother and I out of the stands and leave the stadium as he walked out of the dugout to do his thing . The Best is that with the mustache , if you squint your eyes , this could be my dad . Be back on Friday and then headed to the shore for what should be a gnarly 4 th of July weekend . The P ' , The ' Brier , no shower happy hours with the seedy underbelly of native New Jersians ... see you all there . Another weekend in my least favorite state . AB . c . 
Days Gone By . So when I was a college senior , not everyone had a digital camera yet . When I was a college senior there was still novelty in the drunken still picture . When I was a college senior , having the camera on me was cause for raising the bar of hilarity . I think some of those laws still apply ; oh the marvel of the megapixel as it relates to social dynamics . My friend Vinny created this . The funniest part of it got removed from the final edit . We were going to prank drexel and make the last slide say " RIP Anthony Bucci " like i died . that would have been great . See you all at Journey this friday and at the shore this weekend . AB . c . 
Don't worry I ' m not dead ... avalon has taken hold . patron , corona light , the whitebrier , the princeton . this has been every thurs friday and saturday for the last 2 weeks . It has murdered me into a cold and a sore throat . but the countless lime wedge bites following the 5 bottles of patron worth of shots have resulted in noticibly whiter teeth - whithout white strips ! yes . I have no time for full stories . I actually dont want to tell full stories . I will show some pictures with some captions . I am too friggin busy for anything else . in two weekends bok choi came down one night . he blacked out got lost and we found him sleeping in his car . typical . it really explains why ninjas are always hiding , i think its because in actuality theyre lost all the time . I got ripped off at the bait shop and wasted 90 dollars on a fishing rod which will be broken by july . but I have learned two things : fishing off our dock is relaxing . I have not caught anything because I am apprantly the worst fisherman in the entire world . so i have blacked out a few times . and nick berg has been invited down for the last time . he put lotion on me while I was passed out with my shoes on . welcome back to freshman year of college . I dont remember much of this but apparently while in line for the princeton i got in an argument with some random jersey trash . I told her than unless she wanted to walk into the bar crying she should stop trying to talk to me immediately and never make eye contact with me again as a sign of submission ; as we all no I have never lost a war of words . my friends backed up my claim and she begrudgingly went back to her pack of maggoty wing - girls . matt and his gut volunteered to sun tan lotion my cousin on the beach . inappropriate . matt attempted to bring paddle ball , the gayest of all beach games , to the avalon beach . I made him leave them on the dock and hoped no one would see them for his sake . I told him if they showed up again I was going to call his High school principal and make him repat 9 th grade . I stole some skateer kids board on my way to the white brier and pulled off what might have been the first flawless diesel jeans heelflip in history . And now for the best picture . My buddy Andy tried to grip me up , so I made my juggernaut face and he ended up dumping his entire beer on this chicks designer shoes . caught on film . hilarity ensued . sick as shit right now . headed to the shore tonight . back tomorrow for b - hops last fight then manyunk bike race on sunday . this is going to be tough on my body . ouch . Anthony " Tour De Shore " Bucci . 
The first day of school , err i mean summer , is finally here ... Avalon 2006 . Me at Mcfadden 's Springfest with Jessica . Always a gentlemen . ( and for the record I have retired that shirt after Saturday ) So as it stands right now , I have a half day tomorrow and am rolling to the beach after lunch . When you really look at it I am 25 and this is Memorial Day which marks the beginning of the Summer . In actuality this very well could be the first day of high - school all over again . A very advanced , pretensious and superficial high - school . Let 's go over the summertime check list for success .1 . Buy all new clothes . You wouldnt want anyone to recognize you as the guy who wore the anti - jersey t - shirt all last summer ( and fall , winter and spring ) . So go out and spend you hard enarned loot on overpriced jeans and tee 's that would barely fit your little brother .2 . Get back in Shape . Come April 1 , supplement your diet with a delicious daily protein shake and start making it to the gym on the weekends if you miss a day . You dont want to be the guy with the loose fitting sleeves now do you ? 3 . Scope the Landscape . Find out where all of your friends houses are and what the guy / girl ratios are of each house . Make weighted list , possiblly a gant chart , prioritize non - bar and non - beach time accordingly .4 . Hollywood Tans .... Yeah so ? I dont want to burn memorial day .5 . The earlybird catches the worm . This is a two fronted war from within your beachhouse and externally . Part A : Your house . Make sure you are one of the first to go down to the beach and secure a bed in you beach house . With 11 Full - timers and 9 beds , somone will deinfitlaey be on an air mattress not to mention the unfortuate dude who ends up in the bath tub . I didnt buy a full share to not have my own stain free sheets . Part B : The Beach and Beyond . Although there is a significant amount of carryover from the city , consider the first weekend Avalon as somthing of a Summertime IPO . Stock prices are set withn the few days of the summer . This is also the time when you head to the beach to do market reasearch and see where you will be investing this summer . ( what a shitty analogy , my apologies ) 6 . Fake Grow Up . When you talk with everyone before the summer tell them how exhausted you are and that you cant wait to go to the shore this year to just realx and enjoy the company of your good friends . Thank god for the dock on your house becaus eall you want to do is decompress from work and go fishing and spend time with you mom and dad . Talk about how your too old for the bar scene and probably wont go out that much .... yeah friggin right .... you will get perpetually beliggerant , try to hook up every night and spend a million dollars every weekend . Fact . So there you have it . The super summmer time checklist for success . Now its off To avalon . Be well my fellow beachgoers . If anyone needs me I will be the blacked - out kid in the tight t - shirt friday night at the princeton . Oh wait . I might be tough top pick me out . Anthony " JERSEY " Bucci . 
Elderbloggers Stake Their Claim . This s very interesting article from the Nytimes it is about elder blogger 50 years and older some of the elder blogger that interviewed talked about the benefits of blogging to them it helps keep older minds sharp and offer them a platform which to express views and opens social networks all over the world This is absolutely true My father retired about 10 years ago and since that time I witnessed how fast his memory decline by the time , he used to have a very sharp memory but not any more obviously that due to lack of mind activity , only if I could make him blog but he is not attracted to the internet he never touches a PC no matter how many of us told him to try to do so , he is just not in to any kind of computer related activity . He only used the mobile phones 5 years ago and till now he only answer incoming calls and if you sitting next to him you will be asked to answer , a friend of him always used to say joking that my father technology knowledge utmost is switching the lights on . I should mention that my father is well educated man post graduated from England far much better than me who was holding key positions in his country and other different Arab countries , he is 77 years old . I always thought that there is no many blogger that above 50 years old but in this article they said there is 0.3 percent of blogs are run by people 50 or older , yet that 's still about 160,000 bloggers , but I am sure if we talking the middle east blogger this percentage will come down to zero percent bloggers over 50 years old . I believe that in UAE I am among the elder bloggers not that I am old I am only 40 years old but to most bloggers in this area 40 is old when most of them are below 30 , but after all the UAE and the middle East in general blogs are still something new and to many people here it does not exist . 
The most important UAE Exhibitions for the month of May 2006 - . Hometech middle east - 14 - May - 2006 - 16 - May - 2006 - Dubai Hardware tools - 14 - May - 2006 - 16 - May - 2006 - Dubai Garden , landscaping outdoor living exhibition - 14 - May - 2006 - 16 - Apr - 2006 - Dubai Kitchens bathrooms , lightstyle gulf light - 14 - May - 2006 - 16 - May - 2006 - Dubai Digital Photography - 15 - May - 2006 - 21 - May - 2006 - Abu Dhabi Art Workshop Exhibition - 22 - May - 2006 - 06 - Jun - 2006 - Abu Dhabi Middle east toy fair - 22 - May - 2006 - 24 - May - 2006 - Dubai Beauty world middle east / gulf beauty - 22 - May - 2006 - 24 - May - 2006 - Dubai - Housewares homestyle - 22 - May - 2006 - 24 - May - 2006 - Dubai Interior Design Models - 23 - May - 2006 - 31 - May - 2006 - Abu Dhabi Italian Lifestyle in the Emirates - 23 - May - 2006 - 26 - May - 2006 - Sharjah Automechanika gulf - 28 - May - 2006 - 30 - May - 2006 - Dubai International fashion jewelry and accessories fair ifja 2006 and international watch clock fair iwcf 2006 28 - May - 2006 - 30 - May - 2006 - Dubai . 
. 17 - 19 2006 . Sight City Exhibition The Sight City in Frankfurt is the biggest exhibition for aids for the blind and the visually impaired in Germany . 
Speaking my mind . Afriend offer me an assignment or a part time job . the job is marketing for his several trade shows or exhibitions that his company organize mainly in Africa region and he want me to use my blog or create another blog , blogs as a method of marketing well I don t know much about blogging I just started this for fun first and to educate my self and to learn what blog can do for me , as far as I know till now it is a great way to gather your thoughts and idea and your general knowledge in one place just like a diary , I am not a writer , actually this my first time to write for public but I guess I am learning and it is entertaining to read other blogs also specially personal blogs I mean blogs talking about personal issues ( don t ask my why ) but it seems that many people fond of it , and lately I found out about adsense which give you the opportunity to make money while you enjoy blogging but I doubt I can get more than one buck through adsense for the next 10 years . Well , now , what was my question here hummm is it , aa , I already have full time job and consuming most of my time ( i am not working in Gov job ) should I promise him to work in his project and try , or it is not good I don t know if I can keep up my promise , well I like the idea and I like every thing that related to tradeshow from planning , marketing to budgeting and site selection etc.. , anything to do with a trade events , you name it , I really enjoy working in this line , and I think I can do a him a good job only if I have the time , well I guess I have to discuss it one more time with him . Now I am thinking how to link this post to another page to a translation or what the best way to translate to Arabic it doesn t look good to write in Arabic and English in the same page , I know there is a Google Toolbar instantly translates words On English web pages into other languages but as far as I know there is no translation from English to Arabic yet any idea or help people ? 
top 10 lists of funniest data disasters . Just found this press release ( very old one ) and it is about top 10 lists of strangest ( and funniest ) data disasters , very funny I just thought to share it with you all 10 . Ph D Almost an F A Ph D candidate lost his entire dissertation when a bad power supply suddenly zapped his computer and damaged the USB Flash drive that stored the document . Had the data not been recovered , the student would not have graduated . 9 . Suffering from Art While rearranging her home office , a woman accidentally dropped a five pound piece of clay pottery on her laptop , directly onto the hard drive area that contained a book she d been working on for five years and 150 year - old genealogy pictures that had not yet been printed . 8 . Domestic Dilemma A husband deleted all of his child s baby pictures when he accidentally hit the wrong button on his computer . His wife hinted at divorce if he did not get the pictures back . Really funny you can read more in this link . 
The most important UAE Exhibitions for the month of April 2006 - . 1 - Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Re - Development Conference Exhibition DIHAD 2006 10 April 12 April Organizers : Index Conferences and Exhibitions Organization Est 2 - 20 th Mid East Watch Jewellery show 2006 10 April 14 Aprilorganizer : EXPO Centre Sharjah 3 - Gulf Education & Training Exhibition 12 April - 14 April Organizer : International Conferences and Exhibition Ltd Telphone 0097143460503 Fax 0097143460498 Email icedxb @ emirates . net . ae 4 - Retail Middle East 17 April - 19 April Organizer : EXPO Centre Sharjah 5 - Careers UAE 2006 23 April 25 Aprilorgnizers : Dubai World Trade Center 6 - Gulf Maritime 2006 24 - 26 April 2006 organizer : EXPO Centre Sharjah 7 - Al Ain 2 nd Wedding and Fashion Show 30 - April 5 May Organizer : Al Bader Exhibition Organizer . 
BBB to give AAA a run for its money ? The BBB ( http : // www . wnyadr . org / commercial . asp ) is setting its sights on establishing a commercial arbitration program that rivals that of the AAA , whose closest office appears to be Providence . The BBB plans to add the same and additional neutrals , while charging less in administrative fees , seeking quicker resolutions ( an ambitious goal of 60 days in many cases ) and serviced by local administrators in Buffalo , Rochester , Syracuse , and Albany . Although it will take awhile for BBB to establish itself , it will be nice to have a viable alternative to AAA , who in recent experience , has been slow and barely responsive . 
Serving subpoenas by mail ? Common practice ( and the majority approach in the case law ) requires that subpoenas served under Rule 45 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure be personally served . There is , however , a minority of cases ( including several from the SDNY ) that hold that service by mail / certified mail is sufficient " delivery " under Rule 45 . I spoke with an attorney from NYC the other day who acted like it was blasphemy to suggest that service by mail was anything but acceptable . Although the service by mail approach is the emerging minority trend ( see e . g . , 51 Buff . L . Rev. 337 , 380 n . 214 ( 2003 )) , I am curious as to how common the practice is in the WDNY or the NDNY . 
New firm policy ! " New firm policy , listen up ! Anybody who sues this firm or me personally , we all drop whatever cases we are working on . We devote all of our intellectual and creative efforts to ruining that person 's life . Are we clear ? I don't want to stop short with just getting even . Retribution is not strong enough . Ruin , that is the goal . Irreversible , irreputable , irrational ruin ! New firm policy " Richard Fish , Ally Mc Beal I liked " Ally Mc Beal " more than a grown man should admit to . 
London calling . Every year the American Inns of Court ( http : // www . innsofcourt . org / ) selects two young lawyers to go to London to shadow barristers and judges for six weeks to get a real insider 's view into the workings of the English legal system . In 2005 , I was lucky enough to serve as a Pegasus Scholar . You can read more about my six weeks in legal London at http : // www . innsofcourt . org / Content / Default . aspx ? Id = 832 . While in London , I was a " mini - pupil " for two commercial sets of barristers : 7 KBW and Fountain Court -- whose practices were similar to my practice at Skadden , Arps , Slate , Meagher Flom LLP . My local Inn of Court is the Charles S . Desmond Inn of Court ( http : // www . innsofcourt . org / inns / csdesmondinn / ) . My experience was useful because I recently represented an American television station in a non - compete dispute involving parties in the United Kingdom , which was litigated in the WDNY and successfully mediated before it was litigated in London as well . A copy of the decision and order granting an ex parte TRO in favor of our client is found at ( 2006 WL 145912 ) . I also represent a large English manufacturer who has been sued in the WDNY on a contract matter . I am available to work with barristers and solicitors in need of New York legal advice ( and I am far more cost - effective than large New York City firms -- and offer the same or better legal services ) . I am also available to work with American clients in need of legal services in the UK and abroad . 
I could have been a contenda ! I really like the Goo Good Dolls . Partly because they are good sons of Buffalo who do well by the Queen City . Partly because I just like their music . On Friday , I was in an MRI machine . They give you headsets to listen to the radio . I heard a radio contest for Goo Goo Dolls concert tix . The question was " what article of clothing do the GGD 's always insert in their riders ? " The answer is white tube sox . Some people are really devoted fans and know this . I like the GGD 's , but I am not that devoted . I knew because in college I filled the GGD 's rider when they played at Niagara University . We even got to hang out with the GGD 's . To this day , the blue tub that we used to store the GGD 's Heinekens sits in my shed -- I store firewood in it now . In any event , by the time that I hopped to the car to call the station , they announced a winner . Well , here 's hoping that I do better with the MRI results . 
Throwing out the first pitch ! Welcome to my first blawg post ! Before the internet , only a few friends and family were privy to my rants , thoughts , and musings -- which I now share with you too . I hope that you find some of my posts useful or slightly amusing . Otherwise . . . well , frankly I will not lose much sleep over it . In any event , the following are a few comments from A Buffalo Lawyer . 
Saat pabila karya Inggeris dijulang Kumpulan Akhbar Melayu . Bilakah kali terakhir sebuah akhbar berbahasa Inggeris tempatan menjulang karya dalam Bahasa Melayu ? Tidak pernah , bukan . Dalam nada yang sama , bilakah kali terakhir anda mendengar lagu Melayu dimainkan dalam stesen radio berbahasa Inggeris di Malaysia ni . Ini semua menunjukkan bahawa berbahasa Melayu itu bukanlah sesuatu yang membanggakan . Berbahasa Inggeris itu lebih bergaya dan tanda bahawa kita sudah maju ke depan . Itulah sebabnya , selepas 49 tahun merdeka , Kumpulan Utusan telah mengumpul segala kekuatan untuk menjulang karya Bahasa Inggeris pula . 9 Julai lalu , dalam Mingguan Malaysia telah diumumkan pada tahun ini Hadiah Sastera Kumpulan Utusan ( HSKU ) 2005 turut menganugerahkan hadiah bagi novel berbahasa Inggeris . Fridge , The Curse dan The Nine Lives adalah judul - judul yang memenangi anugerah tersebut . Melihatkan judul yang klise dan koman ( dan juga bodoh ) tersebut saya yakin genre novel ini lebih mirip dan hampir kepada novel popular . Adakah Utusan kini berpaling arah untuk menghasilkan novel popular berbahasa Inggeris pula ? Saya berpendapat , karya Bahasa Inggeris adalah tidak perlu diberi suluhan perhatian sebegini . Kita sudah tepu dengan karya Bahasa Inggeris dari luar negara , mahu pula ditambah dengan karya Bahasa Inggeris tempatan . Bagaimana dengan sastera Melayu kita ? Nak cari kat kedai punyalah payah . Ambil contoh karya seperti Sandera , Salina mahupun Perempuan Politikus Melayu . Bukan senang nak jumpa karya sastera sebegini kat kedai le ni . Yang ada tentu sahaja lambakan novel - novel popular . Kini sastera Melayu harus berjuang dengan lebih kuat ; dengan adanya seteru baru dalam merebut pasaran buku dan karya rakyat Malaysia . Moga - moga , sasterawan di negara kita tidak mudah beralah . Mereka harus tahu bahawa bukan semua rakyat Malaysia menggilakan novel popular , karya sastera mereka masih jadi buruan kami para pembaca . 
Lambakan buku Harry Potter ? " Even though Americans have bought 11 million copies of the latest epic adventure , Harry Potter and the Half - Blood Prince , and the book remains at number two in the Publishers Weekly sales chart , Scholastic 's adoption of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 's most famous pupil is causing it financial grief . Stacks of unsold copies are collecting dust in bookstores and warehouses across the US , and Scholastic - the world 's largest distributor of children 's books , and best known in the UK for Clifford the Big Red Dog - is bracing itself for an avalanche of returned copies . " The Independent ( UK ) 30 / 10 / 05 Itu di Amerika dan UK , tapi di Malaysia pun perkara ini dah berlaku . Di Popular KB , baru - baru ni ( awal April ) telah menawarkan hard cover " Harry Potter : Half - Blood Prince " pada harga cuma RM 39.90 daripada harga asal RM 99.90 . Ianya satu tawaran tidak munasabah tapi yang menguntungkan pengguna . Buku soft cover " Harry Potter " lain dijual dgn harga sekitar RM 36 hingga RM 34 Apakah yang sedang berlaku ? Nyata sekali tiada ibu bapa pun sanggup membelanjakan sebegitu banyak duit untuk buku kanak - kanak sedemikian . Mungkin ini juga balasan atas sikap tamak penerbit Harry Potter sendiri . Pada hari pelancaran buku ini , ada sebuah kedai di Kanada ( kalau tak silap ) telah terjual buku ini dengan lebih awal . Kedai itu nyaris disaman oleh J . K . Rowling dan juak - juaknya , namun berhenti bila kedai itu memohon maaf . Lantas Rowling mengeluarkan gesaan pula supaya orang ramai tersebut yang sudah membeli agar ridak membaca buku yg dibeli sehingga hari pelancaran !!! Begitulah sikap penulis Barat mempertahankan " spoiler " cerita mereka . Sikap mempertahankan karya harus dipuji , tapi rasanya Rowling ini dah melampau . Beliau juga pernah menutup halaman web seorang peminatnya , gadis kecil berumur 6 tahun , gara - gara gadis itu menggunakan material yang melanggar hak cipta . Mungkin kerana sikap sebeginilah , pembaca kini membalas balik dengan tidak membeli bukunya . Cukup sekadar baca di perpustakaan , atau pinjam kawan . Atau tunggu harga murah macam Popular KB ... 
Books Sought I am looking for good books on the following topics . The books should not just describe facts like history books by NCERT . It should interprete events with an eye of anthropologist or socialogist . Your suggestions are solicited : a ) A book on the history of Jews dating back to centuries before Christ was born . It should discuss how Jews were fled away from their homeland , how they became good in money making business , how Wall St was built by the Jewish , how Jews used to fund wars , etc. b ) A book encompassing 2000 yrs old history of Japan describing why Japanese seemingly have dual personality . I feel Japanese are deligent , responsible and polite but internally they are brutal and are always ready to invade others . I may be wrong . I also want to know the hierarchy in Japanese society describing the status of normal people and that of Samurais . I want read from the perspectives of both Japanese and others . c ) A book on Nazi and Hitler which should describe why Nazi used to hate the Jews . May be Mein Kempf ?? 
Important Business Today I had a complementary breakfast in the office with 3 other early birds including our HR lady . During the breakfast conversation , the HR lady asked this guy from the Netherlands , " What does your father do in your country ? " . The question made the two other guys burst into instant laughter . Why ? Even I was curious . Instead of getting embarrassed the guy took a little while to think how to answer . Probably he never had to answer this to a woman . He said , " My father provides raw materials [ you know what it is ] for artificial insemination of pigs " . One could have easily evaded the question by answering something else . I liked his honesty . I have observed this guy during meetings . He is very precise and clear in what he speaks . I learned two additional things : First , every work is important in life ; someone has to clean toilets , some one has to inseminate animals where farming and animal husbandry is important and so on . Second , articulation of speech is really a skill and can have a completely different effect on the listeners . 
Hierarchical Data Finally we submitted a paper on Change Detection in Hierarchical Data . People usually talk about change in data or data streams without considering hierarchy -- for example , one is usually happy with knowing what is the percentage increase / decrease in sales volume in Walmart in California . We address the problem of detecting changes in data where attributes are hierarchical . For example , a manager in Walmart might have information about sales which is organized by hierarchy -- state / county / city / zip code in US . One can pose a question -- if the sales volume under all the zip codes in San Fransisco have doubled , what is the parsimonious way to represent the change ? We say , sales volume in SF has doubled . Our approach captures such changes with maximal generalizations and thus captures trends and counter - trends . We reduce the problem to a weight assignment problem over hierarchical tree structure under some constraints and propose efficient linear - time optimal algorithms . 
Why Conference Call is so Good ? Of late I have been attending mostly conference call meetings . I have started liking it more than physical meetings . In some cases , I find it more productive than physical meetings since I often send report and agenda before conference call meeting . Moreover , we can terminate a conference call if we don't have anything to discuss . Here are some reasons why I like conference calls . It gives me an impression that I am a very important person and am talking to the President of USA on secure hotline . The other person cannot see my facial expression . Neither do I have to be well - shaved or neatly dressed . I can find an excuse for being late ; no one is going to notice what I was doing . I could say , phone had a problem . It gives me access to many other things during a conference call . I can drink coffee , I can browse . In some cases , I even did experiments on the fly as my co - author asked me questions and I could report results of those experiments to answer the questions . Its mostly Voice over IP rather than regular telephony ; so it makes a case that network engineers are still of some use . It gives me a feeling that the world is well - connected and I can reach any corner in milliseconds . It sharpens by hearing skills , I tend to be more focussed since I know I have only ears in help . 
Prophetic ?? Friends and church people probably are wondering if this ME chaos is the prophetic end of life and the scenario where Jerusalem becomes the focal point of the World End with Jesus Christ returning . Well , only God knows and the prophecy preachers on TV are probably selling more books and gaining membership or at least more attenders because of these perilous times . I will take a look from two points here : first , prophetically . One is always told to read Daniel , Ezekiel , and some minor prophets like Joel to see the time - line . Then , of course , Jesus talks about the end times in Matthew and Luke . Thessalonians takes up some points . Jude takes up some points . But , it is Revelation where prophetic teachers go and take up the scenario . OK , start there and go to the point where only the Lord will put this into effect if and only if that is the correct reading and exigesis of Scripture . A second Point : is history ( which I believe God controls ) looks to WWI , Palestine in the ' 30 's , WWII , 1948 , 1955 - 6 , 1967 , 1973 and on the years go with the Islamofascists never recognizing the state of Israel . And here we are today . Not being one who just sits back and watches scenario play out , I favor Israel taking out Hamas , Hezballoh , Iran and Syria . I favor the USA doing the same . Prophetically , many say , there will be a treaty promising Israel freedom and safety and that a master Ruler of the World , the Anti - Christ will break that treaty and God will end his reign and start up an earthly reign of His own . Till that happens , I want to see the USA , Israel and defenders of the Judeo - Christian world - view defend our culture and never stop attacking the Islamofascists . After all , people do read prophecy wrong sometime !!!! 
On - going moral problems . We American Christians know through the Bible 's perspective that we face moral choices each day , each hour and we will for the rest of our lives . Yet the media , some churches , some government spokespeople think that the ME , stem cells , illegal immigration , civil rights , minimum wages , are all new moral questions . They are not . Haven't been for nearly 60 years . The fact that few Americans see rightly about the on - going evil of personal and national sin is very disconcerting since we think , write , believe that somehow America is a moral nation . And it is on some questions . Still , when we hear nothing about personal responsibility , about God 's warning against unreformed sinful natures , about the necessity of undergoing transformation from the grace - love - and blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ we Americans risk depression and loss without understanding the cause of those feelings and perspectives . The fact is , more and more churches are failing to teach the good news and the bad news of the Gospel of Jesus . Oh , we get alot about love and claiming God 's blessings , but not much on repentance , service , trusting and obeying Jesus ' Word and surely not much about the ongoing problem of internal personal sin as well as international sin . Fortunately , there are some brave preachers , teachers , organizations , churches , and even media bloggers who present the Full Gospel and the consequences of accepting it personally and then how to live out one 's life on a daily level . Even dealing with questions of good and evil nationally and internationally . Just cocooning oneself in a Bless - me club will not help kids to learn how to face daily evil . Yes , kids need to be taught and I am convinced that many , many adults really need to be made aware of the reality of good and evil and how to deal with it by cooperating with the Lord God , Jesus Christ more than ever ! 
Middle East morality ? Every time I read a liberal calling the ME crisis a cycle of violence , I cringe . Since 1948 , Islamofascists have been trying to expunge Israel from the ME map . On and on it goes with the Left all over the globe calling on Israel to show restraint but nothing is said against the Pals , jihadists , Hamas , Hezbollah , Iran or Syria . And it is these thugs who are the real villains in the ME . They not only want to kill Israelis but Americans and other Westerners who oppose Islamofascism . Meanwhile , the Left in the Dem . Party and in the media continues to see moral equivalence between the Muslim terrorists and the counter measures of Israel . This is inane , silly and factually wrong . Then there is the question of right and wrong . The fact is evil nations , groups like N . Korea , Iran , Syria and every type of Islamofascist are wrong in this world . Theologically , does God love all these people ? Yes , but so what ? These people are God 's enemies as well as the Judeo - Christian Western World and Israel . None of these people are going to convert to Christianity by wishing for it and hoping God will intervene . God used America in WWII and will use us again , if we follow His will along with any other Western nation plus Israel to face down these evil - doers . That is how God intervenes and has intervened . He doesn't do it by magic or in some wussy pacifistic nonsense rhetoric . All through history , God has dealt with evil by killing it using His people to do so . When Jesus sets up his Millenial Rule , Biblically speaking and prayerfull He will do so soon , then we will have peace . But , not before . Not with the UN or the EU or peace treaties . Not with these Islamofascists or the Chi - Coms or N . Korea . Unfortunately , it will be the will , the backbone , the military strength of the free nations which will have to deal with these evil - doers . I wish it were different . But , I do not romanticize the idea that the Lion will live with the Lamb until Jesus Christ the God of the Universe sets that course . And surely , not before . 
Was it Amish terror today in India ????? Have you been surprised that the Left and the MSMedia in this nation continue to call Islamofascist terrorists , just ' insurgents , terrorists , civil war opponents ' . Never do they use the term , Islamofascist terrorist . After all in India today , it was not the Amish , Methodists , Hindus , or the National Inquirer who blew up trains and killed over a hundred innocent people . The PC crowd in this nation , including churches , media , government officials - even the President , better start using the real term , Islamofascist terrorist . We should be profiling these people in the mosques right here in America . We should be using the term in the media , on Talk Radio , on the Net and in everyday conversation . These are the enemies of the West , America , capitalism , democracy , and the Judeo - Christian worldview . Period . These are not Amish terrorists . They are Muslims . Most terrorism in the entire world is Muslim . Muslim , Muslim , not Presybterian ! Muslims in America should be asked to condemn all Islamofascist terrorism . No more excuses . Muslims are the people who are terrorists in great numbers . They sympathize with the terrorists . Polls in the ME and Indonesia and Africa show this . They are not in love with Western democracy . These Muslims are in fact aiding the Al Queda terrorists who are Muslims too . Muslims . Get it ??? 
The continuing war against Christianity . The N . Koreans have a law that Christian conversion is illegal . So does Saudi Arabia , Iran , and other Islamofascist states . Nice , tolerant societies , huh ? The courts in this nation are deciding whether a cross in San Diego should be torn down though it was put up to remind people of the sacrifices of our military in years gone by . Liberal churches deny the historic understanding of marriage . Some of these loony churches deny that Jesus is the only way for salvation and yet still call themselves Christian . Some of these left denominations want to punish Israel but want to prop up the Palestinian jihadists , Iranians , and other types of militant Islamists . And they call themselves , Christians . The Democrat Party under Howard Dean , another loon , calls for more religion in its party but doesn't want real Christians because they fear they will stand up for Christ ! Now that is a weird one , even for Howard . After all , we all know that the Founders never wanted religion to play a part in our nation 's development . NOT . And with the hateful N . Koreans deciding to send its rockets to who knows where , I will bet some of these faux Christians will ask America not to react and after all , in the minds of these nuts , America is to blame anyhow . And , right wing conservative Evangelicals are probably the cause of the entire world 's problems . Yes , my friends the Left has decided that America , Christianity , and conservatives are the real reason why the entire world hates us . It , of course , has nothing to do with the evil that the Trio of blaggards exhibit . Of course not . 
No moral foundations equals crisis mentality . The 4 th was a great holiday to show how , why , God helped create the USA as a city set on a hill to produce freedom under the Creator ! But , after the Korean outburst , the Larry King show with Mdm . Albright of the Clinton era blaming Bush instead of Carter - Clinton , ( who really gave them free nuke technology , oil , food to appease the Korean thugs . ) , the Space Shuttle , the media cries were GLOBAL CRISES HIT THE WORLD . For heaven 's sakes , crises go on each day , each minute for many people , probably 6 billion of them . No one seems to think that any moral foundation as in the Judeo - Christian theology will give people some balance . Well , no one in the media , that is . Facts are uncomfortable things , inconvenient and inane for ideologues of the Left . They think that if they get people all revved up in fear , confusion , that the USA will take another big hit and especially the current Administration who is handling many such crises all at once . Leadership counts but you would not know it if you looked at the media every day . No , the world is ending and no one or no idea , ( except those of the Left of course ) can save humanity . God is never mentioned in these solutions . But , some people in America know that it is the balance of God which helps them face crises every day . Now , if only the Leftist media would figure that out ! 
Freedom is not license . If we read the Bible , if we know the history of the USA via the 4 th of July , Independence , the Bill of Rights , we know that real freedom is never an opportunity to either sinful , economic , political , social , personal , cultural license . Or it should not be . The continuing saga of the NYTimes , the liberal Dem Party , Jimmy Carter , leftist media outlets to uncover America 's secret ways to defeat Islamofascism goes on and sadly on . Here we are near our holiday celebrating liberty , the Founders , our military who helped give us independence and we still have near - traitors blaming America for all things evil that go on around the world . Personally , I am sick and tired of the leftist attempts to undermine America and its institutions because they hate Bush , our military , our traditions , our history , our culture . My guess is some others are too . A Zogby Poll today says only 48 % think the 4 th of July is about American independence from the British in 1776 . What historical ignorance ! No wonder that the Leftists have so much impact distorting our freedoms , our culture and our necessary war against Islamofascism . We have a public grouping that is ignorant of what being an American means as well as the facts surrounding not only the goodness of our ways but the truths why our people must wage a war that will go on for generations against an enemy which is as dangerous as Fascism , Communism and totalitarian enemies were . Prayers are needed for our military for they are the major reason that we have our freedoms . There is too a belief that people have had since Gov . Bradford in the late 1600 's , to Reagan to Bush and that is that America under God is a beacon of freedom , a light on a hill to show the world what freedom and liberty are . If we do not persevere , that light might go out with some politicians and media outlets being causes without even knowing it . Or , perhaps sadly , they do know it . 
Defending Christ 's Deity . An article by Ken Silva on Defending Christ 's Deity Who , being in very nature God , did not consider equality with God something to be grasped ( Philippians 2:6 ) Let s zero in on the first part of text . Who , [ Christ Jesus ] being in very nature God . This verse is teaching that our Lord is made up of the nature or stuff of God , namely Deity . Reading this in the original language you d get the meaning Who , was already existing in the very form or nature or essence of God . So what God the Holy Spirit is telling us about Jesus Christ of Nazareth is that He is a Being Who was already in existence before He became that Babe in the manger . He never stopped being God ; no , He added another nature to the nature that He already had . Do you see now ; the Bible teaches that Jesus always has been God , and when He was born of the Virgin Mary , He then became Man. Whether someone wants to believe this or not is between that person and God . However , if they choose not to believe what God s Word says they should stop telling people that the Roman Catholic Church made this doctrine up . Yet this is precisely what skeptics , the Mind Sciences like Christian Science and the Unity School of Christianity are telling others around you . Others who say that supposedly dishonest clergy invented the Deity of Christ are those in the non - Christian Cult of Liberal Theology and those in the New Age Movement . Then there are others who don t believe that the one true eternal God became man , like the Jehovah s Witnesses , the Mormon Church and The Way International , who continue to insist that the Bible doesn t teach this . While they certainly have the right to their own views , they are clearly wrong when they say that the full Deity of Jesus Christ is nowhere to be found in the Bible . Our text in Philippians 2:6 alone refutes that argument . And especially in the original Greek language where Paul wrote that Christ Jesus Who , was already existing in the nature essence or the very stuff that makes God Who He is . Rest of the article posted as a reply or http : // www . apprising . org / archives / 2005 / 11 / defending _ chris . html . Posted by Todd Edwards . 
Song of the Day - Do You Tremble by Wes King . Have you counted the stars in the heavens Have you walked the circumference of the earth Have you measured the boundaries of the universe Do you tremble at the Word of God Have you uncovered the souce of the thunder Have you tamed the crashing mighty sea Have you defied the force of gravity Do you tremble at the Wod of God CHORUS : The wise will hear Him and obey His word Long and blessed will be their days upon the earth The fool will perish in the folly of his ways Do you tremble at the Word of God Have you considered the scope of eternity In the light of unwavering truth Have you regarded the works of a strong and mighty hand Do you tremble at the Word of God CHORUSAt the Wod of God Yeah , do you tremble at the Word of God Have you counted the stars in the heavens Have you tamed the crashing mighty sea Oh , do you tremble CHORUSOh , the LORD loves those who fear Him Oh , the LORD loves those who fear Him . 
Discernment in an Age of Deception . I was reading on Pastor Ken Silva 's website Apprising Ministries http : // www . apprising . org / and I came across an article by Pastor Bob De Waay http : // cicministry . org / , that Pastor Ken had linked to his site . The article is about judging and what we are to do and not to do . I was convicted that at times in trying to be discerning , I have judged motives when I should be judging what they are teaching . This is an excellent biblical study that addresses what and what not to judge . It can be eye opening to see these scriptures studied in context . It is a long article , so I am posting it in the comment section in case anyone is interested in a study on judging . Posted by Todd Edwards . 
Atonement FInal Post - Justification . Justification - Result of the Atonement We are lawfully righteous before God ( Rom 3:24 - 26 ) 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus : 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood , to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past , through the forbearance of God ; 26 To declare , I say , at this time his righteousness : that he might be just , and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus . We are clothed in righteousness ( Isaiah 61:10 ) I will greatly rejoice in the LORD , my soul shall be joyful in my God ; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation , he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness , as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments , and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels We have Imputed righteousness ( Rom 4:6 ) Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man , unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works , Active - Christ 's obedience to the Law and his fulfillment of it ( Rom 8:3 - 4 ) 3 For what the law could not do , in that it was weakthrough the flesh , God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinfulflesh , and for sin , condemned sin in the flesh : 4 That therighteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us , who walk not afterthe flesh , but after the Spirit . Passive - Christ being led to the cross to atone for us ( John 19:16 - 18 ) 16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to becrucified . And they took Jesus , and led him away . 17 And he bearinghis cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull , which iscalled in the Hebrew Golgotha : 18 Where they crucified him , and twoother with him , on either side one , and Jesus in the midst . ( I Pet 2:24 ) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on thetree , that we , being dead to sins , should live unto righteousness : bywhose stripes ye were healed . We escape the judgment of God ( Rom 8:1 ) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus , who walk not after the flesh , but after the Spirit . We are restored to fellowship ( I Thess 5:9 - 10 ) 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath , but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ , 10 Who died for us , that , whether we wake or sleep , we should live together with him . We are at peace with God ( Rom 5:1 ) Therefore being justified by faith , we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ : We are reconciled to God ( 2 Cor 5:19 ) To wit , that God was in Christ , reconciling the world unto himself , not imputing their trespasses unto them ; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation We are righteous before God ( 2 Cor 5:21 ) For he hath made him to be sin for us , who knew no sin ; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him . We have access to God ( Eph 2:18 ) For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father . We have an advocate with the Father ( I John 2:1 ) My little children , these things write I unto you , that ye sin not . And if any man sin , we have an advocate with the Father , Jesus Christ the righteous Posted by Todd Edwards . 
Hymn of the Day - Jesus With Thy Church Abide by Thomas Pollok . Acts 20:28 Be shepherds of the church of God , which he bought with his own blood . As I read about and study the church I am reminded over and over that we must begin with God . It has been so tempting ( and , truthfully my original intention ) to write about the church and what it is for us . Before we discuss what the church is for us I want to remind myself that the church exists because of and for God 's glory . JESUS WITH THY CHURCH ABIDEJesus , with Thy church abide ; Be her savior , Lord , and Guide , While on earth her faith is tried : We beseech Thee , hear us , We beseech Thee , hear us . Keep her life and doctrine pure ; Grant her patience to endure , Trusting in Thy promise sure : We beseech Thee , hear us , We beseech Thee , hear us . May she one in doctrine be , One in truth and charity , Winning all to faith in Thee : We beseech Thee , hear us , We beseech Thee , hear us . May she guide the poor and blind , Seek the lost until she find And the brokenhearted bind : We beseech Thee , hear us , We beseech Thee , hear us . 
Song of the Day - The Church by Derek Webb . A few months ago a friend told me that his pastor told him that he knows Jesus isn't coming back soon because the church is not united . He asked my opinion , and I honestly didn't know how to respond immediately . I am still not one hundred percent sure of my whole response in regard to Christ 's second coming , but I think I know where I stand on the church being united . I believe that today , July 13 th , 2006 the true church of Jesus Christ is one . That conversation has stayed with me over the past couple months . A couple of days ago I posted the hymn , ' The Church 's One Foundation . ' I am filled with so many thoughts and emotions as I stand back and look at the church . I am planning ( Lord willing ) to start studying and writing about the church for the next few weeks on this website . I want to remember as I try to humbly discuss the church that I am talking about my Savior 's bride . Proverbs 6:34 for jealousy arouses a husband 's fury , and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge . I think this song is a good place to begin the discussion . The Church i have come with one purposeto capture for myself a brideby my life she is lovelyby my death she s justified i have always been her husband though many lovers she has known so with water i will wash her and by my word alone so when you hear the sound of the water you will know you re not alone cause i haven t come for only you but for my people to pursue you cannot care for me with no regard for her if you love me you will love the church i have long pursued her as a harlot and a whore but she will feast upon me she will drink and thirst no more so when you taste my flesh and my blood you will know you re not alone there is none that can replace her though there are many who will try and though some may be her bridesmaids they can never be my bride . 
Concert in the Park ... suckers ... So I promised a post on this ... Last night a group of us went to Central Park to hear a Damien Rice ( whom I like ) and Fiona Apple ( who scares me ) concert . The thing is , tickets to this concert were $ 50 dollars . But , being the smart people we are we went to a grassy knoll ( read woodchip filled area ) right behind the fence that separated the sheep from the goats ... the goats being the morons who paid $ 50 to get in the fence and the sheep being us beautiful creatures who laid in the grassy knoll ( read woodchip filled area ) and laughed at the people who wasted their money . I have pictures for proof . The sheep : The goats ( morons ) : Clearly I could have thrown a rock and hit them ... but I didn't want to make them feel worse ... This is how many people were in the sheep section before it got dark ( several people got there after dark - no photo evidence provided ) . This taught me that I will never buy a ticket to an outdoor concert again . I will simply get my lawn chair , cooler and some food and thank those suckers who are paying the money so I can enjoy the music for free ... 
So , I know I ' ve posted since the weekend but I need to update you all on what 's been going on since then . I ' m afraid this may be more boring than you are used to so brace yourselves ... Saturday I hung out with Brandon , Dr. Gregory and Patrick and it was loads of fun . We entered the lottery for 25 dollar tickets to The Drowsy Chaperone and I won ! Too bad I am using up all of my lottery karma on stupid stuff so when i finally play the real lottery I ' ll just end up losing money . Since I was the only one who won Patrick and I saw the show since Brandon and Dr. G will have many more opportunities to see it than will we . It was hilarious - by far the best show I ' ve ever seen ... out of the 5 , so you can take that with a salt grain or garlic clove or whatever the saying is . That night Brandon , Patrick and I - along with US - 2 's Valerie and Tyler - went to a Haunted Restaturant . It was quite possibly the lamest thing I ' ve done ... ever . They had " ghosts " coming around talking to us and asking us questions . Lame . When the weekend was over it was back to work with training sessions and things of that nature . We have had a free night or two so I went with some peeps to a choir performance last night and was talked into ( at the last minute ) to going to a concert tonight . I will give a full post to this later so get excited !!! Anyways ... that has been the last few days in my life . I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did . ( now that last sentence was the lamest thing I ' ve done ) . 
I am going to be an artist ! So ... I promised a post about the Mo MA ... here goes ... I really did thoroughly enjoy going to the Museum of Modern Art ; however , there were some pieces of " art " that left me a little perplexed . Some of the pieces of " art " didn't seem like art at all . Take this picture for example ... Now compare this work of " art " to what I just did in 7 seconds ... Why did the guy / gal who painted this get paid millions ( maybe ) of dollars for their painting and I get nothing ? This blue " painting " is not a work of art. One of my friends said that she felt bad for house painters who do the same thing but millions of times more than that and don't get their " paintings " in museums . This wasn't the only thing that isn't art in the museum . There is a canvas that has been sliced in the middle that is called " art. " There is a rope suspended from the ceiling to the floor called " art. " There is a blank canvas ... a BLANK canvas in the museum called " art. " This is all crazy . I think I have a new calling in life ... 
Story Time ! Once upon a time a boy was walking to a restaurant with his friends . This boy was in the middle of the group of friends , several in front of him , several behind him , and one beside him . As they walk along a stranger cuts into the group . The boy and his friends don't think much about the stranger and continue their various conversations . While the group is walking , talking , and having a good time , the stranger starts acting strange . The stranger bends over and touches things on the grounds , mumbles unintelligibly , and claps for long periods of time . The boy and his friends look at each other in wonderment but carry on with their conversations , realizing that they are in the big city . One of the conversations that is taking place near the boy is about dogs . One of the boy 's friends mentions that some people treat dogs as dogs and others treat dogs as people . The boy has a question about this statement so he offers " what does it really mean to treat a dog as a dog ? " Just at this moment the stranger turns around and says " wow man , that is deep . " The boy tries not to make eye contact ; his friend who was walking next to him drops off the face of the earth and joins the group walking behind the boy . The stranger persists " no man , I mean , I like to joke around and stuff because I have to but what you just said was some deep stuff . " The boy tries humor and says " Yeah ... I ' m a philosopher . " The stranger doesn't get it and continues to talk to the boy . The boy feels very awkward and wants to get out of the situation by any means necessary . The boy realizes he isn't a strong runner . The boy must listen to the stranger . One of the boy 's friends comes to the rescue by asking him a question . The stranger drops back . The group of friends who were behind the boy drop back farther as to not have an encounter with the stranger . They see the stranger spit at a woman crossing the street . The boy walks fast not looking back . The boy and his group of frinds arrive at the restaurant . The stranger is still amongst the boy and his friends . One of the boy 's friends allows the lady in the restaurant to sit first ; the stranger instead goes to the restroom . The boy and his friends are seated looking at the menus . the boy happens to glance up and see the stranger at the hostess stand . He 's perplexed . He then witnesses the stranger start pulling things off of the hostess stand and throwing them on the floor . The stranger wipes a table of it 's glassware , breaking everything , and then knocks a tray full of things that a waitress carries on the ground . Then the stranger runs out the door , chased by two waiters . The boy ponders the situation that just took place ... then he laughs and remembers that he is in the big city ... The Endtrue story by the way ... 
Seasons of Love . Seasons of Love - one of the best songs from Rent - has been stuck in my head since I went to see the Broadway show last night . Why oh why can I not get it out of my head ? It 's torture ; not only for me but for all of my US - 2 classmates who constantly have to listen to me sing it . Anyways ... NYC is a lot of fun . Like I ' ve said , we have been staying busy but there has been a lot of free time . We ' ve been to Central Park , Times Square ( multiple x 's ) , a Broadway show , every freakin restaurant in the Village , Mo MA , and other places too . Mo MA will probably get it 's own post in the next few days . I ' m excited about this weekend because I get to hang out with some familiar faces from Martin Methodist ... Brandon Baker , Dr. Jack Gregory , and Patrick Bryan . Hopefully we will get to have some fun times . It 's gonna be good to hang out with all of them before I have to move out of country , er , to Salt Lake . 
New York Observations . I have been living in Greenwich Village on the lower West Side for two weeks now training to be a US - 2 . Prior to my coming to New York many people warned me of things that I would see in the Village . For the most part , I didn't think anything of it as I am open - minded and don't mind seeing things that go against the norms of society - at least in the South . However , even I wasn't ready to see something that blew my mind on the first day that I arrived while walking down Bleecker Street to lunch . This is an act that I had never witnessed before and something that I don't think I will ever get used to . ( I still double take everytime I see it ) . The act is ... Dog 's taking craps on the sidewalks ... Now I know that this dog is not on the sidewalk , but the internet has failed me and I don't think people would appreciate it if I take pictures of their dog 's relieving themselves ... The worst part about this horrific act is the vulnerability , embarassment , and pure fear that you see in the dog 's eyes as they pass . Having a dog in the city is opening a dog up to riddicule . 
I like the NBA . You know what ? I like the NBA ... It seems to be a dying sport in the nashville area ... at least in my family ... but this season 's playoffs have revived a love that might not have ever been there - so I guess they sparked a renewed interest . I can remember watching NBA with my family once , when MJ was still in the league , and his Bulls were in the playoffs against the Lakers - I ' m assuming Magic 's but the only person from that team I remember is Vlade Divac because my dad and his brothers had a fight about how to pronounce his name . Ever since that viewing I liked Vlade ... Tonight is Detroit ( my team , for the last 4 years or so - not to be confused for my old team - the Jazz , Malone Stockton days - or the Celtics , Bird days ... yeah , I like winners ) vs . Heat . I like Shaq and Dwayne Wade but my beloved Pistons need to pull this out to force a game 7 . I think I have bored you all enough - I like the NBA - and whoever wins might be my favorite team ... 
It 's official ... I have some bad news ... it 's official - Taylor Hicks is the American freakin Idol ... I know only a handful of people knew this already , i ' m one of the few viewers - thats why I ' m telling everyone , well at least everyone reading this , which is no one because I haven't told anyone that it exists ... i shall soon . Taylor had at best the 6 th best voice of the competition - though I must admit that he was one of the most entertaining contestants . I bet you are asking yourself " well why in the world is Adam wasting a post on this if he hasn't posted in a month and only has 4 or so posts anyways ? " Well , I say you are asking a good question , and a good question deserves a good answer . And I got good answers ... I think I deserve to post about this because not only have millions of other people written about American Idol the last 5 months ... I have spent the last 5 months with American Idol . It sucked me in . I have spent more time with the contestants than I have with many of my family members ... ever . They were my family - my crazy ( paula ) , annoying ( paula ) and sexy ( paula ) family . Even my future wife was part of Idol this year ... I wonder if she ' ll hyphenate her name - Katharine Mc Phee - Burgett . Man , I wish I had met her before she made it on the show and got famous - I hate hyphenated names , but I guess I ' ll get used to it . Back to topic - think about it ... some weeks Idol was on 5 hours ...5 hours ! Thats more than college students are in a class for one week . Because of this time commitment for busy college students , I am proposing that all colleges offer some sort of credit for Idol watchers . I ' m even going to offer a sample syllabus for this new course in " Music , Culture and the American Dream . " Class Requirements : Watch American Idol everytime it comes on , whether it is for 1.5 hours a week ( final 10 ish ) , 3 hours a week ( last 2 + finale ) , or 5 hours a week ( auditions / top 24 ) . Be prepared to discuss in class : Contestants and song selection Fashion yes 's and no 's of the night Judge comments : were they fair ? Write one paper responding to the following comment : " It doesn't matter how good the contestants are , the producers pick the most marketable contestant to win and then keep the rights to the better singers so they can sign them a few months after the season is over . " Well , that 's a start on the syllabus ... 
Movin ' in with the Mormons ... Well , it is looking like I ' ll be living with the Mormon 's for a couple of years starting in August 06 .... The powers that be at the GBGM have placed me at Crossroads Urban Center in Salt Lake City , Utah . I don't think that I could have drawn up a better placement for myself in terms of the work that I ' ll get to do while at Crossroads . Check out the link above to see the type of work they do and I will get to participate in ... With that being said - it is in Salt Lake City , which actually my quick research has shown is not that bad of a town . Hopefully I ' ll get to use public transportation everywhere ( which is a goal of mine for the 2 years ) and won't have to take my truck on the 24 hour drive from Nashville to Utah . When I first heard Salt Lake City I was surprised - though not totally upset . I mentioned that I preferred to be in the northeast , but this placement is too good to pass up . I have to schedule a phone interview with Crossroads in the next few days to finalize the placement . I am exicted , especially since I get to go somewhere where polygamy is semi - condoned ... look out ladies ... 
Bittersweet lunch . Since returning from New York I was successful in convincing myself that I would not be accepted in the US - 2 program . Thererfore , everytime my cell phone has rang the last few days my heart stopped . While at lunch with the staff from the Center for Church Leadership at Martin Methodist College for " Assistant 's Day , " my phone started vibrating furiously , which gave me a small thrill but scared the crap out of me . However , it was " just " my mom . I write " just " my mom because she had some bad news to spread about my uncle and the tumor on his liver - specifically the inability of the doctors to remove the tumor during surgery yesterday . While processing this , my phone rang about 30 minutes later . This time the news was much happier as I was informed that I was accepted into the US - 2 program !!! More info to come about where I ' ll be , what I ' ll be doing , etc.... 
Beginnings . It is funny that I titled this first entry beginnings , as it is being written at a crossroads in my life ... I just returned yesterday from a four day trip to New York City . It actually was an interview for the US - 2 program , which is a social justice program of the GBGM of the UMC . I think the interviews went well , though I am cautiously optimistic as I wait for the call which should come sometime this week . If I am accepted into the program , I will be sent to work in a United Methodist affiliated agency that works towards social justice . The placement could be anywhere in the United States , but I made it known that i preferred the Northeast . The weekend was better than I expected - the awkward lack of anxiety from the 12 persons interviewing seemed to fill the rooms as much I had expected the anxiety to . All of us will have a long week ahead of us waiting for the call from Lauren Green - a former US - 2 and current Missionary in Residence for the Young Adult Program . Hopefully , last weekend will be just the beginning ... 
love ?? an email from her : ( the ones in brackets are my twisted thoughts ) To tell you the truth , im still in love with you . ( you fucking love me ?? if u love me ... u wudnt tink twice bout getting to noe a man ... but sex with another man is love for me ... im so happy ... YAY !! ... ) But wat u did by lettin me hear wat u guys did were too cruel !!! ( did i ask u to kol me during my fucking session ?? ) TOO CRUEL !!!!! I actually had anxiety attack and fainted for 15 mins before abg yusri found me somwhere in the carpark . ( the dark carkpark ?? with a guy ?? 15 mins ?? a quickie ?? a good place to doggie aye !! .... ) I tak pernah buat demikian pada u ! ( tak perna buat ? today break ... tomorrow sex with scandal .... ure so thoughtful ...... ) Tapi ternyata u ..... In another way , im glad cuz , u ' ve found someone else to be by your side whenever you need tat someone . You can have her for your whole life . ( shes jus my scandal ... we got a mutual understanding ) Unlike me . Ive no one . he wasnt there when i needed him the other day . He 's hardly there for me . I din talk to him on the phone with him at all nowadays . Im still alone just like how i was before i met you . Believe it or not thats entirely up to you . But im glad uve found someone to be there for you . ( bla bla bla ... wateva !! ) I keep callin cuz i wanna ask u this . Can she really take care of you in the near future ? Do you really think she can take care of you for ur whole life ? ( ARE YOU TOO FUCKING DUMB OR REALLY RETARDED ?? SHES JUS USING ME FOR SEX ... I LIKE IT .... OK ?? U EXPECT ME TO GET MARRIED TO HER ?? YOU LITTLE IDIOT .. UR FRENS SHUD CALL U LIL ' DIOT !! ) If you do , then , good for you . I pray for your happiness and all the best to you . Please PLEASE don't ever say u still love meend of emaili cant say i love you ?? u did wat u did n state wateva u did or will be doing ... u will always love me .... why cant i ?? wateva i did or will be doing ... i still love u ... but its not dat strong ... yes my love is not dat strong after u went all the way with him .... u broke me ... i cant even tink of anythin in my FUCKING HEAD for words to describe my emotions .... why do you care bout my happiness ? shes using me .. same goes for me towards her ... yeash its for sex .... so wat ?? i noe im FUCKING UGLY unlike ur handsome SCANDAL .... but she did compliment me .... alot ... u heard WAT WE DID it over the phone ..... remember my skills ?? i love her slender smooth legs ard my waist ... she got great legs ... atleast she appreciate wat i did ..... she love wat i did .... u noe how i am ..... btw now ... u got him .... go with him ... he can satisfy u 24 / 7 kayz .... ouh !! im sorry !! hes engaged to a conservative girl ... shes a virgin .... she cant do it .... awww .... hes not getting any ...2 yrs no action so id heard ... so pitiful ... coz if u dun give him .. hes neva gonna get any ..... ure his saviour .... im so touched n proud of YOU !!! HE CAN DIE WITHOUT SEX !!! ure like a saint huh ?? ermmm ... may i add diz ... are u THE ONLY ONE hes doing it with ?? hes so HONEST .. dats WHY he didnt tell his fiancee bout u ..... a PERFECT match .... btw ..... so dun fucking bother asking bout my happiness .... coz theres onli rage .. hatred .. love ?? love ... not dat strong ... blame ur fucking self when i begged n cried on my knees ... 
im back to my old ways ... its too late for me .... im back to my old ways ... the change in me is useless .. you took my change for granted ... you neva seem to see the change .... i changed for you ... you took it for granted ..... abused my trust ... i noe i took you for granted too .. but i trust you 100 % ... now youre with him .... leaving me all alone .. now ... when i got someone new ... youre back to haunt me .... why ?? you got him ... you went all the way too ... cry for you to come back .... twice i kneeled .... begged you to come back on several occasion .... a fren told me dat ... once a man kneeled down ... its already too much .... now i wun do dat again .... i wun ... im hating you ... i hate you for making change back to my old ways ... you played me ... you played me like a kite ... pull me back in when im about to go high .... let me loose when im too close .... i thx you ... u wanna sleep ard ... so will i .... im a man .... i got nth to lose ... juz noe dat ... 
don't ever judge a book by its cover .... i grew up in a bad neighbourhood ... got mixed up with the wrong crowd .... a bad reputation ..... now ... im being blamed for everything .. jus because of my background .... plz laa ... im not seeking YOUR fucking sympathy ..... im always being blamed ... YOU fucking dun care ..... all my bad points ... u lash out ... my good points ??? your BAD points ?? FUCK you ... im so fucking angry ... my heart is black .. 
so cold ... i was the ever so cold tundra .... im so barren as far as the horizon ..... life ceast to exist ... like mothernature you came sorrow ..... as time passes by ... i took my oasis for granted ...... i always thought it would last .... but mothernature is so unpredictable .... like a ball lightning .... you changed direction so quickly .... you summoned a blizzard disintegrated my haven .... im dead ... so bare ... puzzled ... confused ... why ? why did you plant your seed in a flowering garden ? like lightning you strike the nearest to earth ? an easy way out ? i maybe barren again ... with no life on the surface .... but the roots ... it already burried itself in me .... even if the roots are dead .... it will always be burried deep .... preserved ... till the end of time ...... im letting go .... i cant do dis no more ... buhbye my love .. u lost me for good ... 
she went all the way .... on the 17 th .... we had a conference fone call .... my ex insisted on talking to my new fren ... so we did talked on the fone ... it was tense ... i wun go any further ... im too heartbroken to blog bout it ... im greatly disapointed for wat she did .... 
Saturday Morning Update . 	 Lady Blance arrived later than expected last night , and so retired directly to bed . She was accompanied by her Lady 's Maid and her secretary . The secretary seemed to carry himself with a more regal air than his titled employer , and since I have a sneaking suspicion that Her Majesty the Queen feels compelled to curtsey in the presence of Lady Blanche , that really is saying something . The rest of the party are expected to arrive this afternoon . An awfully busy day awaits . I have a headache , and it is a bad time to have one . 
And So We Swelter . 	 And so it continues : relentless , overbearing , causing discomfort to everybody , people hide from it under hats that cover their faces : I am of course referring to the questioning that our little visitor Amy inflicts on all in her path . Perhaps I AM being a little unfair . Her questions were lively and showed interest . Despite informing her of the more unpleasant duties of a scullery maid , she still seemed keen on being one . You must admire her spirit . Despite Miss Roberts spending a good hour showing Amy some of Lady Carstone 's finest dresses , and extolling the perks and privileges of being Lady 's Maid to one of the British aristocracy 's finest , Amy still steadfastly maintained that it would be much more fun to gut fish , pluck game , clean vegetables , peel potatoes , and wash - up in the scullery . The youth of today ! Things seem quiet now Amy has departed . I am rather relieved that everybody has left . I ' m not sure what to make of ' Remus ' and his clan . I like things to be orderly . I like to know a little about the guests of Carstone , otherwise how can I best ensure that their stay will be a pleasant one ? I can only assume that they were poetical or bohemian people in nature . Although I find it hard to imagine Remus writing anything TOO sensitive . His handshake was a little too excessively firm . You can tell a lot about a man from his handshake . I suppose their dark secret ( everything about them , except Amy , seemed dark and brooding ) will come out eventually . Not happy with myself . Spotted a bit that I missed while decorating . That is not like me . I am usually most thorough about everything . It must be the weather . It has been sweltering at Carstone today . Apparently we could hit the highest temperature since records began . Barton was having problems keeping the lawns nice and green . He has been forbidden to use the sprinklers , and the hosepipe is frowned upon , when it comes to the lawns . This worries Barton . To me , everything still seemed immaculate , but , for a perfectionist like Barton , these are hard times . I left him near the Summerhouse with a furrowed brow . He had explained , in great detail , all the problems that this constant sunshine causes for him . The weather and Barton seem to have a love - hate relationship . At the moment the weather is being rather too ' clingy ' and Barton would prefer a cooling off period . Inside the house things were scarcely much better . I asked both footmen to help me stockcheck the cellars ( always my refuge when it gets TOO hot ) , this allowed them to stay blissfully cool for an hour . I sent Robert , the Hall Boy , out in the gardens to help Barton . There was nothing really for him to do in the House , and I thought he might find a cool spot outside somewhere . I also spotted something which really amused me . I took a quick trip to the garages to ask the chauffeur Mr Reynolds something , and he showed me the quite remarkable shield that he places on the windscreen of Sir Geoffrey 's car to help keep the interior ( especially the steering wheel it seems ) of said vehicle cool when unoccupied in blazing sunshine . I have seen these things before , of course , but nothing like this : it was gilded . I thought that seemed rather extravagant , and must have been custom made . Reynolds explained to me that it was a gift from Mr Miles . Everything then made sense . Mr Miles does like gold - leaf . I am sure he would like to gild the driveway , as was once done at one of Britain 's stately homes in the 1930 s to honour a particularly eccentric visitor . Today sees the return of Sir Geoffrey . How reassuring that will be . Normality and tradition shall reign supreme once more . 
A Small Companion . 	 The week - end proved to be far quieter than I thought it would be . Miss Gemma 's party left early on Sunday morning , and Mr Miles ' group kept themselves largely to themselves . I ' m not entirely sure about their background , and they seemed to remain a mystery to all in the Servant 's Hall . They never used the bell pull to summon a servant and they never seemed to want anything . They just kept themselves in their rooms doing goodness knows what . I did have a lasting encounter with one of them , however . I had not been informed that she was among the party , and I had not detected her on arrival , presumably on account of her tiny size . Yesterday morning as I was unlocking the front door , Mr Miles bounded down the staircase , and called out to me . He asked me if I wouldn't mind showing one of the guests the servant 's areas of the house , and outlining my duties to them . With some surprise ( which I did not betray ) I agreed . Little did I know at the time that I had just agreed to spend much of my day babysitting . The ' guest ' happened to be a little girl named Amy , aged roughly nine years old ( I am not very good at estimating the age of people . I invariably cause offence when asked to do so . ) . Actually I was informed , several times throughout the course of the day , that she was actually nine and a quarter . This fraction seemed to be very important to her . I admired her precision . She seemed very interested in service and , as instructed , I gave her a tour of ' Below Stairs . ' She had all the impetuousness and curiosity of youth , and peppered me with questions . In fact she followed me around like a puppy . Wherever I went , she was not far behind . I thought I had left her with Mrs Berry in the Housekeeper 's Room but when replacing the notepaper on a desk in the Morning Room I felt eyes upon me . Sure enough , there she was gazing up at me , her brain obviously buzzing with more questions . My favourite moment of the day came in the Entrance Hall , when Amy asked me : Who answers the front door ? I answer the front door . What if you are busy ? If I am unavailable , the 1 st Footman will answer the door . What if he is busy ? The 2 nd Footman will do it . What about The Scullery Maid ? ( we had a long discussion about scullery maids earier ) Certainly not . You can't have servants like the Hall Boy or Scullery Maid answering the front door . Imagine a scullery maid with bits of potato peel , and bits of fish on her hands and apron , answering the front door of Sir Geoffrey 's house . A Scullery Maid answering the door ? Where would it all end ? " It would end up on the door handle . " She replied with grave sincerity . There wasn't much I could say in response to that . 
An Odd Arrival . 	 Began decorating at an early hour . The colour scheme that I have settled on is very tasteful , very refined . There was something rather therapeutic about the whole process . Mr Miles arrived at half past three with a party of four people . As is traditional Llewelyn telephoned from the Lodge Gates as an early warning for me . I stood to greet the party on the front steps . Two men and two women emerged from cars , and what an odd bunch they were . They were dressed primarily in black ( I would have approved of this had the hour been later , but at that time in the afternoon it all seemed a little peculiar ) and the bright orange waistcoat that Mr Miles was wearing stood out all the more in consequence . I reached out to take the bags off a burly gentleman who approached me , and , completely misunderstanding my intentions , he took my hand and shook it warmly , introducing himself as ' Remus ' . Rather embarrassing . Only Mr Miles seemed to think this was unusual , but he hid his smile , and bade the group to follow him into the House . I fear that with Miss Gemma and her friends in residence , and now joined by Mr Miles ' odd companions , that this will not be a quiet weekend . 
The Task In Hand . 	 I am going to re - decorate my butler 's flat at the top of Carstone House . I have been told that it could be re - decorated for me , but I would like to attack the task myself . I have purchased all that I need this morning , and tomorrow I shall jump to it . I think a SLIGHT change in decoration is what is needed to spruce things up . Nothing too radical , of course . You will not find my flat turned into a ' modernist ' fantasy , that is for sure . My preferences lean towards ' cosy ' and slightly cluttered . Miss Gemma is staying at Carstone with a couple of friends , and Mr Miles is expected tomorrow . The sales of his volume of poetry have not gone particularly well , and he has now vowed to throw himself fully into portrait painting . I suppose he only half threw himself into poetry . And I think he might have sprained something in the process . For all who are new to this diary , the following links might come in useful as way of an introduction : The First Post Carstone House Above Stairs : The Family Below Stairs : The Servants Oh , and for those in a mood for a little socialising : My ill - fated drink with Llywelyn The Ball That should set the scene quite nicely , I should think . We are quite a nice bunch here at Carstone . I warmly welcome you to the blog 're - launch ' . I will be posting much more regularly , even if it is only a line or two , so that you can be properly kept up - to - date with all the goings on at this wonderful old house . 
MALE DNA GENETIC = BIOLOGICALLY POLYGAMOUS . You know what im starting to hate all form of living creatures that has penis ! My Grandfather cheated to my Lola , my father cheated to my mom , my brother in law cheated to my sister , and worst ... most of my past boyfriends cheated on me . I don't have a good experience w / a male DNA genetic . Grrr ... Im going to be straight in the near future if all men around me knows how to cheat ! Even homosexuals knows how to cheat ( In a very feminine way ) . All my friends had cheated to someone once or maybe more than twice in their life . What 's wrong with everyone ? What happen to L - O - V - E ? Who ever invented the cellphone locator you 're a genius , You don't have any idea how much help you ' ve done in solving cheating problems especially in my family . Thank you so much who ever you are ! And to all martyrs out there who knows already that their partner are cheating on them and still want to be w / them . Wake up !!! You don't deserve that , if a person really loves you he or she can't cheat on you . Earlier I saw how my family again survived a very horrofying experience involving CHEATING , to all cheaters , can you do me a favor can you die now and go to hell ? bye sexy ... 
It 's just weird how time erases things . The ultimate crisis of my life is happening na !!! wala akong makitang pants na bagay sakin huhuhu this is a life and death situation ... ahaha , my friends told me that kung wala pants na bagay sayo , work it sa mga short ! but I need to wax or shave my hair sa legs . Lucky me bagay yung running shoes na binili ko sa mga shorts , na fo - forecast ko na kung anong susunod kung style pag balik ko ng laguna . sporty ito or kunwari nag golf ako mode , ahaha . My new fave TV shows like America 's Next Top Model ( I love when tyra saying her famous line " You 're still in the running to be America 's next top model " ) and TYRA ( talkshow by tyra banks ) gave me alot of ideas about pictures and make - up ( pictorial kind of make up ha hindi casual make up ) Like how to use white eyeliner . Plus the fact na I learned so many things sa Image Enhancement Workshop sa ABS - CBN like kung paano yung tamang angle sa profile shot , how to use diff parts of your face to show emotions on photos . Parang gusto ko tuloy magkaroon ng maraming klase ng pictures hindi lang ordinary photos gusto ko Glam shots , Profile photos , Close up w / a very unique make - up and Mood Photos yung tipong bawat pictures iba ' t ibang character . I used to be a camera shy person kasi , but now I know how to do it well , I mean very well ... ahaha . Last week Im kinda bored at hindi busy ng makausap ko si Jraven sa YM so ayun nag kamustahan kami in short nagkaroon ulit kami ng communication . Me and Jraven wala naman kaming masamang tinapay bago kami maging busy sa mga new life namin , it so nice that after months na hidni ko nakausap tong taong ito eh happy na pala sya w / his new lover and new career . We talked like parang " hoy mare ... hayuf ka ano ng nangyari sayo !!! " so we talk alot over the phone , natawa nalang kami na may similar factor pala kami ni jraven . okey let me give you a little background of our story before ( for those people na hidni pa alam toh ) . Jraven is one of the hera of Fab - theria and I used to be a sanggre of FAb - cantadia ( Fab - cantadia and Fab - theria is one of " clans " in fabuloush . com for fun lang kaya may ganun ganun pa kami before trip trip ahihi ) Si jraven nawala sya sa scene ng fab tapos sumunod ako bago kami nawala parehas kaming may not so good issues pero wag ko na i - kwento kasi nag hilom na ang mga wounds ng isa ' t isa . Nakakatawa kasi sabi ko sa kanya " bakla ikaw pala ang prodigal hera at ako ang prodigal sanggre " ahaha natawa kami kasi parang kailan lang jraven and I are part of this awesome group . It so fun to reminisce ng mga moments before lalo na na parehas kaming part nun kaya ayun chika to death kami yung tipong " naalala mo pa ba yung mga ginawa natin dati sa ganito , sa ganyan " . Hay ... ang bilis tlaga ng panahon . It 's just weird how time erases things . Oh siya shine na ... Hay naku to those who love FUR so much , click this link http : // my . so - net . net . tw / sirwang / fur . wmv watch it and think again , Animals are here on purpose . ciao muna ako . Bye sexy ... 
DILEMMA : Shopping w / my Mom and Falling to CYber Guy . Yesterday pumunta kaming laguna ni mama para bayaran ang mga naputol na kuryente and cable kasi 8 months akong hindi tumira dun , Then officially sa August isa nako akong Buko Pie from laguna ahaha . Im excited kasi syempre ... maraming karir ... ahihi after ng Laguna We went to Market Market nag shopping kaya lang i learned na hindi magandang idea na si Mama ang kasama ko , why ? Hay naku ... lahat ng napili kong jeans sasabihan nyang . " hindi bagay sayo ... " worst pa nito i saw this jeans na may mga punit all over the pants sabi ni mama " Ano kaba hindi bagay sayo para lang yan sa mga mukhang malilinis parang sila Joshua " , Oh diba san ka pa nilait ako ng sarili kong ina sa department store . Masasabi kong hindi successful ang pag shopping ko kahapon kasi ... from 29 - 30 na pants ko beforee nagulat ako Im 32 - 34 na !!! ang laki ko na !!! na sad tlaga ako promise kasi ano pang use na bibili kang ng pants sa Fn H , before dun pa ko bumibili ng pants kasi maliit lang waistline ko mahirap maghanap ng pants na maliit para sa lalaki lalo na pag kasing tangkad ko . Pero now , grabe pwede nako sa kahit saang store , Im an average joe na ! TSE !!! ahaha On the brighter side , mukha akong discreet . INFAIRNESS !!! effortless na itoh ! Define bulagin mo ang mga nasa paligid mo , Define eh ano ngayon kung ma - hatsing kayo sa pagiging paminta ko . ahaha so sa sama ng loob ko kumain nalang ako ng kumain . promise ang dami kong kinain na hindi ko alam kung nag kasya sila sa tyan ko ... Isang pair lang ng shoes ang nabili ko kasi si mama lahat hindi daw bagay sakin . Lesson learned ito ... ahaha Hindi si mama ang shopping buddy ko . Un - expected feelings This last months im talking to this guy sa CYber space na he 's FUN as in makulit , WEIRD in some ways , very MATURE ( sa ugali ha hindi sa looks ) , In short he 's interesting the sad part of it kaka - break lang nya for a very long relationship , before its an ordinary chat lang ang tingin ko sa chat namin , Until ... ewan ko kung kailan nangyari pero parang im starting to like him na which is weird kasi hindi ko pa sya nakikita sa picture lang and sa webcam but talking to this guy for i guess 3 months na as in every night ... tapos im reading his blog na from the start so feeling ko talaga i kinda know him pero pwedeng half lang ang kilala ko sa person na toh . Until yesterday im talking to Joshua and Jraven sa phone naka 3 - way kami they asked me kung " Young ( my real name ) sinabi mo na ba sa kanya ? " I answered " Bakit pa eh alam ko naman isasagot nun , Im not his type knowing him . " tapos sabi nila eh bat hindi mo i - take yung risk , kung ma - busted ka edi sorry . atleast nag try ka . I get their point pero the thing is , LIKE ko palang noh ang chaka naman nun sasabihin mo " hoy i like you na " ahaha oh diba ang highschool ng dating ko nun , lolz . And if ever dumating sa point na more than like ko sya hidni ko parin sasabihin , Hihintayin ko pa ba na ma - reject ako ahaha , so before ako matulog i told my self na , forget ko nalang yung LIKE ko sa kanya nakakasira ng friendship ahaha , And now pag kagising ko i don't like him na ( i guess ... ) . Siguro kaya siguro i like him kasi im single lang kaya ganun , eh ewan naguguluhan ako i don't know the reason kung bakit ko sya like pero one thing for sure hindi ito healthy ( yung nararamdaman ko ) ... ahaha Marupok kasi ako ahaha . O cya ciao muna ako , Bye sexy ... 
Can I just be happy today ? Im Happy lang kaya ginawa ko tong entry natoh . Alam nyo ba noh ... I don't like my hair , i don't like my body especially my tummy naku from FLAT before now super big na nya ... am i pregnant ? lolz i don't like my skin super putla . gusto ko olive ang color ng skin ko . ayoko ng tan ... ayoko ng white ... basta gusto ko olive . lolz But now i can say that i love my life better than yesterday . Ayokong sabihin na i learned from my experiences , Kasi for me lahat toh naka plan for a greater good , look kung hindi ko nakaaway ang mga friends ko before sa isang online community edi hindi ako mag tyatyagang ayusin ang career ko , edi hindi ko ma - vavalue ng todo kung gaano kahalaga sakin ang mga best friends ko now like joshua , martin and yuki na sa kahit anong form ng ugali ko nandyan pa rin sila for 5 years na ahihi . Kung hindi nagkaroon ng family feud sa clan namin malamang sa kanila pa rin ako aasa ng money pag may gusto akong bilhin . Now i can say that GOD love me so much because he mold me in a very creative way , Now I can say that my life is worth living . Before i want to be like this and be like that , but again ... now I just want to be me . Hindi ko ipagpapalit ang life ko kahit bigyan pa ko ng chance makipag palit ng life or lifestyle . I LOVE IT ... YAHOO ! ( insert ruffa mae voice here ) . Im happy ! why ? because its wednesday , can anyone be happy because wednesday ngayon ? maybe its rainning outside pero basta im happy . I just want to celebrate my life now . Alam mo yung feeling nung unang beses kang nag graduate nung elementary ka ? yung unang beses kang nag suot ng toga ? Kung gaano ka ka excited maging highschool student . Ganun na ganun ang nararamdaman ko . May share akong video sainyo , i know corny cya kasi its a religious song pero try nyo , ako nga na touch eh . but ... theres a little problem i don't know kung sino yung girl na nasa video maybe sya yung nag record ng video . ahihi yun lang . be happy everyone ! enjoy life ! bye sexy ... ( Just enjoy the music don't mind her ahihi ) . 
BI - stander . Kakatapos ko lang isulat yung last entry ko ( she was like satan in heels ) I decided pupunta ako sa makati ave para kumain . Going back i saw 6 guys walking then may nagsabi " ay si Young pala to eh " so i said hello . Then the other guy asked Peewee ( by the way peewee was my classmate in Gradeschool ) " ayan bi ( bi - sexual ) ba yan ? " and peewee told them " bakla yan " . I was shocked kasi imagine stranger biglang paguusapan sexuality mo infront of you , and napaisip ako ? bakit nila alam ang term na bi ? I know the term " BI " is not taboo anymore , nakilala ko yung isang guy sya yung nag internet sa shop ng ate ko na akala ko straight pero nakita ko nag chat sa guys 4 men , ahihi confirm !!! bi si peewee and yung guy na nag tanong kung bi ako . ahihi hmmmn ... i smell love in my future ahaha , lagi ko silang nakikita nakatambay sa may burger machine pag madaling araw nag midnight snack . Now hindi nako pupunta ng burger machine ng hindi nakaayos ahihi , OMG sa street palang pala namin ang dami ng bi and gay chatter may 3 nakong naka eb plus kung tama ako na BI din yung 6 na yun , yahoo !!! ang dami palang karir options dito . lolz anyway im still eating , chow and ciao muna ahihi bye sexy ... ( P . S . may bago akong term na natutunan galing sa aking manicurista lolz " Katok - Parlor " meaning yung mga lalaking kumakatok sa parlor sa madaling araw ahihi syempre hidni ko na kailangan i - details pa diba . lolz ) . 
She was like Satan in heels . Well ... well .. well ... grabe ! bat ba kahit saan ako mag punta may nemesis kakalokah , hay naku ... may girl kasi na asar na asar sakin kasi tinatago ko daw yung pagiging bading ko , kung hindi ba naman kalahating tanga at kalahating lokaloka hindi porque hindi ko nilalantad ang ang ever colorful kong kapa , eh it doesn't mean na kinahihiya ko maging bading . Alam mo Jessa ... bakla lang ako hindi ako parlorista / palingkerang bakla . nakakalokah ka ! Umaarte ka pa kala mo maganda ... ahaha . So itong Girl na toh eh everyday nya kong inaasar pag nagkikita kami , so i decided to make an Audio Visual Presentation ng mga picture ko pag sinusumpong ako ng kabaklaan . Then sinugurado ko na makikita ni jessa at ng mga straight nyang mga kasama kung gaano ako kabakla , alam mo Jessa sakin okey lang na mapagkamalan akong bakla kasi bakla naman tlaga ako . Eh ikaw at yung mga kasama mo , kababae nyong tao pinagkakamalan kayong mga bakla ! ahahah ! And Jessa sweetie wag mo kong araw arawin na iirapan mo ko kada mag sasalubong ang landas natin sa hall way , unang una hidni bagay sayong umirap , para kang science project na na dedeform ang face , pangalawa kung gigil na gigil ka sa pagiging bakla ko eh gigil na gigil din ako pag nakikita kitang kumakain sa karinderia . Why , you can't afford to eat sa resto ? You know what im not harsh ... Let me tell you something , pero sa mga katulad mo na mas mababang uri ng tao sakin eh hindi kita makita sa Caste System ko , You don't belong to my Social strata ! Kung ayaw mo sakin . una kitang inayawan ! Anyway ... after kung gumawa ng video shinare ko sa mga highschool friends and mga friends ko pati yung mga akala nila super discreet akong gay . Kanya kanyang reaction , pero one thing for sure ... hindi nila kinaya ! lolz lalo na yung mga highschool friends ko ahihi , my friend Joshua told me na " bakla hindi ka maka recover sa encantadia noh ... " ahaha kasi naman noh , fan naman tlaga ako ng encantadia ... lolz . Me and Martin may plan kaming mag pa color ng lips idon't know kung tattoo cya or laser pero around 3 k lang daw yun kung sabagay kaysa forever kang bibili ng lip balm and lip gloss na tinted why not ipa - permanent mo na diba lolz . anyway yun lang ... ciao for now bye sexy ... 
Im going to be Young forever !!! Joshua and Martin celebrated their 1 st year anniversary Sunday July 9 . Well ... i want to greet them a happy fiesta ! congratulations ! happy birthday ! Merry x - mas and a happy new year ! ahaha Im super happy for them kasi i saw them fall in love w / each other and they grow together into a mature relationship . Ako ito single by choice , feeling ko im not a lover material Im a bestfriend material , lahat ng nag romantically involve sakin nagiging bestfriend ko . From my exs ... my dates lahat naaliw sakin like im their bestfriends daw kasi im funny . I guess i don't need relationship , i think i need companionship lang kasi feeling ko sa gay relationship , ang unang ma - inlove talo . Im happy na rin na my bestfriends eh love nila ako kahit dumadami na ang mga bestfriends ko ahaha , ang yaman yaman ko na sa kaibigan kakalokah lolz . 10 years from now may kasama na kaya ako sa buhay when i turn 30 ? Will i say na im happy that im sleeping w / the person i love . Will i say na im lucky to be with the person next to me . Kailangan ko ba talagang i based ang happiness ko sa isang tao ? Or should i be happy muna with myself bago ako maging happy sa iba ? 10 years ago when i was 10 years old palang when i was a little girl ( Little girl ? ahaha ) akala ko pag 20 years old na ko nasa Ateneo or UP na ko kasi i want to be a lawyer before . But look at me now im Gay and i stop studying na kasi i need to work . 10 years from now ano kaya ako ? will i have a goodlife w / someone i love , or worst will i have boobs na or vagina kasi gusto ko palang maging babae . Whatever it is i want to live my life today na happy w / the people i love like friends kasi i know life is too short the next day magugulat ka nalang . OMG .. im chevers years old na . I want to die young , I don't want to grow old alone kasi for sure tatanda ako magisa kasi I don't have plans to have a family . Bagay na bagay sakin ang name ko " YOUNG " because im going to be Young forever ahaha . I think i need to start planning for my life now . Nang sa ganun tumanda akong mayaman na bakla ahaha . O cya ciao muna . bye sexy ... 
The devil wears ukay - ukay . ( Nobody wants a boring diva ) . Iam super duper major excited to watch " the devil wears prada " . I saw the trailers and clips of the movie . it was fabulous , superb ! Ganda ! feeling ko ito na ang movie of the year ahihi for me . 2 nd nalang dreamgirls na ipapalabas sa december pa . Anyway ... nakakarelate ako sa movie i swear ... ahaha , the only thing is my devil dont wear prada she wears ukay - ukay ... She has this big eye glasses , big hair , everything is big including her mammary glands ... bwahaha and i have a feeling na ukay - ukay palagi yung damit nya . Okey don't get me wrong im not against ukay - ukay , hindi lang ako fan kasi everytime my friends will have this " shop - trip " sa ukay ukay walang bumabagay sakin kasi i don't have a model type body na kahit anong tela na ilagay eh nag mumukhang maganda . Kailangan sobrang pinipili or else magmumukha akong fashion victim . Mapunta naman tayong Foodtrip tong mga nakaraang weeks grabe super lamon lafang ever ako to the highest level , syempre pag kulang ka sa tulog sa pagkain ka babawi ng lakas . And japanese food is my new fave , before i hate sushi kasi feeling ko nilamutak na sya ng todo ng chef . Pero mr. totoy bibo introduce me to this new hobby " make your own sushi " , the best pag ikaw ang gumagawa tamang tama lang . Pag gumagawa ako ng sushi tapos hindi pa sya na cut so ang itsura nya eh isang tube na mahaba na color black , nakakdiri pero pag hiniwa mo na then makikita mo yung crab stick , yung mango and everything on it , Nag blend silang lahat ganda ng color combination matatakam ka talaga . Funny pero for us sushi is like " Beauty is skin deep " oh .. diba ang taray ... may ganun - ganun pa kaming nalalaman lolz . Me and totoy bibo , maybe you heard of him na sa mga previous entries ko , we decided to be friends nalang . yeah .. sad pero i don't think im in a emotional situation to love and to trust again . I want to be mr. right for my mr. wrong in the future . My last date w / mr totoy bibo was in his pad we watched this movie from Disney channel , i forgot the title but we sang together nung song na kinakanta nung bida " When your not strong i ' ll be your strength ... and when your alone theres someone to lean on ... " , and mr. totoy bibo told me na " Abu , don't be afraid to trust someone , be yourself and don't think what other people might think about you . " imagine sinasabi nya sakin yan holding my head and looking straight to my eyes , parang sinasabi nya na listen to me . After that night i realized oo nga , based on my experience if you have dirty issues of yourself , " If you hide it , people will talk about it . But if you flaunt it , nobody cares about it . " Simple math ahihi Before I end this entry , my friend told me ( as in pasigaw ha ) " Bakla ang diva diva ng ugali mo . ! " so syempre bago ako matuwa kung compliment ba or lait pag tinawag kang diva kasi for me diva meaning prima donna , one thing for sure . " nobody wants a boring diva " ahahah ( tambling ) wala lang na share ko lang sainyo . wala naman kayong magagawa kasi blog ko toh ahaha . ciao for now bye sexy ... ( TRAILER : The devil wears prada ) . 
Laughter is the best medicine . Tong mga nakaraang araw super sama ng pakiramdam ko sa sobrang kulang sa tulog . A friend of mine binisita ako habang nakahiga ako biglang binuksan ang door , sabay bitaw ng salita " O may sakit ka raw ... namumutla ka mag lipstick kang red bagay sayo . " infairness natawa ako sa banat nya kaya medyo naging okey ako . Ewan ko kung ano nakain nitong lokaloka kong friend at sa bawat usapan namin may sinisingit syang trivia na care ko naman malaman . lolz like naguusap kami about sa mga bago sa kanya biglang sisingit na " alam mo ba ang palaka palang lalake nagiging babae rin " . I swear nabilaukan ako sa iniinom ko nung sinabi nya yun lolz . Mahabaging langit at lupa ... Anong care ko sa palaka ... Palaka ba ko ? ahaha . Tapos super kwentuhan kami about Lovelife bigla nalang nagtanong sakin . " What is the term used for licking someone 's asshole ? " nakakalokah ... ahaha tong loka lokang toh kung ano ano tinatanong sakin . so syempre pinilit akong sagutin . syempre rimming ang sagot ko sabi nya mali daw " SALAD TOSS " . hindi rin nya alam kung bakit yun ang term for that so useless . Tapos nilabas nya celphone nya sabi nya sakin ito ang latest ngayon , sabay ask sakin , ikaw yung dati pa rin ba celphone mo ? Sabi ko " I dont need celphone , i can communicate using my brain , i can read minds . " sabay tinitigan ako as in seryoso sya " Talaga ? you can read minds " . Ahaha nalokah ako lalo susko ... slow na nga ako nung mga nakaraang araw ganito pa makakausap ko . Feeling ko terminal na ko nung nakausap ko sya ahaha nag dedelusyon na ba ko ? ahaha . Natutuyo na labia minora at labia majora ( as if meron ) ko sa lokalokang toh . ahaha wala lang na i - share ko lang sainyo ang mala " Dumb and Dumber " na usapan namin . ciao for now bye sexy ... 
Government of Israel , Al - Qaida & Civilians . I just could not stop thinking about the link between how the Government of Israel and Al - Qaida behave when they are upset ! . BOTH TARGET CIVILIANS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ! However , one is called a country .. actually a very civilized country .. The other is a group of terrorist ! . We live in a strange world ! . 
Hanan . Hanan and her friends were running around As children always do Their laughter overturned all sounds Their spirits were brand new Their tokki game had just begun Before they heard a blast Disturbed , they started running away But one of them didn't run Hanan , you see , was born unique Her hearing was impaired She couldn't wait to play the game A feeling she often shared She threw the rock , and off it rolled As a second blast befell The rock of chalk was smashed to dust the rest , I cannot tell . Hanan did smile one last time Oh god , she looked so cute . Some things in life are understood But those things are minute . 
Departure of the Grey Goose . She lay there As calm as the still waters in springtime Heard nothing but sounds that didn t rhyme Showers of sweat and saliva washed her bloody cheeks Heavy fists forced her wrists over her defeated head To the side edge of a sofa Or is it the edge of a bed ? Her eyes were wide open Through the tears she was watching Saw a blur of a face A different one every minute Though the features weren t in it Except for a grin Teeth ... bigger than the humans Warm drools Falling on her gelid breasts , Her scratched neck Her bruised chin From the no - face grin She laid there As calm as the desert sands after an angry storm And the pain .. awaking With the departure of the Grey Goose Misses Prey ? What did you see ? ... Here , cover up your skin .... Are their wounds within ? Was this the work of the No - Face Grin ? 
Make My Day . With a pen and nothing to write on With less light than the closing - in dawn With vodka , Dust , And memories I wait For someone to make my day With a morning , quiet as can be With a horizon , faded burgundy Without you I wait For someone to make my day With words and nothing more With a glass and nothing to pore awake , apart , extinct , I wait For you to make my day . 
Cradles of Sandbags . Cradles of sandbagsand over the edge hangstomorrow Cradles of sandbagshouses are bashfuland shallow Cradles on hayno babies per sejust voices Cradles of Mayleft drying for daysno roses Piles of dog tagsnuclears , guns , tanksand sorrow Cradles of sandbagsthe hours need momentsto borrow Drowned here todaythe soul left at bayeroded No dreamer is nearand if he were herehe ' d poke it . 
A Hooker on Haven Ave . Get me a drink from that hole in the wall Just a sip or whateverhalf - a cup will do Get me a drink from that hole in the street It 's under your feet Right there , beneath you Get me a drink , and I ' ll blow you for free I ' m good , believe me Your wife ' ll never know You get tired after a while Going from room to room Drowned in perfume So they don t smell the real you Everyone stares , but nobody caresrusty old chairsdyed in light blue Get me a drink from wherever you can I ' m losing my voice I hear a strange noise .. 
Let it Rise . Let it bleed Let it stew Let it spit all over you Let it drown under a raindrop Let it fight Hear its gallop ? Let it dream Let it rise Let it sing and close its eyes Give it nothing Let it hope Let it bite on its own rope Let it die Let it go Let it sleep under the snow Is it gone ? See that force ? Is it hers or is it yours ? 
The Universe . Yes the Miss Universe Paegent id back , as usual with the hottest Girls Next Door of the World . Not my door , tht sux , i gt sm real low class disfigured females in my neighbourhood . Dis time , the Indian representative is a 5 ' 10 " Neha Kapur . Nice thin tall girl , with peircing eyes ! Flat waist , nt smthng xpctd frm an Indian grl . Though at 23 , shes a little 2 old for my tastes . D 1 in d black . Real Competition will b from Miss Bolivia , Desiree Duran , she luks like dis porn star i saw in a movie i gt from a frnd . Very pretty girl . Miss Canada is so damn sweet . Stands tall at 6 ' 1 " , aged 20 . D 1 to the left in d danglers , im sure she will reach d final 5 . Nxt der is Miss Brazil , Rafeala Zanella , HOT ! Aged 19 nd 6 ' 0 " , shes 2 good . A medical student , she aims 2 b a Plastic Surgeon , radr she becums a heart surgeon . I wud like 2 b her first patient both ways . Miss Argentina , Magali Romitelli , is 18 nd 5 ' 7 " , so my age nd my height , im sure shes meant fr me . She does luk like a kid , so i thnk she mite miss out der , bt dn again , she along with Miss Czech Republic must hv 1 of d bst bodies in d competition . Renata Langmannova is the above mentioned Miss Czech , 19 , nd exceedingly beautiful . The 1 in d bikini . I knw u agree with me , no question about it . Miss Colombia , Valerie Dominguez Tarud , though pretty , is a bit 2 old at age 25 . So is Miss Denmark . Green Eyed Miss Spain , Elisabeth Reyes , is a typical spanish beauty , apart from d green eyes . Shes a bit 2 glamorous luking , shud b in d l 8 st hollywood relase alng wid d likes of Orlando Bloom or Johnny Depp , bt seems 2 b a misfit among the udr contestents . But a strong contender nonetheless . Well all i cn say is tht dr r sme pretty gud chicks 2 chk out . I aint makng ny predicitions , its nt my call . Im sure i hv missd a few udr gud 1 s bt will try followng up bt dm l 8 r . Till dn lets jst sit back nd w 8 , dn watch d swimsuit round nd see d final result in d paper d nxt day .. Peace . 
D Women of My Life ... Urvashi . The l 8 st entry 2 d list , she captured my heart d moment i saw her in the video of Mika 's ' Something Something ' . How Sweet nd Sexy can you get ? Shes the epitomy of all tht i desire for . She ws originally selected or ' found ' as the term is by Elite , nd now shes in evry 2 nd Commercial . She aint jst looks , u knw i wnt go 4 hr if tht ws it , Shes doing B . Sc . by Correspondnce . I dnt knw how , when nd why , bt shes gt me hooked !! Well thts all d info i hv about her , if u knw more , do letme know , jst gt 2 leave some comments .. In the meanwhile , feast your eyes !!! 
... Hey ppl d upd 8 frm a personal point of view is that i hv takn up Aeronautics at PEC , thot it wud b best if i go wid my heart . Nd i m so excited , Vohi purnai kahani , new chapter in life etc. I dropped d idea of going 2 Singapore , der ws a dumb 3 year bond nd i wsnt very excited about the clause . + Sunny told me tht its more of a 5 star jail , nt much fun living der . Nd thts what im all abt , i ' m sure if u knw me , u wnt disagree . Nd HHHEEEYY last time on d post of mine about Nishabd , i gta comment frm some J , cud it be THE J of Jiah Khan from Nishabd . I ' m fainting cz i gta a celeb visiting my blog , u mere mortals ! ... 
Aah it Gts Better . Highlight of the Day , Ronaldo played AND Portugal Won . Awseome is the Word , though i must concede tht England defended like Titans 2 day . Still if dey wer short of Bekham nd Rooney , Portugal ws short of Deco + half dr side had yellow wid dm , so dey wrnt as attackng as dey usually r . If Gerrard nd Lampard cnt convert , dn dey gt jst dmslvs 2 blme . Alls Well Tht Ends Well . Cheers , nw hoping Brazil loses . Peace . 
Dis cnt b happening . !! Evr since it ws decided tht Argentina nd Germany will play d quarter final , i didnt like it . Cz i flt dis shud hv been the semi final . Nd over nd above tht , to grind nails in the coffin as they say ( not mine , i aint much of a football buff ) Argentina lost !! To Shitty Germany , captained by the gayest of all gays , Ballack . I mean what the hell ws going on , Crespo nd Riquelme substituted , Messi nt played . Evn i wudnt make dis mistakes . Dis is turning out 2 b such a disappointing world cup 4 me , Spain wnt out wid Raul alng , Cristiano Ronaldo Injured . The grls mite hate me 4 telng d truth bt i cnt hlp it , its 1 of the commandments , Ballack IS gay . Nyhw i cnt figure what they cn c in him when im still hre , jst tht hes a football star , captain of germany , gna play 4 chelsea nw , while im a bored teenager watching this gay on tv . Well cnt hlp it nw , gt 2 c Italy vs Ukraine . No Surprises der , im 4 Italy , Totti is good 2 c . Though i wntd Aus 2 win in d pre Quarterfinal . Always 1 4 d underdogs . Nd nw my loyalty switches over 2 Portugal , i jst hope Ronaldo ( d 1 tht matters ) is fit nd in form , hes a treat 2 watch . Plus v need another 9 man macth . After all thts what football is 4 ?? !! 
I ' m Back .. 4 Now Atleast !! Yeah well ppl aint i an ass , i make u gt used to some quality reading , post sm really gr 8 stuff , w 8 4 mah exams 2 gt over so as 2 post more , nd poooff , disappear . Well d story is tht my cast is off , i hv started wakng around nd goin thru d sme old routine . Exams r over , bt life still stinks , nd nw its the god damn decision of whch college 2 join . But i aint gna bore u bt tht , i hv been gne 4 2 lng . Im finishing up viewing all the james bond movies , ws a dream of mine 2 do so . Must say , he is 1 inspiring guy , make love nd move on wid life , so much 2 do in so little time , u knw save the world , kill the bad guys , nd satisfy the insatiable female race . Nyways , also joined french classes , purely 4 da grls , bt the language is so cultured . Dnt ask me bt it though , s ' il vous plait . So ppl whats new in the world outside mine ? Britney contemplating divorce wid Kevin jst like she has been ever since her 55 hours gt ovr wid him . Bt i guess she wnts a cuple of babies mre wid him be 4 letng him go , u knw she loves babies , nd dats she kpng kevin him 4 , tht nd publicity . I hrd she loves dm so much , nd has started gvng dm driving lessons alrdy , put a child on ur lap nd drive , bt dnt brake 2 hard lest he bangs in 2 d steering wheel . India draws d 1 st 2 tests , nd West Indies returns d favour in the 3 rd , isnt dis a gentlemen 's game . After all , the spirit is 2 particpate , winning nd losing is so not test cricket . V gt dis new grl opposite Amitabh Bachan , nishabd or smthng d movie is called , though i aint no movie buff but i cn tell u dis , d grl is hot !! Esp d fact tht she gt a nice long pair of legs nd isnt really hiding d fact in the movie makes it a must see . And please , i aint no pervert , im jst a teenager who appreciates the finer things in life .. Dnt misunderstand me !!! 
A sad boring life .. Yup thts my life . Finally , a new post ! u say , well dis aint worth the read . I hvnt been online much since d past few days , thot wud blog 1 ce my exams gt over , nd dn dr ws jst no time cz i ws freaking out so much . Total no holds barred PHUN . Wsnt sleeping much , cz v only hv 24 hours in a day , cnt waste it on sleep . Bt dn i roke my ankle , nd dat put a .... 2 my life partially , cnt gym , swim , no golf nothing . Whil me pals r gna go on with their blessed lives , i gt 2 live with a cast n dis ankle nd hope 4 smbdy to take me out . Started reading fiction again , aftr a lng time , thts a plus . Saw underworld ystrday , nice movie widh kate luking awesome ! Bt its like 24 hours wer 2 less b 4 , 24 hours 2 much nw , when r my stipulated 4 weeks gna gt over . Oh yeah , babes , d cast is all blue , luks sexier dn ur average white cast . So im still tops , nd still d trendiest !! 
Women . Fact : A woman is always right . Sometimes confused , misinformed , rude , stubborn , senseless , changeable nd even downright stupid , but NEVER wrong . I gt dis in the form of a SMS sometimes back . What is it about a female tht makes them so irritating , yet so attractive ? As a chauvinist , drs a lack of respect fr d female race frm my side . I feel d gender is in sm real need of intellectual nd psychological enlightment . Bt yet 1 cnt hlp but luk twice at d sweet one sitting on da nxt table at ovenfresh , or admire d high heeled one on hr 3 rd drink at cellars ( pardon 4 d stereotype ) . Though most of times , i gt turned off when i start takng 2 dm nd gt 2 knw dm better . D wrst kinds r dos hu hav been flatterd by d male losers , nd nw thnk of dmslvs as hvng d bst traits of Pamela Anderson , Mother Teresa , nd Curie . Hw many females do u knw hu r real enough 2 acknowledg the truth bt dmslvs ? I biliv tht d most common classes of females are as follows : 1 ) The Dumb Bimbo - The IQ of a rock with attractive looks made better by carefully applied half kg of make - up , a glam hairstyle , nd sm sexy clothes . Note - the clothes cn b frm d nearest redi market . Dey gt lots of regard frm the loser male community .2 ) The Dumb Xerox - The IQ of a rock , with no personality , least attractive 2 me . Dey try 2 ape the Dumb Bimbos resulting in total social havoc . Dey find every guy cute , nd gt attached 2 evry 1 dey meet , everybdy dey knw is der BEST friend .3 ) The Geeks - All dey hav on dr minds is what der parents snt dm wid , like studies . Dey r usully broadest at d waist , look disgusting , study a lot . Dey feel der way of life is the way 2 b . Big Losers !!! 4 ) The Poor nd The Pitiable - They either hav high aspiration bt less abilites , or no aspirations at all . Bt credit goes 2 dm as dey r balanced , nd knw their limitations . They rnt fake , they act demselves nd accept the fact tht they rnt d most gifted of d females nd despise d above 3 kinds , respect nd r respctd by the 5 th kind ( below ) .5 ) The Endangered - This is d rarest kind . They r smart , sassy , intelligent nd very attractive . They exude a self - belief nd confidence which is so appealing nd hav a control on their own life , leading it 2 near perfection . May nt get all the guys drooling after dm , bt they gt d guys whch matter d most . This is d kind i respect nd admire . They maintain a balance between right nd bad . In the end i guess the kinda girl u get is proprtional to your own abilities . Be real while judging them females , dnt jst feel , thnk abt dm . Dn u gt 2 knw . Trust me , i feel tht i hv a relatively high success rate with women . Do tell ur friends about d blog . Nd if u need hlp with females , or hav smthng els on ur mind , Jst tell me . Leave ur comments . Peace . ; - ) . 
Ebay and Foolishness . Last 2 weeks ago , I bid for a Nokia N 92 cellphone from Ebay . I won . Then Ebay sent their notification to the seller . The seller then notified me that I have to pay USD 220 ( which was the agreed price for the phone ) through Western Union . I thought that it will be safe since Ebay had 30 positive feedbacks from this seller and he used the same e - mail . So without hesitation I transfered the money to the seller named Licsandru Gheorghe who is a Romanian . But I was shocked the day after when I received an e - mail notification that my bid was suspended and that they said that it was illegal to have transaction outside Ebay . God ! It was tragic . So it means that Ebay has no assurance on what happened and they was saying they will suspend or even debunked the sellers membership from Ebay . In short what I was dealing with was a mere fraud . USD 220 is very hard to proccur these days . Now I ' m contacting the seller and it seems he 's not answering my calls or even e - mails . I learned my lesson well . Everything has no shortut . One has to be patient . It wanted to obtain a cellphone for a cheap price . I didn't hesitated with what I ' d done . And second don't believe in any transactions if you don't have any assurance that your product will be send to you . I ' m so stupid and foolish . I reprimanded Ebay that they should place a warning sign in their e - mail notification ( with big letters ) that if the seller offered any transaction outside Ebay , it 's a fraud . Lastly , for this guy , I hope that lord God shines upon you and make you realize what a naugthy person you had been . If the transaction is true and do my cellphone arrives in delayed time , I take back my words . However I will not engage in this Ebay thing , even Ebay can't give you protection ... 
A Romantic Dinner Date ! ... We spent our dinner date at the Old Spaghetti House at Antipolo Rizal along Sumulong Highway . Romantic indeed , although both of us were tired because of our from duty status . The restaurant ambiance was classic . The food was nice but not that superb . But we enjoyed talking for hours . Hope my Honey ( That 's what I call her ) wil be my last love . Everybody dreams of a perfect relationship and endless companionship . For me , I ' ve always wanted the happy ending . Love really makes the world goes on and on .... hehehe : ) . 
A Scenic View in Quezon . Tagbilaran , Quezon has also hidden scenic places which makes it one of my most unforgettable vacation spots . Although the summer dries your body , swimming in its cool sea makes a purifying experience . 
The Essence of Love . Love waits beyond the door of imperfection No apartheid of dreams , no commissures It preserves an enigma of compassion And destroys hatred . No introspection Love recedes the weakness of the heart It captures the essence of reflections Of life , hope , time and death It endures patience and deep probity Love masters the eternal test of time No dim pasts , whoever the person might be Love emcompasses two romantic lovers Secrets revealed even warm thoughts in them Love obstructs doubts and confusions It eminates kindnessand trust within Love never justifies but accepts . Certitude . No dying light , no solitude in the mind . 
Cool Waters . I ' ve always prayed to be in this kind of place - cool waters , white sand , and crystal clear sea . It 's a dream come true . This White Sand Island is approximately 5 - 7 minutes boat ride from Camiguin Island . It disappears when high tide occurs . It 's quite good that there are still good scenic views in our country . Hope I can come back . 
Congrats Micmic and Charlotte . Congrats Micmic and Charlotte !!! Hope your married life will prosper and will continue to be stronger than ever . Thanks for the hospitality and touring me in Cagayan de Oro . Pls send regards to Ish , Nora , Ryan , Wingwing ( ? ) , Lyra and lastly but not the least your relatives . Hope it will not be my last . 
Camiguin Island . Camiguin is a heavenly and peaceful island few kilometeres away from Binangoan , Misamis Oriental . It is one of the most beautiful places I ' ve ever been . Cool waters , clear skies and rampant coconut trees will uplift your spirit to make you came back often . Simple living is the key of it 's attraction . Thanks to the Micmic , Charlotte and the Velez Family for letting me join their tour . 
Indefinite Dreams . I started to dream on and on , but I can't remember any detailed parts . Now I try to sleep earlier but things won't work ... Instead I find myself waking up midnight or earlier morning . Is there something holding me back ? I can't specify which or what . Sometimes I want to take sleeping pills but I don't want to be addicted . Maybe I anticipate too much . Am I that ill ? Have I lost something ? Or is my life so empty that I wander off in my sleep .... God ! 
Tag Questions ( ? ) . Thanks for maidenflight . She tagged me with these questions ( ? ) that I need to answer . But it 's quite good to take some break time though ... FOUR JOBS I ' VE HAD : Well , ( 1 ) as a Resident Physician in St. Agnes Hospital last August 2005 , ( 2 ) Resident Physician again in Metro Rizal Doctors Cainta Rizal , ( 3 ) Resident Physician ( 3 x ) in Calamba Doctors Hospital and ( 4 ) as an In House Physician in Kobe Clinic Alabang . FOUR MOVIES I CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER : ( 1 ) Sound of Music , ( 2 ) Jet Li Movies , ( 3 ) Croughing Tiger and Hidden Dragon , and ( 4 ) Underworld FOUR TV SHOWS I LOVE TO WATCH : ( 1 ) Jewel in the Palace , ( 2 ) American Idol , ( 3 ) Any shows in Discovery channel , ( 4 ) Dr. House FOUR PLACES I HAVE BEEN ON A HOLIDAY : ( 1 ) Singapore , ( 2 ) Palawan ( 3 ) Sagada and ( 4 ) Baguio FOUR OF MY FAVORITE DISHES : ( 1 ) Sinigang na Baka , ( 2 ) White Spaghetti with Tuna Sauce , ( 3 ) Bean Curd at Tang City Restaurant and ( 4 ) Fried egg with ham FOUR WEBSITES I VISIT OFTEN : ( 1 ) Yahoo . com , ( 2 ) Friendster . com , ( 3 ) POEA website and ( 4 ) Emedicine . com FOUR PLACES I ' D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW : ( 1 ) Rice Fields in Sagada , ( 2 ) In my room ( my bed ) , ( 3 ) Moon , Star and Mountain setting in Sagada and ( 4 ) in my bed FOUR BLOGGERS I ' M TAGGING : Don't know any ( Just starting my blog ! ) ... I ' ll tag maidenflight again ... hehehe . 
Blur Moments . I ' m getting older and much weaker these days . Is it because I ' m aging ? Na ! Too much sedentary life I think . But when I go on duty at the hospital , I get nervous . I palpitate . Sometimes I shiver . I get to see a lot of patients most of the them , dying . Patients who are ran by buses , patients who are bleeding and sometimes patient at the moment dying with unknown causes . Sometimes I feel my energy is being absorbed , transformed and drained . And hope has been nil. I feel ashamed for those doctors who slander dying patients and primed relatives of the lost hope . But sometimes I think otherwise . If I ' ve been touched by this patients , I feel my responsibility becomes much more greater . The load becomes too much . The scenes make me worst and sickened . Decisions must be fast and precise . But even the precise management cannot warrant them a definite healing . Mostly , a gradual lost . I have chosen a path with complicated struggles . In this country with limited resources , my hopes are abaded , sometimes are sufficed but still not enough . I go back to my books and read . But they also do not give definite answers . With a minute of dying comes suffering , not only on the patient 's part but also on his love ones . I am struck but I hide it with the mask of consolation . If only you have the power to turn it back even God would reckoned me . Still I don't know , I can not decipher . I see things blur . With these moments , I have to move on . I have to drag my profession and search of things I never trekked . Maybe someday I will see them clearly . Maybe someday , I will be confident enough to enter the hospital premises . And maybe someday I will be more prepared to accept reality . 
I ' m Back in Moonlighting ( Part I ) . Yes , I ' m back in reality . I have to work for me to live . Yeah , it 's so sad actually . And I ' m back in Asuncion Clinic at Tondo , Manila . This clinic is owned by two private consultants ( who went to Australia for a better life ) . Now the clinic is housed by GPs like me . The clinic is well known in the vicinity . It 's very clean and accomodating . We perform NSD , suturing and also admissions for simple cases ( 6 bed capacity only ) . Moreso , it 's a 24 hrs OPD clinic . Hope you meet me there . 
the importance of steering . walao today i cycled to skool to try and get some work done , of cos i managed to get abit done and the program working summore so im quite happy with it la .... anyway my fren and i were crazy ...... we played cs with each other in the lab at primetime !! ( primetime means the lab technician might come in anytime to catch the ppl playing games in the lab and confiscate their matric cards hahaa ) ...... my fren and i super daring man ........ siao oso ...... any noise and we both can almost get a heart attack lol ...... end up we daringly played for awhile and then we went to do other things haha .... oh yeah i forgot to mention dat i changed my fren 's wallpaper , edit it everything LOL .... cheap thrill man ....... my fren loves SIA , he wants to be a pilot or a steward LOL ...... i spent quiet alot of time editting his picture and making it noob airlines haha ! the title is first to fly and die hahaha ....... thanks to the help of many other frens i managed to edit the picture so dat it looks like the original , shading everything ...... i wonder wad my fren will do tml or later man haha ..... i cant wait to see his reactionanyway sian man i left the major project lab at about 930 pm 945 pm lol and so late ready still havta cycle home .... ok la not so bad la since i cycled there , i hav no choice but to cycle back rite ? walao i think either sumone loosened by bicycle steering screw or it jus loosened by itself man ....... after about 1 / 4 of the distance home , i couldnt control the steering of the bicycle ! lol i had to walk and wheel my bike like another 2 / 4 or the way ....... did i mention dat i tried to cycle with completely off steering and lost balance and also anyhow swerved left and rite a few times ? lol i really thank God for preserving my life cos i could hav swerved onto the road pass the railing and i might hav gotten knocked down lol ...... thank God ...... i gave home a call asking my youngest brother to either buy food for me or cycle out and bring me a set of ellen keys to fix my steering so dat i can cycle home ........ walao after a big deal of complaining he finally willing to do it ... but the next thing i noe my mom dun alow him to go outta the house ....... my 2 nd brother caled me by the way .. he oso didnt want to go out cos he said he was going to sleep soon ........ i cajouled him into cycling outta the house and bringing ellen keys with him ....... quite relieved to see him man ...... i fixed my bike and i cycled home lol .... all this while i was rather angry with my 2 brothers for those small little things like they complain and all dat but then i sorta realised and kept telling myself dat they werent to blame for anything if at all lol ...... i sorta convinced myself of that haha ..... reached home at about 10 , 10 plus and i still haven had dinner la ..... most coffeeshops already closed by then la ...... i cooked myself a pot of tom yam maggie mee ( magdelene haha ) and it was good man .......... hmm i think i hav an anger problem .... think i learnt it from my dad since young lol ....... its now an innate part of me ...... well i havta work to stop getting angry so easily ....... dats all for today morning lol ..... i going to bathe and get some shut eye haha 121 / 1 . 
the importance of steering . walao today i cycled to skool to try and get some work done , of cos i managed to get abit done and the program working summore so im quite happy with it la .... anyway my fren and i were crazy ...... we played cs with each other in the lab at primetime !! ( primetime means the lab technician might come in anytime to catch the ppl playing games in the lab and confiscate their matric cards hahaa ) ...... my fren and i super daring man ........ siao oso ...... any noise and we both can almost get a heart attack lol ...... end up we daringly played for awhile and then we went to do other things haha .... oh yeah i forgot to mention dat i changed my fren 's wallpaper , edit it everything LOL .... cheap thrill man ....... my fren loves SIA , he wants to be a pilot or a steward LOL ...... i spent quiet alot of time editting his picture and making it noob airlines haha ! the title is first to fly and die hahaha ....... thanks to the help of many other frens i managed to edit the picture so dat it looks like the original , shading everything ...... i wonder wad my fren will do tml or later man haha ..... i cant wait to see his reactionanyway sian man i left the major project lab at about 930 pm 945 pm lol and so late ready still havta cycle home .... ok la not so bad la since i cycled there , i hav no choice but to cycle back rite ? walao i think either sumone loosened by bicycle steering screw or it jus loosened by itself man ....... after about 1 / 4 of the distance home , i couldnt control the steering of the bicycle ! lol i had to walk and wheel my bike like another 2 / 4 or the way ....... did i mention dat i tried to cycle with completely off steering and lost balance and also anyhow swerved left and rite a few times ? lol i really thank God for preserving my life cos i could hav swerved onto the road pass the railing and i might hav gotten knocked down lol ...... thank God ...... i gave home a call asking my youngest brother to either buy food for me or cycle out and bring me a set of ellen keys to fix my steering so dat i can cycle home ........ walao after a big deal of complaining he finally willing to do it ... but the next thing i noe my mom dun alow him to go outta the house ....... my 2 nd brother caled me by the way .. he oso didnt want to go out cos he said he was going to sleep soon ........ i cajouled him into cycling outta the house and bringing ellen keys with him ....... quite relieved to see him man ...... i fixed my bike and i cycled home lol .... all this while i was rather angry with my 2 brothers for those small little things like they complain and all dat but then i sorta realised and kept telling myself dat they werent to blame for anything if at all lol ...... i sorta convinced myself ..... hmm i think i hav an anger problem .... think i learnt it from my dad since young lol ....... its now an innate part of me ...... well i havta work to stop getting angry so easily ....... dats all for today morning lol ..... i going to bathe and get some shut eye haha 121 / 1 . 
home super early ! well yeah im home super early this tuesday ! haha normally at this time i would be still in skool having lesson , drawing my freehand sketches but today got no lesson as declared by my freehand teacher so i onli went to skool for 2 lessons ( one lesson is one hour long onli ) , had lunch , bathe and all then now im at home ready to catch a short nap so i ' ll do my drawings later at nite so most prob i wont be coming online later haha .... haha those still in skool or having lessons now , sorry hahaha too bad ...... haiya y the fear installation so ma fun wann ..... i left it on the whole nite and now its still not done ...... i see how la ... most probably if after my nap its still not done i will turn it off ready and try sum other method la ....120 / 1 . 
im crazy . haha yesterday i managed to chiong finish my major project report this morning at about 1 plus , 2 am like dat haha ...... then after dat i played cs with BOTS up till about 5 am !! madness man ! then after dat i went to sleep for awhile supposed to be until 9 am but i couldnt wake up ..... i woke up later at about 1045 , super tired man .... who ask me to be so mad to play games until so late lol .... anyway i went to marina square ( in singapore ) to buy a zen V for my fren ........ wierd eh ? haha lol i paid for him first onli la ...... he got no money after paying for his girlfriend 's minor operation ..... cant imagine how much dat costs already ..... today is his girlfriend 's birthday so i paid for him first to give to his gf .... complicated eh ? haha i think so too but i trust my fren will return me the money la ...... woah i reached marina square at about 12 sumtin ....... down there now renovated ready so its super nice la ..... so many things to look at ..... along the way i went into this the planet traveller shop and i got mesmorized there cos i hav been looking for a 2 shoulder bag or knapsack whatever u want to call it ....... i saw a few bags dat i liked and it was not as ex as the oakley bag i saw at pacific plaza there ..... i guess i gave up on dat bag ...... well i went to buy my friend 's gf 's gift a 2 gb zen V for $ 229 lol and there i also bought a universal zen charger for all kinds of zen and muvo players ...... its quite cool got so many multi plugs as well as dc converters to convert it into a usb charger dat can charge the zen neon which is the main reason y i bought it lol ..... it cost $ 40 after rebates from my creative card ...... ( argh my fingers are not working properly , im typing so slowly , mayb its becos im abit sian and im tired , i need rest from dis morning 's madness ... ) ........ anyway continuing my spendign at marina square , i bought myself a Victorianox bag , its swiss made and i like the design and functionality alot ...... wooo i paid like $ 89 for it lol ....... spent alot today in relation to normal days lol ..... i think my nets card spoiling lol .... the black colour data strip is like peeling off i havta go and change it soon or i might not be able to draw money , my card might get stuck in the atm machine ...... well i cant really remember wad i wanted to post about ready ...... im jus quite contented with all my purchases today ..... my mind not really thinking straight cos im tired and feeling jus slightly off as well ...... oh wells i might bring my new bag to yf tml ..... see how oh yeah i havta find my skool uniform to wear for tml 's yf after i wake up tml hahaha goood nite fellow tired souls 118 / 1 . 
cheat my feelings ! walao the teacher cheat my feelings la .... i chiong my drawings and all until so jialat then my teacher told the class say the drawings havta be handed in like next NEXT week !!!! walao i drew sketches until like 3 sumtin leh ..... then i slept at 4 am ! and i woke up dis morning at 10 to go to skool , ( almost late ) ..... sad la now i noe y i havta do 15 sketches onli for freehand ......... sad its cos i cant really draw dat well ..... aiya i dun wanna draw anymore ..... at least to look good compared with others .... nvm la ... once i finish the things required for freehand i will wash my hands off drawing ....... and concentrate on other stuff like my major project and stuff like dat ..... oh wells i ' m going home to play guitar ....... yayy shiok man 117 / 1 . 
i finally finished . my camera !!!!! O - o oh wells i completed my master piece worth 35 % finally !! i hope my teacher will accept it or else i dunno wad to do ready lol .... oh wells for a break now ..... mayboo im finally talking to u after so long ! long time i wanted to talk to u about sumtin but mayb now is not the time yet ... im so busy haha .... should i go back and chiong all the other drawings done by tonite ? quick decidde ..... haiz i dunno i want a break from everything and jus sleep rite now .... how i wish i could shake this off kinda feeling off ..... u understand ? ( of course u understand la ur my blog ) ...... oh yeah by the way mayboo 's favorite song is playing for the 4 th time lol ... she sent it to me .... for some reason i haven changed song .... i jus leave it even tho i dun realy like the song leh .... okayy im not not crazy over the song time to change it ...... cant imagine how mayboo can play it like 43 times !!!! LOL madness 116 / 1 . 
sometimes your all mixed up . yeah i feel very all mixed up after today aunty annie 's ( alethia 's mom ) function selling her MRET water ..... i didnt listen to the talk lol ..... so boring ...... anyway i feel so many feelings now i dun even noe wad to name ...... alethia is one kind of a siao drinker la ......... ( your drunk u still dunno , u cant say a coherent sentence and u cant walk in a straight line ! hahaha ) ...... alethia kept drinking and drinking wine from the little cup la ..... siao she said it was nice lol ... psychotic sheep la .... i didnt like the taste of wine ... even the MRETed one lol ... MRET is some treatment to the water thing la ... ask aunty annie to talk to u about it ( make sure u hav lotsa free time ) she can do it blindfolded in her sleep la ( okayy im exegeratting lol but mayb she can do it lol ..... see the way she does her sales pitch lol ..... wonder how many times she practice it at home lol ..... i pity the tiang family hahah ) haiz im quite tired ....... i slept on the very long bus journey back la ..... luckily i can snap outta dat sleepy bout before i reach my stop lol ..... anyway im abit confused lol ... alot to think about ..... im one kind of a dsfapf ..... lol O - o i dun wanna be like this !!! 115 / 1 . 
argh !! get these vile objects AWAY FROM ME !!!! walao very pek cheak man ..... crazy man ...... i almost drove myself crazy TRYING ( the keyword here is trying ) to finish ONE ONE pathetic piece of drawing la .... and the main thing is that i haven finished it yet despite spending the whole day drawing it lol ..... pek cheak i onli finish drawing the stupid cover of the camera and a very little bit of the lens ... ( i may seem very calm here but actually im not really at all ..... ) my mom has been nagging me the whole day ..... her voice jus makes things worst lol ..... haiz i quarrelled with my dad yesterday ........... in short he scolded me for using the internet too long and it even led to me talking nonsense on msn dat kinda thing , he also asserted his authority and everything , i jus felt like punching dat face i call dad lol , does he even care about me or my feelings or not ? so old fashioned , im like dying in this house ..... haiz i didnt do anything la , at least i dun dare to dat stage yet ....... i prayed and really cried out to God about it lol , it hurt so much ....... but the comfort He gave me was so much betta ..... it would be easier if my family understood me perfectly ..... then there would be peace and harmony and mostly love within the family ........ and my dad oso said sumtin like its getting harder to talk to me and all ..... i agree y do i even bother to tell them stuff like lets say i got work to do ? so dat they can go on and on nagging me to do things when i ' ve already planned when i will do them ..... y cant they jus trust my judgement ? today he said dat these few days i ' m talking more and more rudely ... i ' ve jus been very irritated but i ' ve jus been more honest onli with the way they ( my parents ) treat me without caring for my feelings ..... haiz y cant they understand ? y cant i hav a perfect family ? haiz i havta keep my post short cos im rushing to watch LOST ........ my mom wont allow me to watch * rolls eyes , she finally allowed me to watch the tele and blog at the same time .... i dun understand y she wants to purposely watch her VCD !! ( did i mention she didnt even ask ? she jus changed the channel lol her reasoning ( DEMANDINGLY ) is dat she washes my clothes and dat she co - owns this house dats y she has the rite to do wadever she wants ) * i watched LOST abit here abit there la ........ im quite frustruated in general lol .... so many things happening or deadlining to happen in my life lol on top of dat i still hav family problems .... how i wish i had lotsa free time to get everything done lol haiz ..... i felt like running away from home and probably like living under a bridge or sumtin and then earn my own money every month lol ..... this place i call home is becoming lesser and lesser the best place to be ..... well i dun think dat my home is not comfortable enough but i feel the atmosphere and the relationship within the family is far from desirable .... its painful to carry on trying lol .... mayb i jus havta keep on trying to make it betta la ...... i guess i havta speak up even though it mayb painful but its betta than getting hurt time and again by the same nagging and things they dun understand lol HAIZZZZ ...... i ' ve given up on drawing for the nite ...... i dun wanna touch or see a pencil or a camera for awhile lol ..... sigh i think i will go do my own worship again ...... worshipping God your own way really does uplift ur spirits haiz ..... good nite all thank you so much for being a listening ear to my ramblings ......114 / 1 . 
a mid nite post . haha its late ready so i shall " post " in my phone first ...... N transfer it to my blog later .... well i left my phone at home yesterday .... as expected and quite used it to it , i didnt get aby msg or anything lol ..... aiya use to it ready ......... its funy , the msges start coming in when i get home with my phone lol funny ....... but anyway i was jus in my own worship .... where i was my own musician , singer and audience as well ..... well worshipping God when ur troubled really takes ur mind off ur troubles ....... nice ... i STILL like playing on my guitar ..... sounds so good ...... wel i love to be in God 's presence ..... onli wishing i wasn't so busy .... well dis tired soul here needs rest so yeah ..... good morning ....113 / 2 . 
so many things to do . hmm actually i dun feel like posting wann leh ...... aiya i hav so many things to do in skool lol ......... i have to do my major project , do up ALL , i repeat ALL my freehand drawing sketches by next week la ! i oso havta pass up my network diagram for mwsm dis friday ! sorry i am jus rambling on and on about stuff dat i understand , and other ppl from my course of course ..... haiz i wish i had holiday or mayb even dat God would come and the world would end now ..... ( zzz but so many ppl are left unsaved ) .... haiz worries worries ..... mayb the Lord would not take us christian away jus yet .... jus havta accept it ..... and also to trust him ..... hmm it seemed at dat moment dat i thot u liked me , but now i think i was jus thinking too much hahaha ! how do i noe for sure ? how can i tell who will be ( always ) there ? who will be the one ? LOL enough for one nite .... im going to play CS and then i will either got to sleep or go and try to finish up my freehand drawing stuff haiz .... so much to do .... good nite ... care la .... damn tired lol ..... cos i slept at 4 sumtin morning dis morning lol and i woke up at 10 sumtin la ..... woke up too late to do anything else , i jus took 5 biscuits out for my breakfast and then i rushed to skool for lesson .... i didnt even manage to do QT la ( thankfully i did it during my break from the next lesson , quite enriching and also gave me a chance to tell my frens abit about God and the bible to ) ..... i was late for lesson but i dunno the diff y the teacher wanted to mark me absent as opposed to jus absent cos according to my 3 yrs understanding of the poly , late is also absent lol ... aiya dun care la ... the teacher is obviously a newbie in skool , im more senior than him la .... he here for 6 months onli , even a yr 1 is more senior than him in TP ........ ok dats all for now 113 / 1 . 
italy won the world cup ! haha 2 posts in succession ..... one for each topic since they are hardly related .... HOO !! the team dat i supported for the finals won ! sian la i guess if u asked me before u probably noe the story ..... since my favorite brazil is out and i dun really like c ronaldo 's attitude ( he plays well by the way ) , i dun really favor the germs adn i dun really like france so i supported italy for the finals .... shiok match man ......90 mins + 30 mins extra time then to the penalty shootout ! italy win the world cup 5 - 3 on penalties ! i sure wished italy were not dat suay la ...... they could hav made it 3 - 1 la ....... barthez was clearly beaten by the 3 corners dat the itallians were given la ..... super well taken ........ the zamborotti or wadever his name guy ( he still sounds like a pizza flavour to me ) , he jumped super high la ..... when he and vierra jumped together he was like tower one extra head above vierra ...... sweet equaliser from zidane 's almost playful ( and abit taiko ) penalty ...... pity one header hit the cross bar and the other was defended away ....... hmm are greece supposed to be in the world cup next time ? they are the pros at headers , they so owned from header goals at the euro 2004 .... the team dat helped me win a greece special limited edition ez link card ( which i never collected until today ... i still hav the letter for remembrance though HAHA ..... ok sidetrack ) poor french guy who didnt net it dat fateful one penalty ....... must be super tough for him man .... all the way italy scored all their penalties ...... i think if zidane and henry were there to take the penalties , france might hav won to be honest ...... the itallian goalkeeper is not as powerful as ricardo la .... he 's the pro , can save penalties wann ...... brazil should go n train up one chao chiang goalkeeper then they will own the next world stage ....... making it their 6 th lol .....112 / 2 . 
my dream yesterday morning . haha i think i must really post about my dream i had dis morning before i was woken up by my alarm clock .... i was dreaming of the is multi level marketing company started by this 2 guys ...... and somehow i was in some office with a chart and obviously the 2 guys names were on the top of the chart with no so called down lines haha ! wads even more suprising is dat they ask me to be their downline and all ..... then they say i will get like 40 % overriding benefits and alot of other crap i cant remember ..... then one funny part was dat i didnt happen to noe i was dreaming in my dream ....... images of ppl working for me n me jus slacking there and getting the commission from other ppl .... n i like intro some new guy under me and i earn alot more ...... hahaha .... then i snap outta my dream and jus when i was about to tell the fellas in my dream to stop wasting my time and all ..... the funny thing is my ( REAL ) handphone alarm clock began to ring at dat time and i thot i was still in my dream and the first thot was to say oh how nice i think i havta go , someone 's calling me on my phone ! then even funnier was i snapped outta my dream and realised that I SHOULD WAKE UP cos dats my handphone alarm clock ...... i woke up smiling to myself haha .... smiling incredulously haha .... super funny and good timing summore hahaha .... its not the first time i ' m having dreams dat coincide with events dat happen in the house , like sudden telephone calls can jus nice be me dreaming of a phone in front of me in my dream and the real ringing outside as the one in my dream lol hahah stuff like dat ...... haha gayle , see i so nice i mention u again ..... hahaha i told u i sorta knew ur name cos alethia pointed out to me once ..... i onli remember faces most of the time .... n a blur face like erhem erhem i definitely remember HAHAHA hoooo !! ; D 112 / 1 . 
the 111 th post before i turn in !! considering this is the time almost every person i noe going to church later is about to turn in as dis time ........ standard wann its like everyone u talk to will be like " i gtg , good nite ( or sumtin like dat ) " at around the same time wann lol , beautiful the way nature works and its also beautiful the way all our parents are alike , almost the same type of thinking and all ( hmm ) ..... ( for mine abit different la , my mum asked me to sleep awhile ago but i was tagging ppl 's blog and all but now im the onli one in the house awake rite now so yeah freedom for an hour or so ? hahaha ) i realy enjoyed yf today ... daryl led the last few parts of worship today and i was really touched by the song , " Because He lives " i dunno y ( mayb its cos its both musically and lyrically sound ) ...... mayb its because of the renewed hope that " ... because He lives i can face tommorrow , because He lives , all fear is gone and because i know , i know He HOLDS THE FUTURE and life is worth the living just because He lives ... " yeah it quite struck me dat its really worth living in this world just because He lives and nothing else , except mayb frens dat guide u and take dat journey with u along the way .... on a side note i will search out dat song in the chordbook n learn to play it on guitar .... ( i typed piano lol ... how can dat be ? lol i changed it after i read again ) ... oh yeah i got to noe gayle today , i never knew her before haha ...... she very fun to jack and all HAHA ! when i look at her i wann laugh haha ( gayle if ur reading this the laugh can change to smile la k ? if ur not reading this then dun care ready la ) ..... i had a great time today ..... somehow talking to random ppl was easier today i guess ? mayb cos its anniversary lol .... dis kinda thing should be the normal occurence in yf lol .... i really dun wanna talk to someone but there 's an impression in my heart dat God wants me to talk to dat someone ... i mean i dun really noe wad to say or how to say it ...... Lord if u will for me to reconcile with dat person i jus pray dat u give me the rite words , tone etc to say it Lord .... help me also to not put it off for too long .... oh yeah short last note , it doesnt seem like i hav been in yf like wad 3 years or so ready ? it still feels as if i ' m a newcomer lol ..... hi this is my first week here .... mayb its becos i dunno alot of ppl dat well n mayb its also because i dun hav ppl my age in bishan .... oh wells mayb im jus thinking too much ..... mayb ppl know me much more than i imagine lol .... mayb ....... mayb i can get to noe ppl much more easily than i imagine ..... mayb ..... jus mayb ..... i noe dat definitely ppl noe me betta than when i jus stepped i la but to wad extent i dunno oso ..... aiya i jus leave it to God lol ...... i remember wad ella said to me one time when i was really troubled ( im not really troubled now thanks for ur concern .... ) ... she said sumtin like go to sleep and it will get betta in the morning or sumtin like dat la , the gist is there la ... well i will do jus dat ..... good nite blog ... its been nice relating with you ..... havta try harder to ........111 / 1 . 
hit the gym !! woah i really enjoyed going to the gym today man ..... imagine after one project submission ready so not so stress lol ..... got much more free time to worry about other things .......... well i went gym after lesson today for about an hour i really enjoyed blasting myself in the gym lol ..... and suprisingly i enjoyed drinking the supplement drinks dat i made by dissolving powder in really cold water ... mayb it was the fact dat the water was very cold or mayb my stomach was empty so the drink went down very easily or mayb both lol .... but i liked it when i drank it today ( normally i would feel bloated and its very hard to swallow it all at once ) ..... the gym workout was intensive and going to gym today made me realise dat not onli should i hav gone earlier since skool reopened , it has also made me realize i didnt lose much form lol ..... nvm i will build up to be bigger and more ripped ( this is guys stuff , most girls wont understand ) ...... wooo i really made myself sweat in an aircon room lol ..... intensive man ... i predict tml i can hardly run or jump and raise my hands or whatever not ..... so tiring ..... on the bus ride home i could hardly hold the bar to support my weight lol , my arms were abit sore ready ...... i like dat feeling .... i will go to gym at least once a week ready .... the smell , the weights jus welcome me back like an old fren lol , feel so at home lol ( except for guys i dunno at the gym ( which is normally quite alot by the way ) ) is it jus another wishful thinking on my part ? i played yahoo pool until now so im going to bathe or shower now ... its super hot in front of my comm now cos there is no fan and there is no ventillation at this particular area of the house lol ..... sweating like siao man .... im crazy sleeping at dis late an hour .... not good for my health ....... good nite blog ; ) 110 / 1 . 
procrastination . sorry i haven been posting for awhile .... mayb it was jus a day but oh wells ....... i ' ve been very busy in skool and all .... alot of things to do and i ' ve been propcrastinating from doing much productive stuff .... well im very tired now cos i had not much sleep yesterday nite .... i slept at like 3 plus am after practising my guitar for awhile and i woke up at like 8 am lol ..... super shagg .... welll im going to sleep now .... going to do my work later ...109 / 1 . 
Wahey ! Just discovered from various extended family members that they have a whole bunch of pics and video footage of when I was a toddler / baby .... stuff I never knew existed . Got time to burn over the next few weeks so going to have fun going through them . Think I might scan the pics to disc , and the vids to dvd so I have a permanent copy ... 
Phone Problems . My phone ( the Nokia one ) has been driving me crazy ever since the Ibiza trip . I had a feeling something was wrong , and this was confirmed when ppl started to let me know that they ' ve been recieving random mms messages from me ... ??? !! Turns out a bluetooth virus had been sending out A LOT of messages to contacts in my phonebook . My response = turn off my phone for 2 days lol , put my sim in a Sony Ericsson now and chucked that garbage Nokia away . Note to self : Put up the Ibiza pics / videos up later today Bike Update : Apart from a 10 minute ride last saturday ... still where I left it downstairs . Weather Update : TOO HOT ( for us Brits anyway ) . 
CARDIFF ( & RIP ) . The Cardiff trip turned out good . Went last friday to my sisters place . I ' m not the type to be amazed by kitchens LOL ... but the transformation to her house after that 5 - 6 month extension last year was awesome . Even her new kitchen on its own was like ' WOW ' .. not surprised though - I think 12 k was spent on the granite surfaces alone . Forgot to take any pictures of the house tho ' . Met up with Daniel and Josh on the saturday and my sis ' dorve us down to the Millenium Stadium for the boxing . After that , we experienced Cardiff nightlife - in the most literal sense .... stuff nightmares are made of . Video below taken on my fone when we were sheltering from the rain at 4 - 5 am ' ish .... and I was tired , freezing in just one layer of clothing and utterly pi ** ed off .. Almost forgot . I remember a friend telling me last september that two people died from the Law group . At that time I didn't realise who they were , that is until two weeks ago . Turns out both of the girls were from my actual seminar group . What are the chances of that ? Makes you realise how lucky we are , and to enjoy every second of life . Got my new bike delivered yesterday and spent this morning fixing it up ... well watching my mate put it together while I observed lol . Don't think I ' ll ride it though . 
Aarrgh ! Damn . I better start doing these history essays ... already missed like two deadlines ... AARGHIf the fact that I get 5 months off after my exams in May doesn't motivate me , what will ??? !!! Aside from that , today someone else commented on how young I look . Them = " Has anyone else ever told you that you don't look 20 .. but younger .. " Me = " err .. nearly everyone I ' ve known or met before you " Clean - shaven and straight hair makes me look about 18 ' ish and unshaven with the usual messy - spiky hair about 19 .... just about .. HA ha .. It really used to annoy me alot when I was in my teens , but I ' m cool with it now . my youngish ' looks will def . come in handy in the near future ........ 
Vanity of Words - Vanity of argument . ( 522 ) Of fate and effort , which is stronger ? Which will yield ? Which will prevail ? Those who wage this war of words Are wholly ignorant of That from which The world and the ego both appear And into which they disappear . ( Muruganar 's Guru Vachaka Kovai ; Sri Ramanashramam ) Technorati Tags : ramanamaharshi , acalayoga , muruganar , fate , war . . . 
Ramana Maharshi and the Old Hall . " In the early years Ramanashram consisted of just a few huts . The so - called Old Hall , in which Sri Ramana lived day and night until 1949 , was built in 1928 . It was here that the many meetings with visitors and devotees took place . The Old Hall , which measures 40 feet by 15 , is not very spacious and contains only Ramana s sofa and some bookcases " . more ... " Ramana Maharshi : His Life " , Chapter 10 Technorati Tags : ramanamaharshi , ramana maharshi , acalayoga , biography , India , Arunachala , Ramanashram . . . 
Ramana and daily life at the ashram . Let activities go on . They do not affect the pure Self . The difficulty is that people think they are the doer . This is a mistake . It is the higher power which does everything and people are only tools . If they accept that position they will be free from troubles , otherwise they court them . [ from Gabriele Ebert 's serialisation of " Ramana Maharshi : His Life " ] A couple of wonderful photos : Acala Yoga Arunachala 's play Technorati Tags : acalayoga , ramanamaharshi , ramana maharshi , art , photography , biography . . . 
Ramana said : " I " am not talking to you . In his diary [ p . 53 ] T . K . Sundaresa Iyer relates : Bhagavan 's description of the state of a jivanmukta , " ... he is the ever - aware Self , the Witness Consciousness transcending space and time and causation , the fullness of Being ; how he is the non - actor , non - enjoyer , and yet at the same time the greatest of actors , the greatest of enjoyers , and so forth , " and ... the question that this provoked from an Italian devotee named Mr. Noles . Mr Noles asked , " Are you , or are you not , now talking to us ? Sri Bhagavan replied , emphatically , " No , I am not talking to you . To which Mr Noles replied , ecstatically No , Sri Bhagavan is not talking to us - Sri Bhagavan simply IS ! " ' Who ' ( Sri K . Lakshmana Sarma ) reiterates the point , in ' Guru Ramana Vachana Mala ' [ v.247 ; 1998 ] , " In this State of Silence , which is egoless and mindless , who is there called " I " to say " I am Brahman ? " " At The Feet Of Bhagavan " is available as a PDF download from The Official Ramana Maharshi Website downloads page . " Guru Ramana Vachana Mala " is published by Sri Ramanasramam , Tiruvannamalai , India . Technorati Tags : acalayoga , ramanamaharshi , ramana maharshi , spirituality , who , muruganar . . . 
Turn Inward With True Faith . Whatever creed you may believe in , Turn inward with true faith , live up To it , instead of setting out To hate or attack the faith of others . While mind exists , creeds too exist . When mind turned inward in self - quest Gets caught up in the Heart , no creed Can in that Peace serene survive . by Muruganar - trans [ from Tamil ] by Prof. K . Swaminathan Technorati Tags : acalayoga , ramanamaharshi , ramana maharshi , religion , faith , spirituality , peace . . . 
The Sole Being and the Ground . The ego false and transient makes The transient world seem real and lasting ; And if it dies , the Self abides As the sole Being and the ground Of this phenomenal universe . by Sri Muruganar - trans . [ from Tamil ] Prof K . Swaminathan Technorati Tags : acalayoga , ramanamaharshi , ramana maharshi , yoga , Self , spirituality , tamil . . . 
Ramana Maharshi on perception . 4 th October , 1946 This evening , D . S . Sarma , asked Bhagavan : In Western mysticism three definite stages are often spoken of viz. , purgation , illumination and union . Was there any such stage as purgation corresponding to what we call sadhana in Bhagavan s life ? Bhagavan replied , I have never done any sadhana . I did not even know what sadhana was . Only long afterwards I came to know what sadhana was and how many different kinds of it there were . It is only if there was any object or anything different from me that I could think of it . Only if there was a goal to attain , I should have made sadhana to attain that goal . There was nothing which I wanted to obtain . I am now sitting with my eyes open . I was then sitting with my eyes closed . That was all the difference . I was not doing any sadhana even then . As I sat with my eyes closed , people said I was in samadhi . As I was not talking , they said I was in mauna . The fact is , I did nothing . Some Higher Power took hold of me and I was entirely in Its hand . Bhagavan further added , The books no doubt speak of sravana , manana , nididhyasana , samadhi and sakshatkara . We are always sakshat and what is there for one to attain karam of that ? We call this world sakshat or pratyaksha . What is changing , what appears and disappears , what is not sakshat , we regard as sakshat . We are always and nothing can be more directly present pratyaksha than we , and about that we say we have to attain sakshatkaram after all these sadhanas . Nothing can be more strange than this . The Self is not attained by doing anything , but remaining still and being as we are . 11 th October , 1946 Bhagavan recollected that he had in answering Sarma quoted abhyasakale sahajam sthitim prahurupasanam ( Ramana Gita ) . ( What is sahaja state is known as upasana during practice ) . Bhagavan again repeated much of what he told Prof. Sarma and said , What is obvious , self - evident and most immediate to us , the Self , we say we are not able to see . On the other hand , we say that what we see with these eyes alone is pratyaksha ( direct perception ) . There must first be the seer before anything could be seen . You are yourself the eye that sees . Yet , you say you don t know the eye that sees , but know only the things seen . But for the Self , the Infinite Eye , referred to in the stanza in Ulladu Narpadu ( Reality in Forty Verses ) , what can be seen ? You want sakshatkaram . You are now doing karam of all these things , i . e . , real - ising these things , regarding as real all these things , making real what is not real . If this karam is given up out of your present sakshatkaram of the unreal , then what will remain is that which is real or sakshat . ( Day by Day ) Technorati Tags : ramanamaharshi , ramana maharshi , acalayoga , yoga , gita , mysticism , sanskrit . . . 
An interesting coincidence ? Dictionary of the Scots Language SPUT - A rush , dart , spurt , sudden movement ( Sh . , Cai . 1971 ) ; a leap forward . Also used adv . with a spurt or rush ; to dart , spring , bound , emerge suddenly ( Cai . 1904 E . D . D . ; Sh . , Cai . , Ags . , Slg . , Wgt . 1971 ) . Sanskrit : sphu T - to burst into view , appear suddenly ; to burst or become suddenly rent asunder , burst or split open ( with a sound ) Technorati Tags : acalayoga , ramanamaharshi , sanskrit , scots . . . 
Real Consciousness . Can there be sense of existence without something that is ? Is Real Consciousness a thing other than That ? Since that ( Reality ) dwells , thought - free , in the Heart ; how can It , -- Itself named the Heart , -- be meditated on ? And who is there , distinct from it , to meditate on it , the Self whose nature is Reality Consciousness ? Know that to meditate on It is just to be at one with It within the Heart . Men of pure minds who intensely fear death surrender themselves unto the Lord of all , the blissful One , the indwelling Self , who has no death nor birth , By that ( surrender ) their ego , along with their attachments , becomes extinguished . How can they , who ( thus ) have won abode in Immortality , have any thought of death ? ( The mangalam verses to sriramanahrdayam ( Sanskrit version of Ulladu Narpadu ) translated into English by the author , K . Lakshmana Sarma ) Technorati Tags : ramanamaharshi , ramana maharshi , yoga , bhakti , jnana . . . 
I Lost a Friend Today I lost a friend today , or at least I think I did . Perhaps she never was a friend . Pehaps I just misinterpetted her tearsas a lonely soul reaching out . Reaching out for help , Reaching out for a human touch , Reaching for someone to hold her , Reaching for someone who would listen , Reaching for someone who would care . Maybe it was just a moment of weakness . A moment when the armour around her heart faltered . Faltered just long enough to allow a quick glimpse into her soul . But maybe what I saw was was just another layer of steelthat glistened in the dim light like a tear . Or perhaps I saw what I wanted to see , someone who needed me . Perhaps I was blinded by my own lonliness , or perhaps I saw a mirrorthat reflected my own heart back at me . 
To Rocio On the Occasion of Passing Her Test Dear Rocio , My handwriting is almost illegible , so I m going to type you a note to include in this card . That way you can read it , and Cheryl will have the whole card to write anything she wants . I don t know how to express just exactly how proud I am of you . I hate it when the language fails me this way . Just to say I m really proud doesn t even begin to express my feelings . I want you to understand this . I m not proud just because you passed your test . I am just proud of the beautiful , intelligent young woman you have become . It s nice to hear from you that I might have had something to do with that accomplishment , but actually , I had very little . You reached down , got a good firm grip of your bootstraps , and yanked . Low and behold , up you came . You did it on your own , and for that I am even prouder . That takes someone with a good moral fiber and a never quit attitude . Don t get me wrong . I don t expect this certification to be the pinnacle of your life . We ll just call it step two . There are still a lot of steps to climb , but I don t expect you to ever have a problem . Once you ve learned to climb , going up the next step is not as hard . The other emotion at which my command of the language fails me is telling you how much I love you . Unlike the Hebrew language that has five or six different words , the English language has only the one . I fell in love with you almost on sight . That s what happens to a parent when their child is born and they first lay eyes on her . That love doesn t grow over time ; it s at max from the very first moment . As soon as a parent sees the child , they would gladly lay down their own life to save their child . As their time together goes by , the child will undoubtedly do things to disappoint or even anger her parents , but she will never , NEVER , do anything to diminish the parent s love . That love is unconditional . Just as the child can do nothing to earn that love , neither can she do anything to cause the love to diminish . That s just the way it is between a father and a daughter , and my love , that s the way it is and always will be between you and me . From a proud Papa , . 
To Alice , Ma Premi re Amour You were the first you know . I had had crushes before Judy , Karen , various movie stars , but I had never known love before you . You taught me joy , jealousy , tenderness , and pain . You taught me passion , the young can be so passionate . And drama , you taught me enough drama for a year s worth of the soaps . The break - ups , we had those down pat . We each knew our lines so well . The tears could flow right on queue . We shared many good times and bad . Do you remember the day the Music died ? I thought you would never quit crying . I ve looked for you many times you know , but I ve never found you . Women can change their namesas easily as they change their hair color . Google doesn t know about name changes . I wanted to apologize to you . As your first love , I gave you a jaded introduction to romance . I just wanted to tell you that other men could be better . 
TO CJ On Our First Valentine 's Day . When first I held you , I said I loved you . I was wrong . When first I knew you , I said I wanted you . I never did . When first you took me in your arms , I said I never wanted to be without you . I spoke too soon . When first I laughed at your antics , I said no one would ever bring me more joy . I should have waited . When first I cried at the pain you felt , I said I could never feel more . You should feel me now . When first my chest swelled with pride , Because you said you were mine . I said I could never be prouder . When first I hid in the warmth of your arms , I said I knew contentment . I did not know the meaning of the word . I could not have known of any of this , For I had not known you long enough . Now I know what it means To Love , To want , To need , To laugh , To cry , To be proud , To know true peace . For now I ' ve known you longer , And you are all of these to me . At least I think I know . But , I thought I knew then . What else can you teach me ? I think I ' ll hang around to see . 
Valley Business Leaders And Our Chambers of Commerce . The 80 th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature is a mere five and a half months away as our Deep South Texas business leaders begin the necessary communications between their membership and the Valley legislative delegation . The above photo promotes the Mc Allen Hispanic Chamber of Commerce upcoming legislative luncheon to be held on August 2 nd at the STC Technology Center , 3700 W . Military Hwy . in Mc Allen . On Tuesday the Mc Allen Chamber of Commerce and their sponsor Rio Grande Regional Hospital had their " Good Day Mc Allen " luncheon . Businessmen Rick Guerra and John Kreidler did a great job as the masters of ceremony . Davis Rankin did his " Not Necessarily the News " routine . This event gave me a good opportunity to meet and listen to the concerns of business leaders as they look forward to the session . City of Mc Allen leaders have made a concerted effort to start early preparations for the legislative session . The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce and their Public Affairs and Chamber Champion Committee on Wednesday sponsored a briefing by District Engineer , Mario Jorge ( shown here ) of the Texas Department of Transportation regarding this agency 's projects in the Edinburg area . They also announced an October meeting wherein members of the Valley legislative delegation will interact with the chamber 's membership . On Friday , August 4 th , I ' ll meet with the Rio Grande Valley Partnership , a Valley wide chamber for an event with some of their members . Bill Summers is always an important figure in legislative affairs each session . Like previous years his organization hosts a tour for Texas legislators of the Rio Grande Valley highlighting the needs of the area . Bottom line is that business leaders from around the Valley are preparing for the session . Secondly , chamber members will have several opportunities to communicate their individual and group concerns to their legislators . As always , this office is open and available to all members of the public at anytime . 
More On Redistricting . The San Antonio Express News published an editorial against the current method used in Texas to draw it 's political districts . Having endured the tragedy created by Tom Delay 's efforts and witnessed the wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars on session after session , when other more pressing issues confronted the state , I must state my agreement with the position expressed by the newspaper . There has to be a better way and I support the efforts by my Republican colleague in the Texas Senate to find a better approach . The San Antonio paper has another interesting article that sheds light on how the proposed Cuellar - Bonilla plan may have developed as an attempted consensus plan . It may not be pretty , and it sure was wasteful , but I sure didn't vote for or support Tom Delay . How ' bout you ? 
Grand Jury Criticizes Lax Ethics Laws . Laylan Copelin from the Austin American Statesman has a must read story on a report by a Travis County Grand Jury concerning lax ethics laws covering public officials . The grand jury reports that Texas public officials are hiding sources of income and potential conflicts of interest by calling themselves consultants on state financial disclosure forms . The grand jury also observed that an investigation into " obvious misconduct " by one official , who has so far gone unnamed , was prevented due to lax laws and interpretations of those laws . The Travis County grand jury investigated public corruption and other crimes for eight months . The strong implication here is that the legislature should address the concerns expressed in their report . The suggestion is well taken . 
Perry In The Valley . Governor Perry I am told will be in the Valley tomorrow at the Cimarron Country Club in Mission , Texas for an " important political announcement . " For the very few who are aware of the visit the question asked is - what is the important political announcement ? Find out tomorrow at 3:30 . I ' ll update you then . Update : ( 2:00 p.m. ) Rumors of 11 Valley mayors endorsing the Governor . The Rio Grande Guardian confirms the rumor . Certainly worth discussion , the legacy of the Texas Democratic Party and it 's failure to adequately address South Texas , the borderlands and emerging demographics . Read more at : Valley In Exhile and Valley Politics and Pink Dome . The Brownsville Herald has the story . 
Legislative Blogging . I received a call from a writer at " State News , " a national magazine by the National Council of State Governments that covers legislative affairs across the nation . They intend to write a story that will appear in their September magazine . The story will follow the continued growth of blogging and other related internet media and their use by legislators . I joined this medium in January 2005 and since that time have seen its rapid growth and usage by elected officials . The response from observers has been positive . We still can do better in Texas , but in other states across this country elected officials have eagerly embraced the medium . Led by their Republican majority the Utah Senate maintains a group blog to stay in touch with their constituents . In Oregon , the minority party , the House Democrats of that state started a group blog to get their message out . Needless to say , we have come far but we have a way to go . I am looking forward to their story to see what their take is on the state of blogging amongst our nation 's leaders . Here is a directory of political blogs maintained by Campaigns and Elections . Lawmakers blog documented the development of blogs by elected leaders . 
Back In The District . I ' m glad to be back in the district after a little vacation with the family . Politics never takes a rest it seems , as I returned to interesting news . Returned a call from former Congressman Ciro Rodriguez who wanted to inform me of his interest in the redistricting process . He wanted it to be known that he was actively preparing for a run for Congress if a certain district developed between the San Antonio and Deep South Texas regions . This campaign would happen if a particular map was selected by the federal three judge panel . I asked if he wanted this kept confidential . He responded that he wanted as many people to know of his interest . So there it is ... In other election news , although a bit premature , I ' m told that I have a candidate running against me . No folks , your not mistaken , I have no opponent in the November general election . This disgruntled eager beaver is aiming for the March 2008 primary . Oh what a country ! Good luck buddy ! While I was away , Rebecca Flores , who worked for the United Farm Workers ( UFW ) from 1975 up until her retirement in January , was honored at a dinner . From 1975 to 1983 , Flores was Texas director of UFW and based in San Juan . She then moved to Austin to become the regional manager of the UFW . The dinner recognized her years of public service . A job well done Rebecca . Lastly , I have had a considerable amount of time to consider the various redistricting proposals before the court . Many of you have privately asked for my opinion or best guess of which plan the court is likely to accept . I have promised to provide my best guesstimate . Although I have a favorite plan that I think the court should adopt , based on a number of variables that I will not discuss , I think that some form of the so called " bi - partisan plan " by Bonilla - Cuellar is likely to succeed ( map below ) . It 's just an educated guesstimate but there is your answer . What do you think ? UPDATE : Paul Burka at Burka Blog puts his money on the State Defendants ' Plan . 
Bloggers : A Portrait of the Internet 's New Storytellers . The Baltimore Sun and The NY Times featured a couple of good stories highlighting a recent study released by the Pew Research Center on the blogging universe . There are some interesting observations made in the study and of course some pretty obvious statements ... " more than half of bloggers ( 54 percent ) are under 30 . " I haven't had a chance yet to read the study in detail . I ' ve taken a few days to spend time with the family . Will follow up soon . 
Congressional Map Proposals For South Texas . The Federal Court addressing Tom Delay 's over - reaching map , which the United States Supreme Court ruled in violation of the Voting Rights Act , has asked that the various parties submit map proposals by Friday . The ever present April Castro has the map submission story . The Austin American Statesman already has a story about the proposal submitted by the League of United Latin American Citizens ( LULAC ) . Click Here to view old as well as proposed maps on the state 's Red Viewer graphic viewing system . Tomorrow I am fully expecting that the State of Texas will submit a map that will not make people in South Texas very happy . Many of us are pleased with the service of Congressman Lloyd Doggett who has shown our community a significant level of attention . I fear that the state 's map will move the good congressman from the Valley . This proposal , if it lays out as I expect , will be a loss for our community . I am expecting the State of Texas plan to be like MALDEF 's plan when dealing with Doggett . Doggett 's district under these plans will run from East Austin to East San Antonio . The LULAC plan does keep Doggett anchored to the border . More on this in a later post . UPDATE : The MALDEF / GI Forum map is out and as anticipated the congressman is moved to Central Texas . Click for Red Viewer . FURTHER UPDATE : The State of Texas has submitted a map . Again as expected Doggett 's district is moved out of the Valley . I will remain cautious about my comments on the personalities at play but this should prove interesting . The Republicans have certainly pulled out the long knives on this one . Eliminate Doggett and the Travis County Democratic base at all cost seems to be the theme of the state plan . Congressman Bonilla may however be a casualty to the Texas plan . He appears somewhat vulvnerable in the Texas proposal . There may have to be a lot of arm twisting and suggestive winking to keep him in the proposed district . The Statesman has the story on the new proposal , as does the AP . The San Antonio Express News jumps in with a story of their own . The Houston Chronicle looks at the challenges faced by three congressmen . Vince gives the maps a once over . Congressional Quarterly has a good analysis on all the maps . 
You Tube Clips . Burnt Orange Report recently announced their creation of a " You Tube " group in order to maintain a collection of Texas political speeches , commercials and related events . I am pleased to see our friends at BOR take up the banner of collecting political videos on this medium . It 's too late for Ma or Pa Ferguson or even LBJ but perhaps this is a start in collecting a valuable part of Texas cultural and political history . In years past these important snippits of Texana would have been lost . Good job guys ! Here are some videos ( non - political ) from You Tube - sad but inspirational . 
A Commencement Address At UTPA . I have recently been asked to give the commencement address at the summer graduation ceremony at the University of Texas - Pan American . The summer ceremony , reinstituted to handle the increased number of graduates , is scheduled for August 19 , 2006 at 9 a.m. Mayor Joe Ochoa is covering the noon event . I have never given a commencement address but I do think this will be an enjoyable experience . UTPA is the first university I attended and I am looking forward to the event . The purpose and history of the " commencement address " is an interesting one . I ' ll examine it as we get closer to the ceremony . 
what can i say . i hate going back to school yet i dont have much to do otherwise . well besides going back to work which i wouldnt go if i didnt like the money that im getting paid . thats all i go for . its not that bad . cant complain much . already miss my friends and family . dont know when ill see them again . in a way i hope its quite some time until i see them again . i want to miss them too much and then have the joy of seeing them all at once and have all that excitement hit me at a time . thats it for now i gotta go get a beer . 
In reference to Iran and North Korea . Many , in America , choose to politicize everything to do with foreign affairs and most domestic policies . The invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan is often used as reasons we should negotiate with North Korea and Iran regarding Nuclear Weapons , instead of taking preventive possible military actions . Just what is the problem with North Korea and / or Iran having Nuclear weapons ? Do they not have a right as an independent nation to possess nuclear capability to defend their countries from attack ? Are they really a threat to the United States given that if one or both were to attack our country directly that we would retaliate with overwhelming force resulting in their complete annihilation ? Is Bush or whoever sets in the position of President not just saber rattling and making much ado about nothing ? My prediction , and I pray I would be wrong , is that if North Korea and / or Iran achieve nuclear status and build stockpiles of nuclear capacity weapons that America will be attacked and see one or more major United States cities made uninhabitable for lifetimes to come with hundreds or thousands of dead at first and up to millions to die over time . Will this attack come by submarine or Aircraft ? My prediction is that if these rouge countries obtain the technology and ability to mass produce nuclear weaponry that they will produce several weapons small enough to be shipped or brought into this country over the border then into a major city or major cities . Terrorist and Islamic extremist have time and time again shown their willingness to die while detonating a bomb that needlessly kills many innocent peoples . What would be the effect of losing New York as a city and business structure or losing the seat of Government such as in Washington DC ? I guarantee that on many terrorist wish lists is such a nuclear or biological weapon that would enable them to strike from within with very little preparation . This is the great fear in North Korea or Iran obtaining bomb making abilities . Never mind that it s highly possible that Iran would actually launch against major cities in Israel the most likely scenario is that they would funnel material and weapons into the hands of terrorist organizations that would seek and target inside the United States . One event of such horrible results and the freedoms that we now know would quickly become lost for an indefinite time . The US economy would take such a hit that many people would find that jobs would dry up and unemployment would skyrocket . Many companies and stocks , as a result , would cease to hold their value . The United States would be a formidable opponent for anyone that would directly attack our country but an unidentifiable terrorist that would sneak into the country could do his damage with no identifiable country to hold responsible . That to me is the real danger of North Korea and / or Iran obtaining nuclear weapon technology and ability . Can it be stopped in either case ? Most likely not as someone that is determined , has no accountability , and ample resources or money can usually get anything they want . Sometimes it is more prudent not to politicize certain things about national security and hopefully rely upon people to do things that aren t always pretty and nice in order to protect from that which we cannot control . 
For those of you aksing . For those of you that have ask me .. why I havn't updated my blog in a little while let me say I appreciate you coming here and checking to see what I have been up to or what I have to say now . I am working on two or three more post but I get started and then I get on a side track or can't think of what I would like to say or can't put it into just how I would like to phrase it so I store it on computer to come back to and finish . I am trying to get at least three more post ready and hopefully will have them before long . Please don't give up on me and bear with me I will have more . Many folks use blogs as a diary or comments on their day to day life . Now if I did that you would be bored but I prefer to use it to post my writings which are basically my reflections on life , myself , and other topics that I am thinking about . Anyway thanks for asking when I ' m going to add some more material , I ' m honored that you would think it 's even worth reading and find some reason to check back . Hopefully it won't be too much longer . Gary . 
Comments Accepted and appreciated ! - Note Changed Topic . Okay it 's not really a post about anything other than to say that many of my post go on and on and on and take a while reading and most likely takes much longer understanding . I appreciate your taking the time to read them , if you do , and even more feel free , if you like , to comment on them or add comments of your own . I ' m not seeking just people who agree with me but invite RESPECTFUL and honest comments either expressing a differing view , clarifying view , or some thoughts you had on the topic or article . If in some way reading this and then thinking about it meditating on it , or if reading it brought any revelations to you then I would love for you to share them . I don't know if you dropped by here from my invitation , as I do invite and share with some very close and wonderful friends , or if you just happen to drop by here or google ' d on a topic and found yourself wandering through my thoughts . Many are personal thoughts and intimate thoughts and for that reason I have moderated the comments meaning before they are posted I get to say whether or not they get added to the page . Maybe that 's why I have no comments as of yet . Oh well just thought I would say thanks for reading and spending some time with me . Gary . 
P 2 P downloading and the Music Industry . It 's not difficult to see that money can buy politicians . The latest attempts by the Music Industry and Recording Association is actually scary . I guess the reasons for their actions could in some ways be considered warranted but what 's actually happening , as I see it , is unconstitutional and opening a totally new and dangerous area of punishment , judicial process and abuse of citizen 's rights as provided under the Constitution . There is no presumption of innocence anymore as the threat of being totally financially wiped out , loss of house etc forces many to settle without trial or face normal penalties for their offenses . If Peer 2 Peer sharing of MP 3 music files , movies etc is illegal then there are laws against theft and channels whereby thieves are caught and prosecuted . In many cases people find themselves at the opposite end of a lawsuit that can , if won against them , cost them their financial freedom and livelihood as well as retirement savings . Case in point the grandfather who was at the wrong end of a lawsuit because his grandson , without his permission , downloaded five movies on his computer . Four of the five movies were previously purchased by the grandfather on DVDs . Still the Movie industry was trying to settle for around $ 10,000 ( okay the amount might be incorrect .. it might have been a little less ) . In most courts when a person is tried for stealing they face punishment by a judge or jury predetermined by statutes for felonies or misdemeanors . Also judgement takes into account past infractions with the law ( a persons criminal record if such exist ) as well as intent . Our laws are for naught anymore when the recording industry can sue a person for hundreds of times what the agreed to fines for such an offense might be . steal a CD from Wal Mart or K - Mart and get caught and you will face , in most cases , a fine and possible time but usually first offenders are let off with a much less slap on the wrist which usually does the job . Either way you don't have a grandfather threatened with the loss of his house and financial savings that has been saved over his lifetime , all for something he had no idea was happening . Something in our laws or courts that allows such to happen is wrong and surely approaches " Cruel and unusual punishment " . Will Washington do anything about it ? Doubtful .. the common citizens can throw only a fraction of what the Recording industries pay through lobbyist they hire to have Congress pave the way so they can abuse the American People . I ' m not condoning anyone for stealing from the Recording Industries at all . Theft is theft but it should be prosecuted as such and not fined exponentially against people caught who under the law should have the rights to a trial as with any other crime . When sued by the Recording industry the type of trial forces them to hire lawyers as there isn't , in those cases , a lawyer appointed to them if they can't pay . Just my opinion but I think a scary precedent in our Free Country . 
Points on the line . What is a life other than a point or set of points on a number line , albeit a very lengthy number line whose beginning and end is undefined ? This number line is only a measure of defined limits of time when it relates to our understanding however . The boundaries necessarily set because when measuring time then eternity negates any definable standard of unit measurement . We can only define limits and how broad those limits extend is really only relevant to those at the current time or for those who wish to speculate about times past . For those who wish to dream or fantasize then times in the future might be relevant . Time is a witness to all events yet time remembers none of them in and of itself , good or bad . Memories are but for benchmarks to those who measure success or failure , victories or losses . One absolute is that time will continue to advance on and have no memories or baggage belonging to the past . In terms of time everything has a birth and at least one death which for lack of understanding little reason is hardly found to explain a reason for death for there , sometimes , are no answers to the questions we actually have or need to ask when we lose someone we love . We make judgments about death and life based upon a flawed understanding which is filtered by our earthly experiences . Judgments we make are also filtered by our own bias and understandings . Life is a spiritual experience yet the depth of thinking and consideration into just who or what we are is so often ignored or forgotten or just not cared about . We all have opinions about who , or what , we are and many of us find those opinions are not even those of our own but rather are founded upon what our parents or friends or past acquaintances have taught . Too often we don t really want to explore just who we are or why we might be here or where we are going to . Again a person s own personal beliefs will so often dictate or determine our personal beliefs about our lives . My personal belief is that being human means that there are at least four areas in our life . The Physical , the emotional , the mental and the spiritual and each interacts with the other . In additional each has its own needs and desires and can also affect the others in a positive or negative way . I do believe that each of us , being human , have a beginning point in life both a spiritual beginning and a fleshly beginning . Many would call the spirit the soul while others believe that there is no soul that we consist of intellect which is unique to each individual and that there is no inner spirit . If therefore there is acceptance that there is an inner spirit that has a beginning then the natural question is does it have an end ? Does the sprit have a death ? Is there , around us , a spiritual world that exist out of our sight in a dimension which we cannot see or feel . A persons belief and recognition of just what life consist of and beliefs in what transpires after our current physical life ends in many ways effects the decisions we make and the way we live what time and years we have . This is not to debate various beliefs in life and afterlife but rather a beginning statement of my personal belief about life and there being at least four areas to human life . The four areas , if feel , must be considered and addressed in almost every aspect of life and in relations with others for we aren t just pieces of physical matter or things but we are people that are multi - dimensioned and unique , each in our own ways . Death & Life are certain and the in - between period is at times under our control and is what we have the most control over . 
Be Cool . Watched the DVD of " Be Cool " tonight with a great line up of Actors but the thought hit me about just what is it to " Be Cool " . Cedric the Entertainer 's actor in the movie had a line stating " Don't tell me to be cool , I am cool " . Seeing Cedric in this movie and many others I would agree that Cedric is Cool with or without the movie " Be Cool " . John Travolta is another person that is Cool . So what just is Cool ? I think to Be Cool is to seize a moment in time with a certain audience and viewers that you modify or add to the definition of what we , as peers , accept as " cool " behavior . Sometimes a person doesn't have to take advantage of a certain time , moment , and event but rather create that magical moment just by their presence because the had , at a prior time , became accepted as " Being Cool " just by their presence and therefore whatever they do defines the art of being cool . Others , the rest of us , must find that unique time and place and event whereby we might just happen to do something or react to some circumstance and thereby be declared as " Cool " by those that are around . " Being Cool " isn't a certain deffinition that applies all the time because it varies depending on the circumstances one finds oneself in . One thing though that usually negates being cool is for one to seek to be cool for the sake of being cool thereby modifying their behavior and actions to conform to the definition of what they perceive to be cool . Usually that person might find they feel cool because they are conforming to the definition that they have of cool but find that so many times their actions don't conform to others views of cool . Being Cool then is no more than falling into a set of events and actions at a set time which are perceived by others , at that time , as being cool or desirable . Those who are usually themselves find that more than not they have the opportunity to " Be Cool " because they are naturally themselves and don't react to situations but rather flow with them . They don't care what the other person thinks for they live for themselves and not for what they perceive another to be thinking . So Being Cool is but a moment in time accepted by one or more as being worthy of respect or awe . Being Cool therefore becomes an expanding definition based upon each and every moment in time and recognized event . While being cool certainly doesn't warrant someone else to witness it the acknowledgement of someone certainly helps to reinforce the term and action . 
First Thoughts - Changed Topic but essential first reading . Okay , I will admit that this is my first attempt at a Blog so like everything else you should expect that there will be errors and that nothing will be perfect but hopefully , in time , it will be useful and interesting to some folks . Maybe in some weird way some may like it or find it intereresting and others well just a place to read while you set your coffee or tea down for a break . Personally I never mind people that disagree with me and enjoy a spirited dialog or debate . Some things , however , I do hate and cannot tolerate . Abuse by anyone is top on that list . Abuse of any nature .. Physical , Mental , or Emotional of which the later two are the hardest to overcome and heal . I feel that each of us , human beings , are created the same and there is no difference . I look at the inside of a person and that which is relevant and most important . It doesn't matter if a person is male or female , black or white , Chinese or American , Rich or Poor , Gay or Straight . Bigotry is short sighted and bias is destructive to each individual who suffers from it . Bigotry also is not limited by color or sex but each of us can be guilty and predjudice . Each of us , I feel and believe , are made up of four areas of life .1 The Physical 2 The Mental 3 The Emotional 4 The spiritual -- 4 but not limited to 4 .... I say spiritual also because I feel and believe that each of us , our bodies ( the PHYSICAL ) is nothing but a container which serves to contain and restrain the inner spirit . The inner spirit , of each person , is a created entity that has a beginning but is not restricted to a definite ending . I feel that this spirit , of each person , is created by God and possesses this Physical body we have . It is our mental aspect of life that records our life events and provides our intelligence and understanding and ability to make decisions . The mental is our interface to the world around us and our liaison between the Physical and the spirit entity inside . The emotional and emotions define who we are and are reactions of the mind . It 's what makes us alive and unique and also intimate with each other . Where the physical consist of flesh , bones and matter and the mental consist of matter and cells the Emotional is invisible and not something you can touch , feel , or see . The spirit is real and although invisible it is tangible where I feel the emotions are more a conceptual entity and makes us the unique person we are . If we are to relate to each other as God relates to us then we look at each other as spiritual beings that has no color or sex . With respect we accept each other as equals with just as much right to opinion as anyone else . Unless we can walk in another 's shoes and live their lives then we cannot appreciate the perspective that they have and therefore should respect each opinion as a learning process , learning on our part . As I said I hate very few things but abuse is very high among them and that also includes bias and hatred so although I invite comments for any post whether agree or disagree I do maintain the right to moderate comments and therefore have very few requirements .. Respect each person and if there is any conflicting thoughts or comments then do it without bias or degradation to one another . Show each other the same respect as you would wish shown to you . Thank you for sharing thoughts and time with me on my blog . God Bless . 
" The Divine Praises " . For those readers who are not familiar with " The Divine Praises " I mentioned in the previous post , " Blessed Be God " " The Divine Praises " Blessed be God . Blessed be His holy name . Blessed be Jesus Christ , true God and true man . Blessed be the name of Jesus . Blessed be His most Sacred Heart . Blessed be His most Precious Blood . Blessed be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar . Blessed be the Holy Spirit , the Paraclete . Blessed be the great Mother of God , Mary most holy . Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception . Blessed be her glorious Assumption . Blessed be the name of Mary , Virgin and Mother . Blessed be Saint Joseph , her most chaste spouse . Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints . 
" Blessed Be God " . I dearly love going to Mass and receiving our Lord in Holy Communion . When I turn into the parking lot of the church I immediately feel the tug of the Holy Spirit , inviting me to enter . I usually arrive 30 - 45 minutes before Mass begins so I can just be in His Presence and worship Him . Such glorious gifts He has provided . Some days I feel the need to have a spiritual communion with Him in His natural sanctuary . This morning after breakfast my wife and I drove up higher in the mountains to Silver Creek . She was driving as we arrived and suddenly she pulled off the road at a deserted spot and said she felt this was where we needed to stop . Very sensitive , this lady ! I got out of the car and headed down the short path to the water s edge . I was so filled with the Holy Spirit I was staggering somewhat . When I reached the water I carefully stepped from rock to rock until I was able to reach a fairly large boulder that was actually out in the creek . I positioned myself on the boulder , closed my eyes , and spent long minutes soaking in the Presence of the Lord . His voice came to me in the music of the stream as it tumbled past . Telling me of His never - ending love for all of His Creation . I felt what could have been just a slight breeze but I really believe it was His ever so gentle touch on my cheek . There was a tingle at that spot and it stayed with me for hours . I felt so completely loved and blessed as I opened my tear - filled eyes and beheld the Glory of His beautiful Creation that surrounded me . Everywhere I looked I saw Him . In the mountains , trees , the deep blue sky . And as I sat there with crystal clear water swirling past me on every side , I held out my hands and whispered The Divine Praises . . 
Liturgy Of The Hours . There are many who don't realize just how important a good , strong prayer life is . It 's crucial to the continued expansion of of His Kingdom and for the overall spiritual health of The Mystical Body of Christ . When we pray the Liturgy Of The Hours , no matter whether we pray in a group or individually , we are joining together with the entire Church in concentrated prayer . Now this is an awesome thing . Just pause and think about it for a moment . I am currently using the single volume edition of the Liturgy which is " Christian Prayer . " " St. Thomas More House of Prayer " publishes on their web site a chart which lists the page numbers in this book for all the morning and evening prayers on a daily basis . On the first day of each month I print out a copy for that entire month . It really simplifies praying The Liturgy . Click here for the page : Today 's Prayers - Christian Prayer . 
Vatican Document On The New Age . I wish to thank fellow blogger Moneybags over at A Catholic Life for recommending my post on the New Age . It is my hope that those of you who read it had your eyes opened a bit . Although I only covered a very small bit of the diverse New Age movement , you might be quite surprised if you knew just how wide ranging it really is . I feel that all serious Christians need to possess at least some knowledge of the New Age ideology because little bits and pieces of it regularly show up in Church sponsored activities . Although it is usually disguised as harmless ways to bring about spiritual breakthroughs , in reality a lot of it is rooted deeply in the darkness of the occult . We need to be constantly watchful and on guard . A request has been made for more information and for methods of bringing the Gospel to followers of the various branches of the New Age movement . Although I do have a lot of practical experience with several of the groups , I really don t feel I am qualified to properly address this subject . Rather , I see the need for someone with extensive knowledge of Church Doctrine and Theology such as The Vatican . They have a study entitled , JESUS CHRIST , THE BEARER OF THE WATER OF LIFE . I just finished reading it and it is exactly what you need . It is very thorough , covering specific differences between the Christian and New Age ways of understanding and looking at things . I recommend you click on the above title and print out a copy from the Vatican web site . Note : The print out is around 60 pages in length so be sure you have enough paper and ink before you begin . 
Spiritual Adoption . Priests are in such great need of our prayers . Just consider , if you will , the crucial position they occupy . If we have no ordained Priests to say the Words of Consecration at Mass , then we would lose The Eucharist . Thus the Priesthood is constantly targeted by satan and his demon horde . There is a community by the name of Opus Sanctorum Angelorum that , among other works , has a Spiritual Adoption Program . If we will email them our name and snail mail address , they will send the name of a Bishop , Priest , or Seminarian . Then , each day for a year , we pray a special prayer for him . More information can be found at their Spiritual Adoption page . 
Meltdown . Brothers and Sisters , " New Advent " has an a very revealing post entitled The Meltdown of Liberal Christianity . I recommend reading it and be sure to click on their link and read Charlotte Allen 's complete L . A . Times article . 
My New Age Days . As I have mentioned in earlier posts I was involved in the New Age movements for a while . Actually , it was quite a long while . Way , way too long . Looking back on those days I can clearly see that even one hour would have been too long but , of course , hindsight can be so crystal clear . The organization I belonged to believed it was destined to become the one and only religion of the entire world and even the universe . I m not sure who came up with that grand idea but I would assume it was the Living Master of the sect . This Living Master contended he was a God - Man , the latest of a long unbroken line from the very beginning of time itself . Within the system of initiations in this group , this god - man held a # 12 position and taught that Jesus was but at the 2 nd level when He was on earth , which was barely a beginner in spiritual evolution . Needless to say , they considered Jesus not worthy of any consideration at all . This movement is made up of a conglomeration of borrowed bits and pieces from just about every religion and spiritual ideology imaginable plus a big dollop of stuff that the originator simply made up as he went along . If that isn t enough , there is also an un - admitted tie - in with the occult darkness . When I left the organization , I was subtly threatened by their pointing out unfortunate things which have befell those who have previously left . They can call it what they will but that sort of thing is nothing less than black magic . Does reading this stuff make you feel nauseous ? I ll tell you for sure that just writing about it puts a bad taste in my mouth . YUCK !!! How , you may ask , could I have swallowed all that bunk they taught ? Well , actually I didn t believe most of it . I connected with this group because I was deeply interested in the mystical and they seemed to provide a way of accessing knowledge of that . As it turned out the leadership tried to use mind control to make sure the membership quietly did whatever the master dictated . You say that sounds like a cult ? You are correct . They were sneaky at first but that fact eventually was very evident . Now this is only a bare - bones presentation of what I involved myself in . New Age is extremely diversified in its beliefs and disbeliefs . There are seemingly endless variations on the higher consciousness theme . It could take a whole lifetime just to keep up with and understand their entire hodgepodge of ideas . New Age has one especially glaring shortcoming that overshadows everything they teach . They do not recognize Jesus Christ as the Divine Son of God and that omission leaves utter emptiness . That is so sad . 
Child Custody Protection Act passes Senate . On Wednesday , July 26 , 2006 , the United States Senate voted 65 - 34 to approve a measure that would help uphold state 's parental notification and consent laws ( 1 ) . The Child Custody Protection Act makes it a crime for anyone other than a teenage girl 's parents to take her out of state for an abortion . Thankfully the Senate passed this bill and President Bush has vowed to sign it ( 2 ) . The Senate rejected all amendments that would have weakened the bill . Here is one of them : Members of the Senate voted 51 - 48 against an amendment to a bill that would uphold parental involvement laws on abortion . Opposed by pro - life groups and lawmakers , the amendment would promote teaching teenagers about birth control in an attempt to lower the number of teen pregnancies . Sponsored by pro - abortion Sen . Frank Lautenberg , a New Jersey Democrat , the amendment would force taxpayers to fund sexual education programs . Pro - life lawmakers regarded it as an attempt to weaken support for the bill and said it would counter abstinence education efforts that are helping teenagers . Source : Life News However , Senator Dick Durbin ( D - IL ) has used a proceural motion to prevent the bill from going to a conference committee after the vote ( 3 ) . A conference committee is required to work out the slight differences between the Senate 's passed version and that of the House of Representatives . Let us hope that Senator Durbin stops worrying about abortion advocates and starts to support families and tries to get something done in the Senate . You can be certain that I will not vote for Senator Durbin when he runs for re - election . 
European Union - Embyronic Stem cell research . There has been a lot of talk during the past few weeks concerning the European Union forcing its member states to fund embryonic stem cell research . Remember , that this research destroys embryos and has proven useless ( source ) . Well , Monday , July 24 , 2006 , the European Union made a compromise that the Catholic Church is upset about still . Now , " The Monday vote would make sure that the EU does not directly pay for embryonic stem cell research but member nations would be free to use EU science funds they receive to pay for it in their own countries " ( 1 ) . In its Wednesday issue , the L ' Osservatore Romano condemned the effort to find a compromise between funding the research , which involves the destruction of days - old unborn children , and pro - life concerns about taking human life . The paper said the EU is condoning " a macabre illicit trade . " Expanding on the Vatican 's response to the vote , Bishop Elio Sgreccia , head of the Pontifical Academy for Life , told Vatican Radio that the vote violated a " primordial right " to life and authorized " the use of a human being on the basis of ' I kill you in order to gain benefits for others . ' " " To not be opposed to research that is destructive and inherently violent " is " an act of serious inconsistency , " he said . Source : Life News Concerning the Compromise : The compromise means that some money from the EU 's $ 65 billion science budget will fund some embryonic stem cell research over the 2007 - 2013 period that it covers . But it also includes consessions to nations oppose to embryonic stem cell research that the funding would not go to pay for destroying human embryos but rather for research on existing embryonic stem cells or on research conducted after the destruction of human life has taken place . A coalition of nations , led by Germany , had been working to block any funding for embryonic stem cell research and appeared to be on the verge of winning the debate . However , Finland , which holds the EU presidency this year , proposed the compromise and Slovenia , one of the members of the coalition , reversed its position and supported it . Source : Life News . 
A Prayer for a Deceased Priest . O God , Thou didst raise Thy servant , N . , to the sacred priesthood of Jesus Christ , according to the Order of Melchisedech , giving him the sublime power to offer the Eternal Sacrifice , to bring the Body and Blood of Thy Son Jesus Christ down upon the altar , and to absolve the sins of men in Thine own Holy Name . We beseech Thee to reward his faithfulness and to forget his faults , admitting him speedily into Thy Holy Presence , there to enjoy forever the recompense of his labors . This we ask through Jesus Christ Thy Son , our Lord . Amen . Please pray for ... I ask you to please pray for Monsignor De Blanc , who recently died at the age of 91 . Please also pray for these priests who have died : Fr . Andrea Santore ( murdered in 2006 ) , Fr . Mc Kenna , Fr . Reitmeyer , Fr . Eusebio Ferrao ( murdered in 2006 ) , and Bishop Luigi Locati ( murdered in 2005 ) . Tags : Christianity , Catholicism . 
St. Joachim and St. Anne . Memorial : July 26 Sts . Joachim and Anne are the parents of Mary , the Mother of Our Savior , Jesus Christ . They were privileged to be the grandparents of Jesus Christ . So , as the Church remembers Sts . Joaschim and Anne today , they also remember Mary . St. Joachim 's Memorial day used to be August 16 , but with all of the reforms to the liturgical calendar in the 1960 s , his memorial was moved to July 26 , the day of St. Anne 's Memorial . Now , we remember both of them on the same day . What we know about Mary 's parents , Joachim and Anne , come from Protoevangelium Jacobi ( The Gospel of James ) . It is not part of the Bible , but the document , which was written c . 170 AD gives insight into the life of Mary and her parents . Joachim was a prominent and respected man , however , he had no children , and he viewed this as a punishment from God . In an answer to his prayers , he and Anne , his wife , were given the daughter Mary , who was conceived without sin . She remained sinless , ever - virgin , and was the Mother of God . Their prayers were answered greater than they could have ever imagined ! There is a great Shrine to St. Anne in Canada - Ste. Anne de Beaupre . It is a site of constant miracles . Cripples have entered the Shrine on crutches and left by walking through the door because they were completely healed . Another Shrine is Ste. Anne d ' Auray in Britanny , France . There is also a church of St. Anne in Jerusalem , and the church is believed to have been built on the location where Sts . Joachim and Anne lived . Patronage : Anne : against poverty ; barren ; broommakers ; cabinetmakers ; carpenters ; childless couples ; equestrians ; grandmothers ; grandparents ; homemakers ; housewives ; lace makers ; lace workers ; lost articles ; miners ; mothers ; old - clothes dealers ; poverty ; pregnancy ; pregnant women ; horse riders ; seamstresses ; stablemen ; sterility ; turners ; women in labour ; Brittany ; Canada ; France ; Quebec ; archdiocese of Detroit , Michigan ; diocese of Norwich , Connecticut ; Santa Ana Indian Pueblo ; Taos , New Mexico . Joachim : fathers , grandfathers , grandparents Prayer : Good Saint Anne , you were especially favored by God to be the mother of the most holy Virgin Mary , the Mother of our Savior . By your power with your most pure daughter and with her divine Son , kindly obtain for us the grace and the favor we now seek . Please secure for us also forgiveness of our past sins , the strength to perform faithfully our daily duties and the help we need to persevere in the love of Jesus and Mary . Amen . ( Source ) Tags : Christianity , Catholicism . 
My Final Decision : The Diocese . Hello , everyone ! Blessings and peace in the Name of Jesus Christ , the Risen Lord ! Last week I returned from visiting Conception College Seminary in Missori , USA . I loved the Benedictine monks . Overall , during my visit I ' ve realize how important prayer truly is . I bought a copy of " Christian Prayer " , which contains the complete Liturgy of the Hours there . I have been praying the Liturgy of the Hours at Lauds ( morning ) , Vespers ( evening ) , and Compline ( night ) ever since I left the monastery . While at the monastery , I prayed with the monks at Lauds , daytime prayer , Mass , Vespers , and Compline . It was so beautiful to hear them chanting the Liturgy . And , it was so wonderful to see men in full habit walking around and bearing witness to the Faith of the Universal Church . Because of my experience there and after much thought , I have decided to go through the seminary program of my diocese . That way , my diocese will pay for much of the education , and if I ever feel a greater call to a religious order , I will join them later . What I want to do is first go to this seminary , then go to a major seminary for a major in theology , and then get a Roman decree from Rome . I ' m just pleased that I finally know where I am going . Grace and peace ! 
St. James the Greater , apostle . Feast : July 25 Today we celebrate the Feast of St. James . He is called St. James the Greater in order to distinguish him from the other St. James , who was the author of the Epistle of St. James and another disciple of Our Lord . He is called " the Greater " simply because he became a disciple before the other James . According to some historians and legends , St. James the Greater may have been a cousin to Jesus . However , it is certain that St. James the Greater , who we remember today , was the brother of John and son of Zebedee . James , John , Peter , and Andrew were all fishermen in Bethsaida , on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee . Our Lord called to Simon Peter and Andrew and said , " Come after Me and I will make you fishers of men " ( Mt . 4:19 ) . And , then Our Lord turned to James the Greater and his brother John , and both of them instantly left their nets and followed Our Lord . St. James the Greater , along with Peter and John , was one of the few that witnessed Our Lord 's Transfiguration on Mt . Tabor , the raising of the daughter of Jairus , and he accompanying Our Lord into the Garden of Gethsemane before His passion . And while St. James abandoned Our Lord during His Passion along with the other disciples , he repented and returned to the faith . And , not only that , but he went out and proclaimed the Gospel . According to legend St. James went to Spain and evangelized there for seven years . St. James and St. John asked Our Lord to be at His right - hand in Heaven , and Our Lord said they would be with Him in a far more different and wonderful way than they could have expected . St. James the Greater died a martyr for Jesus . He was killed by the sword by the order of King Herod Agrippa in c . 44 AD , and his martyrdom is the only one of the apostles that is recorded in the Bible ( Acts 12:2 ) . He was the first apostle to be murdered for the faith . Each year on July 24 , many people make a pilgrimage to St. James of Compostela in Spain , the 3 rd largest shrine in all of Christendom . According to legend , his body was taken by angels when he was murdered , and it was sailed in an unattended boat to Spain where a massive rock closed around it . In the ninth century , a star in the sky revealed the location of the tomb of St. James , and that was were the Shrine was built . Below the altar rests the remains of St. James the Greater . Some people do not believe the remains are truly his ; however , Pope Leo XIII in 1884 in Omnipotens Deus accepted the authenticity of the relics at Compostela . Collect : Almighty Father , by the martyrdom of St. James you blessed the work of the early Church . May his profession of faith give us courage and his prayers bring us strength . We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ , your Son , who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit , one God , for ever and ever . ( Christian Prayer , Page 1200 ) Prayer : O Glorious Saint James , because of your fervor and generosity Jesus chose you to witness his glory on the Mount and his agony in the Garden . Obtain for us strength and consolation in the unending struggles of this life . Help us to follow Christ constantly and generously , to be victors over all our difficulties , and to receive the crown of glory in heaven . Amen . ( Source ) Tags : Christianity , Catholicism . 
Prayer to Jesus in the Tabernacle . O Divine Savior ! I thank Thee for having perpetuated Thy humble , obedient , self - sacrificing and recollected silence of Nazareth in the tabernacle . How Thy example puts me to shame ! Forgive me for my bold , self - seeking , and superficial talkativeness . Teach me to understand the words : " In silence and in hope shall your strength be . " ( Is . 30 , 15 ) Tags : Christianity , Catholicism . 
A Prayer of Supplication to the Poor Souls in Purgatory . Purgatory is real ! Please pray this Prayer of Supplication to the Poor Souls in Purgatory . O holy souls , as one truly devoted to you , I promise never to forget you and continually to pray to the Most High for your release . I beseech you to respond to this offering which I make to you , and to obtain for me , from God , with Whom you are so powerful on behalf of the living , that I may be free from all dangers of souls and body . I beg both for myself and for my relations and benefactors , friends and enemies , pardon for our sins , and the grace of perseverance in good , whereby we may save our souls . Obtain for us peace of heart ; assist us in all our actions ; succor us promptly in all our spiritual and temporal needs ; console and defend us in our dangers . Pray for our Holy Father , the Pope ; for the exaltation of Holy Church ; for peace between nations ; for Christian rulers ; and for tranquility among peoples ; and grant that we may one day all rejoice together in Paradise . Amen . Tags : Christianity , Catholicism . 
Amnesty International . Please do not forget to pray for Amnesty International . In August 2007 , the organization will vote in Mexico whether to change its neutral position on abortion . If the proposal is accepted , Amnesty International will work to make abortion legal in all countires and to eliminate pro - life laws . They will work for the death of unborn children !!! If Amnesty International does adopt a platform to work for the death of unborn children , I will completely withdrawl my support and donations from the organization . I ask all of you to do the same . What has happened so far concerning Amnesty International ? Read The Dignity of Human Life 's post on it . Also , I have written to Amnesty International and received the same auto - resonpose that others have received . A commentor on my blog has asked all people that have ever donated to Amnesty International to sign a petition . Please sign the petition and pass it on to others through your blogs . Tags : Christianity , Catholicism . 
The Weary Monk . An old friend stopped by a few nights ago . He was different these days than before , tired for sure , but I sensed his soul was weary . He told me of the burdens he was carrying with him on behalf of those who sought his aid . . . man , it was a tough situation . He had made these difficulties his own and it was simply too much to bear . I suggested that we pray , and we knelt before the Altar together and I sought to offer this good servant of God to Jesus protection and healing . As we silently prayed , suddenly , with a great and profound surge of emotion , tears flowed from him . There were no words possible as our good brother was healed of his wounded heart , finding the Loving Lord he had temporarily laid aside as his burdens grew great . None were needed . Love saved a life that night . I had not a single solution , but Jesus did . And so it is with any problems you may have . . . Love can solve them , each and every time . Drop me a note if I can serve you in any prayerful manner . Peace . 
Miracles , Healing and Intercessory Prayer . I have learned that financial and emotional illness is as significantly dangerous to the well - being of the Christian soul as is cancer . We , as a group , seem to be loaded with debt and guilt so much we cannot possibly service either rightly . I submit , that all might do as I do buy and be grateful as a poor person does . It works !! Money and love must moves gently through your lives . That Our Precious Lord provides each with sustenance is a given , and we generally have a sufficient supply to meet our needs . It is merely the simple awareness each is there that we seem to miss . The problem happens when we go far beyond our means for pleasure . Oddly , and not at all surprisingly to me , when we go beyond ourselves in serving God enough of whatever we need seems to appear . That s the way hermits live and work . Our abundance is not in stuff , but in faith and we spend it all each and every day in prayer , pleas and offerings on behalf of many who seek our help . Miracles happen , situations are healed and lives are soothed . For us and all prayer warriors , miracles are expected to happen and there is no surprise when they do . After all , most situations have deteriorated so badly when they get to us that only Jesus intervention will even address it . How cool this life is !!!! Drop me a note if I can serve you in any prayerful way that s what I do ! I pray our Precious Lord will shower each of you with riches and graces beyond compare and give you Glorious Peace , indeed ! 
Wounded by Love . Sometimes I get lonely . My life is dedicated to the service of the faithful through the direct application of prayer , and I have discovered over all these years it is by far my best and most useful occupation . By choice I am isolated and alone , so these feelings are not unlikely and happen often to solitaries like me . My heart is glad , while my human self grows sometimes weary of the aloneness , and I struggle to get over the hump . When I ponder my choice , I am grateful to Jesus for the opportunity to serve as I do . There is none more important to me than the least brothers and sisters those who are ill - used , abused , wrongly and badly treated as well as those who have been cast out of society by bad behavior or bad choices . These are the folks who are most alone and in need , and I appreciate both . Without being alone and poor myself , I could not understand their plight , their fear , their worry over how they will keep warm or what the next meal will be , and so it is a significant Grace indeed . Remember them , for society has forgotten . These are without status , they are considered nothing , and have fallen through the cracks in the assistance system . And that , my good friends , is precisely where society has gone terribly wrong . If one is hungry why demand ID before food is offered ? Why integrate them into some government tracking system , why humiliate them further . I submit , we should love them , smilingly offer them food and shelter and clothing as is needed . Love has wounded me with a longing for helping those disregarded and beat down souls who are just a step away from meeting Jesus . I thank God for that Holy Arrow in my heart . And , now , I thank Jeus for helping me to appreciate again for the unteenth time , that I am never alone . Peace . Drop me a note if I can serve you in any prayerful way . 
A Fierce Storm , A Gentle Peace . As I began my early offerings in my 3 AM Office , a fierce storm was raging . The winds howled , the trees shook , the rain pounded upon the roof . It was a dark night , alright ! My prayer was gentle and heartfelt for my companions in need , though I ve not ever met but a bare few in all these years . I knew Our Precious Lord was there with me , hearing my pleas and offerings on their behalf , filling me with love and peace as I continued and finally finished my Office . That there will be a positive change in their lives is a certain thing as far as I am concerned . I am never surprised when I learn of a healing of finances , or of body , or of behavior because Jesus promised solutions to life s most difficult problems . Storms rage on in many folks lives , and the toll taken is huge . The prayer warriors , have a solution in prayer , pleas and offerings before the Lord . Use them to your benefit ! I hope for you peace , joy and delight . If I can serve you in any prayerful manner , please drop me a note . 
Radical Love , Radical Service . Loving God is an adventure . There are attacks by the enemy , there are the disapproving looks of fellow religious who find the life and ministry of prayer warriors worthless . Few can withstand the daily fight , and we lose more each day . Some years ago , there were more than 60 hermits like me in the United States according to some fellow who wrote about such things . . . I was recently told there are less than 30 like me . Loving the unlovable is a tough deal . . . unless . . . you have been personally Loved by Jesus Christ . Then it is an easy task . Many of those I serve are the so - called dregs of society . I find in them remarkable perseverance , faith , dedication and sheer guts . Regardless of the situation , the faith they often exhibit blows me away . They Love because they are loved . So should we . . . then we can Love in a radical way , too . If I can serve you in any prayerful manner , please drop me a note . Peace . 
Essential Intercession . One looks with increasing sadness at all that is going on in our brutal world and seeks the gentleness of Peace , Joy and Happiness . There is none to be found in all humankind . There is , however , the essence of God . Prayer Warriors seek the complete Presence of God in their lives in each and every moment and labor , sometimes with significant difficulty , on behalf of those who seek their prayerful effort . It is not an easy calling , but one that requires significant dedication and a willingness to literally put on the armor of God and do daily battle with the enemy . There are demons and agents of the enemy all around us , destroying lives and wounding the very souls of our brothers and sisters . It is our job to step in between and wrestle , prayerfully , these instruments of eternal death . It is up to us to dedicatedly and steadfastly offer to Our Precious Lord these good folks who find themselves in trouble , in hunger and painfully wounded . No one of us can soothe the terrible wounds of poverty or shame . We can , however Love the victims enough to make a difference in their lives . By our example , we can move hearts to join with us in dedicated service , lifting the least brothers and sisters high to Jesus Who can solve all that is wrong . I wish you peace . Join with me , and if I can serve you in any prayerful way , please drop me a note . 
Real People , Not Holy Cards . I have little time for games . Just a short time ago , some folks stopped by just bursting with the Love of Jesus . I was delighted to visit with them , hoping for like - minded good conversation and a witness to today s weary soul . They were first put off by my being Catholic , then by my being a monk and finally by my being a hermit dedicated to intercessory prayer . They had lots of questions about my vision of what a Prayer Warrior is and does and I discovered they had the view that they had the only real prayer warriors . It was an amazing experience in denominational division in the Body of Christ . I am unabashedly Catholic . If anyone wants to pray with me I encourage them . I don t care what denomination they belong to , just whether they want to participate in the Loving of God that goes on around here . Nothing else matters to me . Many folks don t believe as I do . Who cares ? Who needs those who talk about Love . I don t need friends like holy cards , I need real people with feelings and hope and dreams and aspirations . My Jesus Christ is Love . As a result , it is my practice to Love everyone , regardless of attitude . . . or status . . . or faith . If I love them as Jesus Loves me . . . I can easily look past any failings they think they have , finding in them the Face of Christ . I Love Jesus . So , I love them . It s cool . What a LIFE ! Be real , not a phony holy card . If I can serve you in any prayerful manner , please drop me a note . 
Happy like a children in a sunny playground Happy like a fish swiming back in the sea Happy like an ice cream cone in summer Happy cause we re traveling around togetherin a world that is friendly and good and green and blueand belongs to me and you . * nota al pi * El sabio es el que sabe cuando sabe que sabe , el tonto es el que no sabe que sabe cuando si sabe . 
Classes of income on which tax is chargeable . . affiliate programs . The Act does not give the definition of " income " but merely categorises the income under sections 4 and 4 A as follows : Section 4 Subject to this Act , the income upon which tax is chargeable under this act is income in respect of : gains or profits from a business , for whatever period of time carried on ; gains or profits from employment ; dividends , interest or discounts ; rents , royalties or premiums ; pensions , annuities or other periodical payments not falling under any of the foregoing paragraphs . gains or profits not falling under any of the foregoing paragraphs . Section 4 ANotwithstanding the provisions of section 4 and subject to this Act , the income of a person not resident in Malaysia for the basis year for a year of assessment in respect of : amounts paid in consideration of services rendered by the person or his employee in connection with the use of property or rights belonging to , or the installation or operation of any plant , machinery or other apparatus purchased from , such person ; amounts paid in consideration of technical advice , assistance or services rendered in connection with technical management or administration of any scientific , industrial or commercial undertaking , venture , project or scheme ; orrent or other payments , made under any agreement or arrangement for the use of any moveable property . which is derived from Malaysia is chargeable to tax under this Act . Definition of terms used in the Sections 3 , 4 and 4 A : " Person " includes : companybody of personscorporation soleindividuals by the virtue of its definition as a natural personexludes partnership [ except for shipping ] " Source " : Accrueto fall , arise , result , a right to receivepassive e . g . interest Deriveto obtain , receive , come from somethingactive involvement e . g . employmentdeemed derivation provisions - from Sections 12 to 17 whereby income is deemed to be derived from Malaysia although generated outside Malaysia . We will look at these in future articles as we cover each of the different types of income . Source of an incomemanufacture service - place where service is rendered or production is carried onemployment - location where service is rendereddividend - where the payer company is residentpension / annuities - location of fund " Malaysia " : the land of Malaysiacontinental shelf - 200 nautical miles . 
Section 3 . . affiliate programs . " Subject to and in accordance with this act , a tax to be known as income tax shall be charged for each year of assessment upon the income of any person accruing in or derived from Malaysia or received in Malaysia from outside Malaysia . " This is the Income Tax Act 1967 ( as amended up to June 2006 ) . The following are the definition for the terms used in section 3 : Tax Contribution levied on persons , property or business for the support of government . Compulsory exaction of money by a public authority for public purposes enforceable by law . Raising money for the purpose of government by means of contributions from individual persons . Year of Assessment A year of assessment is the calender year . ( e . g . 1 st January 2006 to 31 st December 2006 ) Income Not defined in the Act Fruit and tree analogy Fixed and Circulating Capital Generally periodical and recurring periodical Gains comprises of Income Gains and Capital Gains . Income Gains are taxable while Capital Gains are not taxable . Some examples of Income Gains are : Dividend Interest Rental Royalties Some examples of Capital Gains are : Sale of shares Sale of properties Generally , income gains are periodical , regular and recurring while capital gains are lump - sum and one - off payments . Please bear in mind that these are persuasive factors and not conclusive . 
Basis & Scope of Charge . . affiliate programs . Taxation was formally introduced into the Federation of Malaya in 1947 in the form of the Income Tax Ordinance 1947 . This was subsequently repealed and replaced with the Income Tax Act 1967 with effect from 1 January 1968 . What are the sources of reference to the Revenue Law ? Statute Law ( Acts , Gazette orders ) Case Law IRB Practice ( Public Ruling ) In any situation , the Statute Law is referred to first . Only when the Act is silent or ambiguous , then Case Laws are to be referred . Public Ruling as itself is not law . It is merely the interpretation of the Revenue Law . What is the difference between direct and indirect taxes ? Direct taxes are those taxes paid directly to the revenue authorities . The revenue authority in Malaysia is the Inland Revenue Board ( IRB ) . Income tax and Real Property Gains Tax are paid directly to the IRB . Stamp duty is paid directly to the Collector of Stamp Duty . Indirect taxes are generally paid to another person who then transmits the tax to the revenue authorities , for instance , sales tax , service tax , customs duties and excise duties will be collected by a collector , who will then pay to the Malaysian Royal Customs and Excise Department . Why have taxes ? To raise revenue for the government Stimulating economic growth and maintaining stability Regulating the distribution of income and wealth Scope of charge Territorial / Derived Scope . All income that arises within a particular country would be taxable . e . g . Hong Kong World Income Scope . All income , wherever arising , is taxable . Problems include double taxation and need of an administrative machinery to handle wider scope . e . g . USA , Japan and Australia Derived and Remittance Basis . Income arising in a particular country and foreign income brought into the country would be taxable . 
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Flying Under the Gaydar . Gay men love me . It 's like they catch a whiff of my Metrosexual airs and it causes a dramatic chemical reaction , like Mentos mints dropped into a soda bottle , of unsolicited attention . It 's almost like I ' m emitting some signal that causes their Gaydar to get scrambled . I ' m not a homophobe by any means ; in fact , my disdain of machismo fashion ( baggy pants , baseball caps , sports jerseys ) and manly sports like American football - combined with a keen interest in elitist / fey sports like tennis , melodic pop music , and films with subtitles - puts me firmly in the aforementioned " Metrosexual " camp . But just because I don't wear a Ravens cap with a Hooters t - shirt and baggy cargo pants doesn't mean I ' m " incoming " on your Gaydar screens , fellas ! Craig 's List Just a couple of weeks ago at a " First Thursday " event in Mt . Vernon , " Craig , " a total stranger , walked up to me , handed me his card ( it said simply , " Craig " ) , offered me a joint ( I declined this golden opportunity to say , " No thanks , I ' m straight " ) and , when I gave him the cold shoulder and walked away , leaned over and said , " Well at least give me a kiss " and licked my neck ! Ewwwww ! Call me funny about unsolicited bodily secretions , but I felt violated . To quote Hall & Oates , Your kiss is on my list - of the worst things in life ! Pointe / Counterpointe Then this Saturday at the bookstore , an obviously gay man walked over to me and held up a ballet book , while saying , " This book is written by a man considered to be a great dancer . " Startled , and confused at why he had picked me out of the crowd to discuss this book , I muttered , cleverly , " Um , really ? Hmmm , don't know much about it . " " Yes , " he continued , " But look at the cover ! " He held up a cover depicting a grainy black and white photo of a foot . " It 's a foot , " I deduced . " Yes but it 's supposed to be a foot on pointe ! " he said disgustedly . " Do you call that on pointe ? " I believe he made a dismissive sound next that I can only translate as " Hmmmppphhtt ! " Why me , Ballet Boy ? Out of everybody in the store that day , I was singled out as the person most likely to be share his indignation over poor ballet form . Instead I just said , " Oh well , it 's just a cover . Maybe the publisher couldn't get the rights to a professional dancer 's foot ? " That seemed to satisfy him and he walked away , adding " Any dancer worth their salt would be ashamed of that foot ! " Hmmmppphhtt , indeed ! 
You Gotta BOH - lieve . Just a quick reminder that this Saturday , July 22 , our good friends at the Senator Theatre are hosting a special free screening of Mr. Boh 's Brewery - a documentary about Baltimore 's legendary National Brewery by filmmakers Alex Castro , Harry Connelly and Lyle Hein - along with other Boh - related events and memorabilia ( " Breweriana " ? ) . Senator Theatre cognoscenti know that will almost certainly involve appearances by manager Gayle Grove 's Natty Boh Art Car , as well as her sure to be Nattily - attired Border Collie pooch , Natalie Boh . Oh , and did I mention the refreshments ? There will be FREE Natty Boh ! Mr. Boh 's Brewery is an ongoing documentary - in - progress ( currently running about 45 minutes ) that features vintage film footage and interviews with brewery owners , neighbors and workers . Admission is free on a " first - come , first - served " basis , so get there early to whet your whistle ! Following the film there will be a panel discussion with Brew Crew old - timers hosted by Elaine Eff of the Maryland Historical Society . That will include a Boh memorabilia show & tell with Turkey Joe Trabert . And Atomic TV 's Scott Huffines has put together a reel of vintage National Bohemian commercials , many previously aired on Atomic TV and the Atomic TV website , that may get played at some point during the activities . Then , continue the Bohdacious Celebration with a free live concert at Belvedere Square featuring music from the ' 50 s and ' 60 s by Tony Berry and New Money . Here 's the full schedule listed by the great National Bohemian . com fan website . NATTY BOH EVENT AT THE SENATOR THEATRESponsored by the Senator Theatre and WYPRWHEN : Saturday , July 22 , 20064:30 pm - doors open at the Senator Theatre 5:30 pm - documentary screening inside the Senator Theatre 6:00 pm - panel discussion inside the Senator Theatre 7:00 pm - free outdoor concert at Belvedere Square featuring music of the ' 50 s and ' 60 s by Tony Berry and New Money WHERE : The Senator Theatre , 5904 York Road , ( 410 ) 435 - 8338 NOTES : Admission is free and on a first - come , first serve basis . UPCOMING BOH SCREENINGS : If you miss Saturday 's screening , you can catch Mr. Boh 's Brewery again on August 12 when the Creative Alliance - in conjunction with Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse , Inc. & Obrecht Commercial Real Estate , Inc. - will present a free outdoor screening at 9 p.m. The doc , plus a 1930 s short called Boost Highlandtown Week , will be projected on the exterior of the former National Brewery building . This time the Bohs will be $ 1 with 50 cents popcorn and sodas . Related Links : National Bohemian . com Website Senator Theatre Website Sample Clip from Mr. Boh 's Brewery ( courtesy Baltimore Sun ) . 
FOXy Ladies . Now that the competitive tension of the 2006 FIFA World Cup is over , I can sit back , relax , and reflect on the real reason soccer ( football to everyone in the world but us Yanks - grrrr ! ) truly is The Beautiful Game : It 's the Babes . Don't believe me ? Check out FOX Sports ' " Babes of the World Cup " site , a one - stop Eye Candy Store for discerning global girl watchers . It even has breakdowns for WAGS ( soccer Wives And Girlfriends ) : Soccer Wives and Girlfriends . PERSONAL FAVES AROUND THE WORLDARGENTINAIt takes two to Tango . Shall we dance ? AUSTRALIAGet Down and Under ! ( Is that Kangaroo Toe ? ) BRAZILThey ' ve got an awful lot of booty in Brazil . Yup , Brazil is a big country ! No wonder they were the world 's Cup holders entering 2006 . ENGLANDCheryl Tweedy has back : leftback Ashley Cole , that is . Here she is singing with her band Girls Aloud . And speaking of singers , here 's Tweedy performing a visual duet with Spice Girl Posh ( right , showing off her " booty " ) : FRANCEThe French have the connection ! GERMANYDeutschland uber alles ! ITALYItalian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon 's babe is model Alena Seredova ( below left ) . Good thing goalies are allowed to use their hands ! And below ? That 's amore ! JAPANThe Land of the Rising Fun ! KOREAThe Red Devil made me do it ! MEXICOMexico 's fan base is really expanding . THE NETHERLANDSDutch treats abound in the Nether regions PORTUGALThe Iberian Lightness of Being . SWEDENWho said Swedes were icily aloof ? USAFigures our babes are pure White Trash ! Related Links : Babes of the World Cup ( FOX Sports ) Soccer Wifes and Girlfriends The Best Looking Soccer Wives . 
Thank You , Friends . Thanks to all the friends and family who turned out May 31 , 2006 for my sister 's funeral service at the Church of the Redeemer . Special thanks to Big Dave Cawley ( King of Men ) , who took the day off from work to pay his respects to my sis - he knows all about family loss , having lost both of his parents back to back , over the last few years , to cancer - and Scott Huffines , who hobbled in despite a ghastly leg wound and blood clot , and Scott 's nurturing mom Jackie Nickle ( who made sure a limping Scott didn't fall down ) , Jay Berg and Melissa Darwin ( fellow SSA employees who took time off from work to attend the service ) and Kenny Vieth of Henninger 's Tavern ( who took time off from overseeing the making of Baltimore 's best pan - fried oysters wrapped in spinach with a Pernod and fennel sauce ) . Kenny got compliments on his dapper suit and new hair product that produced an eye - catching , forehead - dangling Elvis curl . Here are some pix from the occasion . Jay Berg ( l ) stands to attention while an ailin ' Scott Huffines ( r ) inclines to recline : America 's Sweethearts : Tom and Amy ( l ) , Kenny V. and Big Dave C ( r ) , Kenny V. and Melissa D . glam pose ( l ) , while Tom and Dave try to glom off Kenny 's glamour ( r ) : The 3 Stooges ( l ) and The Dynamic Duo ( r ) - my nephew Billy G . and his pretty GF Katie : Blonded by the Light : Sister - in - law Candy , niece Ashley , nephew Billy G . and his sweetie Katie : . 
Mary , Please ... A couple weeks ago , Kansas and I saw Another Gay Movie , which opens in a couple days . If you haven't heard anything about it , it 's basically a spoof of American Pie and a hand full of seminal gay films from the last decade or two . It 's insanely raunchy and pulls no punches , which is why so many sissyfags seem to hate it . A friend of mine who saw it though it was stupid ( which , it is , but in the best possible sense ) , crude and offensive . This is a guy I have seen , with my own eyes , get double - dicked in a hotel room in Minneapolis , and he thinks something is crude . Granted , there 's a full - frontal peek a Richard Hatch 's junk , but into every life a little rain must fall . Long story short , it 's a lot of fluffy hot fun , and the movie features that hot guy from Bravo 's awful reality show Boy Meets Boy . The movie is nasty and sophomoric and completely unlike any gay movie I have ever seen . I ' m so sick of tender coming of age stories or weak romantic comedies that are neither romantic nor comedic . Aside from Brokeback Mountain , the last decent gay movie I saw was Latter Days . Wrap your brain around that one for a moment , won't you ? So go see Another Gay Movie , get over yourself and laugh your big gay ass off . Don't be a whiny sissyfag . Speaking of whiny sissyfags , now that Lance Bass is officially out , you ' ll hear so many of them smugly nodding and handing out told you so 's . Sissyfags are the guys who think it matters whether or not guys like Bass or Tom Cruise or Ricky Martin are out of the closet . Yes , it would be nice for there to be some visible gay men in entertainment , sports and politics , but these guys are still people , and we don't know anything about the decisions they face . Deciding who knows and who doesn't is up to an individual , so back of sissyfags . You 're not going to have sex with Ricky Martin , ever , so why do you care whether or not he takes it in the face ? 
Gym - Rat In Training , Part II. So I got this little gem of a comment in response to yesterday 's post : As a fellow f / a , I know how tough it is to maintain a workout schedule with our erratic work schedules and being away from home . However , it is definitely possible . I generally work three to four days a week and am off either three of four days . I don't work out while on a trip . I use that as my recover time / days off . I work out every day that I am home . I usually sign in very late in the date , so I will work out that day before going to work . That usually allows me to work out 3 - 5 time per weeks which is sufficient . I gives me 2 - 3 recovery days . I also take all my food for a three day trip . I take four servings of cereal and milk ( breakfast / late night snack ) , 4 - 5 Lean Cuisines or Smart Ones ( 300 calories each ) , 8 slices of sandwich bread , two meats / cheese for sandwiches ( in case a / c oven is inop ) . I also take almonds and peanut butter . It takes about 30 minutes to package all this before a trip but well worth it . I know I ' m going to have food ; it 's not going to be high fat airport / hotel food ; and the bonus is how much money I ' m saving . To keep everything cold , I bought a screw top , rubber ice bag at the drugstore . I fill it full of water and freeze it . While it gradually melts , there still a chunk of ice left after 3 days . I have a decent soft cooler approx 8 x 6 x 10 " . Frozen dinners don't stay frozen but they stay cold . Never had anything spoil . So it is possible ! You can do it ! This lovely gentleman didn't leave a way for me to get in touch with him , so I ' ll thank him here . This is exactly what I needed to hear . The bit about the food is particularly helpful , and has the added benefit of saving me a little money when I ' m on a layover . Awesome advice , guy , I can't thank you enough . The planes I fly don't have ovens , but I can figure something out . 
Trials Of A Wannabe Gym Rat . Since I started flying , I have been really lax when it comes to the gym . And slightly less so when it comes to the senseless consumption of cheeseburgers . The end result is that I have gained almost twenty pounds in the last year or so , and it 's time for the extra weight to go , along with twenty more pounds besides . I know it ' ll be tough , but I am sure I can work my way down to about 175 lbs . Of course , that means I ' ll have to get back into the gym and start paying a little more attention to what I eat . None of that worries me much , except that my life is a little ... erm , chaotic . I thought it would be smart to consult a personal trainer at my gym . I met with said trainer this morning , and let 's just say that it ... didn't go well . To begin with , he clearly wasn't all that interested in meeting with me . But he did ask what my goals were . I told him I want to lose between 35 and 50 lbs over the next year . His only response was to sigh deeply , which wasn't encouraging . I was already pretty over the meeting , but I pressed on . I told him that my schedule was going to present a challenge : I am gone three or four days a week . I went in hoping he could start me out with a program and I would come in once a week or so to meet with him and chart my progress . This wasn't going to work for him , he said . He sells " packages " of sessions , and " recommends " that I meet with him four or five times a week . He didn't tell me why he couldn't do it my way , but I can't help but wonder if it is because his way would mean I would spend about $ 600 a month . If we did it my way , that money would stretch over about five months . Good for me , bad for evil , money - hungry trainer dude . Long story short , he made it clear that I was wasting his time and mine . So I am basically fucked . I will have to resort to the good old Inter Web for what to do and how often to do it . I need to find out what to life and how often and how many times . I need to know what I can do when I ' m at a hotel that doesn't have any weight machines . It 's all so overwhelming . And I think it 's tragic and weird that the period of my life when I looked my best was when I was tweaked out on meth and cocaine . Isn't that sad ? The only time I didn't have a weight problem was when I was on the brink of developing a drug problem . I wonder what that means . The other thing I hear all the time is that I should eat six small meals each day . Six small meals . That would mean I ' d have to carry around twenty - four meals on an average trip . I wouldn't even have room in my luggage for my clothes . Besides , by day three , the food would get a little funky . Ugh . It 's all too much for me . I don't know what I ' m going to do , but I will do what I can . I figure a little bit of something is a better than a whole lot of nothing . Anyway , my goal is to drop about 50 lbs by next spring . Think I can do it ? Think you can help ? 
I Don't Even Have Words ... Okay ... so I found this courtesy of the lovely Gina Bruce . He 's hot and he knits . I don't know what it is , but I think the whole knitting thing is sexy . Call me crazy . I can't explain it , but if loving knitters is wrong , I don't wanna be right . Go , read him , You ' ll be glad you did . 
I Watch Too Much Television . It 's funny for me to think back when I was in college and for a couple years thereafter , when I didn't own a television . And then there was the seven years I spent on ships , where I had little access to real TV . It 's funny because I am sadly addicted to TV now , and having DVR installed hasn't helped . Now I can record shows I won't be home to watch , and I can record shows while I watch other shows ... especially shows I might not watch ordinarily . Here 's a list of shows on my DVR list : So You Think You Can Dance This one 's a gimme , pretty much , since I ' ve written about it before . Kansas and I are split , since we like so many of the dancers . For my money , though , it 's gonna be Travis . Bless his gay little heart . For sheer beefcake appeal , though , Dimitry the one to beat . Meow ! Project Runway How gay am I ? Shut up ... you were crushed when Daniel V. didn't win , too . The Dead Zone I never really watched it before now ... I doubt I ' ll be watching it much longer . You have to work pretty hard to make a show about a psychic something I wouldn't watch , but the boys at USA have done just that . Grey 's Anatomy One of the best shows on TV right now . The writing is tight , the cast is perfect . Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson rock my freaking world . When I was working on ships as a manager , I was just like Dr. Bailey to my staff . Watching this show makes me miss making my staff 's lives hell . Kathy Griffin : My Life On The D - List Love her . I just love her . Too bad her husband turned out to be an embezzling douchebag . Psych I hope this show enjoys a nice , long run . Dule Hill is the best . If you haven't seen this show , you really ought to give it a shot . Bad Lad 's Army BBC America never ceases to amaze me . They used to run a show called Mile High about a bunch of slutty flight attendants , and Kansas and I were completely addicted . BBC America dropped the show suddenly , and I was scarred and promised never to watch it again . Then I remembered falling love with Coupling , and found the Lads ... and I was ready to forgive . I can't resist a British accent . I ' m only human , people ! 
ODo R - crafting . You ' ll have to read the article : http : // www . freethoughtassociation . org / essays / ODo Rs . pdf Is Howard Van Till a freethinking Christian , or just a freethinker who calls himself a Christian ? Either way , I find his ideas fascinating , and I agree that we should all strive to have a well - informed and candidly examined ODo R . 
Three Reasons . Here are three reasons I don't believe in God : 1 ) Insufficient evidence of God 's existence . Carl Sagan once said , in defense of the SETI program , that absence of evidence is not evidence of absence , and many apologists have since used that quote in defense of God ( kind of ironic , since Sagan was an atheist ) . Here 's the problem : If extra - terrestrial life exists , there 's no reason to suppose we ' ll ever find evidence of it . The universe is vast , and we can't ( even in principle ) explore all of it . In contrast , if a benevolent God exists , and if our salvation is contingent on belief in his existence , then we should expect mountains of unambiguous evidence . So where is it ? Nowhere . This counts against the God hypothesis . Absence of evidence is evidence of absence when evidence is to be expected .2 ) Facts that the God hypothesis fails to explain . Why is the universe so vast , if we 're " the point " of it ? Why are there billions of galaxies , each with billions of stars , when one small galaxy would suffice ? Why does the universe even exist in the first place ? How could a perfect God want anything , much less an imperfect universe , when , being perfect , he can't lack anything ? Given the traditional Judeo - Christian view , why do angels and , on a more realistic note , there are ( apparently ) quite a few examples of poor design in nature . I don't claim that this is an exhaustive list . It 's just a spur - of - the - moment brain dump to get the ball rolling . I ' d be very interested if any Christian who happens across this blog would make a similar post on his / her own blog of their reasons for belief . 
Sam Harris I think most people will find Harris 's frankness quite shocking , and this will only confirm his point that our society is biased against open religious discourse . Ask yourself this : How would an astronomer respond to someone who believed in geocentrism ? Would he " respect " that person 's belief ? Would he shy away from criticizing it ? Would he join hands with all the geocentrists of the world , in the spirit of peace and unity , singing Kumbayah ? Of course not . He would present evidence and arguments against geocentrism and in favor of heliocentrism , and , if his backwards opponent ignored the evidence and continued to spread his falsehoods ( perhaps lobbying to have geocentrism made part of the science curriculum in public schools ) , I imagine the astronomer might make Sam Harris look tactful . The bottom line is that we shouldn't respect beliefs by default . I think most people , most of the time , feel that respect for a given belief should be earned by evidence and sound argumentation . Why should religion be exempt ? P . S . Yes , I ' m officially addicted to Youtube . com. 
Interesting Documentary . This could be very interesting : http : // www . themovieblog . com... the _ first _ trailer _ is _ here . html I ' ve always been annoyed by the American fundamentalist 's distorted view of Christ 's teachings . How can they support war capital punishment when Jesus was a pacifist ( " If someone strikes you on the right cheek , turn to him the other also " ) ? How can they oppose welfare programs when Jesus said we should help those in need ( " Give to the one who asks you , and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you " ) ? How can they amass fortunes when Jesus blessed the poor and basically denounced the wealthy ( " It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God ... Many who are first will be last , and the last first " ) ? Real Christianity is extremely rare these days , in my opinion . Most people who call themselves Christians hold political and social views that are diametrically opposed to the teachings of the man who founded Christianity . I think my irony meter just exploded ... 
Blind Faith . We all know the story of Abraham and Isaac , where God tells Abe to off his son , and Abe 's like , " Ok . " Then , at the last minute , God dramatically stays his hand and praises him for what he ' d been willing to do . The moral of that disturbing little tale is that you should obey God without question , even when it seems as though you 're being asked to do something we all know is wrong . God tells you to off your son , and you do it . Unquestioning obedience is seen as a virtue throughout the Bible . Two modern applications of that " virtue " spring to mind : God tells you to fly a plane into the WTC , and you do it . God tells you to murder your children , and you do it . See the problem ? This is one area where healthy skepticism obviously trumps the Bible . Where was Abraham 's skepticism ? Why didn't he say , " Hang on , this voice in my head might not be God . I could be going crazy . Maybe I should consult my wife ... " ? If you ask me , Abe was probably just a literary victim of the Bible 's disdain for skepticism . People are rewarded for showing unquestioning faith ( Abe , Noah , children , etc. ) , and punished or denounced for having the " audacity " to doubt ( Thomas , Jonah , and pretty much the whole pagan world ) . Faith good . Doubt baaaad . That 's the message being sent and , in some tragic cases , received . Imagine if the tale of Abraham and Isaac had been turned on its head : God tells Abe to off his son , and Abe , eyes burning with mindless zealotry , screams his incoherent assent . Then , at the last minute , God stays his hand and says , " Fool ! I gave you a brain for a reason . Why didn't you use it ? If you had , you ' d have understood that , since I ' m not the sort of God who goes around telling people to commit murder , the voice in your head probably wasn't me . " I wonder how many atrocities could ' ve been prevented by reversing the moral like that . Of course , it would contradict other passages in the Bible , but that 's nothing new . I ' d take contradictions over dead bodies piles of rubble any day . 
Humility of Science . Another Bertie quote : The universe as astronomy reveals it is very vast . How much there may be beyond what our telescopes show , we cannot tell ; but what we can know is of unimaginable immensity . In the visible world , the Milky Way is a tiny fragment ; within this fragment , the solar system is an infinitesimal speck , and of this speck our planet is a microscopic dot . On this dot , tiny lumps of impure carbon and water , of complicated structure , with somewhat unusual physical and chemical properties , crawl about for a few years , until they are dissolved again into the elements of which they are compounded . They divide their time between labour designed to postpone the moment of dissolution for themselves and frantic struggles to hasten it for others of their kind . Natural convulsions periodically destroy some thousands or millions of them , and disease prematurely sweeps away many more . These events are considered to be misfortunes ; but when men succeed in inflicting similar destruction by their own efforts , they rejoice , and give thanks to God . In the life of the solar system , the period during which the existence of man will have been physically possible is a minute portion of the whole ; but there is some reason to hope that even before this period is ended man will have set a term to his own existence by his efforts at mutual annihilation . Such is man 's life viewed from the outside . -- Bertrand Russell That humble , self - deprecating view comes from a respect for science . Science has shown us that we are , on the whole , fairly unimportant anomalies . Isn't it ironic that many theists who preach about the virtue of humility will reject science precisely because it instills too much humility ? They want so desperately to be special , intentional creations living at the center of the universe -- their universe -- and then they turn around and accuse scientists of being arrogant . 
Scum of the Earth . Disclaimer : I haven't " done math " in years , so this entire calculation is liable to be wrong . The average adult male human weighs about 175 lbs , and the average female 130 . The average male teen comes in at about 120 lbs , and the average female teen at 113 . So , I think a reasonable ( albeit rough ) estimate for the weight of an average human would be about 134.5 lbs . But let 's say 150 lbs just to be extra safe . That would mean that all 6.5 billion of us add up to around 9.75 * 10 ^ 11 lbs . In other words , humanity weighs a lot . And if the weight - density of an average human is 65 or so lbs per cubic foot ( which is apparently is ) , we can estimate the volume of humanity at somewhere around 1.5 * 10 ^ 10 cubic feet . Converting to vastly superior units , we get 4.248 * 10 ^ 8 cubic meters . Now , the earth has a land surface area of about 150,000,000 square kilometers . Let 's say we took that surface area and flattened it out ( because , frankly , it ' ll make the upcoming calculation easier ) . We can then treat it as the base of a rectangular solid , and then use the volume of humanity to get the height . In other words : 1.5 * 10 ^ 14 square meters * height = 4.248 * 10 ^ 8 cubic metersheight = 2.832 microns So , basically , if you were to liquify humanity and spray it over the entire land surface area of the earth , you ' d end up with an oily film less than 3 microns thick ( a micron is 1 / 1000 th of a millimeter -- i . e . , it 's really , really , small ) . In conclusion , we truly are the scum of the earth . Yeah , I just watched War of the Worlds ... 
Edit . I was operating on 3 hrs . of sleep and several cups of coffee when I entered my last post , so it came out a bit incoherent ( except for the wicked Bertrand Russell quote ... oh yeah , he 's quotable ) . I ' ve done a quick edit to try to get my general point across ( stigma bad , traditionalism bad , tolerance good , etc. ) . I only got about 4 hrs . sleep today , though , so I might have to edit it again tomorrow . I love insomnia . If I could , I ' d marry it ( and then suffocate it one night with its own pillow , because I love both sleep and irony even more than insomnia ) ... 
From Marriage to Hell in 60 Seconds . Ready , set , GO ! I will now venture on a topic which people find even more difficulty in treating dispassionately , namely marriage customs . The bulk of the population of every country is persuaded that all marriage customs other than its own are immoral , and that those who combat this view do so only in order to justify their own loose lives . In India , the remarriage of widows is traditionally regarded as a thing too horrible to contemplate . In Catholic countries divorce is thought very wicked , but some failure of conjugal fidelity is tolerated , at least in men . In America divorce is easy , but extra - conjugal relations are condemned with the utmost severity . Mohammedans believe in polygamy , which we think degrading . All these differing opinions are held with extreme vehemence , and very cruel persecutions are inflicted upon those who contravene them . Yet no one in any of the various countries makes the slightest attempt to show that the custom of his own country contributes more to human happiness than the custom of others . When we open any scientific treatise on the subject , such as ( for example ) Westermarck 's History of Human Marriage , we find an atmosphere extraordinarily different from that of popular prejudice . We find that every kind of custom has existed , many of them such as we should have supposed repugnant to human nature . We think we can understand polygamy , as a custom forced upon women by male oppressors . But what are we to say of the Tibetan custom , according to which one woman has several husbands ? Yet travellers in Tibet assure us that family life there is at least as harmonious as in Europe . A little of such reading must soon reduce any candid person to complete scepticism , since there seem to be no data enabling us to say that one marriage custom is better or worse than another . Almost all involve cruelty and intolerance towards offenders against the local code , but otherwise they have nothing in common . It seems that sin is geographical . From this conclusion , it is only a small step to the further conclusion that the notion of " sin " is illusory , and that the cruelty habitually practiced in punishing it is unnecessary . It is just this conclusion which is so unwelcome to many minds , since the infliction of cruelty with a good conscience is a delight to moralists . That is why they invented Hell . -- Bertrand Russell Preach it , Bertie ! Here 's my take : If non - traditional relationships between two or more consenting adults are harmful or unstable , it is only because they 're stigmatized . Nosy moralists stigmatize non - tradional relationships and then point to the real or imagined failure of these relationships as evidence that traditional marriage is the One True Way . It 's a self - fulfilling prophecy ! 
I ' m back , ya ' ll . I ' ve spent the last week and half in Illinois , helping my dear old grandmother ready her house for a reunion . I painted , I shoveled , I installed , I removed , and I pumped up . At one point , I drove a tractor . I was miles from the internet ; I didn't even touch it . But I ' m back , baby ! 
The simple art of murder . I just read this Raymond Chandler essay called The Simple Art of Murder ( PDF ) . It is pretty darned good . He roasts mystery writers who isolate themselves from reality by hinging their mysteries on impossibilities , and he hints that the texture of the mystery story should reflect the people it chronicles the barely clean , the scheming , the desperate people of the margins . Mystery is not so much a mathematical puzzle as it is an exercise in honesty . The best mystery is the simple mystery , the almost accidental mystery , where the story gets out of the way of itself , the characters are free agents , and the bad guys look like schoolteachers . 
A day in the life . What does the life of an unemployed hopeful writer look like ? Here 's a breakdown .10:00 am I wake up , shocked and groggy , feeling like I had stumbled out of my tent and realizing that my shore - front campsite has turned into an island . Or that I slept in a semi . I pet the kitty , who is usually tucked in next to me . She makes that burrrr kitty noise and blinks .10:15 am Double latte . Homebrewed . Starter fluid . Also , some Chocolate Lucky Charms , the grim reaper of loin chow . That s how we roll . I hit the computer .10:30 am I read the news today , oh boy . They ve got Larry David on a cell phone . The Republicans are fucking stuff up , and they re trying to ruin the Internet . No interesting e - mail , as usual . Well , one , from Nancy Pickard . 11:00 am Mail call . Credit card , credit card , bill . Credit card , credit card , bill . I make it into a song and sing it as I shred . Tea , English breakfast , Splenda , and milk . Time to read blogs and whore myself of My Space .12:00 pm Getting down to work . I drag a comb across my head . I edit my friend John Ralston s young adult novel , and work on a short story .5:00 pm Holy shit , I can t believe the where d the afternoon go ? I eat a single sausage and drink some water . I read a few stories from A Matter of Crime , volume three . One guy is from Lee s Summit , so I try to look him up online no luck . 5:27 Suffer from caffeine blindness .5:42 Recover . Mostly .6:30 pm Work on blog template , signup for Google Adsense even though nobody reads my blog install some links , makes some comments on other blogs , get a Technorati account , and install their cool search button . 8:00 pm Ten words : Vanilla frozen yogurt mixed with Hershey s chocolate cocoa powder stuff . Yeah , that s ten . This may not interest you , the reader , but I give it all of my concentration . Next , I go on an hour walk . I use this time to think of story ideas , shake off cobwebs , imagine a life less ordinary , think , If Ralph Lombreglia can do it , so can I. 10:00 pm Watch some Magnum P . I. Try to eat five - pounds of strawberries that are about to walk the plank . Only manage two - pounds and change . Think , I can really see myself in a Ferrari . 11:00 pm Worry about money . I like to do this for at least an hour everyday . I m trying to get better at it .12:00 am Watch North by Northwest . It good . Real good . 2:30 am Hit the sack . I m angry so I really punch it . 
I am a 40 - year - old woman . For their books to succeed , writers must know their audience . Duh . Poetry writers must write to the people who read poetry : older men in tweed jackets who smoke pipes and look everything up in the dictionary . Am I wrong ? This is why Jimmy Stewart s book of poetry cannot be considered a success . He didn t know his audience . The demographics of mystery readers are simple : 40 - year - old women . Introspective , sensitive , and bored . But I m a 27 - year - old male . I used to listen to NWA . How on earth do I craft a book for someone so far removed ? I was thinking about this today . I ve known a lot of 40 - year - old women ( not in that way , you perverts ! ) . Aunts , uncles , people I ve worked with , hairdressers , and friends . They all have set a fine example . I could learn a lot from them and apply it to mystery novels my characters , themes , and intentions . But the more I thought about it the more I realized my connection with 40 - year - old women went deeper , much deeper right to the very core of my being . I began to refocus my critical eye onto myself . I stared down at myself , as if on a distant plain . Then it hit me . I am a 40 - year - old woman ! I am exactly like every 40 - year - old woman I ve ever known . It s painful to admit , completely negating my male identity , but it s also very liberating . I feel free , for the first time . And it makes writing mysteries for 40 - year - old women really just an exercise in writing for myself . Maybe I ve been too hasty in my assessment . After all , I m pretty sure that I am a 27 - year - old male . I mean , that s what it says on my driver s license ( I checked ) . Perhaps , at best , I can use my 40 - year - old woman traits to my advantage , while somehow maintaining the integrity of my manhood . I ve made a list of my top 40 - year - old woman traits , and placed their male counterpart in parenthesis : I worry about my weight . ( I can still eat whatever I want . ) I sometimes shop on the internet all the way to check out and then guiltily close the browser window . ( I m mostly shopping for Ferraris . ) I sleep on more than one fluffy pillow . ( But I sleep the hell out of those pillows . I m not dainty about it . ) I use fancy , scented soap . ( This one cannot be countered . ) I use hand lotion . For non - masturbation purposes . ( I ve got dry skin what am I gonna do ? ) All of my clothes are color - arranged in my closet . ( There re mostly suits and other man - clothes like beer shirts and , you know , sports teams , like the Kansas City Lakers . ) I have many pairs of shoes . ( All practical and useful , except for the wooden shoes . I wear those to bed . ) Two words : Martha Stewart . ( She s a she ? Whoa , I thought she was a man with an ornate , feminine name , like Evelyn Waugh . ) I can bake a fine cake . ( I use black frosting , and I lift weights while it bakes . ) I can never find anything in my " purse " . ( I m looking for snuff and decks of lewd cards . Those are man items . C mon . ) . 
Carphone struggling with BB . No - one can criticise Carphone Warehouse 's foray into broadband , which was launched a few months ago backed by a massive marketing campaign trumpeting its ' Free ' offer . However I was more than a bit surprised to read today that Charles Dunstone claimed that the company had ' initially underestimated ' demand for its service . How can that be . It was always going to set the cat amongst the pigeons just as it did with the launch of its free Talk Talk phone service . Carphone said today in a trading statement that 476,000 people have registered for its broadband but it has connected just half of them . Dunstone has pledged to cut down the time people have to wait by major invesment in customer service but you have to ask the question , why didn't it do this in the first place . Not that I am knocking Carphone ; its idea of offering ' free ' broadband was inspired and the marketing campaign has been first class but once again this is a classic case of a company launching a marketing onslaught with zero preparation / despite being fully aware of how big the broadband market is . It 's boom time for broadband at the moment , BT is dominating the market and accounted for over 30 % of connections in the last quarter . With Sky now making a lot of noise , it 's going to be an interesting few months . 
Dot Com Boom time . Ironic that just as I am forced to go back to the dark ages and use narrowband for a week ( moved house and waiting for BB to be connected ) that two bits of news break that have got me wondering is it the dot com boom all over again ? Firstly , news from across the Atlantic that the Skype founders Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis are developing a top - secret start up code named the Venice Project revolving around online TV delivery . Apparently the pair have set up development teams in the US and Europe and are already in talks with broadcasters and film studios about the distribution tool . Although details are scarce , Business Week has the scoop here . My guess is the platform will compete with services such as Google video and will be sold bundled in with broadband . Should be an interesting one to watch . Meanwhile in the UK , Sky has hit the acquisition trail again ; this time buying teen community site My Kinda Place . It 's adamant that this move is not intended to ape parent company News Group 's purchase of My Space last year but it does look like Sky wants to become the latest big brand to embrace the social networking phenomenon . It also shows that Sky is desperate to shore up its online content and proposition at a time when it 's going full steam ahead with broadband so expect more aggressive moves from Isleworth ... 
Bouncing Blogs . Remember the bouncing balls advert from Sony for its new Bravia range of TV 's ? Well news has reached me via PR agency Immediate Future that a new version of the ad is planned this time featuring paint . But more importantly the new ad will be supported by a blog , marking Sony 's first foray into blogging . The blog , which will be here will include behind the scenes footage and reports from the campaign . The ad will also be debuted online . Here 's a classic case of a company embracing online content and using it to its advantage . The Bravia ad got people talking so what better way to ' keep the conversation going ' by launching a blog . That way , Sony can get more involved with its customers . Of course this isn't going to change Sony 's business ( which is currently struggling ) overnight but forward thinking like this certainly shows that it 's aiming to go in the right direction . 
Can Sky crack broadband ? Sky finally announced its broadband plans today - after months of speculation following its acquisition of Easynet last year . It 's to offer three packages Sky Broadband Base , Sky Broadband Mid and Max - details of which can be seen here . Sky Broadband Base will be free to all Sky customers but with limited download capability . The other two offer much higher thresholds for a price . Ignoring the detail at the moment , there has been a huge amount of specualation of just what sort of impact Sky 's entry to the broadband market will have . Well ... it has had a lot of coverage already but overall the market seems underwhelmed . Sky has a reputation for being innovative yet today 's announcement just seems like all it 's doing is offering something very similar to what 's already in the market . Having the Sky customer base as a readymade market is very attractive but you can't help but think that despite a massive marketing campaign planned , the ' Free ' factor offered by Talk Talk will see Charles Dunstone win the race in the short - term - at least . One thing 's for sure , Sky is in this for the long game as evidenced by rumours in the press linking it to AOL UK 's access business . It wants a leading market position and in true Sky style , it will no doubt spend big . The one thing it does have in its armoury is its content so it will be very interesting to see how it packages it . 
Big Media meets Little Media . Business Week has written a decent article looking at the phenomenon of social networking and how it 's starting to lure advertisers in . It 's hardly explosive stuff but it does give an interesting insight into some of the challenges facing both the social networks and the advertisers . Apparently IPG has launched a user - generated content lab to devleop solutions for advertisers ; will be interesting to see what it comes up with . Just last week , WPP also announced that it was exploring social networking and social media having taken a stake in Live World , an online community specialist . Whilst agencies are now trying to wake up to what 's been going on for the last 12 months , it will be interesting to see if they can tempt brand owners to part with big bucks . Knowing how digitally skeptical some of them are , I imagine it 's going to be a long hard struggle . Let 's just hope the audiences haven't moved onto the next My Space before the advertisers wake up to a social network 's potential ! 
Citizen Journalists - The True Meaning . Here 's an enlightening account in journalism trade magazine Press Gazette from a 7 / 7 survivor about how she has become a citizen journalist - almost by accident . Rachel North London as she 's known has witnessed massive amounts of traffic to her blog and she has become an unofficial spokesperson for KCU - the victims group . If ever there was an argument of how powerful blogging can be - and can become , then this is without doubt it ! 
My BBCRadio . The BBC is at it again ... aping My Space . Just weeks after chief Mark Thompson denied that the Beeb was doing just that - by developing its own My Space service , it 's now developing a My BBCRadio service that will enable users to create their own radio stations and own play - lists . The service will piggyback on the Beeb 's much trailed and long - anticipated i Player , which will offer 7 days of free BBC TV on demand . The news will no doubt infuriate an already damaged UK commercial radio industry , which has seen its marketshare being gradually eaten by the BBC . But in truth , the BBC is facing a crisis of its own on radio . For the first time in its history , the BBC is not 100 % relevant to the teenagers of today as they are growing up with brands like MTV , My Space and You Tube . The BBC desperately needs to maintain relevancy and My BBCRadio is one way of doing it . It has already tried to tempt the My Space generation with a Radio 1 Music Cubes service enabling users to host their favourite bits of Radio 1 on their blogs or My Space - with massive success . Now the challenge is to see if they can make radio sexy again on a mass market level with My BBCRadio . 
Live blog : Yanks sweep Rangers in series . A nail biter tonight . Yanks win 8 - 7 , and sweep the three game series in Texas . The game had lots of drama and more Yanks fans than I ever imagined to see . I had a footlong and Dr. Pepper . My seats were awesome in section 18 but people keep moving their asses up and down the aisle . It was very frustrating . I have to give it up to the Rangers for playing a great game . Good job . Now I sit waiting to get on I - 30 . 
Freaking out . My final term paper for my class is due this Thursday . I took two days off of work to write . This morning , I deleted the whole damn thing and haven't been able to recover it . Not good . No printouts exist . Start all over . 
Live blog : Yanks vs . Rangers . Actually I ' m in my car waiting to get on I - 30 . Yanks win 6 - 2 . It was apretty good game . Lots of Yankees fan at Ameriquest tonight . There weretons of them in our section which made it fun . Oh yeah , I ate two jumbodogs with onions . More later . Update : Problems with the live blogging have delayed thismessage , so consider it sorta live . 
Now for something completely different . The Yanks are in town for a three - game series with the Rangers . I have been wearing my Yanks cap all week , and lots of people have been asking about it . I love the Yankees . The problem is they haven't been doing that well lately . They are stil 2.5 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East . Here 's hoping they sweep the Rangers . I ' ll be there Monday and Wednesday night cheering them on in my seats by third base ( what a surprise ) . I think I ' m overcompensating for the Gay Pimp post ( see below ) . 
Shake what yo ' momma gave ya . I ' ve never been to this place in NYC ( so I ' m not endorsing it ) but I love this dance remix which is supposedly a preview of what they play on Saturday nights . I ' ve been listening to it when I am getting dressed for work , when I wash my hair , when I vacuum , after working out , and while I ' m eating my Honey Nut Cheerios in the morning . I bet the guy in the apartment upstairs is really over it . For the record , I ' m sure Jonny Mc Govern ( aka The Gay Pimp ) hosts a crazy Boys Gone Wild party . His video for " Soccer Practice " crack me up . Watch out for the drag queen with the lazy eye . 
Things to do tomorrow . I ' m off of work tomorrow and Tuesday . Here is my list of things to do Monday . 1 . Write my final paper for my HR class ( it 's due on Thursday ) .2 . Laundry ( extremely critical ; if I don't do this I may have to start wearing sweaters ) .3 . Clean out the fridge .4 . Balance checkbook .5 . Clean out my car ( some people recently got into my car and I realized how messy it was ) . 6 . Watch the last few shows on my DVR . It 's always good to have a list . It helps me stay on task . 
It 's getting hot in here . Today is the ninth day in D / FW that temperatures have been at or above 100 degrees and there is no relief in store . Excuse my language but it is f *** ing hot . I usually don't cuss but this is ridiculous . I figured since the President threw down an expletive so should I. The hot weather has had me thinking . Who thought it was a good idea to create air conditioning ? I would love to hug that person . The hot weather just makes me ill . I can't handle breaking out in a sweat when I walk from the office door to my car , and I hate that first five or so minutes in the car when you get hit by the pent up heat of the day and the car is trying to cool down . That is the worst . I ' d also like to punch the guy that created those silver sun visor things . They don't work . Let 's be honest all it does is act like foil or a leather sofa just keeping everything hot . Its probably his sick little joke . He 's probably on a beach in Aruba laughing his ass off that people buy those things and it does asolutely nothing . Speaking of foil , remember those people who used to put foil on their home windows to keep it cool ? That was really a great look . The sad thing is I probably would try it on my windows in the apartment if it wasn't so late . This is the end of my random thoughts for today . 
The lonely life . This cannot be good news ! I didn't like the Dutch anyway . Alright 20 + years left to find a mate . I ' m going to start on that tomorrow . Solo living doubles health risks from BBC News . 
Out of the ballpark . Monday is the Home Run Derby at PNC Park in Philadelphia . The annual home run competition featuring this year 's MLB All Star team members trying to knock balls out of the park . It is always a great spectacle and an opportunity to see baseball players try to one up each other . 
Summer television - not muy caliente . Unlike the weather , this year 's summer television shows are lacking sizzle . Even my favorite from last summer has become a little lukewarm . Here are some random thoughts : 1 . So You Think You Can Dance seems to have found tons of people who really can dance . So that might be the point but that makes for some fairly boring television . No movie stars . No people who suck at dancing . No interesting songs . No interesting guys ( the girls seem to be the better dancers ) . No real excitement on my part . 2 . I was looking forward to Psych on USA Network . The show has Dule Hill whom I loved on The West Wing . The show also stars James Roday . I saw billboards for it in NYC when I was there a few weeks ago . The show had some funny moments but seemed to drag on a little . The pilot was 90 minutes so maybe it will move a little faster next week when it is one hour . Here 's hoping . 3 . Footballer $ Wives on BBC America has started Season 4 . There is tons of new drama including babies switched at birth , a rape by a team member , new footballers , and Tonya 's departure ( hopefully temporarily ) from the lead role . This is my only saving grace right now and seems timely with all the World Cup action . 4 . Everything else on TV sucks . Let me know if you have any suggestions . Post a comment . You don't even have to register for an account . 
Speaking with a Mexican Accent is Spreading Like Wildfire ... Just Ask Everyone I Know . Does anyone else find it funny that anytime someone says the name of something Spanish in nature , they change their voice to that of a Mexican ? I ' ve recently noticed that every one does this . A sample of what I speak of : I was talking to the guy who bags my groceries at Publix the other day , just making small chit - chat while I waited for my cereal and yogurt to be scanned . I asked him if he had tried the Mexican restaurant across the street , Los Compadres , and he replied in plain English , " No , I haven't tried that place . But I love ( and this is where he gets the accent ) ' El Palacio ' , down the road . " I kind of laughed and thanked him for his input , " I ' ll check it out . " This was my grocery - bagger , mind you . He switched his voice for two simple words . So the whole way home , I thought about it . I decided that it was time for an experiment in my day - to - day for a little while . I was going to try to walk people into mentioning their favorite Mexican restaurant , or naming a city in Latin America , or something along those same lines . My conclusion ? One - hundred percent - yes , 100 % - of the time , they switched their voice . Maybe not to an accent as strong as Cheech and Chong , but there was a definite switch nonetheless . Look for it . You know , I don't even care if you use my experiment and try it yourself . Actually , I encourage you to test my findings . Try it on your friends , try it on grown - ups , try it on your parents , maybe even try it on your preacher . My hypothesis says that the result will be the same every where . Puerto Vallarta is not " Pwer - toe Va - lartuh " , as it would be pronounced in English , it takes on this mutated pronunciation where the r 's roll for days and the person 's chin squenches up and their mouth turns into a frown while they talk . Weird . Really weird . Give it a go , I dare you . 
J Lo - esque Fashion Icons Approaching the Century Mark . So today I was in the Salvation Army ( it 's where I do most of my clothes shopping , among other things ) and as I was checking out I noticed an old couple at the register across from me . At first glance , it was just your average old couple : wrinkled skin , slight hunch of the spine , a stench of formaldehyde circling the air around them . But upon further inspection , I came to the conclusion that this old couple was either one of three things : 1 . ) On the run after breaking out of their nursing home , 2 . ) Recently involved in some sort of experiment with their grandchildren where they gave away any and all rights to choose their own wardrobe , or 3 . ) Completely out of their minds with senility . I have come to these three options for these old people because when I looked across at them from my checkout line , I noticed some slightly irregular choices in their personal style . On the woman , a normal old - woman outfit from the neck down . Clothes that are definitely made more for comfort than flash , but true to form for the old person circuit . While I didn't see the shoes , they were likely a Merrill rip - off or some sort of Esprit walking shoe . Above the neck , however , things got a little odd . The makeup on this woman was almost like that of a clown . Lip stick half way up the cheek , mascara fitting for a Las Vegas dancer , and huge hoop earrings . To top it all off ? A white leather hat with gold studs abundant , something like you would see Mrs. Kevin Federline herself sport for an afternoon romp through Malibu with baby Preston . Needless to say , I was puzzled a bit by her choices ... but then came my eyes ' journey over to the old man accompanying her . From behind the counter I could only see the top of his pants ... no , wait , that would not be entirely true . His pants were jacked up to roughly three - fifths of the way between his navel and his chest . So I could likely see almost the entire pair of pants . They were bright yellow and looked to be linen from my vantage point . His shirt was a short - sleeved collared look , white and definitely polyester . The linen / polyester , yellow / white mix is classic style . To the top of his likely balding head we go , where the mystery spins more out of control than I could have imagined . There it sits , the most amazing hat my eyes have ever fell upon : a sailor 's hat fit , perfectly propped and sitting snug , made out of - you guessed it - yesterday 's newspaper . A hat made out of newspaper ? I mean , who does that ? As he left , I noticed he was working some Wallabees and a sweet flood to mid - calf . It was , hands down , the single most interesting outfit I ' ve ever seen . So the question begs : What age is it that you become so immune to the thoughts and looks of those around you that you can wear things of this nature ? We may not know until we get there , but until then , I will hope every day to run into them again so I can ask them that very question myself . 
The Resurgence of the ' Hawk . So I was in my car driving through Homewood the other day and I noticed a new trend among young people . I ' m not sure if it could be called the " Travis Barker Trend " just yet , but it 's getting close . The mohawk has made a resurgence . A big resurgence . I know what you 're thinking : " Well , Matt , if you 're driving by the skate park over there , you 're bound to see some bad haircuts . " And , to that , I say you are right . But I wasn't near the skateboarding palace , I was driving through downtown Homewood . And there were numerous little kids with killer little hawks . Not the big , spiky kind you see everyone wearing in the future in sci - fi movies , but the kind you see European people sporting when you watch highlights from the World Cup . The ones where the hair is long down the middle , yet still has a little buzzcut going on everywhere else . I ' m just wondering what these kids ' parents are thinking ? I know I used to get in trouble all the time when I would walk in my house and would have shaved my head . I can only imagine the hullabaloo that would have taken place had I left some hair running down the middle of my huge , bald head . But who am I to judge ? I guess the punk music scene is moving into middle - class America . And all I ' ve got to say is that I ' m ready for it . I ' m going to go ahead and say that - while I may question these kids for their reasons of getting a mohawk - I ' m tempted to do it myself . Is it considered peer pressure if I don't even know the kids but I get one anyway ? Because that 's most likely the excuse I ' m going to use ... 
My New Fascination with the English People and Their Music . I don't know why , but I ' m really into British music . There 's just something about it that sucks me in and won't let go . I have even found myself working on my English accent when people aren't around . It 's coming along right nice , thank you . I understand that they don't sound British when they 're singing so much - kind of like you can't tell that the lead singer of Red Hot Chili Peppers has a lisp when he sings - but it makes me feel like I can empathize with the music more if I ' m speaking in the same accent . So if you see me out and I talk to you , but I don't sound very southern in my way of speech , you ' ll know what the deal is . I probably just got out of my car , where I was listening to Robbie Williams or something . I am , however , very much opposed to people who get European tags to go on the front of their foreign - made cars . However far this phase goes , rest assured you will not see me taking it to that level . Hugh Grant is my new hero . 
I Watched " Pauly Shore is Dead " the Other Day ... Should You ? So right off the bat , the name of this film jumped out and grabbed me by the shirt . Instinctively , I asked myself the question , " Is Pauly Shore really dead ? I thought I just saw him on E ! the other night . " The movie was coming on Showtime , late at night , so I scheduled it up for a tivo session . After watching the movie Saturday afternoon , I now know why it was on late at night : it was too big of a pile of crap to be shown at any other time . The idea of this movie was pretty good . At first , I couldn't tell if it was a documentary where the Weeeeeea - zil just faked his own death and they were going to interview all kinds of celebrities to find out what their feelings were or if it was just a work of fiction . It turned out to be the latter , and the term fiction should be underlined because there were points during this movie where Pauly was referred to as a " genius " . Yea , Pauly Shore is a genius . I don't know if you heard , but Frankie Muniz is an Oscar - caliber actor , too . Calling Pauly a genius pretty much wipes all credibility this movie had away from the get - go . But I kept giving it a chance . " It 's going to get better , " I said out loud , to the poor souls who were stuck watching it with me . After 45 minutes of agony and about three half - laughs on my part , I finally decided that I had had enough . I started using the fast - forward search button , hoping to at least see something that would be vaguely funny and stop to watch more . What did I get ? Pauly Shore being thrown in jail for faking his own death and a dance number performed by all of the inmates on his cell block . Yes , a dance number . To an Elton John song . Elton John . Prisoners . Pauly . Orange jumpsuits . Too much . Okay , so maybe there wasn't a dance number , but maybe there should have been . The movie needed something . Anything . I mean , Carrot Top even makes an appearance in this movie . Carrot Top ! My goodness , you know you 're struggling when you decide to pull a celebrity cameo and the best you can get is Carrot Top . Bottom line : Don't ever watch this movie . Ever . If you have a crazed psychopath with a gun to your head , giving you the option of massaging a nude Rosie O ' Donnell for three straight hours or watching " Pauly Shore is Dead " , opt for death . 
If I Were From ( Insert Country ) , I Would Be A ( Insert Profession ) . I ' m not a huge soccer fan , but I ' ve definitely fallen into this World Cup phenomenon thing . I watch it on tv . I even listened to it on the radio the other day when I was coming back from the beach . Now , granted , I was in the car with someone else and kind of forced to listen to it , but I listened to it nonetheless . It 's intriguing to say the least . I ' m just so amazed that pretty much the rest of the world just stops to watch . This new interest has opened me up to people and cultures that I hadn't thought about or even knew existed . Apparently wearing big hats and painting your face in your country 's color is the thing to do in Europe . And crazy hair - do 's are pretty popular , too . So it 's all made me re - evaluate what I ' m doing with my life . And , more importantly , it 's prompted me to walk a mile in someone else 's shoes . In these particular cases , I ' ve been walking in the shoes of people from another country . So in my spare time , I ' ve been trying to decide what profession I would be in if I were from some of these other countries . It 's been fun : For Mexico , I would go the route of bull - fighting . Those matadors are like rock stars down there , and I want a rock star lifestyle . Now , I know this was a bit of a cop - out because , who doesn't want to be a matador in Mexico ? But it scarcely beat out being a travel agent who helps illegals cross the US border ... that 's a pretty popular profession down there right now . If I were born in Ghana , I think I would have taken the route of professional lion hunter . It just sounds manly , plus I could provide for most of my entire village with one swing of my sword ( yes , I would use a sword , throwing a spear is for sissies ) . Germany ? I think I would sell hot dogs . Yes , I ' d be a hot dog and sausage vendor outside of the World Cup stadium . I ' d charge a ton and then I wouldn't work the rest of the year . If I were from Portugal , I would create a Christopher Columbus museum ( if one doesn't already exist ) and give daily tours , but they wouldn't start until after lunch . I would sleep late and then spend the rest of the morning squashing grapes in one of those big tubs with three or four local women , while a group of old men sat around and played accoustic Portuguese versions of American rap songs to keep us stomping . In Italy , I think I would drive a gondola for a living . At night , though , I would play racquetball . From Ecuador , I would lead diving expeditions out into the Pacific . At night , I would be a DJ at a local club so I could learn more latin dance moves . Iran , this one was tough . I thought long and hard , but found no real reason for me to actually ever live in Iran . Finally , if I lived in Australia , I ' m pretty sure I would buy a ton of land outside of Melbourne and start a huge sheep farm . Then I ' d make all of my own clothes and all of my cars would have sheepskin seat covers . It ' d be pretty sweet . Sadly , I don't even know what I ' m doing with my life in America . 
The First - Aid Skills of a Seven - Year Old . I was seven and it was raining outside . I ' m not even sure to this day how it happened , but I fell down the stairs . Growing up with two brothers , odds are I was running from one of them . But it doesn't matter , all that matters is that I fell , and I fell hard . I tumbled down to the landing where the stairs turn to go in the other direction , but that turn wasn't enough to stop me . I bounced off the wall and kept on with my plummet to the ground . But it wasn't just the ground that was there to stop me , it was a giant piece of furniture of some sort . Sharp edges and children 's faces don't mix very well , and my nose was bloodied up pretty good . I tell this story because I want you to understand that I ' m not dumb , I just act dumb sometimes . I know what you 're thinking : falling down a set of stairs when you 're seven doesn't come close to qualifying for stupid . But it 's not the act of falling down the stairs that brings my intelligence into question , it was what I did to cover it up . Like I said , I don't know what made me fall , but I thought I would for sure get in trouble for running down the stairs to the point of making me fall . That led me to the world 's all - time worst bloody nose cover - up . I went straight to the bathroom and , being a young child , hadn't the slightest clue what to do from there . I opened the cabinets and saw a couple of options : toilet paper , folded clean towels , toothpaste , and mouth wash . Yep , you guessed it , I chose the toothpaste . Smeared it all over my face , man . I mean all over . My rationale for this decision ? I figured if my parents just saw me with toothpaste covering my face they would just laugh and tell me to go clean it up and go to bed . But my pea - brain didn't understand the color wheel at this young age , and blood red and Colgate green don't mix to create a happy color . So I got busted . And I got punished . But I just want to point out the fact that I have grown up a bit since then , and I don't smear anything on my face anymore . I fess up . And you should too . 
What Happened to Iraq ? The Bush administration must be sooo stoked about this war in Lebanon because since this " Crisis is the Mid - East " started I have heard nothing about the soldiers and civilians in Iraq , thank you CNN . ( mmmm that 's good sarcasm ) . I would pull all the troops out now and no one would even notice because the world is soooo focused on Lebanon . You listening Bush administration ? 
Oh Snap Here We Go ! I heard the US is sending 9 Naval ships to the Mediterranean Sea to assist with evacuating American citizens from Beirut . This scares me if anyone fucks with these ships the US is going to bomb the fuck out of whoever responsible it 's going to be Pearl Harbor all over again so mark this day July 18 th I called it . 
Are you happy ? I ' m speaking at Westerford CU today , kind of a spur of the moment invite . They are looking at the fruit of the Spirit and asked me to talk about the difference between happiness and joy . Huh ? Considering I ' m giving the talk in 3 hours , it 's way to late for my blog brothers and sisters to help , but let me tell you what I ' ve got so far . Happiness is FEELING good about life Joy is KNOWING your life IS good . Don't get me wrong , happiness is good , really good . But it is unpredictable ( is what makes you happy now the same thing that made you happy when you were 15 ? ) , really circumstantial ( and so to a big extend out of your control ) and usually only lasts a short time . And that 's why people spend their whole life try to chase happiness , because it DOESN ' T satisfy . It 's like trying to nail jelly to a wall . I reckon in the evolution of stuff , when happiness grows up , it wants to become joy . Joy is knowing who you are and where your going . It 's knowing your forgiven , accepted and heaven bound . These facts of life might bring you hardship , but you will still have a peace , calmness , contentment , satisfaction that happiness alone can't deliver . Happiness is just joy with amnesia , trying to drown out the uncertainty with sound and fury . Where do you fall . ? Happy , or joyful ? Or both ? ( or neither ? ) Scott . 
I love Cape Town . I really do . But at times it starts to scare me . I heard yesterday that in the last month 53 police men and women have been killed in the line of duty . My question for the non Ct ' ers is : If 53 policemen were killed in your country in the last month , what would the response be ? Scott . 
We are one , but we are many . My brothers blog has gently rebuked me . In two ways .1 . It has been used to share some great thoughts .2 . It shows that he is having great thoughts . Lately this blog has been suffering a little decay , achieving neither of the above . But , good things are on the go . I ' ve been spending a lot of time in Ephesians , a book I ' ve never really gotten into because , I know this sounds childish , everyone one else was always into it . Well , now I can see what all the fuss is about . As great things hit me , I will blog them . ( Not in any specific order or importance or chronology ) . Jump to Eph 4:1 - 16 Paul tells us to keep the unity that we have in God 's Spirit . Feeble attempts to create unity miss the point that he makes in verse 4 . Christians are already one in the faith , and the togetherness of our body ( the church ) should reflect the one God , one Spirit , one faith we share . But at the same time God is the Father of many , who is over many and through many and in many . Unity with diversity , not uniformity . In v 11 we read that God spreads around the the teaching gifts so that the diversity of the body might prepare people for works of service , which in turn , build up the oneness of the body . How 's that for tidy ! So God gives these gifts to make the many ' one ' in the church as they are alreay one in the Spirit . Or to spin it around , the gifts of v 11 are there to make those who are one in the Lord become one in the church . Cool ! Thoughts : 1 . Can someone help me with how v 11 becomes v 12 . In other words , how does teaching the gospel result in works of service ? When I teach the Bible I don't see crowds of people flocking to serve . am I doing it wrong ? ! ( Let 's take as a given that God 's spirit works to convict people etc. I ' m wondering about the mechanics of that conenction , humanly speaking . ) 2 . How does your church plug into peoples diversity and use those different gifts to build up the body ? An good ideas ? Scott . 
Back . I ' m back and to be honest I ' m struggling to leave the holiday behind . So I ' m going to try and drag the lingering memories into the week and see how that works for me . Staff meeting today was cancelled , so that helped a lot . We all know that a holiday is more than just the sum of it 's parts , but here are some of the parts that made it great . . . We had the one spot in Betty 's Bay which had heaps of trees ( I like trees ) The house we were at was unreal ! Verandah all the way around , a stream running by the house , fireplace in the main bedroom , beatuful garden and view of the mountian from the kitchen window ( and all the other windows too ) . Very ' House and Garden ' Found a great pie shop . Lots of chocolate and red wine . Numerus trips to the Harold Porter National park with walks up to the waterfall The discovery that Ash collects the BBC History magazine - I devoured about 20 of them . And lots more , but I don't want to boast . Scott . 
Robbed . OK , last post about the world cup . I don't know much about soccer ( I ' m not calling it football anymore , not after that ref dragged the beautiful game into shame ) but as far as I can figure you can't foul someone when your laying on the ground ? But , I love you boys . Scott PS : for a pick me up go to my brothers blog and check out the dancing prancing ref http : // tubemantravels . blogspot . com. 
??? !! Would you take oxygen from a dying man ? No , I didn't think so . So why the heck did SABC 1 show a REPEAT of the Chec v Italy game at midnight rather than the Aussie v Croatia match ?? Someone needs to tell those morons that I wasn't in Sydney for the Olympics and I ' m sick and tired of missing these defining moments of my nation . I feel deficent , missing , incomplete . I feel like an oppressed person . Like last nigths ref with the red , I hesitate to play this card , but personally I think it is because SA can't stomoach Aust being good at everything . But we are . So there . Scott . 
In The News ....... It 's the middle of summer and your daughter comes up to you while you 're blogging and pulls on your sleeve , " Daddy , why are the leaves falling off the trees ? " Irritated , you get up to go look with her and explain the life cycle of leaves , only you stare in shock as the BROWN , dying leaves rain upon your browning lawn , which was perfectly green the day before . You are witnessing a rain of ultra - violent radiation killing your plant life as a major hole in the ozone layer passes over your area . You and your family will notice the sunburn later . People are lining up on the banks of the river to witness the amazing fluorescent green thing it has become . The river - keeper has been complaining about fertilizer run off from river front properties for years now , and warned that last years ' algae bloom was merely a harbinger of worse things to come . You and the other citizens of the River City believe him now , only now this river is dead save a bright green slime that is thriving on the overload of nitrogen . The lawns look nice tho , don't they ? The local business community is up in arms because their employees are having to choose between showing up at work or paying their bills . They have tried car - pools , tried to get the local transit authority to provide realistic transportation alternatives to people who can't afford the $ 5 a gallon gas prices , but government has been slow to respond . Disneyland is in danger of having to close down altogether ; it costs far more to get there than it does to get in . And suddenly Walmart can't seem to offer low , low prices thanks to shipping costs . Exxon and every other Oil company in the world now have more money in the bank than the U.S. Mint . Development of Southern states in Hurricane Alley has come to a virtual standstill . Not one new housing loan has been approved in the last two years . Politicians keep making noises about the need for affordable wind damage insurance , but all those insurance companies pulled out of these states . Failure of homeowners insurance companies to offer renewals prompted a huge increase in foreclosures until mortgage companies realized that NOBODY could get coverage and backed off till they could figure out how to protect themselves . In the meantime property values have plummeted , and homeowners have begun to think of their homes as HOMES rather than investments . Using the common sense approach preached by proponents of free market forces but never practiced , the Solar Car company of Methuselah , Tennessee begins mass marketing of a truly practical electric car at prices no higher than your average economy car . Sales are booming as people flock to these dealerships to find a way to get to work that doesn't involve gasoline . By years ' end , sheer volume of sales actually brings the company a profit in it 's first year of production . Sales by the big three AND foreign juggernauts plummet . Streets are flooded in major sea - side metropolitan areas as the promised rise in sea level brought on by global warming begins to make it 's presence known . The Army Corp of Engineers is overwhelmed by demands by Congress to throw up seawalls to hold back the water . Immigrant Venetians rise to the occasion by having water - taxi service ready to go as the depth of flooding on fifth avenue averages three feet . You don't have to be psychic to predict that these are the stories you ' ll be reading in the paper in ten , hell , maybe even five years . I hope you ' ll come back in ten years to tell me how wrong I was . I really do . 
Idolatry at it 's finest . My wife has been involved in an extreme spurt of creativity brought on by her pursuit of Wicca . One thing I can say about this belief system is that it utilizes symbolism that rivals most any other faith . Together we are working to surround ourselves with totems of our love of Gaia and the power inherent in the Earth we tread upon , in our home and out in our sacred space , the shade garden . So , I proudly display for your viewing pleasure the fruits of my wife 's artistic efforts . You might think of this as " folk art " , but however you view it , I think the quote , " I may not know art , but I know what I like " applies . My wife thinks I simply humor her . I don't . You be the judge . 
" And miles to go before he sleeps ...... " . I ' ve been following the Buffalo on his trip across America . I get the impression he hasn't quite found it yet . This is not to say he hasn't made quite a few discoveries along the way . Somehow he 's managed to find differences along his route in a country that is busy getting rid of differences . The one thing that does seem to remain constant is weather that doesn't often cooperate with the moment , as well as motel 's that seem to think you should pay mortgages for a nights rest . I have yet to decipher whether or not Buf has decided that the trip was worth taking . He 's met plenty of interesting people along the way , although it 's not certain he would not have met the same sort of folk within 5 blocks of his home . Hospitality and inhospitable behaviors seem to be a hit and miss proposition ; no one area seems to be able to lay claim to either . At least it 's apparent that our intrepid developers haven't been able to level all the mountains and fill in all the valleys ; there are still topographical features remaining in this country that are worth seeing firsthand . I think it must be mentioned in all fairness that one cannot truly judge a place and the people who live in it in the short time you spend there just passing thru . Buf is not sucking at the teat of some rich daddy , thus he is hostage to economic realities which do not allow him to hang out in any area for very long . Most vacations of any length usually allow you to focus your attentions on all that one place has to offer , and sometimes even then you are only scratching the surface . So , I have to offer that Buf is probably missing as much as he 's seeing on his two wheeled journey . It is nice that he managed to snag a companion for the trip to help keep his sanity . Bob knows there have been plenty of people along the way testing that . Unless I missed that chapter , our intrepid hero has also avoided having to ventilate the barrel of his good buddy , Mr. Gun . I also failed to capture any episode that involved him scraping his arthritic knuckles on some miscreants face ; purely by accident , I ' m sure it would have been . Not to say that his demeanor has not been tested , for it is well known that all across this land there are people who could use a good dose of Buffalo . They have no idea how fortunately they are to not have encountered him on one of their particularly bad days , when people tend to go out of their way to invite a good hurt on themselves . Now , I know that Buf is not the kind of guy who would embark on such a venture with any express wish to get into it with anyone ..... but ..... stuff happens . The fact that it hasn't happened is , as I think he would agree , a good thing . I have thoroughly enjoyed this trip with this talented writer and liver of life . Although I am probably reading everything that will be in his book , I will pay gladly for my own copy regardless . Buffalo is truly a talented wordsmith , capable of spinning a grand tale , whether it be about the noises he hears on the street in front of his house , or some misadventure he had many years ago in far away and unfriendly places . I hope that all of you who have been equally faithful fans of The Buffalo can find the time to use that all - powerful word of mouth to insure his book is a great success , for if any of us deserves to succeed in this dog - eat - dog literary world , I think he does , if for anything else , walking the walk before talking the talk . 
Pruning . I have always been of the opinion that according to natural selection , nature really screwed up with humans . In every ecology on this planet , there is a system of checks and balances , predator versus prey , populations thinned out according to available food supplies , etc , etc. Once that success story of all primates , the human , got a foothold , all bets were off . Over time , mankind overcame all resistance , subduing those creatures that could prey upon him , becoming capable of even totally altering his environment , until he was able to spread across the globe with no competition or control other than the overwhelming power of the elements and disease to keep his numbers in check . However , a second look has me rethinking this . Imagine if you will what the population of the human race on this planet would be if it were not for the wars we have fought , if there had never been a genocide , a world war , a holocaust . Imagine that every one of those people that had perished in all those conflicts instead went on to procreate . Had we suffered losses only to pandemics , famines , and natural disasters , the impact on population would have not been nearly as significant as the deaths suffered at our own hands . Thus , it seems on closer examination , nature DID install a mechanism to at least slow our ability to reproduce . Let 's call it the WAR gene . This gene , this wiring in our brains that has remained with us throughout our evolution , has maintained within us a strong tendency towards aggression , be that by the gang banger in the hood , or the Texas borne silver - spoon fed rich kid power puppet residing in the White House . You cut off someone in traffic , unintentionally or otherwise , and chances are good he ' ll go ballistic and start an automotive war right there on the pavement . Look at a gang of young teens the wrong way in the wrong neighborhood and you can get dead real quick . The Iraqi 's are proving just how violent an entire culture can become given the freedom and ability to exercise their demons . It has never been unusual for men of any culture to assault the people closest to them , their wives , and even vice versa . Boxing and other violent sports are still perfectly acceptable ideas of sport in the " civilized " world . There is a trial wrapping up right now in my locality involving 6 people and a dog getting killed over a misappropriated X - Box video game console . Now , you tell me , what better control could there be for an animal that has the capability to wipe out every other species on this planet ? Seems Mother Nature at least tried to instill some fail - safe while we were evolving into the monsters we have become . Yes , it would be nice to imagine a world devoid of all this violence , this mindless warfare , this horror that we as a species have inflicted on our home and the wild life that has survived us so far . However , removing this propensity for violence alone would not solve our problems . No , we would also have to have within us a heightened sense of empathy , and understanding of the intricate symbiosis that is woven into the fabric of all life . We tread heavily where ever we go , and we cannot continue to do this and have any hope of not ending up extinct on the surface of a paved - over planet , the air unbreathable , the water all poison , not a green thing to be seen anywhere . So , even though I must conclude that nature did her best when natural selection selected the human to reign supreme , she could not account for the power of intellect , which combined with aggression , has made us simply capable of violating every natural law laid down before us . Yes , ultimately , we WILL be kept in check , finally , forever , but quite possibly not without taking every other living thing down with us . I raise my glass to you , Gaia , as I mourn your passing , even as I witness my own . Better luck next time around . 
La Dee Flippin ' Da ( An Undiscovered Country ) . It is not very often that a comment leads me back to an undiscovered country , a hidden treasure , a silent symphony of sublime literary pleasure . Yet , it has happened , and I truly must share this discovery with that miniscule percentage of the blog reading population which has made Dances With Leaves the renowned unappreciated masterpiece that it has become . I have always been a firm believer that men are better at many things that women aren't , and vice versa , but when it comes to writing , well , that all goes out the window , as proven to me by Shandi , The Alley Rat , and other feminine literary geniuses . This girl is no exception . From what I have read so far , she does not come from highfalutin ' academic roots , nourished by the ivory tower masters , yet I dare say she can spin a web of word with the best of them , in an easy to understand and grasp manner that befits the commoner , that being you and me . I think you probably agree with me , you minions of the 9 to 5 , that there can be such a thing as too much eloquence and excessive use of as - yet - to - be - defined - words . Thank Bob we have the likes of Jessica to keep us on an even keel . I was so impressed with her ease of blog - speak that it alarmed me greatly to discover that I was the only one to have read her blog and commented on it . THIS CANNOT STAND ! So , my loyal readers ( I know , the check 's been in the mail for quite some time now , but you will get your kickbacks , I promise ) I besiege you , I insist , I DEMAND , that if you have any trust whatsoever in the judgment of the Michael when it comes to great ways to totally waste your time for a good cause , then you MUST rush over upon the conclusion of enjoying this great blog of mine and peruse through the artistic literary stylings of " La Dee Flippin ' Da " and then come back and admit that maybe The Michael knows what he 's talking about ( Yes , I understand the percentage increase in the kickbacks required .... ) . Tell her The Michael sent you , and she ' ll give you a ten percent discount on keychains . It 's an inside joke . Yes , I fully realize how shocked you all must be that The Michael has lowered himself to posting shameless promotions , but if I ever intend to dump this dead - end job of mine and find success and fulfillment in this world , I really need to get in some practice , and this is as good a time as any to do it . I ' m not getting any younger , or better looking . Besides , some of us ( ahem ) seem to think ( cough ) that posting on a regular basis is nothing more than a hobby , a harmless pastime , an afterthought to their exciting , action packed lives , and have slacked off in their responsibilities , so we need fresh meat ; young , impressionable and industrious newby bloggers who honestly think they can make a difference in the world with mere words . I admit it . She 's already made a difference in mine . 
Manufactured Rockstars and Undiscovered Gems . Back in the day ( for you youngsters out there , that 's back when two separate channels coming over a radio was REVOLUTIONARY ) , we had no real idea where our rock stars came from , they were just THERE . There was no on - the - air evolution going on , these guys were hot right out of the gate . There were mysterious moguls behind the scenes selecting these bands out of the hinterlands and grooming them before they dared let them on the airwaves . And a DJ could kill you dead before the second note was uttered . Yep , DJ 's were GOD in those days . It would be quite awhile before punk rockers could come anywhere near a radio station , because there were so many truly talented people fighting for the relative few spots available on the AM and FM radio dial . And , for the most part , there were no GENRE radio stations where you had to sound just like everybody else in order to get your five minutes of fame . EVERYBODY got a chance to strut their stuff , from the motown wonders to the psychedelic dreams to the flat out hard rockers , they all shared the same stage . One minute you could be listening to a Harry Chapin , the next , Steppenwolf . Harry Chapin wouldn't have a rats ' chance in hell getting played these days , except perhaps on internet radio , and not alot of that talent is filtering thru to the airwaves . The corporate model has ruined FM when it comes to musical democracy . Now , starting with American Idol and being copied with Rockstar ( fill in the band ) and The One , we have our rockstars being manufactured right in front of our eyes , no pretense whatsoever . Of course , the public is being led to believe that they are having a direct say in which one of these hopefuls is actually going to be declared a " rock " or " pop " star , but since the voting debacle that got Chris questionably kicked early from this last competition , I seriously doubt it 's that cut and dried . And , it seems that no matter how " original " , " fresh " , or whatever " thing " these individuals are bringing to the table , they tend to get cooky cuttered before it 's all over with , so determined are the powers that be that they be marketable to the biggest possible demographic . Taylor HIcks somehow survived Simon 's efforts to have him dismissed as irrelevant and made it to the end , but whether we ever hear from him again , on the radio , remains to be seen . Anybody remember Clay Akin ? In my surfing thru Google to find pagan material , I happened to stumble over a band named " Gaia Consort " , a group based in the Pacific Northwest that rivals any power group I ever heard on FM , only they write and perform music with a pagan flavor . They have been around for quite awhile now , and have produced about five albums , all of which you can actually purchase on the i Tunes Music Store . The lead singer can often sound just like one of the lead singers of Bare Naked Ladies , and that resemblance adds alot of punch and smiles to many tracks . You might not exactly GET the lyrics to many of these songs , but if you really pay attention I guarantee they will speak to you on some level regardless . The main reason I mention this band in particular is that you will NEVER hear them on mainstream FM , simply because they decided years ago not to play the commercial game and went their own way , content to be really big fish in a really small pond , and have not made it BIG , accordingly . Which is a dirty rotten shame , if you ask me , because these are self - made artists who are every bit as talented as any I heard on FM , and I think the world suffers not being exposed to them more than it has . I ' ll include the link to their site , where they graciously allow you to download any of their songs you desire , with the hope that maybe you ' ll be impressed enough to do the right thing and buy and album or two . Try walking out of a music store with a free track from Metallica , I dare ya . www . gaiaconsort . com. 
Getting to know you , getting to know all about you .......... Tim made some really great points concerning who we are and who other people might THINK we are based on what we say in our blogs . He 's right when he says that a person is greater than the sum of his parts , and you simply can't decode those parts as seen in a blog and come away with a proper and accurate understanding of that person . Sorta reminds me of singer / songwriters and the ideas people get into their heads based on the songs these people create . Some of the worst people personality - wise write the most beautiful songs . It 's a shame , but that 's life . Get over it . Which brings me to my twist on this subject . They say that first impressions can make or break you when it comes to relationships . This can apply to lovers , friends , coworkers , you name it ; just about anyone that you relate to in some fashion or another . Thing is , though , if you make your assumptions based on that first impression , chances are you ' ve really gotten it wrong . This has been a real problem for me , as I was born with this perpetual frown , or rather look of seriousness , upon my face . It hasn't helped me when it comes to first impressions . If there 's one thing I have heard more of than I ' d really care to hear , it 's , " Smile ! " Well , dammit , I probably AM smiling , but doing it behind a neutral expression that Bob in his good graces installed on my mug when I was born that most people interpret wrong . Believe me , I might LOOK angry when I ' m not trying , but you ' d DEFINITELY know if I really WAS pissed off . I ' m truly sorry folks , but right now I can't afford to have a plastic surgeon install a nice , friendly neutral expression on my face . I suppose that makes me one of those people they are talking about when they say , " Oh , he 's pretty damn nice once you get to know him . " I bet friends of bikers say that alot . This is not to say that everybody is going to like me or get along with me , because lots of personalities just don't mesh . There are things about me that I have come to recognize over the years that could use some adjustment , but remembering that when it 's a good time to do so isn't as easy as I ' d like it to be . My major flaw is a mouth that is far too motorized than it needs to be . If you see a vein popping on my forehead and a look like I ' m about to explode , relax , it 's just me catching myself talking to much and trying my damnedest to shut up and listen , even though I have this need to interject something profound into the conversation . And , no , chances are it 's anything BUT profound ; I just happen to think it is . Thinking too rapidly rarely does me any good , but does provide lots of regret later as I slap myself on the forehead and ask my incredibly amazing self , " what in the FUCK where you thinking ? ! " Despite all of it , my personality flaws and an unreadable face , I honestly think I am a rather nice and caring person . But , like I stated up THERE ^ , that 's based on a possibly flawed and clueless self - assessment . So , in the end , I have accepted that what truly matters is how I am perceived and understood by those who deal with me on a daily and prolonged basis that really counts . I mean , you may not GET me in that first five minutes , but you will eventually , unless you are a slave to first impressions , and nothing I do is going to overcome that . So , as you read my blog , please don't think for one second that you truly know me . Yes , I hope that in the end , you wish to believe that I am a good person worthy to know , but you can't really know that without knowing me in flesh and blood . In return , I am not going to judge YOU one way or another , based on what you have written , for I am well aware how equally unfair that truly is . Except for that dweeb troll I suffered awhile back that is ...... I KNOW YOU ' RE A FUCKING ASSHOLE ! 
Post XXVXGGMIV . Copyright 2006 , The Michael Inc. , Ltd. , & other various abbreviations ........ The story you are about to read is true . The names have been fabricated , not to protect the innocent , but to place the blame on others who may resemble the characters in these circumstances . Any resemblance to any persons , living , dead , or embalmed but hanging in there , is purely unintentional , as they have refused to pay the licensing fee I impose for mentioning them in this soon - to - be award winning blog . This is not void where such things are not prohibited . If it IS prohibited , then I will plead ignorance , since ignorance is forgivable under the law , as is currently being demonstrated by our esteemed president . The following is recommended for mature audiences . If you are not mature , but are in the audience , just make sure your guardians are not aware that you are reading this , as they might get very angry at me , and you wouldn't like me when I ' m angry . Violations of copyright law are punishable by some government agency , I don't know which , that prints dire warnings on DVD movies , as if some pimply faced kid pirating videos is the slightest bit worried they are going to get caught . And now , our feature post ................ Dammit , honey , I TOLD you not to touch that button .......... 
Super Heroes . Super heros . Fodder of comic books and feature films . They intend to display the best virtues that humans are claimed to possess . Superman , who wasn't even from this planet , vowed to fight for truth , justice , and the American way . Honor , courage , strength of character , all these things were the shining example they strove to uphold . Some of mankind 's earliest super heroes were the Knights of the Round Table , those mostly fictitious warriors who upheld the idea of chivalry under the wise leadership of King Arthur . But , really , we all know better , don't we ? To be human decries any hope of being a super - hero , so flawed are all of us in one aspect or another . Today we are lucky to have police departments , or even combat units , that we can count on to live and perform their duties with honor and integrity . I am not saying that the majority of these men we depend on do not address their calling with the best intentions , but they are , like all of us , human , and sometimes they cross over to the wrong side of that line . There are so many professions that are made up of individuals who fail to understand the depth of responsibility that comes with their chosen careers , or perhaps are incapable of really caring . Prosecutors are charged with dealing with those amongst us who threaten our peace , yet sometimes they get lazy and think that a body count is proof they are doing their jobs rather than putting away the animals that stalk us . based on true evidence . These people are not super - heroes , they mock the very idea . Teachers who gain tenure and sleep at their desks , or hide behind them , will not provide us with future super - heroes . Presidents who think the job is about power and wielding that power against critics make us all look bad . Reporters who spend their time chasing flash and hype , rather than seeking the truth we need to truly enjoy democracy threaten that democracy . And soldiers who think that an M - 16 makes them judge , jury , and executioner might as well fight for the other side for all the good they are lending to their country . I know why we need super - heroes . We want to think as humans , we have within us incredible powers for good , knowing deep inside we are much better at being villains . Well , I have known super - heroes , and I have found them in the most ordinary places , never to be celebrated on the pages of comics or the big screen . One is Holly , a critical care nurse . She is a devout Christian , but you wouldn't know that unless you asked her . But you would suspect it , if you knew her and watched her care for her patients , not because of the money , although I know she needs it as much as any of us do , but because that 's how she performs her amazing feats , although she would never admit to that . Another is one of my new nurse managers , a rather plump and jolly lady who called me up at home just to thank me for not complaining about a certain work assignment . I felt like I was being respected , something I rarely feel these days , and that to me was heroic . Another hero I admire is Al Gore , a man maligned for his stiff character and liberal heart , who handled a questionable defeat with grace and dignity , and went on to do what he could to make us realize that the survival of the human race was at stake when all the nay - sayers were dismissing global warming as liberal hype . And certainly not the least of my super - heroes is my wife , who despite my ineptitude as a husband and provider , makes me feel like a super - hero myself , when I want to feel anything but . Now , none of these people have super powers , but they do have what it takes to be what we would prefer the definition of humanity to be . They have heart . Good hearts . And I ' ll take that over super - strength or the ability to leap over tall buildings any day . 
The Continuing Saga of Recovery . It 's day two post - op , and the wife 's pain is doing better thanks to the Demerol . I used to tell my wife that one of the things that attracted me to her was how " bright " she was in just about any surrounding . As pissy as many shoppers can be , there ARE many nice people whom have been her customers , one of whom just sent her flowers and a note telling her to get well and that she is missed . Under her learned tutelage , I managed to produce a most excellent pot of home - made chili , from start to finish . I snuck in some extra chili powder , and despite my fears I might have overdone it , I sighed a breath of relief as she announced it was very , very good . And I agree . It WAS ! Of course , I ' m no dummy . I know damn well that she has diabolically taught me how to prepare , and be responsible for , another favorite dish . She 's no dummy either . Putin and Bush ; now aren't those two a pair ? They hide their disdain for each other under this guise of being good buddies . Dubya , your good buddy , whose eyes you gazed into and pronounced to have a good soul , ain't no good old boy . He 's an ex - KGB officer who misses the good old days , and he 's going to , one way or another , bring back that Soviet Union , and we ' ll be right back where we started . As much as I hated Reagan , there 's no way in hell he ' d be performing a bad parody of " Broke Back Diplomacy " like you are with this man . Get a clue , Dubya . NBC nightly news just did a spot on global warming , and it just occurred to me that I might have made an EXCELLENT real estate acquisition . When the sea level begins to rise as the Antarctic and Greenland ice caps melt , I may very well find myself in possession of an acre of beachfront property ! If anybody is interested in investing , this parcel is just big enough to fit a nice beachfront condo on ....... hehe . Oh , and there HAS been good news today . The Discovery and it 's brave crew are still alive . One must find silver linings wherever they can be found . Until my next exciting post , be well , and blessed be . 
I have always been rather critical of Israel 's " carte blanche " status in the Middle East , always supported by the U.S. no matter how heavy handed it has responded to those that threaten it . I understand you need to go after terrorists who wish to wipe you off the map , but bulldozing people 's homes because their idiot teenage son was brainwashed into becoming a suicide bomber only creates more of the same , a never - ending cycle . I have always had this surreal pity for the Palestinian people , who had their homeland stolen to create the State of Israel , and have been treated about as badly as American blacks were in this country and almost as bad as the Jews themselves were throughout history . It 's as though the Jews of Israel took to heart the fine art of persecution . OK , we can poke fingers at both sides , but this latest fiasco is beyond ridicule . First , Hamas , having been elected by a clueless and angry populace in the Gaza Strip , demonstrates why Israelis hate them so much by immediately sneaking into Israel proper and kidnapping soldiers , as if Israel was going to immediately cave into their demands to get them back . DUH , where in the hell are your brains , you idiots ? If there 's ONE thing Israel has demonstrated time and time again , it 's that it does NOT negotiate with terrorists and it bites back HARD . I ' m sure the citizens of the Gaza strip are so impressed with your good governance ....... Now , as if stupidity were contagious , Hezbullah , their terrorist brethren to the North in Lebanon , have done the same thing , and now the citizens of Lebanon are feeling the effects of such folly . Like I said , you fuck with Israel , you suffer the consequences . What is really apparent about these people , is that despite their grievances , real and imagined , they cant seem to understand , or if they do , care , what effect their actions have on those they claim to represent . I can tell you one thing , Hezbullah does NOT represent the interests of all the citizens of Lebanon , yet the innocent are suffering alongside those with vested interests in this group . Lebanon has come so far from the civil war wracked wasteland that sectarian strife had made of it , and now their peaceful progress is once again threatened . Equally , the Palestinians had a good chance of determining their own fates with the withdrawal of Israel from the Gaza Strip , and now that has been totally wasted with the election of the worst possible kind of people to represent them . Almost sounds like our own elections , doesn't it ? The holocaust created a new race of Jew , a people that never again will meekly be persecuted by every other race in the world because people need someone to hate . This has had the effect of arguably turning these people into the very kind of overlords that once tried to have them eliminated . In many ways , Jews now think of Muslims in much the same way that American Caucasians imagined African Americans . It 's easy to demonize a whole class of people when many of those people publicly vow to kill every last one of you . So , peoples of the Middle East , keep glorifying cowardly terrorists who claim to have your best interests at heart while incurring the wrath of a people who have survived time and time again the jaws of genocide , and believe me when I tell you that this war will NEVER end . Rise above your oppressors , disavow violence , seek peaceful coexistence , and you ' d be amazed what could happen . We here in America know what can happen ; and we have a holiday named after the man who showed us how ; Martin Luther King , Jr. 
Poor Man 's Photoshop . With some time on my hands , I decided to see what I could do with The Printshop , a program I acquired awhile back for greeting cards and such . It has limited functionality as far as photo manipulation goes , but I suppose with a bit of practice you could produce some pretty neat stuff . I was just screwing around and came up with this . I think Tim is safe as king of illusion ....... 
Yippe Ki - Yay , Mother & * ( & ^ ( & ^ ( * % 's . Some would think that comment on the redneck , conservative , fundamentalist mindset was a recent phenomenon , but believe me , it 's nothing new . Probably beginning with the Nixon Administration , those with an educated , insightful , more progressive outlook began to point out , either thru parody or outright illumination , the inane way good - old - boy America approached being American . One of the first singers I heard back in those changing times that really struck a chord with me with comic observation was not even an American , but boy did he ever get it right ! There is a song on his " Don't Shoot Me , I ' m Only The Piano Player " album that to this very day says it all , as far as I ' m concerned . Do YOU know who recorded this ? TEXAN LOVE SONGI heard from a friend you ' d been messing around With a cute little thing I ' d been dating uptown Well I don't know if I like that idea much Well you ' d better stay clear I might start acting rough You out of town guys sure think you 're real keen Think all of us boys here are homespun and green But that 's wrong my friend so get this through your head We 're tough and we 're Texan with necks good and red So it 's Ki yi yippie yi yi You long hairs are sure gonna die Our American home was clean till you came And kids still respected the president 's name And the eagle still flew in the sky Hearts filled with national pride Then you came along with your drug - crazy songs Goddamit you 're all gonna die How dare you sit there and drink all our beer Oh it 's made for us workers who sweat spit and swear The minds of our daughters are poisoned by you With your communistic politics and them negro blues Well I ' m gonna quit talking and take action now Run all of you fairies clean out of this town Oh I ' m dog tired of watching you mess up our lives Spending the summertime naturally high So it 's Ki yi yippie yi yi You long hairs are sure gonna die Our American home was clean till you came And kids still respected the president 's name And the eagle still flew in the sky Hearts filled with national pride Then you came along with your drug - crazy songs Goddamit you 're all gonna die oh , lord Goddamit you 're all gonna dieyes , lord Goddamit , you 're all gonna die . 
Madness , Musings , and Mickey . When one reads the rants and raves of another , there is a certain quality to the words they craft that either gets your attention or causes you to abandon them altogether . That can be a shame , for one day it may be drivel , the next , outright brilliance . I ' m sure that Einstein , Plato , even Christ had their bad days , and to have been judged for their musings during that snippet of time would have changed the course of history . If Christ had fed the masses with one hotdog or bag of peanuts during a World Cup match , I doubt anyone would have noticed , quite frankly . Thus , I am glad I have returned more than once to see what Mickey has been blathering about . Mickey 's cache ' is that he is Christ incarnate , a madman , both , or neither . That on the face of it would normally cause me to dismiss him altogether , for I am sure he is in insanely good company and I don't have all their blogs bookmarked . However , because I was paying more attention to what was being written between the lines rather than any premise , I sometimes feel as though I have struck literary gold . No , I don't really care that he hates his Sister 's guts ( I might have misunderstood in that regard but it hardly matters ) or that he has issues with inanimate objects he suspects might be possessed by Satan . But I DO care that his eloquence at times could never be attained by someone of relative sanity . Perhaps his madness , much like my own , is an acquired taste , but believe me , pay attention and you GET IT , and find yourself grinning from ear to ear . I don't really believe Mickey believes in Christ as the Son of God , much less that he himself IS the Son of God come back to us in a straight jacket , but as a schtick it works well for him . If I had the misfortune of hopping on the lithium express , I would go with Napoleon , myself , since we both share stature and a sense of unappreciated arrogance . Instead , in the throws of my sanity , I have chosen to pay homage to my imagination ( a word that seems so much safer and superior to madness ) by doing part time evangelizing for Bob the Almighty , who has enlightened me in many ways concerning the answers to life 's nagging questions . My only saving grace is that I have chosen to accept this knowledge as personal enlightenment borne of my own ethos rather than blaming it on some hapless superior omnipotence who 's just trying to mind his / her / it 's own business . I ' m sure Bob doesn't want to be blamed for the holocaust anymore than Ken Lay did for Enron , the later actually deserving to be , in my opinion . The day mankind takes responsibility for it 's own atrocities , the sooner we ' ll stop committing them . A man ensnared and held hostage to his own voices is a lonely man , which is why I am thankful for the likes of Mickey , as well as Tim , Shandi , and the Buffalo , and even the occasional peeps from darling gina . If Mickey were ever cured of what supposedly ails him , I think something weirdly wonderful would be lost forever , thus , shamelessly and selfishly , I dare hope no cure is ever found . I like Mickey just the way he is , at least as I know him on a monitor . In real life , I ' d probably be practicing my restraint techniques on him , keeping him safely imprisoned in the hospital bed until the shrink showed up to decide what to do with him . May we never meet that way . 
Monsters . Our mental constructs are so much richer than the world we find ourselves in . Our imaginings have created worlds and creatures that that arguably never were and , still again , may never be . Yet , It is already apparent that fiction can be a precursor to some future fact , as was so ably demonstrated by Leonardo Da Vinchi and Jules Verne . Verne foretold the submarine in a time when such a vessel was clearly an impossible construct , although he came very close to describing in great detail what would ultimately come to rule the sea . Da Vinchi imagined many great possibilities which are now hauling us around in the sky , were used as weapons of war , etc. But the most powerful paintings of fiction are those of creatures of myth and legend such as the dragon , the wizard , and the monster of various configurations . Which makes me wonder if the real creatures that inhabited the Earth with us were simply not terrifying enough , that man had to fashion even more incredible beasts from his imagination , such as those that inhabit the myths of the early Greeks . The creature most famous in historical fiction is the dragon , a beast born of many distinct cultures , that breathed fire and terrified hapless villagers with it 's nasty disposition till such time a heroes could be found to dispatch it to it 's rightful death . The Krakon probably was birthed from the wild and fearful imaginations of seafarers who could not process the glimpses of strange creatures such as the giant squid and the whale , who even in their terrible size and strangeness still were inflated to such capabilities as attacking and dragging down entire ships , or so the tales would tell . Where once we spun these tales on papyrus , parchment , and paper , we now consume our myths on televisions and big movie screens , the better to lend outrageous power to even more terrifying creatures and invaders than even the most imaginative of the ancients could conjure . As we push our fellow animals towards extinction , we need new and more powerful enemies to be afraid of , if only in our nightmares . Yet , I would suggest that there has always been one creature upon this Earth that has put all others to shame , one so innocent in construct , so evil in capability , that is real and genuine and is to be feared above all others , for this creature shall truly be the death of us all . That creature has created this post and reads it upon publication ; that creature being US . Blogged with Flock . 
Birthdays , Birthdays , always another Birthday ........ Eighteen took an eternity . Twenty one , well , it was about friggin time . Twenty - five , it was nice . Thirty , well , it snuck up on me . I never saw it coming . I looked back and couldn't for the life of me remember having been around that long . I was fully prepared for forty . Forty was good . And I still looked maybe twenty six at the most , although a few years earlier they had stopped carding me . By the time forty - five ambled along , I ' d had enough . No more birthdays for me , nosiree ! The larger numbers were having some wicked psychological effect on my body . It was slowing down , and pains that used to go away weren't doing that any more . Strange hairs started growing in weird places . I started having this idea I was getting wise in some ways . Instead of knowing everything like I had back at eighteen , I was starting to realize there was a hell of alot I DIDN ' T know about shit . So , forty five was about as old as I was willing to get . That 's when I decided to ditch the old tradition of adding another candle to the cake ( which I hate , by the way ; I prefer ice cream ) and simply celebrate my annual forty - fifth birthday every year , much in the same vein as Jerry Lewis ' Labor Day Telethon , the annual Thanksgiving day parades , etc , you get my drift . Since I don't appear to be aging , I can get away with it . If I shaved my beard , with it 's sneaky streaks of gray in it , I could easily pass as 36 anyway . Sure , there 's gray in my hair , which I have been blessed by these great genes to still have plenty of , but nobody notices it unless I point it out to them . When you tell someone how old you are and you have to resort to pointing out stealth signs of age to back it up , then you know you have it sussed . Still , coming home from work feeling like my legs have been beat with iron bars , and waking in the morning with my back on fire keeps me honest , at least to myself . I always felt that I was meant to be delivered on the 4 th of July to celebrate our nation 's independence , but the stork got held up in a holding pattern for two days and thus I was late getting here . So , on this 6 th of July , after all the smoke has cleared and the four day holidays are over , I get to celebrate my Sixth Annual Forty - Fifth birthday . Anyone who suggests I ' m really 51 is a liar ! We here at Pendragon Hold will enjoy the day as usual ...... which these days is nothing special . I don't do cakes , 45 candles are a fire hazard , and we can't afford anything I really , really want , so I will enjoy this day the way any sane man should ; being glad I ' m still alive , not homeless , and in relative good health , married to a woman who adores me in her own irreverent fashion . The state of Florida will give me the gift that keeps on giving , that being the requirement that I get my tags renewed , and AARP will make another attempt at convincing me that I ' m a senior citizen in dire need of protection from those young whipper - snappers in Washington . If there truly was a deity that answered prayers , it would be for this one gift ; to want those things worth wanting , to be blessed to have what I do , and the smarts to understand the difference between that and that 56 inch plasma HDTV I feel so guilty at lusting after . But honestly , the special request I ' d put in if He / She / It were accepting them would be that my wife would be cured of all those pains that have haunted her in most of these years I have known her . I ' ve given her precious little more than my love , and that 's all she 's asked of me . That 's what makes every birthday I ' ve had these past 13 or so years so special , no matter how I calculate them . 
Please Stand By for an Historic Announcement ! Ladies and Gentlemen ( cough ) , tonight I introduce to you the post of posts , the premier prognostication ( shut up , spellcheck ) , the ultimate utterance , the font heard round the world .......... We are experiencing technical difficulties , please stand by ....... ( what do you mean we lost it ? Lost it HOW ? Didn't save ? DIDN ' T SAVE ? ! What are you , a bunch of idiots ? Dammit , I spent minutes typing this masterpiece up , spent what seemed like an hour researching it , and you tell me that you shut the damn computer down without saving what might possibly have been the equivalent of the Watergate tapes , the Dead Sea Scrolls , the Bob Almighty NEW TESTAMENT of blog posts ...... ???? !!!!!!!! ) ahem ....... Ladies and Gentlemen , it seems that tonight 's post has suffered a tragic accident . The normally talented and hardworking staff here at Dances With Leaves would like to apologize for robbing you of what may very well have been the post to end all posts , the kind of literary wonderment that few people in the literate world could ever have hoped to have the opportunity to read . We are so heartbroken , in fact , it has been decided that in order to make amends , we are all going to line ourselves against the nearest wall and have ourselves shot with very large caliber weapons . We feel this is the least we can do for having failed so miserably to provide you with the kind of quality expression that you have come to expect from Dances With Leaves , but never really enjoyed . The survivor of this great sacrifice to literary excellence ( the lucky SOB who draws the short straw ) , will provide you with high quality digital photographic evidence that this sentence has been carried out , in hopes that the graphic detail said photos will provide will somehow cater to your thirst for vengeance for having been slighted so horribly . We thank you for this opportunity , and hope to have the blog back up and running in time for the next post , which we will now admit ahead of time shall be quite mediocre , as not to be forced to waste another perfectly good editorial staff , as it is frankly getting rather difficult lately to recruit adequately talented people to work for us , especially for what we can afford to pay them . Sincerely yours ...... The MICHAEL Executive Editor Dances With Leaves Anybody know where the white - out is ? 
The War Tapes . There is a movie out called " The War Tapes " . This is footage taken by soldiers during their missions , without any of the " hollywood " being used to craft what occurs on the screen . I haven't yet seen it , but I did catch some snippets of it on the news . I could see immediately that this is what the American people needs to see . You will see the down and dirty reality of the world these guys find themselves in . You will see cultural confusion , mayhem , things going horribly wrong , and humanity being found in the most unlikely places . It 's one thing to hear narrative by those who hate this war , and by those whose job it is to put positive spin on the mission . It 's something else entirely to see this world virtually thru the eyes of those who are getting shot at , without all the bullshit editing . Of course , there 's no way in hell you are going to see video of American soldiers gone wrong as has been brought to light recently , but there is one incident involving a humvee vs little girl that highlights the tragedy that can occur in the least expected ways . They say that history is recorded by the victors , and as such , the record can tend to be rather one sided . There 's no way an American sitting in their easy - boy can have the same view of this war as the average Iraqi who has endured this hell over the last five years . No matter what their understanding is of religion , history , politics , geography , or this thing we call democracy , the Iraqi 's viewpoint of Americans is colored by what has happened to them in the vicinity of American military power , or even the death and destruction snuck into their midsts by the insurgency and the terrorists . One way or another , Americans are going to either be blamed for what they did , or for what they didn't do , for everything that is happening now began when a brain - dead American President and his rich handlers put our fighting men in harms way for no good reason . Even highly educated and politically astute Iraqi 's now find themselves trying to survive in a world that has gone from bad to worse , and have learned giving credit to Americans for any good they might have tried to do is a no - win situation , for they can be killed just for thinking that we are anything but infidel crusaders who are occupying their country . Anyway , thanks to portable high tech media , we are able to get first - hand glances at the truth rather than the rah - rah glossy spin that the mainstream media and our government likes to feed us . And thanks to these brave men who carried these cameras , we can make up our own minds whether or not we will write history to favor the victors , or to favor the truth , however painful it might be . 
Not sure about this ..... Well , I get a look at the results of posting with this new browser and I see that somehow it uploaded TWO of the pics I intended to insert . I think I might stick with what I know .......... 
Testing a New Toy . OK , I just loaded this new browser which is supposed to make blogging easier by integrating it into the browser . Let 's see if this works .......... Blogged with Flock . 
Half - Mast . I was listening to NPR ( yea , that commie liberal propaganda machine out to poison our minds ) and they brought up the fact that Missouri , and now some other states , have begun to lower their flags to half - staff whenever one of their citizen - soldiers are returned to them from Iraq in a coffin . This is right and good , to honor each individual husband , son , wife , daughter , that gave their life in service of their country . But ...... what 's this ? How DARE they do such a thing ? There are those who are suggesting that it 's not appropriate to lower the flag for just anybody in such a fashion . Oh really . They say that we have Veterans day and Memorial day to honor our vets living and dead , and that should be enough . You don't say .... What I see here is the same mindset that suggested we shouldn't be allowed to see pictures of Air Force cargo plans full of flag - draped coffins . Nope , we don't need to be upsetting people by putting the cost of this war right in their face , where they have to see it and acknowledge that all this is not just something happening somewhere else , that it 's happening to us all , and not all of us can remain detached as the body count mounts in this insane conflict our insane " president " got us into . I remember the time when westerns and combat movies were sanitized , cowpokes wearing pressed , clean jeans and not a drop of blood to be seen when the bad guys , or even the good guys , caught a bullet . You never saw one soldier with a look of terror painted on his face , and the enemy was made out to look like some maniacal smiling half - human creature that was perfectly alright to kill . Then , finally , Hollywood got real and started portraying the not so clean and pretty aspects of conflict , be it in the old West or in Vietnam , and suddenly cowboys and indians wasn't so fun anymore . Even the squeaky clean bulkheads and decks of the Enterprise gave way to the dirty , not always well maintained look of a more realistic depiction of spacecraft interiors . You might remember that the Millennium Falcon looked like it hadn't had a wax job in quite awhile , and it carried it 's well earned share of scorch marks . Life , real or imagined , is rarely pretty . I am not the kind of person who thinks burning the flag is going to make friends and influence people , despite the fact I and plenty of other Americans have plenty to protest about . I think lowering the flag to half - staff is a VERY appropriate way to pay honor to my brothers in arms who did not make it back . But , I have been tempted of late to consider flying the flag in another configuration that delivers a message loud and clear , another way which under these circumstances I believe is right and proper , and respects the flag and the nation it stands for ...... upside down . Flying the flag upside down is the internationally recognized signal of distress . Not since World War II has this country been so tested , from within as well as without . Vietnam was just a primer . America is beginning to lose sight of what it stands for , and if that is not an emergency , I don't know what is . 
Tim , . It 's you and me , guy . Slowly but surely our universe is shrinking , as posts from our companions become few and far between . LIfe goes on , which seems to be the mantra , yet here we are , you and I , drawing on our Tequila 's , lazing in our beach recliners , commenting on politics , life in general , and that awesome sunset kissing the horizon . Next to us we can see the imprints of other recliners , perhaps some empty beer bottles , left there by those who used to share our passion . What is it that keeps us here , my friend ? Certainly our lives back in the real world are just as busy , just as full of circumstance , as those who have abandoned us . Will that nasty shark leap out of the surf and drag us into the water as well ? It disturbs me to think that perhaps this passion we have is nothing more than some passing fancy , some fad so yesterday we will dismiss it as something we did for lack of something better to do . I realize thay the gauntlet we have to run every time we seek the time to sit down and do this can be intimidating . Even our own loved ones glance sideways at us and whisper amongst themselves , worried that we have more to say to the world than we do to them . Ah , but if only they would realize that we are speaking to them as well , only sometimes in the only way we truly feel comfortable with . Why is it that complete strangers seem to " get us " while those who think they know us think of us as eccentric for spending so much time with this ? You ' d think we had just one day up and announced we were headed to Peru to commensurate with mystic llamas , please don't forget to feed the dog . I could think of worse things a husband , a wife , a friend , a coworker could worry about us getting involved with . Or is it just me ? I can only imagine what people must of thought about the likes of Da Vinchi , Martin Luther , and Steve Jobs as they became engrossed in concepts and ideas that people must have thought were a total waste of time . Did it give them pause , so much so that short of their force of will they might have abandoned it in order to fit in better with their associates and family ? " Dammit , Albert , enough of this relativity crap , come to dinner before it gets cold ! " Imagine the what ifs ....... What disturbs me most are those truly talented ones who suddenly up and decide the whole thing bores them and suddenly drop off the face of the Earth , Blogger - wise . They have no idea the holes they leave in a wondrous universe that would not have been quite so wondrous had they not helped to create it . They have no idea the impact they have had on those who shared their lives , their ideas , their rants , their tribulations . Of course , some will attribute to us the same lame dedication that makes such fools of Trekkies and such , but the fondness that we have for our brothers and sisters in blogging goes much deeper , to family and values , than to fantasy and wishfulness . We truly end up caring about each other , and however you viewed your participation in all this , it hurts as deeply when one of us flippantly dismisses their value to this family and leaves it . I know how both you and I struggle sometimes to remain relevant on a consistent basis , but we also know that we will have our good days , or bad days , and our moments of utter brilliance , such as the law of averages and how life in general treats us . So we stick it out , my insane friend , and if in the end , you and I are the last comics standing , then you and I alone will hold our heads high as we take the golden wet noodle award and place it on our mantles , more than happy to brag to our progeny just what it meant and how we won it . 
Here we go again ........ It 's the first storm of the new hurricane season and already the media is outside in raincoats acting like dumb kids . They somehow figure in order to be authentic , they have to stand outside , leaning at 45 degrees , risking getting decapitated by a flying piece of tin roofing . Hey , just point the stupid camera out a thick window , we can see it , dumb - asses ! The thing about this one , the first named this year , is that it powered up rapidly once it got somewhat organized . It may not reach hurricane strength , but it will dump alot of water , only in those areas that have pathetic drainage , of course , and the winds will be strong enough to clean out alot of those dead limbs that are otherwise out of reach in our trees . This does not bode well for the rest of the season , since it seems these things are going to appear , organize , and turn into the same kind of monsters that trampled all over us last year , perhaps quicker than most of us can get out of their way . Used to , these storms would form up over near Africa and slowly wind their way towards us , but now these bastards are popping up right off the coastlines and it 's instant hurricane ; batten down the hatches if you have any . And we deserve it . We deserve it for ignoring the likes of Al Gore when he tried to bring attention to the fact that we have had a major impact on our atmosphere . We deserve it for electing conservatives who 's favorite pastime is hiding their heads in the sand because they think denying problems make them go away . We deserve it because we have to make " statements " by driving the most stupid kinds of cars we can afford . We deserve it because we buy this myth that promoting conservation and efficiency costs money and jobs , when in fact it actually creates them . We deserve it because too many of us believe in a God that is going to come down and clean up our mess for us so we don't have to take responsibility for it . Can you spell " L E M M I N G S " ? This place is going to be a fantastic archaeologic site some time in the not - all - that - distant future for any alien species that happens to stumble across this planet . They are going to uncover evidence of an advanced civilization , and are going to be so puzzled trying to understand how a species that could build the things they dig up could have destroyed itself . Hopefully , the planet itself will have survived the upcoming environmental catastrophe as it survived all the others , and it 's verdant plant life will have erased the ugliness we imposed upon her . Perhaps the rats , which seem to be able to survive just about anything , will evolve into a sentient species that doesn't trade common sense for the ability to love , create art and music , and ponder their place in the universe . Whoever comes after us , I wish them well . 
OH , and One More Thing .......... I would very much like to shove a corn cob up Ann Coulter 's ass and make her brush her teeth with it . P . S . Don't let this distract you from tonight 's actual episode . Just scroll down . 
Destination Unknown . Ah , Yester , I knew him well . Tween worlds , indeed , in this one or that , I know not , for what matters , which is which , one never knows . This dream dreamt by so many , I count myself amongst commoners , such is this state we all share , a reality false to our sense of justice , this solid evidence of lives lived for reasons beyond us , grasping for reason , a mere pittance paid to our yearnings , our desires unfed , tasteless , barely palatable , yet we gorge ourselves upon it all , such that it is . I listen to this , myself , my ramblings that lead down primrose paths to nowhere , yet I seek destination , be that destiny or some ending of my own choosing , and I ask the question upon all our tongues , the big one dare not asked and never answered , yet I shall answer , for I am so daring today , would ye not agree , to suggest to challenge the omnipotent , the reaper , the writer of the rules , and suggest he be mere figment in the minds of people I despise . Oh , I do not hate them , for they are not worthy of my rage , my despair , my certainty that it all amounts to naught , a knowledge so set in stone and testing of my faith I beg of just one to prove me wrong , for when I am right , I may know validation , and in such I am doomed . You tire , your patience wears thin , you give me such short time to make my case , for clarity is what thou seek , something you can use , something your mind wraps about comfortably , and demand I reach some conclusion , some point to all this font that seems to reproduce itself like some irritant virus , infecting that which is worthy of your time and threatens to kill it altogether and I say to you , no , I demand of you to see this through to an end I can only promise poses questions rather than answers , for I know , if anyone does , that answers are ethereal , poppycock to some , gospel to others , and when shalt such the twain meet ? Then fine , I grant you your grand finally , the curve upon the road , which coming upon , you kept the wheel straight and true and left this line of arguable reasoning . There be method in this madness , and should it take thee a lifetime of reading and rereading it is revealed in all good time . I called upon my muse and he / she / it delivered , not wrapped neatly in marketable fashion nor guided by polls , for opinion is of little value on trips to such places as this . I did not drag you kicking and screaming to this last sentence , thus your angst is of small measure as I bid thee goodnight , merry met , and merry meet again . Madness has no copyright ............ 
DEJA - VOUS . Deja Vous ! We have been down this road before ....... Repeatedly !! How amazing it was to sit and watch history repeat itself . Again . The ol ' - What goes around - Comes around cliche truly applies here . In the present example we had a group of people who used to come to meetings en masse to vote on a single issue . Once they had done what they came to do , they would walk out en masse , leaving the general body of the membership with a feeling of unease and in some instances downright anger . The last time this happened in my memory was back in 1999 when our Local adopted the .......... " Continuous Election Process " ! This is where the membership would get to vote and revote continuously until the proper officials son was " elected " . Theoretically , this would give people a chance to see how other prominent office holders were voting and would allow these people to change their votes . I am told by sources that at least a couple of people were richly , richly rewarded for changing their vote that day . The time may come when I will name them . Many current reps were there that day when our Local first pioneered the use of the " Continuous Election Process " and are presently outraged that this practice was used against them , so effectively , recently . The CEP has set a precedent in our Local that will be hard to ignore . The precedent is simply this . We can re - vote this matter . Precedent was set on June / 27 th / 1999 . It has never been revoked . 
Term limits ..... for Senators . The government is now floating the idea of term limits for senators , or so one of the news organizations reported last evening . Wonder if we can get that into the new Accountability Act ? By the end of this minority government , the Accountability Act should be bulging , that is if the Conservatives have changed their stripes and mean what they say when they speak of accountability . Term limits . huh ? Hmmmmm .......... Wonder where else we could use an idea like that ? Chin scratch ... chin scratch , headrrub ... headrrrub ... Somethings being twigged - hafta leave it to the readers to decide where else we could use an idea like this !! Lets explore the idea first . Term limits . I can see people arguing that along with senators , heads of Crown Corporations and other bodies such as those should have term limits as well . Term limits are good for allowing new and fresh ideas to revitalize organizations . Its good for the purpose of renewal and conversely it is also good for the people who sometimes get stuck with stressful and challenging tasks simply because thats the most expedient way of doing things . Term limits allow younger people to move in and get trained in various vital services that are sometimes mandated by the law or are promised by contract , because a set date is available as to when training should be completed . It is also good for egos . Often people who have served in positions for a long time may feel ownership of that particular position or job and will be reluctant to train a replacement . Sadly this sometimes results in vicious infighting and destroys not just friendships , but also the precious resources that have been developed over time for the collective good . Good progressive organizations usually build on previous gains , a continuum is developed and information collected and gathered through mutual experiences is passed on smoothly . Organizations that use a system of term limits are usually around for a long time . Isn't that what we all want ............ long term ? 
An Accountability Act , Conservatively speaking . Meantime , here in Canada , our Conservative government is doing some interesting stuff . One thing that arouses interest is this Accountability Act . Since this new brand of The Reformed Alliance of Conservatives has talked about being accountable , I have a few questions . Will they fr ' instance ... agree to some citizen participation in this accountability schtuff ? Would they entertain the notion of not entering into failed notions of trade , such as the Free Trade agreements that have only served to free many Canadians of essentials such as a well paid job ? Would they introduce legislation to make all political parties register their election platforms with an independent body such as Elections Canada , thereby pledging to enact the very laws they promised during an election . Nothing more ( at least nothing like Brian Mulroneys Free Trade Agreement & North American Free Trade Agreement ) , Nothing less ? Now that would be accountability !! 
Conflict of Interest . One of the earliest times I got into trouble in the Local was on the issue of conflict of interest . Pissed off the powers that be ! One of my committee members wanted to sell issue specific items to our committee . I felt that was a conflict of interest . Although the potential existed for this member to come up with all kinds of proposals to sell other gee - gaws to our committee , the truth of it simply was that I do not believe that a rep ought to financially benefit from a union position . A personal opinion , just that ! I felt that the member should make a choice . Either be a committee member or a peddler who sold it gee - gaws . I felt that it would be conflict of interest if the member wanted to do both . The Locals leadership had never heard of the term before and believed that I had made it up . They felt that I must have a " personality conflict " ( a term that continues to affect service to our members ) with the member and that I should just shut and accept past practice . I was acclaimed " troublemaker " of the year .... that year ! Examples of conflict of interest ; 1 ) Having an appointee as a trustee is a conflict of interest . The appointee is put in the position of auditing his / her political superiors actions . Perception is that such a trustees independence to make decisions on behalf of the membership is compromised .1 B ) Which leads to ; Trustees should not take part in Executive Board decisions . They should not be made to review their own decisions . If they do so , can they be properly objective ? Fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities knowing full well they participated in the decisions they are being asked to audit ? Trustees should work independently from the Executive Board and meet with them only to report audit results or on Trustee specific issues .2 ) The son / daughter / relative of an office holder cannot be " Election Chairperson " or for that matter be a member of an election committee . This leads to all kinds of negative perceptions and accusations and damages the credibility of the electoral process and many innocent election committee members for generations to come .3 ) If an officer or leader is forced to give up an assignment because he / she has sooo many relatives working in one location , ( The beneficiaries of Nepotism no doubt ) that the leader / officer cannot properly represent them , then that officer / leader cannot again run for the same position in the future . Matter - of - fact we should have by - laws that state that if someone has this kind of challenge they should have to resign from office immediately , due to conflict of interest . These are but three examples of what constitutes a conflict of interest . This is a topic that can and should , in a democratic institution , be debated for as long as even the possibility of improper influence exists . Debate leads to action . To deflate the use of the old tried , tested and much used cliches such as , " Personality conflict " and " sour grapes " that our current leadership uses when their actions are criticized or even questioned , I want to make this statement . This is not about criticizing individuals - This is about reforming a system . This is not about criticizing any individual or about trying to get at any individual . The possibility remains though , that some who benefitted from the old non - rules system will indeed lose out as a result of installing a system that is fair and accessible to all members . So fair in fact that there will be no need for spaces for designated groups . So fair , that it will give people with one day of seniority the same equality as those with far more seniority . This is simply about getting the best possible service for dues paying members . 
Squeezing the Bottom . No ! No. Get your mind out of my gutter . Its not going to be that kind of article . It will not have salacious details of bottom squeezing , so don't let the imaginations run rampant in that direction . Fact is , the business community has always preached a line that squeezes the people at the bottom of the economic heap . In this particular case , when I talk about the bottom I mean those of us who have not yet achieved millionaire status or those of us who are not comfortably well off due to inheritances or investments and never really have to work for the rest of our lives . I am talking about those of us who don't have stock options worth millions , who don't have golden parachute retirement options , yachts , properties on different continents or have tax - lawyers we pay a small fortune to in order that we may keep track of our wealth . I am talking about those of us who have seen our working conditions and our numbers decline over the years and who continue to be squeezed in order to make business more competitive . The latest tactic in squeezing the bottom is comparing our wages to those earned by workers in China . Did you notice that is our wages that are being compared while the wages of those at the top are never mentioned let alone considered ? While they always want to squeeze the bottom , they never mention the top . In an article in the U . K . s Sunday Times on April 16 2006 ; Sarah Baxter from Washington wrote ; EVER since the soap opera Dallas , the exploits of Texas oilmen have fascinated America . But the disclosure that one of oils most powerful figures earned $ 144,000 ( 82,000 ) a day , 57 a minute for his time at the helm of the worlds biggest oil company , has prompted a row about whether corporate fat cattery has been taken to new heights . Lee R Raymond , the recently retired chairman and chief executive of Exxon Mobil owners of the Esso chain in Britain was paid more than 391 m from 1993 to 2005 , according to figures released last week . It dwarfs the salaries of other high earners in the oil business . Last year alone he made more than 228 m . http : // www . timesonline . co. uk / article / 0 < CMTKN > , 2089 - 2136358,00 . html My argument here is that we must stop squeezing the bottom and start pinching the top !! Here are a few suggestions that should be put into the manifestos of all corporations ; 1 ) Only one ( 1 ) mansion per executive , per country / continent .2 ) Just one yacht per executive 3 ) Restore inheritance taxes .4 ) A top exec to make only 10 or 20 times more than the lowest paid worker in the corporation .5 ) Pay for own golf memberships .6 ) Limo " yes " ! 7 ) Lear jet " No " ! 8 ) No bonus for laying off workers .9 ) Executive salaries to be compared to Chinese executive salaries .10 ) Executive salary adjustments to be made after comparison . This is a very incomplete list , a short list , one that I am sure our members can add to . Its an argument that is long overdue and one that I hope will take root , because squeezing the bottom has not yet macompetitivecompetetive . We have got to have some sacrifices from the top . It being Spring , it would make sense to have a horticultural analogy . Gardeners will tell you that when the top of a plant has been pinched , the rest of the plant fills out vigourously and produces bountifully . 
Too many positions & Service suffers . When someone holds too many positions , service suffers . Plain and simple - Service suffers . It also leads to fewer people participating in decisions and causes a lessening of internal democracy . Concentration of power in fewer and fewer hands leads to the development of secrecy , which leads to the creation of suspicions , which may cause paranoia and could ... in some extreme and rare cases lead some to believe they are being blackmailed or smirked at , which in turn leads to all kinds of trouble . All kinds of embarassingly expensive trouble . This brings to the fore another grave problem we have experienced going on 10 + years , the problem of training and co - operating with alternates . In our system , knowledge gained is collective knowledge and rightfully belongs to the organization , therefore alternates should be trained in order to pass along this valuable knowledge . The main problem some folk have with alternates is political . They feel they may be training people who could become their replacements . Choose the right people and this won't be a problem . What amplifies and broadcasts this scenario is ' that in one notable case the full time guy just plain refused to co - operate with three .... count ' em 3 alternates and leadership let him get away with for these last 8 or 9 years . Flat out refused to co - operate with any alternate . Has absolutely had his way with the position to the present . Will not share knowledge that should be treated as collective knowledge . If this guy got hit by a bus - the whole program would simply end . A hugely expensive program would simply disappear * poof * Just like that .... like money out of the Liberal Sponsorship scandal . This " Wag The Dog " scenario continues to this day , to this very day .. Some leadership . The problem with this situation is that it " has been personalized . The ol ' " personality differences " excuse gets trotted out by leadership as a way of avoiding ..... indeed in this particular case ..... flatout abrogating responsibility . BTW . The very same excuse that has kept this situation in limbo these last 10 + years .... and with many of the same players in the leadership ranks as well . Sad part of all this is that old excuses are tainting the new blood . The view these people should be taking is , " Service to the dues - payers " . Time for not just , Accountability , Ethics , a policy on nepotism , but also for term limits and yes .... The inclusion and full training of alternates should be incorporated in our bylaws . 
Servant Leadership - Part 2 . Jesus the Servant of God Jesus lived and died as the servant of God . His life and death were exemplified by self - giving love in the service of compassion and justice . Jesus gave himself freely , body and spirit , to be a light to the nations ( Isaiah 42:6 ) . In other words , his life was the incarnation of God s love and intention for all people and all of creation . God so loved the world that he gave his only Son ( John 3:16 a ) . In his life and death the church saw and experienced God s presence and power in their midst and in the world . Jesus illuminated the power and presence of God and revealed the nature of authority and power in God s household . He gave those who followed him a new way of thinking , seeing and living that is free of domination , competition , and fear . Jesus was a different kind of leader . He healed the sick , fed the hungry and ate with sinners . He comforted the lonely , cared for the lost and welcomed strangers . Jesus gave of himself for others . He put their needs ahead of his own , even to the point of suffering and humiliation . Jesus revealed God s power and authority through humble service and caring ; not through market logic . The Servant Songs of Deutero - Isaiah ( Isaiah 42:1 - 9 ; 49:1 - 6 ; 50:4 - 11 ; 52:13 - 53:12 ) provide an interpretive framework to help the early church understand Jesus life , ministry and death . According to Colin Kruse , The primitive Christian community soon came to understand and interpret the ministry of Jesus in terms of the suffering servant prophecies ( cf . , e . g . , Matthew 3:17 ; 12:18 - 21 ; Luke 22:37 ; John 12:38 ; 1 Peter 2:22 , 24 - 25 ) . [ i ] Much of the gospel accounts of Jesus life and teachings reflect the image of the Suffering Servant of God from Isaiah . Kruse also contends that Isaiah s servant imagery helped to form Jesus self - identity as much as it did the church s interpretation of him . [ ii ] Servant identity so infused Jesus ministry that he expected his disciples to follow his example ; even to share his fate . It is so central to Jesus understanding of himself , his ministry and the continuing ministry of the community gathered in his name that it bears close examination for the Christian community of every age . We will look at each of the Servant Songs in the prophet Isaiah in turn . Each conveys aspects of Jesus life and death . Understanding their message is important because they help us better understand who Jesus is and who we , as the church , the community that bears his name , are to become . [ i ] Colin G . Kruse , New Testament Models for Ministry : Jesus and Paul ( Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers , 1983 ) , p 34 . [ ii ] Ibid . , 50 . 
Marks of Leadership in the Wesleyan Tradition . 1 . Christ - centered and Spirit - lead Leaders in the Wesleyan spirit are called and guided by the teachings Jesus Christ , summarized by him in the Great Commandment of Mark 12:30 - 31 , The mission of Christ - centered and Spirit - lead leaders is the saving of souls . They understand that loving God with all the heart , soul , mind , and strength is expressed and lived through loving those whom God loves , especially the poor , the outcast , foreigners , the voiceless , sick , and prisoners . 2 . Expectant faith Wesleyan leadership lives with expectation that God will keep the promises given in the Baptismal Covenant and in Scripture . Therefore , leaders in the Wesleyan spirit have corresponding expectations of themselves , individual church members , and the congregations they lead . The expectations simply are that the baptized ought to keep the promises made in response to God because we can count on God keeping the promises given in Baptism . 3 . Use the Means Provided to Live into the Expectations God has provided means for God s people to live into the promises they make in Baptism . The task of leaders in the Wesleyan tradition is to help people to learn and practice the basics of Christian discipleship , also known as the means of grace . This way of life is guided by a rule of life , known in the Wesleyan tradition as the General Rules ( see The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2004 pages 72 - 74 ) . Wesleyan leadership understands that small groups are an essential component of Christian formation and disciple - making . Because God is relational God forms and heals human character through the lives and witness of other human beings through mutual support and accountability . Small groups are the proven and effective means of bringing people together and building the body of Christ . Small groups , worship , the Lord s Supper , prayer , faith sharing , mission and outreach are all means of grace that are part of an intentional process of Christian initiation and formation through which people make themselves available to grace . When people practice these basics of discipleship God will heal and form their character into the character of Christ . Leaders in the Wesleyan spirit help to support and sustain intentional Christian community that is focused on making disciples of Jesus Christ through Christian formation .4 . Biblical Evangelism Leaders in the Wesleyan tradition share the good news of God s love , righteousness , and justice for the world . They help the church and its members to be witnesses to Jesus Christ in the world . The ministry of evangelism is how the church lives out Jesus command to love your neighbor as yourself . Through mutual accountability and support for growing in love of God and neighbor in small groups , regular participation in the Lord s Supper and the other means grace , people are equipped to help others see where and how Christ is at work in the world and in their lives . Leaders lead the church into becoming a sign community for the reign of God . Such leadership is clear that the church is not the reign of God but that its mission is to help people experience God s love and justice in their own lives in a way that they too become witnesses . 
Where will we be working on . In the next iteration from July , 31 th to August , 24 th , we will work on following stories : A bookkeeper can choose a beneficiary as a third party on an income A bookkeeper can add , modify , delete and view a detail third party A bookkeeper can use those detail third party on an income and an expense , as extra data to a third party managed in Brussels A bookkeeper can print the result of a filter and we call this a statistic report . 
Old Releases . A new version was released on Monday , 24 th of July 2006 . New user stories implemented in this release : A bookkeeper can add , edit and delete beneficiaries of an expense A bookkeeper can print a report for all beneficiaries 15 posts are working with Accounting from now on . 
Post bugs resolved . Berlin , Bart and Natasha , 12 / 07 / 06 : A duplicate with more than two parts is going wrong . Belgrado , Milica , 31 / 5 / 06 : A duplicate does not copy itself to the imputation period ( serious bug ) , reminded by Madrid , Miguel while I forgot to publish the bug Zagreb , Katrien , 2 / 6 / 06 : It is possible to enter a non existing currency when creating a new account . Brussels , Thomas , 2 / 6 / 06 : When creating more than two splits in Expens Part Detail Form , it is possible to enter an amount that the sum of the splits will be bigger than the total amount of the expense Lille , Miranda , 16 / 6 / 06 : The amounts of the accounts on the account list do not correspond with the correct values , if Brussels have entered non cashed cheques in the program before the initial period ... 
Madina Merriness : Mobile Phone Repair by Mobile Max . I was in Madina this afternoon to take my phone for repairs . You might remember Madina a while back , where I featured the Madina Police station and the market . This is the placard of " Mobile Max " , one of the largest Mobile phone retailers in the country , with many branches dotted around the capital . It has a penchant for giving people clocks , radios , and irons around festive seasons -- with a caveat : buy something beyond , say , cedis 500,000 ( $ u S 50.00 ) ; - ) . 
Whilst we are on Metro Mass Transport . This is a picture , taken last year , of me holding a ticket for the Metro Mass Transport bus I took . If you are interested , you can read more on this here , about how it began to upstage the tro - tros , that are the soul and life of many a foreigner travelling througout Ghana . In any event , the 1000 cedis you see is so cheap it 's not funny ; - ) $ US 1 = cedis 9000 , so that 's , what , 1 / 9 th of a dollar , or 9 cents ? to travel from inside the capital to the airport area , which is about twenty minutes . 
Going to the Tetteh - Quarshie Interchange . That orange bus there is one of our many Metro Mass Transport buses , which have been providing free transport for pupils to school during school period , and offering very low prices within the city ( 1,500 - 2000 ) -- around 15 to 22 cents .. More of these to come ! good to be back ! This is where I was last week for a conference : Cresta Royale -- a plush , 4 * South African hotel that has won the award this year for the best hospitality in Accra . You can visit their website here . 
Just a small note ... ... I will be away from my desk / office for next few days for an organisational conference , but will post when I can . I am STILL here in the capital , and will be sure to bring you some juicy pictures . Right now , blogger is refusing to accept photos . PLease accept my apologies : - ) . 
Welcome to West Africa 's ICT Powerhouse . Though I took this picture last year , I don't want to re - invent the wheel , so I ' m copying what the website says about West Africa 's biggest ICT centre : The Ghana - India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT ( AITI - KACE ) , Ghana 's first Advanced Information Technology Institute works to stimulate the growth of the ICT Sector in ECOWAS . Established in 2003 , through a partnership between the Government of Ghana and the Government of India , this state - of the - art facility provides a dynamic environment for innovation , teaching and learning as well as practical research on the application of ICT 4 D in Africa . The Centre houses West Africa 's first supercomputer as well as top - of - the line desktops and laptops . The spacious meeting and lecture rooms as well as the 802.11 wireless network guarantee that the AITI - KACE can host close to a 1000 IT professionals , researchers , visitors and trainees at any given time . from : http : // www . aiti - kace . com. gh / index . php ? option = com _ content & task = view & id = 26 & Itemid = 32 On that note , I ' d like to wish you a very relaxing and stress - free weekend ! PS . pour tous mes amis francais , j ' aimerais leur souhaiter une agreable journee du fete pour le 14 juillet ! 
A Glimpse of CITI - 97.3 FM 's weekly free Salsa Mania event . So there I was on Wednesday evening around 9.30 pm at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel , located " within 3 - 6 minutes drive of USAID , the World Bank Office , Danish , Canadian , German , Swiss , Nigerian and American Diplomatic Missions , Ghana Immigration Service and National Theatre , Government Ministries and the Accra Intentional Center , all on traffic free routes . " ( from : http : // www . coconutgrovehotels . com. gh / Regency / regency _ index . htm on private business with my parents when I heard feedback from the car 's radio as we approached . It was CITI - 97.3 FM -- the Accra - based English speaking private radio station , which you can listen to in crystal - clear quality wherever you are in the world ( I know , cos people from Germany and the UK have been calling in the 8.45 am regular phone - ins to the CITI Breakfast Show ; and listeners send emls from South Africa and the US ! ) -- hosting its weekly Wednesday Salsa Mania event , where Latin American tunes are played , and people get FREE Salsa lessons . Guess you never thought Salsa was big in Accra . Now you know ; - ) Oh yeah , you see the guy on the left of this picture wearing a tie , and holding his mobile phone , with a document , or so , under his left arm ? Definitely middle class ! for more on teh CITI - FM Salsa page , click here . 
Welcome to the Biggest Internet Cafe in ( West ) Africa ! Here 's a popular view of it , which I captured in April when I was there for a three - day training ...... and this is a view from one of the Busy Internet eateries , where you get some nice , juicy kebabs Check the website out : Busy Internet . It 's owned by a New Yorker . I ' m not about to do any premature advertising for it -- it 's rich enough -- so I exhort you all to check the website out for yourselves : - )) . 
Gotta keep on a - rollllllllin ' ! The Treasury will be holding another 30 - year auction . They do it as a re - opening , which means that rather than create a new security , they will simply add on to the old 4.5 % ' 36 issue which was sold in February . The deal won't get as much hoopla as the February auction , which was the first since 2001 , but it may none - the - less be a big deal in the corporate bond market . That is because I ' m hearing dealers want to start trading long corporate bonds off the new 30 - year after the auction is complete . Up until now , long corporates were quoted off the " old bond , " or the 5.375 % 2 / 31 . Currently there is about a 6 bp difference between the two securities , with the old bond yielding more . Traders refer to the movement from one benchmark security to another as a " roll . " For the non - corporate bond traders reading this , here is the analogy . Let 's say you drove by the gas station and saw $ 3.10 / gallon at one station . Then the next station says $ 0.80 / quart . The gas is the same . You know its 4 quarts per gallon . As long as you can do elementary school level math , you know that the second station is charging $ 3.20 / gallon . So in the corporate bond market , you hear one dealer offer Goldman Sachs 6.125 % ' 33 at + 140 / old bond . The second dealer offers the same bond at + 143 / new bond . You know the new bond yields 6 bp less than the old bond , so the first offering is better . Simple arithmetic , right ? Its an efficient market , so the second dealer should never get away with selling his bond tighter just because he changed the benchmark , right ? Well for some reason , the corporate bond market doesn't work that way . Every time they roll to a new benchmark , bonds get tighter . Just more proof the market isn't quite as efficient as it should be . Point is , if your broker calls you and says that he can now sell you long - term bonds at a better spread , ask whether he 's rolling to the new bond . If he claims to not know what you 're talking about , get a new broker . 
Jack and Jill went out the yield curve to fetch a little yield . The yield curve is inverted , right ? Which means if you want to increase the yield of a bond portfolio , you should buy shorter bonds , right ? Not so fast . The Lehman 1 - 3 year Government / Credit index yields 5.29 % as of last night , but the Lehman 5 - 10 year Government / Credit index yields 5.58 % . How can this be ? The fact is that the only yield curve that is inverted is the Treasury curve . Take a look at the following large issuers with large bond deals maturing in both 2 - years and 10 - years and an approximate yield available on each issue . Yields are based on quotes or trades I ' ve seen that I think are accurate unless otherwise noted . Treasury : 2 - year - 5.03 % , 10 - year - 5.02 % Fannie Mae ( non - call ) : 2 - year - 5.33 % , 10 - year - 5.43 % General Electric ( AAA / Aaa ) : 2 - year - 5.46 % , 10 - year - 5.71 % Citigroup ( Aa 1 / AA - ) : 2 - year - 5.48 % , 10 - year - 5.83 % Target ( A + / A 2 ) : 2 - year - 5.48 % , 10 - year - 5.76 % Comcast ( BBB + / Baa 2 ) : 2 - year - 5.70 % , 10 - year - 6.40 % Generic 6 % FNMA MBS : 15 - year - 5.81 % , 30 - year - 6.19 % ( Source : Bloomberg ) Generic Tax - Ex . Municipal ( AAA / Aaa ) : 2 - year - 3.69 % , 10 - year - 4.10 % ( Source : Municipal Market Advisors ) Most money markets are in the 4.50 % to 5.00 % range , depending on how much in fees they are charging . Point being , you do get more yield by going out the yield curve in virtually all areas of the bond market . Why ? Because most bonds have multiple types of risk , and those risks tend to increase as time to maturity increases . Most obvious is credit risk . Obviously a company is more likely to default sometime in the next 10 years than sometime in the next 2 years . Analysts like to say we have more " visibility " about the near term compared with the long term . For example , we know that Comcast has a near monopolistic position in cable TV services in many of the regions it serves . They are using this position to make major in - roads in the high speed internet business . That is unlikely to change much over the next 2 years . In 10 years ? TV technology will undoubtedly change over that time possibly in a way that severely harms Comcast 's business . The municipal yield curve is funny . It just refuses to invert . That 's a subject for another post , though . 
What if they changed the color to fuchsia ? The Beige Book , which is really a collection of anecdotes submitted by the various Fed regions every six - weeks , paints a picture of a slowing but still benign economy . The Treasury market likes it , as the 10 - year is up about 1 / 4 point . We are also getting a fair steepener here , with the 2 - 30 year slope steepening 4 bp on the day . FF futures are rallying . I wrote recently that I was long - term bullish but I was looking for a better entry point , around 5.50 % . I ' m backing off that . The data is softening faster than I thought it would , and now I can't see the Fed going past 5.50 % , and I suspect they ' ll take 1 - 2 hikes back sometime early next year . That means we 're looking at FF around 5.00 % in 1 Q 2007 . I can see the 10 - year at 4.75 % or so at that point . If for some reason they do go past 5.50 % , then the odds of a serious recession go way up , and ultimately long rates will fall even further . I ' m still near - term bearish . The 10 - year is overbought and ripe for a negative surprise . That 's entirely technical , though . Now my entry point is probably 5.15 % - 5.20 % depending on how things develop . 
Yesterday , Today , Forever ? GM reported another gigantic loss , $ 3.2 billion , but this includes over $ 4 billion in special charges related mostly to recent job cuts . While I ' m always suspicious of special charges , this sounds like progress to me . The company does have an impressive stash o ' cash ( $ 35 billion as of 3 / 06 ) , so they can afford to spend cash now to realize long - term savings . But the situation remains dire . My favorite cash flow measure ( operating cash flow less cash cap ex ) has been negative in 5 of the last 6 quarters . GM has $ 33 billion in bonds and loans coming due between now and the end of 2007 . For now , GM can borrow from the capital markets , albeit at a hefty price . As long as that remains the case , the debt maturities can be funded by selling new debt . However , if their operating situation doesn't improve and their cash balance declines , they may be unable to issue debt . Alternatively , the cost of issuing debt may become so high as to further deteriorate GM 's cash flow . My money is on bankruptcy in 2007 . 
TIPS auction goes well . The TIPS market is flying after the Treasury 's 20 - year TIPS auction went quite well . The 2032 TIP is up about 1 / 2 point , while the 30 - year is down 1 / 4 . Previously in this space , I have written about the implied inflation curve based on Treasury yields versus TIPS . Here is the updated graph . This curve continues to flatten . The slope from 2 to 10 - years started the year at + 19 , was only + 5 on 6 / 30 , and is now - 1 . Similar pattern as 2 - 30 , which went from + 48 to + 28 to + 24 . I think this is a pretty good indicator of how tight monetary policy is . Now that this curve is inverted between 2 - 10 , it tells me that investors no longer expect accelerating inflation . The Fed isn't behind the curve . A pause is imminent . 
The Fed , long - term interest rates , and other unrelated data . In February 2005 , Alan Greenspan famously described the decline of long - term interest rates in the face of rising fed funds as a " conundrum . " While the 30 - year Treasury yield is now nearly 100 bp higher than its lows , its yield is basically unchanged since April 2004 , when fed funds was 1 % . To look at the chart on the two rates , you would certainly suspect these two time series are completely unrelated . ( I have a chart , but Blogger 's image upload tool is down . ) We can debate the reasons why the two rates have disconnected . Pension problems are currently in the news , as Congress is nearing pension reform legislation . We all know that pension funds are major buyers on the long - end . I am a big believer in the Fed credibility theory , which is that while near - term inflation may ebb and flow , the Fed has a good handle on long - term inflation , and therefore there is no reason for long rates to respond to short - term inflation fluctuations . Since investors view long - run inflation as a low risk , they require less of a risk premium to own long bonds . Regardless of the reason why long - term rates have been sticky through this Fed cycle , the real question is will they be sticky through the next cycle ? Right now , we are hearing some bond managers sound more bullish on rates , including the famous Bill Gross . But how to express a bullish stance ? If long - rates are sticky , you may buy long bonds and see little or no price appreciation . Meanwhile it may be 5 - 7 year bonds that see all the price appreciation . " Things are different now " are probably the four most dangerous words in investing . Its the mantra that hoodwinked people into buying tech stocks in 1999 . But the truth is things are always different now . There are just too many variables impacting the economy for any one situation to be the same as another situation . For example , Justin Lahart of the Wall Street Journal recently compared now to 1994 - 1995 . Then we had a well - established FOMC chair , falling oil prices , and a more stable geo - political situation . We in the investment business owe it to our clients to rationally analyze whether a fundamental change has occurred in the relationship between short and long - term interest rates . I think there are a lot of bond buyers who are figuring the 2004 - 2005 experience was a one - time event , and the relationship between short and long - term rates will return to a more normal pattern . Whether that 's right or wrong , I think that 's inadequate analysis . 
HCA update ... HCA 's biggest issue is the 6.5 % 2 / 16 , which came at + 200 on February 8 . I heard the market was something like + 300 / 290 on Friday . Today most of the trading is in the + 450 range . That 's something like a 9 - point loss in 1 day , and close to 20 points since issue . If you had asked me in 2004 how the corporate bond market would handle the current rash of LBO 's , I would have guessed the whole market would widen 40 - 50 bp or so . In the past , corporate bond buyers have been much quicker to punish all bonds for problems in certain areas . Take the accounting scandals of 2002 as an example . There you had a few companies who were outright fraudulent with their books ( Enron , Worldcom ) , and many more who were pushing their accounting too hard ( Freddie Mac ) . The OAS on the Merrill Lynch Corporate Master index ( all investment grade ) moved more than 90 bp wider from mid - 2001 to late 2002 . The recent widening has been very tame . The recent tightest point in OAS on the corporate index was 81 in February 2005 . It is currently 97 . I guess you could argue that many companies are just not practical LBO candidates , whereas any company could have accounting problems . However , I ' d counter argue that any company can choose to increase its leverage , even if an actual LBO is not an option . In fact , because so balance sheets are so strong among corporations generally , more companies could choose to increase leverage as a means to improve shareholder value today than anytime in recent past . See the post on Cisco Systems . 
HCA to explore private parts ... If you are a stock holder , its unequivocally a great outcome . If you are a bond holder , its your worst nightmare . If you are a disinterested capitalist , you know this is the efficient market at its best . Its called an LBO . And they are growing more popular every day . The latest company to get caught up in the LBO craze is HCA , the largest hospital operator in the U.S. You can read all about the details here ( subscription required ) . I note that the premium is only 7 % higher than Friday 's close , so the Frist family must think the company will truly be worth more private or this wouldn't be much of a deal for them . I haven't seen any quotes on HCA bonds today , but generally when a Ba - rated company increases their debt load 2 1 / 2 times ( as is rumored to be the case here ) , the bond rating suffers greatly . Basically the group providing the equity for an LBO is saying , " This company is too conservative with its balance sheet . Return on equity is the name of the game , and it could be much higher if the majority of the firm 's assets were funded by debt . Bond holders may whine about it , but management doesn't work for bond holders . We ' ll just tell them to shove it . " The situation is grim for bond holders . Private equity firms raised $ 134 billion last year , and considering that LBO 's involve large amounts of leverage and usually significant contributed capital from other principals , private equity firm 's buying power is substantially greater . For example , according to the Wall Street Journal , Merrill Lynch , Bank of America , Citigroup and J . P . Morgan are helping to arrange $ 15 billion in new debt to fund the transaction , which is valued around $ 21 billion . So the private equity group is putting up about $ 6 billion and leveraging their money 3 1 / 2 times . Meanwhile , according to Private Equity Intelligence ( quoted in a Bloomberg News story ) , private equity firms may raise $ 300 billion this year . At 3 - 4 times leverage , that gives private equity firms more than $ 1 trillion in buying power . The bottom line is this . If you own a diversified portfolio of stocks , odds are good one or more of them will become an LBO target , and you will enjoy wonderful profits . If you own a diversified portfolio of corporate bonds , one or more of them will become an LBO target , and you will suffer . 
Even a broken clock is right twice a day ... There is an old saying among economists . When making a prediction , give either a number or a date , but never both . The 60 or so economists who respond to Bloomberg 's monthly survey can't resist the temptation however . Participants are asked to predict various figures in the investment markets , such as the level on the 10 - year Treasury , at each of the next six quarter - ends . I have been tracking their success since June 2000 , looking at the median predicted level on the 10 - year Treasury approximately 4 quarters forward versus the actual level . In short , their record has been abysmal . First of all , the median survey level has predicted higher 10 - year rates one year forward in every survey since 2000 . Rates actually rose 57 % of these periods . The median prediction deviated from the actual by an average of 78 bp . That 's 1 1 / 2 standard deviations from the actual rate ! Here is the chart of the predicted versus the actual . Perhaps the most damning thing about this survey is that the correlation between the median prediction and the actual 10 - year rate 4 quarters hence is only 0.03 . However the correlation between the predicted 10 - year rate and the prevailing rate at the time of the survey is 0.88 ! At first the survey 's ugly record may seem surprising . But if you think about the concept of market efficiency , you realize a survey can't possibly be anything but noise . If the economists surveyed are representative of actual market participants , then their outlook is already priced into the market . In other words , if you think rates are going to rise , you have already positioned your portfolio for rates to rise . In other words , you either don't own any bonds , you have shorted bonds , or you are underweight bonds . If literally everyone had the same prediction , everyone would have already sold their bonds . There wouldn't be anyone left to sell to drive prices lower . In the real world , we ' d never have it where everyone had the same prediction , so the previous sentence can't be literally true . What is true , and I think what we witnessed with the 30 - year in 2004 and 2005 , is that when there is a ton of cash on the sidelines because sentiment is overwhelmingly bearish , the market is likely to move the other way . The market becomes thin and any buying moves prices higher ( rates lower ) rapidly . Then those holding cash get nervous , because they are facing lower and lower investment rates . Some capitulate and start buying , which pushes rates even lower , causing others to capitulate , and so on ... For the curious , the median prediction for the end of 2 Q 2007 is 5.25 % , according to the survey conducted between 6 / 30 and 7 / 10 . Leave a comment if you have any questions about my methodology . 
Psychic Investment Advisor ... Yes it is I , the psychic investment advisor here to amaze you with my incredible mental powers ... Now , I will predict whether your portfolio made money or lost money yesterday . First , I will need complete silence . I may be psychic , but I ' m easily distracted . Now I will ask you a few questions . Do you own Yahoo ? No ? Good , because that stock got hit like a Lebanese airport . OK . Are you long anything ? I mean , other than Yahoo ? Stocks , bonds , gold , orange juice futures ? ANYTHING ? Yes ? OK good . You had a great day yesterday . Back to being serious for a moment . Seems like Ben Bernanke can't win . When he was sounding hawkish , market commentators were blaming him for causing volatility in the markets . Now I ' m hearing a lot of people complain that he is being unclear about his intentions . Here is the problem with this line of thinking . The FOMC simply doesn't know what it should do next . My take on yesterday 's commentary is that Bernanke and co. think they have pushed rates high enough , or almost high enough , to achieve price stability . With consumers spending looking weaker , its hard too see inflation accelerating from here . But here is the thing about economies . THEY ' RE DYNAMIC !!!! There are literally thousands of variables interacting with each other impacting the U.S. economy . The Fed may be staffed with the world 's best economists , but they still can't possibly predict exactly how any given monetary policy regime will ultimately effect the economy . John Maynard Keynes once accused of inconsistency responded with " When the facts change , I change my mind . What do you do , sir ? " We should afford Ben Bernanke the same grace . 
Nevermind ... In a highly disapointing development , Ben Bernanke apparantly doesn't care very much about how I ' m positioned . Greenspan had the same problem . Apparantly Syria and Iran have decided to stand behind Hezbollah , according to UPI . If the Israeli military enters Syria , all bets are off . Don't let anyone tell you that the war is why the Treasury market is rising , though . Stocks are up 160 and oil is flat . 
Next stop : 5.20 % . CPI came in line with expectations , but the core figure was 1 / 10 higher , so the 10 - year is down 1 / 4 point . I need about 1 / 4 point more to get to 5.20 % , and I ' d guess that the reaction to CPI is a bit muted because people want to hear Bernanke 's testimony before trading it too aggressively . Fed Funds futures look like 5.5 % is almost a lock for September , and is more than a lock for October , meaning that there is a slight chance of 5.75 % . Corporates and MBS are doing pretty well today . J . P . Morgan 's strong earnings are helping the stock / corporate bond market . 
What 's an Investment Bank gotta do ?? J . P . Morgan posted earnings this morning . EPS from continuing ops was $ 0.98 vs . analysts estimates of $ 0.87 , and 253.6 % higher than 4 quarters ago . Not bad for a business that 's supposed to be struggling amidst a choppy market . In all , we ' ve had 5 of the largest brokerage firms report earnings in June and July . Here is the percentage change in diluted EPS over the same quarter last year .6 / 12 -- Lehman Brothers , + 49.6 % 6 / 13 -- Goldman Sachs , + 179.5 % 6 / 15 -- Bear Stearns , + 78.0 % 6 / 21 -- Morgan Stanley , + 116.3 % 7 / 19 -- J . P . Morgan , + 253.6 % The S Brokerage index is up almost 22 % in the 12 - months ending 7 / 18 / 06 ( S P down 5.25 % ) . Here we have 5 companies with extremely impressive growth rates , strong balance sheets , ample liquidity , diversified revenue streams , long histories of surviving tough times , and declining P / E ratios . It looks like the inverted yield curve and ( possibly ) burgeoning bear market for stocks is causing selling of these companies . But keep in mind , the 2 - 10 year slope has been 30 bp or less since last July , and has been 20 bp or less since September . Somehow Wall Street keeps finding a way to make money . I wouldn't bet against them . 
One Down ... I called for the 10 - year to hit 5.20 % some time this week on the theory that sentiment was overly sanguine . Reinforcing my point , we get a in - line PPI report this morning , and it causes a 1 / 4 point sell - off . I think if it becomes clear that the Fed is going to 5.5 % , the 10 - year can't hang around 5.0 % . At least not until a cut is in the offing . Foreign security purchases came in strong . Treasury market doesn't care . The Asian bid for high - grade corporates and MBS have been a support for spreads , so that may help those markets . MBS market is outperforming the 10 - year by 3 - 4 ticks . Corporates are firm , media in 1 bp or so . 10 - year TIPS outperforming by 1 tick . 
ZIRP Redux . Stock and bond markets are very quiet today . Seems like no one wants to take a position ahead of inflation data and Bernanke 's testimony . I ' m still bearish , because I believe the Fed is more hawkish than the market currently suspects . MBS and corporates were soft today , but volume is too light to draw much conclusion . TIPS underperformed by about 1 tick . A followup on the ZIRP from the other day . I made the rather bold statement that if another LTCM - type event is coming , the ZIRP will be the culprit . Here is why I say this : Active monetary policy , as practiced by all the major world central banks , is basically an attempt to interfere in the marketplace in a way that softens the impact of business cycles . Today , modern central banks generally view reducing price volatility as their primary objective . All but the most ardent of Libertarians agree that , in general , central banks have been quite successful in controlling inflation and the world economy has benefited from well - executed active monetary policy . But make no mistake , when a central bank sets interest rates , they are artificially manipulating the price of money . The effect is no different than when artificial prices are set in the goods market -- there is either a shortage of supply or demand to meet the other . When New York manipulates rent prices lower through controls , the result is more people who want to rent than there are property owners willing to rent . Its no different in the financial markets . When the Bank of Japan is willing to loan at 0 % , borrowers from all over the globe are lined up around the block . From the borrower 's perspective , its simple arithmetic . You have an investment that produces cash flow x . If you can borrow such that your interest cost y is less than x , borrow the money and make the investment . The more uncertain you are about x ( i . e . , it is risky ) , the greater you need ( x - y ) to be . So as y falls , the market takes more risk . If y is falling because of central bank manipulation , the likely result is that the market is taking more risk that would otherwise be the case . Now let 's say the central bank stops manipulating rates lower and allows rates to return to a natural equilibrium . Now the risks that were reasonable under yesterday 's borrowing rate are no longer reasonable . The market for risky assets diminishes , and the marginal buyer of risk sees the value of his portfolio decline . Lately , this marginal buyer has been hedge funds . At the same time that the market for risk is souring , let 's say that a hedge fund experiences calls on its assets . Could be margin calls , could be investor withdrawals , or could be a duration mismatch on their assets and liabilities . Now they are forced to liquidate risk assets into a market that is already soft . The selling becomes self - feeding : the fund sells , the price of their assets falls because of the selling , the falling price causes more margin calls . Eventually , the fund is forced to close . If the fund is big enough and / or its trades are similar to many other funds , you have another Long Term Capital event . No one can reasonably put odds on such an event , so I ' m not going to try . We know that the U.S. Federal Reserve has moved their target rate from 1 % to 5.25 % and the financial markets have taken it in stride . What we don't know is how many risk buyers have survived elevated rates in the U.S. by borrowing in yen . I can say that anecdotally , I ' ve heard borrowing in yen has been rampant . 
Geopolitics and Investment Markets . This is going to be a busy week , PPI tomorrow , CPI and Bernanke testimony on Wednesday . I think we ll know whether the Fed is going to move again by the end of Wednesday . The current crisis in the Middle East has not resulted in any kind of flight - to - quality bid for U.S. Treasuries , surprising some commentators . The stock market has been sharply lower since the flare - up in hostilities . I thought it would be interesting to look at what happened to the markets during the 6 - day War in 1967 , the last time open warfare was waged between Israel and various Arab nations . While the stock market was very volatile during this crisis , bond yields moved steadily higher . Looking solely at events surrounding the war , we see that two of the major escalation events leading up to the war resulted in sharp sell - offs in the stock market . On the other hand , the stock market moved steadily higher during the actual war , possibly due to relief that the super powers stayed out of the conflict . I d love to hear from anyone who was in the business at the time who can shed light on what the market was like during this conflict . For the curious , here is a similar chart on the Cuban Missile Crisis . I m shocked that the very real potential for open war between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. caused so little market reaction . 
This just in ... Ford is in financial trouble ... In what can hardly be called news , Moody 's downgraded Ford Motor Corp and Ford Motor Credit ( FMC ) today . The parent is now rated B 2 ( was Ba 3 ) and FMC is now rated Ba 3 ( down from Ba 2 ) . As Han Solo once said to C 3 - PO , " I ' m glad you 're here to tell us these things , " Moody 's . On April 5 , 2005 , when Moody 's first put FMC ( then rated A 3 ) on credit watch negative , their benchmark 7 % 2013 issue was trading around + 300 / + 310 to the 10 - year . Disney 6.2 % of 2014 ( then Baa 1 ) was around + 60 / 10 - year at the time , Time Warner ( then Baa 1 ) 6.875 2012 was around + 75 / 10 - year . And Moody 's calls themselves an " investors service " ? ! Sounds like the investors were well aware of Ford 's problems before Moody 's " informed " us with ratings changes . Correct me if I ' m wrong , but doesn't the majority of Moody 's revenue come from bond issuers ? I seem to remember someone telling me something about not being able to serve two masters . Meanwhile , the uptick in oil has helped TIPS have a pretty good 2 days . The old 10 - year TIP ( 2 % due 1 / 15 / 16 ) has outperformed the current 10 - year by 11 ticks the last two days . I ' d sell the heck out of TIPS here . 1 ) Maybe oil will go to $ 100 / bbl and gas will be $ 4 / gal . But if it doesn't and just stays here , the energy component of CPI will be pretty tame next year . 2 ) If monetary policy is effective , the Fed 's activities so far should give us some degree of dysinflation next year . 3 ) TIPS will always get a special bid from those who have CPI - related liabilities . From time to time , what looks like a nice bid for TIPS may actually be pension funds putting more money to work in an asset that better fits their liability stream . 
Mattress Fund Looking Pretty Good . Stocks are getting killed today , again . Hawkish Fed... very soft start to earnings season ... weak retail sales report ... not much for stock buyers to like . Corporate spreads are also weak today . Media has been getting the brunt of it so far this month among the large investment - grade sectors . Homebuilder DR Horton is getting whacked today , widening by 10 - 20 bp , depending on where you are in the curve . I haven't seen trading in other home builders , but I will say that you have to have some kind of stones to own home builder bonds . Risk in the bond market is binomial -- either you make a relatively small amount of profit , or you suffer a very large loss in the event of a default . A company like Centex , which is rated Baa 2 / BBB , has 10 - year debt trading around + 180 . You can buy AAA - rated General Electric bonds at + 70 , so you make about 1.1 % to own Centex over GE . If the housing market gets really bad and Centex goes belly up , you lose 50 - 60 % . Put another way , Centex only has to widen about 15 bp to cause a 1.1 % price decline , eliminating the yield advantage . I just don't like the risk / reward . Treasury market is about flat . The 10 - year is currently + 2 ticks on the day , was down 2 - 3 ticks earlier in the day but as the stock market sell - off accelerated , it looks like a small flight - to - quality bid emerged . It feels like the 10 - year has hit a pretty strong resistance point at 5.05 % . I still bet we ' ll see 5.20 % within the next 5 trading days . In other news , this blog was mentioned in the Wall Street Journal 's Market Beat section ( subscription required ) for my post on the ZIRP . Maybe now more than 2 people will discover the blog . 
Money for Nothin ' ... Spread for Free . Today marks the end of an era for many hedge funds and speculative players in the bond market . The Bank of Japan has ended its Zero Interest Rate Policy ( tm ) , affectionately called the ZIRP by those who profited greatly from it . For the last six years , the Bo J has kept their target interest rate at zero in a desperate attempt to revive their moribund economy . Now with private banks finally willing to lend and citizens finally willing to spend , at least a little , the Bo J must begin the tricky task of normalizing interest rates . Removing the ZIRP without plunging their economy back into deflation will be like trying to defuse a bomb while wearing mittens and a blindfold . The Japanese economy has been either in bubble or bust mode for the last 30 years , and no one deserves more blame than their central bank . In the 80 's , when it looked like the Japanese way of doing business would one day take over the world , the Bo J was too cozy with private bankers to take on the problem of a real estate bubble . By the time they acted , the bubble had gone too far for the air to be let out slowly . The bust caused both a bank crisis and generalized deflation . Yet again , the Bo J was slow to act . By 1992 , CPI had already fallen from 4 % to 2 % in less than 18 months . They did cut rates slowly between 1991 and 1995 , but CPI kept plummeting , falling below zero in 1995 . Many American economists , including Ben Bernanke , wondered aloud why Japan didn't simply print money to cause inflation . Their central bank had lost all credibility to control prices , and therefore even an overnight rate of zero took many years to have an impact . Even now , 4 out of the last 12 monthly Japanese CPI prints have been negative , so to say that they are safely out of the deflation woods is extremely premature . If the populace smells deflation again , they will go back to their old over savings ways . Deflation creates an incentive to just hold on to money because falling prices makes cash more valuable . Over savings fuels deflation , because businesses feel compelled to cut prices to move product . If the Bo J hikes too fast deflation will return . If they continue with the ZIRP , there is a serious risk that a new asset bubble will form , destabilizing the economy again . Meanwhile , traders around the world have benefited greatly by borrowing cheaply in the Japanese markets and investing in risky assets to capture the spread . I believe this has been a major driver in the sell off in emerging markets stocks and bonds over the last 2 months . To a lesser extent , this may be fueling the move in corporate spreads over the same period . The market now sees Japanese short - term rates moving into the 1 - 2 % range over the next 12 - 18 months , and this move will squeeze many risk traders . Many have talked about the exponential growth of hedge fund assets over the last 3 - 5 years , and some have feared another Long - Term Capital Management - type catastrophe . If such an event occurs , you ' ll be able to trace it back to the ZIRP . 
Interest - Only Mortgages -- Where 's the Risk ? How bad is the housing market ? How much might slowing home prices impact economic growth ? It feels like most pundits writing in the popular press fall into two categories : either they are dismissive of any kind of housing slowdown , or they are alarmists using terms like bubble and crash . Let s look at some actual numbers . At the end of 2005 , 17 % of all mortgages outstanding were non - amortizing ARM s , where the borrower pays interest on the debt but not principal for the first several years of the loan . About 1 / 3 of these loans ( 6 % in total ) were so - called option ARMs , which allow borrowers to make payments which are less than the full interest due . If the borrower does not pay the full amount due , the extra interest is tacked on to the principal of the loan . After the non - amortizing period ends , the borrower s monthly payment increases substantially , because at that point the borrower must pay both principal and interest . The interest rate on these loans also resets , usually at the same time the principal must start being repaid . Since interest rates in general are the highest they have been in 5 years , virtually all ARM borrowers would be facing higher rate resets if their loan reset today . For example , a borrower who has a 4.84 % interest - only ARM fixed for 5 years ( the average outstanding rate , according to Bear Stearns ) would start out paying $ 605 per month on a $ 150,000 loan . If that loan reset today and principal starting being due , the payment would increase to $ 1,060 per month . Rather than just accept the steep increase in payment , the borrower could refinance the current interest - only loan into a new interest - only loan , therefore delaying the time until the principal becomes due . However , because interest rates are so much higher , the borrower still faces a substantially larger payment . Today the available rate for a 5 - year interest only loan is 6.39 % , according to Freddie Mac . That means the borrower s payment would rise from $ 605 per month to $ 799 . A lot that has been written about interest - only loans has focused on the increased payment when principal becomes due . But this ignores borrower s options , and therefore misestimates their likely behavior . There are about $ 1 trillion in interest - only mortgages outstanding . Using the 4.84 % average rate figure , we estimate annual payments from these borrowers of $ 50 billion . If they all got new loans today , they would be facing payments $ 66 billion per year . Certainly a sharp percentage increase , but a decrease of $ 16 billion in consumer spending is only about 0.1 % of GDP . We also know that not all borrowers will refinance at once . Most will probably wait until very close to reset to refinance . The average time to reset for all outstanding ARMs is 34 months . So the impact of increased mortgage payments on GDP will be very small in any given year . The problem won t come from the average borrower , but from the borrower who stretched to purchase their current home by using an interest - only ARM . How many borrowers are in this situation is not easy to estimate . Some borrowers may have started out stretching but their economic situation has improved since . Now being totally speculative , let s say that 10 % of interest - only borrowers are really stretched and wind up defaulting when their loan resets . U.S. GDP is $ 13 trillion , so $ 100 billion is about 0.8 % of GDP . If we assume the reset dates for at - risk borrowers is distributed the same as all ARM resets , and we assume the defaults simply subtract directly from GDP , we re looking at a reduction in GDP growth of about 0.2 % each year for the next three years . We know that mortgage ARM resets are only part of the economic impact that a slowing housing market will have . After running the numbers , I m hard pressed to say that ARM resets themselves are a big problem . 
Top Ten XBOX LIVE . xbox _ 360 _ live Originally uploaded by Acd Bulls . Xbox 360 Top Live Games 1 Ghost Recon 32 Call of Duty 2 3 Oblivion 4 BFMC 5 Final Fantasy XI 6 EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 37 2006 FIFA World Cup 8 PGR 39 Perfect Dark Zero 10 DEAD OR ALIVE 4 Original Xbox Top Live Games 1 Halo 22 Battlefield 2 : MC 3 Counter - Strike 4 Splinter Cell Chaos 5 Star Wars : Battlfrnt 26 Rainbow Six 3 BA 7 Pro Evolution Soccer 58 Madden NFL 20069 Forza Motorsport 10 Rainbow Six 3 . 
Give Me a Break ! MSNWhat happens when you combine the complex codependent subtext of " Toxic " with the deep and meaningful posterior shout - out that is " Popo Zao " ? Scarily enough , we could soon find out . Britney Spears , apparently not content just to make chubby - cheeked tots with Kevin Federline , tells Harper 's Bazaar ( via USA Today ) that she 's also planning to make music with her would - be rapper hubby . " I ' m so proud of Kevin , " the erstwhile pop starlet tells the August issue of the magazine , which features her on the cover sporting chocolate locks , a swelling belly and no clothes . " He 's been working so hard on his own album since I got pregnant with Preston . I ' m so lucky . He 's a doll ; he 's adorable . " Let 's hope that when the scruffy , overly fertile former backup dancer takes a breather from " working so hard , " he ' ll return the compliment to his meal - ticket missus , who could probably use some words of encouragement . The beleaguered Britney , 24 , admits that while it 's " empowering " to have a bun in the oven , " you don't feel the most beautiful all the time . " She fesses up that she was " paranoid " while pregnant with Sean Preston , 10 months , but says that with " this one , I was like , I ' ve just got to wing it . It was weird for me at first because of who I am . Wherever you go , they expect you to look a certain way . I ' m not supposed to be this big huge pregnant superstar . " Spears says she has every intention of returning to form -- and performing -- after her second K . Fed kid arrives in the fall , insisting , " I ' m going to get really intense with it . " In other Britney news , did she let her New York condo go for a song ? The New York Post reports that after several price reductions , she finally managed to unload her 4,000 - square - foot , three - bedroom , four - and - a - half bath , four - level Manhattan penthouse . The lucky buyer reportedly picked up the palatial pad , once occupied by Keith Richards , for a mere $ 4 million , far below the nearly $ 6 million Spears wanted when it was originally listed in July 2004 . The digs , which come complete with a library ( barely used , we 're sure ) , terrace , media room and solarium , set Britney back $ 3 million in 2002 . a C . Sidebar How can you be proud of a husband that works hard on a non - existent , widely available record that 's listenable . Also , how would you feel if your husband is concentrating more on a record than a baby and mother ? I don't know how indepth the relationship and quality of communication and maturity , but I would take care of my wife and baby over a stupid album . I have nothing against Britney , just the fact that I am a viable contender to be a good father , friend , and husband that wooud respect and be very gentlemanly to her drives me nuts . I think the media and world backs me up when we wish to see more out of K - Fed in this relationship . Where was K - Fed when Britney had issues with driving Sean Preston on her lap or when the car seat was in the wrong position . It 's not all Britney 's fault . K - Fed is a father , heck , he 's a father of four counting his ex - girlfriend . This is sad . Having a good weekend Mr and Mrs. Spears . 
Give Me a Break ! MSNWhat happens when you combine the complex codependent subtext of " Toxic " with the deep and meaningful posterior shout - out that is " Popo Zao " ? Scarily enough , we could soon find out . Britney Spears , apparently not content just to make chubby - cheeked tots with Kevin Federline , tells Harper 's Bazaar ( via USA Today ) that she 's also planning to make music with her would - be rapper hubby . " I ' m so proud of Kevin , " the erstwhile pop starlet tells the August issue of the magazine , which features her on the cover sporting chocolate locks , a swelling belly and no clothes . " He 's been working so hard on his own album since I got pregnant with Preston . I ' m so lucky . He 's a doll ; he 's adorable . " Let 's hope that when the scruffy , overly fertile former backup dancer takes a breather from " working so hard , " he ' ll return the compliment to his meal - ticket missus , who could probably use some words of encouragement . The beleaguered Britney , 24 , admits that while it 's " empowering " to have a bun in the oven , " you don't feel the most beautiful all the time . " She fesses up that she was " paranoid " while pregnant with Sean Preston , 10 months , but says that with " this one , I was like , I ' ve just got to wing it . It was weird for me at first because of who I am . Wherever you go , they expect you to look a certain way . I ' m not supposed to be this big huge pregnant superstar . " Spears says she has every intention of returning to form -- and performing -- after her second K . Fed kid arrives in the fall , insisting , " I ' m going to get really intense with it . " In other Britney news , did she let her New York condo go for a song ? The New York Post reports that after several price reductions , she finally managed to unload her 4,000 - square - foot , three - bedroom , four - and - a - half bath , four - level Manhattan penthouse . The lucky buyer reportedly picked up the palatial pad , once occupied by Keith Richards , for a mere $ 4 million , far below the nearly $ 6 million Spears wanted when it was originally listed in July 2004 . The digs , which come complete with a library ( barely used , we 're sure ) , terrace , media room and solarium , set Britney back $ 3 million in 2002 . a C . Sidebar How can you be proud of a husband that works hard on a non - existent , widely available record that 's listenable . Also , how would you feel if your husband is concentrating more on a record than a baby and mother ? I don't know how indepth the relationship and quality of communication and maturity , but I would take care of my wife and baby over a stupid album . I have nothing against Britney , just the fact that I am a viable contender to be a good father , friend , and husband that wooud respect and be very gentlemanly to her drives me nuts . I think the media and world backs me up when we wish to see more out of K - Fed in this relationship . Where was K - Fed when Britney had issues with driving Sean Preston on her lap or when the car seat was in the wrong position . It 's not all Britney 's fault . K - Fed is a father , heck , he 's a father of four counting his ex - girlfriend . This is sad . Having a good weekend Mr and Mrs. Spears . 
Current Events Quiz for March . 1 . Chief Executive Dick Kovacevich received a $ 7 million bonus for 2005 from which major U.S. bank ? Bank of America Chase Citicorp Wells Fargo 2 . What country did Rolling Stone magazine enter for the first time this month with a new edition ? Australia China India Japan 3 . AT T s chief financial officer , how many jobs ? None 7,500 10,000 15,000 4 . What major airline has decided to take the gloves off and go wing - to - wing with low - cost Southwest Airlines on flights out of Love Field in Dallas ? American Coninental Delta United 5 . Black Berry users are finally letting out a collective breath after Research In Motion Ltd. , the maker of the handy little e - mail device , announced Friday it has settled its long - running patent dispute with NTP for $ 612.5 million . In what state is NTP based ? Connecticut New Hampshire Pennsylvania Virginia 6 . Toledo , Ohio - based supplier Dana Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection for its U.S. operations . In what business does Dana operate ? Auto parts Bakery foods Electronics Steel 7 . What was the best - selling new product of 2005 ? Budweiser Select Gillette M 3 Power razors Slim - Fast s Optima diet line Tide with a touch of Downey 8 . AK Steel Holding Corp. played hardball with workers after their contract ran out , operating a plant with salaried and replacement workers after locking out nearly 2,700 union employees . Where is the AK plant located ? Ashland , Ky . Erie , Pa. Middletown , Ohio Rockport , Ind . 9 . Starbucks has announced it will start buying coffee for its Blue Bourbon brand from which central African country ? Central African Republic Chad Rwanda Zambia 10 . What company recently announced it will spend $ 300 million to build a new plant in Vietnam ? GM Intel Kimberly - Clark Nestl http : // www . msnbc . msn . com / id / 11099319 / . 
Why Reality TV shows sucks ... The Bachelor ' Couple Say Romance Is Over Humphrey Bogart said it to Ingrid Bergman in " Casablanca " and now Dr. Travis Stork can say it to Sarah Stone : " We ' ll always have Paris . " Stork , an emergency room physician , chose Stone , an elementary school teacher , in the finale of ABC 's " The Bachelor : Paris " last week . The couple told The Tennessean in a joint interview Monday they are no longer a couple . Stork , 33 , said the rules that prohibited them from dating or being together in public between the end of the show 's taping in November and the Feb. 27 finale were hard on their relationship . The France - set " Bachelor " deployed 25 women to vie for Stork 's affections during a series of glamorous dates . The season began in January . " You 're in Paris and you 're part of this incredible experience , this fantasy world , and then suddenly you come back to Nashville , and living in the same city I think we thought was going to be a great thing , " he said . " But instead , you 're forced to pretend you don't know someone , for essentially the last four months . " The reality is that we were in this fantasy world . And now that we 're back in Nashville , over time when you 're not allowed to see someone , you grow apart . " Stone , 26 , said , " I definitely think it would ' ve worked out differently " if she and Stork had met and dated under different circumstances . " We wouldn't have had all the baggage that comes from being on this show . It would just be the two of us being able to hang out and get to know each other in a normal situation , " she said . Both said they remain single and unattached and that they had no regrets about doing the show . " Through this time , we realized that it was a great experience in Paris and that we 're so lucky to have met one another in Paris , and we ' ll never forget that , " Stone said . " And we both agree and know that we ' ll be friends forever . " Asked if they might reconnect romantically after publicity has died down , both just laughed . 
Painting Studies . A couple of digital painting studies from reference . Both using Painter 9 . Portrait study from deviant ART stock ( yellow - stock ) . Figure study from deviant ART stock ( tracie 76 stock ) . 
Beach Portrait . I was at the beach yesterday celebrating a multitude of friends ' birthdays . Here 's a portrait of one of my friends squinting at me . Painted from photo reference in Painter 9 . 
Speedpaint : Amber Sleeping . Last time I did Pow - Pow while she was sleeping on Amber 's bed , this time I ' ve got Amber sleeping on my bed . Logically , the next one should be me sleeping on Pow - Pow 's bed . 
Anime Expo 2006 . Back from the long holiday weekend , which I spent at the Anime Expo in Anaheim , CA . The entire time , I was mostly hanging out with friends and sketching . Here are the highlights . Day One Registration took something like 3 1 / 2 hours , and I was pretty much sketching people the entire time . Many of these people are dressed up in costumes for characters I don't recognize . Check out those two with their arms around each other . If you look back at page one , I drew them once , way at the beginning . Then about an hour later , when the line started doubling back on itself , there they were again , still all over each other . I think they were more into each other than anyone 's ever been into anything . Day Two We were just sitting around in the Hilton lobby when we overheard these Metal Gear Solid cosplayers ranting about not being allowed to walk around with their weapons , and I just started writing down as much of it as I could . Day Three Day Four . 
June Sketchbook Variety Pack ! It 's been a while since I ' ve posted drawings -- with all the moving , I haven't had access to a scanner until now . So here 's a grab bag of sketches from June ! June 3 -- My last drawing of my old house . That 's my cat Pow - Pow staring out the window from her kitty tree perch . June 8 -- A couple of tiny landscape paintings , done with watercolor and white gouache . June 15 -- Little figure paintings from a summer SHM life drawing session . June 22 -- Sketches of people on BART . June 23 -- Drawing out of my head , a dryad or some kind of forest creature . June 25 -- Sketching from movies , 2046 and Alien . 
On a heater ? Hit up a tourney in northern jersey Saturday night . Small tourney - only 28 people , $ 100 buy in ( with no vig , which is outstanding ) . My starting table was obscenely tight , which is exactly how I like it for a few reasons .1 - its easy to put people on hands or a range 2 - I can play my game ( which is generally loose ) and not really have to worry about someone playing back at me unless they have something Two hands of note . Hand # 1 We 're down to about 18 people , blinds are 500 - 1 K . I ' m UTG with 23 K and am top 3 in chips . I find 88 and limp on in . Guy next to me who has been playing tight but isn't really that good pushes for 5300 . Folds around to another dude in LP ( who at this point was relatively new to the table ) and he jams for 6200 . well well well ... I ' m not really concerned about the first guy . The second guy is the issue . I ' m getting 2.5 - 1 on my money . I decide to make the call mainly because I have the chips , can knock out two players , and based on the range I have the 2 nd guy on , figure I ' m getting the correct value for my money . First guy turns over A 3 , 2 nd guy turns over AQ . I ' m stoked until the Ace and Queen both hit on the flop . Greeeeeeeaat . No problem . Fortunately this came about 10 hands later - Hand # 2 I find KK in EP and make a standard raises to 3600 ( blinds are 600 - 1200 ) and I have about 19 K total before the raise . Guy next to me ( who has been just calling a lot of raises ) calls . Kid in LP ( who has me covered ) goes all in . There really is no thought process needed here . If he has AA he has it . I call ...2 nd guy in folds . " You don't have Aces do ya ? " I say . Him - " No why you have Kings ? " Yup . He turns over Queens and my Kings hold up . Biggest hand of the night . This propelled me to the final table as the chip leader . The one dicey hand came when we were down to 3 at the final table . Blind levels are flying at this point . I ' m chip leader barely and in the BB . Blinds at 8 K - 16 K and I have maybe 9 BBs . Guy OTB raises 3 x and I look down at AJos and decide to jam . He thinks for a few seconds ( I don't really know why ) considering he was considerably short too and then calls with KT . I have him covered by 1100 . The obligatory King hits on the flop ... turn Jack ... river JACK ! Sick . Not a suckout , but a tremendous runner runner job . Heads up I had a 3 - 1 chip lead against a kid who was playing too tight weak . The problem was with the blinds that high ... a couple of missteps would kill me real quick . Luckily I was able to avoid any issues heads up and took the guy out to take 1 st for $ 1200 , which was real nice and basically gives me a solid bankroll to play with out in Vegas in a few weeks for various cash games . So my last two live tourneys ( even though small fields - 75 people & 28 people ) have been nice cashes . Borgata about a month ago I took 3 rd for just under $ 1400 . I think about the WSOP every freakin day , and feel ready to rock and roll . Might try to squeeze in another tourney in AC if I can . 11 days ... yikes ! 
Oooooof . Alright the AL is wayyy better than the NL . The Mets would probably be the 3 rd or 4 th best team in the AL . I admit it . Went to the beat down at Fenway on Tuesday night ... just an absolute disaster . Always a great feeling when you 're barely in your seats and the other teams puts up multiple runs . Also went to the 2 - 0 joke of an offensive performance at Yankee stadium Friday night . Mets are a good team don't get me wrong , but the games at Fenway were a reality check . They aren't the best team in baseball and the Sox played out of their minds , but the Mets still have some holes , namely starting pitching . Don't get me wrong Pedro - Glavine - El Duque - Trachsel - Soler should have no problem winning the NL East and maybe even the NL , but there is no way they win the World Series with that rotation . It 's just a tough situation because can you really go out and get someone who can start a playoff game and not give up big prospects . It 's a tough situation when you are in need of pitching because you will more than likely get bent over in any trade . Btw quick observation - Female Red Sox fans are wayyyy hotter than female Yankee fans . I couldn't believe some of the girls at Fenway . Just absurd . I think it 's because Boston is such a college town so you get a lot of girls in their early 20 's . Good stuff either way . Also an instance at Yankee Stadium that was completely ridiculous . Beers there are an obscene $ 8.50 a pop . During the hour + rain delay some guy sitting behind me calls the beer guy ( who has to come up in the pouring rain probably about 20 steps up ) . He orders 5 beers , which comes out to $ 42.50 and the beer guy is just giving a bigtime effort passing the beer through a bunch of people to get it to the guy and his friends . Lots of traffic as people are trying to take cover under the small overhang . Sure enough this dickhead gives the beer guy $ 50 ( after him and his friends all argue over how much they each have to chip in ) and then pockets all of the change ... doesn't give the beer guy any tip . My buddy turns around ( since he had to pass the money & beer back and forth ) and actually asked the guy if he was sure he didn't want him to send any of the change back . Just completely inconsiderate in that spot . I understand that it 's annoying having to drop $ 8.50 a beer , but you have to step it up and at least give the guy a few bucks for making that sort of effort in the rain . Something else that annoys the crap out of me ... people who wear a team 's jersey with their name on the back . It 's even worse if the number is or was an all time great for that team . This happens all the time and I think it just needs to stop . I ' m at the Mets - Yankee game the other day and see some idiot Met fan with a Tom Seaver ( the only players # the Mets have retired ) jersey with the name Stapleton . Gimme a freakin break .4 weeks til Vegas ... get there . 
Musings . Been a while ... On the sports front , what can I really say ? I ' m in shock right now with the Mets completely rolling in the NL East ... up 8.5 games over the Phils going into tonight . I don't even know what to do because I ' ve never experienced something like this before . This team is just dominating and right now there is no reason they shouldn't win the East . The Mets & Cards are the two best teams in the NL . The one thing that still worries me is the starting pitching . Just so fragile . Btw in case you missed it ... check out this link . http : // www . deadspin . com / sports / baseball / meet - the - mets - 181663 . php Looks like the guys are having some fun . Haha . Nothing better than being a successful baseball player in NY . Btw an even better link that a friend of mine gave me involving a slew of drunk athletes . Check out freakin Nowitzki - http : // drunkathletes . synergyofsports . com / Some quick hits -- WTF is wrong with the Angels ? I understand that he 's a rookie , but why on earth would you send your best pitcher back to the minors after he lights up the majors ? That makes absolutely no sense . Get a clue you morons and get Jered back up here . - I ' m a fan of Mark Cuban , I really am . He 's great for the NBA and he has every right to criticize the officials especially in this series . They ' ve been extremely spotty . Also just booked my room at the Rio for the WSOP . Thought I was going to be staying at TI but due to the World Shoe Convention ( no seriously ) , the Rio was actually cheaper and more convenient . I ' m real stoked to say the least . Going to play a few live tourneys in the next few weeks in AC & Jersey to get ready . 
Getting drafty in here . Yeah I know ... lame title . I ' m really nervous about the NFL Draft on Saturday . I think every Jets fan is . Really what it comes down to is that we just need to trust Mangini / Tannenbaum and this new regime . We have to trust that they will take the correct pick . If they don't like any of the big 3 QB 's and don't want to draft them , we have to believe they are making the right move . Sure if for some reason Leinart is there at 4 they are going to get slaughtered by the fans for not taking him . We just have to trust they know what they are doing . I also want to dispel a ridiculous idea that keeps getting brought up the past few weeks regarding drafting QBs . People keep referencing how you can get a good QB late and constantly allude to Tom Brady ( 6 th round ) . How about we check out every QB taken in the 3 rd round and later in the past 10 years . How many actually made it into anything ? Actually just thinking about every starting QB , aside from Brady and Hasselbeck how many starting good QBs were picked after the 3 rd round ? Sure some of the early 1 st round guys just shiiit the bed like Akili Smith , Leaf , Couch ... but if you get the right one you are set for 10 - 15 years . It 's just so hard to get a bigtime QB like that ... but like we said if Mangini and these guys aren't enamoured with any of the big 3 , then you just have to trust them . If that 's the case they just need to take D ' Brick or Mario Williams ( whichever the Saints don't take ) . After this whole house debacle I ' m still holding out hope that Reggie Bush gets caught smoking weed or DUI before Saturday so he can slip to # 4 . This would have been much easier had the Jets not won meaningless games at the end of the season . I understand that guys still have to play hard because there are no guaranteed contracts , but winning those few extra games made this a real rough decision . Other hits ... - Thank god Favre finally made a decision . I was hoping he ' d retire because I ' m so sick of hearing about this the past 3 years , but I ' ll live with another year . Just do me a favor Brett , come out before the season and tell everyone this is definitely your last year . I don't want to go through this garbage again at the end of next year . You 're a great QB and had a hall of fame career , but enough already . - Haven't gotten into the NBA playoffs hardcore yet , but I ' m stoked about the possible 2 nd round matchups . Nets - Heat , Pistons - Cavs , Suns - Clippers , Mavs - Spurs . Great great matchups . - I also would give Lebron the MVP and have Kobe as the runner up . Nash has done wonders for the Suns , but I ' ve seen several of the Cavs games without Lebron , and that team is garbage without him . In fact I don't think they win 30 games without him . Also say what you want about Kobe and hogging the ball , but the guy is a great player and maybe he doesn't make the players around him better like Lebron or Nash does , but he gets more wins out of that team than any other player could . - There is no way Ty Willingham gets Jimmy Claussen to come to ND if he still is coaching here . It 's just another level when you have a college coach who used to coach in the NFL . Charlie Weis is the only guy who gets that done . I liked Ty , he probably got a raw deal , but this is when having a guy like Weis pays huge dividends . The guy is an offensive genius and any bigtime QB would want to play for him based on what he did with both Tom Brady and Brady Quinn . - The Rangers are done ( NY Rangers ) not Texas Rangers - Lastings Milledge and Mike Pelfrey get there . 
Oooof . Last night was a typical Mets loss . Starting pitcher ( in this case a guy making his first start in Brian Bannister ) has a solid game , deserves a win and then the bullpen just shits the bed . Wagner gives up a solo shot in the 9 th to tie the game and then Jorge Julio gives up 5 in the 10 th . I ' m not concerned about Wagner whatsoever . Stuff like that will happen , plus his velocity won't be fully there til it gets warmer out . The thing I like about Wagner is that he definitely has the mentality to handle closing in NY . It was obvious that Looper didn't , ditto Benitez and other guys . You can tell by just listening to his comments after the game that Wagner does . Jorge Julio on the other hand is another story . The guy is atrocious . It 's easy to see why the Mets chucked Heilman in the pen because they don't trust Julio who is basically a " 3 run HR waiting to happen . " He has no control and just gets lit up left and right . Brutal . Losses like this are tough , but it is game 2 . No big deal . I ' m also very impressed with the job the Red Sox have done putting together their team . Beckett showed again why when healthy he is one of the top pitchers in the game . The guy is a flat out stud and only 25 . Scary thought . Just gotta stay away from blisters . Last night he has a rough 1 st inning and the proceeds to gut out the next 6 innings against one of the best offenses in the game in a hitters paradise . Great performance there . Also if you are a Sox fan , you gotta hope that this is the first of many saves for Papelbon . There are only so many chances that Foulke can get even though he is pulling in 8 mil per . The guy did an awesome job during the ' 04 season especially the playoffs , something that will never be forgotten , but if a better option is out there ya gotta go with it . Francona is going to give him every chance to fail ( which is probably likely ) . The leash has to be short though ... can't give away all the games ya did last year . 
Mets , Opening Day , etc. The Enter Sandman issue There has been a heated debate the past few days in NYC about Billy Wagner using the same song ( Metallica 's " Enter Sandman " ) that Mariano Rivera uses while entering the game . First of all , it really shouldn't matter what non - Mets fans think about this . In fact I really could care less about all these morons who complain about him using the song who are either A - Yankee fans or B - non Mets fans . It really doesn't pertain to them . So just pipe down and shut up . With that said , as a Mets fan , I don't feel right with Wagner using the song because I associate it with Rivera . I would just rather he used another song , mainly because I don't wanna think about Rivera ( which I will ) everytime Wagner comes in to close the game . Other thoughts - Went to opening day yesterday . Several thoughts ... - I might be jumping the gun a bit , but assuming he stays healthy , I think David Wright is going to be the best position player in the history of the Mets . Thinking about some of the other greats - Strawberry , Piazza , Hernandez , etc. All of them had some stellar seasons in NY but none of them were able to do it at a high level for more then 6 years . Either way its just a thrill knowing that this kid will be in a Mets uniform for the next 12 - 15 years . - It 's a great feeling having a reliable closer , something that I have not seen in my entire lifetime . - Beltran has really gotta get off to a good start , because the fans were already all over him yesterday after his 2 nd AB . I really think he 's gotta be put in the 2 - hole too . His numbers are so much better from there and it lets him utilize his speed a bit more rather than having to worry about driving in runs . - This team will go as far as its starting pitching takes them . The lineup is going to score runs , that 's for sure . It 's going to come down to Pedro & Glavine staying healthy . Prediction - 89 wins and the NL Wild Card . 
Soriano / Abraham . The last thing the Mets need is Alfonso Soriano . Attitude aside , this guy just is not as good as everyone makes him out to be . I love how people bring up the fact that he 's a 30 - 30 guy so therefore he is this great player . Get a clue . The guy has so many flaws its ridiculous .1 - He 's atrocious defensively ... the worst in the league from a statistical point of view the past 2 years 2 - He has zero patience at the plate ( .309 OBP last year ) . For the Mets they don't need someone who is going to hit HRs and steal bases . That 's just not important . They just need someone who is going to get on base and have productive ABs . Just give the 2 B job to Anderson Hernandez . The guy is solid in the field and he isn't going to kill you at the plate . With the way the lineup is there is no reason to worry about who is playing 2 B and batting 8 th . As long as that person is solid in the field , that 's all that matters . A - Hern has to get the nod . This is a solid move by the Falcons . They get Abraham ( a prolific pass rusher when healthy , who is only 27 ) and two mid round picks from Denver for the # 15 pick ... and they get to keep Matt Schaub . As a Jets fan I ' m not too pleased with this trade , but I can't go crazy about it . Abraham definitely warrants better than the # 29 pick , without question . Top flight pass rushers are so hard to find in the NFL and here is one in his prime . I wanted Schaub + a pick or the # 15 pick . Normally I would say that it was a disgrace they didn't get the # 15 pick or Schaub from Atlanta , but the reality is that Abraham screwed the Jets by insisting on playing for Atlanta . The Falcons knew the Jets had to trade Abraham and that he would make it difficult for them to trade him anywhere else . On the bright side the Jets do clear $ 8 million off the cap , which is always nice . The Falcons are getting a real good player , but also someone who can be extremely frustrating , from never staying healthy , to never consistently playing at that top notch level over a full season . The winner in this whole thing is Denver who scored the # 15 pick ( while not giving up their # 27 ) for only a 3 rd and 4 th . That 's a solid deal . 
Lil Wayne Exposed ??? Looks Like It To Me ... Now I Am A Big Fan Of Mr. Weezy F . Baby , But More Than That I Am A Huge Fan Of The Truth ... And It Looks Like That What Gillie Is Spilling ... When I Hear About A Response From Wayne I ' ll Post It ... 
Boardflips Released !!! Yessir The 2 New Colors Of The Boardflips Were Released ... And As I Said Before I Had To Have The The Grey Raspberry Colorway As I Had Seen In The TK Ad I Posted Earlier , So I Got Them ... I Also Copped Some Dunks , And Two Pairs Of Puma 's ... In The Midst Of Everybody Jumping On All These Crazy Color Schemes And This Other Stuff I Decided To Keep My Style More Casual And Laid Back , Cause Thats How I Am When I ' m Cold Chilling ... lol . 
FREE HUS !!! Alright For All You Who Either Don't Know Yet , Or If You Aren't Familiar With The Bay Area Rap Scene , The Silky Smooth Dope Dealer MC , Husalah Of The Mob Figaz , Has Just Started Serving His 5 , Count ' Em 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 , Year Sentence In The Feds Right Now ... Seeing As How He Is One Of My Favorite Rappers And Belongs To One Of My Favorite Groups I Had To Show My Support ... Hus Hold Your Head , You Know Everybody 's Holding You Down My Nig ... You Can Peep Him Out On Myspace @ http : // www . myspace . com / husalahofthemobfigaz And Don't Pigeonhole Him As A " Gangsta Rapper " By The Songs On His Page , Hus Definitely Speaks The Truth And Delivers That Food For Thought ... FREE HUS !!! FREE HUS !!! FREE HUS !!! FREE HUS !!! 
Shmack Clothing Fall Preview ( Just Released This Morning ) . Yeah I Just Peeped The Preview For Shmack 's Fall Line So Who Do I Share It With First , Whoever Reads This , haha ... But Peep Game , Its Looking Pretty Lovely To Me , I ' m Planning On Adding A Couple To My Closet A Little Info On The Fall Line : Preview Of Some Of The Facemask Hoodies : Preview Of Some Of The Tees : . 
AJ IV Mesh Dunk Low Sample . Props To Nike Skate Boarding . Org For The Pic But Okay Yeah , So This Is For My Nike SB Heads Out There , I ' m Sure You ' ve All Heard Of The Jordan Dunk Pack Being Released , So These Are The IV 's ( Hence The Mesh ) ... No Word On The Date Yet , But They Look Like They ' ll Be Worth The Wait , However Long ... 
Pharrell - In My Mind ( Cover + Tracklist ) . Not Sure If Its Having 2 Different Covers To Represent Both Moods Of The CD , But I ' ve Heard That Both These Are Official , But Here It Is Folks ... And THen There 's 1 . Can I Have It Like That - Pharrell Williams Feat . Gwen Stefani 2 . How Does It Feel ? - Pharrell Williams 3 . Raspy Shit - Pharrell Williams 4 . Best Friend - Pharrell Williams 5 . You Can Do It Too - Pharrell Williams 6 . Keep It Playa - Pharrell Williams Feat . Slim Thung 7 . That Girl - Pharrell Williams Feat . Snoop Dogg 8 . Angel - Pharrell Williams 9 . Young Girl / I Really Like You - Pharrell Williams Feat . Jay Z 10 . Dim The Lights - Pharrell Williams 11 . Stay With Me - Pharrell Williams Feat . Pusha T 12 . Baby - Pharrell Williams Feat . Nelly 13 . Our Father - Pharrell Williams 14 . Number 1 - Pharrell Williams Feat . Kanye West 15 . Skateboard P Presents Show You How To Hustle ( Bonus Track ) - Pharrell Williams Feat . Lauren . 
Oh My GREATNESS !!! Yeah So I ' m Browsing Some Of My Usual Sites When I Bump Into Some Ice Cream Ads , And What Do I See ??? What I Believe Is The Most Beautiful Of The Ice Cream Boardflips Colorways ... I MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE THESE !!! 
The Perfect Popup This entry was originally published at ace 's blog This is a great article on creating pop ups : Perfect Popups . The code is provided and the sample popup is pretty cool . I think the nicest feature of this is the auto - resizing . For shits and giggles , check out the contact me page on this guys website . He s a bit anal don t ya think ? ! bookmarky thingies : These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages . 	 
The Per This entry was originally published at ace 's blog This is a great article on creating pop ups : Perfect Popups . The code is provided and the sample popup is pretty cool . I think the nicest feature of this is the auto - resizing . For shits and giggles , check out the contact me page on this guys website . He s a bit anal don t ya think ? ! bookmarky thingies : These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages . 	 
Getting paid to blog Pay Per Post . com This entry was originally published at ace 's blog So Techcrunch had this write - up on Pay Per Post . com. I signed up for the service , mostly to see how it works and if it is bs or not . For writing this post , Pay Per Post is supposedly going to pay me $ 2.50 if I keep this up for a minimum of thirty days and meet some other requirements . After you create an account and log in , you are shown a list of opportunities . Opportunities are created by advertisers and you can choose to accept any of them based on your own cognition . When you accept an opportunity , you must give the URL and Title of the blog post you are creating for the opportunity . You also have the option to Donate the money you make to one of two charities ( right now they are the American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanities ) . If you don t choose to donate , the money is sent to you through Pay Pal . Opportunities have other stipulations . There is a minimum number of words that each post must be ( 100 in this case ) , the post type ( reviewing Pay Per Post . com ) , tone of post ( neutral ) , does the advertiser require that you include a photo in you post ( yes in this case , see below ) . Finally , each opportunity has a tracking image that must be included in your post . Other stipulations are below : All posts must remain up for at least 30 days . You may post a maximum of 3 paid posts in any given day . Paid posts may not be consecutive . Each paid post must be separated by at least one non - payperpost post . All posts must be in English on an English Blog . Your blog must be at least 90 days old with at least 20 pre - existing posts . Your last regular post must have been within the past 7 days . Content must be original . You may not post the same content on different blogs . As far as actually reviewing Pay Per Post . com , I can only say that the sign up process and the ability to accept an opportunity was simple . Check it out if you desire . The potential that this is going to turn a lot of blogs into advertising is high . I can see how it can be both good and bad . Pay Per Post paid for this post . bookmarky thingies : These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages . 	 
Wordpress - Vox Crossposter This entry was originally published at ace 's blog If you re looking for a Word Press - Vox Crossposter , there isn t one that I can find anyway . I am currently working on creating one . There is a Word Press - Live Journal crossposting plugin available here ( plain - text view of source here ) . It was written by Evan Broder . It works great and is an awesome plugin . I m modelling my cross - poster after the LJ one since Vox and LJ were created by the same company , Six Apart . My [ attempt at creating a ] cross - poster is on hold until Six Apart creates some sort of documentation like they have for LJ . Right now there isn t an API that I can see and consequently , there is not documentation . One thing that I found odd on the part of Six Apart was that they don t even show Vox in their list of products . On a side note , I have two Vox invites . If anybody is interested , email me here or post a comment . bookmarky thingies : These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages . 	 
Article This entry was originally published at ace 's blog This is a great article on creating pop ups : Perfect Popups . bookmarky thingies : These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages . 	 
Just a thought in my head about web images This entry was originally published at ace 's blog Creating new images is hard . Not actually creating them , but making them look decent . That is all . bookmarky thingies : These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages . 	 
New Platinum Grade . com Design This entry was originally published at ace 's blog I ve been working on the new design for my company . It s full of CSS beauty ! Check it out and let me know what you think ! Platinum Grade Consultingbookmarky thingies : These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages . 	 
Moved my blog to new domain This entry was originally published at ace 's blog My blog used to be located at blog . petewood . us . I just moved it to www . acedanger . com. I had some decent search engine rankings on a few keywords and I didn t want to lose them . I knew there was a way to rewrite the URL so that if someone clicked on a link to one of my old pages , it would redirect them to the same page on the new domain . For example , if someone clicked on a link to blog . petewood . us / 2006 / 07 / 11 / vacation / , I wanted them to be redirected to www . acedanger . com / 2006 / 07 / 11 / vacation / . I have never written any scripts to rewrite URLs before so I turned to google for all the answers . I found some info from several pages and came up with this : Rewrite Engine On Rewrite Cond % { HTTP _ HOST } ^ blog \ . petewood \ . us Rewrite Rule ^ ( . * ) $ http : // www . acedanger . com / $ 1 [ r ] What this does is exactly what I have described in my example above . I hope this helps someone out . To test what I wrote , just click on the blog . petewood . us link above and it should take you to the acedanger . com page . bookmarky thingies : These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages . 	 
Very exciting stuff This entry was originally published at ace 's blog Aaron slept in his very own bed last night . It was insanely easy ! I read him his books and just put him in bed and he slept all night ! But then he woke up at like 5:30 I ll be interested to hear how he does with his nap today . We have both his new bed and his crib in his room right now . We are hopeful that the crib will be out of there in a week . His bedroom has way too much furniture in there now . I m going to be an uncle for the second time ! My nephew is only 2 weeks older than Aaron and very soon , I will have a niece ! She is due in December , on my mom s birthday of all days . I m sure that due date will change but I thought that was pretty cool . bookmarky thingies : These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages . 	 
International Tennis Hall of Fame - 2006 Induction Ceremony . Gabriella Sabatini ( Argentina ) , Patrick Rafter ( Australia ) and journalist Giani Clerici ( ITA ) wereinducted into the Hall of Fame Saturday . Mark Philippoussis ( AUS ) won the tournament defeating Justin Gimelstob ( USA ) 6 - 3 , 7 - 5 . 
James Blake Pilot Pen Media Day and Clinic . Kids at Scalzi Park , Stamford , CTToday I worked for Pilot Pen Tennis to shoot the 2006 James Blake Media Day and kid 's tennis clinics . James was interviewed with Venus Williams on the Today Show . I then met them at Scalzi Park in Stamford , CT for a kid 's clinic . Then it was off to New Haven for the J - Block Party on the Green . 
Campbell 's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships . A view from the Veranda Tennis as it started Vince Spadea returns in a loss to Robert Kendrick Doubles action on Centre Court Newport is great almost any time of year . This week I am freelancing at the ATP Campbell 's Tournament at The Tennis Hall of Fame and Newport Casino , the only pro event on grass courts in the US . 
2006 Buick Championship - TPC River Highlands . Corey Pavin and Chris Smith Trevor Immelman Kirk Triplett Travelers Pro - AMI photographed the 2006 Buick Championship this week , was on - course with a Pro - AM group for Travelers . Got a bit wet , but it eventually cleared up . Trevor Immelman ( South Africa ) was the pro , very personable to all . 
Pilot Pen Clinic with Patrick Mc Enroe . Patrick asks me for advice on coaching the Davis Cup team ( haha ) Patrick administers first aid Volunteer Pros Patrick with Jeff Waters - USTA New England Executive Director I photographed US Davis Cup captain Patrick Mc Enroe in New Haven , CT when he appeared to teach tennis to Park and Rec kids at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale University . Patrick was great with the kids and worked with teaching pros from all over Connecticut who volunteered their time . USTA New England organized the event with Pilot Pen Tennis . 
Champions Cup Boston . Pat Cash rips a backhand Todd Martin ( USA ) Pat Cash ( AUS ) Jim Courier ( USA ) with a rare slice backhand I attended the Champions Cup Boston event . This is a tennis tour promoted by Jim Courier and his company , Inside - Out Sports . Players are 35 and older and must have been a Grand Slam finalist , played on a winning Davis Cup team or been ranked in the ATP top ten during their career . Tournament was at the Bosse Sports complex in Sudbury , MA . 
TENACITY Kids Clinic and Pro - Am. Mats Wilander Jim Courier Mark interviewed by Bud Collins I was hired to photograph the Champions for Tenacity kids clinic and pro - am tournament at Harvard 's Murr Tennis Center . Got to meet pros Jim Courier , Mats Wilander ( and hit some volleys with Mats ) , Aaron Krickstein , Todd Martin , Goran Ivanisevic , Pat Cash , Mikael Pernfors and others . Bud Collins , Rosie Casals , Tim Mayotte , Mel Purcell , Bob Green , Bud Shultz and other tennis luminaries participated in the tennis clinic . 
Loomis Chaffee Varsity Tennis . I am having a great time coaching the Loomis Chaffee Boy 's Varsity Tennis team . So far we are pretty successful at 4 - 4 midway through the season and have visited some beautiful prep schools . 
Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships . I attended the qualifying rounds of the 2006 US Open Snowboarding Championships at Stratton Mountain , VT . Good weather , great colors and exciting action on the Slopestyle course and the HUGE Halfpipe . 
Cape Cod - USTA Meeting . I was invited to take photos at the USTA New England Board of Directors Meeting held at the fabulous Chatham Bars Inn at Cape Cod . Drove up the coast and stopped at several National Seashore beaches and Provincetown . 
USTA ADTECH Challenger Tournament at BOSSE SPORTS . I was the Staff Photographer for the Inaugural USTA ADTECH Challenger , a USTA Pro Circuit Men 's Tennis Tournament held in Sudbury , MA at BOSSE SPORTS . We had a great week of tennis . My photos were sent to USA Tennis New England , The Boston Globe , AP and other local papers . 
Loomis Chaffee Community Arts Exhibition . The photos below will be displayed at the Loomis Chaffee school 's Community Art Exhibition which runs from October 11 th - November 2 nd at the RAC located at the rear of the campus . 
Stew Leonard 's Wine Tasting Event . I was hired to shoot this event to raise money for charity at Stew Leonards Grocery Store in Norwalk . Many wine distributers provided wines from all over the world for guests to try . Stew Leonards provided food to compliment the wine . I met Stew Sr and Jr , their wives and many interesting guests . 
Butterflies of Love . Nature provides us many examples of beauty that have a purpose . I choose to see the Butterfly as a sign of Love 's enduring power . Lately I have seen them at " opportune times " and in unusual places . These Monarch 's appeared during a birthday celebration for the life of my wife Karen . 
Loomis Chaffee Football . In September I was offered the opportunity to join the Loomis Chaffee School Football coaching staff . It has been a great experience so far . Loomis has a great " community / family feel " and the environment is very positive and supportive . 
Inner Edge Tennis Retreat . I was fortunate to win a contest that I entered " randomly " on the internet last weekend . I was chosen to spend Labor Day weekend at Sugarbush Resort in Vermont with a group of wonderful people . Organized by promotor - entrepreneur Glenn Brooks , tennis great Guillermo Vilas co - hosted a weekend of tennis instruction , friendship , Yoga and spiritual renewal . It was the perfect thing for me at the perfect time . Thanks Glenn and Karen . I was the guest photographer for the weekend and made many new friends . 
Threesome Me - Me . I dont do much Me - Me anymore but since blogger friend Neil tagged me , I ' ll just well give this one a check . Its been months that I havent done one , anyways .3 things that scare me : 1 . Rejection - I don t know why it hurts me too much 2 . Death of a love one - I don t even wanna talk about it 3 . Thugs - Who does not ? 3 people who can make me laugh 1 . Rey - you cannot speak seriously to this guy ( probably unless he is drunk ) there would always be a funny story attached to everything 2 . Mike - making imaginative stories of almost every topic accompanied by the " Toyang Ermitanya " humor .3 . Garry - The sarcastic and impromptu Carson - Kressley kind of humor . Yep I enjoy it .3 things I love 1 . Movies - that make me think 2 . Music - Atmospheric and Electronica as of this moment 3 . Family and Friends - just being with them 3 things I hate : 1 . Waiting - I know ! Patience is a Virtue but ......2 . My own on - and - off Sociophobia - affects my way of living . Terrible ! I need to read more of those self - help books .3 . Frustrations - like opening a newly bought audio CD and the likes .3 things I don't understand : 1 . Why there is Poverty ? 2 . Why God allows this Poverty to happen ? 3 . Why can't I do anything about this Poverty ? 3 things on my desk 1 . My Bills - all paid . Let me check if there is any left .....2 . My new checkbook - Wa Mu offers Free checkbooks for life as promo . Check it out ! 3 . A pack of Marlboro lights and a lighter 3 things I ' m doing right now ( besides doing this Me - Me ) : 1 . Smoking - I blame it to the question before this one .2 . Listening to The Postal Service ( The District Sleeps Alone Tonight ) 3 . Shaking my legs - which I often do 3 things I wish to do before I die : 1 . Visit Easter Island 2 . To direct a film - to write would be fine 3 . To sculpt - my torso 3 things I can do : 1 . I can bake you a cake ( as fast as I can ) .2 . I can be home alone the whole day and won't be bored ( except maybe if I run out of cigarettes ) 3 . I can be your friend ( if you want me to ) . Seriously , I dont know what to put on for my No. 3 anymore . I can't think of any .3 things I can't do : 1 . I cannot finish a book in one day 2 . I cannot think well without cigs 3 . I cannot drive without my music 3 things people might not know about me : 1 . That I was born Breech .2 . That I almost died during the delivery 3 . That I am an Ox and a Fish .3 things I think you should listen to : 1 . Sigur Ros 2 . Ryan Farish 3 . Your Superego 3 things I don't think you should listen to ever : 1 . Howard Stern 2 . Your eavesdropper neighbor 3 . Satan 3 of my absolute favorite foods : 1 . Lechon Paksiw 2 . Shawarma 3 . Biryani 3 beverages I drink regularly ( excluding water ) : 1 . Diet Pepsi 2 . Starbucks ( Caf Latte or any of those Fraps ) 3 . White Russian ( when I am in a bar ) 3 shows I watched when I was a child : 1 . Star Rangers 2 . Super Friends 3 . The Price is Right ( with Mom ) 3 things I ' d like to learn : 1 . How to be more independent 2 . How to make a nice header for this blog 3 . How to be the next Ang Lee It 's my custom to add one question to every Me - Me I answer . Here it is : 3 Things that reminds me of the Number 3:1 . My birth month . March , the third month of the year .2 . I got 3 siblings ... ( Alain , Aileen , and Ariel ) I am the youngest .3 . I was third in a National Cookfest 15 years ago in Manila Well , that 's it . I hope you know me better now . 
A Prayer To St. Francis . The Golden Gate Bridge is a jog away . The pacific ocean beach ? Just a 5 - minute walk . A nice view of a hilly street ? Just go out of the house ..... And a lot more to discover . 3 weeks of surviving San Francisco . A new place for me . No job yet . I dont know how to enjoy or to explore the rest of the city ( and the bay area ) as of now for I am suppose to be stressed out of not finding a job yet . Somehow , the thought of being jobless is eclipsed by the introduction to exist in another way of life . Adjusting is not a probelm especially when you are guided by a very good friend of yours . Well , not all the time . The magnet that brought me here would not always be available for a proper orientation and worse , there will be no other ones . Loads of work attract this kind of magnet that causes me to repel , even me making much effort to find a room . I have to coerce myself to do it alone . Michigan 's magnets draw me to all directions and I can always go to the nearest one . But not here . Being independent is not actually me . I got too much family and too much friends who gave me overtender care . Yep , I am a bit of a brat . I believe this caused me to drown a little bit . Or probably me being so helpful to others that I expect too much from people to return the favor ? The problem lies on me . I have to deal with the fact that I am starting to drown already but the good thing is I know how to swim . The fog sometimes irritates me because Kaiser Permanente hasn't called me up yet . I cannot enjoy driving in the hilly streets for the parking around downtown is a lottery to win ( and i have to do a lot of parallel parking which i am not very good at , ends me wishing I was still in Michigan where parking is a piece of cake ) . The thought of my remaining accounts in the bank clouded the beautiful view of the famous bridge . Oh my , the Pacific 's sunset reminds me of sleeping at night without any good news the whole day . Terrible , but I am glad that I know how to swim ; and I know that I myself is the only one who can help me . Right now I dont see any trace of an island yet but I am very positve , I would surely get there . I am fully geared to get there in the first place . I just cannot wait . Tomorrow , I need to swim more and avoid treading on water as much as possible , so I can get to that beautiful island as early as I can think of . St. Francis , be good to me . Amen . 
Aceian 's Sonata . Finally , I figured it out ! Months ago I was trying to have a flash MP 3 player on this blog . I asked the help of a blogger pal , Charles from Norway . He gave me this site but the tutorial was too complicated for me . I am no IT man ! So I gave up . Yesterday , upon browsing , I got into this site by Paul ( who , btw , is an 8 th grader in Virginia ) at POQbum . com. There I found his Flash MP 3 Player Generator . It was so easy to use . I tried it and .... Voil ! I have a MP 3 player in my blog now ! Thanks , Paul ! But that doesnt stop there . I got a hard time resizing the player skin to fit in my sidebar . If you try to decrease the width and the height , it would crop the whole thing into that size but it would be like you are cropping a photo using a photo editor software . It doesnt adjust into its original form . It just cut . I tried this the whole night ( slept at 6 am ) by trial and error but to no avail . I came up with an acceptable size . Good enough for me . But if anyone of you there can help , please do . Anyway , I added this player for my own fulfillment but of course , its for everybody . My kind of music would not be your kind of music but you can give it a try and might like it too . I plan to update the songs every month . For a meantime , let us start with a Tango Forte ! Go check it out ! ( Check Aceian 's Sonata on the sidebar ) . 
My Kind Of Music Right Now . Ten tracks I am into right now ........1 . New Innocent Tyro Allegory by Havergal Album : Elettricita ( listen track # 3 ) " Consider the sand Each grain is a person Dunes make a nation Deserts below oceans " 2 . Love Of The Loveless by Eels Album : Shootenanny ( listen / watch ) " All around you people walking Empty hearts and voices talking Looking for and finding ... Nothing " 3 . 7 Minutes ( Patrick Wolf Remix ) by Circlesquare Single : 7 Minutes / Shiny Star ( listen / watch ) " Just how long will these days take Waiting for an earthquake ..... New friends to make " 4 . Rise by Azure Ray Album : Azure Ray ( listen / watch ) Hold your heart with both hands Give it to me only to disappear Look how low i ' ve sunk Don't ask me to rise " 5 . Atropine by Rainer Maria Album : A Better Version Of Me ( listen / watch ) " Have you got any magic tricks that will work for me ? I don't suppose there 's anything at all in that bag of yours for me " 6 . Demons by N . Lannon Album : Chemical Friends ( listen track # 1 ) " Can you hear the sound reflection Can we use the sound perception Can we be the science exception Love our little demons " 7 . Blue Light by Bloc Party Album : Silent Alarm ( listen / watch with extra J . Phoenix Pics ) " If that 's the way it is Then that 's the way it is You are the bluest light You are bluest light " 8 . Sunny Road by Emiliana Torrini Album : Fisherman 's Woman ( listen / watch ) " I ' ve travelled ' round Through deserts on my horse But jokes aside I wanna come back home " 9 . Collide by Howie Day Album : Stop All The World Now ( listen / watch ) " Even the best fall down sometimes Even the stars refuse to shine Out of the back you fall in time You somehow find , you and I collide " 10 . Tears by The Chameleons Album : The Chameleons Live ( listen / watch Jon Auer Version ) " From the window of my room now I can see the colour blue now If you could look into my eyes now , What would you see ? " * You can also listen to some of these music on aceian 's sonata on the sidebar . 
Where Is Happiness ? Saan Nagtatago Si Happiness ? ( Or in English , Where Is Happiness ? ) is one of the 10 featured full - length films in this week 's Cinemalaya , the Philippine Independent Movie Festival . Happiness is directed by Florida Bautista and Real Florido . Plot summary from www . cinemalaya . org .... Finding happiness isn t part of Tikyo s everyday plan . For him , at the age of 50 , nothing is as simple as selling sorbetes , his only source of living . Everything s just perfectly fine . Until , breaking news comes his mother , whom he believed , for so long , was already in heaven , is still alive . Dogged and eager , Tikyo will also do everything to reconcile with the woman he loves the most , Sara . The 50 - year old guy is now torn between finding his mom and pursuing the young woman s heart . Tikyo believes that true happiness will come to him if he ll be successful in winning the two women . Tikyo must find his way to happiness , lead other people to it or redefine its true meaning . The title caught me and I thought this would be a nice movie . It led me to dwell on the thought ... Where is my Happiness ? Tikyo 's finding his Happiness is a long - term goal . But I believe that Happiness pays us a visit from time to time . It comes and goes , temporarily . But dont lose hope . Happiness is just a last name . Wait until the best among the Happiness Family approaches us . Her first name is TRUE . True Happiness , the one that stays forever . I havent found my True Happiness yet . Hope to find her before I die . Happiness rented a space on three of my friends ' hearts this week . Friend Mike who is in Chicago got his long - awaited Green Card yesterday . He can now fly to Europe where another Happiness is waiting . Another friend Mike ( this time , the one from Michigan ) was accepted in the most prestigious hospital in Metro Detroit 2 days ago . He can now leave the Devil who wears not Prada but Big On Batik where we used to work . And today , friend and new landlord Rey received a good news from home . His sister passed the Philippine Nurse Licensure Exam . Wow ! Happiness remembered them .... and forgotten me ? I dont think so . I am HAPPY for the three of them . Its my own Personal Happiness that is missing this week . Its me now who is asking Tikoy 's question : Saan Nagtatago si Happiness ? ( Where Is Happiness Hiding ? ) How about you ? Have you found Happiness this week ? 
Roadtrip Series : Finally , San Francisco ! 5 PM Sunday , July 2 : We have reached our destination , San Francisco ! Ive been here twice before this one ( picture above taken on my second trip here ) but right now it would be different . I am going to stay for good . I am going to make her my home ... my new home . I thank The Almighty for bringing us here safely . Thank you Mike and Rey for driving with me . Rey for providing me shelter for awhile until I ' ll get to be considered a certified San Franciscan already . So , our journey ends here ... but not for me . It would be a new beginning again . A new environmnet , new people , a new life . I hope San Francisco will embrace me the way I embraced her . Now , let me lie down for a while . 
Roadtrip Series : Reno , Nevada . July 2 , Noon : We have arrived in the biggest little city in the world . Reno would be our last city - stop on our way to San Francisco . She is Vegas ' little sister . Like the latter , the gamblers are her main guests . The hotels are not that grand as Vegas but the atmosphere is almost the same . There were buffets in every hotels too . The three little pigs went to one and became big pigs . We were not just passers - by here . In an hour or two we lost $ 99 combined . Rey lost $ 60 , Mike $ 40 ( that makes $ 220 considering his $ 180 due for overspeeding in Wyoming . hehehe ! ) , and I won a dollar . Yep , just a dollar . I played the slots with my $ 20 for more than an hour . I was winning at first but what I won I am losing at the end for I continued wanting to win more . I stopped at $ 21 . It doesn't matter if we did win or not for the fun we had in Reno was a good memento that cannot be bought . Whatever happens in Reno doesn't stay in Reno . It went with us .... to keep ! Link : Vegas ! Vegas ! 
Roadtrip Series : To Reno . Mid - Morning , July 2 To Reno , We are on our way to see you . I heard you are hot . Would you be like Vegas ? Would your sluts , I mean slot machines make us happy ? Would you bring us to fantasy land ? We cannot wait to see you . Right now , we are in a rest area . Just a little stretching from the drive from Elko . Enjoy some pics we took here while you wait for us . Be sure to serve a feasty meal when we arrive . You cannot see it on our faces , but we are starving like crazy now . ( Budget Motel in Elko served us just a cup of coffee and a bread for breakfast ) . Well , then see you in hours ! From : Ace , Mike and Rey PS . Mike loves to play with his camera . I took some pics of him in action . You can see the pics both of us took below ... As you can see , Rey modeled for him . Mike and I also cannot wait to take some pics of you too ... and Rey as well , to model with you in the background . See you then ! 
Roadtrip Series : Sunset On The Road To Nevada . July 1 , Afternoon : We continued the roadtrip from Salt Lake City to Nevada . On the road , we witnessed the beautiful sunset in front of us upon aprroaching the Utah - Nevada border . What a dramatic way of the sun to say goodbye to us . Very calming especially with a Taliesin Orchestra CD playing in the car . Stopping by at a rest area with The Great Salt Lake as view . We proceeded to Nevada even it was dark already . Our plan was to get into the next town if both drivers are tired already . We gave up at around 10 pm in Elko , Nevada . Elko is what they called " The last real cowtown in the American West " . Its actually situated in the middle of the desert but still they have casinos here ! This is the state of Nevada , people ! Casinos are everywhere . We dont have any hotel reservations here so we tried to roll the dice with every Inn , Motel , or Hotel along the way . I cannot believe that in this small desert town , hotels and inns were all fully - booked . After about 7 - 8 tries , we found a room in Budget Motel . Far better is our Denver 's Magnolia Hotel but at least The Budget Motel provided us a place to sleep and rest for the next day 's continuation of our drive to California . ( Sorry , no pics of Elko , Nevada here . We were so stressed with looking for a place to stay that night ) . 
Roadtrip Series : Salt Lake City . July 1 , Afternoon : We have arrived in Salt Lake City , Utah . Unlike other cities we have been to , Salt Lake is different . There is something mysterious . It 's solemn in here like its a sacred land . Rey and I were even reluctant to light our cigs . There might come a Mormon and reprimand us . It was like , in every silly thing you do , you have to pause in uncertainty . Or was it just us ... loaded with sins ? 
Roadtrip Series : Cheyenne to Salt Lake City . June 30 , post - Cheyenne : Back to the road for Salt Lake City A stop - over in Laramie . I wonder where exactly from this vast rural land the ignorant devils tied Mathhew Shepard in a fence and left to die . The road from Laramie to Salt Lake City offers beautiful views . So beautiful that Mike was so captivated by the sights not realizing his speed rocketed up to 94 mph already . I - 80 's speed limit in this area is 75 mph . Now , say hello to Mr. Police , Mike ! He was given a ticket for overspeeding . This was in Carbon County , Wyoming . Mike 's speed after Carbon : 65 mph . Hehehe ! So we have reached the border of Wyoming and Utah . Utah 's Welcome Center welcomes us with a rocky - mountain view on our left and the " Hills - are - alive - with - the - sound - of - music " mountains on the right . 
Roadtrip Series : Cheyenne , Wyoming . July 1 , Morning . We continued the road trip to Cheyenne , Wyoming . An hour - and - a - half drive from Denver going north by I - 25 will lead you to Cheyenne . We were looking for a rodeo but instead , found the beautiful Wyoming State Capitol .... and this artsy bench too depicting Wyoming 's life The streets were empty except for that street railway trolley . Downtown Cheyenne is like a set in a western movie . Some locals dress as cowboys carry on with their usual day and the buildings are truly Old West America . It was a walk trough the past . Pictures show the Wrangler Building , The Cheyenne Depot ( a national historic landmark ) , and The Plaza with its famous Big Boots . 
Roadtrip Series : Denver . June 30 , afternoon : We have arrived in Denver , Colorado . It is twice or thrice bigger than Des Moines or Omaha . We had dinner at the upscale Willy G 's Seafood and Steak on the 16 th street mall . They call it a street mall because all the good shops and restaurants are located there . Friday night on the 16 th was a street party . I dont know if it is always like this but the street was full of people and the merriment , festive . Sorry we were not able to take pictures of the street party , both cameras were plugged for recharging . We stayed at Magnolia Hotel on 17 th street . We were given a room at the 6 th floor at first with a very good view but the Wi Fi access was not that good . Mike 's obsession with the Triple W led him to complain downstairs and we were transferred to the second floor . Well , after Mike has bombed the original room 's toilet already . Not all posh hotels can give you a non - stressful stay . This new room 's toilet cannot be flushed . I had a hard time flushing it after I dropped my own bomb to it . Thanks to Rey who fixed it like a real plumber . But Magnolia Hotel has the best bed and breakfast . I slept comfortably and had a good breakfast the next day . A good rest and nourishment for the continuation of the long drive . I am glad we are half - through . Next stop : Cheyenne , Wyoming . 
Its time like these ... ... you just want a hug from your mum . Now I can cup her in my hand in a small bag , it makes me think of how fragile she really was . I wanted her to be invincible , that is a lot to ask . I am sorry . I miss you baby to the sky . Should I have done this , should I have done that ? Did I do or say enough ? Maybe I forgot to try , maybe I was tired or to busy . Now I am crying so hard and the answers don't matter . People die , we will all die . Questioning your mortality is not morbid , embrace it . Everyone you love will die but its ok they were meant to . Cry as hard as you fucking can , it helps you to remember , it makes you thirsty for water and another glass never hurts according to my doctors and speculation . This world is only one of those crappy time share apartments where the view is great but the fittings are cheap . How long you have to stay you don't know because someone spilt their coffee on the contract , so rock on until you get kicked out for being to loud , turn the music up , jump around and sing like a fuck head . Make the most of what you have available , see the beauty in the banal and even the peach floral curtains will enhance your life . Be nice to your neighbor 's , friends , families and lovers they are trying to do the best they can I am sure of it ( they went for the blue option and the curtains have dolphins ) . Don't be a martyr or a victim , make a choice to be empowered and live freely . Do this for yourself and everyone around you . Changing the world is not always numbers game , if you change yourself from within and put it out there , people will change with you , thats where the numbers come in , its called a community . This is an on going process , aspire . Love the world , love thy neighbor with high heels who spills a bag of nuts and bolts on the hard wood floor above you at 3 am ( I have heard this is really hard it happens to a friend of mine ) well maybe not that neighbor , yell at them and love thy other ones , love thy fucking good time and a laugh with mates where you get a little to pissed , love thy self even if you are a bit hairy and a bit of a fuck up , love thy bible for coming up with the word thy , hahahahahah . Have respect for other opinions but have one of your own , be tangible because you will be proved wrong over and over . Write some shit down that sounds like a crappy poem that got turned into a song about sunscreen , which apparently gives you as much cancer as it protects you from , or is that just peoples latest paranoia ? Quick somebody sing a Prince song and lift your arms , oh and wear one of those white and purple gowns . I am going to do an ink wash drawing so I can make this into a poster and hang it on my toilet door so I can be inspired everytime I have a dump . Maybe this could be the latest cock and bull theory as to how woman are more in touch with their emotions , because they always sit down and face the poster ? Could I sell this notion to New Idea ? I wrote this down for me , these are things that I am trying to remember in life . If I was saying you above I really mean me . I am not preaching , I was having an out of body experience and talking to myself ... it was cool nobody could see me so I went into the change rooms to see everyone naked , but they weren't there . 
This is Important , come on down ! I think this is a really important event for everyone to come to , numbers mean something at events like this ... Think about how you feel about all these current rights issues and make up your own minds , don't get caught up in the hype ... When you are conscious and reflexive in making choices and decisions they carry so much more power . On Sunday August 13 , the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby will be holding the Equal Love rally for same - sex relationship recognition . This date is the second anniversary of the federal government 's same - sex marriage ban We invite you , your family and your friends to join us . Our aim is to send a powerful message that equal love deserves equal rights . We will also be holding Midwinta Vows , a mass commitment ceremony on the steps of Parliament House . Should you or any of your friends wish to participate , please simply show up on the day . There will be a reception at Melbourne Town Hall afterward . Stand Up for your Love Rights : Equal Love Rally and Midwinta vows When : Sunday August 13 , 12:30 pm Where : Parliament House , Spring St , Melbourne Please circulate widely to your networks . We also need volunteers to help out on the day . If you can help , please come to our : Volunteers info session When : Thursday 10 August , 6.45 - 7.45 pm Where : British Crown Hotel , 1418 Smith St Collingwood . ( Route 86 tram from Bourke St ) Info : Contact 0422 913 942 or simply rock up on the day If you would like any further information or would like to help out in the organising of the event , please send an email to replies @ vglrl . org . au . We would love to see you there ! The Equal Love campaign . 
I PROPOSED !!! I finished and sent off my very first exhibition proposal today ... YAY ! I was really nervouse but I am giving it a go . The proposal is for the Midsumma 2007 Visual Arts program . Here is some oof the stuff I wrote ... Please dont say it is bad because it is too late and I have sent it . My agenda as a cultural practitioner and visual artist is to explore and communicate political and social issues to a broad audience , generating discourse between a diverse cross section of our community . Midsumma has a fantastic amount of visibility that can be utilised as a vehicle to explore and expose so much in our contemporary Australian context in relation to GLBTI issues . This can be through celebration , critique , humour and reflection on what is happening in our lives and community . My practice attempts to investigate these issues in relation to cultural ideologies and collective and personal identity . ANDRANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESSThe work I propose for Midsumma 2007 is a series of impromptu public performances and interventions done before and during the festival . These RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS would be documented through photography and video then displayed at a gallery during the festival . This way the work reaches a broad audience and gives time for reflection in the gallery context . The public works allow for a more organic reaction from viewers from all parts of our community . These works are about presenting questions in a visual medium that can be interpreted in many different ways . They will be there to encourage discourse in our community and will focus on GLBTI issues . Here are some examples of possible works ; they are still in a developmental stage . I am so high and mighty This work would involve two performers on stilts and contrasting costumes , one black one white , ranting in gibberish at each other through megaphones strapped to their faces . This would take place over the city in prominent political , historical and social spaces . The work explores the notion of discourse and debate in our modern Australian context . The stilt walkers represent the two political parties and the ineffectual way they communicate and debate . The stilt walkers also represent the people fighting for equality in our community and the government legislation standing in its way . Shotgun , I hate taking a back seat This work would involve a car parked in a public place like a mall or park with four performers repeatedly changing sheets and shuffling around , getting in and out and in and out of the car as a shotgun sounds like the start of a running race . This confronts the issue of human rights and inequalities in our society , nobody wants the back seat and the volatile nature of the issue is represented in the colloquialism Shotgun , which features in the title . I wanna be just like you , I wanna be just the same This work would involve a series of blindfolded performers dressed as obvious stereotypes from the GLBTI community like a bear , twink , grrrl / lesbian , drag queen etc. All would be involved in opening a pi ata each . The pi atas would all reveal the same generic white contents when breeched . Playing Robbie Neville s , Just Like You would exacerbate the absurdity of the act . The main intention of this work is to talk about how stereotypes are perpetuated by the GLBTI community from within our own media , lifestyles and social activities . This work represents the segregation within our community where there should be unity ; we are all the same on the inside . Also the search for self - identity in a diverse community affected by stereotypes and media . That last one sounds lame as fuck but its too late now , I have sent it ... It would have been better if everything was just white , the clothes , people , pinatas , room , everything . Now I am doubting it all and I just re read it and it all sounds lame . Yesterday they sounded fun and funny . Oh well it is a work in progress . 
Fresh Start . After some thought ... It is time to look onwards and upwards ... There is so much to experience in this life , this is my diary . Read it or dont , just respect it . St Kilda Pier , Monday 24.7.06 . 
On the bright side ... I saw some beautiful things in Fitzroy and Collingwood today while having lunch and house hunting with Sam . Houses were crap but lunch and company were super . Another soiled mattress , my favorite thing to see on the street as you may already know . The pee man is awesome and look more beards ! Cant wait for mine to thicken he looks a lot like my stencil and illustration work and what I want to look like too . Its always nice to know you are not alone . Maybe I should start advertising too . 
Crushed . Still so sick , giving in , just want to cry and cry . My chest kills , everything fucking hurts still . I am so over this ... Don't know what to do , I have been in fucking agony all over my skin and inside my body for a week and a half . And before that hospital and before that conjunctiveitis . I want my life back . 
Hello Swingers . I always watch Big Girls Blouse when I am really crappy , it never lets me down . These girls are GOLD ! Enjoy I could go on but I am sure you dont all have as much time as me at the moment . ps . Pat watch the last one for the ' Darl ' moment . 
Still Sick . I am still really , really sick . I don't seem to be getting better at all . Every night I am pouring with sweat , my bed is soaked and I have to change my cloths at least 4 times last night . I have to wash my sheets everyday too . My lungs kill and they feel really heavy . My skin has this bizarre painful prickling feeling 24 / 7 . My Pelvis and groin hurts , I cant work that one out . Muscles and joints are sore and tight . Not really coughing though . My head is swimming and I am really dizzy ( typing is proving to be difficult . ) I worked all day yesterday and it was really hard but no one else could come in . Got home slept 11 hours . My headache is un believable . i have lost my appetite ( I know , scary . ) Going to try and work half the day today but I think I will have to go home . I am getting a bit worried , it has been a week now and nothing has changed . The doctor said if the antibiotics didn't work it wasn't viral pneumonia it was influenza , Yay ! Its starting to get me really down , its wasting my life and I have so much to do . I still have not smoked and never will , imagine being this sick all the time ... I am not saying all this as a winge I am just keeping you up to date . Hope you are all happy and healthy ! ps . my beard is going well . 
Strangers With Candy . This used to be a TV series and now its a movie , I cant wait to see it . Priceless moments include : 1 : My bacon strips sizzeling 2 : Oh Ramone , good times 3 : The liberty bell GOLD ! 
Placebo . I have got tickets to see Placebo !!! YAY ! I am going with a good friend on the ... September . i have seen them play before in Perth and they were fantastic live , better than recorded which is always a plus . I missed their next concert with the excuse that I couldn't afford the ticket but kicked myself for not going . I was spending double that on other shit that I didn't need in my body at that time so I missed out . Well not this time , I cant wait . 
Quality . Just watched one of my all time fav films Donnie Darko with a mate , great company , great movie , champion . Nothing better to chase the sickness and boredom out of your day . If you have not seen it best you get onto that , look at how much they enjoyed it . Great credits song Mad World , Gary Jules . I like your boobs . REMEMBER IF YOU CLICK ON THE IMAGES ON MY BLOG , THEY GET BIGGER ! 
plot notes . every time i write her out of the script of my life , she finds a way back into it . it 's insane , but a testament to who i am , and the nature of my personality . last i saw her with a rock on her finger , eating a bacon and cheese burger and urging me to take her salsa dancing . telling me of her problems with her fiance , and i took it to heart ... thinking there was a chance . and there always is a chance . it 's just that it remains in the recesses of my mind because i know the lies and deception , and i don't take action . i dealt with it willingly for so long . but in the end , i ' m not who i wanted to be , but i ' m not that person still . so she talks on the other end of the line , and i pretend to listen , but i only hear words . feigning response and query all to smooth , but a little bit odd . 
Pathetic update . I know , I haven't posted in a while . Been busy . Been moping . Been lots of uncreative things . But today ... another survey ! Yay ! Munkee ! I swiped this from Norman , who swiped it from ... well , you know the drill .1 . Have you ever been searched by the cops ? No.2 . Do you close your eyes on roller coasters ? Nope . Though I usually have to hang onto my glasses ...3 . When 's the last time you ' ve been sledding ? I don't know . When I was a kid .4 . Would you rather sleep with someone else , or alone ? Someone else . Though I ' m getting good at sleeping alone .5 . Do you believe in ghosts ? I think so . Today .6 . Do you consider yourself creative ? Yes. I studied creative writing , after all .7 . Do you think O . J . killed his wife ? Yeah , though I think it would be funnier if he actually found the real killer ( somewhere other than the mirror , I mean ) .8 . Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie ? Angelina 's hotter , and clearly has a fixation for Third - World orphans ( like me ! ) , but for a relationship , I think I ' d take Jen over a homewrecker .9 . Do you stay friends with your exes ? No.10 . Do you know how to play poker ? Yup . Pretty good at it , too . Not WSOP good , but good enough to win in my buddy 's game from time to time .11 . Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight ? Sure . Who hasn't ? 12 . What 's your favorite commercial ? The Sprint one with the dachshunds . ( " I wanted oxen ... I got all these little weiner dogs ... " ) Or the Nextel dance party one . ( " Push it ! " ) 13 . What are you allergic to ? Tuberculosis tests , iodine dye and certain " hard " fruits like apples and pears and peaches , when they 're raw .14 . If you 're driving in the middle of the night , and no one is around do you run red lights ? No.15 . Do you have a secret that no one knows but you ? Probably .16 . Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees ? Yankees all the way ! 17 . Have you ever been Ice Skating ? No. Ruined my hockey career .18 . How often do you remember your dreams ? Most of the time . I have very vivid dreams and I almost always remember at least a part of them .19 . When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried ? Probably fairly recently . It 's pretty easy to crack me up .20 . Can you name 5 songs by The Beatles ? No , but Norman did , so if you need to know ' em , go look at her answers .21 . What 's the one thing on your mind now ? I never really focus on just one thing at a time .22 . Do you know who Ghetto - ass barbie is ? Nope . But I know who Super Head is .23 . Do you always wear your seat belt ? Yes.24 . What cell service do you use ? Verizon .25 . Do you like sushi ? Sort of .26 . Have you ever narrowly avoided a fatal accident ? Yes.27 . What do you wear to bed ? T - shirt , sweatpants or shorts . Mostly .28 . Been caught stealing ? Nope . I was usually the lookout .29 . What shoe size do you have ? 9.530 . Do you truly hate anyone ? Yes. Two people . And they deserve it . But I ' ve got grudges against lots of people I don't truly hate .31 . Classic Rock or Rap ? Classic rock , or " none of the above . " 32 . If you could sleep with one famous person , who would it be ? Jessica Biel . She 's hot .33 . Favorite Song ? I don't know . I ' m not a big music person , but I like certain stuff . No one particular song comes to mind , though .34 . Have you ever sang in front of the mirror ? Yeah . Once in a while . If you call it singing .35 . What food do you find disgusting ? Vegetables .36 . Do you sing in the shower ? Once in a while . I mostly sing in the car .37 . Did you ever play , " I ' ll show you mine , if you show me yours " ? Yes.38 . Have you ever made fun of your friends behind their back ? Sure , but never with malice aforethought . Just bustin ' . They do the same to me , I ' m sure .39 . Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew ? Yes. I think that 's a good thing .40 . Have you ever been punched in the face ? Sure . Who hasn't ? Yay ! Munkees like surveys ! Steal away ! 
On a lighter note ... I ' m also developing a mild addiction to the daily crossword puzzle . My Dad 's done the New York Times puzzle every day for as long as I can remember . And he 's pretty darn good at it , too . I ' m not that good , but I ' m getting there . I can ace the easy puzzles ( early in the week ) and I even finished Saturday 's toughie yesterday . I don't know what puzzles we get in our paper , but there are two , a simple one and a harder one via the Tribune news service , so maybe it 's the Chicago Tribune puzzle . I don't know . But I do the harder one at night when I get home - I read the paper at night after work , so I ' m perpetually a day behind , but that 's what happens when you 're always running late in the morning / afternoon . A slightly more reasonable interest also sparked by a random Hawaii time - killer . On the other hand , I ' m searching Amazon for 10 / 22 books in my other browser window . Sigh . 
A dangerous obsession . I fear I brought something back with me from Hawaii besides a list of cool journalism Weblinks and a newfound appreciation for the Asian female form . I got a kick out of surfing , and snorkeling ruled . But what I can't stop thinking about is ... Shooting . Remember the shooting range I went to ? The one where I aced it with the Ruger 10 / 22 rifle ? I used to live near a shooting range . I drove past it all the time ( it was on my commute from my old apartment ) . The other day , I stopped in . Fortunately or un , they were closed . I ' ve never owned a gun . Heck , until Hawaii , I ' d never FIRED a gun . I played soldier all the time as a kid . I write stories and scripts with guns galore . But frankly , the reason I never bought one ( back before I knew you could , um , rent them at a shooting gallery ) was simple : I always figured if I had a gun in the house , someday , I ' d put it in my mouth and pull the trigger . I ' d like to think I ' m well past that stage now , between something vaguely resembling maturity and , well , pharmaceuticals . But who ever knows . That doesn't even take into account the ideas of a ) accidentally shooting oneself ; and b ) children in the house . Not that there are any of those , really , but still . There was a kid in the paper the other day who blew away his little buddy playing around with one of his family 's 98 guns . But honest to God , I can't stop thinking about how good it felt to put that rifle to my shoulder , put something in the crosshairs and SQUEEZE THE FUCKING TRIGGER . It was amazing . No worries about recoil , weight ( unlike those heavier , later pistols ) , my rotten vision ( I was wearing my glasses ) , or anything . Just some seriously accurate shooting . Now , I ' m quite sure a .22 rifle couldn't bring down a charging dachshund , but it 's hardly a toy . It 's a freakin ' gun . And I don't know the first thing about guns and ammo . To what I ' d like to think is my credit , I went to the gun range not to buy a Ruger or anything like that , but to inquire about safety courses and other general questions like that . But that means I ' m actually thinking about getting a gun . Because I ' m assuming at a non - tourist gun range , you can't just pick one up and open fire , you ' ve got to actually bring your own . And take care of it , and clean it ( which to my way of thinking is when most people accidentally shoot themselves in the freakin ' face ) , and whatever . I ' ve owned knives of the non - kitchen kind and I sometimes think about getting a nice Daisho samurai sword set for the mantel , despite the fact that I tried to cut my wrists once . But I honestly don't think I meant to do it , despite being thoroughly morose , brokenhearted and drunk as a skunk , because I couldn't break the skin with a Swiss Army knife that I can tell you for a fact cuts open boxes and sliced my sheets all the way to the mattress . So bladed weapons don't really scare me . I ' ve played D that can't be good Books like this scare me , too Yes , I realize buying a rifle is probably also bad for my reputation , given said reputation as a bit of a psychotic to begin with . So many factors to weigh against THAT FEELING . Shit . I hate having an addictive personality . Bad enough I spend all my money on DVDs , media guides and limited - edition horror books and still probably drink too much from time to time . Now this . ( Aside , another thing I ' m left to ponder , post - Hawaii , is that whole personal essay thing . I ' m still thinking of writing one , or more , and I might post them here eventually , which violates my whole no - editing rule , but I don't really feel up to pitching them to the paper , assuming I even write them . ) . 
Irony of the Day candidates . Two little items that struck me as funny , or perhaps ironic , at least in an Alanis Morissette kind of way . ( I once had a wise co - worker give the best differentiation between coincidence and irony I ' ve ever heard : If it makes you cringe , it 's irony . I ' ve supplemented that with : If it makes you laugh , it probably is , too . ) Thus : Item 1 : A very unhealthy and imprisoned Jack " Dr. Death " Kevorkian says he won't commit suicide . Item 2 : Pete Coors , head of the pisswater beer company that bears his name , gets himself cited for driving under the influence . By the way , speaking of " I fought the law and the law won , " what 's up with the Cincinnati Bengals ? They drafted a guy today who got kicked off his college team , ostensibly to replace the guy who just got suspended for a drug violation . That 's on top of the not one , but two draft picks who got arrested / charged before they could even sign - one after sliding in the draft because he got arrested on the eve of his bowl game - and the second - year player who 's been arrested four times since Christmas alone . I ' m a Raiders fan ( you know , John Matuszak , Todd Marinovich , Lyle Alzado , Bill Romanowski ) and even I ' m going , " What 's up with that ? " Must be something in the water in the AFC North . The Steelers ' first - round pick has been busted twice since the draft himself . 
What about the rest of the 15 minutes ? The other night , I was thinking about the movie " Aliens , " my favorite movie , and it got me thinking about something else : Why is it that some people can be a major ( or at least well - known ) part of a hit movie , and then just disappear off the face of the Earth , careerwise ? Think of the Marines in " Aliens . " Michael Biehn ( Hicks ) , you know . Bill Paxton ( Hudson ) , you know . Jenette Goldstein ( Vazquez ) , you know . If only as character actors , you ' ve seen them in plenty of movies . Mark Rolston ( Drake ) , you probably don't know by name , but you ' ve seen him , too . The others ... they ' ve never done anything else , really . Sure , William Hope ( Gorman ) and Daniel Kash ( Spunkmeyer ) have done some minor stuff , and Trevor Steedman ( Wierzbowski ) is a stuntman , and poor Tip Tipping ( Crowe ) , another stuntman , died in an accident . But Ricco Ross ( Frost ) has been reduced to B - movies and Al Matthews ( Sgt. Apone ) to bit parts . Colette Hiller ( Ferro ) and Cynthia Scott ( Dietrich ) have pretty much never done anything else . It 's not like these were minor roles . These guys had lines . Serious lines . Well , maybe not the two stuntmen ... Wierzbowski even has a Web site devoted entirely to spotting his three or four appearances on - screen . But outside of the leads , famous actors all ( except the child star Carrie Henn , who gave up acting ) , these guys are the heart and soul of the movie . I suppose it 's easy to draw parallels between the size of their roles and their future career prospects , but still . It just makes me think about that whole " where are they now " bit and why some people just don't make it despite having a top movie role on their reel . There are other examples . " Platoon . " Think of the movie . You ' ve got Tom Berenger , Willem Dafoe , Charlie Sheen . If you look , you can spot Tony " Candyman " Todd and Kevin " Entourage " Dillon and even a young Johnny Depp . Then there 's the commander of the titular platoon , Lt . Wolfe , the out - of - his depth ROTC . Until he scored a plum role on " Desperate Housewives , " some 15 years later , poor Mark Moses had never advanced past the TV guest star stage and roles like " Guy in Coffeeshop " and " Football Dad , " even as everyone around him became a movie star . What did he do wrong that delayed success so ? If you ever want to amuse yourself , Google a favorite genre star from the ' 80 s or whenever your childhood was . It 's funny to see where they turn up - if at all . When I was a kid , I had a crush on a scream queen named Juliette Cummins , a redhead who mostly got naked and dead in movies like " Friday the 13 th Part V : A New Beginning " and " Slumber Party Massacre II. " Her seminal role was probably a victim 's part in " Psycho III " that featured an extended sex scene and a startling , brutal death scene . It showed up on pay cable when I was in the throes of puberty and my parents ' cable box was descrambling the wrong channels , and I was in love with her , feathered hair and all . Her movie career pretty much ended after 1991 , based on the IMDB , but ... Some poking around reveals she 's an acting teacher out in L . A . ( and still lovely ) . What she could teach , based on the roles I ' ve seen her in , I have no idea , but on the other hand , she 's been in about a half - dozen more studio - backed horror films than most aspiring actors . OK , so she popped her top in most of them , but still . Anyway , you get the point . Not every memorable role turns into something better . Funny how fickle Hollywood fate can be . Links : " Aliens , " if you don't believe me The Wierzbowski Hunters The Carolyne Barry acting school , where Juliette Cummins apparently used to teach . 
Weekend . Watched Superman Returns . The movie was alright but i felt it missed something . The special effects were eye - catching though . Lots of little odd jobs done . Finally gave the car a wash ( long overdue ) . Two loads of washing . Swept the patio . Pulled out some weeds . Cleared out a crap - load of junk . Most of it was donated to the Salvos . Paid bills . And getting the spare room ready for a visitor next week . Bought a new suit . I find the whole process therapeutic . You know having all your needs ' looked after ' and being treated like a king . Being made to feel like a millionaire once in a while is always nice . Played ' Command and Conquer : Generals ' and found out what an ' uninteresting ' game it is . Went down to my Uncle 's Cafe in Armadale to have coffee and cake . All the treats are ' homemade ' and the steak and mushroom pie is excellent . So if you 're ever along High Street , check out Jaquelin 's Cafe ( number 722 ) . And i made some ' curry puffs ' ( again ) . 
Legend . 150 goals in 219 appearances for Manchester United FC .46 goals in 55 matches in the UEFA Champions League . Barclays Premiership s second highest scorer with 21 goals this season . An enviable return for any striker . Goodbye Ruud . No one is more deadly in the six - yard box , clinical in their finishing and capable in turning matches around . You have been a great servant and part of a dying breed at Man United . Thanks for all the fantastic goals and memories . Cheers . 
Rubbish ! Every now and then i come across the various moans and groans of John Howard 's Idustrial Relations Reforms ( IRR ) . Some justified ( read Cowra abattoir sackings ) and some absolutely rubbish . Take for instance , a woman was sacked by her employer because they deemed her as a ' liability ' . As expected , she wasn't too happy about this but decided to take a pot - shot at John Howard and his IRR anyway ( since that has become the latest fad for every redundancy nowadays ) . She should have instead , faced the fact that she was not needed anymore and / or possibly , the company is trying to remain competitive by streamlining their workforce . She even had the audicity to say that the act of sacking her was ' shoddy treatment ' because she had worked for the company for 15 years . Bollocks . Askmen puts it nicely . No one inside a company is entitled to anything . Not one thing . Not ever . If you think you are entitled to a promotion , to more money or to a big office , you are not . Business has nothing to do with entitlement -- it s about achievement . If you consistently deliver the goods , your rewards will come . I am not in favor of staff programs that reward seniority or tenure . The stakes for a new employee should be the same as those for a long - term employee . I couldn t care less about tenure . Under tenure arrangements , employees can coast . That will never be allowed in a successful company . If you don t perform , you can t keep your job ! At the end of the day if you are a valuable employee , there 's no need to hide behind the Unions . 
Tips for peaceful co - existance . As you all can prolly tell , i have alot of free time on my hands and what better way to channel it by updating this drab blog of mine = ) The following tips are by no means definite but i find that they work for me .1 . A clear mind , not a heated one makes good decisions .2 . Respect is earned , not a right . Same goes with trust .3 . Lies always tend to come back and bite you in the arse . So don't .4 . Tact . Know what is proper and appropriate when dealing with others .5 . Mistakes are okay . Just don't make the same one twice .6 . Take accountability for your actions .7 . Don't point fingers unless you have facts to back your accusations .8 . Don't be pretentious because no one likes a show - off .9 . Just because you have pains , you don't need to be one for others .10 . Don't take verbal abuse too personally . Remember the problem doesn't lie with you but with the abuser . That 's all i can think of at the moment . But feel free to add yours . 
Reality Check . I ' m 22 and should be well aware or at least mostly aware , of how the world really works . i should not be so naive and neither should i be disillusioned . i know what is expected of me , i know reality is not pretty and i know that life is sometimes unfair . I ' m a realist when it comes to all that . I believe that everything can be put into persepective no matter how big or traumatic it may seem . We just need the ability to take a step back , look at the bigger picture and perhaps spot that silver lining . I also believe it 's very possible to correct your mistakes , make a fresh start and pursue something you will enjoy and put all your effort into because it is what you believe in . It 's never too late . Just like France this WC , started poorly but in the end made it to the final . So don't say that i ' m not being realistic , because i am being realistic . You got to do what is necessary to ensure you don't live out the rest of your life in regret . 
Dashing hopes . Ok , i admit , i lost it first to an Indian and now to a white fella from Australia . Two potential job openings gone for me . First one I swallowed coz he was obviously cheaper , but the second one I couldn't take it because they rather pay higher to get someone in just because he 's white and speaks with an accent . Ok , maybe he could be taller and slightly longer ... What the fwark is this ! I hope that he gets thrown out by the locals soon and may he face all kinds of problems that he ' ll go begging to be released from the role . He knows nuts about the country , the culture , the people and the local language . WHY WHY WHY !!! Blardy hell ! Caused me one night of unrest ... 
Rules of engagement . Ok , so how do people normally do the patching up after a quarrel or a cold war ? I don't know how many people will agree that most or 99 % of the time , the ladies will be the ones waiting for the guys to make the first move ? NO MATTER WHO ' S RIGHT , who caused the tiff and who scolds who first . If you ever argue with the ladies that they are the ones in the wrong and they should apologise , they ' ll give you all kinds of reasons that you are the one who made her do what she did . Of course , there are juz nice girls out that that 's soft spoken , gentle and submitting . However , those are national treasures and usually rare and protected . I ' ve been hearing quite some stories from my friends while talking to them and I find some really interesting . Especially those married ones ( Coz they have to give in eventually ) ... Here goes : - How a guy does the patching . Scenario 1 : ** Guy asking for forgiveness ( Even though it 's not his fault ) ** Guy : Dear I ' m sorry , can you please forgive me Girl : * pretends not to hear * Guy : I know i ' m wrong and shouldn't have done this this this Girl : * rants * bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla Guy : I ' m sorry etc , etc , etc , etc , etc....... Girl : * rants * bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla Guy : I ' m sorry etc , etc , etc , etc , etc....... Girl : * rants * bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla ( After about 20 mins ) Girl : Make sure you keep to your words and promises har ... -- The end -- Scenario 2 : ** Guy ask for forgiveness ( Even though also not his fault ) ** Guy : Dear , i ' m sorry , look what i got you ... ( Shows a car key ) Girl : So ... Mercedes SLK ? What colour have you got ? Guy : Black colour lor .... Girl : @ # $$ ( @ * % & ( # $ & % ( * & ! @ # @ # ^ $ YOU KNOW I LIKE BLUE !!!!! Guy : Sorry sorry ... Next time i buy blue colour . -- The end -- Not easy for the guys hur ... Let 's look at how a girl can do it . Scenario 1 : Girl : I ' m sorry dear .. can u please forgive me ( talks softly and probably acts cute at the same time teasing and caressing the guy ) ... Sorry lorrrrrrrrrrrrr ... Guy : Ok -- The end -- Scenario 2 : Girl : --- Guy : --- ** Girl hugs guy , french him , push him to the bed , give him a good blowjob , ride on and make him cum ** -- The end -- . 
To Give or not to Give . Question : Do you give in to ur girl for the sake of giving in and get over the problem or do you give in to her because you can't win the arguement ? If you give in for the sake of giving in and just wanting to cool things , how many times can you do that before you finally hit the liimit and give up ? If you give in because you can never make her understand your point of view and she keeps insisting that she 's right in her ways , you 're just booasting her level of ego and the next round of quarrel , chances are , she ' ll have to win again . The thing is , you believe u 're right and she thinks that she 's right . So how ? Does guys always have to bite the bullet in order to maintain peace and harmony ? Coz apparantly if a guy insist on winning a quarrel , the cold war will persist longer and longer each time until a day where one party decides to give up . Don't you girls know how to give in and let the guy win sometimes ? 
Blogceleb . I ' d say wtf ... there 're actually people out there who take blogsphere so seriously tat they crowned certain " well - known " bloggers as celebrities . I can't believe my eyes when i read what was written by a particular blogger . Nonetheless , this is just me and my personal comments . No pun intended . France and Switzerland juz came to a zero conclusion and i ' m now waiting for the Brazil vs Croatia match . Damn SCV got nothing good on the other channels . Yeah , I ' m at the in - between - match - wait and i ' ve got nothing to do . This whole week I ' m clearing my last 2 month 's accumulated off days and there 's nothing better to do than to watch matches and sleep in real late into the morning after the 3 am match everyday . That 's not all , next week , i ' ll be off for another 3 days for watching the the first few quarter final matches in KL ... and probably after that go back office to plan for off days again for the semi and the finals ... hehehe ... life sux hur ... i mean for you who 's reading this ... : P . 
intellect and sex . I always have this idea that woman high up the corporate ladder have very low sex drives and in fact , sex would be the last thing on their mind all the time . It ' d be difficult to trigger their senses or arouse their interest . No , don't have to prove me wrong . I know that there are always exceptions out there . This week , i ' m enjoying a whole week of eye candy as i stare officially at my course instructor who happens to look attractive to me this time as compared to many years ago . I enjoy looking at the way she presents the materials , her body language , the gestures and the constant movements of those luscious lips while she 's standing out there talking ... One thing I ' m never good at tho ... is to differenciate a real nose and a " made nose " as her 's is not like a typical asian woman 's flat type . Hmmm ... I wonder if I can have an answer at the end of this week .... Nah , i ' m not lusting over her . Just appreciating God 's creation and maybe the different appeal that she presents herself now . Well , probably it could be due to the image that she needs to portray , she has a very confident , firm , serious and a touch - me - not look . Usually these few attributes would put me off immediately if it 's on other woman but not this time . Well , i guess that smart girls have a good side to them as well hur . Hope u have a nice week too ... : ) . 
time to spend , time to plan . I ' m getting a lot of off days for my work but the problem is , i dunno wat to do with them .... i am already having problems clearing my annual leave and they slap me with so much more off days .. i ' d say WTF la ... Now i really need to plan my off days and what to do with them ... Work 3 weeks a month ? or work 2 months and take 2 weeks ? or plan a 4 days work week for myself ? Ultimate siansation is the mood now ... No matter what , i dunno what to do on those leave days man ... 
Melting Point . Ok , i must really admit that i ' m a damn soft guy with a damn soft spot for things . Yes , the problem has been resolved . I gave in . I accepted her apologies and did not probe any further . She promised never to do it again and I am going to believe her now . It 's really not easy , but i decided that it 's not gonna to do any of us any better if this war carries on for too long . And furthermore , I don't want any strain in our relationship to build up as it may eventually lead to tearing up . No No No , that 's not gonna happen . We will live happily ever after . ~ The End ~ . 
Limewire . I got limewire for linux today . Not much special , but it told me in the monitor that i was protected by something , and that i wouldn't get a lot of hits , but now i get a hit about every 2 seconds , this may be bad , but it 's more limewire itself predicted ! 
MP 3 Player . My mom bought me a MP 3 Player today ( a Xiron ) , 512 Mb , I ' m now putting some music on it . I ' m going to take it to holiday . By the way , within two weeks i ' m going to go to holiday to Greece ( Ixia , Rhodos to be precise ) . I ' ll post it when i ' m going . 
Beach Party . I went to a beach part on a beach near me yesterday . It was great fun ! I also went swimming in the sea , and the waves were about as big as I am , so about 1.83 metres . Again : it was great fun . And further : I ' m learning Perl now from a book . So I hope I could use that some time . 
GIMP . I ' m ' playing ' with ' the GIMP ' now , GIMP stands for GNU Image manipulation Project . As the name says , it 's an image manipulation program ( for Linux ) . If I create something nice , I ' ll post it here . 
His - Ball - Lah ? ! ? ! Okay ... pardon the pun ... but whats all this news about eminent war breaking out in the middle east and acts of terrorism again ! ? . Doesnt the world already have enough troubles .... Bird - Flu , Quakes , Typhoons ..... Sigh .. For you guys who are almost as ignorant as me ... * heehee .. * Well .. The Hezbollah * The Party Of God * ... is a party formed by the Lebanese to fight the Israel invasion of Lebanon during the 80 - 90 s . They have a military and civilian arm ... In my opinion .. these guys are just another terrorist grp / organization ... fighting in the name or freedom / religion etc etc.. blah blah . Okay ... So the whole deal of this issue is that the Hezbollah militants decided to attack and capture some israel soldiers on 12 july ' 06 to start a bargain in exchange with the Israeli government for some of their prisoner - of - war * During the 90 s * . What followed was an agressive , non - compromising attack on Lebanon by Israel .... If you ask me ... i think Israel was been waiting for this chance to attack / invade lebanon ... oh well ... i think the political agenda behind this attack is more than meets the eye ..... we just have to wait and see .... Hopefully ... we see less wars .. and more LOVE ! : ) Peace out !!! 
Lies !!! Hmm ... Have you ever wondered why people go to such an extent to lie ? ... And why lies have such a predominant and strong hold on our everyday lives ? ... I guess it all starts from that innocent little " I guess he will never find out " premonition , only to discover that you ' ll need more and more just to cover up that first lie . No.. i am not crazy ... I have discovered my friend was lying to me about something ... without going into details , he kind of undermined our friendship when he decided to " LIE " about something which he already done . Anyway thats besides the point , .... i should have known he wasnt really the trustworthy sort anyway . Lies hurt ... and they spoil relationships .... i guess its a major factor as to why there is so many broken families , .. etc. ------------------------ Ok ... enough of rant .. I shall leave u with todays ' moral !!! Dont lie to people you love / cherish . 
Pirates !!! Arrrggghhhh . Okay ... If you havent seen the Pirates Of the Carribean : Dead Man 's Chest , ... Then i suggest you stop reading ... heehee ... Okay ... i must admit that i was kinda anticipating the release of this movie . Mainly due to the fact that the first movie was totally enjoyable . I was expecting this " sequel " to match the previous one , both in plot and entertainment value . It didnt dissapoint me !!! The computer graphics was totally awesome ! Especially the rendering of Davy Jones and his crew . Breathtaking to say the least !!! Only 1 letdown ... THERE IS A 3 rd EPISODE !!! > . Haha ... at least it remains interesting ... * SPOILER * Captain Barbossa is alive !!! remember the undead captain ? .. The one with the monkey ? ... YEA !! he 's alive !!! .... Seems like he 's gonna help find Jack Sparrow in the 3 rd Episode of this movie . I am gonna end here with my spoilers ... Its a really good movie and i suggest everyone who likes Jack Sparrow and the Pirates to go catch it ! : ) One thing to note though .. SPIDER MAN 3 is coming out next May !!! omg ... i saw footages of what i thought to be the Arch enemy of Spider man .. " VENOM ! " .... This is going to be another awesome movie to watch out for ... too bad its gonne be another year before its release . Life has been awesome so far !!! : ) Finally able to have late nights without worry of being late for work ... Hopefully i can relax and rejuvenate this tired body of mine ... so that i will be ready for the challenges ahead !! : D . 
Unemployed and Loving It ? Wow ... i really need to get this habbit of updating my blog back into my life . I have now joined the 4 - 5 % of the unemployed workforce in singapore !!! Yes ! did not extend the contract i was given . Maybe partially due to the burn out i suffered during the early parts of this year . Despite the attractive renumerations , ... i was unable to commit myself to continue for another 6 months or so . I cant say it 's great ... but at least i am able to do what i like . To be honest , i was kind of lost during the first week . I asked myself " OMG !! What am i supposed to do ?? " . I guess the insecurity comes from the knowledge that there wont be a steady flow of income ... It was during this time that i realised how my dad must have felt when he was retrenched 2 - 3 years ago . I guess its a good time to do some soul - searching , ... to consider my future ... and to take a long awaited rest . I guess ... i will just stop right here ... FOR NOW ... : D . 
Lost !!! What is happening man ... I was LOST for 5 months !!! been drowning in my work since the start of 2006 .... Havent even had time to update my rant site .. Guess i will have to update this place more often * As if people read it * . ok ... here i am stoning infront of my computer , wracking my brains , trying to figure out what i should write ...... My mind is in a blank , .. i havent had a good night 's sleep since way way way ..... back . Hoping for the day i can complete my contract and finally take a good rest .. : P . 
Wow ... MIA . haha ... i have been Missing In Action for a long long time !!! haha ... been lazy to post ... and also , ... many many stuff happening ... work , office ... and all ... Had a great 25 th Birthday ... it was awesome to say the least ... Life 's been good to me .... my family were able to have a good holiday to Hokkaido Japan and they returned safely ... duhhh ... they didnt get me anything though .. : ( Anyway .... life in the office is getting busy again ... many of the new APIs and stuff have just come in from the france office ... have been pretty tied up and busy for the past few days ... Hopefully things will slow down towards Christmas ... cant wait for that day !!! For now , .. i ' ll just be boring and leave u guys with this update ... might post some pics of my bro 's holiday .. : ) Ciao .. 
Big Picture . 	 July of 2006 is almost gone ( it went fast - didn't it ? ) . Now I have seen enough of earnings reports ( 2 nd quarter ) from various companies and I have also witnessed how stocks reacted to those earnings to form an opinion . You are not going to like my assesment of the market ( I personally think it is great ) . The market will go down again . Let me give you the big picture : 2006 , the U.S. stock market started with a bang . We had a beautiful gain in the first week . Thereafter , the market basically went up slowly ( and stright up ) until the first week of May . That was the high point in 2006 . From second week of May until last week stocks went down fast ( and stright down ) . You probably don't remember this but the market went down so fast that in two ( 2 ) weeks ( by the third week of May ) stocks lost all of its gains for the year . Now the major indexes are negative for the year . This week , stocks tried to come off the market low and so far it looks great . But I feel that we have not seen the real low of 2006 yet . Which means we will go down again . Now , do you get the feel for this year thus far ? Regular readers know that I have always said that the 3 rd quarter of this year will be the low . I have also said that the 4 th quarter will be the best quarter of this year ( see my past notes ) . If my assesment is right , you should be happy knowing that you will get a chance to buy stocks at a discount soon . Of course the safest thing is to get out of the market now . But here 's the problem with that : When will you get back in ? How will you know that that 's the best time to jump back in ? Over time , earnings drive the prices of securities ( stocks ) . As long as our stocks are making money , I am not too worried . I understand that even profitable , good stocks go down in a bear market , but they jump right back up when the market turns . And usually , investors miss the ride - up . Bottom line : Get your ammos ready now ! As per my notes yeaterday , XMSR reported 2 nd quarter numbers this morning . Basically , revenue went up more than expected ( $ 228 million ) but earnings were lower than expected ( - $ 0.87 per share ) . XM added close to 400,000 new subscribers in the quarter and now expects about 8,000,000 ( that 's 8 million ) subscribers by the end of 2006 . Wow . I personally think that 's not bad - not bad at all . And the stock is off 66 % this year ! Talk about discount ! Bottom line : Acetrader likes it . We will buy it soon . This one is also a potential double within 12 - 18 months - Not bad either . My order for Midastrade . com ( MIDS ) did not excute yet . I think we need to be calm and cool with this one . Do not chase it . My gut feeling tells me that within a few months , something big will happen with this . I am going to slowly accumulate this one . You should too . 
Midastrade . com ( MIDS ) . 	 I told you yesterday that I will be seeing my surgeon ( she operated on me ) today for a check up . Well , let 's just say that my behind got a major lube job today . Basically I need to go for additional tests to make sure everything is alright ( such as CT scans and colonoscopy etc. ) . I guess more tests will be good for me . I ' ll just have to bend over ... take it like a man ... First , my order was excuted this morning per my last note . OIH was sold at $ 141.31 / share . Up + 8.3 % in three ( 3 ) days ( 100 shares x $ 11 gain = $ 1,100.00 ) . OIH was as high as $ 144.45 today . Well , my rule is simple . If you can make $ 1,000.00 in a few days , take it . Simple rule indeed . And don't worry , I will revisit OIH again . I love OIH . Second , XM radio ( XMSR ) will be reporting earnings tomorrow at 10 am . You will see some action . I expect the earnings to be disappointing for wall street guys . But since the expectation is low already , anything can happen . If the earnings per share comes any better than - $ 0.66 / share and revenue at $ 221 million or better , the stock will jump . Otherwise it may fall . If XMSR falls significantly from here ( $ 10.36 now ) I am buying . Let 's watch . Third , I just placed a limit order to buy Midas Trade . com ( MIDS ) at $ 1.51 or better . It closed today at $ 1.60 / share . I will be writing about this one tomorrow . For now , just know that MIDS will link ( direct trade of stocks , futures and options ) the United States and Korea . I personally think this is big news . However , no one knows it yet . The average volume in the last 90 days is less than 10,000 shares per day . I am willing to bet that soon this volume will surge . I am going to slowly work myself in ( my order was for 4,000 shares at $ 1.51 ) . If price falls , I will add more . If it goes above $ 2.00 then I am buying my full lot . Go visit their website and do your own research as well . Just know this , Koreans do not pay taxes on stock gains ! And they trade like there 's no tomorrow : ) P . S : Did you know that Korea ranks # 1 in the world in terms of broadband internet access ? 
Oligopoly . 	 Early tomorrow morning , I will be meeting with the surgeon who operated on me ( removed 1 foot of my large intestine - but don't worry , I still have about 4 - 5 feet of it left ) to check my ass. Lately I had to visit my bathroom too frequently . Basically , the brain ( my brain ) does not understand that there is one foot of colon missing . In any case , I am not looking forward to my doc ( lady doctor no less ) probing into my anus tomorrow morning . Wish me luck . Remember that I purchased OIH at $ 130.31 two days ago ; it closed at $ 139.46 today . Please note that I have placed a limit order to sell at $ 141.31 / sh . When this excutes it will yield + 8.4 % return in a few days - not bad I ' d say . Once in a while , I will take advantage of the market to get a quick return in a few days to supplement my overall portfolio return . Regular readers know that I love monopoly business ( hard to find though ) . The next best thing is oligopoly ( just as powerful - still hard to find ) . The oligopoly busines that I am interested in is non other than satellite radio services . There 's only two players - thus an oligopoly . XM Satellite radio ( XMSR ) and Sirius Satellite radio ( SIRI ) . I have made good earnings in XMSR two years ago . XM was my choice between the two all the time . Until Sirius started to really push the business . XM always had more subscribers than Sirius ( double actually ) . XM still have double the revenue but half the market cap . This will not continue . The reason I am interested now is because both XMSR and SIRI came down in price where it looks ripe to pick ( didn't I tell you that there 's too many bargains out there ? ) . Check out the two players : XMSR : $ 10.88 X 258 million shares = $ 2.8 billion dollar company . It has $ 663 million in revenue so it is trading at 4 X sales . It has about $ 520,000,000.00 in cash . SIRI : $ 3.92 X 1.4 billion shares = $ 5.5 billion dollar company . It has $ 325 million in revenue so this one trades at 17 X sales . It has about $ 721,000,000.00 in cash . By the way , satellite radio business is real - it is here to stay . This is not a fad . It is like a GPS system in your car . Once you have it - you have to have it - there you have it . I believe both company will prosper but if you had to buy one , which one ? Would you pay $ 2.8 billion for $ 663 million in sales ? or pay $ 5.5 billion for $ 325 million in sales ? Yes , I know that people think SIRI will grow faster than XMSR because of Haward Stern but are you serious ? Which would you buy ? I will tell you my pick when I issue a buy signal . I am definately buying one of these . Isn't this fun ? P . S : Both of these are potential double in 12 - 24 months . Nice ! 
Q i . e . the stock went below my limit price ? A # 2 : First of all , you are smart to place a limit order on this . Sometimes due to bid / ask spread your trade might not go through eventhough there were 2 penny difference . Out of 4,472 shares traded today , 2,000 shares were traded at $ 4.11 on 3:33 pm and 2,472 shares traded at between $ 4.16 - $ 3.98 on 10:22 am . It is possible that only few shares were actually traded at $ 3.98 and you were behind the que . Most of it were traded at $ 4.16 I believe . By the way , I have a limit order to buy at $ 4.01 and mine did not excute either . If you really want this , place an order a penny or two above me . In the end , few pennies will not make a difference . Hold on to your shares once you get ' em . Hint : When placing an order , try not to use round numbers . Most people like to do this - we try to be different . For example , do not place $ 4.00 / sh order , instead place $ 4.01 / sh . There 's no logic in this except that I try not to go with the mass . Yesterday , I bought OIH at $ 130.31 / sh . I love odd numbers like that : ) . 
Oil Services Trust ( OIH ) . 	 As most of you know , investing requires patience . I happened to have quite a bit of patience and I hope you have too . The current market situation calls for such skills . Yes , being patient is learned skill set . With some of our holdings , we really have no choice but to be patient anyway . I placed a limit order to sell half of my PRZ shares and it excuted this afternoon at exactly $ 1.75 / share . As I have said before , I decided to sell half because the momentum on PRZ was lost and there are share dilutions expected near term . Having said that , I still like the company and its business - like it enough to hold half position still ( for me that 's 7,000 shares ) . Yes , I know that we could have sold it at $ 2.25 / share but we did not . Therefore , I only have about + 33.5 % gain on this one in less than two ( 2 ) months . : ) There are now too many stocks on my buy list - I don't know what to do . In the mean time , while I am waiting , I used proceeds from the PRZ sale to buy Oil Service Trust ( OIH ) . Now , you probably remember that we made some money with OIH previously . We sold it at $ 165.11 back in May 11 th . I just bought 100 shares at $ 130.31 this afternoon . Let me remind you again that you can not buy less than 100 shares of OIH . The minimum is a 100 share lot . Other than that , this is a great basket of Oil related stocks . I like every company in the OIH basket . I love OIH . If you still have not bought IGLD this is a good time to add . Tonight Israel will invade Southern Lebannon with ground troops and tanks . Many people think this is going to be one terrible war . I disagree . This conflict will end swiftly . This situation will not have lasting effect on IGLD business in Israel . In fact , it might help . There is no better way to be connected to the rest of the world than through the internet . Internet related business in Israel will boom . Trust me , you want a piece of that . See my previous write up for more info on IGLD . Two days ago , I was able to buy some more of EXPEZ at $ 4.01 / share . As you can see , I am adding to my position while lowering my average cost . At these prices I will keep adding to my position ( I can't find a seller these days ) . By this Christmas , do not be surprised to see me on vacation with money from EXPEZ . Have a great weekend ! 
PRZ . 	 As per my note yesterday , I am placing a limit order to sell half of my holdings at $ 1.75 / share . Please execrcise caution by not placing market order especially if you own many shares . Again , I am selling half of my position ( 7,000 shares ) at $ 1.75 / sh limit . Have a good day ! 
Sell Pain Care ( PRZ ) . 	 I am having a tough time with my new chemo drugs . This is just a part of package I have to live with . Overall however , I am doing great ! Thanks again for those who are praying for me . Do you know why I appreciate praying ? Money lost can be earned again . Time passed will never be captured again ! When you pray for someone , you are spending your precious time for that person . Time is the most valuable asset we have . How you decide to spend that limited time is how your life will unfold before you . Spend it wisely . You have no time to waste by being upset with someone . You only have limted time to love someone . Spend it wisely because you may have alot less than you may think . In investing , time is also the most important variables . The beauty of componding does not work without sufficient time . All risks are reduced if you have more time . " Time value of money " is the main concept taught in MBA programs . So simple yet so many people do not really comprehend . Make sure you value your time . Although Pain Care ( PRZ ) is doing a fine job of growing the company , it is about to get some dilution through more shares being thrown in the market . Our average cost is $ 1.29 / sh and some of you have even lower cost basis on this . I will be selling using limit orders starting tomorrow . The stock closed at $ 1.73 today . I suggest you do the same . I have decided to lock in my + 33.5 % gain on PRZ . If you do not own RICK , buy some now before it runs away from you . The action in the market was terrible today . There are some great companies at fire sale price now . Let 's be patient for now . 
Summer Rally ? 	 I could not type . This past Monday my oncologist & I decided that we needed to change my chemo drugs . For those medically inclined , I was on FOLFOX program ( mix of 3 different drugs ) . Besides the normal side effects of chemo ( tiredness , nausea , loss of appetite etc. ) FOLFOX also makes your hands and feets numb . It effects your nerve endings . When I go hiking , I could not feel my steps , when I try to type I was pushing all the wrong buttons , I could not use my cell phone because my fingers were pushing wrong numbers . And this was only getting worse . Time for a change . Two days ago I started on a new drug mix called FOLFIRI ( almost same cocktail but one different drug : Irinotecan instead of Oxaliplatin ) . Now this new drug comes with different side effects - stomach aches & diarrhea . Nice . With all these things happening , I have no time to get bored . Internally ( my body ) and externally ( the world ) is in a state of WAR ! And I am fully enjoying the fight . Because I happened to have an idea how both will end . ( Did you know that the average survival rate for people on either FOLFOX or FOLFIRI chemo is about 15 months ? ) Anyone interested in learning more about any of above information , just google the key words like " FOLFIRI " . Back to business : Every year about this time , we get a summer rally in the stock market . This is similar to the Santa Clause rally in the winter . So , are we going to get one this year ? Things look very bad but I think we might just get one . Why ? Because no one is expecting one . The market has a beautiful ability to kill weak hands - amateurs . Do you know how many people I know have said " I will never invest in stocks again - its a fixed gamble - I am out ! " . Last week I told you that the market is oversold and that this week we will have a bounce . Well , do you see what I see ? Buyers are slowly coming in . Monday the Dow went up a hair , Tuesday ( yesterday ) the Dow went up 0.62 % , Wednesday ( today ) the Dow will probably go up even further . Let 's see . It is now 6:41 am on Wednesday ( working hard early in the morning ) . My largest holding RICK is acting like an " A " student . It is now trading quietly in the $ 7 area . I bet you that you will soon see $ 8 on this baby . By then those of you who did not go in at $ 4 s / $ 5 s and even $ 6 s will feel terrible . Don't you agree that during this very difficult times in the market RICK is acting nicely ? Just imagine when the market turns positive ! Wooo - I am getting the chills ... I have not expressed too much about our other " A " student . His name is UTEK ( UTK ) . This company is doing so well that it is almost approaching our " target " price already . A few months ago , we bought this at $ 14.35 / sh . My target for this was about $ 24 / share then . This will definately get there this year ( nice return huh ? ) . In fact , I might just raise my target on this baby soon . I just love what this company does . And they are doing it well . Go visit www . utekcorp . com for your viewing pleasure . If there is any stock that we own which could hit $ 100 / share in the future - it is UTK . Read my past notes on this . Mr. Bernanki is talking today in the senate about interest rates . Oil is moving up but OIH is not following yet . ( I love OIH ) . Gold is taking a breather . The market will bounce . Have a nice day . 
Naked Short Selling . 	 The market is in a major down turn . Normally I write my blog at night after the market close but today I am at my desk at 11:30 am . As you see , I too am a hard worker : ) The Dow just fell over 400 points during the last few days . There is blood in the street . But I think the market is oversold in the short run . Technically , we should see the bounce next week ( give people a weekend to come to senses ) . Unless there is major international crisis ( which is always a possibility ) , we should see the market going up next week . So why such a negative sentiment in the market you ask ? Let me give you few reasons : 1 . North Koreans are firing ( testing ) long range missiles ( bad ) 2 . Iran is developing Nuclear Weapons ( they are not going to stop ) 3 . India just had a terrorist attack killing few hundread citizens ( real bad ) 4 . Iraq is in the middle of civil war ( very messy ) 5 . Israel is fighting with two countries ( this is serious ) 6 . Nigeria is having oil supply problem ( fire , what else ? ) President Bush is in Russia to discuss above problems with fellow G 8 members ( wooo ! ) . So what is the bottom line ? Actually , this is playing out exactly as I thought . It 's just that it came a bit too soon . All this will end in the third quarter . We just have to be strong for a few months . Let me offer you my predictions for your amusement sake ( this is expensive stuff ) : 1 . North Koreans have nothing ( no big deal ) 2 . Iran will have to scale down ( economic sanctions maybe ? ) 3 . India 's stock market went up after the bombing ( terrorist ? so ? ) 4 . Iraq is going through a natural growing pain ( freedom is new to them ) 5 . Israel will cease fire soon ( if they want - they can kick some ass ) 6 . Oil problem is actually a supply / demand issue ( price will head up ) All in all , no major disaster . I am looking forward to the 4 th quarter . Get your fire power ( money ) ready and start buying as prices fall . In a year or two , you are going to look pretty smart . RICK - my largest holding looks quite healthy . The next earnings report will blow away estimates . If you do not own yet , it is not too late - buy now . You can also buy IGLD & EXPEZ cheaper than I did . IGLD is based in Israel - now you know why you get the chance to buy this on the cheap . Finally I would like for you to understand how naked short selling works ( it should be illegal ) . This is very educational and intelligently made - please forward it to your other friends for review as well . The link is as follows : http : // www . businessjive . com / nss / darkside ... Have a beautiful weekend ... P . S : Those who are familier with the stock market and warrants I have one challenge for you . Expedia ( EXPE ) is now at $ 13.50 / sh . EXPEW is at $ 1.7 ( ask ) and EXPEZ is at $ 4.3 ( ask ) . Which is a better deal ? Why did I buy EXPEZ instead of EXPEW ? Can you explain the difference ? I welcome the answers in the comment section . 
More shopping : EXPEZ . 	 Unfortunately for me , I was quite sick yesterday . I stayed in bed for almost 24 hours . High fever , stomach pain , feeling weak - you know the drill . Tuesday night I could not sleep ( slept for maybe 2 hours ) then on Wednesday , I went mountain hiking early in the morning . When I came back home , I fell down on my bed and stayed there for the next 24 hours . The thing is , sometimes I forget that I am a sick man . Going through a chemo therapy ( now for 7 months ) is no walk in the park . Maintain your health when you are healthy . Most of you know that my dad is a doctor . I have many useful medical information and I will give you one now . I remember when I was a little kid , I used to go into my dad 's study and read various medical books ( mostly studying the gruesome pictures ) . Lets just say that I have above average medical information . We all need sleep . Without sleeping 1 / 3 of your life , your 2 / 3 will give you problems . Basically , your body goes through hugh amount of activity during the day ( internally ) and it needs time to re - group for the next day . Most importantly between 1 - 3 am , your liver collects blood to filter it ( cleaning ) and replenish it with necessary enzymes to collectly do its job the next day . By the way , did you know that your liver is the largest organ in your body ? If you are still up at 2 am , even if you sleep for 8 hours , you will still feel tired ( your blood has not been cleaned entirely ) . Your body is designed to rest when sun goes down ( dark ) and be active when sun comes up ( light ) . Try your best to keep that schedule if you want your body to serve you right . I ' ve learned my lesson once again . Back to business : We will see the bottom ( new low ) sometime in this quarter . Which means the general market will go down before coming back up . You have two choices : sell every thing and stay with cash or buy things that you think is of value . As you guessed it , I am staying with the second choice . Why ? Because I always miss the boat on the way up . For example : if you think that " Apple ( AAPL ) " is worth $ 80 and you bought it at $ 60 but it falls to $ 50 ; are you happy or sad ? Most people get upset that they lost money ( paper money ) but they really should be happy - now you can get it even cheaper ( higher potential profit ) . Does this make any sense to you ? Or is it me ? Today I bought more of EXPEZ ( $ 4.24 ) and IGLD ( $ 5.05 ) . This action is called " averaging down " . I still expect that EXPEZ will hit my target price of $ 9.60 / share . And I was able to pick it up at $ 4.24 today ( I am happy ) . The bottom line is that Expedia ( EXPE ) is the largest player in the field and they are coming out with some fancy vacation packages that I think people will appreciate . This is a great time to pick up some EXPEZ . As one of the readers of this blog stated " IGLD might have few days of weakness " , I agree and I bought half my usual amount initially and today I bought more . Who said you can not buy more ? IGLD offers value and I see it . Now , I just hope that others see it as well . Both PRZ and AUTO went down over 10 % each . Don't worry , no bad news other than few big guys are selling shares in PRZ for whatever reason ( money for vacation maybe ? ) . As you know , I go with available information . And the infomation is saying - Hold on ... P . S : For my day trading account I just bought Stamps . com ( STMP ) at $ 21.55 / sh . This is too risky for most of you . If you are interested , look it up yourself . I am looking for a quick 10 % . Either way , I am out in a few days ( this does not get included in our investment portfolio ) . 
Big picture 2006 . 	 The earnings season is here . Starting this week , companies will report their second quarter numbers . Overall , the numbers will look good compared to previous numbers . However , that does not mean stocks will go up automatically . The important thing is to understand the " big picture " ( refer to my note dated 5 / 10 ) . If you agree with my analysis on the market , you will not be scared off like most other investors ( amatuers ) . I forgot which day it was but I have painted an overall assumption of 2006 stock market trend for you in this blog ( it 's in there - you just have to find it ) . For your benefit , let me give you the short , dirty version . During 2006:1 st quarter : up a few percent 2 nd quarter : down a few percent ( erasing the previous gains ) 3 rd quarter : will hit the bottom remember , I already picked and chose . I chose to hold onto half of my IDWD shares until further review . I made it clear on Friday that I am selling half . Any other questions ? 
Buy Internet Gold : IGLD . 	 Last Friday we sold half position of IDWD freeing up some cash for new buys ( just so you know , I am seeing many potential buys right now ) . Regarding IDWD , I have decided to keep the other half until further analysis . There are just too many good things happening to IDWD ( assuming there is no fraud ) for me to totally abandon ship . However , the safest thing to do is to get out . Having said that , when was the last time I chose the safest route ? Investing in stocks by nature is not safe . Money in the bank is relatively safe ( although banks themselves invest your money for itself ) . Basically , you are giving them access to your money so they can profit from it . Ace Trader 's investment style is definately more riskier than the overall market ( we specialize in small companies ) . How do you explain our + 40 % gain year to date when the general market lost money ? We did it by taking additional risk ; calculated & managed risk but added risk to be sure . We manage risk in three ways : 1 . Time 2 . Diversification 3 . Stock selection I will devote a whole section regarding RISK soon . For now , just know that I am managing it and that " yours truly " is aware of the issue . Let 's go shopping ( Sales season has began ) . Internet Gold ( IGLD ) should ring a bell to anyone who followed this blog for a few months . We sold it ( $ 5.96 / sh ) for a small loss back in May 17 th to free up money for Martek ( MATK ) purchase . Good move since IGLD is trading at $ 5.50 now . Internet Gold - Golden Lines , Ltd. operates in the fields of Internet access , e - content / e - advertising , e - commerce , search , and Vo IP - based telephony in Israel . Its subsidiary , MSN Israel , Ltd. , offers Microsoft - branded search , instant messaging , Hotmail , and various portal services . IGLD is a much bigger company now than two months ago when we sold it . It just bought a company ( 012 - Golden Lines ) with cash it had ( over $ 60 million in cash ) with some financing . Believe me , this was a smart purchase . The combined company will have in excess of $ 200 million in revenue and about 60 - 70 cents per share in earnings . This is a bargain ! I am buying . I am sure that most people will not recognize this value until too late . We have some time - do not chase the stock . Use limit orders for your purchases . My target for IGLD : $ 12 per share in 12 - 24 months . P . S : Macy 's having a " One Day Sale " on July 12 th in NY . You know I love the word Discount and Sale ... 
Performance Update 06 ' . 	 Yes , I know that my blog has been a little slow in updating since my vacation . First , I had to re - start my chemo therapy on Monday and second , both my sisters are here visiting from Korea . As I have told you many times , nothing comes before your health and your family . And , I have spent some quality time with my family this weekend . I hope you did too . Now that first half of the year is behind us , it 's time to check our pockets to see how we are doing so far . No matter what your business is , keeping a regular measurement of your performance is essential . One simply can not improve unless one measures itself . The last time we did this was back in May 15 th ( go back and re - read them - it 's interesting ) . For those new to this blog , please keep in mind that our portfolio is REAL with real money involved . There are many hypothetical portfolios out there claiming not so real numbers . What makes this blog interesting is that I make it crystal clear what we do and what we don't . It is through my mistakes that I hope you can learn and be better off . Good luck . We gauge our performance with both SP 500 and NASDAQ indexes ( again , read May 15 th blog as to why ) . Currently , our holdings are mostly small caps ( smart move ) . I am begining to like large caps and we will probably move into them slowly . Index NAV ( 1 / 1 ) NAV ( 7 / 7 ) Performance % SP 500 1,248.29 1,265.48 + 1.38 % Nasdaq 2,205.32 2,130.06 - 3.41 % Ace Trader 1,315.32 1,848.00 + 40.50 % As noted above , these numbers are as of last Friday ( July 7 th 2006 ) . No matter how you look at it , this is an amazing performance during a lousy year thus far . Don't ask me how we will do during a good year ! Our current holdings and our cost is listed below . Stock Avg . Cost Price ( 7 / 7 / 06 ) Gain / Loss % Target RICK $ 4.80 $ 6.62 + 37.92 % $ 10.10 PRZ $ 1.29 $ 2.11 + 63.57 % $ 2.60 AUTO $ 1.09 $ 1.74 + 59.63 % $ 2.56 MATK $ 28.70 $ 29.96 + 4.39 % $ 38.00 BTYH $ 1.46 $ 1.05 - 28.08 % $ 2.80 UTK $ 14.35 $ 22.70 + 58.19 % $ 24.00 IDWD $ 0.89 $ 0.94 + 5.62 % $ 2.75 EXPEZ $ 4.50 $ 4.76 + 5.78 % $ 9.60 HLS - no value yet ( special dividend from IDWD ) The stocks are listed by size of holdings . Another words , RICK is my largest holding in our portfolio . It is very important to be diversified in investing . Try your best to hold as many of these holdings as possible . So there it is . The market will be very rocky in coming weeks . Good chance to add to your portfolio ... 
Sell IDWD now ... 	 I have came across a disturbing news regarding the IDS Worldwide Inc. and its CEO Mr. Downs . At this time , I can not verify whether this is true but I am not willing to risk our money waiting for it . My advise is to sell all or if you are daring , sell at least half of it now . Do not place a market order ! Place a limit order so that you know what price you are getting . I just placed an order to sell half of my shares at a limit of $ 0.97 / share . If you are interested , please visit www . investorshub . com and type IDWD . Better safe than sorry ... 
Birthday Gift . 	 Yes , thanks to most of you , I had a wonderful birthday with my family and friends . When you are in my situation , every birthday counts . In fact , believe it or not , everyday is a gift as far as I am concerned . My birthday bash really started yesterday by Macy 's fireworks ( every year since coming to America , they do this for me ) . Today I also received several nice gifts from above . They are : AUTO : + 30.37 % IDWD : + 11.24 % UTK : + 13.01 % These are one ( 1 ) day gains in our holdings ! By the way , the market was terrible today : Dow down 76 points , NASDAQ down 2 % . Need I say more ? My chemo session ended this morning so I am quite tired . I will give you more detailed analysis on our current holdings but until then you know exactly what I own . Here is a tip you should know : If I don't sell , then it is a buy . A stock should be either a Buy or Sell , no in between . Some people use " Hold " rating . What is that ? A " Hold " means not sure ? If you are not sure , then it is a sell . One more tip : Sell some or all of your stock if you have nice gains . I always try to sell 33 % - 50 % of my holdings when it doubles . Remember that I also gave you my target price for all stocks in our portfolio for your use . It is only a guideline . I am not that smart . Use your own judgement when you need to lock in your gains . Of course , I will tell you when I sell . Last tip : Whenever possible , try to go back and read past notes in this blog regarding your stocks . It will help you gain instincts in this business . Gut feeling is quite imortant I think . Thanks gain for those who sent nice words and gifts ! P . S : Since my average cost for AUTO is $ 1.08 I have placed a limit order to sell half at $ 2.16 good - till - cancel . Just so you know . 
Review : I ' m Back ! 	 It 's good to be back . I had a fantastic vacation in Korea . Too bad that the Korean soccer team ( World Cup 2006 ) could not beat the Swiss . But the Korean team finished 1 st ( # 1 ) among the Asian teams . We beat Togo 2 - 1 and we tied with France 1 - 1 . Asians all over the world cheered for us and I am proud of what Koreans accomplished thus far . See you again in 2010 World Cup . There are only four teams left to compete to gain the top spot . They are France , Portugal , Italy and Germany . This is very unusual situation . Who would have guessed that Germany beat Argentina and France to upset Brazil ! This is why the World Cup is exciting . Did you know that more people around the world watch World Cup compared to the Olympics ? The U.S. is finally waking up and realizing that soccer rules ... Obviously I need to review our holdings ( I was only gone for three weeks you know ) . Let me show you the percentage gain / loss since my last blog dated 6 / 7 / 06 . RICK : $ 6.54 $ 6.15 - 5.9 % BTYH : $ 1.37 $ 1.17 - 14.6 % MATK : $ 28.12 $ 28.95 + 2.9 % IDWD : $ 0.92 $ 0.63 plus HLS stock ( can't place value on HLS yet ) AUTO : $ 1.05 $ 1.19 + 13.3 % PRZ : $ 1.20 $ 2.05 + 70.8 % UTK : $ 15.92 $ 20.05 + 25.9 % EXPEZ : $ 5.05 $ 5.28 + 4.5 % So , what do you think ? If you look at the above carefully , I think you will agree that we did a fantastic job ! Oh , by the way , if you did not buy Pain Care Holdings ( PRZ ) shame on you . Please re - read my blog dated 6 / 5 / 06 and 5 / 25 / 06 . I specifically told you that I was buying more that day . In fact , you could have bought it cheaper than I did . Please read again for my reasoning behind that move . You do not get + 70 % move in 3 weeks frequently . PRZ already paid for my vacation and then some : ) Our worst performer while I was gone was Bad Toys Holdings ( BTYH ) - 14.6 % . If you have all the stocks in our portfolio and still have money to invest , buy more of BTYH . This represents good value now . No significant news while I was gone . Buy . IDS Worldwide ( IDWD ) is reporting some excellent news regarding the core businesses . We have received special stock dividend ( 1 for 1 HLS stock ) in our account . Until HLS stock starts to freely trade , we can not place a correct value to the stock we just received . My gut feeling tells me that it will trade above $ 1 per share ! ( we just doubled our money ) . Let 's wait and see . RICK is still a strong buy . I still say that this stock will be trading in the double digits within a year . Business so far have been excellent . Cash flow is beautiful . Simply taking a rest . As I have predicted previously , gold has come down from $ 700 + area to below $ 600 / oz . I am warming up to finally buying gold related stock soon . Wait a few days . Since we just finished our 2 nd quarter of 2006 , I will do my accounting of our stocks in my next blog . P . S : Remember MVK ( I said no brainer buy on 5 / 22 blog ) at $ 43 . It is now at $ 63.20 - Ouch , I did not buy ( I told you to buy ) - kicking my self right now . PPS : I have a Chemo session on Monday ( 7 / 3 ) . And my birthday is July 5 th ( 7 / 5 ) . You know what to do . Don't make me upset . When I get upset , I stop typing . You decide ... 
Five great news ! 	 Another so so day in the stock market . But I have five ( 5 ) great news for you . Let me get right down to it : 1 . You all know that I had an appointment with my oncologist to go over the CT - Scan I took last week . Basically there are three possible outcome : Cancer tumor grew in size / it is still the same size / the tumor shrank in size . What do you think happened ? Coooorect ! It became much smaller ! Thank you for those who prayed for me . Hopefully , six months more of chemo and that 's it . If I survive this , I will be among the top 10 % of colon cancer ( stage 4 ) patients ( 90 % die within 5 years ) . Yet another resume builder ...2 . If you read my blog yesterday , I told you that MATK will release good earnings today . Guess what ? MATK easily beat the wall street estimate by a comfortable margin . Those of you who own Martek Bioscience can expect between 10 - 20 % jump in price tomorrow . I understand that it took some guts to hold on but you will leap benefits starting tomorrow . This is among my top 3 holdings . Go Go Martek ! 3 . One of our holding IDS Worldwide ( IDWD ) will pay a special dividend on June 15 th . Basically , for every share you have in IDWD ( as of 5 / 18 ) you will receive 1 share of HLS stock . If my estimates are correct , HLS stock can easily be worth over $ 1 per share ! And what 's more ? This stock can go up significantly from here . This could be our homerun stock . Again , those of you who bought into this - congratulations . You will be rewarded handsomely soon . Hold on . And those of you who did not buy - it 's OK , there are still money to be made in IDWD . It will again try to spinoff its 995 ad . com business through an IPO . You can still buy this as a speculative play .4 . Ricks Cabaret ( RICK ) is making some serious money at its clubs . Last month ( May ) the business grew at 75 % clip . This is my largest holding currently . Before you know it , this stock will trade in double digits . Don't miss this OK ? 5 . I will be traveling to Korea ( I was born in Seoul ) between 6 / 8 - 6 / 28 / 2006 . My plan is to visit Korea twice a year . I will be watching and rooting for the Korean team in World Cup 2006 games . Believe me , Koreans are good at this game . I will try to keep up with my blog whenever I have chance but it will not be a daily thing as it is now . Don't worry , our porfolios will not crash while I am gone . I will miss my son " Ace " very much . P . S : I will go over all our holdings tomorrw - a review per se . As you can see , I am loving my life right now ! You should enjoy yours as well . Life is short - Love someone . 
Pain Care Holdings ( PRZ ) . 	 OK , this was a typical Monday . As you know from my past writings , people look for excuses to sell . And there are many reasons why this market should fall . I think that this will be temporary . The main reason for the huge sell - off today ( Dow down 200 points ) was because our Fed. Chair Mr. Bernanke told us that he might still raise interest rates in June . But the truth is that the market was falling even before this announcement . And let me tell you this , what Mr. Bernanke said is really no surprise . Wall Street knew this before he said it . As I said , the market is looking for excuses . Tomorrow should be a better day . I wish I had some more money to deploy at this time . All my capital is already working hard . I need to sell something to buy something . But I still believe in what I have . I am sticking to my guns for now . Did you notice that our EXPEZ was up today ? Since we bought it a few days ago , it is up 13 % . Not bad . The stock Expedia ( EXPE ) will move up and down for a while . Thus , you will get many chances to own its warrant ( EXPEZ ) at prices below what I paid ( $ 4.50 / sh ) . Try to own this if you can . This is a double a year from now ( I am on the record ) . Our holding PRZ released full 2005 numbers . It will also report its 1 st quarter numbers at the end of June . So far , I have to admit that this is a bargain ( another potential double ! ) . Here are the facts : 2005 : Revenue $ 68.7 million Op . Inc + $ 12.6 million 2004 : Revenue $ 37.9 million Op . Inc + $ 9.5 million 2003 : Revenue $ 14.9 million Op . Inc - $ 11.5 million Estimate for full year 2006 : Revenue $ 88 million $ 0.22 / share in earnings . How can you tell me you don't like these numbers ? Read again . In addtion , same store growth is about 11 - 12 % per year . The real growth comes from opening new clinics . At the end of 2005 : PRZ had 53 medical practices that bring revenue to the firm . Please revisit my blog dated 5 / 25 for further information . We bought the stock recently at $ 1.44 / share . It closed today at $ 1.26 . I am buying more . You should too . Our target for this is above $ 2.50 / share ( that 's a double ) . P . S : Tomorrow after the close ( at 4 pm ) MATK will announce 2 nd Q . numbers . I think they will beat the estimate but who really knows ? This stock will move big time either tomorrow or the next day . Cross your fingers if you own it . Go Go Martek ! PPS : Tomorrow is 6 / 6 / 06 . What a day to release your company earnings ? But it is a great day to open a movie to the public ( The Omen , wooooh ! ) . Sine I loved the original Omen , I am going to see this tomorrow . I will tell you about it ( am I a movie critic too now ? ) . PPPS : Most importantly , I will get an update on my cancer situation tomorrow . I did my full body scan last Friday . My oncologist will advise me how my cancers are doing these days . I hope they are not doing too well . I am in serious trouble if they are having a party in my belly . Just so you know , I feel great ! I am visiting my family in Korea on 6 / 8 th . I will tell you more later . 
" all fruit ripe " . 	 Once again I went to a reggae concert " Reggae Fest 2006 " . You all know that I appreciate reggae and 80 's music . The concert hall was packed ( fully sold out ) and everyone had a blast ( I think there was less than ten ( 10 ) Asians in the whole place out of maybe 10,000 ) . Obviously , reggae comes from Jamaica where the whole population is maybe 2 million . Jamaicans ( originally from Africa ) were oppressed by the whites for a long time and the music reflects that . Reggae has beautiful , energetic , distinctive drum beat coupled with some meaningful lyrics . Almost all people in the concert stood up on their feet and danced along with the flow of the music . I too moved a bit . I learned that in Jamaica there 's a saying " all fruit ripe " which means " everything alright " . Now , this terminology makes total sense to me . I am going to use it often . In terms of the stock market , all fruit 's not ripe . We are in a small down turn within the large upturn . Did you understand that ? The big picture is up ( economy is strong = earnings are good ) but we are now in a short term down wave ( Iran problem , Mr. Bernanke will raise rates further , terrorists are still out there , etc ) . So what to do ? As I have said before , there are some great bargains out there . My advise is not to chase it but be patient until you get the price you want . During these types of market , prices move up and down a lot . Stocks that move 5 % in one day ( up or down ) will be a common event . If you can not stomach this types of swings , move out of the market now . It will be volatile , I am sure . When do I expect the market to move up ? Probably when most people are fed up and disgusted . They sell at a loss and leave the market saying " I will never buy stocks again " . That 's the bottom . By the way , most of these types of investors come back in the market when prices are double from where we are today . That 's the top . Bad Toys ( BTYH ) went up almost 20 % Friday . Wow ! See what I mean ? This proves what I said above . Monday does not look good either . Iran keeps messing with the U.S. and U . N . Iran has 2 nd largest oil reserves behind Saudi Arabia . That 's a major problem ... 
Rambus , Inc. 	 What a difference one day make ! The traders were very busy buying today . The fact is U.S. economy is growing at a nice pace while inflation is kept low . This , by the way , is the best environment for stocks . But do not be fooled to think that we are out of the woods yet . We are still in the down turn . Are many stocks on sale ? Yes , but sale period can last longer . Basically , we need to be careful at this point . One special situation stock is called Rambus ( RMBS ) . Please refer to my blog dated 5 / 23 : in it I said that I bought this one in my trading account . Normally I do not hold stocks for more than a few days in my trading account but this was special . Guess what . RMBS went up almost 19 % today ! And I think this is a beginning of something potentially big ! The funny thing is that I made good money shorting this stock in April at around $ 45 / share ( again , refer to my April blogs if you care ) . But now , I am interested in a long position . Let me explain : Rambus , Inc. engages in the invention and license of chip interface technologies in California . RMBS now holds more than 500 patents issued and 480 more pending patents in high speed chip interface . Rambus innovations have been incorporated into virtually all digital electronics products including personal computers , video game consoles , digital TVs and digital set - top boxes . As signaling speeds continue to rise , Rambus innovations will become increasingly critical to delivering breakthrough levels of performance . Currently , RMBS is in a legal battle with virtually all computer chip makers ( these include Samsung , Hynix , Micron Tech and many more ) . If RMBS wins in the court room , these chip makers have to pay up royalties starting from the year 2001 . Let 's just say that the amount in question is in the billions . Yes , this is not a typo : I said billions with a " B " . If you are a speculator , you may want to add this into your long term investment account . I am trading this stock ( in and out frequently ) but did not add this in my investment account yet . Remember , six ( 6 ) months ago , RMBS was trading at $ 10 's . A little over a month ago , this was going for $ 47 / share . Today it closed at $ 28.75 . This one is a rollercoaster . Gold : Remember I said that gold will fall to $ 600 area when it was trading at over $ 700 / oz ? You also know that I made some $ by shorting gold ( via KRY ) few weeks ago . Now , gold is coming to an area where I am getting warmed up . Soon when the time is right , I will buy a gold or a silver stock for our investment account . I am doing my research now . I am thinking BGO ( gold producer ) and SIL ( silver producer ) as a good candidate . Have some money ready ... P . S : There will be some profit taking in the market tomorrow . If you are buying stocks , be patient and wait for your price to hit . Do not chase it . We are still in the down trend ... 
Relative Strength . 	 Monday was a Memorial day ( holiday = market closed ) ; I decided not to go anywhere ( one of the worst traffic day in a year next to Thanks - giving holiday ) but met with all family members and went to an authentic Chinese restaurant . Wooo , it was great ! Although I don't have good appetite due to my chemo therapy , I was able to eat good portions ( I love roast duck ) . Tuesday , I went mountain hiking again . Let me remind you once more : the fresh oxygen created by the various trees during the early morning time is known to kill cancer cells in your body . Did you also know that the sweat your body releases during workout is different than the sweat you get simply because of heat ( eg : sauna ) ? Try your best to fit exercise time in your weekly schedules . No money is worth your health . Trust me . In the afternoon , my wife Sunny ( Bra Designer ) 2006 performance : BTYH : - 26.6 % ( special dividend has been delayed a few times ) MATK : - 7.0 % ( possibility of a big , new player in DHA market ) EXPE : - 40.8 % ( unexpected lower earnings ) PRZ : - 59.9 % ( accounting issues , financials need to be summited ) NASDAQ : - 1.2 % ( this is our bench mark ) Obviously , I believe that above concerns can be corrected . And of course we did not buy all these on 01 / 01 / 2006 . You can get our actual buy price from my prior notes . Also , refer to my 5 / 11 note for my target prices for each . All target prices are still intact . The two new buys ( EXPEZ - this was up 9.5 % today PRZ $ 2.6 P . S : I hope some of you bought OIH as per my previous notes . Both oil and gold is looking better now than a few weeks ago . We wil definately buy a gold / silver stock soon . Stay tuned ... 
The Free Market . 	 I hope that you had a great Memorial holiday weekend . The regulars of this blog know that I keep talking about the Free Market . I am a firm believer in the free - market process its evolution . Whenever I hear someone bashing the big corporation , I wonder if they truly mean what they say . Many view the big corporation as the big bad wolf that only has self - interest and is bad for the economy and its people . I ask you , do you really believe that ? Those who do , I feel sorry for them . It must be tough to live in a society in which you believe that the government is bad and its main engine ( big companies ) are out to get them too . It is no different than thinking that your own parents are bad . How sad ... Let me be clear . I am the first to admit that we are not perfect . Our government contains some bad apples , some corporations are run by crooks and even some judicial judges are corrupt ! But if you step back and look at the total , we look damn good over all ! In fact , we are so good that most people in this world want to live in this country even with a major risk coming here . The main point is that free - market works . And it works very very well indeed . Case in point : During the Katrina disaster , the main agency that is responsible for the relief effort ( FEMA ) could not handle the pressure . The FEMA ( not a result of free - market ) did not have the system to handle such a disaster . Guess who stepped up to handle the crisis in a timely manner without being asked . Big public corporations . The Walmart , GE , Lowes , Fed Ex , Coca - Cola and many other companies ( direct result of free - market ) came in to help . Just to give you an idea , Walmart carries more goods to all fifty states and its townships without delay every single day . As soon as Walmart decided to help , waters and other necessary goods arrived within 24 hours , sharp . This is just one example of free - market at work . A problem that took many weeks and months to solve , the free - market system took a few days . Done . Free market also means that it will go up and down . We have been enjoying the ups for a while and we are now in the down cycle . We will have mini ups within the down cycle as well . So why not totally abandon the market during the downs ? Because no one knows when it will go up sharply . I am willing to bet that as soon as you sell , the market will jump up . This has happened too many times for me . I am sticking my guns for now . In fact I am still buying . As longs as I buy it at a price where one year from now it will look cheap , I buy . Who cares if it goes down 30 % from your buy point ? Great . Buy some more . When your home price go down 30 % , do you sell ? Seriously , if my condominium price were to go down 30 % from where I bought it , I will borrow money and buy a second unit . You should too . Buy or hold stocks in our portfolio . Do not sell unless you need the money . By the way , if you needed your money this soon , you should not have bought it in the first place . With every buys in our portfolio , you need to have a minimum of 1 - 2 year commitment . Let your seeds have time to grow and give you beautiful flowers and juicy fruits . know this : Some of our seeds will not mature - I guarantee it . Some will just whither and die . That 's a proof that free - market is well and alive . Only the strong survive - no mercy here . One needs to learn to enjoy loosing as much as gaining . Good night . 
EXPEZ & PRZ . 	 We just went through 2 weeks of hell . During this two weeks , NASDAQ lost all of its 2006 gains and now we are in the red . But , just like the nature , after a storm there is a sun shine . And I saw the sun come up yesterday . If you look carefully , this down turn has created many bargains among stocks . Some stocks were killed with no mercy ( we want to pick these up ) . Capitalism ( free market ) is vicious . It is very efficient to praise winners and kill the loosers . The problem is that sometimes ( actually many times ) the market over reacts ( over adjusting ) and this creates opportunities . As I have told you last few days , let 's go shopping ! I have bought two securities today ( notice I did not say stocks ) . They are EXPEZ and PRZ - and this is why : EXPEZ : is a warrant that entitles you to buy Expedia ( EXPE ) stock for $ 11.56 / sh until Feb 4 th 2009 . Expedia is now at $ 14 and EXPEZ is at $ 4.5 . If Expedia goes to $ 21 ( + 50 % ) then the warrant EXPEZ will probably trade at $ 10 ( + 120 % ) . So , is Expedia a bargain now ? I think so . Will the stock EXPE go up to $ 21 from current $ 14 within a year ? Yes and Yes. Can EXPE go down further before it goes up ? Yes , it is very possible . So , basically you are telling me that if the stock goes up 50 % then my warrant will go up 120 % ? Coorrrrect ! PRZ : Pain Care Holdings , Inc. , through its subsidiaries , provides pain relief solutions in North America . In addition , the company owns and operates nine ambulatory surgery centers . Pain Care Holdings was founded in 1984 and is based in Orlando , Florida . Now , this is a bargain as well . However , PRZ still has to produce 2005 year - end financial and the 1 st quarter 2006 numbers too . This is the reason why the stock is down so much . The unknown . What will the numbers say ? Are they hiding anything ? Obviously , this is not for the conservative guys . I just think that it has a good risk / reward ratio at this point . By the way , the CEO recently said that they are expecting about $ 85 million in revenue and about $ 0.21 per share in earnings . Since I paid $ 1.44 / sh , I am paying this growing company at less than 7 times 2006 earnings and less than 1 times revenue . Pretty good value I ' d say . If it goes lower ( assuming no fraud ) , I will add more . This is another double in 12 months . You watch . The reason I did not go into more details in Expedia ( EXPE ) is that you all know about the company . I also assume that you all know how to look it up in Yahoo . Finance . com to confirm what I have said . I think the above two items are good values . Please realize : the better the value of a stock , the worse the stock looks and feels . If it looked good and promising , it would not be selling at the price you are looking at . Just remember that . P . S : June is an important month for us . There will be many news regarding our stocks . RICK will probably announce good monthly numbers / BTYH will have some news regarding the spinoff of its ambulance division / IDWD will be delivering the special dividend to us / PRZ will come up with the necessary financials / MATK will announce a new business deal ( I hope ) . 
Ant Philosophy . 	 When was the last time you saw ants reach an obstacle and give up with their heads down and head back to the ant hole to relax ? Never . If they are headed somewhere and you try to stop them , they will look for another way . They will climb over , they ' ll climb under , they ' ll go around - regardless of the effort involved . Imagine what you could accomplish if you never quit and always did all that you could do ? I trust that you already know - I will never give up my personal fight with my cancer . It is simply a new obstacle for me to climb over , climb under and to go around . You - too , should never give up your dreams and do whatever necessary to get to your destination . But remember this , the true joy is in the journey and not the destination itself ! We are in the midst of market volatility . If you refer to my note dated ( 4 / 2 ) I told you that easy money was already made . Remember that we have beaten NASDAQ 's 1 st quarter performance of + 6 % ( this is quite impressive in itself ) by gaining almost 21 % ! ( this is almost unreal ) . If you remember , I have also said that 2 nd & 3 rd quarter does not look too enticing . The 4 th quarter of 2006 is where the main action will be . From this point forward we have to really work hard to squeez extra drops of performance . For me , today was a great day . As per my yesterday 's note , I did not buy into RMBS yesterday because it did not touch $ 27.6 mark ( a . k . a . trigger point ) and instead I bought RSAS at $ 14.89 / sh . Today I got out of RSAS at $ 15.49 for a one day gain of 4 % . And guess what , I bought RMBS today at $ 27.27 ( it did cross $ 27.6 mark today : RMBS went up almost 10 % at one point ) . The general market won't excite us tomorrow but some of our holdings will . RICK closed today at $ 7.00 / sh . It was as high as $ 7.15 . In addition to my long term holdings of RICK , I also bought for my trading account 5 K shares at $ 6.2 last Thrusday ( refer to my blog ) when it went down for no reason ( after an excellent earnings report no less ) . Today I sold it for $ 7.12 / sh ( + 15 % in 4 days , you do the math ) . RICK will head higher . I fully understand that most of you are too busy to folow the market but I want you to kow that certain trades are within your reach . We have a portfolio full of exciting companies . And , boy do they move ! And if you take the time to study this a little everyday , you will slowly get the feel for the market . Expect in advance that it does take time though . What doesn't . I just hope that some of you can utilize this site to improve your understanding of the free market . It is exciting and it is fair . Most importantly it can be very profitable . This is one hobby that pays you as you get better . Where else can you expect daily advise like this ? Take it and make it yours . Like an ant , I will never stop trying . I will climb over , climb under and go around until I find my food . And you all know my favorite dish - crispy U.S. green dallars . It has all the vitamins and minerals my family needs . Time for my beauty sleep . Good nite guys and gals ... 
Don't sell stocks on Monday . 	 I have briefly mentioned about the book titled " Don't sell stocks on Monday " in my previous blogs . Now you know why . Statistically speaking , Monday is by far the worst day in a week . There is no scientific explanation about this phenomenon but it is probably because most investors are pulling their hair out during the weekend thinking about the potential disaster on up coming Monday and thus place a sell order . This obviously makes stocks to go down , confirming that his / her gut feeling were right . The truth is : markets usually come back up the next day . More hairs are pulled in coming days ( ouch ! ) . Let me just say , I see too many people with thinning hairs ... Allow me to show you the damage ( in a day ) : ICE - 15 % ZOLT - 11 % TRID - 13 % RMBS - 7.5 % AKAM - 8 % Some of these are great buys . The shopping season is indeed in full bloom . Certain stocks are a no brainer buys , they are : MVK at $ 43 ( we sold this at $ 57.77 ) BJS at $ 31 ( we sold this at $$ 39.50 ) OIH at $ 140 ( we sold this at $ 165.11 ) Lastly , MATK will release 2 nd quarter numbers on June 6 th . This one better be good or my love will quickly disapate ( I think it will be good ) . If the news is good , expect the stock to jump quickly toward $ 30 . Cross your fingers ( the management have been extra quite lately ) . Oh , on the same day ( 6.6.06 ) a new movie is being released ( The Omen ! ) . I loved the original , first Omen - it was scary - just so you know , not many movies scare me . Even the market doesn't scare me for god 's sake . P . S : For my trading acount , I did not buy RMBS as per my last note - it did not cross $ 27.6 mark . RMBS is looking better than ever for a short , quick trade ! Instead , I bought RSAS today at $ 14.89 / sh . This one looks promising for a quick jump . Look and learn if you have the time . PPS : Our BTYH went up 16 % today on top of almost 19 % last Friday ! This is now my third largest holding . What 's more amazing is that the market was horrible today - great sign . Good things to come ... 
Sick of investing ? 	 Are you sick of investing ? The market goes up new ) . But this was done on purpose . I do not like SP 500 type stocks right now ( potential gains are limited ) . And our stocks do not move in same cycles as the SP 500 . By spreading your dollars into several stocks ( at least 10 hopefully ) you can limit big disasters . I do not want to hear from a guy or gal who owns only 2 of our holdings and is upset because one went down sharply ( you basically asked for it ) . Bottom line : The stock market may go down further from here or it may have reached a bottom already . No body knows . What I do know is that some stocks look very good at these prices . All stocks mentioned above will look like a crazy bargain 2 years from now . Just do it . P . S : May 18 th ( Thursday ) was the record date for IDWD special dividend . The payout date is June 15 th . I hope some of you got into this one . They are going to spin off HLS ( Home Land Security ) division which sells Biometric security deivces and the 2006 revenue for this division could top 100 million dollars . And they are also going to spin off ( through IPO ) 995 ad . com division as well ( this also could top 100 million ) . As I told you before , IDWD is our highest risk / reward situation ... No guts no glory ... PPS : Tomorrow for my trading account I will be long RMBS if it stays above $ 27.6 / sh . 
How to Value a stock . 	 We received a one - two punch this week . We ' ve been hit but we are not knocked out just yet . Most of our holdings do not have high correlation with the general market ( by design ) . If you read my past notes you kow that I was not very hot on 2 nd when I change my views ( if this goes below $ 20 ) , I will let you know pronto . The second punch was BTYH . Now , this one moved for no reason . I even called the company 's investors relation guy ( named AL ) ; he said someone sold in the last hour and there was no one to pick it up . This happens to low volume stock like BTYH ( avg daily volume of about 30 K ) . Since I like the company 's strategy and there seems to be no negative issues with the company , I have decided to buy more and lower my average cost . Just remember that this stock went from $ 0.60 to $$ 2.48 in two months ( Nov - Jan 06 ) . Let 's see what happens . I thought this was a good time to talk about how to value a company owns 1.2 million shares . Larry Lunan ( CEO of BTYH ) owns 36 % of the BTYH stock . Larry 's salary is $ 72 K / year owns over 8 million shares . Knowing this , what do you think ? Do you think they are interested in making the stock go higher in the long run ? I certainly think so . Remember , these are relatively new companies . There will be some growing pains . But I can tell you this . They are growing and they are profitable . Now you tell me what you want to do . Buy ? or Sell ? Hmmmm .... One more time : Same business , the stock goes for 30 % off sale . What do you do ? Hmmmm ... ! 
What moves stocks ? 	 I don't know about you but I am exhausted ... The market just tanked today because we had core CPI number released . ( CPI : consumer price index = a gauge for future inflation ) . Guess what the number looked like . Market expected 0.2 % but we got 0.3 % . Now , does this sound like a huge problem to you ? Let 's just say the Wall Street is looking for excuses to sell . Everyone is gun shy right now . Basically it 's like this : # 1 : " If you are selling , then I am selling too ! " # 2 : " Since my stock price went down for no reason , I am selling " # 3 : " I placed a tight stop loss order and it got excuted automatically " # 4 : " Forget it , I am nervous , I am selling " Please understand that the market goes up & down precisely because people react with emotions rather than facts . When a stock goes up , it goes up too much . When it goes down , it goes down too much also . If you can not stomach this volatility , then just get out . I fully understand that some people can not deal with this kinds of pressure . Here 's a million dollar question : " What moves stocks in the long run ? " . Before I tell you the answer , let me remind you where it is coming from . I have studied extensively in the field of Economics ( as you know my major was Economics ) then I went ahead to complete an M. B . A . in Finance ( with emphasis in Investments ) . Upon graduation , for the last ten ( 10 ) years I worked in three major Insurance & Investment companies . Most importantly , I have over 20 years of first hand experience in buying & selling Stocks / Options / Warrants / and Mutual funds . Now that you know where I am coming from , here is the answer : " EARNINGS " . You may say that this is too simple but please know that many people forget this everyday . If you pick any company with some history , go back and look at the graph of its earnings and the stock price . Bingo ! Almost perfect correlation with some lag time . No other measure matters . It is earnings , earnings and earnings . In real estate , it is location , location and location . Example : RICK just released very positive earnings two days ago . Yesterday , the CEO raised his estimate of future earnings . Basically RICK made more money last quarter ( try 10 times more money than same time last year ) and it is going to continue making higher earnings . In the mean time , the stock went down from $ 7 . x to $ 6 . x . So what do you do ? This is not a complicated question . As you know , I just bought more at $ 6.11 / share . Same is true for MATK . There are some negative news like some might try to replace MATK 's DHA with fish oil DHA . Trust me , there 's no way fish oil DHA is as effective as MATK 's DHA which is from microalgae . It also smells and has shorter shelf life compared to MATK 's . This stock also went from about $ 32 to $ 24 eventhough the earnings were good . Can you guess what I did today ? Coooorrrrrrect ! I bought more of MATK at $ 23.88 / share . This may be able to go lower but this is a good price . I know a good price when I see one . ( I had to sell IGLD to purchse MATK - I will buyback IGLD later ) . If you have some $ left try to diversify by buying any of the stocks in our portfolio . You can actually pay less than I did on some of them . And do not forget OIH : it is now a good price ( remember I sold it a few days ago at $ 165.11 and it is now at $ 149 / share ) . The sale is on right now . If you are shopping , this is a fun time ... 
Sensitive market & people . 	 I expected a bounce today as per my last note . The market as a whole did not quite bounce ( although RICK went up almost 9 % ) . Yesterday I have told you that I bought quite a bit more of RICK for my trading account ( for a quick trade ) . Well , it is going great . I might get out in a day or two for a quick profit . You probably remember that the last time RICK went down I bought more too ( this is how RICK got to be my largest holding ) . Back then , the reason was that people thought RICK was involved with the Mafia ! Oh , come on . Stock went down and I grabbed at the cheap price . We probably won't see that price again . The lesson is this : if you are in the buying mode , you want the price to go down . Unless the fundamentals have changed , stick to your guns . Don't be nervous at every turns in the market . That 's how the market gets rid of weak investors . Back to the bounce story : I may have been a few days too early but a bounce is near . What killed the party was Home Depot ( HD ) . This giant went down over 5 % and it pulled all indexes down with it . We also found out that Mr. Warren Buffett sold many million shares of HD during the first quarter ! The smart guy is coveniently out of HD already ( I told you he 's good ) . So , let me tell you what he bought during the first quarter . General Electric ( GE ) , ( UPS ) and Conoco Phillips ( COP ) . So what can we tell from his activity ? Mr. Buffett is betting that our economy will be strong ( thus GE gold mining stocks . Gold has a good chance to see $ 1,000 / oz in the future . But it has to rest first before the jump . Tomorrow look for HP ( HPQ ) to jump in price . It had a fantastic earnings .... 
Bloglines - Idiki . Bloglines user acetrump ( acetrump @ gmail . com ) has sent this item to you . Big Shiny Thing Divergent Creative Stimulus Idiki By Thing 1 on Need To Know Brilliant . A Wiki for ideas . Comments . 
The CNBC hitchhiker . So I hop inside a taxi and since I like making conversations with strangers , I ask " Toh bhaiya aap kahan ke ho " . He said , " Pratapgarh ... Uttar pardes " . I said , " main Bihar ka hoon lekin filhal aap mujhe Lower Parel le chalo " . So there he went hitting on the gas and by the time the meter showed 20 , I was at Curry Road . Now the ' Kill Bill ' tune of my Nokia starts buzzing and I start a yappathon of sorts with my good old friend ( read " apun ka khaas " ) Pachoo alias Prashant Shetty , now with Dalal Street . So as I discuss my saturday plans , a decent looking girl peeps inside my taxi like a pomerian dog peeping outside a moving car and says , " Hey are you going towards Kamla Mills " . I said , " yes " . And since it was downpour - a - minute kinda rain , I said " Yes. I am moving that side " . She said , " Can you drop me at empire " . I said , " Yes.. sure " She hopped in and then began my investigative talking . The voices in my head said " Jha she could be a SIMI acitivist " . And then I asked her , " So you work where ? " . She said " CNBC TV 18 " . And I said , " And you work there as ? " . She said " I am a assistant producer there " . And then I thought to myself " Hmm .... she aint the SIMI women " And then a question from her and some probing as well . I thought to myself this time , " Hey Jha you look more like a SIMI guy then that cute girl " . And I said I am a senior copywriter with Euro RSCG and she said " wow " . So she talked about her XIC and the year she passed out . I spoke about some happy advertising shit . And then we hit empire . The entire 10 minute journey was very professional and unbihari ..... haha . And then a sarcasm from me " I won't be there at Curry Road at 10.12 AM . So make sure you carry an umbrella " We both giggled . I said I am vivek and she said , " ........... " , Well I forgot her name actually . But she was wearing glasses with black frame . 
dubai work . well my dubai work is approved , so that 's a good thing . my ford is out of garage , so that means time to tread and fling my australian fella has a cute son and that 's another cling my time has just begun , and i am on the stage to sing Blogged with Flock . 
the days gone by . and i called for my brotherbut he never camethough it was ' nt my faultand i was ' nt to blameand we all volunteeredand wrote down our namesand now that nobodyremembers our name . 
Bloglines - Dior . Bloglines user acetrump ( acetrump @ gmail . com ) has sent this item to you . Ad Blather My whites have never been whiter . Dior By G on Ads & Campaigns I defy anyone to tell me this spot isn't brilliant . Or am I just a pig ? Probably both . 
Bloglines - A Brief Analysis of How Agencies are Selling Themselves . Bloglines user acetrump ( acetrump @ gmail . com ) has sent this item to you . Ad Age Small Agency Diary Experience the life of a small agency . A Brief Analysis of How Agencies are Selling Themselves By Noelle W on Noelle Weaver NOELLE WEAVER : I ve been going through a brand and competitive analysis for our own agency over the past few weeks , which means wading through various agency web sites to better understand how other agencies are selling themselves and their service these days . I could write an entire piece on what I ve found , but instead thought having you read it for yourselves would be a better idea . Here s a sample : 	 One of the fastest growing agencies 	 Voted one of the fastest growing agencies 	 Different disciplines come together for an integrated approach 	 XX has always used an integrated approach to build powerful brands that speak to consumers 	 Help clients build enduring brands and form relationships that become part of consumers everyday lives 	 XX designs , builds , and runs ongoing marketing programs that form stronger relationships between our client s brands and customers 	 We create an interactive and ongoing dialogue with consumers and we deliver customer relationships across all channels 	 By listening and responding to customers , we create dialogues across all channels and touch points that build brands and help our clients own customers for life 	 And perhaps my favorite all - inclusive line : 	 excelling at building blue - chip brands while speaking to the right consumers with powerful , well - placed messaging and great award - winning integrated creative executions that influence and build relationships in today s cluttered landscape at the right place and at the right time 	 The amazing thing is that all of these quotes came from the who we are section of an agency s website . They represent all sizes and types [ direct , pr , interactive , advertising ] , some famous and some not so . 	 The amount of repetition and same - speak reminded me of all the World s Best Coffee signs posted in diners and cafes around nation . Eventually you ve seen and read so many that you stop believing it could actually be true . 	 OK , sure it s never easy to talk about yourself . But when we re trying so desperately to help our clients stand out from the competition and break through the clutter , maybe it s best to ask , how are we , as an agency , defining our differences for ourselves ? Comments . 
Fictional ace . " Heaven 's above give me a sign Give me the sense to ace the time " . I read this outside Sydney s door . For a moment I wondered , how dare he use the word " ace " without my permission . Nevertheless Sydney Vaz is a plastic surgeon and stays in an unlikely place on the outskirts of Mumbai . He shifted here after his family died in a freak accident . This was like two decades ago , but then old wives tales die hard . I was well behaved before meeting this greybeard . He offered me some homemade goan wine , though I hate drinking such aristocratic drinks . And then he said " in vino veritas " vivek . I said , " hmm ... but I am here for the truth sir " . He said , " I know your job . What 's this scar on your nose son " And then I said " well that 's a fight mark I had in school " But I knew that more of wine means veritas from me and not from the old guy , which was unlikely . So I picked up my case and sat nose - to - nose and said , I am from the RAW " and he said RAW " with some disruption . I said yes , Research and Analysis wing , New Delhi . My statement conked all the senses of the old geezer . And this was the moment when the voices in my head started screaming ........ to be continued . 
Half the Heart . Now a spade is a heart with just a little bit extra . And an artist 's vision can create the most complex things out of something simple , and take something so detailed , and make it one simple vision . I have been to the other side of world and back only to find myself saddened by that which is humanity . Morocco was an amazing place , and I am very happy I went . However , here I am today , with more responsibility and feeling slightly more jaded . Let 's play catch up , shall we . Impact : It is currently the biggest project facing me and yet and I have nothing to show , because every week " it " plagues my mind . Sheba Lite : Sheba for the summer , recruited temporary members , with less practice time . I ' m surprised at how well I ' m doing , but recently I feel I haven't been doing well enough . School : Oh school , I just don't feel I have the heart for it . And so why ? Why does it seem that the happy go lucky Ace is somehow finding himself a hand he 's not too fond of . Before I tell you , I will let you know that my new sheba nickname is Sonic , and the irony here is , life is going so fast and that even I can't catch up . Here 's the " it . " I need time to understand what 's going on , but instead , I just keep falling into this odd place where I feel as if half my heart is doing the talking , and it 's not too sure of itself . Never have I ever felt this way , with all fingers down , and nothing to really look for . So ask me what it is I feel at this very moment , and I ' ll say , I don't know . But the closest I can get to explaining it is this . Do you know the feeling of waiting , waiting for that right girl to bump into you and the very next day , you 're in the library , and you accidentally knock down some beautiful girl 's books . I ' m waiting for the next day , not necessarily the girl , but the moment . Life 's too half and half right now . 
Paradox of Desire . I am ready . It is time to go home . Yet I don't want to . I just want work to be finished . I have so much between now and tuesday , and honestly look at this . I ' m frickin ' blogging . What the hell . I want it to be finished so I can have time to be with people I won't see for the longest time . The Dartmouth Plan . That 's what they call it . Every year , friends , lovers , acquaintances , go months without seeing each other only because some people go abroad , some people get internships , and some are just off some terms because you have to be off some time if you 're going to be there for sophomore summer , and everyone is there sophomore summer . It 's the life here . I don't need any of this , any of these relationships . But I do want it . And that ... that 's important to me . Human beings want each other . I mean you need to have someone in your life , but sometimes it 's enough to just want it . I mean what 's wrong with wanting that . What 's wrong with being comfortable ? What 's wrong with being stable ? I do not advocate it always , but sometimes too much chaos is just too much . Stability . There 's nothing wrong with wanting it . Am I a coward for believing this , maybe . But if you recall it was the cowardly lion that was brave at the end . It was the heartless that found their heart , the simple minded that created the perfect plan . Sometimes cowardice is the root of bravery . Sometimes stability is the root for spontaneity . Sometimes , I want to be crazy . Other times I want to be calm . What 's the difference between an adult and a kid . A kid fears responsibility and an adult understands it . So why can't I be both . Why can't I want stability and still ultimately desire risks . Why can't I want something knowing very well I might not need it . I think it 's better than just telling yourself you need it . You don't . But there 's nothing wrong with wanting it . We don't need to be human , but I hold the strong hope in my heart that we really want to . 
The New Artist . Medicine is evil , because people become dependant on it and I have a personal story related to that , but I will not share , because ( a . i ' m rambling ) and ( b . ) I promised these blogs won't be as personal . Anyways ... this blog has nothing to do with that and now I will begin to ramble about my new appreciation of poetry . I consider myself an artist in many ways ( and no , not like your stereotypical ' life is pain ' artist with a dead pan voice , long hair , and a scarf ... but a revolutionary artist of sorts , a new artist ) . So I sing , I dance , I draw , etc , etc , etc , whatever ... but then I realized I loved words , and I loved the way they sound . And fiction is great , but honestly , you cannot play with words . And then ... then I discovered poetry . Now poetry , well , let 's put it this way , I thought poetry was for the stereotypical artist . Poems were an effort to put all their suicidal feelings and existential philosophical views into words people could relate to ( though I don't see why anyone would want to relate ) ... but I realized there 's so much more to poetry . It 's not a simple excuse to make things rhyme , to relay your deep personal feelings , but it 's also an opportunity to really play on words . Playing with the structure ( and that 's the word that fascinates me the most ... structure ) allows you to create something interesting , that 's fun to read , and fun to hear . And so I guess I ' ll start writing poetry now , it actually takes skill . A lot more skill than I realized . And besides , it 's just another thing to add to my laundry list of performance skills . Perhaps I ' ll pick up instrument playing , drums are nice . 
The Roses Move Too Quickly . Alohalo ! Guess who 's back with a brand new rap . Yeah , me . It seems that everything I accomplish recently I cannot stop to appreciate because I got the next big thing . Let 's backtrack a bit shall we ... not too far , we don't want to go too far . So I ' m seeing this girl ( yes I said I ' m seeing this girl , big whoop , wanna fight about it ? ) , and I wish I had time to appreciate that but I was focused on getting my animation done ( just the drawings ) . Next I won a TV / DVD combo . Who the hell plays bingo and wins TV / DVD combo ??? But I did , and I won , but I threw that to the side to finish coloring . And yes ! Coloring finished , the festival happens ( it was amazing by the way , our class is so talented ) and I couldn't even appreciate that because I had to finish my portfolio . And now I had a day off . I just decided , everything needed to stand still . And I stood still and enjoyed life , that 's what it 's all about , stopping to smell the roses . Yet , how can when they move at mach speed . Well , only time will tell . 
Aimz In Life . Here 's some food for thought . Kimchi is something great to think about , but for all of you who actually caught that cryptic message , it 's just not worth having . Now that that 's over with I just wanted to really stress that some people have goals in life , and almost all have personal desires . Sometimes these two paths cross and you find yourself quite confused when the answer to both finds itself right on your doorstep . I know I ' m usually vague when explaining things that are going on in my personal life , but I am extra ambiguous today because honestly I have no idea what I feel . My thoughts are hazy , my emotions a conglomerate mess , and the whole notion of logical reasoning is so far off one would consider my life a very poorly conceptualized and quite reversed looney toons . Speaking of looney toons , I will keep this brief and continue working on my animation . Homework is awesome . Peace out ( and as my buddy says , " don't grease out ! " ) . 
A Long Time Ago . It 's been a while . Much has come to pass since the last time we all admired the senseless thoughts that run through my mind . There have been physical highs and lows , emotional up and downs , mental roses and thorns , and whatever else you can possibly conjure up with the last remaining magic of your adult infested imagination . And I think that 's a good place to start , imagination : Imagine if you will a new beginning that started off with meeting new people at a retreat known as the Diversity Peer Program . Following this were close relationships , a rearranged room , and a new attitude on life . One can say there was a comfort of self found from this and this eventually led to confidence in many aspects . Highlights this term were Animation ! Dartmouth Asian Organization Culture Night ( a play that looked at interracial dating and I danced in it ... it was soo much fun !! ) and Sheba is a highlight always . I ' m excited for the rest of this term . What 's New ??? I ' m an uncle . Sweet huh ? I ' m also going to Morocco officially in the spring . It 's sad because I won't be here at Dartmouth in the Spring but I did get to choreograph for the Big Sheba Show in the spring and also met a lot of amazing people who I will definitely continue to build relationships with in the future . Time to Geek Out . First image of Spider - man 3 is out and I can't wait . X 3 sounds amazing and I ' m very excited . Kingdom Hearts II is going to be a blast , and though I ' ll be in Morocco when it first comes out , it ' ll be the first thing I do when I come back ( after X 3 ofcourse ) . Okay . I did a brief little catch up , and hopefully I ' ll be more on top of this in the future so it can be more in depth like it used to be . Who knows , I might even use this when I go to Morocco . Alohalo ! 
Tales of the Prince Mix . Aloha ! I ' m here today to tell you about two very exciting moments in the past week . SHEBA Fall Show 2005 ' In the Mix ' and Prince of Persia : The Two Thrones . The show was amazing . It was a 45 minute high energy hip hop event that brought a whole new meaning to the word ' sick . ' It was sick and according to the audience , we totally killed it . I really wish it were recorded though , so I could see it , but at least I know it was amazing . I put so much energy fun into it and I ' m really glad people digged it . Prince of Persia : The Two Thrones marks the finale of the current - gen Prince of Persia series . It was an amazing game that featured the best parts of both games , as well as new elements that helped the platforming , puzzle , story , and everything . New features in this game includes the exciting speedkills , chariot racing , better bosses , the dark prince ( which opens up some very unique storytelling because the prince now talks to the dark prince ) and two new platforming devices ( the 45 degree launcher , and holes in the wall you can stab your dagger through ) . It was a great story and tied together all three games very well . The music was perfect as was the sound . The game was challenging and just the right length . Tales of Aceun update : I ' ve just finalized the rules of magic in the Uneon World . I ' m currently in the process of making a very complex chart of individual characters and what magic they 're able to do . Essentially I ' ve taken a break from progressing the story until all the rules work and make sense . This is not just magic , but also species , technology , and other things of that nature that require work . There is a different name for humans , and we might have the PS 3 and i - pod , but people in this world have their own technology . So yeah , that 's what I ' m working on now . Laterz for now . 
Harry Potter and the Gobble Gobble . Let 's play catch up . In the past couple of weeks I have been through what you would call a lot . Now , this means nothing because what 's in store for these next couple of days intensifies the madness by an unbearable 1000 % . But let 's begin shall we : Hustle & Flow was an amazing movie that took me back home almost immediately . I enjoyed the sense of brotherhood and the sense of coming back to your home . Sankofa is a symbol that represents going back home . We are expected to get on top , but we must never forget the ones who put us there . SHEBA ! The Fall Show : " In the Mix " is coming up and I am more than excited . It happens this wednesday ! We have worked so hard to get to this point and all that hard work is going to pay off . Although , I was quite annoyed in the last week before this vacation because we had intense practice EVERY day . Was it worth it ? We ' ll see . The Vacation ! This is where we are now . I was so excited to see Harry Potter but then found myself disappointed . My vacation began with the Goblet of Fire being a Goblet of Dull Flames . There were a few exciting moments in the book that didn't happen in the movie and I was very displeased with the characterization of a few characters , specifically Dumbledore . The direction seemed all over the place and it just lacked in so many ways . And now I end my short vacation with Harry Potter yet again . In the second outing , the movie was so much more . There was a great subtlety to the entire movie and it came together so well . Despite missing story elements and a terrible Dumbledore , it was a very good movie , with well timed humor and unique storytelling . Also in this vacation I did SHEBA shopping , caught up in comics ( there was a great Ultimate X - Men story ) , and most importantly spend time with family and friends . There was fantabulous dinner , games , dancing , and I had a blast . In these next three to four days I am probably going to die or go insane with work , the show , and everything else . After it 's over though , I am home free . On the emotional scale , I ' ve been on sort of a middle school drama rollercoaster . Girls are funny creatures . Fo ' all the fanz ! Fo Shiz ! I ' ll smell you laterz ! 
All that glitters isn t gold in Orvieto ~ Umbria Underground . Many are told , when they go to Orvieto , to stop by the Duomo and take in the brilliance of the gold laden fa ade . It is especially brilliant during sundown , when it mirrors the sun in the finest garments of gold the people of the time could afford . Inside the church are frightful depictions of the Apocalypse , around small corners in alleys Mad Madonna s stare right into our grimy little souls with little mercy for our inadequacies . All very bright and fearful and dreary . Oh well Little known to the outsider are the underground passages that line the world below . In times past those passages would be used to ferry out princes and royal families , other times to smuggle provisions and weapons in to punch up the warriors in the ongoing struggles between the warring city - states . Never conquered by force . In later years these tunnels would be lost or would cave in or be resurrected as a disco or a laundromat . I remember Riccardo Cotarella telling me , as we wound up the hill to the hilltop town , of his boyhood adventures in the selvatici ( wilderness ) , hmmm I ve seen the Fellini boyhood memories ; could our globe trotting winemaker have another side that we don t know about ? There are many mysteries in Italy ; mystery is to mystical Umbria as opera is to Naples or Palermo . Part of the DNA of the landscape . One such path on the wine trail in Italy takes us back into the hills for such a visit back in time . Our visit was to a small producer of Orvieto , and the destination was to visit the grandfather s cave , where the ancient abboccato , the muffa nobile , was enshrined . This has been one of those wonderful mysteries of the wine trail , for I saw this and heard about it and have never heard about it again . It s like a train vanishing in time and we got a last glimpse before it disappeared in the tunnel . I hope this isn t so . It would be like losing an opera from Rossini or a sculpture from Giacometti ; it is part of the liquid history of Italy . A forest behind a clearing and a little shack . To the left a cave , sealed to intercept the bats and the insatiable Italian teenagers . Once inside we saw these mead - like wines sitting in jars along the walls of the cave . Like being inside of a truffle , there was the sensation of the humidity , the texture , even the aroma . And this golden elixir sitting in bottles covered by months , years of cosmic dust layered like a delicate Neapolitan pastry . Our host opened a few bottles from various decades and again the room filled with narcissus and lily , honey and rose petal . This wasn t a wine , this was a perfume ! This was the alchemists gold at the end of the rainbow , or tunnel . Here was the same energy , underground that we witnessed the day before falling on the fa ade of the Church , and here was a wine we could take as communion in honor of a time that is only a memory now . On the way back we ran into a group of nuns , in town for a wine tasting . Should we direct them to the catacombs of that rapturous liquid noble rot ? What ? Could there be any question , after first encountering the mad Madonna ? We must have happiness among the nuns of us . Of course , we told them . From the angels lips to everlasting bliss . We can only hope ... Thanks to Hank " Enrico " Rossi for some of his wonderful photos > . Read the Full Story ... 
T . G . I. F . ~ Thank God It 's Falanghina . Global Warming circa 79 A . D . ~ Pompeii It s still summer and it s still hot here in the southwest . Just recently read that we in the southwest use more energy to stay cool in the summer than folks in the most northern parts use in the winter to keep warm . So here might be a remedy a , convenient way to handle the inconvenient truth of the hot spots on this warbled orb . For several thousands of years , the farmers in Campania have been working this grape , what we know as Falanghina . Thanks to the diligence of those folks , and their respect for things local , we now can seek a remedy for the blazing sun . Last year I made a visit to the area and to the Terredora di Paolo winery , owned by the landholding side of the Mastroberardino family . Before it was part of the Roman Empire , it was part of Magna Graecia , ancient Greece , and all along the way you can see signs of the pagan cult of the goddess as is now interpreted by Christianity . Hera becomes Maria . Strong women . This is also an area where the ancient Romans would spend their summers , for it was up in the inland highlands and is cooler than most spots in Italy . Go to the weather map on this blog and see for yourself . On the right hand side are two boxes , one showing the hottest spots and the other showing the coolest spots in Italy . Often , Avellino is cooler than northern Italy . Known as the Switzerland of the south , here is where these grapes live life as we can only dream about , at this time . The Falanghina grape thrives around this region and now we are seeing a resurgence of this variety on wine labels . Ancient writings pegged this grape as the fabled Falernum , but I m not so sure . The ancient Falernum was red . Or was it more like a maderized white , in the vein of a Marsala ? I am asking . I also liked the name and where it came from . One Italian friend told me it was related to what we know now as the word phalanx . His version , it seems , had the Roman army going from teat to Falanghina , thereby fortifying the troups and securing the future of the Empire . Ok , tastes great , let 's go a conquering ! Today we are seeing indigenous grapes coming back into the fold , like heirloom varieties of other fruits and vegetables . This gives one an easy opportunity to experience a sense of place , the terroir , of a region like Campania . Very nice . The Terredora Falanghina Irpinia D . O . C . is cultivated at altitudes of 1350 feet . on land made fertile by volcanic and seismic activity . Shake , rattle and roll , ring of fire and all that jazz . On the palate , it is crisp and slightly forest pine - like . Simple and clean , bone dry with healthy freshness . This isn t Greco di Tufo , this isn t Fiano di Avellino , the two more famous sibling whites . This is these two wines on training wheels , but it is a real wine and in this inferno , a real cool gift from the goddess . Ave Maria ! Links Terredora di Paolo . Read the Full Story ... 
Non ce ' rose ' senza spina . It has been a weekend of rose ' wine . For some reason this has been a component of the measure of my pleasure during these past few days . All around is hot and miserable , so hot , even the wine is sweating . And outside of my little world , fires are burning more fiercely than the nightmares that dot my dream world from time to time . Is this the beginning of World War III ? An Italian saying goes , Non ce ' rosa senza spina , there is no gathering the rose without being pricked by the thorns . It seems a surreal time again , like so many times in the past . My lady friend , writing about the love of her life , noted that my gas grill was pathetic . I don t know what caused her to strike out like that , perhaps she didn t have enough of that wonderful pineapple cake my sister - in - law baked for my birthday . A dinner from the Browning era , a cool cucumber soup , more cool salads and a little chicken sesame entree that was new , yet reminded me of something in time that had been lost . But the pineapple cake , that was the irresistible force of nature set before me on a plate . With it , a rose ' wine , not too dry and not to red . Something about red wine seems unnatural in this heat . Maybe it 's the headache from the tannins , maybe it 's the 13 % + alcohol . Maybe I just like rose ' wine . Yes , I ' m guilty . Are you or have you ever been a rose ' wine lover ? Ask any wine lover , not the Parker toting wineabee types , but the real wine lovers . Like Parker or Kermit Lynch or Guy Stout or Paul Roberts .. these folks bow to the alter of the rose wine . And so do I. Anyway , while said lady friend flew away towards the nation s capital , on her secret mission , I set about rebuilding my gas grill and her faith in my manly man - ness . With sweat and drills and white lightning grease remover , I set to re - incarnate that pitiful hearth . To celebrate , my son and I inaugurated the new and improved grill with a set of Angus T - bones . And more Rose ' wine , this time a Coteaux du Languedoc ' 05 . Many years ago , I took a drive from Firenze up to Fiesole up in the hills . It was July and hot down in the city . Fiesole was a bit cooler . At the Villa San Michele , I sat in at a dinner on the portico . The server , one of the the best I had ever seen , brought a rustic soup with beans and bread . And with it , a rosato of Sangiovese , I remember it like it was last week . The pale hint of embarrassment at being a rose ' , this Sangiovese didn t make the cut to go on to Chianti Classico . Not in the cards . But the life of that wine left a legacy that has lived on to this day , many Chianti s having passed this way and gone on to obscure corners of my memory . But the rose ' ... Rose ' and pineapple cake , rosato with rustic bean soup , rose ' with grilled T - bone steak . Yes , this summer is hell , but I ' m not letting it get me down . You can't have the rose without the thorn . So when I came upon the fork in the road , I took the cake . Read the Full Story ... 
Who Acey Deucey is . In no particular order , and some of them may seem to contradict one another , I am Trustworthy - that I inspire trust in people so much so that they trust their secrets with me . Trusting - that I place my trust in others rather easily too . Consistent - that after a while , it is pretty easy to predict how I react to certain circumstances . Boring - that I do not dare or do not like to try new things . Loyal - that they can count on me when the need arises and my tastes do not change easily . Sagacious - that I have a knack for taking apart problems and getting right into the core of it . Articulate - that I can explain and teach pretty well . Forthright - that I say things as it is . Politically correct - that I think carefully of the way to phrasing things before actually saying it . Principled - that I stick to my principles staunchly . Rigid - that I do not change my ways easily . Perfectionistic - that I aim for perfection in everything I do . Efficient - that I just seem to get things done quickly . Meticulous - that I plan carefully . Very very carefully . Patient - that I possess great patience and tedious tasks do not deter me . Sensitive - that I am sensitive to the feelings of others . Tolerant - that I do not get flustered easily . Snobbish - that indirectly , I look down on certain groups of people . Cynical - that I tend to suspect or weigh up the bad possibilities first before considering the positives . Lucky - that I ' ve been enjoying good luck in my life thus far . Independent - that as far as possible , I try to manage things on my own and not trouble others for help . Content - that I have few material wants and am contented with whatever I already have . Some of these are gleaned from what friends and family tell me . Others are based on self - observation . Whether they are true or not is another matter . : P . 
Duck tales . Ma ma has been naughty . Very very naughty . And almost inevitably , this following story also involves Mr. Beanie Duck . Enjoy this final published tale of my niece . Despite repeated warnings , had left some of her toys , including Mr. Beanie Duck , on the living room floor again . Gong gong had wanted to wash the floor , so he picked up her " mah sah " and threw them all back into the huge " mah sah " container . Shortly after , came back and couldn't find her best buddy on the floor . She searched her table and other areas ( but somehow excluded her mah sah container ) but he was nowhere to be found . That naturally got her anxious , Ma ma ( Translation : Where is duck duck ? Where is duck duck ? Grandma , duck duck is gone ! ) Hawk - eyed ma ma spotted Mr. Beanie Duck the moment she stepped back into the living room . She distracted into searching for him in the room whilst " pocketing " Mr. Beanie Duck secretly . Ma ma had thought of an idea to teach a lesson in keeping her toys . naughty bird bird temple ( Translation : You have been naughty , leaving your toys on the floor . Duck duck has been captured by bird bird ! He is now locked up in the temple ! ) ( Some background info : There is a chinese temple near my flat and liked to visit it when she was smaller . There is a pond there full of koi and we would bring some fish food there to feed them . The above pic is taken at the koi pond , about one and a half years back . ) looked despondent . ma ma temple ( Translation : Let 's go to the temple to feed the fish and look for duck duck . ) ( Translation : OK ! ) At the temple , whilst was busy looking at the koi , ma ma took Mr. Beanie Duck out from her pocket and exclaimed , Ma ma ( Translation : Look ! Grandma has found Mr. Beanie Duck ! ) was understandably overjoyed to find back her best buddy and grinned widely . For the rest of the day , she clutched tightly onto him and did not let him once out of her sight . At this point in time , I chided ma ma for undoing our good work thus far of reducing her reliance on Mr. Beanie Duck . But wait , there is more to the tale , she tells me . That night , went to bed with Mr. Beanie Duck in hand . In the course of tossing and turning whilst asleep , Mr. Beanie Duck ended up at the edge of the mattress . Midnight . * Sounds of rustling * Ma ma awakes to find feeling around the mattress . Spotting Mr. Beanie Duck at the other end of the mattress , she returns it to 's hands , ( Translation : It 's here , duck duck is here ! Now go back to sleep ! ) ( Self - conscious laughter from . ) I asked ma ma if was still hanging onto Mr. Beanie Duck the next day . Her reply was no . I couldn't decide if that was a good thing or not . 
Sick chicken . Mid - autumn . Now is the time when a great variety of clothing thickness can be observed on the streets . I have always been one of the early birds to dig out my winter clothing and putting them to good use . Since the return from the Blue Mountains , I have been in three layers of clothing , two t - shirts ( or equivalent ) and one coat , whenever I am out and about . Therein lies a little awkwardness for me . You see , there is quite a number of Australians still hanging onto their summer inclinations . It is not uncommon to see Aussies in sleeveless t - shirts or singlets , shorts and slippers ( they 're called thongs here ) on the streets . And they are NOT exercising , just going about their daily routine . This happens even in the evenings when the temperature takes a further dip . And then , here I am , in full winter battle order , walking past them with my hands deeply buried in my coat pockets . The contrast is so big , I get self - conscious about it . Of course , there are other people like me , all togged in winter wear . Some even have their beenies and scarves out . Still , I can't help but wonder what makes those " summerly " people so " healthy " . We used to joke amongst ourselves that it makes us seem like some weakling or sick chicken . 
NEW CHAPTER FINDING THINGEE ! ------ > . Look what Dave made for my site ! Now you can find any chapter you want . Don't ( a ) press return - you have to click go ( b ) try to see chapters I haven't written yet ! Do leave comments . I get an email when I get a new comment , so I ' ll be able to find them ! If you 're ever reading a passage and think something , then leave a comment about it . One day I might let you write comments on chapters I haven't done yet . We ' ll see . Tell me if a chapter doesn't work or something . 
Psalm 125 . Strength like Jerusalem Summary : If you trust God , you will be as strong as Jerusalem , which is protected by God . God , do good to the good and bad to the bad . Key verse : 2 . As the mountains surround Jerusalem , so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore . My thoughts : Given that Jerusalem has been sacked at least 17 times in its history , I ' m not sure whether ' strength like Jerusalem ' is something to strive for ... Anywho ... I ' m loving how short these psalms are . Really helps with the whole catching up plan ! 
Psalm 124 . God holds our bail Summary : If God wasn't with us , we would ' ve been screwed . Thanks God ! We ' ve escaped ! Key verse : 7 . We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler 's snare ; the snare has been broken , and we have escaped . My thoughts : Jewish history is one of survival against ridiculous odds . It is amazing that they have continued as a such a small yet such a significant society in human history . It is bizarre , and I believe that it truly is a God thing . 
Psalm 123 . The humble grumble Summary : We look to you like a dog to its owner . Be nice to us . Key verse : 2 . As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master , as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress , so our eyes look to the Lord our God , till he shows us his mercy . My thoughts : This is a nice humble prayer , but nevertheless a persistent one . We have to know where we stand compared to God , but also not be afraid to be persistent ! 
Psalm 122 . Oh Jerusalem ! Summary : It rocks to go into your home in Jerusalem , God ! Jerusalem rocks . Everyone goes there . That 's where the kings are . Let 's have peace there Key verse : 6 . Pray for the peace of Jerusalem My thoughts : Who said the Bible didn't speak to today 's issues ! Keep praying folks ! 
Psalm 121 . God is watching over us Summary : I look up and know that God is my helper . He looks after us and keeps us from harm . Key verse : 2 . My help comes from the Lord , the Maker of heaven and earth . My thoughts : The word for ' watching ' is repeated many times in this psalm . It puts across an image of God who is carefully observing what in going on in our lives . It is very personal . 
Psalm 120 . In a bad land Summary : Save me from the liars ! They punish me . I ' ve lived here too long ... Key verse : 6 . Too long have I lived among those who hate peace . My thoughts : It 's often hard to keep a strong relationship with God when you are surrounded with those who don't care about God . This is what the psalmist is experiencing here . 
Are you Japanese ? No.. how about Chinese ? The last couple days of work has been alright as I ' ve finally gotten enough sleep both days and work wasn't too bad . I can't wait to get my paycheck which will be around 800 big ones : ) . Also referring to the title .. the people a work always keep always trying to guess what ethnicity I am . They are wrong all the time . So far I ' ve been asked if I ' m Japanese , Chinese and Vietnamese . Anyway when I tell them I ' m cambodian .. they bring in their opinion . I ' ve heard people say you look like you 're from Hong Kong or you look half chinese or half philipino . This is kind of getting old to me and yeah I ' m kinda annoyed of being asked it . I downloaed tw 0 movies which I want to see and haven't yet . 28 days later which I randomly landed on rotten tomatoes while looking at the movie murder - set - pieces ( which I was about to download but it wasn't really seeded that much ) . I also downloaded A Clockwork Orange . I already saw the part of the effects of the torture on Alex and I guess it 's time to see the full thing . I am also almost done reading rule of four which I forgotten about while sleeping so much . It 's pretty good so far . Some interesting news : Lance Bass has come out of the closet . The N ' Sync member has said he was in a relationship with a reality TV show winner not named Richard Hatch ( who is in jail ) . I would ' ve never guessed that he would be the gay one . Chris Fitzpatrick looked pretty gay but I guess he 's not and also Joey Fatone who dated Chyna could be gay cause Chyna is like a man ... Some follow - up news .. the homeless man who only got a measly 100 bucks for finding 21 grand in saving bonds was rewarded by other people who decided he deserved much more . Instead some people have offered him cash , recyclable bottles worth up to 4000 . Some people are sending job leads . This is a great story and the link can be found right here . Anyway I guess I ' m done for today .. as a reminder : get monday off ! Volunteer appointment at Baycrest ! Peace . 
Work was interesting . Wore the new boxers I got on saturday . I got mickey mouse one 's lol . For 99 cents so it 's worth it if they rip . The good ones which are from Gap are prolly 10 bucks or more each . I was kind of tired today as I slept around 2:30 and needed my mom to wake me up again . It was worth it to stay up . Lucy surprisingly came online which I missed the chance last time when she came online from china . We talked for a bit and I got tired and yeah it 's good cause I miss her . At work , I was tired but all was normal until ... my final break at around 1:30 which Lucas told me the supervisor said something to him about him not listening or what not . I ' m unsure what it was about but around 2:45 she came back saying she called the agency and made sure he wasn't coming back . It seems the supervisor had it out for Lucas and he was pissed and eventually left work early . Sucks for him .. hopefully he can find another job . I feel bad for him cause we enjoyed the job and looked forward to the pay . Working with him was cool . Anyway I ' m not used to writing everyday so I don't have too much to write right now . Later , chengy . I changed the site around as you can see and I will continue to tweak with some stuff until I ' m satisfied . The web stats link which gives information about visitors is excellent : ) . Peace . 
Not too much to talk about but saw some strange things . So I slept 3 hours for work .. woke up late where my mom had to wake me up . Work was cool though , I ended up using my mp 3 player for the last 2 hours .. music sparks the soul wow .. worked seem so easy today . My dad had overtime so .. I had to walk from work to Martin Grove and wait for the good ' ol TTC . Anyway I have to cross Martin Grove where there are a lot of trucks and speeding cars . Anyway to get across , I use the pedestrian signal thingy mainly cause it 's safer and 10 seconds isnt worth it since I wouldve been waiting for the bus anyway . One woman almost got hit by a truck as the truck couldnt stop .. another two people were trying to cross for about 30 seconds and no 1 was stopping ( which is illegal ) . One driver had stopped but another driver in another lane wouldnt be able to see the two people and was going fast . The stopped driver then opens his door so the speeding driver has to stop or hit his door to protect the two people he might ' ve hit . Very logical and it was cool to see someone sacrifice their door for safety . On the 46 it was very tight . Very tight as in crowded not cool . Anyway around me was a plus size woman or kevin would like to say a very fat bitch ... So feeling a little uncomfortable I try to get myself to relax and hope that this will soon end . She begins to leave and I notice that she has a lot of facial under her nose and above her lip . Then I step back for a second and I realize .. whoa ... the lady around me had a stache . This other lady who saw that woman was staring at me , laughing when I saw the moustache woman . She was trying not to be rude but not staring and thus staring at me . Anyway I look away from BOTH woman feeling awkward . That 's my bus story .. First time I saw a woman with a moustache .. I saw a woman with a beard at the CNE with Lucy . Onto sports + internet links : Jays take 3 out 4 from the Yanks : Whhaaattt ??? !!! Yes hopefully they can do well on the road as they are money at home . Raptors are going to sign Fred Jones .. I think if he can show off some dunks here and there he will instantly become a fan favourite .. we loved Vince when he wasn't a pussy and did the amazing dunks ( which he does in NJ ) . Avery signed with the Kings . WHAAT ?? !! Good signing though surprising considering all the talk about them hating this guy . ( if you think it is a bad signing post and I ' ll say why it 's a good signing : P ) The Great American Bash I think is a dud as there were so many changes etc. I ' ll download it anyway cause I can though it sounds terrible . Circumsion to help stop HIV : Cool but not sure why ? Jewish boys win this battle : @ . Dakota Fanning in movie with rape scene : eep .. she was awesome in I am Sam but damn .. kind of nasty though . Homeless man finds 21 k in bonds get measly 100 dollar reward : my god .. a good person but still he is homeless ... if he found those for me .. I would ' ve rented him a place to stay so he could get a job and eventually work and get out of homelessness . But 100 bucks ?? Using the internet via brainwaves : Cool but .. what if you get hacked ? ... you 're screwed The help matthew stay website has been a success as the government allowed him some more time before another decision is to be made . By that point they shouldn't deport him . Anyway it 's been fun , it 's been cool but I gotta go . Later . Peace , chengy . 
Tired and I ' ve got some errands to do . I finally got my haircut yesterday .. been almost two months and my hair looked like crap . Work was tiring , mostly because I didn't get enough sleep so usually the first 4 hours of work were killer and the end seemed the easiest . Not too much news about me personally , 2 nd interview went pretty good BUT the guy told me there were 2 more so that means if I do get the job it ' ll probably be in late August / September . On thursday I spent 18 on lottery stuff : lotto super 7 / 649 with encore . 2 pro line tickets with 3 bucks as my wager , and a bingo and cross word ticket . I won 3 bucks on the cross word . The bingo was a dud as well as the lotto super 7 which I found out just now . One pro - line ticket was destroyed cause of the football game between Hamilton and Montreal . I bet the over which was logical but I choose Montreal by 8 which didn't go well . The other ticket I won , picked the jays to win by 1 with the score 9 or under and an under to an LA / ARZ game which were easy picks . So I am going to make 13 bucks off that . + 3 with the cross word that would mean I made 16 / 18 bucks with the lotto 649 still to go . * crosses fingers * My legs are sore from standing so much at work . 50 hours is a lot though I am hoping I get paid overtime . The paycheck will be huge when I get it . The errands for today , is buy boxers and buy Oxy or something that will reduce the amount of zits I have on my face . They most came due to sweating a lot from work so I gotta get that off my face . Now onto sports .. The leafs signed Peca which I think will be a good fit in the dressing room not necessarily the ice but the leafs front office knows that . Leaf band wagoners / haters ( they are the same fans ) probably won't and he may receive some bashing . The Jays were all over the news . Making headlines on Yahoo and SI which I use frequently . Mainly , about the Hillenbrand incident . If you want to know what happened just post a message / ask me . I think the Jays are going to be on a roll now and the Hillenbrand trade is an interesting one trading for a 24 - yr old reliever so we ' ll see how the guy does which I thought our bullpen needed serious help . And Boo John Salmons balked at signing with the raps claiming he might not get the playing time ... Edit : here are my Great American Bash PPV picks though I think this PPV will suck .. I may download it though it 's unlikely . Gregory Helms wins back his title whoever he faces . Pitbulls over London and Kendrick , this is probably wrong but I like all 4 guys anyway so either way its win / win . Regal vs Finlay . Does it matter ? Lashley was the only face in this match where we WOULD have seen Regal and Finlay double team him .. now it 's heel vs heel .. which will probably get no crowd reaction . Finlay wins .. ( note Face = good guy Heel = bad guy ) The Great Khali over the Undertaker by cheating . Khali has had some help and I would expect some type of shanigans . Batista vs Ken Kennedy . Boo I know Batista is going to win this one but Ken Kennedy is awesome .. Rey vs Booker . I think Booker T wins by help from Sharmell or Regal . Rey has been shown as a weak champion getting beat up or needing help to win a match . Anyway I ' m out .. going to be making proline picks as I finish this post . Peace . 
I Hate Briefs . I am stealing Kevin 's ideas for his revolving door of a website name of blog for this post . So back to my title , I hate briefs . Not short conversations . Short and tight UNDERWEAR ! Now as I posted beforehand one of my needs but this is seriously buggin me now that I will probably get some tomorrow . Anyway the past two days I ' ve worn briefs cause my stupid 3 rd boxer broke cause of playing goalie . I did wear briefs once ... didn't everyone ?? Though the feeling is different . I feel ... very small and it feels very uncomfortable . I thought I would be wearing a pair today but I realized that my launder wasn't done and I was VERY disappointed . So yes I was going to write this yesterday but forgot until I slipped on a pair today and I was easily reminded on how painful they are !! AHHH ! Okay , I ' m done ranting I ' m out . Peace . Bday is tomorrow though not much to look forward too . It 's cool . 
Tired but not too tired . I slept at like 2:30 am and woke up at 4:37 to get ready for work . Yeah I figured I was SCREWED . Work turned out pretty good , there 's a lot of standing around and waiting which is fine with me . Also it 's good to have someone I know there . Though I don't know Lucas to well , it was cool working with him . The work was EASY compared to my old factory job . And Jack , Yes you are correct the machine does most of the work so we were doing jobs such as stacking glass bottles on the conveyor , REALLY easy though 10 hours is kind of long . Good news as the job front , Sport Chek called surprisingly for a 2 nd interview : ) . Only problem now the interview is on my bday which is this thursday . I plan to play some hockey I guess afterwards though I will probably be too tired from work . Hmm I wonder how I will treat myself on Thursday , maybe gamble a little with Pro - line or something . Lucy also messaged me on Sunday at around 2 pm . I wasn't there : ( . ( I loooooooooove you Lucccyyy !! ) On Sunday , I slept around 2 am but I woke up almost at 4 pm ... Yep and no wonder I couldn't sleep for work . On the gambling front , I am refining my poker strategy which has been successful when I have kept on that strategy . Been in the prize pool in recent tournaments . I just have to be more patient when I enter the prize pool and contiue playing the way I did . Also some links I would like to pass on to people though it seems my hit count is decreasing so .. I guess links to pass on to Jack ? lol . Observers who don't reply please make a comment so I can continue randomly placing links into my post gracefully ? Help Matthew Stay - Saw this on Eli 's msn name . It doesn't make sense for Canada to deport him and he should be allowed to stay . Man with oxygen mask goes for smoke Read about the result , I probably wouldn't have understood why this occurs without science . ( I ' m sure most people know though ) 10 cent bet turns into $ 21000 10 cent bet , wow .. This is a gamble I would take any day .. nice pay off though the woman would probably wished she bet a dollar instead ?? Would ' ve turned into 210,000 ... Anyway I ' m out peace . Chengy -- things are in a upswing now : ) . 
Finally got a job : ) . I called the agency on friday and got a job . It 's a juice factory , the hours are pretty bad though 6 am - 4 pm .. 10 hours !! so 50 hours a week .. whoa this could mean some nice $$$ . I drove down there , pretty easy to get to . I ' ve been reading Angels and Demons and I ' m almost done . After A & D I am going to read the Rule of Four then I am going to to either read the LOTR series or the harry potter series from the fourth book .. I made a list of what I have to do .. 1 . get a haircut 2 . get more boxers ( ripped too many playing sports .. ) 3 . get a new hockey stick 4 . pay brent for unforgiven tix 5 . get some new clothes 6 . get a present for lucy 7 . pick desired sweater for SI subscription as a gift from lucyum there has been some internet news but meh .. heh right now it 's not too much of interest . I ' ll keep up to date though . Later , Chengy . 
My Cars from first to last . Now we want to talk about own car not Family car , .. owkay ..... Berikut ini adalah beberapa mobil yang pernah hadir dalam kehidupanku , ... ( hasil keringat sendiri , ... bukan milik keluarga bro ............... ) 1 . Mitsubishi Jet Star Minibus 1989 - 1000 cc Gasoline 2 . Nissan Sentra Sedan 1989 - 1600 cc Gasoline 3 . Mitsubishi Kuda MPV 1999 - 2500 cc Diesel Semua mobil ini aku sayangi bak istri kedua hahahahahah , ...... and alasan kenapa mobil ke 1 dan ke 2 dijual , ......1 . Mobil kesatu dek bawahnya deket pijakan kaki udah patah , dan kalo dibetulin butuh duit banyak , ... nah .. dari pada susah mending dijual aje , ... padahal mesin yahud tuch and irit banget bensinnya bisa 1:152 . Mobil kedua juga sama gw CINTA bgt sama ini mobil , selain mulus abis baik body maupun mesinnya yang udah di krom , larinya juga bisa tembus 180 KPJ , ... itu pernah dua kali gw coba di jalan tol jagorawi , .. karena tuntutan keluarga maka terpaksa ni mobil dijual Hiks , .. Hiks .... Sekarang gw pake Mitsu Kuda Diesel 2500 cc , so far tenaganya oke and no trouble yang berarti ....... Gak tau next mobil apa lagi yang akan gw beliiiiiii Love Cars like a 2 nd wife , ... 
Friends from around the world ...... Friendship tak mengenal tempat dan suasana , dimanapun kita senasib sepenanggungan akan terukir selalu dihati ....... Suasana ini tercermin saat aku belajar di negeri matahari terbit banyak teman datang dari segenap penjuru dunia , mereka menjadi teman baik selama belajar , From left to right : 1 . Fazal Mahmood Khan - Pakistan 2 . Albert Martina Zingo - Ghana 3 . It 's me you know lah - Indonesia 4 . Lee Tain Giann - Taiwan Republic 5 . Wiliam Chan Ka Hung - Hongkong 6 . Somkeat Malaritthiporn - Thailand Kami belajar bersama , bercanda ria , jalan - jalan ke downtown Nagoya / Okazaki dan melihat Tokyo Motor Show . Sampai saat ini selalu terkenang dengan kalian my Friend around the world ...... C ... U ... in the future ......... 
January , February , & April . I apologize to you all for being so delinquent in posting pictures ! But , now I ' m finally catching up . First , January : A visit from Ilse 's Dad , Polo ! The last time we saw Polo was in 2000 at our wedding , ( Ilse has seen him many times , flying easily from TX to Mexico City ) . While visiting Ilse and Tiina , Polo was able to spend some time at our house . It was great to see you , Polo ! These two have way too much fun together ! Then , in February , my Dad and Patty came to visit us from Alaska ! This was my Dad 's first time seeing Lance since he was 4 months old . The gifts he brought ( toy trucks ) continue to be some of Lance 's favorites . " Thank you Grandpa ! " Finally , in April Tiina made the all - important decision to become a member at her church . She invited us down for the membership induction and we happily went ! While there we had some precious moments with Joe 's mother , and Lance 's great - grandma , Librada . That weekend was also the weekend of the Austin Finnish commuity 's annual picnic ! A good time was had by all as I ate food and tried to pick up on bits and pieces of conversation : - ) . 
Olympic Greatness . I recently attended the annual National Character and Leadership Symposium hosted by the Air Force Academy . This year 's theme was " Courage in the Face of Adversity " . One of the featured speakers was a man who , I believe , achieved one of the greatest accomplishments in sports in the last 20 years ( perhaps only slightly behind Lance Armstrong 's SEVEN Tour wins ) . This man is none other than Rulon Gardner -- 2000 Sydney Olympics Gold medalist . But Mr. Gardner did not simply win Olympic gold . He won Olympic gold in the sport of Greco - Roman wrestling ( style of wrestling where one is not allowed to attack his opponent 's legs ; throws only ) . But not only was he a gold medalist in Greco - Roman wrestling , he achieved this feat by defeating one of the most ( if not the most ) formidable opponents in the history of the sport : Russian Alexandre Karelin http : // www . time . com / time / europe / magazine / 2000 / 0911 / oly _ karelin . html Me with Mr. Gardner : Here I am attempting to wrap up Mr. Gardner ( I could bearly lock my two longest fingers with my arms around his 58 " chest ! ) : You can read all about Rulon Gardner as well as watch a highlight video of his " Miracle on the Mat " Gold medal win against Kerelin : http : // www . rulongardner . com / index . html . 
Ride for the Roses 2004 . Below are a couple pics from Lance Armstrong 's 2004 charity ride , " Ride for the Roses " in Austin , TX . Although I didn't get any pictures of him , the highlight of the event was riding right next to Armstrong himself ! I also rode side by side Robin Williams ( just he and I on a Texas country back road ) for about 7 miles . I tried making small talk , but only got 1 - word responses -- I guess he was focused on his pedaling . : - ) At the conclusion of the ride I ran into a former member of the U.S. 's first Tour de France team , Bob Roll . Is that Grizzly Adams ? No - It 's Bob Roll ! " Tour DAY France " . 
Hurricane Rita : A great reason for a visit from auntie Brianne ! As Corpus Christi evacuated on the 22 nd , Brianne found herself heading north to College Station with cat , Abbott , in tow ! Thanks for coming up , Bri ! We love you ! 
Shamu City . Thanks to the fine management at Anheuser - Busch providing free entry into their parks for military families , we recently took a little trip to ...... Sea World ! San Antonio is about 4 hrs away , but on the way there is Austin , where Tiina and Ilse live , so we picked them up on they way ! As expected , everyone had a great time . ( we had only planned on staying a few hours due to Lance being tired out , but -- not surprisingly -- he lasted the whole day : Noon -- 8:00 pm ! ) Here are a few pics from our trip on 17 September . The fish were fascinating ... ... and the rides were thrilling ... But when you play hard , you need some chilling ! The end of a long , hot day ! An enjoyable sea lion show ! Taa Daa !! ( hands clapping ) . 
Read Carefully . After 2 weeks of waiting for notification of my Vendor License number , I decided to look online again to see if there was a way to check the status of my application . It turns out the vendor licenses were supposed to be displayed immediately during the online process , after fee payment . I don't recall doing that at the time . After some more digging I found the link to let me view and print my official Vendor 's License certificate . The lesson to myself here is " Read Carefully " ! I tend to guess what things are going to say and skim through , rather than read every word . I have to remind myself that I am in " uncharted waters " so I need to pay careful attention so I do not gloss over something important . This was driven home as I was setting up an account with a wholesale distributor . I filled out the online application ; printed , signed , and faxed as requested . 30 minutes later while reviewing their web site I noticed an additional document needed to be printed , signed , and faxed to set up an online ID / password . In this case I was reminded that online application processes may not go through ALL the steps I need to perform to get a business relationship fully established , with all the tools I expect . Since I was now in the habit of reading carefully , I was able to catch a clause in the Personal Guarantee section of the wholesale account application . ( In my own words ) it basically said " If I am behind on my payments and someone else makes a payment for me , they put themselves under the same obligations I am for any remaining debt . " I plan on paying on time , of course , but it makes me think twice about the times I have offered to make a payment on some else 's behalf directly to a creditor . I ' ll make a point not to do that in the business - I could end up with some unexpected encumberances . 
Making a List , Checking it Twice . If you happen to be reading this because you are thinking about starting a small business , then you may find this post useful . Today I ' m reviewing the events that have occurred so far in my business , and thinking through what I have missed . Decided on a concept / found a niche market . ___ Develop a business plan . Initial plan roughly on paper but mostly in my head . I am adjusting as I go . It needs to be written down - I am violating the BIG # 1 RULE of starting a business by not writing it down formally . - I ' ll need this if I decide to apply for a Small Business Loan ( which I am trying to avoid ) . Performed initial market research on computer systems available for resale . Realized I cannot complete with major retailers on price by buying off - the - shelf . Decided on a company name . Made sure it was available in the State of Ohio . Made sure the domain was available . Actually this was a large part of my weeding out several potential company names . Launched a web site which is Hosted by Start Logic Designed a Logo . Printed Business Cards . Had an initial consulting appointment with a well - connected client . Worked this one for free , emphasized I was starting a business . No income , but an investment in my reputation and referral base . Bought a computer - so I ' m not tying up the family computer . Chose a company structure . Sole Proprietership is best for me at this point . I ' ll probably move to an LLC when it is feasible . Opened a business checking account . Applied for a Federal EIN , so the company is a distinct entity . Applied to be an authorized reseller with various hardware and software companies so I can provide their products to my clients at a price comparable to ( or better than ) retail outlets . Set up a Google Checkout account to accept credit cards . Adjust web site to make use of Google Checkout . Set up an accounting system . Using Quicken for now - I plan to move to Quickbooks . Filed for Ohio Service Vendor 's License and Delivery Vendor 's License ( since I don't have a physical store at this time , these were more appropriate ) . ___ File Ohio Name Registration . Designed Marketing Flyers . Announced my business to family and friends . Expanded the scope of the business concept to gain a wider potential customer base . Sign up as reseller or affiliate with more potential suppliers . ___ Determine a larger marketing strategy . Family and friends may not need help - referrals may be limited . Initial niche market can be called by phone , especially with the help of initial contacts . How broad do I want to market - local , regional - larger web presence ? 
Technology is Easy - Marketing is Hard . Finding my niche was pretty easy . Filing the paperwork was easy . Getting my initial technology stack in place was trivial . ( It had better be since that 's the core of my business ) . Preparing marketing materials was not difficult . I ' m not a graphic designer , but I came up with a logo , business cards , and an initial marketing sheet that looks better than I expected . A real graphics person would probably cringe , but it is good enough for now for my target market . Now comes the hard part - personal contact ! I don't want to spam my family and friends , so I ' ve opted to send a single email to them announcing the business and providing the basic information . Beyond that , I ' m going to wait for them to call me . Hard - core sales folks probably think I ' m shooting myself in the foot , but I am not starting this to alienate friends and family . My business will only grow if I think beyond them , so I am choosing not to use them as a crutch in the beginning , either . Lining up supply lines is a lot easier than setting up marketing channels . This is probably my next area to read about , and practice , Practice , PRACTICE ! As a self - proclaimed phone - o - phobe the last thing I want to do is make sales calls . I know , however , that is the single thing that will get my business off the ground . 
Choosing My Own Hours . I have heard it said that being your own boss means you can pick your own hours - you choose which 12 hours you work each day . I have a new appreciation for the truth of that statement ! Almost every spare moment has been consumed by the startup . This is not un - expected . Since one of my goals in launching this business is to eventually run it full - time and have more flexible time with my family , I feel it is important to start that practice now . It is hard to choose between a video game with my kids or adding a new product to the website . I want and need to do both . So far I have been fairly successful in balancing those - I should ask my wife and kids if they agree ! I ' m surrounded by a flurry of paperwork - thankfully , much of it has been electronic " paper " . I am actually surprised at the number of online resources my state provides to get going . All of my questions were answered online . I was even able to file for my Vendor 's Licenses online . Name Registration looks like it will still be paper - I ' ll take the slow way for that , I guess . I am getting my supply lines in place . I have been accepted as a reseller with several key software vendors that I was hoping to work with . I ' m choosing vendors and products based on 1 ) my familiarity with a product . 2 ) usefulness to my potential clients at a reasonable cost , and 3 ) reputation of the products , where I don't have familiarity . Once I get my Vendor 's Licenses I am hoping to get accouts established with wholesale distributors - then I should be set for the hardware I will to provide . I still puzzle over the question of capital . When the inevitable " big order " comes in , will I ask for partial payment up - front , or will I have a way to float the purchase until time to deliver ? If I book enough consulting hours first , I will hopefully not have to worry about this question . The other puzzlement - how much profit goes back into the business , and how much comes out to feel the benefits of the extra income ? Questions for another night . 
Uncharted Waters . Well , I did it . I finally decided to start a small business . I had tossed around different ideas for years , but none of them stuck well enough to put in the effort and , more importantly , the MONEY to make it happen . Finally , Summer 2006 was the right time with the right idea . I ' ve got a computer background and worked for corporations of every size doing various computer - related jobs . I ' ve hobbied with computers since gradeschool , and fixed who - knows - how - many problems with my parents ' computer . ( Any geeks out there with parents know the routine ! ) My wife came home from a business meeting one night and relayed that several of her friends were having computer problems and wondered if I might take a look . Something clicked and I thought " Aha ! Here is a simple niche that I know well that I could make a reasonable start at a consulting business " . Mind you , I have a Computer Science / Engineering degree . I avoided the School of Business pretty well in college . I ' ve never started a business before , but I had been reading up on how to start one for a couple years . It was time to put that reading into action . With a minimal investment I put up a web site , printed a few business cards , and scheduled my first " complimentary system audit " with a prosepctive well - connected client , who may very well be a link to many paying clients . Along the way , I decided to journal my thoughts of what I learn as I go . Why not start a blog ? I thought ? It 's the thing to do in 2006 , right ? So here I go into the wonderful world of blogging . I plan to record my experiences here in getting the business off the ground . Stay tuned for my struggles and successes - I know both are coming ! 
Mary . Mary Originally uploaded by km . keung . Mary is a really funny girl ... She is really charming when she 's telling jokes ! And now ... Mary has got a boyfriend !!! It seems that they 're very sweet . Have a feeling that she will marry him in the future ... Congratulations , Mary !!! XDDDDDDDDD . 
A good photo is a gift from heaven . Originally uploaded by km . keung . I think this photo is beautiful , but I don't like it very much . What I was thinking when I shot this photo was what angle to choose to shoot a beautiful photo . Still , this photo is beautiful . What I did was simply shooting the truth - I did not create this beautiful scene . I am just stealing an amazing scene from nature . I guess I ' m learning to be humble towards photography , because photography is just a record of the truth . 
into the drink - by michele cat . into the drink Originally uploaded by michele cat . Everyone should have tried it before in their lives ! One of the favourite games of children .. This photo has beauitufl framing and bw conversion , but what makes it great is that it touches on a common experience / memory of the us . Browsing more and more photos on flickr makes me realize that " beauty " is as cheap as nothing . Many people are able to do that ( either shooting or doing that in photoshop ) and there are simply too many " beautiful photos " out there . Avoid still shots . We got too much time that there are already tons of beautiful still shots . Photos are invaluable only if they touch on humanity / basci values / common experience / memories . Thanks michele cat for sharing ! 
Digging your own grave . I ' ve gone through too many classical photos of photography before I could explore the camera myself . It has good and bad sides : Good : I can improve faster Bad : I ' m not that open - minded So I ' m now learning to receive comments and commenting on others ' works in flickr . Now I can accept myself cropping the photo for better effects - which I think is good . However , I feel sick at people excessingly using computer for post - processing . They just " add in " colors into their photos or removing ( not by cropping , but by clone stamping in photoshop ) some undesirable elements in the photo . I suppose they 're digging their own grave since they are telling others that their photos are not reliable . What makes photography different from other forms of art is that it rely on the truth . Exception would be photographs for advertisements in which you can find no truth . Making photos beautiful is always tempting for photographers . My baseline is that my photographs , unless otherwise specified , must tell the truth . 
silvery gardens - by joopbloem . silvery gardens Originally uploaded by joopbloem . A great example of how simple cropping can change a photo . joopbloem has cropped away the left face of the horse , and now it feels like the horse is coming out of the photo . Once read from a book about photography that one should always check what 's in the margin of the photo before shooting . Even a little line or space leading out of the photo can be a fatal disturbance to the audience . Right cropping of a photo post - procressingly - great . Right framing of a photo while shooting - perfect . Thanks joopbloem for sharing ! 
Smile - by Miss Milki . Smile Originally uploaded by Miss Milki . I love this photo at my first sight ! It is because : - The photo is very warm and soft - The expression of the child is very natural and she 's looking right into the camera - The lines on the ground guide the eyes of the audience - The framing of the photo is just right . The child 's body at the right upper corner gives a story to the photo ( his presence and his body expression tell the audience that a group of children is playing ) Yet it does not distract the viewer , probably because the his face is not included . Such a lovely photo ! Thanks Miss Milki for sharing . 
More then just photographs ! I will start trying something new . This blog still remains as a photoblog , yet I will add more text ( which theme is still about photography ) and occasionally blog others ' photo here with my comments . Let 's learn from others and practise commenting skill on photos ! Isn't that a good idea ? : ) . 
The blue sky . Hey , how 's everyone ? Long time no post here ! I ' ve got some trouble lately ... but now , everything is fine . Worry makes no improvement anyway . What I love shooting the most is still the blue sky with white clouds .. its composition is fixed , yet it 's always different . Good weather is rare in Hong Kong nowadays ! Recently I started to love sending and sharing photos by email . It 's pretty easy since Picasa can auto - resize the photos for me . ( sounds like an advertisement ... ) I also felt that I am developing a more intimate relationship with others when I send photos with my words to them . Anyone want my photos through email ?? Using blue sky + white clouds as wallpaper is good and I would love to share them with you !! XDDDDD . 
Untitled . One important technique of photography is elimination , still I think it 's also important to leave something informative in the photo . Photogrpahy is a " useful art " . A photo will achieve the highest value if it is both informative and artistic . ( but it 's difficult ) Besides , placing some information in the details is fun - it 's like playing a game with the viewers . 
Yet so far apart . Sometimes I like but sometimes I don ' tthe loneliness I show in my photos . I want to shoot human I want to shoot love I am jealous of those who can communicate with the subjects they shoot . Through the camerathey gently touch their subjects . They show care and love . I will become one of them . 
" I gotta tell you about this ! ... " . I like the incongruity of this photo . But it 's not that obvious , isn't it ? It is the difficulty of photography ... There are so many variables - you own skill / vision , the subjects , the background ... I always tried my best to elimilate meaningless elements in my photos . But who knows ? Given the same conditions , a great photographer could have taken a better photo , may be from a different angle , different distance ... 
The camera . This photo make me think of the film " The Cube " , because of the camera ( representing being supervised ) and the dull , meanngless background . I regard that film as a scary movie , but at the same time a documentary one . It is so true that , people don't always know what they 're doing . They contribute their own small part , help building up a complex meaningless system , which exerts very bad effects to the human beings . 
Single and Looking ... Well everyone , just like you all to know im on the market for a girlfriend .. So if you are a woman who is single and lookin for a guy , or know someone who is , send me an email at achorn 316@ yahoo . com If you want more information about me , check out myspace . com / achorn 316 Also , you can leave a comment on here if you want : ) Chris . 
TDS 7 - 25 - 06 . Heres the Sense .. World War 3 update : Israel has invaded southern Lebanon , Lebanon has vowed to launch rockets all the way to Tel Aviv , 4 U . N . personnel were killed , a lot of people are talking less about cease - fire , and more about full scale war . Thank god I take medicine so I can sleep , otherwise if I watch too much TV , i doubt i would .. According to medical experts , many Americans are now too fat to fit into the x - ray scanners , or their fat is too dense to scan through . Wow .. how friggin fat do you have to be to be too fat to get x - rayed .. if your the x - rays cant penetrate you , maybe its time to go on a friggin diet .. man .. Three men were convicted in the slaying of 6 people who were beaten to death by with baseball bats . Apparently , they were beaten over an XBOX system . Anyone wanna take bets on whether alcohol and drugs were involved ? And thats the Sense .. Chris . 
Response to Samnoth . Samnoth is a guy in World of Warcraft who is the guild I used to be in .. heres what he wrote in a comment on the previous TDS .. Actually , the people who were affected by that blackout are generally hard working middle to lower middle class people . If you want to take shots at a New Yorker , take them at me , an overpaid , overweight attorney , not regular people who have no power during a horrible heat wave . Having travelled around this great nation , I know that most people are not quite as stupid or insensitive as to make a dumb comment like that . Too bad your meds can't be tweaked to help you not be an insensitive , selfish jackass . Samnoth , born and raised in Queens , New York City . First off , comments like that make me happy I left The Tenth .. i wanted to come back , but now im really happy I didnt . Apparently you lost your sense of humor somewhere down the line , and cant take a joke . Secondly , you call me insensitive , but then make a remark about my meds bein tweaked , have you no respect or feelings for people like me with mental problems ? I guess you dont .. Well , since you brought it up .. heres my full opinion on New York City : I hate New York City . I hate everyone who lives there . I hate the Yankees , and anyone who cheers or likes them . Why do I hate New York City ? There are too many damn people there , there is way too much crime , and everyone there has a crappy attitude , as evidenced by your stupid comment . I am glad those people dont have power . Maybe the heat will cause them to figure out what a hellhole they live in and move someplace that isnt full of assholes like you . I hope all of New York City goes without power for weeks like some of us did up here in Maine during the Ice Storm a few years back .. ( sidenote : i didnt see too many articles about us Mainers who were without power in the dead of winter , and in danger of freezing to death . ) And heres where I lay into you . I ' m sure you cant handle it , so you might wanna sit down first before you read this . You are an asshole . Your opinions dont mean crap to me . The only reason I am writing this is to put you in your place and show you what happens when you come into my house .. In Wo W , you may think you are king .. but here at My Two Sense , it is a dictatorship , and I rule here . So next time you overreact to a joke I make , instead of writing a comment that shows that your mouth is as fat as the rest of you , try to laugh , if that cesspool you live in hasnt drained the rest of your humor . Chris Achorn . 
Beautiful woman and cockroach . Beautiful woman extremely attractive , caused the people to look has not been able to forget , the man even for obtain the beautiful woman to do not hesitate the crime , the cockroach extremely is actually ugly , make people gastric disorder , the flying big cockroach even causes the gentleman also to call out in alarm ! The beautiful woman and the cockroach all are , therefore obviously the god 's disposition which the god creates is the unusual extreme , has the god 's love the person will obtain the love likes beautiful woman 's love in Heaven ( certainly is not is human body that kind ) , but commits the big crime to detest by the god , must accept the penalty which is does not die in there insect , falls in the immortal god 's hand is fearful ! 
David 's true colors ! The famine in the days of David for three years , the god experiments David to come . David to let success go to the head on because a speech giving up sends his wife Michal , but the god but actually does not have because David to commit the big crime to give up him in the same old way , is the god 's affection ! Actually the god deceased intends to the later generations person at present , ridiculed he loves beautiful woman than loves god , arranges David is old when to be sensitive to cold , must hug the beautiful woman ! The king which selects by god , the old age is not intimate with the god well , actually must hug a young beautiful woman , this picture is not too strange ? David is sees a woman to take ! Abigail is the example ! David looked has pulled out shows Bathsheba to take a bath already the greatly full fine sights , he wants the woman greatly to be allowed to look for his own wife , how many wives did he not have ? But he actually assigns to have to pull out shows Bathsheba , afterwards did not hesitate to offend the god , betrayed the oneself country the soldier ! Clearly officially informed dies still dies in battle for the country Saul , poured matches compared to David makes the three services command ! Jesus Christ is willing to be called David the descendants , is the god code of honor , but also ridicules David from the god , I looked the god 's promise to David is unstable , has the condition . I now not to like reading David 's poem ! David sadly repents bitterly , possibly is feared loses prays for heavenly blessing than had feared loses the god ! Because he saw with own eyes how Saul to lose the god 's blessing the pitiful fate . 
David cruelly to Saul 's family . Before David is the king each matter to ask the god , but after there was a famine in the days of David for three years , the Gibeonites to have to hang to death Saul 's family , David 's inactivity to ask the God , David 's son which quickly dies of illness for oneself actually vigorously to seek divine help as if ! Moreover David because a speech then abandons Michal the daughter of Saul , who he recaptures again , once used the idea to rescue him . David to Saul 's family very to be actually cruel ! You agree ? 
Does God admit Saul ? After Saul to be a broken and contrite heart , and does not hope the diet , calculated sadly repents bitterly ? After he is frightened , knew perfectly well died still dies in battle for the country ! Calculates the brave martyr ? The God can admit him ? 
Moses only almost ? The god can tell the light comes out from darkness If Moses told the water comes out from the rock , he then represents the god in front of the Israeli , but not only in front of the pharaoh replaces the god ! He cannot arrive promises , whether doesn't calculate the penalty ? But is explained he originally has not get the god 's promise and to revere the glory . 
Moses goes over the Jordan river ? The mountain that Jesus transfigured , did not know whether in the west of the Jordan river ? If , then Moses because Jesus with then was crossing the river . If otherwise , then Jesus did not have while convenient helps him , whether could say because of Moses but must go out the promised land ? But " it is good that we are here " the lucky share occurs outside the promised land ? 
The nickname of God . My daughter eight , nine years old often receive the inspiration to speak ( I at first to think is evil spirit ) , has her to my short period of time , says " the grandpa and grandma " three characters ! She was naive at that time , has not read the Holy Bible , also not the impossible knowledge God 's name was Jehovah , I thought she took the god the name harmonics to crack a joke . Passes through many years to meditate , I begin to understood this name meaning . Her grandfather and grandmother actually was my father and the mother ! But my parents most are partial to me in the numerous children , therefore the god tells I he is willing to work as me the parents , but the god can extremely love me ! My father is a coolie , my mother is a sanitation worker , they not are literate , also does not have the interest to pay attention to in their eye western Christianity , I once was saved for them the question extremely anxiety , now the god since works as I the parents , he decided cannot call me the mortal body parents to perish ! Thanks god ! Praises " the grandpa and grandma " ! Aa the bible says , " Believe in Lord Jesus , and you will be saved , you and your household " Acts 16:31 , and also says " And as for me , this is my convenant with them , " says the Lord : " My Spirit that is upon you , and my words that I have put in your mouth , shall not depart out of your mouth , or out of the mouth of your offspring , or out of the mouth of your children 's offspring , " says the Lord , " from this time forth and forevermore . " Isaiah 59:21 . 
The god can give up the Israeli ? In bible , Jeremiah 31 and 33 chapters said if the heavens above can be measured , and the foundations of earth below can be explored , discards the daytime dark night law , then the god only then can give up the Israeli . Nowadays the science and technology should be possible to measure the heavens and to explore the foundations of earth below , but the new heaven and new earth only has the daytime , does not have the dark night ! Whether the god early knowledge does play gives up the Israeli ! Then after on promised how gives the row person 's lucky share ? 
Who sits the white the great throne ? Sits the white great throne that is not the entire knowledge god ! Because he wants to look the record and the book of life only then can place on trial ! He is not Jesus , because discusses the living water with the woman that time to indicate Jesus knew person 's past ! 
Who Satan but pretends ? ! Satan but praises himself for the bright stars , greatly has the wisdom , but in creates at the beginning of the world to play the role of the snake , afterwards only then played the role of the dragon , explained he began makes a mistake , who he wants to be jealous ! ( Always one can play the role of prestige glory image . But the Chinese all knew the distinction between dragon and snake , dragon ascends the sky , but the snake only lies in on the place to crawl ) the dragon is the Chinese mascot figure , emperor , that power is a Chinese as if ! Unreasonably gives Chinese 's wisdom by the god is take the devil as the mascot figure ! Satan but because is jealous rebels against the god ! 
California Video . I cut together this little video from a vacation Sylvia and I had in California in march . I shot the footage with my Nikon Coolpix stills camera ( it does 15 frame per second , half resolution video with no sound ) . I love the 8 mm effect from the lower frame speed , the stepping aperture and progressive capture . I also like the fact that if something can capture an image than you can make a film . I ' m curious now to try to make a little film using only a digital stills camera ... Enjoy ! 
The Thin Red Line . On the weekend I was catching up on some documentaries that I had pvr ' d off the History Channel . They were World War I docs on the Sea Battle of Jutland , the Battle of Verdun and The Battle of Somme . It 's surprising still the sheer numbers of human lives lost . Verdun alone numbered in the hundreds of thousands slaughtered and close to a million casualties . Afterwards I decided to view ' The Thin Red Line ' again . ' The Thin Red Line ' was the third film by Terrence Malick , a filmmaker known for his beautiful photography and lyrical drama . Almost all of the exteriors of his previous film ' Days of Heaven ' were shot at magic hour . Magic hour is what happens to the light between sunset and when it gets dark . This happens for about a half an hour . To shoot all of your scenes at that pace is a cumbersome task to say the least . The end result , however , is an extraordinarily beautiful and lyrical visual . ' The Thin Red Line ' stands out from most war films as it doesn't have that much interest in the war . Instead it focuses on the human condition and our place in nature and the world . It 's a beautiful film and has a dream - like quality . Where ' Apocalypse Now ' is psychedelic and trippy , ' The Thin Red Line ' is lyrical and almost gentle . Nature is indifferent to the violence of war . Unlike the filth and destruction seen in ' Private Ryan ' ' Thin Red Line ' takes place in the tranquil beauty of the south pacific Island of Guadalcanal . In voice over the narrator speaks in philosophical tones . His questions are not about the nature of war but of the duality of man . Like ' Apocalypse Now ' it sees that each of us are capable of great kindness and great darkness . There is always a struggle between darkness and light and it 's in us as much as it 's in nature . " This great evil . Where 's it come from ? How ' d it steal into the world ? What seed , what root did it grow from ? Who 's doing this ? Who 's killing us ? Robbing us of life and light . Mocking us with the sight of what we might have known . Does our ruin benefit the Earth ? Does it help the grass to grow or the sun to shine ? Is this darkness in you , too ? " The last line echoes in the ending of ' Apocalypse Now ' where Willard has the choice to go between the light and darkness . In ' The Thin Red Line ' no one seems to be given the choice . They are pushed forward to sacrifice their lives to gain ground for the glory of their power hungry Colonel ( Nick Nolte ) . This is the kind of film that drives some people nuts and makes others take notice . I find it extremely evocative as it raises philosophical ideas but doesn't ever pretend to have answers . The atmosphere and visuals are of such beauty that they are in stark contrast to the war itself . In a strange way I find it quite soothing and meditative . I only wish I ' d seen it in the theatre . 
The Big Clock . I went back an screened ' The Big Clock ' this afternoon to see the differences between it and ' No Way Out ' . They are two different films and one of the big differences is the protagonist . Kevin Costners character is a single playboy out who falls for Sean Young . They become enthusiastic lovers while she is having a relationship with Gene Hackman ( the antagonist ) . Hackman kills her and frames Costner . In the 1948 version Ray Milland is married and works himself to the bone . He is supposed to treat his wife to a honeymoon five years after their marriage . Milland can't get the time off so he quits . In his weaker moment , he ends up missing the plane with his wife and ends up spending the evening with Maureen O ' Sullivan , the wife of his boss . The tyranical boss , played perfectly by Charles Laughton confronts her . She is cruel to him and degrades him by questioning his manly abilities and he turns to a rage and kills her ( Laughton in the same role as Hackman ) . Milland 's character is framed for the murder and he has to try to prove his innocence . Unlike pure Noir , both films absolve the protagonist of moral ambiguity . In ' The Big Clock ' Milland plays a faithful husband who stays true to his wife despite a night out on the town . In ' No Way Out ' Costner is a single playboy who falls in love with the victim . Both films ensure that the protagonist is sympathetic despite the fact that the theme of adultry ( or something like it ) is the root cause of the drama . On another note , Charles Laughton whose performance in ' The Big Clock ' is terrific , directed one film in his life . He wrote and directed ' The Night of the Hunter ' starring Robert Mitchum . It is a real shame that this was the only foray into directing for Laughton who obviously had considerable talent . It 's a thriller in the tradition of German Expressionism . Apparently a box office failure , ' The Night of the Hunter ' is a visual tour de force . If you get a chance , check it out and , if I lent you my DVD , let me know because I ' d love to see it again ! 
No Way Out . I screened 1987 film ' No Way Out ' the other night . It turns out that it is derived from the 1946 book ' The Big Clock ' , a book that had been adapted for the screen previously in 1948 . The film adaptation of the same name starred Ray Milland in a role that would have suited James Stewart just as well . Both films carry the same narrative where the protagonist is framed for murder and in a twist of fate , are responsible for investigating their own apparent crime . It is the kind of material that Alfred Hitchcock loved exploring . Although both films are similar in plot there is a definite difference in tone . ' No Way Out ' is modern in it 's portrayal of sexuality . Sexuality was a staple of film noir but it 's only hinted at and never explicitly explored . In the modern version it is spread out ( forgive the pun ) and exploited for full effect . In classic noir the femme fatale is usually pulling the strings but in ' The Big Clock ' and ' No Way Out ' she is the victim of her desire . What stands out in ' No Way Out ' is the terrible electronic score provided by Maurice Jarre . I was appalled at how bad the score was and had to go look up the other films that Jarre had worked on . What I found was an accomplished list of credits including Peter Wier 's terrific film ' Witness ' and the spectacular ' Lawrence of Arabia ' . The midi soundtrack in ' No Way Out ' was simply empty and void of emotion and atmosphere . It 's interesting to see how a film like ' No Way Out ' could have stood out better in time if only it had a proper film score attached to it . It 's not a bad film despite a questionable performance by Sean Young ( or questionable direction of Sean Young ) and a silly cold war twist ending . A films soundtrack is so important in the success of the picture that it is interesting when bad examples jump out at you . Think of the ' great ' movies and it is very hard to find an example where the score and sound in the film isn't equal to the story and picture . I ' m still divided on ' Blade Runner ' and the Vangelis electronic soundtrack . Certainly it 's better than ' No Way Out ' but sometimes I don't mind it and sometimes I dislike it . I imagine I react against these midi scores as they are being used intellectually . Both ' No Way Out ' and ' Blade Runner ' are futuristic so it 's an interesting choice to try to have a futuristic soundtrack . It seems misguided as the music is there to support the emotions of the characters ( or counter point them ) and there is no emotional resonance in the empty and clinical soundtrack . If you are interested in film music you should check out the new version of Francis Ford Coppola 's ' The Outsiders ' . Coppola expanded the edit of the film to better reflect the entire work of the novel . The other thing he did was drop the original music his father had composed for the film and he rescored it using found music of the period . It was an incredible experience sitting and watching this film that simply ' felt ' different from the other version . Dropping the melodramatic score improved the film greatly . Again , the original score seemed more of an intellectual exercise , trying to evoke the grandiose tones of Gone With the Wind while it didn't work for the characters and what they were going through . Now I am curious to screen ' Witness ' again ... 
Casablanca . I just had some dinner and turned on the television to see what 's on . As usual , there are some slim pickings until I come across Vision TV which is screening ' Casablanca ' . I won't ask how the film fits into the programming for that particular station but I ' ll take whatever stretch they come up with . Either way , I was busy putting the laundry on and putting away the dishes and was listening to the opening of the film instead of watching it . What struck me was Max Steiner 's use of the French National Anthem in the score . The story of the film is that is was meant to be a sort of B picture and was in production at the same time as it was being written . This is usually a recipe for disaster ( brings to mind such gems as Cutthroat Island ... ) . The opening of the film is narrated to give the audience the idea of how Casablanca was the last stop for people trying to flee Europe during the second world war . On a limited budget they needed to set up the big story and then set up the dangerous and romantic setting of French Morocco . Steiner in his score is being practical by repeating the French National Anthem several times in order to help set up the location and space of the film . In other words , Steiner is telling part of the story . The economy of the film was such that they couldn't afford to shoot in the real Morocco so they cheat it by using the soundtrack to set the location . Film music is usually used to punctuate emotion and set tone . I find it very interesting that it was being used in such an intellectual way . Now to Cutthroat Island ... It 's an interesting film as it is a great example of marketing and film business . I could only imagine that Hollywood would have been convinced that nobody wanted to see a pirate film after Cutthroat Island tanked . It was a bad film but it 's not that nobody wants to see a pirate film they just don't want to see a bad pirate film . Pirates of the Caribbean is on the mark of making big money . Why ? Because the first film was very well done and although I haven't seen the next one , it seems that it too is very entertaining . How do you market a film first and foremost ? Get behind a good film and don't be concerned over whether or not you think there is an audience for it . It 's been proven over and over again that marketing studies and demographics mean very little ( Forrest Gump anyone ? ) . Has Miramax not taught us anything ? 
The More Things Change . There has been a lot of discussion lately about the fate of Television and Film . Ipod Video , My Space , You Tube and others are gaining momentum and splitting our time away from traditional media . This has many pundits curious and others worried for the future of the entertainment business . I can't really enter the debate with any definitive prediction but I would have to say that I am optimistic . Change will happen , that is inevitable . The end of film was projected over 50 years ago with the increasing popularity of the television . Others thought that television would be nothing more than a novelty . Both were wrong . Moderation of viewership didn't sway the ship either way . Television is different than projected films and the internet is different too . Going out for ' dinner and a movie ' is a different activity than an evening watching television or a Saturday night DVD . Ipod Video , Internet or PSP tend to be much more individual in nature . It is hard to imagine the family sitting around the You Tube agreeing on what 30 second short they ' ll watch at any given time . How does this affect the industry ? The feature film industry is getting nervous because attendance is down but why is it down ? Is it because of the endless sequels and repackaged television shows ? Is it because studios are afraid to get behind creative filmmakers ? Some suggest that it 's because lawyers and accountants have taken control of the content ( which seems to make as much sense as writers and directors taking control of the books ... ) . I can understand people wanting to be creative but at some point they ' ll have to see how they undermine their own profits . Maybe we need some new David O Selznicks ... ? Feature films don't appear to have any trouble finding an audience if they are original and engaging . Last years Oscar films were very successful in terms of budget vs . return . A few years ago Lord of the Rings made over a billion dollars ( and it ' ll make money for many years to come ) . It 's hard to make a good film but maybe the more you trust the filmmakers to dictate the content , the more you ' ll get those gems . Betting on the safe sequel or the safe remake limits the audience potential . Hollywood needs vision and it needs to trust the visionaries . ' Heaven 's Gate ' ? Sometimes . And sometimes you get The Godfather . As for the future of television and film ? Look into your own crystal ball because I don't know the answer . What I know is that whatever it is , people want good content . They want entertainment and they want to be moved . There will always be an ebb and flow , the industry is dynamic . Time will tell what is novelty and what is practical . The i Pod is doing so well because it 's the culmination of the portable cassette tape and cd walkman . It took portable audio to the next level . It 's much more convenient as it 's smaller and can hold your entire music collection . Audio lends itself to the portable . Will video flourish the same way ? It 's a novelty right now . It 's the modern version of the cassette walkman ... Time will tell . 
Hell 's Kitchen . I was doing some work tonight and got distracted by watching some " Hell 's Kitchen " . If you don't know it , it 's a reality tv show where aspiring chefs compete with one another to win a restaurant . What 's great about the show is the judge , Chef Ramsey . If you thought Simon Cowell was a tough guy , go home . Ramsey is a drill sargeant wrapped in a tyrant 's apron . It 's one of my favourite shows . Ramsey had another show on Foodtv called ' Ramsey 's Kitchen Nightmares ' . In this show he tries to revive struggling restaurants using his familiar tactics . Some find it way over the top . Others understand that this is the nature of the cooking business . Either way it 's stressful to watch and wildly entertaining . I ' ll make it clear here that I would never want to work for someone like him . That goes without saying . What I like about Ramsey is that his work philosophy speaks to a great life philosphy . He encourages effort and is brutally honest about talent . He pushes everyone to do their best and rewards them when they acheive it . He asks the tough question everyone should ask themselves : If you 're not passionate about your work , what the hell are you doing with your life ? Passion , desire , focus and commitment . Add a dash of self reliance and you might find yourself . 
Ralph . " There is a time in every man 's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance ; that imitation is suicide ; that he must take himself for better , for worse , as his portion ; that though the wide universe is full of good , no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till . " Whenever I ' m looking for some inspiration I gravitate back to Ralph Waldo Emerson and his essay ' Self Reliance ' . I was reminded of this essay last night while having a few pints with a friend . We were talking about music and art and how sometimes something echoes so clearly in our minds like it 's innate knowledge . The story told is of the composition of the song Yesterday and how after writing it , Paul Mc Cartney needed confirmation that he hadn't written something he ' d heard before . There was such truth in it 's simplicity that he felt it couldn't have been original . The story made me think of Emerson and his belief that there are universal truths and if you can trust yourself then you can find your way to them . " A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within , more than the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages . Yet he dismisses without notice his thought , because it is his . In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts : they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty . " Is this a simplistic ideal or does it ring of truth ? Outside of culture , race , religion and politics , do we share these inner truths ? And what constitutes ' truth ' ? Maybe it 's just something sewn into our genes and it echoes through generations . What I like about Emerson is that he inspires courage in the face of self doubt . Our fear is so often tied to failure that we fall short of our potential and are far too timid in our careers and relationships . And I suppose it 's a little ironic that I say that Emerson inpsires me as the point he 's making is that I should be inspiring myself ! Oh well . 
Homeowner . Sylvia and I bought a house yesterday ! We were toying with the idea and then dived in head first . Needless to say , it was a very exciting weekend . Debt is a funny thing . One minute you are worried about ridding yourself of it then the next minute you are signing a significant part of your life away to it . It is all a part of the game of life I suppose . Nothing is permanent . We work so that we can be comfortable . Some people will scoff at this apparent truce that we play with life , comfort . Comfort isn't a bad thing but stagnation is . To stagnate or become ' set in your ways ' is what is what we should fear . 
St. Louis . This weekend , Wah Wah said she needed a vacation and couldn't wait till our official vacation to Oregon in a few weeks . So we decided to head to St. Louis for the weekend . Unfortunately , after about a hour on the road , Wah Wah came down with a fever but insisted that we don't turn back . After exactly four hours in the car , we arrived at the St. Louis zoo . It was a pretty nice zoo with not nearly as much walking as our KC zoo . Best of all , it 's free . Woogy and Nibbles liked the butterfly garden while I enjoyed hanging out with the penguins . After about 4 hours at the zoo , Wah Wah couldn't take anymore , so we left to find a hotel . Without sounding totally cheap , I was hoping to find a Super 8 or a Motel 6 . Unfortunately since I didn't plan ahead , we couldn't find one and ended up in the Drury Inn in downtown St. Louis . For dinner , we walked over to Union Station and ate at the Hard Rock Cafe . I always wanted to eat at one of those but didn't find the food that impressive . The next morning , Wah Wah was feeling a little better so we went to go see the Arch . I always wanted to go up in the Arch , but I wasn't too comfortable being in a small " egg shaped " tram , squished in with 5 other people traveling up the Arch . Woogy was at first scared , but got over it and really enjoyed the view from the top . After the Arch , we were kind of pressed for time since we had to be back in KC by 7 pm to pick up the dog . So we stopped at the Missouri Botanical Gardens . I wish we could ' ve had more time at the Gardens , because there was a lot to enjoy . Woogy enjoyed the maze garden and Wah Wah liked the Asian Garden . I always love places that are photogenic . After a couple of hours there , it was time to go . It was a nice mini vacation . 
Anniversary weekend . This weekend Wah - Wah and I celebrated our 6 th anniversary . We decided not buy each other anything since we had our kitchen floor replaced this weekend . I ' ve been wanting to replace the tile that I installed in our kitchen four years ago ( Not because I did a bad job , but it was cheap tile and was showing scratches and water marks ) . Wah - Wah knew some guys from her work that said they would be willing to put some ceramic tile for a good price ( I sure wasn't going to try to put in ceramic tile ) . I thought it might increase the value of my house by a couple bucks . The original estimate was going to be $ 1000 bucks and half a day labor . I thought that was fair . Unfortunately the job ended up taking 2 full days and about $ 1500 . Some estimate . These guys did a good job but I prefer a more accurate estimate . I think what really irritated me was these guys kept leaving the back door wide open when I had the air going . I can't wait to see my electric bill . Anyway , Wah - Wah and I celebrated on anniversary by dropping the kids off at the sitters and headed to the Capital Grille down at the plaza . This was the nicest meal Wah - Wah and I ate since on dinners on our honeymoon cruise . I have to say that the service was excellent well . They decorated our table with rose pedals and gave us complimentary champagne and a appetizer . Wah Wah and I both order steaks and we got complimentary dessert . Despite all the complimentary stuff we got , we still went over $ 100 . It was a very romantic dinner . 
My Birthday weekend . I must say , my birthday ( Thursday 7 / 6 ) kind of sucked . It started with Wah - Wah giving me reminders that my driver 's license was expiring today . It would of been nice if I got those reminders earlier , like weeks ago when they came in . I hadn't said a whole lot about my birthday at work , but my boss remembered and she brought a Tippin 's cake . Unfortunately all my other coworkers were out , so we had a lot of cake between the two of us . By the evening , I was on my way home when I got a call from the Independence police department telling me that one of my client 's was missing and they would like to talk me ( since I was the last one to see her ) . As I was driving back to Independence , I missed my exit and had to go a couple of miles down the road to get off the freeway and turn around . By this point , I was getting pretty frustrated that I was missing my birthday at home and it was getting late . I guess I wasn't paying attention and ended up being pulled over by the police . I was doing 77 mph in a 65 . I did my usual " I ' m sorry officer , I didn't realize I was speeding , my you look nice this evening . " As always , the officer didn't care and gave me a ticket anyway . I even tried explaining my situation at work . He said that he was doing his job by keeping the freeway safe , and I told him thanks for the birthday present and what a great job he was doing and truly I was headed for disaster . The officer apparently didn't appreciate that remark and got in my face and told me that if I kept it up , he ' d take me in . I told him that I better shut up then and drove off . I ' m sick of the Independence police , they have given me 3 tickets within 6 months , which is bad news for me . I called a lawyer and he said he could probably get the last ticket off my record ( for a couple hundred dollars ) . Thank God for lawyers ! I ' ve also decided that I ' m buying a radar detector . By the time I got home , my family had gone to bed and I had to take a driving test to update my license . Some birthday . On Friday , I went into the DMV and got my license updated and found out that I could use glasses . That makes you feel old . I ended up working a few hours and that evening me and the family drove up to Iowa to see my good friend Dave . He always can find a way to cheer me up , and I could use it by this point . We stayed at my parents house but they weren't there . They had just put their house for sale left that morning to Oregon . On Saturday , me , my family and Dave went to Iowa 's only theme park -- " Adventure Land " . It 's no Disney or even Worlds of Fun , but it 's alright for Iowa . This was my kids first trip to a theme park and I wanted to get pictures , but Wah - Wah forgot the camera . Usually when I go to these theme parks , I ' m on the roller coasters and all the other " thrill rides " , but with little kids we spent most of our time riding things they enjoyed . I did ride a few good rides , but Woogy lead the way most of the time . By the end of the day , the kids were pretty tired and Dave and I got together with another college friend and went out on the town . On Sunday , Wah - Wah and the kids went to one of her old college friend 's house , and Dave and I went to see " Pirates of the Caribbean 2 . " I don't think I could explain the plot , but it was entertaining and I did like seeing parts of the ride come to life in the movie . I guess my birthday wasn't so great but turned out to be a good weekend . 
My 4 th . Since this 4 th of July fell on a Tuesday , many people I know had a 4 day weekend , but not me . I ended up working on the 3 rd and just settling for taking the 4 th off . I really wanted to spend the 4 th at a pool , but Woogy seems to be going through a phase where he doesn't want to go in water ( even though he ' ll play in his plastic pool ) . Wah - Wah thought the kids would have a better time at Paradise Park instead . In case you aren't familiar with Paradise Park , it 's a cross between a children 's museum and a Chuck E Cheese , divided up into two sections . In the play side , there is a ball pit , a kitchen ( where they help the kids cook ) , and lots of little rooms where kids can play dress up . This place is a blast for kids Woogy 's age , but sort of a drag for the parents who end up chasing their kids all day . After spending the better part of the day at Paradise Park , I took Woogy out to see the fireworks in Shawnee Mission Park . Wah - Wah has decided she doesn't like going since she gets bitten by bugs and we usually spend an hour or two exiting the park . I ' ve always have gone to firework displays , so it 's sort of like a tradition to me . Woogy and I had a good time . We took Monty and played some soccer while waiting for the fireworks . Monty always attracts attention everywhere he goes . Everyone says he 's so cute and want to pet him . He ' d be a great babe magnet if I wasn't married . The fireworks are always pretty late at Shawnee Mission and it always takes a long time to ext the park . If you get in the wrong car lane ( like I did ) , you end up driving around the park and having to turn around way out at Bonner Springs . I never seem to learn my lesson so I ' m sure I ' ll go back next year . 
I need a vacation Part 2 . About a month ago , I written a blog stating how I needed a vacation . I thought the matter was solved when Wah - Wah and I decided to drive up to the Black Hills for a week . Unfortunately my mom was offended that we were not planning on visiting her in Oregon . She had previously stated that she wasn't going to fly us out this summer and I couldn't afford a couple thousand dollars to fly out there . She changed her mind and is booking us tickets in August to fly out . I told her as much as I appreciate it , Wah - Wah and I really want to see something different besides Oregon . Mom didn't take that too well , so we decided to visit Oregon again . I ' m beginning to believe that I may end up living in Oregon someday . I don't like the idea of my parents flying me out there a couple times a year and having to spend all of our summer vacations with them . It 's like they want us in their lives but at the same time they are moving across the country . Then there is the fact that my dad is trying to bribe us to move out there . It seems we are stuck . Wah - Wah 's side of the family doesn't want us to move ( even though we hardly see them anyway despite the fact they are in town ) , and my family is putting the pressure on to move . I ' ll have to decide some day . 
Shared Birthdays . Last Saturday we had what was the first of many shared birthday parties of our two kids . Woogy and Nibble 's birthdays are only two days apart , so we will probably always combine them . Keep in mind , we didn't plan it that way . This year , Nibble 's didn't care about sharing her birthday , but I fear what she might think in the future about sharing her party . Most of the party focused on Woogy . We had both sides of the family come down from Iowa ( as you can see the two grandfathers proudly taking pictures in the corner of the picture ) . Woogy had a few kids from his babysitter 's house , and a few neighborhood kids come over . We decided to have a Star Wars theme party , since that seems all Woogy plays now . I used to love to play Star Wars when I was his age , so I can relate . He actually plays with some of my old figures . As far as presents go , I bought Woogy a Power Wheels jeep . He never asked for one , but I always wanted one when I was his age , so I thought he would like it . Instead he likes his new X wing fighter and lightsaber better . Just a couple of years ago , all he wanted was Thomas the Tank Engine . Now it seems he could care less about trains . Since Nibbles only enjoys playing with her brother 's toys , we only got her a couple of her own toys . Nibbles still had a good time eating some of her birthday cake and being held by Wah - wah . 
Our church 's food pantry . I just wanted to give a " kudos " to our food pantry at church . I ' ve worked with several families over the years that have struggled to afford food for their family , and our church has always provided . They have never turned anyone away that I can recall . Last week I was working with a mom who didn't get her disability check on time ( because of the holiday ) and they had no food in their house . She had already used the $ 10 in food stamps the state provided . I called to various agencies in the Independence area , and nobody said they could help because she didn't live in their catchment . I was pretty frustrated when I finally called our church and they arranged a couple bags of groceries for me to pick up . Many other families have benefited from our church 's pantry . What I like best about connecting with our church is that they don't ask questions . I ' ve worked with a few families that have been too embarrassed to go and really don't ' want to be a burden . I also appreciate the fact that our church doesn't really care where the family lives . I realize there probably isn't a lot of starving people in Overland Park , but it is nice to know that they will give to families outside the area . 
History 101 . This is a letter to the editor that appeared in the trib today : We are a republic This is in response to those out there who believe we live in a democracy . I don't know what the public schools are teaching these days about the American system of government , but if you ' ve been taught that we live in a democracy , you have been misinformed . Maybe it 's the government 's propaganda about spreading democracy that has you confused . America is not now , nor was it ever , a democracy . Remember your Pledge of Allegiance - " and to the republic for which it stands " ? We live in a constitutional republic . The only thing " democratic " about the U.S. is how we select our representatives . Democracy is majority rule . Democracy would allow 51 percent of the people to vote away the rights of 49 percent of the people , or otherwise impose their will on the minority . In a constitutional republic , the Constitution is the supreme law of the land , with the rule of law being front and center . This isn't , never was , and hopefully never will be , a democracy . Spreading democracy is touted in the Communist Manifesto as one of the first major steps toward achieving socialism and / or communism . Again , in a democracy , 51 percent can vote away the rights of the other 49 percent . In a republic , the rights of the minority are protected . We have been tuned to associate " democracy " with " freedom " and to spread such across the globe . We should be spreading our constitutional republican form of government . Thank you Keith for the reminder ! 
My Rights . This is just a reminder that this blog will sometimes be a campaign history and update . Other times it will just be my rants about the liberals . Guess which one this is ? Today there is an incredibly tragic story in the local news . I do want to give them the respect and condolences due . This story has stoked the burner on an issue the just grates on my nerves . Why do most left leaning people not know what is in the Constitution and why can they not see the inconsistency of their views ? Leftist View One : The police should respect my rights so I can sit here in the middle of a public park banging on a drum , getting high , and passing around drugs . Leftist View Two : The police should break down the doors of people , that the police do not have probable cause to get a search warrant on , in order to make sure they have done everything they could do to solve the crime . How can you call for the trampling of the right to reasonable search when you advocate the made up right to smoking a bud ? I guess this is a little consistent in the view of to heck with laws . Leftist View One : Mike is a terrible person because his family used a tax break to save his family some money . Even though it is not against the law we should string him up anyway . Leftist View Two : So what if Bill lied under oath and broke federal laws ? We have bigger things to deal with and the laws should be ignored . How can you call for the lynching of someone who hired a professional so they would not break the law when excuse someone caught red handed breaking the law ? Wait a second ! There it is again , to heck with the laws . Maybe we have a theme going one . Leftist View One : Frank ( Not his real name because the real name was too distinctive ) has been an elected official for sometime and he has not held a real job . He could not have amassed the wealth he had legally . I know he broke the law . Leftist View Two : We need Pete to win so bad that I will break the law and display his campaign sign in violation of county code . If you say anything about my signs then you are just ignorant of the facts . How can you accuse someone of breaking the law when you have no evidence and then justify breaking the law yourself to stop them ? There is a theme ! Liberals only believe the law applies to others . 
Thank You , Thank You , Thank You . It has been one of those days . You know the kind that rarely every happen but are good all day long . Everyone goes out of their way to be nice to the wife up on the hill . She loves going to committees and even made comments during the public time . During lunch the State Senate President made very kind remarks and then even met with her later . Her impression is that he is a very sincere man . Thank You President . After committees the Governor hosted a meeting with a number of candidates and was so nice . We hope to catch him next time he brings the two wheels out here . Thank You Governor . Tonight we attended a nice diner at one of our State Senator s homes . What a wonderful home and night . His wife is a great hostess and we learned a lot from them . Thank You Senator . 
Up and Down Day . Today was definitely an up and down day . The wife was busy most of the day dealing with a conflict between an agency employee and a subcontract company . No details here , we ll just say this was the down part . A call from one of our current Senators , a very nice guy , brightened her day . An email from a contributor was a lift . Good day for the campaign . 
Willing to Help . One thing we are finding in the wife 's campaign is people are willing to help with information and ideas . Today she is meeting with the last candidate to run against her current opponent . Hopefully he will have some gem of wisdom to impart . 
Above The Law . Right off the bat I will admit that I am sure this happens in all political parties . The county we live in has an ordnance that prohibits political signs , even in your front yard , more than 30 days prior to the election . Today is somewhere about 130 days prior . My question is why do the supports of a certain Democrat candidate for US Senate think they are above the law ? What other laws are they willing to break to help their candidate ? 
Send Money . During this campaign many people ask what they can do . Most are very sincere and good people . But when it comes down to it the answer is the same . Send Money . The hardest part about being the challenger is raising the money needed to run a respectable race . People tell you to work hard and the money will come . People tell you so and so wants to give you money . People tell you they want to help . So where is the cash ? Until then we will make calls . Until then we will walk the neighborhoods . Until then we wil work our butts off . Until then we will win this election . 
Had Enough ? My oldest child , a 15 year old boy , once read Letters to a Young Conservative ( Dinesh D ' Souza ) for a book report assignment . It makes sense that he was quite amused when Al ( stick up his butt ) Gore sent him a letter and a bumper sticker . We are glad that the Democrats are finally using truth in their advertising . Had Enough income ? Vote Democrat and we will raise your taxes . Had Enough equality ? Vote Democrat and we will give special privileges out like candy . Had Enough morality ? Vote Democrat and we will push for pornography , abortion and the destruction of God . Had Enough democracy ? Vote Democrat and we will turn our country to the socialism that failed in the USSR . Had Enough safety ? Vote Democrat and we will pull out of Iraq immediately thereby signaling every terrorist group to start their attacks . For me and my family , we have NOT had enough of these things . We want MORE ! I guess we will continue to vote Republican . 
Wall of Voodoo . I will be the first to admit that some of my post have and will have vague references . I realize that the name of the blog and my links give away my identity in real life , but these posts were to be my personal outlets and not necessarily a forum to influence others . So , again , if I am vague in body or title ( hint ) Now back to the regularly scheduled show . The county GOP representative that is charged with helping candidates in our area has been working . He set the Mrs. up to appear on two radio shows . This was a new experience for us . Disclaimer : We are very grateful for the opportunity these two radio host gave us . Thank You ! The first show has a much focused audience . They have a topic that they discuss on an ongoing basis . My wife is sympathetic to their cause and will support them in the future . When asked about this topic my wife s answers were logical , conservative and inline with what the host believed . The problem comes when my wife threw logic into the fray . I think they wanted more of an emotional reason and where disappointed that even though the end answer is the same , the ride to get there is different . The second show was still very conservative but less focused on one topic . The host was very nice and helped the Mrs. get her thoughts and motivations out in a very positive way . Recap : First Host was great at promoting my wife and her website ; Second Host was great at getting wife to express herself ; Wife loved talking with both hosts and thought they were wonderful . 
Campaign Finance Reform . I just found a nifty quote on the web . My wife s opponent has said I see nothing wrong with [ accepting lobbyist gifts ] and would encourage others to participate . With statements like this is , it any surprise that lobbyist line up to give him money ? 
Rat Race . Back to the Rat Race is not a very flattering description of my life . We got back from Trek last weekend and it has been non - stop since . As this blog is not about my work I will just catch you up on my wife s campaign . The beautiful Mrs. hit the phones hard on Monday and has not stopped . She met with representatives from other campaigns and groups that want to help . We where even blessed with having a political consultant donate his time . Meeting with a political consultant who has national campaign experience was great . He was full of encouragement and suggestions . We went through our plan and budget and revised them to be more effective . We look forward to working with this great man in the future . Thank You ! For now we are just pounding the pavement for money . 
Not a Typically Independence Day . Today is Independence Day . Typically we would be hanging around the house , maybe swimming , just relaxing . We end the day not at a big celebration but with a few friends ( 3 or 4 families ) in our backyard . Safe and legal fireworks , treats and children running around are my idea of a great holiday . This year is a little different . The campaign and trek dominated the day . The campaign trail took us into Magna for their parade . This little suburb of Salt Lake has one heck of a parade . They had over 160 parade entries with floats , classic cars , a band , horses and a ton of candy . The people of Magna were terrific ! They lined the full 2 mile route with thousand of people . Our whole family rode in the parade . Other than a little sun burn it was great . Are you asking what trek is ? My wife and I have volunteered to go with a very large group of teenagers on a 4 day walking trek . We are retracing a small part of where the Utah pioneers pulled handcarts . Each adult couple ( Ma and Pa ) are assigned 8 10 youth to pull a handcart . The group ( family ) then pulls the handcart , camps , eats and works together for the duration of the trek . To the point , we leave for trek tomorrow morning at 4:30 am . So today we have been busy taking care of the last minute items . We have three tents ( boys , girls and parents ) , twelve sleeping bags , a ton of buckets and miscellaneous gear . My hope is that I live through the next 4 days and 30 miles of walking . Tonight we will still have some friends over but it will be a little less then normal . Less means that instead of the ten different deserts my wife normally makes I think she is only doing two . If you ever get the chance , join us for an event . My wife throws a great party . Going all out is the norm when friends are over . The next post will be when we get back . Have a great week . 
A Little Background . This entry will be part of the campaign documentation in this blog . A little background information would be good here . I am going to break up the history into 4 or 5 separate entries . My wife is running for State Senate against an incumbent . This process started over a year ago while attending the legislative session with a group of special tax district people . ( She was elected to a special tax district as few years ago . ) Some of the people she was there with were very encouraging of her running for State Senate . Not only is she intelligent , hard working and ethical , my wife has been very active in the Republican Party , PTA , DUP , Citizen s Patrol and other community organizations . At the time , one of our neighbors held the office for which my wife is now running . Although he was a Democrat ( We re Republicans ) , he was friendly to special tax districts and , again , he is a neighbor . She felt that the time was not right to run for State Senate . With a twist of fate , our neighbor was appointed to a state position requiring him to resign his senate seat . The Democrat Party replaced our neighbor with someone who is extremely liberal . Several local organizations rank the replacement as either the most liberal legislator or near the most liberal in the state . The time became right ! Next post Laying the ground work to run . 
Don't I live in Utah ? I am sitting here some miles west of " down town " Salt Lake City , Utah . If you continue west for an hour or so you will find yourself in Nevada . It is about double that going east to leave the beehive state . In our capital city there are two daily rags : The " trib " which was established to stick it to the main religion here and the " d - news " which seems on a quest to prove it is just as liberal as the other . Yesterday there was a small ruling by the Supreme Court which by my humble opinion slapped the US Congress in the face and elevated a foreign terrorist to the same rights as a law abiding citizen . As I read the trib 's opinion pages I was pleased to see a local columnist who actually understood the difference between what the Supreme Court did and what they should have done . Side Note : In 1942 , Ex Parte Quirin , the court up held military tribunals for non uniformed enemies . If any one thinks bin 's chauffeur / arms dealer / terrorist is nonbelligerent , they are crazy . I was then appalled at what the trib did next . Article after article from around the country throwing there weight behind the miscarriage of justice . Each article praised the fact that this despicable man would get his day in court . Each article ignoring that he is not a US Citizen , he has had a hand in hundreds of deaths of innocent men , women and children , and he despises the courts that just gave him more rights then most . I guess the trib did not want to be viewed as even a little bit conservative so they went outside our state to get these gems . Hoping for relief ... So you would think that the d - news with a name that is religious in base would not mind being viewed as just a small bit conservative . But take a look in their opinion page and what do you see ? Imported liberal prattle from Baltimore . Give me a break ! This is Utah . We are conservative . If I wanted Baltimore I would move there . 
A day late ... I am finally joining the world of the blogger . You would not think that an IT professional would have been so long to climb on board . Over the next 5 or 6 months I hope to accomplish two small tasks : first , Document the ups and downs of behind the scenes political campaigning ; second , Ramble on about the death of conservatism . My deepest hope is that no one holds my beautiful wife responsible for what her less then diplomatic husband bangs out on the keyboard . 
Pass . CURRENT MOOD : INDIFFERENTCURRENT MUSIC : LESS THAN JAKENo Pun Intended , lol . Tomorrow I should be getting my RTD after I do a 4 mile ruck march . That 's gonna be a long hour . It ain't gonna be fun but hell if I let that shit stop me . Supposely we might be getting 2 main post passes this weekend along with our cell phones during the pass . I doubt it but the way they got us GI - ing the barracks it might be possible . For the most part I think we might only get 1 pass this weekend . It 's pretty cool , that we ' ve been getting passes every week for 4 weeks now and we should be getting it every weekend as long as we don't fuck things up . Things are looking up at P - TRAP [ PTRP ] . Except all the massive none stop cleaning . We pretty much have to clean from when we wake up to when we go to sleep and also a couple of hours during our sleep time , hah . 
Busy . CURRENT MOOD : TIREDCURRENT MUSIC : TSUBASA CHRONICLES [ ALL ] I feel like I have a lot to do but for some reason I don't know what it is , lol . I ate a decent breakfast but still hungry from the ruck march . Reminds me of down range , hah . 
Mods . CURRENT MOOD : CONTENTCURRENT MUSIC : BLEACH CLOSING THEME 3 Made some mods to my blogger : You no longer need to have your own blogger to leave a comment . Have a place for my friends blogs , so leave your url ; ) . Made a few minor changes , hoping to make some more . So I hope to figure out how to make more changes with limited resources , lol . 
The World Factbook . Country name : conventional long form : Republic of Koreaconventional short form : South Korealocal long form : Taehan - min ' guklocal short form : Han ' gukabbreviation : ROKGovernment type : republic Capital : Seoul National holiday : Liberation Day , 15 August ( 1945 ) The CIA - Factbook . Don't know anything about it but it seemed interesting , hah . Found a cool pic of South Korea though . On the side note , Germany and Japan , along with South Korea , are definately on my go to list . 
alter ed place of poorly written text . fallen angel , hath pride taken thy stale incarnation ? judgement builds post - repented sins in the eyes of ones creator . but salt the wounds of sinners past and wear the definition of matyrdom , for paths are set and replaced , repeated until the neverended . said is the word of faith . believed is the state of mind . free is the demand of the will . move when sound tells sight that all is not well . and breathe when your lord says kneel . 
Glory has fallen short of the garden . I am the curved sickle blade . Horrendous to the eye , Devestating images are conjured up by my long ago judged image . But hand in place , and all hurry aside , I am the tool with which one may reap . Harvest of mind is placed in a jungle scene . The keen of mind will find the place . And the harvester will know how to complete the given task . So I ' ll step back and watch my placement . I ' ll take this in hand . And I ' ll harvest the crop . 
GAR ! Bleed on my carpet . I demand the undressing of the nudist . With blade in hand we ' ll find out the truth behind the dressings . Where ' a ' connects to ' b ' we ' ll instead connect an unsuspecting ' f ' . Remake the structure of her suffering . Instill a sense of wrong into every crevice . Create the newest incorrect . This is no time for procrastination . The masses are stupified and ok with such states . Thus time has come to shake foundations . Words are done . Time for action at hand . Empty threats . But oh if only they read them . 
. I see so much in the movies I wathc . So much fractal creation . I can't help but wonder . Do I look to deeply ? Am I studying life for the sake of studying life ? Or am I studying it in order to avoid living it ? I ' m starting to question this sobriety . Every faith has those wise men who seek the divine through lifes intoxicants . I may not be wise but why should my ruling differ from those who walked before ? 
Sobriety . Ownership and her friends are the next step in the devastation of this sociol circle . Push away these friends . " A wise man does not surround himself in fools " or so it is said . Thus push . Push with might and have the things or friends spread across the mantle to be cleaned in the spring . Though Autumn is here and I fear that by cleaning time forgetfullness wil once again place heavy hands on swollen eyes lids . Gateways to the soul or protectors of the weak ? Shield or door ? 
Forgiven Throne of Man. Man , Made in the image of God . I , One to seek the image of man . Striving for that original plan . Perhaps the fall was not from paradise but from the original design . To behold those around us is to breathe in the stench of a zoo . God is not of this . The divine is not of this . The divine requires no capitilisation ? divine and God . In whose image are we built ? The difference is there but to whom do you give allegiance ? Is there separation in existance . Is there a study other than of self ? Does that stench that flows from their being flow from my own ? Can one detect ones own failed stench ? Failure to complete the sequence is not failure to be human . But I beleive failure to complete a path is failure to be human . It is a shame that human is now the new enlightenment . A shame . The hilarious shame . 
GOD ! It sounds so pathetic . So childishly ... something . I am sick of being misunderstood . I am sitting listening to poor " indie " . I say poor " indie " because what I always thought passed as indie no longer seems to be the center of indie but now some sort of endangered species . Unless thats the point . Which I guess it is . That indie now sits on the fringe of " indie " would only make sense . As it would make sense that with a lack of attention I have drifted to the center and must work towards the fringe . Less I find the point where gravitational pull finds balance and I have no movement . Wouldn't that be a shame . Wouldn't that be a shame ? Made in GODs image ? I feel shame on the rare occasion . Does GOD ? If image is illusion then .... wait .... ? What ? Image is illusion . Made in GODs image . Is that right ? I always assumed , untill this moment of typing , that being made in GOD 's image didn't actually mean just that but why would I assume that . Our illusionary image made in the image of GOD 's image .... an illusion . I ' m too drunk to digest this . I will wait for GOD to explain it in my dreams . Let this be GOD 's chance . No explanation and assumptions will be made . 
ternetin . And suddenly it is realised . I put this online . Eventually a few peoply will find , read , and jusdge these words of mine . Eventually google will find me . It will come a point where feasibly a thing I know will stumble upon these digits . And they will interprit them as they will . And assumptions will be made as assumptions will be made . And AS ALWAYS these will be beleived and perhaps even thrown in my face as so often before . Because " Hey , Fuck , Of course you 're right . Why wouldn't you be . It just me . What would I know . " . So do me a favour , If you find this that is : Don't leave a comment . Don't email me . Don't brin g this up in any way . Don't express your reading of this . I am bored . Most probably of everything you do and say . Most every judgement you have made of me in the past I have been concious of and not many have been right . And hell fuck god cunt yes I know I can't spell . You are all important to me , I love you all , judge me if you wish just don't express it . I am sick of the emotion you spit at me . Remember , when your mouth isn't moving EVERYTHING ELSE is compensating . So relax . I ' m not sure where this was going , I ' m quite out of state right now . But muchness is the fullness of the this . So fuck off . Godspeed and goodnight . 
Its cool man . Where is the connection ? I have the intent but not the port in which to dock . Religions state I must take their doctrine to heart or suffer one of many ends . The tradionally frightened science masters say I must take theirs or die a fool . I am bored with such . These children should sit back and listen . They and you and I should just listen . In listening , true listening , we find simple truth . The doors open for those who open it . It 's simple . I ' m simple . This is simple . Sit back and enjoy . Have a fun time . For fucks sake have a good time . Isn't it time we enjoyed our selves . This self is temporary . It is surprisingly close , the time when we fold back into the great elders . So relax . Play the game . Bluff or not . You win . Fuck . 
mwargh . On the shoulders of giants . What the fuck is that about ? ! ? ! ? ! What ! Like my rant was some how influenced by the drunks before me ? Or perhaps I thought my barely concious language was somehow influenced by those who wrote before . I severely doubt it . I claim granduer sometimes though ignorance . I am simply ignorant , nothing else . None of this I am wise because I know shit shit . Just shit . That is as poetic and true as I get . For some more truth get me drunk . Who am I talking to . Knowone reads or has read this . I talk to my self . I am so desperate for sometingnothing that I talk to myself even in blog . Blog is the new pocket protector . I can't figure out the new black . I was told the new black would be brown , then I was told it was nice . Perhaps its actually death this time . Perhaps everyones obsession with the dark has finally broken through therir own illusions and everyone honestly approaching their true intentions and desires . Then again , perhaps the bird flu will usher in the end times . Perhaps everything . Perhaps everyone should develop intependant thought . Perhaps I should learn to spell . Perhaps cunt . 
On the shoulders of giants . The young ice creaks with pained impatience at the touch of old rum . Vague hints of condensation climb for life from the thin skin up the walls of its prison . Temperatures tries to balance . An equilibrium shall ensure a loss on both sides . The ice loses form . The rum its consistancey and taste . And what is rum without its smooth texture and taste ? Desparately one must consume its form before all is lost to an eternity of un - had memories . Time , the restless keeper . Perfect timing when the ice is stuggling for life on cold crystal . Perfect finale when the tumbler tumbles from numb hands . 
Starring at the Sun again . Everything I see is the result of my eyes reations to the electromagnetic frequency of photons . I see the reaction . I experiance reaction , results . Perhaps it 's time to touch upon the raw experiance again . 
Where was my when ? Are they happier living inside that world ? The music is catching and pleasent . The message one of pleaseure . Movies of sweet love and shiny cars to fill ones transitory needs . A god and son all built of light . Religion and science merging into one fantastic language of love . Are they happier there ? Am I stronger or more fearful for not joining this brigade of peace and love ? When those around you who you have never doubted join the army of the dead what do you do ? Follow as before or is it time to seperate ? Conformity is the open arms of employment and cleanliness . What of the earth ? What of the Kali - Yurga ? WHEN WAS PLEASENT EVER AN OPTION ??? ARG ! I am filled with contempt and it is pure . There is no doubt here only confusion . Without a solid beleif one cannot have doubt . I had it all worked out . Then I was wrong . Now it appears I am wrong again ? Maybe . maybe ? Or are they wrong ? Energy is the strangest concept . I never have quite enough . But them . The ones that do as one apparently should , they have unlimited supplies of the stuff . They can dance all night to there drums . Make love . Arise and walk the hills . Go shopping . Talk with their peers . Listen to the music that they love . Make the music that expresses them . and more . So much movement into so little time . I stuggle to breathe sometimes . Is this the right path ? Is conforming actually the key ? The only thing that I can find wrong with it is that it is conformity . But still . They all do it and enjoy themselves . My moments of pleasure are few and most certainly far between . Revelations says " I know your deeds , that you are neither cold nor hot . I wish you were either one or the other . So , because you are luke warm -- neither hot nor cold -- I am about to spit you out of my mouth . " So where does that leave me ? 
again . Give sanity a longer leash , But some of us have sharper teeth - Coil I exist to bend the will of god . Ultimately had eve not let go of the realmof Eden God would have laid waste to this model for not surpassing ouroriginal design specifications , as he did to the angel ? When one bends the world around one , one is left with no feeling of joy forcompleting a task , there is not pleasure in this success , it simply isright . When one fails to bend the world around one , one is filled withfrustration or perhaps anger , disappointment maybe . Perhaps that is how theworld feels when bent ? Disposing of my bladders contents , Lying in a warm bed in the darkest night , unscrewing a dusty motherboard , Drunk in the dark with Mr Cave . These arethe time I have all the words . All of them . Right now I have none . Where dothe words go when it rains ? These hands are mine but they feel and look foreign . Jesus doesn t likeguns . I don t own gloves . And why do I hate most sport ? How do these things relate ? I once washed my mind away in the shower . All that holds me together is thedirt . I should operate shampoo with extreme caution . And who knows whatconditioner could do . Show your true form and scare the children ? Run through the field withscythe in hand ? Tear out the weeds or plant the seeds ? In a relationship an age difference can have far reaching effects . What ofspiritual Age ? And are they one in the same ? No they re not the same I guessbut the first question remains just as full and potent . I may visibly abuse this relationship but my absence of show is abuse enough . FIX IT . Else we will all perish . 
ouch . Fuck . Writing . I read what I have written in the past . In the recent past and I actually laughed . Laugh . LAUGH ! ARG !!! All I have are empty phone books and broken glasses . I drink scotch from a coffee plunger just because I can . Jesus gave up and they all say he didn't , What am I to do ? Lie ? I have no lies now . I ' m out . Lies and manipulation leads to lies and manipulation . Mutilation to mutilation . I will spit gold flakes of rage at your skull muscle if you don't tell me my name . Speak with ears and stop the nonsense . Words are everywhere but the communication they attempt is lacking . To much noise on the line perhaps . In translating the digital to analoge to digital we open the way for noise to change the code . No error handling was installed when I arrived and retro fitting is more of a luxury than a action of need . I have nothing for you but mind melds and curious questions . Where did I put that answer ? North always with the north . If gravity pulls in one direction then perfection can be found at the center of the tension . Center of mass . Spinning . Shift the center and watch the sky fall down upon us all . Bleed the skull muscle and watch the entire real come crumbling down . I am the rusty spoon . Bend me and know my weakness . Feed with me and know my taste . Dispose of me and move on . Curse the small and dark . Feeling the things I want to own in self . Envy is not becoming of a man of knowledge . I am not becoming a man of knowledge . Feed on the irregular intervals . Heavenly sized parts of the puzzle fall over my ragged corpse like mind . Flowers of sweet decaying scents fill the nostils and woodland critters play in the remains of the fallen empire . Madness is the pilot of this vessal and I shall not eject . The fog is to thick and I fear my landing would be unexpected . As the friendly neighbours dog tearing open you baby kitten . bam . hello . hows you day ? Full of ice I ' m afraid to melt . Formless I am vulnerable . Tell a monkey to learn and what will he do ? Eat , shit , then sleep . Talking monkeys will also talk . If I have germs my germs will have germs and I know that they are none to happy about it . Comforting . God doesn't let in the stragglers . Perhaps I should quicken my pace . Fruit are the only pure food . All else tastes of distruction . Dagon is a book I have not read but does it still relate to my situation as all books do relate to ones own situation even though I have yet to read it ? 
tron was a great movie . fuck you ! whatever prick . disolved in discontentthis selfish boy on a stringit reminds me of somethingsomething lost and unbrokenbut forever tasteless is shamei am the convert of the towerspread across the ladscapemy language is not my owntastelesspull my hair and cut my facelet my knuckle bleed on the sanctifiedi am the only thisi am only thisgolden mean or silver nicei am all about black right now . 
Blertharth . An interest of texture ? Build by playland on things of steel , soil , or impolite magma . Perhaps some sort of carbon nanotube type material would be more suitable . Multiple flowers of inorganic construction flutter throughout the sandpit that is my unquenchable mind . To be content . To find that which fills " all the gaps " . Does this happen ? I hope not . I hope so . Always fear the content man . He who as everything to lose will sacrifice nothing to maintain . His stance is weak if only die to the wieght on his shoulder . Correct stucture requires only flesh , bone , and muscle . Even the bladder can get in the way . I always get in the way . Like a blackhole of uncomfortable scotch . I will forever taste bad . But a true drinker will apreciate my harsher side . Perhaps a nice dry ginger ale would build up my courage . 
Hopeless in heaven . Dangerously defective , this design is flawed . Hot , Heavy , and obscure . My charge presses against my brow . I tore this apart . Down to the very last I dissasembled it . Left myself with nothing but the name . And other peoples assumption . Now where are the instructions for the rebuild ? Where is your guiding voice ? I do not know enough to start again . I ' ve tried . And this is as far as I can get . Losing hope . Only ever transitory . 
Tyranny . I am one of your many sins . The unwritten always recording desire . The finished endless puzzle . Lose the edges but not the core , Force the fit and fake the finish . Know me biblically but don't hold onthis rides not for everyone . Garden gnomes of ill intentcould not stop me now . My words are for all to hearand for all to disregard . Disregard me as a beingbut don't tread my waters . Silently dissatisfied you take this on yourself . Build your house on my unsteady surface and rock yourself to sleep . Forever we are truth in being but false in thought . Lies are spun by the best of intention . Idiots die the best death but fools breath through the suffering , Because there will always be next time . Right ? The illusion of clouds we can destroy with the right intent . My will will never grow for I am yet to aquire it 's point of veiw . I don't know your point of you ? Why do you get up in the morning ? Where 's the blade they promised ? Where 's the mission I was sent for ? Where is the noble goal ? The battle for light in the dark ? The Baby surrounded by fire ? The innocent ? Jesus chose the wrong mission . Mary 's conception . The original sin ? Fruit ? Serpents ? Gnosis ? Enlightenment ? O to don the chains of war and commit the mind to death . Where ever he may lie . I am cold . My words are out . 
The ultimate delusion of corn . With the ultimate thruth still appearing to be but a concept I am once again realizing the same truth all a fresh again . Lessons learnt and then lost only then to be learnt again . Always to be disproved until and then proven . The search is like the nastiest of intoxicants . Once begun one cannot remove oneself from its presence . And the more one cosumes the more one needs . The same high takes more each time . And all the time it seems one is just wasting away . Wasting time . The delusion of the Christ Consiousness was installed to distract ? Levels of control ? I see nothing better to do . 
God is the back seat driver of my station wagon of doom . With the realization that perhaps god / thedivine does exist I am pushed to my mental limits in the search for a " logical " reason for our creation . The natural first is boredom . But if God is a ultimate as all theory would have me think then simple amusement is simply not acceptable as being valid . I jump secondly to the assumption that the divine has the limit . Isin some which way finite in capacity . This would to some kind of ends , in my mind , mean that he / her / it / that will forever be alone somehow . And if the divine is as ultimate as once again theory would have me think . then I can only assume that it has planted an expansive field with it 's seed in the hope that one day a might being will grow from one of these seeds . Something of an equel . Some company for our lonely creator . Or perhaps we are just he fragments of the singular divine on a constant struggle for self exploration and self realization . Whatever it is it 's all the same and I ' m bored and yet so amused . Guns could give this buzz . 
ANSWERS ! i think i ' m done . I refuse to " get my head around " how complex the simplicity of this answer is . How many sides can this single point in space have ? How can a 1 dimensional objects have so many sides and sizes ? In attempting to understand I am pushing away the experiance of ignorance . I guess pulling is bad for the back but if only I could maintain my structure . Would my foundtation weaken in such a situation ??? Does expanding my field with will ..... no .... if I excite this energy with in at a constant upwards rate , If I mantain the exponential upward spiral , If I continue the golden mean of growth , If I actually devote the time to this goal ..... will I finally push myself to far ? What will happen ? Aneurysm or something else ? Will leading the life of the warrior " achieve " something or simply benifit me . This ............ erg ..... this ... 
The divine spark burns bright upon my brow . And burns deep within the other places . Persception is ever changing and the truth is in the form of people . A mirrored existence is flawed only where the backing is scratch and the otherside is revealed . So where can I hide my belongings ? At the back of my mind . A loose floorboard forgotten in the neural network of tommorows AI . How I wish to forget and once again just be . To embrace the QWERTY lifestyle seems sometimes appealing . Occurance - Reaction . I avoid showlaces now . I know them to be week and unfortunate . To create with my hands seems insincere . To destroy with my mind seems like a game . Build the lego tower then invite Godzilla for tea . Tea will be my weak man crutch . Scotch my asshole catalyst . Together we will conquer my mind . 
Water Attacks huh ? So more water is angry huh ? Masaru Emoto Claims the collective badness of our current human condition is causing alot of this . Perhaps we have even angered the dragon Sea god some speculate . I am uncertain . But so very sure . " I told you so " is almost all I can say to the people around me who keep saying the like of : " This is so wierd .... it 's all happening at once " What else can you say ? When the fleas start biting the dog starts scratching . In all honesty it seems the [ Earth , Ocean , Moon , Divine , Whatever ] has been pretty damned patient so far . It would seem the great cradling arm patience has started to weaken . The devils are getting through and they will let us know our sins . Time is running out . And what does everyone do ? ..... Well here in NZ everyone ralking about tax cuts .... it 's election time ..... taxs ...... Children . Carved from the wood or cooked of clay , little does it matter , Either way from the earth we sprung . " Bite not the hand that feeds " , is what they say . What sustains the child better than the mother ? Nothing . When the child bites , There is disipline to be dealt . 
A return to the front line of nothing . Slightly to the left though . With my mind once again turning and dreams once again flowing I feel the return of a need to write small snippets of thought in an almost secret place . 
Bile and other stuff . My body is currently feeding on the bile created within me by my unsurpassed loathing of this QWERTY lifestyle . I have a garden gnome but he is evil and carries a blood tipped tool . It is raining and it is summer . I can taste blood . The people around me are struggling for control . The consumer epidemic is getting worse . Alcohol is lacking in my blood stream and most psychoactive chemicals are gone . My ability to focus on the void is departing . Someone give me something to see . Please . 
Blatent unintentioned shit . Being that the eyes are the windows to the soul , I am forced to wonder if the nature of these windows is so inclined that if I were to dilate my pupils enough would I be able to climb out through them ? And if so would I be able to return or do the pupils contract in " death " or " sleep " ? I am uncertain . Would I wish to return ? And why are my eyes blue ? . 
Distaste . Tonight I went to some plays . Written , directed , and stared in by senior theatre students . All of these were impressive . But that is irrelevant . The point that stuck so solidly in my head is that as soon as the first one began I was overcome with that unusual feeling I now know so well . And this time it was stronger than ever before . It became more physical than ever before . At the same time I wanted to vomit , pass out , and explode violently . Of course I did none of the above . To do so would be to fall out of character . To drop the mask . I sat . I watched . I clapped . I made small talk . Tension built at the back of my skull . Pressure was builing behind my eyes . My extremities buzzed with power unknown . Even at this level I still have no idea what all this is about . I feel it everywhaere and in everything . So strong and unyielding . But still .... nothing . No further understanding of this current condition . I need to know . Whether it 's good or bad I need to know . Arg . This is frustrating . And yet so normal . I am both bored and unendingly entertained . What to do .......... What to do ............ 
... I don't believe that this was how the events were supposed to occur . The order is shuffled and the momentum lacking . Where is the ignition . When will I feel the explosive blast of the jet engine . The fuel tanks are brimming with anticipation . Everything is ready . Hands are firm on controls . Just wish I could find the fucking window . 
A Funny Feeling In My Feet . With the slow progress of aging in youth I feel the ignorance slowing creeping back into me . The more time I spend around people of an unknowing nature the more I find my mind focusing on the small and meaningless occurrences of " everyday life " . The Acidic Apes evolution is changing direction . De - evolution will result in the current Ape no longer existing . Nothing left but the talking monkey of the before . Cravings of the flesh taking over . Sedation of the mind being demanded . My path , once cut so clear through this place , now lies somewhere hidden beneath the filth of the current . The last useful thing I did was vomit beer into a rubbish bin . 
Cheap . Apparently slavery is near on dead . If this is true I would like to know why I ' m forced to sell a majority of my life for a pathetic hourly wage , Which my government then insists upon stealling from . If this isn't slavery then where is my choice to leave . Where do I go ? 
Fractal ? Is everything actually fractal in nature ? " I " am " concerned " with my meditation . Everytime a new level of stillness is reached it becomes apparent that this level is no calmer than the last . It just seems that way in comparison . It 's like an endless spiral . Where is this damned exit I hear of . 
Set in Steel . My QWERTY lifestyle is causing damage . It 's routine is coursing through my brain like molten metal . Destructive conductive paths set in steel . Surely this will permanently effect this experience . Only solution is to removed the unnatural violators . Acid reacts violently with most metals . Acid is the answer . It is nearly time to return to the dark depths only accessible through mind altering substances . It has been to long . Sobriety is damaging . 
The masses are static . Surrounded by these talking monkeys as I was this night few days previous I find myself trying to join in the banana centered talk . Those who were other than the talking monkeys also tried to join in . Or just left . Wondering at my judgment of these " people " I ' m left once again examining self and learn nothing of the others . All I want is to discuss this with someone like minded . But all are gone . Maybe later . As the monkeys become to drunk to continue swinging about there trees they one by one fall . Like the proud Lucifer . Time to leave this place . Sin brings all together in the end . Only the strong monkeys survive . Am I a monkey ? If so , Am I a strong monkey ? Perhaps this Acidic Ape needs re - educating . The acid has left my veins perhaps . 
Comforting . My squirmy little heart flutters just slightly as I once again recall the DIVINE nature of THIS . With limitless possibilities the knowledge of our irrelevance is sighted false . Self examination is the lesser and greater goal . THIS / I am a portion of the examination . I must find experience from which to learn . 
sobriety has robbed me of understanding . I once drank of the blood of life . I celebrated it 's wrongs . Took solace in it 's pains . To strengthen a muscle one first damages it 's fibres . So I journeyed on this path of self damage and destruction . I was the victim and I was the offender . With the realization that there is no self itis found to all be in vain . These veins ? Lost again . 
Error : Message cannot be sent due to strong current and lack of willpower . They 're beating him down . Fists are flailing . Boots are all bloody . His eye are sad and angry . The boat is rocking . Rocking like the Earth to the Sun . Rocking like the epileptic son . The sea sickness is constant . Only option , to adapt . Their attention will shift . With every circle of the whirlpool we draw closer to its core . Waiting . Our speed is too great and the scale to large to know how long . No longer do I even know the size of our vessel . Waiting . Their hopeless rage is targetless . Lustful ? Foe or Friend ? Death or Escape ? Dehydration is inevitable . The Salt in my Mind . Capacity reached . Events measured . Lost in place . Waiting . 
Paradoxingishnessable ? This is nothing . Everything is the same . Everything is nothing . Nothing is only nothing if there is a something , as dark is to light . Everything is the same . Nothing exists . Am I just confused ? 
Badly Priced . I work . I work 40 Hours a week . As do most of my peers . Thats 23 percent of my Week . I do this to earn money . I earn money to pay other workers for food and a place to live . I live to spend most of my time earning money so that I may live . I know this and no I can escape . Like a few of my peers . I don't escape . Like most of my peers . 
Demons of the Greater Shed . Once as a child a saw a demon in our shed . I approached the shed to fetch a tin of petrol for my father . A normal shed . With normal shed things , like wood , and tools , a lawn mower and a spade . Also though there was a demon . So my path came to a halt . The demon was grey haired , which was of course long large and matted , and had eyes so small I struggled to see them . But the eyes were there . They were to evil to not be there . Evil radiated from this creature . Even at that age . When evil was a cartoon villain . I knew that this creature was evil . So I ran . As fast as two childish legs would take me . I ran . And never spoke of the demon in the shed . 
Peaceful . I feel at peace today . I know it is transitory peace but it is peace . And I shall take it . I am comfortable with the eternal struggle . I have little choice but to experience it so that is my intention . There is even a large social event tonight of which I am to partake in . And I feel no anxiety towards the event . Just acceptance . It shall happen . It is happening . It 's already happened . Why fear what is uncontrollable ? This cycle will continue whether I enjoy it or loath it . Simplicity is beautiful . All experience is self examination . And I am simply an examination of the greater self . Created by the greater self . Why bleed unnecessary blood ? Is the ground already not stained enough with my wrong intentions ? With my dellusions ? How is it that I get bored with this ? In this state of mind even the simplest of objects or concepts could entertain me for an eternity . A good thing I guess being as that is what they must do . I once craved physical immortality . Thought if I was " here " long enough I ' d learn " enough " . But no lesson will ever differ from any other lesson . All is same . Now I crave peace . Now I crave that impossible oblivion . 
Girl . The girl , she owns both of my wrists now . I met her once . After I first knew her . Her hair then wasn't quite yet a nights shade of black , but the light was fading . Dusk was there . Then . With a drunk Hollywood style relationships progress . Love , Drama , Walk along the Beach , Sunsets , Loss , Action , Mistakes , then the final embrace . A beach . Rain . Mist . Alone . Fading light . The romantic end to an almost standard story . Things don't end though . She still loves me , She 's still here . I still love her , I don't know where I am . Where does that foot go again ? Oh , right . In front of the other of course . I need another drink . Where that Tequila ? 
New outlook ? Sure , Why not ? My attempt at the Inner Calm is still only slowly progressing . Though I realize that in " Future times " this existence of " mine " will benefit greatly from it , the " now me " is only slightly helped . The downward spiral still spirals at times and I still find myself caring about occurrences which have no real importance . This angers me . The fact that this angers me angers me . I have decided today , what better time I guess , that while continuing this path I would also benefit from adding the attempt to attain a constant state of inner joy as well . This is basic and a well known cliche . But I am a slow learner . Pathetically though this realization fills me with a touch of sadness . I have realized this before . I have attempted this before . How many times ? Perhaps there is no limit . Life 's failed loops frustrate and annoy . Constant . The eternal cycle . All is fractal . This simply points out the larger failure . Time to find an exit ? 
Persist ? Ok . So I read Hesse 's ' Sidhartha ' . I just verified the same old truth . Why do I persist in this apparent search for " The Truth " ? For Knowledge ? For Understanding ? It seems every turn shows me the same thing . Every Book . Every drug . Every Meditation . Every Dream . Every Conversation . Every Movement . Every Breath . But I keep searching . I seem to pretend that I have learnt nothing . That I am as ignorant as I was a decade ago . Perhaps I am no longer searching for this truth . Perhaps I am simply desperately searching for another truth . One not so terrifying . Maybe . I ' m bored and yet at the same time I ' m excited by all I see . And yet it 's all the same . All study takes me in circles . And there in lies the constant answer . I no longer like or am satisfied with this answer . 
To Begin , A Dream . My first post will with luck convince any who read this that further reading is futile . I would like to note here that I have begun this " Blog " because , I think , of some sort of need I have to display my thoughts and experiences in a public domain . I am not certain where this need has come from but am aware that it exists . I have decided to start paying more attention to all my desires . One can no conquer the unknown . Last night I had a dream . A standard beginning . I had been reading Herman Hesses " Sidhartha " which I am certain was the major influence . An unexpected result . I was in a " Restaurant " with " friends " . It was a nice place . Pleasant atmosphere and I remember the food being rather good . Nothing interesting really happened . Everyone was just sitting and chatting , I have no idea of what , and everything seemed normal . Waiters flitted around serving drink and food . People ate . There were families . There were couples . There was a table of very " professional " looking men . All was normal . And the atmosphere went " Strange " . The man at the head of the " Professional " looking table quickly jumped to his feet . He pointed to an attractive young lady sitting at a table in the corner of the room . This didn't seem like a good thing to me . Everyone stopped and stared . Waiting . Expecting . The lady unexpectantly jumped up upon her table and started doing some sort of dance . The dance was very sexual in nature , but also somehow disturbing . I had decided by this point that this young lady reseambled Kali . Odd this . I have never done much of any study on Kali . In fact the only reference I personally no of here is that we are currently in the the age of Kali Yuga . After a while of this several of the " proffesional men " got up and walked over to her . My point of view switched to that of the leading man . I could experiance but not control . I was afraid of something . To my suprise when " we " reached the young lady the expected action was not taken . Instead Each of us grabbed a limb . My host grabbed her right arm . She was not suprised . My host continued to bite into her arm . Devouring her flesh very slowly . There was no blood . This all seemed normal . Her facial expression was one of focus . She expected this . She was learning from this . After devouring the top of her right arm I woke up . Odd . My dreams are never this vivid and detailed . In this dream I saw all detail . And yet still , I was unaware that it was a dream . 
Why .. I really love her , very much . I tried to let go her and wish her get the Happiness forever but when i ' m all alone in home , Her images is keep on flashing in my mind . What can i do ? She keep reject me , Why is her so cruel to me ? Although we are still friend , i still miss her so much . Sigh ... Andy , you must wake up . !! You are just a poor bastarb plus not a handsome bitchy , Andy ... ! Sigh ... 
Moody . Why she keep appear in my mind ? Can't i forget her ? she already had a boyfriend , why do you still think so much ? You are a Loser , a junk in the society ... A piece of crap , That make the World stops . ! But what can i do ? ! I did tried to let go ... Really ...... Sigh .. [ Song ] : Tiao Bo - 5566 , Wo Nan Guo - 5566 , Ta yi ding hen ai ni - Unknown . --------- I ' m not a professional bloggers and quite poor in Grammars , so dont blame me . 
My day . Every Tuesday ( yesterday ) has two period PJ at the first two Shedule list . So , as usual we wait for the teacher . But someone says that the PJ teacher aint there so a friend of mine ( a guy ) go ask a ball from Discipline teacher . And It is , the teacher hand us the ball so we change into Shorts pants and School Tees . But after 15 mins , a guy came and collect the Basketball back and told that the PJ teacher were not here , so all of you can't exercise . I was like " Oh no " , the teacher hand us the ball . My stupid friend just throw it to him , so we just go back to class without telling him the story . Phew , 15 mins Exercise ... Goddamn it . 
Which one you fancy ? From the Left " Palm Zire , Nokia 8850 , Alcatel 511 , Sony Ericsson Z 600 , Nokia 3610 My Beloved i Pod . Havent snap my new Nokia 6230 i though . i Pod do really make my day , when i ' m seriously down ... Sigh .. 
Crucial Life . I have tried to let go but i just unable .. ! What should i do ? I just doesnt hope that she break with her boyfriend . Aww , i guess i better just hiding in my room and just pray for them instead . God bless all Bloggers and Readers . - Mac Andy . 
Night Market . Normally i have no chances to go to the Night Market , but i do take the chances to go today As tomorrow is World Cup Final . ( take it as alasan . ) Phew . My friend and i ( 2 friends ) were walking around the Night market and meet another bunch of friend .. So join them together , then One of the guy Decided to buy the Handphone pouch and hanger , so that seller ask for Rm 6.00 . So after turning a round back ( just with two of my friends ) and we went there to buy it . Same thing a handphone pouch and a Handphone hanger , That bloody bastard charge me Rm 7.50 . As the price also stated as ( 4.0 for pouch and 3.5 for hanger ) . I was like What the hell man , how come my friend pay for 6.0 and i pay for 7.50 ... Nvm , atlast i still pay it . Dont want to Negotiate with those Bloody Bastards . After buying those thing , i went to buy a Housing for my 6230 i . The color pretty nice ( sky blue ) that fella claim it as Original while the Price is at Rm 18.00 and only ask for Rm 12.00 , while i go back and try on the phone It fits pretty nice . But then i put on the ( Crystal Clear Casing ) to protect it But it seems the housing too big .. And the Keypad is just sucks . How would the seller claim it as Original , Lol ? -------------------- That 's something for now , will update after World Cup . I bet there aint people viewing my blog thought .... And if there 's , Let me Wish you Be Fine and Happy forever . May the God Bless You . - Mac Andy . 
Sacrificial Love . Sacrificial love is self - sacrifice with the pure motivation to alleviate the suffering of others . This supreme love is suffering love , love that requires involvement in the knotty problems of the world , love that bears with the failings and weaknesses of others , love that is committed to helping others regardless of the cost . We have the example of Jesus Christ , who offered his life to redeem sinful humanity , and Moses , who risked his life before Pharaoh for the sake of his people . We have the example of the bodhisattva , who vows to devote himself to save all beings and to accept their sufferings as his own . He regards his own happiness as incidental to the happiness of others . He does not claim the merit of his spiritual progress for himself , but offers it for the liberation of others . A Hindu example of this sacrificial attitude and of the practice of " transfer of merit " is found in the story of King Vipascit , who would rather ease the suffering of the denizens of hell than enjoy by himself the bliss of heaven . We conclude with a description of the painful Native American ritual called the Sun Dance , in which the dancer has his chest pierced with wooden pegs tied with ropes to the top of a sacred tree ; as he dances the ropes become taut until the pegs rip off from his flesh . The dancer sacrifices his body on behalf of his people , that the people may live . One who stays in the shade does not know the sun 's heat . Greater love has no man than this , that a man lay down his life for his friends . The position of love can be established when one sacrifices oneself and gives oneself for others . Thus sacrifice accompanies love . The believer who participates in human life , exposing himself to its torments and suffering , is worth more than the one who distances himself from its suffering . It is not always physical bravery that counts . One must have the courage to face life as it is , to go through sorrows and always sacrifice oneself for the sake of others . 
Life . Life is just full of Sorrow , sad & even headache . Phew what to do , Life still going on . * shakehead . By the way , I do wish " Her " and the guy gets Hapiness Forever . God Bless you two . - Mac Andy Time : 11.02 . 
Bloggers . As many of my friend had a blog , so i dont want to miss a chance too . I ' m pretty new to blogging , so hopefully i able to cope with all the function and without getting tease from you guys ya .. God bless . Time : 09.38 . 
Al - Qaeda on Israel . Al - Qaeda have released another video . I found this on Aljazeera , Al - Qaeda don't seem to be able to make headline news here in the UK anymore . Anyway , here were the important parts from my pov : The good : Ayman al - Zawahiri called on Muslims to join forces and fight what he called the " Zionist - crusader war " against Muslim nations . " Oh Muslims everywhere , I call on you to fight and become martyrs in the war against the Zionists and the crusaders , " the Egyptian born former doctor said . And of course , the bad : " The entire world is an open battlefield for us and since they are attacking useverywhere , we will attack everywhere . " This was not how our Prophet or his companions fought . Source : Al - Zawahiri urges attacks on Israel . 
A personal computer story starring Andrew Koll . Don't know if you guys knew Andrew has a new job hawking HP PC 's .... If you are unable to see the message below , click here to view . Check out this video created at hp . com / personal Message : Andrew 's commercial Click here to view the video The computer is personal again hp . com / personal . 
My Workout . I have been really trying to workout more , but my punches are to week . I think I need to take some Tae Bo classes . Then my punches can be more effective . Anyways , things are still the same - I love to BLOG ! 
Now you can post to the blog through E - mail . It is really easy to post message to this blog . Just send the post to akoll . post @ blogger . com and it will get added . This is really that easy . Blogs are the best . 
Blog is not in the dictionary . Can you believe that the word Blog is not in the Microsoft dictionary ! What a sham . Blogging is the best thing in the world . It is so easy to do , and anyone can do it . Boy do I love to blog . 
I meet a fox tonight . I meet a fox tonight . In the cool clear night . It followed me around as I turned it stopped , as I moved it followed behind me . My cigarette and the stars . The grass and the lamp lights . The fox looking at me . If I had stood still it would seem to come right up to me . If I stood still it may have come very close to me . What 's a fox doing following me ? What is my interesting in being there hanging around with this fox ? The fox and I. What a " tame " fox . I first caught my eye on you as you were on the pavement walking and what looked like sitting . As I walk in a " loop " the fox follows me . I ' m a little scared of foxy . What if you are rabid ? what if you are going to bit me ? So I turn my head often towards you and you walk " to the side " around me , and see you walking and see you stopping and looking at me , as I am looking at you . You were about to follow me on to the parking area , where I had gotten another cigarette from my car . I am scared of you foxy . There is a bit of panic , even though you are intreging . The motions of my matchstick flaming up are a bit forceful and lighting the cigarette a bit stressing , as you stand five meters or so away from me . And then go behind a building and disappear out of sight . I meet a fox tonight . In the cool clear night . It followed me around as I turned it stopped , as I moved it followed behind me . My cigarette and the stars . The grass and the lamp lights . The fox looking at me . Me looking at the fox . If I had stood still it would seem to come right up to me . If I stood still it may have come very close to me . Foxy has a big tail and a good looking fur . A handsome fox . It seemed like it was trying to eat some grass from time to time and smell what was on its path . Its perky ears show when it stops and looks in my direction . It was somewhat dark with only the path lamps and house lite , as I walked in a sport / park type setting . The grass cut low . A gymnasium and a basketball court a bit further way . The benches to the side on a jutting path . The bushes to one side and trees a further ways off , big oak trees . And the stars above . I meet a fox tonight . In the cool clear night . It followed me around as I turned it stopped , as I moved it followed behind me . My cigarette and the stars . The grass and the lamp lights . The fox looking at me . If I had stood still it would seem to come right up to me . If I stood still it may have come very close to me . 
Today . Its hard to write . I want to write all sorts of personal stuff but its probably not suitable for a public weblog . I ' m having difficulty dealing with what would probably be considered simple things - in my life in general when it comes to personal decisions and managing my life in a coherent way . It 's like its going nowhere . The same set of things keep presenting themselves " inwardly " . It 's not all grim and gloom . There are times where there is a lift . It is getting easier inside in a way , but never - the - less , my actions respond in the old way and I see this all going on . Its not easy cultivating inner peace . I ' ll leave the rest of my line of thoughts for a journal entry . It would seem a too intimate to post . But its " pain " , lots of " pain " . I ' ve been reading headlines . It doesn't sound good what happening in the Middle - East . It 's seems to be getting worse by the day . Anyway can't comment further . It 's strange . For those Truth seekers out there you may like to have a look at www . sign - of - the - times . org for more info . I ' m considering where I want to live for the forseable future , not an easy task . I really have no idea . Denmark , States , France , and Switzerland are my choices . I also have to decide of a strategy for when I go to a country on what I am going to do . ( I know lots of strategy ) Strategy , strategy , strategy , ... because that 's all I ' ve got going for me . Strategically turn and turn my life in the right direction has been an underlining theme running in the background for many years , planning my life out ... its been a weary circling around ... My Grandmother sent me a B - Day card . What would the world be like without Grandmothers ? It was a sweet card . " Especially For You ( Picture of a ( teady ) bear sitting under a tree ) A day filled with happiness , right from the start , that 's the wish this is bringing , straight from the heart . ( inside ) Dear Alexander ( card written ) Wishing you the kind of day , that you deserve - the best , And hoping that the , year ahead , will be your happiest ! Happy Birthday ( in big writing ) ( my Grandmother writes ) With love and best Wishes always . Hope all your plans work out will for you . , Lots of Love , Grandma " I was alone at home for my birthday . Alone . Alone with myself . My Aunt sent me a birthday greeting . It was nice to hear from her . My friend from Pakistan sent me a birthday greeting . I talked with my Dad on the phone and he sent me a birthday greeting . ... I ' m too rushed inside to appreciate what people do for me . But they ' ve been good to me . I wish I could stop inside and really appreciate in a just , lucid , and real way what people actually do for me and them as well . There 's too much to consider on this subject . It would make me go bananas trying to consider it , in all its aspects . ( or so I say ) It 's twelve o ' clock do you know where your kids are ? ( its was twelve o ' clock ) ( " Lame lama , lame duck " as I used to say jokingly to my little sister ) My friend Kim from Korea is coming over to visit soon . We went to highschool together . 
Some thoughts . I ' ve been unsettled inside . It 's not easy sometimes to know what to write and not write . It 's also harder when there is an isolation inside . It 's hard to detail my inner state in writing though just a moment ago I know I had a few points I wanted to write down . I find myself going over the same things in my mind , the same subjects / topics come up . How could I do things the right way , ... it 's always in a " tense " state of mind . It 's odd in a way that things can go so skcrewy inside , with many extremes ! , it seems . This tension I mention , is years of mental viewing without emotional input . A part of myself views / viewed the other without being wholely there . It 's like being bottled up , squeezed and pinned in . In a way its like living " inside - out " or outside in , or both at the same time . It 's like constantly thinking about the same things for years without any change . ( contrary to this idea ) Things naturally change . It 's a movement . Normally we aren't the same person in every situation , our being flows into different states . I have to go far back in my memory in time to recollect this sensation . Simply put it 's called being alive . There is no fixed idea . There aren't any fixed ideas of one 's self that come into play ; like I am so and so , therefore I should do such and such , like somebody is watching over my shoulder and hurt me if I get it wrong and I have to pretend to be okay with it all . Pretending but but ... 
" The Fool " again . ( This picture made me think of a quote I had read a long time ago by James Baldwin ) " Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within . " - James Baldwin There was one picture from a set of cards that I saw at an esoteric book store that looked nice . The cover on the box had an androynous Fool , with half a face male and half female ( I believe ) . It was a picture well done I thought . ( Picture taken from http : // jdillon . net / fool . html ) . 
A few things ... I thought today I would post a link to a video from the internet from dickeatsbush ( . com ) . One is Episode 1 - The George ( which you can find in the video section ) . When the first few times I watched it , at a part I was laughing and crying just after laughing . ( The world is just crazy if you ask me ( mental meltdown ) ... ) Another videa that is quite nice is Signs of the Times . The words " signs of the times " remid me of a BBC broadcast they had here in my area where the annoncer would say something like ... " ( drumroll ) These are signs of the times ( beep beep beep ) This is BBC world news at 5 Pm . " Now if you want Signs of the Times you can go to www . signs - of - the - times . org . 
Nonduality . Some time ago I was checking out a site . I believe it was ( www . ) nonduality . com. While looking at a Gurdjieff 's toast to the idiots ( http : // www . nonduality . com / idiot . htm ) link , that somebody posted at a forum , I came across some pictures . It was really neat because there was this guy using different symbols from various religions ( like the cross , the star of david , the muslim symbol of god , etc ) and he had figures ( I believe ) of jesus , budda , etc , and did a funny demonstration . I found it funny and instructive , " non dual " . It sucks that I can't find them again now . Here is one picture I found from their site . Buber 's had a couple things to say about " non duality " ... ( Since I got the quotes right here might as well put them in ) " -- But what of mysticism ? Does it not inform us how unity without duality is experienced ? May we dispute the truth of its accounts ? -- I know not of a single but two kinds of happening in which duality is no longer experienced . These are at times confused in mystical utterances -- I too once confused them . The one is the soul 's becoming a unity . That is omehting that takes place not between man and God , but in man . Power is concentrated , everything that tries to divert it is drawn into the orbit of its mastery , the being is alone in itself and rejoices , as Paracelsus says , in its exaltation . This is the decisive moment for a man . Without it he is unfit for the work of the spirit ; with it , he decides , in his innermost being , if this means a breathing - space , or the sufficient end of his way . Concentrated in unity , he can go out to the meeting , to which he has only now drawn quite close , with the mystery , with salvation . But he can enjoy to the full the blessed concentration of his being , and without entering on the supreme duty fall back into dissipation of being . -- Everything on our way involves decision , purposive , dimly seen , wholly mysterious : this in the innermost being is the primal mysterious decision , carrying the mightiest consequences for our destiny . The other happening lies in the unfathomable nature of the relational act itself , in which two , it is imagined , become one : " one and one united , bareness shines into barness . " I and Thou are absorbed , humanity , which just before confronted the godhead , is merged in it -- glorification , deification , and singleness of being have appeared .... " . 
Brett and Katelyn . Brett and Katelyn work here at the camp and I ' m blessed enough to be coming back to this area to do their wedding in October so we took a little time to get away from camp and get some engagement pics for the two of them last night and then enjoyed a good " Forks Burger " afterwards to talk about their wedding . For those of you who have been to Bass Lake you know what I ' m talking about with the Forks . For those of you who don't it 's almost worth driving up here just to check it out ! : ) Can't wait for your wedding you guys ! : ) This area in October will be AMAZING ! 
Back at YSSC . The last few days I ' ve been up in the INCREDIBLY HOT region of Bass Lake . This is my 3 rd year taking a mid summer break from weddings to come and shoot campers up at YSSC . It 's been a crazy last couple of days capturing water sports , high ropes climbing , and other camp activities . As much as I love weddings , it 's a fun break to come and shoot somethin just a bit different . Here 's a few of the highlights ! : ) This kid was amazing . He climbed up this 40 foot " tower of power " blindfolded . Yosemite is an hour and a half drive from camp and I got to drive down to take some scenic shots of the park since the camp drives kids down there a couple times during their trip . This is half dome right by Mirror Lake . This cabin of girls were super cool and got up at 6 AM to do a morning war canoe trip . Some more water shots on Bass Lake ... 
Tovi and Becca ! : ) . I seriously don't know how time goes so fast ! It seems like JUST the other day ( really a little over a week ago ) that we were shooting Becca and Tovi 's wedding . I ' m seriously having a hard time doing it justice describing just how beautiful every detail of it was . I ' m such a fan of big details and the details in their wedding were amazing ! Becca and Tovi you guys are amazing and I can't wait to get together with you guys when you get back ! Becca 's dress was SO beautiful ! It was handmade by a designer in Spain ! Becca and her dad practicing their dance that morning .... 
My wife is beautiful . : ) . So yesterday , I convinced Katie to come down and go to the beach so I could take some pictures of her . I should stress his took QUITE a bit of convincing ..... I think the argument that finally got her was " what if she was killed in car accident and I didn't have any other good pictures of her ... ( which is of course not true ) ..... actually she didn't really like that argument that much : ) She really is the the most amazingly kind and sweet and definetly the most beautiful girl in the whole world to me and I ' m so glad I get to wake up every morning and have her there . Anyways , we went down to the beach by the Bacara ( a super fancy resort just north of Santa Barbara ) and I took down the 200 mm f 1.8 lens that I had rented for the weekend and had a bunch of fun photographing my super beautiful wife . : ) . 
Kevin and Tiff ! Last night I got to meet up with Kevin and Tiff and shoot some engagement pictures . Kevin and Tiff are getting married in Hawaii and we ' ll be flying out to shoot it ! Obviously , I was already looking forward to going out there for obvious reasons , but after I saw how photogenic Kevin and Tiff are it made me even more excited about their wedding ! Thanks so much guys for having us join you out there ! Can't wait ! 
Sweet Rehearsal ! Just about to get ready for our first of three weddings in three days ! : ) Last night I was able to shoot a great rehearsal and dinner that Josh 's parents put on . It was so cool to watch Megan and Josh at the church and at the dinner last night . They are just so obviously in love and it 's really sweet to watch . : ) They ' ll be an extremely photogenic couple so I ' m really excited to hang out with them and be a part of their wedding ! : ) . 
Marcus and Kerry ! What an insane week ! My dad travels all the time and I feel like I ' m getting just a tiny glimpse of what his life is like ! At the end of June we were out in Colorado visiting Katie 's parents , we got back and then a few days later flew to Oregon to shoot Marcus and Kerry 's wedding . We got back on Tuesday and now today ( Thursday ) I ' m in San Francisco for the first of three weddings in three days starting tomorrow ! : ) Being on the road is nuts , but it 's super fun to see new places . Oregon was amazing . Not only does the Portland airport have FREE wireless , the state has no sales tax , and it 's illegal to pump your own gas . How crazy is that ? ! We were in Sister 's Oregon which is super small , but what it lacks in people , it is plentiful in beauty . I was seriously convinced I wanted to move there just flying into Redmond ( near Sisters ) . We had a great couples days filled with river rafting , BBQs , touch football and of course the wedding ! : ) Those of you who know the area up there know it 's known for it 's rain and unfortunately it didn't just rain the day of the wedding .... it poured . : ) Combine that with the fact that the ceremony and the reception were outside and it wasn't the best circumstances we could have had , but as he always isy , God was good and even though we delayed the ceremony 20 mins or so we were able to get through it , as well as the pictures of Kerry and Marcus and their bridal party after the ceremony without getting too wet . It rained the first 20 mins or so of the reception as well before the sun came out and we had a beautiful reception . : ) On our way into Redmond , Oregon the pilot flew right over Mount Jefferson . I couldn't help but grab a few shots out the window . : ) Kerry and Marcus could not have picked a more beautiful spot to have as the backdrop to their ceremony . Behind them are the mountains known as the " Three Sisters . " My wife Katie was the maid of honor at the wedding and it was so cool to be able to photograph her . Usually she hate it when I try to take pictures of her , but at least this weekend I had an excuse !! She looked so beautiful !! ( Of course Kerry did too !! ) : ) This was a great moment she and Kerry had right after the ceremony finished . I love this shot of the guys . And yes , Marcus really is that much of a stud . : ) The camera doesn't lie . : ) When we were taking the shots of Kerry and Marcus I could just tell any moment it was going to start pouring again . We were out in this field and I see lighting striking all over the place in the sky ( I know I know .... big open field and me standing in it with lightning .... probably not the smartest thing ever , but ...... well ..... Ok I have no good excuse . ) : ) Luckily neither myself or Kerry or Marcus died , but we did get some good shots !! : ) . 
Attack # 3 . Attack # 3 , Fall 1964 , Charlton Comics Group If I learned anything flipping through all of those back issue bins at the Comic Con , I discovered that , if an open - minded reader like me wants to sample comics from a variety of genres , he need not look farther than Charlton Press . In addition to seeking diverse titles and genres to fuel the A Comic A Day challenge , I ' ve been interested in testing as many publishers and companies as possible , as well , if only to explore the medium 's vast , century - old tapestry . So , you can imagine my frustration when nearly every definitive genre issue I pulled boasted the Charlton logo . From B - list superheroes , to teenaged love stories , to gritty war tales , to gun - slinging cowboys , Charlton had it all . It was difficult to know where to start . Today I settled on Attack , a quarterly war book . I was mentally prepared for the digression . Earlier this evening , I engaged an acquaintance in an in depth conversation about the current state of global politics , and even earlier today , like around 1 a.m. , I caught an episode of the A - Team on the Sleuth network . I was ready for the call of duty . Still , that doesn't mean I understand it . War books like Attack must have been extremely popular in the ' 50 s and ' 60 s , as they were produced in abundance , but with World War II still fresh in the nation 's consciousness and the Vietnam conflict right around the corner , comics about war don't seem like much of an escape for time . Following Sgt. Rock or another iconic , consistent character through wartime is one thing , but these brief , episodic adventures of anonymous soldiers seem less fictional , and more like a bitter reminder of the world 's dangerous climate . Perhaps therein lies the appeal . As much as war comics were reflections of reality , they were still comics , with just enough exaggerated illustration to create a distance or disconnect from any inconvenient truth . For thirty pages , you 're in the trenches ; when the battle reaches its tidy conclusion , you have the convenience of closing the book . Attack contains several varied short stories about war , from one - page narratives on firearms to ten page adventures about Chinese Commies . Some of these features are as dry as the deserts our soldiers endure , especially the two - page essay on the history of Civil War machine guns . Others were engaging and insightful , particularly in the context of the early ' 60 s . My favorite tale , " Hot Wire , " starred a determined troop ordered to lay a communications cable a few clicks beyond the enemy lines . The unknown artist , either in a hurry to meet a deadline or extremely dynamic in his storytelling technique , pointed his camera on his heroes ' hands and toward other obscure angles to keep the expositions interesting to the eye . The only enduring character throughout the issue is an undying spirit of determination I almost typed " patriotism , " but surprisingly , America is rarely if ever actually mentioned as the solders ' motives in combat . Simply put , war is their way of life . They seem to know little else . Perhaps that 's the point all along . Books like this wouldn't survive on today 's comic stands . The word war seems so imbued with bias nowadays , the genre has suffered from the harshness of its own inspiration . I do miss the format , however . I don't remember if Kurt Busiek or Tom De Falco said it , but during a writers panel at the Con , someone lamented the loss of these jam books as the training ground for new talent . I assume these bland one - pagers were someone 's first work in the field . In this vein , with their diverse range , Charlton must have been like a comic book boot camp . I wonder why they aren't around anymore . Did their diversity ultimately distill their overall impact ? Did they spread their forces too thin . . . and lose the war ? 
Conan Funcom Special . Conan Funcom Special , July 2006 , Dark Horse Comicswriters : Joshua Dysart Dave Stewartletterer : Richard Starkings Ryan Jorgenseneditor : Scott Allie Another Comic Con freebie , from our friends at Dark Horse Comics . On the cover , this issue 's title is Age of Conan : Hyborian Adventures , but the title noted above , perhaps more accurate for filing purposes , is derived from the inside cover 's fine print . Funcom is apparently the company responsible for the Conan video game with the more comic - friendly title . This bears no significance to the story , but I thought the differentiation was interesting from a marketing and collecting perspective . I ' m sure I would have read a Conan story at some point during the year , but I ' m glad Dark Horse met me half way with this give - away , otherwise , I wouldn't have known where to begin . With well known indies like Bone or Cerebus , I literally just picked an issue from the bin ; Conan , in a league with longstanding characters like the Phantom , has so much history , the wrong issue could have alienated me completely . So , this sampling accomplishes its two goals successfully : ( 1 . ) it introduced me to Conan and his world , and ( 2 . ) it enticed me to read more , with little pressure . Nice . Two stories , two entirely different settings , but the same Conan shines throughout the issue . In the first tale , Conan is the king of Aquilonia , " the jewel of the dreaming west . " The backstory is established in brief , elegant tones , introducing Conan 's new bride , who we find out later is with child . Check this out : " Zenobia , with eyes pitch as ocean depths and dark foam for hair , had won the warrior king 's wild heart . So where once was a harem girl now was a queen . Just as where once was a barbarian . . . now stood a king . " Short and very sweet . I don't know if classic Conan fans like this royal incarnation of their otherwise wandering warrior , but the seemingly bored barbarian shows off his chops in dealing with a couple of traitors : " I ' m sure you both expect public crucifixions , where the street children . . . piss in the nail holes in your feet . . . Instead I offer you a kindness you never would ' ve granted me . . . Guard . . . hand over your arms to the prisoners . Come . Die like men . " Yeah , that 's the abbreviated version , and you get the point . At this stage in his life , Conan will obviously take any excitement he can get . In the second story , Conan seems younger , more spry , and initially heroic in rescuing some traveling priests from a band of thieves . Alas , he not only accepts their gifts of appreciation but in turn robs them himself of everything save their undergarments . Cary Nord 's artwork tells the tale most effectively in this episode , his expressions less exaggerated than the Tone Rodriguez yarn but more effective in the savage grace of Conan 's fighting style and generally cocky character . I think these are scanned pencils , reflective of our warrior 's rough - around - the - edges demeanor . I see from the ads throughout the issue that Nord is the artist on the ongoing . Good choice . If the storytelling is this consistent in Conan 's regular series , I see the attraction . In a week or so , the A Comic A Day challenge will be one month old . In this first month , I ' ve already knocked the Phantom , Bone , Cerebus , and now Conan off of the list of old or indie characters at my disposal -- characters beyond the standard scope of the " big two , " but still readily available staples in the medium . Fortunately , the Con offered some cheap sci - fi , western , and war - related material for future consumption , so in upcoming posts I can focus less on iconic characters and more on genre and obscurity . I ' m digging the variety . And coming soon : If this be . . . Don Rickles ? Who says I can't have a teaser ? 
Cerebus the Aardvark # 53 . Cerebus the Aardvark # 53 , August 1983 , Aardvark - Vanaheim , Inc. by Dave Sim I ' ve been looking forward to this one . Cerebus is perhaps the most highly respected creator driven comic book of the modern age , if not of the entire medium . During the Reagan years , when well - established superheroes were all the rage with their Saturday morning cartoons , breakfast cereals , and underroos , Dave Sim was quietly but steadily revolutionizing the industry with his little aardvark that could . One part fantasy epic , one part political satire , Cerebus was an ongoing adventure that seemed to offer consistently engaging , dynamic line work with enthralling , mature dialogue . I guess . I mean , I ' ve only read one issue , but I completely understand how and why Sim earned his prestigious reputation . He was cranking out comics starring peculiar animals long before any turtles were eating pizza . Although Cerebus # 53 was one of many cheap , random buys from the dinged - or - damaged indie bin at Comic Con , a refuge for samples of series beyond the mainstream , I did encounter Cerebus once before from his cameo in an early issue of Spawn . Since that appearance was more allegorical in nature , I wasn't well aware of the character 's quirks ; the issue in hand this evening is more insightful . Here , from what I gather , Cerebus is fresh off the strife of a tense political conflict and has sought respite with a reclusive countess so he can work on his book . Although some of their rapport is sprinkled with inexplicable references from previous stories , much of their exchange is an astute commentary on the aftereffects of authoritative power . What happens to a leader when he 's no longer at the forefront ? Cerebus often refers to himself in the third person , which I might find annoying if Sim didn't delimit the effect with a pompous charm . In fact , Sim infuses Cerebus with a wisdom generally unbecoming a cartoon aardvark . The excerpts from his books , titled " On Governing , " are sharp and witty . Discussing money , the little gray guy muses , " Most wealthy people are wealthy people first and whatever else they are second . " Brilliant . I wonder if that was Sim 's point all along . Cerebus could have been a platypus of all things , but the commentaries explored through his adventures are universal tenets that exceed any genre of comics . Midway through the tale , I ' m less dumbfounded by the fact that I ' m reading the words of an aardvark and more intrigued by the circumstances surrounding his fall from grace . Sim sucked me in under the skin of his wayward hero . That 's writing , folks . Other elements of note : In her introductory essay , editor ( and presumably Dave 's wife ) Deni Sim mentions their Con tour , including San Diego , of ' 83 . Also , in the letter column , Dave expounds on some fans ' feedback from the previous story arc . These personal touches , which have become franchise fluff and shameless self - promotion in the modern comics era ( I m looking at you , DC Nation ) , are undoubtedly what kept Cerebus afloat for so many decades . Not only were the characters dynamic , but the creators were interactive . . . throughout the year . The Con wasn't the only chance the reader had to pick the pros ' minds . Screw the Internet ; I miss those simpler days . 
Detective Comics # 517 . Detective Comics # 517 , August 1982 , DC Comicswriters : Gerry Conway Tony De Zunigaletterer : Annette Kaweckicolorist : Adrienne Royeditor : Dick Giordano The San Diego sky is overcast today , and a rainstorm from the north is undoubtedly on its way just in time for the close of the Comic Con , to wash the streets of the sheer geek that has infested every cranny of this poor city these last five days . I ' m ready to wash my hands of the Con , as well . I spent some time and a considerable amount of money in search of a variety of comics to keep this challenge rolling for the next few weeks . The little doses of diversity from the antique stores and hobby shops I ' ve frequented lately have gone a long way ; at the Con , it 's one big wave , and it 's overwhelming . My head feels as hazy as the sky overhead . Speaking clouded minds , Detective # 517 ( a welcome return to the mainstream after my brief marathon of indies ) is an issue about obscure transformations . In the lead story , Batman stumbles back to Wayne Manor , suffering from an infectious vampire 's bite . Resisting the urge to sample a penny 's worth of Alfred 's blood ( I couldn't resist ) , the now rampaging Batman hits the streets again and effectively disappears for the rest of the story . In the meantime , a mysterious priest visits the Manor and offers an origin sequence for the responsible vampire , who , I assume from the priest 's explanation , is a revamp of the classic villain the Monk . ( Revamp . Get it ? ) Personally , my favorite issue is the cameo of Christopher Chance , a . k . a . the Human Target , summoned by Alfred to impersonate Bruce Wayne during his macabre absence . Chance is an excellent supplemental character for Detective , and the short - lived Human Target Vertigo series is well missed by yours truly . But I digress . Considering this issue 's subplots aplenty , I now realize how frequently circumstances in Batman 's world are recycled for every new generation of readership to enjoy . Apparently , around the time of this uncanny tale , James Gordon was no longer Police Commissioner and ran ( futilely ) for mayor . I remember a similar storyline in the ' 90 s , post " Knightfall , " during Moench and Jones ' run on Batman . Coincidence ? I doubt it . Further , the priest identifies an " Obeah Woman " in his telling of the Monk 's origin , and in much later issues of ' Tec regarding the death of Tim Drake 's mother , the Obeah Man is introduced and ultimately responsible . Hmm . Hey , didn't Moench and Jones write an Elseworlds or two featuring a Batman - turned - vampire ? By then , based on this very issue , the concept was already in continuity ! Sigh . Maybe I should stick to indie books . They don't have the baggage . This issue 's back - up tale is classic camp , even for the early ' 80 s , as Batgirl transforms into a serpent thanks to a bite from the evil Lady Viper . Of course , extracting the villainess 's venom enables doctors to create a cure , but alas , Lady Viper is consumed by her own vices and becomes a snake by the end of the tale . Does Arkham have a zoo wing ? Overall , Detective # 517 was an enjoyable read , and surprisingly , a nice transition back to reality . . . well , if turning into a vampire or a snake lady is part of reality . I ' m coming from the Comic Con . Yesterday , I bumped in a Klingon on the way to the bathroom . At this point , I ' ll take the bite . 
Johnny Blaster 's M - Force : The Marshun Menace # 2 . Johnny Blaster 's M - Force : The Marshun Menace # 2 , Marshmallowville Mediacreator : John De La Valdenewriter : Jason M. Burnsartist : Dustin Evans Today , the penultimate day of the San Diego Comic Con , was a fruitful one . I found several obscure Silver Age issues to review in future A Comic A Day posts , and a perusal of the Small Press Area resulted in a Johnny Blaster 's M - Force freebie . Now , as I ' ve griped in my Live Journal for the past few days , K . O . Comix , my self - publishing venture , is usually among those desperate wanna - be professionals , so I sympathize with the effort to create and distribute ( ideally through sales ) an independent comic . I try to find a redeemable quality in every peer 's contribution to this lowest end of the industry totem pole . In that context , Johnny Blaster was a challenge . In this issue , the M - Force battles various animals possessed by " marshun " invaders . Their weapons of choice ? Marshmallow blasters . Apparently , Professor Fluffernutter 's experimental marshmallows have the ability to vanquish alien despots and infuse their champions with superhuman bravery and strength . Don't ask me why ; the Professor doesn't seem to know , either . The story is fueled by fluffy dialogue ( pardon the pun ) with inept attempts at modern youthful vernacular and pop culture wittiness , offering no explanation as to the tale 's obscure situation . If the story didn't take itself so seriously , such an explanation would be unnecessary . If the story were written for kids ( as its circumstances might imply ) , such an explanation would be superfluous , even . As is , I need an explanation to complete the story , to make it a yarn I could get into . As is , I was waiting for the sales pitch for Kraft Marshmallows on the inside back cover , like a classic promo for an issue secretly published by Little Debbie or something . I was close . Marshmallowville Media is selling marshmallow blasters for a lowly $ 25 . The real money is in toys , anyway . As for the comic book , I ' m sorry , but the art stunk . I know children capable of this quality . I hate to be so harsh of a peer in the field ( heck , I ' m not even their peer -- they have a table ! ) , but the Comic Con is a competitive forum for talent and sales . Geeks aren't known for their fortunes . A comic , especially one sold on merit alone rather than history or hype , should offer a compelling story , engrossing artwork . The M - Force is as soft as their weapons of choice . I hope to pick up a few more Small Press books tomorrow to review for the future . I wonder if I should invite their creators to read their reviews . If I do , and we do land a table next year , we might not have the most comfortable experience . In the Small Press arena , the strength isn't in numbers ; it 's in how few other books you have with which to contend . 
B . A . B . E . Force : Jurassic Trailer Park # 2 . B . A . B . E . Force : Jurassic Trailer Park # 2 , forcewerks Productionswriter : Kirk Kusninartist : Diego Barreto San Diego Comic Con , day three . I still haven t purchased a comic book . I m practicing discernment . Really . Ever go to the grocery store when you re really hungry ? Everything looks good , right ? That s what the Comic Con is like when you ve accepted the A Comic A Day challenge . Fortunately , although I haven t coughed up any cash , eager exhibitors are still dishing out free comics , which is ample fuel for the fire for now . Consider B . A . B . E . Force . The average comic connoisseur probably hasn t heard of it . So , at the world buffet of all things comics , why not pass out a few free samples , to whet the public s appetite ? Okay , enough with the food based analogies . All that walking around works up an appetite . Of course , I have heard of B . A . B . E . Force , thanks to their Free Comic Book Day sampling a few years ago . I ve read that issue a few times , because , in my opinion , it offered everything I expect from an introductory issue : two solid stories establishing character and tone , with an interesting text - intensive supplemental piece fleshing out the concept . Usually , such text is an essay by the author . In that FCBD issue , the essay was actually an excerpt from Chaos Co s merchandise catalog . See , the villain of the story is Dr. Chaos , the heir of the Chaos fortune , and rather than use his father s criminal technology to take over the world or something . . . he sells it . He s a huckster . Annoying , but not evil , and ultimately hilarious . B . A . B . E . Force is Charlie s Angels meets Die Hard . Their major domo is a mute clown ; their enemy s henchman is a Mexican wrestler . It s pure pyrotechnic fun , with robot dinosaurs and car chases and the old slam - on - the - trailer s - brakes - so - the - boat - in - tow - goes - air - born trick . Oh , and did I mention the riotous old folks ? B . A . B . E . Force takes not taking itself seriously very seriously but avoids the transparent satire that makes adventures like theirs too vapid . I think B . A . B . E . Force is packaged as an on - going mini - series , with each arc its own title , so this issue is the last in a two - part story . Smart idea . Every installment is accessible to potentially new readership , and I should mention that the art is easy on the eye , as well , with crisp line work and effective use of heavy ink in an otherwise colorless series . In fact , I wonder if color would taint the purity of the artwork s intensity and expressionist flair . Ho hum. Yes , the Con offers an overwhelming menu of international comic delights , and today , B . A . B . E . Force was that free tasty sample of orange chicken on a toothpick . It s dinnertime . 
Virgin Comics # 0 . Virgin Comics # 0 , July 2006 , Virgin Comicswriter : Siddharth Kotian Abhishek Singhcolorist : Sundarakannan Gotham Chopraassistant editor : Mahesh Kamath I ' ve managed to slip the surly bonds of the San Diego Comic Con to write this review , appropriately of an issue I received for free minutes after entering the convention last night . Virgin Comics # 0 features two tales introducing characters that the company will launch in their own titles later this year . Interestingly , the cover of this freebie is comics page that doesn't appear in the issue , mostly obscured by the highly recognizable Virgin logo . Clearly , the intent is to sell the concept that this company is creating comics , rather than selling the comics on the merit of their ideas . Fortunately , though , the comics have good ideas on their own , so this sampling is a package deal . Inspired by mythologies from India and developed for the most part by Deepak Chopra , these tales are both well illustrated and handsomely packaged . Con freebies are usually too thin to count as a legitimate comic , but Virgin Comics # 0 is definitely an issue I will " bag and board . " The first tale stars Devi , an apparently ordinary ( yet incredible beautiful ) girl inhabited by an ancient adventurous goddess . The otherwise action - packed episode is interrupted twice by text - heavy splash pages of spiritual backstory , which may be interesting for students of Eastern lore , but is generally obtrusive to the tale 's fluidity . The clout of those pages is coupled with Devi 's husband 's thoughts on her transformation from commoner to goddess , which is more effective in establishing the grandiosity of her plight . If only the story didn't end with the tired old " Gosh , now I ' m a superhero ! " shtick . New comics are often compelled to make this unnecessary commentary / self - parody , if only to set it apart from other titles . Now , in so doing , it becomes the cliche it was trying to avoid . Although the second tale , " Ramayan Reborn , " avoids the superfluous myth - based subtext , the lead 's inner monologue chokes pages that could have been just as epic visually . This is a David versus Goliath yarn . I liked it , too . Very little occurs in this issue , aside from the action and graphic pyrotechnics . Yet , through the characters and overall tone of the two stories , I have a clear impression of what Virgin Comics wants to accomplish and contribute to the industry : like the infusion of Japanese culture into our comics and cartoons , Virgin wants to expose the potential and excitement of Indian mythology to America . Look at this issue 's credits . You know my spell check with nuts with that one . These guys are talented . They have something to contribute . And the Con is the best place to break in . And you can't beat the price . For more commentary on the Con , visit my Live Journal . I ' m trying to post some pictures but am struggling with my free Geocities site capacity . I might create a Flickr account this weekend to compensate . I think it 's called Flickr . Stay tuned . 
sucking sand . One of the things I realized this evening as I awoke still ship wrecked and sucking sand , not intentionally , but it happened spontaneously , because I was positioned on my stomach with my head down , breathing through the mouth can be quite unsanitary and the after affects , linger . Move slow captain as the ship is still wrecked , splintered wood too many to capture , the crew missing and the natives , seen from a mere distance of thirty - two paces , restless and hungry . I surely thought by now that my virus would have passed but now question whether the virus has not diverted elsewhere because it is being called a virus instead of a bacterial infection . One goes away and the other needs a little pharmaceutical shove off . Like a castaway I await the arrival of the morning sun and a time to make a beeline straight toward the city of Dallas , not to tell my latest saga , but simply to people watch and blow off some pent up energy which , to my ego , is a sign that improvement is taking place , slowly , but improvement welcomed . Another couple swigs of mouthwash and a powerful waterpick and I will feel capable of moving forward toward a cold shower , an artistic endeavor and plenty of idle chat over the tele to determine a destination of travel outside of the norm of my safe places to visit . link . 
ship wrecked . With a cracked bottom ( ship bottom ) and a pack of wilted American Spirits aspirating from treading water , I have bowed out gracefully and postponed , cancelled ( semantics simply ) my excursion to California . It did not help that I was receiving a fentanyl patch this weekend that has left me with a fever , delusions of grandeur and a stomach ache the size of Rochester , Minnesota . At first I thought it was bad fish , but I ate none and then I thought to much port , but my palette was too dry . I sit and watch my ship sink for now , until I feel the venture out West , hopefully , counted in days and not months and weeks . I chart a course for rest in a hospice bed instead of wine in Sonoma Valley and wait as this feeling too , disappointment , should pass as the medicine leaves my system and the virus accompanying it finds a different host . I will not sit idle long but today and into tomorrow it is the right thing . A short day trip to Dallas by Wednesday could be an attainable and lofty goal for this seasoned captain . link . 
the good fight . I know you will fight the good fight for as long as you can ... and Eric , when you feel you cannot fight any longer you have my permission ( not that you need it ) to go ... my love will go with you high into the heavens ... and even though I won't have you to e - mail physically , when I say my prayers , I will know it is as good as an email to you ... and know you ' ll send me funny signs that you 're still aroundyou won't be far ... I know you will go somewhere to rest first and then you ' ll skip off to that beautiful promised land of pure love and everyone will say , " Well for Fuck 's sakes Eric , it 's about time you got here ... and you ' ll laugh and say .. well for Fuck 's sakes is what I used to say at home ... " My heart cries for you and I ' ll miss you and I miss you already ... but we all have our journeys we must take , huh ? ... Love you more , Sistah Luv Sue Anderson , Dream Foundation . link . 
a soulful admission . Sometimes , and most times not , I do say I am so tired of being all things to all people . I collected masks from Bali , Africa , Indonesia , India , Israel , the ghetto , street vendors and gifts of adornment and appreciation like I have collected worn rings on my fingers and thumbs from the Navajo and Yavapi tribesmen and clanspeople and I disposed of , gifted others as prized possessions and even lost a few in various moveabouts like a gypsy to rid myself of the expectation of being everything to everyone and sometimes and most times I want to just be something to myself . And by ridding myself of the masks of many lands and the rings of silver , gold , turquoise and onyx I have slowly , but purposely peeled away layers to expose the only thing that I fear the most , me . link . 
an inward stance . I am not sure my meeting Wednesday with the doctor , the nurse administrator , my case manager , the social worker and my parents left me more comfortable , if anything more uncomfortable and most definitely more distant and alone . The words that were uttered to me in private and to the group were words I have heard before only these eyes speaking were more serious , the tone more threatening , the demeanor brutally honest and forthright , which I would have no other way . I felt a ping pong game playing in my head , a regulation game with a Korean , and every time the ball came in my direction I missed and it stung and when I ducked as I often did out of fear , it still stung . My disease has worsened and I am considered ' grave ' as my kidneys are now involved and the lungs aspirate . My medicine has been altered effective today to add quality and comfort and in my case this means stopping 24 pills for one seventy - two hour patch that I will now wear proudly on my butt check , flashing at onlookers when they least expect it ( under eighteen and without proper I. D . excluded ) . A time frame cannot be given as that is a human impossible but time certainly is borrowed and I will continue to borrow until I no longer am able . I show signs of another infection and fear at the thought of the final weeks or days when I am expected to be unable to communicate at which point I will be near death , near comatose and final preparations made for my soul to leave my shell , if the soul does not leave shortly before the worst for wear . This idea is one I have been contemplating and I am not sure just exactly what my answer is to the question that has been asked often as of late , ' Do you think your soul will leave prior to your physical death ? ' . I have avoided the thought and dance around it free flowing like one enjoying a drum circle , avoiding the fire , but becoming the constant beat in four directions , in various pitches . I imagine flying to a promised land and being welcomed to the sound of ' hello JOE ! ' until they realize I am not a JOE a JOEY or a JOSEPH , simply a warrior that has completed his life path . So I take a stance firmly in the sand and scream inward as I move onward expecting and needing another day . link . 
friday 21.06 . In all of the days of self discovery and otherwiseand in all of the times of patience and impatience for learning from the not so learned and hearing the familiar as well as the confusing , to sitting and thinking and contemplating the mere fact that I was contemplating , looking at the degrees and the diplomas and the years of knowledge gained I can say with all honesty that nothing , not even a slight parallel prepares you for the experience of dying . For each person it is personal , there are no rules and so much , so very much of the daily ritual , the grind , is obsolete . link . 
medical update . I remember a conversation I had with my treating physician , in Florida , a few days more than eight months ago when she told me that I had a broken transmission and I laughed , telling her that you do not replace a transmission , you replace the car . She hesitated and then told me that the transmission was me and we both laughed trying to figure out how to replace something that cannot be replaced . Yesterday I learned that my broken transmission is being held together by several rusted paper clips on either side and once again I found myself laughing , a nervous laugh as the once thought , I am going to get better , was replaced at least by medical terms with , there is no cure and my situation is ' grave ' at best . Sadly , when words with power were spoken in the group of seven , I was relieved . Relieved that the disbelievers should be squashed , the denial quieted and the death , my death , looms in the future , not too distant from where I was sitting and ' digesting the medical words of wisdom . ' Any person who shed doubt , and there have been more than I care to admit , was able to see an internal makeup of my person in black and white . I did not cry . I did not fidget . I sat somber wondering how to prepare myself for the inevitable loss of consciousness and coma leading to a death that may last several days or a month to be more exact . The concept was too large to grasp , much like the paradox I call G - d . But when it was over , I breathed deep and turned inward and found more energy to burn , only now it is cautious energy , to be used somewhat wisely as I check and triple check all that before and behind me that has been my life . I move forward today with self confidence and conviction knowing that my life has been well served and If given the opportunity , I will fight further for more borrowed time and wonder if now I am called a miracle , what they may call me in another six months ... let the battles continue . link . 
tuesday 18.07 . Shy of two weeks by a day or two my hospice ' team ' was dismantled to my strong but silent objection and I began the process of educating a new nurse . Other than feeling slightly rehearsed and uncomfortable , extremely uncomfortable , it was my intention to make this team function better than before as I was and am constantly reminded that this is MY team and it is MY process and MY death . Two weeks later I look at the lack of care from medicine bottles that are near empty to calls that are continuously not returned with the purpose of streamlining some important necessary evils that are required under the rules and regulations of hospice . At some point this week ( I await the call since Friday ) I will meet with my case manager again and loudly vocalize my dissatisfaction with the team effort . If this were the playoffs , I would not be in contention and since my life literally is at stake it is important that all aboard are very aware of my feelings of inadequacy and team complacency . If change is not immediate as the time is borrowed and this phase of illness I speak freely about , I will be forced to exercise my rights and fire at will , keeping in mind that a different hospice will have to be put into place before a said firing should just occur . To meet with other hospices will be my plan as I learned that my name will not be removed from terminal anytime soon . I tried , but the team of physicians see the bigger picture of what my multi system failure is doing . I just see opportunity and hope and no use for a daily process called ' active dying ' . link . 
screaming . I have an aversion and thought this aversion was to children only to find out that it is a screaming ten year old girl that bothers me . The Brittany Spears and Kelly Clarkson wanna be mentality and the color of pink no longer frighten me nor do dolls . The boys talking about doing a ' kick flip pop shoves it ' on a skateboard and getting judged for their vocabulary as much as their tricks , humors me but the screaming sours the entire adventure that a child brings . And still when I here the lecture , thirdhand , of a mother talking capitalism to a mere six year old when he comments that spilt coffee looks like vomit and she professes that nothing in life is black and white and he questions her about movies I am forced to bust a gut . Its the constant , everyday , out of control in the house even though it is across the backyard screaming that forces me off the train and back into a hermit like state in my head . It simply put is head trauma . link . 
' super cuts ' . Did I happen to mention that I got my haircut last week ? Cut , actually it is called styled , not to be - little he who did such . Several have seen the picture that I created , no vanity intended , just the simple fact that my hair has not been this short in fourteen years gave me the idea to photograph it ... I am more in touch with the new styling mousse to the tune of 11.95 than I am jazzed over the cut but thus far , aside from my indecision on the color , I am quite pleased with the look , more than once described as Abercrombie and Fitch ( ish ) . Personally I find the whole process cathartic as I welcomed the change and believe that it does lift age lines off my face and gives me something to think about that is different from the everyday . In other words , it is a great diversion from a terminal illness no matter how I look at it and the money , well spent and the time and effort , impressive I do believe . And to the neighbor who had to follow me to the salon to review the process firsthand , second coloring on Sunday afternoon , puzzling . link . 
no dumping . I opened the door for the sales ' boy ' from pest control and offered his kind words in the direction of my mother and walked away . I knew that bugs tend to be a problem in Texas and also knew that sooner rather than later it would be my parents turn to respond ' combatively ' . With the heat and the lack of water , they are becoming a nuisance and reproducing at an alarming rate . My mother bought into his speech for one reason or another and I watched as he entered the house , from a distance , and made his way down the hall corridor to use the bathroom as my mother stated . Her doubt to his request and her acceptance became apparent and she watched the clock waiting for him to re - appear . After several minutes she shouted down the hall , ' are you alright in there ? ' . I covered my head trying to control the laughter , heard a faint yeah and soon after he was escorted out of the house , his scent permeating not only the bathroom , but the corridor as well . I thought of the stories he must be telling his associates tonight or the stories he will soon tell over a cold beer . I thought of the sign I had over my own toilet for years that stated simply , no dumping in scarlet letters . Today he had to dump at a strangers and we knew it . And with any luck , he will be the representative that returns tomorrow or the next day when the bugs are extinguished and I will look , puzzled and smiling , only to embarrass him a little more , only because I find the humor in the entire situation . And part of me wants to give him a bear hug and thank him sincerely as the excitement and the laughter , non - stop laughter , he provided me for the remainder of today has been priceless and worth telling over and over again . link . 
california . The countdown continues as I now have approached single digits while waiting for my upcoming trip to Northern California , the Bay area . Scott and Lynn are pushing the excitement and also closely monitoring my spiritual as well as physical well being , making sure , as I am so consciously trying , that no unwanted interference prevents me from a day short of an inspiration week in California . The more I think of the trip and the more I talk of the trip the more the anticipation rises , no reservation , no negative expectations as I prepare to embark and walk on the land that I so most yearn and have called home . I was once taken out of California but the California was never taken out of me . Even before this trip begins I think and watch airfares to plan a return trip or even a more permanent placement to the place where my journey could be called complete without remorse or regret . And as much as I find the mystery in Texas , Dallas to be more exact , full of intrigue and other emotions , it is not California and the love , although felt , is not the same love . So if the implication were made that I live in a grass is always green mentality I will bellow knowing that in my world , the cows are lucky as the grass is greener in California . It is my destination , my green and my determination to re - energize and relax on the sands and soils of California . I envision the walking with guarded pleasure . link . 
misinterpretations . I had a visitor this evening one I have known from afar and hear about often only to have seen her several times in person speak lightly or not at all . She is a relation of sorts but never has allowed herself the opportunity to explore the notion of who or what I am . Instead , she has always reached her own conclusions , which seems to be the normal for family members and thus I consider my family extended and not immediate . Her point was mute tonight as it has been in the past and her information passed down like a sick game of telephone tag as she took it upon herself to reach a conclusion , wrong at best , as to the cause of my terminal being , my current state of physical . My soul knows better and I thought hers did as well . And although I welcomed her and will do so again in the future out of respect for another , her and myself , I am clearly wise enough to know that her intentions are with forethought and her ideas only misinterpretations , an obscurer after thought that has little relevance in my journey and on my life path . link . 
sunday 16.07 . I left with little expectation or so I thought and I returned in tears , wondering why I had decided to go in the first place as the expectation that I deny existed ended up crushing my soul for I did not understand and no explanation can now change how I allowed myself to feel , hurt and alone in a club of two thousand if even one other . It did not help that my sandaled foot was stomped on , accidentally with attitude , by a heel , high and brown and the apology so ungracious and disconcerting . I have sat and wondered for hours now and wonder if something more should be said or whether I need to just accept the fact that people , often many , are not in a spiritual or human place for that matter to accept that which is bothering me and thus , silenced , I was and am ignored and left a pawn on a queen 's chess board , laughing hysterically at the one thing I never wanted and received , a loud check mate . And once my piece was removed I wondered further in my own distance , things I never wonder , or forget to wonder , as the pain is to great physically and emotionally . I now await to cross a road full of traffic and have been dared not to be seen and when I look at what remains I cry again and hopefully soon will fall asleep and live on my terms not those so meticulously set forth for me so many years ago . For it is me that refused to live my life and fulfill my dreams out of an unwritten fear . The fear I would not receive that which I still do not have , love . And I will continue to exude love and pray as I shake my head from left to right and vision a different outcome , a different beginning , a different expectation that I was convinced never was . I taste the salt from my wounded pride and clear my blurred thoughts with my left hand , feeling empty and alone , cold and afraid in the heat of a Texas moon , the sun just waiting to rise so my pain can be noticed by all those who wish to look and make fun of me as they have before and most certainly , again . link . 
friday 14.07 . When I spoke the other day of firing the weatherman , I never thought that some one might here a literal voice and hence , take away the power of the pump , the air conditioner pump . The house started to get uncomfortable yesterday afternoon and this morning , it is on the edge of miserable and as we wait for a repair man , we are all on the edge of miserable too . The only thing that is directing attitudes is the fact that the man says he is on his way , although his way has been just short of one hour at which point the temperature has risen three degrees with no end in sight . link . 
borrowing time . However grateful I am to have a roof over my head , moving home and living with my parents , with out any privacy , has been a bitter pill to swallow and possibly may be a more difficult adjustment for me than living with a terminal illness . The thousands of days and time spent with friends and acquaintances are now set to a clock that is conducive to my mother 's want , I need a ride , as well as those who I go to see that may not feel like driving an hour one way to pick me up . It is compromise and the matter of fact truth , it is not the desire for a compromise to be made and thus I sit at home , more often than not , idling time away and watching relationships built , distance not out of want , but out of the sheer logistics of not being able to have that one on one , I live close to you and can visit often , relationship . The sadness is the quality of persons I am being forbidden , in a sense , from seeing for no good reason , just traffic which is something that is not wished for nor appreciated by anyone , my mother included . So when I walk around the house and have nothing to say as my book is finished and my thoughts are complete , I do not not talk out of disgust or anger . I do not talk as I have nothing to say . My freedom has been stripped and I watch my dignity carefully , ever so carefully and make plans to keep it in tact as long as I am able . Today it is not getting to go see friends . Yesterday was the passport office . Next week I will stop asking for the word of anger is too much for me to listen to in my present physical and mental state . I need to meet more people in this immediate area that could take me on their journey . Allow my spirit to rise ... link . 
hand out . I find myself wanting to sit at a busy Dallas street corner for no other reason than to people watch and while I am watching people of a variety of ethnicities , shapes and dialects I put my hand out and see what is offered and taken . It could be lint from a jeans pocket , a worn quarter from the year 2004 or a chewed piece of gum forgotten from yesterday or the day before . I extend my hand out not because I want something although something I know I would receive . I stick my hand out to give something and that which I give is myself for those willing to take and understand I want nothing in return except the ability to keep my dignity and self respect in tact . And should I be spit upon I shall just smile and speak no words , for a smile , a simple smile , is a reward I offer to most takers accepting my hand out . link . 
wednesday 12.07 . I am starting or continue for that matter to dabble in relationships , friendship and otherwise , thinking often about what they mean and how , if at all , they fit into my existence as I sit here now . I look upon friendship as a relationship and I find that more often than not I play the role of a psycho - therapist making sure the next one is comfortable or at least semi - knowledgeable of the journey I embark on , the path I walk . And this I must say makes for some interesting thought and more than one sleepless hour as I toss and turn and often toss again is wonderment . I wonder about what another thinks , what another is trying to convey to me . The comfort or lack thereof , the feeling of temporary loss while I am still here and the whole time I remember my feelings from afar and days ago when I too was posed with the questions regarding terminal and I , unlike many I have met , accepted the role as the care giver but more importantly , was not afraid to enter into a relationship knowing that each day mattered greatly , there was no time or little time for a cheap courting and the truth was essence in my understanding and ability to do for another what I would want done for myself . So as I sit here and think and the thoughts go back and forth . reappearing when I want and then sometimes when I least expect it , I think and know that I too am just a little frightened but am so willing to take the risk , for the risk is all I know and the relationship meaningful as my spirit gathers strength and support from another and my spirit provides support and strength to another . I refuse to not participate and this I know is good for my mental although taxing on my sometimes made up and unrealistic emotions . link . 
tuesday 11.07 . I believe and have heard that old people talk about the weather and although I do not feel old I must say that the idea of typing , even indoor is painful as the heat penetrates through my fingertips . The heat has been building and it is my humble opinion that the weatherman needs to be fired . Now unlike the frigid of the winter where you can layer clothing , I simply have nothing else to ' take off ' and the indexes or ambient temperature has climbed passed the century mark for the past two days with no end in sight . This melts my chocolate , bothers my mood and changes the complexion of the full moon . Simply put , it is a Texas scorcher , to hell with a hot tin roof and along with numb fingers is a fried brain . Speaking of frying , any hotter later in the week and I will try to fry an egg on the side walk . I always heard it could be done in Arizona and the way I figure it , if it does not work I can deny ever trying it and blame it on a moron from down the street ... link . 
monday 10.07 . The year of my knowing something serious , not how or what , but something completely odd was taking place in my body is reaching three hundred and sixty - five days and although I am not awaiting the year date , I am subconsciously aware that the date is coming . I have been asked often what I was doing a year ago and I have to say that what I was doing and what I was thinking are completely different from what I thought I would be doing and thinking as I sit here today and write my thoughts . I started to get healthy for my own self preservation , knowing that I was staring forty down the barrel of a loaded gun , was raising a pup and still mentored for the disabled , dabbled in art and writing and reading and like today , dabbled in people . I was free and a spirit , but certainly not the free spirit I see in the mirror today . Those that have stuck next to me and followed me on this journey are probably best to comment on what they have seen but I know a metamorphosis started and continues to this day . As I sit here , I remain terminal but live life like there is no tomorrow , deny myself less , am more conscious of thought and the actions associated with the thought and strive for more days knowing I do not have the hundreds or thousand I once thought about , but the time I do have worth more and the giving continues . I pay attention to my body no less than I did , however ; today I act on what I envision instead of it being a pipe dream from afar . My aroma is therapy , my words and pictures solace and peace and my life nearing a point of me feeling complete and with this , I rejuvenate for another day . And even when I feel real bad and am afraid or unable to walk a straight line from the pain that reminds me not to think to far into the future , I can say with conviction and complete truth I would not change a thing . And this and to all I am grateful for becomes a continuous thought that raises a brown brow and puts a deep wrinkles smile , everlasting , upon my person . Inward and outward and onward . link . 
sunday 09.07 . My spirit dances as I wait sometimes patiently to join Scott and Lynn in Northern California the last week of July . Our bond blossoms , filled with heart as we are finished testing the waters of friendship , swimming non - competitively together hand in hand as we embark on memories with the family and other extended ones . The self feels contained and although occasionally my aura needs a tune up from the cast of characters I am meeting in Dallas the thoughts and the truth , pure truth , of another California journey centers me , grounds me and certainly makes me more than happy . I am well to go and so conscious of my every move , methodical as to not hinder a stability I feel physically , one I have not felt since my departure from Santa Barbara in mid April . One the Rainey family allows me to feed off of and grow . The excitement is contagious and the words of honest feelings shared , humbling and accepted as truth . link . 
friday 07.07 . I write not knowing exactly what to write . I was listening to music and kept skipping from various artist to various artist and sometimes back again and no music was moving me so I shut it off . I opened up a book and began reading where I had left a mark , not remembering having read it before so I backed up a page and started from there and then realized I stopped reading for a reason . I did not like the book . My mind is full of clutter . Two nights out in Dallas in a row and tonight I am home again and feel like a caged bird who has had its wings clipped . My surroundings are too comfortable for my own liking and I yearn for excitement and the unknown . Similar to what I had Wednesday and Thursday night and although each situation was different , polar opposites , I enjoyed myself and more importantly enjoyed the companionship of other people and although I have learned that I am my best friend and I treat myself with dignity , I desire to share it again much sooner than later and this causes me to want more and need more at a time when I know rest is important . I watch the lights flicker and the motion makes me want to move . The cars that drive by from a distance make me want to leave on a road to nowhere , leading to somewhere after a time and this idea puts a smile on my face if only for a moment or more , it still is a smile . A bold smile , the kind that makes your jaw bones ache with unknown happiness , deliberate and soothing , but still aching because I know even when the phone rings , tonight I will remain housebound and this , especially tonight , I dread for no reason than the fact than I can and I do . I reflect on the day and the kaleidoscope of thoughts and altered images that left me with a stomach ache and I want my wings to soar on a long flight , to nowhere like the cars and then someday , but not today , back again . Instead I remain still , out of focus for longer than an hour now with no resolution in sight . Boredom sets in before ten . link . 
new beginnings . I was given a new hospice nurse today . His name is Mike and he has a British accent mixed with a thick dialect from Nigeria . No reason was given as to why Eve no longer will be coming by , only code which I did not understand as truth . I sat with Mike and listened and he listened as a new relationship began , all while I wondered what had happened to my team , developed and nurtured for five months prior to today , a trusted group that now becomes a memory for me to write about and ponder . link . 
mrs loveland . Last night was a gathering my family was invited too , I attended and met a woman , old in soul and years , by my standards , youthful in spirit and wise , very wise . I saw her at a short distance and while I glanced , she glanced and invited ' this character to tell her my interesting story ' . We spoke of my youth , her grape ice cream , her eighty - seven years of living and her secret to longevity , laughter and humor , ' oh and don't forget to move honey , always moving ' . We spoke of her tenure at Baylor , seventy years ago this fall and her studies and degree in English Literature . We spoke of Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner , her days as a child in Rockwall , her daily trips to yoga , her fascination with the verbal word and her donations , countless hours of money and time to libraries , how she loves libraries . Her eyes have weakened slight and thus she only reads thirty minutes a day , no glasses or contacts , no cain or limp to visual . She was proper and she was Southern and she was a Texan , born and raised in Rockwall County , the daughter of one father and one mother who both lived into their nineties , the sister of two brothers , the husband to one deceased seven years ago and the mother to two boys . She is a church going woman , Baptist and she is learned . What she knows , she knows and is willing to share with a character like me as she sips the glass of sangria I got her , her first glass in a lifetime , as she told the tale of her fantasy of sipping sangria on a hammock one day , not this day , but a day she had seen in her mind and we laughed as did others who congregated around us and wondered how we had met and conversed so flawlessly . An inference was made after we said our initial goodbyes , by another attendee , of her family stature in the community and the wealth , sick with old Texas money , oodles of money and she sat at a distance , watching others , remaining alone , until my next approach , me promising to visit her at her home , maybe even take a ride with her around town and possibly , if she would like , read her favorite book for us both to enjoy . She saw me a character , I told her I was Eric and her soul spoke and my soul spoke and we conversed without barriers about world traveler and destinations none to foreign , disease and cultural events from Helen Hayes , to city elections , to the price of an electric ice cream maker , to last years party , to a time when she too was an athletic fanatic and we laughed , real laughter and spoke real words from the heart and from the soul . None to challenging and none to obscure as we simply connected for many minutes and made the gathering more enjoyable for the both of us and possibly those around us . link . 
wednesday 05.07 . We are spiritual beings having a human experience and not human beings having a spiritual experience ... give rise to the slave drum , ( srainey ) dust off your wooden shoes anddance to the rhythm in a symphonic harmony of low tones and copper tones , kettle , rawhide or bamboo andplay vanity for what you know , your today 's mantra and the experience brought forth with a good old fashion floor dusting , the kind where the pennies are not swept under the rug , but collected in a bureau jar that clangs of good wishes and present fortunes ... link . 
News Update . I do hope we have no storms causing this type of disruption tomorrow . Things do not seem to be getting any better in the Middle East . Al Qaeda has weighed in now vowing to avenge the deaths caused by Israel . Soho is hit by power cuts . It appears that the hot weather causing the use of air conditioners is having a serious effect on power supplies . The traffic lights not working could be an interesting experiment . British Gas puts the prices up again . More big increases on the way . US war planes are causing concern in Ayrshire . It seems to me that this sort of thing has been going on for years . What 's the big deal now ? And , how about a bit of naked art. In Scotland ? Wow . 
Thursday . A very hot sticky day today . I was out at Cas from 0830 until 1530 and were we hot . It was one of those training course days and certainly not the weather for it at all . Anyway there is some rain on the way . When ? Well just as Emma and the children get here naturally . I go to Liverpool John Lennon to pick them up tomorrow night hope they have a safe and enjoyable flight . Pepa and Andres are coming with them for a few days too . It is their first trip to England so that ought to be interesting . Mum is standing up to the hot weather surprisingly well . She has been leaving her fan on and the windows open so the place is not so hot . Daisy did her a load of laundry yesterday and it dried almost immediately . Very useful . I think Jan and Eve may be over next week whilst Em and co. are here . It will be good for the children to get re - acquainted . Daisy was telling Joe that she was getting his bike out of the attic for when he is here and he had forgetten about it . I rather think that he thought that his bike in Spain was somehow going to be put into our attic . Maggie informed us that she has some new Sevillianas shoes , she then proceeded to stamp her feet for us to hear . I look forward to seeing them . Meanwhile Herbie is over eleven pounds now . It is good to hear that he has understood the feeding thing . Alfie is very excited about going to Holland . It will not be too long before we are on the ship and sailing over there . Hope Herbie 's passport is being processed ! So much to look forward to . Golden Days to come I feel . 
Home again . The trip from Poole to Kendal takes between 5 and 6 hours depending on the traffic . We had a reasonable run today and with a stop for some lunch it took us 6 hours . Good trip no unpleasantness with white van man or the like . It was good to see everyone once again and that Herbie 's birth had gone well with no complcations or dire after effects . The Lads . One day Herbie 's hands will be as big as mine . 
Kendal to Poole . I tidied up and put everything away before loading the car and getting away about 1345 . The raffic was not too bad . Once I was at North Birmingham I drove into a storm . This lasted until just south of Oxford . The Workers after all the players had gone home . Anyway I arrived at Poole about 1900 . No one was home but Sharon from across the road spotted me and took me in for a drink . I had a pleasant time chatting to her and her terrific daughter Jamie . Later I went to a BBQ with Roo and saw all the lads . We played a crazy game of knocking nails into a log . I was able to knock my nails in ( thank goodness ) so I didn't need to drink the awful concoction they were producing for failures . I did not need much rocking when I got to bed . 
Well , the rains didn't last long and the weather soon brightened up with the humidity soaring . I was off shopping fairly early . I managed to get everything I needed for the bean pot and BBQ sauce , my effort for tomorrow . Daisy rang me and it seems that she will be ready for home by about Monday . At least she is getting out of the way in order that visitors can go and see H with the long distance travellers being able to stay . I think I may go down on Saturday . Once I have tidied up after the BBQ . That way I ' ll get a break before driving home . Roger rang to say he was coming up this weekend to see mum so that would dove - tail nicely . So , After slicing , chopping and generally cutting things up I managed to make the beanpot and BBQ sauce . I think it will be good too . I also collected some pork ribs from Kathy , they look great . I have thawed them out and painted them with some marinade I made up . They are presently languishing in a large plastic box in the fridge . I hope they are tasty . We shall see . 
Then the rains came . It was a really hot day yesterday . I attended a meeting last night and we held it outside in the garden . Anyway since then the forecasters got it right . Rain came on during the night , I never heard any thunder but apparently there was some . It is pouring at the moment so I have the usual quarms about what to do regarding the BBQ tomorrow night . Anyway to hell with it I am just going to bat on . Everyone is in place , the die is cast . Kathy N rang last night . She and Spiderman are coming to stay overnight Friday so it will be nice to see them and , they can help too ! So I have a busy day ahead of me making bean - pot and so on . Shopping first . Meanwhile granny is obviously enjoying having some time with H . Two contented peeps . 
Enter our latest addition . Yes Flo managed to give birth in the early hours of this morning . Interestingly she choose the hottest weather for many years to ' do the business ' as it were . Baptism of fire springs to mind . Anyway the main thing is that both mother and baby are both well with dad , grandma ' and big brother all happy with the result . The details , such as I can remember from my 0230 phone call are : Boy Herbie Christopher 10 llbs . 10 ozs . ( 4.8 kilos ) I imagine there will be a picture to post shortly . Well done Flo . Welcome Herbie . Well as I said earlier , there are now some pictures . The proud big brother and mum , with her two boys . The boys , don't mess with them . I could swear that little one is laughing at me . Perhaps it 's just wind . 
Is it just me or is the world mad ? 	 We are in Afghanistan as a result of the attacks of the 11 th of September 2001 . In many ways we have removed a very unpleasant government from that land and that is good . We are working on rebuilding the country and making it stable . We are also trying to eradicate the opium poppy crop . Seemed like a good idea to me until I read this in the Guardian Just to summarize : Every time we try to eradicate poppy farming it causes a backlash and helps the Taliban . There is a world wide shortage of medical opiates , some in the UK . Heroin production in Turkey was halted not by eradication of poppies but by licensing growing it . Firstly , it is good that a Conservative has pointed out this madness , but why has this not been dealt with before ? Why are we spending so much money destroying something we need ? 
Party Funding . 	 Those who inhabit the blogosphere can't have missed the various scandals around how parties currently get their funding . Guido Fawkes has been one of the main people writing on the subject , and the issue has come up for discussion on politicalbetting . com. There is therefore the sticky question of how we fund party campaigns . Various ideas have been floated around as solutions to these problems , in my view they may well end up causing more problems . One idea being touted is of state funding . Well there are a number of problems with that : It is not popular with the tax payer . What happens when the BNP come asking for funds ? It allows the party leadership to distance itself from its grass roots . How do you dish the money out ? Some people have suggested that we can come up with wheezes to exclude people like the BNP , but this is dangerous thinking . Firstly the old " No platform " thinking is anti democratic , secondly they can use the wheezes as a political weapon to get more votes . There is also the problem of how you dish the money out ? Is it on seats in parliament ? Seems unfair to the Lib Dems , though it is a wheeze to squeeze the BNP . What about vote share ? The arguments would be endless , and further more the party in power could well fiddle it to their advantage and their opponents disadvantage . The thing that concerns me most is that the party leadership can then distance itself from its grass roots . Labour have already done this by loosening the relationship with the Unions , but is that a good thing ? Is turnout going down because the grass roots are not being energised ? How is a party that has lost its grass roots going to pick a new leader , candidates and policies ? There is currently some state funding of campaigns , which consists of a free mailing to all households in a constituency , but only for the parliamentary seat . The candidate has to pay for the envelope and the contents . Others have suggested a cap on party spending and a cap on maximum donations . This seems most sensible to me as you still need to have a grass roots base , still need to talk to people and above all the spending cap will mean far less money is wasted in the dreadful ways it normally is during elections . There are also hybrid suggestions such as giving more than just a free mailing to candiates , but not anything like full funding . Well , that may also be a way forward . What seems clear to me though , is that what we are doing at the moment can't carry on . We are in a strange arms race of dirty tricks , back room deals and general all round mendacity that is poisoning our democracy . Any ideas for a solution ? 
Hugging Hoodies ! Part II. 	 Yesterday David Cameron leader of the Conservative party gave two speeches , one on social justice , and the other on the criminal justice system . ( See links for transcripts of each . ) In the social justice speech David highlighted the need to look at the causes of the problems as well as the need to enforce the law . We do not have prisons of infinite size , so we might as well look at dealing with why people end up there as well as putting people in prison when we need to . Iain Duncan Smith set up the Center for Social Justice because state agencies do not have all the answers and frequently can make matters worse . The reason for this is inflexibility . Too often a solution is thought to work , and that ends up being the only solution . In reality there are many solutions which play their part in helping , for example the Army Cadet Force was set up after the Napoleonic wars to keep young boys off the streets and give them something to do . Others get involved in boxing or other sports . Some are in need of far more specialised and intense care , such as those helped by Kids Company . The fact is there are an awful lot of different sorts of young people out there , in need of all sorts of help , education and interaction . The state does run quite a lot of these services directly , such as education and the Army Cadets . However it can't run and do everything , it is not light enough on its feet to adapt and change to new challenges . The Social entrepreneurs are . But let us not get the wrong idea , this does not mean being soft on criminals , far from it . It does mean adapting the police force to local issues , making them more locally accountable rather than less . Lastly , of course the vacuous Guardian reading and indeed in the case of Polly Toynbee , writing classes don't seem to be able to handle a Conservative party that does not live up to there silly stereotypes . As an example see Polly 's drivel here . There is a daft idea that the Conservative party is only interested in self interest and the rich . That is wrong . If that were true we would have been against the abolition of Slavery rather than pushing that through , against universal education , and indeed against all the other projects that have been aimed at helping people better themselves . We just don't believe in helping people to be poor . We believe in helping people when they need help , but above all helping people to help themselves . 
Of Energy reviews . 	 The government is about to publish an energy review . Clearly someone did not like what was in the last one , and in the time honored tradition ordered a re review so that this time it could be " got right " . The Conservative party is also doing an energy review , and they have just published their interim findings . There is a " video " of Alan Duncan and Oliver Letwin , making a presentation , It seems very earnest and remarkably unspun which is nice . ( It did however remind me of the very earnest Mr Michael Foot ) . What I thought was interesting , a piece of information I had forgotten was that when the Conservatives privatised and de regulated the electricity sector it had a scheme of capacity payments to make sure there was extra generating capacity available should we hit a very cold spell , get a good world cup run or what ever circumstances cause large peaks in demand for a short period of time . This government abolished it on entering office . The net result is that now if there is a peak in demand large industrial customers have to turn things off , making manufacturing more difficult in this country . Absolute madness . Anyway , we will of course bring capacity payments back in when we gain power . The thing that really bothers me is that this government clearly fiddles with things with out understanding why they are there , and so can have no long term idea of what the consequences of its actions are going to be . 
Hugging Hoodies ! 	 Today David Cameron , leader of the Conservative party is to give a speech on Social justice . In it he is roughly going to indicate that we need to understand young people more . I do not have the transcript of what he is going to say , but when I get it I will comment further . I will however make the following observations : Young people have dressed differently since the 50 's , and young yobs do no more than wear what young non yobs wear . It is called " street culture " . Today it is hoodies , in the 70 's it was safety pins . We are building an irrational fear of young people which is becoming a self fulfilling prophecy as it always seems to have done . Speeches about hoodies directed at the Daily Mail reading classes go down well , but do nothing to help with the problem . Having a " war on hoodies " makes as much sense as " the war on terror " ( See my previous article ) . We need to be more imaginative . We also need to make sure the Police don't sit around filling in forms until enough pressure builds that they go and apply for an ASBO banning someone from doing something which is illegal , but getting out there and preventing them doing it in the first place , or just arresting them for it when they do . Where I live , we don't get much youth trouble , it is after all a medium sized village in the country . However , some people do get worried about the " youth " . I don't . I wave at them , say hello , generally acknowledge them and give them a bit of respect . They reciprocate that , so I do not get any problems , and if I tell them they are doing something wrong they are more likely to listen . Respect works both ways . 
The way for ward for energy . 	 Today saw a partial release of what is in the Conservative party 's energy review paper . You can read the BBC report here . It seems to me to follow in a similar vein to our policy at the last general election ( Which when I saw Tim Yeo MP on Newsnight he had clearly not read ) in that it puts nuclear last . What it is looking to do is to create an environment in which many technologies can flourish , and then to some extent the market will decide which ones fair best . The advantage of this approach is that we have no idea which technologies will work best , particularly as someone may come up with new ideas and new thinking . As an example of the old thinking I remember when I saw a Not the Nine O ' clock news feature on a solar powered torch . How ridiculous can you get ? However someone oblivious to the obvious ridicule came up with solar powered garden lights . Tony Blair 's key man in the " Blue sky thinking " department was Lord Birt , renowned amongst many Private Eye readers . In the last few years Tony Blair seems to have become enthused by Nuclear power as a solution . He now appears to want to railroad it through . So what is the problem . Well , there are a number of issues with nuclear power and I don't pretend to present an exhaustive list , but in my view they are : Cost of decommissioning . Long term waste handling . The apparent requirement for fixed pricing . Other people will cite safety and terrorism as well . The first two could well end up lumbering the tax payer with a " stealth tax " as the Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Menzies Campbell has pointed out . The third also falls into this category , but is worse than that because it will serve to stifle new technologies competing to get market share even if they are much better . That said you can't rule out Nuclear for all time , but we do need to work much harder at renewables . Just some random thoughts on that matter . Every year around Christmas Thames Water remove 7000 tons of turkey fat from its sewers . This gives them a large waste disposal problem . Were that turned into energy it would be the equivalent of 60 MILLION miles worth of diesel to power a van . Other silly things . Whilst the rest of Europe still use the tallow gained from rendering one cow to provide the energy to render the next we have implemented a European regulation is such a way as to define the tallow as a waste product ( rather than a by product which it in fact is ) so that they can't do that any more . On another note the sun delivers enough energy to the surface of the earth in 1 minute to power the world for a year . You can store solar energy in a heat store rather than as electricity in batteries , and in fact some large scale solar projects are in development that work this way . 
What of Tony Blair 's liaison committee meeting ? 	 What from I heard of Tony Blair 's performance at the liaison committee meeting , he does not understand how to beat terrorist groups . He did however get it right when he said that the communities themselves need to root out extremists . Where he got it wrong was implying that some grievances were false .. No , we live in a free country and we need to deal with people who have grievances . We are told that many young Muslims are being radicalised by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan . Clearly part of the reason for this is the absolute propaganda gifts handed to the enemy of Guantanamo bay , Abu Ghraib and some of the dafter pieces of " anti terrorist " legislation . The moderates are the people to do the job , but they do need a hand , and silly point scoring by people like Charles Moore on Channel 4 news last night does not help much either . We need to make the case that far from oppressing Muslims , the war in Afghanistan has freed Muslims from a very oppressive regime . We also need to do the same over Iraq , but we really do need to stop these propaganda disasters . We need to make the case that we went into Kosovo and Bosnia to protect Muslims also , because I can assure you that Osama is not going to make that one for us . As for Darfor that looks like turning into an allegedly anti Muslim thing as well . We need to point out our concern is about oppression , as it happens of Muslims . 
July the 4 th a special day . 	 It was 30 years ago today that my family and I left Beirut for the last time in a road convoy to Damascus . We were told that this was the last chance to get out of war torn Beirut . We left in a taxi , with 6 suitcases for 6 people . Everything else we had including our family pets were left behind . I was 8 years old at the time . The convoy was protected by the PLO as far as the Syrian border as it was the only large cohesive military force available to do the job . I remember the very long winding journey up through the mountains , in the summer heat in a convoy that stretched for miles in front of us . Every time we came to a village or town with a few side roads our driver would try to get ahead a few places in the column . It did not work . We waited in a queue at the Syrian border for hours whilst papers were checked , until my father spoke to the border guards and pointed out that all the cars in the convoy had an identifying sticker . Then the rest of us were waved through . When we got to Damascus , there was no longer any room left in any hotels , so we were put up in the ambassadors residence for the 3 days it took to get a flight . ( I suppose we all have to slum it from time to time ! ) Damascus is an interesting city . On the outside very un Arabic Soviet style concrete buildings , but much of the ancient center remained and I have even been to the street where St. Paul was taken after he saw the light . After 3 days we caught a flight to Heathrow , paid for by the Foreign and Commonwealth office . Our passports were with held from us until we paid them back . So today is a day to remember for my family and I. I understand Americans have a national holiday today , though I can't see why they would want to celebrate us leaving Beirut ! As a footnote , I would like to than the Lebanese people for their outstanding hospitality even at the toughest of times . Also I note this story from the BBC about the evacuation by sea on the 20 th of June 1976 . I would like the thank the PLO for providing the necessary security to get so many people out by land . As a bizarre footnote in history , at the same time members of the PFLP and Bader Meinhof gangs were holding about 100 Isreali and Jewish hostages in Entebbe which were freed by the famous raid on Entebbe . 
Valentines Dinner for Six ! What do you serve when you have invited your best friends over to join you for valentines . After all they have been together as long has you have ! Has the romance died or does it just need a jump start ? ! Sea Food Platter See the recipe for eight on page * This is so simple , just unwrap everything and arrange it on a good size plate . Fillet Steak with Mushroom & Pancetta sauce See the recipe for eight on page * This is just a fabulous dish . We just love it . Strawberry Meringue See the recipe for eight on page * What can I say its always a winner . What can I say , all this can be so quick with no fuss . Just spread the work over a coupleof evenings ! 
Contents New Years Day Tapas Party . A Swimming Party for your Childs Second Birthday . Valentines dinner for Six ! . A Day at the Beach with Friends . A Halloween Party ... Starters Page Main Course & Light Lunches . .. . Page Vegetables & Salads . .. Page Deserts .. .. Page Pickles , Salsas & things . .. . Page Cakes Page . 
A Swimming Party for your Childs Second Birthday When you decide to have a swimming party for your daughter s second birthday and find out that you have invited your closet friends , their children , Aunts , Uncles and Grandparents , but have forgotten to invite any of your daughters little friends and you have still got 25 for lunch ! Well this calls for Lasagne on bulk ! Below is our tried and tested version . Just serve hot with a good crisp salad and garlic bread . Lasagne See the recipe for eight on page * I simply made four of them to cope with the marauding haudes that we had to feed that day . Crisp Green salad See the recipe for eight on page * I found that one good salad was enough as the kids don t eat green ! Garlic Bread See the recipe for eight on page * or just buy a truckload . We got through about six full size French stick !!! All the main dishes can be done the day before and just placed in the fridge . I made the garlic butter and prepared the bread and wrapped them in tin foil and also placed them in the fridge . Then that morning I prepare the salad and make the dressing but didn t dress the salad . We went and had the swim leaving the oven to come on with the timer . When we got home the oven was up to temperature and I put the Lasagne and breads in . I then dressed the salad . Half an hour later we were eating the first batch and having a giggle ! 
A New Years Day ' Tapas ' Party This is what we served when we had invited a few of your friends over to join us for a new years day drink and a bite to eat . We through large pizzas in the oven for the kids and dished up the tapas for us . This is one way to ensure that you don't have much of a hang - over from the celebrations of the night before . The thought of ten adults and about fifteen kids coming for lunch the next day tends to keep you from drinking to much ! Bravas See the recipe for eight on page * This is so simple and does not take any effort . Chicken with Lemon and Garlic See the recipe for eight on page * This is just a fabulous dish . We just love it . Chorizo with Red Wine See the recipe on page * This always goes down well by everyone . Meat Balls in Tomato Sauce See the recipe for eight on page * I just doubled the quantity . This always goes down well by everyone . Tomatoes and Feta Salad See the recipe on page * Spicy Almonds See the recipe on page * These are wonderful if you are a nut fan We had fun whilst eating this , I hope you do ! enjoy ... 
Random Fun . Char and I went camping a while ago south of green canyon . It was fun . Pictured is Char cooking on a fire for the first time . She did a very good job on that pancake . Hopefully we can get more adventurous but for now it is a good start . Ashlyn was recently baptized . We went down to Boise for the event . It was great . Marc was able to baptize her and I confirmed her . I just hope that she realized the significance of the event . It was a good trip . I was able to see everyone there : Marc and his family , Grandma and Bob , Mom and Rich , and Mike and Debbie Field . Here is a candid photo Char took of the women standing around talking at the pavilion after the baptism . I thought that it was fun . This is Morgan , my niece , and I. I thought this photo was too adorable to not post . 
Mabey I am in over my head . Well , I am doing it again . I have bitten off more than I can chew . Up to last Friday I was working as a construction foreman . That job was very challenging to me , and I was just starting to get into a groove with it . Charlotte is expecting a baby and we were preparing for that . But Friday I got a call from the College of Massage Therapy . I worked for them in the winter teaching their pathology class . Now though , they want me to teach their Anat and Phys class . They were firing the current teacher that day and want me to take over for him on Monday . I spoke with my boss at Watertight exteriors and he is ok with me doing this again in addition to running a crew for him . So on Monday the rat race begins again . I am getting nervous about it because it will be a lot of work , which means stress for me . It is one of those challenges that could go either way . Either I work really hard , do really well and am the better for it ; or I totally bomb everything and the shit hits the fan . I don't see much of a happy medium . My wife and I have sat down and come up with a tentative plan that I can do everything including having time for each other and time for me to exercise . We will have to see what I am made of to pull this off . If anything it will help me when I get into graduate school . I will welcome any help that I can get there . 
Some random fun . These are some random pictures that I wanted to post . The frirst few are from when Rich came and visited . Some how we ended up wrestling , which is unlike us . At first I was doing good . I had him pinned and in much pain , but Charlotte didn't get the camera until Rich got the upper hand . You can see him planning his excape . He almost has it ... Crap , he is almost out .... All I can do now is pull his hair ! This is Char and I in our halloween costumes . We were going to be Frankienstein and his corps bride , but I was not willing to wear that much makeup when it came down to it . So we are two gothic prom dates . Char and I have taken up cooking as something to do together , this is our first litter of bread together . 
I am going to be a Bengal . Early in March I finally heard from Idaho State University . They accepted me into their doctorate physical therapy program . When I found out I was not sure that this was good news or not . I had previously been accepted to Des Moines University but now I had to actually make a decision . But after touring the program at ISU , sitting down with the program director there , and discussing it with my wife we decided that it would be best for us to go to ISU instead of Des Moines University . I feel good about the decision now but this was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make because each choice was great but great in different ways . There was no points of comparison in my mind . At least now we know and can start making preparations . I can go ahead and get a fishing license here in Idaho . Also I have decided to try and run a marathon this summer . It is something that I have always wanted to do before I die and what better time than now . Going to ISU will provide more opportunities for Char also . She will be able to work , take classes , or do what ever she wants . I was out with he missionaries last night and met the most interesting man . He is a violin maker form the inner city of Chicago . He might become my new fishing buddy . I don't know , we will see . 
Car and Wife . This is my wife and the car we bought together in July . It is the first car I have ever bought and the nicest one I have ever driven . I like it . It is a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am GT . When we bought it it had 107,000 miles which is alot but we both liked the car and it drives nice . I hope that we can keep it for a long time . The girl on the car is my wife . She is totally awsome . We have been married for almost 2 years now . She has turned out to be very good for me . She is a very hard worker and is alot of fun to just hang out with . 
Update . Hello , I just thought that I would throw out a shout out . I am finishing my outline for the ciriculum for the next semester . I hope that I didn't get myself out over my head this time . Either way , I feel that if I just work hard on it , it will work its self out . At least I hope that is how it works out . Work is going better . Despite the cold I think that I like it . My coworkers are all nice and treat me with respect . I am getting excited for grad school to start . I talked with Jake at ISU and he reassured me that I will do very well there , possibly better than him . I just hope that is the case . But I can't imagine it otherwise . I seem to do well in school even when I don't put in much effort . So for now I am going to say good bye . I have to get cleaned up for Tie Kwon Do . 
Compromise . On December 16 I graduated with my bachelor degree . I was so excited because I was finally able to get a REAL job . For years I have been working construction and now I finally would be able to do something that earned money that allowed me to use my mind instead of my brawn . My first prospects were promising . I received a phone call out of the blue from the College of Massage Therapy , they wanted me to teach pathology for one semester . I graciously accepted as they offered me $ 25 per hour to do this . But this job didn't start until Jan . 26 which left me with about a month of nothing . Also the job was only the one class Tuesdays and Thursdays . This would not be enough to sustain my family through the eight months until I start grad school . So I began my search for a job to fill the rest of my time . First , I wanted to find something in my field so I gave a resume to every Physical Therapist with in a thirty mile radius . After a week of canvassing for reality hit me that I would not be able to find work . So I began buying the new paper , responding to the ads . Nothing . I began asking every person I saw if they knew someone hiring . Finally , I went to an old friend that owns a siding / roofing company . Prior to this I had made a goal that I was not going to do construction again . I had had enough of it . I had enough of bosses belittling me , crude coworker , bitter elements , and life threatening work conditions . Two summer ago I nearly died when I fell from a 30 foot building . I only reason I lived is that 15 feet from the ground my hammer , in my tool belt , caught on the ladder somehow , stopping me from landing on the scaffolding below . In addition to the fall I can't even count the number of stitches I have received from being cut by razor sharp metal . ( I erected steal buildings ) Anyways , I am back in construction . My friend wants me to be one of his foremen , which is a good thing , but I was hoping that I would never have to do this again . Working in the freezing cold does not sound good to me right now . At least it has warmed up , it is only 15 Degrees Fahrenheit . A month ago the temperature was negative 15 . So I am feeling a little defeated right now . I have had a lot of pressure to take what ever job I can get because we have a lot of bills and only a little money . I wish that I could afford to hold out for a phlebotomy position that is available at the Plasma Center . They are supposed to call me next week to set up an interview . But I can't wait that long . So I took the job doing construction and start tomorrow . I guess I will make the best of it , at least in a few weeks I will be the foreman of my own crew and get to work for Russell . He is the greatest guy I know . 
The Moor Strongholds . ... formerly speaking of course . Cordoba got up to 41 degrees ... that 's 106 F folks ... while I was there . Like usual , I managed to badly time my sightseeing . Went to the Mezquita , with it 's black and white granite and marble columns with white and red marble arches ... took some cool pictures ... with myself in them of course . Perhaps one day you will see them . The Alcazar and Synagogue were both closed when I got out ... if I had only switched the order of my visit , I would have been fine . Tried to have some Middle Eastern food ... until I realized the place in my book is closed mid - July to mid - August ... alas it would have to wait until Granada . So back to Sevilla I went . One of the most interesting concerts awaited me there . German Diaz in a show called Pi ... Music of Gears ... all the instruments he played involved gears ... http : // www . germandiaz . net / inicio I. htm ... like the zanfona and the music box ... yes a music box . He also had the ability to record bits of what he was playing live ... several tracks worth ... and then put them on repeat . In this way he sounded like a whole band ... with rhythm , strings , the music box , and the barbary organ ( or something like that ) . He was also a funny guy ... calling his songs post Columbus period ... since he wrote them after Columbus ... of course I didn't get most of his jokes , but the audience did . Then next day ... after a night out of course ... I was off to Granada . On the way my train started smoking ... yea , I have the best of luck with my trains ... eventually we stopped at a station where they put some sort of coolant in to keep the wheels cool . Half hour late only ... went to the Alhambra after finding my hostel up some stairs on a small street . Amazing place ... one of my favorites ... the Palace , the gardens , the military areas ... water and flowers everywhere ... I ' ll describe more with pictures later . As the old saying goes , " If you haven't been to the Alhambra , you haven't lived . " Sina and I ran into each other again ... do to some luck and dedication on Sina 's part . Sina had bought a ticket to a Frederico Garcia Lorca Flamenco ballet show in the gardens at the Alhambra . It was full ... so no ticket for me ... that is , until I came out of the Alhambra when they made some even better seats available . The show was also a great deal . Perhaps I ' ll describe a little more later . Before the show , I met up with Sina for a whirlwind , very quick by necessity , dinner at Samarcanda . Awesome Lebanese food ... had doogh , maaste khiar ... and basically koofte and khoreshte badenjaan ... it 's like I ' d been waiting my whole life for that food . Took a cool picture of us , our finished food , and our timing ... you ' ll see . On a darker note ... it 's interesting that we were in Granada enjoying Lebanese food while Israel is waging war in the country with the same name , the U.S. is occupying Iraq and Afghanistan , etc. etc. etc. While travelling it 's possible to take the privelage of separating oneself from the world in which he or she normally resides . I don't look forward to heading back to a place where I ' ve become dull to all the frustrating and horrific news , but it is reality . Perhaps some time away will provide a fresh perspective . To the show , then some middle eastern tapas , and to bed . Today to the Albaicin area ... for some Moroccan food and more sightseeing ... 5 pm train to Madrid . Then to find my hostel near the red light in Madrid at around 11 pm . Buenos dias ! 
Do You Share This View of Web Sites ? Darren Rowse at Problogger . com asked Guy Kawasaki ( the author of Rich Dad , Poor Dad ) one question along the lines of : What would you do differently if you had to start your blog again ? Guy s Kawasaki s answer was I have a slightly different take on this . If I could start all over again , I would not have created a web site ( ie , www . guykawasaki . com ) . I would have started with a blog and used my siderail for all the brochure functions of my site . Guy goes on to explain that his site had about 500 people a day visit compared to his blog which has 10,000 people either reading or subscribing to it . In reality a blog is a web site . It s just taken the content management out of the technical people s hands more . So people can add content almost at will . Even editing templates is not beyond the wit of many internet users . Does that mean we should ditch web sites ? I think most companies still benefit from a recognisable web site . The thing to do is to post your blog to your web site so you re getting the advantage of constant new content for your site . Provided it s useful of course ! Wikipedia : Darren Rowse , Problogger , Guy Kawasaki , Blogging Google : Darren Rowse , Problogger , Guy Kawasaki , Blogging Technorati : Darren Rowse , Problogger , Guy Kawasaki , Blogging Del . icio . us : Darren Rowse , Problogger , Guy Kawasaki , Blogging . 
Is Rich Schefren Creating A Buzz About Nothing ? Rich Schefren has released an Internet Manifesto , what he calls The Missing Chapter and a Business Building video that give you over an hour s solid business building advice . As an ex IT Project director , project manager and Edwards Deming devotee I ve applied much of what Rich teaches to my own coaching clients . In fact the way he does his presentation is remarkably similar in concept to the way Chet Holmes presents his Business Growth Masters methodology core story . Chet talks about importance of Deming and process and procedures too . There s a huge amount of buzz around about Rich s coaching scheme . Often businesses are too focussed internally and using a good coach helps them get to the next level much more easily . The buzz is continuing this weekend as I ve had emails from Carl Galletti and Jim Edwards informing me of a power packed webinar with Rich Schefren on Monday ( leave me a comment if you want the details but they re probably on Jim s , Carl s and Rich s sites . Alternatively check out Jim Edward s link to Rich s Sign - up . I think Jim is actually asked to comment on Rich s coaching during Rich Schefren s video and is full of praise for it . It s great that a lot of businesses have woken up to the need for structure and process in their business . The only comment I d make is that Dr Deming , Chet Holmes , Jay Abraham , Michael Gerber and yours truly have been preaching the same message for a long time . What s missing ? I think the missing component is that people see and hear useful stuff that they can incorporate to improve their business massively . Then often I ve seen businesses not take any action on processes they know will improve their sales , or their customer retention or minimise their returns . All of which affect the bottom line . Crazy ? Yes , and human nature too . Check out the psychology of the prisoner s dilema to see what I mean . I ve made some notes on Rich s video ( which is excellent ) and I ll put them up as a post in due course . Related posts : Is Your Business Fun ? , People Looking Jay Abraham and Peter Thompson Gift Horses in The Mouth Wikipedia : Rich Schefren , Jay Abraham , Chet Holmes , Carl Galletti , Jim Edwards , The Missing Chapter , Internet Manifesto , business building , webinar , internent marketing Google : Rich Schefren , Jay Abraham , Chet Holmes , Carl Galletti , Jim Edwards , The Missing Chapter , Internet Manifesto , business building , webinar , internent marketing Technorati : Rich Schefren , Jay Abraham , Chet Holmes , Carl Galletti , Jim Edwards , The Missing Chapter , Internet Manifesto , business building , webinar , internent marketing Del . icio . us : Rich Schefren , Jay Abraham , Chet Holmes , Carl Galletti , Jim Edwards , The Missing Chapter , Internet Manifesto , business building , webinar , internent marketing . 
How To Live Happily With A Great Marketer . I ve a Wordpress blog which I m seriously considering moving to . I ve just added a post titled How To Live Happily With A Great Marketer which lists some of the points that business should remember when employing great marketing people . It s created using a list devised by Seth Godin for Designers and their employers as the base . It s slightly tongue in cheek and true at the same time ! Enjoy PS The main thing that s currently stopping me from moving to Wordpress . com is the lack of access to the template . Wikipedia : Wordpress , blog , Seth Godin , marketing Google : Wordpress , blog , Seth Godin , marketing Technorati : Wordpress , blog , Seth Godin , marketing Del . icio . us : Wordpress , blog , Seth Godin , marketing . 
Monkeying Around With Viral Marketing . Rich Brooks from Flyte blog posted about a viral marketing email that uses pictures of monkeys and allows you to add voices and clothes . So I thought I d use their components to make a talking chimp as a tongue in cheek viral demonstration of a receptionist damaging your company . ( note the receptionist is holding a sparkler not a stick of dynamite ) . You can try it out yourself too . The company who provided the tools to create these monkeys is www . oddcast . com They have a whole host of ways to help companies produce their own viral messages . 
Get The Right Front Window For Your Business . While catching up on reading Seth Godin s blog I came across a post about receptionists that really a lot of SMEs never consider . Seth works out the cost of not hiring an exceptional receptionist . Think about this ... Let s say you wanted to buy some really nice high class coleslaw from a delicatessen . And as luck would have it across the road from you there are two delicatessens . You look in through the first one s window . It s difficult to see through as the windows that looked clean are actually smeared and it distorts the food , and in particular the coleslaw , inside so it looks grotesque . Then you step over to the other delicatessen and look through its sparkling windows . You can see directly into the shop where the coleslaw is piled high on a gleaming white dish . Which shop would you buy your coleslaw from ? Now you realise why it s important to appreciate that a receptionist has the power to enhance or detract from your visitors experience with your business . Are you a great business but one who has a distinctly mediocre receptionist who is going to distort your visitors view of your firm ? Think about it . Visitor perception is their reality . If they think you re a poor firm to do business with that will come through in your sales . 
Jay Abrahams - Stealth Marketing Now a Free e Book . In my previous post on marketing gurus I said that I hadn t included Jay Abraham because he rarely issues his own ezine anymore ( he did very briefly ) . What I also said was that he partners with other people to offer his products and services and thoughts on marketing . As you know Jay Abraham is probably the highest paid marketing guru in the world at a staggering $ 5,000 per hour . He is now offering you a FREE copy of his book Stealth Marketing , subtitled " How To Outmanoeuvre , Outwit , and Outmarket Your Most Formidable Competitors ... Before They Know What 's Hit Them " and to my mind it is pure business growth gold . Alan Forrest Smith who , like me is a rabid Jay fan , has put the book in PDF form on his site at http : // www . hairee . com / Downloads / stealth . pdf . I ' ve talked with Jay , attended his seminars and coach businesses with his partner Chet Holmes and I ' ve paid a lot to own hard copies of several of Jays books , including Stealth Marketing . So I know Jays materials , concepts and principles . A number of them are nicely laid out in this book . If you 're not in a position to hire me , or Alan , as a business growth coach or copywriter the next best thing you can do for your business is to grab hold of this book . Read it cover to cover and take notes . You will get ideas that when you take action with them boost your business growth . I ve also got hold of another of Jay s ebooks and I ll be giving the download link sometime this week or next . To be notified when I put the link up simply enter your email in the email box to the right ( underneath it says powered by Feedblitz ) . And of course you will not be spammed . By subscribing you ll simply be notified when I post to this blog ( currently 4 - 5 times per week ) . Usually with useful business growth hints , tips and strategies from me and other experts . Wikipedia : marketing , Jay Abraham , Stealth Marketing , Alan Forrest Smith Google : marketing , Jay Abraham , Stealth Marketing , Alan Forrest Smith Technorati : marketing , Jay Abraham , Stealth Marketing , Alan Forrest Smith Del . icio . us : marketing , Jay Abraham , Stealth Marketing , Alan Forrest Smith . 
35 Tips For Marketing Your Blog . I ' ve just read a nice article on blog marketing by Lee Oden . In his post he gives " 25 tips for marketing your blog " . Including Lees and to make 35 tips in all I ' ve added a further 10 wrinkles for blog marketing : 26 . If you ' ve never blogged before try it out first using one of the many FREE services such as Blogger or Wordpress before deciding to invest in a paid service 27 . Always use an offline client ( such as Elicit , there are others ) to prepare your blog posting . It means you have control over your posting and you don't lose it if your blog site goes down , or you lose network connection 28 . Spell check each post 29 . When you ' ve posted re - read it and don't be afraid to re - jig the post to make it read better 30 . As always remember that the Internet has a long memory . Anything you say can be reviewed long after you wrote it . If you ' ve something controversial to say write it in draft and review it the following day . If you 're still happy with it post away .31 . Use interesting headlines and remember that some feed readers cut off the headline after so many characters 32 . Always post assuming you 're being read and don't assume you 're not being read because you ' ve no comments 33 . Provide extra resources like links to files and books for your readers 34 . A specific niche blog is going to attract a lot of that markets online readers 35 . As with web sites content is king . With no good content your blog is spam and may get visited but nobody will link to it and you will get no subscribers to it blog , blogging , blogger , wordpress , top tips , blog marketing . 
Are You One Of These 3 types of entrepreneurs ? If your motto is " let 's just get it done " you ' ve the drive to become highly successful at what you do . If your motto is " Let 's see what happens to other people then copy them for success " you have the potential for success . Unhappily if your motto is " let 's keep trying stuff " you 're either broke , bumping along making minimal profits or you 're bankrupt . Years of working with entrepreneurs and others has convinced me that these three types exist . It 's not to say you can't graduate from one to another . It 's just that typically there 's only 3 main types . When it comes to marketing it 's interesting to see how each operates . Mr. " Let 's Just Get It Done " Typically he will have loads of ideas for his business . They may or may not work . His drive ensures that though he might fail 90 times out of 100 the 10 times he does well more than balances out the failures . Unfortunately it 's rare that this type knows enought about marketing to really make the profits he deserves . Often they ' ll know about marketing , even use it but not be fully aware of how much more they could provide for their clients . In fact how much more their clients would like them to provide . And in doing so make more profits . Mr " Let 's see what happens to other people then copy them for success " They ' ll find an idea they like the look of and investigate and analyse it to death . They tend to spend a long time on the sidelines watching how other successful businesses work . Then once they 're happy that the business they ' ve chosen works well they ' ll set - off , ready to cut their losses if it doesn't go well and retire back into paid employment . They may know some marketing but in copying another business all they 're doing is giving people more choice . More choice means pressure on margins and unless they can differentiate themselves they 're doomed to lower profitability than they should have . Mr. " let 's keep trying stuff " This type gets into business for a variety of reasons . They don't think through what they 're trying to achieve . There is no marketing strategy . Instead there are a series of marketing mistakes . Where typically they " try " a marketing tactic they like the sound of . If it doesn't work then obviously that method of marketing is rubbish , " let 's try another . " Because they have not stepped back and positively decided what they 're selling and who their target clients are any marketing they attempt will definitely fail . They may stay in business by feverishly selling their product and services . But they ' ll never be able to relax and they ' ll always be concerned about where the money is coming from . Which One Are You ? Be honest with yourself . If you 're the " let 's keep trying " type at least you 're persistent . And you need to invest in a coach to get you focused on creating a strategy , define your market and then decide the tactics to use to get repeat business . If you prefer to copy remember if you copy a business that 's heading down the tubes that 's where you ' ll end up . Instead work out what your business aim is and think for yourself about the marketing strategy you need to meet your aim ( s ) . Then go implement it . If you prefer to " just get it done " that 's great on one level . The only thing is how do you know that what you 're doing is consistent with your long - term aim ( s ) for your company ? Step back for a short while assess what your company is and decide what you need to do consistently and go and do it . And when you choose your coach make sure they understand your business , make sure they know marketing , make sure they look at strategy with you . entrepreneur , going down the tubes , marketing strategy , marketing tactics . 
" Copy , in one form or other , is the heart and soul of advertising " . If you write copy that pulls response the phrase " Copy , in one form or other , is the heart and soul of advertising " really speaks deep down to the furthest reaches of your own soul . Or at least it should if you want your advertising to work . I ' ve quoted the phrase from an article called " Profitable Showmanship " by old - time copywriter and legendary author Kenneth M. Goode in Jo Han Mok 's Copywriting Empire Blog . I would thoroughly recommend you read the article on the Copywriting Empire Blog , not because Kenneth M. Goode is a famous copywriter , because what he says still rings true today . One of his arguments is for you to look at the amount of white space in editorial ( practically nil ) whilst adverts tend to have quite a bit . So you 're paying for your white space . He also recommends that you look through a magazine you intend to advertise in . Does your eye stop and read the adverts ? Obviously the answer is usually no , or not for long . So why he asks do you think that the general public would stop and read your advert ? Often I come across people who show me ads that do look good but don't actually help them sell . For example I met up with a entrepreneur today who 's advert I ' d been sent . It looked good but there were several things wrong with it . The top and bottom of the ad had some great artwork but they didn't contribute to selling the product . Some of the main issues were as follows : There was no mention of the fact that the product was only going to be available until December 2006 Nothing about only having a limited quantity of the product available Although the entrepreneur knew the product price it was given as a round figure ( not very believable ) The product had many benefits but none of these were spelt out in the ad The headline was uninteresting and wasn't attractive to the target market It 's easy for me to pick apart any advert and point out where it could be improved . But this advert had already run several times . What might it have pulled if it had been more informative and attracted people to it sooner ? A good copywriter would have found all those issues with minutes of picking up the ad . This illustrates the hidden costs that entrepreneurs go through all the time until they start using people who understand marketing . And I truly believe in the saying : " you just don't know what you don't know . " marketing , advertising , advertising copy , entrepreneur , copywriting , copywriting empire blog , Jo Han Mok , Kenneth M. Goode , Profitable Showmanship . 
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Insomnia Hits I don't know what it is about the late night that I love , or why it leads me to sit down and write in a blog when I should be sleeping , but here I am again . I think that part of it is that I need to wind down in the evening and divorce myself from phrases like " Notwithstanding the foregoing , neither party shall be required to grant a license to the other under such party 's pre - existing intellectual property rights , unless the following requirements are met : ____ ; _____ and _____ . " After a bit of down time and getting my kids and wife in bed , the late evening is the time that I can finally get a little time to be just me , not the husband , not the dad , but just me . Of course the constant beeping of my pocket pc phone alerting me to work e - mails doesn't help ( I ' ve got to remember to mute it at night ... it 's like a little electronic handcuff to work ) . I find it almost impossible to ignore the fact that there might be some important issue that someone is asking me to opine on . OK , I ' ve muted it now ! I ' m sure that it 's not the best thing for my health , but I seem to be living off of about 5 hours of sleep a night and can't seem to bring myself to go to bed lately . It 's almost like I feel I might miss something , some bit of life or experience if I close my eyes . The feeling has become more and more pronounced as I get older and probably started when my son turned 2 years old , the same age I was when my parents died . At some point I ' m going to have to go and get myself some ambian , or start laying off the diet mountain dew ( nectar of the gods !!!!! ) . I had to stop there to take a sip , ah . I wonder how many other bloggers write in the wee hours . Anyone else awake and trying to think coherently right now ? 
Singing in the Streets When my wife and I lived in New York City we had a very small apartment . The place was 400 square feet and was divided into 5 rooms , a entry room / study , a kitchen , a bathroom ( really a closet where you could sit on the toilet and wash your hands and turn on the shower ) , a living room and bedroom . Needless to say , space was at a premium and between my wife and surrounding neighbors , I didn't feel like disturbing people with my guitar . I ended up on the street a lot . The street ( and occassional subway and busy park ) were really quite good places to play your guitar badly , since the sounds of the city masked the music unless a person was right in front of you . I ' m not bad , but I only took a few years of lessons and am not that great either , so the street was perfect for me . I a person walking by liked the music , great . If not , they were free of it a few steps later . Given how quickly New Yorkers walk there was perhaps a 5 second window of time for people to decide . In that 5 seconds , I tried to put on a show . I really did want people to stop , especially the year that my wife was out of state finishing up her masters degree . I was terribly lonely and sitting in that apartment by myself with my law books was difficult . I even spent some time in the library that year , sometimes until it closed at 11 . Imagine that , a law student in the law library . Anyway , I worked hard to get people to stop and stop some did . I often got donations ( even though I didn't have a collection hat / case out ) , including beer ( I don't drink alcohol , so my neighbor benefited from those donations ) and occasionally some sweets from the Persian store halfway down the block . My favorite loud , but catchy and appropriately bohemian and thoughtful song to play was " Hand Me Downs " by the Indigo Girls . For those of you unfamiliar with the Indigo Girls , Shame On You ( title of one of their songs ... aren't I funny ) . Anyway , they have great music and thoughful lyrics with which you can impress your friends . Reading through their lyrics as I rip all my CDs to MP 3 s , I came upon the lyrics for Hand Me Downs and thought back to those NY days , playing my guitar . I had no money and a tiny apartment , but life was really good ! A few words from that song that brought me temporary stardom in the streets of NYC : " So give me hope , give me hope , that emptiness brings fullness and loss of love brings wholeness to us all . Swear you can't swim the river , I saw you running to jump in . I swore I ' d never be your sinner , until I held your sin . Now you ask me why I ' m here . Same as you , I ' m scared , it 's fear . I ' ve become the begger now , you ' ve become the saint somehow . Twist the words and place the blame . Tell me now aren't we the same ? Tripping on our yellow feet , checking underneath our sheets , for some hope , give me hope that emptiness brings fullness and loss of love brings wholeness to us all . " And a last quote about inner peace from the IG , introduced to me by the barqsman ( http : // www . thebarqsman . com / ) : " I see my eyes in your eyes through my eyes - still waters " . 
Eating my Own Dog Food Surprisingly enough , although I ' ve represented hundreds of clients in my capacity as a technology attorney , I ' d never heard the phrase " Eating our own dog food " until I joined my current company . It 's hard to misinterpret the phrase , but in the interest of clarity I ' ll say that it means using your own products , own ideas , etc. that you 're floating out there to the rest of the world . Examples of not eating your own dog food would be something like the head of Ford Motor Company driving a Lexus . I ' ve been thinking of examples in my life now where I don't really eat my own dog food . Four years ago I wrote a wonderful open letter to my family . I was excited . I had managed , through months of very determined exercise and diet , to lose about 60 lbs and put myself back into at least as good of shape ( and perhaps better shape ) than I had been in while running cross - country and track in high school . I was proud of the accomplishment , and rightfully so . Looking back , after 4 years of high stress work at a law firm and ceasing to eat my own dog food I find myself in the unenviable position of having to hunt for that e - mail and hope no one has a copy . I have once again started on my dog food diet , and in the past month dropped 15 lbs through diet and exercise ( and got my blood pressure back to 55 / 110 and resting heartbeat to 60 ) . This time around though , there will be no public e - mail to family and friends encouraging them to follow my fine example , lest they follow the rise of the yo - yo too . 
Shadow In the day , the shadows listand cool the earthfrom sun s hot kiss . In the night , as sleepdescends , Thoughts retreat to the shadows end . As tendrils weaveandsettle in , the shadows caress , warm and mend . On currentsof darkness , I boband float , shadow my guidethe sun remote . 
So , I was watching the MTV VMA 's on Sunday on the TIVO , which was nice , because I was able to fast forward through all of the Diddy and rap stuff and get to the rock . Shouldn't they really have a seperate awards show for all of the rap ? Wait , they do . Thank goodness for TIVO , or I would have had to watch R . Kelly try to divert attention from his alleged pedophilia with a bizarre stage performance . Anyway , a friend of mine is the attorney for The Killers ( and Louis XIV , among others ) , so I figured I ' d watch to see whether they won a VMA . Unfortunately they came up dry at the Grammys , but that was to be expected given that they were up against Green Day in all of their categories ( except new artist ) . The Green Day album ( American Idiot , for all of you who are dead to the world ) is genius and seriously rocks , so it was to be expected . They did end up winning the VMA for best new artist in a video and as the camera panned out to the audience I nearly fell out of my seat . The Killers had like 3 extra seats and there was my friend there with them , chewing his gum and shaking their hands . Imagine that , a rock band that actually likes their attorney and thanks him in their acceptance speech . I ' m a little jealous , I have gotten a bit of company swag over the years , deal cubes and even a coveted Napster CD clock radio back in the day when they were enemy number one of the RIAA ( how 's that for an ironic gift ) , but no shout out on national TV . Anyway , he 's a great guy , works his tail off and is a great friend to anyone he gets to know , which is why he got that seat . Lucky guy probably got to meet Jessica Alba and others at the pre and post parties ... bet his wife read him the riot act before he flew to Florida with the band ( I know mine would , she 's used to me having to take business trips where I ' m locked up in conference rooms for days on end negotiating / drafting deals ) . Maybe my friend 's coolness will rub off , but probably not . The closest I came to the music industry was playing songs on my front steps when I lived in NYC and getting money / beers from passersby . Anyone care for a tortured version of " Wish you were here ? " . 
So , I ' m reviewing a few of the suggested blogs on blogspot and run into one called anonymous lawyer . No , this isn't a general bash on attorneys , since I am one , but I have to say the guy writing that thing is a total knob . The thing with attorneys is that for every stereotype out there , there is an attorney that matches . Most have a very trumped up sense of their own self worth , but if you dig deep you find that they were top of their class at " anyone with a pulse could get in " law school . That 's really the main lesson to learn about attorneys . There are something like 180 accredited law schools ( and serveral in CA that aren't accredited with the ABA , but can issue diplomas and send people to take the CA bar ) . To get into law school you have to have two things , a college GPA and an LSAT score . Now we all know that any idiot can go to any college and major in philosophy and get themselves a pretty decent GPA . In fact a large number of law students have undergraduate degrees in either economics or philosopy , not exactly rocket science . I have an electrical engineering degree and just for fun I took a philosopy class on logic . Needless to say , it was less than rigorous and compared with my discrete math courses , laughably easy . So , in my experience , getting a moderate to good GPA isn't that difficult and not much of a hurdle to getting into law school . The LSAT is a different story . It test logic , analetical reasoning , reading comprehension . Everyone takes the LSAT and there isn't a " lite " version . I am definitely not a savant , but I did OK , missing a few questions and ending up with a score in the 98 th percentile . Between the LSAT score , GPA and more difficult undergrad , I was able to get into a top 5 school . However , even if I had a brain freeze in the middle of the LSAT and ended up in the 50 th percentile , there is some law school in this country that would take my money and there is a group of people in that law school who are the top 10 smartest idiots with the very same ego you ' d expect from someone who was the top in their class at Yale ( in my experience , most top attorneys from Yale are very smart , but don't have super egos ) . Anyway , the short of it is that you should never assume that because someone is a ) an attorney , or b ) a partner at a law firm , that they have any brains whatsoever and are any more capable of getting things right than the guy who couldn't afford to go to college , but reads a lot and thinks for himself . Anyway , the guy at anonymous attorney bugged me , since he fit squarely into the huge ego ( probably small package ) group that I run into a lot at work . Is he a partner ? Maybe , but maybe he made partner in the big boom when anyone who didn't have anywhere else to go and stuck around at a firm got handed partnership . Maybe he 's at some rinky dink insurance defense firm , where partnership means that he makes as much as a midlevel associate at one of the national firms . Who knows , who cares , a jackass no matter how many pretty bows you put on it is still a jackass . 
For every dream you buried You placed a stone Lined up , in rows around your heart For every life you could have lead , You brought a ship home from seaand placed it behind your walls , far away from me Yes , I ' m throwing more bad poetry at you . Here 's something interesting though from yesterday 's NYTimes . I like to think of it as a good counter argument to intelligent design : http : // www . nytimes . com / 2005 / 08 / 30 / science / 30 geck . html ? ex = 1126065600 en = 3411 e 8 a 3 d 381007 a emc = eta 1 ( registration required ) Now , if intelligent design was a valid theory , don't you think that whoever designed us all would have given us those little gecko pads on our hands and feet ? Would have saved a lot of early humans from falling out of trees . I mean , why give this to the gecko , there are bugs on the ground . I ' ve got lizards at my house who do just fine with little claws on their feet . Give me those little nano fibers and I ' ll put them to good use ! 
Dimpled holes in simple walls Eat the sound so no one knows To join me in the silent room And let me out of my cocoon So , this is my first post . May very well be my last . I do this for a living you know . Writing that is . So , I ' m not sure whether doing it late at night will be cathartic , or simply cause writing overload and cause my brain to leak useless bits of information at random intervals . So , I ' ll try this one post , and if anyone reads I ' ll follow - up with more . I sat down the other night and took stock of my life ( " Oh God , here it comes . " some of you might say , " his religious epihany . " ) Well , I certainly didn't take stock of all of my life or see any angels ( unless I can count the little black and white picture of Angelina Jolie in the newspaper I was reading as I took stock in my life ( while multi - tasking like the productive cog in society that I am )) . I am nearing 35 , and have packed a few things in ( more on that perhaps later ) , so I focused on the big picture . So , painting with broad strokes , I categorized myself as passive aggressive , with a strong streak of obsessive compulsion in there for good measure . Passive , since my initial reaction when confronted is to give in and agree and aggressive since my next tendency is to plot to overthrow the person who initiated the passive reaction . I don't think that this is entirely uncommon , especially in the business world , and I can say that generally I ' ve kept the passive and aggressive fairly balanced . Obsessive and compulsive because I do tend to obsess about details that don't matter as much in the big picture , sometimes to the detriment of the big picture . I guess when your grandfather has a garage full of two of every tool , bolt , button , etc. organized by place and frequency of use and that garage is cleaner than most houses , the signs are there . Of course in my family it skipped a generation and I don't think my OC is as pronounced . After all , my tools are confined to a small area of the garage , and while organized in a very detailed fashion , I don't have two of everything ( at least not yet ) . Admittedly , that garage was the first thing that I worked on when I bought the house , cleaning the walls , painting the floors , putting in a TV , etc. , so maybe I ' m a little higher on the spectrum than I thought . So , once I ' d labeled myself , I was pretty much done with the introspection . Yeah , that 's right , no big pay - off for you about the meaning of life , etc. My only epiphany was that I ' m pretty lucky that I survived this long with all of the dumb things that I ' ve done in my life ( driving 120 with bald tires at 16 is high up on the list ) . I ' m even luckier to have survived a double murder suicide when I was 2 years old . Short story , longer if this blog goes on for any period of time , is that my father and mother split and he killed her and a man she was seeing before turning the gun on himself . I think that then , and now , it 's pretty rare for a kid to survive that type of situation . Normally the parent committing the murder / suicide gets a twisted notion in their head that the kids will be better off dead than living without their parents . I can say with some authority that alive is better . So , I ' m PAOCL ( for those of you with short memories , that 's passive aggressive obsessive compulsive lucky . I realized that rearranged that is AOL - PC , which leaves me feeling a little error prone and pedestrian . Oh well , not everyone can be Google ( just a few select colleagues who now have 100 times my net worth because they took a chance on yet another search engine company ) . More later . Remember , what you ' ve learned here : 1 ) Angelina Jolie -- Good ; 2 ) Dead -- Bad ; 3 ) Alive -- Good ; 4 ) PAOCL -- Good ; and 5 ) AOL - PC -- Bad . 
There are in ceilings Lots of dots Full of space Like my thoughts It 's late , and I ' m just starting . I thought of letting out a primal scream to initiate this blog , but thought better as I walked by the bedroom I share with my wife and realize that she knows where to find the butcher knife and she knows where I sleep at night . I think that many people share a similar frustration in life of not being heard , which is what this blog is all about . What would be ironic is if no one even reads it ... at least the name would be fitting . 
IE 7 to be released as a " high priority " update . I have recently moved to Furling interesting news articles rather than devoting an entire post to them - particularly when I don't have a whole lot to say about the topic - however under the circumstances I thought this warranted a mention . CNET News announced yesterday ( " Microsoft tags IE 7 ' high priority ' update " , 26 July 2006 ) that the oft discussed new version of Microsoft 's Internet Explorer , version 7 , will be released as a high priority update . What this means is , if you typically click " Yes , yes , sure , fine , whatever " when prompts appear , there is the chance you could install the new version without realising it . Though realistically users have raised enough of a stink lately about some of Microsoft 's more sneaky updates - namely the Window 's Genuine Advantage tool that reportedly sends information back to Microsoft daily without telling you - that I suspect they ' ll make the update a bit more obvious . High priority updates are typically reserved for hi - profile bug resolutions or security patches , either of which could seriously compromise the browser . Microsoft seems to think IE 7 falls into this category . According to the article : " The justification , of course , is the significant security enhancements in IE 7 , " Schare said . Microsoft recommends that all Windows users install the new browser when it ships , he added . There are a couple of ways to avoid installing the new version , including turning off your automatic updates ( something Microsoft strongly discourages ) , setting them to prompt you before either downloading them or just prior to the install , or by installing a free IE 7 Blocker Toolkit . I haven't looked into the toolkit yet , so I don't know much about it . However the CNET article indicates : " The free Internet Explorer 7 Blocker Toolkit will not expire and includes a template for use with Microsoft systems management software . It will be available from Microsoft 's Download Center Web site , Schare said . " We 're really trying to get the world ready for a major new browser release , " he said . " I ' m running out of time here and have to leave for work , so I ' ll come back to this more later if possible . The point is that if you 're really satisfied with IE 6 , or just don't want Microsoft installing stuff on your machine without researching it first , you have options . Categories : Web - Technology . 
Musings of an aspiring dole bludger . dole bludger : ( noun ) one who exploits the system of unemployment benefits by avoiding gainful employment and making do on the dole . " It 's been a tough slog the last few weeks . You may or may not know that I work for one of the larger universities in the Sydney metropolitan area , and unfortunately it 's been in the midst of a financial crisis for some time now . [ NB : I ' m not sharing any sensitive information or secrets here . In fact I initially found out about these problems through an article in one of the major newpapers in the area ( I can't remember which ) . ] As a result there have been layoffs - known in academia as " redundancies " - at all levels of the university . All departments , centres , schools and faculties are being hit hard by budget cuts , and my own is certainly no exception . Therefore many of us are on a candlelight vigil for our jobs in the hopes of not becoming the next casualty of the budget crisis , and at the moment it 's looking a bit iffy for your 's truly . Therefore I ' ve been advised to keep my feelers out for other options just in case . I love what I do and hate job hunting with even more vigour . So needless to say I ' m hoping for the best . And yet I must also be practical and keep my options open to ensure our financial livelihood , so I ' m constantly scouring the web for something more stable . The downside of all this - at least over the forseable future - is a return to 5 days a week on campus . In and of itself being on campus is hardly a burden ; I love the environment and the people . As I ' ve noted before it 's just the commute that sucks : 4.5 to 5 hours a day . But as they say , desperate times call for desperate measures . Ultimately the chaotic nature of the present environment dictates we have to make ourselves as valuable as possible in the hopes of avoiding the chop , and sometimes this means making some major sacrifices . The implications this change will have on my regular postings here is fairly obvious . As much as I love the writing and constant tinkering this blog enables me to do , I love eating three meals a day and living in - doors even more . So it 's unlikely I ' ll be doing much more than one or two posts per week . So there you have it . For the moment I have a job that pays the bills - just . Hopefully this will continue to be the case . Though at times the thought of becoming a dole bludger doesn't sound too bad ... Categories : Journals . 
At the tone , please leave a message ... No I haven't been abducted by aliens . I ' m just very busy at the moment and haven't had a chance to come up for air in what seems like aeons . However I can report that I ' m safe , sound and relatively sane . Hope this finds you well - Mike . Categories : Journals . 
Guantanamo : Backflips and Splitting Hairs . ABC News Online reported today that ( " Guantanamo detainees entitled to Geneva rights , says US " , Wednesday , July 12 , 2006 ) : " The Bush Administration has decided to grant all detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre protections offered by the Geneva Convention . " This is good news for detainees , most of whom have not been charged with a crime , let alone found guilty of one . It is important to note too that the court 's decision only acknowledges and upholds the inherent right of each individual to certain conditions and treatment ; it does not exonerate them of any wrong doing . They should and will each face due process in a court of law . And yet you can't ignore the fact the whole situation never should have occurred . The US Federal Government had to be sued and ordered to uphold a longstanding international agreement - that the US signed - which protects human rights . Even now they do so only begrudgingly . The extent to which the Bush Administration tried - and continues to try - to justify the exploitation of loopholes in the agreement is a clear indication of where human rights lay on their priority list . Most notably the argument that " detainees were not prisoners of war and therefore were not subject to the Geneva protections . " This is splitting hairs in every sense of the phrase . If you uphold human rights , you do so for all , without a qualifier . As soon as you start making exceptions you place yourself on a very slippery slope in which some people are accorded fewer rights than others , despite not being convicted of anything . That is not how a democracy functions , nor a supposedly freedom - loving government . What remains to be seen is the extent to which the White House will comply with the court 's directives . Update : The plot thickens . According to another article in the Guardian Unlimited ( " Pentagon breaks with Bush on detentions " , Wednesday July 12 , 2006 ) : " The Bush administration was facing the collapse of its detention regime in the war on terror yesterday after the Pentagon said for the first time that prisoners at Guant namo and elsewhere in US military custody around the world would be granted the protections of the Geneva convention . " If I ' m reading this article correctly , while the White House is vowing to adhere to the court 's decision " in a way that is consistent with national security " ( in other words , only as much as is legally required ) , the Pentagon has gone much further and directed that " all relevant directives , regulations , policies , practices and procedures " be brought in line with the Geneva Convention . Essentially , they 're no longer toting the Bush line . Stay tuned for more information ... Categories : Politics . 
Japan Talks of Preemption . An ABC News Online article today ( " Japan mulls pre - emptive strike against N Korea " , 11 July 2006 ) has reported : " Japan has flagged the option of a pre - emptive strike against North Korea 's missile sites to prevent more launches . " Well that 's just lovely . Fortunately the article indicates that Japan doesn't have the resources or constitutional power to carry out this option . Otherwise we ' d end up with an even bigger mess on our hands than we already do . North Korea is a powder keg looking for a reason to explode ; they need to be dealt with gently . Even President Bush seems to realise this , because his typically aggressive and outspoken blend of Cowboy Diplomacy has been replaced with the desire for a multilateral solution - at least in his speeches . Nonetheless , Japan 's move points to a distinct culture change in international relations in which preemption is increasingly being seen as a viable and early option . And with the White House having set the precedent for this doctrine with the invasion of Iraq , their ability to argue against its use has been largely eliminated . Looks like the fallout from Iraq has spread much farther than the desert sands ... Categories : Politics . 
Pink Flamingo . This is another shot I took today at Taronga Zoo . I ' ll try to get back to more text oriented posts as soon as I can , but it 's been a bit busy lately so I havent ' had a chance to collect my thoughts on anything in particular . Isn't that always the case ... Categories : Photography . 
Lion . This picture was taken from behind glass at Taronga Zoo in Sydney . For the most part I was able to avoid reflections in the glass , howeve there are a few places where they are subtley visible . Categories : Photography . 
UNSW Sculpture . I decided to experiment with something different today and came up with the following shots . It 's quite a divergence from the standard nature photos I normally do , so I ' ve still got some work to do , but all in all I ' m pretty happy with the results . Categories : Photography . 
Winter Moss . I ' m way too tired to write anything profound and thought - provoking tonight . So I thought I might just post a peaceful and pretty picture of a moss - covered tree that I saw on a bushwalk this morning . Categories : Photography . 
Phew ! It was a crazy fortnight . On the work front we were all scrambling to meet a deadline that had me tearing all over Sydney on various testing expeditions , as well as conducting a marathon documentation writing session over the course of 3 days which yielded the draft of a 13 - page technical and research report . Not suprisingly you ' ve heard neither hide nor hare from little old me lately . So here it is Saturday and my head is still spinning from all the excitment ; it 's certainly been productive . I ' m exhausted , but satisfied - actually make that amazed and proud - of what we managed to accomplish in the last 10 days . I ' d tell you what I ' ve been up to , but I won't because a ) you ' d probably find it really boring and b ) it 's a research project that 's still underway , so we 're not ready to release the results to the general public yet . Regardless , my boss is now on his way to present the preliminary findings of our work at an international conference . From what we ' ve put together I ' m fairly confident it will go over well , and can ease back a bit over the next week or so and reflect on what we managed to pull off in such a short time . Hopefully I ' ll even manage to chime in here a bit more too . Categories : Journals . 
Hello , my name is ... Not to beat a dead horse too much , but I still haven't decided on a blog title yet and have a name that I ' d like to throw out for comments . It came up in conversation and seems to encompass many of the characteristics I was looking for that I had discussed in a previous entry ( " What 's in a name ? " ) : Paradigm shift According to Wikipedia , a paradigm shift ( pronounced " paradime " ) is " a radical change in personal beliefs , complex systems or organizations , replacing the former way of thinking or organizing with a radically different way of thinking or organizing ... " To me it 's got both an intellectual ring to it and the sort of catchy , edgy nebulousness that proves for a memorable title . I also think it covers my wish list fairly well : " I ' d like it to be intelligent but not overly academic ; memorable but with subtance ; professional yet personal and informal ; progressive but not overly political ; earthy but not cliche ; and perhaps have subtle technical undertones . " I guess the question is , would it be applicable to the stuff I talk about ? I deal with all things Web 2.0 , as well as " progressive " political and social philosophies - both of which are very forward - thinking and innovative - so I ' m inclined to say yes . At the same time it 's a much more modern nomenclature than I would have used in the past , so it needs to be accurately representative of the content in this blog . Thoughts ? Categories : Journals . 
One of Centennial 's Ancient Giants . I spent the afternoon in another location at Centennial Park today doing some more field work and just couldn't get past how incredible the trees are there . My understanding is that most of them have been around for over a hundred years , having been planted for the centennial anniversary of something I can't remember . What I can say is that it was an awe - inspiring experience to walk amongst these trees for a few hours . I realise there isn't much in this photograph for scale , however if you look towards the base of the tree on the right - hand side you ' ll find a camera on a tripod ( you ' ll need to visit the full - sized version on my Flickr page ) . This tripod is about 3 feet high . Furthermore , the root system in some places poked above ground to waist level and was high enough to be used as a makeshift desk . If you 're ever in Sydney I highly recommend checking this place out . It 's an established park in every sense of the phrase and stretches out for miles and miles . Categories : Photography . 
Centennial Park . Monday morning saw me running around like a madman all over Sydney on a field testing exercise . For a while there it was feezing cold , windy and raining ; but being the dedicated employee I am , I persevered . Then in the afternoon we did some more work at Centennial Park , and ended up there for an hour or two . So this was my office for the afternoon . Not too bad eh ? Categories : Photography . 
fd 's Slideshow . I just found another cool new photo tool that I thought I ' d recommend . It 's a 3 rd party application built off of Flickr 's API - aptly named " Slideshow " - that allows you to compile slideshows of photographs uploaded to Flickr . The process is really straightforward and doesn't take that long to complete . In fact the most time consuming aspect of it is deciding which photographs you ' d like to include . Unlike other similar applications I ' ve seen , this one doesn't seem to mind if you include other peoples ' images - because there is a feature that enables you to do just that . However I would strongly recommend checking for copyright statements before using someone else 's work . You do have the option of including descriptions for each picture , however I ' ve personally kept mine simple , because I don't think people will be paying much attention to the text anyway - particularly if they choose to play the slideshow automatically . But realistically you can be as descriptive as you like . At the end of the process you are given a URL for your new slideshow , as well as code snippets for three different ways to promote your work on your website or blog . Unfortunately it seems as though there is no embedding option , because it would be a really handy feature to have . Another drawback is the fact you don't seem to have any way to update the slideshow later - at least that I ' ve seen . So be sure you have everything exactly how you want it before closing your browser at the end of the creation process . Otherwise you ' ll have to start everything from scratch . Nonetheless it is free after all . And despite having advertisements automatically included on the page , they 're not that obtrusive . In fact I ' ve noticed a bug in the code that occasionally loads the ads beneath your images . So if you have a lot of portrait shots , you won't be seeing many ads anyway . If you use Flickr I would definitely recommend taking a look , because it 's a really easy way to share your photographs in a manner that saves people from having to tediously browse through image after image . And while the sparseness of the slideshow 's interface makes it seem as though the application is only partially complete , it certainly doesn't draw the eye needlessly away from your photographs , which is what you want people to pay attention to ultimately anyway . My slideshow - Flowers , Plants and Trees - is available at the following URL : http : // flagrantdisregard . com / flickr / slideshow . php ? id = 6395 . Or you can click here to create your own . Categories : Web - technology , Photography . 
Slide helps add some flare to your blog . I just ran across a cool new photosharing tool called Slide that I thought I ' d recommend . In truth it 's a full photosharing community in the vein of Flickr and the like , however that 's not what attracted me to the site in the first place . The feature I find especially cool is an awesome little Flash applet which seems to be the site 's namesake . To create your own just go to their website and click " Make a Slide Show . " You ' ll then be taken to a page where you can upload photo 's from your local machine and organise them into a presentation that can be added to your website or blog using the code snippet they provide once you have created your account in the following step . In fact they ' ll even install it for you if you 're not especially comfortable under the hood of your chosen blogging tool . Photos can either be uploaded one by one on the site , or in batches using a downloadable program . This program can also be used as a screensaver ; though from what I experienced , the streaming nature of the photos seems to eat up a fair bit of RAM during the process and can slow down your machine . Once included on your site , users can control the scroll speed using + and - icons in the lower left - hand corner of the applet . Hovering over an image will reveal it 's name / description , and clicking on the image will load it in a new window . Slide enables you to add an eye - catching dynamic to any website or blog . However if you opt to include one yourself I would recommend not having too many other streaming features and / or hi - resolution graphical elements on screen at any given time ( if any ) , because it can really increase page - load time . This may not mean much to you if you have a high speed internet connection , but if your readers are on dial - up they 're likely to grow impatient waiting for the screen to load and may ultimately move on to someone else . Categories : Web - technology , Photography . 
Flock Rocks ! As much as I would love to devote several hours today to typing up a review and overview of the recently released Beta 1 of Flock , I just don't have the time today . Instead I would like to refer you to Paul Stamatiou 's " The Definitive Flock Beta 1 Review . He does quite a good job of covering the main talking points of the browser and includes several screenshots of particularly important features . If I get time over the next few days I ' ll try elaborate on my own thoughts as well . But until then I ' d like to stress the following : If you blog , upload photo 's , store bookmarks online , or are the slightest bit into the social software , social networking and / or Web 2.0 scene , you must install this browser . I was waiting for a slightly more solid version to be released that offered some of the Firefox extensions I cannot do without before I officially started using Flock as my default browser , and I can honestly say this beta exceeded all of my expectations and hopes . The Beta 1 version of Flock is available here : http : // www . flock . com / download Categories : Web - technology . 
Greetings Googlers ! I must have been in the pack of early posters on the launch of Picasa Web Album , because I ' ve recieved an above average number of hits today . Most of whom found their way here via blogsearches for " Picasa Web Album " or a combination of related terminology . In fact no less than 10 visits were from Mountain View , California and had an ISP listed in the name of " Google Inc. " So to those of you from Google I say : Welcome and Nicely Done ! ( Though please consider adding a " Post to Blog tool " in the Web Album area , because I ' m not very fond having the option to post a photo but not delete it later if I change my mind . ) Categories : Journals . 
What 's in a name ? I have a problem . I ' m not happy with the current name of this blog . As my wife was kind enough to point out : it 's very boring . Additionally , it comes across as though it 's run by someone who either thinks way too much about himself , or is a dull person with absolutely no creative essence . I ' m inclined to think the latter ; in fact I hope it 's the latter , because I don't feel egotistical . I ' m more of the self - deprecating type . Anyway I know I ' ve only just changed the name to match the fancy - schmancy new domain listing I ' ve just purchase , but I ' m thinking of changing it again . Realistically I ' ve only been using mike bogle dot net as a placeholder until I can think of something better . The problem is , I haven't come up with anything yet and I think I ' d better change it soon before the name really sticks . " Acoustic Dad 's Blog / Place " served me well for this first year , but it feels like its time has passed . So it 's time to officially retire the name so it can enjoy the golden years of its life as my Gmail address and blogspot URL ( which still works despite being forwarded to mikebogle . net ) . And in case you 're wondering , I don't regret choosing the domain name I did . It was a conscious decision in fact . I wanted something that I wouldn't likely outgrow , which was flexible enough to use in different circumstances . Like if I decided to start a professional blog to use for business purposes . I couldn't exactly give acousticdad . net out to colleagues or clients now could I ? Ultimately a blog name is easily changed , a blog URL isn't . The issue I ' m having is that a blog needs to feature a name that that is indicative of the content and style within it . However since I talk about so many bloody things I ' m having trouble being specific . If this was a mainly political blog I could give the name a progressive bent ; if it was mostly web - geek oriented it could have a tech bent . But this blog is both of these and then some . So I ' m in a quandary . My wife thinks " Spouting Crap " is a good name , probably because it 's highly indicative of most of her husband 's verbal vomiting , but I don't really think that 's a blog title that screams READ ME , or especially one written by an IT person who knows what they 're talking about . I ' d like it to be intelligent but not overly academic ; memorable but with subtance ; professional yet personal and informal ; progressive but not overly political ; earthy but not cliche ; and perhaps have subtle technical undertones . I ' m going to think on this dilemma for a day or so and will hopefully have it decided by this weekend . In the mean time I ' m all ears if you have any suggestions . Here are the major topics I cover here in case you need some food for thought : Blog topics : web - technology , politics , photography , Australia , environmentalism , music , social issues , educational technology , ITCategories : Journals . 
Whaling Commission in Jeopardy . One of my new favourite bloggers , Mark Lawrence , has just posted an interesting news bulletin on the status of the International Whaling Commission ( IWC ) , and how it 's on the verge of falling into the hands of the pro - whaling nations . ( " Now this is a whale of a branch stack " , Tuesday , June 13 , 2006 ) . After reading his post I couldn't help but come to the following conclusion : I think the term " lobbying " might be a bit of an understatement . Perhaps " forced , " " ordered " or " threated with economic ruin " might be more realistic . It 's really sad too . The problem with the Howard Government is that they 're giving the South Pacific Islands no incentive to adopt a conservationist mentality about things and vote against the pro - whaling nations . Particularly in light of the reports that Global Warming could result in the complete destruction of their nations , Downer and Howard have basically said " Well gee , that 's too bad . I ' m sorry to hear that " and haven't offered any tangible support . Why would they side with us then ? If we 're going to promote environmentally friendly practices we have to be willing to put our money where our mouths are . That 's one of the central tenets of environmental economics . We derive benefit from an awareness of the existence of these animals . Sometimes this can be reflected by market indicators such as whale watching revenue and other aspects of eco - tourism , while other times it 's a much more esoteric sense derived from existence value ( e . g . " I ' m better off purely due to the knowledge these majestic creatures exist . " ) . There 's even a value system known as intrinsic value that says living creatures have an inherent value in and of themselves regardless of any benefit to mankind ( e . g . " I exist , and that 's priceless . " ) . However most conservatives are too cynical to bother thinking outside of their own circle of benefit . That 's also why Downer and Howard are willing to let the island nations drown . They see nothing in it for them to justify the short term costs of offering real help and not just empty political promises . Too bad they 're wrong , because it will cost us all dearly . Categories : Environment . 
By Jove I think he 's got it ! Late last week I reported that I was having some problems with the new feed for this blog ( see " Growing Pains " ) . Well , I believe I ' ve gotten to the bottom of what 's going on ; and it 's all related to the fact I re - used the feed name from another blog . If I had started with a brand new one I ' m virtually positive that none of this would have happened . My theory is that cached / stored copies of the old posts on various servers were being incorporated into the new blog 's feed . [ In my case the issue was ( and is ) apparent on Bloglines , but this would theoretically have been the case on other services and aggregators as well . ] When the server saw the same feed URL it must have assumed that it was for the same blog , and acted accordingly . However when not all the information was available in the feed ( e . g . unique URL 's for entries from the old blog ) it grabbed whatever it had available - which resulted in some very ugly Blogger URL 's being included in the post headings . The reason I say this is that the information on the feed page is now appearing exactly how it 's meant to - all entries are in chronolological order , featuring the proper unique post URL 's in the titles , all the settings I ' ve requested in Feedburner administration area ( " View CC licence , " " Email This " and " Add to del . icio . us " ) , and no posts from my other blog . Furthermore , when I added the feed to an aggregator that I don't regularly use ( Newsgator ) , this was the case as well . There were no problems of any kind . I suspect that a refresh of the cache copy of this feed would resolve the issue , which would involve contacting the applications where the issue is still occuring ; however I may leave it for a week or so to see if the problem works itself out . In the meantime , if anyone is having similar problems viewing the new feed for this blog please let me know . Categories : Web - technology , Journals . 
Consider the Parallels . Last week the United States Senate refused to pass an amendment to the Constitution that would have federally banned same - sex marriage . This amendment would have superseded any existing state legislation . Ultimately however the motion gained the votes of only 49 senators , which is 11 short of the 60 votes needed to take the measure forward . Those voting against the amendment did so for a number of different reasons , ranging from an ideological belief that every American deserves the right to have their monogamist relationship legally recognised , to arguments that each state should have the right to decide on this issue themselves . However the fact remains that , had this amendment passed , it would have marked the etching of discrimination into the parchment that sought to guarantee freedom for all in the first place . We live in an age when some people actively seek to deny rights to some that they themselves enjoy . Now consider the following : According to American Heritage . com , on this day , 12 June 1967 , the Supreme Court ruled in Loving v. Virginia that interracial marriages are legal . What do you know , the world didn't descend into a vacuum of moral anarchy after all , despite a challenge to the so - called " accepted norms " of the time . Who knew ? And you know what , most people would look back on this time and say " I can't believe that used to be illegal . " I hope 30 years from now we ' ll be having this same conversation again with respect to same - sex marriage . Categories : Politics , Civil Rights . 
Compassion . I cannot think of a quote more necessary in this day and age - and yet so forgotten - than this statement by Buddha , nor the relevance and importance of compassion . " Better than a thousand hollow words , is one word that brings peace . " Though not being a religious person in the least , it also reminds me of a portion of the Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi : Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console ; to be understood as to understand ; to be loved as to love . For it is in giving that we receive ; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned ... Categories : Photography . 
Serenity . I ' ve added this " motivator " to the right column to add a little colour and calming effect to this blog , but thought I ' d post it in the main blog area too for those of you who read this blog via RSS and therefore wouldn't know it existed . If you ' ve been reading this blog for a while you may recognise the shot - it 's on of the lovely outlooks nearby my house in the Blue Mountains . I ' ve also added a quote from Buddha to give you some food for thought . Categories : Photography . 
Carpe Diem . Carpe Diem is a latin phrase that means " Seize the Day . " This photograph was taken in Brisbane by my lovely wife and features our thrill - seeking 18 - month old , Madison , saying hello to the backside of a Wallaby . The graphic was created using fd 's Flickr Toys . Categories : Photography . 
Songs Upload ... 	 I ' ve been posting songs up on my low frequency antennae page . They are all posted recently , however I ' m trying the best I can to date the posts cronologically . Hopefully this will show some kind of progression throughout the music I ' ve made . Enjoy , and feel free to leave comments ! 
Eastern Parallel Performance ... 	 Eastern Parallel is going to be performing tomorrow night in Seattle . We are opening up for D Web , an artist from Spokane . I ' ll be spinning records as the club opens and fills out . The rest of the info you should know is below : Who : D Web & Eastern Parallel What : $ 3.00 , 21 and over When : Wednesday , June 28 th , 2006 . Doors open between 8:30 - 9 pm . Where : Premier 1700 1 st Ave SSeattle , WA 98134 ( 206 ) 382 - 7877 Come and check it ! 
Emcee Grabs Mic ... 	 Yes , the cd is officially complete . Hot off the presses as of Monday , May 1 , 2006 . Eastern Parallel - MC Grabs Mic is available for purchase from all of us in the group ! For a full listing of stores that carry our album , and where to purchase it online , click here . 
New Album Out Now !!! 	 The album we ' ve been working on is available now . You can check out all and any information about it at : www . easternparallel . com. An album of twelve independently produced tracks ... MC Grabs Mic ! 
You ' ve Gotta Hear This ... 	 Man , I ' ve been waiting for The Black Angels album Passover to drop on vinyl before I picked it up , but I just couldn't wait any longer . So , I bought it on CD at The Landing . This album is great . Everything that I look for in old 60 s rock records with more grit and lyrics as relevant today as they were then , all packaged into a sound that inspires and motivates my soul . The Black Angels EP and their album Passover . You can find out more about this group on their website theblackangels . com and even on myspace . Peace ! p . s . - No this is not an advertisement , I truly like this band . They kill it and I can't wait ' til they come through Seattle again . 
Stars . 	 I was outside tonight as dusk turned to darkness , well as dark as it gets here in sodium lit Britain . Only the highest magnitude stars were visible with the naked eye , but I got the telescope out and further depths of star fields loomed out of the eyepiece . I always feel so small when looking at the stars . I found a couple of twin stars I ' d not noticed before and there was a shooting star too . 
Toast & Marmalade . 	 We went clubbing in Soho last night with friends . We did not have a great time . The music was trance - house and it sounded so tired , especially on a naff sound system . It was 5.45 am . I was peckish and my man needed some water . So I pulled into Heston Services on the M 4 Westbound . I ordered the " hot buttered toast for 99 p " . While it was toasting I asked where the marmalade was . Blank look from the Indian or Pakistani or Bangladeshi chap. " Marmalade " , I said . " We spread it on toast for breakfast , it is a notable British food . " Blank look . " It is a bitter orange sort of jam . " My boyfriend laughed out loud and pointed to a basket marked " jams " . Within it were tiny jars of marmalade . YAY ! To the owners of MOTO Motorway Service Stations or maybe the nice manager Mr Andrew Perera : ' I am glad you employ people who have not yet been exposed to British society . However , could you please explain to them what everything is that you actually sell . If you are going to supply breakfast , please run through likely requests . Could you also explain to me how hot buttered toast is achieved when the butter , as I was presented it , comes not sliding off the toast in a creamy melting blob as depicted in the promotional poster , but in small solid brick inside a plastic cartons kept all the more solid by the pack of ice around it . ' . 
My Man 's Flatshare Advert . 	 Insolvent gay manic depressive African seeks flatshare with other gay men as long as they are not black , as I don't trust them with my things or not to gossip , and not white in case my boyfriend thinks I will shag them . I don't like Asians either . 
7 Wonders of the Week . 	 1 . My best freind coming to see me for lunch at work . We had a lovely walk around the grounds at work - which are beautifully landscaped in old style . He seems far more happier post - boyfriend .2 . Getting back to my family and them liking the presents I got .3 . Seeing my man in such a good mood and so pleased to see me .4 . Being complimented on a lovely paisley design shirt I bought in Georgetown , USA .5 . Listening to Dub Side of the Moon ( reggae dub version of Pink Flloyd classic Dark Side of the Moon ) for the first time all the way through . I loved it . 6 . Realising that my new boss is about 100 times better than my last one .7 . The enjoyable barbecue for one of my daughter 's freinds who is emigrating to the USA soon . Seeing them growing up into young ladies and getting along so well . 
Au Jardin . 	 It is just too hot to be indoors on this Saturday morning . New garden furniture means we have eaten out as a family this morning and for a BBQ last night by the light of a paraffin lamp . I ' m going to keep the lamp in working order for the winter . Something tells me we may have power cuts / brownouts this winter . It is a week since I bumped into a freind in DC and we swapped email addresses . Since then ... nothing . I thought the Lithium was helping his mental state . Perhaps he did just hate me after all . Radio - World Zone I ' ve got XM radio on in the garden , World Zone channel , which is a right old mix of pleasant music from around the globe . I like the variety from each continent . Music dear reader , music . For those who can't get XM or the Euro / Afr / Asian equivalent , then try downloading http : // www . xstreamxm . com for online versions of the music genre channels . Most enjoyable . Bit tired today as I was woken in the night by an electric storm and frankly had too much beer and wine and so slept a bit too heavily . This afternoon I tracked a storm as it came in from the wonderful service by the Isle of Wight Weather 's spherics tracker . Social life We will be going to a gaybar in London tonight and my least favourite bar , [ Rupert Streer or maybe The Yard ] as they are full of show - offs . Then we will go out somewhere , I ' ll check the www . boyzco . uk listing later . It is the easiest to use and has never been wrong in my expereince . After that , for lack of somewhere to stay , we will probably go the gay equivalent - a sauna and take some private space . Not ideal and this is why he has to move home * Tonight it is my freind Steve 's birthday drink . He must be 30 now . He is a very smart black gay man and me and my man met him in a bar about 6 months ago . He is very sweet and patient as and me and my man seem to unload our frustrations with each other onto him , poor chap. My man and I are having phone calls where frankly he makes little sense . * All about him moving away from his leech brother and his son , who descended on the house he was staying in . I conclude that my man has depression of some sort . He does get mood swings and seems to lock on an idea . It is almost impossible to end a phone call by agreement , he just won't play nicely . Face to face is much better . Mental arithmatic My youngest daughter is out in the garden with me , practicing counting backwards in various jumps of 2,4 and 5 . She does far better with money and change and numbers than I ever was . Such an all - rounder , she seems to be musical , good at sport , bright at maths and literacy . 
Hot water ? Visa ? Luxury ! 	 I collected him from the station , all smiles , but he was too shy to kiss me in the car park . Just on the lips would have done . We went to the local gay bar to catch - up . Seems his brother spent the night in the police cells over the weekend , having wanted a final goodbye shag from his estranged girlfriend . I wonder what her side of the story was . The poor woman is clearly besotted still . The brother is ugly and fat so what can he possibly have ? Personality clearly . My boyfriend therefore has company at his place where there used to be just him and sometimes me . As my boyfriend is not as gay and I am just his " friend " , we have a problem . There is his older useless but charming womanising brother and his teenage nephew , who can be a little aggressive from having been messed around so much . I feel sorry for the kid . He lost his mother to illness long ago , and his father can barely look after himself , let alone the lad . So , my boyfriend needs to move out and find a new place , which may actually be a good thing . I wouldn't hold your breath . The place belongs to the brother but has been allowed to become decrepit . There is no heating , no hot water and I get asthma there . There is SOMETHING under the floor boards . I doubt it is the old wife , more likely mould or fungus . The kid gets asthma too , so I predict all round problems there . Last winter was dreadfully cold in that house . I didn't know people could live like that . I put much of it down to my boyfriend 's inability to improve his situation sometimes . I can't or rather won't wade in waving my magic wand in Fairy Godmother mode . That doesn't encourage self - help does it ? My man My boyfriend is an early 30 s southern African . We ' ve been together since October 2004 , which for me is some sort of record . When I say together , I mean we see each other 3 times a week and I stay over sometimes . We have holidays in the UK . Essentially he is in the UK illegally , having overstayed his student visa by about 10 years probably . Not easy to get at the truth of the situation . Somehow he has an ID / NI number and votes in elections . Does it worry me ? That he could be snatched from the streets and deported ? We can document the relationship and I think a decent immigration lawyer could regularise his situation but it might be better if I were not still married and entered a civil partnership with him . So no , I ' m not wild about the situation but I ' ve got used to it and am not especially worried . 
Butt A Fly Boi . 	 Here is the poem I mentioned that I wrote flying home from DC , after an encounter with the world 's most handsome young man in an unspeakable den of iniquity in O Street . He was gorgeous , polite , coco - latte , V shaped torso and his body rippled . HE FLEW TOO CLOSE - BUTT A FLY BOISomewhere over Ireland Six hours since flew Long Island Below your home , your street Regret speech lacked in our meet I want to tell you something Of which I am not proud I want to tell you something I could not say out loud See I got to this conclusion After some confusion As I screwed you bruh ( collusion ) You offered me your life See you have an intense beauty And you offer me your booty Like a moth you burn your wings Your body grinds , your body sings See , you 're gonna lose the dying war By taking men you want full raw And I couldn't play a part in your demise So I left and drove the streets Jaded , wiser at such meets And getting home I lit a fire to thaw my shock I wonder , I know I should About the brother from the hood With a death - wish in his hungry needy eyes Well I hope you make it through I was hardly one of few But it touched me seeing butterfly in you . 
The Lebanese . 	 I ' ve seen little TV for a week , save a lesson from CNN on where LEB - AN - ON is . It even has a border with Israel apparently and a coast oh and those naughty Hizbollahs . I guess I should put the dance and shagfest weekend in Beirut on ice for another time . Shame really because despite my best mate 's detestation of Lebanese men , I think they are often hot chaps and wear great clothes . Oh yea , I like Arabs too did I not say ? I now know what is under the dish - dash . Think kilt and you are along the rights lines . Think plucked chicken and you have your average below - the - belt shaved Arab . I just love it when you talk Jihad to me while I am unable to talk at all . In Washington DC my hotel guest from NYC had the TV on much of the time as some sort of off - colour wallpaper . He would watch anything from Little Mo to weird films I ' d never seen but which he knew had grossed 125 m dollars and the sister of the lead actress had once had a poddle named Shirley . I think film bores need to get out more . My friend does indeed exhibit all the signs of lacking enough social discourse . I mean WHO but a sex - starved person tells you that sex happens in the public bathrooms of American shopping malls . Really ? With all those two - feet gaps at the bottom of the walls between cubicles ? Sex ? See now I ' ve got smutty but there he was having a wank on Sunday morning , hoping I ' d lend a hand when he said , do you ever think about going to the doctor and he wants to " make out with you " . Urghhh . Now we have come full circle , for the last time I heard that " make out with you " phrase was on a slip of paper given to me by a handsome young guy at an American airport . He claimed to be deaf and dumb . Oh please ! But I played along and he seemed happy with the reslut , sorry result . I ' m having trouble ending this entry so ..... ah gather your belongings time .. Fastenen seatbelts . Welcome to Britain : long queues at immigration , a long walk under the airport , tiny lifts , bored staff , a traffic jam and now sunshine . Too much of it . It 's right - Brits are whingy poms . xx . 
Love A Black Gay Man. 	 How To Love A Black Gay Man This long article needs some breaking up in the text , but it is worth persisting with . It helped me start to think about black and white gay couples . In the UK I see many straight interracial relationships too . It is possible that we are over - analysing motives and missing the attraction of difference . xx . 
Workplace encounter leads to Crabbie 's meditation on human violence . A very interesting night , and it began with my being offered a very interesting opportunity . I ' m going to have to be coy on that front , but it 's pretty exciting . Anyway , a story , though only tangentially cab related ... D . 's a cab driver who works the Felony Flats area , a part of town I also work with some frequency . I ' ll see him in the parking lot at the Fred Meyer on 82 nd & Foster , and we ' ll shoot the shit and bum each other cigarettes . He 's really tall , probably around 6 ' 8 " or 6 ' 9 " , white guy who was in the Army . I always figured he was about my age . He is , in fact , older . Talking to him today about how little either of us has enjoyed our past time on pain killers , he referenced being shot in the hip . I asked him where this happened , and he told me about his time in Somalia . Black Hawk Down is a very excellent book and one of the more amazing pieces of journalism written in the last decade ( much , much better than its jingoistic , " America , Fuck Yeah ! " movie adaptation ) , so I guess I ' ll just reccomend it in lieu of recounting most of D . 's story here . Suffice it to say that he had a lot of friends die on that day . Himself , he was stabbed four times in the back after his commanders sent him back into battle even after he ' d seen most of his platoon split up and killed or wounded . After being stabbed , the Humvee transporting him broke down , and he was shot twice in the hip while being carried on a stretcher . D . wasn't a Ranger , just one of the grunts sent in after them . When he got back from Somalia , he went AWOL for a year , distraught over the death of so many of his friends . He " lived in Montana and grew a beard , like Rambo , " then went back into the service for two years . Now he sleeps on a hide - a - bed with his girlfriend and doesn't make as much money driving a cab as he probably could . I ' d always kind of smugly taken this in with a " more money for me " attitude , but now that it re - occurs to me as I write this , I think I ' ll probably give him some pointers . I don't know what point I really have here - I ' m neither trying to say " war is hell " nor " God bless our fighting men and women . " Or maybe I ' m trying to say both . I just think it 's fucked up that people shoot and stab each other , basically . D . probably killed people while he was in Mogadishu , and people tried to kill him . This doesn't make him suddenly not one of the nicest cabbies I know , nor does it necessarily make the Somalis who were trying to kill him bad people . He raised this last point himself . It 's also sobering to me to realize that I ' m not interested in helping other drivers make more money unless a ) I like them and b ) they have some quality that makes me feel they 're deserving of my help . I heard Elie Wiesel on NPR tonight , before talking to D . , actually . I ' ve never been one of Wiesel 's biggest fans , but hearing him as opposed to reading him allowed to me to stop thinking of him as pretentious . He actually seems like an incredibly beautiful person . He said two things that struck me in particular , the latter of which I actually hurried to scribble down while driving on the freeway , given my fascination with stories and why they 're told : " Peace is not God 's gift to us , it is our gift to each other . " and " What else can we do today but tell the story , and hope the story itself becomes a prayer ? " I should add that this " D " is not the same as the one mentioned earlier . All cab driver names used in this blog are just the first initial of the first name , so there will be overlap and confusion . I guess that there are ways of remedying this , but I don't really care . 
Bloody Hummus , DMT , Peter Carroll and Wu - Tang . A wonderful night last night , everything I look for in a Saturday . This also means that nothing terribly exciting or amusing happened . I picked up a young , semi - conservatively dressed , white woman around my age at The Bloody Hummus House ( a house where the inhabitants throw shows , I ' ve seen friends play there and driven one of the people who live there before ) . We started talking , and only ten blocks before I dropped her off it came out that she was going to Mexico and Nicaragua to study with shamans . I asked her if she was going to be doing a bunch of ayahuasca while she was there , and she said that she was thinking about it but still very much on the fence . She then told me about doing DMT at a rave in Denver when she was 16 , and hallucinating blood that streamed down the walls and got in her pores . I didn't have time to give her my DMT soliloquy , but it 's a substance I ' ve always been fascinated by and thought a lot about , but never used . I ' ve always kind of figured that it 's something I ' ll get to experience when I die anyway . It was also a conversation I ' d already had with friends the night before ( I didn't work Friday , but instead went to see A Scanner Darkly ) . She paid with a credit card , and while it ran I asked her if she ' d read any Peter J . Carroll ( founding figure in the creation of chaos magic or , as he often calls it , " freestyle shamanism " ) . She said , no , and asked me to write down his name and some titles . As she was getting out of the cab , she asked what we were listening to . I told her that it was the first Ghostface album , and she got really excited and we had a nice 30 second conversation wherein she described The Wu - Tang Clan as " geniuses . " I guess my point in writing this is that I really love the fact that I live in a city where I can pick someone up at a place called The Bloody Hummus House , freely talk with them about extremely powerful hallucinogens and magic , and end the interaction with a bit of mutual Wu - Tang adoration . I guess this is actually many major cities , but it seems like the percentage of people that I can potentially have these conversations with , without the other person looking and acting like a complete fruitcake and fully believing in that stuff , is much higher here . It 's also probably a signal that I should have proposed to this woman , or at least given her my card , as we seem to think very similarly about similar thing . But she wasn't all that hot , and I guess that I ' m just shallow like that . 
Cheat Codes . " So where we headed tonight , sir ? " " Scanning ... " " Excuse me ? " " Scanning ... " " Sir ? " " 48 th Glisan . " The man I ' ve picked up at the bar around 67 th and Glisan is pretty dodgy looking , and speaks with the clipped tones of an autistic . He also seems pretty drunk . As I begin driving west on Glisan I punch buttons on the MDT , telling it that I ' ll be dropping off soon . " Let me put in the cheat codes , " he says . " Huh ? " " I can make it so we do an insane stunt bonus . " " No insane stunt bonuses in this car man , I lose points for that . " " How about flying ? I know the code that can make us fly . " " I ' m no good at the flying levels , and it 's a short trip . Let 's just drive . " " Scanning ... " This is by far the greatest Grand Theft Auto conversation I ' ve ever had . The idea of entering a cheat code into my mobile data terminal and being able to suddenly fly or magically evade the police is delightful . " Stop at the Plaid here . " I pull in so he can buy more beer , and then drive him home . " You should have let me enter the cheat codes , " he says . He tips me anyway . 
" Thank goodness you 're smart ! " . I get a call tonight to pick up at a non - existant address . I show up where it should be ( 8 th Alberta . As I ' m turning a block and a half away from the correct address , a strung - out looking white woman with stringy hair literally runs out in front the cab waving at me . I of course stop , and she tells me that she 's the person I ' m there to pick - up . " Thank goodness you 're smart ! " she says . Shen then tells me that she 's not from this part of town so she doesn't know the address . How being from a different part of town keeps her from reading numbers , I don't know . She then launches into a stream - of - consciousness ramble about how it 's good I was smart because that wasn't a good part of town for a white woman to be in ( not true ) , how much she likes my music , it 's Latin isn't it ? ( no ) Pig Latin , no Lebanese ( yes ) , she has lots of international friends , mixed bag , from all over , she grew up on an Indian reservation in Washington , do I know it ? ( no ) She used to be a drug addict , but not anymore ( unlikely ) , though she does drink ( obviously ) , but she learned that drugs are illegal the hard way so she doesn't do them anymore . She got in a lot of trouble in drugs once where she 's from in Canada , and it was serious enough that they could have taken her Canadian citizenship away even though she was born there ( um , no ) . Do I have a card ? ( hell no ) Do I have a personal number ( hell no ) . She 's only in town for a couple weeks and takes cabs to get everywhere , her estranged husband will pay when we get there . Wow , she likes my music . That wasn't a good part of town for a white woman to be in , all the white women she saw there were drug addicts ( ... ) . Here 's how to get to 14 th Yamhill ( incorrect , and thus disregarded ) . Oh , so you can go this way too ? Hold on ! She jumps out of the car and I just shrug to myself , for this woman to run would be keeping in complete character with the night so far . But to my amazement , her husband indeed does come from around the corner , and does in fact pay me . In keeping with my expectations at the beginning of the trip , there is no tip . I netted $ 5 an hour tonight . I could ' ve ridden out my shift and bumped that up to around $ 10 , but I decided to turn in early , something I ' ve never done before . Being able to do some packing for my upcoming move and get a good night 's sleep just struck me as being vastly superior to a work that , by 2 am was solidly entrenched as my worst ever from a financial standpoint . The thing is , when the back - up super handed me my slip for a car I absolutely hate , I came really close to handing it back to him , saying " thanks , but no thanks , " and not working tonight . Always trust your first instinct . 
Another boring night . Another night that was about as average as could possibly be , no titillating stories of note . Some Canadians asked about prostitutes , and I drove a Nigerian engineer at Intel who went on and on about how he hated working the same 12 hour graveyard shift as me , and expressed every social frustration I feel about my job . He didn't tip . My cab sucked : no City of Portland taxi permit , so I couldn't really work downtown ( which is not a big deal , as I often purposely avoid taking calls there anyway ) . In addition , this cab had no stereo , no Taxi Cam , and a broken driver 's seatbelt . Bad fuel efficiency , too . The lack of a radio wasn't as maddening as before , as I ' ve now largely adjusted to my reduced cigarette diet ( there 's no longer any point in referring to myself as having quit , as I seem to be averaging about .75 cigarettes a day in the past week and a half ) . Still , this was not a good car . All - in - all though , it was neither a good nor bad Friday . Just another night at the office . I ' d tell an old story to compensate , but I need to wake up in six and a half hours if I want to work tonight . 
Another Cabbie . You don't really know a man until you ' ve driven two hundred miles in his cab . After tonight I feel like I know R . R . is 72 inches tall and weighs 230 lbs . He 's almost 47 years old . He owns the day half of a Crown Victoria with a little bit more than 150,000 miles on it . The company owns the night half . This may very well mean that no one will partner with R . because of any number of potential personality defects , or it may simply mean that he 's not interested in owning a full cab and new night owners have just happened to buy into other ones . But R . 's cab is special . He has two labels posted on the instrument panel so that lease drivers can understand how special his cab is . It can only have Premium Fuel put in it , for one . There is also another label that reminds lease drivers ( who are well - known to be idiots ) to " Wash EVERY Shift . " Another special thing about R . 's cab is that the doors in the rear won't open from the inside , even if the child locks are turned off ( though he keeps them on , just in case ) . It 's just like a real cop car ! Isn't that neat ? You bet it is ! That he left the doors in this state after purchasing the car from the police is an indication that R . is : a ) incredibly paranoid about people running out on him without paying and / orb ) incredibly cheap and / orc ) really keen on being a gentleman and opening doors for people R . also doesn't like to be photographed . Another special feature of R . 's cab is that a rubber band holds a business card in place over the camera that points at the driver 's side of the vehicle . While crueler members of the readership may see R . 's picture and assume that this has something to do with R . 's haircut and / or mustache , it is more likely related to another special feature of R . 's cab - when you pull down the driver 's sunvisor to see if there are credit card slips ( there are not ) , you get hit in the head with a pack of Camel filters . The business card over the camera likely means that R . is paranoid about someone spying on him ( they aren't ) and catching him smoking ( for numerous reasons , they probably can't ) . It also means that R . probably does not understand how the taxi cam works ( which is not something I ' ll elaborate on in this space for numerous reasons , but it 's fairly simple ) . But despite several signs of paranoia , R . still likes life on the edge . This is attested to by the fact that his car doesn't have an air bag in it , and also by the dent and scrape up by the passenger side headlight . Further evidence of R . 's taste for life on the edge is found in his glove box , where he has a VHS tape labeled " Death Hunt 1981 Charles Bronson " that was likely recorded off the television ( or is in fact not " Death Hunt " , but instead pornography ) . R . is just one of the many wonderful people I work with , and after boring work nights I will perhaps start featuring more Profiles in Cab - driving . 
I Didn't Use the AK . Last night was just wonderful on every possible level , one of the nights when driving a cab brings true joy to both my heart and my wallet . But what made it so exciting is , again , a bunch of minutiae and / or a long story . So a story about a customer , then . My third to last fare was around 4 am , picked - up at a residence in Inner Southeast . I was beaming , nearing the end of a wonderful night , and asked the white woman in her late 20 s how her night had been . " Horrible , " was the reply . She tends bar during the daytime at Ladd 's Inn . Today , a man came in while she was at the back of the bar by their lottery machine . He handed her a lottery ticket , pointed a gun at her , and told her to take the ticket and give him all the money in the till . She did , $ 1200 . After dealing with the cops , she got shitfaced drunk , had a huge argument with her husband , and then found herself waking up on her friends ' couch . So she called us , shaken and needing to get back home to her family . Having a gun pointed at me is my greatest fear . It 's not something I think about often , not something that I could think about often ( or necessarily should worry too much about in this town ) , but I ' m in an extremely vulnerable position . I wear a seat - belt , and am often too busy monitoring traffic and the MDT to keep an eye on the person in the backseat . Hell , I even keep my rear view mirror in a position where I can actually see traffic , not the passenger . I could be cold - cocked , stabbed , or shot before I had the slightest idea of what I ' d like to occur . Of course , it would be monumentally stupid to do any of those things while I was actually driving the car , and I do take measures to protect myself and humanize myself as much possible . But none of that changes the ultimate fact that I spend my entire shift strapped into a seat with my back to someone , and that any of those someones could potentially be stupid , desperate , or greedy enough to come after me . I should note here , for the benefit of my no - doubt worrying mother , that I have yet to meet a cab - driver who 's been robbed . I ' ve spoken to a very few who ' ve had close calls , and one who had to deal with a guy who had a stun - gun . I trust my intelligence , my mouth , and my training , though . I have to , really . Anyhow , I gave the bartender a skate on the $ 12 - only the second time I ' ve happily and willingly done that for someone I didn't know . She insisted on giving me $ 5 , which , of course , I kept . 
A Good Story . Tonight I had a trip that exemplified the kind of boring story that 's fantastic to other cabbies : " I pick up an incredibly drunk Hispanic man at Exotica around 7:45 , and he wanted to go to Beaverton . " Nice , " I think . Then we get there , and he only has a hundred and a twenty , and it 's $ 36 on the meter . I can't change that this early in the night , so he goes up to get his friend . The friend offers me a $ 50 , but then they decide that they want to go back to Columbia Blvd to get the first guy 's truck . " Hell yeah , " I think , and get on the freeway . Then no , it 's 82 nd Division . Ends up being $ 73 on the meter , no tip , but who even cares at that point ? I gave them my card , but when they called back I was driving some douche who told me he was going to Tualatin , so I told them to call dispatch . Then the douche tells me to go to the Holiday Inn by the Airport , and we 're at 82 nd and Stark already , so it only ends up being a $ 18 with the tip . " This is almost a word - for - word account of what I told E . at the end of my shift after I bummed a cigarette from him ( I have decided that a single cigarette at the end of a Saturday night shift is permissible - I know , it 's a slippery slope ) . Mind you , neither of the Hispanic guys said much of anything or did anything crazy , and the Holiday Inn guy was also quite boring . Yet E . was rightly riveted , as this brief and unelaborate story covers almost all of the genres of shop - talk - at - the - garage stories : a good trip coming out of a place with a reputation for lousy ones , drunk people making unexplainable decisions , lots of money , not getting tipped , and a missed opportunity . This would have been the cabbie ur - story if one of the Hispanic guys had puked , the other had taken his pants off , and the guy who went to the Holiday Inn had run out of the cab without paying . 
Not on the List . I didn't work last night , I showed up at the garage too late and there were 28 names on the " extras " list - no cab for me . I could ' ve hung around for a few hours to hear this officially , and then been assigned a cab for Saturday night . This is what I normally do in such a situation , but I just took off today . That 's one thing about being a lease driver without a steady - you only work when you want to , but sometimes you want to and can't . C ' est la vie . I was a bit of a tease yesterday , so I might as well go ahead and tell the story about the woman who stiffed me . I picked her up out front of the trailer park at 84 th & Flavel , and she was pretty scary . White , mid - 20 s , shorts and a halter top . But her face , chest , and upper arms were covered in weird scabs . Like incredibly nasty acne , but not . Not psoriasis as I ' ve seen it before , but perhaps a variation , or extreme eczema . What I thought , though , was meth geek . She had me take her to some apartments by the Clackamas Town Center . Not a particularly good or bad fare - about $ 8 . On the drive there she told me all about how she works two jobs , one tending bar and the other as an R . N . at an Alzheimer 's hospice . Only gets 2 hours of sleep a night . And on top of that she 's got cancer . We had a pretty good and friendly conversation , given how depressing the subject matter was . When we got to the apartments , she told me that she ' d have to run inside to get the money , and that I could hold her credit card while she did so . I agreed , and she walked around the side of the building . I waited for five minutes , and began to get a bad feeling . Then I looked at the card she gave me . The first name was " Debrah , " and the name on the MDT and the name she ' d used with me was " Jessica . " I waited five more minutes ( I had a good comic book ) , gave up , and ran the card . Declined , of course . You be the cabbie : Identify my several mistakes ( both in judgment and in practice ) that could have either prevented this situation or mitigated its negative impact in lost time and money . 
A Getting Life . I would rather be ashes than dust ! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry - rot . I would rather be a superb meteor , every atom of me in magnificent glow , than a sleepy and permanent planet . The function of man is to live , not to exist . I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them . I shall use my time . - Jack London - miscelanea _ . 
playland . So I went to Playland with Mc D people and Nick . Despite the lack of organization and my anger towards a certain someone planning the event , I had lots of fun . Maybe not buckets of fun , but it was quite enjoyable . I went on rollercoasters with my fear of heights along with other rides . Hell I went upside down , twice ! Now if you recall my skiing trip back in Grade 8 , not once did I say " OH MY GOD ! WE ' RE ALL GOING TO DIE ! " Ok I lied , I did say OMG repeatedly , but that 's not the point . I , Alex , went on the Enterprise , that spins you at all angles . My poor knees . The first roller coaster ride , my legs were too long so my knees were scraped repeatedly . It was the first ride too ! The horror . 
all hail erin ! So who thinks the yearbook is ugly ? I DO ! It 's same every year . The yearbook class just puts the same people ( who are most likely themselves and their friends ) on all the pages . I thought it could ' ve been put together better . The misaligned font or the inconsistent pattern of styles for titles annoy the hell out of me . Another thing that annoyed me was the lack of organization the school did for this day . Like who puts it on a day where Grade 12 's have to take exams ? ! Or have signs made that are false . After four years at Centennial , the teachers , administration or whoever planned this , didn't think of how to logically hand out yearbooks and report cards . How sad . Or maybe it 's just the fact that I didn't get people I really wanted to sign it because they were off taking the Chemistry exam , which will be hunted down because I at least want to see them before we go off in our seperate directions . However one thing that made my day other than some of the comments I received would be this : Who would most likely become a dictator : Erin K . ( page 114 ) . 
buzz . So it 's a hot day . I go do my laundry and when I carry my basket of clothing to the sundeck to hang it up and dry in the sun , I see a couple of bees . Ya ok , so I hang up one shirt and then I see it . A fucking beehive ! ON THE SUNDECK ! What do I do ? Scream : OMG and run back into the house leaving my clothes vulnerable to the honey - making creatures . This beehive is like as big as a baseball and there were so many bees just coming in and out of it . So after a rescue mission for my clothes , my sister and I were able to retrieve them , but the beehive being there is sort of bugging me . I might take pictures ... 
" Eight Chapters " ( Chapter Four , Part 12 ) . " Eight Chapters " Chapter Four ( Part 12 ) Imagine you were an air traffic controller and you suddenly caught sight of a speck off in the distance of the radar screen . Now , if you knew it was nothing but the first appearance of a plane that was expected to show up , then you ' d clearly do nothing . But if it wasn't that , and the speck started to wiggle just a little bit perhaps , or to make some other awkward moves , then you ' d certainly keep your eyes on it . And if the wiggle widened after a while and was joined by another speck or two that wiggled also -- then you ' d undoubtedly take action . Because something was clearly going on there ; something was off . In much the same way , Rambam warns us to always be introspective : to " keep a steady eye on things " within -- on our inner screen . And to never " neglect a symptom " or a sign of something gone off - kilter and wiggling . And we 're certainly not to " allow it to fester to the point where we d need the strongest medicines available " -- the direst means -- to deal with it . He also counsels us , though , to always take appropriate measures when we notice something wrong about our personalities . In fact , we ' d be wiser yet to " avoid things that would harm our Spirit " in the first place , but we 're to at least " favor things that would either help treat it or prevent it from getting weaker yet " . For we 're to " constantly scrutinize our character while we 're healthy , weigh our actions , and gauge our dispositions every single day " -- that is , to keep our eyes on the screen all the time . And to then " quickly treat ourselves " when a glitch comes up , " rather than allow a bad disposition to develop " . And we 're to act just " as soon as we notice ourselves inclining toward one extreme or another " , that is , wiggling this way or that . After all , he warns us , " everyone has his flaws " . For as Rambam notes , it 's been said that it would be hard and hardly likely to find anyone with all the virtuous intellectual and character traits . And we 're taught that There is no one so righteous upon this earth who ( only ) does good and doesn't sin ( Ecclesiastes 7:20 ) . And that holds true of even the best of us , as we ' ll see . So as Rambam sums it up , " it s important to favor balanced actions and to only resort to an extreme in order to heal yourself or to counterbalance another , opposite extreme " , and that it 's likewise important to make sure that you don't come to that point . 
Tanya -- Ch. 4 , Part 4 . Nearly Everybody : The Inner Life and Struggles of the Jewish Soul ( Based on Tanya : Collected Discourses of R . Schneur Zalman of Liadi ) by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman __________________________________________ Ch. 44 . We re told , though ( parenthetically , quite ironically , and very esoterically ) , that its three garments of thought , speech , and action are actually more august and eminent than the G - dly spirit itself . But how could that be ? It comes to is this . We re taught that G - d and His Torah are one and the same ( Zohar 1:24 A , 2:60 A ) . Needless to say that doesn t mean that the Torah - scroll we might find before us is G - d ! All it implies is that the instruction ( hora ah in Hebrew , a cognate of Torah ) that we receive from G - d via His Torah -- that we do this or that , and avoid something else -- is at one with G - d since its derived from His very own will and wisdom [ 9 ] . So , while the G - dly spirit is indeed a part of G - d ( see ch . 2 ) , it s * only a part * -- and a detached and discrete one at that ... while G - d s will and wisdom , and hence the Torah that s derived from it and which we think and speak about and act out on , are an expression of His full Being ( see Likutei Biurim ) [ 10 ] . The implication is that at bottom it s the fact that the Torah and its mitzvot are so utterly unearthly that enables us to transcend our beings so . ___________________________________________ Notes : [ 9 ] And thus , when we grasp Torah , apply its mitzvot to ourselves , and cling onto the whole of it , we grasp onto G - d as well -- since He and it are enmeshed ( Likutei Biurim ; Shiurim Be Sefer Ha Tanya ) . [ 10 ] On another level , though , the G - dly spirit is indeed loftier yet than the Torah . After all , our people are said to be G - d s bride , hearkening to a deep and unique connection to Him . The solution offered for that paradox is that on its highest planes ( i . e . , on a Chaya and Yechida level , technically speaking ) the G - dly spirit is indeed loftier than the Torah , while its lower planes ( i . e . , its Nephesh , Ruach , and Neshama levels ) are in fact lower than the Torah ( Likutei Biurim ) . ( c ) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman ( Feel free to contact me at feldman @ torah . org ) ******************************** Rabbi Feldman 's translation of " The Gates of Repentance " has been reissued and can be ordered from here Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon " The Path of the Just " , and " The Duties of the Heart " ( Jason Aronson Publishers ) . His new work on Maimonides ' " The Eight Chapters " will soon be available . Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e - mail classes on www . torah . org entitled " Spiritual Excellence " and " Ramchal " . 
Ma ' amar Ha Geulah ( The Remembrance , Ch. 6 ) . Ma ' amar Ha Geulah -- " The Great Redemption " , a reworking of Ramchal 's " Ma ' amar Ha Geulah " Rabbi Yaakov Feldman 's series on www . torah . org __________________________________________________ " The Great Redemption " The Remembrance : Ch. 6 There ' ll come a point some time after this when G - d will lovingly say to the Moshiach , " Ask Me for anything and I ' ll grant it to you ! " But seeing Moshiach ben Yoseph lying dead on the ground , he ' ll only say , " G - d Almighty , I only ask the gift of life from You ! " -- that is , the ability to bring Moshiach Ben Yoseph back to life ( Sukkah 52 A ) . Ramchal informs us at * this * point , though , that Moshiach Ben Yoseph will come " from Edom in crimsoned garments " -- i . e . , garments stained with blood as a consequence of his battles , " from Bozrah " which is Edom 's great city ; that he ' ll be " glorious in His apparel " -- i . e . , in victory ; that he ' ll " march in great strength " ( Isaiah 63:1 ) ; and that he ' ll " trample upon the winepress " ( v. 3 ) and thus completely undo his opponents ( see para. 40 ) . Now , we ' d spoken about Moshiach Ben Yoseph in passing already , in connection with a number of battles our people will fight as the redemption progresses ( see " Exile " Ch. 5 ) , and we know that he ' ll be the ultimate Moshiach 's predecessor , but let 's learn more about Moshiach Ben Yoseph . First off it 's important to know that he isn't cited explicitly in any of the books of the Bible and is only known to us from oral traditions ( see Ramban 's Sefer Ha Geulah , Gate 4 ) . We 're thus taught there that he ' ll come upon the scene some 40 years before Moshiach Ben Dovid himself will , his name will be Nechemiah Ben Chushiel ; and that he ' ll gather the dispersed and reconnect individuals with their family - lines ( Pirke Heichalot 39:1 ) , build up Jerusalem and broaden the settlement of the Land of Israel , reveal the mysteries of the Torah , remove the unclean spirit from the land ( Kol Hatur 1:2 - 19 ) , reinstitute the service in the Holy Temple , and then establish his own kingdom ( Emunot ve ' De ' ot , Gate 8 ) . Ramchal will eventually discuss other things about him , too ( see para 's 49 , 51 , and 63 ) . ( c ) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman and Torah . org ( Feel free to contact me at feldman @ torah . org ) ******************************** AT LONG LAST ! Rabbi Feldman 's translation of " The Gates of Repentance " has been reissued at * at a discount * ! You can order it right now from here Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon " The Path of the Just " , and " The Duties of the Heart " ( Jason Aronson Publishers ) . His new work on Maimonides ' " The Eight Chapters " will soon be available . Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e - mail classes on www . torah . org entitled " Spiritual Excellence " and " Ramchal " . 
I ' d like to invite you to a wedding ... 	 Below you find a link for good story told by my Greek brother , Romanos . Though I didn't go to this wedding , it sounded like an interesting event , unusually orthodox for a wedding not blessed by the Greek Church . Oh well ... Check it out ! http : // cost - of - discipleship . blogspot . com / 2006 / 07 / big - fat - greek - wedding - not . html . 
The 9 th Sortie . 	 This past weekends ' venture downtown was quite unique and quite different . My partner in this labor , Romanos ( a . k . a . Norman ) , wrote a very descriptive entry on it . If you desire , please check it out on his blog : http : // cost - of - discipleship . blogspot . com / 2006 / 07 / ninth - sortie - with - word - of - god . html As always , I hope this helps to reveal the type of world we are currently living in , a world in desperation , yet , a world not knowing the good even when it is before them . Grace and Peace . 
An Israeli Novelist 's View of Christ . 	 We shall never get the future straight until we disentangle the past . To disentangle the past means to re - examine the trial of Jesus - myths woven purposely by our leaders around the greatest and most noble personality in history , only that we may not see and recognize the real Jesus . To us , my brethren , in this our day is given the privilege to reclaim the Christ we have lost for so many centuries . Has not the crucified Christ more than fulfilled the highest and noblest of our greatest prophets ? Is not he the incarnation of the essence of what the Law , the Psalms and the Prophets taught ? - Israel Zangwill , Novelist . 
Who is the brain ? Evolution is in short ; when species of plants or animals change over time to be better fit to changes in the environment they habitat . The change is possible due to a broad range of genetic properties inherited from the ancestors . Different environment and different requirements from the environment stimulates and develop , over time , the different genetically inherited properties . In other words , if I had been born in Ethiopia ( instead of Sweden ) and had had to run barefoot , 25 kilometres one way , to get to school everyday , my body would most likely had developed differently . Either my body had adapted to the running and used the genes making me slim and light , with two big lungs , brown skin to protect me against the sun rays and thick skin under my feet . Or if my body lacked these necessary genetic properties I might have stopped going to school or even worse died from sun burn , dehydration and exhaustion . Evolution can be slow , it takes quite some generations for the human body to adapt . If the environment changes to fast , we might not be able to catch up and we may die . On the contrary some insects may adapt very quick from one generation to another . That s why it has been so difficult for man to terminate insects we don t like , even if we have used strong poisonous chemicals . Or take the new dangerous bacteria s that are resistant to antibiotics . Evolution is interesting but it doesn t explain everything . For instance it doesn t explain where the first form of life started or where the first inherited genetic properties came from . Who was our first ancestor ? Why not Adam ? Many times evolution is described with storys about animals , like the fish who needed more food and had to develop the fins into legs to be able to climb up on the shore to get food . Or was it the Lizard who wanted more seafood and developed the legs into fins and the lungs into gills ? These are scenarios I and most people can picture and understand . Think about a tree instead . The tree stands in the same spot for 50 - 100 years . Every year it drops its seeds on the ground to multiply . Pretty soon there will be lots of tree - babies around the tree - papa / mama ( trees are asexual they multiply without having sex , or ? ) . If the tree is lucky , one of the seeds stuck on a bypassing animal s foot and gets a lift to a remote location which hopefully has enough soil to grow in . We all know that trees have no brains at all . But some trees have a smart solution to the problem being stuck at the same spot . They develop nice berries . And in the berries they hide the seeds . Then they lure the little birds to eat the berries and also the seeds . Then the birds fly 10 - 30 kilometres , in any direction and plant a new tree by passing out the seeds !! That is extremely smart isn t it ? Because these tress will be spreading faster over a larger area . But trees aren t smart at all ; they have no brain , have they ? Who is the brain behind this ? 
Do mixed couples fight less then not mixed couples ? My mother taught me how to cook Swedish cabbage pudding . I gave the Swedish recipe to my Chinese wife . She cooked it the Chinese way . She put in lots of garlic , some Chinese mushroom and seasoned it with light Soya and probably other secret Malaysian and Chinese spices . We ate it with rice instead of potatoes . It was the best cabbage pudding I ever ate . That is how our marriage works when it s at its best . We take the best from our different backgrounds , mix it and the outcome becomes new and exciting . When you get to know a person from a different ethnic origin it becomes obvious to you that it will not be possible to change this person to become like you . She is different and she will remain different , but you love and respect her that way she is . Being different on the outside , makes it easier to remember that we are different also on the inside Everybody is a bit ethnocentric , this because we all have a tendency to believe we have found the best way to do things , right ? A mixed couple has to be aware that they bring in different values , different traditions and different ways of doing things in to the relationship . Therefore mixed couples can t take for granted that everything will be done the way they are used too . Mixed couples has to be more sensitive and more willing to find out what their partner think and want to do . What do you think about that ? How do you want to do this ? should be commonly asked questions in a mixed couple s everyday life . So the key phrases that give mixed couples an advantage to succeed with their relationship are : - Not take things for granted . - More sensitive and more willing to accept differences . - Love and respect your partner the way she / he is . These three phrases can be successfully used by any couple , mixed or not mixed . But the awareness and motivation has to be higher already from the start in the mixed couple . The most delicate issue a mixed couple will have to deal with is how to raise your children . Everything you learned in your own childhood , by your father and mother , has shaped your view upon how to raise a child . It will all come out when you get your own children . It doesn t matter how many books you read , because your own childhood is there , in your spine . Having children can be a tough job . Little sleep and lots of worries will temporarily take you down to a level where skills you got from a book has vanished and the spine knowledge will kick in . You may hear yourself say and do things you never believed you would say , and you will hear yourself sound like your mother and father . Therefore there are questions you must take up with your partner before you have children . The questions are ; how were you raised and how do you want to raise and discipline your children . These questions are of course relevant to a not mixed couple too . When I started this Blog I had a vision to make the world more peaceful by teaching the world how mixed couples were successful in overcoming differences . I saw how mixed couples could be symbols as bridge builders over ethnic borders . A nice vision but I m not sure I believe in it anymore . But before I bury my vision I want to know what you think about it ? Do mixed couples fight less then not mixed couples ? 
Chopsticks VS Fork yes , we eat Chinese food with chopsticks and western food with fork and knife . Why do you ask ? The guy looked at me ; I could se his eyes rolling and hear the wheels spinning in his head . He asked : Why do you eat with chopsticks when you have fork and knife ? Followed by : Fork and knife is so much better than Chopsticks . Are they ? I asked back . He looked at the chopsticks in his hands and looked back at med and said : Isn t it obvious ? The guy was trying to make an understatement . Maybe something like ; aren t you aware that chopsticks are one step behind fork and knife in the evolution of human eating tools . First we used our hands , and then came chopsticks and on top of the chain there was the fork and knife . Eating with chopstick can sometimes be easier than eating with fork and knife . I said . The indignation increased . You can t seriously mean that chopsticks are more practical than fork and spoon . You can t cut with them and you must drop a lot more food eating with chopsticks compared to eating with fork and knife . I am serious I said . If you eat Chinese food , cooked the Chinese way , with the bowl lifted up in your left hand and the chopsticks in your right hand it can be very suitable and practical . Ha , you just say that because you are married to a Chinese he replied . No , I say that because I mean it I countered . Actually this guy was my nearest boss and I didn t like him very much . I enjoyed arguing with him . So I continued : Do you have a problem with that ? Now I really triggered him off . I think its so damn stupid , why can t people adjust to the customs in the country they live in . Why not accept the traditions and ways we have here in Sweden , is there something wrong with them ? " I waited some seconds to let his words sink in a bit deeper in our audience . Then I said : Tell me frankly ; if you meet a Chinese girl , you marry her and you move to China with here , would you give up eating with fork and knife ? He looked at me and realized I got him . Chopsticks VS Fork and Knife 1 - 0 . 
Send more black missionaries to Sweden . We need them ! Heard an interesting discussion on the radio today . The number of practicing Christians in the rich , white , European countries is decreasing . While the total number Christians is increasing in the world . The increase is taking place in a belt along the equator , around the world i . e . in Africa , Asia and South America . According to the reporter 2,5 Billion people are Christians in the world today . The reporter was introducing a thesis , that the rich western world had made themselves independent of God and Christianity . While the poor people in the developing countries still need God to get comfort . This Swedish reporter had probably not been to many countries around the equator and most likely not visited many churches in these regions . Because if he had , he had also known that these countries has big middle and upper - class and a lot of these not poor , and many times well educated people , are accepting Christ in the ongoing revival in these countries . I know , because I have been there and I was one of them ! There was a black African pastor interviewed in the radio program . He had been practicing in Sweden for some years . He told a story about how missionaries from Sweden came to his country and saved people , many years ago . How he was saved and later became a pastor . He had heard that Sweden was a Christian country . The first time he visited Sweden he was very surprised to find out , that the churches were almost empty . For some reason he had stayed on in Sweden . Now he is a Black missionary , in the white Christian Sweden . Interesting how things change over time , isn't it ? This black pastor was seriously suggesting that Sweden need a new revival . That today s modern white people will benefit from having a direct dialog with God . Isn't that tickling ? I Love pictures like this one : Send more black missionaries to Sweden . We need them ! I have been to the English service in a Charismatic Church in Gothenburg in Sweden . There they have black pastors from Africa . I promise you , it is a lot more fun to go there then to go to the Swedish service . Sorry guys , but we Swedes have become boringly self - sufficient and spiritless . 
Where are you from ? Interview with Samy 7 years old . Samy s Mother is a Malaysian Chinese and her father a native Swede . Question : Where are you from ? Samy : Mostly from Sweden a bit less from Malaysia . Question : Why is it like that ? Samy : Because I m born in Sweden and live here . Question : If you think of your brain , is it Swedish or Chinese ? Samy : More Swedish and less Chinese . Question : Why is that ? Samy : My brain is born in Sweden therefore it is more Swedish Question : And your body where is it from ? Samy : Mostly from Malaysia Question : Why more from Malaysia . Samy : I look more Chinese . It just happened like that even if I m born in Sweden . Question : And where does your heart come from ? Samy : As much Swedish as Chinese and Malaysian : Question : How do you explain that ? Samy : The heart is the same where ever you are born . Question : What is good in being half Chinese and half Swedish ? Samy : You become more beautiful and you learn to speak both Chinese and English . You learn to eat with chopsticks and you get to eat both Swedish and Chinese food . Question : Anything bad in being half Chinese and half Swedish ? Samy : No. Question : Have you ever been to China ? Samy : No. Question : Have you ever been to Malaysia ? Samy : Yes , my Grandma and Uncle live there and in Singapore . Question : Did anybody ask you where you come from ? Samy : Most people ask where my mammy comes from . Question : What do you answer to that question ? Samy : Malaysia . Quiestion : Has anybody asked if you are Chinese ? Samy : Yes. Question : What do you answer ? Samy : That my mother is from Malaysia . Question : Do you call yourself Swedish ? Samy : No , Malaysian and Swedish . Question : Why do you call yourself Malaysian and Swedish ? Samy : Because my mother is from Malaysia and my father is from Sweden Question : Is that important to you ? Samy : Yes. Question : Why ? Samy : Because it s the truth . Samy is a strong character . She is very sure of herself and very direct , but also very sweet and Lovely . Samy demonstrates in her answers that she is fully aware of her ethnic mix and double origin . She is actually in full control . As most kids in her age she shows strong loyalty to both her parents , none of them are favoured . She also makes a point that the truth is important . She is proud of being mixed though she indirectly saying that she is beautiful and she only sees advantages and no disadvantages with being mixed . Also note that food is important in Samy 's life , as it is in most Malaysians . Right ? Isn t that inspiring ? !! 
The Thorax Code . Once I heard a Stand - up comedian rip of the following story : God created woman from one of Adam s ribs . There is something wrong with this scenario , do you know why ? The skeleton of the human thorax has twelve ribs on each side . If God took only one of Adams ribs , from one of the sides of the thorax , there should be one short on one of the sides , shouldn t it ? I m counting my ribs before sleeping every night and try to understand how this makes sense . If man donated one of his ribs to create woman there should be one missing . So why didn t the guys writing the Bible think of that ? Did they just leave out some not so important details ? Were they too old and didn t hear so well , what God told them to write ? Did some pages disappear from the script during the long history of the Bible ? Or did they have something to hide ? My idea is that God actually took at least two ribs from Adam , one from each side . And if God took two , it s also possible that he took four ribs or six ribs , isn t it ? So , why would God take so many ribs from Adam and why could there be a reason for some Bible writers to hide that ? Remember that God saw that Adam was bored and God wanted to give Adam some company . God is generous and God is the master of diversity . So , why would God give Adam only one woman ? I suggest God gave Adam 6 women , one black , one brown , one red , one yellow , one white and one albino , all to make Adam happy . Now suddenly it make sense why we have different colours of our skin , doesn t it . God told Adam ; Go out and multiply . And yes , Adam did a great job , didn t he ? This could have been the problem for the Bible writers . Maybe they were all white men and maybe they all had a problem with Adam having such a good time fulfilling God s plan . Whatever you think and feel after this story I can tell you that the Stand - up comedian is a genuine believer and the story is made to provoke . Not only to provoke racists in general , but specifically racists within the Christian community itself . What do you think ; did the Stand - up comedian succeed with his mission ? 
What are we afraid off ? Why are swedish people in general so concerned that immigrants should get swedish as fast as possible ? Have the general swede ever asked himself the question ; do they want to become like us , do they want to become swedish ? Maybee they want to continue to be Malaysians , Ethiopeans , Americans etc ? Why is it so important to minimize the differences ASAP ? Does differences trouble us ? Are we afraid of differences ? If we are , what is so frightenning about differences ? The general swede would claim that he wants the immigrant to become swedish ASAP because it 's the best for the immigrant . We want the immigrant to become like us because we are so warmhearted and understanding . In a way it 's true because we know deep inside that it is difficult to not be a swede in Sweden . That is because of many reasons : The general swedes doesn't want to talk in english longer then 10 - 15 minutes . After 10 - 15 minutes the general swede gets tired and switch over to speak swedish . And that is of course not kind to the immigrant . The general swede is in general only interested to listen for 10 minutes about how society is managed in other parts of the world . The general swede believes that the swedish way is the best . After all we are one of the richest countries in the world . haven't had a war in 300 years , has one of the best social security systems in the world etc. We don't need to be interested in other ways . A swede look very satisfied after listening 10 minutes to a foreigners story if the story is about their terrible experiences of war and poverty . All these stories confirm to the swede that we are the best ! Of course we swedes should be proud of our country , we have a great country , we have done a lot of things right . But that doesn't exclude that there are other smart ways or even smarter ways of doing things and that does not necessarily mean that everybody coming here must become a swede - swede ? My idea is the opposite from the general swedes : Let the immigrants be what they are , Chinese , Polish , Portugese etc. Let the immigrants speak their languages so that their children learn and sweden become a country with lots of multilingual people . What a resource for Sweden ! Let the immigrants be different , think different , eat different , dress different , pray different , make love different , socialize different , sing and dance different , play football different , have different festivals . Let them maintain their traditions , stick to their roots as much as possible . I believe that will make every immigrant happier . I believe that will make the swedish society more dynamic and make it develop faster . I believe this will be a win win situation for everybody except the rasists that once again will be proven wrong . We swedes must understand that Sweden already has become a multi - ethnic , multi - lingual and multi - religous country . Most of us swedes have not undertood that yet . We must not be afraid of that , because it 's a huge resource for our country . We must learn to listen and not believe we are superior . Because if we do we will not be able to understand the resources we have . Or to give you an image to illustrate this : We swedes cannot continue to send immigrant groups to places in sweden where we have lots of apartments but no jobs . Thats all for today folks . 
Why is diversity good and what does God have to do with it ? Everytime I take a walk in the forest and give myself a moment of reflection I get stunned by the enormous variation of life forms nature is offering . When I look around , on the ground or up the crown of the trees , there are so many plants , insects , birds , reptiles and mammals ( including me ) . And they ( we ) are all acting together in a complex ecological system . It 's difficult to not be impressed . Back in the forest I feel God 's presence very strongly . I cannot believe that what I see is just coming together by a long chain of millions of coincidences . It must have been engineered by someone . Why do so many people have a problem imagining that there is a intelligence more powerful than man ? In the forest I ask myself questions like : Why did God create thousands of different species of insects ? Why did God create thousands of different species of micro - organisms ? Hadn't it been enough with 5 species of insects and 5 species of micro - organisms ? Why do all those different species have to compete all their lives with other species about who 's going to survive ? Maybe God 's plan was that the more variations of species he made , the stronger would life itself withstand any kinds of threat . By letting the species always compete they would always be fit to handle challenges or changes in their surrounding environment . And those who didn't ...... Maybe God 's simple tactics is diversity and competition to make sure the strategy for his creation would be fullfiledl . The creation is life and the strategy is let life survive . I don't know , but Darwin came to a similar conclusion , didn't he ? In nature diversity is a guarantee for life survival . Diversity can never be wrong . The more variations of thinking there are , the more solutions to a problem will be created . The more insights a man has , the faster he will analyze a situation . The best analyzing and problemsolving will make a winner in a competitive situation . Only the best wins ! The fittest survive ! Being raised in a multiethnic family , my children get a lot more input than I did , growing up in a monoethnic family . My children get a mix of Chinese and Swedish upbringing , they get insights into both ways of upbringing . They get two languages . They have roots in two different countries , cultures , religions and histories . They have families in two different parts of the world . Will they get a wider perspective ? Will they be more creative ? I don't know but I hope they will and I believe there is a great chance that they will . I ' m aware there is a lot more needed to make children happy , independant and creative . But in this log I focus on diversity . That 's all for today . 
This is my first posting and where to begin ? I have a reason for this Blog . I want to create a network strengthening the diversity of mankind . Why am I so passionate about this issue ? There could be many reasons . One is of course that I ' m married to a woman with a different ethnic origin then me . She is from a Chinese family , grew up in South East Asia and moved with me to Sweden after marrying me 8 years ago . I was a typical swedish spoiled kid growing up in post II : nd World War Sweden during the sixties and seventies . Another reason fueling my passion for diversity is of course our four children who were born in Sweden but look half chinese and think partly chinese . A third possible reason is probably that I was priveledge to live and work 3,5 years in South East Asia , in a multi cultural , multi religious , multi lingual and multi ethnic society . Over there I was the immigrant , an experience with two dimensions : Dimension 1 : Being looked upon as a stranger , intruder and an alien . Being segregated from society . Not understanding everything that is being said etc. Dimension 2 : Got some healthy distance to Sweden and looked upon my home country from the outside with different eyes . A fourth reason could be that I ' m deeply concerned about young people who associate themselves with groups of rasists and take out their disappointment and need for revenge on people they are afraid of i . e . people that look different , think different and act different . In Sweden we have two good words to describe these two opposites : M ngfald = manifold , diversity Enfald = monofold , also means stupidity in swedish I can't find the word monofold in the dictionary . This word may therefore be my first contribution to the english language . What is my vision ? " People who fell in Love and crossed over ethnic borders unite . We and our children are the living examples that the rasists are wrong . Mixed blood is not wrong , mixed races are not against nature . Mixed culture , religion , traditions is the mirrorimage of the world . And we who live with it daily , in our families , prove that differences can be overcome , can make life more exciting and also be the dynamics of further positive evolution . If we can handle it the world could handle it . Love Across Borders is the answer . " Note : I dont ' t think it 's wrong to build families within our own race . This is not to advocate people to engage in interracial relationships . My point is that interracial families , with their children , prove that relationships across the ethnic borders can work out as well as and sometimes better than relationships within the same race . It is of my interest to know how these interracial relationships work . I believe these experiences and this knowledge could be used in building a better world . Finally I want to explain why I write under a pseudonym . In Sweden we have small groups of people who like to throw stones and Molotov Cocktails into peoples homes . My name is unique i . e . there is only one person in Sweden with my name . All U need is to search my name in the national phone directory on the internet and Swiiiiisch we may have a " cocktail party " in our hands . I prefer a glass of white wine or a beer . That 's all for today . 
Enter the Kingdom Jesus looked around at his disciples and said to them , " How hard it will be for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God ! " The disciples were shocked at these words but Jesus went on to say : " My children , how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God ! It is much harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle . " At this the disciples were completely amazed and asked one another , " Who , then , can be saved ? " Jesus looked straight at them and said , " This is impossible for men , but not for God ; everything is possible for God . " Mark 10:23 - 27 Entering the Kingdom of God is a far thing from dying and entering the pearly gates . To enter the kingdom is to become a son of the Most High in spirit and in truth . The Kingdom is now and is near , in our hearts and in our mouths . We enter by faith , many times driven by our poverty and need . That is why Jesus said , " Blessed are the poor in spirit , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven , " and " How hard it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God ! " We enter as children , receive as children at the first . 
It 's not about me . Faith is God - centered . It 's not about me . God 's promises ARE to the church and especially to me , but His promises have nothing to do with my opinion ! Pride asks the question , " Am I right ? " Humility says , " Lord , as you command so will I do . " Humility requires divine renewal - it is impossible to do anything good except that our Lord empower us to do it ! We never act out of our morality . Only by love for God shall we act . 
Faith and Being Right " Abraham believed God and it was credited to his account for righteousness . " Romans 4:3 Believing is something far beyond opinion . Belief takes a statement into the realm of something like a physical law . It goes beyond argument . No one gets offended if someone challenges the existence of gravity . Our faith is very much like that . When God shows us something in His Word our job is to treat that TRUTH as absolute truth . It 's beyond argument . There 's no reason to even discuss the possibility of God 's Word being wrong . God is the great I AM . He is the highest reality . So why all this anger and fighting when someone disagrees with me ? It 's completely out of character for a son of God . I am a man of peace in Christ . My job and only motive is love . There is no room for arguments . It 's not about being right . 
The House of Wisdom in Proverbs 24:3 - 4 Amplified Bible : Through skillful and godly Wisdom is a house ( a life , a home , a family ) built , and by understanding it is established on a sound and good foundation . By knowledge shall its chambers of every area be filled with all precious and pleasant riches . Insight : Think of Jesus statement in Matthew 7:24 - 27 . The Sermon on the Mount is the best example of pure and Christ - like wisdom in the Bible . Insight : A life , a home , and a family are built of wisdom . Wisdom is the stones that make up the organization of actions and ideas that form any of these items . Insight : Understanding is the art of grasping and intimately engaging knowledge . Paraphrase : Wisdom makes the building blocks of an indestructible life . Understanding puts them together securely . Use knowledge to fill the rooms with precious treasure . Faith Confession : I build my life out of God s wisdom and make the foundation out of understanding . I use knowledge to fill every room with precious treasure . 
The Bountiful Eye in Proverbs 22:9 New International Version : A generous man will himself be blessed , for he shares his food with the poor . Insight : He who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed The bountiful eye contains the idea of someone whose outlook is positive , one who expects good and prosperity . This optimism leads him to share with the poor . He sees no reason to hoard , because he expects good ! See Jesus teaching in Matthew 6:19 - 34 , Mark 10:17 - 31 , and Luke 6:38 . Paraphrase : The man who sees the world through agape - hesed - covenant love will be blessed because he is always giving . Faith Confession : The Lord is my only source and provider . He always provides too much for me to keep it all to myself . I am a giver and because I m a giver men are always giving to me . 
Chasing Faith and Love in Proverbs 21:21 New Living Translation : Whoever pursues godliness and unfailing love will find life , godliness , and honor . Insight : The word for Godliness in the Hebrew is the word that means righteousness . Our righteousness comes by faith , so we as Christians pursue faith to become godly . Insight : Unfailing love is hesed in Hebrew the same word translated as agape in the New Testament . Hesed is the love God has for us under His covenant . Faith Confession : I chase down faith and agape - hesed - covenant love and find eternal life , justification , and glory . 
God is Smarter than Me in Proverbs 22:4 New Living Translation : True humility and fear of the LORD lead to riches , honor , and long life . Insight : True humility is seeing myself through God s eyes . I am no more and no less than what He says I am . Insight : The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom . When we reverence God we acknowledge His supremacy and choose to walk according to His expressed desire . Faith Confession : God s view of all creation including me is absolute truth and leads to joyful wealth , significance and glory , and eternal overcoming life . 
Wednesday Knock Around . Busy times these days around Casa - de - TTUTri . Between work stuff , home stuff , training stuff , and all the other stuff that pops up I ' ve barely had time to relax . This past weekend was awesome . Saturday , I did 40 miles around Georgetown Florence and finished out the day with a cookout with my riding buddies . Sunday - Tour de France , baby . It was a lot of fun watching the final stage . M is absolutely clueless about this race . I spent the better part of two hours trying to explain it all - then I realized : " How twisted am I that I DO understand all this stuff ?? ! ? " Isn't addiction great ? This week has been busy . I ' m deep into week 2 of 3 build weeks in my training plan . Let me just say WOW . I haven't worked a plan this aggressive before and it is really challenging me . Hopefully , this work will result in some good times at the Prairieman Half in September . Tomorrow the real fun starts for the week : 90 minute tempo run followed by a short ride . So far so good - I ' m still really enjoying the varied workouts . On the down side my nutrition and weight are all over the map . I ' ve picked up about 8 pounds ( !! ) since BSLT and it 's been a struggle to get them back off . Pizza and cookies are NOT helping . Looks like I ' ll have to start tracking calories again . Guh , I really hate doing that . I signed up for Jack 's Generic Triathlon the other night . I know , I know . Overload ? Maybe . I now have 2 races during the first week in September . A sprint and a Half IM . Pair that racing schedule with all the craziness you can possibly imagine in my personal and professional lives scheduled for that week and suddenly I have a very full schedule . It 's all about balance right ? On the horizon , I have 2 big things in the pipeline . # 1 - my first century ride . In the next couple of weeks I ' ll be signing up for the Round Rock Outlaw Ride in October . I did the 100 K course last year , this year I ' m challenging myself to finish the century ride . # 2 - Round Rock Fit . That 's marathon training baby . I have my sites set on a sub 4 - hour marathon finish next February . It 's just about time to get REAL serious about running . See ya out there ... 
The best tri story ever . We all have our war stories from the field of battle . I dare to say this person will top every single one you have ever had . Read on ... I must meet this person . See ya out there ... 
Training recap . Yes , oh , Yes. I ' ve been training . I took advantage of a quiet week at home to really dive in deep to my training plan . Normally , I tend to customize the heck out of the plans I find on the web to suit my taste . This go around , however , I ' ve decided to try to stick pretty close to the plan and see how I do . So far , so good . Tuesday night I did a 60 - ride / 30 - run brick in the heat of the afternoon . I was extremely dehydrated at the end . I even had the chills - it was a little scary . The humidity was killer and I was sweating way more than normal . This actually turned out to be a pretty good exercise . I actually knew I was going to get dehydrated , but I pressed on anyway just to see if I could take note of how my body responds . I know now what to watch for and I think I even may now know some how it feels to go through several stages of dehydration and how it felt to rehydrate afterward . It takes more than just drinking . Wednesday was an off day - which was good because I spent the whole day recovering . I also stopped off at Run Tex and picked up a new fuel system for my longer workouts . I decided on the Ultimate Direction Access Plus . I was looking for 2 specific features and came away with that and a bonus . First , I need a BIG bottle . The Amphipod I have is great for shorter distances , but tends to come along for the long part of the ride on my long runs - meaning the bottles are completely consumed within the first 1 / 3 of the workout . Also , there is a terrible design flaw that makes me a little worried about relying too heavily on it . I need something that can keep up on 9 - 15 mile runs . Second , storage . I need room for a cell phone , gels / shot bloks , mp 3 player , etc. This system had both , and an additional gel flask ! Thursday started off with a 90 - minute run . I got up early to eat and drink . Then , loaded up the UDAP with all the necessities . I was back before 6:30 AM . It was humid and hot - but I did manage to run a nice RPE 3 pace and still have energy for a strong RPE 5 pace for the last 15 minutes . I was rewarded with a nice sunrise at the end . Thursday afternoon I hit the pool for a recovery swim . I ' ve been swimming in the afternoons at the LTF outdoor pool . It sure does beat the ball - numbing water temp at 4 AM in the indoor pool . I so needed a break from that nightmare . The change up is showing in my swimming , I ' ve turned in 2 - 3 second faster splits on each workout . I like to see that . The other change up is that I ' m closely following the swim workouts prescribed in the plan . I ' ve never done that before , but it provides some interesting brain food while I ' m swimming . I like it . Tonight , I ' m planning on another long swim at the outdoor LTF pool . Then , I start making preparations for what is shaping up to be a Td F weekend ! Saturday morning I ' m riding with a whole cast of characters for about 2 hours or more . Yes , Party Pat , is scheduled to appear ! After the ride , I ' m going to go on a quick 30 - minute run to finish out the brick . Saturday night we 're meeting up for a BBQ and ( what I hope ) turns into a Td F time trial viewing party . On Sunday , I ' m planning to watch the finish on TV and round out my off day with a nice nap . So , chances are we ' ll be out on Parmer again this weekend . Comment / E - mail me if you want to join in . See ya out there ... 
Greatness . I ' m sitting here watching the evening replay of the Tour . They keep talking about how Floyd Landis turned in an epic ride today that will be remembered for a long time . It got me thinking about Julie Moss 's finish of the 1982 Ironman . Isn't it amazing how one single act can inspire thousands ? I can already forsee Parmer road packed with cyclists this weekend . Every year I seem to notice more cyclists on the roads during the Tour - trying to connect to that energy that drives those men over the french mountains . After Lance won , they seemed to come out of the woodwork . I wonder if a Landis win will do the same ? For many sports nuts , their interaction with the sport is done through the television . For others , it means finishing in the middle of the pack during an occasional race . One of the coolest things of triathlon is sharing that course with the pro 's , marveling at their wins , and , still , sharing in their appreciation of the sport . See ya out there ... 
Baby Update . Shifting gears into being a proud papa ... M is approaching week 17 of pregnancy ( or is it 18 -- or 19 ?? , I get confused ) . Wow , time flies . In following the footsteps of any good product lifecycle , we have codenamed the baby - " BABY # 2 " or " B 2 " . We went for another check up on B 2 last week and M got some tape of the heartbeat . I listened to it with T and posted the audio . Pretty cool stuff . ( Click here to listen . ) We also made " THE " appointment . You know , the one where we find out if we need to buy a blue bike or a pink bike . I ' ll be happy with either a boy or a girl , but I ' m ( not so secretly ) pulling for another boy . Most importantly we pray for a happy and healthy Baby # 2 . We ' ll find out more on August 4 th . Stay tuned ... The doctor makes a DVD video of the ultrasound . I ' m still working on a way to You Tube it . After the August 4 th appointment , things will kick into high gear on the baby front . We ' ll start renovating the guest room and turning it into another nursery . Paint , Trim , Colors , Bumpers etc. - all the important stuff the determines the future existence and mental stability of our newborn . See ya out there ... 
Happiness is ... It 's absolutely crazy out there in the world folks . If you have no idea what I ' m talking about , switch on CNN for 10 minutes . I feeling pretty thankful for the life I have . Just a few notes to ( hopefully ) lift our spirits ... Congrats to the Kahuna and all others who raced the weekend . Congrats to Carrie on her big announcement . Congrats to Hunter Kemper . 1:49:44 = $ 200 K . Nicely done . The ride today had a great turnout ! Two of us ! Including me . I met a great dude from the BT boards and we road about 30 miles . We have a ton in common - both have young kids about the same age , both have another one on the way , training , swimming at LTF , training background , etc , etc , etc. Cool times . And finally ... Happiness is being a triathlete and knowing you ' ll use all 5 bottles of gatorade you bought at the store . This . Week . See ya out there ... 
My post for St. Anne 's Day 2005 . Rejoice O glorious Matron , for thy prayers are heard ; thou hast borne the Mother of all our hopes , the Mother of Jesus . Alleluia . The fruitful stem of Jesse blooms ; Behold the modest blossom rare ! Anne to the world the Virgin gives , Who God 's eternal Son shall bear . Long wrapped in darkness , man may now Uplift his eyes , and see the day , And in the arms of Anne perceive The promised morning 's earliest ray . Such fervent prayers her spirit breathed , Such holy yearnings filled her breast , She merited to bear the Maid That bare the salvation 's Author blest . To God , eternal Three in One , High praise for blessed Anne we yield ; May he , when earthly days are run , In death 's dread hour his children shield . Amen . O God , who didst vouchsafe to give grace to blessed Saint Anne that she might be worthy to bear the Mother of thine only begotten Son : mercifully grant that we who rejoice in the observance of her feast day , may be her intercession find favour in thy sight . Through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord , who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost , ever one God , world without end . Amen . - All from the Anglican Breviarysorry - I ' m lazy . PLUS , an addition from the Sacristan : Hymn Hail Mother of Mary , O gracious Saint Ann . God 's Marvelous Choice from the whole race of man . O Good Saint Ann , Saint Ann pray for us . O Good Saint Ann , Saint Ann pray for us . Sweet Child of election , deemed worthy to bear . The Virgin of virgins , Christ 's Mother most fair . O Good Saint Ann , Saint Ann pray for us . O Good Saint Ann , Saint Ann pray for us . Look upon our sorrows , give ear to our plaint , Behold our afflictions , O powerful Saint , O Good Saint Ann , Saint Ann pray for us . O Good Saint Ann , Saint Ann pray for us . 
Marian Poetry of Thomas Merton . Duns Scotus - Written in 1947 Striking like lightning to the quick of the real world Scotus has mined all ranges to their deepest veins : But where , oh , on what blazing mountain of theology And in what Sinai 's furnace Did God refine the gold ? Who ruled those arguments in their triumphant order And armed them with their strict celestial light ? See the lance - lightning , blade - gliter , banner - progress As love advances , company by company In sunlit teams his clean embattled reasons , Until the firmament , with high heavenly marvel Views in our crystal souls her blue embodiment , Unfurls a thousand flags above our heads - It is the music of Our Lady 's army ! For Scotus is her theologian , Nor has there ever been a braver chivalry than hisprecision . His thoughts are skies of cloudless peace Bright as the vesture of her grand aurora Filled with the rising Christ . But we , a weak , suspicious generation , Loving emotion , hating prayer , We are not worthy of his wisdom . Creeping like beasts between the mountain 's feet We look for laws in the Arabian dust . We have no notion of his freedom Whose acts despise the chains of choice and passion . We have no love for his beautitude Whose act renounces motion : Whose love flies home forever As silver as felicity , Working and quiet in the dancelight of an everlastingarrow . Lady , the image of whose heaven Sings in the might of Scotus ' reasoning : There is no line of his that has not blazed your gloryin the schools , Though in dark words , without romance , Calling us to swear you our liege . Language was far too puny for his great theology : But , oh ! His thought strode through those words Bright as the conquering Christ Between the clouds His enemies : And in the clearing storm and Sinai 's dying thunder Scotus comes out , and shakes his golden locks And sings like the African sun . From the Mary Archive . 
UGH ! , or , an update on my boring life . It 's so freakin ' hot here . Oh man . And gas is at $ 3.05 if you can find a cheapo gas station . Argh ! And I didn't get the little tiny but nice apartment I really wanted . CURSES !!! So now The Great Apartment Search 2006 continues . I ' m looking at a place tomorrow that , a few years ago when I moved to this area , I would have NEVER considered walking past at night , much less living in . But it 's gotten much better , the newish landlord having evicted about 80 % of the residents in the last nine months and adopting a strict policy against shady dealings , if you know what I mean . I ' m not looking forward to it , but it 's cheap , and the landlord seemed to like the idea of a respectable young chap like myself ( haha ) living there . Other than that , people just don't call me back . If you know about any apartments for rent in Westminster , Maryland , USA , please let me know . I ' m getting a trifle nervous . In vocational news , my manager at Blockbuster thinks I ' m the best thing since sliced bread ( for some reason - I ' m not exactly a star employee when it comes to managing money ... ) . She 's even started bringing leftovers in for me to eat and given me a dollar raise and a semi - promotion after only a month . I got lucky . I am , though , having the worst time counting money . I mess it up every time . Counting the drawers at the end of the night and counting the safe and such isn't my cup of tea . I dread the thought of it . But as an assistant manager , I ' ll have to do it sometimes , and this week I ' ll have to do it about 5 times . Shoot me now . Now back to formatting cover letters and despairing over my impending homelessness ... Meh ! Our Lady of Mt . Carmel , pray for us ! Our Lady of Mt . Carmel , pray for the Holy Land ! 
Boasting is a sin , but who cares ? St. Benedict , Feastday July 11 I ' d just like to inform the public that my undeniable coolness has recently reached whole new levels by the fact that I ' m on someone 's list of heroes on the person 's My Space profile . I ' m also quoted dozens of times on Instant Messenger and Facebook profiles . My awesomeness knows no bounds , apparently . In other news , there is some progress in the Great Hunt for an Apartment 2006 . Going to look at a few today , and I hope to talk to a friend who has a tip for me to follow up on . I might go to the Baltimore County Fair today , which is in Timonium somewhere . Two friends have farm animals there doing whatever one does with farm animals at fairs . ( Judge the prettiest ? ) Now back to more useful endeavors . 
The Fireside Chat with The Rector is back ( again ... ) See the links in the sidebar . I wasn't amused by his seeming affinity for the state of Texas , the Israeli military , etc. Too bad all the cool people turn out to be not " traditionalists " but merely Republicans . So sad . This whole ECUSA / TEC thing would be absolutely HILARIOUS if it weren't true . But it is . And therefore it sucks . 
........ heh . Memphis is pathetic . you say or write one little thing , and they go apeshit . truly pathetic . haha ! can't do anything . why did i ever like this place ? why do i want to keep a place here ? hehe . I AM MEMPHIS . I AM NEW YORK . GO EAT SHIT AND DIE . HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH ! you wanna do this ? go do the Hannibal Lechter inside 9 / 11 ( a bit not too possible at this time , and hopefully never again ! ) . or perhaps The Firm , but the other side of it : the side that sucks : the one that requires clocking in and clocking out and telling people to fuck off and die and see horrible things in the Big City and get kicked around ' til nothing hurts anymore ( it need not be physical ) . Hey ! You ! I can't say I hate Memphis cause I don't live here ? GO FUCK YOURSELF . you wanna steal something from me or something ? I live in Memphis and New York . TRY on that for size , and go run back to mamma in the trailer park while you 're at it . Hey ! NEW YORK ! actually , New York 's always been nice , but perhaps not for much longer ; - P . Not everyone . I ' m a native son . * walking the yellow pages * . 
.......................... distracted for a bit . sorry folks , you go too far on the wrong side , i ' m not taking you back , that 's like me eating my own shit . disgusting . flying to nyc tomorrow afternoon . packing . 
.......................... distracted for a bit . sorry folks , you go too far on the wrong side , i ' m not taking you back , that 's like me eating my own shit . disgusting . flying to nyc tomorrow afternoon . packing ( luggage ) . 
sorry , brian . sorry , brian , i haven't been carted away . i would have been by now . i live right next door . i ' m not a goddamn commie . get the hint already and get your Master 's degree and go get some analyst job . 
haha ! weak fools ! because you 're so pampered , regardless of your material circumstances or mine , you really do think that certain experiences and seeing and feeling certain things make a person sick , or ill . they don't . you 're just useless . flabbergasted , annoying fools . let 's not start categorising one experience as worse than another . that ' ll just hurt everybody . but THOSE PEOPLE ? ! ugh . so weak that they create evil and keep it going to the hilt , and with your heart and mind . sorry , that 's not what i do . 
........ HAHA ! i don't have an American flag anyway ! so i can't burn one ! and be thrown in prison as if though we were living in NAZI FUCKING GERMANY ! my flag ? it 's this country . ( stupid bitch , i ' m not burning anything down . fucktard . ) so FUCK YOU ! ( i ' m not sure who that one is specified for ) . ----- must have been the Turandot on the i Tunes , IT REALLY PISSES ME OFF EVERYTIME I HEAR IT ! 
.... ok , fine , i know , gay guys like me are the kind of people that women are supposed to look out for , NOT FORCE INTO GETTING RAPED EMOTIONALLY AND PERHAPS PHYSICALLY BY A BUNCH OF WOMEN WHORE WANNABE 's . AND A BUNCH OF GAY MEN THEMSELVES . thanks , a lot , America . brought my parents here to use their labor . and then they are powerless . and then one turns against me . and there you go . pretty fucking compassionate bullshit conservatism . i told you so ! didn't i say at harvard , " Compassionate Conservative ? Isn't that an oxymoron ? " I meant it as a joke ! I said it to a friend ! It was banter ! FUCK YOU AMERICA ! ugh . now i ' ll calm down . I HATE YOU ! AND THINK ABOUT THIS BEFORE YOU CALL ME A FUCKING GODDAMN HITLER ! HE didn't communicate and give people a chance to prove his ideas otherwise , NOW DID HE ? ! i really don't know . but I HAVE ! SO LET ME FUCKING WHINE ! STOP ? STOP WHINING ? NOTHING WOULD HAVE GOTTEN BETTER IN MY LIFE HAD I NOT STARTED SENDING THOSE CRAZY E - MAILS IN BROOKLYN , NOW WOULD THEY ? ! ? ! ? ! ?? ! ? ! ? !! ?? ! ? ! ? !! ?? !! ? ! ? NO ! ugh . okay , i ' m calmer now . jeezus . 
remembering . when I was in the dorms ( Carman Hall ) at Columbia U . i ' d often look out onto the Manhattan skyline ( i was on the 13 th floor facing south ) .... the feeling was : looking at something so distant , yet so beautiful and so loved . that was the feeling I had for the whole Fall Semester of 1996 . everywhere I went . same I felt all over New York that semester . the spire of the Empire State Building was lit in red lights sometimes , others green , others blue .... though when I walked the streets of Manhattan , or took the subway , I ' d have to grimace and scowl . don't know why . i just did . in class , i felt i had to act bored . ( which i was in many cases , but when i wasn't , i still had to act bored ) . Winter Intercession 1998 to Fall 1998 Semesters at Hofstra : felt more like a giant fraternity house . in the sense that , it felt like M. U.S. , except with Long Island Italians and Jews everywhere instead of Southern folk , and with females . ( no buddy , that 's for YOU ! ) jesus christ ! what do i have to do ? ! ? ! ? ! paint myself in a fucking rainbow ? ! ? ! ? ! UGH !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hey CUNT ! stab yourself with a knife already . i hate femininity , you 're just as responsible for discrimination against gay men as the hypermasculine straight male who has been hurt too much already to see the pain he 's causing others . i am far from alone in this analysis . it 's funny , we would think this should be a statement all agree with : " Be respected for yourself . Respect others for themselves . " strangely , it is not . 
i ' m a different person . i ' m a different personthe Andy you knew , he 's not here anymore . he was naive , guilt - ridden , and too loving for his own good and within the wrong context , is what I mean ( that 's not a sexual orientation term , so sorry girls , i know your pussies are wet , but i ' m not available ) haha ! just kidding . seriously kidding . i ' d rather chop off your boobs to get cock than eat you out . was that funny ? i wish i didn't have to write that . Andy loved you and you killed him for it . and yes , he died . ( someone get the hose and / or the fire extinguisher , someone 's taking that last statement WAY too far ..... ) no , Andy , the one you joked with and belittled , and you loved him that way , is dead . beginning March ( actually a little before ) .... February , even ....... Andy began to leave for home , and someone took his place , to protect him , and prevent what happened to him from ever happening to someone else in the same context that was once Andy . And it started branching out from there . Well , someones . But in Andy 's body now is someone else than you knew before . i remember when i first noticed it . i was driving to the Walgreens on Poplar and Estate ( near the International Paper buildings ) , and as I was talking with the pharmacist , I understood , that I was protecting Andy and was not Andy . same body . a bit hotter . more intelligent . still loving as ever . but can be mean as all hell . perhaps , Andrew Cruz , is what you should call me from now on . Mr. Andrew Cruz . i ' d hate for you to whine my name that I had as a child , literally , that would just be ..... pathetic ; - ) . 
listening to One of the Ones . listening to One of the Ones , Levi Kreis " Hardly the Hero , " The ethos of the first - person point - of - view in this song ...... that was like me when i first started writing my blogs , and was no longer , soon after I had arrived on Long Island during this previous trip there . Who 's pathetic ? You assume personal vendetta . That 's you , madame and monsieur . I just throw back whatever has been thrown at me . ( my personal life that is extant ? that 's none of your business . ) point of reference . i love it . mining the ex - personal lives to show off my intelligence and , nasty humor , at times . and love . ( specified ) try me . you won't regret it . > : - D . 
hummm . just saw SNL ( Saturday Night Live ) .... on E ! ( i think ) liked the not - so - silent - movie sketch .... a take on post - Iraq War America in the context of Great Depression America ( 1930 's ) ... i think ...... America 's ( the talking dollar ) diction .... New York .....1930 's .... Babe Ruth ....... ( i don't care about the dates right now ) ...... it was funny . on both sides . the sketch and the flashback sketch . ! ! : - ) . 
tylenol pm . ahhh ! last night was much better ! took 1 caplet of Tylenol PM . i slept well . and w / o risperdal . woke up 4 A . M. this morning .... fell asleep , i have no idea when I fell asleep .... but feel good today . 
interesting ... so the nation whose GDP ( Gross Domestic Product ) is closest to Exxon Mobil 's ( XOM ) earnings this year is the Republic of the Philippines . interesting . ---- data : HRC 's latest employment discrimination report ranked XOM among the lowest in the U.S.A. among major ( major ? anywho ... ) corporations with regard to fair treatment of GLBT employees . rumor mill has it that the Philippines is an entrenched homophobic ( anti - gay ) culture . prior personal evidence suggests that I will be berated by employees of Exxon should I attempt to purchase tobacco cigarettes at Tigermart ( s ) ( prior to April of this year ) politics and lifestyle questions aside , this is too perfect of anti - gay sentiment to be ... hmmm ...... hmm ... there 's no oil in the Philippines , is there ? the Spratleys ? is there oil under the seabed there ? remembering and old article i read , years ago ........ brbthe Spratleys ( they 're islands north of Luzon , south of Taiwan , southeast of China ) are contested between China , Taiwan , and the Philippines , are they not ? Ahh , Malaysia and Vietnam as well .... ( stupid Model U . N . people never got it ... most of them , or some of them , anyways ) talk about a ticking time bomb ! Taiwan and China ? The U.S. would have to militarily intervene . And the Philippines ? former American Commonwealth ? former site of two strategic military bases ? ( or are they there again ? ) . Chinese businessmen who have lived in the Philippines for generations , as well . Malaysia ... Muslim nation . Philippines ( supposedly officially Roman Catholic ) and Malaysia are also contesting over Sabah province ( something about a really old treaty ) , on the northeast corner of Borneo island . And Vietnam . Communists . Great . Communists who are doing business . End of statement . byob . brb . Vietnam was once part of the Chinese Empire , was it not ? Annam province ? ao dai , pretty dresses ( i ' m gay , it doesn't matter ) me personally , i really am gay , wish I had my French slang book here , so I could make an appropriately nasty French cop joke . hmm ... it 's here somewhere , last I was reading through it was at the Hilton in Westbury , NY ( i had a room ) . 
here ya go . ( this is a specific blog entry ) ... in smacking this back where it came from as related to my own life .... ( it doesn't flip the other way . ) i ' ve got to say : i ' m not the one who told you the lies ! apparently not ! no one spoke to me ( in person ) ! it doesn't flip the other way . whatever that all was , is neither here nor there . don't bash your brains into bipolarity . have a good day ! 
XM . hello , XM . hope you got my payment . will re - activate when i have the chance . it 's just craziness in Memphis , New York ... at this time . don't go under ! had Sirius b 4 as well . i ' m not going to compare . it 's my choice to buy which and what to pay . ; - ) maybe " terrestrial " radio could buy shares ? less than 50 / 100 , of course . umm ... i meant as in ( Memphis , Tennessee ) , ( New York City and Long Island ) ... hmm .... looking at mapquest .... there is a Memphis , New York .... just outside Syracuse .... i think there 's someone I know from there ......... there 's a Memphis , Texas , just outside Amarillo , Texas ; Amarillo 's nice . nice park . ( ) anywho , I liked Amarillo , but decided to stay in Memphis to finish high school , and not go to Amarillo High . M. U.S. is not such a bad place to learn academics . Armadillos ? whooooaaaaa ! 
yes , i ' ve cause so much pain . yes , i ' ve caused so much pain : wearing my hair in a straight - line part ( long time ago ) khaki pants with pleats ( terrifying ! ) piercings ( umm , this is my body , is it not ? i really hope you don't buy into the literal social body metaphor .... we 're not quite the Borg .... that 's what i mean , unless you count computers and wireless networks , satellites orbiting the Earth , fiber optic cables , copper wires , etc. as the same thing as a Borg Cube ...... heh ) oh , i called you what you are ..... boohoo ! aren't you supposed to like yourself ? > ; - P i called you what i want to do to you , that 's how it always works . 
here 's another interesting one . got a message ( perhaps pre - recorded ) supposedly from my aunt while she was in the Philippines .... the thing is , my voicemail had picked up , and I listened to the message , the speaker was apparently unaware that my voicemail had picked up ( strange , since my voicemail message is obviously a voicemail greeting , though in my own voice ) . the speaker talked as though i were on the phone and had not replied . then i called her back , and the voicemail message on the other side was the exact same message which had been earlier recorded in my voicemail . i was on Long Island at the time ( this was a week or two before the " weed bomb " over Long Island ) ---- my commentary : some people just don't listen . i was not entirely flabbergasted . 
re - write . re - write of something I ' d blogged about in a blog I have since discontinued . someone has the entries somewhere , but I ' m re - writing . substance abusemental illess HIV / AIDSall categories of " robbery " and " murder " ( heh ... i was studying the packet ( via e - mails ) while I was last on Long Island ) discrimination against GLBT ' seconomic policies ( political / religious .... * yawn * ) that 's all what the final paper was going into ........ then realized , some old friends from Long Island were hurting a lot more than they should have been . i suppose that include ( s / d ) myself .... and then it went on and on and on and ..... 
remembering the MHA program . remembering the MHA program at The University of Memphis ... sorry , but , while working on the final for Health Systems , I had to get my ass to NYC as fast as possible . anyways , I couldn't have finished the project adequately for my purposes at the time . it was a presentation re : comorbidities : mental illness and substance abuse ( i . e . , those are symptomatic of heinous crimes -- the victims , who were not physically murdered ) anywho , brb , eating breakfast . 
remembering the MFA program . remembering the MFA program at The University of Memphis ... ( and the full year before entering the MFA program at The University of Memphis ...... ) well : 1 . kinda liked the feeling I was at Columbia University in The City of New York , but in the South . ( forgot the exact classroom ) 2 . kinda was funny about ... jeezus . ( forgot the exact classroom ) 3 . ummmm .... someone else took something the wrong way ....... that 's why i sunk in my seat ....... ( forgot the exact classrooms ) . 
let - me - not . reading Time : February 13 , 2006 re : Cognitive - Behavioral Therapy . comments : I was blogging about this in April while I was on Long Island , and how I used work ( haha ! USED ! ) in Personal Injury as my Cognitive - Behavioral Therapy and then later my journeys up to NYC , Long Island , New England , into the Shenandoah Valley , and then in Tennessee . EMBRACE THE PAIN , it says . I have not read the article in its entirety , though I ' m assuming this is very different from S / M ( so i would think ) . So , I ' m right ? ! With all this blogging . And the trips throughout the South - ( and East Coast ) ? And work and working on working ? Humm ....... on the drive back home this morning after picking up breakfast , I realized , after all the SHIT , SHYTE , AND CRAPOLA in my life ( as many seem to not let me forget ( oh , that 's a flower found in Alaska , is it not ? ) forget - me - not ) , the form of expression for my life 's work which I desire is indeed the best idea for me possible ( not exactly Personal Injury .... i ' ll understand more as time passes , already have a direct line of action which is already in motion ) . 
missing forks and spoons . when i got back home here in memphis just after this previous trip , i noticed all my forks and spoons were missing . sorry , boys and girls , I have sexually been only with men . so whoever possesses the fork ( s ) , wants to fuck me up the ass ( regardless of whether they should possess their own penis ) . so whoever possesses the spoon ( s ) , wants to get fucked by me up the ass ( regardless of whether they should possess their own penis ) . not into filipino guys , sorry , and that 's how it 's been since the germantown years , or before ( no i had not had sexual intercourse , gross ! ) . sorry if someone ate with them , if you 're using the fork , you 're ( metaphorically , i hope ! ) eating my shit . ( and die ... hhahahahaha ) .... sorry if someone ate with them , if you 're using the spoon , you ' ll get some form of diarrhea and constipation at the same time . ( it 's an old Philippine superstition , not exactly sure which province ( s ) it originates from ... could have been anywhere in the Empire , any of them which presented themselves in the Philippine Islands : Chinese , Japanese , Portuguese , French , Spanish , British , American , Indian ( sanskrit was the original alphabet utilized by the inhabitants of what would become the Philippine Islands ) , and / or Islamic ) . Hegemonic powers in bolded type - face . 
real - life muggles ? Real - life muggles ? Perhaps they were so superstitious growing up that they destroyed their own ability to think . They go against superstition yet not towards science ( which may regard superstition as a level of intuition ) . A " Muggle Culture , " which cultures would those be ? 
here 's a good question . why is it that I have never known who my godparents are ? never been told who they are and never have met them ( that they should have already idendtified themselves literally is a given ) . this is the truth , which means only one thing : the details of my birth are incorrect , though i truly was born in NYC jan 7 . 1978 ..... though the other details are not as literally true as they were made to appear . it 's okay , from my personal perspective . Eduardo Cruz is my father , which is in itself a relationship . what matters to me are relationships . and the de - culling of the bloodline . that 's all that matters . at this point , no point of family relationship need be declared nor ever should be . as far as sexual life is concerned ..... i am solely attracted to those male individuals who are significantly different from me physically , not a " white " thing , it 's something else ( not an exclusive term ) , which I cannot ever put into just a few words , meaning i ' d have to re - write all of human history , as in re - copy , not re - invent , though that has already happened , and not through my own doing . that is just how i am , and turns out to be quite beneficial indeed . no , it 's not a rejection of " blacks , " that may be a war in your own world . from America , I am neither black nor white , so that dichotomy does not hold in my life . 
my building . In Memphis , Tennessee en ce moment . this is a metaphor ( my own GODDAMN metaphor ! ) : the ground floor is memphis ( " down in Memphis , " get it now ? ! fucking assholes .... ) going up floors is new york ( " up in NYC , " get it now ? ! fucking retards ..... ) brb FUCK YOUR SICK , MENTAL OBSESSION with NORTH v. SOUTH , leave it beaver to FUCK IT ALL UP ! though i ' ll play the Civil War games ... to get you trapped inside and then fucked out of my Tower ! 
no ! i have not received physical therapy . why would i ? in the middle of an acquisition of the Personal Injury center I once worked at by the one I will be employed by ? there 's no way in Hell that could happen , that I receive Physical Therapy treatments . the Tylenol PM ? that was my idea . what are they giving me ? RISPERDAL ! WTF IS THAT ? ! but i ' ll take it . i can use it . I myself can use it without supervision . I had already been doing so 2003 - 2005 / 6 , and then just a couple weeks ago . supervision = psychiatrist and / or psychologist ( i ' m sorry family connections don't count and are in fact a liability ) . 
--------- . crazy bitches ( SAGU ) . anywho ..... useless fags ( SAGU ) ....... damn ..... back to work .... ( but , he 's blogging ! that can't be work ! who works through blogs ? ) " uhhh .... everybody ? " ( but , ) " that 's not all they do you fucking cunt ! ( sex and gender unspecified ... heh ) " SAGU ( sex and gender unspecified ) . 
................ watching Spike TV : it 's Star Trek : TNG ! WHOOHOOOOO ! hummm , more interesting when I ' m not focusing on the lack of " supernatural " visual effects . saw the ... trailers ... for ...... brb ......... who hijacked what and used against whom and why ? 
So it 's been a few months since I ' ve last blogged . Long story short , I ' ve been busy . I started a new job in May at San Disk . I had fun my first stint in the corporate setting . My contract was for a month and a half . But towards the end , they asked me to stay on . Thing is , I got offered another job at Mervyn 's corporate and it payed signifantly more . Um , what else , oh yeah ! I finally graduated from USF . Got my degree . I hate to say it but I ' ll miss school . I ' m still thinking of going back to get my master 's but ... do I really wanna add 20 grand to my debt ? I better decide soon , I start making payments on my student loans once winter comes around . I ' m having a decent fun time at work . Good people . Mad hours . Nice pay . Nothing wrong with that . And plus , a job I can finally dress up for . It does seem silly walking around on my hands and knees under peoples ' desks in a nice shirt and slacks . 
When you finally turn around . I pray that when the sun goes down on everything you ' ve done Whoever 's arms your sleeping in will warm you like the sun I hope your dreams are peaceful , I hope your sleep is sound And you are satisfied with what you found . 
Birthday Wish # 2 . . flickr - photo { border : solid 2 px # 000000 ; } . flickr - yourcomment { } . flickr - frame { text - align : left ; padding : 3 px ; } . flickr - caption { font - size : 0.8 em ; margin - top : 0 px ; } Sara , originally uploaded by akoni 86 . 
more whiskey sours , please . 	 me doing some idiotic dance ... ashamed to say I believe it was the cha - cha .... Jenny M made me do it !!! Jenny and I before enough trips to the bar Jenny and I after enough trips to the bar Brandon and Jenny just happy ( annoying huh ? ... jk ) me ... looking thrilled to be at a wedding without a date ( felt like I was in the corner at a high school sockhop again ) Chief 's best drunk smile and my best fake smile . 
Luke and Leia Tharpe . 	 here are some ultrasound pictures of my brother Justin and sister - in - law Jane 's twin babies on the way . forgive me , I ' m not usually all that ga - ga over babies , but these ones are family ! because they yet to have names I have taken to calling them Luke and Leia . ( I ' ll be offering my suggestion of John and Abigail soon ) its a boy and a girl which is good .... no chance of them growing up to look like Danny Devito and Arnoldbaby Luke - the force is strong in this one Luke 's arms and legs , all still attached and no mechanical handbaby Leia from the side , no chance for bun hair yet Leia 's legs , soon to be used for outrunning Stormtroopersnow all I have to do is to keep Justin from turning evil and tempting his son to join the Dark Side ... otherwise I might have to hide Luke in some desert community and Leia with some European royal family . 
you 're an All - Star , go play . 	 oh dear god , did I just quote a Smashmouth song ? my sincerest apologies ... just a quick recap of the events around the Triple - A All - Star game that was played here at Fifth Third Field in Toledo , Ohio ! Welcome to Toledo , bitches ! Monday night was the Home Run Derby which was pretty cool ... and no doubt the only home run derby I ' ll ever see in person . there were 2 local high school kids , 2 former major leaguers ( including former Cub all - star and goat Leon " Bull " Durham who is Toledo 's hitting coach ) , and three players each from the International League ( including Mud Hen Ryan Ludwig ) and the Pacific Coast League . The Hen made it to the final round but lost to a Buffalo guy who had almost 30 I believe in three rounds and could have gone all night . Bull Durham had a couple but the cool story is one of the high school kids tied him and beat the other former All - Star , Howard Johnson of the Mets . " Bull " Durham ... best nickname in coaching and can still hit better than 2 / 3 of the current Cubs Tuesday was only fireworks over the city ( * yawn ) and a fancy red - carpet Bash at the ballpark that was basically closed for anyone who makes under $ 500,000 a year ... Today Brandon , Pop and I started by going to the Seagate Centre across the street from the park for the Triple - A Fanfest ... which was really cool . it was mostly interactive things , I guess mainly for the kids ( though we all got in line for the throwing booth ) . but it also had historical exhibits , display lockers for each team in the IL and the PCL with info about them , a stage ( no music today ) , food , autographs ( though we missed them ) , and lots of cool stuff . there was even a couple of girls dressed up like players from the All - American Girls Baseball League like in A League of Their Own ... and they were cute ( though looked underage when they changed back into real clothes ) . Chief action shot ( I won't tell how slow my pitches were or how sore my arm was ) I ' m not in Cooperstown , NY ... just Toledo , OHChief liked this logo , for some reasonafter tooling around for a couple hours we headed back across the street and into the ballpark for the game . of course Toledo 's Own Jamie Farr was on hand to throw out the first pitch , along with Mike Farrell who played B . J . Hunnicut on M * A * S * H ( apparently Alan Alda was busy ) the skies were very ugly when we were waiting for the game and we did get poured on for 10 mins or so .... looked like the tarp might even go on but we lucked out . great game was played ( hoped you watched it on ESPN 2 and looked for me ! ) . the IL won 6 - 0 and a Mud Hen even had a home run . the crowd was a bit on the quiet side for me , and there was a breakout of the ever - annoying wave but despite that it was a great experience and a great thing for this city . Iowa Cub ( and PCL MVP Rich Hill ) .. yet another good young arm in the Cubs system that will soon be on the DL every seasonthe guy in the middle and kneeling is Tony Gwynn Jr. , son of the Hall of Famer Mike Farrell of M * A * S * H fame ( no snide comments , probably my fav show ever ) Toledo 's Own Jamie Farr ( sure , Katie Holmes looks better in a dress but she 's actually the crazy one now ) . 
The Man of Steel vs . the Caped Crusader . 	 ok ... at the risk of sounding like a comic book geek ( which I am really not ) , I just saw the new Superman movie tonight and it was pretty friggin sweet . but it did lead to a mini - disagreement with JK over the coolness of the Man of Steel ... she is more of a Batman kinda girl , while I think Superman could totally take Batman .... so I will make the following list of strengths and weaknesses of Superman and Batman and let you decide .... ( but I ' ll say who I think gets the advantage ) guys : who is cooler ? who would you rather be ? girls : who is cooler ? who would you rather do ? Superpowers : Superman : flying , x - ray vision , heat vision , incredible strength , impervious to everythiing but Kryptonite Batman : none ( Bat suit does seem to be somewhat bulletproof ) Advantage : Superman Alteregos : Superman : kinda geeky , clumsy , shy reporter Clark Kent Batman : billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne Advantage : Batman ( Wayne no doubt gets laid more than Kent Costumes : Superman : blue suit , red shorts and cape ( JK complaint that he wears his underwear on the outside ) Batman : black Bat suit , black cape and pointed mask Advantage : Batman ( unless it was the George Clooney movie where the Bat suit had nipples ... nipples ! ) Love interests : Superman : hot , feisty , though always in trouble Lois Lane ( well Margot Kidder = not hot but there was Teri Hatcher ) Batman : kinda hot , though completely crazy Catwoman ( and Halle Berry doesn't count ) Advantage : Superman ( much better love story than anything Batman has ... plus Katie Holmes as his love interest in the last movie hurts Batman badly here ) Locations : Superman : Metropolis ( a cool 1930 s NYC lookalike ) , a Kansas farm , the Fortress of Solitude Batman : Gotham City ( a scary , run - down NYC lookalike ) , Wayne Manor , the Bat Cave Advantage : Superman ... I mean come on , what sounds cooler , Fortress of Solitude or Bat Cave ? Sidekicks : Superman : none ( unless you count that Supergirl chick and I ' m sure most don't ) Batman : kinda gay Robin Advantage : Superman ( superhero sidekicks are lame ) Stands for : Superman : Truth , Justice , and the American Way ( yes , yes JK .. he 's not an American ) Batman : vigilante justice Advantage : Superman ... a bit more of a role model Arch - enemies : Superman : Lex Luthor Batman : the Joker Advantage : even ... both are kinda lame ( one is a clown and the other is just a rich guy with a rock ) Toys : Superman : none Batman : everything that makes him cool and effective Advantage : Batman ( though Superman doesn't really need toys to fight crime Nicknames : Superman : the Man of Steel Batman : the Caped Crusader , the Dark Knight Advantage : Even ... but only b / c of the Dark Knight one ( Caped Crusader is gay ) Role model factor : Superman : the all - American ( I know , I know , he 's an alien ) good guy who tries to save everyone Batman : the tortured , kinda crazy anti - hero who is more about punishing the bad guys even if that means killing them all Advantage : Superman ... I know , the tortured thing is hotter for girls I ' m sure but who wants their kid to grow up to be Batman , and what kid doesn't want to grow up to be Superman ? ok ... well I think thats about it for the tale of the tape of Batman vs . Superman . Go ahead and make your own choice even though you can kinda guess which way I am leaning . and feel free to leave me a comment so we can get somekind of a consensus here . is there anyway not to look like a geek after this post ? didn't think so ... Stay tunes for my blog of Cpt . Kirk vs . Cpt . Picard ( just kidding ... I hope ) . 
paint fumes and blown saves . 	 - spent most of yesterday , last night and today painting and fixing up the new WSJP house ( well ... Chach 's new house , anyway ) . It was 90 degrees and I sweat more than I ever thought I could . Had an asthma attack for the first time in like 20 years chasing down J 's dog who had found a way out of the new fence . But the house is a very cute place in a nice little neighborhood . Very cool living room , awesome basement ( especially when Chach is done with the new paint scheme . Kind of excited ... just need to find a job up there so I can move into my little blue bedroom ( it is not quite the Cubs blue I was promised ) my future room ( after all the work I did this weekend , I kinda have to move there ) the cool ( newly painted ) living room - saw the weirdest , most random billboard on the drive home ... all it said was something like ( wish I could remember exactly ) " Yay ! I have a meat helmet . " Has anyone seen like this ? !! Am I even close ? And what in the name of Zeus ' butthole could that mean ? ! - went to the Hens game with the family and Brandon 's Jenny ... had a good time except for the Hens blowing a 5 - 1 lead with 2 outs in the 9 th ( something rarely seen since the Hens moved into their new digs ) ... crowd ( meaning Brandon and I mostly ) got ugly . my mom was awesome when she decided she needed funnelcake and when we told her the line was too long she took off while no one was paying attention and wheeled over there and took care of it herself ... Good for her ! she wanted that damn funnelcake ! had to wait for what seemed like 10,000 children ran the bases to see fireworks Jenny and Brandon at the Hens gamegood fireworks .... completely shot to hell by Mr. Lee Greenwoood - on this date in 1863 on the second day of fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg , Confederate General Robert E . Lee decided to stay and fight the Union army even though the men in blue held the best ground on the raised ridge southeast of the town . Lee 's plan was to attack Meade 's army at the northern and southern flanks of that line on undefended hills : Culps Hill , Little Round Top and Big Round Top . Because of frustrating delays that delayed Confederate attacks , the Union forces were able to place forces on the hills and repel Lee 's second attack in the tiny but now infamous Pennsylvania town . A now legendary stand by the 20 th Maine under Col . Joshua Chamberlain helped to turn the tide against the rebel assaults ... though by no means was the 20 th Maine the only unit involved . As a result of his failure to take the heights on the flanks of the Union position Lee decided that a bold stroke was needed to take the field and destroy the Army of the Potomac once and for all . His plan become known forever as Pickett 's Charge . 
sad day for the Three Lions , happy day for our Neighbors to the North . 	 - England may have lost their match today to Portugal on penalty kicks after regulation and overtime .... but does Portugal have lines written about it like this by writers like him : This royal throne of kings , this sceptred isle , This earth of majesty , this seat of Mars , This other Eden , demi - paradise , This fortress built by Nature for herself Against infection and the hand of war , This happy breed of men , this little world , This precious stone set in the silver sea , Which serves it in the office of a wall Or as a moat defensive to a house , Against the envy of less happier lands , -- This blessed plot , this earth , this realm , this England . - William Shakespeare ( 1564 - 1616 ) , " King Richard II " , Act 2 scene 1 ... I thought not , since Portugal is the size of my kitchen and has been historically insignificant for centuries . - Happy Birthday to Canada !!! I would raise a bottle of your finest beer , Steam Whistle , in your honor ... BUT YOU WON ' T IMPORT IT , YOU SELFISH CANUCK BASTARDS !!!! - today in 1863 , the Battle of Gettysburg began as advance units of the Union Army of the Potomac ( George G . Meade commanding ) and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia ( Robert E . Lee commanding ) classed in and around the tiny , previously insignificant village of Gettysburg . On July 1 Confederate forces met with early success and drove Union forces through the town and onto Cemetery Ridge .... unfortunately for the Rebels because the Union the controlled the best ground on the battlefield . 
my drunken Uncle . 	 just a quick amusing , if hurtful anecdote from the weekend ... my niece Caitlyn was over for the night this past weekend and she was off amusing herself by playing Brandon 's Playstation 2 ... and she was playing some game where you compete in horse competitions ( whatever the word for that is ) of course I asked her if it was her game ... being decidedly girlie ( I was giving Chief the benefit of the doubt for once ) she responded that it was not her game and that she found it in Brandon 's bag but she thought it must be Jenny 's gameher exact words were " I hope its her game , I would hate to have a gay uncle . " stifling my normal reaction to make fun of my brother here I asked what would be so wrong with that . she responded with " nothing " following up with my unusual defense of Brandon I added " Well atleast he has a girlfriend , thats more than I can say . " to which my cute little niece replied " I know ! You 're pathetic ! " ouch .... out of the mouths of teenage girls ... I haven't been called pathetic by a teenage girl since high school . add to all this the fact that the night before I witnessed the girl who Chach was trying ( in his slow , ineffective Chach way ) to hook me up with making out with some random dude on the dancefloor . the only bright spot ( and I ' m sorry , Chief ) was that Jenny was there to confirm that it was indeed her game but that Brandon has played it and has his name in some of the records .. but he wasn't called pathetic by his twelve ( ? ) - year old niece ... even I had to laugh when she said it ( and then fight the urge to hit her of course ... kidding , Child Services ) . 
anyone want to see my favorite position .... for sleeping ? 	 on my side by the way .... and yes , very lame post .... but I ' ve run out of new things to whine about What Your Sleeping Position Says You are calm and rational . You are also giving and kind - a great friend . You are easy going and trusting . However , you are too sensible to fall for mind games . What Does Your Sleeping Position Say About You ? 
Innovation Failure and Small Companies . It 's impossible to have innovation without failure Stanford 's Bob Sutton , co - author of the recently published Hard Facts , Dangerous Half - Truths And Total Nonsense : Profiting From Evidence - Based Management , weighs in with his opinions about the role of failure when it comes to innovation and creativity . According to Sutton , " it is impossible to run an organization without making a lot of mistakes . Innovation always entails failure . Most new products and companies don t survive . And if you want creativity without failure , you are living in a fool s paradise . It is also impossible to learn something new without making mistakes . " With that in mind , Sutton offers the following question as " the single best diagnostic to see if an organization is innovating , learning , and capable of turning knowledge into action " : What happens when they make a mistake ? In other words , how does an organization respond to failure ? Does it forgive and forget ? Does it create a climate of fear ? Or does it forgive and remember ? As Sutton points out , innovative companies like Amazon " forgive and remember " as they find ways to build failure into the innovation process . Tags : innovation failure Bob Sutton [ image : Bob Sutton ] Small companies are characterised by their ability to be felxible and due to their size able take on small innovations quickly . Being small , they make smaller bets and smaller bite size pieces of innovation . The real trick for small companies is to be able to jettison failures quickly before and learn quickly from these failures technorati tags : Innovation , Small _ Business . 
Innovation Culture in Small Austalian Companies . Innovation is very much alive in the Australian economy . But don't look to the large public companies . It is in the small to medium sized companies where innovation is thriving . But just talk to any small business owner and you will find that innovation is not talked about in glowing strategic terms . Just do a Google search on the work " innovation " and you will see the names of increasingly more large multi - national corporations popping up in the search results . Unless you have been living in a cave for the past 12 months , you would have seen a rising interest in Open Innovation , Creativity and a whole host of related themes and topics . Phil Mckenney has been producing a great podcast , Killer Innovations , for over a year . The information economy is being overtaken by the creative economy . Small Austalian companies have been doing this for years quietly and without much fuss and fanfare . It was just good ole Ozzie ingenuity . No one ever told them that they needed formal processes or structures to do this . They did it because they had to survive in a an increasingly competitive world . As the business environment changed , many companies moaned and complained . The smart ones just got on with it and found better and clever ways to get create new and innovative products and services . Necessity and survival was a great motivator . Few small business owners need reminding that product life cycles have are becoming ridiculously short . Every industry from IT to motor vehicles has experienced this and it is not getting any better . It used to be that this was thought that this related more to large multi - nationals operating in international markets . However globalisation has changed all that . These same pressures are now brought to bear even on smaller local companies who may not trade internationally . So may be owners of small businesses should start to get a handle on these very same challenges quickly . It is not about the buzzwords or big formal plans but establishing a working environment that encourages curiousity and fosters creativity . 
Who speaks for the people and can we truly give meaning to " Power to the People " . How much of what we read and see in the media can we really trust these days . As much as the mainstream media would have us believe , the fact is that in this day of highly vested interests and competition for ratings , trusth and honesty often are the first victims of the rush to bring us news and information . We are bombarded daily with a continuous stream of information and opinions from all sorts of sources . But what we yearn for is not more information or sanitised opinions but genuine candid sharing of heartfelt views and opinions . We yearn for truly collaborative engagement , individual to individual or to a community of interested individuals . Never before has " Power to the people " been more achievable than ever before . But what is the use of power without reponsibility and accountability . This goes to the heart of our revulsion when we hear or read of the excesses of some self serving politicians . People do want to connect with and engage with other individuals and share views and opinion but not on some impersonal level but as a " friend " as people who have some skin it the relationship . Dave . 
Sunset over Lysterfield . The hills surrounding Lake Lysterfield is just 15 minutes from my home and provided a wonderful backdrop to the setting sun at dusk . These pictures were taken just barely 100 meters from the car park . This Lake Lysterfield area was the location of the Mountain Bike competition trails for the 2006 Commonwealth Games . The sun partially hidden behind the clouds threw up a fairly dramatic effect with a silouette outline of the hill side . 
Cradle Mountain National Park . Cradle Mountain National Park is part of the World Heritage Area . Located on the Northern end of the 75 km Overland Trail which stretches from Lake St Claire National Park . During my 2 day visit , the first day was wet with scattered showers throughout the day resulting in a damp wet morning . Low clouds capped the mountain tops but gradually lifted as the day wore on . 
Want to be a Talent Agent ? The Neal Hamil Agency in Houston is looking for a Talent Booking Agent . If you are interested in becoming a Booking Agent , call BJ or Alli at 713 - 789 - 1335 . Henry " Harry " Kana . 
Beth Sepko Casting - Austin . With the production of " Friday Night Lights " taking place in Austin and several films in the making , I recommend you , as a Houston / Texas Actor visit Beth Sepko 's website to keep up with what she is casting . www . bethsepkocasting . com. If you do not have a current headshot on file with her or registered with her , well , get it done . Henry " Harry " Kana . 
Houston 's Indie Club Meeting . Last night I attended the Indie Club meeting . Joe Grisaffi , Director of " Laughing Boy " , talked about that project and the new project he is working on " Dead of Knight " . Got a very good perspective of the problems in making of an Independent Film . This a good meeting for Actors to attend because you get to meet " future employers " and you learn more about what goes on behind the scenes in order to make a Film . " Knowledge is Power " , the more you know about your industry , the better Actor you will become and the better chance you have to land the part . Henry " Harry " Kana . 
Tips for All Actors - Stunts . Many times I hear Actors talk about having to do Stunts on Movies or Commercial and they always have questions about Safety . As a member of the Stunt and Safety Committee of the Screen Actors Guild , I would recommend that you , as an Actor , pay close attention to what you are asked to do . Here are guidelines that are used by the Motion Picture Industry . You can go to www . csatf . org and pull up all the Safety Bulletins that are used by the Film Industry . These will tell you how specific stunts or actions ; ie . " firearms , explosive , aircraft , water stunts " are to be handled . On a Screen Actors Guild Film , generally the Stunt Coordinator or Director have the Ultimate Decision for Safety . The Stunt Coordinator should be able to answer any questions you have . Now , if you are in a " Right to Work State " and working " non - union " film , Good Luck , as you might not be afforded these protections . Henry " Harry " Kana S . A . G . Stunt and Safety Committee . 
We have a Winner !!! " Eve of Understanding " has won " Best Feature Film " at the Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto , Canada . That is Great . Congratulations to all those that had a part in making this wonderful film . 
" Eve of Understanding " . The Film " Eve of Understanding " did well at the Method Fest 2006 . Rebecca Lowman the " Star " was nonminated for Best Actress . Congratulations Rebecca , you go gal . " Eve " has been nominated for Best Feature and Best in Show at the Femail Eye Film Festival in Toronto , Canada . That is so cool !!! You can check out the Film 's Blog at http : // openplanproductions @ blogspot . com Henry " Harry " Kana - aka " Joe " . 
GOP Unveils School Voucher Plan . GOP Unveils School Voucher Plan - Washington Post As long as public schools under perform the requirements for teaching our children , the subject of vouchers will be with us . Vouchers are like putting stolen tax dollars back into the hands of working people , who need them most , to enhance their circumstances . Anyone who argues that Black parents should not have an escape mechanism from chronically bad schools , regardless of the reason , is placing their self - interests ahead of the students , and this specifically includes teacher s unions . This past year , my son s fifth - grade teacher , in a mostly - White school , refused to emphasize math , frustrating us as well as other parents . We eventually pulled our son , and placed him in a Catholic school , rather than have his math gifts fall a year behind . The public school principal was powerless to bring the rouge teacher into alignment , as the teacher 's union stood strong against all attempts to rectify the situation . Make no mistake , vouchers are not a panacea . However , just as No Child Left Behind ( NCLB ) gives under performing schools money to hire remedial help , parents should be given relief to get the most for their tax dollars and children on an individual basis . While the schools are getting their programs up to par , some more slowly than others , parents must be able to act . Telling them to wait is unacceptable . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : GOP Unveils School Voucher Plan , Taxes , NCLB , Bush , Unions , acting white . 
Panel on Disaffection of Black Youths Airs Concerns , Ideas . Panel on Disaffection of Black Youths Airs Concerns , Ideas - Washington Post The disaffection of Black youth , and Black males in particular , is steadily gaining attention , but with much less of the dissection required to lead us to solutions . There are at least two parts to solving this problem that if not recognized , significantly increase the difficulty of finding and implementing answers . The first problem is tactical and about rehabilitating those young people who are currently in or out of school , but disenfranchised from realizing productive lives . The second problem is strategic and about how to change our programs of instructing and parenting , such that the factors leading to disenfranchisement are eliminated , before they take root . The tactical problem is what to do with hundreds of thousands of Black youth who lack the education , skills , and attitudes to become productive members of their society . For them , criminal behaviors are too easily the only opportunity they have to experience their dreams . These kids must be re - socialized and educated to a vocational minimum that makes them employment - worthy , at a level where they can feel good about , and legally support , themselves . What is required is a government continuation training program , or corps , that remediates youth the way the pre - high - technology military once did for marginal high school age boys with limited means of advancement . Youth could enlist voluntarily or with encouragement from the same system that stands ready to incarcerate them , at significant yearly cost , for their behaviors . Remediation would include the three R s , reading , writing , and arithmetic , but with critical thinking development , the glue that was lacking on the first go around . The strategic problem is what to change in our schools and parenting approaches that will make a difference for kids just starting out . Critical thinking must be added to our curriculums from the earliest point of instruction . Parents must be re - trained and supported as critical thinkers as well , to enhance their ability to practice and impart the science of making good choices in life . The issues of disaffected youth are daunting , assuring that any solutions will not come easy or at a discount . Doing nothing , or pretending to do something , only results in more disaffection and all the resulting familiar social and economic costs . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Panel on Disaffection of Black Youths Airs Concerns , Ideas , Cosby , Violence , Gangs , Drugs , acting white . 
Bush to Address NAACP at 97 th Gathering et al. Bush to Address NAACP at 97 th Gathering - APPresident to Address NAACP Tomorrow - Washington Post Bush 's Poverty Talk Is Now All but Silent - Washington Post At NAACP , Bush Tries to Mend Rift - Washington Post For Bush and the NAACP , Uneasy Does It - Washington Post Now that President Bush has agreed to address the NAACP , each side should consider a few ground rules that will surely enhance the experience and hopefully set a tone for on - going constructive dialog . The following are the top ten things that the NAACP and President Bush should be sure to do , or not do , when they meet : 1 . NAACP members should not boo or heckle the president he is not there to perform for them , nor they for him . Presidential decorum should be observed .2 . The president should not break the ice in his usual way by saying something incredibly inane , obtuse , or amusing only to himself .3 . NAACP members should realize that unlike just about every other sitting president , George Bush has proven that he believes in the potential of Black people , albeit the ones most likely to have experienced gang - wedgies in grade school , except for General Powell .4 . The president should not apologize for his prior convention absences . If the benefits did not outweigh the risks in his mind , staying away was his prerogative .5 . NAACP members should ignore partisanship . Recall that 9 of 10 voted for Al Gore , inventor of the Willie Horton scare - the - crap - out - White - folks race card , and the real guy who put George Bush , the senior , into office .6 . The president should not act like a tough guy . Black people cannot resist the challenge of humbling a pompous - ass , even when it means they will suffer a much greater penalty in the end .7 . NAACP members should remember that the organization has a relevance problem , and getting the president to show up is significant to gaining attention that has meaning .8 . The president should remember that he has nothing , and everything , to apologize for , just like every other sitting president . He need not get fancy with his words or his record .9 . NAACP members should accept that the President s No Child Left Behind ( NCLB ) program , while only a tourniquet , has brought more attention and money to the plight of Black students than anyone would have ever believed .10 . The president should remember that Black people are in a state of bravado - camouflaged confusion about why the group is educationally and economically stalled . Inasmuch , they need leadership that is tough , caring , and effective a challenge he needs to take very seriously . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Bush + to + Address + NAACP + at + 97 th + Gathering , George W . Bush , Civil Rights , Racism , Politics , acting white . 
Georgetown 's Hidden History et al. Georgetown 's Hidden History - Washington Post ' We 're Still Here ' - Washington Post Officer Apologizes for Racially Insensitive Comment - Washington Post Police Inspector Who Made Racial Remark Back at Job - Washington Post With all that has happened recently in Georgetown , a brutal murder and assault , and a side editorial of police ignorance , one thing is for sure people are actually talking about race , rather than treating it like the elephant in the front room . America clearly needs the therapy . This is evidenced by the polarity of sides that either largely denies the relationship of slavery to our current lives , or who would pin everything that happens on dastardly deeds of old . These absolutes in thinking and behaving are the result of not talking about race , not telling the truth , and most importantly , not seeking the truth . Yes , Whites enslaved Blacks in brutal fashion , which their progeny generally regret , but have yet to reconcile , including their shame and resulting bounty . They face this conundrum as few others have over the last 5,000 years , because of the timing of humanity finally waking up to the immorality of people as property . Blacks continue to wait for Whites to become people that humanity has never seen , or will ever see . It is not within the bounds of human nature , governed by the physics of time , to return time stolen . In waiting and wanting the impossible , Blacks deny themselves the journey of doing for themselves a most terrible and continuing self - infliction . Instances of talking about race should not require tragedies as the prime motivation . Sadly this seems to be the case . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Georgetown 's Hidden History , Racism , Murder , Slavery , Rape , acting white . 
Naval Academy 's Questions About Race , Religion Stir Discord . Naval Academy 's Questions About Race , Religion Stir Discord - Washington Post The headlines in the local community news could easily blare , Racism found hiding in homes of Annapolis . The story makes it seem that the feelings of freshman sponsors are somehow odd when , quite to the contrary , they are the norm . It may not be moral , but it certainly is natural to have a preference for someone of the same ethnicity or religion . The only interesting twist to the story is how obtuse the Naval Academy administration must be not to figure out a more subtle vehicle for allowing families and midshipman the ability to pair with participants for greatest comfort . Is this not why mixers were invented ? Leaders say that stereotypes are inaccurate , yet we still apply them . We say sexism is bad , but we still treat men and women differently . Racism is bad too , yet each of us constantly battles the natural tendency to be racist . When we deny our own tendencies toward arbitrary discrimination , we rob ourselves of the learning that describes when the exercise of personal preference relieves another person of life , liberty or the full pursuit of happiness . So before we square off and the race cards start flying on all sides , let us take a moment to survey our own lives and how many times we dart into racist mindsets , only to quickly return to the protected haven of personal preference . Yes , Annapolis should clean up its act , but so too should the rest of America , Black , White , and all the rest . This event allowed us a quick peek inside American homes . Americans live in glass houses when it comes to race , mostly because we do not pursue it as if it were an issue that we care to resolve . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Naval Academy 's Questions About Race , Religion Stir Discord , Racism , Annapolis , Discrimination , Civil Rights , acting white . 
The Economics of Discrimination . The Economics of Discrimination - Washington Post Virginians , as well as citizens of other states looking to discriminate against gay people , should consider an even stronger incentive to avoid this damaging behavior . Yes , states that block same sex unions are less inviting to others and will indeed suffer , but this is just the beginning . Once arbitrary criteria gains official sanction , the merit - reward rule - of - advancement not only takes a step back , but goes to the end of the line of that society s governing policy . Analysts are correct in asserting that the steadfast pre - occupation of Southerners with maintaining Jim Crow policy made the region uninviting to growth industries . However , it was more damning that ante bellum Whites could not maintain discriminatory practices against Blacks , and at the same time , nurture advancing practices of merit within their own majority . In proverbial terms , once the well is poisoned for one , it is poisoned for all . Southern Whites , attempting to help their region rise again , have simply never been those best able to do so , as the method for their selection and leadership has continued to be overly influenced by Southern tradition , including racism , and not competitive single - mindedness . In fairness , the argument cuts both ways for Blacks as well . The group cannot insist on merit - based reward systems for opportunity while maintaining a four - decade dependence upon skin - color - based plus factor enhancement . To do so only insures that the most capable and deserving members of the group will be under motivated and inadequately served , with all its resulting damage . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : The Economics of Discrimination , Racism , Virginia , Discrimination , Marriage , acting white . 
Security Guards Eye Organizing . Security Guards Eye Organizing : Black Workers Worry About Being Displaced - Washington Post There are two dynamics at play , with respect to competition between Blacks and Hispanics , which need to be considered as we search for solutions to immigration and Black economic plight . The first is that America is primarily an immigrant engine , or country optimized to convert immigrants up an economic chain . Huddled masses enter at one end , with only the clothes on their proverbial backs , and exit later as working and middle class success stories . In between they gladly and faithfully follow the markings on the floor . They know their power comes later . Blacks , however , did not come to this country as immigrants and feel limited compulsion to play a game stacked against them , even if it was also stacked against others too . Regardless of whether their compulsion is justified or not , the end result is that the group is defiant to the only factors this country can reward , that of striving immigrant behavior . Education is the prime example of defiance that works against Blacks . Education is a prerequisite to success , yet Blacks continue to place reduced emphasis on its attainment , with debilitating results . Hispanic education performance , normalized for cultural and language difference , will ultimately outpaced that of Blacks , as it has already begun to show in mathematics . The second dynamic is that the arrested pace of progress of Blacks , on the economic bottom of the country , represents a navigational block for those more recent immigrants that have come here over the past 20 years . Navigating around Blacks , stuck in low - wage jobs , largely due to poor education and skills , places a greater stress on the limited , and sometimes shrinking , pipeline resources of the country . When we see Blacks strategizing to hold - on to low - wage jobs , we are seeing a group in surrender , and a country derailed . Whether it is as a janitor or security guard , these jobs will always be but stepping - stones , never careers , to destinations for realizing this land s opportunity . James C . Collier Technorati Tags : Security Guards Eye Organizing , Disparity , Racism , Immigration , Hispanics , Acting White . 
Earth 's Climate Warming Abruptly , Scientist Says . Earth 's Climate Warming Abruptly , Scientist Says - Washington Post Before we pull the emotional fire alarm on this scientific proposal of abrupt climate change signaling the end , we should do a little math , with a side - order of philosophy . The earth is roughly 6 billion years old , give or take a few hundred million years , and this magnitude makes it difficult for us to relate even to something that happened 5,000 years ago . However , in relative terms 5,000 years is to 6 billion as 7 / 100 ths of a second is to 24 hours in a day ( 86,400 seconds ) . Scientific research also tells us that 99 percent of all species that ever existed are now extinct . Since humanity is a species , it too will one day be extinct one , rest assured . Lastly , if we put humankind into perspective , in its many evolutionary forms , we have been around for only 150,000 years , a time span akin to 2.2 seconds on our 24 hour clock . Our time hurling through space on a green ball is not only finite , in scientific terms , it will also be exceedingly brief . While our environmental impact may mimic that of a swarm of locust , indeed we should still do whatever we can to be kind to the planet , but not because our survival depends upon it it clearly does not . However , our quality of life , and that of future generations , is absolutely at stake . To put it bluntly , just because were going to go out , does not mean we want to be sitting in the soup , while we wait . It is inevitable that the planet will record that we came and went in the blink of an eye , as measured on the planetary timepiece . While our to - date evolution has been traumatic , to say the least , it remains to be seen if the rest of our short stay and certain departure will be any more graceful . Let us hope . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Earth 's Climate Warming Abruptly , Scientist Says , evolution , Lonny G . Thompson , Al Gore , global warming , acting white . 
Some Perplexed by Steele 's Donor List . Some Perplexed by Steele 's Donor List : Senate Candidate Takes Contributions From Those Who Have Offended Blacks in the Past - Washington Post It is incredible that some Black leaders are upset with senate candidate and Maryland Lt . Gov . Michael S . Steele because he hired the producer of the Willie Horton attack ads to raise money . Yes , those ads were despicable , but has everyone forgotten that it was infamous democrat Al Gore and his team who invented Willie Horton ? The original credit should not go to the senior Bush campaign . It was Senator Gore , who created Willie Horton in the 1988 democratic presidential primary battle , which featured Governor Dukakis . Gore did this prior to his overwhelming support by the same Black leaders who are now challenging Steele . Are Black memories so poor that people have forgotten the Tennessee Senator 's failed race - baiting politics ? This would seem to be the case , as it was in 2000 . Lee Atwater , the now deceased senior Bush campaign leader and dirty - tricks king , simply borrowed Gore s race - card playbook , and put more money and polish into scaring the hell out of White voters . This would make Gore significantly responsible for helping to put both Bush 's into the White House . There is no doubt that politics makes strange bedfellows regardless of race , but let the record accurately reflect that the original sin , when it comes to Willie Horton , lies at the feet of Mr. Albert Gore , of Tennessee . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Some Perplexed by Steele 's Donor List , Willie Horton , Michael S . Steele , Al Gore , George Bush , acting white . 
Bigotry Beneath the Fog . Bigotry Beneath the Fog - Washington Post The most important aspect of human behavior is to remember that , individually and collectively , it represents the trailing edge of thought . While the Republican caucus stalls , by behavior , the extension of the voting rights act , they tell part of the story of how the southern White electorate they represent is really still the old south , steeped in thoughts of controlling Blacks for selfish benefit . Also recall that 50 % , roughly 20 million , of US Blacks still live in this new old south , and in voting numbers that could make a real difference if fully exercised . The sad truth is that these votes are indeed not exercised hence the sea of blue states throughout the south . The reasons for this have as much to do with Blacks , as it does with Whites thwarting the exercise of the vote . Blacks turn out to vote , with exception , in disproportionately low numbers . This is largely influenced by limited education and experience that has Blacks poorly comprehending the economic impact of staying away from the polls . Add to this the gerrymandering , by Whites , to isolate and reduce voting advantage . What remains is White control , even when Blacks are the majority . Blocking the voting act for reasons of bi - lingual ballots is just an opportunistic play to make sure immigration reform gets no help as the two - side s posture for the final battle . The objective of voting is to accurately capture the voter 's choice , not to re - test for citizenship qualification . Nonetheless , Blacks are in a political stalemate , from which only they can extract themselves . The behaviors of some Whites , including southern Republicans , will continue to seek unfair advantage despite protest . In the end it is Blacks who must step up their voting , not only against issues , but rather ' for ' programs , initiatives , and candidates that offer significantly more than complaining voices , falling on deaf ears . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Bigotry Beneath the Fog , disparity , racism , Voting Rights Act , gerrymandering , acting white . 
Performance Gap on Tests Uneven for Black Students et al. Performance Gap on Tests Uneven for Black Students - Washington Post Elementary and Middle MSA Results Are Up - Washington Post County Students Stay Ahead on State Tests - Washington Post Summer Math , Missing in Action - Washington Post Three in Four Va. Students Graduate , Study Says - APIt is amazing how difficult it is for educators to read their own research reports when it comes to understanding why Black kids underperform . There has been almost ten years of minimal progress since California educators concluded , It appears likely that we are now training teachers who not only have little understanding of critical thinking or how to teach for it , but also wrongly and confidently think they do . The end result is that California classrooms are places in which both teachers and students lack explicit knowledge of how to reason in a disciplined way about serious subjects and questions . The cause goes even deeper when we consider that Black kids are missing out on the early critical reasoning instruction that their caregivers never received , and on and on back through time . There are many reasons for this , but none of them fix the problem . Very succinctly , Black kids get the smallest dose of critical thinking instruction of any ethnic group . Whether it is background instruction in the home , and other social settings , or at school in the hands of curriculum wielding professionals , the recipe for success for Black kids is being shorted the most key of ingredients . Math is abstract and very dependent on the disciplined mind , a type of mind that can only be trained . Reading suffers as well . Socrates established , 2500 years ago , that thinking is prone to errors , due to cognitive distraction and varying mental discipline . He further concluded that one cannot depend on those in authority to act from sound insights . The education community has certainly proven this true . Early - age critical thinking instruction is the key . Parents and teachers must know it , practice it , and teach it to our children there is no other way . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Performance Gap on Tests Uneven for Black Students , Disparity , Racism , Critical thinking , Underclass , Acting White . 
La . Governor to Summon National Guard et al. La . Governor to Summon National Guard - APNational Guard troops roll into New Orleans - Reuters It was inevitable that New Orleans would return to the violence and murders that plagued the city prior to Katrina . Pumping out lowlands and patching bricks and mortar is akin to putting a band - aid on an infected wound that is the Big Easy . Mutual agreement by the candidates to not talk about race in the recent mayoral election was tantamount to ignoring the festering ills of the city . This miss - step is a segue into a full bypass of the challenges of 20 million Blacks in the Black Belt of the southern US . Inasmuch as race touches every issue of substance , Mr. Nagin , with no clear acknowledgement , mandate or resources , is steering a rudderless vessel . In fact , the newly re - elected mayor is in quite a Catch - 22 . With murders soaring , he is begging for National Guard rescue while trying to portray effective leadership . The mayor 's vow , to get tough with criminals by drawing a line in the sand , is bluster at its worse , as everyone knows that murder and mayhem are on the way back up . This is even more the case considering the many officers who simply did not return to their squad rooms after the storm . Black people of New Orleans believe that Mayor Nagin will improve the city for all dwellers , including them , but in reality he cannot deliver on this promise . The city simply does not have the resources to support people who are not contributing to the local economy in a meaningful way . Katrina survivors were doubly lucky . They survived the hurricane and many also received a big helping hand to start lives that were nearly impossible before , from communities around the country . But that helping hand extends only so far for so long before they must grasp the opportunity . Nr . Nagin offers no solution for his city except the real probability of streets patrolled by National Guard troops . This is where not talking about race delivers us . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : La . Governor to Summon National Guard , New Orleans , Ray Nagin , Katrina , Murders Homicides , Acting White . 
Obama 's Profile Has Democrats Taking Notice et al. Obama 's Profile Has Democrats Taking Notice - Washington Post The UFO Hovering Over 2008 - Washington Post Will Democrats Put Their Faith in Obama ? - Washington Post 2008 : The Case for Barack Obama - Washington Post The top ten reasons why people like Barack Obama as a presidential candidate in 2008.1 . He makes 2008 meaningful . He raises the presidential bar . Any Republican who beats Obama will have to have a lot more on the ball than George W . Bush . Election 2008 becomes more of a win - win for the country , if he runs .2 . He is the face of Black and immigrant contribution to this country . The country gets to look a Black Leader , with immigrant roots , in the eye , without pause and with a feeling that they are looking at the solution , not the problem , facing Blacks , immigrants , and the country as a whole .3 . He is inarguably intelligent . Obama s path to and at Harvard Law speaks loudly of educational performance and results that too many Blacks and Whites believe not to be within the group s ethic or capacity .4 . No race card . He does not seem to have a race card in his repertoire .5 . No guilt card . He does not seem to have a guilt card in his repertoire .6 . He is a melting pot . Obama s mixed heritage , African and European , bridges historically competing groups , in a manner where merit , fairness , and opportunity have equal weight .7 . He loves this country . As the son of a third - world immigrant , he views America , warts and all , as a great place to pursue his dreams , and reminds Black people of this fact .8 . He has a Colin Powell feel to him , minus the drag of Ronald Reagan and divisive Republican politics .9 . He is Black , but no dark horse . Despite what the pundits say about Hillary Clinton , or Kerry , or Gore , none are remotely viable candidates to win the highest office , compared to Obama .10 . He is elect - able . White people , the majority , who claim him publicly , will also vote for him privately this is the gauntlet from Congress to the Senate . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Obama 's Profile Has Democrats Taking Notice , Democrats , President , Candidate , Barack Obama , Acting White . 
Bush education policy to miss goals : Harvard study . Bush education policy to miss goals : Harvard study - Reuters No one should be surprised that the experts from Harvard now say that No Child Left Behind ( NCLB ) is on its way to being a grand failure . The big question is what will we now do with this information ? However promising a program might seem , when it does not work , in the case of NCLB , it should be rationed and replaced with something better informed and with more promise . It does not take a Harvard Ph . D . to know that it is grossly inefficient to try to improve learning by better exit testing , at any level . This was the whole point of Deming and Juran , the management experts responsible for transforming Japan s industry after WWII . Quality education , like production , must be designed into curriculums from the start . This does not mean we should not test . More simply it means that better testing of an inherently poor system only raises the confidence in measuring broken processes . Perhaps the educators are getting better at giving tests , but kids are not performing any better because the federal government is looking over the shoulders of school districts . Furthermore , the performance gap of Blacks and Hispanics , relative to Whites and Asians is not closing . It is perplexing that anyone could believe that testing would identify and solve the disparity that plagues modern education achievement and , with it , our society . To be fair , NCLB is not a total failure . It reveals and marginally challenges the lack of confidence the electorate has in our educators . This is the result of their willingness to promote students who cannot deliver minimal skills for contributing to their own lives and those of their fellow citizens . NCLB as a quick and dirty program of accounting is necessary , but certainly not sufficient to our needs . There will be those who want to hold on to the grandiose promise of NCLB , as ineffective as it is , because they cannot separate the objective from the process of trying to achieve it . Such is the sad case of Affirmative Action , whereby the goal of helping disadvantaged people sits played - out by more than 40 years of a divisive and counter - intuitive implementation . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Bush education policy to miss goals : Harvard study , No Child Left Behind NCLB , Racism , Disparity , Performance , Acting White . 
Pairing a Diploma With Associate 's Degree . Pairing a Diploma With Associate 's Degree - Washington Post The federal government , via Mr. Bush s No Child Left Behind ( NCLB ) , has begun its struggle to spin efficacy into the results of this program . The market place , however , is finding a new competing voice , as well . This is in response to decades of grade inflation and blind promotion which have put the high school diploma , the traditional ticket to opportunity , into jeopardy , despite NCLB rhetoric . The associate degree , considered by many as dubious in value , is treading into the high school arena as the future benchmark for what represents an educated young person , ready for a world of opportunity . It will not be long before high school students , and their parents , supported by employers , demand that kids are offered curriculums that provide the community college - level experience , as an effective adjunct to the devalued high school diploma . Community colleges are already being used as staging areas , not only for not - ready - for - prime - time students , but also for those who maintain their sights on their first choice of education , even after the dreaded rejection letter . In particular , this strategy is in practice in California , by Asian students intent on attending UC Berkeley or UCLA . Instead of going to a lesser four - year school , these kids use stellar performance at the community college level to set up a transfer , after two years , to their desired top - tier school . This route exists because California mandates that a generous number of slots are made available for such transfers from the community college system . Advanced placement ( AP ) programs will remain the standard - bearer for public school kids on their way to college . However , for those who cannot handle AP - mania , the high school AA degree should tell the world that the holder did not sleep - walk through school . Meanwhile , initiatives like NCLB will continue sweeping up and around stragglers and those indeed left behind , depositing them on or about the margins of the American Dream . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Pairing a Diploma With Associate 's Degree , NCLB , Diploma Inflation , Under Performance , Disparity , Acting White . 
Agency to Examine ' No Child ' Loophole . Agency to Examine ' No Child ' Loophole - APTesting the NCLB : Study shows that NCLB hasn't significantly impacted national achievement scores or narrowed the racial gaps - Harvard Civil Rights Project As a magic pill for that which ails our schools , No Child Left Behind ( NCLB ) leaves a lot to be desired . While it places the Bunsen burner closer to the backsides of educators , it does not help kids go to college , the achievement with the greatest impact . Rather , it minimally insists that 12 years of school yields 8 th grade math skills and , perhaps , 10 th grade English capabilities . Even so , to game this minimum requirement in a manner that has 2 million kids excluded from the requirements is unconscionable . I suppose it is the kindly cheating of our children by the very adults charged to educate them that began this mess , so I should not be so surprised at this slight - of - hand . However , if this is allowed to continue , officials should change the name to SCSLB , or Some Child Still Left Behind , in all fairness . It is depressing enough that the federal government must step in to insure the minimum value of a high school diploma , but now there is the task of removing a hidden door that transports the most needy minority kids beyond the status of being counted . While we search for understanding and programs that close the performance gap between Black kids and their classmates , everyone must count . The performance of teachers , principals , and school leaders must also be audited to catch other inevitable gaming , or outright cheating , that in turn cheats our kids . As painful as it may be , many of us are still in denial about how we lose Black kids , via under performance in early education . Any program or behavior that supports group denial is an anathema to Black progress , and must be stopped . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Agency to Examine ' No Child ' Loophole , NCLB , Education Loophole , Under Performance , Disparity , Acting White . 
Loving Day Recalls a Time When the Union of a Man And a Woman Was Banned . Loving Day Recalls a Time When the Union of a Man And a Woman Was Banned - Washington Post Black Men in Interracial Relationships - Washington Post Race is a social construct . Scientist have known this for quite some time , but society s view is only slowly changing . Remembering the history of miscegenation laws is important to gauging to what degree this type of thinking , while no longer law , still pervades our society . As a scientific backdrop , R . C . Lewontin , a Harvard Zoologist offers the following conclusion in the recent article , Confusions About Human Races ? . There has been a constant pressure from social and political practice and the coincidence of racial , cultural and social class divisions reinforcing the social reality of race , to maintain race as a human classification . If it were admitted that the category of race is a purely social construct , however , it would have a weakened legitimacy . Thus , there have been repeated attempts to reassert the objective biological reality of human racial categories despite the evidence to the contrary . But what is really at the root of this social distinction that resulted in behaviors and laws to set or keep people apart ? Survival is an instinctive zero - sum contest , where for every winner there is a loser . For roughly seven thousands of years , homo sapiens have chosen their comrades - in - survival , by how they look . It is part of our evolution . But the zero - sum nature of living has changed from the simple binary of life or death , to having more or having less . This is all the more complicated by steady leaps in human development with the last one being critical thinking of 2500 BC . Socrates lead the activities that have eventually brought us to understand the magnitude of our sameness , even as we fight to remain ignorant . Our clinging to ignorance is fueled by insecurity , but this insecurity fuels our advancement , as well . As we appreciate our progress , against our set backs , we should know that one without the other is quite impossible . We see that no group is immune from either side of this dynamic , if the angle and focus of our lens is true . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Loving Day Recalls a Time When the Union of a Man And a Woman Was Banned , Interracial , Racism , Miscegenation , Sex Marriage , Acting White . 
Natural Disasters in Black and White . Natural Disasters in Black and White - Washington Post The Color of Disaster Assistance - Washington Post The Katrina disaster certainly has evoked reasonable concerns that this country s disaster relief tactic is , in some ways , racially biased . It is also logical to extend concerns of this governmental bias to the population as a whole . Testing this assumption in the manner pursued by Stanford University s Political Communications Lab is indeed proper ; however , their approach appears to suffer from incompleteness . The bias shown in the reaction of the test group to the race of example Katrina victims certainly show race , and skin - tone within race , as drivers to the level of aid the subjects are willing to provide . What it does not show , however , is the influence of alternate factors that correlate to race , and which also deserve consideration . An example of one such factor is the significance of the influence , set in legal precedent , of compensating victims in relation to their magnitude of loss . By example , the 9 / 11 Victim Compensation Fund was explicit in utilizing anticipated economic loss in awarding monies , $ 38.1 billion to - date , to relatives of the terrorist attack . Inasmuch , we would expect the amounts distributed to such victims to follow the racial disparities in wages and wealth we observe in society , which are driven by factors of education and skills , including the influence of racial bias . The fact that the Stanford test subjects were allowed to apply not only their racial biases , but also their own empirically backed estimates of compensation for loss to the disaster victims , is a cause for concern in methodology . Those disparities , whose origins , while correlating to race , occur via the influence of other factors , draw the study and results into question . The influences of race , as well as factors that exist along - side race , need accurate control to make these type of studies robust , and therefore useful . Researchers do a disservice to our efforts for progress when they aggregate behaviors and make less - than - refined assignments . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Natural Disasters in Black and White , New Orleans , Racism , Disparity , Stanford University , Acting White . 
17 Pct . at 2 Schools Practice Self - Abuse . 17 Pct . at 2 Schools Practice Self - Abuse - APNo doubt that Ivy League schools are academic pressure - cookers . However , pressure that was once reserved for these elite schools is trickling down , and our mainstream worry is well founded for these students . Nearly twenty years ago , during my tour of duty at the Harvard Business School ( HBS ) , I was initially surprised to realize that the school had twelve ( 12 ) full time psychologists to tend to the mental well - being of 900 - plus first - year students . Presumably second year students do not need much support as they are past the screen , the dreaded point of academic termination . I relinquished my skepticism of the rumor of one HBS suicide every two years when a classmate at that time asked me to speak to her roommate , who was having a difficult time with her studies . After speaking with the woman , I asked my classmate to notify the campus hospital that she was bringing them a new customer . She was promptly admitted , sedated , and retrieved by her family in a matter of days . My 90 section - mates , with whom I shared my first year studies , were a disparate group , with the exception that the group 's high achievement was clearly fueled by a combination of intelligence and insecurity that somehow translated into academic success . But this does not mean this mixture did not also convert into other , less healthy , behaviors . Emotional disorders , stress and high achievement correlate and this is a dirty secret of leading schools . Some academics , like military leaders , speak of these problems as statistical or even acceptable losses . But these are indeed real people who push themselves , with society s urging , up to and sometimes beyond the edge . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : 17 Pct . at 2 Schools Practice Self - Abuse , Self - Mutilation , Over - Achievers , Ivy League , Acting White . 
Supreme Court to Rule on Affirmative Action in Public Schools et al. Supreme Court to Rule on Affirmative Action in Public Schools - Washington Post Alito in Action - Washington Post It is important for us to acknowledge and understand the position from which affirmative action is being argued in recent years , versus in the past . The change is not obvious to everyone , but has implications on what victory or defeat means or does not mean to Blacks . In the past , affirmative action was argued as a response to discrimination which held Blacks beyond full opportunity . These days the revised ' diversity ' affirmative action argues that the best learning environments are those that have a representative balance of the population , and therefore Blacks and others are required for the greatest benefit to all . In this revised approach , schools can give under - represented minorities additional weighting , beyond standard measures , in the form of plus factors , that have the effect of raising their admissions scores , relative to other candidates . Colleges are using this approach , supported by the high court , to circumvent traditional affirmative action . Proposition 209 in California , outlawing any use of race in admissions to public universities , expressly closes this alleged loop - hole , that the justices have provided college admission committees . Other states have ballot initiatives that will seek to follow in California s approach to mitigating the high court . The current challenge , relative to high schools , seeks to block administrators from using the same plus factor systems for admitting Black and Hispanic kids to competitive programs for which they otherwise do not qualify , without race . Since most high schools are segregated , in line with their neighborhoods , the potential impact is low , in general , but nonetheless significant in certain high demand venues . In any event , affirmative action is no longer a strategy for moving large numbers of Black , or Hispanics , up from the lowest economic strata of the country . We should acknowledge that the short run character of this ill - fated long - term strategy has finally run its course . Our attention must turn towards analysis and programs that get to the underlying under performance issues of Blacks and Hispanics . Fewer Black kids , especially Black males , are ever reaching the point where traditional affirmative action can have an impact on their lives . Their situation is dire and we cannot afford to continue to expend resources on programs that simply cannot and do not work . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Supreme Court to Rule on Affirmative Action in Public Schools , Supreme Court , Plus Factors , Diversity , Proposition 209 , Under Performance , Acting White . 
A Calculus of Race and Death ? A Calculus of Race and Death ? - Washington Post It is distressing to hear Black leaders accuse authorities of devaluing Black victims of crime , while at the same time lamenting the plight and disproportion of Black males in prison . This would seem to put authorities in a Catch - 22 situation . If law enforcement vigorously pursues the perpetrators of criminal acts against Blacks , then more Black males end up in prison , as male - dominated Black - on - Black crime is statistically disproportionate . In turn , once the disproportion in crime is translated into incarceration rates , they are accused of racism in prosecution and punishment . It is a no - win situation . If Blacks want authorities to act aggressively for their protection , they must accept that the likely result is more Black males in prison . If Blacks want fewer of their group incarcerated , they must reach back to early childhood and education where so many first get off the right track . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : A Calculus of Race and Death ? , Racism , Discrimination , Black - on - Black Crime , District Attorney , Catch - 22 , Acting White . 
Episcopalians Consider Giving Reparations to Black Members et al. Episcopalians Consider Giving Reparations to Black Members - APReligion Today - APWhile reparations are on the minds of Episcopalians preparing to meet in June , Blacks and Whites , in general are lined up squarely for and against reparations . An earlier CNN / Gallup poll shows Blacks in favor by 6 to 4 , with Whites opposed by 9 to 1 . However , it is restitution , a form of reparations , which is being more hotly debated and enacted , even as we speak of full reparations . The actionable character of restitution has propelled it as the lead - in tactic of reparations advocates , ahead of a hoped - for national reparation showdown . The willingness of some municipalities to take action , in the form of slavery - era disclosure requirements , has the effect of forcing companies to self - incriminate and plead guilty in the court - of - public - opinion , as a condition for their continued good standing to conduct normal business with those municipalities . These disclosures , with various forms of payment , have occurred even though the companies that engaged in the slavery - related activities did so at a time when it was indeed legal , and no court has or is even considering sanctions . This influence by city governments amounts reasonably to coercion , a kind of municipal vigilantism . Even with concerns and issues around the growing requirements , many city governments , across the country , are pushing ahead with disclosure referendums . Companies are paying compensation to Black organizations and programs to avoid appearing unrepentant for the actions of their corporate ancestors . But what role should laws play ? Someone who pays restitution is normally giving up unjust gains back to the claimant , motivated by the potential for , or a direct order of , the court due to the claimant s reasonable legal basis , by the causative events of either unjust enrichment or wrongful damages . The wrongs , however , that companies are atoning for are measured squarely against modern day morality and statues , and not that of the time when the events occurred . It is this revision of the criteria , under which past behaviors are judged , that is illogical , following the auspices of two wrongs can not make a right . Our legal system and its jurisdiction in these matters , limited as it is , should not be circumvented . This is a degenerative form of manipulation . Once the law s effectiveness is thus weakened , this intrusion increases the opportunity for continuing reduction and non - compliance , and a further loss of constitutional protection . If it is true that these companies should pay restitution , then it is a matter of the courts , not city officials , to decide who should pay , to whom they owe their debt , and the form and amount of any such payment . Adjudication should be carried out under the watchful eye of the public , and with the full protection of our laws , including the appeal process . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Religion Today , Reparations Debate , Restitution , Slavery - Era Disclosures , Racism , Revisionist , Acting White . 
Black , Hispanic Pupils See School As Tough . Black , Hispanic Pupils See School As Tough - APThe survey results revealing that Black and Hispanic kids view their school environments as tough dovetails with the disparity between the social and cognitive preparation that these kids get outside and inside of school . This is further reason for educators and the public to emphasize pre - school education programs that would start kids out more on par . To begin , we should understand , 50 years after Brown v. Board of Education , most schools in the US are still segregated , like our neighborhoods . While the administration and curriculums of schools are similar , if not identical , children enter with disparities in early childhood development and preparation that place minority kids at greater social and cognitive disadvantage , vis - - vis status quo public education . While top researchers have inventoried all the things that poor kids do not receive that hurts them , like books , computers , pre - natal care , healthy diets , and regular exercise , they are reticent to speak of what these kids do get that thwarts their performance prior to and once in school . This reticence comes , understandably , from the fear of accusations of racism . It is not race that drives the difference , but rather the influence of the locations of our societies of origin . Those societies represent different states of technological advancement , dating back thousands of years , but whose influence is still with us today . This influence is most readily captured in modern terms by the United Nations Development Program s technology achievement index ( TAI ) for countries . This index measures the evolution of societies , with respect to creation , assimilation , and diffusion of advancing methods and skills , or what we call technology . Race has unfortunately been the divisive surrogate for geography - influenced behaviors , and good science still struggles to unburden us of the unscientific application of superficial genetics to our differences . When we understand and accept why kids , in this case , come to school with certain behaviors that either hinder or aid in their advancement , we will see the performance gaps begin to close . Without assignments of race to blind us , but rather geography - influenced progressions , we will undoubtedly figure out how to persuasively impart and accept advancing behaviors regardless of their color of origin . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Black , Hispanic Pupils See School As Tough , Performance , Disparities , Technology , Evolution , Societies , Acting White . 
Progress on AIDS Is Focus of Assembly et al. Progress on AIDS Is Focus of Assembly - Washington Post U . N . Says Promises Broken in AIDS Fight - APAIDS Activists Protest at U . N . Building - APNew battle lines emerging in Asia anti - AIDS fight - Reuters U . N . Says India Now Has Most AIDS Cases - APFight AIDS at a Store Near You - Washington Post U . N . Group Sets Compromise on AIDS Policy - Washington Post Another $ 10 Billion - Washington Post The other day I sent a note to a cycling friend of mine , Peter Dolan who also happens to be the CEO of Bristol - Myers Squibb ( BMS ) , the 19 billion dollar US pharmaceutical company . The occasion was to offer him my personal thanks for a BMS initiative I had read about , whereby his company and Baylor Medical School were teaming up to send 250 doctors to Africa to provide AIDS / HIV treatment . While thanking him , I also acknowledged the cold - equation of the spread of the virus across Africa against the monumental tasks of combating it . Currently , only one in five Africans are slated to get treatment , leaving the other 80 % , many of who are children , to surely perish . The world - wide donated monies , upwards of $ 10 billion this year , flowing to fight the disease are less than half of what is required and this difference is expected to get worse as the disease progresses at a faster pace than treatment . Fighting AIDS / HIV is tremendously difficult because transmission is intertwined with behaviors that are difficult and slow to change , as we have seen here in the US . Furthermore , treatment programs that , at best , keep the disease in check , are substantially more expensive and complex to administer . Nonetheless , Peter s words gave me positive pause , and are worth repeating : Jim , Thanks for the words of encouragement This is only the latest and the tip of the iceberg in terms of what BMS has done regarding AIDS in Africa . Years ago we lowered the price to our manufactured costs , we aren't enforcing patents in Africa , we have built / are building 7 pediatric clinics that treat thousands and we are teaching generic companies who promise to keep the medicine in Africa and India how to make our newest and most innovative therapies while they are still early in their patent life . We ' ve funded over 200 grants and have committed $ 150 million ( second only to the Gates Foundation ) since 1999 . Our efforts are well known among the international AIDS community , much less so in the US . Check out Secure the Future on our website if you are interested in more . Hope you are doing well . good luck with the book ! Peter As the leaders and the faithful in the AIDS / HIV battle continue to find new ways to meet the challenges of the disease , both at home and round the world , I will look for more ways to get involved , while I offer these legions the same encouragement that I sent to Peter thanks and keep up your good work . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Progress on AIDS Is Focus of Assembly , AIDS Africa , Prevention , UNAIDS , Bristol - Myers Squibb , Peter Dolan , Acting White . 
California Initiative Renews Preschool Debate et al. California Initiative Renews Preschool Debate - Washington Post Study Backs Calif. Preschool Proposal - Washington Post Calif. Preschool Measure Runs Into Trouble - APCalifornia Initiative Renews Preschool Debate - Washington Post It is encouraging to see educators debating the merits of pre - school programs , as this is the time and place where leading research first recognizes the group disparities that are driving performance in school and into the workplace . The economic plight and disparities of Blacks and Hispanics is the direct result of our inattentiveness to early - age challenges . While encouraging , there is also the danger that these programs will not survive because we are lacking an understanding of why they often times work and how to make their impact consistent and permanent . Those who are against the programs are voicing bona fide concern , regarding short and long - term program efficacy , which is not yet clear . The positive impact of these programs is largely driven by the behavioral influence of pre - school on malleable young minds . Pre - school children are not so much taught academics , but more reasonably how to think about learning and their environment , often without the instructors specific knowing it . They are getting an invaluable pre - education in logic , structure , values and the discipline of thinking and doing , prior to the first academic layers of reading , writing and arithmetic . To the degree that these programs are well thought out and executed , the positive results are significant . The issue is that they are not long lasting for most of the children because their home and later social environments are not re - enforcing . Counter - developmental and academic cultural norms assert themselves too often , resulting in the regression of advancing behaviors learned . It is critical that our society invest in understanding how to provide every pre - school child with a solid learning foundation , and one that places social premiums on early age assimilation of advancing behaviors . When re - enforced at home , these programs deliver maximum leverage to elementary school success , the pivot to full and long - term participation in the opportunities of our country . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : California Initiative Renews Preschool Debate , No Child Left Behind , Disparity , Racism , Early Childhood Education , Head Start , Acting White . 
Ruthless at Last , Bonds Hits 715 th et al. Ruthless at Last , Bonds Hits 715 th - Washington Post Five Reasons Why Babe Ruth is Better Than Barry Bonds - Washington Post Beer Here ! Thirsty Fan Gets Bonds ' HR Ball - APThe Call Not Heard ' Round The World - APBonds Hits 714 th Homer , Ties Ruth - Washington Post - Washington Post It is poetic justice that the baseball fan that ended up with Barry Bond s tie - busting home - run ball , had used the controversial player s at - bat to grab a hot dog or such , wherein while in line the valuable ball fell literally into his lap . This guy , probably the smartest person in the park , cared as much about watching Bonds as Bonds seems to care about his team , not very much . I happen to be at the Giants game the day before Bonds broke Ruth s record , and through my binoculars , I was amazed at the hitter s show of un - sportsmanship and selfishness . Baseball indeed suffers from racism , but Bond s problem is not racism , but jerkism , his own . Should fans ignore his behavior to prove that they are not racist ? Let us hope not . Sure , I had heard the guy had problems , but I was also willing to let him slide because I also remember what racist brutality Hank Aaron went through when it became clear that he would become the greatest hitter of all time . But what I saw of Bonds literally turned my stomach , and made me glad my son had opted for a birthday party that day instead . Smart boy . When one of the Giants scored early in the game the entire team , except for Bonds , greeted and congratulated him in the dugout . Strike one . Later in the game , on base from a walk , Bonds , along with a teammate , scored on a triple by a third teammate . Bonds did not wait at home base , as is customary , for his trailing teammate , to congratulate him and be received together into the dugout . Strike two . On the day he broke the record , even as he has ignored them , his team and the Giants fans still showered him with affection . Nonetheless , I had the feeling that Barry s race card was at - the - ready awaiting the slightest whiff of hesitation by anyone . He has used it often to explain why people treat him so poorly . Wrong . Strike three . Notice that I have not said anything about steroids . Why ? Because it is a complex issue , and much like racism , the view is not clear . But , after reaching 715 , what is not complex is why people do not like Barry Bonds . I saw it with my own two eyes , the man is indeed a jerk , and an embarrassment . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Ruthless at Last , Bonds Hits 715 th , Barry Bonds , Discrimination , Racism , Babe Ruth , Hank Arron , Acting White . 
Stop the Black - Only Treatment . Stop the Black - Only Treatment - Washington Post Researchers have proven the efficacy of isolating groups for study . However , isolation as a remedy , unto itself , is laden with traps , the most obvious being the introduction of influence factors that distort and confuse potential findings in uncontrollable ways . Black Male Initiatives ( BMI ) inherently postulate at least two errant macro - assumptions about Black males , and that which challenges them . The first is that their issues are more significantly external , and therefore controllable by isolation . The second is that once the target efficacy is achieved , that it can be sustained as the group re - integrates into society . A second problem with BMI s is in their unscientific approach . They attempt to re - engineer solutions by experimenting on an isolated , but uncontrolled population , with the goal of somehow fixing them . This approach , at best , hopes to stumble across effective applications to the issues the group is facing . Even if improvement occurs , identification and assignment of factors across multiple interrelating variables is nearly impossible . Lastly , the most significant Black male , as well as female , issue is school performance beginning in elementary school and leading up to high school , with atrocious graduation rates averaging just over 50 % . While Black males also suffer low college graduation , so few get to college that we must wonder how studying them provides hope for the ' ground - zero ' of early education where nearly half are disqualified . Spending public monies on questionable programs aimed at gender and race sub - sets raises issues of relevance and equity , as well as legality . Are we doing the same for similarly challenged Hispanics , Native Americans , and Pacific Islanders ? No one is saying that Black males do not need attention , but when the problems show so prevalently in the first grade , as education research shows , we need to ask ourselves if college - level BMI s programs are more distracting than potentially illuminating . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Stop the Black - Only Treatment , Black Males , Discrimination , Disparity , Racial Disparity , Performance Gaps , Acting White . 
Dropout Data Raise Questions on 2 Fronts et al. Dropout Data Raise Questions on 2 Fronts - Washington Post Counting Diplomas and 9 th - Graders - Washington Post Tracking Students Over Time Using Surveys - Washington Post A Clearer Picture Of Who Graduates - Washington Post If we think things are confusing now , regarding the number of high school diplomas being handed out , just wait until the full impact of high school exit exams hits . These exams , partly the results of No Child Left Behind ( NCLB ) , and new state initiatives , are going to give new and better indicators of exactly what a high school diploma is worth , across the country . California is currently in a battle for making the exit test , introduced since 1999 , part of the requirement for graduation . While the state - to - state requirements may differ slightly , in California graduates must pass an 8 th grade math , and 10 th grade English exam . Given the years that schools have had to prepare for the requirement , it comes as no surprise that judgment day has , or nearly , arrived in many states . It seems fair to expect students to pass these minimum requirements , even though civil attorneys are arguing just this point . However , it is painful to hear proponent educators say that the exit exams are part of helping kids go to college . Might they be speaking of Burger King U ? If going to college represents the ceiling of high school attainment , reflected in Advanced Placement curriculums ( AP ) , these exit exams are the floor , with the ultimate goal hopefully being to bring the two of them together . This togetherness will take more than the current efforts . The inevitable racial disparities in exam results , which we already see in California , will eventually become news nationwide . The question of the drivers of the disparity will get more attention and focus , as it should . This attention will stop the behavior of simply passing kids on regardless of readiness , and letting the marketplace tell us the magnitude of their limited skill sets . This testing is a hopeful start , but we should not think it mitigates the full set of performance challenges . More accurately , it spotlights critical , but known , issues around current minimum results in educating our children . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Dropout Data Raise Questions on 2 Fronts , Exit Exams , Graduation , No Child Left Behind , Racial Disparity , Performance Gaps , Acting White . 
Calculating Diplomas for Class of 2009 et al. Calculating Diplomas for Class of 2009 - Washington Post Calif. Supreme Court Reinstates Exit Exam - APReconnecting Young Black Men - Washington Post Calif. Seniors Upset With Exit - Exam Ruling - APIt is disturbingly ironic that the federal government , through No Child Left Behind ( NCLB ) , is in the business of making sure that kids actually learn a minimum of something in school . There was a time when parents and teachers thought it was their responsibility that their kids learned as much as possible . However , a cardinal rule of motivation was broken , mostly with good intent . Blacks , who were disadvantaged because Whites were racists , found amends by a reversing of rules of the game . Skin color , which had been used to bar their entry , became the ticket , and we believed this was fair , until we began to question its efficacy . Unbeknownst to us , and accompanying this fairness , parents and teachers also decided that they no longer mattered in the education equation . Each backed away from their earlier roles as the highest authority . However , no one understood that affirmative action could not be forever . Skin color could not become a permanent motivator to who would promote , less it become the twin of the original unfairness . So now we have state and federal testing to minimally force our motivation back into alignment . But like affirmative action , it should only be a start , as what we really require are engaged parents and teachers who take back the responsibility for how much , not how little , students must learn to become contributing adults . James C . Collier READ MORE ACTING WHITE ... Technorati Tags : Calculating Diplomas for Class of 2009 , No Child Left Behind , Exit Testing , Advanced Placement , Discrimination , Racism , Acting White . 
Bias in speed tests . I almost forgot one funny little discovery I made about speedtests . Before I get to that though , let me explain a little abotu speedtests . As the name implies , they are designed to determine the upload and download speeds of whatever internet connection you happen to be using at the moment , usually in the form of some little web applet . I tried them all when testing my new Fi OS line out . I ' m paying for 15 Mbs down and 2 Mbs up , and I ' m told I share my line with no one , so any decent speedtest should reliably show that these are the speeds at which I am connecting . The same logic is true for dial - up and DSL connections , but not cable connections , which are usually shared among many users and line speeds drop as more users logon . Anyway , back to the subject . As I said , I tried many speedtests ; Speakeasy 's , the dslreports tests , Visualware 's , and of course , Verizon 's . So here 's the deal , most of the speedtests out there aren't designed to give accurate readings for internet speeds much above what you get with a cable modem ( ~5 Mbs ) . This is in fact what I discovered with most of the speedtest sites except for the one from Visualware , which pegged me at 15.1 Mbs down and 1.8 Mbs up , a fair margin of error . The most interesting result came from my Fi OS provider themselves , Verizon . According to them , I ' m getting a blazing 49 Mbs down and 6.1 Mbs up ! That 's nearly 35 Mbs extra down and 5 Mbs extra up speed they are giving me for free apparently . That or they are just lying to try and make me feel that much better about this Fi OS service ? hard to say , but if you don't believe me , I took a screen shot of the output page ( but unfortunately , the graphic didn't come out ) . I just tried this test again now , and its telling me I ' m maxed out on both down and uploads . Methinks a bug lies within . 
Fi OS : update I. So its been some number of weeks since I had Verizon 's fiber optic data and TV service installed in the house . They call it " Fi OS " ( the installers told me its pronounced " fye - ous " ) . Anyway now that I ' ve had some weeks to get the hang of it , I thought I ' d let people know my thoughts . First , the data part ( aka the intarweb ) is totally bitchin ' . Its hard to get a bead on what my true download and upload speed is though as I get radically different readings from the different speedtests available out there , so I ' m not sure what 's going on with that . A friend of mine said he ' d try some of the same speedtests with his cable connection at some point . Perhaps he could report results in the comments ? The only thing about the internet connection is that Verizon is basically Macintosh - computer stoopid . The techs came into the house and took one look at my Airport wireless transmitter and said , " will that work with our system ? " Of course it will you dumbasses . Anyway , part of their standard operating procedure is to hook your main connection into a wireless router ( I think its Cisco branded ) that has 4 ethernet ports on it for connecting to your home computers . That kinda sucked for me because I have this whole nifty printer sharing thing going on with my Airport and I knew the Cisco router had no such funtionality . After doing some more speedtests , I basically just daisy - chained my Airport downstream of the Cisco router so that I effectively now have two wireless networks running off of the same internet connection . So I browse the net with the Cisco router network and when I have to print something from one of the laptops , I just switch networks over to the Airport . Its not an ideal solution , but it will have to do until I figure out a way to get the routers operating on the same network , or find a way to get the Cisco router to do the printer sharing I can do with my Airport . I haven't yet played online video games with this new connection , but I will soon , maybe in another update . At that time I may also go on and explain what I ' ve learned about wireless connections vs ethernet - wired connections and how that led me to wire every important room in my home with an ethernet jack . Update II will deal with the TV service , and it will be long ( because there is plenty to complain about ) . 
Fi OS . Today , the Verizon people are installing Fi OS data and TV in my home . I ' m pretty excited about it , but there were a few things the sales person didn't make very clear to me . First of all , the data all needs to run over ethernet wires . So if you currently have your house nicely wired up with a cable jack and a phone jack in every room , you ' ll have to run additional ethernet jacks to all those same rooms or go entirely wireless for data . I already do the wireless thing but I like having internet - capable jacks in every room as well , so I will have some work to do . Secondly , the TV signal still runs over the normal cable wires , but a set - top box is required . I fucking hate set - top boxes . I ' m not sure I really need it actually as I have a very high tech TV , so I ' ll have to test that out myself I think . I may update this later as the day progresses ... 
My Neighborhood . " The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance , " John Philpot Curran , 1790 . This was the opening sentence of an email I just received from one of my neighbors . I signed up to a mailing list , adminstered by said neighbor , which intends to keep the neighborhood informed of the efforts of a neighborhood action comittee . The comittee was recently formed to block a proposal by a local developer to build 50 some - odd townhouses and a nursing home on the edge of our all - single - family - homes neighborhood . Needless to say , people are pissed off enough to evoke revolutionary slogans from the Irish rebellion . I find that particularly hyberbolic , and by hyperbolic I mean awesome . I can't wait till the parent - teachers association starts urging us residents to arm ourselves . 
Busy Weekend . Last weekend blew by for me as Chris and I were much more active than usual ( correction , I was much more active than usual ) . A couple of weeks ago , we broke down and decided to pay for a membership to the Columbia Association pools . The town has several indoor and outdoor community pools scattered around , but access to them comes with a relatively steep price tag ( I think each of us has to make some 15 visits before the membership seems worth the money ) . Anyway , we bought our passes and last Friday decided to try them out for the first time . We walked over to our local outdoor pool and were happy to learn that that night was to be the first of the summer with an extended hours schedule ( open till 8 pm ) . On the downside , the place was friggin ' mobbed with kids , upwards of 50 of them . We were a little intimidated but regardless , we slipped into one corner of the pool and marinated for a little while . Just as we were getting comfortable with the whole spastic scene . All the kids started getting out of the pool . Within five minutes the pool was empty but for Chris and I and one other adult . The kids were congregating behind the diving board in a tight cluster but not really doing anything yet , just screaming and laughing and wating ... for something . Chris and I began to get fairly nervous at this spontaneous behavior . Kids are pretty normal when they are acting like a wild mob , but when the runts start organizing it is way creepier . We weren't too far away from the other dude in the pool so Chris asked him what all the organization was about . He told us that all the local swim teams were having a pep rally tonight , and almost on cue , the runts started chanting thier fight songs . " Here We Go Light - ning , HERE WE GO ! " Chris and I 's attitude suddenly turned a 180 from being totally freaked out to being highly amused . 
Genetically Engineered , Hypoallergenic Pets . I stumbled across this spoof site today which claims to be hawking bioengineered pets which are , " Allergen Free , Child Safe , Low Maintainence , Life Perfected " . It seems to me that the authors of this site think the idea of a hypoallergenic , bioengineered pet is so crazy as to be absurdly humorous . The last laugh is on them of course , as a real company came up with the idea in 1995 and is actively working on developing such a thing . They plan to start with dander - free cats . 
Blunted on Reality . Interesting news from Kurdistaan : Barzani : Foreign companies who sold chemicals to Saddam will be chased Sulaimaniyah , Kurdistan - Iraq , -- The President of Iraq 's Kurdistan Region , Massoud Barzani , said on last Saturday that Kurdish government will pursue the foreign companies who sold chemical materials to the former Iraqi government of President Saddam Hussein . Addressing a mass gathering of people from Halabja , President Barzani added " we will legally go after those who sold chemical weapons to Iraqi government or helped it to produce those weapons . " However he added that " cull documentations " are needed to win a legal case against those companies in case of a trial . He described a suit against such companies " as a two - edged sword " that would turn against its user , if mishandled . In 1988 , in the closing weeks of Iraq - Iran war , Iraq gassed the Kurdish town of Halabja , on the border with Iran , resulting in the death of more than 5000 civilians . Last year a Dutch court convicted Frans Van Anraat , a Dutch businessman , of selling chemical materials to Saddam 's regime . Iraq also used those weapons against Iranian tropes during its eight - year war with Iran . I wonder if Barzani truly plans to go after everyone : Speaking of Kurdistaan , a most heartbreaking and touching film by the name of Turtles Can Fly ( " Lakposhtha h m parvaz mikonand " ) is highly recommended as required viewing for anyone remotely interested in the plight of the Kurdish children in Northern Iraq : The imagery of this film is so amazingly rich , visually soft and remarkably mesmerizing to watch . It 's shot just before the U.S. invaded in 2003 and follows the story of a kid named ' Satellite ' who takes his band of poverty - stricken , village children around Kurdistan to disarm landmines and sell them for money . I won't spoil the plot , but it 's told with a beautifully choreographed mysticism through the eyes of a child . It 's gripping , funny in a surly kind of way , and completely unpretentious in its artistry . The plight of the Kurds in Turkey and Kurds in Iraq ( which should be a full sovereign nation anyway ever since its emergence as a proto - state ) is one that should not be ignored . After the Palestinian question has been resolved , Kurds are sure to be the next majority refugee ethnic group seeking full autonomy in the Middle East for their people . Films like Turtles Can Fly only drive this point home even more . 
In brightest day , in blackest night / No evil shall escape my sight . All the wistful desire in the universe won't change the immutable reality of missing Comic - Con in San Diego once more this year . Curses on us for having the least amount of vacation in the industrialized , developed world ! Get with the program , America ! To make up for this , I ' ve taken the Which Superhero Are You quiz once more for personal validation : Your results : You are Green Lantern Green Lantern 100 % Spider - Man 90 % Hulk 80 % Superman 80 % Batman 75 % Iron Man 75 % Supergirl 62 % Robin 57 % The Flash 55 % Wonder Woman 52 % Catwoman 50 % Hot - headed . You have strongwill power and a good imagination . I seek ultimate power through passion to destroy evil and anyone who stands in my way of vanquishing evil . Is that so wrong ? Justice and thy will be done . As I contemplate the duality of that notion , this superb Flickr slideshow from Comic - Con will keep me occupied . ( sniff , sniff ) . 
What Can $ 13,000 Get You ? A totally killer , ripped physique : With her heavily muscled arms , you would be forgiven for thinking it is the result of a punishing exercise regime at the gym . But it seems the Queen of Pop 's incredible shape is , in part , thanks to The Power Plate - dubbed the ' miracle ' machine . And for those who have spent years trying to beat the wobble , the news is sure to send out good vibrations . The new exercise machine removes the need to actually work out . Manufacturers claim that the vibrating platform offers the same benefits of an hour - long sweaty gym workout in just 15 minutes with the machine burning the calories for you . The Power Plate is said to be responsible for the incredible shapes of not only Madonna , but also star such as Claudia Schiffer and Natalie Imbruglia . But the " miracle " machine doesn't come cheap - at 6,995 it costs far more than the average annual gym membership . After the muscley 47 - year - old Queen of Pop bought the vibrating exercise platform , sales have reportedly soared . But is there any hope for the hopelessly hopeless ? 
American Moral Atavism . You know what 's funny ? Leaked underground videos of innocents getting viciously beheaded by al - Qaeda terrorists and Iraqi insurgents . Ya really ! I take that back . Honestly , I do . You know what even funnier than that ? So funny that it blows the ludicrously funny scale off its charts ? Videos of bored , dumbass exhibitionist American teenagers reenacting those same acts in mock terror execution videos and posting them on teh Intehworbs for our amusement : Oh .... YES . The fakery is quite real . Evidenced here , here , here , here , and here . How I could drone on and on about the particular mental , psychological and emotional infirmities that would lead these kids to trivialize cruel and brutal acts of murder , their inability to cope with or comprehend the realities of war , their blithe ignorance and incapacity for humanity and decency , the lack of adult guidance in their pathetic suburbanite lives , the numbing and the jaded nature of kids today in a mass media environment , and so on and so forth . And yet ... the need to write such a detailed exposition does not present itself . This is , quite simply , cultural and moral degeneracy at its finest -- most likely done without the knowledge or consent of their parents who would be " shocked , totally shocked " to learn that little Bobby is downstairs in the basement with his friends and their digital camcorder venerating Zarqawi and the gang . I ' m perfectly content in watching the downward spiral . Play on , kiddies . You make us laugh . Diminishing respect for life and coarsening our moral sensibilities in a time of war and suffering makes the world a better place ! 
cp - r - p foo foos _ backup / backup _ one . My photoshopping comrade in arms , gordo , had an interesting post on his blog a while back that I ' ve just now had some time to check out . My Heritage is an online facial recognition system still in its beta stage of testing . The submitted photos have to be a straightforward shot of the face so that ( presumably ) the symmetry of the face can be scanned and matched with their database of your celebrity twin . As a crude experiment , I decided to try out 3 random badass mofos to see how the system holds up . I first tested David Lynch 's portrayal of The Elephant Man : which yielded nothing . I figured this was possibly due to the lack of quality frontal profile shots of John Merrick , so I decided to go a little further and select a more palatable choice -- Old Dirty Bastard : again , nothing ! By now the system seemed totally unreliable . How could it not recognize The Elephant Man or ODB ? ! ? My last attempt -- Nick Nolte : and voila ! The # 1 match was ... ( drumroll ) ... Kurt frigging Vonnegut ? ! ? Clearly the system needs some work , but it 's a fun little ride if one is interested in seeing his or her genetically coded , cosmic doppelg nger . Other notable failures in the system : Dee Snider , Christopher Walken , Cornel West , Gary Coleman . For shame ... 
Aesthetic Design Run Amok . Just looking at this thing forced me to instinctively grab my crotch and experience a horrible , instantaneous pain known only to the male gender . Forget the semiotics of the marketing campaign behind it ; the visual design is so sharp and extreme it was like immediate terror for the schlong . Schlong terrorism , if you will . Why aren't we mass producing and dropping truckloads of these devices all over Darfur ? ! ? Update : I ' m now officially checking into my local clinic for being disturbed beyond repair : Intarweb graphics terrify me . Fem Defence for all ! 
Attack Of The Memories . True hip hop fans of all stripes and creeds can universally agree that Rakim is the greatest emcee of all time . Of this , there is very little doubt and minimal debate . Listening to Casualties of War from Eric B . and Rakim 's 1992 Don't Sweat The Technique album seems like , in retrospect , a chilling omen . With all the current reports of crazed soldiers / marines losing their minds and committing horrific acts of brutality in Iraq , Casualties of War is an essential in any anti - war music collection . The thought of this being done in 1992 and mentioning the other Bush is priceless . Casualties of War ! Casualties of war ; as I approach the barricade Where 's the enemy ? Who do I invade ? Bullets of Teflon , bulletproof vest rip Tear ya outta ya frame with a bag full of clips Cause I got a family that waits for my return To get back home is my main concern I ' ma get back to New York in one piecebut I ' m bent in the sand that is hot as the city streets Sky lights up like fireworks blind me Bullets , whistlin over my head remind me ... President Bush said attack Flashback to Nam , I might not make it back Missile hits the area , screams wake me upfrom a war of dreams , heat up the M - 16 Basic training , trained for torture Take no prisoners , and I just caught ya Addicted to murder , send more bodybags They can't identify em , leave the nametags I get a rush when I see blood , dead bodies on the floor CASUALTIES OF WAR ! ( 4 X ) Day divides the night and night divides the day It 's all hard work and no play More than combat , it 's far beyond that Cause I got a kill or be killed kind of attack Area 's mapped out , there ' ll be no , Stratego Me and my platoon make a boom wherever we go But what are we here for ? Who 's on the other side of the wall ? Somebody give the President a call But I hear warfare scream through the air Back to the battlegrounds , it 's war they declare A Desert Storm : let 's see who reigns supreme Something like Monopoly : a government scheme Go to the Army , be all you can be Another dead soldier ? Hell no , not me So I start letting off ammunition in every direction Allah is my only protection But wait a minute , Saddam Hussein prays the sameand this is Asia , from where I came I ' m on the wrong side , so change the target Shooting at the general ; and where 's the sergeant ? Blame it on John Hardy Hawkins for bringing me to America Now it 's mass hysteria I get a rush when I see blood , dead bodies on the floor CASUALTIES OF WAR ! ( 4 X ) The war is over , for now at least Just because they lost it don't mean it 's peace It 's a long way home , it 's a lot to think about Whole generation , left in doubt Innocent families killed in the midst It ' ll be more dead people after this So I ' m glad to be alive and walkin Half of my platoon came home in coffins Except the general , buried in the Stormin bits and pieces no need to look for em I played it slick and got away with it Rigged it up so they would think they did it Now I ' m home on reserves and you can betwhen THEY call , I ' m going AWOLCause it ain't no way I ' m going back to warwhen I don't know who or what I ' m fighting for So I wait for terrorists to attack Every time a truck backfires I fire back I look for shelter when a plane is over me Remember Pearl Harbor ? New York could be over , GKamikaze , strapped with bombs No peace in the East , they want revenge for Saddam Did I hear gunshots , or thunder ? No time to wonder , somebody 's going under Put on my fatigues and my camoflouge Take control , cause I ' m in charge When I snapped out of it , it was blood , dead bodies on the floor CASUALTIES OF WAR ! ( 4 X ) . 
FIFA Outrage of The Day . France 's Zinedine Zidane celebrates his penalty kick goal goal during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between Portugal and France in the World Cup stadium in Munich , Germany , Wednesday , July 5 , 2006 . ( AP Photo / Thomas Kienzle ) FILS DE PUTE ! I ' m counting on you , Italia . Get out there and kick the busones up their culos francese ! Dammit !!! 
Movie Review : Superman Returns . Dun Dun - Dun - Dun - Dun Dun - Dun - Dun ... Dun Dun - Dun - Dun - Dun Dun - Dun - Dun ! Well , that 's my review . Good night , all ! It 's late . It was good . Not better than the original . Bullet time has already been done . His suit is less ghey this time around . Some bad CGI in certain scenes . Go see it anyway . Spoiler : Lex Luthor is bald . 
Open The Flood Gates . Bill Gates isn't your run - of - the - mill billionaire . He 's a genuine hero . The marriage between he and Warren Buffett this week , merged with the Gates Foundation 's unwavering fight towards eliminating childhood disease , hunger , malaria and AIDS , will be recorded in history as one of the most extraordinary acts of social philanthropy and goodwill . Buffett , who also opposed repealing the estate tax , has previously stated : I love it when I ' m around the country club , and I hear people talking about the debilitating effects of a welfare society , he said . At the same time , they leave their kids a lifetime and beyond of food stamps . Instead of having a welfare officer , they have a trust officer . And instead of food stamps , they have stocks and bonds . An absolutely remarkable statement of truth from a most unlikely source . In addition to the scholarships of their Foundation , their donations are aimed at eradicating poverty itself : The Gates foundation is concentrating on health care and education , two things identified by Jeffrey Sachs , author of " The End of Poverty , " as foundational issues holding back development in poor nations . Also noted by Mr. Sachs , however , is the scope of the problem , which is beyond even the resources of a charity with almost 60 billion in available resources ( adding in Buffet 's contribution ) . Mr. Sachs notes that the root cause of persistent poverty is that the extreme poor , measured as those who make less than $ 1.08 per day ( which includes 1.1 billion people , or around 1 / 6 th of the world 's population ) , spend all their money on basic needs and thus lack the funds to invest in the future . Raising them above that level , as well as moderating certain poverty - related costs ( such as the problem of a working - age population rapidly dying off due to AIDS ) , enables them to " climb the ladder " of economic development ( using a Sachs ' analogy ) leading them towards sustainable growth and integration with the global economy . It 's a compelling argument ( and one I don't do justice to , hence my link to the book on Amazon ) , though if true , it means that the rich world would have to start transfering $ 135 billion a year to developing economies to raise income levels above basic needs , a figure that rises to $ 195 billion a year by 2015 . The rewards are that poor nations could have the chance to escape extreme poverty and grow sustainably without the need for foreign top - ups . The costs , however , aren't so dramatic when one considers that the sum constitutes a mere 0.44 % - 0.54 % of rich world GNP , far less than the 0.7 % of GNP rich nations ( including the United States ) have ALREADY committed to contribute as part of the UN 's Millenium Development Goals . If this argument proves to be true , one can have nothing but admiration and gratitude for Bill and Melinda Gates . They are , quite literally , the sole international catalysts for global action against the plague of poverty . It 's much more than any private individual donor has done on their own , and we can only hope they stir enough interest amongst governments to follow in their footsteps . 
And That 's ... One to Grow On . Man , I see in fight club the strongest and smartest men who ' ve ever lived . I see all this potential , and I see squandering . God damn it , an entire generation pumping gas , waiting tables ; slaves with white collars . Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes , working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need . We 're the middle children of history , man . No purpose or place . We have no Great War . No Great Depression . Our Great War 's a spiritual war ... our Great Depression is our lives . We ' ve all been raised on television to believe that one day we ' d all be millionaires , and movie gods , and rock stars . But we won't . And we 're slowly learning that fact . And we 're very , very pissed off . -- Tyler Durden , Fight Club There 's a reason why this is one of the greatest stories of all time and why the cult is the sensation that it is . It 's an ironclad contract with the working stiffs of the world ; a true revolutionary uniting and guiding the masses as he paints an honest , resonating portrait of our lives . That said , it 's quite pathetic to see such an incredibly lame site dedicated to one of the greatest anti - pop , anti - consumerist heroes ever in the history of film . You stupid fucks over at WWTDD need to get it together ! Tyler isn't about nailing Parisian models and offering vacuous commentary on the doldrums of pop culture . Tyler is the anti - model , the anti - culture , the anti - uniform , the anti - everything . Tyler wouldn't even have a website , cause Tyler 's a fuckin ' Luddite ! Tyler is everything you are not , and you desecrate his Gospel with every monotonous bit of scatterbrained , inane , TV - Guide rubbish you produce . 
A Pecuniary Offense . Ah man .... what in the holy hell is going on in this crazy world when Screech can't even put food on the table any more : Millions could remember him from his role as the geeky Screech on the early ' 90 s sitcom " Saved by the Bell , " and its perpetual syndication . Close to 100,000 computers had logged onto his Web site at www . getdshirts . com within a few hours of his recent appearance on Howard Stern 's satellite radio show . Diamond figured that selling 30,000 T - shirts to save his gray , two - story suburban home might be within reason . " I ' m the poster child for everything child stars aren't , " he said , allowing one caveat : money problems . Diamond , 29 , faces losing the home under a foreclosure order filed in Ozaukee County Circuit Court on May 4 . It demands that he cough up the remaining $ 250,000 he owes under a land contract , which Diamond said was one of the few options available for him in 2003 because of a bad credit record , which includes a 2001 bankruptcy filing in California . He is cagey about giving specific information about both his current income and the home , which he declined to allow reporters into . On the 2001 bankruptcy filing , he listed his employer as NBC and his take - home income , at the time , as about $ 5,300 a month . Open Letter to Screech : $ 5,300 a month and you still end up filing for bankruptcy and hawking T - shirts for some extra dough ? ! ? ! Excuse me , sir ... I distinctly remember you having the highest SAT score in all of Bayside High , hooking up with Violet Anne Bickerstaff ( a young , affluent nerd with a peculiar penchant for the laugh - snort combo ) , and programming your very own AI - controlled slave robot designed to perform the most menial tasks . Zack , Kelly , Jesse and Slater should be so lucky ! Donating to your grassroots social cause seems like wasted effort . You , sir , are a gentleman and scholar of the highest moral caliber . Your talent knows no bounds , and I ' m confident you will find a satisfying , rewarding career in either the telemarketing or fast food industry . Yours truly , -- Lifetime SBTB fan . 
Deliquesce . You are one of God 's mistakes . You crying , tragic waste of skin . I ' m well aware of how it aches . And you still won't let me in . Now I ' m breaking down your door , to try and save your swollen face . Though I don't like you anymoreyou lying , trying waste of space . Before our innocence was lostyou were always one of those blessed with lucky 7 s , and the voice that made me cry . My oh my . You were mother nature 's son . Someone to whom I could relate . Your needle and your damage done , remains a sordid twist of fate , now I ' m trying to wake you up , to pull you from the liquid sky . Cause if I don't we ' ll both end up with just your song to say goodbye . My oh my . A song to say goodbye , A song to say goodbye , A song to say , Before our innocence was lost you were always one of those blessed with lucky 7 's , and a voice that made me cry . It 's a song to say goodbye . It 's a song to say goodbye . It 's a song to say goodbye . It 's a song to say goodbye . It 's a song to say goodbye . It 's a song to say goodbye . It 's a song to say goodbye . It 's a song to say goodbye . -- Song To Say Goodbye , Placebo . 
Vicarious . " Your eyes that once were never weary of mine Are bowed in sotrow under pendulous lids , Because our love is waning . " And then She : " Although our love is waning , let us stand By the lone border of the lake once more , Together in that hour of gentleness When the poor tired child , passion , falls asleep . How far away the stars seem , and how far Is our first kiss , and ah , how old my heart ! " Pensive they paced along the faded leaves , While slowly he whose hand held hers replied : " Passion has often worn our wandering hearts . " The woods were round them , and the yellow leaves Fell like faint meteors in the gloom , and once A rabbit old and lame limped down the path ; Autumn was over him : and now they stood On the lone border of the lake once more : Turning , he saw that she had thrust dead leaves Gathered in silence , dewy as her eyes , In bosom and hair . " Ah , do not mourn , " he said , " That we are tired , for other loves await us ; Hate on and love through unrepining hours . Before us lies eternity ; our souls Are love , and a continual farewell . " -- Ephemera , Yeats . 
Hypostatic Abstraction . The fat , filthy , greasy , pig - like , amoral scum known as the U.S. Congress has refused to even debate the idea of raising the minimum wage for the poverty stricken of America , despite having approved a $ 3100 pay raise for themselves . If raising the minimum wage will put companies out of business , or make them unable to hire workers , does that mean a total collapse of this so - called ' roaring American economy ' ? An economy that is supposedly impervious to downfall because of the natural ingenuity , hard work , and talents of the avowedly pro - capitalist American workforce ( a la Ayn Rand ) ? * Cue Mozart 's Piano Sonata No. 15 in C Major * The GOP ostensibly wants job numbers to be up , but only if those upward trends sustain the exorbitant salaries for that slice of the elite who wish to perpetuate the corporatist , master - slave relationship with the workers of their industry . Christian charity also seems to be a foreign concept to the right wing , or at least to those Rockefeller Republicans and dumbass red staters who dream of striking it rich amidst the cow pastures and corn fields of Nowheresville , USA . Combined with a punitive bankruptcy bill , rising health care costs , and the reality of an America that has a negative savings rate -- something that hasn't happened since the Great Depression -- it should be clear to all that war is being waged on human subsistence itself . Although we , as Americans , have the ' richest poor people in the world ' ( as the saying goes ) , this act of economic starvation is antithetical to a benevolent , humane treatment of our fellow man / woman . Assuring an institutionalized system of penal servitude simply for being part of the lowest economic rung in America , the land of opportunity and prosperity , is pure wickedness . Sleep well , motherfuckers . Your souls will bear the punishment . 
Chariots of the Gods . The peculiarities of different cultures fascinate me . What some regard as an everyday triviality , I think of as an honest , personal reflection of the things which make humanity beautiful in so many ways . I view people like an alien peering down below from space with a bird 's eye view -- watching , observing , grinning , waiting for some quirky behavior that defines the species . One intriguing aspect is the psychospiritual dimension within the human mind which makes us laugh ... On the beaches of Brazil , you may come across these glazed eyed , evangelical types that will hand out fake bank " checks " to the passerbys who have not yet tasted the sweet , spiritual honey dew of born - again , Christian salvation . Below is one such curious little check handed to me by a true believer : Click image for larger version The compensation ( compensa o ) is " The Crown of Life " ( coroa da vida ) from the agency known as " Heaven " ( C u ) . The type of check is the " Soul " with the currency of " Your Life . " The check itself is from the " Bank of Salvation " in the amount of " One personal intransferreable salvation " ( John 3:16 ) and made out to " the sinner who repents " ( Isaiah 55:7 ) . Naturally , to be sure the check clears the Holy Bank of Heaven , it has to be " insured by order of the Father " ( E seguira a ordem do pai ) . The Routing Number , consummately , is " Glory , Glory , Glory , Glory , Glory ..... " It 's written so jocosely and with such playfulness that the ineluctable truth lies there , bare - assed naked for us : language makes the human heart smile , regardless of your own culture , your own religion , or your own personal belief system . Language , like music , is an incorporeal dimension in our psychospiritual understanding ; it 's transcendent , it 's probing , it 's permanently embedded in our subconscious , it 's evocative , it 's totally humorous in its imagination , polymorphous in its application , and it 's completely , absurdly , utterly cool . This common " thread " is no fine " thread " at all : the substance of our human connection is so much more deeper and meaningful than we realize . 
Sieg Heil ! Kneel Before The Average Homeboy ... Hello ... Test , Test , Check , Check . 1 - 2 - 3 . Is this thing on ? Wow . It 's like .. I ' m blogging again . This is like ... a difficult transition , like totally for sure . It 's like ... I ' ve lost all my like ... vocabulary and stuff . Like ... I would like ... kill myself if I ever ... like ... talked like this in real life . I must break the ice , somehow . The blogging cherry must be re - popped anew , as I have grown unfamiliar with articulating my chaotic thoughts here on this medium . Therefore , the Ai E gods have offered us a rare glimpse of our Messiah , the irrefutable Lord and Savior of our time ; a bringer of truth , justice , wisdom , and the terrorizing , harsh rhymes of outer suburbia . The Average Homeboy is .... divinity . 
Benign Neglect . Yes , I know I ' ve been remiss with the blog lately . When the real world beckons , I must answer the call . At the moment there is nothing substantive to say , to comment on , to critique , to analyze , or to Fisk down to its bare elements . There 's just life . Blogging is creative escapism , and escapism should never be made a priority anyway . To those writing and linking over here : I ' m not ignoring you or intentionally trying to be a prick . It 's hard to visit a gajillion blogs a day and comment on everyone 's musings while real life carries on . Just gimme some time , dudes ... So while the real world plays itself out and while I ' m on again / off again -- it 's Hammer Time , bitches ! 
Fuck Zarqawi and Fuck The Right Wing . Ah , yes . The murderous bastard Zarqawi is finally dead and what happens ? The " liberal elite news media , " primarily made of ' extreme left wing Democrats , ' is in mourning -- at least that 's what the asshat wingnut punditry concluded . This is one perfect example of the toxic , politicized environment we inhabit and the retarded state of discourse we have with each other . One side actually , honestly , genuinely believes that Zarqawi and liberals are bedfellows with parallel , homicidal objectives against America . Translated , this means that the loss of this barbaric ogre must obviously correlate to a ' loss for the liberal cause . ' How loathsome . I ' m so sick of this shit . Res ipsa loquitur . 
Ironic Banner Ad of the Day . This from the original C the faux - Christian , Taliban base which represents your side in every election and in every opportunity to pimp their deluded , toxic ideology on TV and in print . Accept that reality and deal with the bigotry in your own party first ; the kind of rabid , anti - intellectual extremism found in the backwoods of Midwest , bumblefuck American towns which make tripe like this a bestseller because people believe she " tells it like it is . " If you were sincere about it , the nonstop gravy train for The Cunt would have run dry by now . 
6 , 6 , and 6 : FIN . When you 're on a long flight and all you have is your i Pod , the musical imagery tends to write itself into your subconscious . That voice in the song is no longer an insensible , faint whisper as you hum the melody away into slumber -- but a lingering , menacing articulation of righteousness that grinds at you and burns itself into the memory like a ghost of smoldering rage . This music video I created is the closest I could come to visually expressing the disquiet I felt then and now . 
Peregrinating To Infiniteness . Life , between the Alpha and Omega , can be stitched together as a quilt to supply the narrative ; the mosaic tapestry of randomness , interconnectedness , sadness , love and beauty . via digg . 
Pre - Movie Review : World Trade Center . One week after 9 / 11 , after the horror and shock had passed , the images had finally penetrated my fog of disbelief . Surrealism had been washed away with the dark blood of realism as the numbers began to hit home rather than remain distant , abstract figures on paper . The round - the - clock repetition of those images on every channel , from every media outlet on every medium , made me literally ill with unadulterated disgust . I saw no need to remind myself of death and human agony for 24 hours a day , seven days a week . Who , of sound mind and body , would subject themselves to , and could tolerate , nonstop footage or talk of the Rwandan genocide , the Holocaust , image stills of Hiroshima , Khmer Rouge , or other ghastly images of suffering and mass murder ? I know what I had seen , and I had seen enough . It didn't matter , though , if you were watching something as innocuous as the Home and Garden channel , Nickelodeon , or Lifetime . It didn't matter if you turned on NPR , picked up the latest copy of High Times , hung out with friends , or even tried to take a walk down the block for some quiet time . There were reminders of death everywhere ; discussions of death , questions about death , anger about death , analyses of death and terrorism , sympathy and mourning for the dead , bloodlust for even more death , and the inescapable , putrid smell of death permeating in the air and suffocating you wherever you went . The echoes of those who were incinerated and senselessly died were ubiquitous . As this Danse Macabre took place , I began to feel a discomfort and uneasy guilt for what I had just imagined : an eventual movie . A horribly clich d , contrived , Hollywood , popcorn flick visually depicting the attacks and starring some shitbag actor formulaically welling up with tears , leading his squad on a suicide mission , playing the hero , and ultimately reenacting death for our Friday night , date - at - the - AMC amusement . The trailer for the new Oliver Stone movie , quite frankly , is just that : an inelegant attempt at nostalgia which smacks of the kind of blatantly scripted , Hollywood melodrama that will offend anyone with an ounce of true empathy , humanity and connection with that day . Despite it being just a trailer , it doesn't strike me with any of the quiet elegance , solemnity , grace or polish that movies such as Schindlers List , Hotel Rwanda , or Amistad had . I feel no compelling reason whatsoever to see this movie and will not be dissuaded by the vacuous , shrill commentaries of those who ignorantly exclaim that " America has forgotten " and needs to be reminded . Those that have forgotten , or those that need reminding , had no sincerity of heart or depth of soul in the first place .9 / 11 was not a bold statement of fucking art. It 's not meant to be derived as such or portrayed with any kind of artificially injected emotionalism , hyperbolism , slow seductive music , fade away shots , cool camera angles , rough and rugged determinism , or revisionist romanticism of the people involved . I don't want to see the heroes and the victims portrayed on film , EVER , by anyone other than the genuine article . 9 / 11 , as a vile act that produced human anguish , was not meant to be cheapened and replicated for human entertainment . It was mass murder . Treat it as such you piece of shit motherfuckers . 
Chat Fu Antics . Chat Fu is so much fun . Paste in any one of your personal IM chats in the form field and voila ! -- instant hilarious cartoonification ! I ended up being the Dilbert looking guy below in the second graphic ... 
Yo Quiero Taco Bell Rosa . HAHAHA .... My hats off to Vegas for introducing this new bit of lexicon into the English language : Pink Taco Restaurant Name Causes Stir Mon May 15 , 10:46 PM ETThe name of a new restaurant in Scottsdale is stirring up some trouble . The Las Vegas - based Pink Taco Mexican Restaurant is scheduled to open its second location in downtown Scottsdale in June . Nearly half a dozen people in the upscale city recently expressed their objection to the name , claiming it 's a derogatory slang term for a portion of the female anatomy . In late April , the city received four e - mails , three of which bore no names , objecting to the restaurant 's name . One of those e - mails stated : " The City of Scottsdale has a very fine reputation around the world . Let 's keep the standards high . Let 's let what plays in Vegas stay in Vegas . " Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross has said she is offended by the name and went so far as to ask the owner to change it , although he refused . Restaurant spokeswoman Lisa Perez said the company 's name comes from one of its menu items . Perez said the company has not received any complaints or objections about its name . The original Pink Taco is inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas . The Scottsdale City Council is scheduled to decide Monday whether to recommend the restaurant get a liquor license . If granted , the restaurant 's application would then be sent to the state liquor board for review . Oh my goshness . My mind never went there , I never wanted to take it there , but it now , nevertheless , has been there and has been thoroughly begrimed with the ribald humor of Vegas trash . Out of all the possible lewd double entendres -- Pink Taco ? ! ? ! ? Our minds are so defiled .... 
' To Know Them Means To Eliminate Them ' . Urban guerrilla warfare . Terrorism . Colonialism . Occupation . Check points . Racism . Religion . Secularism . Revolutionaries . Independence . Heroism . Cowardice . The Foreign Legion . The FLN . Le Fran aise . al - Jazayer . West . East . Tension . Hatred . Torture . Militarism . Hegemony . A film of colossal social importance , along with this , for our time today . Eternal shame on me for not seeing it sooner . 
I Got You ... Under My Skin . Some of my homies and comrades are infuriated about the recent revelations of the NSA program to record all phone calls . I ' m not . Neither am I deeply or particularly moved by the Chimperor 's argumentum ad ignorantiam statements to the contrary when he dredges out the usual pharisaisms : " We 're not mining or trolling through the personal lives of millions of innocent Americans , " Bush said . " Our efforts are focused on links to al - Qaida and their known affiliates . So far we ' ve been very successful in preventing another attack on our soil . As a general matter , every time sensitive intelligence is leaked , it hurts our ability to defeat this enemy . " Liar and Kool Aid Drinker . I ' ve known some NSA acquaintances who ' ve been classmates and professors of mine in the days of old . Far from being the ganja smoking , Grateful Dead tie dye - wearing , hippy radicals on the Communists ' payroll -- they are straight shooting , average nerdy cryptography , steganography and networking guys with a wealth of knowledge regarding telecom operations . Everything that you ' ve seen here : is absolutely true multiplied 10 fold . These guys have massive 24 hour military spy satellites that are thousands of miles away , way high in the sky -- but which can , at a moments notice , literally pan across the global horizon , isolate a potential target , do a threat assessment , and zoom all the way down via stationary remote control to examine the many fine threads of your shoelaces and that embarrassing mustard stain on your new corduroy pants . A former employee of No Such Agency and professor of mine once commented how the railroad lines across the nation have small , narrow underground tubes routed through them that can hold several thousand lines of micro fiber optic filament necessary for storing everyone 's phone calls . AT & T and others have used these lines to store every single phone call made and filter them for specific keywords pertinent to any national security matter . Terrorist or no terrorist , they want to know what you 're talking about . It has happened , still happens , and is very much real . If you think they can't , they haven't , or don't have the potential resorces to do so , then you live in a world of wretched lies and willful denial . Correct me if I ' m wrong , but isn't the root of the word conservative - ' conserve ' ? The bon vivants of the Republican party still haven't managed to realize that this means conserve your natural resources , conserve wasteful spending , conserve your use of military force across the world , and most of all conserve your intrusive interference in our lives . Yes , they need to be swept out of power . It ' d be nice to have new fresh faces that may be able to curb this kind of illegality and stop those who perpetuate it . In the mean time , however , we have a major American political party that is thoroughly infected with this virulent strain of unchecked , governmental zealotry and which is unable to reconcile the total , abject failure of their party in adhering to the true ideals of conservatism . Sanctioning this kind of reckless bullshit , and even failing to recognize it or cooperate with investigations of those who authorized it , is the ultimate ignominious shame they will live with . The history books will be written and they will be remembered for their complicity . They ' ve betrayed the country , betrayed the grandiose ideals of the Constitution , and they ' ve betrayed themselves . Personally , I say forget the spying on Code Pink or Greenpeace or the vegans . They ' ve been fucking with the Quakers for crying out loud . That should be enough of an outrage to make people wonder about their nefarious motivations and demand immediate accountability . You cruel bastards ! 
On the Road Again . Well , I ' ll be out of commission for the next few days as I trek my way down to Alabama for a frat bro 's wedding . I ' ve got Operation Shylock , Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead , Henry James 's The Europeans , and lectures of Jorge Luis Borges on tape to keep me busy . Yes , 22 hours of book on tape to keep me pumped and energized . Plus a CD magazine full of everything They Might Be Giants to Rachmaninoff . Yeah ! Anyway , big drive ahead ( I leave really early Friday morning , practically Thursday night ) so I ' m off to bed in a bit , but I ' m going to knock off a few more pages of Geoffrey of Vinsauf before then . Have a great weekend everyone ! 
Strunk and White Gots Competition . If you enjoy thinking about grammatical rules and what constitutes correct English , you may enjoy this article from Slate Online . In it , Robert Greene reviews a new book by Mark Liberman and Geoffrey Pullum , Far from the Madding Gerund , that ( or which ) contains a collection of conversations about what is " proper " English . Having been thoroughly tramatized from reading Eats , Shoots , and Leaves ( I still have nightmares from that book ) , I don't imagine I ' ll ever get around to reading Liberman and Pullum 's book ( as if I had the time ) . However , the book is based on blog entries from Language Log , a blog which studies English descriptively ( as it is used ) , citing newspaper articles , google searches , political pundits , webzines , and so on . So if you need a daily dose of linguistics , check it out . You won't be disappointed . 
Public Service Announcement . To the best of my ability , I try to avoid discussing either politics or religion ( lest it be medieval religion ) in this blog , except for the occasional good laugh . But the following information , I think you ' ll agree , should supercede political party lines . My grandmother , who works at the Clinton Library in Little Rock , AR forwarded this link to me earlier this afternoon . Currently , President Clinton is in Africa promoting AIDS awareness . You can read about his progress here as well as learn about the Clinton Foundation at its main site . ( And I can't help but smile at the slogan " Help Bill Clinton Fight AIDS in Africa " ... it makes him sound like a superhero : - ) . 
Friday Poetry Blog and $$ . No , there 's no money in it for you . Sorry . I just found out that in a few days I will be receiving travel funds for a conference in Dallas in October . And on a medieval panel no less . Thankfully , the paper is already written ... albeit poorly . It is in serious need of revision , even re - writing . One of my goals for the summer was to re - write the darned thing but , as fate usually decrees , the summer became busy . ( Ok , I ' m sure I didn't do much to help ) . Anyway , I have $$ for the flight and most of the hotel stay . Sadly , the program for the conference has still not been released so I don't know if I should fly in the night before , expecting to be up bright and early for the first panel , or if it 's a late - starter and I can take a red - eye to arrive the morning of . Aside from being the cheaper flight , that would be one less night in the hotel ( which is $ 105 a night ) , and I happen to enjoy the overnighters . Yes , I ' m twisted . Sidenote : The " counselors " for the undergraduates who are currently registering for classes in our building have decided to have their own private dance party and are ( collectively ) singing Gnarles Barkley . Le sigh . That song was so wonderful when no one knew about it : - ( In other news , I ' ve finally got back to reading up on metonymy . On the table I have Kenneth Burke , Hayden White , and David Lodge ( hehe ) . It surpises me how little there is out there on metonymy , even among the Formalists . I ' m working on a post devoted to what I ' ve discovered thus far , so more on that later ( isn't funny how most of my posts are constant deferrals of satisfaction ? ) . But tonight , if I don't get together with friends to celebrate Bastille Day , I ' ll finally sit down to re - read Chaucer 's CT . I ' m hoping to knock it off before I leave for Alabama next week ( frat bro 's wedding ) . We shall see . So the part you ' ve been waiting for , the FPB ! As is the trend , I submit to you the poem I have arranged to memorize this week : a sonnet by Wordsworth . ( Man , sonnets are so much easier to memorize than stanzaic poems ) . Enjoy it again for the first time ! The world is too much with us ; late and soon , Getting and spending , we lay waste our powers : Little we see in Nature that is ours ; We have given our hearts away , a sordid boon ! This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon , The winds that will be howling at all hours And are up - gather ' d now like sleeping flowers , For this , for everything , we are out of tune ; It moves us not . Great God ! I ' d rather be A pagan suckled in a creed outworn , So might I , standing on this pleasant lea , Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn ; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea ; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn . The first time I encountered this poem was during a theatre production at my undergraduate institution : a production called " Page to Stage " : a collaboration between the English department and the Theatre department designed to give visual / dramatic form to some of the texts that the undergraduates were reading in their comp and lit classes . However , for this particular enactment , there must have been a miscommunication . For when the orator came to the fourth line and spoke the words " a sordid boon , " the other actors on the stage proceeded to scatter left and right , all the while whooping and hopping like apes . Hm , maybe I ' m missing something , but I don't think Wordsworth is implying " baboon " ( of course , the Norton Anthology of poetry clearly points out to you the lesser known meaning of " boon . " ) . So despite my best efforts , everytime I read this poem I think of monkeys . 
It 's Over ! Sad Day . German class is over . Now I ' m left the arduous task of keeping up my newly discovered language while simultaneously juggling Latin and French , three graduate classes , and a thesis . Life should get pretty exciting around the middle of August . Consider yourself warned . 
Adam II. Rest in Peace Adam . You tried hard but I wasn't there for you . I ' m sorry I forgot to carve a place in your stem for roots to grow . : - ( But GOOD NEWS ! Adam II is on the way ( yes , that is a total shout out to Little Shop of Horrors , thanks to PB for putting it in my brain ) . He 's from the same shoot as Adam le first but younger , greener , and without the woody bark to keep the roots from growing . Adam II is also currently resting in a water - only vase situated on the windowsill of the Department of English office . So he has plenty of sunlight , plenty of good company , and plenty of books to read . And when his soon - to - be roots are grown and ready , I ' ll place him in his new home . Well , I ' ve got a full bottle of wine just begging to be finished off , and eight episodes of Buffy waiting to be watched . Yes , tonight is a no - work - only - play night . After all , tomorrow is the last day of German and simultaneously the first day of my nothing - but - medieval - till - the - end - of - summer period . So until then ... 
World Cup Blues . Well , today was one of highs and lows . Lows : France lost in the final match of the World Cup ( by a penalty shot ) . Adam has lost all his leaves , which has me concerned . German class ends on Tuesday ( ok , that 's not a Sunday thing but it 's looming out there ) . Highs : I read my first digital book : Woolf 's To the Lighthouse . Many of my good friends showed up to the World Cup Match . I got invited to a polo match . I had dinner with PB . The final of which was the absolute highlight of my day . But in a close second , the reading of my first entirely digital book . After reading Mrs. Dalloway earlier in the summer , I thought it appropriate to read a second Woolf novel to round out my image of her style . But when the moment came in which I felt the urge to start reading , the library was already closed . So I downloaded it from the web fully expecting to pick up the physical book but never getting around to it . So there it is . I ' ve read my first digital book . I ' ve already stopped taking notes by hand . Everything is through my palm pilot . I read articles online through JSTOR and Project Muse . I email rather than call most of the time . And never write letters anymore ( except the occasional postcard ) . My magazine and newspaper subscriptions are to the online versions . Hm . I realized the other day that most likely , all the new college freshmen and certainly all the incoming high - school freshman have never known life without desktop computers or cell phones . Hm . Sorry , I ' m not in the mood to comment on any of these statements . I only marvel in the way they taste rolling about my sunburnt brain which , at the moment , is thinking of things other than Woolf , or computers , or World Cup soccer . I ' ve been drinking since 12:45 ( when I stopped at Oneill 's to save a seat for the game ) and I ' m about to finish off a bottle of wine . Man , grad school has turned me into an alcoholic ; - ) But GOOD NEWS ! After my German exam on Tuesday , I will return to reading all things medieval , starting with a thorough review of the Canterbury Tales . I hope also to knock off all the Pearl poet works , perhaps even Piers Plowman ( which I ' ve started a few times but never finished ) . Only a month left of summer , and so much to get done . I promise the posts will be more medieval in the future . Until then ... 
Tasteless Peanut Butter . Though the over arching moon technically tells me that it is no longer Friday , I feel I ' m still entitled to post a Friday Poetry Blog as long as the sun hasn't risen upon Saturday ( check the rule book , it 's there somewhere ) . So for today / tonight I offer you my current poem - to - be - memorized : Andrew Marvell 's " To His Coy Mistress . " The quintessential - always - anthologized carpe diem poem . You ' ve read it a million times , enjoy it again for the first time : - ) Had we but world enough , and time , This coyness , Lady , were no crime We would sit down and think which way To walk and pass our long love 's day . Thou by the Indian Ganges ' side Shouldst rubies find : I by the tide Of Humber would complain . I would Love you ten years before the Flood , And you should , if you please , refuse Till the conversion of the Jews . My vegetable love should grow Vaster than empires , and more slow ; An hundred years should go to praise Thine eyes and on thy forehead gaze ; Two hundred to adore each breast , But thirty thousand to the rest ; An age at least to every part , And the last age should show your heart . For , Lady , you deserve this state Nor would I love at lower rate . But at my back I always hear Time 's winged chariot hurrying near ; And yonder all before us lie Deserts of vast eternity . Thy beauty shall no more be found , Nor , in thy marble vault , shall sound My echoing song : then worms shall try That long preserved virginity , And your quaint honour turn to dust , And into ashes all my lust : The grave 's a fine and private place , But none , I think , do there embrace . Now therefore , while the youthful hue Sits on thy skin like morning dew , And while thy willing soul transpires At every pore with instant fires , Now let us sport us while we may , And now , like amorous birds of prey , Rather at once our time devour Than languish in his slow - chapt power . Let us roll all our strength and all Our sweetness up into one ball , And tear our pleasures with rough strife Thorough the iron gates of life : Thus , though we cannot make our sun Stand still , yet we will make him run . So with my completion of this poem , I will have memorized Caedmon 's Hymm , the opening of Paradise Lost , Donne 's Holy Sonnet # 14 , Sidney 's Astrophil and Stella # 1 , " Jabberwocky , " Wyatt 's " They Flee From Me , " and brushed up my CTales General Prologue lines 1 - 42 . I know it 's not a lot , but at the rate I ' m going , by the end of the summer I ' ll have memorized 13 poems . And if I can stick to my guns and continue to commit one poem to memory each week ... by Christmas I should have a good repertoire . Small goals . Large returns . German class also ends this week . Sad day ! But for the rest of the summer the plan is : spend 3 - 4 hours each morning working on languages ( 1.5 - 2 hours for each language alternating French , Latin , and German ) ; spend the afternoons working in the office ; and spend the early evenings working on thesis material . One must have a plan ... and learn to be flexible . Just saw Pirates Part Deux . Eh . Doesn't compare to the original . Rehashed a lot of the old jokes which , for the veterans , was endearing , but for the newbies could have only been flatlining ( judging by the incredibly disproportionate amounts of laughter coming from various sections of the theatre ) . And there is a little bit at the end after the credits , in case you 're curious . B + for effort . As you may infer from the terseness of my comments ( moreso than usual ) , I ' m pretty tired . And if you are savvy to the reference made in the title of this post ... Anyway , tomorrow is going to be bright and beautiful and full of reading . Night ! 
Surf and tiels : Out Four contre Pickpockets ! And now ladies and gentlemen that you have been introduced to the Out Four and the ggrrrrrrreat Pickpockets , let me please tell you about the famous split ep project of the center of France versus the south : " Surf and Tiels * " , or more common : " Out Four contre Pickpockets " !! This ep was made in 1997 just before the break of the two bands . The idea was to record some surf and garage tracks of each friends and to launch it on the market . But the technical productor ( Lord Diabolik ) forgot to tell about the fact the ep should only be edited at 100 copies ! ( and numeroted ! ) So once the thing done , what we have ? a record that went away in few days ( weeks ) . Too sad . But that 's history , because today , bam ba baaaammmmm : Here it is , in great lo - fi , like you all love , ain't you ? Out Four contre Pickpockets split ep ( Herecin 001 ) 1998 Face A 1 No Special time 2 I ' m gone to realize 3 Surf out n 1 ( Face B ) 1 La touche 2 Tijuana surf 3 Je saisps : as I already gave you the three songs of the Pickockets in a previous post ( see " the demo " ) , I just post the A side , ok ? file : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 26552056 / 0008 ofp 06 . rar . htmlpw : wtai ( * the tiels are little cakes with sea fruits inside much appreciated in the district of S te , near Montpellier ) . 
Bambi Molesters play out of tune ! As wrote in the comments with my friend Ryp of Twilight Zone , here is the ( first ? ) album by the Bambi Molesters , this fine surf garage band from Croatia . I must tell you now that this band was first introduced to me by a cool guy named Zdenko Franjic . We trade together a lot of things some years ago and he made me discover a great part of the yugoslav , Croatian , Cszekoslovak scene from the 60 's to the 90 's . Thanks to him . Well , enough things have been said about the Bambi Molester , you could find some cool words in the Twilight zone blog , so I ' ll give you just the official infos on this CD : Line up : Ladda Furla , bass Hrvoje Zaborac , drums Dinko Tomljanovic , Hagstrom guitar Dalibor Pavicic , guit . , vocals Tracklisting Play out of tune / Slusaj Najglasnije ! Zagreb , 19951 Wanganui 2 She 's so soft inside 3 1000 songs 4 Idle moments 5 Her delta 's blues 6 Good times ( Nobody 's Children ) 7 Catatonya 8 Little beacch bunny ( Usher / Christian ) 8 Cradle snatcher 10 I can't believe it ( Pere Ubu ) 11 Charlie Brown Mansonps : Zdenko also gave me at that time a compilation with many bands called " Bombardiranje New Yorka " ( included : Satan Panonski , Messerschmitt , The Spoons , Losi Decki , Bamby Molesters , Zadruga ... etc ) . The titles of the BM here are " Blackballed " and " Invasion of the reverb snatchers " . I put the first one on mp 3 . ( see the cover on Le blogd - hector ) Blackballed Enjoy all ! http : // rapidshare . de / files / 26489789 / 0007 bm 06 . rar . html . 
Katalunya !! the french surf of " Les Pickpockets " . When we talk about surf music , and 90 's surf music in particularly , some people forget to talk about a band which had represented a lot for some afficionados of the style in the mediterranean frontier at the beginning of the 90 's . I want to talk about the Pikpockets , this great band formed on the ashes of the Hawa Men ( two eps on Cinelux label ) , whose leader Franck Zwiller disbanded after two eps and an avorted album project . ( no talking about an officious musical participation on the french promo of the great Tarantino 's Pulp Fiction movie with their french adaptation of The Urge Overkil classic . ) ( !! ) A dozen of gigs , some tracks published on different comps ( one on Animal Records ) , some papers ( a great one with photo on Le Club des ann es soixante " ) and the story was done . Franck 's gone ahead in a more anonymous and hilarous way ( always deeper ) in endorsing the Rat fink attitude ( and cap ) with his Lord Diabolik second identity . Here again , he put a superb k 7 demo that only few fans have kept an ear to , and after some shows ( opening for a memorabilia special Ed Wood 's night , with go go dancers and horror films in background ) , the only shape remaining was a very strange and very collector ep I have already talked about in my other blog . ( " Le Vampire de Bryghton Pear " , limited edition of 100 vinyl ep only , with poster ) . Nota bene : The purpose of the demo I propose was originally to became a real album ... but it never was . So it 's not a polished product , nor a finished album , it 's just a real kicking ass demo !! and it should have been too sad to let it take water on my cellar , so here it is , right from the cave . Well , once said that , all I can say , is ... was it a dream , was it the reality ? All you have to do is to judge by yourself , right now with this premier track , Diabolikement v tre , and soon after in dowloading the entire thing . ( 17 tracks ) . ** Enjoy a great band , a band which added humour with french hilarant words , in the tradition of Nino Ferrer and great dialogists like Michel Audiart ( Franck was / is a fan ) , and the best of the surf / garage production . Tracklisting Les Pickpockets demo ( 1994 ) : 1 Intro 2 Instru 13 Diabolikement v tre 4 Instru 25 Ne nous f chons pas 6 Katalunya 7 Instru 38 Ghostrider in the sky 9 ? 10 ? 11 Les Tontons flingueurs 12 Je veux ma photo en premi re page 13 Et si un jour tu dois partir ...14 Je sais 15 La Touche ( Splinter / Tax ) 16 Reste toi - m me , seule ( Urge Overkill ) 17 Je cherche ( Les Lutins ) File : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 26418687 / 0006 pp 06 . rar . htmlpw wtai . 
I want love and affection ( not the house of correction ) : Nathaniel Mayer . " Nathaniel Mayer represents Detroits Raw street Doowoop vocal harmonies ( leading his group the fabulous Twistlights ) and as well he gives one a superb taste of early 1960 's Detroit Soul that led to the sound known as the Motor - town sound shortened by Berry Gordy to be know as " Motown " , the label and sound which changed the music industry in the early 60 's . This CD features Nathaniel entire recorded works , twenty classic raw Deroit R & B / Soul treasures . " ( from the notes ) As I was first introduced to Nathaniel Mayer by Benny of french Larsen fanzine / label , I give you right now the link to his cool site where you could find an entire page ( but in french ) dedicated to this great forgotten man . ( plus others , and many records to discover ) You must also buy to Benny this special issue of Larsen called Guide B Soul ( in fact he edited 2 volumes ) where many wild , rare and underrated soulmen are exhumed . Village of love Gold Dust Records ( Italia , 1996 ) Tracklisting : and the link to this incedible record : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 26110934 / 0006 NM 06 . rar . htmlpw , as usal : wtai . 
Alternative TV and Illegal greatest hits . I just came to put a podcast on my other blog , so enjoy it ! Action time vision and talking about this great comp , I ask is someone can upload some Alternative TV and / or the Illegal greatest hits IRS comp , because , if , like me you got it on k 7 , .... it take some times . But I can , ... and I would ! so tell me . Illegal Greatest Hits ( IRS ) Tracklisting : : Fleshtones : Cold cold shoes Oingo boingo : Only a lad Skafish : Disgracing the family name Patrick D Martin : Computer datin ' Squeeze : Backtrack Police : Fallout Wall of Voodo : Can't make love Payolas : Jukebox Chelsea : I ' m on fire The Cramps : Uranium rock Alternative TV : Action time vision Fashion : Sodium penthatol negative . 
Total destruction to your mind , mind , mind ! ... " Easily on my Top Ten list of long - out - of - print records that deserve a CD reissue . The title track is a slam - bangin ' chunk of rock and funk that 's pushed by a great session band including guitarist Jesse Carr and drummer Johnny Sandlin , and is easily Dogg 's finest moment on record . But the rest of this is great too , ranging from the consumer nightmare " Synthetic World " to the paternity blues of " Mama 's Baby , Daddy 's Maybe . " Plus , Dogg is a great singer , and his dizzying range gets a workout on these songs . Good luck finding a copy . " ( AMG , by John Dougan ) That 's because I love this album that I put it today on action - time . This uploading is made from my own ancient french edition vinyl copy , ( Disques Vogue ) , that implies some desagreements for all of you that are Hifi addicteds . But You " ll understand that at this point , that 's not the principal . Caus all the music is here , and it 's soooo great ! ps : Thank you brother Mad Gloo for this one , I can't remember where you find it , but this was the big deal ! Tracklisting : 1 . Total Destruction To Your Mind 2 . Synthetic World 3 . Dust Your Head Color Red 4 . Redneck 5 . If I Die Tomorrow ( I ' ve Lived Tonight ) 6 . I Was Born Blue 7 . Sal - A - Faster 8 . The World Beyond 9 . These Are Not My People 10 . Everything You ' ll Ever Need 11 . The Baby Is Mine 12 . Mama 's Baby , Daddy 's Maybe Oh , yes , some links : one for the super bio and disco of Swamp Dogg on : brinkster . com ( no covers , but you surely can find it elsewhere ) the second for a fun site listing all the worst album covers ever , ( and two of Swamp Dogg ) : rateyourmusic . comand to finish , for the french readers , Hector wrote a cool paper in the zine Here , in the 90 's which was a special Swamp Dogg . So if you 're interested , I can perhaps propose a PDF file of this one . Oh , yes , the file : http : // rapidshare . de / files / 25952042 / 0005 swd 06 . rar . htmlpw , of course is wtai . 
Not lost for everybody .. the Kinks ! The Kinks are alive , and well . That 's what Hector tells here , talking about the " Great lost Kinks album " from 1973 , a fine collection of ballads for much part , worth to listen . " An aptly titled collection ; out of print for many years , there are even some Kinks cultists who have never been able to hear this ragtag but worthy collection of late - ' 60 s and early - ' 70 s outtakes and rarities . Most of these were recorded around the same time as the 1968 LP Village Green Preservation Society ; these low - key , wry , bouncy tunes would have fit in well with that record . Lyrically , they 're on the whole slighter than much of their late - ' 60 s work , perhaps accounting for why the group did not deign to release them at the time . Still , songs like " Rosemary Rose , " " Misty Water , " and " Mr. Songbird " would have hardly embarrassed the group , and rank as the highlights of this anthology . Besides 1969 - era outtakes , it includes the single " Plastic Man , " a couple of okay , way - obscure B - sides featuring Dave Davies , and some songs penned for long - forgotten film and television productions . It also has the dynamite 1966 B - side " I ' m Not Like Everybody Else , " though that 's easily available on reissue these days . That 's not the case for most of the rest of this album ; Kinks fans will find it quite worthwhile , and should be on the lookout for it in the used bins . " ( Richie Unterberger , All Music Guide ) Dave Davies ( Guitar , Harmonica , Keyboards , Vocals ) , Ray Davies ( Guitar , Vocals ) , Mick Avory ( Drums ) , John Mendelsohn ( Liner Notes ) Tracks : Til Death Do Us Part ( 3:12 ) There Is No Life Without Love ( 1:55 ) Lavender Hill ( 2:53 ) Groovy Movies ( 2:30 ) Rosemary Rose ( 1:43 ) Misty Water ( 3:01 ) Mister Songbird ( 2:24 ) When I Turn off the Living Room Light ( 2:17 ) The Way Love Used to Be ( 3:29 ) Plastic Man ( 3:00 ) This Man He Weeps Tonight ( 2:38 ) Pictures in the Sand ( 2:45 ) Where Did My Spring Go ? ( 2:10 ) get it at this adress pw is as usual , wtaihttp : // rapidshare . de / files / 25987888 / 00041 glk 06 . rar . html . 
My own Interstellar overdrive ( to Syd ! ) . Well , it 's just that this great man has gone , so I would like to dedicate this little podcast to all the fans . Just for fun : Interstellar overdrive and if you 're french and have time to go ( also ) to the Blog d ' Hector ( link at right ) , you could listen a wild boogie by Memphis Slim . ( and read some cool chronicles . Think of it !! ) . 
Incredible Legs , Incredible Worker . I certainly know how she feels , it takes so much effort first thing in the morning to get ready for work , dressed to kill . Incredible Legs , Incredible Worker - video powered by Metacafe . 
Crazy Match . The last 5 min of the match between France and England , Zidane changes the score . Its one of the greatest matches in football 's history ..... Crazy Match - video powered by Metacafe . 
Run Escape Jump . It 's 2010 and the government has erected concretebarriers around the hard - to - handle suburbs near Paris . Asa public service , local lad Leito is busy destroying 20 kilos of heroin in the bathtub of his tower - blockapartment when reps of local kingpin Taha come looking Run Escape Jump - video powered by Metacafe . 
Totaly mad stuff . This funny Japanese video shows a TV show crew rigging a portable toilet at various locations in Japan . The toilet is a booby trap that goes off 10 seconds after a person enters the toilet . Once the ten seconds is up , the toilet rises up to the top , and the toilet user is now in full view for the public . Wait till you see the second half of the show , where the toilet is rigged differently . Mad Funny ! 
Race Schedule 2006 Here are the interesting events that I know about in and around Thailand - let me know if you know of any additions or corrections ( email : sith @ patana . ac . th ) I also have a mailing list which I send out to every week , if you would like to join this list send me an email All events marked with ** I will be attending 100 % , get in touch if you would like to share travel arrangments etc.. Sun 301 ) 60 th Bangkok Post Mini Marathon Location : BKK 10 / 5 K 2 ) Silapakorn University Mini Marathon Location : Sanam Luang , BKK 10 / 3 KAUGSat 5 ( Tentative ) Event : Action Asia Challenge Singapore Location : Singapore Details : TBAContact : http : // www . actionasia . com / aae / en / Events / 2005 Singapore Sun 61 ) ITU Macau , Macau , China Triathlon More info : http : // www . macautriathlon . org . mo / 2 ) Surin Marathon # 6 th Location : Muang District , Surin Province ( Northern Thailand ) 42.1 / 21.1 / 10 KContact : 02 - 570 - 9599 Sat 121 ) Miri Triathlon Location : Miri , Sarawak , Malaysia Details : Sprint and Olympic distances Contact : http : // www . triathlonmalaysia . com / v 3 / 2 ) NCC Mini Marathon Location : Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre 10 / 5 KSat 12 - Sun 13 Bang Saen International Triathlon and Marathon Bang Saen , Thailand Contact : http : // www . jogandjoy . com Sun 27 Panas Mimi - Half Marathon Location : Panas - Nikom Municipality Park , Panas - Nikom Municipality , Chonburi Province ( Eastern Thailand ) 21 / 10 KContact : ( 038 ) 461 - 144 Ext . 119 , 01 - 525 - 2522 or 01 - 816 - 8371 SEPTSun 31 ) Mini Marathon Location : Ministry of Public Health , Nonthaburi 2 ) Mini Marathon - new Location : BKK 10 / 2.5 KSat 9 - Sun 10 Desaru ( Malaysia ) Pengerang International Long Distance Thailand Championships 2006 More info : http : // www . thaitriathlon . org / event / detail / imc . htm Duathlon Sun 171 ) Ban Phe Multisport International Thailand Championships 2006 More info : http : // www . thaitriathlon . org / event / detail / imc . htm Triathlon Olympic distance 2 ) Thai - Sikh Mini Marathon Location : Phahurat , BKK 10 / 2.5 KSun 31 Mini Marathon Location : Ministry of Public Health , Nonthaburi 10 / 2.5 K . 
Links to more info .. As you know theres stacks of stuff out there to point you in the right direction , heres some of my favourites : http : // www . gordoworld . com / http : // www . gordoworld . com / gblog / 2005 / 12 / choose - wisely . htmlhttp : // www . slowtwitch . comhttp : // www . xtri . com / isection . asp ? id = rayhttp : // www . triathlontraining . net / If you want details of events in and around Thailand , running , triathlon or multisports drop me a line - sith at patana . ac . th . 
What helps .. Now let me start by saying that I am not an expert , there is reams of material about training written - this is just the somewhat obvious things that I have found helpful .. Find a good training partner - this I think is critical , for me anyway , try and look for someone that shares the same ambitions and is COMMITTED , an added bonus is that they will want to complete the same events as you . It is not necessary for you both to be the same standard . For me just knowing there is someone waiting at the pool is enough to get me out of bed some mornings . If you have some one who is not reliable and cannot keep to the agreed schedule you will find that their actions start to give you excuses for missing sessions . Set a schedule that is easily repeatable - consistency is what I have learnt as one of the golden rules , there is loads written out there about this by people that are much more credible than me . However from my brief experience this is true . No point making a schedule that you cannot keep to . For me getting fit is similar to building a house of of bricks , just slowly building the layers up until the house is complete . Consistency is the key - no point doing 5 hard days and then having 5 days off .. Set some goals - Very important , set goals on every level , for me my goal started as trying to reduce my weight as I had parked up during my office years and I had previous experience is keeping a reasonable level of fitness . This goal was quickly surpassed by virtue of just tackling training and now my goals are event based , the main one for 2006 is to complete an Ironman triathlon and 2007 to qualify for the Ironman championships in Hawaii . Anything else I can do along the way is a bonus .. I try and enter at least one competitive event a month , not only does this break up the repetitive nature of training but it gives you a good gauge of how you are improving - very helpful in Bangkok when the same people do all the events .. Have confidence in yourself - first place or last place , at least you are giving it a go , nothing better than looking around the office and knowing that you attempted events that others could not dream of . Its too easy these days not to be bothered to give anything a go . Anyone that tries something is going in the right direction in my book . and finally go to bed early and grant yourself some off days .. 
On training .. This is the basic outline of my schedule at the moment , dont get me wrong I have worked up to this over a couple of months and this is really the maximum I can fit into my life without dropping something else , I seem to be able to keep this up without much problem and without feeling permanently tired , this year I might look to stretch the turbo sessions out a little . Monday : AM Swim ( 5:00 - 6:45 ) PM Run Interval ( 5:00 - 6:10 ) Tuesday : AM Swim ( 5:00 - 6:45 ) PM Cycle - Turbo trainer ( 5:00 - 6:10 ) Wednesday : AM Swim ( 5:00 - 6:45 ) PM Cycle - Run Endurance ( 5:00 - 6:10 ) Thursday : AM Swim ( 5:00 - 6:45 ) PM Cycle - Turbo trainer ( 5:00 - 6:10 ) Friday : AM Swim ( 5:00 - 6:45 ) PM Run Interval ( 5:00 - 6:10 ) Saturday : AM Cycle - Rama 9 ( 7:00 - 10:00 ) Sunday : AM Race if there is one in Bangkok , usually 10 KThe main problem here in Bangkok is there is nowhere to cycle - this programme would look very different if I could get out on the bike more . The best thing about Bangkok is that apart from being hot all the time you dont have to worry about the weather pretty consistant all year .. Exact swim sessions are available online - see link in another blog entry , I hope to put up exact sessions that I am completing in by late January - watch this space . 
Swim Training Plans Available Online I have started getting into the routine of swimming every morning - I cant say that I am getting any faster but I am getting fitter . Anyone that has done any swimming for a reasonable amount of time will appreciate that it can get very boring . Swimming as part of a defined session , with other people ( preferably bettet than you ) and continually mixing up the strokes will hel . I am lucky enough to have access to the school swim coach , Peter Howes , not only does he put together pretty good daily practices , he is prepared to get out of bed at 4:30 am almost everyday and he makes a great training aid as he is like a dolphin ( he could also probably balance a beach ball on his nose ) in the water . Have a look at the morning sets based around the schools Gold group of swimmers : http : // www . patana . ac . th / Tiger Sharks / shark Page . asp ? Main Page ID = 9 Page ID = 37 . 
Review of the year ..2005 Last year was a good year for me , I started training like I meant it in late September and I saw quite good gains in only a few months . This year my highlighted events have been : 1 ) Mt Kinabalu Climbathon , Borneo Malaysia - do events get any harder than this one ? - see report in this blog - painful or what . Manged to beat a very challenging cut off time - I will be back to tackle this one again in 2006 . See the race report later in this blog .2 ) Desaru half ironman , Malaysia - Another pain fest for me , but one that left no lasting damage , dsuffered a lot through not drinking enough and forgetting that simple rules that my mother taught me like wear a hat !! Lesson no 1 for Malaysian Ironman next year - drink like you mean it ..3 ) 24 hr race , Bangkok - How far is it possble to run in 24 hrs - we have all read the stories about people in dire sitautions covering large amount of distances on foot in limited times but how far could you make it ? I managed 109 KM . Would have been better if i hadnt decided to have a quick nap in the middle of the night that turned into a full blown sleep - too much running earlier in the day . Overtaken by many whilst I was snoring away . Lesson no 2 - the tortise often catches the hare ..4 ) Adventure Race - Kanchanaburi , Thailand - An event that proves that exercise can be great fun - kayaking , running , mountain biking in one event along with some great views . Along with my team mate Chai managed a second place finish in one piece .5 ) Laguna Phuket Triathlon , Phuket , Thailand - As opposed to 2004 this was a completly pleasurable experience for me this year and I managed to shave 59 mins off my time from 2003 without the aid of the medical tent . Very well organised and great level of competition in a laid back atmosphere . I just wish I did not have to wait until December 2006 for the next one .. 
Thai Triathlon Championships - December 2005 Completed the Thai Triatholon championships in Rayong yesterday . Managed to finish 2 nd in the 30 - 34 Age category in the Olympic triathlon ( 1.5 k swim , 40 K bike and 10 K run ) in a time according to my watch of 2:22 . Ross my current training partner picked up 1 st in this category and also manged to put 12 minutes on me ... Although this is low key event with only 40 or so people taking part , the standard this year was good with visting althetes from Hong Kong uping the pace . A good event but still only a very small uptake for this sport here in Thailand , a similar event in Singapore , Hong Kong or Malaysia would be sold out .. photos available at http : // www . thaitriathlon . org / webboard / on / post 1006 . htm . 
Returning . 	 Where have I been ?? Well ... had been a bit of a secret . I spent last week in Peru , so no jogging or updates . THIS week has been a little interesting because of the time off while in Peru . I was eating quite a bit more down there than I had been eating while here at home . And not really getting any exercise at all .... hmm .. it was only a week , but still .. how would that affect my run ? Monday , I woke up around 9 or so , and started my jog about 10:20 . WOW ! It seemed very hot and humid compared to the weather I was starting to get use to in Lima , Peru . I was breathing very heavy and legs aching a bit ... I ran most all the first two miles , except part of the last uphill stretch . It was about all I could take , so decided to stop there , and not even walk the last 3 rd mile . Even though I did walk the last bit , I noticed my total time was still just about a 10 minute mile . Tuesday , I did a bit of house work , and so didn't get out for my run until 9:46 PM ! The air was quite a bit cooler , and it was dark , of course . I was really amazed to find out my legs felt really good . Also , my breathing was very controlled and not too heavy the entire run ! Even during the uphill parts . I completed the first two miles " easy " , and felt so good , I continued on running ... and ended up not walking ANY of the 3 mile route ! Looking at my watch I saw I was 2 full minutes ahead of a 10 minute mile pace as well ! I have a feeling MOST of this had to do with the fact I was running at night . Wednesday ( today ) , I got off to a late start . It was fully overcast , so no hot sun beating down on me , but ... it had only been a little more than 12 hours since my last run .... but the biggest factor today is probably STILL the high heat and humidity ! I ended up running the first 2 miles without too much difficulty .... and about 1 minute ahead of normal pace . A bit of more heavy breathing at the last uphill stretch . Then did a walk / jog combination for the last 3 rd mile . Even still , the total time was 28:30 , putting me at a 9:30 minute / mile average , which seems a little fast for the amount of time I did walk that last mile . I will have to double check the distance for that last mile . 
route map ! 	 Started my run at 10:26 am Got to my 2 mile mark at 10:46 am , right on time again . Continued the last mile with a combination of walk / jog andfinished at 10:57:58 ! So , I did shave off a few seconds time from yesterday . The high temp for today was suppose to get up to 97 F , guess I should start checking what it is the exact time of my run . I sure was sweatin ' like a pig for about 45 min after . Here is a cool map link for my jogging route : http : // www . gmap - pedometer . com / ? r = 276763 jogging route WOW ! I just noticed that my mile markers are a littledifferent ( longer ) than that route site shows . I guess I ' vebeen just a little faster than I thought , but only by 30 - 90 seconds , so I ' m just going to ignore that and stay on theconservative side of my estimates . I ' d be MUCH happier doing the race a little faster thanexpected , than to not meet my projected goal . 
Jogging . 	 Been a little more distracted from blogging than I had wanted , but not a WHOLE lot to tell in the last couple days . Tuesday : ran first 2 miles , walked .25 , ran .25 , walked .5 Wednesday : ran first 2 miles , walked .25 , ran .25 , walked .5 Thursday : ran first 2 miles , walked .25 , ran between .25 and .5 , and walked the rest . Because it seems like I ' m not being very accurate in the distances , I thought I ' d also start making a note of the time I get back home . Each day I ' ve been right on target with a 10 - minute - mile for the first two miles . This last day , started at 10:00 am . 2 mile mark at 10:20 am . Finished last mile at 10:32:27 . 
More On Exercise . 	 I ' m not sure how much of an " experiment " this is . But , I do think there is some interesting data here to collect , and so I thought I ' d add it to my blog . About a month ago I started getting back outside for some jogging . A couple of years ago I had been jogging about 3 miles a day , 5 days a week . Like many things ... I got side tracked and slipped out of it . It was only 6 months ago that I was still doing a very occational 1 - 2 miles . But WOW ! When i got out the first time again I was only able to run about .5 miles , then walk .75 miles , run another .25 miles , and walk the final .5 miles of my 2 mile route ! How pathetic ! Over the next 2 weeks I commited myself to not push TOO hard , because Idid not want to over do it so much that I could not keep going out each day . But , I did add anywhere from a couple hundred feet to 1 / 4 mile of joggingeach day . This is when I thought about first adding the info to my blog . I am startingto prepare for one of the city - wide 10 k races early next year ( 2007 ) , and sothought .... how long , and what will be my regular progression from .75 milesof jogging the first day , to a full 6 miles of jogging needed for the race ? I WAS happy to see that my speed / pace still seems to be just at a 10 minute mile . The same as 2 years ago , so I ' m very happy about THAT ! This last week has really had a couple days that I ' ve been so busy workingon my house that I ' ve not been able to run every day , so I decided to getin a little on the weekends , during lunch breaks . Today is the start of a new week , and so I hit the pavement around noon time ( yes ... in Austin it is 91 degrees and lovely humidity -- I have decided tokill two birds with one stone and run during the high sun , to work on my tanat the same time ... and one reason I might be slower at ramping up my distance ) I was able to jog just about the first full 2 miles , but the last stretch isup a fairly steep hill , so walked it . But decided to extend the route to my 3 - mile path and ran another .5 miles of it . From this point I ' ll keep up with the blog daily . The goal is 6.2 miles ( 10 km ) in 65 minutes by February 2007 . 
Fell off the face of the planet . 	 Well , if anyone was keeping up ... As you can see .. I disappeared for a bit . Actually , I tried it for a bit longer , butgot bored with posting the same stuff each time , so thought I ' d post less often . However , I onlyworked at this for another 2 - 3 days and thendecided to quit . A few factors came in to play .1 ) I realized that even though my time is very flexible working from home mostly , that I really did LIKE the flexibility . Which meant that having to work around so many naps was a bit of a chore . And then several spontaneous plans / invites came up , which were hard to work around .2 ) I don't get sick very often at all , but every couple of years when I do ... I ' m told to take lots of vitamin C and get plenty of sleep . That type of sleep needed is not REM , but rather the " other " types that obviously have a lot to do with healing and recovery and our immune system . Since little long term research has been done on how cutting out those other phases of sleep are going to affect us over the long term , I started to think this might not be such a great idea .3 ) Even though I had not gotten to many days of this under my belt , I was not seeing some of the MAIN advantages I wanted to see ... the remembering of my dreams , and lucid dreaming . When added all up .. I was starting to come up with alot of negatives , and not seeing any of the positives . I ' ve decided to try something else that was suggestedwhich is to set my alarm for 5 hours from whenever I go to sleep for the night . I also might consider making an adjustment so that Itake a single nap somewhere around 2 - 4 pm ... Many othercountries call this a " siesta " and is part of theirregular daily cycle .... fitting it properly in totheir normal workday . 
cycle # 0025 ( Day 4 - 23:00 ) . 	 Sleep / Wake : 20 min nap went just fine . had dream . I think I ' m going to start putting all cycles for a day in a single post now that I ' m doing them so often . I seem to be writing less about it . 
cycle # 0024 ( Day 4 - 18:00 ) . 	 Sleep / Wake : set alarm for 20 min again as I laid down . I might have drifted off .. it 's hard to tell if I really fall asleep or not . However , I feel fairly tired right now ... good thing I ' m gonna get another nap in 2 hours Activities : shelves Email / networking Pandora . com. 
cycle # 0022 ( Day 4 - 14:00 ) . 	 Sleep / Wake : don't think I fell asleep in the 20 min alloted time , but do feel rested . Activities : Finished watching " Dracula " Chatting / Email friends Handled some biz email , prepare / sent invoice , etc. 
cycle # 0021 ( Day 4 - 11:00 ) . 	 Sleep / Wake : think I made it to sleep near the end of my 20 min allotment . Food : 3 soft tacos ( ground beef , cheese , potato , onion , beans , sour cream , lettuce ) yum ! Activities : Off to lunch at Granddads with Father and Sister . 
cycle # 0020 ( Day 4 - 09:00 ) . 	 Sleep / Wake : Hmmm .. no good ! I remember waking up at 4:30 , but not making myself get out of bed ... of course , you know the rest . : ( Woke up on my own a bit after 9 am . That 's a pretty long sleep period . At dinner last night Wayne made the comment a doctor had told him to set his alarm for 5 hours from when he went to bed . Actually , I ' d PREFER to spend 5 hours asleep at one time , than to spend 3 hours asleep spread out over 6 times a day . Maybe I ' ll try that if I can't get my body through this adjustment . I think I ' m going to try to give my body even MORE chances to get it 's required REM in quick naps ... this means temporarily trying 2 hour cycles all day until it locks in . Food : Activities : Watch more " Dracula " Adding music to my Pandora playlist ( this IS included in my regular sites ) , email with friends . 
cycle # 0019 ( Day 4 - 02:00 ) . 	 Sleep / Wake : not much problem getting up , but felt tired . Don't remember anything about my dream . Activities : Started watching " Dracula " UPDATE ( 03:50 ) : Going to make this another 2 hr cycle . g ' night . 
It 's all rigged Yep , GOOG pegged again at an option strike price today . Last trade at the close was exactly 390.00 . Record revenues and record earnings ? doesn't matter , all that matters is how the big boys are gonna play the game . Wish I knew what game they were playing besides screw the investor . I figure it this way , If the little guy buys a couple hundred shares on margin of GOOG , hoping they will go up on earnings . If the big guy can hammer the stock , little guy will hold onto GOOG hoping it will climb back up to get even . All the while paying 10 % + for margin interest , the big guy wins . Yeah , I ' m pissed , I had some JUL 400 's , not alot , but enough that I am irittated by the bullshit that gets pulled in the market . I ' d write to the SEC , but they are not there for the little guy , so I know it is completely useless to complain . In R . Kelly 's words , " Quit running around here bitching and tighten up your game " On a positive note , I am going to be away from the market for a week , for my honeymoon actually . My finance ' and I are getting married and after all the planning , we will be happy to celebrate our nuptials . Then off to the San Juans in our boat to chill on the water for a week . 
Hey Batter ! Batter ! When I was a kid playing baseball , we used to yell " Hey batter batter " to mess up the guy at the plate . Well , Yahoo just did that with an $ 3 billion haircut on their market cap . All that drama for missing $ 20 million in revenue . Yea , I had some calls , but at least it was a small position . Should have straddled the options , since it could have gone either way . Obvious direction in this market is short and I still play long ball at times ... Just glad vacation is coming up next week and I ' ll be out of touch with the market on the boat cruising though the San Juans , not eyeballing the monitor all day . 
World Series of Poker Bid My WSOP bid was shot to hell today . I played for about an hour and was doing quite well , getting some good hands and then everything went completely haywire . I had an AK suited , bet $ 300 in tournament money and then my system started acting funky as hell . Soon , I lost connection and was unable to get to the internet at all . OK , so I thought Comcast was down . 5 minutes later , no connection still . Went into my router and looked at my firewall log and I had a ton of ports scans and unauthorized attempts to my system . All from about ten different IP addresses . There was no other record of this type of access on my firewall for two months . I rebooted everything , finally got back on and saw that I the system was automatically playing my hand , with folds each time of course and I was down to half my stake . I played about 5 - 6 hands and the damn thing died again on me . Again , more ports scans and access attempts . Finally I realized that I would not be able to play anymore and conceded defeat and did another reboot . By the third time I accessed the tournament , I was able to play a single hand . Funny thing , until I connected onto Full Tilt after the third reboot , the logs showed no access attempts . Once connected back on , they started again . I have no idea what happened , but I tell you I was completely pissed off about the whole thing . WHOIS lookup shows the majority of the IP 's were in Virginia . Was this a concerted effort to hammer people so they couldn't play ? I have no idea , but even though my hand kept playing and folding for me , I ended up in 1,022 th place out of 3,054 . I had some great hands and was playing well , I felt like I had a real shot , but I got totally boned on the ordeal . I contacted Full Tilt , but there was no response . I know they would never admit there was a problem even if they were aware of it . A pisser to say the least . 
You ' ll love this 33 trades , total Profit - $ 26.11 Of course I was scaling out of options one by one , so it ups the trade counts a bit . Still holding AAPL 52.50 calls over the weekend . Earnings come out next week and bad earnings seem to be built into the stock . If the surprise a little to the upside , then we might get a pop . Of course if Israel decides Lebanon no longer needs to exist , then all bets are off , except for a rather large pillaging of the market . 
BIDU just shot to the moon Damn , had a $ 300 profit at one point on my puts , just closed out for a $ 15.00 loss . Hmm .. AAPL ready to move up ? Total Money Flow is close to positive , may be a coiled spring waiting to jump . 
OUT CME Calls @ 9.60 - 2.40 I was commuting to the office late today , so put in a stop on my CME option that hit . I dodged a serious bullet on that one . CME is now down 8 points from when I left and the option is trading at 5.40 ... whew . Should have held onto that put ... 
Mid - Year summer rally that wasn't According to the 2006 Stock Traders Almanac , Nasdaq 's mid year ( 12 day ) rally from the end of June to mid July is strongest historically . So far this July , we have been more than 5 % down on the Nasdaq . So going back to previous negative returns on the twelve day rally and here is what you get . Year ...12 day % Change ... July Change 1986 .......... - 4.3 ............... - 8.41996 ......... - 5.9 ............... - 8.82002 ......... - 3.5 ............... - 9.22004 ......... - 5.5 ............... - 7.8 So , if this holds to form , we can expect another 3 - 4 % drop in the Nasdaq . Historically , the week of July expirations ( next week ) is one of the worst weeks of the year . One other nice little bonus to throw out , August is the worst S & P month the last 15 years . 
Short squeeze possibilities Here are a few stocks to watch for a short squeeze . Keep in mind , we are in a down market , so this may take a while to play out . But , if the SEC is serious about cleaning up the naked shorts , then these may benefit . I listed stocks that seem to be on the day traders list of plays . OSTK 20.23 No figures given for last three months on % of float short . March was 72 % , Feb 68 % , Jan 76 % 14 days to cover @ average daily volume 21.15 volume weighted avg short price NAVR 4.7638 % of float is short 32 days to cover @ average daily volume 4.62 volume weighted avg short price IOTN 7.6533 % of float is short 12 days to cover @ average daily volume 6.52 volume weighted avg short price MOVI 5.7363 % of float is short 5 days to cover @ average daily volume 6.51 volume weighted avg short price PARL 7.9136 % of float is short 6 days to cover @ average daily volume 17.93 volume weighted avg short price PEIX 21.8559 % of float is short 1.5 days to cover @ average daily volume 23.19 volume weighted avg short price . 
" SEC expected to amend short - selling regulation " This may have some positive implications for some stocks . I ' ll do some research and list some stocks that may be attractive for short coverings . Originial Article here " NEW YORK , July 12 ( Reuters ) - The Securities and Exchange Commission is expected on Wednesday to amend a regulation on short - selling , which would reduce the number of open short positions in stocks , The Wall Street Journal said . The SEC 's proposed changes to Regulation SHO comes in response to criticism of naked short - selling , when a trader never intends to borrow shares to cover a position , the newspaper said in a report on Wednesday . This practice is illegal in most instances , except when done by a market maker to maintain a stock 's liquidity , the Journal said . The SEC is also weighing whether to change a provision that allows market makers to have naked short positions , it said . " . 
Long CME Jul 470 Call @ 12.00 Long CME JUL 470 PUTS @ 9.20 Getting ready to pop one way or the other , just unsure which way . Closed AAPL Position at 53.81 and 53.67 for a total profit of $ 310.00 . I had averaged into it on little drops for a 300 share position . 
Today 's Wrap up Afraid to commit any real capital to this market , my trades are small and my profits lean at this point . My KTCC and HANS trades made me a whoppin ' $ 167.00 Add the APPL and CME options trades and closing SCUR , a loss $ 136 Whopping profit of $ 31 ... Damn , if I would have stayed with my CME options , I would have netted about $ 800 on those alone . Damn thing scared me when I booked a trade and then saw it drop immediately . At the time I was happy to lose less than $ 100.00 to close it . I see this market as all down from here , so will play in a defensive position and be happy to eek out little profits . 
Closed out all CME Option Positions I was almost $ 800 underwater after my initial 3 contracts and then averaged a 4 th for a 10.87 Avg . Bailed Between 10.60 and 10.70 for a - $ 80 profit . Stock is moving back up , will wait for another short op. 
In and out KTCC for + .20 Quick in and out trade on a scalp for 500 shares + $ 100 profit Long 5 CME JUL 480 Puts 10.87 avg . Way underwater on these now , should have went long , but trend is down for the day . Usually follows market . 
Cash is King No trading today so far and probably less tradng fo the next few weeks . RIMM looks like a good short and there may be a few others , but I ' m staying more to the sidelines unless I can feel confident to commit one way or the other . 
Bailed on TIE Calls @ 2.60 - .20 Dow down 140 + points , no time to be long on most of these calls . Also bailed in and out of GRMN calls for a total loss of $ 30.00 on all the trades . Since I am done for the day , here are my closed positions and profits . I also have my INTU puts from yesterday , but cannot trade because of the split . Stock is down $ 1 + , so the options made money today . That CHCI trade was stupid . When the market tanked quickly around 1:30 EST , they shook the tree and grabbed my money . I should have stayed on and would have been up about $ 150 for a more profitable day . My MYY 's are up .60 , in my long term account , which goes against market direction . I may take a position in DOG next Monday ( trades against the DOW ) , depending on how the market shakes out . Symbol Closed Pn L + GQRGT - 30.00 + TIEGF - 60.00 AAPL 125.00 CHCI - 5.00 EBAY 10.00 Profit + $ 40 not much , but I am treading lightly right now on my trading . 
Vegas We had seven of us down in Vegas this weekend . My daughter , being 21 on Friday and having her first visit there was thrilled with the city . We arrived @ 9 AM , took a limo to the hotel , since I hate waiting for cabs . My daughters friend had never been in a limo , so that made it special for her as well . Did the usual trekking throughout he hotels , the Forum shops , etc. Vegas was hot , about 105 , so staying indoors was the best option during the midday heat . We saw a sign for $ 2 well drinks at the Barbary Coast , so we decided to have some drinks around 2 PM . By 4:30 my daughter and her friend had fully immersed themselves into being legal drinkers . I played some $ 10 blackjack and after a couple of hours walked away about $ 40.00 down . Going back and forth , I could never get an traction and idiots were hitting 13 - 14 when dealer was showing a 4 or 5 and taking the bust cards . Pretty much spent Friday night playing a few slots for entertainment and some blackjack and dropped maybe $ 200 the whole night . Saturday , we were up early and decided to lay at the pool and just soak up some beers and sun . I started drinking Fosters and Rum Runners by 11 AM and by 2 I was napping in the shade . As the evening approached , we picked up the tickets I had bought for my daughter and her friend to David Copperfield . My daughter was a participant in the last trick of the night on stage , where they made 13 people vanish and reappear in the audience . She was able to meet Mr. Copperfield and received an autographed photo and was sworn to secrecy , not to reveal the trick . Most everyone was burned out , but by 11 PM , I was hitting my stride playing blackjack and then moving to Let it Ride . Guy next to me playing let it ride was betting $ 300 a bet , for a total of $ 900 being wagered . He said he was a poker player who plays in the World Series of Poker , but I never caught his name . Maybe I ' ll see him on TV . He had a large bankroll and was encouraging the dealer . At one point he told her , " For every hand I win , you ' ll get 25 % " Sure enough , he hit a stride on a few and probably gave her $ 700 by the time I walked away . It was then off to poker table where you play against the dealer . Three of us were there for about 4 hours and one walked away $ 2 grand up , the other about $ 1,500 and I made a measly $ 500 . Before I knew it , I was looking outside and the sun was coming up . I finally turned in at 6:30 AM , but not before playing a $ 1 machine and hitting for $ 200 on the way to my room . All in all , Vegas was great and since I paid for most meals and drinks for everyone , my total outlay was about $ 600 for the three days . A budgeted much more than that , so Vegas was successful being that I spent a lot less than I anticipated . I never expect to win , since I know the odds are not in my favor , but it was nice to have some of my cash left . 
Time for some clean up Going back through my blog , I ' m noticing some open / closed positions I haven't posted , so starting in July , I ' m wiping the slate clean and getting everything cleaned up . I will also be posting a trading log like my fellow bloggers Dave Johnson and Dehtrader do . I am also considering posts like Boogster that shows total profit for the day . In the meantime , you will see very little trading out of me until after July 4 th . I am off to Vegas on Friday for a long weekend to lay around the pool and celebrate with my daughter who turns 21 on Friday . She has never been to Vegas , so it will be a nice treat for her , compliments of Dad . Numerous friends and family will be flying in , so it will be a party for sure . The FOMC meeting has me a bit jittery , so not trying to time predict the market and laying low until July . 
Long XING JUL 12.50 Calls @ .8875 avg I averaged into these calls for a possible bump into earnings . Earnings are this afternoon after the close . Yahoo shows no analyst estimates , so there may not be any dissapointments . Previous income statements have showed a good rise in income . 
Midnight Idols Completely off the subject from trading is a band I recently ran across that would give Judas Priest a run for their money . Midnight Idols plays the kind of music that you slap into the CD player and crank before a good road trip . Lead Singer Diamond C has the sound of Rob Halford and its refreshing to hear a band that knows more than 5 bar chords . I ' m an old metal head and these guys are talented musicians that play pure metal . Listen to Midnight Idols . 
Alternatives to options Risk - savvy investors should welcome the Ultra and Short ETFs , but the reckless should stay away . Read the article here " The Pro Shares Ultra and Power Shares Short exchange traded funds ( ETFs ) received little attention on their June 21 American Stock Exchange debut yet these products could potentially impact how individual investors fine tune risk and reward . On the upside , the new securities appear to cut the risks associated with margin exposure and short selling . On the downside , an aggressive investor could incur exorbitant losses . The new ETFs are designed to perform at twice the level of their respective indexes . In other words , if the index gains one percent in a day , an ultra share would , at least in theory , rise two percent . The Ultra series is based S & P 500 Pro Shares ( SSO ) , Ultra Dow 30 Pro Shares ( DDM ) , Ultra Mid Cap 400 Pro Shares ( MVV ) , and Ultra QQQ Pro Shares ( QLD ) . They also carry a big penalty for being wrong , outpacing a decline in the market . The main advantage here is that there 's no margin call on a downturn , which is not what happens with a leveraged loss position . Investors in the ETFs can wait it out rather than raising cash to meet the margin call . The Short shares are designed to achieve the inverse . If the index goes up one percent in a day , a short share would be expected to fall by one percent . These new shares are Short S & P 500 Pro Shares ( SH ) , Short Dow 30 Pro Shares ( DOG ) , Short Mid Cap 400 Pro Shares ( MYY ) , and Short QQQ Pro Shares ( PSQ ) . " . 
Getting it handed to me Man , CME is a monster . Less than 500 K shares traded of a 34 million share float and up 20 points , this thing is being manipulated to the moon . Bad day to go short . " Note to self , follow you plan of only going short if the indexes are negative " . 
Ford might have a tough day tomorrow Take a look at this 7.7 million and 1.3 Million share trades after hours , sold below the ask . Hmm , I wonder if there will be news in the morning ? Hit a 52 week low at the close today . 06 / 20 / 06 13:03:42 6.40 6.45 6.46 139000006 / 20 / 06 13:03:57 6.40 6.41 6.42 7764500 . 
Short IWM @ 67.74 Shorting the Russell 2000 via this ETF . In my swing account for at least a couple of months unless the MACD goes positive . Another one of those woulda , coulda , shoulda trades that I should have made when I went bearish . 
Time to bail on Vonage If you are a bagholder of Vonage , today might be the day to get out . Verizon just filed a patent infringement and after reading the prospectus this past weekend , they have enough cash to make it through the end of 2007 . They have a high burn rate and unless they get their costs under control , this stock is dead . 
Where CEOs Go . While patrolling the sunny South Pacific looking for food shipments to block , an activist at the wheel of the luxury yacht " Golden Sunfish " expires from cardiac insufficiency . In the same moment , he finds himself standing alone in an area marked ' Departures , ' with doors labeled 1 , 2 and 3 . As the activist stands there wondering what is going on , a devil appears . " This place is Hell , " the devil says , " and here in our Departure Lounge , you may choose your own version of Hell . No loitering is permitted . " Then the devil 's cell phone rings and the devil walks away , chattering excitedly . After the devil leaves the Departure Lounge , the curious activist looks behind door number one . He sees a bent , scarred version of himself frantically pulling weeds that sprout eternally and vigorously from an endless field of withering crops . He looks behind door number two , and sees a gaunt , sunburned version of himself standing in line waiting for food , and the line stretches to the horizon in both directions . He looks behind the last door , and sees a well - fed , sun - tanned version of himself standing on a stage , with corporate CEOs shouting slogans like , " Go Green ! " and " Nothing is For Sale ! " and begging him to take their money . After the activist is done peeking behind the doors , the devil returns . " You have your choice of door number 1 or number 2 , " the devil says . " But I want door number 3 ! " the activist cries . " Sorry , " replies the devil . " That 's corporate CEO Hell . " . 
Punch Line at the Bar . A regular guy walks into a bar . It looks like a friendly place , because there are three guys lined up in front of the beer taps swapping jokes . So he sits down , orders a beer from the bartender , and waits for a break in the laughter . " Hey , " says the regular guy , " did you hear the one about the environmentalist , the anti - globalist and the organic farmer who all flunked the class in biology ? " One of the other guys stands up . He 's at least six feet tall and weighs near 220 lbs . , and he says , " I ' m an environmentalist . I can already tell what that joke could potentially result in , so if you don't like unintended consequences , you better not tell that joke . " The second other guy stands up . He is closer to six feet , two inches tall and weighs about 240 lbs . " I ' m an anti - globalist , " he says , " and if you tell that joke , I am going to represent people of every nation , everywhere in the world , with some totally non - violent direct action . Your pickup truck looks a lot like an SUV . " The third other guy stands up . He would be barely six feet , four inches tall in his bathroom slippers , but he 's wearing boots , and he ' d likely tip the scales at 280 lbs . if he was just wearing a hat . " I ' m an organic farmer , " he says . " A joke that starts like that can't hardly be natural , " he adds , " and since I ' m real thoughtful and generous , I could give you a quick public education on how we deal with unnatural stuff . " " Don't worry , " says the regular guy . " I won't finish the joke . And that way , I won't have to explain the punch line three times in a row , either . " . 
Advanced Psychology . A professor of psychology was nearing the end of a seminar in advanced psychology and to challenge the students , he proposed a set of symptoms and asked the students to suggest a diagnosis . " How would you diagnose a patient who walks back and forth screaming at the top of his lungs one minute , then sits in a chair writing morose essays predicting doom ? " Melissa raised her hand . " A manic depressive ? " she suggested . " Quite perceptive , " the professor responded . " However , there are other symptoms as well . This patient has extreme distrust of others , suspecting that they have hidden motives or represent a conspiracy . He has a persistent fear of being deceived , and is argumentative and self - righteous . He compulsively seeks proof of deceptions , secret motivations and conspiracies , and interprets any contrary evidence to be a personal attack . " Daniel raised his hand . " Definitely a classical paranoid , " he said . " Also very good , " the professor said . " However , there are further symptoms . The patient claims the ability to understand the needs of plants , animals , air and dirt , and says he speaks as their voices . " Patricia raised her hand . " Schzophrenia , absolutely , " she announced . " Certainly there are manic and para... " She was interrupted by Richard , who leaped from his chair and shouted , " This man should not be a patient and should be released immediately ! You 're all wrong ! Can't you see ? This seminar is nothing but corporate neoliberal propaganda ! This man isn't ill , he 's an environmentalist ! " . 
Organic Fund - Raiser . Gaia 's Organic Offerings ( GOO ) and Splendid Luscious Organic Provisions ( SLOP ) were fierce rivals for a major market share in the stupendously , amazingly , unbelievably fast - growing organic food industry . This was reflected in the fierce animosity between the CEOs of the two companies , Julius Jauch and Samuel Sterco , who never missed an opportunity to embarrass each other . The two were so evenly matched in cleverness and malice that after several public humiliations , and without consulting each other , they independently resolved it would be wisest to avoid ever being seen together . And that is what they did . Following their own advice proved impossible , however , when they were both invited to a fund - raising event and press conference hosted by the Social Harmonizers Against Mc Food ( SHAM ) . They had both been secretly funding the activist group for years , so each was surprised that the other had been involved , but both had to back their investment in food agitation . During the press conference , the heads of GOO and SLOP sat at opposite ends of the speaker 's table , each of them simultaneously hoping for the swiftest departure possible and seeking an opportunity to humiliate the other -- or worse . The opportunity arose when a reporter stood up and asked , " What would you say to people who claim that organic food is not as safe as conventional food , and that the extra expense isn't worth it ? " Julius Jauch immediately went into action . Holding a carrot aloft , he said , " This is an organic carrot , and Samuel Sterco will not only give me $ 50,000 for it , he will eat it as well . " Sterco immediately subdued his rush of panic in a way only CEOs can manage . He stood calmly , allowed a gleam into his eye , and pulled a stick of celery from his pocket . " This stick of organic celery is worth $ 50,000 , " he said . " What is more , Julius Jauch will not only accept it in exchange for his carrot , he will eat it right in front of all of you . " Whispers and expressions of amazement filled the auditorium as the two men traded the vegetables and returned to their respective chairs . The press conference continued while the men ate slowly and carefully and glanced suspiciously at each other . Meanwhile , the Chief Scientific Advisor of SHAM slipped quietly from the stage and searched frantically for the head of the group 's Public Outreach Organizing Program . He found the man standing on the sidewalk in front of the building , puffing a rather rumpled - looking cigarette . " Quick ! " said the Chief Scientific Advisor . " We need an immediate press release ! $ 100,000 in Organic Food Sold at SHAM Event ! " . 
Farming For Idiots . One Saturday afternoon , a family of organic farmers went to the local farm store to get a few things for the next crop season . The father bought a new manure fork and a new pair of tall neoprene rubber boots for each member of the family . The mother bought a new hoe for each member of the family . The son dug into what he ' d saved from his allowance and bought a cap with the Monsanto logo on its front . His sister was outraged when she saw the cap , whacked him over the head , and said , " You little idiot ! Go talk to your mother . " So off he went to his mother , still wearing his new cap . In fit of rage , she whacked him twice on the head . " You idiot ! " she yelled when she saw the cap . " Don't you know that Monsanto stuff comes from laboratories and factories ? Go talk to your dad . " Obediently , the boy went to his father , still wearing his new cap . His father promptly whacked him on the head three times . " You idiot ! " he shouted . " If we bought that company 's man - made , artificial stuff , our investment in hoes , manure forks and neoprene rubber boots would be wasted ! " Later that evening , at the supper table , the father turned to his son and said , " Son , I hope you learned something today . " " Yes , father , I have , " the son replied . " The farm kids in school call us ' those organic idiots ' and now I agree with them . " . 
Pigs Fed Up . There was a farmer who had a herd of pigs . One day an activist came to the farm and asked the farmer : " What do you feed your pigs ? " " Well , " said the farmer , " It 's important to feed them what 's been scientifically shown to be the best diet . They get a mixture of corn meal , soy meal , milled oats and vitamin supplements . Why do you ask ? " Well , " the activist said , " I represent a coalition of the Society for Precious Animals and Conscientious Educational Dedicationalism and the Organization for Universal Tribulation ( SPACED - OUT ) and I think you don't feed them like you should , they shouldn't eat agricultural waste products . " The activist went to the local newspaper , and the headline of the article was , " Pigs Force - Fed Waste Products . " Some days later , another person arrived and asked what the pigs ate . The farmer answered : " Well , I feed them very well . I give them salmon , caviar , shrimp and steak , with their choice of a salad buffet . Most of them prefer cheeseburgers and fries , though . Why do you ask ? " " Because I am from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization ( FAO ) , " he said , " And I think it 's wrong that you feed your pigs so indiscriminately when there are people dying with nothing to eat . " So the FAO representative went to the New York Times and the headline of the article was , " Obesity Epidemic Strikes Pigs ; Farmers Careless About Diet . " Alongside the article was a picture of the farmer with a dumbfounded expression on his face . Two weeks later , another activist came to the farm and asked what the pigs ate . The hesitant farmer answered after a few moments . " Well , each day I give ten dollars to each pig so they can buy whatever they want , " he said . The activist went back to the headquarters of the International Generous Rational Agriculture and Nutritional Targets ( IGNORRRANT ) , which issued a press release : " Pigs Bribed in Science Fraud Scandal . " So the farmer turned the pigs loose to forage around the countryside for whatever they could find on their own . The next day , yet another activist showed up on the farm and asked , " What do you feed your chickens ? " A week later , on page eight of the local newspaper , an article appeared : " Poultry Advocate Vanishes , Pigs Implicated . " . 
Describing Activism Simply . A grade school teacher was asking students what their parents did for a living . " Tim , you be first , " he said . " What does your mother do all day ? " Tim stood up and proudly said , " She 's a doctor . " " That 's wonderful . How about you , Anne ? " Anne stood up , looked briefly at her feet , and said , " My father delivers pizza . " " Thank you , Anne , " said the teacher . " What about your father , Billy ? " Billy bolted upright and announced , " My daddy cons people out of their money , destroys crops and breaks into laboratories . " The teacher was aghast and promptly changed the subject to geography . Later that day he called Billy 's father on the phone , asking for a logical explanation of Billy 's statement in class . Billy 's father said , " I ' m an environmental activist . But how can I explain a thing like that to a seven - year - old ? " . 
The Activist 's Tombstone . An activist whose specialty was warning about the imminent extinction of the human race decided to make a dramatic statement by purchasing his tombstone in advance . So he went to a stonecutter , and after choosing the grandest monument available , the stonecutter asked him what inscription he would like on it . The activist had already chosen his epitaph , and without hesitation , replied , " Here lies an honest man and an activist . " " Sorry , but I can't do that , " replied the stonecutter . " In this state , it 's against the law to bury two people in the same grave . " The activist thought for a moment . " How about , " he asked , " ' Here lies an honest activist ' ? " " Very clever , " the stonecutter said . " The law allows a man to keep lying after he 's dead . " . 
Why God Created Environmentalists . One day , as God and Satan were discussing current affairs , Satan fell to complaining bitterly . " You made the world so that it was not fair , and you made it so that most people would have to struggle every day , fight against their innate wishes and desires , and deal with all sorts of losses , grief , disasters , and catastrophes , " Satan said . " Yet people worship and adore you . People fight , get arrested , and cheat each other , and I get blamed , even when it is not my fault . Sure , I ' m evil , but give me a break . Can't you do something to make them cast the blame somewhere else ? " " You know , " God replied , " I ' ve actually got the same problem . I ' ve done my best to be kind and generous , but if I jumped in and changed natural laws every time someone complained , this universe would be a total mess . So instead of being grateful , they blame Me . But this is a problem I can fix . " So God therefore created environmentalists , and now everyone blames things on the environment instead . 
Force Means Violence . It is time to translate the news . The main stream media as well as much of the alternate media are stuck using words that hide the true meaning of what they are saying . The most flagrant of these misdirection words is the word " force " meaning " violence " . Every time you hear a politician or someone from the media use the word " force " , try substituting the word " violence " to have a better understanding of what they are saying . Here 's a typical sentence lifted from the newspapers . Part of the plan is to push Hezbollah away from the border area , Adam said . Hezbollah has established positions right up to the border and Adams comments suggest Israel would use force to keep them away . Lets look at that in plainer English . Part of the plan is to push Hezbollah away from the border area , Adam said . Hezbollah has established positions right up to the border and Adams comments suggest Israel would use " violence " to keep them away . Now we have a better picture of what is happening . The propagandists are using language to obfuscate reality . As long as that continues , we will not truly understand what is happening and as long as we don't understand what is happening , the longer it will continue . There are so many other words used to obfuscate in the media , especially regarding the Middle East . Settler = Illegal Colonist Occupied territories or territories = The 22 % of Palestine that is not actually Israel Enter / Incursion = Invade / Invasion Targeted or " pinpoint " attacks = Premeditated Murder Arrest or capture = kidnap Separation Barrier or Fence = Apartheid / Berlin Wall Another important thing to keep in mind regarding language used by the media is that it is always slanted toward Israel and other western occupiers . The best way to notice this is to reverse the words Israelis and Palestinians in any given story and try to read the story as what it would sound like if Palestine dropped a two thousand pound bomb on an Israeli apartment building and Palestinian leaders brushed off the murders of scores of innocents as if they were bugs . Reverse Israeli and Palestinian the next time you hear leaders of either side threaten the lives of politileadersders of opposing nations . Learn for yourself what this exercise teaches you . 
Our Ignorance is Their Greatest Weapon . There are many factors involved in all of the Middle East crises ; oil , religion , tribalism and plain old lust for power . However , the most critical factor involved here , one which billions of dollars are spent annually to foster and maintain in the ignorance of the average American . I still believe that we are a very compassionate people . Once Uncle Tom s Cabin brought home the ravages of slavery , Americans became outraged and forced change . When life under Jim Crow was made plain to average Americans , laws were passed and we finally started dealing with our own racism . I believe that the same is true of almost every Middle East crisis , from Iraq , to Iran to Lebanon to Syria and to Palestine . If a plurality of Americans were truly informed of the history and the true source of the conflict over there , it would all end . Believe it or not , this is true . We say we provide weapons and political and financial support to Israel ( the artificial nation ) to provide stability , yet this support is the greatest source of instability . When Israel starts another round of ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians and the United States alone vetoes any action from the U . N . Security Council , the rest of the world takes note . Do you think it is just an anomaly that we Americans are the world s worst at understanding geography ? Geography helps us understand our neighbors and all the people of the world that we will never meet , but our bombs and the bombs and bullets of the armies that we support will . As long as we are ignorant of the rest of world , those who commit evil with our money and veto at the U . N . will just keep on doing it . In order for the atrocities and ethnic cleansing to continue , we Americans need to be ignorant . Dan Desmond . 
I paid for this . I paid for this young girl 's death . I bought the weapon that killed her . I provided my polital support to her murderer to allow him or her to continue their rampage . My God , I feel sick . These pictures are of the victims of Israel 's latest war of aggression against Lebanon . Who thinks this is a good thing ??? !!! I wish I knew who decided that war is a good thaing that beneifits people . I would like to have a very serious dioscussion with that person . Really . Dan Desmond . 
Apache : From Oppressed to Oppressor . How do the people of the Apache Nation appreciate their name being used for an instrument of death and destruction that has become the hallmark of both the Israeli occupation of what is left of Palestine and the American destruction and occupation of Iraq ? I find it a terrible irony that the name of a dispossessed nation is known throughout the world as a tool for violence and oppression . Palestinian children know the name Apache sooner than they know their own name as they see Apaches killing and destroying every day of their lives . Palestinians watch as Apaches fly over head and shoot cars and pedestrians with impunity . Iraqis see them destroying buildings and cars ( regardless of whether they are inhabited ) and they are known as a valuable tool for their occupiers and oppressors . I see it as a cruel joke that the people who named this terrible machine played on the dispossessed of our own land . I would only hope that the great people of the Apache Nation would lobby hard to have their name removed from this instrument of occupation and oppression . 
We Think We 're the Good Guys . It occurred to me this morning that the problem with this war and every war is that both sides ( or all twenty in this case ) believe that they are the good guys . Every atrocity can be brushed off because we say that we are in the right . " Torturing prisoners held without charge ? That 's okay because we 're the good guys so that means whatever they are doing is much , much worse . " invading nations , destroying entire cities , looting treasures and natural resources , raping villagers and massacring civilians ? These are all acceptable outcomes because we are the good guys . I grew up watching movies like " Red Dawn " where the good guys were the rag - tag home grown insurgents fighting the big bad invading army that proved they were bad by rounding up civilians and imprisoning them without charge . The good guys blew them up and killed as many of the occupiers as possible before the big bad military machines hunted them down and killed them . Although the end of the movie made it clear that the occupiers stayed for an indeterminate period , they lost the war in the end . I can't think of a single American movie that characterized the invaders and occupiers of any country or any war as the good guys . I think many people might say that the invaders and occupiers of Germany , Italy and Japan were the good guys but those invasions and occupations came at the end of a very long war started by those countries . Also , there was no insurgency at the end of the war signifying the civilian population saw the invasion as a liberation from their war making governments . Why do we say we are the good guys ? Is it because we believe we are bringing democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan ? That is not it because there is no democracy in either of those two places . The U.S. wanted Prime Minister Al Jafari of Iraq out and he was out . Democracy ? No. In Afghanistan , Hamid Karzai governs with a loose coalition of tyranical war lords and even with that power , he has no authority outside of Kabul . The only reason anyone ever gives me when I ask why are we the good guys is that we are always the good guys . We 're the Americans , what else could we be but the good guys ? I can think of nothing else that might qualify the United States in these wars as being the good guys . Can you ? Dan Desmond New York State . 
Motorcycles and Huggies . It made for an interesting picture today as I was driving my motorcycle down these rural roads trying to balance a large bag of Huggies , size 4 on the gas tank of my Honda Magna . We 're at the height of the Hasidic camper season right now and I kept passing vanload after vanload of bearded men with their families looking at this large man on his big black bike trying not to drop the Huggies . I was reminded of that Movie Raising Arizona . Dan . 
Just me . Most of these letters and articles were written about five years ago when I weas living in Miami . I am now living in rural Upstate New York and I love it . I am still working in the HIV field as a social worker which is of course challenging but I really enjoy since it enables me to practice " praxis " . I took the " Free Palestine " bumper sticker off my car when I first moved up here about two and a half years ago since it embarrassed my then girlfriend , current wife . But I am so angered by the continued and aggravated aggression and continued blind support from my government that I can no longer sit idly by so I started this blog and put the sticker back on my car . I am very open about my beleifs for freedom for all people and even my personal life so I welcome all comments and e - mails . Please post comments often and send e - mails to danboii @ aol . com. Thanks . Dan Desmond New York . 
KRAUTHAMMER S KRAP . In reading the garbage spewed forth by Charles Krauthammer it is impossible to tell if he is monumentally ignorant or maliciously trying to miseducate Americans as to the true nature of the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian land . One hopes it is the former since that is at least somewhat defensible and can be corrected with education . In that vein let us begin the education of Charles Krauthammer and his ilk . He begins by describing the interception of arms ostensibly on their way to the Palestinians and actually manages to sound as if he believes a populace who has suffered tank attacks , rocket attacks , naval bombardments , settler attacks , helicotper attacks and F - 16 attacks has absolutely no right to seek arms in defense . He then goes on to call the Al - Aksa Intifada " Yassir Arafat 's war on Israel begun eight months ago " without mentioning Israel 's war on the Palestinian population begun 53 years ago . He talks about Israel 's invasion of Palestinian territory as if it were benign . As if the murders of two people defending their homes on that first evening mattered for nothing . As if the quick withdrawal after the American rebuke was planned all along but he again left out crucial details . Details such as the destruction of more than thirty civilian homes that first evening ( Palestinian homes destroyed by Israeli bulldozers during these incursions number well over one hundred as of this writing ) and that the people made homeless by these brutal actions are yet again being victimized as they suffer sniper attacks when they attempt to salvage any belongings . Mr. Krauthammer uses many of the oft - repeated canards put forth by apologists of Israeli brutality . This is clear in his assertion that Israel " gave " Palestinians their own land . Again neglecting to mention this territory is really small - disconnected Bantustans , which have turned into de - facto prisons since the start of the current uprising . Another of these canards can be seen in his remark that Arafat refused Israel 's offer to withdraw from 95 percent of Palestinian territory and that Israel offered 5 percent of Israel 's territory in return for the land kept . The truth is that the best offer was for less than 63 percent of 22 percent of Palestinian territory in that the West Bank and Gaza encompass only 22 percent of all of Palestine and Israel s 95 percent calculation did not include the largest settlement bordering Jerusalem or land that would be " leased " to the PA but did include parts of the Dead Sea . As for the 5 percent of Israeli territory offered at Camp David : It was not anywhere near 5 percent , and the Israeli land offered was actually a toxic waste dump bordering Gaza . If Mr. Krauthammer did not know this , then he is a poor journalist and if he did , he is an evil one . Either way , any newspaper that agrees to publish such claptrap should have its credentials examined . Dan Desmond North Miami , Florida . 
Dear Miami Herald Staff , Your article in Sunday 's edition entitled " Sharon Delays Retaliation in Tel Aviv Attack " was a perfect example of journalists straining their relationship with the truth . There have as yet been no violent reprisals by Israel , though these will probably come . But Israel has retaliated with unprecedented measures of collective punishment against the entire Palestinian population in the occupied territories . In addition to tightening the closure of the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip , Israel tightened the siege of Palestinian towns and cities , and closed the international borders with Egypt and Jordan , and the airport in occupied Gaza . Israel reportedly cut off fuel supplies , international mail , and more seriously money transfers to the occupied territories . Because of the devastating economic impact and the mass unemployment caused by the occupation , thousands of Palestinian families fend off complete destitution and even starvation only with remittances transferred from relatives outside the country . The decision to cut off money transfers , therefore , is a deliberate , targeted act of retribution against Palestinian civilians and can have no other purpose than to cause misery . Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states " No protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed . Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation and terrorism are prohibited . " The reference in the article to " pinpoint attacks " was particularly disturbing since it is the Israeli euphemism for assassinations . Is Israel the only racist government that you allow to write copy for you ? I suppose I should say I was pleased to see that your article admitted that Israel is directly responsible for the deaths of " children and other civilians " but who decided that when Palestinians murder civilians , those actions are " terrorist attacks " but when Israelis murder civilians , they are " reprisals " ? Who developed that language , Rannan Gissin ? I implore the Miami Herald to be true to their profession in covering the Middle East and print all of the truth , all of the time . Stop actively trying to redirect the blame for all that is wrong in the conflict to the victims of oppression and occupation . Dan Desmond North Miami , Florida . 
Part of the current day job . The AIDS Task Force of Sullivan County in collaboration with Catskill Regional Medical Center , ARCS and The Recovery Center will be commemorating World AIDS Day 2005 on December 1 st with two ceremonies open to the public . On Thursday , at 12:00 noon in the lobby of the Government Center in Monticello , attendees will be treated to the gospel music of Gail Houston and her young YAP singers , followed by a Red Ribbon Ceremony and World AIDS Day proclamation delivered by Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther . At 6:00 PM Thursday evening , St. Peter 's Church on Broadway in Monticello will host a Hope and Remembrance Ceremony with more gospel selections , as well as keyboard and flute pieces by Stuart Hirsch and Dan Desmond , and a candlelight ceremony . The inspirational interfaith ceremony will be followed by light refreshments . All are welcome . For more information , please contact Gerard Ilaria , LCSW at Catskill Regional Medical Center - 845 - 794 - 3300 , x 2626 . 
Letter sent to 60 Minutes . To put the Middle East conflict into perspective , one simply has to ask himself , " Who is the victim ? " Considering those on one side are literally colonists who took over all of Mandate Palestine with brutal military force and ethnically cleansed as much of the land as they were able , leaving what the world today considers permanent refugees a population of over six million people , it becomes clear just who are the victims and who are the aggressors . Considering the obvious aggressors in this conflict are now using every weapon of a modern military from attack helicopters , to F - 16 fighter jets , to naval war ships to Merkava tanks against a largely unarmed civilian population it was , to say the least , highly obnoxious of Mike Wallace to belittle and humiliate the captive leader of that civilian population . My faith in 60 Minutes as a fair an unbiased news source can never be restored . Dan Desmond . 
Letter never published by Miami Herald . Saturday evening , about 8 PM EDT , a report came over the wires from the Middle East about the murder of three women in a tent by fragmenting shell from an Israeli tank . Under normal circumstances , when an occupying army kills three civilian women with a tank , it is newsworthy . But when said occupying army is reportedly maintaining a ceasefire , well that should certainly be front page news -- at least for newspapers not trying to fool Americans into propping up a brutal , racist state . Well , you can imagine my chagrin when I picked up the Sunday Herald and saw no mention of the attack on the tent . " Gosh , " I figured " the story came across the wire a full three hours before their deadline . Maybe they just needed more time to write a really great story detailing all the brutal acts our government supports against an occupied population . " Instead I found an article lamenting how difficult life is in an illegal Jewish settlement on occupied land surrounded by Jewish only access roads around those pesky checkpoints where Palestinians keep getting killed by American made and supplied bullets or die from lack of medical care . Maybe it will be in Monday 's paper . Nope . Nothing about the murder by tank of women in a tent . Just a story about how the Israelis are suffering because tourists don't want to visit a racist country that uses tanks and missiles to keep its occupied populace in line . Dan Desmond North Miami , FL . 
Letter to Mayor of Miami during the " Elian " crisis . My urge to flee South Florida grows hourly . Now that I know I have no local protection from lawless zealots , I should run to a federal building and demand asylum from Miami Cubans . -- Danbo II. 
I ' LL TAKE . I made an interesting observation today . When ordering food , Americans are mostly prone to saying , " I ' ll take .... " as in , " I ' ll take a salad " or " I ' ll take the burger . " Interesting that it 's not a request , as in , " May I have the burger , please " or even , " I ' d like a coffee . " They 're not so much asking you if you would bring them something , they 're telling you what it is that will be theirs . grammar is fascinating , isn't it ? 
I ' LL TAKE . I made an interesting observation today . When ordering food , Americans are mostly prone to saying , " I ' ll take .... " as in , " I ' ll take a salad " or " I ' ll take the burger . " Interesting that it 's not a request , as in , " May I have the burger , please " or even , " I ' d like a coffee . " They 're not so much asking you if you would bring them something , they 're telling you what it is that will be theirs . grammar is fascinating , isn't it ? 
ALL NUMBERS ARE AMERICAN . Ok , it 's gotten to the point where I can't even be mad at the poor , simple , self - absorbed , ego - centric idiots any more . Now , I just feel sorry for them , for how small their worlds are . Time and time again , when I present the bill to a table , I am asked , " Is this in American ? " " Yes. Yes it is . I immediately sensed , when you walked in , the you were from the greatest and most prominent of all nations . Perhaps it was your carriage , maybe your style , or the quiet grace with which you conduct yourself and possibly the dignity and respect you channel when dealing with others . I sensed all of this and knew that , from that point on , all my dealings with you would simply HAVE to be in a foreign currency . Because , you see , even though you have left your country and entered another , we know where you 're from and want you to feel as though nothing has changed . When I presented the bill to the French people who were at this table moments ago , I presented it in French Francs . When I presented the bill to the Japanese family , I presented it already calculated into Yen . Of course , they were surprised and grateful for this automatic conversion because they are not used to ALL numbers being converted into AMERICAN like you are . How great it must be to be you . " . 
LISTEN UP , POLLUTERS . Ok people , sit up and pay attention . It 's a simple idea . You are in charge of keeping your room tidy . You are in charge of keeping your yard safe and tidy . You are in charge of keeping the planet safe and tidy . Easy , no ? So start thinking about what you buy . No , I mean . THINK !!! Is it over packaged ? Then don't buy it ! Do you use it once and throw it away ? Then don't buy it ! . Where do you think all of that stuff goes ? INTO SOMEONE ELSES BACK YARD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stop pretending it doesn't matter . IT DOES MATTER . Stop using your busy life as an excuse . It doesn't matter how busy your life is , you still have a responsibility to clean up after yourself . If you don't think that 's true then try this simple exercise : Every morning , go and take a giant shit in the middle of your living room and then don't clean it up . It 's amazing how you ' ll suddenly start to see waste , pollution and personal responsibility in a whole new light . You could also try this variation : take a giant shit in the bedroom of your children , because that 's really what you 're doing when you make choices without considering the long term effects they have on the planet . Got it ? 
PRIDE ..... or not . I spent yesterday afternoon on the rooftop of a Toronto apartment building with friends ( and strangers ) enjoying the celebration that is The Pride Parade . Turns out I actually know people who have an apartment on Yonge Street . Who knew ? Michael and I have never been to Pride together since one of us is usually working somewhere , so this was a great opportunity to hang with fun people and get a great view from a 3 rd story roof . In spite of the fact that the parade itself is just a big party , many of us on the rooftop felt that it started off with a powerful and profound message . One of the very first groups to appear carried a banner which read , We march for those who can t . All the marchers in this group had black gags around their mouths and some carried signs detailing the number of known brutalities committed ( often by the government ) against people who s lifestyle was deemed unacceptable in many countries of the world . These brutalities ranged anywhere from loss of civil freedoms to public floggings or executions . As we stood on that sunny rooftop , sharing jokes , dancing , drinking , eating and shouting our joy , someone , somewhere in the world was suffering simply because of who they are . Isn t it staggering that we re still not done with that idea ? The idea that if you re not like me there s something wrong with you . And it 's not just " those " people in " those " countries that are responsible for that kind of one - dimensional , small - minded thinking . I ' ll just be that there 's someone very close to you right now who is thinking in exactly the same way . What are YOU gonna do about it ? 
WHAT AM I UP TO ? I got an email this morning asking what I was up to , AND I was looking for a way to post some photos of our yard since my mother and I have been emailing about gardening . So .... here are some happy summer pictures of just what I ' ve been up to . Here 's Michael on the front porch at sunset in the new chairs he got for his birthday . Back deck at sunset . Michael 's basil & tomatoes on the right , wild flowers and greenery on the left . Back deck in the morning . My favorite place to do coaching calls . Fleurs . 
I live in an area that is desperate to have visitors ..... well , ok , tourists . All the marketing is about getting the tourists . Now , I don't always have particularly nice things to say about tourists when they come here , mostly because they tend to say and do really stupid things . On this occasion , however , they don't even need to come here for me to say mean things about them . One of the things that gets marketed about this place is The War of 1812 . I ' d like to address all the would - be travelers who are staying home because the media warned them about possible terrorism and terrorist attacks . I think the next marketing campaign for my area should read .... " Dear America .... Nothing has blown up here since 1812 ... and at that point in history , it was YOUR bombs !!! " Yes , I ' d like to offer my personal guarantee that your chances of being injured in a terrorist attack in North America are still only slightly higher than your chances of being elected leader of your country . In the words of Baz Luhrman ... " A life lived in fear is a life half lived . " . 
Nothing to say . I ' ve been so frickin ' swamped at work lately I haven't had time to do anything , especially post here . And as a result I get removed from others ' blog pages . Reality bites , oh fickle finger of friendship . As they say , it 's all in the timing . It 's ALL in the timing . 
Yes , I ' m here ... Apparently I m still bemoaning the debacle that was the New Dawn Singers excursion . I have had nothing to say or write for days . I had some pretty decent shows at Sleuths this week : an Elga , an Uncle Timothy ( God , I hate that kids show ) , a Lilah and a Jeremy since last we spoke . This week I have a Sarge in Roast Em and Toast Em . It s not my favorite show , but I will be working with some good people , including Sarah French ( who I also got to work with on Saturday night ) . Saturday afternoon I have an Oliver in Celestial Manor . It should be an easy show most likely for elderly groups or something . Then that evening , I will be playing Link opposite Sarah again this time she plays my girlfriend . But get this in the role of Lilah , none other than the one , the only David Almeida . ( Good luck being a hotter Lilah than me , David I mean ummm break a leg , buddy . ) That s it . I didn t get to go to see Wicked in Tampa like some people ( not bitter ) , but I had some fun . Went out Saturday night did a little dance , made a little love well , not really sort of maybe next subject Then Sunday night after the show I went out for drinks with someone I worked with when I first moved to town and just recently reconnected with . He and his partner are very funny so it was nice to take a moment to catch up . I m hoping we ll be able to hang out together again . That s about it . Exciting , I know . What do you want from me , people ? I m only one man . One boring , uninteresting man . Ask just about anyone . 
God be with you .. and you ... and ... well , you two not so much . The New Dawn Singers . It 's all I ' ve been talking about lately , I know . How could you not ? A youthful ( yeah , right ) group of wholesome singers and dancers , living together in the same house ( boys on one side , girls on the other -- and I think the boys like it that way ) . When Sarah French told me they would be performing at the Central Florida Fairgrounds , I peed a little . No , really , I did . Tonight was the big show . Sarah tried to get some info about tonight , but she couldn't get through , so we decided to wing it and just show up . Our merry band of four strolling minstrels ( Sarah , David , John and myself ) soon became three as David got called in to do a Sleuths show . ( Apparently making money is more important than fellowship . ) Then John backed out because of " previous commitments " -- whatever that means . Sarah gave me directions to her place -- incorrect directions -- so I drove around a bit , only to discover that when I finally got to her house , she had toddled off to the 7 - Eleven to score some coke for later on . Or something . 20 + minutes later , when she finally got back , she hopped in the car and off we went . So Sarah and I made the trek from downtown to fairgound to witness the beauty that IS the New Dawn Singers ( NDS ) . As we approached our destination , I questioned the location of the event . There were no lights on at the fairgrounds . The main sign was off ; however , as we drove by it , we clearly saw it stating that the Holiday Ramblers were indeed there , for whom the NDS would be performing . We pulled up to the security guards , who individually were about the same age as mine and Sarah 's ages ... multiplied . Apparently the Holiday Ramblers are an exclusive club . If you don't own an RV -- no , not just an RV , a Holiday Rambler RV -- you ain't gettin ' in . We begged for them to let us in , but no go . I don't blame Sarah ( I do ) . It wasn't her fault ( it was ) . She tried as hard as she could to get us in ( she could have tried harder ) . But how can you blame Sarah ? After all , we went to dinner afterwards and she picked up the check . And then set it down in front of me . A pretty girl shouldn't be expected to pay for dinner , right ? Yeah , nice try , French . I ain't fallin ' for that . I told her , we split that check or you 're walking home . Granted , she lived 4 blocks away , but still . Anyway , we had fun , although not the spirit - lifting , heart - warming fun that should have been ... The New Dawn Singers . ( My favorite part of this , is that anyone who googles them will surely find my blog posting about them . heh . ) . 
Ahhh , to be cool ... So I got called in to do an Eric last night . I love playing Eric . British footballer ( it 's what you Americans call ' soccer ' ) . Dumb as a post . Well , the show last night was for about 100 middle schoolers . Did you hear me ? 100 . Middle . Schoolers . That has disaster written all over it . Surprisingly though , they were not that bad . Granted , they asked some pretty dumb questions in interrogation , but they were into it , which is more than I can say for a lot of school groups that come through . But the best part of playing Eric is that everyone loves him . He 's dumb but lovable . It 's amazing , really . In fact I ( and I alone ) signed about 20 autographs last night and had my picture taken with a slew of kids . That makes me laugh . Well , on the inside ... not on the outside because that would look dumb , me just sitting here , laughing , all by myself . I ' d look like an idiot . I ' d look like ... Eric . Do you know how hard it is to get middle school kids to think you are cool ? It would never happen in real life . Never . 
I ' m here ... calm down . Sorry I haven t posted for a day or two I ve been too busy preparing my audition for the New Dawn Singers . Tuesday night I played Eric in Squire s Inn opposite Doug s Connie . I don t get to work with Doug very often because we play many of the same roles . He is crazy . So funny , but doesn t hog all the fun . He will go for jokes , but he ll also let you have yours as well . Plus , he can get away with anything . Making comments about people s clothes , hair , names , etc. If someone else would do it , it would come off as insulting and mean , but he can do it and everyone laughs . I don t know how he does it , but it is truly a gift . Bastard . : ) Not much else has been happening this week , so this will be a rather short post . Seriously , I have nothing to talk about . Nothing . No one . * sigh * I m bored . Let s go out and party this weekend , kids . What do you say ? 
What lies ahead ? A fun - filled weekend . I have a Lilah / Detective in The Reunion coming up on Saturday . I haven t had one in awhile , so that should be fun . Originally I did not want to play Lilah at all . I played enough women roles for my liking , and Lilah was supposed to be the most realistic drag role there . Not ugly or crazy like some of the others ( Connie , Elga , Felicity , etc. ) . She had to be a real Southern Belle . Where s the fun in that ? Well , once I determined she was a fading beauty queen ( Miss Saddlebags ) , that was all I needed . Now that I figured her out how to make her what she needs to be while still getting the laughs I really enjoy playing her . Plus , my detective is the complete opposite of her so that s fun . I almost always get at least one person come up to me at the end of the night and tell me they didn t know it was me playing both roles . Then on Sunday , I get to play Link in the same show . This time , however , I will be playing opposite one Miss Sarah French . I get to play her sleazy , rock star wannabe boyfriend for a matinee of , most likely , blue hairs galore . I ll be phoning in my performance . Kidding . So that s my weekend . How about yours ? On a side note : It s over . I m done . And my only one regret is that I didn t get to know you better than I did . 
Sense Memory . Sense Memory A great tool for actors to make their performance real is the use of sense memory . If you have a scene where you handle objects , drink booze or in pain , the use of sense memory is essential . What is sense memory ? If you are in a scene where your character has to drink a straight shot of whisky , of coarse you don t want to use real booze so what you must do is remember how booze tastes . In rehearsals and when you are working on the play by yourself , take a glass of water and sip it as if it was real liqueur . Take a sip , feel the sting on your tongue . When you swallow feel the liqueur going down your throat . Your sense will remember real booze and any reaction from it will be real without faking it . All you have to do is remember how it really feels and your reaction will be so real that the audience after the show will ask you if you drank real booze . The same with climate . If the scene calls for cold weather , where do you feel it ? If you feel cold in your back first and shiver , remember that feeling and and the shiver will be spontaneous . You can fine tune your sense memory by practicing holding and sipping a hot cup of coffee with an empty hand . Remember the weight , feel the hot coffee on your tongue . This is extended to the use of objects . If your character is handling something of tremendous value than it must be handled that way . If you believe it is valuable you will not treat it like a prop . Working with objects during a scene can be tricky . A good exercise is to practice a monologue while you are doing dishes or some other physical activity . Doing a physical task during a scene takes you away from yourself and adds a reality and spontaneity to the scene . 
Decline of Hollywood . Decline of Hollywood I watched The Sting on cable the other night and what a intelligent and entertaining script with many twists and turns and excellent characters . Over the last couple of years there seems to be a lack of creativity in the Hollywood community . While the films look beautiful with excellent photography , the special effects or cgi , are overused to cover up that the story stinks . Why is this happening ? I think it is because of the unapproachable and elitist attitude of the producers and studio chiefs . With the lack of creative and original stories for the movies you would think that the studios and producers would open their doors and seek out new writers and ideas . Maybe it is time to change the way business is done . It is time to take a look at the way sports teams find talent . Scouts from pro teams and colleges go anywhere and do anything to find good talent . It is necessary for them to do this as the public will reject inadequate players . The public is beginning to reject what Hollywood is putting out . If I was a studio head I would hire tons of readers and pay them a commission if they find something that can be developed into a film . Pay the writer something but if it is not a full script a buy out , I m sure , would satisfy them . Have tryouts like in sports and ask the public to submit their experiences . You can always hire the hacks to polish the material but think of the stories you can get from prostitutes , drug dealers , preachers , teachers , gang bangers , military , homeless , gamblers , police , social workers and writers . While these subjects have been done before think of the richness of original material that is out there untapped , raw and vibrant . Of coarse , there must be no stealing of material as that would make people distrust the process and we would go back to where we are now . 
Analysis of a Character . Analysis of a Character . Maybe the most creative time for an actor is in rehearsal when the actor is analyzing his character for any hidden meanings in the play that applies to his role . These discoveries come in increments , an actor could be stuck on why his character reacts in a certain way that can apply some how to the actor s life . This can come with a wave of inspiration as if a door opened in your mind as you get a deeper understanding of your character . Many times an actor has struggled thru a few rehearsals , goes home and reads the play again and suddenly , the door opens in his mind triggering creative impulses related to the character . The key here is to keep reading the play at least your part everyday during rehearsal even if you know the lines . Inspiration comes from preparation . Another thing , if you have the luxury of doing a play and have a few weeks to get the lines down , don t hurry to memorize the material right away as this could lock in certain line readings and hinder further discovery . Of coarse if you are doing film and TV you don t have this time and have to come to the set for the first time with your lines down cold . By the time an actor s career gets to this point he has enough time on stage to compensate for this obstacle to fully flesh out his character . Of coarse , unless you are the star of the movie , the roles on film and TV are not as challenging as theater . 
The first reading . The First Reading I touched on this subject before but it s importence deserves another go around . When you first get material whether it is for an audition or you are cast in a play and are reading the script for the first time , it is important to put yourself in the proper mood to have the surprises in the material trigger your creative impulses . That means no distractions , you don t read it for the first time while you are driving or doing something else that would take your attention away from the first reading . Don t jip your self out of those first impulses . Many times while working on a character , actors have related that after working on the character and trying many choices they come back to their original impulse . Another thing , don t say the lines out loud until you have a good understanding what is happening in the scene and what is your character s intention for saying the lines . This will help preventing line readings especially for auditions . 
Acting Requirements . There are several things that help an actor s career . You can have a father who is an important director in Hollywood , you can have a lot of money to produce yourself , you can be so beautiful that members of the opposite sex stop in their tracks when they see you or as in good percentage of Hollywood the same sex . But all that is for naught if you do not have good concentration . To be able to stay in the moment during a scene with a camera inches away from your face or a live audience a few feet away requirers excellent focus . Another important tool is intelligence . I know , when you hear some actors talk they sound like idiots but an actor has to be able to break down a script . He must pick up the style of the piece whether a comedy or drama or both . He must understand his character s motivations and how his character fits into the story . The next is imagination . Many times an actor has to supply internal motivations that are not supplied by the writer which leads to interesting and original choices . If an actor comes supplied with these tools he will have a chance to make a living as an actor even if he is not beautiful or rich with a famous father . 
Building a character . Building a character . When tackling a character , the first thing to consider are the external circumstances . Where has the character grown up ? What kind of education ? If the character went to a Ivy league school of coarse you would pick up certain mannerisms of the over educated . If you dropped out of high school and went to prison that will affect your external character in the way you talk and carry yourself . Sometimes dressing as the character will affect the way you walk and talk . The writer will give you most of these external circumstances but for some you may have to use your imagination such as if the character enters a scene and there is nothing in the text to indicate where he has come from , you have to make it up . Why , to give your character life , a character with a past , the present is performed and the future is the character s hidden agenda . This is what he desires in life , what he is striving for . The playwright may not give this to you so the actor s imagination must supply the missing details . What is the character s physical condition ? How old ? Does he suffer from a medical condition ? Arthritis or a back condition , is he always in pain ? To achieve these external circumstances you would use sense memory to find how these conditions would manifest themselves in the character . These are the external circumstances of the character . The internal character will be discussed later . 
Playing an Objective . Playing objectives means knowing why a character says a certain thing and what the character is trying to achieve by saying it . When studying a script you should first find what the overall objective of the character is that propels the character s actions in every scene . Then you break down each scene and find the character s objective for each scene that fits into the overall objective . Breaking it down further , every line has an objective . This makes your character clear and active . Objectives can be something that the character is not aware of himself . An example of an overall objective could be that Mac Beth wants Lady Macbeth to love him more so he kills because it is Lady Mac Beth that really wants the power and he wants to please her . Just following an objective and playing moment to moment eliminates the need to ACT . Emotions will come out of the action and will be spontaneous . You should play objectives or actions but never play an emotion because nothing looks more phony than forced crying or anger . 
Welcome . The purpose of this blog is twofold . First , using the description of the early Chirstian community in Acts 2:42 - 46 as a foundation , I want to discuss the reasons in favor of establishing of a similar community today among Catholics . This will involve not only a critique of the existing social order , but the compelling ( in my opinion ) case for creating a voluntary community of well - meaning Catholics founded upon the innate dignity of the human person , the importance of prayer and contemplation , service to the needy , and religious fellowship . Second , I want this blog to not only be a place to discuss this issue theoretically , but rather a place for more practical discussion toward the actual creation of such a community , which , God willing , I hope to do eventually with a group of similarly minded persons . 
Discretion . 	 I ve been afraid to try anything new . It used to be that I was adventurous , a natural risk taker . Not self - destructive or foolish , but a genuine , confident adventurer . The thought of starting a new company or scaling a 1000 foot tower didn t faze me . Now God has allowed me to suffer some setbacks , he s allowed my once unshakeable self - confidence to be shaken ; quite a bit actually . I ve thought before that perhaps I was mad , and just didn t know it yet . Quoting Chesterton To the insane man his insanity is quite prosaic , because it is quite true . A man who thinks himself a chicken is to himself as ordinary as a chicken . In other words , how is a mad man to know he is mad ? His madness is to him the norm , and thus he doesn t realize just how different he really is from society . So I have seriously thought , not that I was as nutty as squirrel droppings , but that maybe a wire had come loose somewhere and despite the fact that I have a perfectly sound intellect , my capacity for reason had somehow come unplugged . Those thoughts are gone , I think , but this thing that I feel now is new . It is the fear to step out with boldness and do what most others are afraid to do . This daring - do that once set me apart from the crowd . And then , sitting here listening to a sermon online by Steve Pixler it occurred to me . That s not fear , it s discretion . ( Cue the ethereal spot light from heaven , shining down on my thinning hairline , muted trumpets playing in the background , a heavenly choir declaring a harmonious unison He gets it . ) Discretion . I m not afraid to scale a 1000 foot tower , or to race a fast motorcycle and I still harbor thoughts of going to Iraq . Those require physical courage for which I still find deep , ample wells . But the thought of willy - nilly starting off on a venture ; be it business or just changing my life from this to that ; a job , a home , etc. gives me a palpable sense of trepidation . Several places in the Bible , Proverbs namely , point out the beginning of knowledge is a fear of God . That is an actual fear , not just an awe inspiring respect , but a fear of retribution . My son loves me ; when I drive away from the house he runs out to the sidewalk and watches me until I round the corner . I love that . But when I give him the look he knows he s in trouble and he fears me , despite the love . The Readers Digest version of this little study is that following this fear through in a learning progression , we find instruction that means a fatherly , loving chastisement . We find wisdom , understanding and knowledge . And probably the least celebrated in sermon and homily , but no less important is that of discretion . Applying my own colloquial definition , discretion is the application of all the rest of what we are being exhorted to learn in Proverbs . It s not fear , it s discretion , and what I m feeling isn t God throwing a wet blanket on me , but God s simple way of letting me know that the particular thing in question , is not what I m supposed to be doing . Regardless of my ability to accomplish the thing . 
Herod . Acts 12:21 - 23 , On an appointed day Herod , having put on his royal apparel , took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them . The people kept crying out , The voice of a god and not of a man ! And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory , and he was eaten by worms and died . There are many that say the civil magistrate is not obligated to follow God s law as revealed in Scripture . Roger Williams , the Baptist champion of religious freedom , said that the civil magistrate is not obligated to follow the first four commandments . He is allowed to enforce the last six , but even then it is only by means of natural law , not biblical law . The purpose of this is to keep the government religiously neutral . But how should we understand the events in this Acts passage ? It seems that Herod is struck down for not keeping the first commandment ( You shall have no other gods before me ) . He either was setting himself up to be a god , or he accepted the people s declaration that he was a god . In either case , it was a violation of the first commandment , and God struck him dead for it . Would we not have to conclude that the implication of this passage is that all civil magistrates should follow the first commandment ? Some claim that all nations have a god . Their god will either be the God of the Scriptures or a god of their own making ( an individual , the majority , the god of their religion , etc. ) . Ultimate authority will reside somewhere , and it is at that place their god will be found . Cornelius Van Til said that a person 's worldview ( a network of presuppositions ) was a person 's religion ( which means everyone has a religion because everyone has a worldview ) . These presuppositions are their " faith " commitments that govern the rest of their thinking . If all this is true , then it is not a matter of a state being theocratic or not ; it is a matter of which theocracy we will support . What do you think ? ( Please limit comments to 500 words or less . Multiple comments are okay if someone interacts with your comment , or if someone puts up another comment ) . 
The Atonement Discussion . In the comments section of the post Unlimited Atonement and Universalism , the discussion has ceased . Concerning the atonement , there were 3 major areas of disagreement , which in turn causes us to come to different views on the atonement . First , I see the atonement as actually bringing about salvation in those for whom Christ died . Nathan , on the other hand , believes that the atonement only made salvation possible . Both views are trying to deal with the fact that not everyone will be saved . If my view is correct and Christ died for every single person , then universalism results . Thus my view limits the extent of the atonement . While Nathan does not limit the extent of the atonement , he limits its effectiveness ( when compared to my view ) . The atonement does not actually secure anyone s salvation ; rather it makes their salvation possible . Thus the reason some people are not saved is based on whether each individual chooses God or not . This is the first major issue that needs to be settled biblically . What does Christ s atoning work actually accomplish ? Second , both views disagree about whether or not faith is a gift from God . My position is that man is unable to believe apart from God granting it to him . And this gift of faith is obtained by Christ s atoning work . Therefore , if Christ died for every single person , then it must be the case that everyone will believe . Thus my view of the extent of the atonement is limited . Nathan , on the other hand , does not seem to view faith as a gift ( and whatever else he may think is necessary for salvation ) . Faith is not obtained by Christ s death , nor does God need to grant people faith , since men are able to choose Christ ( that is , not totally depraved ) . Thus , Nathan s view does not need to limit the extent of the atonement . This is the second major issue that needs to be settled biblically . Is saving faith a gift that only God can give ? And is that faith obtained by Christ s atoning work ? Third , Nathan often relied on the idea that the Bible teaches that God wants everyone to be saved ( 1 Tim . 2:4 ) . According to Nathan , the implication of this teaching seems to negate the teaching that Christ only died to save some people . Nathan also pushed passages ( 1 Tim . 4:10 ) that seem to specifically say that Christ died for everyone , which would rule out any idea that Christ only died for some . However , my position offers many passages that teach that Christ only died for a limited number of people . This is the third major issue that needs to be settled biblically . Does God have a universal salvific will ? If so , what are the implications ? Also , how do we make sense of the passages that seem universal in reference to Christ s death , and how do we make sense of the passages that seem limited in reference to Christ s death ? This is what I understand to be the three major areas of dispute . In my recent posts , I have been focusing my attention on the second issue , which in turn starts to answer the first issue . I also put up one post that dealt with passages that teach that Christ s death was limited in its extent ( the third issue ) . In the following posts , I would like to deal with those passages put forth that seem to teach that God has a universal salvific will and that Christ died for every single person . ( please limit comments to 500 words or less ) . 
God 's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility . Acts 2:23 , this Man , delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God , you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death . Acts 4:27 - 28 , For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus , whom You anointed , both Herod and Pontius Pilate , along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel , to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur . Jesus was put to death in accordance with God s predetermined plan , and Jesus was put to death by godless men . God determined Jesus death by the hands of men , and those men were held responsible for Jesus death . On the surface , there seems to be a problem with this . In our human to human experience , it would seem that there can only be one determiner of a person s actions or choices . Either God determined their choices , or the men determined their choices . And whoever is the determiner is the one responsible , which means both cannot be responsible . For example , if I want to determine your choice to shoot someone else , I must force you to do it by putting your finger on the trigger and pulling it . But as soon as I force you to do it , you are no longer responsible because it is no longer your choice . Either you determined your actions , or someone else determined your actions . But it cannot be both . So , if God determined that these men would put Jesus to death , then God is responsible and the men are not . Or the men determined to put Jesus to death , which means they are responsible and God is not . I will briefly set forth at least one way that Calvinists have understood this . Scripture is very clear in three areas . 1 . God determined that these men would put Jesus to death . 2 . These men were not robots or puppets , but rather they freely chose to do what they wanted to do . 3 . God held these men responsible for their actions . Rather than affirming a contradiction , Calvinists have sought remove the contradiction , while maintaining the mystery of how this can occur . While in our human to human experience , this is impossible ( as we saw above ) , we must be careful placing these categories on God , especially when God - breathed Scripture speaks differently . The problem that people have with # 1 is that they assume that when God determines something , it means coercion ( as it is in human to human experience ) . Yet , this cannot be the case , since Scripture affirms # 2 . And since # 2 is true , then # 3 is possible . We must affirm with Scripture that God is able to determine men s choices without using coercion , and in such a way that men responsibly choose to do what they want . But how is this possible ? I do not know . God does lots of things that we are not able to comprehend . This certainly does not stop us from affirming them . Who would dare say that God is limited in what He can do based on our ability to fully comprehend what He is doing ? For example , God is one being in three persons . But in our human experience , this does not seem possible . We only know of one being having one person . But does this stop us from affirming the Trinity ? No. But why ? It is because God - breathed Scripture reveals it to us . We do not limit God by means of human categories . We still seek to avoid contradiction , all the while maintaining a good amount of mystery . Likewise , we must maintain that God is both fully sovereign and men are fully responsible for their actions . There is no contradiction , yet there is plenty of mystery . What do you think ? 
Discussion about the Atonement and Related Matters . In the comments section of the previous post " Unlimited Atonement and Universalism , " there is a discussion occuring about the atonement , Calvinism , and Arminianism . Feel free to join the discussion . Also , there will not be much posting for the next 5 weeks , since I have started my summer Hebrew course . 
Unlimited Atonement and Universalism . A major critique of unlimited atonement is that either all people will be saved or God requires double payment for sin . The reason they say all people will be saved is because if Christ paid the penalty of everyone s sins , then there is no way anyone could be lost . And if people do still go to hell in order to pay for their sins , then God is requiring double payment for their sins , which seems unjust . Some respond to this critique by saying that unbelief is what keeps people from being saved even though Christ has already paid for every single person s sins . But we need to ask whether or not unbelief is a sin ? If we say yes , then was not this sin paid for as well ? And if it was paid for , why is it keeping them from heaven ? And if that sin was not paid for , and we can , by our actions , cause God to overlook this sin , then was it really necessary for Christ to die ? Beyond this , Col . 3:5 - 6 tells us that the wrath of God is coming because of various sins , not just the sin of unbelief . If you say no , unbelief is not a sin , then why are people sent to hell because of it , with all their sins paid for ? It seems unavoidable that if Christ paid for the sins of every single person , then every single person will be saved . ( Note : The line of reasoning in this paragraph comes from John Owen ) Others have responded by saying that Christ has fully satisfied the wrath of God against everyone s sins , but God Himself laid down the condition of faith as necessary to actually receive benefit from this payment of sin . Once a person believes , then all their sins will be forgiven , including the sin of unbelief . But if he does not believe , then he will not receive any benefit from the atoning work of Christ . The problem with this response is that it still has to deal with the fact that God s wrath toward the individual has truly been satisfied by the death of Christ . The debt has been actually paid , and yet the Debtee is exacting another payment for the same debt . Is this just ? For example , let s say that I am behind on my rent payment , and someone comes and pays it for me . My landlord , however , says this payment is only effective on the condition that I acknowledge this person s paying of my debt . Now let s say I do not acknowledge this , and so my landlord still requires from me the rent payment , even though he still has the money from my friend . This would be unjust on his part , unless he gives back the payment to my friend . The landlord cannot exact double payment for the same debt . Likewise , it would not be just for God to exact payment for the same debt twice , unless He gave back the first payment , which is impossible because of the nature of the payment ( death on a cross ) . In conclusion , it seems impossible to hold to unlimited atonement , unless we hold to universalism . What do you think ? 
Election and Faith . In the previous post , we looked at what Romans 8 had to say about limited atonement . I concluded that one must hold that faith is not a gift that God can give , or you must admit that Christ only died for the elect . In this post , I want to look at the question of whether or not faith is a gift from God . In Acts 3 , we have the account of Peter and John going to the temple and healing a lame man . This begins to draw the attention of the crowd , and Peter takes this opportunity to preach the gospel . In speaking of this man s healing , Peter says , And on the basis of faith in His name , it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know ; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all ( Acts 3:16 ) . Peter clearly points out that it was on the basis of faith in Jesus name that healed this man . Beyond this , Peter tells us where this faith came from ; it comes through Jesus Himself . This would seemingly indicate that faith does not ultimately originate in us but comes from God . But on what grounds does God give faith ? It cannot be on the basis of anything we do , since a heart of faith is the basis for anything good we do . As Hebrews 11:6 says , And without faith it is impossible to please God . This is because our motivations are just as important as the external acts themselves . People can obey God outwardly , but without the proper inward motivation ( faith and love towards God ) it ceases to be a good act . Therefore , we cannot move God to give us faith by means of our goodness , since that faith is the foundation for anything good we would do . So , on what grounds does God give faith ? The biblical answer seems to be that God gives faith on the basis of election . Acts 13:48 says , When the Gentiles heard this , they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord ; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed . It is not that people were appointed to eternal life because they believe , but rather people believe because they are appointed to eternal life . Only as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed . So , who receives the faith that only God can give ? Those who have been previously chosen by God . Thus faith ultimately flows from the Father s election . While this is true , the Son and the Spirit have a role to play in this as well . In fact , their role in this is very important to understanding the extent of the atonement . I will address this in the next post . What do you think ? 
Demetrius . Acts 19:23 - 26 , " About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way . For a man named Demetrius , a silversmith , who made silver shrines of Artemis , was bringing no little business to the craftsmen ; these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades , and said , ' Men , you know that our prosperity depends upon this business . ' You see and hear that not only in Ephesus , but in almost all of Asia , this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people , saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all . ' " If Demetrius had been a better business man , he would not have suffered so much financially . He should have tried to market Christian icons . He could have had the first Christian knickknack store . He could sell crosses , doves , icons of Jesus , icons of Mary , icons of angels , and a new apostle icon every time one was martyred for the faith . Of course , being a good business man , he would have needed to put a clear warning label on all his products , which would read , This product is for VENERATION only , not WORSHIP . He may have even got Paul to be his traveling distributor . This would then provide Paul with a way of making money other than tent - making . This would have been a superior way for Paul to make money because of the wonderful , spiritual edification people would have received from the icons . And just think of how this would have enhanced their corporate worship . If only Demetrius had been wise enough , the Christian faith would have received much edification and undergone less persecution . Oh well . 
When are the Last Days ? Part 2 . Acts 2:16 - 21 , " No , this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel : ' In the last days , God says , I will pour out my Spirit on all people . Your sons and daughters will prophesy , your young men will see visions , your old men will dream dreams . Even on my servants , both men and women , I will pour out my Spirit in those days , and they will prophesy . I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below , blood and fire and billows of smoke . The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord . And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved . ' " In the previous post , I listed three views on the " last days . " The first view has a difficulty because Peter is saying that what took place during Pentecost was what Joel said would take place in the last days . How then can the " last days " be a reference to the time just before the Second Coming of Christ ? It has been 2000 years and Christ has still not returned , yet those people were living in the " last days . " Someone could respond by saying that this whole time period is the last days , but then we are talking about the second view . A problem with the second view ( though it may not be a problem to some ) is that a person would seemingly need to hold to the continuation of prophecy , since the view believes that we are still in the last days , which Joel says will be characterized by tongues and prophecy . A problem with the third view would be demonstrating when the the sun turned to darkness , the moon turned to blood , and various other signs occured around the 1 st century with the doing away of the old covenant system . 
When are the Last Days ? In Acts 2:17 - 21 , Peter quotes Joel 2 , which makes reference to the " last days . " When are the " last days " ? I know of three separate views . First , some argue that the " last days " is a reference to the end times , that is , the days just before the Second Coming of Christ . Second , some argue that the " last days " is a reference to the time between the First Coming of Christ and the Second Coming of Christ . Third , some argue that the " last days " is a reference to the time just before the end of the old covenant system , which reached its conclusion in the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem . What do you think ? 
To You and Your Children : Part 8 . Eighth Objection : But there has been teaching , which by implication , has suspended or abrogated the teaching that children are included in the covenant . Jer . 31:34 says of the new covenant , They will not teach again , each man his neighbor and each man his brother , saying , Know the Lord , for they will all know Me , from the least of them to the greatest of them . This seems to give the indication that in the new covenant everyone will know the Lord , that is , all will be saved . Thus the only way children can be in the new covenant is through salvation that comes by faith . Since they are not in the covenant until they are saved , they should not be baptized until they profess faith . This is a major discontinuity between previous covenants and the new covenant , which has major ramifications for the place of children in the covenant , and thus to whom the entrance sign of the covenant should be given . What do you think ? 
To You and Your Children : Part 6 . Sixth Objection : The very meaning of the ordinance of baptism excludes the possibility that it should be applied to infants . Baptism points to a repentant heart ( Acts 2:38 ) , to the death of the old man of sin ( Rom . 6 ) , and to being raised to new life ( Rom . 6 , Col . 2:12 - 13 ) . Since none of these are true for an infant , they should not receive the sign that testifies to them . Baptism is a public confession of the faith and repentance of the one being baptized . Babies cannot have faith or at least can give no evidence of it , which means they should not be baptized . Paedo - baptist response : First , everything listed above that baptism symbolizes is true of circumcision . Paul says that circumcision was the sign and seal of the righteousness that Abraham had by faith ( Rom . 4:11 ) . Also , circumcision points to inward heart change ( regeneration ) or new life ( Deut . 10:16 ; 30:6 ; Rom . 2:28 - 29 ) . If it was appropriate to apply one of these signs to an infant , why should we conclude that this should be a basis for not applying the other ( baptism ) to infants ? Douglas Wilson writes , Do circumcision and baptism refer to the same spiritual realities ? If they do , and one is required for infants , then the other cannot be excluded because of what it signifies . If excluded at all , it would have to be excluded on other grounds . [ 1 ] Second , baptism is not specifically a public profession of the faith of the one being baptized . Rather baptism is a testimony that salvation only comes by faith . [ 2 ] We have already seen that baptism and circumcision are related to faith and repentance ( Acts 2:38 ; Rom . 4:11 ) . In the case of Abraham , we see that the sign of circumcision cannot be a testimony to Abraham s faith . If it was , then Abraham himself could object to God s command to circumcise his infants , since they did not have faith . In fact , God tells Abraham to give circumcision to people he knew would never have faith , such as Ishmael ( Gen. 17:23 ) . This is because circumcision is not a personal testimony to Abraham s faith or Ishmael 's , but it is a sign and seal of the righteousness that comes by faith ( Rom . 4:11 ) . What is sealed is not Abraham s faith ; rather circumcision seals the promise that God will save on the basis of faith . In other words , circumcision and baptism are God s word to us , not our words to God . [ 3 ] I am not sure all Presbyterian paedo - baptists would agree with the second point . Chase has quoted Meredith Kline on his blog . Kline believes that baptism is a sign of blessing and a sign of cursing . Later Kline says , " Hence , there would be no need to theorize how the baptism of such might serve as a means of conveying to them the grace supposedly sealed to them by the rite , much less to apologize for the numerous cases in which that grace never is conveyed . " Kline may believe that more is " sealed " by baptism than the promise that God saves people by faith . [ 1 ] Wilson , To a Thousand Generations , 73 . [ 2 ] Booth , Children of the Promise , 114 ; Bromiley , The Children of Promise : The Case for Baptizing Infants , 30 - 37 . [ 3 ] Greg L . Bahnsen , Biblical Baptism [ Audiotape ] , # GB 673 . 
To You and Your Children : Part 4 . Third Objection : Even if Joel does include infants , we would then have to conclude that all the infants of God s people are believers that receive the Holy Spirit , since the promise is to you and to your children . But we know this is not true . Thus this cannot be a reference to infants . Paedo - baptist response : There are some paedo - baptists that would fully agree at this point by saying that all children are saved by baptismal regeneration . There are other paedo - baptists that would disagree with baptismal regeneration , but would say that the normal experience of the believer 's child in the new covenant is that God regenerates them at an early age ( including infancy ) . One final interpretation is this : While the promise does refer to the giving of the Holy Spirit based on Old Testament prophecies about the new covenant ( e . g . Ezek . 36:26 - 28 ) , it includes other blessings . Concerning the new covenant , Jeremiah prophesied that the Lord would forgive their iniquity ( Jer . 31:34 ) . This is also included or offered in Acts 2:38 with the gift of the Holy Spirit . Therefore , we can at least conclude that forgiveness of sins is also included in the promise . Robert Booth writes , We must conclude that the gospel of Christ , in all its fullness , is the promise made to the fathers . Peter alludes to this promise in Acts 2:39 . [ 1 ] If this is true , that the promise is really shorthand for the gospel , then it is clear that such blessings are conditioned by faith and repentance . In other words , when Peter says the promise is to you and your children , this does not mean your children are guaranteed to be believers who have received the Holy Spirit as the objection above thinks is the logical conclusion . Even if someone does not accept that the promise is a shorthand reference to the gospel , it is clear in the Old Testament that the covenant people were never guaranteed the blessings of the covenant apart from faithfulness . This is why Deut . 27 and 28 lists both blessings and cursings . Paul himself says the same thing in Rom . 9 . To the Israelites belonged the adoption as sons , the glory , the covenants , giving of the Law , the temple service , and the promises , yet many of them were being broken off the olive tree ( Rom . 11 ) . Does this mean God s word to them failed ( Rom . 9:6 ) ? No. Apart from faith , none of these things could be enjoyed . Robert Booth writes , " This does not automatically make infants believers ; neither are they to be presumed regenerate . The children of believers , like their parents , must embrace the covenant in faithfulness to its duties of repentance and faith . Then , like the children of the old covenant , and only then , may they personally lay claim to the redemptive blessing of the covenant . " [ 2 ] [ 1 ] Booth , Children of the Promise , 61 . [ 2 ] Ibid . , 66 . 
To You and Your Children : Part 3 . Second Objection : When Peter speaks of the promise being to you and your children ( Acts 2:39 ) , the word children here is not to be taken in the sense of referring to infants , but simply to the posterity of the Jews , which is frequent in Scripture . This is also supported by the fact that we know the promise at least refers to the Holy Spirit ( Acts 1:4 - 5 , 2:33 ) , and Joel 2 says the " Spirit " will be poured out on your sons and daughters with the result being that they will prophesy ( Acts 2:17 ) . Therefore , in context the reference to children is best understood as children old enough to prophesy , thus excluding infants . Paedo - baptist response : While this response accepts one Old Testament connection in Joel 2 , it ignores the Old Testament connection in Gen. 17 with Abraham . This point aside , the context of the Joel 2 passage quoted in Acts 2 actually supports the paedo - baptist position rather than hindering it . Let s look more closely at the book of Joel . In chapter one , Joel begins by pointing to judgment already inflicted upon His people ( 1:1 - 20 ) . In chapter two , Joel makes reference to the coming day of the Lord , which speaks of more judgment ( 2:1 - 11 ) . Yet when we come to 2:12 there is an offer of mercy and blessing to His people if they will return to Him ( Joel 2:13 - 14 ) . Joel 2:15 - 17 tells the people what they should do . And in Joel 2:18 - 32 , the great mercy and blessings that will come to His people ( v. 18 ) or My people ( v. 27 ) are explained , which includes the section of Scripture quoted in Acts 2 . But who are His people or My people ? Are they only those who are old enough to prophesy ? No. The text defines who they are in 2:16 . It says , Gather the people , sanctify the congregation , assemble the elders , gather the children and the nursing infants . While Joel 2 includes sons and daughters old enough to prophesy , it also includes infants . Thus there is nothing from the context of Acts 2 or Joel 2 that would make us think that this reference to " children " is limited . 
To You and Your Children : Part 2 . First Objection : Some have argued that the problem with this paedo - baptist proof ( as stated in the previous post ) is that the promise refers specifically to the Holy Spirit , not to some covenant of grace much less the Abrahamic covenant . No mention of either is made here with this text ( Acts 2:38 - 39 ) . Thus they feel justified in denying there is a parallel . Paedo - baptist response : Is it really the case that the promise here refers to only the Holy Spirit in isolation to anything else ? This is simply a mistake . The promise of the Holy Spirit is tied to the new covenant ( Ezek . 36:26 - 28 ) , which means we cannot avoid the fact that this is covenantal language . Also , Joel ( quoted in Acts 2 ) says the Spirit will be poured out on all mankind , which includes the Gentiles . The Abrahamic covenant also speaks of blessing to the Gentiles . Paul himself draws the connection between the Holy Spirit and Abraham ( Gal . 3:14 ) . Even Baptist Fred Malone says in reference to Acts 2:39 , One might point out that this was a Jewish audience and that hearers would immediately think of the promise of Abraham and to his seed . That would be correct . Therefore , there is a direct connection between the Abrahamic covenant and the new covenant . And when Peter s Jewish audience heard of the promise of the Spirit being poured out , they would have immediately thought of the Abrahamic covenant . If this is true , then Peter 's choice of words are that much more important when we try to interpret the text . Also , this is not the only evidence of the connection between the Abrahamic covenant and the new covenant . Luke makes more connections in his Gospel . When Elizabeth and Mary are speaking of her pregnancy , Mary says , He has given help to Israel His servant , in remembrance of His mercy , as He spoke to our fathers , to Abraham and his descendents forever ( Luke 1:55 ) . The coming of the Messiah and the new covenant is not seen in isolation to what has occurred previously in redemptive history . Rather , it is directly connected to Abraham . Also , Zacharias said , And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant - as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets of old to show mercy toward our fathers , and to remember His holy covenant , the oath which He swore to Abraham our father ( Luke 1:69 - 73 ) . Once again , what is occurring in the New Testament is directly tied to Abraham . In response to an announcement of the coming Holy Spirit and mercy , the Jewish mindset would have immediately thought back to the Abrahamic covenant . A person does not need to hold to the covenant of grace to see the connection between the new covenant and the covenant made with Abraham . What was occurring in the New Testament was simply , among other things , the outworking of the Abrahamic Covenant . With this being the case , some have suggested that it would be impossible for the Jewish mindset to understand the promise is for you and your children as saying that their children are now excluded from the covenant until they believe separately . We must remember that the Jews were accustomed to their children being a part of the covenant for about the last 2000 years , from the time of the Abrahamic covenant . Joel Beeke and Ray Lanning make the point that if things radically changed with the new covenant , and the children were now excluded from the covenant and thus do not receive the entrance sign of the covenant until they believe , why is there utter silence in the New Testament about people ever objecting to this or even honestly questioning this new idea ? It is never debated or even mentioned . Beeke and Lanning write , To interpret Acts 2:39 in light of the New Testament Scriptures , which did not yet exist , as do many Baptists , is to engage in hermeneutical error and can only lead to serious misrepresentation of the mind of the Spirit . " What do you think ? 
Israeli Cluster Munitions Hit Civilians in Lebanon Israel Must Not Use Indiscriminate Weapons ( Beirut , July 24 , 2006 ) Israel has used artillery - fired cluster munitions in populated areas of Lebanon , Human Rights Watch said today . Researchers on the ground in Lebanon confirmed that a cluster munitions attack on the village of Blida on July 19 killed one and wounded at least 12 civilians , including seven children . Human Rights Watch researchers also photographed cluster munitions in the arsenal of Israeli artillery teams on the Israel - Lebanon border . Cluster munitions are unacceptably inaccurate and unreliable weapons when used around civilians . They should never be used in populated areas . [ + ] Link Kenneth Roth , executive director of Human Rights Watch This album is powered by Bubble Share - Add to my blog More documents on cluster munitions at : Thematic Page For Human Rights Watch s ongoing coverage of the Israel - Lebanon conflict , please visit : Thematic Page Contribute to Human Rights Watch Cluster munitions are unacceptably inaccurate and unreliable weapons when used around civilians , said Kenneth Roth , executive director of Human Rights Watch . " They should never be used in populated areas . " . 
So all I know is music ( poem / lyrics ) . ( Foto on the side is of the Lybian Desert ) ... So all I know is music We ask for a torrid solution Mixed up in the salt of our mind We never said sorry We never knew why We never knew what was the true sunshine Everywhere is the good and the evil Gods of our self disilusionment We granted our money For a piece of our lives The good and the evil Married entwined In constant disarray Bring our own dreams back Dream our own ilusions again Sit on top of your world One day in a dirty street The wisemen said to me : To understand science is to understand God . So all I know is music . ( Poema concebido como poss vel letra musical . ) . 
Qual o maior jornal do mundo ? Os maiores jornais do mundo / World 's top 100 Newspapers ( Circula o em milhares de c pias di rias ) 1 Yomiuri Shimbun Japan 14,0672 The Asahi Shimbun Japan 12,1213 Mainichi Shimbun Japan 5,5874 Nihon Keizai Shimbun Japan 4,6355 Chunichi Shimbun Japan 4,5126 Bild Germany 3,8677 Sankei Shimbun Japan 2,7578 Canako Xiaoxi ( Beijing ) China 2,6279 People s Daily China 2,50910 Tokyo Sports Japan 2,42511 The Sun United Kingdom 2,41912 The Chosun Ilbo South Korea 2,37813 USA Today USA 2,31014 The Wall Street Journal USA 2,10715 Daily Mail UK 2,09316 The Joongang Ilbo South Korea 2,08417 The Dong - A Ilbo South Korea 2,05218 Nikkan Sports Japan 1,96519 Hokkaido Shimbun Japan 1,92220 Dainik Jagran India 1,91121 Yangtse Evening Post China 1,71522 Sports Nippon Japan 1,71123 The Nikkan Gendai Japan 1,68624 Times of India India 1,68025 Guangzhou Daily China 1,65026 The Mirror UK 1,59727 Yukan Fuji Japan 1,55928 Shizuoka Shimbun Japan 1,47929 Nanfang City News ( Guangzhou ) China 1,41030 Dainik Bhaskar India 1,40531 Sankei Sports Japan 1,36832 Hochi Shimbun Japan 1,354 33 Yangcheng Evening News ( Guangzhou ) China 1,320 34 Malayala Manorama India 1,309 35 Liberty Times Taiwan 1,30036 Thai Rath Thailand 1,200 37 New York Times USA 1,12138 Hindustan Times India 1,108 39 Chutian Metro Daily ( Wuhan ) China 1,08440 Gujarat Samachar India 1,051 41 Ananda Bazar Patrika India 1,04642 Xinmin Evening News ( Shanghai ) China 1,04543 Eenadu India 1,03944 Nishi - Nippon Shimbun Japan 1,02545 Kronen Zeitung Austria 1,00946 WAZ Mediengruppe Germany 1,00147 United Daily News Taiwan 1,00048 China Times Taiwan 1,00049 Daily Sports Japan 99950 The Hindu India 98951 Hindustan India 95752 Beijing Evening News China 95053 Mathrubhumi India 90454 Los Angeles Times USA 90255 Information Times China 90056 Daily News Thailand 90057 Al - Ahram Egypt 90058 Peninsula City News China 86059 Kom Chad Luek Thailand 850 60 Kyoto Shimbun Japan 825 61 Kobe Shimbun Japan 82162 Punjab Kesari India 817 63 Komsomolskaya Pravda Russia 81764 Rajasthan Patrika India 80465 Dahe Newspaper China 79666 Chugoku Shimbun Japan 78967 Ouest France France 78368 Daily Sakai India 78369 Jang Pakistan 77570 AJ India 75971 De Telegraaf The Netherlands 75372 Qianjiang Evening News China 75073 Qilu Evening News China 75074 Nanfang Daily China 75075 Daily Thanthi India 750 76 Moskovskiy Komsomolets Russia 75077 Sandesh India 743 78 Daily Express UK 72079 New York Daily News USA 71580 The Washington Post USA 70881 Daily Star UK 705 82 Today Evening News China 69983 New York Post USA 686 84 Corriere della Sera Italy 67785 Wuhan Evening News China 66086 Modern Express China 65187 Yanzhao Metro Daily China 65088 Metro Express China 65089 Zeitungsgruppe Koln Germany 62890 Kahoku Shimpo Japan 62291 La Repubblica Italy 62292 Trud Russia 61393 Beijing Youth Daily China 60694 Chicago Tribune USA 60195 New Express China 60096 Daily Sunshine China 600 97 Matichon Thailand 60098 Khao Sod Thailand 600 99 Apple Daily Taiwan 600100 Min Sheng Pao Taiwan 600 Source World Press Trends , the World Association of Newspapers , 2005 www . wan - press . org / rubrique 75 . html (( Note : Newspapers in some countries do not submit their figures to independent Audit Bureaux of Circulation . In these cases , figures are provided by the publishers themselves or other sources and cannot be verified independently . Publication in this list does not imply that WAN endorses these figures ) . 
WTHell . So , I would think ( that being somewhat dangerous in and of itself ) that if you were going to sell a lamp and not include bulbs , that you would helpfully state on the outside of the box somewhere , * anywhere * , what kind of bulb someone needed to buy . A wattage is nice , but if you also require an odd shape of bulb , that would be rather key . I would also think that , once someone has dug their way into the box , put together the lamp , and discovered that their bulbs are the wrong size , that the information contained on the inside of the box would actually state what sort of bulb was needed . For example , if the instructions read " Use only ' B ' Type 25 watt bulbs , " that a B type 25 watt bulb would actually , say , fit in the socket . This , apparently , is why I am not in the lamp inudstry . 
Useless Blatherings . I have a natural aversion to stasis . Motion . Change . The desire to stand up and walk , even if only to have different things in front of my eyes for a while . The surface level . Things breaking down , building up . Bridges burned , rebuilt , broken , interrupted . The bizzarre urge to go places I haven't been in a while , and where I have never really had an enjoyable experience , purely because it would be something else , something different . My plan has been to cloister myself in my house for the next two days . To finish writing one story , edit two more , and submit those 2 to various places . All well and good , if I don't go insane first . We shall see . 
The News . It is always interesting to read American News sources and take it from the other perspective . Newsweek has an article this week all about the dark , shadowy influence of Iran . This was merely interesting up until it reached the point of talking about Iraq , when I suddenly started pondering the opposite side of this . The Baghdad press reported last week that the Iranians had allocated $ 1 billion to develop Iraq 's telecommunications industry and integrate the two countries ' systems . Iran sponsors book fairs ... This is of course entirely different from the United States , which may soon approach $ 315 billion , including countless dollars poured into roads , electrical systems , and oil , not to mention education . Residents of Basra report that members of the Iranian intelligence service operate openly in their city 's streets . Meanwhile , the U.S. only wishes that its intelligence agents could do the same . Iranian agents are said to have infiltrated the militias , the political parties and the Iraqi security services . The U.S. is said to have openly tried to influence the Iraqi political process , and 80 Battalions of coalition security troops are said to operate directly under U.S. forces . U.S. officials believe that Iran gave Iraqi insurgents know - how to build the shaped - charge IEDs that have been so effective in attacking Coalition forces ... The United States is believed to be providing millions of dollars of arms to Iraqi forces involved in sectarian violence . " I used to fight for free , " a former member of Sadr 's forces told NEWSWEEK , " but today the Mahdi Army receives millions of dollars every month from Iran in exchange for carrying out the Iranian agenda . " Part of the program : assassinations of prominent Sunnis and former Iraqi military officers who fought against Iran in the 1980 - 88 war . Meanwhile , the United States offers $ 25 million for information leading to the death of Al Zarqawi , and assassinates him . And still has the bounty out on Bin Laden . Perhaps they are pissed off because Iran gets better results for their money . In the end , it can become a lot less clear of where the line between a Terrorist and us really is . In the U.S. , we like to think that everything we do is somehow right because our ideology is absolutely correct , so everyone else must be Evil . It would be much more honest to instead say that we are right because , hey , it 's our country . Of course we 're going to back up our own country . However , we shun moral relativity . So , instead , we plod onward , not realizing that there are plenty of others who can see in us precisely what we see in our enemies . 
Apartment Warming / Cooling ( as weather dictates ) . What : Apartment Party FTW ! Where : Tim and Wolvie 's new apartment When : This Friday @ 7 PMWho : Anyone who reads this , and bring friends ! Why : Because we moved ! This Friday there will be fun and beer at the new apartment in Aurora / Denver ! Bring food , alcohol , and lots of friends ! I have no idea what we ' ll be cooking for people , since we 're still getting used to our kitchen . Hopefully by Friday we ' ll have most of our stuff unpacked and settled . Party starts at 7 PM and ends when we kick people the hell out of our apartment . Everyone is invited , tell all of your friends ! RSVP with a comment or an email by Thursday . If you forget to RSVP , stop by anyway , it 's just that the RSVPs really help us know how much booze we need . For directions , email me at acturi 913@ mailbolt . com. Bring beer ! Bring friends ! Bring more beer and you ' ll have more friends . 
Nike Air Oasis Mid . Carrying the Nike Air Safari details , but now known as Nike Air Oasis Mid Premium , this sneaker was designed with urban terrain in mind . With water proof leather upper and a light weight mid - sole , there is also a full length air cushion inside the sock liner for added support and comfort . Only problem is , the Air Oasis Mid Premium will only be available in Japan . Daiki , get busy . This Lacoste Missouri 85 x Sneaker Freaker collabo takes the dopeness of the Trainer 's construction and the smoothness of the Tiffany 's colorway and just kills it . I ' m backing these joints , for real . More colorways and info here . Courtesy of Freshness . 
Banksy . A piece of graffiti by Bristol artist Banksy has been allowed to stay after what the city council described as " overwhelming support " from the public . The stencilled image shows a woman in her underwear standing behind a suited man leaning out of a window , and a naked man hanging onto the ledge . The public was invited to decide whether it should stay on the side of a building on Park Street or be removed . An internet discussion forum showed 97 % of submitters supported the work . Many people who logged on highlighted the fact that Banksy is a Bristolian , and that his work " brightened up " the urban environment . However , the council warned the support of the Banksy piece is not support of graffiti in general , and an extra council team has recently been created to tackle graffiti . The decision to keep this Banksy image is not a green light for more graffiti in the city Councillor Gary Hopkins . Only six people on the Ask Bristol forum wanted to see Banksy 's latest contribution removed . Three of these argued the work might encourage imitators and other graffiti that was less desirable ; the others said graffiti of any sort made the city look scruffy . " It is fantastic that Bristol 's residents have felt so strongly about it as a work of art that they have been encouraged to register their views , " said councillor Gary Hopkins . " I have seen it bring a smile to people 's faces as they stop to appraise it , so I personally am pleased that Bristol wants it to stay . " I stress that the decision to keep this Banksy image is not a green light for more graffiti in the city . " . 
New A : W Website . I gave Act : Won a face lift over the past 2 days . Added some new merch designs , layouts , and some of Marc 's new websites . With a more basic design , hopefully I can keep this one updated . Add us on myspace too , we have an embarrassing amount of friends . 
Anti - Graffiti . Adrants has a post today about the first pro - bono campaign created by BBDO West ( a large advertising agency ) . While the world fights AIDS , poverty , global warming , education , and more , it 's interesting that BBDO chooses of all things an anti - graffiti campaign as the first benefactor of their free support . The second pro - bono campaign was launched earlier this week for the San Francisco Zoo and consists of light poles transformed into giraffe banners . Here in NYC , the subways are advertising $ 500 rewards for the capture and conviction of graffitit artists . Priorities . 
AM 1 Premium Terra Huarache . ( If it 's possible to fall in love with a sneaker ... ) Quickstricke Air Max 1 Premium from the Terra Huarache Pack featuring an upper in leather and suede , leather sockliner , and speckled midsole . Hitting Hong Kong on July 17 th pre - orders are available through kix - files now . 
INTO ANOTHER , Syracuse . I found this Into Another video on You Tube ( the best thing to ever hit the internerd ) tonight , filmed in Syracuse at The Lost Horizon . The sound and video is pretty choppy and shot , but the appearances of Mc Kaig , Dx Jx , Guav , and other Syracuse " legends " makes up for it . I used to post up on the stage whenever I saw Into Another because I was always in such awe and amazement that hardcore dudes were writing such new / amazing music and the playing was flawless especially considering the bands they came from . What was with the straight arm - swing - pogo move that us zany Syracuse nerds used to do ? I miss bands like Into Another . What 's up with Peter Moses ? ! Anyone know ? R . I. P . , Tony Bono . 
Hot 2007 Samples . ( Air Max 90 Lowrider / Pimp ) Highsnobiety have reported that Nike will be releasing a limited pack , which does not have a name . However , the Pack has a theme of the sneaker design based up on the style of cars a pimp would roll in , so these have been dubbed the Lowrider / Pimp . The pack will include a pair of Air Max 90 s , Dunk Hi s , and Vandal Low 's . No word on an exact release date but don t expect this before 2007 . ( Air Max 90 / 360 Hybrid ) Hypebeast has also posted some more samples . The Air Max 90 / 360 hybrids looks insane ( AM 90 upper with an AM 360 midsole ) , as do the Court Force Hi 's with the fur trimming . Apparently , there are many more hybrids to come next year and they 're all said to be amazing looking . 
Study proves acupuncture can aid neck pain and stiffness . ACUPUNCTURE is effective in helping people suffering neck pain , a review of evidence has concluded . Some sceptics have claimed any benefit from using the technique is down to a patient 's expectation that the treatment will work - a placebo effect . Now a group of researchers has analysed ten trials , with a total of 661 patients , which investigated whether acupuncture alleviated neck pain . It is estimated that between 26 per cent and 71 per cent of adults suffer neck pain or stiffness . The Canadian researchers said that in many cases , pain could last for months . The review found that overall , people who received acupuncture reported better pain relief immediately after treatment than those who received dummy treatments , such as laser methods with the machines switched off , or acupuncture with the needles inserted in the wrong places . This article : http : // news . scotsman . com / uk . cfm ? id = 1047252006 . 
Acupuncture Helps Fibromyalgia . ( Ivanhoe Newswire ) -- A new study out of the Mayo Clinic reveals acupuncture can help ease the painful symptoms associated with fibromyalgia ( FMS ) , a chronic musculoskeletal condition characterized by fatigue , stiffness in the joints , and sleep problems . The study compared outcomes among 25 patients who received active acupuncture and 25 similar patients who received a simulated acupuncture treatment . All the patients were assessed for symptoms using the standard Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire ( FIQ ) both before receiving the treatment and then again one month and seven months later . Neither group of patients knew which treatment they were really getting , which the authors note helps to defray the " placebo effect " often seen in studies measuring pain . On average , FIQ scores in patients who received acupuncture were reduced to 34.8 at the one month follow up , compared to 42.5 in the placebo group . Results were most significant for the symptoms of fatigue and anxiety . The reduction in scores following acupuncture was in addition to reductions seen with standard care for the condition , which basically involves behavioral and educational interventions . The authors write , " Our study showed that acupuncture reduced the FIQ score by seven points . This benefit was additive to the beneficial effect produced by the Fibromyalgia Treatment Program . " The benefit seen with acupuncture also mirrored benefits derived from treatment with antidepressants , acetaminophen and other drugs . This article was reported by Ivanhoe . com , who offers Medical Alerts by e - mail every day of the week . To subscribe , go to : http : // www . ivanhoe . com / newsalert / . SOURCE : Mayo Clinic Proceedings , 2006 ; 81:749 - 757 . 
Funkadelica . I ran across George Clinton 's funk cyclo pedia and it 's just about the best site i ' ve seen all month . Did you know that a black hole is a prime zone of funkativity ? This guide clears up a lot of long - standing questions I ' ve had about the P - Funk universe . And you know what , I bet all the definitions in the ' pedia are completely internally consistent , too . 
Chicken .... but also a PIE ! Today , instead of going for some eats at one of the many yuppie slophouses in my neighboorhood , I went to Mel 's Drive - In and had a Chicken Pot Pie special . I forgot hot much I liked Chicken Pot Pie . Next time i ' m in Fresno I ' ll have to hit up the famous Chicken Pie Shop . 
Tamed 11,400 years ago , figs were likely first domesticated crop | Science Blog . Tamed 11,400 years ago , figs were likely first domesticated crop | Science Blog The scientists compared the ancient figs to modern wild and domesticated variants and determined that they were a mutant selectively propagated by humans . In this variety of fig , known as parthenocarpic , the fruit develops without insect pollination and is prevented from falling off the tree , allowing it to become soft , sweet , and edible . However , because such figs do not produce seeds , they are a reproductive dead end unless humans interfere by planting shoots from the parthenocarpic trees . ' Once the parthenocarpic mutation occurred , humans must have recognized that the resulting fruits do not produce new trees , and fig tree cultivation became a common practice , ' Bar - Yosef says . ' In this intentional act of planting a specific variant of fig tree , we can see the beginnings of agriculture . This edible fig would not have survived if not for human intervention . The neighboorhood I grew up in Fresno is called Fig Garden , because in the early 1900 s , a crazy farmer / developer had an idea to plant 10,000 + acres of fig trees in the area that is now north Fresno . When the trees didn't produce good fruit ( because of the soil -- he had to blast through the hardpan with dynamite to plant the trees ) , he switched it up and marketed the land as residential lots . In backyards or on roadsides you can occasionally see a wild fig baby fig tree pop out of the ground from a long dormant root . 
Your affectionate uncle , Screwtape . I ' m reading C . S . Lewis ' The Screwtape Letters for the third time -- but this time , I also have a blog . This passage , from Letter 12 , struck me : As this condition becomes more fully established , you will be gradually freed from the tiresome business of providing Pleasures as temptations . As the uneasiness and his reluctance to face it cut him off more and more from all real happiness , and as habit renders the pleasures of vanity and excitement and flippancy at once less pleasant and harder to forgo ( for that is what habit fortunately does to a pleasure ) you will find that anything or nothing is sufficient to attract his wandering attention . You no longer need a good book , which he really likes , to keep him from his prayers or his work or his sleep ; a column of advertisements in yesterday 's paper will do . You can make him waste his time not only in conversation he enjoys with people whom he likes but also in conversations with those he cares nothing about , on subjects that bore him . You can make him do nothing at all for long periods . You can keep him up late at night , not roistering , but staring at a dead fire in a cold room . All the healthy and outgoing activities which we want him to avoid can be inhibited and nothing given in return , so that at last he may say , as one of my own patients said on his arrival down here , " I now see that I spent most of my life in doing neither what I ought nor what I liked . " The Christians describe the Enemy as one " without whom Nothing is strong . " And Nothing is very strong : strong enough to steal away a man 's best years not in sweet sins but in a dreary flickering of the mind over it knows not what and knows not why , in the gratification of curiosities so feeble that the man is only half aware of them , in drumming of fingers and kicking of heels , in whistling tunes that he does not like , or in the long , dim labyrinth of reveries that have not even lust or ambition to give them a relish , but which , once chance association has started them , the creature is too weak and fuddled to shake off . 
Awkward rays . Last Friday night , in between Pizzicato 5 albums etc. , I moseyed on down to the Pizza Orgasmica for some eats and had one of the first vicariously - awkward moments i ' ve had in a while . I was waiting in line behind a tired looking , semi - dorky thirtysomething lawyerman when we he caught sight of a lady law school classmate ( I guessed ) and her beau . Since I was standing behind Snore Mc Bore Esq. , and the place is pretty small ( and well lit ) , I was able to intercept pretty well the Awkwardrays zooming back and forth between Snore and Lady : LADY : just finished placing order / turns around and walks to the side and makes way for husband , who starts ordering / makes a quick turn of the head / bounce - back - beautiful hair goes into action / Snore now visible / faint inkling of familiarity evident on face / but eye contact not yet made . AWKWARDRAY : zoooom bingg peow > lands on balding head of Snore . SNORE : " i ' m just standing here , hungry for some pizza , got my flip flops on , my old comfy law school sweatshirt and adidas windpants , can't wait for some pizza , gosh these glasses are dirty let me wipe them off with my t - shirt , i sure would love sausage ... " / glasses back on / isn't that Lady , hey you know what it is / AWKWARDRAY : peeeeeeowwww blingbling sizizizizzzzzz zz zzz > bounces back on to Lady , just below the eye LADY : oh isn't that a guy i went to law school with / i thought i heard he 's working for the state dept in africa ... or was that ... / oh no he 's looking at me / damn AWKWARDRAY : sheeeeooooooowwwwww ding ding > reflected back , some photons hitting me ... well this went on for a while . In their 2 minute conversation ( little did they know ) I was a part of , I developed the following backstory for them : Snore probably considered Lady to be a " friend " in law school , but she just thought of him as the ' nice guy ' in the library who would always try to turn a homework - help question into a 10 minute conversation Lady 's beau was probably her husband / serious boyfriend , who she met 6 months into her first job out of law school They were about 5 years out of school They went to a top tier law school back east Snore remembered lots of things about Lady and the good ole ' days Lady forgot Snore 's name ( had she been tested on it at the time , we would have learned that she actually forgot his name 9 months after graduation ) . Snore knew that Lady forgot his name , and was in fact gracious enough to save Lady from embarassment and intercepted the introduction she would have had to make when her husband came ' round . Thinking up this backstory and witnessing the conversation made me feel very awkward , especially when husband / boyfriend Niceguy Mc Phee and his what looked to be fratbrother buddy Redhair Superdrunk came up . There is nothing more awkward than making smalltalk with the buzzed boyfriend of a former what - turned - out - to - be - a - not - friend and his drunk buddy at 10:30 pm on a Friday , in a cramped Pizza - by - the - Slice deal in the middle of the chatchball district of SF . NOTHING . Thankfully the conversation ended , although it was broken off not by Lady , not by Niceguy , of course not by Snore , but buy Redhair ( ? ! ? ) . The two parties separated , with Lady et . al. nearing the door with their slices and Snore getting back to menu reading . After a few minutes I finally got my pizza slice , and went home , having collected some awkwardrays and feeling exhasuted as a result . 
Mexico Is Offering Bonds to Cover a Major Quake - New York Times . Mexico Is Offering Bonds to Cover a Major Quake - New York Times I wrote a paper on cat bonds during grad school . They are fascinating securities and have lots of attractive features for investors , including effectively zero correlation to other asset classes and high yields . My paper modeled Berkshire Hathaway 's super - cat reinsurance business and showed that it was responsible for more of Berkshire 's success than most people gave it credit for . Cat bonds finally let a wider class of investors in on the market Warren Buffet has cornered for more than thirty years . 
Oops . Yesterday I filled up my tank at the Chevron . Except I forgot to put the gas pumper thing back in the cradle before I drove off . Now , I have only done this one other time in my entire life , and it was pretty embarrassing , but the gas pumper thing just fell out of my pump and hit the ground and I went on my merry way . Well this time , Ms. Volvo had her lips locked around that gas pump thing and she just didn't want to let go , so as a result the entire pump handle and rubber house operation ripped out of the pump standup deal , and I drove for basically two miles with a gas pump and 10 foot hose dangling out of my car . Finally at an intersection a crazy - old - man in a crazy - old - man - truck yelled at me repeatedly and I finally realized what the fudge was I had done . I was so disoriented by the complete absurdity of the situation that I got lost trying to drive back to the gas station . Thankfully , there was no damage to either my car or the gas pump , and the perturbed man who ran the station managed to reattatch the pump lickity - split . That is all I have to report . Also sorry for my gas pump terminology ignorance . 
I failed today .. Well today wasn't a good day at all . I did not stick to my bodybuilding guidelines , I didn't have any suppliments and I didn't eat healthy . I even ate some A W fast food which was pretty gross . Tommorow is however a new day and I can start fresh . I ' m going to wake up at 6:00 am , eat a nice healthy breakfast , drink my suppliments and go to the gym . Coming back i ' m going to make some food throughout the day and make sure I take my suppliments . The training starts tommorow , no more procrastinating at all . I won't do it . Tommorow is the day I grow up , tommorow is a new day and it all starts . I can't wait ! It 's going to be really hard but I know I can pull it off . I just know I can : ) - Arthur . 
Introduction . Today is the day I start training seriously . I am removing everything that I have done in the past and starting fresh today . I am going to start eating healthy today , take my suppliments on time and religiously . I will also make sure I get enough sleep and train hard . I will update this blog daily , every night before I go to bed . I will write for myself and myself only . - Arthur . 
The Prestige . Based on Christopher Priest 's 1996 novel , Bale and Jackman play rival magicians in turn - of - the - century London who battle each other for trade secrets . The rivalry is so intense that it turns them into murderers . source : imdb . 
Stick It . Haley Graham ( Missy Peregrym ) is a former gymnast - turned - juvenile delinquent whom , after one too many run - ins with the law , is forced to enroll at an elite gymnastics academy , the VGA in Houston , Texas which is run by the legendary Olympic gymnast Burt Vickerman ( Jeff Bridges ) . But the rebellious Haley is not welcomed into the academy by the other teenage gymnasts whom despise her for walking out on her Junior Olympic team years earlier during a competition which cost them the gold medal . But Haley is not a docile person either and makes every effort to provoke conflicts with the other girls . Vickerman takes it upon himself to coach Haley in his own way to make her regain her self respect for the VGA 's coming spot on the Gymnastic Nationals . source : imdb . 
A Scanner Darkly . Set in a future world where America has lost the war on drugs , an undercover cop , Fred , is one of many agents hooked on the popular drug , Substance D , which causes its users to develop split personalities . Fred , for instance , is also Bob , a notorious drug dealer . Along with his superior officers , Fred sets up an elaborate scheme to catch Bob and tear down his operation . source : Yahoo ! 
The Fountain . Spanning over one thousand years , and three parallel stories , The Fountain is a story of love , death , spirituality , and the fragility of our existence in this world . source : imdb . 
The Oh in Ohio . Priscilla Chase ( Parker Posey ) seems to have it all -- the perfect job , the perfect house , the perfect husband ( Paul Rudd ) -- except for in bed , where sex has always left her a bit short of the finish line . source : imdb . 
Meet The Robinsons . Boy genius invents a machine that recovers forgotten memories , and inadvertently travels forward in time , where he encounters a family whose survival depends on his ingenuity . source : imdb . 
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Movie . When the NYPD is unable to stop a severe crime wave caused by the Foot Clan , four new vigilantes , Leonardo , Michaelangelo , Donatello and Raphael , will come forth to save the city . Under the leadership of Splinter and together with their new - found allies April O ' Neil and Casey Jones , they will fight back and take the battle to The Shredder . source : Wikipedia . 
Children Of Men . The world 's youngest citizen has just died at 18 , and humankind is facing the likelihood of its own extinction . Set in and around a dystopian London fractious with violence and warring nationalistic sects , Children of Men follows the unexpected discovery of a lone pregnant woman and the desperate journey to deliver her to safety and restore faith for a future beyond those presently on Earth . source : imdb . 
Running With Scissors . Young Augusten Burroughs ( Cross ) absorbs experiences that could make for a shocking memoir : the son of an alcoholic father ( Baldwin ) and an unstable mother ( Bening ) , he 's handed off to his mother 's therapist , Dr. Finch ( Cox ) , and spends his adolescent years as a member of Finch 's bizarre extended family . source : imdb . 
My Super Ex - Girlfriend . When Matt Saunders meets Jenny Johnson , he thinks he 's found the perfect girl . However , he decides to break things off with her when she becomes too needy , controlling , and jealous . Jenny doesn't take it well and decides to get back at him by using her superpowers , as it turns out Jenny is a superhero named G - Girl . Meanwhile , Matt and his co - worker , Hannah start to have a romance with each other which sends Jenny over the edge . source : imdb . 
Dreamgirls . Effie White , Deena Jones , and Lorrell Robinson - three friends from Chicago - are a promising singing trio called The Dreamettes . Accompanied by their songwriter C . C . White ( Effie 's brother ) , they travel to New York to compete in a talent show at the Apollo Theatre . Although the girls lose this first bid for fame , their talent attracts an ambitious manager by the name of Curtis Taylor , Jr. , who uses unscrupulous tactics to move the girls from backup singers of superstar James " Thunder " Early to superstars of their own . Curtis reshapes the group to " crossover " from R B to the lucrative pop music scene . Lead singer Effie gets replaced by the more attractive Deena and is eventually dropped from the trio . The group evolves into a more sophisticated group , The Dreams , with a lighter sound and chic look . They successfully attract a " whiter " audience and The Dreams rise to international stardom . The money , fame , and adulation , however , doesn't bring them happiness . Deena decides to leave The Dreams and pursue a film career , and when the group finally learns of Curtis ' drug problems and payola schemes , they decide to let it all go . At the final appearance of The Dreams , they reunite with Effie for one final number . The score includes And I Am Telling You I ' m Not Going , I Am Changing , One Night Only , Fake Your Way to the Top , When I First Saw You , Dreamgirls , Steppin ' to the Bad Side , and Cadillac Car. source : imdb . 
Lady In The Water . Apartment building superintendent Cleveland Heep ( Giamatti ) rescues what he thinks is a young woman from the pool he maintains . When he discovers that she is actually a character from a bedtime story who is trying to make the journey back to her home , he works with his tenants to protect his new friend from the creatures that are determined to keep her in our world . source : imdb . 
Click . Adam Sandler plays Michael Newman , a workaholic architect working hard to keep his wife ( Kate Beckinsale ) and kids happy . One night , Michael is on the road in search of an open store that may sell him a universal remote control to make his life easier . At the Bed , Bath , Beyond store , Michael meets Morty ( Christopher Walken ) , the inventor of a very advanced piece of technology , a remote control that not only controls his TV , but controls his whole LIFE !!! Now that he 's using the remote on a regular basis , his work - life and family - life are finally in balance , he 's trying harder than he ever imagined to spend more time with his family . Now , frustrated that his stuck up boss ( David Hasselhoff ) hasn't made him partner at his construction firm yet , he uses the remote to fast - forward through his life until his promotion . What he doesn't realize is that he has skipped through a whole year . The remote is now powered by its memory , and starts to fast - forward through crucial moments in his life , including arguments , foreplay , traffic , and , worst of all , promotions at his job . One year turns into ten years and than another six years . It all comes down to the final half hour of this outstanding milestone film for Adam Sandler . You ' ll laugh , you ' ll cry , and you ' ll love " Click " . source : imdb . 
Garfield : A Tail of Two Kitties . When Garfield follows his owner , Jon Arbuckle , to England , the U . K . may never recover , as Garfield is mistaken for a look - alike , regal cat who has inherited a castle . Garfield savors the royal treatment afforded by his loyal four - legged subjects , but his reign is in jeopardy . The nefarious Lord Dargis is determined to do away with Garfield , so he can turn the castle into a resort . Garfield 's bigger , better , more purr - fect world is soon turned upside down in this tale of two kitties . source : Yahoo ! 
Superman Returns . After the battle with General Zod and his gang of Kryptonian super - villains , Superman ( Brandan Routh ) mysteriously disappears for six years . After searching for more possible survivors from Krypton and finding none , Superman returns to Metropolis to re - assume the identity of Clark Kent . Once he returns , he discovers that Lois Lane ( Kate Bosworth ) is in a relationship and also has a son . Superman also discovers that Metropolis has learned to live without him , causing him to lose his motivation to fight and protect . To make matters worse , Superman 's old nemesis Lex Luthor ( Kevin Spacey ) has devised a plan to defeat the Man of Steel , for good . Superman must put his troubles behind him in order to protect his lost love , and the city who lost faith in him . source : imdb . 
Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man 's Chest . Legend has it that a tortured soul called Davy Jones lives beneath the sea , his still - beating broken heart locked away in a chest , and a terrible sea beast at his command . Unfortunately for the notorious pirate , Captain Jack Sparrow , this particular legend is very real . Years ago , Jack made a deal with Davy Jones , who is now expecting him to make good on his promise by handing himself over to Jones 's servitude . But Jack will not give in without a fight , which is especially bad news for Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann , who always seem to get caught up in Jack 's mishaps . If Jack can't find a way to rid himself of Davy Jones once and for all , it may just spell the end for the three adventurers . source : imdb . 
Perceptual Process and Problem Solving in Teaching . 	 The perceptual process and problem solving go hand in hand , because the way you go about solving a problem is directly influenced by how you perceive the problem . Also , once you have solved a problem once you tend to use that same solution again if a similar problem occurs . This can be good and bad depending on the situation because some problems might resemble each other , but require two completely different problem strategies . This is when our perceptions can sometimes hamper our ability to solve problems . These kinds of situations happen all the time in teaching . For example , growing up my perceptions of a sign that a fight might break out in school were a bunch of kids who were congregated in the hallway talking extremely loud . So , my first day teaching this scenario played out right in front of my classroom . My immediate reaction was to break up the students before the fight actually happened . Once I broke the students up they explain to me that they were not about to fight , but they were just getting excited about the football game that was going to be played that upcoming Friday . Now , my perceptions of a fight are a little different because now I have seen what I thought was a fight , but actually was some football players having a little too much fun in the hallway . ( This did not change how I handled the situation because I ' d rather prevent a fight when compared to not reacting and allowing a fight to happen ) Classroom management is another area were perception has influenced how I handle certain situations . As a first year teacher I thought that if you respect students and treat them like young adults they will respect you and act like young adults . ( I had this perception because that is how my high teachers treated me and it worked ) I learned real quick that is not the case with all high school students . I also learned that all students do not respond to the same kind of disciplining techniques . It was my perception that if you gave a referral or called home that they would change their behavior patterns to mimic what you expect in your class . For some students that is the case , but for others it is not . Some students respond better if you take them out in the hall and talk to them face to face as opposed to kicking them out of class or calling home . Now I have a wide range of disciplining techniques because I understand that I cannot apply the same disciplining strategies to every student because every student does not always respond the same way . 
Introduction to the Perceptual Process . 	 The perceptual process has two major components to it visual and auditory recognition . Visual recognition is how we perceive information through vision and auditory recognition pertains to how we perceive information through our hearing . Before you can completely understand the perceptual process ( visual and auditory recognition ) , you first must know what perception , bottom - up processing and top - down processing are . Perception is the mental process of selecting , organizing and interpreting information gained through the senses . Perception defines reality . As we move about in the world , we create a model of how the world works . By learning new information , our perception of the world changes and in a sense also our reality . Also understand , perceptions vary from person to person . Different people perceive different things about the same situation . But more than that , we assign different meanings to what we perceive . And the meanings might change for a certain person . One might change one 's perspective or simply make things mean something else . Bottom - up processing emphasizes incoming sensory stimuli and the operations performed on them to build up to a meaningful perceptual representation . The suggestion is that processing is mostly uni - directional , from the sensory to the final perceptual interpretation , each stage adding something to the next . The three major models of bottom - up processing aretemplate - matching theory , featural - analysis theory , and prototype - matching theory . In top - down processing , your beliefs , cognitions , and expectations in part drive the pattern recognition process . Some of this may be conscious , but some may also be unconscious . Basically , if you are expecting to come across a certain pattern , then you are focusing your attention on looking for evidence consistent with that pattern , and not just automatically processing whatever is in view . References Pinker , S . ( 1984 ) . Visual cognition : An introduction . Cognition Van der Hulst , H . , and N . Smith , Eds . ( 1988 ) . Autosegmental Studieson Pitch Accent . Dordrecht : Foris . 
How to use Memory Strategies . 	 The hardest part about using memory strategies is not the actual application of the strategy , but understanding which memory strategy works best for you is a little more difficult . Unfortunately , everyone 's brain works differently . Which means that people are going to have a variety of strengths and weaknesses when it comes to their memory . The first step to improving your memory and using affective memory strategies is to understand how good or bad your memory actually is . The way you can find out where you memory stands to take a memory self test like this one . ( This is not the only test you can take , but it is an example of one I found online ) Make sure you understand that these test are not there to diagnose your memory in any way but they will help you understand how bad or good your memory actually is . Once you have an idea on had good or bad your memory actually is , then you must figure out which memory strategies works best for you . I will discuss a couple strategies that I find helpful . The first step that I always make sure I do is PAY ATTENTION . Many times students to not give their full attention to the information , which negatively affects their understanding of the information and their ability to recall that information . For example how many times have you forgot a person 's name right after you are introduced to them ? This does not happen because you have a bad memory , but because our attention was focused else where . When I am paying attention I tried to use the following steps to stay focused : 1 . Look - Really look and think about what we are seeing . Make a mental picture . 2 . Listen - Think about what we are hearing rather than just what we plan to say when the other person stops talking . Make a sound track in your mind . When we 're reading something which is hard to understand , reading out loud can help . 3 . Link or make associations - Link what we need to remember to what we already know . Link to sight , sound , or action . The second one that I use is making the information personal . I try to relate the information to my life somehow , by doing this I have not only taken personal ownership for the information . This forces me to analyze the information deeper , which in - turn leads to better recall . Another technique I use is the The SQR 3 method ( survey , question , read , recite , and review ) . 1 . Survey Warn your mind that you 're getting ready to zap some knowledge into it . Skim or survey the info . Notice headings , pictures , and charts . 2 . Question What topics are covered ? What are the general ideas ? How does this relate to what you already know about the subject ? What 's new ? 3 . Read Notice main ideas . Reread difficult information to understand certain parts . Look up unfamiliar words and jot down their meanings as used in the passage . 4 . Recite Without looking at the info , try to answer the questions you raised . 5 . Review Check on the accuracy of your answers . Go back over the material focusing on parts you found difficult . Review the main ideas , how they relate to each other , and to things you already know . Again remember that memory strategies are not universal , so make sure you find the ones that work of you . 
Introduction to Memory Strategies . 	 Memory Strategies are mental activities that individuals perform that are designed to imporve your encoding and retrieval of memories . People have retrospective and prospective memory . Retrospective memory refers to remembering information from the past . Recognition , episodic memory , procedural memory , declarative memory are all examples of retrospective memory . Prospective memory is defined as remembering to remember ( Winograd , 1988 ) . It differs from retrospective memory , in which past actions , events , or knowledge are remembered . Prospective memory consists of recalling an action or an intention . This recall is triggered by either a stimulus or ' cue ' or a time . A good way to differentiate prospective and retrospective is that remembering that one has something to do in the future is ' prospective ' , but remembering what it is that one has to do is retrospective . References Winograd , E . ( 1988 ) . Some observations on prospective remembering . In M. M. Gruneberg , P . E . Morris & R . N . Sykes ( Eds . ) , Practical Aspects of Memory : Current Research and Issues ( Vol. 2 , pp . 348 - 353 ) . Chichester : Wiley . 
How to become a efficient problem solver . 	 Even though we solve problems everyday that does not imply that we are efficient at this process . Becoming efficient at problem solving is important because there are some problems that need to be solved correctly and in a timely manner . There are many different tips and techniques that can make a person better at solving problems . I will be focusing on Generate and test , Hill - Climbing and Working backwards techniques . Keep in mind that all of these strategies have downsides as well , the key is to use the right strategy for the right problem . A useful analogy for problem solving is to think of the problem as a maze . To solve the problem , you need to travel from a starting point , called the initial state , to an ending point , called the goal state . The initial state includes all the knowledge and resources you currently have available . The goal state refers to the solution that you want to reach . To get from the initial state to the goal state , you have a number of tools you can use , called operators . In a maze , these operators might be " left turn " and " right turn . " Generate and Test The most obvious way to attempt to solve a problem is to simply mentally test every possible path leading from initial state to goal state . This imaginary process of trial and error , called the generate - and - test strategy , considers all possible operators available at every step . The number of operators available is limited by path constraints ; for example , in a game of chess , you cannot leap your king across the board . However , even with these constraints , the number of possible paths is overwhelming . For example , imagine that you wanted to make the best possible opening move in a game of chess . There are twenty moves open to you , and there are twenty possible moves open to your opponent . So , considering only the first cycle of play , you must already consider four hundred possible paths . As the game progresses , there are more operators available to each player , so we can consider forty possible moves for each turn . For two cycles of play , then , there are 640,000 paths ; for three cycles , over one billion . As you can see , generate - and - test is not a realistic problem - solving method for most complex problems . Instead , we must rely on strategies that consider only a subset of the possibilities . Hill - Climbing Strategy One strategy that some people use is the " hill - climbing strategy . " The hill - climbing strategy states that you should always move toward the goal state . Imagine that you want to solve a maze using this strategy . At any fork , you would always take the direction that led toward the goal state . However , this strategy is fallible ; the correct path often winds around and away from the goal state before returning to it later . This is also true for more complex problems , like the river - crossing type . In the river - crossing problems , for example , where the initial state is a number of predators and prey on one side of the river and a boat with a limited capacity , and the goal state is to have everyone on the opposite side of the river , you often must transport beings back to the original side of the river . It may seem like they 're going in the wrong direction , but in fact this " downhill " step is necessary to solve the problem . This type of problem is difficult precisely because people are often inclined use the hill - climbing strategy to move toward the goal state . Working Backwards Some problems , especially unfamiliar ones , are best solved by starting at the goal state and working backward toward the initial state . Many people solve mazes this way , because there are generally fewer choices to consider at the end than at the beginning . This strategy , while not always helpful , can reduce the overwhelming number of paths available from the initial state . 
Introduction to Problem Solving . 	 Problem solving forms part of thinking that one might consider to be the most complex of all intellectual functions . Problem solving has been defined as higher - order cognitive process that requires the modulation and control of more routine or fundamental skills . It occurs when an organism or an artificial intelligence system does not know how to proceed from a given state to a desired goal state . Problem solving is extremely pertinent because it is action we do all the time from the moment we wake up until we lay our heads to bed . As teachers it is essential for us to understand problem solving and how it works because not only are we responsible for solving are own problems , but we are accountable for helping Americas youth solve their problems as well . Many times when people think about problem solving the first thought that comes to mind is some type of mathematical equation or when is someone going to find a cure for AIDS or cancer . We often overlook the numerous problems that we solve everyday . For example before I leave the house to go to school every morning I have already solved numerous problems . Everyday the first problem that i have to solve is do I have any more time to sleep in . The next problem that I solve every morning is what am I going to wear to school that day . After that I have to decide if I have time to eat breakfast and if I do that presents another problem because I now have to make a decision on what to eat for breakfast . So do not underestimate your problem solving abilities because everyday the average person solves hundreds of problems , some big and some small . The next question is since we face a wide variety problems what is the best way to solve them . 
re : 12 Dailypro . July 18 , 2006 Re : Securities and Exchange Commission v. Charis Johnson , Life Clicks , LLC , and 12 Daily Pro ; USDC , Central Dist. of CA , Case No. CV 06 - 01018 - NM ( PLAx ) This letter is being sent to you to provide informationabout this case . On April 21 , 2006 , and May 20 , 2006 , Thomas F . Lennon , the United States District Court appointed Receiver sente - mail letters to a large number of e - mail addresses derived from 12 Daily Pro and Storm Pay databases . The Receiver has now recoveredadditional e - mail addresses and is using them , as well as all theprevious e - mail addresses , to send this e - mail . The previous lettersas well as this document can be viewed atwww . tlennonfor 12 dailypro . com. In addition , the Receiver 's websitecontains his e - mail address and a list of Frequently Asked Questionswith recent updates along with other case information . As previously noted in the letters sent toinvestors / members , investors who used credit cards for a credittransaction are not prohibited from initiating a charge back throughtheir credit card issuer . Investors that used checks , electronic fundtransfers and debit cards are prohibited from initiating a charge backby the Orders issued by the Court . The Orders are also posted on theweb site . Please note that in many situations the period within whichyou could have initiated a charge back may have passed . The rules ofthe credit card issuer determine the time allowed . The rights ofconsumers to dispute electronic transfers are limited to unauthorizeddebits or errors in the amount of debits , but do not provide a rightto reverse a transfer because the consumer has discovered that therecipient was perpetrating a fraud . Moreover , all investors andcreditors are enjoined from initiating any legal action against 12 Daily Pro , Life Clicks or Charis Johnson . The Receiver realizes that the investors have manyquestions and concerns . The web site referenced above and the FAQ willanswer many of those questions in more detail , but some of the answersto your questions can be summarized as follows : All investors , foreign and domestic will be treatedequally under the law . Investors who used EMO and E - Gold as paymentprocessors will be treated the same as investors that used Storm Pay . Any distribution plan proposed by the Receiver will be done on anequitable basis . The length of time an investor was invested in theprogram will not be a considered in distributions . If you receivedthis e - mail or the first e - mail sent on April 21 , 2006 , or the seconde - mail sent on May 20 , 2006 , you are on the investors list . The Receiver will be providing the Court and all interested parties Reports on the status of the case as required and when otherwiseappropriate . These Reports will be posted on the Receiver 's web site . While queries to the Receiver by phone and e - mail will continue toreceive a response , it is not the Receiver 's practice to provideupdates to individual investors because of the prohibitive costsassociated with trying to communicate with thousands of investors onan individual basis . Please minimize these costs by checking thewebsite and the FAQ before calling or e - mailing the Receiver . The Receiver realizes that this is an extremely frustrating situation forinvestors , but please understand that he is working as diligently aspossible to reach a fair and equitable result . Please check thewebsite for updates and further information including answers to Frequently Asked Questions . 
reaching out ... The last half of 2006 will be a transition from what I have been used to the last four years . Whether I will relocate out of Central Oregon or stay remains to be seen . I am free to go , while others are not ... Today I reached out through kiva . org to someone not " free to go " and in that way I hope I will be helping someone to prosper . By contributing the last $ 100 needed , I hope Abraham will be enabled to help others in his community have shoes they need , and that his four children will have enough to eat . As I receive updates from kiva I will share them here . _ Location : Mbale , Uganda Activity : Retail Loan Amount : $ 1000.00 Loan Use : Buying leather materials . Loan Repayment Term Range : 6 - 13 months Start Date : Aug 07 , 2006 Status : loan has been raised Partner Rep : Kevin Abago , Abbo Yedidah Partner : Women Initiative to Eradicate Poverty Abraham is a married man with four ( 4 ) Children . He started as ripes hawker , after , became a shoe hawker , now he has got a stall at the market , where by he got a loan of $ 200 from WITEP at first , next got a loan of $ 300 . Uganda is among the third world country with poorest of the poor people . It is very difficult for these poor people to go out to buy expensive shoes from the shoe dealers . For this reason , this business stands a very high opportunity to sell cheap shoes to the people of the community . He has customers all around him who wants to be different by wearing shoes . He is capable to increase his stock to meet the high demand of shoes in the community . He has been faithful in paying back . When given a loan of $ 1000 it will help him have a large stock and generate enough money as well to improve the standard of living . - http : // www . kiva . org / app . php ? page = businesses id = 500 . 
Senator Ted Stevens ( R - Alaska ) on net neutrality ... These are the people legislating technology ... By Mauricio Freitas , in Technology , posted : 4 - JUL - 2006 10:51 Just behind our own New Zealand parliament showing the need of an update in technology matters , here comes the American Senate , as reported by Wired . This is the speech by Senator Ted Stevens ( R - Alaska ) : " There 's one company now you can sign up and you can get a movie delivered to your house daily by delivery service . Okay . And currently it comes to your house , it gets put in the mail box when you get home and you change your order but you pay for that , right . But this service isn't going to go through the interent and what you do is you just go to a place on the internet and you order your movie and guess what you can order ten of them delivered to you and the delivery charge is free . Ten of them streaming across that internet and what happens to your own personal internet ? I just the other day got , an internet was sent by my staff at 10 o ' clock in the morning on Friday and I just got it yesterday . Why ? Because it got tangled up with all these things going on the internet commercially . So you want to talk about the consumer ? Let 's talk about you and me . We use this internet to communicate and we aren't using it for commercial purposes . We aren't earning anything by going on that internet . Now I ' m not saying you have to or you want to discrimnate against those people [ ... ] The regulatory approach is wrong . Your approach is regulatory in the sense that it says " No one can charge anyone for massively invading this world of the internet " . No , I ' m not finished . I want people to understand my position , I ' m not going to take a lot of time . [ ? ] They want to deliver vast amounts of information over the internet . And again , the internet is not something you just dump something on . It 's not a truck . It 's a series of tubes . And if you don't understand those tubes can be filled and if they are filled , when you put your message in , it gets in line and its going to be delayed by anyone that puts into that tube enormous amounts of material , enormous amounts of material . Now we have a separate Department of Defense internet now , did you know that ? Do you know why ? Because they have to have theirs delivered immediately . They can't afford getting delayed by other people . [ ... ] Now I think these people are arguing whether they should be able to dump all that stuff on the internet ought to consider if they should develop a system themselves . Maybe there is a place for a commercial net but it 's not using what consumers use every day . It 's not using the messaging service that is essential to small businesses , to our operation of families . The whole concept is that we should not go into this until someone shows that there is something that has been done that really is a viloation of net neutraility that hits you and me . " - http : // www . geekzone . co. nz / blog . asp ? blogid = 1 postid = 782 . 
... and more about click fraud ... Is Click Fraud A Big Deal ? by : The Lil Crusader You ' ve probably seen a lot of PTR sites spring up over the last several months that pretty much offer nothing but search ads . Maybe you ' ve joined some because of their high link values and fast payouts . If you ' ve done enough searches at any one program , you may find yourself in the position of receiving up to 50 of these emails per day from that one program .... Wow - kewl beanz , right ? Wrong . Sure , you 're earning money quickly and likely receiving it quickly too - but is that all that matters - I mean really matters ? Does it bother you that the only reason you ' ve gotten these extra emails is because you ' ve shown the PO of that program that you 're more than willing to commit click fraud ? I know , I know ... you 're thinking , " I didn't do anything wrong " and on the surface maybe it seems that way . But the reality is , every time you click a keyword on a search portal page and then go to a website based on that keyword , just to keep your number of valids up so the big number of daily emails will continue and the pennies will keep rolling in , you 're stealing from someone else . Did you know that ? Admit it - nobody really has to search for anything hundreds of times a day so you usually just pick a keyword - right ? Where do you think the list you get from picking that keyword came from ? That list of sites is only there because somebody paid to be listed . And the reason they did that is in hopes of generating traffic to their website - traffic that might result in a sale , which would help offset the cost of being listed on that search engine and maybe give them a profit . Those businesses didn't pay to be there to help you earn a penny .... they paid to be there to earn money for themselves - that 's called business ! So every time you click a keyword and go to a website because you ' ve been told that 's what you need to do to earn your penny , without having any actual interest in the site at all - you 're stealing from the person who paid for that listing to be there because you ' ve become " bad traffic " - something the advertiser did NOT pay for . That , my friend , is click fraud and yes , it is a very BIG deal ... maybe not to you or to the owner of the program , but that doesn't matter . The most important person in this equation is the SE advertiser and they don't appreciate having their advertising dollars stolen by you in exchange for a penny . When an advertiser realizes his money is being thrown away , he 's not going to keep advertising with that SE , and if this happens enough times to enough businesses , eventually the SE will have nothing left . Yes , click fraud is a very big deal , and if you 're part of it , it 's time to stop . The Lil Crusader 's recommended site : Our Ptr 2 . com. 
what is considered click fraud ... ? Is Clicking A Search Result Considered Click Fraud ? by : Rod Baker There has been much debate over this question . Many think clicking asearch result is the honest thing to do for the advertiser that paidthe Paid To Read site money , while others say you are helping thatadvertiser commit click fraud . Who is right in this debate ? Good or bad , right or wrong , there is one easy way to determine this ( and you will need to ask yourself this each time you are ready toclick on a search result ) : Am I truly interested in learning more about this advertisement ? If you click on a search result for Viagra , are you sincerelyinterested in learning about that product ? How about attorney at law ? Are you , or someone you are researchingfor , needing to find a good attorney ? Car Insurance ... Is it fair to say that if you click on one of theseresults and don't own a car or happy with your current car insuranceand won't be persuaded to change your current car insurance , that youare an uninterested viewer and are not of any value to this advertiser ? This is where the whole notion of click fraud comes into play . Wheredo you think the money comes from to pay you to click on that searchresult ? From the advertiser / member who pays the PTR webmaster cash to runtheir campaign ? Technically , the answer would be yes , that is wherethe money comes from to pay you . That sounds like a legitimate and fair money making venture right ? Ifit were that simple , the answer would be yes . Unfortunately , its not that simple . We must now think a little deeper . Who paid that search portal advertiser for those valid searches ? Correct , a search engine . Many times , these search engines feed off ofother search engines that are larger or higher up the advertiser foodchain . Eventually , they all lead to one place : ... the actual advertiser that inserted the link that you just clickedon : car insurance quote , medicines , webhosting , etc. and thoseadvertisers were led to believe that any viewer who actually clickedon their link was at the very least , somewhat interested in theiradvertisement ( this is the selling pitch of the search engines ) . The PTR sites who beg , demand , coerce , threaten or even say they ' llstop sending you search mails if you don't perform valid searches , areforcing you , the member , in making uninterested searches ... searchesyou would never have made under normal circumstances . That is what click fraud is all about . Ignore the demands and coerciontactics from these webmasters and truly ask yourself ONE question : Is this search ad something I may be interested in ? If so , perform the search . If not , DON ' T ! If the masses could hold true to this one question , not only wouldclick fraud be virtually eliminated , but those advertisers that arepaying you to view their ad would have a much higher conversion ratiodue to the fact that only interested viewers are viewing their ads andabsorbing the ad budget . Logically , these advertisers could then afford to pay more for theirsearch position and each of you could actually earn more per click atyour favorite PTR site . Think about it ... less work , more pay if everyone played honestly bythe rules . We ALL must do our part and start somewhere . Can you proudly say youdid YOUR part to improve our situation ? 
death throes of a payment processor ... Storm Pay sent an interesting message to all members today : Storm Pay announces no registration necessary ! June 27 , 2006 " Sellers - no longer do your customers need to register for a Storm Pay account to purchase your product ! Now your buyers can click your Buy Now button , fill in their information , and submit their payment to you ! You asked for this feature , we listened , you got it !! No more frustrating registration for buyers ... No more waiting to validate account info No more missing spontaneous purchases .. This new feature should easily allow you to convert shoppers into buyers ! Because this new feature allows your customers to make purchases without registering , all payments received by you , from a NON registered Storm Pay account holder , will go to a Pending status . Payments will remain pending for a period of 7 days at which time payments received will convert to a Complete status . Once the payment status is Complete , you may withdraw or send funds as normal . Payments received by you from senders who ARE registered account holders instantly go to a completed status . Special note : All customers wishing to use Storm Pay Auctions , Storm Clix , or register a subscription will be required to register a FREE Storm Pay . com account . " Storm Pay . com _______ Now why would I be so desperate to wait 7 days to be paid by a customer who is most likely one of the many thousands who was ripped off by SP in February of this year , and therefore will not trust SP enough to register ... There are plenty of other processors I can use to be paid " instantly " ... and then again , why would I " value " my own business so highly as to have a Storm Pay button anywhere on the site anyway ? If potential customers think anything like I do , I would just be driving them away . I predict Storm Pay will finally close up shop before September , 2006 . What do you think ... ? 
April Fool 's Day . April Fool 's Day or All Fools ' Day , though not a holiday in its own right , is a notable day celebrated in many countries on April 1 . The day is marked by the commission of hoaxes and other practical jokes of varying sophistication on friends and neighbours , or sending them on fools ' errands , the aim of which is to embarrass the gullible . In some countries , April Fool 's jokes ( also called " April fools " ) must only be made before midday ... [ continue ] . 
are you nerdier ? 3 % scored higher ( more nerdy ) , and 97 % scored lower ( less nerdy ) . What does this mean ? Your nerdiness is : All hail the monstrous nerd . You are by far the SUPREME NERD GOD !!! 
Dead . Well , that wasn't exactly the best way to start my day . On the way to work this morning , the traffic started to back up a fair way before the Grand Junction / Main North Road intersection , which was odd . Usually I ' m within four or five cars of the intersection , and never get held up there . Then I saw the blue and red flashing lights . And the traffic started to merge into the right hand lane . Then two police cars flew up the inside parking lane . Then the two ambulances appeared in front of me from behind the moving traffic , one parked across the left lane . Then I saw the white sheet lying on the ground - it was on the other side of the ambulance , but I could see it underneath the ambulance . Seems a small car had tried to pull out of a side street but didn't see the Suzuki motorcycle coming from the right , in the left hand lane ...7:05 am and someone 's dead already . 
The Question of Palestine . that escalated quickly ! while i have no sympathy for the hate - filled warmongers that make up hamas and hezbollah -- they 're ugly ugly humans -- i don't understand what the heck israel is doing here . they 're escalating the death of innocents . i can't tell if they want an all - out arab - israeli war . it 's possible that 's what they 're after . seems like it . and , not surprisingly , bush is nowhere on this . what a damn idiot . the fact that israel uses as an excuse for this the recent capture of two israeli soldiers by hezbollah is pretty gross . there are many palestinians imprisoned right now by israel for being the family members -- and nothing else -- of suicide bombers . come on . i believe in liberal democracy and israel 's right to exist ( it 's too late to do anything about the way they annexed land back in 48 ) -- but israel right now is not , in my mind , within their rights here . and it 's not anti - semitism driving my or even jacques chirac 's condemnation of israel here , bitches , so don't even make that accusation . criticizing the actions of a nation - state -- actions that do not in any way derive from their jewishness or anything else , but solely from policy decisions -- is both legitimate and necessary . 
I Still Oppose Anti - Dentites . even though i just got back from the dentist , who asked me -- and i swear to god i ' m not making this up -- " ready for the bleed test ? " she had to poke my gums until they bled to see how they 're doing since she performed her Uber Cleaning a month ago . unfortunately , the gums are doing quite well -- she had to poke the hell out of my gums to get them to bleed . it hurted . dentists are either really sardonic but funny , or just plain evil . like " fru - its of the dee - vil . " . 
Listen You Jerks . so having just finished Fukuyama 's " America at the Crossroads " and Packer 's review of Beinart 's " The Good Fight , " I can't help but say : WE FREAKING TOLD YOU ALL ALONG YOU STUPID JERKS . fukuyama spends the first half of his book providing an intellectual history -- but not , in my mind , an adequate defense -- of neoconservatism . he maintains that it draws on the best feature of liberal internationalism ( caring about what goes on in other parts of the world in the areas of development , human rights , and justice ) with that of conservatism ( the idea that america is exceptional and as such must promote it 's values and way of life throughout the rest of the world ) . however , where fukuyama breaks with neoconservatism ( now , of course , after the neocons have shown that their political and social ideology is DUMB and INEFFECTIVE ) is in its lack of respect and proper use of international institutions . he also disagrees with the conservative notion that economic liberalization alone is enough to promote democracy , or a combination of privatization and military intervention . well no shit . liberals have been crowing all along that internationalism on the part of america has to administered through effective international organizations . and the U . N . is only one small part of that effort ( i agree with many of the critics of the U . N . that it needs to reform itself but do not agree with them that it has no use -- the U . N . actually does a lot of good in a lot of places as we speak ) . we ' ve also been insisting that economic liberalization , while useful and important , is nothing without democratic government institutions already in place wherever the reform has to take place . we ' ve also been saying that the military should play a very limited -- if not nonexistent -- role in such endeavors . these points and more both fukuyama and packer argue for , and insist that both conservatives and liberals in this country don't believe in them . that 's B . S . both men were deadly wrong about the iraq war , which they initially supported , and so they 're trying to cover their utterly naked ideas in the cloak of liberal internationalism . sorry idiots : we REAL liberal internationalists -- there are many many more of us than liberal isolationists in this country for sure -- never for a minute thought that the iraq war was necessary or going to be a success . not for a second . in no way can the iraq war -- either the conception or the actual undertaking of it -- be located in any of the ideas that make up liberal internationalism . go ahead and join us , sure . but don't dare pretend , now that the iraq war has been shown to be the illegal and unacceptable farce that it is , that you were one of us all along . pig - licks . 
Sore Winners because of Racialism . i agree with S 's post about zizou : he was completely wrong to head - butt materazzi , and cost his team dearly . but he was provoked . by a known grade A asshole . and now this piece from the times regarding the racialist sentiments on display during italy 's celebration .... remarks made by Roberto Calderoli , the former minister of reform and a member of the right - wing Northern League party . After the Cup victory he said that the Italians had vanquished a French team that was comprised of Negroes , communists and Moslems . Italian soccer is no stranger to extremist politics . Italian football matches are often used as a platform for far - right fans to express racist sentiments . lovely . 
Rahming the Point Home . you can SO TELL that rahm emanuel is from chicago . from a speech yesterday on the floor of the house : Mr. Speaker , yesterday the President said we continue to be wise about how we spend the people 's money . Then why are we paying over $ 100,000 for a ' White House Director of Lessons Learned ' ? Maybe I can save the taxpayers $ 100,000 by running through a few of the lessons this White House should have learned by now . Lesson 1 : When the Army Chief of Staff and the Secretary of State say you are going to war without enough troops , you 're going to war without enough troops . Lesson 2 : When 8.8 billion dollars of reconstruction funding disappears from Iraq , and 2 billion dollars disappears from Katrina relief , it 's time to demand a little accountability . Lesson 3 : When you ' ve ' turned the corner ' in Iraq more times than Danica Patrick at the Indy 500 , it means you are going in circles . Lesson 4 : When the national weather service tells you a category 5 hurricane is heading for New Orleans , a category 5 hurricane is heading to New Orleans . I would also ask the President why we 're paying for two ' Ethics Advisors ' and a ' Director of Fact Checking . ' They must be the only people in Washington who get more vacation time than the President . Maybe the White House could consolidate these positions into a Director of Irony . 
Ulysses ain't Easyrider . but still -- pretty tough to restrict all things sex and nudity from prisoners , i ' d imagine : Two inmates have filed a lawsuit against the Indiana Department of Correction to overturn a policy that bars magazines such as Playboy and Hustler . The lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis seeks class - action status on behalf of more than 20,000 state prisoners and challenges a policy that went into effect July 1 barring adult magazines and other printed material that depict nudity or sexual content . god i hope i get the ACLU job . 
I ' m Totally Psyched About This Abortion . hahahahaha ! some people actually think this is real . and that pro - choicers actually take glee in abortions . wow . The funny thing is , I actually have the pro - life movement to thank for this opportunity . If my HMO wouldn't have bowed to their pressure not to cover oral contraceptives , I never would ' ve gotten pregnant in the first place . Then what would I be doing a week from Thursday ? I ' ll tell you what I wouldn't be doing : going to an awesome abortion clinic where I ' ll be the center of attention from the minute I put my feet up in those stirrups . I wouldn't be looking forward to induced dilation of my cervical opening and suctioning of my uterus , either . And I sure as heck wouldn't get the chance to have a doctor insert a metal instrument into my womb to dislodge tissue from my uterine wall ! gawd that 's great . is it wrong to laugh so ? 
More First Amendment Stuff . completely scary story about a jewish family in delaware having to move to another city to escape right - wing christian persecuation . um , not cool . some strange shit is happening to free speech and the first amendment in the country . david remnick has a good piece in the new yorker about the bush administration 's belief that free inquiry is not a protected right and decidedly not beneficial for democracy . i think , in all honesty , it 's a manifestation of political / social ideology . for instance , a " big R " Republican believes only in preserving the republic -- that is , in preserving a territory that is bounded geographically , culturally , racially , socially , and economically ( if you think Republicans believe in actual free trade you 're an idiot and a douche ) . they care about this to the exclusion of all else . what 's more , they see the republic as having lost a lot of that boundedness over the years , through court decisions , popular uprisings , immigration , and the like . the press plays a role in this loss for them , because they want to preserve not a bounded republic but democracy , which is , in all reality , counter to the principles upon which any republic can be founded . the loss of this boundedness is what normal people call DEMOCRACY , fuckers . democrats want to preserve , above all else , democratic principles such as freedom of speech , press , religion , and the like . democrats believe that america as a republic fails to protect all its citizens -- and that america the democracy COULD be doing much more if only republicans weren't idiots . here 's a little illustration of this . there is , circulating amongst members of our armed services , an email with a picture of a bunch of cadets with there heads bowed in prayer . under the picture lies the caption , " what 's wrong with this picture ? " and a seemingly real quote from an ACLU spokesman saying that it violates the church and state clause and that it must be stopped . the email then attacks the ACLU as godless pussies , basically . the problem ? IT ' S NOT TRUE . the email is entirely falsified . the ACLU takes absolutely no position on troop prayer because there is no way to determine whether a soldier is bowing his or her head in private reflection or not . so of course it doesn't care . who the hell would ? what this points out is that republicans and conservatives don't care about truth and reality . they care much more about preserving -- or , now , reverting back to -- an idyllic american republic where christianity ruled supreme , minorities knew there place , and the army could kill without anyone really caring . IT TOOK ME LESS THAN 10 SECONDS TO FIND OUT THAT THE EMAIL WAS ALL LIES . but republicans don't want to learn the truth . they ' d rather spout lies and hate . that 's why they want to prosecute members of the media -- and in some cases threaten to kill them . ri - goddamn - diculous . jews on first though . " jews on first ? " great name for an organization ! haha ! 
Why Berlusconi is a Douche . from a review of alexander stille 's new book about the former italian PM : " Imagine if Bill Gates of Microsoft were also the owner of the three largest national TV networks and then became president and took over public television as well , " Stille writes . " Imagine that he also owned Time Warner , HBO , the Los Angeles Times , the New York Yankees , Aetna insurance , Fidelity Investments and Loews Theaters , and you begin to get an idea of how large a shadow Silvio Berlusconi casts over Italian life . " whoa , now . 
Das Uber Geigh . so i ' ve read the opinions in the recent NY gay marriage case . decent analysis from the times . it makes no sense to me . the main thrust of the presiding decision is that children need hetero marriage to stay psychologically healthy , though there is evidence that it 's not just hetero marriage or even marriage in general that produces healthy kids . it 's as if this judge decided he didn't like gay marriage and so codified it . meanwhile , the dissenting opinion , which is longer and much better researched , basically lays out a case that just cannot be ignored , at least in my view : that any law which calls for the dissemination of state benefits based on race , gender , or sexual orientation , is a violation of equal protection . marriage is such a state benefit because it confers upon the married couple certain protections . it 's a civil rights issue . i wish more minorities would step to the plate here . at least both spitzer and bloomberg support it . we ' ll see what they do . 
Laboriousness . so there 's a labor strike in my building . people are protesting peacefully just outside the doors . i ' m fairly certain the protestors are not workers in the building but rather random people being paid by whatever construction union to picket . i actually have no problem with this . i ' m not going to stop working in solidarity or anything , but i think this kind of social expression is positive on the whole . people should call attention to employers who don't pay prevailing wages . it 's important . all this said , i feel like this use to be a much more common occurrence . i ' m not sure if it 's a function of late capitalism that strikes and picket lines are reduced , but i ' d be willing to bet that it is . i think that while picketing and protesting are still perfectly legal , the discursive boundaries of late capitalism have contracted a bit , making this kind of speech act a bit more uncomfortable . provocative . 
Blowing Sh - t Up . piece in the times today about the growing number of right - wing hate group members who have not only enlisted in , but have been actively recruited to join , the miliary . lovely : The Southern Poverty Law Center identified the author as Steven Barry , who it said was a former Special Forces officer who was the alliance 's " military unit coordinator . " " Light infantry is your branch of choice because the coming race war and the ethnic cleansing to follow will be very much an infantryman 's war , " he wrote . " It will be house - to - house , neighborhood - by - neighborhood until your town or city is cleared and the alien races are driven into the countryside where they can be hunted down and ' cleansed . ' " He concluded : " As a professional soldier , my goal is to fill the ranks of the United States Army with skinheads . As street brawlers , you will be useless in the coming race war . As trained infantrymen , you will join the ranks of the Aryan warrior brotherhood . " hmm , anyone still want to argue about whether the military has become an attractive destination for hate - filled people ? this is disgusting . but i ' m not surprised . once upon a time , the military turned out thoughtful , progressive people who wanted to see the world and broaden their horizons -- culturally , socially , and intellectually . people like my girl C 's grandfather and my own grandfather , both of whom served in World War II. now , it seems that more and more people join the military to blow shit up , to kill . my own brother J once thought about a career in the military , and though he 's a bit more conservative than i , i have no doubts that he ' d be put off by the convergence of machismo / homophobia / misogyny that has only increased in recent years . now , i ' m not saying that EVERYONE who joins the military does so for goonish , thugish reasons . i know two people personally who have served in iraq , one who went to howard u . and another from my hometown . both are great guys who reluctantly got caught up in all of this and who , after returning home , expressed distaste for many of the extreme right - wing views that take hold in the military . but you 're kidding yourself if you think these people are the rule rather than the exception . here 's a thought : in the same way that the jury selection process in this country is meant to basically weed out any potential juror who actually wants to serve on a particular case ( who essentially wants to pass a certain judgment for whatever reason ) , i think military service should be relegated to those who don't want to serve in the military at all . this would entail reinstateing the draft probably . and it would entail my serving , sure . but i think i would rather serve with people who are more intent upon using this largest of government bohemoths for peaceful means than with boys who just want to grunt and yell and blow crap up on my tax dollar . 
Douche - Bag CEO Scenario of the Weak . hmmm , saucy : dick cheney , as CEO of halliburton , artificially inflated the company 's stock by trumpeting falsified earnings scenarios . when the stock rose to $ 53 per share he sold , netting a cool $ 40 M. when the actual financial health of the company came to light , right after cheney picked himself to fill the VP seat , the stock plunged to $ 8 per share . then of course we attacked iraq and halliburton " won " a bunch of no - bid contracts for -- oh , right -- BILLIONS OF DOLLARS . suddenly the company is doing quite well . hmmm . this is not some leftist fantasy . it 's what is alleged in a class - action investor lawsuit against halliburton . man , this MBA administration IS THE WORST EVER IN THE WORLD . EVER . 
Why I am not a Conservative . besides the fact i don't want to get fat and chalk it up to " being a man , " of course . two splendidly splendid pieces : one , from frank rich in sunday 's times , explores the nexus of conservative government , privatization , and the disaster it has wrought ; the other , from professor alan wolfe in the washington monthly , is an essay on why conservatives can't -- and shouldn't -- govern . from rich : Franklin D . Roosevelt 's administration , the very model of big government that the current administration vilifies , never would have trusted private contractors to run the show . Somehow that unwieldy , bloated government took less time to win World War II than George W . Bush 's privatized government is taking to blow this one . and from wolfe : Contemporary conservatism is first and foremost about shrinking the size and reach of the federal government . This mission , let us be clear , is an ideological one . It does not emerge out of an attempt to solve real - world problems , such as managing increasing deficits or finding revenue to pay for entitlements built into the structure of federal legislation . It stems , rather , from the libertarian conviction , repeated endlessly by George W . Bush , that the money government collects in order to carry out its business properly belongs to the people themselves . One thought , and one thought only , guided Bush and his Republican allies since they assumed power in the wake of Bush vs . Gore : taxes must be cut , and the more they are cut -- especially in ways benefiting the rich -- the better . But like all politicians , conservatives , once in office , find themselves under constant pressure from constituents to use government to improve their lives . This puts conservatives in the awkward position of managing government agencies whose missions -- indeed , whose very existence -- they believe to be illegitimate . Contemporary conservatism is a walking contradiction . Unable to shrink government but unwilling to improve it , conservatives attempt to split the difference , expanding government for political gain , but always in ways that validate their disregard for the very thing they are expanding . The end result is not just bigger government , but more incompetent government . it 's a pretty straightforward argument , and i embrace it like i embrace the grace of ken griffey jr at his best in seattle , or ichiro at his best now : liberals should govern because , in all honesty , they believe in government and governing as a way to make people 's lives good . conservatives don't believe government can do that , but can't argue for the elimination of government because it would mean embracing anarchy , and that ain't gonna happen . i ' m not saying conservatism isn't useful -- it 's great as a way to keep the excesses of liberalism in check ( government intervention in the market to keep it more fair and competitive is essentially a conservative act , since a completely free market tends toward consolidation and anti - competitiveness ) -- but it 's useful only as a force of opposition . as a true liberal , i believe in freedom : of expression , of choice , of trade , of body , etc. i also believe in government , but i don't want a huge mess slowing things down . i don't want high taxes ( except on the rich , naturally ) . conservatism is useful in helping liberals achieve these liberal ideals of freedom . it is not useful as a system of government . 
The Unsoldier . great piece in the times week in review yesterday . in general , i find ridiculous the idea that if you haven't served in the military you 're unqualified to speak about , care about , or have a say in the workings of our armed branch of the government . after all , my taxes -- as much as anyone else 's -- pay for it . i ' m not suggesting i , or any other lay person , should be involved in the crafting of military strategy , but my opinion regarding the use of our armed forces should be given weight equal to someone who has served in the military . my opinion has to be given equal weight -- otherwise this isn't a democracy . that said , when it comes military strategy i ' m happy to defer to people who know what the hell they 're talking about . i simply don't . the funny thing is , with regard to the iraq war , strategy is being planned by people who don't know what they 're doing either . at all . all this is to say that i disagree with the notion that bush and the neocons in power were and continue to be so nonchalant about the use of american soldiers because they never served in the military . i never served in the military ; many smart and effective members of congress or current and former governors never served in the military ; and you can be damn sure they wouldn't be so quick to deploy our troops in deadly engagements . i think the real impetus behind the decision on how to use our military comes from nothing other than one 's philosophical disposition toward the use of force in general , and america 's military past in particular . and because it 's this and not whether you ' ve served that determines one 's likelihood for using force , every citizen 's opinion must be given equal weight when determining how and when to use it . and even how much to spend on it . there are other ways to serve your country . but serve it or not , peaceniks should be listened to . lord knows what warmongers have wrought . 
The Slurring of a Douche . i hate jay mariotti . i truly do . i think he 's arrogant , unintelligent , and way over - exposed . however , i think ozzie guillen 's slurring of him -- " What a piece of [ expletive ] he is , [ expletive ] f - g " -- is utterly out of line . sad to say , though , it perfectly demonstrates the coming together of two strains of machoistic intolerance : that of the professional sports player , and that of the latin - american male . i don't think it 's controversial on my part to suggest that baseball is homophobic , or that latin - american males tend to be homophobic as well . in fact , i wasn't at all surprised that someone as outspoken as guillen would give voice to this kind of hate . he embodies the nexus of two pretty rotten strains of machismo , and it 's a wonder his head hasn't exploded because of it . there is a danger in this that liberals need to be wary of , to be frank . while i think it 's morally proper that we support group identity politics -- gays and minorities -- doing so may end up coming back to bite us in the proverbial tushy . it 's not enough to say , " i support african - americans and latin - americans . " we have to say , " i support the rights of minorities , but only insofar as they embrace an ethic of tolerance and understanding toward gays , women , and the like . " identity politics with a sprinkling of individual civil liberties . but still , jay mariotti is a damn douche . 
Lieberman Sucks . good piece by meyerson in the post . main thrust , with which i totally agree : " To Joe Lieberman 's apparent dismay , Iraq is [ a fundamental ] issue , and the voters of his state are just irresponsible enough to judge him on it . " bye joe . 
Dentist . go . now . don't wait . i just had a periodontal cleaning -- which means , if i understand the science correctly , the dentist has been trained in torture and actually hates people so much she wants to kill them by way of the gum . good lord . painful dentist visit . could have been avoided if i HAD ACTUALLY GONE TO A DENTIST ON A REGULAR BASIS . man i ' m dumb . all i could think of in the chair , as spittle dripped out of my numb mouth -- did i mention she had to numb my mouth for the cleaning ? yeah , took EIGHT SHOTS -- is the seinfeld episode wherein kramer has dental work and the numbing agent works so well mel torme thinks he 's retarded . " i let the expletives fly ! " . 
Kerry is a Girl . i really loathe articles like this one in the nyt today . the main point is that democrats are pissed that kerry is pushing for a withdrawal of troops by a certain date -- july 2007 , as it stands now . they 're pissed because , to their way of thinking , it makes them look weak to want to end the iraq war . all that is fine . i can understand how some democrats are upset that kerry wanted to have it both ways during the election , when perhaps it wasn't such a good idea , but wants to have it only one way now , when it 's not a good idea . what upsets me about this article is how it takes a very serious issue -- ending an unbelievably horrid mistake -- and wraps it up in a cloak of " well it 's just politcs as usual . " the piece buys the idea peddled by republicans and moderate democrats that kerry is playing pure politics with this , and not taking a principled stand . i find that abhorent . you don't have to like kerry -- and i don't really -- to at least have the journalistic integrity to take his approach seriously and give it a full and fair hearing . lord knows the mainstream media did that to a fault with bush and the neocons . why are biden 's ideas about the war -- that it should keep going -- taken so seriously , for instance ? i submit it 's because , deep down , the mainstream media would rather report on a war than on some girly policy proposal that might be the only thing to save us and the entire middle east region from ruin . 
void six . two . four . ( ) { . Today is my last day as a tenant of 624 Courtyards at the University of Maryland . My room is empty , my walls are barren , and I ' m about to hand in my keys before spending the weekend on the Jersey Shore . Imagine , if you will , an Adam Bates that predates the legend - in - flesh that you know of today . An Adam Bates that was stepping onto campus for the first time , shiny new student ID in hand , a wide - eyed tuba - playing youth . He had registered a month ago , and his first class wasn't until a week later , but his college life began with his first invite to 624 Courtyards . Perhaps , as he grasped the door handle below the sheet metal sign which appeared to read " K K Pitchfork " , he felt a sudden sense of uncanny familiarity ? Of having arrived ? Of something within , eager to surface ? Perhaps he even thought to himself " the future is now ? " If so , the feeling left him as quickly as it came . What is certain is that 624 seemed like the fucking shit , and that its tenants clearly appeared to be the four coolest men on the planet . For those of you who know LP , Weickert , Magicspot and Silverman , you 're aware of just how extreme a degree of deceptive aura this location must have been exuding at the time to create such an effect . But young Adam hung around that domicile that night . And then at Honi . And then later , while pledging that frat with those weird sheet metal letters , it became a sort of second home . Then it became his first home . Granted , it took two of his much cooler LB 's leaving the school for it to happen , but Adam was invited to move into that very apartment . Would he come to embody that same level of greatness to some future freshman ? Nope , as it turns out he probably didn't . But it was still pretty trippy to be moving in , and the next two years turned out to be an absolute blast . 624 was kind of a big deal in my college life . I had the distinct pleasure of going to school with the final generation of Marylanders who understood what College was supposed to be about . They struck a balance between work and play , learn - ed from a generation of students whom entirely disregarded their own academic wellbeing . And Under their tutelage , we labored to continue a tradition of social excellence and blurred vision which seemed to be quickly vanishing , from the band and the school at large . Though we did our damnedest , we simply could not compete with the new face of the University of Maryland and its police officers who had nothing better to do than hand out citations to kids drinking underage . A courtyards apartment could no longer host a real party . CAs called the police first and asked questions later . I have absolutely no faith in the next generation of band members in the courtyards apartments . I suspect that the ancient ways may be lost forever . That being said , I dare 624 v.7.0 to prove me wrong ! I ' M CALLING YOU OUT . Now , I ' ve moved on to bigger and better things ... THE COX BOX . It 's 2 blocks away where even the long arm of the campus police can't reach , and the beer flows freely . Can't you taste it , even now ? It 's delicious . } . 
void my life , in lyric . ( ) { . Long ago in days of yore It all began with a god named Thor There were Vikings and boats And some plans for a furniture store It s not a bodega , it s not a mall And they sell things for apartments smaller than mine As if there were apartments smaller than mine Ikea : just some oak and some pine and a handful of Norsemen Ikea : selling furniture for college kids and divorced men Everyone has a home But if you don t have a home you can buy one there So rent a car or take the bus Lay your cash down and put your trust In the land where the furniture folds to a much smaller size Billy the bookcase says hello And so does a table whose name is Ingo And the chair is a ladder - back birch but his friends call him Karl Ikea : just some oak and some pine and a handful of Norsemen Ikea : selling furniture for college kids and divorced men Everyone has a home But if you don t have a home you can buy one there Ikea : plywood , brushed steel Ikea : meatballs , tasty Ikea : Allen wrenches All of them for free All of them for me I m sorry I said Ikea sucks I just bought a table for 60 bucks And a chair and a lamp And a shelf and some candles for you I was a doubter just like you Till I saw the American dream come true In New Jersey , they got a goddamned Swedish parade Ikea : just some oak and some pine and a handful of Norsemen Ikea : selling furniture for college kids and divorced men Everyone has a home But if you don t have a home you can buy one there - johnathan coultan . } . 
void failure to blog ( ) { . it happens . but anyhow , as someone who really doesn't give too much of a crap about classic movies i figure this is a valuable resource . http : // www . afi . com / tvevents / 100 years / quotes . aspx # listnow i ' ll atleast know what i ' m ripping off when i quote quotes that i know are quotes but don't know who wrote the quote . } . 
you ' ll excuse me if i ' m not overwhelmed by the technical prowess of the people who stranded me in the first place . real automotive visionaries , taking every set of keys for a car you weren't using . that combined with the fact that you readily admitted having no idea what you 're doing anyway . i ' ll read my fucking owners manual , christ . it ' ll bring me up to speed on your vast mechanical knowledge . but seriously , thanks . get that car working so i can take all of my earthly posessions with me into a split level that i ' m sharing with four other people . i know you really need that second den . did you want to come in ? you didn't ask . } . 
void Back ( ) { . Here I go , trapped in the kit kat again . Back through the system with the riff raff again . Fiends on the floor , scratching again . Paparatzi s with their cameras , snapping them . The Disrict Attorney tried to give me the shaft again . Half a mil for bail , because I m African . Jay , your words resonate within me stronger than ever . Been back to AAI for 3 weeks now . i ve been spamming Gamma Xi s listserve with random internet stuff , detailed information about my pee schedule and those who share it , and other miscellanea . Just realized that here would be a much better venue . Overtime is no longer our time . : o ( Lady Terps went to Europe this last week . Didn t they do that last year ? Maybe I m thinking of the Menfolk . Anyhow , it sounds like they had a grand time . But they played 4 exhibitions while they were over there . 2 of them went to overtime and our record in those two games was a mere 1 - 1 . How unsightly ! Hopefully this was more of a case of them getting it out of their system than a long - term trend . I also get the impression we were playing hurt . Though the article doesn t go into details , it mentions Shay Doron leading from the bench or something . They re selling Shay jerseys on the umterps website !! Which probably means they ll be in the union next year . I m not sure if a womens basketball jersey is right for my tough guy image , But I don t really have a say in the matter of its purchase . I don t even know if they re fit for men . } . 
Week 7 . This week for me was all about getting ready for VBS . This week I went to hardware stores , places that make signs , made different decorations , and on and on . I am defintely looking forward to VBS this year , I have been involved in VBS at Tri - City over the past five years so I feel like an old pro at this . Only thing different this year is that I have alot more responsibilties to take care of . The highlight for this this week really did not have anything to do with Kids 4 Truth . On Tuesday July 11 th I went back out to Amazing Grace Baptist Camp to see my former youth pastor Morris Gleiser . It was great to see him again . Pastor Gleiser is a man that means so much to me , if I could be half the man that he is I would be happy . He has such a love for teenagers that just pours out in his preaching . It was also fun to see the camp staff again since I was at Amazing Grace two weeks ago . The staff is pretty small so I got to know alot of them and I know I consider them as friends . This upcoming week should be interesting as I will be headed off to the Oaks in Iowa for a week of camp up there . So I kind of get to get away from all the VBS stuff for a week . 
Week 6 . This last week was the first time in while that I did things at the Kids 4 Truth office because I had been at camps the last three weeks . On Monday and Tuesday July 3 rd and 4 th I had a couple of days to relax because of the 4 th of July . It was nice to just sit back and catch my breath after the last crazy three weeks . It was also nice to have some family from Texas come in for the 4 th of July . Then on Wednesday July 5 th I went into the Kids 4 Truth office to get back to work . I basically started to do some work for the VBS at Tri - City . On Thursday July 6 th I started laminating some medallions and things for VBS . Then on Friday July 6 th I went to Lowes and Home Depot to look for some wood that I am going to use to build a castle and catapult for VBS since the theme is Journey to Knighthood . Right now it is becoming obvious to me that the next four weeks before VBS is going to be extremely busy . 
Week 5 . Well this last week was my last week of camp in my 3 week camp tour , although I will have one more week of camp in a couple of weeks at The Oaks in Iowa . This week was a good week , but at the same time a tough week at Amazing Grace Baptist Camp . I do not know what was going on but the kids were having a hard time listening to Bob Roberts speak at the beginning of the week , and it felt like there was a deadness at that camp site . It was really strange . I talked to one of the counselors at Amazing Grace and I asked him how is week was going and he said it was going okay , but there was a cloud kind of hanging over the camp . I began thinking about it and realized that Satan was putting up a fight . On Thursday night Bob came over to my room and we prayed together and asked God to do a work in the kids lives . So on Friday night after Bob had preached the camp had a testimony service . I did not what to expect I was kind of wondering if God had worked in any lives , but kids began to get up and say how they were going to put God first in their lives and kids got up saying they got saved . God still works and it was just encouraging to see that he can work in spite of us . 
Week 4 . What another great week of camp ! This week I was at The Wilds in North Carolina with Bob Roberts as he preached in Junior Boot Camp . It was a great week and I learned alot . On Tuesday June 20 th I got to meet with the director of Junior Boot Camp at the Wilds Tim Meals and ask him question about camp ministry . It was a very insightful time for me to ask some questions about camp ministry and to get some answers . Along with hearing Bob Roberts speak to the juniors I also got to go down to the teen camp and hear Evangelist John Goetsch speak to the teens . The highlight of the week had to have been during the junior camp testimony time on Friday morning June 23 rd . Bob was taking testimonies at the beginning of the service and a boy stood up to give a testimony , and at the beginning of the week this kid was just a mess . He did not want to be at camp and wanted to go home . Well Friday morning he stood up and said that he got saved , and then he told Bob that he was his brother in Christ . It was just neat to see how excited this kid was about being born again . Another highlight of the week was on Thursday afternoon June 22 nd . I was able to go to the teen testimony time of the teens from Tri - City . It was great to see teenager after teenager from my church get up and say how they were going to be different when they got home and how they were going to deal with sin specifically . Well , I ' ve got another week of camp coming up again this week at Amazing Grace Camp in Ottawa Kansas , and I can't wait to see what God is going to do again . 
Week 3 . Wow ! What a week ! On Sunday June 11 th I was excited about heading down to Southland Christian Camp in Ringgold LA , but I had other duties I had to take care of before I left like packing . Let me just say this I hate packing ! Anyhow I got that out of the way . I then went up to Tri - City and helped pack and load the bus , as well as help any junior campers with anything they needed . Then at the Kids 4 Truth meeting at Tri - City I had the priveledge to preach . I preached a message on sin and how it passed down to us from Adam . After the Kids 4 Truth meeting I quickly changed clothes and loaded some things onto the bus . Finally at 9:00 pm we had the parent meeting for all the parents of the junior campers . My job at this meeting was to get up and make the parents feel at ease that there kids were going to be okay and safe . I also read off the names of the campers and the assitant counselor they were with . We finally got on the bus and headed for Southland . On Monday June 12 th at about 11:30 am we stopped at a park in Minden , LA so the kids could run around at a playground eat some pizza , but mostly to kill time before we got to Southland . At about 1:30 we arrived at Southland and got settled in . I was an assitant counselor helping out a counselor there by the name of Adam Farmer . Needless to say it made for an intresting week having two Adams as counselors . I had 7 boys in my cabin , 3 of which were from Tri - City : John Harris , Ben Rippee , and Matthew Sheeley . The highlight of my week was on Tuesday night June 13 th when I had the opportunity to lead a 12 year old boy by the name of David to the Lord . That night Adam Farmer asked me to give my salvation testimony to the guys in our cabin . So I did and when I was done David asked me if he could talk to me about salvation , and I said sure and took him out onto the porch and shared the gospel with him and he got saved ! The rest of week went great , I got to counsel another guy in my cabin on Wednesday night June 14 th about lying to his parents . What a honor to be used of God and to see him work in lives and changes hearts ! I would not give up anything for this week of camp I just went through . I can not wait to see what God will do this upcoming week of camp as I join Bob Roberts at the Wilds in North Carolina . Please keep on praying for me . 
Week 2 . Well , week 2 was my first full week with my internship at Kids 4 Truth . On Monday June 5 th I began the long process of sorting through a bunch of stuff in the storage closet at Tri - City and seeing what belongs to Kids 4 Truth . Boy , what a mess I made , there was a huge pile of stuff I had to sort through . Then I started taking more World Trade Hope tracts over to the Kids 4 Truth office . Thanks to my good friends Greg Collision and Austin Schroer for helping load the boxes into my car and then putting them on storage shelves at the office . On Tuesday June 6 th I began sorting through the huge pile of stuff I had made the day before . It did not take as long as I thought it would because I had help from my sisters Rebekah and Leah , as well as the help of Sabrinia and Kathrine Collision . Thanks for the help gang . Then on Wednesday June 7 th I finally took the stuff from the pile that belonged to Kids 4 Truth over to the Kids 4 Truth office . Thanks to Seth Kohlstaedt for the help and the company over to Lee 's Summit . On Thursday June 8 th I began working on preparation for the Junior Camp week that was coming up . I had to put together the bus seating assignments as well as the counselor assignments for the bus . On Friday June 9 th I found out that I was going to be preaching in the Kids 4 Truth meeting on the coming Sunday night and spent most of the day preparing and studying for that , as well as sorting through some boxes for Kids 4 Truth . At weeks end I was excited about the upcoming week ahead because I knew that I would be going to Ringgold LA for Junior camp at Southland . 
Week 1 . Well here is my first update for the summer . The first week of my internship with Kids 4 Truth was a short one because I offically started June 1 st . Thursday June 1 st - I offically began my internship with Kids 4 Truth on Thursday . Most of the day I helped Mrs. Ralph put together some information for Tri - City Junior Camp since we are leaving June 11 th . I put the assitant counselor assignments together as well as the seating arrangment for the bus trip down to Southland Christian Camp . Friday June 2 nd - On Friday I spent most of my day at Tri - City moving boxes of World Trade Hope booklets over to the new Kids 4 Truth office . The World Trade Hope booklets are the tracts that Bob Roberts put together following the Septmember 11 th attacks . Thank you to the Tri - City day campers who helped me load the boxes into my car and thanks to Austin Schroer for helping me stack the boxes on shelves at the Kids 4 Truth office . Well that is about it for my first few days with Kids 4 Truth I will post an update at the end of the week once again . Please feel free to leave comments on my blog I ' d love to here from you all . Adam . 
Summer Schedule Is Now Out . My traveling schedule was confirmed earlier this week . So here it is . June 11 - 17 : I will be at Southland Christian Camp and Conference Center in Ringgold , Louisiana for a junior week of camp . I will be going with the junior campers from my home church Tri - City Baptist Church . June 18 - 24 : I will be at the Wilds Christian Camp near Rosman , North Carolina . Where I will be with Bob Roberts as he speaks in the Junior Boot Camp at The Wilds . June 25 - July 1 : I will be with Bob Roberts as he speaks for a week of camp at Amazing Grace Baptist Camp in Ottawa , Kansas . July 16 - 22 : My final trip of the summer will be at a camp in Iowa called The Oaks . This week of camp I get the unique opportunity to serve on staff and help in many different areas of the camp . I will appreciate your all 's prayers , as this will be an extremely busy summer . 
The Media Carta . Sign the Media Carta manifesto and join the online activist network fighting corporate control in the information age . Public access to the most powerful form of communication - the media - is essential for a healthy democracy . " Media Carta is a great personal , intellectual , social , cultural and legal test . It is the freedom fight of our generation . When we win , it will tip the balance of power from corporations to people , from money to ideas . This is the issue of issues , the jam of jams the ultimate struggle for a genuine democracy . A victory here will change everything . " http : // www . mediacarta . org . 
The End of Second Class ( 2006 ) . The End of Second Class is a Nancy Nicol documentary film that portrays the struggle for equal marriage rights in the gay and lesbian community . It documents the lives of three gay couples from Ontario , Quebec and B.C. who challenged the Canadian government to pass legislation in support of same - sex marriage across the country . The story begins at the grassroots level , starting with demonstrations in Toronto and Ottawa , which leads up to the building of a broad coalition of Canadians that fought alongside the gay community . Their fight started with getting the courts and Parliament to recognize the Charter rights for all same - sex couples in Canada . The debate was long and the opposition was well funded . In the film they describe the financing provided by Focus on the Family , a fundamentalist Christian organization that was willing to thwart any effort to let gays marry . They also started a campaign to lobby government to stop the Civil Marriage Act ( Bill C - 38 ) . On July 20 , 2005 , after the bill had already passed in the House of Commons and the Senate , it became law . Making Canada the fourth country in which same - sex marriage was allowed . The film ended with the three couples lawfully marrying their partners and celebrating during Pride Week in Toronto . Now that the Harper government is seeking to re - open the debate on same - sex marriage , there couldn t be a better time for this significant film to remind people how the battle against oppression for gays and lesbians was won and the end of the second class status was achieved . 
Anti - War Demonstration . March 18 , 2006 was a day of international action and mobilization , as it marked the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq . Hundreds of demonstrations took place worldwide in a call to stop the war . In Toronto , protestors gathered in front of the U.S. Consulate on University Avenue . Calling for an end to the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan , they insisted that Canada s current role is not as the peacekeeping nation , but as the aggressor in a U.S. - led goal for dominance in the Middle East . Prime Minister Harper and U.S. President Bush were portrayed as warmongers during the speeches , and on signs that were displayed throughout the crowd . One speaker , a U.S. war resister now living in Canada , Patrick Hart said My enemy is not foreign . My enemy is domestic . His name is George W . Bush . Union , student and activist organizations marched alongside each other to show their opposition to American hegemony by proceeding through downtown Toronto in complete harmony . Their only purpose was to show the world that Canadians do not support any war being waged in their name . 
OPSEU Strike . It is now the third week of the College faculty strike by OPSEU ( Ontario Public Service Employees Union ) members and there has been no resolution . The school year for 150,000 students has been temporarily sidelined , while college faculty try s to negotiate a settlement for their contract with Ontario s colleges . The contingency plan put together by the college presidents , to ensure a completed semester , has been a total farce . The students realized that the only way to end the strike is to deal fairly with OPSEU and address the important issues such as quality education and class sizes . The OPSEU demonstration on Mar.16 was the first time the students took to the streets to show the provincial government that there is widespread support for this strike . OPSEU members and college students marched in solidarity to Queen s Park , where there was a large rally held in front of Chris Bentley s office . Bentley who is the Minister of Training , Colleges and Universities , has been virtually non - existent in getting the two sides to meet and discuss ways to resolve the issues . The students have felt voiceless during the strike , and the rally was one way to make them heard . They presented their concerns with loud chants and large signs , and a few students dressed as chess pieces to signify that an education is not something to play with . Students stood united with OPSEU because they realize that the picket line is where the real issues are being dealt with for Ontario s 24 community colleges . 
Demonstrating Against Israeli Apartheid . The scene at Yonge and Dundas Square on Feb. 18 was one of organization , as local students and activists joined together for a peaceful demonstration . They were there to show opposition to the Canadian government for supporting Israeli apartheid . The rally started with information and motivation . To inform the crowd of the acts perpetrated by the Israeli government to segregate the Palestinian population and to motivate people to boycott the companies that support their agenda . Placards and signs were being held high into the air denouncing the construction of the Apartheid Wall and relating the struggle to that of the black inhabitants of South Africa during the era of apartheid . It was a smooth transition as the rally turned into a march that headed north on Yonge Street . Leaflets were being distributed to pedestrians on the sidewalk as the marchers made their voices heard to those who were willing to listen . As they proceeded to Bloor Street , the woman on the megaphone was uniting everyone with chants such as End Israeli apartheid , Occupation is a crime ! and Justice can t wait , one person , one vote , one state ! The demonstration ended at the Israeli Consulate , where the protestors were met by Toronto Police . The situation was handled well by the organizers and the crowd dispersed shortly after they were congratulated for the successful march and leafleting . For more information , check out www . endisraeliapartheid . net . 
Post - Election Strategy . The post - election strategy of Canadians has to be one of unification . Everyone from all sides of the spectrum must unite to combat the right - wing agenda of Prime Minister Stephen Harper . Even though it seems that Harper has moderated his stance throughout the election , the reality is that he has kept his party confined on all of the important issues . Harper s strategy of government accountability has been non - existent with his cabinet appointments of Liberal Party defector David Emerson , and the unelected financier / lawyer from Quebec , Michael Fortier . Canadians must not become disenfranchised with the results of the election . The Conservative Party may be the new government in Canada , but they are a very fragile minority in Ottawa . Besides , it may be better for the country to have the Liberal Party take some time to restructure after spending 13 years in power . 
Election Alternatives . 2 of 2 Fortunately Canada is not a two party system and there are alternatives in this election . Jack Layton and the NDP is one example . Layton has shown that he was willing to work with the minority government in parliament to get results . To make sure that Paul Martin was addressing the needs of working families in Canada . Now the issue is why vote for the NDP when Layton himself has become far too reliant on the Liberals to get things done . In Quebec there is another option , and that is Gilles Duceppe and the Bloc Quebecois . Duceppe is the longest serving federal party leader in Canada , so he knows how to campaign and win votes . The Bloc must try and gain more seats in the House of Commons by persuading people not to vote Liberal . Then Duceppe can push for a referendum and seek sovereignty for all of Quebec . The Greens are also a valid choice in this election . Jim Harris and the Green Party represent something that most Canadians feel is a major issue in their country , and that is the environment . Harris plans to cut emissions and improve air quality while surpassing the Kyoto objectives . Even though Harris has been left out of the televised leader debates , his Green Party is gaining momentum throughout the country . 
What follows is a short series of photos unearthed from a Carb archive . This one here was snapped by Jake in Moab . It is probably my favorite photo of all time . It says so much about so little , or so little about so much . One might surmise that EVERYTHING began at this moment . 
This is the house that Tate is building . It 's unbelievable ; a monster of simplicity , style and proportion ... just like Tate . To get there , drive over the mesa , through the middle over nowhere , and into the juniper forest . It ' ll be the fascinating log , hay , stone and concrete structure on your left . 360 degree views , You can't miss it . 
Nothing is as romantic as two days of rain in the desert . We ventured a long weekend in Goblin Valley State Park , Utah . If you ' ve never been , go there . Except for the flash floods , we had a blast ! 
We found this guy on the street . Said his name was Brutus , from the Adirondacks . Just ramblin west , lookin for work . We put him up for a couple days , fed him three hots and a shower . Once he sobered up , he could put on one hell of a hoedown ! 
The Simple Life is truly enigmatic . We are so easily sucked in to our own worlds , aren't we ? What was once mysterious becomes crystal clear -- and things that once seemed normal are now so strange . The lines blur between real and imaginary , especially among friends . Talon has a robot - elephant friend , a little bug , and this guy . Wiki Wiki . 
To Eliot A . well you 're something aren't you ? sure know what you wantyou express and you loveand impress all your thoughtsmostly you 're happyshown by your shy smilebut somtimes you 're angryscreams heard for a miledon't know much about youonly that you are freefrom the smallest delusionsyou 're raw possibilityi adore to wonderwhat you will becomean inventor , dissentor , leader of the free worldand then someit 's already happentingbefore my eyesat eight months your head 's upscanning the skiesyour strength is becomingfrom your legs to your neckmay your ship sail straight , Elion the shoals never wreck . 
We certainly didn't miss the fall colors this year . We drove all through western CO to find this place . Up the Crystal Valley , over Mc Clure Pass , Down the North Fork of the Gunnison River , over the Black Canyon , Up Cimarron Creek to this Place : Silver Jack Res . Here 's Tate and Julie takin ' the T - man on a paddle . ( If you zoom in you can see him dragging his fingers through the water ) . 
Happy Birthday to Me ! Wow ! Would ya look at that ? I ' m THIRTY ! Par tradition , we rode the Glenwood Canyon as a family for my birthday . Three Hours of Bliss . And I ' ll tell ya , I felt like a young spring chicken . 
After Tate 's wedding , we had the distinct pleasure of hosting J - Mar , my best man , for a couple days . He came with us on the Canyon bike tour . Here he is with his little buddy throwing rocksinto the Colorado . 
This is what happens when you let your toddler play with your Camelbak before nap time . Overhydration + Relaxation = Huggies Oversaturation . We laughed at this for too long before finally releasing it . Hilarious . 
This Simple Life VII. This Simple Life VIIHOOO - WEE ! Summer 's rollin like a ' 77 Malibu on Route 66 . Soft ride , plenty of space , way too fast . Carbondale feels good , as any home does after being away for a while . We ' ve ventured on a few camping trips , and one road trip to Big Sky for a friends ' wedding . But mostly we ' ve been here in Carb - dale . Three rivers and endless trails , fun mountain music festivals , fresh veggies and grilled meat , road trips to magic places . It 's been a summer full of action and relaxin ' ; just the way we like it . I have been busy cleaning windows ( my summer gig ) and teaching English night classes . I ' m mad about my mountain bike and kayak . These enable me great adventures in short bursts , calming my wild spirit and allowing me to function normally in everyday situations . In between , I have found many long afternoons to play with action heroes , trains and mini - footballs . My sweet bride is strong and beautiful as ever . She 's found her groove as a mother , and proves adept at taking good care of us guys -- nurturing and feeding us , not putting up with our B . S . , and making us laugh every day . She spends her time outside with the boys , walking with friends , or in the pool . Never an open water - girl , she swam her first mile yesterday ! Continuing to possify the impossible , that 's my girl . Eliot is growing fast and coming alive . He 's in a perpetual state of googling wonder , and offers a huge smile to anyone who stops to say hello . He just lays wherever we put him , in wide eyed amazement , marveling at things like ceiling fans , paper , wind chimes , ribbons and grass . Nothing like the eyes of an infant to remind us of the miracles we walk amongst every day . He 's darn cute , too . Talon continues to be , well , TALON . Floating around like a kung - fu butterfly ; taking in and taking on everything he comes across . He 's in full - parrot - mode , trying on words five at a time . Despite his apparrent distractedness , he is a two - foot learning machine . For example , on Thursday he learned three new things ; 1 ) How to peel a banana 2 ) How to do a somersault , and 3 ) How to start the car . He loves me and remains my trusty sidekick . I can hardly imagine a world without him . Despite his very small stature , he seems to hold everything up . That 's Us . More and more , I feel like an ordinary guy living an ordinary life . Life is ordinary , but so extraordinary , isn't it ? . We 're just happy to be healthy and happy and part of such a incredible tribe . Mountains of love to all y ' all . 
Here is how they look today . I can't believe it . Seems like just yesterday I was biking through South Dakota , as alone as ever . Now I have this . - Aaah -- Life is such a wonder , can you see it in their eyes ? 
robert adam and courtney parks carballeira . i thought i should post some real photo 's of my new family . so here are a few classics . this one was taken in brazil , on the night travis and mari were married . interestingly , it was likely the same day our second son was invited to life . 
Could I have asked for a better example to follow as a DAD ? It 's no wonder I have such a love for dirt , zerberts , sunshine and a general good time . I can only hope to instill the same values in my own sons . Happy father 's day Dave ! 
So today is my dad 's birthday . Here he is looking his best , sometime in the seventies . What a guy . I truly admire him , as his whole life has been one relentless endeavor of serving others and making people smile and laugh . In the crazy , serious and ultra - fun moments of life , nobody keeps it real like my dad ! 
The fish hat comes out at regulaer unspecified times . Sometimes he wears it in the middle of the night , and wals into our room crying from a nightmare . Sometimes he insists it provides the best sun protection on seriously hot days . Here , he dons the special fish hat while sprinting naked through the house late at night . 
We went down to Cedaredge to visit Tate and Julie this weekend . Fred and Dana showed up , too , with their little baby Calen . We ended up meandering the golf course playing with the glo - frisbee . Some things change , some things stay the same ... 
AAAhhh .... Life in the Roaring Fork Valley . This is our lovely town of Carbondale . Cuurently , our town motto is , " A Great Place to Be . " Town Council is considering changing it , though , to " The crossroads of Adventure , " or " On the Way to Aspen . " Yes , it 's a quirky place , but easy on the eyes , eh ? Come visit anytime . We ' ll be here . 
Simple life VII. Greatest people . Aloha . Here 's to Spring , my favorite season . May it bring us all a sumoportion of health smothered in love with a side of good cheer . We Carbondalians fare well . A bit tired , but content , in a dreamy , frenziedsort of way . I am back to work ; wringing poems from spastic teens , Cora is learningthe art of stewardship to the tiny . She hands them to me twice a week and takes a hike . I , in turn , escape on my bike for my Hour of Adventure . Nothing renews me like a face - full of sweat and reddirt . Everyone in my family seems happier outside . Baby Eli is incredible . Already I can see that the older brother is the freespirit while the younger is the old soul . He has a quiet wisdom . In spite of his tiny squirminess , He seemsstrong and I feel like the helpless one . He meows , too . He only cries when he needs to , and spends asmuch time as possible with The Boobs . Mostly he just sleeps or sits looking around turning everyone tobutter . Talon fares forcefully . Like the rest of us , he is adjusting to the fourness . He helps out though , and talks a lot , mostly in his own alien language . Talon nowrefers to himself as DAR ! I thinks he finds it more powerful - sounding than Talon , in a professionalway . It does get the point across . DAR JUICE ! , KISS DAR ! or DAR GRRRR ! He mostly justruns , with his flaming white hair , and makes sound effects to accompany the high - action - dramabeing played out in his tiny head . So the new family is off to a smooth and rocky start . We recieved so manythoughtful trinkets and good wishes from everyone , and massive amounts of food . So , thanks . It 's sure nice tobe part of a tribe . Fresh spring blossoms of solace to all ya ' ll . Adam . 
Tribute to my first born . I Searched I sifted the sands of a hundred lost beaches Of shades near night to bright white I sunk hours of silence into deep rumination And prayed for what I thought was right I plodded through piles of poems and prose ; I picked apart fortunes of verse I tripped through kingdoms unknown in this world Lived one life blessed and one cursed I mustered more mountains than I can rememberrode rivers , seas waves and fresh snow Traversed deserts and forests and cities and islands In search of what I didn't know . Then unexpected , when I looked awayyou found me from the other side And all of the answers to my fervent questionswere perfectly clear in your eyes . http : // www . flickr . com / photos / 63612449@ N 00 / 18056022 / . 
38 deaths in 5 years . Child , Youth and Family ( CYFS ) put out a report yesterday that says 38 children under 15 died as a result of maltreatment in the five years to 2003 - very , very sad . ( See : http : // www . radionz . co. nz / news / latest / 200607280853 / 25865759 ) So who 's fault is this . Apart from those who care for the children I think CYFS need to take a lot of the blame . Why aren't they there to make sure these child deaths do not happen ? What are they doing ? I guess their response would be that they don't have enough resources to attend to all the cases around the country . In that case they need to use their resources much more wisely . They need to prioritize better . They spend far to much time on cases where there is only a small threat of any danger . They need to spend most of their time on cases where there is a high threat of danger . Something needs to be done about this pathetic government department . The social workers change about as often as I change my underwear ! This may be due to the stress they 're under , it may be due to something else - maybe due to their training hence their attitudes . CYFS is not looking after this country 's young adequately . 
No more Overlander . After September the daily train between Auckland and Wellington will be gone . ( See : http : // www . nzherald . co. nz / section / story . cfm ? c _ id = 1 objectid = 10393040 ) I must say this is very , very sad . It 's a service that has been running for nearly 100 years . I took the trip myself ( from Otorohanga to Palmerston North ) just last October and I really enjoyed it . I got many spectacular shots with my digital camera - the Raurimu spiral , the Central Plateau , the Rangitikei River , etc. They say that not enough people are using the service so it is not viable to keep it running - perhaps if they lowered the price of the tickets then more people will use it ! Granted it is a long and slow journey , but it is a much better way to travel than by bus ! I find buses so uncomfortable . I thought with the price of petrol as it is more people would take advantage of the train . Cars and buses run on petrol / diesel - the trains run on electricity ! Doesn't make sense to me ! I think the cancellation of this service will affect some of the small towns along the main trunk line , for example the town I live in - Otorohanga . The small railway station in Otorohanga has just had a big facelift and a new cafe has opened up inside it - I bet he ' ll be kicking himself now ! I really hope this line will be used for some sort of train service in the future - this country needs it ! 
Italy wins World Cup 2006 . The soccer World Cup for 2006 is all over with Italy winning the final against France this morning in Berlin . I thought I ' d just jot down a few of my comments about this year 's tournament . First of all good on Australia for how well they did in the World Cup . I know there is a lot of sledging between Australia and New Zealand when it comes to sport but it was good to see them do well - getting through to the second round ( even though half their team are Croatians ! ) Now there 's a few matches in the Quarter Finals I ' d like to comment on . I wasn't too fussed who won this tournament - as long as it wasn't England ! I just can't stand the English soccer team . I know there are a lot of English soccer fans in NZ but I am not one of them ! So when England was beaten by Portugal I was very , very happy ! The two teams that I like , Germany and Argentina , faced off in the quarter finals . It was hard to accept that a game as big as this would come as early as the quarter finals . Germany won this one so I thought it was time now to support them through to the end . France beating Brazil was a little bit of a surprise , but I guess this wasn't South America 's year . ( I think for most of the World Cups a European team has won it if the tournament was held in Europe and a South American team has won it if it was held in the Americas ) . In the semi - finals I was very shocked when Italy beat Germany - especially when they scored their two goals in the last two minutes ! I really thought Germany would go all the way , and so did the crowd in the stadium that day . I think Germany was just killing time until the penalty shoot out because they knew they would have a good chance of winning that , but they did not bet on Italy scoring twice in the last couple of minutes of extra time ! In the other semi - final I thought it would be good to see Portugal win as they have never won a World Cup , but France won that one . And that brings us to this morning 's final - Italy v France . The score was still 1 - 1 after extra time , and this meant a penalty shoot out which Italy won 5 - 3 . Now I don't think a World Cup final should be decided on a penalty shoot out - it 's a much too important match to be decided upon in this manner . Perhaps they should bring in the " golden goal " where the first team to score after full time wins . True the game may go on for a very long time , but if the teams knew that the golden goal was in place they may try harder to score in extra time instead of hanging out for the penalty shoot out . Anyway , congratulations Italy , and roll on South Africa 2010 !! 
Is Kim Jong - Il still " ronrey " ? North Korea tested 7 missiles on Tuesday . ( see www . cnn . com ) Countries such as USA , Australia , Japan , and Britain have spoken out against these missile tests . But is North Korean dictator Kim Jong - Il ( and his brother Men - ta - ly Il ) going to be concerned about this and put a halt to his missile testing - I don't think so ! I wonder if USA will attack North Korea like they did in Iraq . Nope , I doubt it . Why ? No oil ! And now a quote from George W Bush ( Milwaukee , Wisconsin ; October 3 , 2003 ) " See , free nations are peaceful nations . Free nations don't attack each other . Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction . " . 
I ' m in the newspaper ! We went to Fieldays at Mystery Creek in Hamilton on Saturday and a couple of Waikato Times reporters came up to us . They took a picture of our daughter which is in tonight 's Waikato Times newspaper , and you can see the article here : http : // www . stuff . co. nz / stuff / waikatotimes / 0,2106,3705408 a 6579,00 . html . 
Free Digital TV in New Zealand . Sometime next year in New Zealand there will be a free digital TV service . TVNZ , Can West , and Maori TV have got together to provide up to 18 free TV channels . ( See : http : // www . nzherald . co. nz / section / story . cfm ? c _ id = 1 objectid = 10386824 ) The catch ? Well of course there 's a catch . Viewers will need to fork out from $ 200 - $ 400 for a set - top box to receive the signal , as well as more money for a dish ( or decent antenna ) if they don't have one of those . So far the only confirmed channels on this new service will be TV One , TV 2 , Tv 3 , C 4 , Trackside , and Maori TV - whoopee , hold me back ! Not much of an offering to pay up to $ 400 for is it ! We can already receive these channels free - to - air through normal TV transmissions , and they can be received on Sky Digital anyway . There needs to be an incentive for people to depart with there money to get a set - top box . True analogue signals may be switched off in 6 - 10 years time , so people could wait till then , but what about now ? Apparently TVNZ will have 6 of the channels and Can West ( TV 3 ) will have 6 of the channels . So what will they show ? They ' ll probably just have the same crappy TV programmes but at different times of the day - whoa , I can't wait for Dancing with the Stars to be on more than once a week ! There will need to be some decent channels like Britain 's Freeview TV ( see http : // www . freeview . co. uk / ) . Hope Prime TV signs up , but now they are owned by Sky TV this may not happen . How will this affect Sky Digital ? Hope the free - to - air channels are still on their service , otherwise we may have to purchase the new Freeview set - top box - especially for people in bad reception areas . The media is talking about this new digital TV service as a new revolution in this country . It 's not ! Sky TV has been around for 16 years and almost half of that time with their digital service . We already have over 40 channels available to us on a digital / satellite platform and a lot of good channels too . Can't see at this stage how Freeview will be any better ( unless you take money into account . ) But with all these new channels next year I bet NZ television will still treat top quality shows like crap . The prime example - Star Trek ! Currently Prime TV is only showing a couple of Star Trek shows on Sunday mornings . In other countries around the world all the series of Star Trek are been shown often on various TV channels . Let 's hope Freeview TV provides some good quality TV channels for the NZ audience for a change - yeah right ! 
It 's getting ha in here ... would be a good name for Wierd Al 's next album , unless he 's dead , in which case R . I. P . buddy . So I was at the Gap the other day - what can I say , I ' m a label whore - and I saw a cool reversible shirt . Reversible clothes always take me on an emotional roller coaster because at first I get all excited thinking : how cool is this , it 's like two shirts in one , and then I get all angry because I wonder why all my clothes aren't reversible ? What a waste . Here are five jokes I wrote last week . Imagine them being read at a desk by faux - news anchors . Earlier this week former 98 Degrees singer Drew Lachey and dance partner Cheryl Burke won the latest installment of Dancing with the Stars , prompting executives at ABC to rename the show Dancing with the ( finger quotes ) Stars . It was announced this week that Hilary Swank will serve as both muse and spokesperson for a new fragrance by Guerlain to be launched later this year . The fragrance will have all the characteristics of a cologne but turns out to be a perfume . A new poll has named Psycho Path in Traverse City , Michigan and Divorce Court in Heather Highlands , Pennsylvania , as the nation 's weirdest street names . In a related story determining the nation s weirdest street names was voted as the second dumbest reason to poll people - the dumbest being : determining the dumbest reason to poll people . Sid Smith , a 95 year - old Texas man , is running for Congress . Smith says he s eager to represent the concerns of the elderly in Washington , so long as he doesn t have to take one of those fancy , new - fangled flying machines to get there . Porn star Savanna Samson is creating her own line of wines . For younger less experienced drinkers there will be Barely Legal Zinfandel and for those craving a nice full bodied wine , look for the bottles labeled I want that Pinot inside me . Sorry if your knees are sore from all that slapping those jokes might have inspired . I ' ll leave you with this provocative question : did you guys enjoy the Oscars ? 
Saddle Settle - in . Here it is everyone , my highly anticipated second blog entry during Black History Month . Quick side note - what do you think is the minimum acceptable number of people you can address with the word everyone ? Can you say " listen up everyone , " when you are trying to get the attention of three people ? Five ? I suppose a boisterous five ( six if you include yourself ) could warrant an " everyone . " I guess this turned out to be more of a side note than a quick side note depending on your reading speed . Speaking of reading speed , I ' m somewhat of a slow reader and I ' m sure I ' m not the only one who doesn't always create a cool breeze with my page turning quickness . That being said , how much did it suck back when we were in school when your teacher would have you read a short story or an article or something at the beginning of class and then start the discussion of the assigned reading when you weren't even halfway finished ? I could deal with being clueless about a discussion in class when it had to do with reading I chose not to do ( and deal with it I often did ) but it 's a whole different situation when you 're getting punished just because you don't read as fast as Dr. Bookworm T . Speedreader thinks his or her students should be able to read . Some teachers thought they were considering all of their students in these situations by asking the class aloud " How are we doing , are we almost done ? " At which point slow reading bastards such as myself had to decide how shamefully behind the average pace they were and whether or not it would be humiliating to admit that you aren't ( even close to ) finished yet . If a courageous slow poke did speak up , most teachers would take this as a cue to wait an additional thirty seconds before commencing the discussion . I guess teachers are instinctively paranoid and assume that their students are constantly trying to waste valuable class time , but on behalf of all slow readers I must say we don't appreciate the public reading race to start off the class . Any teachers reading this please adjust your lesson plans accordingly . So February is a short month huh ? I think landlords ought to give all tenants at least a $ 20 discount on rent in February . The difference between 30 and 31 days in a month is negligible but 28 ? That 's an insult to the institution of months . So how about sliding a crispy Andrew Jackson underneath all the doors , Vicente ? What do you say ? Speaking of crispy Andrew Jackson 's I think breaking a twenty is much , much easier than people would like to believe . How often do you go out to a meal with a group of friends and the bill works out to something like $ 13 per person ( a reasonable breakfast ) and somebody inevitably says " I ' ve got $ 9 or Twenties , " hoping or expecting that the nine bucks will suffice . Let 's see , you can put in four bucks less than you owe or suffer the burden of breaking a sacred twenty . Hmm , that 's a tough call , but I ' m going to have to say use the twenty , every single time . I think the reluctance to break the twenty is difficult to overcome but I think that societially , if we work on it , we might enjoy more equitable bill divisions at the delicious meal known as life . Some people enjoy a good tongue twister . In fact one year and eleven days ago I made up my own tongue twister on this very blog . It 's : What 's a synonym for cinnamon ? Stupid because there are no synonyms for cinnamon ? Indeed . Nonetheless decent as far as tongue twisters go ? Also true . Some of you may not like tongue twisters so I ' ve decided to write a couple of tongue uncoilers . They 're like tongue twisters except there is nothing difficult whatsoever about rapidly repeating them several times . Check ' em out : 1 . Both of those cupcakes are mine .2 . What do you mean the banister is not for sale ? 3 . Give that cougar its moustache back ! Could those have been any easier ? Enjoy what remains of February and take March like a man regardless of your gender . 
Needless Complications . Hi . I ' m about to write a little tidbit about friendster , I ' m not going to explain what it is so if you don't know feel free to do some research on your own and then come back and continue reading . Your welcome for my permission to do so . So when you create your friendster profile one of the options for status ( in addition to single , in a relationship , domestic partnership and married ) is " it 's complicated . " Even if your relationship status doesn't fit neatly into one of the other options , is an internet community like friendster really the type of forum to stamp yourself as somebody with relationship issues . I can't imagine anybody looks at a person 's profile , see 's that the person has selected " it 's complicated " and says " hey , of all these random people here to try to forge a relationship of some sort with why don't I pursue this person who 's made it clear that his / her most intimate relationship is really messy . " Why even have that as an option friendster ? Nobody wants to know about difficult relationship situations in this arena right off the bat . While your at it Friendster , next to the favorite books , tv shows and movie sections in your profiles why not add a most scarring childhood experience that still plagues you to this day section ? Okay , I ' m done scolding you friendster , you 're overwhelmingly a positive figure in my life , I just think it 's silly that anybody would ever announce on their profile that their relationship is complicated , but that probably intrigues some other people because let 's face it people are twisted . From now on when anybody asks me a question that can be answered in percentages I ' m going to give very specific breakdowns . For example , if inquiring minds wanted to know : " Hey Adam , what do you think the chances are that you are going to end up going to DC in two weekends ? " I would say " 72 - 28 , maybe 74 - 26 if the forecast is favorable . " People only seem comfortable quantifying the chances they will do something when it 's a complete toss up , 50 - 50 if you will , but I think it 's time to start quantifying more situations and doing so with unbelieveable precision . When somebody asks you a question that can be answered in percentage chances don't just blurt out random figures , hold up a finger to let them know you need a second then use your finger in the air with your eyes closed as if you are calculating a complicated problem . Finally arrive at a total that isn't rounde to the nearest 5 or 10 , hell don't even have it add up to 100 . Do I think I ' m going to go out tonight ? It 's possible , I ' d say I ' m about 63 - 51 in favor right now . Well I think it 's safe to say we 're all dumber for having read that nonsense . Now if you ' ll excuse me , I ' ve got all sorts of really important things to do now . Until another day in Black History Month , Adam . 
Sonic 's got it ... but nobody wants it . The fast food chain Sonic has a pretty enormous advertising budget when you consider the fact that nobody I ' ve ever met has ever seen one let alone eaten there . Have any of you guys ever dined at a Sonic ? Or perhaps it would be more fitting to ask , have any of you have allowed any Sonic to pass through you ? Most fast food commercials can at least make their food look appetizing with the magic of television , but in all Sonic ads the Sonic fare looks positively inedible . Might that be the first time the phrase Sonic fare has been used ? Does anybody even know what I ' m talking about ? Nevermind then . In other news , remember that sore throat I wrote about a couple days ago ? C ' mon concentrate , now do you remember it ? Well , it 's gone , but a killer cold has taken it 's place . If snot were money I ' d have a ridiculous amount of cash crinkled up in tissues in my wastepaper basket . By the way , wastepaper basket is easily the best of all the countless names for a trash receptacle . There are far more words for trash cans or rubbish bins or garbage or what have you than need be . Can't we all agree on the superiority and unnecesary wordiness of wastepaper basket ? Good , then it 's settled . Alright , I gotta go to the ATM ( a . k . a . blow my nose ) Later . 
Jokes Taste Good . What 's cracking everybody ? I ' m battling a slight sore throat . I ' ll be sure to keep you updated on how things progress on that front . So this past week I submitted a handful of jokes to be on a tv show but they were not used . I thought some of the jokes were funny so I ' m going to share them with you guys right now . Here they are : According to a new poll 75 percent of Americans say they believe there has been significant progress in achieving Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. s dream of racial equality . Though blacks were more skeptical , it s hard to tell from the poll results because their responses were only counted as 3 / 5 ths of a response . Leyan Lo , a 20 year - old California Institute of Technology student has set a new world record after solving the Rubik s Cube puzzle in 11.13 seconds . With his record time Lo will now have an astonishing 23 hours 59 minutes and 48.87 seconds per day to get a life . Kaylee Reynolds , a 2 - year - old Massachusetts girl , received a jury summons this week . Upon receiving the summons Reynolds promptly filled her diaper with jury doodie I m groaning on the inside too . A new study shows that couples who have a TV set in their bedroom have sex half as often as those who do not unless of course the couples watch nightly re - runs of Coach in the bedroom , in which case they tend to bone the night away - what can I say , T . Nelson makes the ladies hot . Hard to believe any show could deny those zingers right ? Also Kobe Bryant 's ridiculous 81 point performance Sunday night reminded me of some comments he made after he scored 62 points in just three quarters last month against the Mavericks . When a reporter asked Kobe to talk about his performance , Kobe said " You know , it was just special to be part of something like that . " It was just special to be part of something like that ? Isn t that what his teammates are supposed to say ? You can t say it was special to be part of my own amazing accomplishment . That s absurd . Basically what he tried to say was that he was humbled by how fucking awesome he is . Only an athlete would ever say something like that . Imagine if Phillip Seymour Hoffman won the Oscar for Best Actor this year and he said First of all , I just have to say what an honor and privilege it was to share the screen with an actor of my talents . There were times while we were filming when I just had to stand back and say wow , I am so lucky to be witnessing my phenomenal acting ability firsthand . Thanks . I couldn t have done this without me . I look forward to catching each and every one of you guys on the flip side . 
California . I fly out to California tomorrow , where I ' ll be spending the next few days taking the bar exam . It ' ll be nice when it 's over . I fly back Thursday and will have about two and a half weeks to screw around in Michigan until I leave for Honduras where I ' ll be spending the next 10 months teaching at a private Christian high school . 
Tigers . Unbelievable Tigers game tonight . A 10 - 9 victory on a walk - off home run in the 9 th inning by Carlos Guillen . It was the second night in a row that the Tigers have come back to beat KC after spotting them a 4 - 0 lead . The Tigers still aren't getting the respect they deserve from the media for how well they have played this year . Over the all - star break , all the talking heads on ESPN and elsewhere still all picked the White Sox to win the division , and most picked the Yankees to get the wild card . I do have to agree that the White Sox are still the team to beat at this point since they are 5 - 1 against the Tigers this year and are the defending champs . The lack of respect should just give the Tigers added motivation . And it 's always fun to root for the underdog . The body language of the players has been so much fun to observe this season . They are like a bunch of little leaguers . 
Dead Man 's Chest . The reviews I had heard and read seemed rather negative . Too long . Too confusing . Too little Jack Sparrow . Well , I liked it . Thought it was as entertaining as the first one . It could have used some more Jack Sparrow though . Of course , he could have been in all but five minutes of the movie and I would say the same thing . Possibly my favorite movie character of all time . 
Soccer . I kind of found it amusing that Zidane head butted the Italian player in the World Cup final . Most people would have just thrown a punch . It made me wonder if soccer players ever actually use their hands for anything . Maybe they just practice doing everything without using their hands to better prepare themselves as soccer players . Maybe not . I actually played soccer when I was younger , and I was pretty darn good , but I still don't see why the world cup is so popular around the world . It blows my mind that the championship game was decided by penalty kicks . It 's like having the Super Bowl decided by a field goal kicking contest , or the World Series decided by a home run derby . I wonder if a lot of soccer 's popularity comes from the lack of structure and equipment that is needed . Kids from poorer countries can just put together a make - shift ball and play soccer . If they had the capital and resources to put together more organized youth sports , I wonder if soccer would be as popular . Anyway , I had my last Bar Bri class in Ann Arbor yesterday . So no more commuting . Just studying here in Flushing til it 's time to head out to Cali to take the test . My brother was in town last week . He was studying for his upcoming boards and I was studying for the bar , so we hit the coffee shop circuit . I don't see him very often , so I enjoyed spending some time with him . We are pretty much polar opposites . Our personalties and interests are completely different . Even our tastes in movies and music are completely different . I went through a bit of a guilt trip after he left because I think I was basically a jerk to him through high school , and have been more or less cold since . So , I think it 's time to go out of my way to be nice to him and try to find some common ground that we can relate on . 
Toast : The Story of a Boy 's Hunger . I ran across this while perusing the audio books at the Flint Public Library for something to listen to during my daily commute to Ann Arbor . Nigel Slater is apparently a famous food critic in England , and he focuses his childhood memories in his memoir around his favorite childhood foods . The book got off to a slow start and I considered not finishing the book , but then it got interesting in the same way most memoirs get interesting : tragedy struck . When Nigel was 9 or 10 , his mother passed away , and the book then mostly focuses on his awkward relationship with his father . The audio cd 's were read by Nigel Slater himself , and his British accent made it even more enjoyable . 
Diet Coke and Mentos Geysers . The Extreme Diet Coke Mentos Experiments : " What happens when you combine 200 liters of Diet Coke and over 500 Mentos mints ? It 's amazing and completely insane . The first part of this video demonstrates a simple geyser , and the second part shows just how extreme it can get . Over one hundred jets of soda fly into the air in less than three minutes . It 's a hysterical and spectacular mint - powered version of the Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas , brought to you by the mad scientists at Eepy Bird . com. " . 
Memoirs of a Geisha . Nick and I watched Memoirs of a Geisha last night . I had no idea what this movie was about , but I find Japanese culture fascinating so I wanted to check it out . The plot wasn't all that good , but the cinematography was really cool . 
The Devil Wears Nike . I was a huge Pistons fan growing up , and Isiah was my favorite player . He came across as a kind , outgoing guy with a big smile during his playing days , but a lot of skeletons have come out of the closet since and it seems that most people that have had to personally deal with him basically think he is the devil . He has been the general manager of the Knicks the past few years , and has been completely inept at the job . One Slate writer referred to his Knick handiwork as " the work of some stoned teenager with a Play Station trying to construct the most ridiculous team possible just for laughs . " Anyway , this article from Slate on what makes Isiah tick is interesting , especially the part about his family and formative years . I had a long day of class today , but now have the next four days off . I still have lots of homework and studying to do , but at least I don't have to commute to Ann Arbor and get up at the crack of dawn . 
Draft . The NBA Draft was tonight , which means that Bill Simmons ' annual draft diary will be up tomorrow . Always a good read . Shannon Brown and Mo Ager both went in the late first round , and Paul Davis went in the early second . Pretty much where they were all expected to go . The Tigers keep rolling . They have the third best record in club history after 79 games ( 54 - 25 ) and still have the best record in baseball . The mid - summer classic is less than two weeks away , and it will be interesting to see which Tigers are selected . My predictions ? Kenny Rogers , Justin Verlander , and Pudge Rodriguez . Nate Robertson and Curtis Granderson should get strong consideration as well . However , since every team has to be represented and 7 of the 9 players being voted in play for the Yankees or Red Sox , there might not be enough slots left for all the deserving Tigers . 
Stupid . Governor Granholm vetoed a bill the other day that would have legalized riding a motorcycle without a helmet in Michigan . There is apparently a group that has been fighting for this " right " and is devoting time and money and basing their gubernatorial vote on this . I ' m trying to determine what is more stupid : ( 1 ) riding a motorcyle without a helmet ; or ( 2 ) spending time and money and votes on the issue when there are a few other things going on in the world that are a little more important . 
Chicago . Chicago was a good time . Needed the break from the monotonous task of studying for the bar . The Tigers pounded the Cubs , which made it even sweeter . I ' ve had some second thoughts about whether I made the right choice in signing up to take the California bar . I ' ve been wondering if I would have been better off just taking the Michigan bar and trying to find a job in the Grand Rapids area . It would be nice to be somewhere where housing is actually affordable because I would like to get a house , a yard , and a dog sooner rather than later , and I will definitely miss the fall . I think it 's just cold feet though . I think I ' ll love Cali . I ' m getting some cold feet about going to Latin America as well . I ' m a little concerned that I might get a little lonely and homesick , and it also just pushes back getting a job , a house , a yard and a dog . 
Ugh . I ' m already tired of studying for the bar and I have more than a month of it left . I am getting a reprieve this weekend though . I ' m heading to Chicago to attend the Cubs - Tigers game Sunday at Wrigley Field with BC and his bro . The pitching match - up looks good . Mark Prior might be making his first start of the season for the Cubs , and The Gambler is scheduled to go to the Tigers . I will be bringing my books with me to at least study during the drive there and back . Ugh . 
Which translation of the Bible is the BEST ? Well -- that depends on how you define " best " . Check out this chart from The International Bible Society ( IBS ) : " Best " for some is readability -- more common translations range from the NLT ( New Living Translation ) to Eugene Peterson 's The Message , which is a paraphrase . Others want accuracy -- translated not by thought but rather by word . If the greek says it this way in this order , then you ' ll get the english rendering . This is why I like the NIV . It 's pretty much smack dab in the middle . And , for the sake of my own study , I bounce between the NLT ( to grasp big ideas ) and NASB ( a wooden but faithful translation ) . Some wonder if I like the message , and I guess that I do , but not as Scripture . I see it more as a commentary . And so I use it as such . But what about you , dear blog reader ? What 's your favorite translation of the Scripture ? You do read the scripture , right ? Where do you land on our handy chart ? I ' d really like to know ... and so would the rest of us . Comment away ! 
More memories from Maple Grove Here 's a pic of Ben and I making total fools of ourselves for the sake of Christian Camping everywhere . That 's us , in the ties ( they told the youth guys to " dress up " , I think ) singing a playful song about the Old Testament hero Joseph . Our jobs , as assigned by those that assign such jobs , was to offer " snarky " comments during the song . After Ben and I looked up " snarky " in the dictionary and found , well ... nothing . Of course , we were using an American Heritage Dictionary and Snarky is clearly Canadian . Anyway , we ' ve essentially made sure that we ' d never be invited to get on the stage of the Tabernacle again -- at least not during Family Camp , where almost 700 people once watched Barnes / Davidson Project be snarky . Ah , memories ! Snarky " They 're so Snarky ... " . 
Appearing Productive by wasting time on the internet . Here 's a great link -- Oliver Bot is a computer that " chats " with you . Try it out . You ' ll find that Oliver Bot is a Christian and that he is quite polite . Also a great way to burn 20 minutes . Also -- check out Size Matcher to compare your height to hundreds of celebrities . Turns out that Howard Stern and I are the same height . Whaddya think of that ? The one that really makes you think and annoys you is Oxymoron List . My favorites include " Dodge Ram " and " Microsoft Works " . Enjoy ! 
Pirates Of the Sign - a - stealin ' DATELINE Indianapolis . Authorities are on the lookout for the great " R " stealer . He 's targeting signs for gas stations , churches and others , all with movable message lettering . Here 's the story : wtol . com In totally unrelated news , Long John Silver 's Pirates of the Carribean promotional meal has been a huge success , thanks to the movable message lettering on all restaurant signs . They read : Wait for it ... They read : We didn't steal the __ 's -- promise ! Bet you didn't see that one coming . r Ad . 
To all you Barry Manilow Fans Out There If you 're a big fan of Barry , be sure to catch a flight to Sydney , Australia . It turns out they do a free pre - recorded concert at a local park every night . By the way , they 're playing Barry 's 8 - Tracks as loud as possible in order to drive away the late - night revelers . You can read about it here . 
Back from Canada Getting across the border and back on U.S. soil wasn't as hard as I thought it might be . Murphy 's law being what it is , I forgot to bring my Birth Certificate to Canada . And no , I don't have a passport . But I ' m back , and only had to show my Driver 's License . That 's all it took ! I thought I would have to give the border guard Ben Franklin 's " picture ID " as well ( " Now 50 times better than the 1 dollar bill ! " ) but no need . A quick inspection of the little white trailer as well as a criminal record check and we were clear to go . I ' m sure glad I don't have anything on my record -- especially something that says " be sure to tear apart this yahoo 's car " . I ' m so thankful for a great week at Maple Grove . BDP ( Barnes / Davidson Project ) was honored to host and direct the youth camp . It was a real blast to have the Well Springs along , leading worship and building relationships with the teens . The Lord did " more than we could ever ask or imagine , according to the riches of Christ Jesus . " . 
At Maple Grove Camp Having a great week in Canada at Maple Grove . Their full name is " Maple Grove Christian Retreat Centre , founded by Free Methodists " . BDP & Well Spring are hanging out with the teens of Family Camp , doing the Worship leading / speaking / small group / pointless game thing . And , as always , it 's a blessing to serve in Canada . These campers rock ! Here are those whacky Maple Grovers , standing outside the " Barnacle " ( Barn + Tabernacle ) , where we hold worship services for the teens . It smells like old horse . I ' m blogging from a Flying J in London , Ontario -- which must be the coolest truck stop in the provence ( and maybe the only truck stop , since it 's quite busy ) . Ben and I are sitting in the Trucker 's Lounge at the advice of the nice waitress in the restaurant that gently reminded us that we look like large and angry truckers . I need to shave . Anyway , Canada must love it 's professional darts , since that 's what all the truckers are watching on the big screen . Pray for me & for Well Spring as we prepare to cross the border back into the US ! 
Off to Canada ( it 's the Maple Leaf State ) I ' m making the final preperations for the youth " wing " of Maple Grove 's Annual Family Camp , held in Thamesford , Ontario , Canada . Thamesford is about 40 miles east of London , Ontario -- which translates to over 3 billion Kilometers . Or , to give another landmark , the camp is about 2 hours ( or 7,281 decaminutes ) away from Toronto . Of course , I kid -- poking fun at my own American ignorance . I ' m the camp speaker for the teens , so hopefully they 're ready for that . You know , Canadian kids have their wierd stereotypes for us , too . When I told one camper a few years back that I was originally from Detroit , they asked me ( serioulsy ) " Oh . How many guns do you own ? Are you carrying one now ? " Uh , no . But my car keys are pretty sharp . Emily and the Kids are off for a week at my in - laws during my time at Camp . It 's not that they don't want to go , especially to Maple Grove . I can best express the reason using a simple mathematical equation : 2 Babies Under 2 + No Running Water Nearby + No Air Conditioning + Figuring Out Metric Equivelancy for making Formula = We 're going to my parent 's house ; have a good week . 
rate of change word for the day Velocity ( n ) 1 . Rapidity or speed of motion ; swiftness . My life -- my little world -- is changing at high velocity . Someday I will blog about it , just for the therapeutic value ! Some changes are good . For the first time in a long time , I ' m actaully with my family for more than an hour at a time . This is thanks in part to a less busy schedule ( a lack of 70 - 80 hour work weeks will always free up some time ) as well as a new desire and need to keep my family on the top shelf . Lexi ( my daughter ) and I just went for a bike ride -- me on the 21 - speed mountain bike and her in the trailer : Barbie helmet and all . She ended up with the helmet covering her face ( who actually likes those things , anyway ? ) so we 're still working on getting it to fit right . Either way , it was a good time for her and good exercise for me . Malachi ( my son ) and I had some great floor time today , where I performed a scene from Our Town using nothing but a Pooh Bear and a container of baby wipes . He was , to say the least , entertained . He had that look in his eye that he only gets when he sees fine jewelry or glasses on people -- both of whch he always removes without even being asked . Good times . High velocity change -- praise God for it . 
Last Day of Work . It 's 8:00 in the fucking morning and I ' m listening to some fucking metal at my fucking desk as loud as my fucking laptop speakers can fucking go ! I ' m going to fucking fill the fuck out of some fucking paperwork and fucking answer some fucking phone calls ! I ' m going to pick up the fucking phone and say , " hell - fucking - o ! ? " I ' m going to send some fucking faxes and make some fucking copies . In the fucking hallways , I ' m going to say , " How the fuck are you ? How are the fucking kids ? Fuck yea ! " At the end of the fucking day , I ' m going to take my last fucking paycheck and take it to the fucking bank . I ' m going to cash the fuck out of it and buy some fucking ice cream . 
Golf . I need to work on my golf swing : On this hole , Brion didn't get it past the ladies tee , so he had to play a ' dick - out . ' If you don't play golf , then you might not know what a ' dick - out ' is . I will explain : If you are a guy ( and have a dick ) , and your drive fails to clear the ladies ' tee , you have the play the entire hole with your dick hanging out of your pants . Brion was a good sport by going above and beyond the call of duty and pulled his pants down completely . If you are a girl ( and don't have a dick ) , you are already hitting from the ladies ' tee , so the ' dick - out ' rule does not apply . In our game , Che - na kicked our asses anyway . I don't even know if deers have dicks . If they did , I would probably call them ' deer - dicks . ' . 
First Post ! Let 's test things out , OK ? I ' m going to try to post a picture : It worked ! That 's Polly - dog and my new shoes ! I adopted Polly 4 years ago and I bought the shoes yesterday for $ 27 . Both like to go on walks , but only one needs to be fed and let outside to poop : the shoes . JUST KIDDING ! 
Second Rehearsal . For our second rehearsal , we reviewed the lines -- which are pretty close to memorized -- and worked on blocking for the first time . The actors brought their costume ideas , and I made final decisions on what they will wear . Besides Dixie the cat deciding at one point to join the scene by rubbing the actors ' legs , the rehearsal went well . Above are some pics from tonight . Note that Mike and Tiffany are dressed casual , not in costume . Next rehearsal is at Mellwood Arts Entertainment Center . I ' ve never been there , so I can't wait to see the place . 
Go see " Clerks 2 " ! Let me say from the top that I ' m a huge Kevin Smith fan . I actually saw the first Clerks in a theater during its initial run . The fact that I was a video store clerk at the time ( 1994 ) made it a must - see ; I certainly identified with Dante and Randal . So I ' ve followed Smith on his cinematic journey . Want my ten - second reviews of his oevre ? Clerks . A masterpiece . In the 1990 's , between Tarantino and Smith , there was / is no movie dialogue equal . Mallrats . I think Jason Lee is great , but the rest of the script , acting , etc. is merely ok . Still , I think the criticism of the movie is overdone . Chasing Amy . One of Smith 's best , and I actually like Ben Affleck as an actor here -- a minor miracle in itself . Yet I have issues with the main story point : the beautiful lesbian that " becomes " heterosexual when Affleck reveals his love . This seems more a convenient plot device / fantasy than reality . Dogma . Great on many levels -- it 's a smart movie , guaranteed to get you talking . Sometimes , however , the movie itself is too talky ; a common weakness and strength of Smith 's first movies is dialogue that is so long and literary that line readings can be difficult , even with talented actors like Chris Rock . ( From JASBSB on , he 's finally found a balance in this area . ) And Linda Fiorentino seems uncomfortable in the View Askewinverse . ( Reportedly , she bickered on - set with Smith . It shows . ) Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back . Funny , funny , funny . After Clerks , JASBSB is my second - favorite Smith DVD to pop in and watch . Wil Ferrell 's character is particularly good . But the movie is an elaborate in - joke ; hard to imagine people not familiar with Smith 's previous flicks would enjoy it . Jersey Girl . Since I was becoming a father when this movie came out , I appreciated some of the dad - daughter moments Smith was putting on the screen -- heck , I got teary - eyed a few times . But that 's where my praise ends . It 's schmaltzy , and even without the J . Lo / Affleck post - breakup fallout that doomed this movie when it opened , it 's hard to see how it could have succeeded . My least favorite Smith film . When I heard about Clerks 2 , I was worried . I figured Smith had finally sold out and was shooting a quick sequel for the cash . But , I wanted to give him a chance , and I ' m glad . Clerks 2 delivers : it 's heartfelt without schmaltz , and most importantly , hilarious . One of the smart things Smith does is let his characters age . I didn't realize , until Dante and Randal mention it in the movie , is that they 're my age : 32 . In the first Clerks , they were blissfully breezing through life in jobs that were just enough to pay the bills . In the sequel , they face impending fatherhood , marriage , the prospect of " real " jobs , and friends moving away . I was startled to think how the Clerks movies completely parallel my life . The fact that Smith has melded the warmth of Jersey Girl , the dialogue of Clerks and the fun of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is an achievement . Go see it . By the way , shame on Joel Siegel , who noisily walked out of a New York screening of Clerks 2 just 40 minutes into the movie . ( Interesting that he complained he was leaving because the movie was too vulgar , while using the F word in his out - loud complaint . ) Mr. Siegel , you get paid to watch movies . And apparently , to write atrocious puns in your reviews . Not a bad gig , pal . You have every right to tear the movie apart in your review . Or even leave if you must , if you do it quietly , respecting your fellow audience members / peer reviewers . But really : for all the terrible movies you ' ve sat through and somehow positively reviewed , can Clerks 2 have been that bad ? As for the way you left the screening , let 's put it in perspective . If a teenager had done what you had done in my local theater , he ' d be booed at and considered immature . For a so - called professional , you acted like a child . 
First Rehearsal . Had our first rehearsal for " A Richard Donner Heaven " last night . It went very well . The first half was spent talking about my vision and the emotional spine of the play , and Mike and Tiffany gave their input and questions about the characters . We then did several read - throughs . First we concentrated on the delivery of the words , then I let the actors make natural and spontaneous movements as they read . It 's a good way to get into the play before worrying about formal blocking . Plus , I like the actors to have some freedom about line readings and movement as they discover their words and their characters . When we encounter a point that has multiple interpretations , I ' d rather discuss it with the actors and decide which way to go then to arbitrarily dictate how it must be done in advance . I guess that 's why I ' m not a good chess player . Why play a game if you already know the 50 moves in advance ? Art should surprise you . If I wanted a set of specific responses for every beat of the play , I ' d have to be a puppeteer , not a director . I have a few different philosophies as a director : 1 ) The two most important decisions a director must make is what the central vision of the piece will be , and picking the right cast and crew . I truly believe having the right people on and behind the stage is 70 % of the work . If you ' ve chosen well , the hardest part of staging a production is behind you .2 ) The director must inspire . He or she is the center of the hub , and if he or she doesn't have enthusiasm for the project , no one will . " Inflate , don't berate . " It 's never a waste of time to tell the cast and crew how fantastic they are doing -- while pushing them to do even more spectacular of a job .3 ) Directors should always hold the cast and crew to his or her central vision , but never micromanage their contributions . This is especially true of actors . If a director wants to nitpick every arched eyebrow and emphasized syllable of an actor , you 're stifling their creativity . Plus , you should have just hired robots .4 ) Directors are benign monarchs . Everyone contributes to a show , even the person who sweeps the stage . A good idea can come from anywhere , and when a production is working well , the ideas are flying left and right . However , a production is not a democracy . A good director listens and respects everyone , but ultimately he or she makes the final decision . If your cast and crew respects you , and you make your reasons clear , they should go along with it . Next week I hope to post a few pics from rehearsal . 
DVD Reviews : Libertine , Everything is Illuminated . Occasionally , if I see a new DVD , or hit the movie theater , or see a play , or get a new CD . . . I might drop a mini - review here . What better place , right ? Since our schedule is hectic , and a two - year old can make watching a movie from start to finish a difficult proposition , our DVD buying and viewing has slowed down considerably . What we usually do is this : unless it 's a " must - have , " we usually wait and make a trip once a month to stock up on used DVDs . If we get three or four movies , it might take us a month to watch them , especially during the school year . The well was dry , so I hit Hollywood Video over the weekend . ( I hit Hollywood because I fear the monolithic Blockbuster as the video equivalent of Wal - Mart , and Wild and Woolly Video is too far away . ) Quick bio sidenote : I was a video store manager for Roadrunner Video for 2 1 / 2 years , from right out of high school until not long after I turned 21 . For a young single guy with few bills and only a high school diploma , it was a good gig . Free rentals . Free posters . Free screeners . A trade show trip that had some memorable moments . My district manager and I became friends and we 're still close today . Also , my wife worked there for a short time -- that 's where we met and began dating , which is whole ' nother story .... Where was I ? Oh yeah , I bought Munich , A History of Violence , and Hustle and Flow , none of which I ' ve seen before -- or seen yet as of this posting . I also rented The Libertine and Everything is Illuminated , which we actually were able to squeeze both in over the weekend . The Libertine will make you a Johnny Depp fan , if you 're not one already . I ' ve said for years he 's a genius , and if there 's any justice I ' ll work with him in some capacity ( perhaps as a gopher ! ) before my planetary gig is up . The movie covers the last few years of the controversial Earl of Rochester ( Depp ) , a late 1600 's De Sade - type writer and hedonist He 's ably backed by John Malkovich , Samantha Morton , and some other fine British character actors . The screenplay is based on a play and sounds it ; this is mostly a compliment , especially for Depp 's opening monologue . But the dreary candlelit - and - smoke - monotony of the cinematography ( not to mention the often handheld and strangely loose - focused camerawork ) , while atmospheric , get wearying . The second hour gets more interesting , starting with a shocking play Rochester writes to " honor " Charles II ( Malkovich ) , and as syphillis disfigures Rochester I often forgot it was Depp and got pulled into the Earl 's inevitable demise . Be warned : although this movie has sex and nudity , it is far from sexy or erotic . Overall , the movie has commendable acting and set design , but is only worth the watch if you 're a fan of Depp or the history of late - 1600 's English theater . On the other hand , you must rent Everything is Illuminated , based on Jonathan Safran Foer 's book ( which I have not read , but now wish I had ) . Elijah Wood plays Foer as he goes to the Ukraine to try to find the woman that saved his Jewish grandfather from the Nazis in 1942 . How did this movie get overlooked for Oscars ?? Acting , screenplay , editing , all wonderful , and the story is a moving one . I must give huge props to Liev Schreiber , an actor who I always thought was decent -- but who ever thought he could direct and write ( he debuts in both areas for this film ) ? The screenplay is literary and the direction inventive without being pretentious in either category . Let 's hope he 's another Clooney and gets a second chance to helm a picture . 
Grand Opening . Well , I said I ' d wait until August , but since I had to update my site with a link to a press release I just wrote for the " Live Without a Net " production , I decided to go ahead and kickstart this thing . My site now has links to this very blog . Hilarity shall soon ensue . I ' ll try to post after the first rehearsal . 
Welcome . This Blog contains my short stories and poetry . Please enjoy and comment on my writing . Some have been published , others were written more recently , some are works in progress . ( My other blog , " Opinions and Essays " , is still under development . Materials to be posted there must be finalized . ) Contents : Poetry : Sacred Boundary Old Lessons Silent Blue Windows Prophet Freefall Dove and Phoenix Loss National Hangover Day Strangers : Love Tried Valiantly Storms and Spirits Celebrity Rage and Gluttony So sad , the cannabalistic humanity America the Beautiful The End of Days Short Stories : Passageoctober - 13 - 2684 The Great Gathering Something Strangeuntitled . 
Interpretation . 	 In some ways it 's perfectly reasonable to assume that when two people approach any text in scripture they may interpret it differently . After all , each person has their own baggage , history , and presuppositions that they can never totally distance themselves from . Therefore , it is quite possible for two people to approach a text , both feeling quite certain that they are appoaching it " objectively " and come away with wildly different interpretations . How then , one might ask , can someone tell if their interpretation is the " right " one ? Is it possible that this isn't even a good question ? On one hand , we have 3 pound brains that will forever be reaching for the infinite God . On the other hand , we have the promise of God 's Holy Spirit living in us and guiding us . Scripture has inspired some of the most beautiful and truly good acts in human history and scripture has been used to justify genocide and other things too horrible to mention . Using scripture , some people espouse that God loves everyone while others ( also using scripture ) espouse that God chose some to love and others to hate and condemn . The list goes on and on . I don't presume to have this all figured out . I do , however , believe that scripture works on more than one level . Is it possible that our interpretations of scripture say something about the kinds of people we are becoming ? Could it be that our interpretations function like a spiritual Rorschach test , which clues us in to the kind of heart we are cultivating ? I have to admit that I find it odd that the people who seem the most certain about their interpretations often seem the most un Christlike in their character ( not necc . refering to morals here ) . As important as it is for us to think about how we are interpreting scripture , perhaps we should spend some time reflecting on what our interpretations say about who we are ... how scripture is interpreting us AE . 
" My " Lord 's Prayer . 	 Do you know that passage in Romans that talks about the Holy Spirit interceding for you when you don't know what to pray for ? I find myself in that situation a lot . I use words all of the time , but there are times when , though I am thoroughly convinced of the power and importance of prayer , the words simply fail me . I constantly find myself in situations where I have no idea what to pray for . I found this incredibly disheartening for years ... I felt like I wasn't " good " at prayer . I while back , I read N . T . Wright 's exceptional book Simply Christian , and I ran across this bit of wisdom : " Part of our difficulty here is that we moderns are so anxious to do things our own way , so concerned that if we get help from anyone else our prayer wont be ' authentic ' and come from our own heart , that we are instantly suspicious about using anyone else 's prayers . We are like someone who doesn't feel she 's properly dressed unless she has personally designed and make all her own clothes ; or like someone who feels it 's artificial to drive a car he hasn't built all by himself . We are hamstrung by the long legacy of the Romantic movement on the one hand , and Existentialism on the other , producing the idea that things are authenic only if they come spontaneously , unbidden , from the depths of our hearts ... There 's nothing wrong with having a form of words composed by somebody else . Indeed , there 's probably something wrong with not using such a form . Some Christians , some of the time , can sustain a life of prayer entirely out of their own internal resources , just as there are hardy mountaineers ( I ' ve met one ) who can walk the Scottish highlands in their bare feet . But most of us need boots ; not because we don't want to do the walking ourselves , but because we do . " In context , Wright is proposing " The Lord 's Prayer " ( as well as a few others ) as a form for prayer rather than just an example of one . It 's a form that can be used in exactly the situations I have been describing , not to be passionlessly recited , but to be passionately engaged . In those times ( which I ' ve had a lot of recently ) , I rework Jesus ' prayer . I pour my feelings , situation , faith and need into this form and deep , meaningful prayer comes out on the other side . Normally it winds up sounding something like this : " Our Father in Heaven , May I always revere your Name and hold it in high esteem ... And may I live in a way that causes others to do the same , The desire of my heart is that Your dream for Your creation would come true ... that in both my life and in the world around me , Your will would be reality the same way it is in Heaven , You have always met my needs and I trust that you will lovingly continue to do so , You have forgiven me , Help me to forgive all others in the same way Please guide me away from tempation Save me from the evil one and the evil that seeks to destroy your work in the world and in me , for the kingdom , the power , and the glory all belong to you ( not me ) , and they will be yours forever ( as will I ) . " AE . 
Zondervan is using me ... 	 to help promote NOOMA . I was doing a random search today and ran across an online booklet promoting the NOOMA DVD 's which features a quote from me about how I used one of the films . They contacted me a year or so about this , but I hadn't heard anything about it , so I assumed that nothing came of it . I couldn't be happier , because I really do believe in this resource . CLICK HERE to view the booklet ( click on my name if you want to read my quote ) . I have also been contacted about helping to promote a project called The Voice , which is being published by Nelson Bibles , World Publishing and the Ecclesia Bible Society . It involves a collaboration of several of my favorite authors including Chris Seay , Brian Mc Laren , Lauren Winner , and Greg Garrett just to name a few . The project also includes some of my favorite musicians like Derek Webb . Basically the aim of the project is to bring scripture to life for emerging generations in postmodern culture . I am really excited about this and am already reading The Last Eyewitness : The Final Week , which is the first book to be released in the series . Look for a review of both this book and the accompanying music CD , Songs From The Voice Vol. 1 : Please Don't Make Us Sing This Song in the near future . I highly recommend that you check out all of these resources . AE . 
" The Crazy Eddie of Eternity " . 	 I ' m a youth minister and it 's summer , so I ' m insanely busy . When things slow down , I do plan on writing my own stuff on here again . Even so , I wanted to share with you this beautiful illustration of Grace from Robert Farrar Capon 's book " Kingdom , Grace and judgment " . ( Note : Capon 's stuff is over the top and not for the faint of heart ) . Capon has spent the chapter discussing the parable of the King 's Son 's Wedding ( Matthew 22:1 - 14 ) . He then goes into the following illustration : " What then do I make of , ' Many are called but few are chosen ' ? Just this . The sad truth of our fallen condition is that we don't want anything to do with a system of salvation that works by grace through faith . We want our merits , sleazy though they may be , rewarded -- and we want everyone else 's obviously raunchy behavior punished . We are like pitiful little bargain - hunters going to a used - car lot with $ 265 worth of hard - earned cash in our pockets and looking for the ultimate transport of delight . But just as we are about to give up and go away , the salesman comes up to us with a smile on his face . ' You really want a car ? ' he whispers in our ear . ' Come around to the back of the lot . Have I got a deal for you ! ' And back there , gleaming in the sun is a brand - new Porsche . ' It 's yours for free , ' he says . ' The boss just likes you ; here are the keys . ' Many are called : there is no one in the whole world , good , bad , or indifferent , who isn't walked around to the back of the lot by the divine Salesman and offered heaven for nothing . But few are chosen : because you know what most of us do ? First thing -- before we so much as let ourselves sink into the leather upholstery or listen to the engine purr -- we get suspicious . We walk around the car and kick the tires . We slam the doors . We jump up and down on the bumpers to test the shocks . And then , even if we do decide to take it , we start right in worrying about the warranty , fussing about the cost of insuring a sports car , and even -- God help us -- fuming about whether , if our no - good neighbor came in here , he might be offered a Roles Royce Silver Cloud . But God doesn't help us -- at least not with all that tough - customer routine . He just sits up there in the front office and remains Mr. Giveaway , the Mad Dog Tyson of Parousia Motors , the Crazy Eddie of Eternity whose prices are insane . He gives heaven to absolutely everybody : nothing down , no interest , no payments . And he makes hell absolutely unnecessary for anybody . The only catch is , you have to be as crazy as God to take the deal , because your every instinct will be to distrust such a cockamamy arrangement . You have to be willing to believe in an operation that would put any respectable God out of the deity business . Which , nicely enough , lands us right back at the parable : a king who throws parties any other king would be ashamed of , representing a God who refuses to act like one ; and a hell only for idiots who insist on being serious . " May you delight in the Grace of God that frees you to live in His reality rather than your own . AE . 
It 's called satire ... 	 My friend David Fraze used this clip at our workcamp this week to illustrate the negative image of Jesus that many people have ( even many christians ) . AEP . S . Click Here to see all 4 videos in the series . 
The Lost Message & The Four Most Important Things In The World . 	 This past weekend I finished Steve Chalke 's excellent book The Lost Message of Jesus . In it , Chalke recounts the experience of a friend who attended an Easter service at a large church . During the service , the church 's children 's minister explained that every child who entered the doors of that particular church learned the " 4 most important things in the world " . He then called an 8 year old girl to the stage to tell the congregation what exactly those 4 things were . The girl listed them as : God created me . I am a sinner . Jesus came to die for me . Until I accept him as Lord and savior I cannot recieve the abundant life God has for me . Chalke says that his friend was stunned by the list . She was especially surprised by # 2 . She wondered if " I am a sinner " is really one of the 4 most important things for an 8 year old to know . Chalke wonders if there might be a better list for children to learn , such as : Jesus explained that God loves them unconditionally . God longs for them to be a part of his plan for creation . Jesus teaches that no - one can keep them from this destiny except their own decision . Jesus ' death and his resurrection from the dead prove that he was telling the truth so we can trust him . That second list is what I want my daughter to know , or better yet , to believe . That second list is what I want the people I work with to understand . That second list is a great thumbnail sketch of what drives me . That list could change the world . AE . 
More Stream of Consciousness Observations . 	 Busy week . Lots of stuff going on . We ' d appriciate your prayers . All I have time for this week is a list of stream of consciousness observations on life in general : I think my daughter grows and inch taller , her hair gets an inch longer , and she gets a lot smarter every time I blink . ( I ' m trying to blink less ) Every day I become more and more aware of how " out of my league " my wife is , and every day I thank God that she doesn't seem to be aware of this obvious fact . I wonder if it 's a bad thing that lately I ' ve been getting most of my news from the Daily Show , The Colbert Report , and Relevant Magazine 's Slices . The fact that Derek Webb doesn't get more airplay on Christian radio speaks volumes about the Christian subculture . Why do I even have a home phone number anymore ? Isn't it amazing that so many preachers on T . V. can somehow make the message of Jesus , the homeless Son of God who wouldn't stop talking about how God was with the poor , into a message of how you can be healthy , wealthy , and popular ? What would happen if the church stopped worrying so much about making sure that people know that we 're " right " , and started pouring our energy into being good to the world we ' ve alienated ? Would Jesus be allowed to speak at your church ? Would he be invited back ? Does everyone have trouble finding the time to mow their grass ? What do they put in diet drinks that makes them so addictive ? I mean seriously ... it tastes terrible , but I crave the stuff . One day I hope my daughter looks back and remembers that her Dad loved Jesus , her Dad loved her Mom , and her Dad loved her ... that he always tried to keep his word to her ... and that he gave every part of his life to something he believed in . AE . 
My Dad And The Sex Talk . 	 May 30 th was my Dad 's 52 nd Birthday . In his honor , I decided to post a short article I wrote for a family magazine in Panama City , FL . My Dad and the Sex Talk I remember the first time my Dad really talked to me about sex . Actually , I need to back up a bit before we get to that . When I was in my pre - teenage years , it was becoming popular for guys to wear earrings . I was never actually interested in getting one , but one day , Dad surprised me by saying , You know , Adam , you can get an earring if you want to . Knowing how much he didn t like this particular fad , I was stunned , until ( with a wink ) he continued . you ll have to carry your ear in your pocket , but you can certainly get one . We had a good laugh about it , and then were able to talk about the reasons why he felt the way he did on the subject . Some time later , Dad and I were riding together in the car . It was just the two of us , and he looked over and said , Well , I guess we should have the sex talk . My cheeks burned . My eyes locked on my shoes . At that moment I wanted to be anywhere in the world except for in that car . Then , Dad said , Remember what I said about the earring ? Same rule . We both burst into laughter . The tension was broken and we were able to talk . My Dad didn t spend much time on mechanics . Instead , he talked about the life he wanted me to have . He shared his vision for the kind of marriage he wanted me to enjoy . He talked about the kind of husband and father he wanted me to be . He made sure I understood that if I wound up making a poor decision in this area , there would be forgiveness , but there would also be real life consequences , responsibilities and difficult decisions that came with it . My Dad broached this difficult and intimidating subject by breaking the tension and casting a vision for my future . In many ways , most of the decisions I made in this area were based on a desire to become the man my Dad believed I could be . -- AE . 
2:16 AM . So ... it 's this late , huh ? I ' ve written 3 unpublished blog posts in the last 16 minutes . I might try to work on them later and get them up , but ... it 's probably best to not blog so late at night . Why do I bother ? Seriously . I always end up hating my blog . 
Podcast Recommendation 1 . As far as podcasts go , Lynchland is by far my favorite . Liam Lynch does a lot of fun stuff like music videos , sketches , animation , puppets ... and other sweet stuff . Very creative guy . For those who don't know who Liam Lynch is , get to know him . He 's the director of the Tenacious D movie ... I forget when that 's coming out , but when it does I ' m sure it ' ll kick ass. I recommend everyone give this video podcast a try . You can download it in i Tunes . 
11:11 . What is the deal with me always looking at a clock when the time reads 11:11 ? It even happens when I ' m listening to a podcast and I randomly look at i Tunes and see the running time at 11:11 . Same thing when watching a movie . Randomly , without thinking , my eyes will glance over and see 11:11 . This has been happening to me for as long as I can remember . WHAT IS IT ? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! I googled this phenomenon and it told me there are special guardian angels called Midwayers that make me do this . And , get this , there 's 1,111 of these angels . I ' m gonna go ahead and pass on this . Will this always be a mystery for me ?